2018 The Year of ZEST!

RoselleQuin #ootd #maldita #michaelkors #skagen #evernew #guess

It's going to be "art a day" no if's no buts!

2018 has a zesty come on for me with all the juiciness and overflowing feels of creativity.  I've stomped the dust off my boots from all eeks' of the past; forward and inspired is my aura.

Let me thank you though, 2017!!You were such a sweetheart of a year, truly. Not that you didn't have a freak side...but so what? The entirety of your days was magnanimously love filled. Yes, and I feel the charm bomb flooding through the coming days and months! It is sweet and spice and every conceivable nice. And if there are sour days, well, heck'...I'll sit them down and talk them to behave. Life's short to be moping about or complaining, specially now that I'm a couple of months to half a century, eeeeks..that sounded archaic, hahaha! 😀

#rosellequin #rosellequinart 

 Anyways, I have got me the young feel vibes so I'll ride on that. It's health and fun and art and gratitude, and just pure love. Got no time for anything else. Ciao!

"Treat Your Mind with Respect"

“Most of what passes for legitimate entertainment is inferior or foolish and only caters to or exploits people's weaknesses. 

Avoid being one of the mob who indulges in such pastimes. 

Your life is too short and you have important things to do. Be discriminating about what images and ideas you permit

into your mind.  

If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest. 

It is the easiest thing in the world to slide imperceptibly into vulgarity. But there's no need for that to happen if you determine not to waste your time and attention on mindless pap.” ― Epictetus, The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness

Mindless pap is what I'd call it, because what better way to phrase trifling distractions that otherwise shape - shift an otherwise productive mind? It's about time we ditch all the crap the dark side this world dishes out - constantly - and get focused on the unfolding of everything constructive.

 Let's rebuild hope. Let's rebuild common sense, because frankly, I miss my urban mind; That mind that pushes up daisies from a concrete slab, that mind that aspires and surges and lifts inspite of the world's degeneracy. 

Everyone is in perilous danger because sickness and violence has morphed into a bizarre form of entertainment. Bloody deterioration assaults our every day and the stigma notches by degree - per hour. Like  the "Mad Piper" of lore, a collective voice of evil lures us all into a pool brimming with contaminants of pessimism. 

Fight back by treating your mind with the respect it deserves. Take no heed for anything that could draw cynicism, including dispirited talk and the drivel of mindless activities. Be wary of witless company. Better to befriend your soul - the succor of Nirvana, than to parcel illumination away by entertaining habitual bunglers.

“Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations no matter what is going on around you.” ~  Epictetus

Core goals for the week: vitality, energy and clarity sunrise after sunrise.
Core desired feelings: fierce, intense, potent, vivid, formidable and spirited.
What I will NOT do: Read or listen to the news. Nothing inspiring there. Slack off. Take no you cant have that or do that or be that for an answer.
What I will do: "CONQUER"
Archetype: Athena

Affirmation: You must find the place inside your self where nothing is impossible. - Les Brown

It Only Takes One Star: Persistence

Roselle Quin ~ "Afternoon Tea at The Shang" 

September seems to be a month of recurring challenges. The first week alone saw a trip to the hospital with the hubby slumped in a bout of nasty flu. Sporadic allergic feelies' have descended on me after that episode - not surprising - the onset of the "Ber"months have always been a pesky trigger to my seasonal rhinitis. Agh' just talking about this makes my left eye spasm and twitch! Thank goodness I don't feel as weakish' - I remember years  ago how frighteningly soggy'I  went, half breathing, wheezing and teary  red eyed  from inhaling.  ------ I've been dawdling with a low'vibe energy these last few days; a trailing elk'from the nasties'. Good to know, 'cause at least I'm  much aware that this'ill - turn 'round pretty soon. Meanwhile, I'm doing my bit to carry me out of this stupor, First thing is to reminisce on happy occasions represented by these pictures here. Been awhile since I've done something this dainty cute' involving violins and mini conciertos'..I could, in fact, I probably should,   to get me'self tuned up. I will.

"It only takes one star to pierce a universe of darkness."

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

Roselle Quin ~" Afternoon Tea at The Shang"

Right now tho'there are  things I need to 'start'and follow up and put in order and launch. A myriad mix of the mundane and exciting. There's nobody to do the WANTS I want done , so I'm counting on me', the Holy Mother and St. Therese in petitions to the dear Lord. 

If I get on the move, I'm up for little victories, Victories, whatever scale deserve sweet cute celebratory whoohoos' and that's where the plans come in. Oh, I need my quirky rosie' imagination to get me going. It's all grey in me right now - but as they say, it only takes one star to pierce a universe of darkness.  And you know me....ever always all about the shine. 

The Enchanting Legend of the Koi Fish

Roselle Quin photos taken at Koi pond in Greenbelt, Makati - Philippines

Being a true mermaidy'  Piscean, I hugely adore pools of any sort and remember fondly how sweet and  lovely my grandmother's koi pond was! She had an interesting 60's wood slated sliding door in her Asian inspired home that splendidly opened to a gleaming water garden - a tranquil spot in the far end corner of her living room. I can see it still, in my mind's eye, how the home had an airily lit, shall I say - chakra point - illuminated by the buoyant murmuring presence of  water,  color and nature.

Several sizable birdcages also graced the garden, its cheery tweetie' occupants being dozens of lovable lovebirds the sight and sound of which was adorably amazing! Fronting the bird cages was the mini zenish' black pearly' pool  lorded by what seemed to little girl me,  hundreds of magnificent Koi fishies' - an auspicious sight, both enthralling and mysterious. 

An authentic bonsai masterpiece theatrically mounted in an auspicious corner of the Greenbelt pond. 

It was one of the happiest places to be, standing there, fascinated by the leisurely graceful swimmy' moves of spotted yellow, white, orange golden Koi's  creating gentle concurrent ripply waves as they gingerly sashay towards you in anticipation of bread treats. 

A feisty swarm of Maya birds seem to fancy these bushes. It was quite an entertaining sight.

And those were the days, as they say. 

Nowadays, I get my unrelenting 'Koi fix' from public gardens, a most accessible favorite spot being the verdant Greenbelt fish ponds. I have languid afternoons seated at the adjacent Museum Cafe' - sometimes with a friend, at times merely me, - where for a moment's cup of coffee, life is nary a care but for the fishes to see. 

Koi's have quite an enchanting legend.  Story goes that when the greatest sage, Confucious, had a son, a certain important king presented him with a black carp called a Magoy. According to legend, that particular Magoy was 'the great ancestor' to all present day Koi's.

Interesting. 

I'm in the throes of Koi pond envy and would sure like to have my own (tiny) pond in my little garden. Video tutorials are a' plenty in Youtube, all I have to do is coerce, I mean convince my husband that maintaining the fishies' would be manageable. :D

Chateau Hestia ~ A Pleasant Surprise!

Chaeau Hestia

Of ancient gods and goddesses, when I encounter them, how strange and foreign and otherworldly they are from the prevailing deities of our age. I'm rambling here, but I've realized that when one opens the mind to  understanding the times and temper of days, one can fathom logic and appreciate the tapestry of legends, as well as,  symbolic beauty of how human beings, no matter what era, establish to philo-sophi-cally comprehend, honor and mystically elevate the experience of mere man's mortality to metaphysical divinity. 

The artistry of the mind is rather grand!

Hestia is a beautiful name. 

It is b e a U t i F u l, let me say that again! 

For me, it evokes the fragrance of tropic flowers that bloom in the midst of a blue moon evening. It is a glazed volatile infusion of earthy musk and  of rosemary oils diffused with honeysuckle, plump orchids and shy jasmines. I would often encounter this pleasant mist in my nightly walks, but can't tell where the aromatic treat emanates from. The perennial whiff' stealthily fills the dusk, lingers,  dissipates, then floats back again.  One of life's magical pleasures! 

Roselle Quin

 To ancient Greeks however, Hestia was oh' most piously more than an embellishing fragrance! Hestia was  sublime goddess of - hearth - and - home. She was the powerful, encompassing archetype of divine womanhood, portrayed as maiden divinity. 

Yes, she was a Greek goddess virgin ( one of three), yet was highly distinguished as the diety of architecture, of foundations and constructions, of domestic bliss and blessings. She was both family and community, revered with an altar  in houses and community places where gatherings occurred. 

 Hestia dwells in the inner corners of ancient Greek homes. 

She was peace, laughter and bounty - the overseer of bread making as well. Characterized by a content personality, the goddess was not one for daring adventures, but was utterly devoted to family and community. She never refuses strangers who visit as guests. 

At peace with herself,  Hestia  was the comforter of other Greek gods during problematic times. She was quite the introvert, but ironically, was best friend to 'Hermes', the chattiest god of them all! 

Significant but subdued, all offerings to the 'big gods' would begin with the first portion in honor of  her.

Chateau Hestia's Facebook Page

I encountered Hestia in the form of a garden Chateau! 
The husband and I went for one of those 'let's see where we end up' trips and found ourselves in the greenie' inroads of Tagaytay turning left then right, then left again or maybe right,  guided solely by our vehicle's gps. Rather exciting to trust an animated gadget and find it actually works, hah! 

The place is enchantment! 
The first thing that welcomes  is the  spirited swirl of fragrant flowers - all -a r o u n d! Hypnotizing and unforgettable! You see, I've been to Nature Spa, which is sprawling  prettiness too,  but no, it did fully possess  the warm bloomy' induced 'hello" I so embraced  of Chateau Hestia!  I suppose it isn't fair I'm comparing, quite unreasonable too, but there's something extra charming about perfumed air. 
It's very --> fairy - ish! 

The main cottage itself which houses the restaurant and deli is a dream home! To get there, one walks briefly under a trellis canopy of vine tropical flowers leading to an entrance of wooden framed glass doors flanked by ornate authentic Philippine wooden benches. 

Once inside, if you know Hestia, then you know it's home.

My angels must have been working overtime dragging me that day! I wasn't feeling too well and reluctant to go anywhere. A cave was what I preferred, haha! 
Looking back, it was the perfect setting and best place for me to absorb much needed healing vibes. By the end of the trip I was back to fair ol' me.

Unfortunately, my pictures weren't all that good - specifically, the outdoor photos. 
I've had to pick those that are blog worthy for publishing here. Nothing for me to be downcast about as the hubs and I  intend to  head back soon for an overnight stay in one of their cute mini cottages. 

 Here's a picture of what  must be an antique adding machine! 

The place is littered with curiosities and art! 

Every corner is a lovely accent!
An old painting, a glorious outstretched plant and  always the gardens around! 

Here's a shot of one of the mini cottages for overnight guests. 

We were only able to view a couple of them. All the cottages had guests that time and it wouldn't have been nice of us to intrude. 

The above pictures show a partial glimpse of the tree and plant lined entrance going inside  Chateau Hestia itself. 

The bridge serves as accent and wooden crossing from the main restaurant to the other gardens that in turn lead to smaller cottages. It's a serene tranquil site, very captivating and truly romantic. 

I just adore the flower paintings! 

The rest of the pictures are samples of the artwork collection inside the cottage, which is quite an interesting intimate collection. Paintings are all around the place, but I luv' how a portion of the dining area was established as a some sort of art room.

I wish I took more pictures tsk! tsk! tsk!
 Ah, will do so when we go back!

Chateau Hestia's Website 

Balducci Ristorante, Here's My Story: About the Blue Dress Too!

ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ

Will I find myself back to Balducci? Like - ever? Maybe not. Or..maybe yes..hmmm...but most likely NOT. Balducci and me, we have no...none of the sparks between us. Nobody's fault, mind you.

It was a late Saturday evening and the skies poured gregariously. The rain, let me tell you, it was beautiful that night - not at all rat dreary or gutter dreadful. Instead, the falling drench silver glistened our evening streets with a kind of filmy sheen that reflected the warm golden glow and shadows of streetlights and city cafe's. It was an incandescent sight, a bit..what's the word...NOIR!! 

Manna Bakery and Cafe ~ My Quick Respite

You have no idea, but I was spun strangled in a web of self-made frenzy the past weekend. My bad!

The HUBBY came down with a bone chilling fever that whacked his aching tired body to - the - sole and plastered him poorly in bed. I was vamooshed! Why, goodness, the man rarely ever gets sick, except for the allergies which would sneeze him out every now and then. I'm used to that. He's used to that. The boys have that as well.

Ah, but, other than that, he has the fit and form and heart of an athlete, according to his doc a couple of years back during his yearly executive check- up.. He's mighty proud of this, um, - medically certified - compliment and wears it like a gold star pinned on the lapel of his right psyche.

Day 1 to day 3 was quite toxic with trips to the ER and tests and consultations and tests again ( gad!). It was surreal  for me to have this fitness buff who'd bug me day and out about my - regimen - (hah!), looking buggered down, wan and pithy pale.

"Hey, relax, even Superman gets sick, y' know", he cracked, in a bid to snuff off my funk,  as I stood looking half wit worried down on him at the emergency room bed, feeding him thin wafers of grainy "Skyflakes" biscuit.

The doc pronounced a most likely viral infection, but the danger of Dengue fever couldn't be ruled out ( omg moment!)!  Hence, the meds and daily trip back to hospital for pricks and whatnot' consultations, which vexed him somewhat on the 3rd day of this roundabout', and further to the point wherein he scathingly reviled the bloodsucking routine. 

 Five days later to last night, his platelet count rose to the required healthy level. Thank  gawd!! What a relief for frazzled me. He was able to return to the office today in more or less his usual self.

Yah, well we know something good always comes forth from unexpected gales. Sailing midway through my inner hysteria, I found myself drifted off to a quaint little true bright happiness cafe. I'd say t'was my grace and miracles angels of life taking pity on hapless me.

I entered this little piece of peace and strayed myself half in trance on a corner taking in the  luscious sight of warm brown buns, deftly coiled breads, unmistakable old-fashioned sugar butter cookies - the stuff of my youth - and wicker trays of creamy muffins dotted syrupy red or blueberry-ish blue, and some cheesy too! 

I was swept into a releasing Hallelujah moment and knew then with a ping of exaltation that everything would be OK. Why wouldn't it be, when fate had just ushered me into the sanctum of the sweet Church of Muffins!! 

I - is - sAvEd!! :D

This here's my corner

--> See my bag? Witness the moment I went snappy with my pink partner walking solemnly here and there pondering the merit between muffins. It's no joke to pick one over the other when your mind is suffering from a case of short circuit.

Ditched the idea of muffins, though my eyes were whirled glue on the possibility. Eventually, after sensing the bated breath of the server in front of me, I settled for an exotic sounding "Banhi sandwich". No clue what that was but it sure sounded kinda' hippy, and the chef lady wore a striking fancy uniform which somewhat gave an imposing whiff of credence to whatever she'd make it out to be

Oh, and it was so pretty! All carrots on top, with spikes of radish and greens and orange bits of grilled chicken, haha! It was quite a creative feast ! And yes, it tasted as refreshing and tasty as it looked. Coupled with my rose vanilla tea, it was a bit of  a vacation for my sense. I even had the indulgence to read a chapter while slowly savouring my treat. 

So things are fine and better, with the usual drafty flow of things to do; things that seem to hunt you down and snap at your heels whimpering fix me! fix me! fix me! And so I go for it, all these business that deals with life, knowing that when things get a bit spidery tangled in my thoughts, I have the good propensity of finding quirky snuggly muffin places to center and rebalance and sniff sniff sniff the cinnamon-y scents that make this soul of mine come alive. 

"My Ayala Underground Walkway Fantasy!"

Meeeee' happily posing while hubby took the pic! 

And this is my hubby's back, haha! I luv' the long stretch of the walkway! 

Eeee, yebah (!!), I finally did it, haha! Had my photo taken in the Ayala underground walkway last Sunday. Been inkling to do so like - ever since, but, *shucks*  couldn't. 

This walkway is normally crrrr-a-w-ling on weekdays - business business, y' know. Saturdays too - just people people people! Security guards won't allow photo ops no matter how quickie' (for security reasons they said). 

I was kinda' surprised when once I tried to take a pic of the tunnel and was politely stopped. Another time, I was trying to take a ( really quick- won't bother anyone) snap of one of the cool ads framed on the side, and was once again, advised - not to. I dunno' what's with that, but I was in no' obscene mood to articulate my bafflement while being a dent on the flow of  serious folks walking zippy to where they need to be. Hah, o' but --> NOW, I have my much desired pic, hehehe!

Dunno' why I have a thing for this stretch, like walking old university walls where you feel the soul of you is part of the structure. Maybe, because I've walked this tunnel a zillion times for years and years and years and saw it actually constructed to be - from mud to hollow, to bricks and poles and humongous mixers and all insanity. I remember how inconvenient those days were when the diggings for the projects just started. I remember the warnings, the workers, the sludge sounds and traffic, and the trying to imagine how it's going to look when it finally unveils.  The thought of walking underground was quite a curious novelty way back. 

3 things I luv'' most about this are:
1. The fact that I've often exited on the wrong side of where I need to be.
2. You never know who you'll bump into.
3. Ascending on the "Triangle" side you're received by the street with the sight above - a stretch of green ascending that turns right to a decently expansive park made intriguing by its (airport) history and artfully hailed ancient trees - a bit of an oasis there. I think of it as swimming up from a dusky deep, resurfacing to freshness and light. In a harsh city, this is positive catharsis.

MY fantasy: :D

Think of the whole walk draped in the middle by the swooping drama of long red rolling carpet - end-to-end! In a corner a string quartet playing Vivaldi, or some lilting in the mood melody!

Think cocktail tables - thin round velvet covered stands where folks and friends dressed hippy' nice can settle drinks and chill, talk, laugh. Think little pretty fingerling food!! 

AND -->  but yes, of course, the highlight of it all are my photographs ( and some splotches of my inordinate spurts of art) my very very OWN, (haha!) hanging on the walls serving as deep, riveting conversation pop ups that propel lookers to pontificate on the soulful and political, hahaha!  

Ya, that would be cool! :D 

Snapping out now, hehe! Meanwhile, life calls me to zoom in on what needs to be fixed and done, hurried and musts, right now. so I beg leave of this little space and transport my physical me to my living. I had fun capturing these moments.  It'll be great going back here in this blog of mine, years from now and see the changes of th future compared to what's framed of today. .