beautybeyondfifty

-Antipolo City

Beautybeyondfifty changed her domain to “The Dental Aesthetic Clinic” , Well, I really don’t know if this is a good idea or not but I went ahead anyway 🙂

So, what’s up?

My clinic is still under construction but I would like to share the progress. At first I was hesitant to build it in Antipolo, considering my specialty is “Esthetic Dentistry“.

What’s the difference between Esthetic and Aesthetic?

British English (Aesthetic) or American English (Esthetic)

What about Cosmetic Dentistry and (A)Esthetic Dentistry?

Well, Esthetic Dentistry is creating a smile that’s very natural, functionally effective. Enhancing the natural beauty of what is natural to the patient. Whereas, Cosmetic is creating a smile beyond what is natural, like making the veneers more whiter than the white paper, making it all straight in one level, which sometimes affects the functions and phonetics as well.

For me, Cosmetic involves more of a package enhancing physical beauty and improving Oral health, like I won’t go further than white, if it looks  too artificial. I can also straightened teeth by Orthodontics but I am also trained to administer botox which reduces wrinkles and filler for lip enhancement. So whether its Esthetics – Aesthetics – Cosmetic we’re still talking about beauty enhancements!

And why Antipolo? First of all, this is where I have a home, weather is much cooler and traffic is not as congested as in Manila.

Why I was hesitant?

I am not sure whether the locals will go into aesthetic, or spend more money to save their teeth. It’s a challenge and risk at the same time but I’m keeping my finger crossed. Hoping and praying that I will make a trend, if not elevate the standard of Dentistry in this area and create awareness on Oral health and hygiene.

Here’s some photos of the clinic under contstruction:

Ladies, wish me luck 🙂

Cheers,

Dr. Myriam (beautybeyondfity)

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Beautybeyondfifty on going back..

” We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. And we all have some power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.”

-Louisa May Alcott

It’s funny to note after 32 years, here I am writing another chapter of my life. I considered Jeddah as my second home, in fact, it was my HOME, this is where I grew up professionally , I have learned my craft and skills…

Live simply, travel,laugh a lot and don’t forget to breath

“Write it in your heart that every day is the best day in the year”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

As the year ends, my days in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is also nearing to an end.

It was a wonderful 32 years! Thank you!

  Year 2018 was a year of traveling … emotional turmoil of losing loved ones, yet the gratitude is tantamount to the blessings. May we have all a Happy New year and more blessings for the…

Age 59: LIPS… understanding aging process for beauties beyond fifty(aka older women)

Do you notice anything about your smile?

Does your teeth shows when you smile?

Is your lips getting thinner?

Come on! Look at the mirror and examine your lips, was it the same when you were in your early twenties?

NOPE!

Well, When I was a teenager ,way back.. 🙂 hahaha make a calculation and you will know what year..I used to think my lips were big and thick! I am conscious about my teeth as well,…

How old are you?

I was asked many times and every time there’s oh..?? you’re kidding!

Even my millennial patients would rush and look at my license certificate on the wall and read my birth year😊

1959!

yes! There’s no secret and I think I look natural at my age. Hmmm..what natural? for myself? or what society dictates? depends on my mood , I guess 🙂

You see, when you don’t exert effort on how to look young, it mirrors on your photo.

You don’t have to look like when you’re on your 30’s! You just have to look like a better version of it when you’re fifty and beyond😊

Example?

Eye bags

Well, as we grow older, our eye bags got deeper, you don’t need a filler or bleph , just wear you’re eyeglasses and pronto! eye bag is gone!

Eyebrows

it’s a trial and error how to get the best eyebrow that really looks natural on your age. It took me awhile to master how I want it to be. I think having tattoo will look you more older.

and

find your angle look😊 when someone wants to take your photo.

practice.. practice..

look at the mirror which is your best side.. right? or left?and practice smiling. It really makes a difference. You can also turn your shoulder at 45 degrees angle but don’t tilt your head, instead bring your ears to the front to minimize double chin . Position the tip of your tongue at the back of your teeth and SMILE!

Ladies, at our age, I think the best is to smile confidently and I am hundred percent sure , you will look younger.

Here are some sample of ladies who smile beautifully without editing or using filter.

Remember, we all have our time of beauty at a different stages of life so embrace it whether you are fifty or beyond.

Keep smiling 🙂

Cheers!

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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I was invited for a Tea party with Filipino Women’s League in Aiea at Dr. Amy Jacang residence. It was a beautiful day with beautiful women in a beautiful location overlooking the city, I would say they are the Beauties beyond fifties 🙂

Each guest brought some Filipino dishes, it was like “fiesta” with a twist of camaraderie .A lovely afternoon was spent with bona fide members giving speeches , songs and dances. The new would be members were asked to introduced themselves. It was an afternoon of smiles and I was excited and privileged to get some photos of the day. The usual meeting is held every first Friday of the month at various location in central or west of Oahu.

The Filipino Women’s League

– promoting Filipino sisterhood through culture, companionship and community service.

It was also announced that the Filipino Women’s league have helped  students who are brilliant in their field of studies but can not further their education due to lack of finances through their scholarship program. It caters for male and female students with Filipino decent who intend to pursue a career in college or university.

In additon, I also learned they have cooked book for sale entitled “Hawaii Filipinas Favorite Recipes”  for Usd 15 plus shipping but through my research, it is also available in Amazon for Usd 25.

Wow! It’s amazing to meet all these women  and one thing I am delighted about is they all look beautiful in photos. I think beacuse their smile are genuine and confident.. Confidently beautiful 🙂

Thank you Pat for taking me to this wonderful event.

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Flowers for you – Wordless Wednesday

“It’s a full time job being honest one moment at a time, remembering to love, to honor, to respect. It is a practice, a discipline, worthy of every moment”

All photos were taken by me at Waikiki, Hawaii – October 2018

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

After the easy hiked in Makapu’u Lighthouse trail we decided to do another hike 🙂 yep! We’re hyper that day because that was my last day in Hawaii. This hike was in my opinion the real one!

It was already raining a bit when we arrived at the place, I took my backpack camera knowing, if it rains.. It pours …:-) got a rain cover for it! Yeah that was the plan but I did not have time to cover it when the rain came real, I hid my camera under my shirt and focused on the muddy trail. It was slippery, in my mind if I slipped, either I break my leg or my camera. The choice was clear, got to take care of myself first.  I can buy another camera..if ever.. thanks God ! nothing happened 🙂 My friend? Oh she was the monkey, running from one tree to another hahaha joke! Well, she was younger and more healthy than I am (I guess).

If I am not mistaken, this is where the original “Jurassic Park” and TV show “Lost” filmed some of their scenes.

The Manoa Falls trail is a 1.6 mile trail and leads to a 150 foot waterfall that empties into a small pool of water. Swimming is highly discourage due to the threat of Leptospirosis a condition that may lead to kidney failure.

On our way back, more rainfall which made it even more challenging to me but I enjoyed every minute of it.

It was a wonderful day to hike in a rain forest like Manoa. Thank you my dear friend Adora for taking the time to be with me. I hope you had a wonderful day too!

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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” No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other’s worth.” –  Robert Southey

I’m one of a lucky woman who has friends around the world and even though we don’t regularly get in touch, we know deep in our heart  we care for each other. Adora is one of the few I cherished. No matter how far we lived apart or how many years we haven’t seen each other, the bond we have, remained the same. We don’t even chat regularly, hahaha I know 🙂 with the advent of different social media, we just don’t! She just chat in whenever she likes to, I replied whenever… no pressure..no trick 🙂 But we know if one is needed, all ears and all day we’re for each other.

we don’t care about our hair, we’re the beauties beyond fifty

It’s about an hour drive from her place to mine, She drove early morning just to pick me up so we can see the golden sunrise at Makapu’u. It opens at 6 am, so we decided to have coffee and bagel with cream cheese for breakfast. GPS calculated we will be there in 30 minutes, just on time as the sun rises up!

Did we got on time?

Nope!

Traffic?

Nope!

Why?

We got lost!

Believe it or not, I think the address she put on GPS was a mistake! But it’s ok, we have all day to figure it out 😊 we just enjoyed the ride and eventually we got to our destination!

Makapu’u point lighthouse hiking trail – located at the southeastern part of Oahu, is an easy hike with a moderate inclined to 657 ft summit. It is also known as Kaiwi scenic shoreline. Theres no shady trees but its alright, it was a beautiful day to begin with. if we don’t stop often times to take photos we would easily reach the top within 30 min.

  These trails are paved from parking lot to the top so, it’s really an easy way to the top, We’ve seen babies on stroller ( a good exercise for mom) men with dogs and little kids running. Awesome scenery, seeing the coastal view towards the Koko head.

The lighthouse is off-limits but we can still view it from the top.

and the breathtaking views of Makapu’u Beach and the beginning of the Windward coast.

To infinity and beyond…

“A friend is the one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” – William Shakespeare

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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The ADA convention (Oct 18-22) successfully ended and it’s time for me to explore the Oahu Island again, this is my first hiking adventure, 8.5 hrs of nature experience. I have been in private dental practice for 32 years and been in and out of the country to attend courses, conventions and meetings but It’s only been 5 years that I enjoyed exploration in between. I guess I was so busy to earn a living, busy as a mom and with my career, that I was always in a hurry to go back home. However, for the last five years, slowly I lowered my guard and enjoyed the surroundings, the nature and really appreciates the blessings that came along.Thank you Lord 🙂

Now, It’s time to explore 🙂 I was picked up at 6:30 in the morning, we were a group of four, oh wow! My companion have a Canon camera, a long big lens and a tripod. I have Nikon and lens kit (18-105mm) and was given a tripod to use during the hike. Imagine a 59 yrs. old lady carrying a backpack and a tripod exploring the 1,875 acre valley (Waimea Valley). Did I arched my back? Got a back ache? Nope not all! Mosquitoes bite? oh yeah! plenty! so be aware, take insect repellant before doing the hike.

On our way we passed through the famous Hale’iwa sign. I was told that the original sign was a female surfer. Want to read the sad and heartfelt story about this sign? click here

Waimea Valley – is a rich and culturally significant wahi pana (storied place). Historically, this Valley has been home to and ruled by a long line of Ali’i Nui (kings), Ali’i (Chiefs) and Kahuna Nui (High Priest). It has gone many changes over the years but despite of the changes the mana (life force, essence) remained.

I guess, no matter what age you are, you can still visit this place. Oh by the way, there’s a shuttle for those who have difficulty in walking, they take you around from the entrance to the end, where the Waimea water falls and back  for a small fee.It’s a very peaceful scenery, plenty of plants, flowers, tree and even though there was a bit of rain showers every now and then, I didn’t mind it all. I walked with much enthusiasm and energy!

I enjoyed walking as well taking photos of the flowers along the way.

At the end of the trail – Waimea Falls! My first time to take a photo of waterfalls 🙂

What do you think? Did I learned some photography trick? hahaha I know I was overwhelmed by the scenery that I forgot to ask more questions to our photographer guide dee-jay.

30 foot waterfall that cascades down into a pool below. Swimming is allowed with free life vest,swimming noodles and boogie boards, though at the time we came, the water was a bit dark due to the intermittent rain, but it did not matter to a lot of people , they still dived and enjoyed swimming into the fresh water.

After the hike , we went to see Pu’u Mahuka Heiau – the largest Heiau (religious site) on Oahu. The view was awesome! overlooking Oahu shoreline.

As we moved forward to old town of Haleiwa, we passed by in Laniakea Beach or popularly known as” Turtle Beach”. The cars were parked on the other side of the road, so we have to crossed to see the green turtle.

We ended the trip after lunch at the old town of Haleiwa. I had shrimps and rice and was too full to get a shaved ice for myself 🙂

Wonderful day! Mahalo 🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Woke up at 4:30 early in the morning for an early pick up of 5:30 to catch the sunrise at sandy beach. Crazy? yeah ! to some but not to me, why waste time, I won’t be in Hawaii forever 🙂

Rise and Shine!

Sunrise at Sandy Beach

This is a perfect tour for a female solo traveler who loves to take photos everywhere! Who doesn’t? Well ? If you are reading this, you’re guilty ! 🙂

Nope? alright I did not say anything.

I don’t drive so this tour was a triple treat! I got a transport, a friendly professional photographer and a lot of tips for taking a scenic places in Oahu. Perfect combination indeed!

Sandy Beach located at south shore of Oahu, located between Hanauma Bay Nature preserve park and Makapuu’u point on the East.

Lisa was bubbly and pleasant to talk with, we were only two, so that’s even make the tour better, all women 🙂 I’m glad I took two lenses with me a 50mm and 18-105mm lens. Lisa advised to use the 18-105mm lens. I hesitated for a while because I like the images that comes out with 50mm, I feel it’s more sharper but at the end, I followed what she told me. She gave me a tri-pod to use and I asked , should I use polarizer? Nope! and why they asked me to bring it anyway 😦

What is circular polarizer? What does it do?

It cuts glare, when shooting water  – ok no need for it bec it’s only 5 am and it’s still dark.

for the Sky, it changes the color significantly, rotating the polarizer can make it dark or light blue

There’s no amount of bright sunlight yet so it won’t create an impact if I use polarizer. Got it!

1/80 F11 ISO 400

1/100 F11 ISO 400

Alright, I set up my camera and again..it was acting up, I look at Lisa camera (Canon) we have the same setting, aperture priority mode  we tried F5,F8, F11 , my camera (Nikon) doesn’t give the same outcome. One tip I learned  in this tour is about Exposure compensation setting.

Adjusting the Exposure Compensation can add drama to the scene or add more brightness to the scene. I was in Aperture priority mode, so adjusting the exposure compensation will adjust the shutter speed. By the way, my Cam D90 has little button on top with a positive (+) and negative sign (-) by pressing on it and moving the main dial to right or left will change the exposure compensation setting.

Makapu’u Point Lookout

As the sun rises up, we moved to Makapu’u point located just off Kanalianaole Highway on Oahu southeastern tip.

“Rabbit Island” the Mañana island is across the Makapu’u look out point. Does it look like a rabbit head? I was told it was once inhabited by introduced rabbit after a rancher released them there.

Waimanalo Beach approximately around 3 miles long of white sand, I can sit here for the whole day, doing nothing , go home relaxed and re-energized. Perfect place to have a beach stroll and eat cold pizza 🙂

The beach is backed by iron wood trees which provides a lot of shades.

I forgot to ask questions about photography, I just took photos here and there…enjoyed the sun and shades, the sweeping of the breezy air gave me goose bump , remembering my friend who recently passed away.

After Waimanalo, we headed to see the Ko’olau mountains, actually we didn’t hike to the mountains, we just saw it on the road.. the Ko’olau range – dormant fragmented remnant of the eastern or windward shield volcano of Oahu

Ko’olau range photo credit by lisa

Ko’olau range photo taken by me and edited

The long trip leads us to Kalapawai market for breakfast. This has been in Kailua since 1932.

To get to a more panoramic view of the Ko’olau cliffs, we headed to Nuuanu Pali lookout – is a site of deep historical significance, the battle of Nuuanu 1775 where King Kamehameha I, won the struggle which lead to the unity of Oahu under his rule.

Before we end the 5.5 hrs. trip we went to Tantalus lookout, it’s long winding road through the lash of Manoa, sometimes steep inclined on the way to the top!

Pu’u Ualaka’a State Park

And that was the end of the tour, forget the settings and enjoy the scenery 🙂

A wonderful day!

Cheers,

jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Aloha!

Oh yes! After photography class and roaming around the park, It’s time to have a Hawaiian style cooking class !

It was a 3 hours home cooking experienced hosted by Linda in her lovely home far from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. I was greeted by “bacon”, so amazing to have seen and touched a domesticated pig! Adorable!

We were in a group of four, the kitchen and ingredients were all assembled and ready. While we were learning all the recipes, Linda gave us some stories, and information about Hawaiian culture, stuffs etc. It was like, cut-talk-hand me-talk-mix-talk-cook- and a lot of more talk-and eat of course! It was so indulging and I enjoyed every minute of it.

First thing in the menu? SPAM MUSUBI of course! So popular in 7/11 or abc stores. Two years ago, my friend taught me how to make it but I want to learn more. It was exciting to know it was included in the cooking class. It gives me a lot of memories.

Spam Musubi – is a popular snack or lunch in Hawaii. So easy to make and easy to pack as well. It is composed of grilled or fried spam sandwich in between with a pack of rice or a variation of different ingredients, the scrambled egg could be in the middle of the rice and the spam is on top of the rice. We sprinkled furikake, salt, fried onions, add some slices of avocado and wrapped it in with nori sheets.

Next popular dish is POKE – is a diced raw fish served as either an appetizer or for main dish. My sons love it so much but honestly, I don’t eat raw food and poke is not on my dream list. This is my very first time to prepare and eat Poke.

We prepared three kinds of POKE: Spicy Tuna Poke, Shoyu Poke and Hawaiian Style Poke

Spicy Tuna Poke 

Ingredients:

1Lb Ahi Tuna, cut into 3/4″ cubes

1/4 cup mayo

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp shoyu (soy sauce)

1 tsp Alae red salt to taste

1/4 to 1 tsp Ichimi (ground japanese chili)

a few drops of chili oil to taste

1 TBL tobiko or Masago

Mixed all ingredients together well and serve with sliced scallions on top.

Hmm, checked out my photos below 🙂  I don’t need a caption to prove that I am a first timer in POKE!

And while we were enjoying the Poke preparation, the COCONUT BUTTER MOCHI was already in the oven. We mixed all the ingredients ahead of time, so the sweets was hot and ready for dinner. baking time : 45 mins to 1 hr.

Coconut Butter Mochi

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 cups shredded coconut

1 box mochiko flour

1 stick of unsalted butter,melted

1 can of evaporated milk

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients:

12 large shrimp, deveined, peeled to the tail and skewed

3/4 cup panko

1/2 cup flaked coconut

flour for dusting

2-3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Tips: roll in the FLOUR – EGG – PANKO/COCONUT mix

Ladies, I recommend this experience if you are traveling solo, in here, you meet new friends, learn how to cook few dishes and have an enjoyable dinner! drinks were on the house 🙂

Cheers,

jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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  I have two days before the ADA convention starts so I decided to meet Nicole, a family and wedding photographer in Honolulu, to get some professional tips in photographing. We met at the entrance of Honolulu Zoo at 7:30 in the morning, I found Nicole already waiting for me, I readily like her the first time we say hello, soft-spoken and polite.

I have the classic Nikon D90 and a 50mm lens (1:1.8G). I noticed Nicole have a Canon and 50mm lens (1:1.4G). Mine was a handed down Cam  from my eldest son which coincidentally his first camera and was bought from Honolulu year 2009 🙂 yep! brand new, if I am not mistaken D90 came at the later part of 2008 replacing D80. At first my Cam didn’t cooperate well, huh! after all the blurry photos I’ve been getting was not from my hand but rather from the camera itself 🙂 Isn’t it D90 has a built-in auto-focus motor?  I know…I can hear you..all excuses huh! She suggested that I should maybe tune it up or just buy the body, anyway I already have a good lens with me. Carrying this big camera was also heavy, hmmm maybe I should just consider buying an Iphone X. what do you think?

I am hobbyist in photography and I would like to learn how to use it in manual setting. I always consider myself as a beginner in DSLR  (digital single lens reflex)camera. My son would always like to note that having a good camera is one thing but to have an eye and a story is another thing , of course this is not his words, I just gathered my interpretation of what he told me. However, being in a right place and point the camera in the right direction and at the right time with emphasis on lighting will give a good if not better photos. Right?

Maybe 🙂

Anyhow, let’s talk about the ‘Exposure Triangle”

ISO – measurement of a digital camera sensor’s sensitivity to light

Aperture – the size of the opening in the lens when taking the picture

Shutter speed– the amount of time the shutter is open

Hence, its early in the morning and we’re outside, my ISO was set at 200. It was a beautiful day, from the zoo , we walk towards Waikiki beach. My aperture was set at F2.8 and F5 depending on what I want to achieved. My camera was acting like crazy so Nicole told me to set it to Aperture priority.

So, if it was cloudy or dark, I would increase my ISO to 400 or 800 or even higher. The higher the number, the more it is sensitive to light but the images would be higher in grain or noise.

Aperture  is the “F’ or F- stop or F/number. My camera was set to aperture priority, so the shutter speed is automatically chosen by the camera. When I choose F2.8, the opening of the lens is bigger, the smaller (shallow) the depth of field (DoF) meaning only a part of the image will be in focus and the rest will be blurry. I love to take photos of flower so this was a good tip for me, I can focus on the petals and the rest of the parts like leaves are fuzzy. If I want to have a bigger focus I will increase to F5 or F11 and all the images will be clear resulting to a bigger (wider) depth of field.

  Before we end the one hour walk, Nicole was able to figure out what was the problem with my camera and as I walked home, I tried many settings. Hence, it’s a 50mm lens, I have to move closer to my subject to get a clearer image.

Though it was a short meeting, I totally enjoyed the company and the experienced having to walk with a professional photographer like Nicole.

Ladies, if you would like to know more about Nicole click here

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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It was a long flight from Jeddah to London to Chicago to Los Angeles and finally to Hawaii. How many hours?

From Jeddah to Heathrow (5 hrs) to Chicago (9hrs) to LA (5hrs) to Honolulu (5hrs) total= 24 hrs plus lay over , roughly a total of 36 hrs! WOW:-)

I arrived around 12 noon in Honolulu, I decided to take a shuttle bus (USD 16) instead of Uber taxi (USD 32), it was an easy ride to airbnb. Yep! I got airbnb at Hawaiian Monarch Hotel (USD 85/day) not bad, the photos in the app looks exactly as it is. It is only a 10-15 min walk to Hawaiian Convention Center – venue for the ADA (American Dental Association) annual meeting, the reason why I flew 36 hrs from Jeddah. Omg!

I familiarized myself around the area checking how long it will take me to the venue, shall I wear high heels or flat shoes? Trying to gauge my pace and at the same time looking where is the nearest grocery stores etc. It is a good location after all, there is 7/11, Abc store, restaurants, hotel, spa and shopping malls. I don’t have to take a taxi, everything I need is just around the corner. Good choice!

The place is also secured with a lock key card, no one can get in the elevator without it. There is security guard 24/7 a small gym a coffee shop and a small breakfast resto at the lobby. The studio is good for two people, it’s clean but I found the floor sticky so I texted the owner and she did address my concern immediately, cleaning the floor twice. Pretty neat huh! The studio is equipped with a small Fridge, microwave, iron and ironing board, towels ,basic kitchen wares and a lot more!

Ala wai canal – is an artificial waterway in Honolulu. Hawaiian monarch Hotel is just adjacent to it. A lot of people walk and jog along the area. There is a rowing team that practice almost every afternoon, though the water may not be as clear, it’s a good place to just sit for a while, instead of staying inside the hotel.

After an hour walk, I decided just to stay in bed and tried to sleep to regained my energy. I wish! but I couldn’t, it’s an emotional roller coaster first day for me.

Ladies, stay tuned for the next nine days 🙂

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

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Coming soon!

– American Dental Association Annual Meeting

– Hawaiian Cooking Class

– Photography Class

– Hiking

– Airbnb

Cheers,

Jamilamimi@beautybeyondfifty

Burrow Cafe at Antipolo Bee house – a review

When I was searching for a simple venue to my son’s wedding last month, I came across this Bee house. The couple would like to have simple wedding, so I thought maybe a rustic theme would be appropriate for a simple casual lunch reception. The bride refused because the path going to the cafe is a bit steep for her to use high heels.

So after the wedding, we checked it out and it’s true, it…

done by the bride @theabakescupcakes

September 27, 2018

lets just go. get on a bus, a plane or a boat. away from here.

let’s get out of here and celebrate whats ours. not theirs.

no rings. no complications. just what its meant to be. simple.

it’s not the next step. not marriage. just a promise. not to the law, not to the universe. just us.

it’s not a piece of paper, its not the rings it’s what I gave you from the very start

respect, trust and patience

so lets just go away from here where we can celebrate the way its meant to be we can go anywhere

you and me

 – written by Edge Suarez

The couple would like to have a very simple civil wedding which I would say based on “KISS” principle. KISS – Keep it simple and selected or splendid! (i just made this up)

Who is the groom? yep! my eldest son Edge 🙂 click here

yep! I screwed up, I took a blurry wedding photos 😦

Who is the bride? Thea!  click here

Yep! She did her wedding cake, simple with Edge in her mind, He loves her red velvet cake.

Edge and Thea

There is no bridesmaid and flower girl but of course, I have my youngest son who became the ring / bible bearer plus he is also the best man 🙂 all in one! The guest includes the family and closest friends of the couple. Pastor Glen officiated the ceremony at Tahanan Bistro in Antipolo.

Photo credit: Kevin Suarez

It’s ok not to come home ma, just be at our grand wedding in Hawaii! 

No!! a big NO! I won’t miss this one! no matter how simple it is, it’s not about signing that marriage contract, It is not about whether its simple or grand, it’s about witnessing the day you take your bride, stepping to another stage of life, your future and the future of your own family. I was not able to attend your college graduation and a lot of important occasions in your life but I won’t be an absentee on this one 🙂

It was for me a mixed emotions, I am happy you are marrying the love of  your life, I am happy that I will have a daughter I call my own but I also feel sad that I will take a second lead in your heart , mom has to step back to give way to your wife. But it was a short sadness, a thought for a second because I know you found a woman who will also take care and love you and accept me as her mom too. Now, I have both of you and of course your brother Kevin. Wow! Our family is getting bigger 🙂

 ” It is not all just love, I believed there’s more to it than just loved and be loved in return. there must be respect, trust and patience, I promise to give you that”

– edge

Yes, love is not enough to become one, marriage is not a security to grow old together , God gave us heart to feel, to love one another, He gave us brain to know what is right and what is wrong, He gave us heart and brain to respect, trust and have patience to one another. Marriage is not all glitters, it has its own flaw, it is a continuous struggles, of hard work to make it through, it is not for one but for the two of you. One should know when to apologized if wrong and one should be accepting and forgiving, whoever is at fault should not forget to straightened out what went wrong. “Sorry” is nothing if you don’t mean it. Both have to give 100 percent of themselves because I believed marriage is not fifty-fifty, you give yourself wholeheartedly and should remained that way.

” being perfectly imperfect,today I commit my life to you, I promise to love you wholeheartedly no matter what”

–thea

Edge and Thea

Photo credit: Ken Mariano

To my dearest Edge and Thea,

Please take care of each other, give your hundred percent to this relationship and may you be blessed with children who would love you the same. I wish you all the best and whatever dream you may have to each own , don’t forget you are a team. Work for “Us” and not for “I”. For being “one” is stronger than being apart. Remember to compliment each other and not to be weary of the flaw of one. Help each other to grow, guide each other and never forget how you started, keep the respect and trust and love will bloom even more.God bless you both!

KISS – keep it safe and secure

I love you.

mom

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