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!

" Discovering The Sweet Potato Soul Lady " :D

I feel strangely ill touched today like coming down with colds. Chesty feels, acid reflux, muscle aches and lethargy seeping in. All the icky ugh works and I know where this is heading. Must shake the feeling! This lasts a day or a couple of days so I need to take in lots of fluids and sleep it off. A good yoga stretch and some light cardio to break out sweat will probably make me feel better later.

Memorably Singapore last August 2017

Right now, I'm sipping organic Echinacea Tea which I bought from my favorite organic  store,  Healthy Options but is available online as well. The brew is calming my senses and unclogging my sinuses. I'll lay off on the coffee and stick to caffeine free tea for the rest of the week. For good measure I'm mediating later. I don't have candles but calming music will ground me. 

Regrettably,  I slacked off from my workout which was gaining ground a week ago. At seven am today, before the husband left, he candidly reminded me of my routine and added I looked svelte the last time we went out last Friday. Flutter eyes me, haha!

It's only Tuesday and I  sure can see what three days of junk food binging can do to my body. Mcdonald's had that new garlic parmesan spicy chicken burger, and on a whim, yesterday, I impulsively had to try it! Can you believe that?!?

What on earth is wrong with me? All my niggling crazy habits drive me crazy!

BUT, I'm glad my body still visibly responds to the effort I put in. Not as fast as my younger years, need to keep that in mind! What to do is make sure I get consistent, consistent, consistent! Yes, as consistent as I've been with my acne treatment which is about already clear, thank the good Lord!

I looked disastrously creeps last month and remember the moment I couldn't believe how hormonal dried and pimply my skin had developed. The doc said it would take about four weeks regular application of dermatologist prescribed magic serums for my condition to improve. True enough, it did! I have never had skin as good as I do now!

Which got me thinking that if I would apply the same four week method to about anything I want to do, heck, I believe I'd get there! There being the point of whatever it is I want to achieve. 

Tea collection

Reminds me of Danielle Laporte and her "desire goals" approach. Like how do you want to feel at the end of the day, the week, the month, the year? Then wrap your effort around your core desired feelings. I'll get to that in a private journal later. 

Right now, up above's a picture of the Sambal Tuna  I cooked up a month ago. A reminder that I'm capable of decent healthy meals and have no need for craving junk food.

On the subject of food, there's a Youtube lady I find wonderful! I found her channel yesterday while searching for healthy prep meals. She goes by the name SWEET POTATO SOUL! How lovely is that, haha!

When I say amazing, I mean she is totally amazing! Sweet potato may be so much younger than I am but I just connect with her vibe! Here's a sample video from her channel. 

She makes me want to become vegan! Realistically, I don't  think I  can give up a few slices of meat and fish, but she inspires me to rewire my brain and retrain my taste buds. Everything she cooks looks delicious! Plus, I adore her cute cozy no fuss kitchen with its well stocked herb collection. As I take note of one meal after the other, I realize how much I truly want my lifestyle and food choices to diversify.

Really, I treasure the phenomenal people the divine heavens reveal to me, whether online, through a book,  or in my walking life. Every soul I meet  addresses an answer, a help, a lesson that prods and pushes me towards the attainment of my life goals and the revelation of my higher self. 

Today's January Morning 2016

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This is my early morning walk - save for the cat picy' which I took yesterday. Meet"Twilight"...infinitesimal cat who follows me wherever I'm at.

I am excited about being here, walking, taking in the expanse of January green which is rarely seen in my city. There is a moment when I take my phone out and click and snap..the bushes..the grass..the pinks, as if by doing so my mind could drink in the site like vitamins to the soul.

Today is a day of "starts"....

A day of starting to write my  glitter goals, starting to journal my spiritual journey, starting to create what I've longed for to manifest and have yet to...starting to believe..truly believe..starting to shower my self with exquisite care..starting to laugh more..starting to share more..starting to trust more....starting to learn more..starting..starting.starting..what a hopeful vibrant synergy of possibilities.

My word for the year is ---vivacious!! 

Can't be helped. 

My follicles and pores are excited. :D

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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 

Chimes, Charms, Enchantment

“One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, 

and, it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.”

~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe 

These photos are so February 2014!
 They've been lounging in my archive, waiting...waiting ever so patiently for me to write something and launch the post. Alas, days went by, and months, then life morphed into a maze of this and that, which rendered this blog buried in publish neglect. sad.

The Hubby and Me - enjoying our pose! 

Looking at these pics, you'd think I was the queen of high spirits, hah! 

Quite frankly, yes and even more bluntly, no! The prime truth of the matter is, these photos represent ooooh, snarky sobby' trying days rife with challenges and changes and not knowing what the future holds, what the next step would be, what to, where to, whatever! 

Life was a cliffhanger...SMILE! 

But the Divine was at work ( uuh' yah! ) and threw us an unmistakable thump to dress up swank and parteh', inspite of! Yes, inspite of sullied circumstances having been acquainted with folks less than honorable with their dealings. 

Ah, one must dig the grandest measure of  good out of a decrepit situation, wisen up like the evening owl, and brave forth like the most majestic of eagles ( drama!). 

Why the heck pout and gripe when all things are but temporal, even the muddled. These are the good old' days being ushered in! Welcome it! 

Cliffhouse, Tagaytay, Philippines

My youngest son with me.

And so we did!  In style! 

I donned my creamy favorite vintage dress ( + my grand brown hat too, let's not forget!), genuinely celebratory and thankful for the beautiful scenery, the wonderful people, and the glorious food!  

It was a sparkling time and I was touched by a serene spirit whispering, it was Valentine's Day, things would be OK. 

My eldest son.

That was way back February, cupid's shinning star moment of love. weddings, chimes, charms and enchantments that glistened the succeeding months of working situations with a smidgen of luck linked into one another, until here I am and here we are, in the future I was merely trying to picture back then! 

So let me see, what's there to learn:

1. Be calm. Inspite of trying times. Be calm. Calm is insight. Calm is wisdom. 

2. Present your best. Your best brings about solutions.

3. Enjoy. Even in the middle of muddles, life gives permission to laugh and be merry. It is essential to sanity.

"There aren't any shortcuts to tomorrow, you have to make your own way.To know where you're going is only a part of it.You need to know where you've been, too.And if you get lost, don't worry.The people who love you will find you. Count on it."  ~ Quotebites

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.