minamimusings

Ang hirap pala magka-anak, no? You're torn between excitement and anticipation and dread, wanting them to grow up fast and wanting them to stay a baby forever. I'm hearing from friends and acquaintances who have kids about how they're doing in school, the anecdotes they're sharing about teaching them things and the experiences they're having together. And I'm looking forward to the day when we can help Darcy with homework and go places with him. At the same time, I don't want him to grow up too fast. I'm not looking forward to him talking back to me. Maybe when he's all grown up, he won't want to hug or kiss me because he'll be embarrassed.

We caught a screening of Dredd last weekend after rave reviews from friends. Ronald particularly warned that it was very bloody. Coming from watching Resident Evil: Retribution and Expendables, blood shouldn't be a problem. Now, I'm not usually a big fan of action movies, but I'd go watch it (and spend a ticket on it), if it stars actors I like. In Dredd's case, I found out it was Karl Urban (Eomer from LOTR, and McCoy from Star Trek). Dredd is set in a post-apocalyptic world where people called Judges preserve order by being all of police, jury, and executioner. Lead character Judge Dredd is asked by the Chief Judge to assess female rookie Judge Anderson. For her first assignment, she chooses to respond to a homicide in Peach Trees, a mega-city that also serves as headquarters for criminal Ma-Ma, who traps them and tries to have them killed. (Gotta give the girl props for unknowingly picking the short straw on bad guys.) Naturally, I don't have to te...

I'm not a big fan of the horror genre, and I never really played the video game, which doesn't explain why I have seen the last four Resident Evil movies. I blame peer pressure. (Okay, I admit I saw the previous one, Resident Evil: Afterlife, because of Ali Larter of Heroes and Wentworth Miller of Prison Break.) Yesterday's impromptu viewing of Retribution was due to the husband... and because I didn't want to watch the new John Lloyd-Bea Alonzo movie, "The Mistress". Retribution picked up where Afterlife ended, and fortunately started with a bit more of a flashback to get us up to snuff on what happened in the latter. Milla Jovovich's Alice narrated. I was grateful for this mainly because I remember Afterlife didn't give much of a backstory, so all those Alices in the beginning of that movie confused me. Anyway, short plot synopsis: Alice wakes up prisoner in an Umbrella facility where she's interrogated-slash-tortured by possessed Jill Vale...

I was going to post these with the other snapshots from Singapore, but, this is GARRETT POPCORN, something I've been totally addicted to ever since Paul and I bought a small pack at the branch in Universal Studios Singapore. They have several flavors, but I highly recommend their Chicago Mix, which combines their Cheesecorn and Caramel flavored popcorn in one pack of sweet and salty goodness! I must note that what I love the most about their cheese popcorn is they obviously don't use artificial powdered cheese flavoring. I'm not sure but I think they use a buttery kind of melted cheese, judging from the wet, yellow streaks on that flavor's glass container, and I guess each popcorn is covered more thoroughly this way. Gah, I don't know. They just taste SOOO GOOD! And just so yummy when alternated with their caramelcrisp popcorn!  Gad, I sound like a free ad. Haha! I really wish someone would franchise it locally. I would, if I only had the money. *WISHIN...

This is one of three or four Catholic churches in the vicinity of our hotel in Victoria St.  Harris Planerds in 313 Somerset. Sadly, it was closed the whole time we were there. :( See? The posters say the Boss went fishing. We thought it was because of the Muslim holiday, but we went back the next day and it was still closed. T_T Breakfast! Orange juice, chicken cup noodles and 4-flavored Yakult. Louis Vuitton, why all the tentacles in your store display!? This was in Marina Bay Sands. How are you not supposed to notice something like this??? The view of the ArtScience Museum and the surrounding area from the top of Marina Bay Sands. Yes. That's not a Jollibee. It's a Jollibean. This was cool. A baby seat by Combi in the female toilets. For parking your baby when mommy has to take a leak. LOL. (But really,  I think it's a great idea.)   The toilet also has an extra attached seat for children. You can r...

I'm not really much of a shopper, but at one point while traveling, I was introduced to the wonder that is the outlet store. These are shops that sell mostly out of season or stock goods at prices lower than the regular stores, and in places where the manufacturing is located, the prices can get really low. (Hello, Nike Factory Outlet store in China!)  I never considered looking for outlet shops in Singapore before, but thought I'd do so during this trip, as it was past Great Singapore Sale date when we went. Fortunately, one was pretty accessible to our itinerary. What: Changi City Point Mall :: Website Location: Across Singapore Expo. Take MRT Green line and go down at EXPO station.  The Changi City Point Mall is located across the Singapore Expo, so you only have to get off at the MRT Expo station and cross the street. It's actually pretty far from the city center, being one station away from Changi airport, so my suggestion if you're not staying ...

Victoria Hotel is a small building located along Victoria St., near the corner of Bras Brasah St., and in front of Bras Brasah Complex. It's one of the more affordable hotels considering its high ratings on sites like TripAdvisor and Agoda . Victoria Hotel's facade. The rooms are pretty much what you see on the photos they use to advertise. (Maybe our carpet could have used a bit of cleaning.) I did complain about the smell of our room, which, to me, seemed like cigarette smoke strongly masked with air freshener. The staff did say we weren't on a smoking floor but  were quite accommodating and promptly sent up a humidifier(?) that removed the strange odor. Hotel Lobby I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to places I stay in -- just as long as the bathroom is clean and the toilet flushes, I'm happy. So, I have nothing negative to comment about our stay at Victoria Hotel. I will state all the pros though: Good location in a quiet, main street. Acc...

What: Harry Potter Exhibition ::  ArtScience Museum Site for Harry Potter: The Exhibition Where: Marina Bay Sands' Artscience Museum, Singapore Until: September 30, 3012 We couldn't resist taking a flight out to Singapore to view the visiting Harry Potter exhibit at the Marina Bay Sands. Suffice to say, it was a religious experience. Tickets Marina Bay Sands' Ticketing Site You can choose to buy tickets on-site at the venue itself or buy online at the link above. Note that if you buy online, you'll be charged with a 3SGD online booking fee, not to mention conversion rates could turn out higher depending on your credit card. If you choose to buy on-site, prepare 21SGD; 27SGD if you want to avail of the audio guide. Something else to consider before choosing how to purchase your ticket is also the date of your visit. On a regular weekday, I've been told there isn't much of a crowd so buying on-site is possible, even preferable. However, my...

We were in Marina Bay Sands on our way to the Skypark entrance when we stopped by the display of a jewelry store and I quipped about a hugeass ring on display. One of the store's clerks came out and chatted with us. He pointed out one of their new merchandise, a diamond pendant, but the diamond is actually encased in a glass sphere, in effect making it look bigger than it actually is. It was very pretty, but Paul explained to him that I didn't like jewelry. I said because of the crime rate in our country, that it wasn't practical for people to wear, much less own, uber-expensive "body bling" as they invariably get stolen at some point or another, and narrated my high school experience of having a (fortunately cheap) necklace snatched from me in broad daylight. Later on, Paul and I reflected that we'd much rather spend on food and books and travel and experiences. But I think it's sad that people, particularly where we come from, have to always be wary ab...

This comic has been running around shares on Facebook for a while. Source: JHallPokemon at Deviantart   I realized I'm actually opposite to this. It would start where my husband, Paul, would ask that we watch a DVD. I'd say no, because usually his movies are of the action genre (and I'm a chick flick girl.) I try to sleep. But since it's loud and I can hear all the dialogue, my interest would be piqued and I'd take little peeks. The next thing I know, I'm sitting beside him and asking him how the story began. Well, I guess the last panel is something we have in common. Haha.

It was my first time to go to Expo Mom . I didn't even know there was a bazaar for the mommy market until I got pregnant last year. (Well duh, girl, you weren't part of the target market before then!) And like most things I see on the internet, I was curious, so I went. Now, what I love about bazaars is how there's a lot of interesting stuff! There are products being sold that you'd normally have to travel some distance to get to or some things that you're hard-pressed to see elsewhere. If you're lucky, the stores, run by "mompreneurs" -- basically mommies who've seen the lack of something essential in the local market based on their experience and have decided to take it upon themselves to make it or bring it over -- will have consignments in specialty stores, e.g., Mommy Matters in H.A.B. (That's where I got my Belly Belt, which has served me and my stinginess -- because I didn't want to spend on new pants -- well.) But most of the...

My brother left his pet mini-schnauzer, Loki, here at home. Paul took one look at it prancing about his feet, and at our family's two other dogs, Sarah and Barkley, that were lying nearby, and said, "Baby, I just realized." He pointed at the dogs and said, "Gino, Chico and Delamar."  --- We related this later to my sis when she came down for breakfast. (Jho doesn't really listen to the Morning Rush.) Jho: Huh? Why? Kasi bading?  Paul and I: *facepalm* Me: Noooo. Jho: So si Sarah si Del? Kasi lola? 

I know I should have tacked this on to the previous post, but I'm just so happy they finally released it, I thought it deserved its own entry. :P Here's a video of the 5-minute extended sneak peek.

Johnny Depp. As a vampire. That is all.

Remember I mentioned they were releasing TWO Snow White-centered films this year? Well, I just watched one, the movie that has Julia Roberts playing the wicked queen. Okay, first of all, I know I said how I'm highly anticipating the other one that stars Kristen Stewart. But it doesn't mean that I wasn't eager to watch this one, too. I love Julia. I also generally fancy fairy tales. And I am aware how different Mirror, Mirror will be, especially in terms of story. In addition, Armie Hammer's in it and he makes for great eye candy. Yum. So you see, I tried really hard to not think about my biases and be objective. Anyway, here goes... The movie was dark. No, I don't mean that figuratively. I'm not sure if it was just me, but the movie could have stood a little more brightness. Like, if I was watching it on my laptop, I would have pressed F2's sun icon to full capacity. There were all these bold, happy colors on the set and on the costumes (THE COSTUMES! <3...

Because it's almost spring in Japan and the cherry blossoms are again going to be in full gorgeous bloom, I thought I'd bust out some of our sakura photos from 2007 in tribute. These were taken in the park in the Imperial Palace. Carpet of fallen sakura blossoms.