Took a couple of snaps of bedroom arrangements that I liked when we visited the Laura Ashley shop in Motomachi for our curtains.
I like the bedroom that looks cozy and comfy and charming. I definitely prefer it over the modern look.
I prefer a bigger bed though.
This wallpaper is just is just lovely. Note to self, hopefully someday. 😀
My kind of dream center table. But it’s sold at ¥118,000 (bigger one) and ¥88,000 (smaller one). Ouch.
It has been a very tiring day; a humid 32degC is not really the ideal weather that you’d like when you need to walk around doing some errands and going to government offices. Despite this however, there were a lot of things to be thankful for – catching the train right on time (and catching the right train for that matter), getting inside an office a minute just before they closed and really helpful taxi drivers.
Now, for someone who has been a victim with a lot of opportunity-nabbing taxi drivers, the drivers I met earlier were really quite a blessing for me.
Name it, I experienced it, with Metro Manila taxi drivers – dropping me and my humongous luggage off in the middle of the highway because my destination has too much traffic along its route (he couldn’t refuse me while I was in the airport cause then they’ll be ticketed by the airport guard; charging me with a fee that’s almost close to extortion; going around in circles just so I’ll have a bigger tab; Fixing their meters in such a way that you’ll be charged much higher than the legal rate; keeping your change and assuming your change is your tip to them (which sometimes is actually 30% or more than the bill); and if you try to haggle with their excessive proposed fee, you’ll get an earful of his woes and laments with how hard life is; und so weiter.
In fairness not all Metro Manila drivers do that. We went to San Juan before and both to and fro our destinations, we had no complaints whatsoever with the taxi drivers. So naturally we give them a tip. And the smile on their faces was just so genuine and beaming with unexpected treat that your instinct would be to want to give him more tip.
My experiences with Manila taxi drivers were more than enough for me to be wary of them. However, albeit I’ve complained a lot about them to friends, I never really had the heart to report them to the authorities, especially those who cheat on the meter. I know I am not fulfilling my duty as a responsible citizen but if you think about the possible consequences it’ll bring them, the most extreme of which is for them to loose their jobs, you would just prefer to fume in the corner and let your anger subside after an hour or so. So, what happened today then that made me go wishing for better service in Manila?
Back in Manila, I rode a taxi once wherein the driver had to make a stopover by the side of the road ( I was really stressed at that time because I was on my way to the airport and I didn’t have much free time anymore) so that he can pee. I also road a taxi once wherein we had to make a stopover in the gasoline station for the driver to refuel. On both times, the driver had the meter running. I didn’t mind really. Even when they were charging me on something that I shouldn’t shoulder anymore.
But what happened this morning then? The taxi driver wasn’t sure of the address I gave him. So what he did was park the car on the side of the road, stop the meter, and checked his navi for directions. Technically, he was still doing the job since he was really searching for the destination’s address yet he still didn’t charge me for it.
Second taxi then. I was in Makati once and I wasn’t really familiar with the place so I asked a group of taxi drivers for directions. One of them said it’s really far and I had to take the taxi. I was really fuming mad when I discovered later that my destination was just a block away from my initial location. To the curious, there were no phones with GPS then.
Fast forward to this afternoon. When I got out of the train station, I asked the guard for directions. He told me my destination was two blocks away. It was only six minutes to my destination’s closing time and what with the heat, I really was too weak already to run. So I haled a cab. The driver almost didn’t allow me to get in because, he reasons, my destination is just less than two blocks away. But in my kindergarten Japanese I explained to him that the office was about to close so I was in hurry and it was only then that he relented.
A world of difference right? Ahhh, if only the smattering of good taxi drivers in Manila can multiply and influence their fellow drivers Manila then would be much much tourist friendly.
The summer sale is just so crazy this year. Everywhere you look, there’s a nice piece of garment or accessory to catch your eye, discounted at such a very reasonable price (even as low as 50%!) making it quite difficult for you to refuse. It doesn’t help as well that the city is just teeming with shops selling women’s clothes and shoes and bags and accessories. A good timing for the bargain sale as well since most companies give out half of the year’s bonus around this time of the year. Or was this the sole reason malls and shops time the sale during this period? But then again, as hubby pointed out, there are lots of sale periods in the country throughout the year. There’s the Charming Sale; The New Year sale where you can get really good bargain with them happy bags if you’re lucky enough and well the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter bargain sale. LOL.
Anyway, sale season are such a boon especially when you’re still on the look for home items to stuff your home with. Curtains for one are just so EXPENSIVE here in Japan that you’d want to wait for the bargain before buying one. I haven’t seen one that I like yet though. And well, the question really is “how do you buy curtains??”.
Anyhow, our objective this summer sale was more on linen for the bed. We need to have an alternate for our organic-themed bedcovers. Fell in love with this. Pink-themed Burberry linen. Heart.
Loved this as well!!
But alas, Burberry wasn’t on sale.
Thankfully though, we found this lovely futton/comforter cover. Just perfect for our pink and brown theme at home. When we fitted it in, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the underside is of pink and brown stripes design. It’s as if underneath the beautiful chaos is organized beauty. Heart.
And bed cover!
One thing we’ve noticed though ever since changing the sheets. It’s been really difficult to wake up in the mornings. Soo sleepy yet!
Hacienda Isabella is one really beautiful place. It’s one place that would be perfect for photoshoots and dreamy honeymoons (considering the bedrooms! hehe). I fell in love with the place more and more as I come across pictures of it every now and then in my research for wedding details. Hubbie shares my feelings and views on the place as well. Beautiful.
Yet, we had to forego the place. We were almost about to make a go for the place until we’ve decided to set aside a weekend day to check out the place and see it for ourselves. And as we drove on and on, my heart got sadder because even when we haven’t seen the place yet, I know that we have to forego it simply because of its distance from Caleruega. To top it off, our wedding is in the evening hence the long and winding and tricky road to Hacienda Isabella might leave a lasting (and negative) impression on our guests. We presume the guests are real hungry already by the time they’re on their way to the ceremony.
Of course, foremost to us is the comfort of our guests.
But without a doubt. Hacienda Isabella is a beautiful place for a wedding. Perhaps, if your wedding is early in the morning, then, perchance, the Hacienda can be a perfect location for your reception.
Do check out below some of our photos. Courtesy of my friend Rezza Flauta-Chua. Our thanks to Rezza and her hubbie JJ and their really smart niece Maki for setting aside time to accompany me to Hacienda Isabella despite their busy schedule.
After visiting Hacienda Isabella, we drove to Ville Sommet as well just to check out the place again. This time, I felt the “this is it” moment with Ville Sommet. This time, i’m settled. Albeit at the back of mind is the thought that the place sure is really expensive (considering the minimum amount 900 php per head they require for the catering).
Oh yeah. I asked uber smart 5-yr old Maki to help me in judging whether to select Hacienda Isabella or Ville Sommet. After we did our rounds, Maki confidently selected Ville Sommet. That made me smile. Sometimes, kids’ judgment has to be trusted. ^_^
Another thing I have to let go with Hacienda Isabella is that a lot of my favorite Dino Lara pictures were taken from this place.
Hacienda Isabella are renting out rooms though for honeymooners and out-of-towners so you just might want to consider the place for your stay.
One happy note: Yey, I was finally able to know how to make a slideshow in wordpress. I really love wordpress!!!
wifey’s note: all posts with “wishlist” are not what we hope to receive on our wedding. Rather, they are stuff that we would love to have but we’ve found we cannot have for our wedding anymore owing primarily to practicality.
We’ve already booked our major suppliers and being in the almost-final leg of booking for our suppliers, we are already nearing the high alarm point on our budget. Suffice it to say that we cannot afford to splurge anymore and that we have to tighten the belt.
This fact makes me wish I found Pat and Spruce Floral Designs earlier to prettify the Church some more and to add more style to Ville Sommet’s Glasshouse. But I have to let go.
Please do check out Pat Pastelero’s arrangements on Spruce’s Facebook account and on her tumblr account The Floralist. Her designs are j-u-s-t lovely.
One thing with Pat is that not only her arrangements really good but that she’s great to work with as well. We only corresponded through emails but she was so fun to talk to and she wasn’t stingy with suggesting her ideas. When she learned we have travel theme for our wedding, she listed a number of ideas on how to emphasize our theme on the reception venue. And they certainly were ideas that I like!
What I initially liked with her was that on her specs sheet, the question “flowers you DON’T like” was included. And of course I have a number of it. She’s so easy to work with.
But again, sigh. I have to let go.
It’s a bit of a torture though. Because everytime I’ll have my fitting with Richie, I’d get to see Pat’s arrangement since Pat and Richie (both having the same name Patricia) share the same unit in Palm Village.
wifey’s note: all posts with “wishlist” are not what we hope to receive on our wedding. Rather, they are stuff that we would love to have but we’ve found we cannot have for our wedding anymore owing primarily to practicality.