A Christmas Greeting From Chocfrappe

Hope everyone’s enjoying their Decembers so far!!! Reliving with joy the fondest memories of solemn Christmas carols, angelic hymns sung by choirs, and Misa de Gallos, memorable TV-specials, waking up to cool mornings and a present beside your pillow, grand reunions and exchanging gifts, greetings, food and embraces with everyone dear to our hearts…is the Christmas Spirit alive and healthy in you? Do you feel what we feel? Do you see what we see? :-)

When we first launched our wed-site several months ago, we only wanted a convenient/stylish venue in which our very modest networks could celebrate with us the process of planning for our D-day in 2011.  Though we didn’t anticipate the amount of hard work and spare time required for it, it brought us honest pleasure and a sense of fulfillment whenever we’d be able to squeeze out an update, or a blog entry, in spite of our busy schedules.  And it feels truly motivating, hearing people tell us how “natural” and “exaggeratingly sweet” our wed-site is, or, how well-made our entries are.  We too never expected these generous off-the-cuff comments and views, but are nevertheless humbled that so many friends, family and even acquaintances share in our journeys, joys and aspirations

We want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year. Thank you very much for visiting and continually pushing us to make our WeddingWire Site more comprehensive, inspired and downright sappy.  We’ll be taking a very very brief break from blogging until 2011 (only a couple of weeks away!!) to give us more time to celebrate, reflect and enjoy the most solemn and momentous time of the year for us in the country.  The next eight months of 2011 will surely be the MOST rigorous, exciting and anticipated weeks yet, the loveliest and most rewarding times as well.  And we hope to capture these prized moments forever into our WW site... You’re all warmly invited to visit us as often as you can, and  pls always feel welcome to drop us a line, or share us a tip or two as D-day inches closer and closer :-)

Again, MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN INSPIRED NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! Hope to see some of you at some random coffee shop in your area soon. :-)

Let love brew on and on and on…

long-overdue trip to Chocolate Fire!!

Celebrating HER birthday @ where-else, but Starbucks, 1 am

KAT & GAB

[A series of overdue] VIGNETTES FOR THESE STELLAR BRRRR MONTHS

ONE: Life as We Know It

Events, both in life and at work, have piled up incredibly since September.  Since we got formally engaged in August 28. (see the amazing collage below) :-) Which is, admittedly, a shame, coz in-between our manic schedules, responsibilities, and endeavors, we haven’t had the luxury of being able to sit down to properly commemorate, communicate and commit the momentous importance of these Brrr-months onto our 13” Intel-powered screens.  It’s a shame, not only because of our desire to maintain this wed-site/blog through regular and relevant recollections and reflections; but, more so, because as our wedding ideas and program for 2011 are already thrust upon us, and are moving forward with briskness and well-placed energy, the other items we’ve abstracted in the meantime have dramatically come to view as well.

Items that concern our lives beyond D-day. Items that will underscore and condition with vibrancy and dynamism our lifelong transition as husband and wife: Arrangements.  Investments.  Properties.  Logistics.  Finance/Money.  Traditions.  Sexuality.  Family.

Tangible and intangible items that are emerging and evolving to be our foremost, enduring priorities sooner, not later. :-)

And, with God and faith keeping our cores stable, we’re feeling mightily excited of how our life will be planned out, lived out, and shared with the rest of the community.  (This, despite the weariness, worldliness and incertitude that clouds even the most harmonious relations out there)

This: Life as we know it.  And the only way we’d ever want to celebrate living day-in, day-out – in the completing, comprehending, complementing comfort either one of us provides.

our amazing Engagement Collage

@ Josephines, Tagaytay : a splendid send-off, for the father of the bride (will see you in 2011)

..this goes into Chocfrappes' Tagaytay collection (Sonya's Garden)

Life. Love. repeat...

------------------------------

TWO: ChocFrappe Celebrates 1^ST ANNIVERSARY as if it were a Cool Evening in 2009 all Over Again…

12 months ago, hardly "fresh" from an arduous trip back in Colombo/Sri Lanka and Singapore, Manila was where and when I got my sweetest, happiest reprieve, reward and retribution. Post-Ondoy Manila was a much-needed dose of home and urbane respite; Manila was driving the black Benz obliviously and deliriously, amid ominous rain on a Saturday... Manila was an elegantly planned 'surprise' 5-course dinner...Manila was the first time we'd meet again; the first time I'd hold her hand and kiss along those lines, neither one of us braving to alight the car just yet; the first time I saw her angel of a face sparkle and glimmer like an evening's current, as she wore on a topaz-studded necklace like a star burning bright...

It was, as if just yesterday [or last weekend], in which that 365th day ago took place. And, barring a few facelifts here and there, it could've very well been that.

Like we'd never left that blissful memory.

the 5-course menu at the very same place, 365 days later. :)

in our element: love and its affiliate pleasantries (for both stomach/heart)

formerly Le Souffle, but just as memorable

12 months later, we finally get our picture here at the Rockwell lobby

THIS. SAYS. IT. ALL. :-)

Happy Anniversary Baby; I love you!

-gabby- (lifted from Facebook)