Along the sidestreets

{ When you don't look, they come.

When you don't search to find, you see.

When you don't desperately want to know, you realise.

When you accept, you live. 

This is when ordinary moments become an indescribable memory.}

stop.look. listen.

stop look and listen. 

his heart dances in wonder when light shines on his little playground.

his eyes sparkle when the water falls through his fingertips.

stop look and listen.

his lips are blue from wanting to hold onto his ordinary moment that 

isn't actually that ordinary in his eyes.

his brave soul lowers him to that last step.

stop look and listen.

because if you don't, you'll miss it all.

last week

10 things that made my week:

1. Lazy mornings with the cheekiest three year old I've ever known.

2. Restarting my fitness routine after six months of allowing my ankle to heal.

3. Girls night filled with sushi and salsa.

4. Completing a project my company has been working on since September.

5. Having that last bowl of rice with home cooked Filipino food the night before my diet (SO worth it)

6. Initial meeting with potential clients.

7. Putting up our Christmas tree!

8. Christmas lights.

9. Hearing news that one of my best friends will be coming to see me in five months.

10. Planning 2012.

1 thing that didn't make my week:

Having to say goodbye to my photo meditations project.  :(

On another note, this time last year I started on the reverb project where I reflected on the past year and thought about the year ahead. Lots of things to think about but since I don't think reverb is happening this year or I've totally missed out, I will probably try and catch up with my own 'reverb' project. We'll see how that pans out, shall we? 

it all boils down to my little pockets of peace

yesterday.

i watched my son as he rocked his drumset on stage, like a true rockstar.

i went on a date with my husband.

i watched him as his heart smiled, watched how his face left him free of worry.

i watched the sunshine beat down on our city after a crazy monsoon.

i put my feet up on the dashboard as we drove home.

i let my hands out the window and tried to catch the wind as it blew through my fingers.

i drank wine on the floor of my living room 

with my favourite aunt, her nephew and my husband. 

i drank till my lips were stained red.

yesterday.

i was happy.

riding a cruiser with my hair blowing in the wind

 

 

24 hours.

A cruiser ride through Hermosa/ Redondo / Manhattan Beach.

Architectural eye candy and then some.  Silver grey clouds with a hint of sunshine.

Foie gras burgers, truffle fries, roast chicken, quinoa + hummous and a whole load of wine.

Four halfies + a latina = one epic night of  laughter and a whole load of shufflin'.

a wonderwall kind of sunday

 

 I think it's just one of Sundays. Acoustic beats, soft music, sunshine with not much to say.

Rare, I know. But nevertheless, my wonderful, ordinary Sunday indeed.

 

    Wonderwall- Ryan Adams

ice cream and identical twins

 my weekend consisted of:

•   38 hours of travelling, which included spending most of it being curled up on an uncomfortable economy seat, sleeping on the airport seats in transit, eating horrible airplane food, people watching and missing my family
• Conversations with a stranger about his daughter, her craft and his grandchildren.
• Reese’s pieces
• Spending less than 24 hours with a good friend and her mum and finally meeting her twin sister.
• A Monday lunch by the pier where I nibbled on baked oysters + calamares as I smelled the salty ocean breeze.
• Hearing stories of the 70’s in the South California bay as I slurped on my chocolate dipped ice cream like a little girl
• Sushi + Thai iced tea.
• Blue skies
•  Ordinary moments made special

because the sand felt good on my feet

I forget how much the beach and I get along. It's like we have this understanding that no matter how long it has been, it's like we were never apart.

 I felt the sand between my toes, I felt the breeze kiss my skin, I felt the water chill my ankles, I felt that warm sunshine golden up my skin.

It was a beautiful reunion that I needed, a little blessing in disguise on an impromptu getaway that I really didn't expect.

fell asleep in Manila and woke up in LA

One day. Ten years later.

Old friends. 

I kinda like spending my (unexpected) Sundays in LA.  

breathing

in the light of everything going on in the world...

without being selfish or anything else possibly disrespectful to other countries in turmoil, i needed to breathe in a simple, ordinary moment in my backyard, and count my blessings.

and as much as i have been so desperate to catch my breath, i realise that my personal turmoil is nothing compared to theirs.

and all of a sudden, i am grounded.