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12 Highlights of My 2018

I almost forgot that I had an annual tradition of listing down twelve highlights of my year, which started last 2016. Hahaha. As long as I am alive, I plan to continue this simple way of remembering God’s faithfulness and grace every year. If I could summarize my 2018 in a few Bible verses, it would be Jeremiah 17:7-8, which says:

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

I chose these verses not because I was similar to the tree in the passage (believe me, I struggled with worries and insecurities big time last year!), but because of its humbling reminder that God IS all I need. He is THE ONE whom I should trust in both the highlights and hurdles of my life.

Here are the 12 Highlights of my 2018:

 

1. MEETING BOYCE AVENUE… AGAIN!

Boyce Avenue is my favorite acoustic band. By God’s grace, He has been allowing me to experience faith-stretching moments during their concerts in Manila since 2013. Last June 2018, I attended another concert and met the band for the fourth time! Yay! More details HERE.

2. NOVA

2017 was a challenging time for me because I saw my savings decrease more and more due to major car repairs. After much prayer and waiting, God provided a better, secondhand vehicle for me last 2018. Thanks to my dad and older brother, it was sold at a very reasonable price and with gracious terms of payment. I also had the privilege of dedicating my Innova (“Nova”) and myself (as the driver) to the Lord last year. It served as a reminder for me to use this blessing for His glory.

 

3. PROMOTION & LDP GRADUATION

By God’s grace, I graduated from our company’s Leadership Development Program and Toastmaster’s club last year. Also, He gave me the privilege of being promoted before the year ended — something that I did not expect!

 

4. MY 10,000TH DAY ON EARTH

A close friend of mine and I had a conversation last August 2017 and we ended up talking about reaching milestones, including the number of days we’ve been alive. When we computed mine, we realized that my 10,000th day on earth would be on the 3rd day of May 2018. I celebrated it with a cup of my favorite Frappuccino and a weekend getaway with the Lord!

 

5. ISLAND HOPPING & ROADTRIPS

Two travels last year that delighted my heart: 1) ISLAND HOPPING: Bacolod-Iloilo-Gigantes-Guimaras and 2) ROADTRIP: Pampanga-Dagupan-Bolinao-Bulacan. I went with my awesome former and current colleagues, respectively. It sparked my love for culture, nature, food, photography, and our Creator!

 

6. NEW DISCIPLESHIP GROUP & MENTORS

I ended my 2017 with a broken heart because my small group (discipleship group) of 15 years at church dissolved. Most of my dgroupmates already got married and my discipler moved to Davao for work. So, we only get to keep in touch online. However, in God’s perfect timing, He introduced me to a warm and fun new small group who loves Jesus! I praise God for my mentors, Tim & Kina, and for the blessing of being accountable to the rest of the group, as we encourage each other to grow in love and obedience to God and His word.

 

7. GARDENING MILESTONES

By God’s grace, He allowed me to grow the best bunch of cherry tomatoes I’ve grown since I started gardening a decade ago. He also helped me experience the struggles and joys of growing chili (siling labuyo), which I brought home from my Bacolod trip. This plant produced at least 800 pcs. of sili (and counting), which I shared to family and friends. Growing this plant was very timely too because of the unexpected price increase of sili last year (Php 1000/kilo). I also grew more sili seedlings and gave them to some friends. Last but not the least, I enjoyed growing stalks of pechay in our veranda.

 

8. MUSIC MILESTONES

When the Lord inspired my heart, He gave me the privilege of composing two full songs and a few more songs with pending stanzas. He also allowed me to busk (thanks to Jello!) and play/sing one of my original songs in public for the very first time in BGC. Lastly, God gave me the honor of singing at a bridal march of a colleague and a special number in a wedding of my close accountability partner. Both ladies are named Tin. Haha!

 

9. BIBLE STUDY GROUP IN THE OFFICE

By God’s grace, I took a leap of faith and started a Bible study small group in the office where I shared Jesus and His word to my colleagues. We met every Thursday night since April 2018 and it has been such a joy for me to get to know each of them more and to learn with them as we prayed and studied God’s word. More details HERE..

 

10. DIGGING DEEP AT THE PRAYER MOUNTAIN

My not-so-secret getaway is definitely a highlight for my 2018. If it wasn’t for this venue where I could be alone with God and nature, I probably would not have had the opportunities to quiet myself, find rest in Him, pray for my concerns, listen to Him without being distracted, and see the areas in my life that I needed to surrender completely. I went to the prayer mountain at least 10 times last year and slept for a night or two each time. More details HERE..

 

11. FAMILY MILESTONES

It was a colorful year for our family and I can only thank the Lord for His faithfulness and grace in each milestone that we had. 1) My older brother’s marriage, 2) My eldest sister’s engagement, 3) Our whole family’s US Visas getting approved, 4) My first niece / our parent’s first grandchild, 5) Our first time to wear costumes as a family on my 28th, and 6) My older sister’s 30th!

 

12. A YEAR WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

It was only by the grace of God that I, a former addict of social media, survived the year without it! I learned so much through this humbling experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone who’s struggling as well. More details HERE..

 

By God’s grace, I have survived another year and I look forward to seeing Him move beautifully and mightily again this 2019. :)

8 Things to Do in Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong

 

1. Ride a Star Ferry

We rode one at Central and made our way towards Tsim Sha Tsui (TST). For HKD 2.7, it was a very convenient and relaxing trip! Some of the locals also use this as another alternative transportation for their commute. We traveled while the sun was setting, so we had a nice view of the blue sky turning into a golden one. Also, the water did not smell bad which made the experience more pleasant.

 

2. Relax while watching the sunset

If you’re not on a Star Ferry, you’ll still get to see the sunset at the port in TST. You’ll be able to get a good angle from the area near the strip of restaurants or from the mall (Star House) beside the harbour.

 

3. Listen to buskers near the harbour

When we got off the boat and walked towards the city, we saw two men setting up their equipment for busking. It was about 6 pm at that time. Imagine watching the sunset while listening to musicians fill the air with delightful music.  Although I didn’t understand most of their songs since they were sang in Chinese, I still enjoyed knowing their culture more! Whenever I travel, I make sure to stop and listen to buskers on the street. For those who sing and play at TST, they usually stay for more than three hours in the area. So, drop by if you can!

 

4. Visit 1881 Heritage Park

This was recommended to me by a friend. The building is well-lit at night, but it’s also beautiful in the daylight. It houses a few luxurious brands and has a gorgeous architectural style! You can bring a drink or snack with you as you stroll around the area. Fun fact: This place used to be the Marine Police’ headquarters in the area.


5. Appreciate Architecture

Within a few meters away from the harbour, you’ll get to see numerous buildings and areas with very nice architecture and designs! I still remember feeling the cool breeze as we walked around the area, looked up towards the tall structures, and enjoyed the view with ice cream cones in our hands. What a treat! Plus, sightseeing around this cultural center is free!

 

6. Watch The Symphony of Lights

At night, TST allows the locals and tourists to view the light show from the harbour. For a few minutes, the buildings around it light up as music is being played. It’s not as extravagant as the light shows we see in Singapore, but if you’re in the area, it’s a nice way to relax. You’ll get to watch traditional Chinese boats cruise along the sea too.

7. Book a 45-minute trip with Aqua Luna

Aqua Luna provides a tour (roughly around HKD 200 / PHP 1,300) around the harbour which allows the passengers to witness the sights and sounds of Hong Kong and its cityline. The passengers get one drink (e.g. wine, juice, or water) and sit on lounge chairs on the boat. It is expensive for me, but, I gave it a try because the boats used are some of the last few traditional Chinese boats in the country. I figured that it would also be a relaxing way to end our first night in Hong Kong. There are other cruise options that include dinner or have different time slots (e.g. daylight, sunset, late evening). So, it will depend on your preferred choice. Will I ride it again? Honestly? I probably won’t because it is pricey for me. Haha! But, it was interesting to try at least once.

 

8. Try Food Establishments in TST

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the appetite to have a food trip in TST mostly because of the tiring day that we had. But, we did go around the buildings near the harbour and saw various restaurants (both reasonably priced and expensive ones) in the area. We also visited the stores inside Star House mall. They have a variety of shops inside. From fastfood restaurants to coffee shops and stores which sell souvenirs and gadgets. A friend suggested the restaurant, “Jade Garden” inside this mall. If you have time, feel free to try it out and let me know how it is!


We only stayed for a few hours in TST, but it was nice to finally see it in person. The next time I visit TST, I’ll make sure to come with a hungry tummy! I’ll probably do it on the second day too, so that I wouldn’t be tired from the early flight and plane ride.

BANGKOK TOUR: Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri

After hours of walking inside the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, we continued our adventure a few streets away. This time, we tasted different kinds of food and drinks along Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri.

Here’s a quick itinerary in the afternoon:

3:30-4:00 – From Wat Pho, hire a tuktuk to Khao San road street market (estimate: 150 baht)
4:00-5:00 – food trip along Khao San road
5:00-5:05 – walk from Khao San road to Soi Rambuttri
5:05-5:30 – food trip along Soi Rambuttri
5:30-6:30 – stopover at Fifty-five massage parlor and enjoy your choice of massage. I suggest 30 mins of foot massage + 30 mins of full back massage.

KHAO SAN ROAD

This one-kilometer stretch of street food stalls, restaurants, shops, massage parlors, and hostels was a delight to see! Our first stop: finally taste the famous Coconut Milk ice cream served with coconut meat in a coconut shell which was topped with roasted peanuts and chocolate syrup. I opted not to have the syrup because I wanted to appreciate the pure taste of the coconut milk.

Then, we tried their Pad Thai and fried lumpia. I am not really a fan of Pad Thai, but I liked the taste and texture of the one we tried in Khao San.

We also got to taste their sour green mango with rock salt and chili. However, the mangoes in Bangkok are bland compared to the ones in the Philippines. I’m not sure why. But, I personally like the mangoes in our country.

Some vendors also sold fried chicken skin, chicken satay, pork barbeque, and grilled chicken balls. These streetfood were delicious! Their barbeques were extra tender and juicy too!

Another common sight at their streets is the display of fresh fruits served in cups or sticks.

SOI RAMBUTTRI

After an hour of touring Khao San road, we headed towards Soi Rambuttri, which was just 5 minutes away. By that time, we weren’t hungry anymore so we decided to walk some more and have a foot massage nearby.

Thankfully, there was an affordable massage parlor (55 Massage) in this street which provided excellent customer service. Our feet and backs were aching and numb, so we stopped for feet and body massages. Aaahhhh! It was amazing. The staff members were very friendly. They did an amazing job massaging our feet and bodies. Plus, they even served us snacks and tea while we rested a bit more in their parlor. If I would have the chance to go back to Soi Rambuttri, I will definitely have massages there again. It’s a must-try!

It was nearing dinner time after our massages were done, so we went back to Khao San road to catch an Uber car going to our hostel. But before we went home, we had our last snack in the area: Nutella banana rotee/roti! Yum!


All throughout our trip in Bangkok, we experienced difficulty in communicating with some of the locals because they didn’t speak English. But, despite this, it was fun and interesting to go around their streets, explore and taste their food, and document the experience.


Dinner at 22 Prime Discovery Suites

“Roses are red, violets are blue. We’ll treat you to dinner tonight at Prime 22.”

Toblerone cheesecake from Coffee Bean + calligraphy (c/o my sister, Camille)
Toblerone cheesecake from Coffee Bean + calligraphy (c/o my sister, Camille)

Two weeks ago, our parents celebrated their 30th anniversary. Because it was a very special occasion for the family, my siblings and I prepared two surprises for them that day. The first one was an invitation for our parents to have dinner with us at 22 Prime (Discovery Suites), one of the best steak restaurants in Manila. While, the second surprise was an email account filled with greetings and messages from more than 100 people, including family and friends. Yay!

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By God’s grace, our parents enjoyed the surprise celebration! We spent the whole night talking about their marriage, what they have been learning from their experiences, and how God has been so gracious to them and to our family for the past 30 years. (You can read more about it here: https://encouragingtreats.com/secret-30-years-marriage/)

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We usually don’t eat at hotels because of our budget. But, every now and then, it’s fun to try something new with the family. When we arrived at Prime 22, the staff warmly welcomed us and guided us to our table. They even offered to pull and push our chairs as we sat down. Love it! The place had dim and soft lights all over the place which helped create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Throughout the whole night, the waiters also stood nearby and attended to our requests. Even without us asking, they re-filled our glasses with cold water – a simple and thoughtful act that I truly appreciate as a customer whenever I dine out.  Moreover, while waiting for our main dishes, we were given two, refillable baskets of complimentary bread with spreads. The spreads offered were: Herbed butter, Feta Cheese in Olive Oil, and Sun Dried Tomatoes.

For our main dishes, we had the ff.:

LOBSTER BISQUE (Php 395) – Fresh lobster, micro greens, and tomato herb croutons. Although this soup was a bit salty for me, it still had a rich seafood taste and was very smooth and creamy.

Lobster Bisque at 22 Prime
Lobster Bisque at 22 Prime

PRIME CEASAR SALAD (Php 360) – Fresh bacon, six minute egg, and shaved parmesean cheese. A simple and refreshing salad. It helped balance the strong flavors of the soup and steaks.

Prime Ceasar Salad at 22 Prime
Prime Ceasar Salad at 22 Prime

SURF N TURF (Php 1,450) – Grilled Angus ribeye steak, jumbo prawns, twice baked potato, and grilled asparagus, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. The 200-gram Angus steak was perfectly tender and juicy. It had a tangy gravy on the side, but even without it, it was already full of flavor. I just hoped that the steak and prawns were bigger though. But overall, it was a delicious dish. You can never go wrong with ordering steak and seafood. Well, for me, at least. It’s one of my favorite combinations!

Surf n Turf at 22 Prime
Surf n Turf at 22 Prime

WAGYU HANGER STEAK (Php 950) – 200-gram grilled hanger steak, baked tomato, and herb mashed potatoes. I like how the steak was perfectly grilled without having any hint of bitterness. Even if it had charred marks, it was delicious, juicy, tender, and flavorful. How did they do it? Haha! The mashed potatoes also complemented the steak well. It had the right amount of salt, butter, cream, and herbs.

Wagyu Hanger Steak at 22 Prime
Wagyu Hanger Steak at 22 Prime

OYSTERS PLATEAU (Php 1,200) – A tower of oysters served with a cocktail sauce, mignonette, and horseradish cream. THIS DISH WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT. We made sure to order oysters because we were celebrating the pearl anniversary of our parents. :) Aside from its lovely presentation, this tower had 3 kinds of oysters (broiled, baked, and Rockefeller) which was perfect for our family since we have different taste preferences. My personal favorite is the classic oysters Rockefeller (with lemon juice squeezed over them). My other siblings liked the cheesy baked and broiled oysters more.

Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime
Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime
Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime
Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime
Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime
Oysters Plateau at 22 Prime

CHOCOLATE GODDESS (Php 360) – Double chocolate mousse, melted dark chocolate, topped with candied pistachios. This dessert was amazing. Even after two weeks, I still remember how rich the chocolate flavor was. It also had a smooth texture which was very delectable. When I go back to Prime 22, I wouldn’t mind ordering this dessert again.

Chocolate Goddess at 22 Prime
Chocolate Goddess at 22 Prime

Before we left the place, the staff and waiters of Prime 22 were gracious enough to help us surprise our parents one last time that evening. Just before serving our dessert, they brought in a complimentary slice of chocolate cake with a dedication (made out of chocolate ganache) written on the plate. They also brought out the bouquet of flowers that we bought for mom earlier that day. Yay! Thank you, Prime 22, for the special treat!

22 Prime
22 Prime

As we were on our way out, our dad shared that his heart was so full and overwhelmed because of the love and grace they experienced that day through the surprise gifts and greetings. It was also a very encouraging experience for the whole family and we can only thank God for this privilege and for His grace.

This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. –Psalm 118:24

 

Until our next special night out! :)

 

PRIME 22

22nd floor, Discovery Suites, 25 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center Pasig City.

For reservations, call  7196822  or 7198888.

www.discoverysuites.com

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About Me

My name is Nicole Obligacion and I started this blog because I was inspired by Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 3:13. I love to eat, cook, bake, read the Bible, and encourage. :)

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