Valentine's Day 2009

When was the last time you exchange Valentines card? It's been ages since I exchanged Valentine's Day cards. I guess when you aged with time and depending on the situation and relationships you're in, Valentines is just to celebrate it as part of the holiday. So whether you celebrate it with someone you love, your close friends, and family, enjoy this day. I'm still a firm believer in romance.

My romantic celebration would be to bake a cake (not the picture above). Valentine's Day is on Saturday so I am now browsing for a cake recipe to make on Friday!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my blog friends and readers. I'd like to mention some blog friend 's of mine Chaitra and to "Gerdie" - hope all is well with you.

Tattered Cover Bookstore Colorado

Their bargain books are "unused books" but really cheap compared to other book stores.

Just one among the bookshelves display of my huge cookbook & magazines collections.

It's a reader's Paradise!

I have traveled in different states in the US and always makes it a point to buy at least one book in each bookshops that I'd visited. There is a book shop in Denver, Colorado called "Tattered Cover Bookshop" which is the best shop in the US or even the whole world. Some well known shops in other parts of the US have copied their style but nothing beats Tattered. It's an excellent cozy bookshop. A bookshop where you feel you are welcome.

They have huge selection of books, magazines, periodicals, newsstands and lots of bargain books, sofas and chairs for browsers who plans to stay longer.

The bookstore in Cherry Creek has 5-storey floors, four floors of books and they have other branches in Metro Dnver. I spent hours and hours in the shop and I recall that my longest stay there was over 10 hours. They have a coffee shop and goodies treats to buy when you're hungry. They have author book signing, book clubs, poetry reading, and my favorite tasting events presented by cookbook authors.

Tigbauan Roman Catholic Church Iloilo

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Mosaic of Jesus and the Saints

Colorful mosaics adorn the church interior.

The church was constructed in 1575 and destroyed during an earthquake in 1948.

Colorful stone murals

Facade of the church

The two-feet Sto. Niño image as my backdrop. When we took this photo, a lady in the church informed me that the face of Sto. Nino. will not appear on the photograph. I was curious to ask why. She said that he was a shy Sto. Niño. Nevertheless, this photo was taken and developed on my way back to Manila. Judge for yourself.

NOTE:

The 15th century icon was stolen in Nov. 2004 - was worth half-million pesos.

The town of Tigbauan is 22 kms from the city of Iloilo. I made a trip there in 2001 when I attended the Golden anniversary of my late Aunt (my Mom's older sis) who was a nun of Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres order.

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas is over. Now I'm looking forward to New Year 2009. It's year of the OXpersonality. I am an OX so I hope this year will be lucky for me, both in business and health
Year of the OX : 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009

Horoscope for the 2009 year of the earth Ox:

The earth Ox is the second earth branch year and is the sixth heavenly stems year. 2009 Chi Chou year is the twenty-sixth cycle in the sixty-year cycle of the Chinese astrology's heavenly stems and earth branches cycle. The Chi Chou 2009 year symbolizes strength gathered through unity, harmony, obedience, courage and hard slog.

- 2009 year is a dutiful, family oriented and dependable year.

- 2009 year of the earth Ox, may show his love in terms of how hard he can work for the loved

ones.

Now in 2009 year of the Ox you may not express your feelings in words but make up it by deeds.

Chinese astrology is different from the Zodiac of the West. Chinese astrology follows the cycles of the moon while the Western astrology follows the cycles of the sun.

THE OX

The Ox of Chinese Astrology is no bull in a china shop. Steadfast and solid, this powerful Sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. Oxen tend to be plodding and methodical; they approach projects in the step-by-step manner that serves them best, and they never lose sight of their goal. They are tireless workers who are detail-oriented and believe in doing things right the first time.

The world may perceive Oxen as being far too serious or incapable of loosening up. This sturdy sort is less than social by nature and tends to become introverted in a crowd. To make things worse, they can't be bothered with what other people think and prefer to do what makes them feel best. Behind that calm facade, though, lives an Ox who can feel hurt, lonely and unable to connect with others. Friends and family are a great source of comfort to this beast, even if they don't always understand what makes the Ox tick. As a lover, friend, family member or housemate, the Ox makes a wonderfully strong, tender and affectionate companion who is protective and always reliable.

Out in the world, though, Oxen tend to be stubborn, dogmatic, my-way-or-the-highway kind of people who have no concept of when to back down. Oxen don't care to be pushed, especially since they think they're the good guys of the Chinese Zodiac. There is some truth to that theory, since the Ox is smart, trustworthy, caring and honorable. If you need honest, steady and unbiased advice, call on the Ox.

A good lesson for mighty Oxen is to strive to overcome a judgmental nature that keeps them from getting close to others. If they can learn to value their own good qualities, they'll have more room in their hearts to invite others in.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

I always have this Christmas blues feeling especially when the month of December is here. It has been a long time since my last post (August) have stopped posting regularly, it's not because that I was running out of ideas, but there were times I feel like quitting. I have readers from different continents who frequently visited my blog, and this is the reason why I am not giving up.

I have been visiting other blogs such as cooking,baking, decorating/home, travel blogs which tops my list. Blogs has been an important part of my life - crossing borders of different cultures, learning from them, sharing their ideas and looking at the beautiful pictures of sceneries around the world.

If you have any comments and suggestions about my blog please feel free to contact my email add: jaylanuza@yahoo.com

Season's greetings and wish you all the best for year 2009!!!!

Red Rocks Amphitheater

I watched a concert here one summer many years ago.

The 868-acre Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater, nestled in the Rocky Mountain Foothills just 15 miles outside of Denver near Morrison, was once listed among the Seven Wonders of the World—and with good reason. Ship Rock and Creation Rock, the largest of the monoliths, tower 300 feet above the Red Rocks Amphitheater. These massive brick-colored sandstone monoliths are taller than Niagara Falls.

Red Rocks Park is home to a healthy population of Colorado’s beautiful plants and wildlife. In this area, the Great Plains run into the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of more than a mile, creating a home to a unique blend of animals. An excellent way to spot the various birds, deer, foxes and smaller rodents is to utilize Red Rocks’ hiking trails. The Trading Post loop is 1.4 miles and meanders through the gorgeous rock formations of the park.

Red Rocks Park has been named one of the best concert venues in the world. This incredible open-air amphitheater was designed to preserve the natural beauty of the great sandstone ledges. The massive monoliths act as natural sound walls, creating unparalleled acoustics. The Amphitheater has seen several world-renown acts, including the Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band, John Denver and The Beatles.
The natural beauty of Colorado is captured in this amazing park and concert venue, providing 360-degree views of Denver and the Plains for over 200 miles.


Red Rocks is a geologically formed, open-air amphitheatre set in the Rocky Mountain Foothills. The amphitheatre's unique features include two 400-foot monoliths and a naturally occurring theatre set on a mountain stage. This setting, which seats 9,450 people in 70 rows, provides perfect acoustics and has attracted performers worldwide. The amphitheatre, completed in 1941, is part of the 818-acre Red Rocks Park, located 15 miles west of Denver. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre hosts nearly one million day visitors and concertgoers each year from all over the world. The new Visitor Center offers park visitors a newly designed facility, intergrated into the natural rock formations.

Click image to enlarge

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure in Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado (west of Denver), where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large boulders angled outwards from stage left and a seating area for up to 9,450 people in between. The amphitheatre is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver, Colorado.

Christmas Tree in our Shop

the bare view of the 7 ft. Christmas tree

Putting the ornaments, I guess I have to add some more decor

A souvenir hand-painted Christmas ornament from a friend in Michigan. She made this specially for me.

I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner. I haven't posted anything on my blog for quite sometime. I just wanted to post some pictures for the festive season.
We dont really decorate our shop during Christmas except for Christmas lights we hung in our shop window. But this time I decided to put up the 15 year old artificial Christmas tree.