07.18.10
The history of chocolates is not clear, although most will say that it goes back to the times of Mayans and Aztecs.
Well, I really don’t care.
But to whoever thought that a simple cacao bean…
could be transformed into something like melted chocolate…
and be turned into this:
Thank you very, very much! Yum! Yum!
You are my heroes! Mabuhay kayo!
(click picture for source)
07.12.10
Before we move on to LA, I would like to make special mention of a small city nearby.
Glendale is a small, beautiful community outside of LA. What Glendale is to LA is like what Paranaque is to Makati, not just in terms of distance, but also structurally. If LA is full of buildings, malls, and yuppies, Glendale is like a homey city.
We didn’t get to go around Glendale that much, but I truly enjoyed one of their “parks/malls”: Americana (which reminded me so much of Alabang Town Center).
View from the top: A park surrounded by stores…some of them high end!
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I liked the place because it wasn’t your conventional mall. Para syang park na mall. The place was relaxing, and pwedeng tambay lang.
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There was spacious lawn of green, green grass. We spent an hour sitting on the grass and watching people who pass by.
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And the flowers, wow talaga! In full bloom! Ang gaganda! [The big brown building in the backdrop is Barnes & Noble, the US's version of National Bookstore.]
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There was also a fountain in the middle. Malaki-laki na sya for a place like this.
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There was this “Oscar’s trophy–looking” statue in the middle [I just don't know it's significance]…seemingly guarding the park.
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There are also fountains shows every afternoon/evening. Although not as great as those in Bellagio, nakakatuwa pa din siempre! The kids loved these shows! After all, who doesn’t like fountains coming alive?
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A cute vintage ice cream truck by the side…
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Americana’s version of a cable car!
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The cars look more nicer than those in SFO. And on top of that, the ride is free! Ride all you can ito!
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The friendly conductor also served as the tour guide, welcoming us and pointing to stores as we went around.
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It was a short ride, after all, Americana is a small place. Yet it was so fun to go around!
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These cars are disable friendly…wheelchairs can be loaded. Here, the trip is near its end as the train passes by the fountain.
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At the end of the ride, the conductor let the kids ring the bell [it's like the "toot" of a train]. Here, Wendy is actually pulling the string to signal the car’s arrival. 
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So there, if you are in the LA area and have the time and want to go somewhere relaxing, try going to Americana [and Glendale].
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Related posts:
US diary: part 1: San Francisco, CA
07.09.10
When Wendy found out that she had to be absent from school for 1 week when we went to the United States, she cried. But here’s what my aunt [the one who came with us] told her:
Wendy, don’t be sad. Do you know that what you will experience in our trip, you will NEVER experience reading books and being in a classroom? And what you will learn in 3 weeks in the United States, you will not learn in 1 year of school.
My point exactly.
[Not the one Wendy being absent of course--I'm glad she hasn't told me yet, "Mama, I'm quitting school to travel the world!--but the experience and learning aspect.]
07.04.10
Setting: A seemingly deserted pool…
Looks like only two girls were swimming…
But the truth is, there were four girls swimming that day.
Bianca: Wow, it’s such a nice day today, isn’t it?
Kelly: Yes, good thing our swimming day pushed through today.
Bianca: I know what you mean. It’s boring being stuck all day, all summer in the house!
Kelly: Talk about the summer just going by without us going swimming, not even once! Bummer! Now we can wear our bikinis and swim all we want!
Bianca: Look, I can now ride my surfboard! Wendy made this for me.
Bianca: Look Kelly, I can now stand on my surfboard!
Kelly: That’s great Bianca! Now let’s swim!
Kelly: Ooooh, the water’s so cool! I love to swim!
Kelly: Look at me Bianca, the swimming lessons must have worked! I can now float on my back!
Bianca: That’s great! Now just practice!
Kelly: Let’s do it together!
Kelly: Oh what a fun, fun day! I hope we can go swimming again soon! I need to practice my floating!
Bianca: Then let’s tell Wendy’s mom to that we want to swim again next week!
Kelly: Don’t worry, I have a feeling we will be!
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[Bianca's and Kelly's bikinis were designed and made by Wendy and Juday. Photos taken by Mommy Grace, through her cell phone.]
06.30.10
Days ago, Wendy burst into our room, seemingly irrirated.
Wendy: Hay naku Mama, galit ako! Super galit ako!
KG: Bakit naman?
Wendy: Look! [She then hands me her Hannah Montana magazines, opened to the fan page wherein Hannah Montana fans state why they love her, with some letter senders winning stuff.]. Sila daw ang number 1 fan ni Hannah Montana! Eh ako kaya ang number 1 fan ni Hannah Montana! I collect Hannah Montana stuff! I watch all the Hannah Montana episodes! Hello! [And she said this with a lot of gestures!]
At this point, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Wendy: M-A-M-A! I’m serious! I’m serious! I’m angry!
More chuckles.
Later, she was busy on the computer. Ayun, sumusulat na po ng letter [posted here verbatim]:
Hi! I’m Wendy de Castro, I’m 9 years old. I love Hannah Montana because she has a good voice and she is good in acting and singing. I also like her style and her songs. She also has good character, she is very funny and has full confidence when she sings. There was this time when my family and I went to U.S., and I was hoping to see Hannah Montana there because I saw 41 limos. I feel sad when I watch Hannah Montana episodes at the time we were going somewhere. I am a very, very, very big fan because I got to know a lot about Hannah Montana. I memorize most of her songs, I watched her movie almost 4 times, I am collecting Hannah Montana things, and I watched almost all of the Hannah Montana episodes. Sometimes, I practice singing in my room and my voice keeps getting better and better every time I practice. I joined our school singing contest, but I did not win, I was in 3rd place, but it’s okay. Hannah Montana is my most favorite show in the whole universe! I also love the Hannah Montana magazines. They give you great advice and it has games and cool stuff. Hannah Montana is my favorite singer and actress.
I understand how you feel Wendy. I too was a no. 1 fan of somebody before. Good thing though I’m past that stage, because I just can’t handle the “stress.”
06.26.10
If this series of posts on my trip to the United States will be anything like my Europe series, then prepare yourself for long stories [and perhaps boredom along the way]. But then I know you’ll be taking the trip with me also, as we did together when we traveled to Europe together.
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Arriving in a new country always leaves me palpitating. After all, it’s like a whole new world. Much like when I first stepped in to European soil, I was like a giddy child when our plane landed in San Francisco. My father kidded me, “Oh, humalik ka na sa lupa ng Amerika.” Even if my father would conclude at the end of the trip that the places looked the same [and I'd like to think he was just being sarcastic], with the exception daw of the Grand Canyon, I thought otherwise. Each place we visited was unique in its own way, each having its own charm.
San Francisco was our Ellis Island for this trip. I remember it was not too busy when we arrived, and we were almost the only ones going through immigration. I was a bit worried about this part of the trip because of the stories of some friends [na pinahirapan daw sila ng immigration officers]. But it turned out there was nothing to worry about…we went through in a breeze. Hmmmm…was it perhaps because my mother was in a wheelchair, or because my aunt, who is a nun, was with us? But they were not with us in line, kami lang ni Wendy! So I would like to think of it as more of God’s hand working! Anyway, on we went, ready to face the Land of Milk and Honey [at least for us Filipinos].
06.16.10
Hello world! I’m back! We landed in the Philippines last Saturday, and thank God, no jet lag for me. I had to work right away!
My luggage and things were in disarray for days, and it took me long to organize my things! Not to mention my mind in still in vacation mode! For a time, I refused to believe that vacation was over! He he!
I could honestly say that the United States is a beautiful place. Yes, the country may seem overrated [especially that most Filipinos look up to Pinoys who live in the US], but truth is, it is really a place worth visiting . It certainly boasts of some wonderful and beautiful places.
Thank God, I was able to visit most of the items on my list, except for Central Park [it was raining in New York when we planned to go to the Central Park; bummer!], Hershey Park, and The White House [our limited time constrained me from going to Washington, DC; next time!].
Fortunately, there were many other more things I saw and experienced [some unexpected]:
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These are just some of my wonderful experiences and some of the beautiful places in the United States, and I’m so excited to share them with you. But that would have to wait, for those would be another series of posts.
For now, I leave you with one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life.
These were taken at 36,000 feet above ground, as we were cruising over southern Alaska.
The snow-capped mountains of Alaska are a sight to behold! I didn’t get sawa staring at them.
Amazing ano? Truly one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve seen.
05.19.10
While almost everyone has been somewhere this summer, I haven’t been anywhere [save for Batangas a few weeks ago]. I’m not whining though, because the fact is, my summer is just starting!
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It’s not really on my list of places to go to, but if it’s with family (and your parents are are going to shoulder most of the expenses), why not? I’m not stupid to turn down the opportunity.
So for the next weeks, if all plans push through [hopefully], I’ll be meeting the following:
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(Click picture for source)
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I must admit that before planning this trip, I was ignorant on US geography, as in! Wala talaga akong alam. But now, I’ve learned a lot, like distinguishing between the East and West coast (end to end pala ang California at New York?). Pwede na! He he!
We’ll be leaving tomorrow. So see you all when I get back!
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PS, Guys, please pray for a safe trip for us. I’ve been watching Air Crash Investigation the past few days [it's one of my favorite shows on National Geographic], and I certainly don’t want us to be featured on that show! Thanks!
05.13.10
[I wrote this entry last week, supposedly in time for Mother's day. However, because of the hacking incident, I wasn't able to publish it. Not wanting my writing to go to waste, I am publishing it now. I know it's not too late to greet all mothers, especially my friends.]
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Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried payments in my field, since the payment is full love.
Mildred B. Vermont
The first time I knew I was a “different” kind of mother was when Wendy was starting to walk. While other mothers patiently follow their children, with arms ready to catch their child if they should stumble, all I did was watch from a distance. I rarely ran over to help Wendy stand up when she fell. I let her discover the skill of walking on her own. Yes, mean me, I let her stumble, I let her fall. But you know what? Looking back, I realize that she learned to walk real fast!
Through the years, I noticed some weird way in the way I was a mother. I let Wendy play in the grass, in the dirt, in the rain. I stopped sterilizing her bottles when she was just months old! I let her drink tap water. I don’t let her drink medicine for such simple sickness like coughs and cold. And lately, when she was older, whenever she tells me “Mama, ayoko na mag-school,” I would respond, “Ok. Next year di ka na mag-e-enrol.” And at such a young age, I already let her be independent. Cases in point: ever since she was in kinder, she prepares for school by herself; and whenever she has a regimen for her skin allergy (eg, lotion first, then a topical medication, then another topical medication,then an oral medication, in that order), she does it by herself. I often refuse to fuss over her.
And to think that Wendy is an only child.
Some might view this as neglect and say, ano ba namang klaseng nanay yan? I would like to stress that it is not. I love Wendy very much and this is my way of being a mother to her.
I guess that one of the most important things I learned in my being a mother for 9 years [such a short time compared with millions of mothers] is that NO ONE should tell you how to raise your child. There are no black and white rules for being a mother [or a parent]. There might be guides and well-meaning people, but at the end of the day, we are the ones raising our children, and we are responsible for them. We eventually choose how to raise them.
There are different kinds of mothers: the loving, gentle one; the firm, disciplining one…the overprotective…the “parang kabarkada ko lang ang mother” ko type…the type you are ashamed of [remember when you were a teenager, when you don't want to be associate with your mom?]…the cool one…the loud type…the domesticated one…and many others.
However, no matter what kind of a mother you are, who will be the one your child will run to whenever he/she runs into trouble? Who will there to stay up late when your child is sick? Who will be there for your child’s first heartache and to wipe away the tears? Who will be the proudest person when your child achieves something? Who will be the one to love your child unconditionally? YOU! You know why? Because deep in the core of your being, you are a mother.
So now, whenever I see Wendy doing well in school, being nice to other people, or carrying out the values I try to instill in her, I feel satisfied with my being a mother. And whenever she tells me, every day and every night, that she loves me, I know I’m doing the right thing.
I’ll be gone for the weekend, so allow me to greet all mothers:
05.11.10
Bad news: My site (and Rico’s) was hacked.
Good news: Rico has fixed it! [Galing!]
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Good news: All my posts were retrieved! [Hay, salamat talaga Rico!]
Bad news: All pictures are gone and I have to put them all back again! [Aawww]
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Good news: I can start again to rebuild this site.
Bad news: I am short on time these next few weeks.
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Bad news: I have now experienced one of the scariest things that the Internet [and technology] has to offer. Sad.
Best news: You, my blogger friends, are very understanding. Diba?And I know that you will not give up on me in the next moths as I [slowly] rebuild my site.
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Yes, it’s very disappointing. But I’m happy that not everything is lost. So please bear with me for the next few weeks. I am not technologically knowledgeable, so it may take a while for me to regroup.
But I’m feeling optimistic!
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