Will You Go With Me, To Paris?

will you take my hand
as I walk along the streets
where the aroma of light,
fruity to burnt coffee
lightly caramelized
almost nutty is teasing
my senses and the scent
of a handmade bread
is making me salivate
as I tear the croissant into pieces
butter them up before each bite
or we can dunk it in coffee
which would be fun
 if you want

will you sit beside me
as I write every word of love
admiration and passion
I have for you
while I struggle
to rhyme every word
and count every syllable
or better yet, I’ll settle for free verse
I am sure though I could not rhyme them
or even count the syllables
as you will be busy tickling
and delightfully bugging me
will you go with me,
to Paris?
let’s have coffee and croissant
and write our first love poem together

meanwhile, a coffee with you anywhere else would be lovely

it doesn’t even have to be a croissant, it could be just a slice of Japanese cake or BLT sandwich

it doesn’t even have to be a freshly brewed coffee, it could be just a homemade tea or a mango juice

we don’t even need to walk the streets of Paris

‘cos it feels like Paris with you

 

P.S.

For Irma, whose post about Paris and its migrant workers touched my heart so much https://iidorun.wordpress.com/2019/09/04/salt-of-the-city-a-haibun/ and her inspiring story about her then boyfriend’s marriage proposal in Paris.

And for Punam https://paeansunpluggedblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/14/first-love/ whose love poems makes you wanna fall in love all over again and go to Paris, the city of love

And more love for everyone as we battle the current health scare❤❤❤

My Dreams

(Photo courtesy of Pat, my second daughter)

 

If my dreams have powers,
I would dream of a majestic house;
a house with a luxurious living room…
a grandiose staircase…
a magnificent dining area…
an elegant chandelier….
a towering balcony….

But my dreams don’t have powers,
So, I didn’t get a majestic house;
but a wonderful home,
With joyful kids welcoming in our living room….
with cheerful girls running back and forth our stairs…
with visitors admiringly looking at our chandelier…
With friends enjoying the afternoon view in our balcony…

If my dreams have powers,
I would dream of a perfect world;
where true friends are by your side in moments of sadness…
where neighbors are stronger and wiser….
where love is an act of surrendering to another person…

But my dreams don’t have powers,
So I have friends who are by my side in happy times
because their joy is to see me delighted….
I have neighbors who are vulnerable because they have confidence in
themselves, and at some point, they know we all stumble…
and we love it because we have faith in another person…

If my dreams have powers,
I would dream to believe that inner beauty matters most
than outer beauty….
I would believe that friends maintain an open door…
I would believe that people are disciplined and organized…

But my dreams don’t have powers,
so I believe that outer beauty is inner beauty seen by the naked eye…
I believe that friends should only be interested in opening one door,
the door to my heart……
and I believe discipline is necessary but we have to be spontaneous
and enthusiastic, it makes us live life perfectly…

 

 

Marche @ Vivo City

I have been to Singapore many times. I love the city. And there is one restaurant that I have loved too.

It’s Marche in Vivo City.

I love the food. And I love the way foods are being ordered and served.

As soon as you enter, they get you seated over a table where you will be most comfortable with. Then they hand you over a card which you will use to order food from the mini food stalls inside the restaurant. The cashier then would charge the amount of the food you order and you will have to pay for it as you exit. The cashier is located in the exit area.

It is a fun restaurant because you actually get to do some sort of food shopping.

 

my personal favorite – Marinara Pasta

 

Celebrate

Celebrate
Love
Of friends

Bless
Devotion
Of comrade

Magnify
Affection
Of confidant

Exalt
Passion
Of YOU

 

P.S.

What’s better way to celebrate than over a cup of coffee….so simple…so serene…but so real..

One Fateful Day

One day morning
When the sun was dawning
I see you smiling
“With you, I’m beaming”
Your chinky eyes I noticed.

Soon that day over
When it’s getting colder
I hear you whisper
“With you, I’m safer”
Your husky voice I heard.

Then the night was dark
When the stars spark
I feel you so stark
“Without you, I’m in a murk”
You’re standing tall lonely and cold.

I froze.
You’re a figment of my dream.

I am terrified.
You’re past behind me no more.

 

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone..it has been a wonderful blogging year for me thanks for all your support..

MALIGAYANG PASKO….

Christmas family puzzle

as I was still cleaning up my table I saw this personalised Christmas puzzle gift made by my third daughter (the one who wrote lullaby…I posted weeks ago). she was 11 years when she made this. Each piece was a cartoon version of ourselves which she individually placed in an envelope and we too had to put them all together…

kids..you might wanna do this. so sweet ..

The Vikings

They say the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach…and the way to a friend’s heart is over an “eat all you can” treat.

Last week my husband and i got to spend some wonderful moment with a very dear college friend. He was able to make an advance booking in a restaurant, I initially thought is nothing but the usual.

I was wrong. ..

We went to a restaurant called Vikings. It is basically an “eat all you can” restaurant. At the first thought. . I was worried. .I am not a big eater…I don’t eat anything outside my comfort zone…and with the over towering price it told myself I should eat a lot…otherwise

i would regret paying it.

But as i took a tour of the restaurant, it made me reconsider my initial inhibitions though.

If you are a fun of Japanese cuisine well…you’ll fall in love with the sight alone..I did. For some weird reasons i am not a lover of raw foods…but i just can;t take my eyes off these things. They look so good…an i am actually thinking if they taste just as good as well.

I love pizza … and my oh my..They got the most delicious four cheese pizza I have ever tried..

If not for the fact that we paid an outrageous amount for this dinner i would settled myself with the pizza alone.

The thought of eating everything is outrageous. ..what’s more with the thought of having to drink all sorts of juices, teas, shakes….i am a “one flavor drink” type of person but that night i can’t even remember if i did try it all.

Who can ever resist these sweet temptations?. ..It was one of those moments when you’d wanna forget your blood sugar..your diet. ..and simply indulge…

If you’re a meat lover…then you’ll enjoy it here..

If you’re a seafood fan…then by all means you’ll enjoy their grill station..You get to choose by yourself and they grill it as you wait.

I regret it a little though because i got to notice it towards the end of our dinner when i was really filed – up.

And this is the best part I suppose. …the chocolate fountain…why the best part? Old and young alike were lining up to take a dip of this adorable sight of dripping chocolates..never mind if it’s deliciously sweet or not..the thought alone transports as back when we were young and carefree…when you would just wanna grab a mallows topped with chocolates..walk around…hop in hop out..singing…

I was tempted to ask why it was named “vikings”..

But as we culminate our dinner. ..I thought well maybe because vikings as we know them are big eaters…they always enjoy festivities top with wide array of food..and that exactly what we experienced…massive foods ….

It is wonderful to remember too that unlike any other “eat all you can” restaurants; when  quality is sometimes being compromised. .the vikings was different though. ..everything tastes sooooo good…I had a full stomach then… it is also good to note that it has maintained a certain “class” which we do not see or experience in any other restaurants with similar themes.

I say…it is a “must comeback ” place for me…

P.S. Vikings is located in SM Megamall in Manila so if guys are around better check it out.

Cheesecake

Most people say…” I am not good at words”…or …”I can’t write, I wasn’t born with it”…or some may even say..”It’s for the weird and unhappy”…

The truth is…I am not also good at words when I started writing… I believe I also am wasn’t born with it..and seriously, I also at some point believed that it is indeed for the weird and unhappy…

But come on…look at me…I am not weird, but I write… I am happy, but I write still…

a proof that I am not weird… I am happy..alone

What I am trying to say is that…writing can bring a lot of good than bad to someone who tries it…

All you need to do is a little inspiration to kick off that “Shakespeare” in you. Really..forget about the technicalities of writing first…write down what inspires you today…what you think of it…and why do you think it inspires you…

Speaking of inspiration, I bumped at an old friend yesterday while waiting for my daughter. We were talking about a particular coffee shop in our place and how they serve really delicious………………………………..we both screamed CHEESECAKE!!!….students passing by looked at us with both amusement and irritation..amusement maybe because;  two middle-aged people looking cool screaming over cheesecake and/or two middle-aged people looking ridiculously stupid screaming over cheesecake.

Anyways. I actually did not care much about their reaction. I care about the cheesecake. So I thought I needed to grab a cheesecake while I wait..so..off I went to the coffee shop which serves the best cheesecake in town…

While I savor each bite…a “spark” came up….and of course, if you know me, you can guess by now that a “spark” could mean another inspiration to write on…

So here’s for you and for my ……..

 

CHEESECAKE

sweet savory choice;

pressing through my voice,

delicately scented, interestingly decorated,

slowly melting, suddenly agitated.

turning one more time a such;

to nibble, to masticate and munch.

fancy dark-colored fluid;

dripping slowly as I am fascinated.

for each bite, I sense, the poignant

the boundless pungent flavor of sentiment

the lone witness of my desire

for your sweet gentle flavor.

delectable but restrained,

mouthwatering I am sure indeed.

bringing endless sensation and excruciation

that once delicate and gentle vibration

is surely about to be laid over

to savor your flavor once more.

Forever you will be

my sweet, delectable cheesecake.

P.S

See I told you guys… it isn’t that difficult after all..so to Robin, wherever you are, whatever your doing…check it out…that might be just the “spark” you needed…

 

Good Luck!!!.. another cheesecake for me now…

 

Starbucks

The pretty Starbucks crew who made my latte this morning

Waking up every morning is quite a struggle especially if ….well…we’re getting a little older.

Waking with a cup of coffee. .latte or cappuccino. .is another thing especially if you go to a fancy coffee shop where you can splurge over gourmet coffees

We live in a province. .a little farther from the capital city. .and I must say I was one of the very few who rejoiced when Starbucks opened a few years ago.

Some say it’s an elite place.

Others say it so expensive.

Few commented its for those who are bored.

Well…whatever your take over this fancy coffee shop I say…I enjoyed it here. Let me count down three reasons why.

1. The crew

A fleeting smile,

A waving hello,

That’s what they are

To you and me…

Yes…they have the habit of smiling as soon as you enter the door. They wave hello and they wave goodbye. .and mind you they get to familiarize themselves with the names of the regular customers.  So I was in fact delighted to hear my name being called out the moment I entered.  And one important aspect of the crew that made me like them…they speak the English language fluently.  Whether it’s part of the application requirements or not…I enjoyed it..o enjoyed seeing beautiful girls making coffee while at the same time having a command of the English language.

2. The ambiance

Cars passing by…

People strolling around…

Friends engaging …

A place to converge beautiful thoughts

For you and me…

Yes…the place…I love the location. It is situated in a very busy street where you can practically see people from all walks of life from the inside. You get to enjoy friends trying to catch up with each other..and you got to see some people who just love to be alone with a coffee (count me in..)

3. The coffee

Sweet luscious Smell…

Unwavering distinct aroma…

A coffee specially blended…

Just for you and me…

Yes, you see…I can’t let the day pass bu without a coffee. .and for some reason, I love the way coffees ate blended n star bucks..it speaks of a lot of things..it tells a story. …it opens up emotions….it cuddles a person….it warms your heart…

This morning after dropping off my daughter in school I stopped by for a latte and a french croissant. …

Delicious. ..heartwarming. …soothing….ahhh I am ready to kick off my day…

The caffe latte made special