And so here's the famous Mizu Volcanic Sushi
Excuse our photography please... no one brought a proper camera so we used iphones and that blackberry there too.

Nica kindly took a candid photo of me trying to pick my food with chopsticks. I'm in fact trying to be an expert using chopsticks to eat, tryyyyinnng....
We had a hard time finishing all the food we ordered but tried our best and we won, over sushi, seriously? Oh my goodness, the food was so yummy and heavy to the tummies and well presented too. Eating in between loud conversation and laughter = fantastic girlies date night over sushi.

Photo by Maria Nica Evangelista

Well, as it was getting late and we were the last customers to leave the place, we better be going and everyone has to go to work the following day! Have fun you guys!

And guess what!? After five weeks I finally placed an order of this print on basic combed cotton fabric for two yards and will be having it shipped to my New York ShopandShip mail forwarder. Shipping is USD 3.00 to New York while the fabric itself is USD 17.50 x 2, plus I also ordered a swatch book (a sample pack of all types of fabrics that Spoonflower offers) for USD 1.00. That's a total of USD 39.00 for this order which translates to AED 156.00, not bad at all.

So it says my order will be shipped around 3rd of September.

Meanwhile, I'll sit and wait while dreaming of making a skirt with this lovely print.

Neutral (number four), came up with an idea of purified drinking water refilling station that will sell competitively in the local market. Almost similar to Dubai where people not fond of drinking water straight from tap, people in Philippines need more access to safe drinking water that will not break the bank. Mineral, purified, and distilled water are just so expensive if you buy them from supermarkets and pharmacies. I haven't done a complete survey yet of water refilling stations in Naga City, Bicol but I personally believe we can have a slice of the market share since there are new residential communities in the city being developed.

In Manila, according to a friend, a 5-gallon water bottle is being sold at 15 pesos to beat the competition as there are water refilling stations everywhere and yet it runs with good profit. No doubt then since Metro Manila is densely populated.

Back to my siblings, number five is working full time at a local branch of SM retail store. Number six is completing her degree in Food Service Management next March 2015, and collectively we decide for her to run the water store along with Gorgeous. She'll be 20 years old. God bless her.

I am lucky enough to be surrounded with awesome people. Last night over chai at Cha Cha Chai, I got some helpful tips from new acquaintances I met at Wealth Academy class. She has apparently availed assistance from Philippine government during her business registration before moving to Dubai and she really saved some money for otherwise fees to be paid. I recall my own journey back in 2005 with my ex-fiancé while doing the paperwork of our Belgian Waffle franchise in LCC Mall Legazpi City. The same money could have been used to fund our business operation.

I also recently received some useful advice from my former entrepreneurship mentor in forming our most dreamed corporation with my younger siblings.

Meantime, I am working on the business plan, but we are really gonna go ahead with it no matter what. We don't have a name yet that will be attached prior to wordings "Mineral Water Refilling Station". I will be seeking input of the global netizens who will be kind enough to help us think. Then whoever we pick who came up with the name that appeals us most, we'll try to arrange for something to be shipped to you wherever you are as our way of extending our humble thanks for you being the most awesome business name guru.

Please write your suggestions on the comments section below :)

The first half of 2014 has been a rocky road experience. I decided to write my reflections since I feel a lot of things have happened that turned my world upside down especially before 2013 left and the arrival of 2014 that had me in a bittersweet state. Some experiences were good, some not really. I have experienced things and some self discovery I never thought of (they were in fact really nice) and at the same time there are life hurdles that I have had to face head on.

I want to do a little recollection and random things about me. And, since this is my blog and I will write whatever I feel like writing so embrace it :)

Ramadan came and gone and so was my social Iftars then the Eid holidays. Germany won the FIFA World Cup 2014.
I have visited Al Khawali Restaurant for the first time for an Iftar dinner with my Egyptian friend and he became my second teacher how to smoke shisha properly.
Random things:

1. Car arrest. My car has put me into lots of trouble lately mainly due to my fault but I am not giving up on her because I intend to drive it to the ground till every piece is broken and beyond repair.

To those close to me personally know that my little car that I call Pinkie went on "vacation" at Dubai Police شرطة for 8 weeks and I had to arrange a rental car so I could manage to go and about my daily routine and to continue my just about nomadic lifestyle. My work is literally 80 kilometers away from home and it's not in downtown Dubai so having to arrange my own transportation is essential. I know I have been a not-so responsible car owner, lesson learned. Now moving on, BIIGGGGGGGGGG thanks to friends from the one who helped me get a cheap rental car through another friend who works at car rental company down to another long-time friend of mine who was with me till late when I picked up my car and roaming around the city to find an open car washing. I didn't want to be fined again for a fresh out of Police yard car being too dirty when I use it to work the next day eh?

So this is my daily drive, back and forth.
2. Apartment. Prior to completing a year at my rental apartment's tenancy contract, it got me really thinking either to keep my two-bedroom apartment or move to a one bedroom? My brother can move to his company-provided accommodation in effect I will pay less money for my rent. Yes, it will sort of help increase my personal cash flow. But I really like the thought of family environment for my siblings instead of being all by ourselves in a foreign country. Talk about being the eldest of six siblings here. Plus, since he likes the living room so much that he doesn't like staying in his room, I made it my home office / sewing / creativity room, which he doesn't mind. So we both still have our own space.

Finally, decided to keep my apartment and negotiated with my landlord to allow me pay same rate as previous year's. She did let me on a condition of two cheques instead of four, which I was happy to find ways. She's happy, I'm happy.

2. Eid holidays. I made up my mind to have a grand Eid celebration. That means away from my usual routine. So, I stayed back at the comfort of my own home as oppose to going here, there and everywhere. Initially thought of inviting friends over to help me sew but I decided to be quite and chill instead to recuperate from my usual busy life. That was luxury already, ayeee!

3. I fell in love! Love is good. But it was over. Somehow, it made me feel human again after three years of my previous relationship that ended in a broken engagement. And with all oddity, I fell in love to someone who professed his extreme likeness on me two and a half years ago. Told him then that I needed time and that we are two different species. I couldn't comprehend it but I did fell in love on him. I haven't had that feeling towards him previously and without advance notice it struck me like a lightning bolt. Before I know it, I have adored him so much already. It was over though after a couple of months we realized we better off as friends again. Cool enough.

4. Dying plants at my balcony. I lost a couple of my potted plants due to heat, that was really sad.

I will be back!

My friends and I stayed at Ramada Hotel and Suites Ajman this weekend, so I took the opportunity to take some nice outdoor photographs with the help of friends Leslie and Jen.

There was nothing extra special at the hotel. But I like the idea of a short breakaway from monotony of life. No distraction and I get really relaxed. No sewing to do, no cleaning up to do, no clothes to fold away, no laundry to sort, no emails, no organizing stuff to do, ayayayay! And then there's sumptous Iftar dinner buffet, forget the idea of dieting. They have an indoor swimming pool as well.

Oh well, the following morning the group went to the beach while I was still busy catching up some sleep. The hotel did a good job providing me a perfect ambience for a goooood sleep. That's what they do right? And there was buffet breakfast as well. I didn't manage to take photos as I went half asleep before they close the buffet breakfast. Good thing about staying at a hotel is that you no need to worry about preparing your own breakfast, they do it for you, hehe! Nice break after all.

The weather was 37 degrees Celsius and was a little humid and yet was a nice afternoon just before sunset.

Now moving on to my outfit, hahahah :)

The top was a self-drafted pattern and I had somebody bought the fabric for me from Sharjah at AED10 per yard, that's less than USD 3. For my Delphine skirt, I made it at size 2 and the fabric was re-made from bubu, (a West African robe worn by men) that I got from thrift store for AED 1. It has nice prints and it's a nice feel stiff cotton so I thought of a Delphine skirt immediately.

There I am daydreaming when will I be able to afford that flying lessons for aerobatic small plane like those in Red Bull Air Races. Oh well, like I always say, I have a lifetime to do all the things I want to do.

Ciao for now friends, and I hope you liked my outfit. I also hope to fill my wardrobe with me-made clothing just like the people at sewing blogosphere especially my favourites (they are the people I've been following and taking inspiration from and I really love their makes) to name a few - Kim of Reves Mecanique, Ami of The Little Tailoress, Gertie of Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing, Lauren of Lladybird and of course Tilly of Tilly and the Buttons!

Oh, I need to sign up for that photography class for next month so hopefully I can show you some nice photos as well around Dubai next time too.

Finally reached our temporary home. We stayed in a hotel apartment, travelling cost effective :-)

Working girls, busy weekends, busy life... finally we've all managed to get together and have asked Marisol to host the venue in her Sharjah home.

Friday morning while I'm busy sleeping (as usual) in one of her sofa and so is Posh in another one (they were comfy, hehe), two other lovely girls Dahlia and Shy came the from Dubai with bags of ingredients to be cooked for brunch.

It was a weekend full of cooking, singing, eating, and some drinking :-)

Our hometown's favourite, locally called ginataang puro-pagulong or in English "Winged Beans in Coco Milk" really good with some sliced bird's eye chilli peppers. You eat this with rice and make sure you have a cold drink waiting. I think my younger sister's close friend would call this a "vegetable curry".