impromptu date with the lovely mr. Adrian

i was busy yesterday. i was doing overtime work in a place for learning disabilities.

i said to adrian that i fell in love with a 50 year old down syndrome client named Rob, and i wanted to take him home, but no need to worry as Rob is just cute and funny that he is such a lovely client to work with.

and because Adrian and i didnt spend much time yesterday (which was a sunday), we decided that after my uni, we went to our jaunt for some gallery browsing and maybe get his birthday present.

of course, he didnt say NO to my proposal.


**

i whisked him off to London town.

we started late on a cool and damp afternoon, around 4 PM, so we said,we cant be rushed when its galleries, so we changed operandi. we decided to go to the biggest bookstore in Oxford Circus. and stopped in Liberty for some browsing.

(all i wanted was for him to tell me what he likes so i could get back and get it).

**

pictures pictures...

having our snack..and getting warmed with soup and cakes before traipsing for some mini-shopping.





Adrian's carrot cake



Adrian's coffee and cake





my coffee..and the trademark of Le Pain Quotidien (a french cafeteria)




the husband's shot of an exasperated me..(lol)




L: i have given up at this point...R: but of course,he finds it all too funny




imbibing french country chic




and that too




recipe books and wooden cupboards..my kind of toys




the place from the outside..




oh Liberty..Mulberry bags are 30 percent off..be still my heart.




L: some weird street name and corners...R: it took him a loooong time to find what he wanted..he loves making bread. and i love eating them (haha)




piccadilly circus..and it was busy today




after all that walking,we went to chinatown for some good chinese grub




ahhh, cheap chinese buffet, is yummy:-) at the backstreets of chinatown.




it was our first time there..we love chinatown for some good chinese food. yumm:-)


**

it wasnt bad for an impromptu date in the city. more of these i hope:-)

something for the heart ..and liver

i snatched this photo from my cousin Tony's FB site. this was taken by her phone on New Year's day at mama's house. they congregate all the time for mama's cooking. i miss mama's cooking, and more importantly i miss Mama, my siblings, and i miss them all when i saw this photo:

Simone, Ana and Mika...i wished i was there for that day

**

since 2010, i have been drinking a cleansing green tea every night. its not a diet tea, but more of a cleansing one for the liver and kidneys. i've read so much about nettle and fennel as having cleansing properties and somehow it worked with me. i take it once a day at least, and on weekends, i have it in the morning too.

i've started drinking it since 2009, but i slack some nights, but last year, i was able to do it every night, even when we holidayed in India and Dubai.

now, i'm trying to detox my liver even more too. i am not an alcoholic by any means (i dont take a single drop. i am not a goody-two-shoes at all, its just i get anaphylactic reaction to it, for some reason).

being diabetic and taking alot of medication, one of the organs that could get affected in the long run is the liver. my poor liver has to take alot of purifying than a normal person's would. same as that of an alcoholic. so its a no-brainer i have to take good care of it.

i have found a detox regimen being done on alcoholics, and one of the drinks they have to take after a long night of boozing to purify their liver is the ginger/lemon drink.

here's the recipe.

hot water in a mug

squeeze a lemon or two

chopped and crushed ginger (like an inch size)

and a teaspoon of honey

drink while hot/or as hot as you could take it, in the morning before breakfast.

(it actually tastes good, trust me)

**

its supposed to flush some toxins out of the liver.

**

i had my first drink of it this morning. and i'm planning to do this as regularly as i could so i could have a baby's liver (hehe) by the end of 2011.

**

as you could guess, my resolution are small baby steps in maintaining whatever good health i have .

new year's fireworks

we were in the capital.

we just had a great meal. a long queue to finally get a seat, but we didnt mind. the restaurant has a waiting area inside reminiscent to a hotel lobby.

it was a great sight. the water feature in the lobby was bubbling, there were couples and families milling around waiting for their tables, and the lady who ushered us and gave us the menu list, was gorgeous. perfect make-up, and beautiful in her thai costume. and judging from her frame,her features and her accent,she was authentic.

thank goodness i puckered up for the night and put some lippy on, or else id feel so drab that night.


**

coming out of the restaurant was exciting. the area had the same buzz as 'sinulog', you know,when there's so much lights, theres music everywhere,and people on the street were just either slowing down and laughing, and others dancing.


a look at trafalgar square.

police everywhere..just in case

the beautiful National Gallery

the top of the christmas tree at Trafalgar

"peace must be the most unquiet thing in the world"..isnt it gorgeous?

***


we walked back to the parliament square...

there were security on beautiful horses.

the time we got nearer to Big Ben all the place was cordoned off..it was around this time:-)

and then the fireworks..

it sucks to be short.everyone's heads/hands/cams get in the way when youre in a crowd..

all colours,and all shapes

*****

and the revellers:

i looked behind me to see these people in awe as i was

i looked at my side

playing with bubbles

a family at my right:-) looking at the dying fireworks

a part of me wishing i was somewhere in the far east..and a part of me grateful being where i was..and with who:-)

***

walking back..for coffee and cakes..

beautiful street people

happy new year indeed!!! :-)

***

happy new year my lovelies..

a blessed 2011 to all of you..:-)

new year dinner

we were spontaneous.

we planned a party with some few friends who have no family in the UK.. but the two filipinas (friends of my cousin but they have now moved now in the UK to work) apologized a week before new year, as they couldn't make it due to shift work. they said, they are first priority to do the new year shifts.

adrian and i thought, we might as well just say at home and be on our twosome. or maybe go to London.

on boxing day,we were warned that its going to be a killer to get to the capital for new years eve. plus there will be queues to eat anywhere. even at a sandwhich bar. that made us rethink our plans.

so we decided new year will be a home affair.

but then by 4pm, adrian and i were itching to go, and i was lazy to cook (even if we had food for the new years! beef for slow roast, lambshanks, salmon,ham and some coldcuts).

we decided to brave the crowd and greet the new year like new lovers do--nary a care, without a responsibility, leave the house and please ourselves.

and boy, did we love it!

jazzed up for the new year Adrian and moi

L: my "ruby woo" red lips....R: arriving at london, parked at Victoria,and walked all the way to Parliament Square..

the streets from Victoria as we were walking to Trafalgar..

arriving at trafalgar..this was our restaurant of choice:-) Thai food, yay!

mixed starters...i especially loved the dumplings and crab cakes..ahhh..

papaa salad, pork meat and prawn dumplings, crab cakes, prawn tempura,chicken satay

but of course, photos of him...:-)

the main course..broccoli, pad thai noodles, pla rad prik (fried fish on chilli sauce, and mussaman curry lamb shank..

i'm craving for it again..

pad thai noodles..one of our favourite thai food

fish dish..yummy..we couldnt finish it,there was alot! .:-0

the only photo of me by Adrian,LOL..:-)

at last! i found a restaurant that does mango crepes..:-) love...

in case of emergency..

...and you left your tripod at your brother-in-law's house on boxing day

...and no one to take pics of you and your new year look:

Lukduha palihog ang camera..

ahh,the things we do for posterity.

Happy new Year my dearest friends and my family:-)