Amazing Monday: Pretty Plates and Bowls

I'm a sucker for pretty plates and bowls. Because I'm not really a very good cook, I make use of good looking wares to capture my family's eyes. People tend to be very visual and I guess the tastebuds work hand in hand with the optic nerves. Good-looking dishes = Great-tasting dishes. This is generally true. Well at least in this family : )

I remember back in college that I was saving my allowance to buy plates and bowls, even glasses and saucers. I easily fall inlove will colorful things that can be put on our dining table. I have three favorite parts in a mall. The girls' section which includes dresses and shoes (of course!) Then the kitchenware section.  Then the textile section.

When I go to restaurants, the serving dishes cannot get away from my eyes. The plates can tell so much of the place's commitment in giving a quality customer service and the owner's passion towards his/her business.

When I blog hop and read magazines, I'm delighted with how recipes can be so gratifying because of the serving dishes.

Here are some of the things I found when I googled pretty plates and bowls. It's so amazing how things these pretty could exist in the world : ) I'm just really amazed of how creative people can be. I'm excited to shop for my next plates and bowls!

You might also get ideas on the theme you want for your kitchen's keepsakes : )

 


 
 

Notice that most of my choices are with flowers. : ) So summery!

Office Trip: Island Garden City of Samal

We're in the middle of summer and everybody has plans to be at the beach. I mean, c'mon! Who doesn't? :)

And being the fun-loving people that we are, the Math/Physics/IT Department wouldn't want to be left behind! So this is our first ever summer getaway as a group and the second level of our commitment to enjoy travelling together :) The first trip was in Lake Sebu last October. It was superb that we decided to continue this worthwhile endeavor. :)

The group is composed mostly of boys so the girls have to give in to more adventure rather than just the laid back, glamorous trip. So we settled on something life-threatening. Haha! We headed to the Maxima Aquafun Resort in Samal Island which promised a maximum water experience. Its best attraction according to its website and stories of other people was its giant slide. A 50-meter tarpaulin slide which ends at the sea. 

Ok. Bring it on! : )

Travel Time. Samal Island is 20 minutes away from Davao City via barge and Davao City is 3 hours away from where we're at -  General Santos City.

  

          

Finally! We're in Maxima!

                      

And I can see the slide! 

Omg! Am I really going to do this? Am I really going to risk my bones or my life? FYI guys. I'm not afraid of the water but I really don't know how to swim! Will I survive? Why am I even thinking of doing it. I can just sit around and take pictures while everyone will be on the water swimming, screaming, enjoying! But I knew I wanted to try!

I dug up all the courage in me and marched my way to the battle - the battle between me and my fear of being drowned. But wait! I have to get my shield! The life jacket! Yey! Soooo glad they provide for everyone. I'll not drown anymore right? And my friends promised to be there when I fall (literally!) : ) Now I'm brave enough. And Laiza promised to take pictures of us. 

They all went ahead of me.

 

 

Now it's my time. Don't I look scared here? I had to pretend to somehow manage to look good. But my gosh! My heart beats a million times a minute! I had to tighten my grip on the yellow tube so I won't accidentally slide. Look how long that slide is!

                

Now it's time! 

               

Waahhh!!! That was how I was feeling right at this moment. But I couldn't scream. I wanted to look at the clouds while doing this but I had to close my eyes because the seawater was painful to the eyes. The slide seemed forever but I finally fell. 

   

That's my splash over there. Yah! I'm under the water already. My fall wasn't perfectly captured. Thanks Laiz for the splash. : ) Hey! That's really me beneath all that splash. Tsk! Why only the splash!

But hey!!! I'm alive after  that giant slide! My bones are all intact and that life jacket works! In fact, I did it again. Yes! Ooops. I did it again (by Britney Spears). : ) But again no photo for that because everyone was in the water already. 

A shout out to Ma'am Beth and Ma'am Berl for being so brave in doing it! We were so surprised! Go girls!

   

More aquafun!

 

 

 

We headed back to Davao where we stayed overnight. Had a mini tour around the city.

People's Park.

 

 

 

 

Abreeza.

 

 

 

                     

It's important that we love what we do especially the job that we chose. And if we also love the people we work with, that's a great bonus! It's seldom do we find nice and kind and fun colleagues, those who may be so different from each other in many aspects but still manage to be in peace and harmony with each other. Talk about being in the best of both worlds.

P.S. This trip wasn't at its end yet when others were already discussing where to go next. So I guess this will be just the second of our next many trips. Keep reading! : )

Yummy Gensan: Seafood at Tiongson's Arcade

Seafood treat? Where else but Tiongson Arcade! It's a chain of food courts which offer a wide variety of seafood dishes - from fishes, squids, seaweeds, shrimps, etc! You can choose from the fresh raw products and they'll cook them right there and then.

My personal favorites are the grilled squid, the shrimp sinigang, and the seaweed lato. I don't know if they are open for lunches but definitely for dinner. It's one of the must-go's here in General Santos City. They also have pork barbecue and liempo for others who wouldn't want to miss meat. But I suggest you leave the red meats behind for a time and enjoy seafood!

Every dish is reasonably priced. This is a perfect place to go after an afternoon walk-and-chat with barkada. And have more chat during dinner. Oh! Maybe just before and after dinner because I bet you won't say any other word while your mouth savors every goodness. :)

The following photos were taken I guess 2 years ago with then BQ mates and an adopted roommate Laiza (on occasional basis. Hehe..)

I want all of these! :)

Picked my favorite squid for grilling (With Ate My and Laiza)

Dinner Time!

Super ShRiMp! 

The Busy Street of Tiongson

Tiongson Arcade is located at Tiongson Street, Lagao, General Santos City.

Amazingly cute!

I'm so alone in the office right now. Everyone's at their rooms. I got a headache while reading my lesson for tomorrow. (Yup. I'm doing summer classes.) And so, I decided to take a break. But instead of eating something, which is not really so cool doing alone, I looked for something nice. And here's what I found -  cutie little baby pandas. Aren't they so adorable!!!

Photos courtesy of peoplepets.com