USA

Boston

Shara, Juvy, Fritchie and I have talked about travelling together so many times but it has never materialized. One lazy weekend… we were chatting about needing a short break to recharge and before you know it we agreed to meet up in Boston in two weeks time! Woot!

It happened so fast that we were scrambling to find cheap flights… a nearly impossible feat! If it weren’t for Aeroplan points, I wouldn’t even have made it. However it wasn’t only flights that were expensive… everything in Boston was!

Thankfully, a generously awesome goddess (code name: Atlantis) covered the hotel bill and two angels named Richard and Julia lovingly prepared and packed a delicious home cooked meal for us. Salamat po (Thank you)! 🙂

What I love most about Boston is the European feel, magnificent tourist spots, awesome food choices (love the Boston cream pie!), and most of all, the superb and friendly Lift drivers.

Would I like to go back? Absolutely! I want to complete the exploration of the freedom trail, take a more detailed tour in Harvard and probably, join the 5K Boston marathon. 🙂

Check out the highlights of our trip:

Hotel Marlowe

chillaxin’	watcha doin? 🙂
lobby	Mickey Mouse Pajama Party!

Cruise

Harvard (my dream school…)

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) / Kendall Square
My curiosity heightened about MIT when I started watching The Big Bang Theory. 🙂

Downtown



Ralph Lauren shop	Newbury

Lobster Attack!


more vinegar please! 😀

Budding Photographer Mode (My Best Shots!)

The Next Top Mowdelz… (promising right? 😉 )

It’s probably the only vacation that I’ve ever taken that I hardly contributed to the planning of the itinerary. Come to think of it, I didn’t even book my own flight this time. Thanks S, J and F… especially to G and K! You all rock!

Next trip, I’ll borrow the scissor for Fritchie. Promise. 😀 Kitakitz (See you)!

what happened?

Happy 2016! 🙂

It’s been almost a year and a half since my “hiatus” post. It appears that the hibernation took longer than I had planned. -_- Obviously, thecuriousme.com needs a lot of love and some updating…. 😦

Anyway… here’s the synopsis on what happened:

Golden Gate Bridge	Fisherman’s Wharf
Boston Cruise	chillaxin’ in Boston
my folks trip to Canada	my folks… gallivanting
Popsters, guess who? 🙂	catching up on the AlDub fever!
my cross stitch project	Facebook’s needy eh? 😀
wedding 1.0	wedding 2.0

Details on my next posts… Watch out and chillax! 🙂 mmmmmwa!

hiatus

Whoa! Time indeed flies…

I have gone on hiatus (unintentionally!) for the past two months. I was feeling burnt out so I decided to take a few days vacation to rejuvenate and recharge. To my dismay… I felt even more tired after my vacation… It’s crazy! So, I opted to take it slow, relax, and enjoy the rest of short summer. 😀

Now… I feel refreshed! And yes, I’m back! I bet you’re excited what I’ve been up to, right Justin? 😀

Here’s a sneak peek:

See you later alligator… 😉

Oh Virginia!

Did you know that one of Virginia’s nicknames is “Mother of Presidents”? It’s after the eight United States of America (U.S.A.) presidents who were born there, namely: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. 😉 Thanks Wikipedia! Click this link for more interesting facts about Virginia.

In my opinion, that’s what makes Virginia one of the most special among the 50 states. It’s absolutely impressive! I was fortunate to spend Christmas with my relatives in Virginia and visit some magnificent tourist spots. You bet! Thanks to air miles for the free airfare. Woot!

Check out our sweet photos below:

Vilmor’s (my other cousin) New House
*** He was in the process of closing his house purchase when I was there for a visit.

Buffet Time!
*** Raiding Uptown Buffet and Hibachi Grill… I may be tiny but I eat like a monster… >=D

Christmas 2012
*** I lost interest in celebrating Christmas ever since my Mom passed away when I was 13 years old. After migrating to this side of the world and spending my first Christmas here alone, I started to long for a Filipino Christmas… my holiday in Virginia filled that void and rekindled my excitement for Christmas!

Ate Pat’s lovely house

Ate Pat & TheCuriousMe

Oh Virginia… Stay put, I will surely be back sometime. 🙂 More captivating pictures coming up!

P.S.
Meeting Ate Pat was one of the highlights of my U.S.A. trip, she’s the only cousin on my father’s side that I have never met… or maybe I was just too young to remember. I’m glad that I was able to spend some quality time with her and strengthen our relationship as cousins. It’s both heartwarming and overwhelming. 😀

New York!

After the road trip to Washington DC (click this link to read related article -> “bullet holes”), my cousins (Vilmor and Freddie) and I decided to embark on another adventure… this time to New York!

misc-StatueofLiberty--3US 2012 - 598 — Statue of Liberty from afar

Who wouldn’t want to go to New York? Come on! The Statue of Liberty and “the Big Apple” with sky high buildings are such a “wow” for a naive small town girl like me. :p

You betcha! With our backpack in tow, we all boarded a bus from Virginia (Va) to New York (NY). The 6-hour travel was a breeze because it was utilized for snoozing. Zzzzzzz…

Kuya Romeo, one of our relatives who lives in Manhattan, kindly picked us up from the bus drop-off point near Chinatown. He drove us to Manhattan and bought us a fancy breakfast before doing “touristy” things. 🙂

breaky!	with Kuya Romeo
my turn! 😦
NYC cab	NYPD
Seaport	balls! (near Wall Street)
	Japanese Buffet
with Gladys

So… what else did we do in New York? Check it out on my next post (New York Tour! (1 of 2))!

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P.S. TheCuriousMe would like to thank the following for making this trip possible:

Vilmor and Freddie for covering my return ticket (Va to NY and NY to Va) and some foodies
Ate Cel for coordinating with Kuya Romeo and Gladys
Gladys (and Rhyan!)for the accommodation
Kuya Romeo for patiently driving us around, buying our breakfast and supper, and for providing us a tour guide

Thank you so much for your valuable time and for making the trip to New York memorable as well as free of charge! I’m one lucky girl! 😀 XOXO
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“bullet holes”

One windy weekend before Christmas (2012), my three cousins (Vilmor, Raymund, and Freddie), teenage niece (Reichelle) and I (thecuriousme) went to Washington DC for a day trip. The search for a parking spot slowed to a snail’s pace because we were deeply overwhelmed by the grandeur of the White House. All of a sudden, a cop on a bicycle appeared out of nowhere, motioning us to pull over… we haven’t even noticed he was on our trail!

photo courtesy of sfu.ca

The police officer grilled Vilmor and Raymund regarding our visit to Washington DC. He cited that driving slowly around the White House in a van covered in bullet hole decals raises suspicion. The atmosphere inside the van did not help either; three guys wearing toques and leather jackets (which pretty much projected a “gangsta” image) were the only ones visible from where the cop was standing. Reichelle and I were partly hidden.

Nonetheless, Vilmor explained that we were in Washington DC for a day trip and they were showing me around because it’s my first trip to the US. The cop relaxed a bit when he saw me and my niece, transitioning from a stern police officer into a friendly tourist guide. He suggested other tourist spots in the area and directed us to a few parking spots. Also before we took off, the cop politely requested Vilmor to remove the bullet hole decals from his van.

We were shaken but that did not dampen our spirit to have a great time in Washington DC and get a glimpse of the White House from the outside.

Reichelle & TheCuriousMe	“gangsta”
“I declare chocolate as the international dessert!”	“One currency for all nations!”

P.S.
I must say, whoever designed the bullet hole decal, you’re the man!:D

submarine

I’m back… (…again)! 🙂

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Before I get carried away blabbering about why I disappeared, I would like to thank Jellybean and Sothi for the enlightenment about the transformation of thecuriousme’s logo. Most of all, my heartfelt gratitude to Chihhang for helping J and @TheSoulfulVixen tweak the new look of the logo (click here to read the blog entry,”renovation”). Maraming salamat (Thank you very much)! 😀
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Sooo… I had gone on hiatus for a couple of months (right… almost a year!!!)… Kinda like a submarine… You know… submarines float and then dive under the water… then resurface… then disappear again… -_-

Let’s just say, I was trying to live my life to the fullest and not waste time hiding in my cave. Yeah… I used to lock up in my nerd cave, living in a virtual world. I’ve realized that there’s more to life outside the four corners of my rock shelter! Life is indeed colorful and too short.

Expect to see fascinating new blog entries soon! 😉 FYI. Posts will be in no particular order.

To give you a birds eye view on some of the upcoming posts, here are some photos:

driving	skating
snowboarding	camping
Olympic Village	Ottawa
Montreal	Virginia
Washington DC	New York

Are you ready? *blink* *blink* 😉

Sasa & Gege

In as much as I would like to be a silent follower of Sasa (Sarah Geronimo) & Gege (Gerald Anderson)… I must say, I could no longer contain it! I’m now a super fan! My little sisters, Fritchie Anderson and DJ Mitch, are now getting infected with my “contagious” admiration for Sasa & Gege! Ha! (Click here to read related article about Sasa & Gege- “birth”)

courtesy of: sarahgeronimo.ph — Sasa & Gege

I’m really going bonkers! Out of the blue (whether I’m on the street walking or in the work place or wherever), I would “belt out” the theme songs of their two (2) movie-team up, I won’t last a day without you and Fallin’. And of course, its out of tune! :p

Catch Me I'm In Love — Catch Me I’m In Love (“Fallin'”)

courtesy of: Ashrald — Won’t Last a Day Without You

Their love team & courtship stage is sending followers all over the world in frenzy! An “old” lady like me can even feel a shiver down my spine just by watching them (even if they are just looking at each other!). Their love story is absolutely an epic!

courtesy of: PiweLoveSarahG — click image to view the video

courtesy of: kalabawmoo — click image to view the video

***Note: If you can’t understand Tagalog, just watch their actions. 😀

Sarah, being a true blue Filipina (in all ways), is definitely a rare gem! Her preference for her suitors to woo her parents first makes her a total knock out! Considering that Gege (a Filipino – American) grew up in the U.S.A., it’s fascinating to see how he abides to Sarah’s wish and follow the Filipino old-fashioned way of courtship. Also, he’s all out in shouting to the world how much he cares for Sasa, protecting her and makes time to be with her even if his schedule is so hectic! Whew! Weaklings can’t do that right M.A. and T.W.? :p

courtesy of: Ge30412 — click image to view the video

*** Note: If you can’t understand Tagalog, just watch their actions. 😀

Whether we admit it or not, we all dream of this kind of courtship and relationship. By watching Sasa and Gege’s friendship transform into something special makes us realize that dreams do come true. I guess, that’s the reason why a lot of people (young and old) are drawn to their blossoming relationship and magical moments. Aside from giving an automatic smile on our face, it certainly gives hope and inspiration to all of us. Agree?

courtesy of AshRalds — Gege visiting Sasa in her TV Commercial shoot

By respecting their privacy to date freely will definitely ease up the pressure that they are receiving right now. Like what the Popsters, Ashralds, and other Sasa & Gege’s supporters always say, the best way to help them is to work hand in hand in praying for their relationship to last a lifetime. They deserve it! Let’s unite in spreading positive vibes!

Now, while patiently waiting for the next chapter of their love story… I’ll continue reading Kate Joaquin’s “Never Gonna Let You Go – AshRald Fan Fiction” and BornToShare’s (Does anyone know BornToShare’s real name?) “Slowly But Surely – AshRald Fan Fiction”. “AshRald Fan Fictions” are an ongoing imaginary tale about Sasa & Gege.

Never Gonna Let You Go - AshRald Fan Fiction — Click the image to read the Never Gonna Let You Go – AshRald Fan Fiction

*** Note: I haven’t met Kate yet but I saw her “script” via Facebook. She’s a 17-year old fan of Sasa & Gege. And she has the making of an excellent writer! Whoa! I suggest you check it out. Keep it up Kate! 😀

*** Note:I just discovered the Slowly But Surely – AshRald Fan Fiction! Please give me a buzz if you know the writer’s name so that I can post it on my blog. 🙂 I’m so excited to start reading it. I’m sure it’s as awesome as Never Gonna Let You Go. Wheeey! Way to go BornToShare! 😉

***Update: I’ve read Slowly But Surely and I admit… I cried!!!!!!!!!! OMG! Wendelyn Dianne (@wendelyndianne) is such a passionate writer! You betcha! Finally, after researching her name for ages, I found it! Thanks to Kate (@imisshockends) for ending my “agony”. 😀 I’m just so happy because they are also now my twitter friends. I love AshRald and AshRaldTOS! 🙂

P.S. OMG, did I just sound like a PR Manager for Sasa & Gege?

More Sasa & Gege videos:
http://ashrald.com/videos.html
http://ashrald.com/videos.html

Niagara Falls

At first, I thought the falls was a curtain-like water flowing from a huge mountain that blocks the other side of the world. I know, it was a pure insane imagination. In reality, the Niagara Falls is sandwiched between Canada and United States of America (in which I’m sure you perfectly know that. I’m just reminding myself. ).

I was surprised when I had a glimpsed of the buildings from the USA and realized that it’s a “hair-strand” away! I was resisting the urge to dive in the cold water and swim to the other side. Errr… Too bad, so sad… I don’t know how to swim (click here to read my swimming experience). 😉

Although it was drizzling, we still took photos like crazy!

Below are more photos near the Niagara Falls area:

SkyWheel
big fat me! 🙂

For the fireworks display, Charles had a splendid time looking and naming the beautiful colors. I can still hear his quirky voice shouting, “Yellow! Green! Purple! Red! Orange!”. ;D

It was a long drive but it’s worth it! Thanks Bob for taking us there and for (reluctantly?) giving in to our whims !

P.S.
Click the links below to see the related articles:

“wish” list

And the tower topic continues… (click here to read the “towers” article)

Below are the towers and buildings (as well as statue!) that I would like to visit in this lifetime (hopefully it will come true… cross your fingers for me please? ):

(Japan ) Tokyo Sky Tree

the tallest tower in the world which will be completed by February 2012 (Source: Wikipedia)

(China) Canton Tower

second tallest tower in the world (Source: Wikipedia)

(Korea) Namsan Tower

simply because I love Korea. 😀

(Taiwan) Taipei 101

I also love Taiwan because Jerry Yan and Ella lives there. 😉

(Dubai) Burj Khalifa

I want to see where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed. :p

(USA) Empire State Building

because it’s New York! New York! New York! 😉

(USA) Statue of Liberty

it’s not a tower or a building but I would like to see it!

(France) Eiffel Tower (one more time)

I want to relive that magical feeling… :p (click here to read the Eiffel Tower article)

Who want’s to go with me? The more the merrier! And if there’s a tour guide out there who’s willing to plan the itinerary and show us around for free, that would be totally awesome! Ha! See you! :p

That ends my wish list… for now. What’s yours?