bienvenue!

I have always been fascinated with interior design and furniture. I my eyes widen and I let out squeals of joy whenever I’m in home and furniture stores. Seeing a comfortable couch in front of a huge welcome sign was a sure indication that being in IDeas for Living (ID for short) was not going to be any different. I knew I was going to love ID the moment I stepped on the fake grass upon entering their front door. The owners converted a warehouse into a retail store.

it's all about your IDentity

You start your ID experience by going up the stairs. On the second floor, they showcase the big items: beds, cabinets, sofas, dining sets, shelving and other furniture. The nice thing about ID is that they also set up rooms to give customers an idea of what they could do with their spaces.

a little girl's bedroom in 9 sqm

fit a dining room and bedroom in 24 sqm

dining room, living room and bedroom in 38 sqm

The also sell decor, including posters!

Lord of The Rings - Php2,588.00, The Beatles' Yellow Submarine - Php2,927.00

Here are some more pieces that I loved:

lap tray table - Php1,575.00

bedstand - Php6,990.00

antique table - Php49,990.00

3-piece stool set - Php8,080.00

painted stool - Php4,990.00

small painted cabinet - Php11,299.00

harlequin bottle tea light holder - Php650.00

vase butterfly voltives - Php275.00

And yes, they have accessories, ceramics and kitchen products too. hey opened in January 2011 but their customers are still mostly interior designers. I was told that their products are mostly from Malaysia and China, and they also have local suppliers. The store is full of interesting finds and their prices are reasonable. It’s just my first time in ID and I am already planning on my next visit.

ID Center is located at 2100 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City (near Alphaland).

I swear I’m still craving for pho and iced coffee.

*Click on the images to view larger photos.

...new laptop, speakers and wireless mouse!

So my new year’s pretty hectic, especially when I’m busy:

bashing thugs' faces in Gotham City

preventing zombies from crossing my lawn

killing green pigs

and

slicing up fruits

I’ll get back to blogging soon…

...right after I finish killing someone.

*All game images are taken from the internet. Click on the images to view their sources.

• The Woman In Black (horror/ thriller) – Based on a novel, a young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals. — I’m curious how Daniel Radcliffe will do after Harry Potter.
• Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (action/ comedy/ horror) - 15 years after their traumatic gingerbread-house incident, siblings Hansel and Gretel have become a formidable team of bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. — I just love deconstructed fairytales – and this one stars Jeremy Renner and Peter Stormare.
• Being Flynn (comedy/ drama) - Working in a Boston homeless shelter, Nick Flynn re-encounters his father, a con man and self-proclaimed poet. Sensing trouble in his own life, Nick wrestles with the notion of reaching out yet again to his dad. — I think Paul Dano is one of the most underrated young actors, and this is his chance to show what he can really do because Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore are also in this movie.
• Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (comedy) - Two guys get a billion dollars to make a movie, only to watch their dream run off course. In order to make the money back, they then attempt to revitalize a failing shopping mall. — Now how can you not expect a good laugh with that movie poster? Oh, and John C. Reilly stars in it too.

• John Carter (action/ adventure/ fantasy) - Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior. — Don’t really care about his movie, except that Taylor Kitsch and his long hair are in it.
• The Raven (thriller) - A fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet pursues a serial killer whose murders mirror those in the writer’s stories. — John Cusack as Poe. And I love the poster.

• Mirror Mirror (adventure/ comedy/ drama) - An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright. — Directed by Tarsem Singh, this is a sure visual stunner. I’m thinking Julia Roberts would be brilliant as the Evil Queen. And Lily Collins makes one lovely Snow White.
• American Reunion (comedy/ romance) - Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion. — Watched the trailer and it is hilarious, as usual:

• Safe (action/ crime/ thriller) - A former elite agent takes on a two-tier mission: rescue a Chinese girl who’s been abducted by the Triads, then use a safe combination to outwit the Russian Mafia, corrupt NYC officials, and the Triads themselves. — Jason Statham. ‘Nuf said.
• The Avengers (action/ adventure/ sci-fi) - The S.H.I.E.L.D. agency brings together a team of superhumans to help save the Earth from annihilation by extraterrestrial invaders. — Oh. My. God. We’ve been waiting for this movie for ages.
• Dark Shadows (drama/ horror/ mystery) - A gothic-horror tale centering on the life of vampire Barnabas Collins and his run-ins with various monsters, witches, werewolves and ghosts. Based on the cult TV series. — Directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. How can anyone not watch this? Also starring in this movie are Helena Bonham Carter, Michelle Pfeiffer and Chloe Grace Moretz.
• Haywire (action/ thriller) - A black ops super soldier seeks payback after she is betrayed and set up during a mission. — Now, a Hollywood movie with a girl who really knows how to fight. It’s interesting that Steven Soderbergh picked Gina Carano, a Muay Thai and MMA fighter. The rest of the cast is also impressive  with Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor and Michael Douglas in the line up.
• Coriolanus (drama/ thriller) - A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city. — Although the poster is not that impressive, it has Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler.

• We Need To Talk About Kevin (drama/ thriller) - The mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief – and feelings of responsibility for her child’s actions. — I’ve wanted to see this since reading about it in the Guardian, and I love both Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly.
• Rampart (action. crime/ drama) - Set in 1999 Los Angeles, veteran police officer Dave Brown, the last of the renegade cops, works to take care of his family, and struggles for his own survival. — Steve Buscemi makes it worth watching.
• Snow White and the Huntsman (action/ adventure/ drama) - In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen. — As much as I love deconstructions, I already know this movie will suck. However, I still want to watch this just to compare it with Mirror Mirror.
• Prometheus (action/ horror/ sci-fi) - A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. — Man, the hype for this movie is off the charts (in the nerd sites I visit).
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (fantasy/ horror/ thriller) - President Lincoln’s mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers. — I don’t know anything about Lincoln, but the poster looks awesome. And Ramona Flowers is in it.

• The Amazing Spider-Man (action/ adventure/ thriller) - Teenager Peter Parker grapples with both human problems and amazing super-human crises. — This reboot looks promising. The cast looks great (I love both Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield), and it’s directed by Marc Webb, the man who did (500) Days of Summer.
• The Dark Knight Rises (action/ crime/ drama) - Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes. — IT’S GODDAMN BATMAN. Feast your eyes on the trailer:

• The Bourne Legacy (action/ adventure/ thriller) - A story centered on a new CIA operative in the universe based on Robert Ludlum’s novels. — Although Matt Damon will no longer be in this one, Jeremy Renner is the new protagonist (NOT as Jason Bourne though). Edward Norton is also in the movie.
• Total Recall (action/ sci-fi/ adventure) - As the nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai vie for supremacy, a factory worker (Farrell) begins to suspect that he’s a spy, though he is unaware which side of the fight he’s on. — The cast is weird (Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Ethan Hawke, John Cho), so I’m not sure how this remake would turn out. Anyway, I still think it’s worth a look.
• The Expendables 2 (action/ adventure/ thriller) - Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat. — All your favorite action stars in one movie. You really can’t ask for more testosterone.

• Dredd (action/ sci-fi) - In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO.
• Looper (action/ sci-fi) - A killer who works for the mob of the future recognizes one of his targets as his future self. — Joseph Gordon-Levitt!!!
• Frankenweenie (animation/ comedy/ horror) - Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences. — This animated film brings back another classic combination: Tim Burton and Winona Ryder.
• Skyfall (action/ adventure/ thriller) - Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost. — Yes, it’s another Bond film, with Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem in the cast this time. And I love the minimalist poster.

Looking forward to 2012 already.

with our guide and boat driver who let me drive the boat

Honestly, the lake and the village aren’t really what you would call “tourist spots” — it’s actually kind of depressing.

a spirit house fishermen visit before fishing

floating houses

a family that asked us for donations (parang Pinas lang)

The Floating Village has an orphanage which houses and educates over 300 children. Tourists are not obliged, but our guide suggested that buy supplies (noodles, school supplies) for the children when we pass by because it would mean so much more to them rather than money. I guess what struck me was that it is apparent that the locals make an effort to help one another by promoting the area to tourists. So we bought a pack of snacks and supplies and felt good in doing so.

with orphans imitating my asian pose

We arrived at the port at around noon and had time to relax in the afternoon before heading out to the Angkor Temple complex and see the famous sunset at Phnom Bakheng.

We, together with hundreds of other tourists, had to climb up a hill to get to the temple. We thought we got there early, but because of the long queue, we UNFORTUNATELY did not get to go up and view the sunset from the temple. And we were so close, like only 15 people were ahead of us! You could just imagine the tourists complaints. But I guess the park people are used to this and sent us all away just the same.

Phnom Bakheng

tourists climbing the steps

me NOT climbing up the steps (I don't know why I look happy here)

a pretty sunset nonetheless

To cap the day off, we headed to Pub Street (the place to be for tourists and backpackers) for some outdoor dining and cheap alcoholic drinks.

Pub Street outdoor dining

Tonle Sap Lake
Entrance fee: $25 per person

Angkor Archeological Park
Entrance fee: $20 per person for 1 day (valuable tip: If you get there at 4:00 p.m., you already buy a ticket for the following day, thus, you only pay for 1 day instead of 2 days.)

The Mekong Express bus to Phnom Penh left at approximately 8:40 a.m.

Mekong Express gives free bread, a bottle of water and wet wipes to passengers

inside the Mekong Express bus

After almost 2 hours, we arrived at the Moc Bai-Bavet border where we had to step off the bus, have our luggage scanned and our visas processed. Actually, Filipinos and other ASEAN nationalities need a Cambodian visa so our processing time was faster, I think. After a few minutes, we were already in Cambodian soil.

entering the Moc Bai emigration building

leaving the Bavet border

We then stopped over for lunch at a nearby restaurant where you can pay in Vietnamese Dong, US Dollar or Cambodian Riel, making it very convenient for tourists.

lunch stopover

We arrived in Phnom Penh at approximately 3:45 p.m. Unfortunately, the Mekong Express bus to Siem Reap already left, but the staff were kind enough to direct us to Paramount Angkor Express, anothor bus company that has a night bus to Siem Reap. After a very long bus ride and a dinner stopover in the middle of nowhere, we finally arrived in Siem Reap at 12:15 a.m.

dinner in the middle of nowhere

Whew.

(Honestly, I would advise against taking the night bus. Although we didn’t encounter any problems, it was pretty scary because there were no streetlights, the road was very bumpy, and most of the passengers were men.)

Bus Tickets
Mekong Express direct bus from HCMC to Siem Reap: $22 per person ($23 if booked through the hotel)
Mekong Express bus to Phnom Penh: no extra expense
Paramount bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap: $10 per person

Upon arrival, we were treated to a snack at a bee farm: honey tea with calamansi, honey wine, coconut chips, nuts, banana chips, among others. (And yes, this was in an attempt to make us buy their products.) I don’t normally like tea, but I loved their honey tea.

snacks!

a bee in my honey tea

After our snack, we walked around their village to see the local daily life and rode a tiny rowing boat along the coconut canal—they also made us wear the “unicorn” hats! (Tip: allot tip money for the boat ladies)

crafts

children are already used to tourists

hmm, that doesn't look like a unicorn

riding a row boat along the canal in Unicorn Island

We then headed toward Ben Tre and visited a coconut candy factory (free tasting!).

ladies handwrapping the coconut candies

After almost ruining our appetite (well, not really), we had lunch at a local restaurant at around 1:00 p.m. Lunch is already included in the tour package, but you can opt to order additional food at your own cost. (The free lunch is just a small plate of chicken, vegetables and rice.)

The last part of the tour was spent munching on fruits (bananas, dragonfruit, chico, papaya and pineapple) while listening to traditional music. Us Filipinos were the only ones to finish all our plates!

yummy fruits with salt and chili

the local band

Going back to HCMC, we stopped by the Mekong Rest Stop, which was a lovely place to relax. They have a nice garden that’s perfect for photo ops (but I looked really ngarag so I didn’t have my picture taken).

a lovely garden

We arrived in the city at around 6:00 p.m. Guess what? They also have intense traffic there! (We still reign supreme when it comes to this sort of Third World woe though.) The roads abound with motorcycles, or motos, as they call them. And like in the Philippines, they are a hassle to pedestrians and fellow drivers. Just take a look at this traffic jam we passed by:

parang Pinas lang

Mekong Delta Tour (My Tho – Ben Tre)
Tour (booked through hotel): $10 per person