Check out my new wheels

Meet Tukee (Too-ky).  Named after her breed, Tucson (Took-zon).  Hahaha, joke.  Of course I know it's pronounced with a silent "c".

Front View

Side View

Back view

Tukee is a 2010 Hyundai Tucson, 4x2, GLS, A/T.  We so looooove her.  When you open the door, the lights go on and automatically dims when you close the doors.  Far cry from our 1991 Pajero!!  It's also very spacious inside and well, has a (spacious?) trunk.

Can fit medium-sized luggage and more!!!

Semi-leather seats

The biggest feature we go gaga about is the console. It has GPS, DVD (play music or watch movies...may sub-titles pa!!), TV, eBook, Radio.  You can connect your iPhone or iPad and call from the console!!  (Unfortunately, we don't have an iPad.  So if someone wants to get rid of the old iPad to buy a newer model, maybe we can buy the old one from you?).

See that screen?  Touch screen yan!

Some of the selections

We went to Marikina and used the GPS

But its best feature is the camera at the back!!  When you go reverse, the console shows you the back view and sounds off if you're near enough to get it bumped.  And  it gives you the measurement pa (i.e. if you are 2m away, 1.5m away, or the read line which is 0.5m away. 

That's me while Francis was going reverse. For picture purposes only.  Warning:  don't do this at home!

At our parking slot in Ohana

Feeling ko talaga ang gaganda at ang gwa-gwapo namin kapag nakasakay kami sa loob.  Sakay na!!

Life Begins at....

On my 40th birthday, I decided to invite my officemates to Ohana  to celebrate the beginning of my life.  Of course the day wasn't perfect.  Of course my car had to konk out in the middle of the road at the beginning of the day.  Which screwed up our perfectly planned day.

Francis trying his best to start the car!

Nevertheless, I had many things to thank for so my mood was light albeit panicky.
1.  I thanked God that I had a husband who took charge of the whole thing.
2.  I thanked God that the car stalled before we even got to the busy street.
3.  And I thanked God that our mechanic lives 10 minutes away and even lent us his car so we could go to BF to prepare food for the party at night. 

So 40 isn't so bad.  In fact being 40 is great!!  Before the day itself, my ever-so-sweet 60+ staff surprised me with a cake, a bouquet and a gift box from Body Shop.  It was perfectly hatched that I wasn't aware of their preparations (my stage mother hawk eyes didn't get any hint of it).  Before I knew it, they were all gathered around my room and singing "Happy Birthday!"  So sweet!!  Stopped the tears so it wouldn't be melodramatic.

My birthday bouquet + gift box from Body Shop + lovely shawl!!

Though the day didn't start as planned, we got more blessings than we asked for.  Our guests enjoyed the food at the party and raved about Ohana too!

It's been 17 days since my birthday and more answered prayers are coming our way.  No, am not yet pregnant but our unused Whirlpool Washing Machine has just been sold!!  Last night.  At 11:00PM in the evening.  I kid you not!

Bye bye Whirlpool

It has been sitting in our deck for more than a year.  I've advertised it in local websites but still no takers.  After a solemn prayer while in the office, my mobile started ringing.  It was a call from Amsterdam!  Turns out this Pinoy guy from there has a brother here and they have a laundry business.  The laundry business was doing great they had a lot of backlog!  They were desperate! So our machine fit perfectly in their plans.  They bought it from us last night ... at 11:00PM!  Answered prayer! As in!

Now bringing you back to the start of the story, my mini-Pajero has served me well.  But it is time to let it go.  Auntie Bebott will be buying it from me this December on an auspicious day (should be a date with "8" so it's lucky daw).  Am selling it to her super cheap and she's so excited about it, I've never gotten so much calls from her!

So here comes my next answered prayer.  From out of the blue, a highschool friend of Francis texts him saying that they're now into pre-owned cars.  And at the bottom of the list was the car we were looking for! Since they're friends, we get a reasonable discount!  And they took care of us really well.  So here's a glimpse of another of God's gift to me at 40:  meet my "new" car.

hello :-)

We're getting it tomorrow!!!  Yey!!  Yahoo!  Yebah!!  Woohoo!!  It's great to be 40!!!

Bangkal FADventures

FADventures = Francis & Audee Duavit Ventures
Bangkal Adventure

Long weekend again in the philippines so we decided to go to Bangkal and check out the thrift shops. Lots of antique stuff, ate in a french resto, and ended up in a ecological furniture shop in East Service Road Muntinlupa.  Such a great Saturday!!

Renaissance?

Decor

Lamps and Chandelier

More of them

And another shop

More lamps and abubots

colored glass!!!

sari-sari pang items

metallic collectibles

paintings

remember those little alcohol bottles?

Francis in Bangkal!!

old furniture

Leopard chair

old style chair

I should've bought this!!

Those blue globes were lighted from the inside and were rotating!

seriously, this piece is a lipstick holder. this is sort of a music box and the door of the merry-go-round had pockets for lipstick. hanep!!

sony old radio

older radio?

remember this painting in summit?

interesting piece.  love the color perspective.

comics!! baka sa amin pa binili yan. we sold tons of comic books in one of our garage sales. papa used to buy comics during his flight and sell it in greenhills. i got to follow X-men stories.

we had lunch here, walking distance, used to be fat michaels, now french resto, fine dining...and we were in our chaka outfits, ok lang Bangkal naman e

found a corner with a table for 2, we were the only ones there

candid photo taken by francis

the resto was owned by a french guy who was now in france for vacation, it was also an art gallery and the painting were for sale!  see the foreigner at the left, he's the artist of some of the works there, friend of french owner

i wanted this for our bathroom. the title was "written in the stars" by michellin herbert that guy in the other picture. painted on acrylic. now on sale

Artist's Initial:  Michellin Herbert

not a painting. it's a photo taken in palawan at night time. french photographer doing experimental photos of rocks in water at 7:00 in the evening.

candid shot kuno...

liver terrine and bread for appetizer

main course:  pepper pork tenderloin steak

dessert, banana flambe with vanilla ice cream. the caramelized sugar had rhum. masarap!

Then we were given a brochure to this furniture shop owned by a french couple...and guess what, it was in alabang!  By the way, the map in the brochure said it was beside "Ellitista Restaurant", which sounded dinghy...and it was!!  Hahaha!!

brochure said they didn't cut trees but used wood from torn down houses, so they're recycled