Making Up For The Lost Times

In case you have read my earlier post about the after-four years dinner I and my blockmates shared, this is its sequel. Otherwise, you might want to read this first before continuing. :-)

Sooo, besides December 16 being the first day of our Christmas break and Simbang Gabi, it's also the day of our visit to Nalie's somewhere in Bacoor, Cavite. We agreed to meet-up at McDonalds' Vega at eight o'clock in the morning, but none of us was able to comply except for the early bird Antonio. I arrived at the meeting place with Danica, Bea and Claire almost one hour late. And since we haven't eaten any breakfast yet and Prince (our blockmate-slash-driver for the day cos he's the only one whose car is available) hasn't showed up, we decided to satisfy our aching tummies with something before we go. Antonio, being game for anything, left for their home to get some clothes cos he was informed just then that we'll be staying overnight at Bea's in Balayan, Batangas after our visit to Nalie's. 

Mcdo saved the morning! 

Forgive the just-woke-up eyes. o.o

With Claire and Danica <3

Heavy-packers, yes we are. Haha. While waiting for Prince. 

Hello, Prince! 

Goofing around. Hihi. :))

Stop-over at South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)

Another one...

...and another. <3

Before heading to Nalie's, we fetched Bernice (another blockmate) at SM Center Molino after getting lost for a couple of times. Maybe we were too excited for this trip that we haven't even thought of consulting Google Maps considering that it was a first. Lesson learned, yes? :))

Late lunch at Mang Inasal's. Hi, Danica, Prince and Bea! :)

Yours truly, Antonio, Bernice, Ielle and Claire

Finally, Bacoor. We made it! And so the chit chatting marathon began. Nalie's expected to give birth on the 31st of December. Hang on there tightly, first-ever-baby-of-the-block!♥

Soon-to-be-mommy, Nalie

Loveteaaaam♥

We left Nalie's house past six o'clock in the evening. Next random destination:  Tagaytay. We asked, wait scratch that, we kind of bullied Antonio which led him to treating each of us coffee. Heaven! :)) Buuuut, to cut my happiness short, Prince left his car keys inside the car itself. We waited for two hours for his ever-supportive dad to bring the spare keys all the way from Laguna. Two freaking hours in shorts. Literal brain freeze and yeah, body freeze. HAHAHA.

With Ielle in front of Starbucks

The only picture Prince had in Tagaytay. Next time, blocmate. :))

Woot, solo. <3

Yum!

Ielle, Antonio, yours truly

Danica, Claire, Bea and Ielle

Beanies!<3

Bought the beanie I'm wearing for only 150php. Cheap buy. :)

Antonio, Claire, yours truly, Danica

After literally "chilling" in Tagaytay, we then headed to Balayan, Batangas, merry, as if nothing happened. The fruit of good company, I guess. In more or less two hours, we're in Balayan already! And food courtesy of Bea's mom welcomed us! Yay! Hurray for a wonderful midnight "snack"! Then after that came more chichat over liquor and cards. Bonding 101. :))

Woke up at aroung ten in the morning, Claire and Ielle nowhere in sight. I've learned that they left hours ago. Killjoy, much. >:P Anyways, we left Bea's house after lunch but before that...

Bea's lovely bench. So lovely we had to take many pictures! <3

Before heading home, Prince brought us (Danica, Antonio and I) to his grandmother's house in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. We stayed there briefly; got the chance to meet Prince's cutiepatootie grade school cousin who's addicted to PSP. :))

'Tis one of the best out-of-town trips I ever had. Will definitely go back to Balayan, with 'em again, of course. Love you loads, superblockmates! ♥

This post's title is similar to the title of the album I uploaded on Facebook a couple of days ago. I believe the trip was all about that: making up for the lost times.

Oasis

Before the Korean series Secret Garden's television debut, was our very own "secret garden" at the confines of the Institute of Biological Sciences, UPLB. Our home since the first day our feet landed on the mossy pavements along the unkempt grasses as members of our beloved academic organization, the four imaginary walls of the secret garden have been witnesses to the curses we made due to flunked exams, demanding professors, and even nasty classmates. But more often than not, the secret garden has been long offering us the warm embrace of companionship as we, members, share one-of-a-kind experiences throughout the day, the jokes that even though we know are out of line, we still throw and find very funny, the food trips, the heart-to-heart talks, everything. 

Oh, the things we do at our tambayan. :)

Sometimes, I wonder what would it be like if the secret garden never existed. I know, in one way or another, things wouldn't be exactly as what it is right now. And actually thinking of that pains me.

With less than a year of having the luxury of seeing our favorite tambayan every after class, I only have a single wish. That is for the secret garden to stand the test of time, still being able to provide what it had been and has been providing us: an oasis within the academic desert.

The After-Four Years Block Dinner

When I saw my blockmate Nalie's blog post on her pregnancy, I kind of bugged Ielle, another blockmate to organize a little something for the soon-to-be mommy and her angel which could bring our other blockmates to participate. And so the endless SMS exchanges begin RE: Block dinner.

Taking into consideration our respective schedules, we decided to have it on a Wednesday (Dec14) at a quaint restaurant near Raymundo Gate -- Faustina's. Danica, Bea and Claire were the first ones to arrive while Ielle and I arrived a little past six o'clock in the evening. Antonio showed up a just before we made our orders. And so the chit chatting took its rightful place while we wait for our dinner to be served.

Hi, girls! :-*
L-R: Danica, yours truly, Ielle and Claire

The early birds, Bea and Danica

Menu!

Hi, Antonio aka Tony! 

Girls♥

Oh, hello thurr, foooood! <3

Danica's Silindro Ribs

My Classic Crispy Bacon Alfredo and New York Iced Tea <3

Prince and Bernice arrived just when we're about to finish eating since they both had other matters to attend to. We finalized our plan of visiting Nalie on the 16th and just continued catching-up at Danica's and Bea's apartment. True enough, their housemate Angelo brought some bottles of lambanog and the Clebelro's (their apartment) annual Christmas party had just started. So we, too, partied the night away! I remember feeling hot and tipsy on my sixth shot of lambanog! But if I'm not mistaken, I got through fine with us drinking up to two 1.5L bottles of lambanog! Woohoo, life! :)

Hello, Bernice and Prince!

Blockmates! <3

Lambanog session at Clebelro

Take two!

With Claire and Prince

Fuuuun defined!

Was at the dorm a little after midnight, red-faced and dizzy. Thank you, Prince, for accompanying me to the dorm. Fuuuun night, it was! Thank you awesome blockmates! <3