me-time Archives - Page 2 of 4

Reading More Books in 2013

January 12, 2013 6 Comments

Yep, that is one of my goals for the New Year, too, to build up my virtual bookshelves/library and go back to my first love ~ reading. Last year I was able to read more books and complete my Shopaholic Series collection. Even when I was busy looking after the little man and keeping the house organized, not to mention doing all these activities online, I was able to squeeze in finishing a number of paperbacks during my downtime. This year I plan to read more books in my stash that has been lying dusty for ages now, including classic novels, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

reading, books, simple pleasures, me-time, Blog Photo Challenge, #fmsphotoaday — something beginning with “t” ~ Tolstoy 😉

I have also started stocking up on books late last year by buying them as gifts to myself {it was one of my simple pleasures in life! ^_^}. I chanced upon these hardbound copies of The Witch of Portobello by Paolo Coelho and Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella on this e-bay shop and I just can’t resist. The books are sold at only P200 each! Oh and I also got a copy of J.D. Salinger’s The Cather in the Rye the last time I went to the bookstore. And my sister, Bel, gifted me with this millennium edition of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina last Christmas! ^_^

Am all set for the first quarter of this year with plans to finish all these books on my stash. What have you been reading lately?

My 8th share for Blog Photo Challenge and #fmsphotoaday.

Sharing the whites here, too:

simple pleasures

A Well-Deserved Break

January 2, 2013 20 Comments

I have been meaning to get some pampering done and today, even when it is just the second day of the new year, seems like the perfect time to do just that. Why, you’d ask? Because my sister, Cel, is still off from work and she can look after the little man whilst this mum gets a well-deserved break! 😀

It was also serendipitous that I was able to purchase this voucher to Ahavia Spa {I got a 70% discount on a P2296-regular rate massage for 2 people} a few days before 2012 ends and managed to reserved for today’s 2pm session. So after an unceremonious goodbye to the little man, who was rather occupied with his toys to fuss about mum’s departure, anyway, I was headed to Manila to meet-up with Jared’s dad who was to accompany me for this venture.

Ahavia Spa was located in Greenhills and it was a good thing Jared’s dad was rather familiar with the place and we did not have a hard time looking for it. It was located in a rather laid-back section of the city and I simply love the spa’s facade. After waiting for a few minutes, and choosing a sea shell massage with a western blend for her and a volcanic stone massage with oriental ritual for him, we were ushered onto a VIP room where we will get our 2-hour massage. Yeah, we will be kneaded like breads for two hours so I was anxious and excited with anticipation at the same time, as I’ve never really experienced getting a 2-hour massage before. I would’ve loved to have my nails done, too, unfortunately the nail technician is not available.

I love the quite and relaxing ambiance of their VIP rooms. I also love the wall design and now that I think about it, I should’ve taken photos of it. I also surveyed the bathroom and I love its simple yet elegant design and the bathroom vanity is even equipped with cotton buds, can you believe that?

The lady attendants were both accommodating and were really dedicated in their crafts, they were even mindful to ask every too often if the massage is just fine or if we’d prefer it harder. It was the first time I tried sea shell for a massage and I rather enjoyed it, it was quite fun guessing whether the spa attendant was using her palms or the sea shells! I particularly loved what she did on my neck, back and shoulders. All the knots on my shoulders are gone and my neck and back felt so relax. I also love the stretching part of my massage. It immediately made me miss my time on the mat.

You’d think two hours will be such a drag, but since I was groggy and very much relaxed, I was even surprised when my attendant told me that we’re done! It was one of the most delightful experience and I would love to do it again! The ladies even remind us not to take a bath after the massage and brought us hot towels, together with two cups of hot tea!

mum musings

some me-time for mum

March 6, 2012 7 Comments

Slowly but surely I am able to realize one of the goals I have set out in the beginning of this year which is to find time for myself. Surprisingly, I finished reading a number of books which is even better than my one-book-each-month goal. I squeezed snuggling with my little precious book whenever the little man is asleep or preoccupied with his toys that he has no apparent need for mum, or sometimes when he is too immersed on his new fixation, the mickey mouse clubhouse, I’d sit in our bed with my head burrowed in whatever current paperback I am aiming to finish. So far, I have read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert + the new novel from one of my favorite writers, Nicholas Sparks, Safe Haven, which are both interesting read I really had trouble putting them down whenever the pocket-me-time’s are up!

+ just this weekend, I finally had the chance to go to the salon to have my hair trimmed + my toe nails painted with this dainty pink nail polish! Am just glad the little man managed to stay put beside his tita while I got my haircut. When I was having my toenails painted he got bored + wanted to sit in mum’s lap, good thing he went back to tita when mum said she will be finished in a few minutes. Good boy! 🙂

I know it was not really the most ideal place for a toddler to lurk around, but a me-time with my little man in tow, can’t be that bad. Maybe I’d just push for a salon-time on my own, next time around, meanwhile, let me just revel in my pink fab toe nails! 😉

Pink Fridays