The Eve Before Palawan

It's the eve before I fly to Palawan with my husband and my son. I have been mentioning this in my posts but haven't really dedicated a single entry explaining why. Most of those who we have told think this is a radical, ambitious move. Perhaps, you'll gain a sense of it- our reasons for moving...after reading what I have to say.

In the past few days, I have been having mixed emotions about this big change, uprooting ourselves from the comfortable life and its familiar routines. When I look at my parents' eyes and see at how lovingly they gaze at Santi, my heart takes a dip because I know they will be missing their beloved grandson. I know Santi will ask for his lolo and lola because no one will spoil him with junk (chocolates, ice cream, french fries, & god forbid.. pork!!!) and television. Even if our parenting styles are on opposite poles, I know that your love for him is genuine and I truly appreciate that. After spending a full day with my girl friends, I am grateful to have such amazing women around to rant and rave with. Days and nights will not be the same without their companionship, humor, and trust. Looking at my current city location, I appreciate the convenience of food joints, the grocery, salons...and the malls...oh, the malls! Good-bye to retail eye candy. Shopping will no longer be a past-time of mine. I will be freed from your material lures.

I want to, need to detox.

Detox from money, material things, entertainment, media, pollution, distractions. Do you realize how much time you waste looking at advertisements? Staring at numerous products & racking our brains for better choices at the grocery shelf? Sitting in the middle of traffic? Gossiping? How about the messages we unconsciously send to our children about wealth, power & fame? Will they grow up wanting to join this rat race? Study hard (maybe even aspiring an MBA), work even harder...for what?

Well, we beg to differ.

Within 24 hours, we will be transported to 'greener pastures'. (literally!) Not everyone will see it the way we do, though. On the contrary, others may not appreciate the quiet solitude of provincial life. Few will realize the purpose of going back to basics in a world where the emphasis is on gains. To those deeply rooted in this urban jungle, it's quite insane to do what we aim to do. But we're taking the leap because I want my family to breathe fresh air. I want my son to run in big open spaces, learn to swim in the ocean not just in the chlorine pool
climb big old trees just like the old days.I want him to live amidst nature, learn to value & respect all sentient beings. I want to plant organic herbs & vegetables and eat nutrient-dense crops. I want to sew, crochet and knit. Read in peace. I want to mountain bike, practice & teach yoga, meditate in an environment brimming with life. Bask under the hot tropical sun and howl at the full moon. Dance with every fiber of my being. I want to be wild and free.

We just want to simplify and learn to appreciate life's little (but bigger & better!) things. Our family's goal is to live with less, but create and have more. More time for each other and ourselves, more health, more love & happiness. Now, think about it, isn't that something worth achieving? :) Like I always say, we only live once...so I dare you to live it!

So..for now, goodnight and adieu to the big (bad) city! Tomorrow we will wake up in...paradise!

Going Gugo on my Hair

These are cut up gugo barks I purchased from Bea, one of my green friends from the Sunday Legaspi Market. Business and love partners, Bea and Robbie, are owners of Sakto, an eco sari-sari store of sorts. I love the concept that you can just purchase things based on your exact needs, hence the term sakto which means just that in Filipino.

I hear from Devaki (another hippie friend of mine from the market) that Bea religiously uses this stuff on her hair because she doesn't trust those organic shampoos. When you read the labels, they aren't really organic or their products are questionable. I honestly feel the same way about a lot of all natural or organic claims.

So, intrigued by gugo's famed claim on hair, I bought myself a bunch for P50. It came with the re-used flour bag which is such a cute add-on. Bea's directions was to get a few pieces and pound it with water. The sap is what you spread all over your hair & roots. Leave on for a few minutes and wash with water. It is also common practice by our lolas to mix the gugo sap with coconut milk if you want a richer, sweet smelling lather. Gugo stregthens and nourishes the hair while coconut milk will protect your scalp and hair from UV rays. This might just be my answer to my falling hair problem (my husband will be so pleased to find no hair strands on our bed and in the bathroom!) :)

So Glee!

Do you watch Glee?

Cousin Cri forced me to watch this because according to her, I kinda look like the lead star, Rachel Berry. I think, maybe just that kinda jewish nose :P Montri took the good husband initiative of downloading season 1 for me. Here goes another TV series that I am hooked on! The last one I went mad & sleepless on was Dirty Sexy Money. Because I am a failed singer (when I was about 10, I auditioned once for Repertory Philippines but got declined by the famed Zenaida Amador), I like to watch others sing...and they sing & dance great! It's too bad that they only have a few episodes out, so looks like I will wait for a couple of weeks before I continue this crazed marathon of mine :SI am particularly drawn to Quinn Fabray's angelic, impeccable beauty. Her eyelashes are obviously fake but does the right cheerleader impact. Reminds me of how picture-perfect lashes are done at The Lash Bar -a recent project a friend of mine put up in Timog, Q.C. Try them and feel like a star!

Pictures courtesy of www.chud.com and www.dianaagron.net

For more sensible stuff, I have been reading this very interesting & informative book, The Omnivore's Dilemma which talks about where your food really comes from. I'm only mid-way and pretty much convinced against processed food and where modern agriculture has taken the world. So glad to be moving to a place with only 1 mall and supermarket (NCC in Puerto Princesa) and more of the 'real food' with live enzymes available at fresh markets selling organic fruits and vegetables because the farmers can't even afford pesticides.

It's 9 days away and I've only packed 1 box of my clothes. Better get ourselves ready! The countdown is on!

The 2nd Flow Surf Yoga Samba Weekend Retreat

We are organizing the 2nd FLOW Surf Yoga Samba Weekend Retreat on April 9-11 at the San Juan Surf Resort, La Union. Good timing for everyone because it's a loooong weekend! So, do get excited about this unique summer event! Click on image to enlarge and see details below.
Get the chance to learn Vinyasa yoga, commune with nature, ride quality waves, dance to the beat of the drums and nourish yourself with healthy wholesome food. Take a breather from your everyday lives and create a space where you can feel the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

The FLOW Surf.Yoga.Samba Weekend Retreat aims to unify the body mind and soul. We offer each guest an experience of a lifetime. Practicing yoga will develop focus, strength and flexibility. Surfing will develop your confidence, stamina and ocean awareness. Dancing and creating music enhances sense of well-being and build social skills. The whole retreat is complemented with healthy food to help nourish this unique journey to self-discovery.

P7,500 per person

Package Inclusions:
- 2 Vinyasa Yoga sessions by Monica Eleazar-Manzano
- 2 Surfing lessons with Luke Landrigan of The Billabong Surf School
- 2 Samba lessons and jamming with Escola de Samba Manila
- Roundtrip transportation from Manila-La Union
- 3D, 2N aircon accommodation at San Juan Surf Resort
- Healthy Meals

To register, visit our website at http://flowsurfyogasamba.multiply.com or email us at flowsurfyogasamba@gmail.com

Happy Hearts & Tiger Day!

Last night Montri let me loose to be with my girlfriends from college for Carna Manila held at the Rockwell Tent. Jeri and I watched Denise play the big sordo drum with Escola de Samba de Manila. It was refreshing to be with the girls to act and feel young again. Escola's thundering performance was fantastic! Catch them again in the next FLOW Surf Yoga Samba weekend retreat. Me in my fave shrug by bohemian extraordinaire Maria Villanueva. She is at the weekly Sunday Legaspi Market. Escola de Samba de Manila on stage. Check out Dee in red bangin' the big ol drum

Festive Brazilian craze at the Rockwell Tent

This morning Santi and I were blessed by the lucky chinese dancing dragons (or were they tigers this time?) of Rockwell. We were on the way to visit my parents and heard the loud drumming by the Joya building. Santi was intrigued by these dancing creatures and got mighty scared when they approached him. He was trembling and climbed onto me like a cat would to a tree! But, glad to have good fortune on our side.

So it's a double whammy celebration for love and tigers. Are you the feeling festive yet? Spread the love! ;)

P.S. Lately Santi has been extra ferocious, roaring at people even at strangers in the elevator! :O Is it because he feels the year of the Tiger creeping in?

Working with Hands

So, what's new? I have been making things with my bare hands whether its cooking, baking, drawing with Santiago, mixing up skin/hair products and most recently relearned the art of crochet in Mikael Playgarden. This is the Waldorf inspired school where I take Santi to toddler-parent days every Mondays and Tuesdays. More on Mikael Playgarden here.

Now back to my crochet obsession, I even went to the crafts store (Dreams in Glorietta 5) and had the boutique owner teach me how to knit! These things are therapeutic, they say. Perhaps, I'm psychologically and emotionally preparing myself for the move to Palawan. During the transition period from the city life to island life, I will busy myself with all sorts focusing energies to yoga and creating things from scratch.

Do you see the lovely colors of yarn and cotton? I can't wait to turn them into something beautiful and of use :) You can download free patterns in Ravelry, a knit and crochet online community. You're sure to get lost in a maze of creative hand-made masterpieces by artists and homemakers. My next target is a Singer sewing machine and do some Burda Style projects...ooooh ;)