There is no other way but up. I am referring to the calorie count intake and the price I have to pay— weight gain. Worse, inches around the middle, the same area where I had more than a litter of fat invasively removed.
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| Why: Silver wedding anniversary celebration. |
How else can I, or anyone else in my position, stay strict on the diet plan with friends and family flying in from all across to globe to spend their holidays in their hometown will remain a mystery. It’s a losing battle against the the bulge with folks whose idea of “spending time with family” entails eating— a lot of eating! A feast is more like it. Once a day? Nope. Try twice a day. Everyday.
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| Why: DOT-XI hosted Christmas party for the local media |
Somehow there is a reason for putting food in the center of every gathering (with a selfie to prove I was present in all the calorie loading moments). Feasting at this frequency is getting alarming, for me a least. The roars of laughter are not only heard within the venue but inside my belly as well—the fat cells are in high spirits.
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| Why: Because we just had to have alcohol, jamon & caviar. |
When did it start? Perhaps, it was earlier than the rest of my friends, in November last year when hopping from one destination to another filled my calendar, and of course, the sampling of the local cuisine came along with it. Then came the holiday season with Christmas party invitations flooding the mailbox. Add to it the traditional Christmas gathering and the family milestones—my first grandkid from my brother blew his first candle wile Dad blew his 82nd, a silver wedding anniversary, etc.
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| Why: Blowing of candles, 82nd & first for these 2 celebrants. |
The new year chimed in and brought light on the unrolled mat, it was the ideal time to get back to the healthy path and "bend, twist and deflate," as my yoga teacher said. Unwanted fats away! The thought of getting another liposuction has to start fading from the mind. Success?
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| Why: Good friend comes home after 2 years of absence |
No, because best friend is back in town after two years of absence. His respite from work entails his version of Visita Iglesia (de comida)—Cecil’s palabok, Peter Pan’s cream roll, Dencia’s tokwa’t baboy, Colasa's isol and chicken barbecue to name a few on the long list.
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| Why: Reminiscing the 80s tradition of disco to beach routine |
The culinary experience had to be updated as well. How many have cropped up since 2012? Please add the new restaurants on the list he had to try.
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| Why: Had to try newly opened resto-bar Huckleberry. |
Done? No. Friends had to host lunch or dinner on this homecoming, Invitations he dare not decline to. Me" I had to tag along. I can't say no. How often is best friend in town anyway?
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| Why: Another tita wants to host dinner for the balikbayan. |
BFF’s departure from Davao finally put a stop to the food binging. Right? Wrong.
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| Why: It's been ages since the Suerte Street gathering happened |
I was asked to join him with his family in Manila for a couple of days and see them off-- AND accompany them as they try a few more restaurants BFF been longing to visit after hearing good reviews about it. With the rest of the good friends finding out about the last leg of the ten-day visit, they threw in more restos on the list.
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| Why: because it's the "last supper" in the PI before these guys depart & go back to reality. |
Yes, it's all over now. They're back in Texas and I'm back in Davao with the excess baggage I will pay for dearly.....
The image of the cannula is getting clearer now. If you know what it is, then you know what I mean.
*****
For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit http://apples-and-lemons.blogspot.com/ andhttp://jeepneyjinggoy.blogspot.com/
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on January 25, 2015
10(IMG 0662) Why: Because it's the "last supper" in Manila before heading back home.
10(IMG 0662) Why: Because it's the "last supper" in Manila before heading back home.
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