27 August 2015

Cheers to Nights Like This

I wasn't able to babble for weeks here so allow me to be loquacious. August has been an exceptionally busy month. There were weeks where I had to be in the office as early as 6 in the morning just to clear files of the previous days else they will add up to the current day's files which in turn would end up bulldozing me. I don't even remember if I was able to squeeze in an afternoon or evening hang-out with any of my friends since I had to leave the office in the evening as well. And then for the past 3 weeks, my family has always been on alert. My great grandmother, or Inana as how we call her, has been transferred to the ICU for 2 weeks now after being confined in a regular room for a week. Her health has been oscillating from better to worst that we no longer know which is which. My parents and brother are in Quezon province as I type, after having had to rush in the middle of the week due to Inana's recent cardiac arrest while receiving her treatment. My beloved laptop also proved that the built-in battery of a Macbook Pro, no matter how latest the model is, will explode if left charging overnight (no thanks to my brother Gio for proving this theory). There's also the matter with my phone. It has given up on me two weeks ago. I could've easily ran to the nearest phone shop but my schedule doesn't permit me to do so. This weekend, I'm going to Quezon to join my family and relatives in watching over Inana. So friends, I'm terribly sorry if I'm unable to reply to your text messages. I'm still phone-less! But naturally, there were plenty of good events that transpired in August too. I'm growing closer to my colleagues despite my only almost 3 month stay since I got hired. We've gone out a couple of times just to relieve ourselves of stress only people who work in an Embassy know of (I swear it's difficult for someone who's always relied on others to get things done for her, suddenly rise up to the demands of an Embassy). And then, in the middle of the month, I escaped with my Lala and relaxed in a beautiful foreign land. 

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Dress, earrings, bag: River Island | Charm bracelet: from Jerusalem, Israel | Ring: Aldo | Shoes: Zara

Due to my jampacked schedule (I know, trust me, it still baffles me how I'm handling the major changes in my supposed grown-up life), I'm slowly transitioning into a shopper who's on the look-out for clothes that are appropriate for my activities from day to night. Something appropriate when I suddenly get called by the Ambassador or the Consul in their offices to explain a few things or when receiving applicants at the counter, or when I still have energy in the evening to go out with friends. But for this particular evening, the highlight of Lala and I's trip (it has to be, since I didn't research for touristic places to go to but I made sure that we've a reservation in the best restaurant in the country), I chose a dress that I would wear if, say, I were to spend an entire day in Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. No kidding, I was thinking of Mirage's attractions such as the volcano or the Secret Garden as the perfect backdrop of my dress. Or or or I could be in another Vegas hotel! Hahaha! But oh well, I'm not complaining even though I was miles away from Las Vegas since after all, I'm in another grandiose place, Marini's on 57 which is located in Petronas Tower 3. I know, I know. There are supposedly only two towers but who am I to argue if the receptionist told me that we're going to Tower 3?

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We entered Suria KLCC, the mall under Petronas Towers, to begin our way to our destination. In order to go up to the 57th floor, we had to transfer to 3 different elevators, which was perfectly fine with me! I enjoy the journey that preludes an elegant place. Our server was really nice and guided Lala and I through the menu. We ordered the following: (Note that we weren't able to take photos of the last 2 courses because our phones have already died then. Shame.)

For appetiers:
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Ancona fried olives
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Apulia burrata, Japanese Momotaro tomatoes & fresh basil

Entrees:
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Roasted guinea fowl, fennel, onions, apple & sago tarragon 
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Dry-aged Wagyu beef tenderloin with beetroot, cauliflower, polenta & dried mushrooms

Desserts:
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Custard Bread
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Cotton Candy
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Summer chocolate pralines, mixed fruits & gelato served picnic style

I wasn't kidding when I said this in a previous postHere's to another term infused with mediocre outputs and half-baked enthusiasm, all pieced together with ho-hum objectives. I've always lacked the necessary consistency to carry me through the task. I figured, there is always an easier way out so why go through all the labyrinthine process? But guess what August made me realize? Vacations are even sweeter when an equally tiring and draining work had been accomplished. Guess what the other thing August made me realize? When you give your best, it's easier to dream big. Because at least you know that you're slowly going where you want to be. Take this dinner for example. It's Asia today, who knows where we'll dine tomorrow? :)

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Goodbye for now again!
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