Hey I Know Those Shoes...

Totally random but wanted to document this for posterity sake.

Our favorite photographer reused one of our wedding pics for his "Casting Call".

Neato. . . . read more.

A Picture Says A Thousand Words

For those who aren't on Facebook and who still follow our blog (are there any readers left?!?)... we finally got our professional pictures from our beloved Augie Chang.

You can read his brief blog and see the highlights here.

Or if you want to watch the slideshow version and relive the day with us, check it out here.

My personal favorite is this one. Which one is yours? . . . read more.

After the Wedding Comes...

While the wedding and honeymoon have come and gone, the remnants of the event remain and so this little blog of ours lives on. There are a few remaining wedding topics I wanted to blog about so here I go --

- Pictures!: Our favorite photographer has only given us a handful of teasers while we wait patiently to see the rest. In the meantime, we request that our guests email us any of their photos or links to any Picasa albums they may have created. I would love to relive the weekend through the lens of others.

- Photobooth Craziness: We laughed through the entire 20-minute slideshow and were really glad everyone had a good time in the photobooth. Suspiciously, our guestbook that was meant to hold both messages and photobooth print out copies is short on photobooth prints. But we won't hold it against anyone. :)

- Thank Yous: We cannot express our gratitude enough to all our friends and family. We plan to send everyone a personal note of our thanks so if your address has changed since May, please email it to us so we can update our awesome spreadsheet.

We hope our loyal readers stick around so stay tuned for more blogdates in the new adventurous life of this fabulous duo!
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Reflections on Bali

Selamat Datang or "Welcome" in Bahasa (the language of Indonesia). My Filipino readers will quickly notice its similarity to the Tagalog word, Salamat (thank you). This is just the beginning of the shared traits we've found between the Bali and the Philippines.

Every time I hear someone speaking Bahasa, I do a double-take because it has the same tone, inflections and some words as Tagalog, only its not. This intrigues me to figure out just how many words Tagalog and Bahasa have in common. Here's what I've observed so far:
- Shoes: Sapatu (Bahasa) and Sapato (Tagalog)
- Five: Lima (Bahasa and Tagalog)
- Pork: Babi (Bahasa) and Baboy (Tagalog)
- Child: Anak (Bahasa and Tagalog)
... the list goes on and on. The similarities between the Philippines also extend to the towns themselves which have the same feel, same level of cleanliness, and I swear all the Indonesians look just like relatives Jeng or I have. We've visited Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and some of the small towns in between. They are all lined with little shops and the traffic is bumper-to-bumper with crazy motorbikes weaving through all the cars.

So how does this stack up with Thailand and Singapore? I don't plan to go through the same extensive rating system as my previous blog, but I will comment on the food and scenery. Foodwise, we have yet to be thoroughly impressed with one exception: Ibu Oka's Babi Guling. If you saw Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations Indonesia episode, you'll know about this place. We had the suckling roasted pig there today and it definitely was in the top 3 of our favorite meals on the honeymoon. I wanted to order another plate of just pig skin, but they ran out.

Another notable feature of Bali has been the scenery. A Hindu state in a Muslim country, Bali is unique. There are Hindu statues, temples and shrines dispersed among artisan shops selling amazing wood carvings, stone statues, furniture and other artisan goods. There are also cool rice terraces and monkey forests. (We have a great collection of monkey pictures we look forward to sharing.) And of course, the beaches where the waves are big and the sand is fine. All in all, not a bad place to end this memorable 3-week trip.

This concludes our honeymoon. Tomorrow night we hop on a red-eye to Tokyo for an 8-hour layover before crossing the Pacific to home. Unfortunately it won't be First Class Cathay Pacific so I guess Business Class American Airlines will have to do.
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Thailand vs. Singapore: The Great Debate

Our Southeast Asia adventures have taken us to two countries so far -- Thailand and Singapore -- and we can't help but compare the two and ask ourselves, "Which one do we prefer?" Jeng and I have different opinions on the matter but this is my blog so this is how I think they stack up:

Food
- Thailand: Complex curries, super spicy sauces and deliciously fresh fruit and seafood are staples of Thai cuisine. Combine that with the countless food vendors lining every street and corner makes Thai cuisine and tough competitor. But the danger of getting sick lurks around every corner since water in Thailand is not potable and my sensitive Western stomach fears the sanitary conditions of these tempting street stalls. Nevertheless, Thai food is unique, tasty and our U.S. versions are pale in comparison to the real thing. Score: 4/5
- Singapore: A hybrid of tastes from a mixture of sources -- Malaysia, China, Indonesia and India -- makes it difficult to say what exactly qualifies as native 'Singaporean' cuisine. One common answer is Chili or Black Pepper Crab. We quickly learned that the crabs themselves are Sri Lankan but the sauce is indeed unique to Singapore. Regardless of its official origin, this crab has spicy kick, crazy large claws and a delicious flavor we wish we could take home. We also wish we could export the hawker stalls that hide in many strip malls and popular areas. Sanitary (with A and B graded stalls), ecofriendly (reusable utensils) and ridiculously cheap ($1 drinks, $3 meals), the hawker stalls are the best deal in town, without a doubt. Score: 4/5
Outcome: Tie. But Thailand would win if street food was regulated and clean or my stomach wasn't afraid to handle it.

Culture & People
- Thailand: "Sawadee Ka/Krup!" greeted us (along with a polite bow) at every entrance of every hotel, store and restaurant. It's easy to feel welcome in Thailand where the people are friendly and helpful (and look just like Aunties and Uncles from the Philippines). Although the language barrier causes a divide and taxi drivers sometimes have questionable motives, most Thai people we met were helpful in giving us directions, food suggestions and assistance with Jeng's ailing foot. And culturally, the detailed architecture and unique traditions (e.g. shrines on every property) in many temples were impressive. Score: 5/5
- Singapore: Just like with its food, the Singaporean culture is a mixture of its people which come from all over the world. While most of the major signs and ads are in English, we also commonly find Malay, Mandarin and another language whose characters we have yet to identify. Walking the streets expands the list even further as we hear every language imaginable, including English in a variety of accents. Culture is just as hard to identify since common tourist destinations consist of shopping malls and Sentosa Island. (While we haven't been to Sentosa, it sounds like a mix of amusement parks and entertainment venues.) So while the language barrier doesn't exist, neither does a unique sense of identity. Score: 2/5
Winner: Thailand. But Singapore definitely gets credit for its diversity.

Shopping
- Thailand: ~30 baht = US$1 which makes everything cheap, cheap, cheap (with the exception of our hotel of course). It's hard to deny massages that cost a fraction of the price in the US. (And when combined with promotions like buy 1 get one free... well, we ended up with 3 hour spa sessions.) It's also hard to ignore the 6-story malls lined with stores that were equally inexpensive. (I got 3 pairs of shoes for less than US$10 each!) And then there are the street stalls too. Basically, any Westerner would be happy to come to Thailand where the dollar stretches far. Score: 5/5
- Singapore: There is one hobby everyone around the world enjoys -- shopping. Singapore literally feels like one shopping mall after another, with varying price levels, styles and size. Being the bargain hunter that I am, I have found far fewer deals than I'd hoped. I'm still surprised that clothes of Forever 21 quality are priced upwards of US$30. If I was judging on the volume of shopping options, Singapore would win this round but since I would need to be a little more wealthy to afford the goods here... Score: 4/5
Winner: Thailand (barely). If the exchange rate sways in favor of the US dollar, things could quickly change.

Other Stuff
- Thailand: We found Bangkok to be very similar to Manila -- traffic galore. But unlike Manila, Bangkok has a reliable, easy-to-use public transportation system (called BTS) and appeared much cleaner (not as many beggars or trash lining the streets). Jeng liked the 'grit' of Bangkok but being the sanitary-freak that I am, I could do without 'grit' in favor of food hygiene standards. Score: 3/5
- Singapore: The clean reputation of this city-state is reflected on every garbage can. (They say: Singapore - Litter Free.) There is hardly any litter to be found and even the rivers and waterways that often carry trash remnants have very little garbage. The government regulates hawker stands (and therefore any 'street food') and even car purchases/road flow to regulate traffic and ease congestion. (Basically you have to buy a government permit to buy a new car and you have to pay 'tolls' to go on busy streets during rush hour.) This country is clean, advanced and livable. While Jeng likes the 'grit' of Bangkok, I can see myself moving to Singapore. Score: 5/5
Winner: Singapore.

Final Score
Thailand: 17/20
Singapore: 15/20

While my totally subjective and completely arbitrary scoring system puts Thailand ahead of Singapore, in reality there is no clear winner. It all boils down to tastes and preferences. They are both awesome countries and we would be happy to spend more time in either location. Now, how will Indonesia stack up? We leave for Bali tomorrow night and will let you know where it stands soon.
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The Amazing Race

How do you get to Vietnam? If you're me and Eileen, you don't.

For those of you familiar with our honeymoon itinerary, you know that our original plan was to visit Hanoi. Here's what happened instead.

Bangkok, Thursday, July 22 3:00pm
Flight departure to Hanoi: 5:50pm

"You pay 600 baht to airport," says the taxi driver shortly after we leave our hotel and head for the airport. An argument begins.

"No, 360 baht is standard; it's what we paid to get here," Eileen and I say in our own ways.  The back and forth continues as we demand he take us back for a different taxi and he begins to make a three-point turn and holds up the traffic behind us. Eventually we come to the agreement that we'll pay 450 baht and our day's adventure is just getting started.

3:20pm
The notorious Bangkok traffic lives up to its reputation. Lanes originally intended for the opposite direction are being used by cars and trucks -- including our own -- to inch closer to the highway. To pass the time Eileen pulls out the Southeast Asia guidebook we have been referencing throughout our trip and begins to read up on our next destination.

"Do we have a visa for Vietnam?" she asks after reading the section titled "Planning Your Trip to Vietnam: Entry Requirements." It becomes clear we should've read this section earlier.

Bangkok Airport, 4:15pm
In dramatic and ominous fashion, a torrential downpour begins as we reach the airport. The lady behind the Thai Airways counter is helpful and begins to process our check-in until I ask, "Is it possible to purchase a visa to Vietnam here or there?"

She suggests that we call the U.S. embassy and let's us know that they open at 8:30am the next morning. Eileen and I discuss our options as we scramble to find an Internet connection so that we can call the embassy using Skype on my iPhone and also see if we can get a visa online, as the ticketing agent said might be possible. 

5:00pm
After walking from one end of the airport to the other and from the fourth floor to the first floor, we finally find a way to get online. But the connection sucks so without a reliable Internet connection, I call the embassy using my credit card and a pay phone on the first floor. 

The duty officer let's us know we can't get one on the same day and that the U.S. embassy in Bangkok would be closed the rest of the week because of a holiday. He also gives us the URL where we might have better luck online. Eileen proceeds with the online application and -- lucky us -- we can request for it to be expedited within the next 12 hours for an additional fee. We pay the fee and as we wait for the email confirmation, we go to the customer service area for Thai Airways on the fourth floor to see about rescheduling our flight for the following night.

5:30pm
We explain the situation to the customer service lady but she has her hands tied; since this was booked with my Continental Airlines points I have to contact them instead. Unfortunately, the phone she has can't make calls to the U.S. so we have to go back down to the first floor and use the pay phone again.

6:00pm
We get our email confirmation for the visa:

...This email aims to confirm that we have received your visa application! We will send you the Visa Approval Letter after ... 1 working day (urgent service) ... Please be kindly informed that our Office will be temporally (sic) closed for the Company Vacation from July 22nd, 2010 to July 25th, 2010. We will get back to work on July 26th, 2010. All Vietnam visa requests ... during this time will be processed and completed later on July 26th, 2010.

Awesome. We were scheduled to leave Vietnam on the 27th.

6:15pm
"Thank you for calling Continental Airlines. Your approximate wait time is 10 minutes. "

6:30pm
"Thank you for calling Continental, this is Rachel, how can I assist you today?"

I explain our situation.

"Oh, you're in Bangkok? Let me connect you to our international line."

6:32pm
"Thank you for calling Continental Airlines. Your approximate wait time is 20 minutes. "

6:45pm
The wait music abruptly goes silent. I come close to beating the pay phone with one of my crutches after it apparently hangs up for me.

We eventually purchase a calling card to the U.S. and use it at a different phone. After talking with Sandy at Continental she is able to get us on a 9:40am flight the next morning, Friday July 23rd. 

8:30pm
We spend the last of our baht and eat our last meal in Thailand at the airport. We also decide that we will spend our last night there and set up a "bed" on one of the benches.

Friday, July 23 6:00am
We call our families to let them know the deal. We also finally check in to our flight and head for the comfort of an airport lounge.

Singapore, 1:05pm
With aching backs and deprived of sleep, we finally arrive at our new destination.  After Hanoi we were supposed to stopover in Singapore on our way to Bali so the easiest thing for us and Continental was to move the flight and extend the stopover. I booked a stay at the Marriott in Singapore using hotel points and here we are. 

It may actually be a serendipitous change in itinerary. At this time there is the Singapore Food Festival which we have already attended and may go to again. The weather has been good and it seems our location is prime for shopping. We also happen to have friends who live or who have lived here who have provided great suggestions on what to do and where to eat. It may not have been an original destination but Singapore has been a good detour on our own little amazing race.    

TL;DR - Without a visa, our travel to Vietnam was cancelled. Instead we spent the night in Bangkok airport and are now in Singapore.  . . . read more.

Countries in Which Jeng Has Visited a Hospital: 3

1. United States


2. Philippines


3. Thailand

Firstly, no one should be alarmed. Everything is fine. The scan of my x-ray isn't the greatest but it makes for a fun souvenir. It basically shows that nothing is broken, which is a really good thing. Otherwise I'd likely be sharing this story back in California. However, instead of a broken bone, I have a pretty good sprain and a swollen foot that can't fit in my shoe.

On Sunday night we were beginning to pack up and conclude our wonderful stay at Phulay Bay in Krabi, Thailand (about 2 hours from Phuket). Earlier we had taken a boat tour of the Phi Phi islands and had a productive day. There are steps in our bathroom and the marble floors were wet. After much analysis, I deduced the following equation:

marble + water = slip and slide

As I was coming down I planted my right foot on the lower step. I placed my left foot on the next step and started shifting my weight to it when it slipped and all of my weight was transferred back to the big toe and ball of my right foot. It was painful.

The next couple of minutes were spent figuring out what to do. Luckily the staff was most helpful and there was a nurse on duty. We iced it and waited an hour before deciding to head to the hospital about 45 minutes away to get x-rays done to make sure nothing was broken.

And here I am four days later blogging from our hotel in Bangkok. After international consultations with Doctor J, I have various exercises and recommendations for the rest of our trip. We would've told you earlier but didn't want to get people too worried. The swelling is down and I have more flexibility in my foot; I'm able to move around a little more. We've still been able to explore the city, albeit very slowly.

Everyone at the hotels and restaurants have been so helpful. Besides the actual injury itself and slowing down Eileen's shopping frenzy, I'd say the worst (maybe grossest) thing is walking around the streets of Bangkok with only one shoe on. You should see the multiple colors my foot was at the end of last night.

So there you have it. More blogs will come. Tonight we are off to Hanoi and looking forward to the second half of the honeymoon.
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Pleasure Costs a Pretty Penny

We've done enough bragging about the extravagant luxuries of our accommodations. Not all things are perfect as we are slowly finding. How could paradise be imperfect, you ask? Well, all good things come with a cost and here is what we've found:

Add-on Costs > "Free of Charge" Services: The facade that this was a "free" trip has quickly faded as we burn through our budget daily. With this fancy resort comes Western-style costs. We budgeted for a cheaper version of Thailand and are quickly realizing our mistake. Last night it cost us 1700 Baht (~US$56) for a round trip taxi ride into Ao Nang, the nearest town worth visiting. Once there, we realized what real Thailand prices should be. Taxi to/from Phuket Airport should be 2500 baht (~US$83). Our hotel charged us 7900 baht (~US$263). In Ao Nang, we had dinner at this seafood restaurant on the beach for a measly 600 baht (~US$20). Our dinners at the resort have been costing us about 3000 baht (~US$100). Our 2+ hour spa treatment yesterday cost us 8000 baht (~US$266) when 1 hour massages in Ao Nang cost a mere 250 baht (~US$9).

Now we know the catch of Phulay Bay. Once you're here, its difficult to leave and the Ritz Carlton sure makes a profit on that. So despite the 'free' accommodations, we are paying a pretty penny to stay here. Thankfully this should be the only destination where our money drains so quickly. At least we hope so.

Bugs in One Size Only... Extra Large: I've come to the conclusion that while I enjoy tropical locations, I could never live in one. The reason simply being the size and volume of critters that enjoy residing in these areas. I have never seen ants the size of spiders or flying insects that can be considered small birds. Thankfully I have only suffered one bug bite (so far) and have successfully avoided having them feast on my skin. This is due to my next point...

Bug Spray and Furniture Varnish Do Not Get Along: Before we exit our Villa, Jeng and I lather ourselves in two things -- 1) sunscreen and 2) bug spray. The first time I sprayed myself with the bug spray, my eyes watered from the fumes. We quickly learned to spray ourselves in the shower to avoid getting excess spray all over the room. Today at breakfast, I noticed that my arms were sticking to the wood on my chair. As I type this, my legs are doing the same. The bug spray leaves a sticky residue on the wood varnish and I'm half expecting the varnish to transfer to my skin. The toxicity of my bug-fighting efforts worries me. It's a good thing we are only here 3 weeks, otherwise I can only imagine what chemical poisoning I might accumulate.

Thai Language Lessons Aren't Easy: We successfully learned two important phrases -- 1) Sawadee Ka (or Sawadee Krup for Jeng) which is the standard greeting and 2) Kup Kum Ka (or Kup Kum Krup for Jeng) which is Thank You. (I'm totally butchering the spelling, but you get the idea.) I am now trying to learn how to say "No Spicy" in Thai because seriously, everything has got major chili action. Yesterday, Jeng ate red curry that made him sweat more than the hottest day so far. (And on a side note, I got a cut on my finger from a renegade crab claw I was eating at the same meal.)

All in all, the pros still definitely outweigh the cons on this trip but we wanted to let our readers know that its not all rainbows and unicorns in paradise.
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The Honeymooners Arrive in Style

We know we're supposed to be enjoying quality time with one another instead of indulging in our usual tech-obsessed ways, but we can't help ourselves. Life is incomplete without the world wide web and the ability to share our honeymoon experiences in real-time with our friends and family. So here's a quick run down of our honeymoonventures to date:

Cathay Pacific First Class is a-ma-zing. All I ever wanted for the 12+ hour trans-Pacific flight was the ability to lay down flat. Done... And then some. I also had over 100 movies, dozens of games and 100s of TV shows to watch. I had gourmet dining at my fingertips, which Nelda and Casey (our flight attendants) would serve at my request. Jeng and I could share our meals together since our suite had seating for TWO. That's right... it was like a dining room in the air. For the visual representation of this suite, see Jeng's iPhone video on Facebook.

The amazingness continued to other parts of the flight. We got free toiletries (and not the cheap stuff) and a beautiful set of cozy PJs. The AIRPLANE bathroom was spacious with real towels, full size dermologica toiletries for you to freshen up with, and a really cool sink with a digital on and off switch. And prior to boarding, we also had full access to a private lounge with a full bar and private boarding entrance so we wouldn't have to deal with the riff-raff of the folks in economy (haha).

So that was just the plane ride from SFO to Hong Kong. Once we landed in Hong Kong, we took a shuttle to our hotel in the city. Exhausted by jetlag, we passed out and cancelled our Joel Robuchon reservations. We woke up early the next day to catch our flight to Phuket, Thailand.

We landed in Phuket and hopped in our private car for the 2.5 hour drive to Krabi where we're staying at the Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton Resort. More amazingness here as we were greeted by 5 staff and our personal butler (named Day) in a breathtaking entrance. (See another one of Jeng's iPhone videos on Facebook.) After a refreshing fresh lemongrass beverage, we were driven by golf cart to our private Ocean Villa and given a tour of our insane suite. (Jeng's working on that iPhone video too.)

This morning we enjoyed a breakfast buffet with the freshest of island ingredients. (Lychees, edible betel nut leaves and other foods grow on the property!) I was most impressed by the fresh honeycomb, pandan and lemongrass juice. If only I could expand my stomach!

We find it difficult to choose between being lazy at this indulgent resort and exploring nearby sights but we will venture out of this oasis to Railay Beach later today. While the meals, drinks and taxes aren't free, the flight and hotel stay has been courtesy of Jeng's hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles. Maybe him travelling so much isn't so bad after all...
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Just Hitched

I like to think that I lead my life without regrets; if I had the opportunities for do-overs I would not want to take them. Of course this is an idealistic wish and I do often make regretable mistakes but in the long-term view of things, I think I'm doing alright. But when it comes to last week, I'm slightly torn. Just like Eileen, I'd want to do the wedding all over again. But this time, I'd do it as a spectator.

I know it sounds all mushy but I really do feel like our wedding day was the best day of my life. I think I speak for Eileen when I say that I don't think we've ever felt so loved and it bums me out that there wasn't more time in the day to enjoy everyone's company. Everyone's generosity -- both time and money -- is so humbling that I think I fail every time I try to express my true appreciation for everyone. So again, thanks everyone for making it such a memorable day/weekend for us.

As with many blogs before this, I'm going to cut this one shorter than I originally planned. But I will end with this and it's because I do regret not getting Eileen a real card as part of my wedding gift to her. (Spoiler alert -- as my brother mentioned in his great toast, my macho-ness does occasionally take a back seat when Eileen is around. This is one of those times.) Prior to the wedding, people asked me how I knew Eileen was the one I wanted to marry. I don't really know why I love her so but she is the woman I can't imagine living my life without. We had a weird courtship and took longer than it probably should have and if you asked me, "Would you do it over again?" I'd respond, "I guess." But in reality, if it took a thousand times or a thousand lifetimes, I would. But I think I'd give up on the 1001st try. That's just absurd.
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Wedded Bliss & the Best Week Ever

We're married!

... And we already have some photos to prove it.

It's crazy and for both of us, has yet to sink in. We had both wanted to write a blog before the big day but with all the last minute details and early family arrivals, the blog upkeep quickly fell to the bottom of the list. Although it's been a whirlwind week with very little sleep and lots of friend and family fun time, its one I will never forget and I can speak for both Jeng and I when I say how very thankful we are for all our family and friends.

Tomorrow we're off to our long-awaited honeymoon. While laptops are being left at home, the iPad is not. So I hope to write some brief blogs on the road to document our Southeast Asian adventures. Stay tuned for more post-wedding blogs because Wedding Absurdity has only just begun. . . . read more.

Bienvenido a Miami

In Jeng's post-bachelor party blog, he spoke of his post-party illness. For my bachelorette party, I suffered my illness before and throughout the trip, tainting the experience with my hacking cough and constant need to carry packs of tissues. In fact, I looked and felt a little like this:

Sexy, I know. Despite this phlegm overload, my dedicated crew of wingwomen made the weekend in South Beach memorable.

Since Jeng quoted Wikipedia, I decided to look something up myself:

"Bachelorette parties often involve displays of sexual freedom, such as trading intimate secrets, getting drunk, and enjoying male strippers."
- Bachelorette Party via Wikipedia

While Wikipedia may have some things right, my bachelorette party had some highlights to make it uniquely my own. My closest 11 girl friends and I had cultural lessons from Germany, Finland and Latin America. Some of us took time to open chakras, while others became intimate with artificial plants or dedicated themselves to eliminating tan lines. We incorporated culture with a trip to admire art at a local museum, indulged our digestive system with fine international cuisine and most importantly, made some new friends.

(My apologies to any little people who may find this offensive.) We did not, however, partake in midget strippers. I remain thankful that my bridal party's threats were empty.

With the exception of one night which tested our patience, the weekend went flawlessly. We flew into Florida from all over the country -- Chicago, New York, Denver, LA and SF. Led by my fearless matron of honor, my favorite ladies pulled together in their respective committees to organize food arrangements, attire and activities. As cheesy as it sounds, the highlight of my weekend was the time we got to spend together. Since we're spread out all over the country, quality time is rare. It was great to gather friends from all phases of my life to bid farewell to my single days with a hearty Cheers to Finlandia! Thanks ladies, I'm lucky to have you.

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Putting Debauchery in the Bachelor Party - The Groomsmen

You may have already seen Eileen's blog about her bridal party (Putting the Party in Wedding Party - The Ladies). This may have led you to wonder, "Where's the Groomsmen?"

Well wonder no more! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Groomsmen of the Buenviaje-Reyes Wedding Bonanaza 2010. In their own ways, each of these guys had a hand in hooking me up with my future wife so it was only appropriate that they be a part of our wedding.

Best Men:
• Brian Reyes
• Chris Pascual

Groomsmen:
• Rich Cayetano
• Jeff Defensor
• Jero Sabangan
• JJ Sabangan

Brian Reyes
Growing up our mom would often dress us up in the same clothes. When the movie Twins came out we had an easy reference point for clothing style. While I did get the height, it was my brother who was blessed with the good looks, muscles, and full head of hair. I, on the other hand, am the fat, bald guy who complains a lot.

Chris Pascual
What is there to say about the one and only Chris Pascual? Despite being a dreamy heart throb he remains the nicest and most thoughtful guy I know. Lately it's been rare for me to be able to hang out with him but when we were younger, the excitement to go to his house was off the charts. My mom would have barely parked the car in their driveway and we'd jump out of the car and race to be first to ring the doorbell. We're more mature now so I'll let Brian ring the doorbell next time mom drops us off.

Chris is...

Rich Cayetano
Little did I know that on my first day of Spanish 1 class with Señor Phelan during my freshman year of high school I would meet a lifelong friend. True, I was skeptical at first because he introduced himself by asking if I was the cousin of [female cousin or family friend who will go unnamed] so his intentions were a bit suspicious. But it quickly became clear that he would be a trusted friend and one of the funniest guys I know.

Jeff Defensor
When I got to high school I joined the Filipino Student Association not knowing there was already a resident graphic designer specializing in urban t-shirt art. I thought I'd try my hand at graphic design, too, but my influence wasn't quite as far reaching. If you remember those Pinoy Pride and Heritage shirts, Jeff probably started that trend. Here we are, over a decade later, and he's still a fashion trendsetter.

photo courtesy of Richard Cayetano

Jero Sabangan
"Whoa cool! You're a DJ? Like DJ Franzen?" I remember asking this around the time I first met Jero. In retrospect that's pretty lame but even so, Jero was one of the first guys to invite me to hang out when I got to high school and that worked out pretty well. But I do blame him for telling me he was going to hook me up with Eileen. That set off a ridiculous chain of events that brings us to the predicament I'm in today. Thanks a lot, Jero.

JJ Sabangan
You know how you occasionally make a bad decision or two under the influence of alcohol? Now, I'm not saying JJ is alcohol in human form; I'm just saying I always have fun when I hang out with this guy. That's the awesome thing about JJ: he always makes sure everyone is having a good time. Even when he's angry. That might actually be when it's the most fun. There are stories that could be told, but this is a family-friendly site.

One of those J's must stand for Jack.

So there you have it. The original date for when I started this post was on April 18 and it's June 1, so if you want more, too bad. I would've written more but I couldn't think of anything else and I figure I've procrastinated on this long enough. In any case, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a more confident and eager group of s#!t-talkers than the men presented before you, but then again, why would you want to?
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The Wedding Registry

We are registered at the following stores:

• Bed, Bath & Beyond
• Macy's
• Amazon.com

Eileen also has a blog post about the whole registry ordeal: Confessions of a Shopaholic: The Wedding Registry . . . read more.

Ready... Set... Go!

It's eight weeks until the wedding and you know what that means...

... all our deposits are now truly non-refundable. (In b-school terms: sunk costs.) There's no backing out now!

The eight week mark also means that the wave of invitations has begun. As our little envelopes make their way across the country and globe over the next 4 weeks, we expect a spike in our web site traffic as the rush of last-minute wedding madness begins. So... Hello new visitors! Welcome to this lovely little web site of ours! We hope you enjoy our random ramblings and silly stories.

In this epic wedding planning journey, the next two months will prove to be the busiest of all. In mid-June, I'll be graduating from Chicago Booth (the #1 b-school according to Business Week... I can't help but brag) with an MBA and a 6-figure debt. I'll be packing all my belongings (for the 8th time in my life) into little boxes and shipping them all back to California where they will reside in my parents garage until further notice.

In the meantime, I'll be headed to Miami for my long-awaited bachelorette party where 11 of my closest girl friends and I will do many of the same things as Jeng did on his (or will we?). But unlike him, I plan to come back in full health and just a tad shade darker. (Crossing my fingers that I don't cross into sunburn territory!)

Then the craziness begins as all the last-minute details consume my life -- final dress fitting, final priest meetings (yay!)... final this and final that. I have a lot of paper products to design and a lot of DIY projects to master. And of course the dreaded seating chart. Juggling the singles, the couples, the friends and the enemies in order to avoid drunken brawls is sure to be a great time.

And somewhere in-between the crazy 3 weeks between my arrival in CA and our wedding, I will also celebrate a bridal shower and bachelorette party #2. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, but excited at the same time. While we enjoyed an engagement party last summer, all other wedding-theme celebrations have been absent. And surrounded by 20+ other engaged classmates, I feel like all wedding events just happen to other people. It'll be fun to feel like its our turn too.

Finally, what I look forward to (almost as much as actually being married) is the fact that many of the Tinios and the Buenviajes will be in one place, if only for one weekend. With my family spread out all over the world, it is rare that we all get together. I cross my fingers that my relatives pull through so the reunion I hope for takes place. And as an added bonus, they get to meet this crazy Nazario clan. I should take bets on which family will party the hardest...
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Confessions of a Shopaholic: The Wedding Registry

As a young girl (okay more like last year), I looked forward to the day I would get to register for wedding presents. It's like a shopping fanatic's dream come true! Just zap everything you've wanted but could never afford. Then cross your fingers and hope that someone will be generous enough to contribute just a little bit to our dream house:

Then in February, Jeng and I embarked on the registry adventure and it wasn't as easy as I thought. I kept looking at price tags and second-guessing our choices as being too extravagant or excessive. (Old habits are hard to break.) And for once, Jeng was encouraging me to just pick stuff without looking at prices. So I quickly got used to the idea and now my favorite phrase is, "Add it to our registry!". Maybe I've gone overboard now but I leave you to decide. So without further ado, here are our registry links:
• Bed, Bath & Beyond: Use those 20% off coupons they always send!
• Macy's
• Amazon.com

After you browse through the links, our tastes might be obvious. Or you might just think we're crazy for actually wanting a $138 knife and $670 pot & pan set. While its true that we're a little crazy, we have also lived far too long with hand-me-down, half-broken cookware. After taking a knife skills class and trying to make high-end recipes in low-end pans, we want to legitimize our culinary pursuits by getting professional-grade tools that will literally last us a lifetime.

Besides our love of cooking together, you might also notice some other trends in our selections that are very reflective of our hobbies/interests:
- Wine & Tea: I was a Booth Wine Club co-chair. Jeng and I are graduates of the Cakebread University class of 2009. I am also a proud participant in the tea-drinking trend. Needless to say, a lot of accessories are involved with the love of such beverages.
- Local, organic, 'green' things: It started out as me just becoming an 'eco-snob' but now Jeng happily carries canvas bags whenever we shop, proudly lugs around his Sigg, and quickly accompanies me to the local farmers market. Now we're saving the planet one little organic product and compost bin at a time.
- Technology: Jeng used to carry two laptops to work with him every week. (And his commute is often a 2-4 hour plane ride.) His work lifestyle combined with his Silicon Valley homegrown nerdness ensures that he is the epitome of 'early adopter' for little handy devices. (This commercial is the story of his life.) I'm along for the ride and I don't resist much. (Except for the night vision goggles which are just ridiculous.)
- Travel: I blame it on my name. There are just too many places to see and too little time. Plus with Jeng's travel status, why not?

Wedding registries and presents can be an awkward ordeal. We are grateful to have all our friends and family at our wedding, especially those who have to spend time and money on travel. While we enjoyed populating our registry, we don't require or expect everyone to buy everything on our wishlist. Your presence will be the best present of all. :)
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Fun at the Ferry Building: Our Engagement Photos

The pictures that best represent Jeng and my relationship look something like this:


So when we took engagement photos in March, we needed to act like grown ups. Despite that, it was a fun shoot with a lot of great, frame-able shots. (Admittedly better than our iChat windows.)

Earlier this week our super awesome, highly recommended photographer Augie Chang shared his favorites in a fancy little slideshow we hope you'll enjoy. So now I introduce... *drum roll*... our engagement photos! (Please turn your sound on for the full multimedia experience.)

I'm sure you'll enjoy looking at the many of pictures of Jeng and I, just as much as Jeng and I do. :) Enjoy!
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Nuptial Nuts and Bolts

We've talked wedding this and wedding that for almost 2 years and the date is finally near! I've updated this blog with more details for all our wedding guests. So without further ado, here is everything you need to know about the wedding weekend logistics:

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, July 7 at 5:00pm: Rehearsal & Dinner (Iluna Basque, San Francisco)
Those participating in the wedding (you know who you are) are invited. For those who are from out of town, we know there are challenges with this mid-week date and understand if you cannot attend. The rehearsal will be followed by dinner at Iluna Basque with Chef Mattin Noblia of Top Chef Season 6. (He was the somewhat obnoxious, arrogant Spaniard that wore a red bandanna. Now he's my sisters Facebook friend.) Our thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Reynaldo Reyes for hosting this evening of tapas extraordinaire.

Thursday, July 8: No Formal Plans
But if people are arriving on Thursday, let us know since we may have informal events (e.g. mani/pedi, spa treatments, etc.) you are welcome to attend.

Friday, July 9 at 2:30pm: Ceremony (Sts. Peter and Paul Church, San Francisco) Map
Since parking at the church is limited and the city can make tourists easily lost, we plan to provide transportation to and from the hotel. Please fill out the survey at the end of this blog to let us know if you're interested.

6pm: Reception (Hotel Sofitel, Redwood City) Map
Although this should go without saying, the dress code is semi-formal. Children are welcome. And before you even ask... yes, we will have open bar. Unless you get rowdy and we have to cut you off (see wedding party).

Saturday & Sunday, July 10 & 11: TBD
We would like to plan some informal gatherings for those who are visiting from out of town. Please fill out the survey at the end of this blog to let us know your plans.

To give visitors a lay of the land, all events will be taking place in San Francisco or on the Peninsula. Click the map below for directions from the hotel to the ceremony:

View Larger Map

Travel Info

Accommodations
Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay (Map)
A block of rooms are being held under Buenviaje-Reyes until June 18. The hotel offers free parking, complementary use of the gym and pool, and a courtesy airport shuttle to and from San Francisco airport. The hotel is in a corporate area so we recommend car rental to access nearby shops/restaurants. Please contact them at +1 (650) 598-9000 to make a reservation or transportation arrangements.

Other Nearby Hotels

Airports (in order of recommendation)
SFO: 15 minutes from hotel
SJC: 30 minutes from hotel
OAK: 30 minutes from hotel

Things to Do/What's Nearby
Rather than list our favorite places to go in the Bay Area, we've created a Google Map and will update it with some of our favorite recommendations for food, entertainment, shopping and also, for the necessities near the hotel.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

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The Hangover

Call the time. It's 8:44pm on Monday, April 12th. While I am still nursing a slight cough and occasionally congested nose, this is physically the best I've felt since around Sunday, March 28 at 11:00pm. Yes, roughly 14 days, 21 hours, and 44 minutes after landing back in the U.S., I finally consider myself recovered from my bachelor party.

"Bachelor parties in the US often entail the mass consumption of alcohol, the hiring of a stripper and general rowdiness toward which the bride might not have a positive reaction."

- Bachelor Party via Wikipedia

I blame my sickness on a perfect storm of conditions -- from that Sunday to Monday night I traveled through four different airports in an already weakened and tired state and ended up sleeping in my hotel room with the air conditioner on full blast. Genius. Cue the foggy head, phlegmy coughs, and congested nose.

But regardless of the aftermath I'll always look back fondly on those bible study sessions that took place in Vancouver that quiet Spring weekend in March of 2010. People nowadays often use the word "epic" to describe things. I may only have an innocent Catholic upbringing but I'm confident in saying you don't know what epic is, son.

Obviously, as retreats go there is a level of confidentiality that I am unable to break. And to be honest, it's all kind of a blur to me. But beyond the fun activities throughout the weekend, I will say that what made me happiest was having my closest family and friends there all having fun.

I'll dive into describing the groomsmen in another blog, but among the other party participants were the guys I hope to always call friends, the cousins I grew up admiring, the cousins I'd stay up until dawn playing video games with, the friends I first drank with, the family and friends I first made stupid decisions with... the list goes on but these are the family and friends I'll remain loyal to and really appreciate them taking the time to celebrate with me this next step I'm taking.

If you expected more details on the actual happenings of the bachelor party, I'm sorry. But to give you some context on what we were working with, here's the penthouse that my groomsmen and party guests hooked up -- all 3600+ square feet, 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath, and 3 separate balconies of it.

Use your imagination.

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Spring has Sprung

... and our 100 day milestone has passed. I put it on my calendar with every intention to write a "100 days until our wedding" blog, but totally miscalculated the date and missed it. Whoops.

Now with only 86 days until our wedding (and only 61 days until I graduate!), our true countdown begins. Being so close and surrounded by 20+ fellow engaged folk (the unknown side of business school), I receive frequent inquiries about the pressures of our impending nuptials. "Do you have a ton to do?", people ask. My response explains how many things must be left until the last minute -- ie. once invitations are sent and I actually know who's coming and how many, then the real work begins. Meanwhile, in the back of my head I'm thinking... "I don't have much left to do but Jeng on the other hand..."

You may have noticed a clear imbalance in our blogs as of well... January 31, 2010. Since he publicly aired my nagging about blogs, I decided to stop (kind of). I stopped reminding him to blog (ahem, about his groomsmen), to shop for his shirt and tie, to pick out presents for his groomsmen, to pick out songs... to do the million other things HE has on HIS to-do list. At least I stopped reminding him the traditional way and resorted to how we like to do things -- embracing technology.

I put recurring reminders in his Outlook calendar with deadlines for some key tasks. I hear when his iPhone goes off alerting him of an impending deadline. "Dismiss", he clicks. I created a Google document listing all our wedding-related tasks, large and small. I put his name next to the stuff he has to do and my name next to the stuff I've been doing. You can guess which ones have been checked off. (On a sidenote: I will give him partial credit. In the last two weeks, he checked off one and a half tasks and made sure I knew about it. Like a child looking for affirmation.) I would have bribed him with an iPad but he went ahead and bought one for himself.

Sigh. And so go the woes of being a bride. Yes I am whining. Yes I was/am nagging. Yes it gets tense when our friends ask us how wedding stuff going and I have a disgruntled response about Jeng's slacker ways. While wedding planning was and still can be fun (at times), it is no longer.

I do not want to go bridezilla. I accept that nothing will be perfect and I care less and less about the tiniest of details. In the end, we will be married and we will be going on an amazing honeymoon, courtesy of Jeng's Executive Platinum status. So what if for the first 3 months of our married life, we will live somewhere in between his parents house, my parents house, my sisters condo and whatever hotel he is living in, living out of boxes and suitcases until his tenants vacate his condo? Once that painful hurdle has passed, we will begin building a life together. That should be cool. I wonder though, will I need to make Outlook reminders and Google docs for that?

P.S. As I reflect on what I just wrote, I realize that readers may interpret this passage as emo or just angry. Rest assured, I am neither. . . . read more.

Modeling 101

Jeng is currently en route to a testosterone-filled weekend of manly mayhem also known as his bachelor party. Where is he, you might wonder. Vegas? Nope. He had his "pre-bachelor party" there a month ago. New Orleans? Nope. New York? Nope. Instead, he went to number 5 on AskMen's top 10 bachelor party destinations: Vancouver, British Columbia. Weird huh? Apparently they have great 'bible study' locations there.

Anyway, this blog is not about bachelor parties. My purpose is to share the activities of my spring break turned 6-day 'vacation' of wedding errands. Fun? Debatable. Every day has been jam-packed with random activities such as: finding engagement picture outfits, hair and make up trials, dj meeting, cake tasting, food tasting, priest meeting, rehearsal dinner restaurant scouting, engagement picture taking, sponsor present shopping, and wedding band picking upping. Exhausting! My lowlight was the priest meeting (4 hours!) but I've already vented about my priest issues so I won't repeat myself.

My highlight was the engagement photos. Although we've been engaged for a year and a half, our official engagement photos were just taken yesterday by our awesome photographer, Augie Chang. We met Augie at the Ferry Building and it was an unusual San Francisco Spring day -- sunny and warm. He began our 1.5 hour session with a brief Q&A:
Augie: Why the Ferry Building?
Me: We lived nearby. We love the farmers market, the restaurants, the overall vibe. I ran on the Embarcadero. And we would have had our reception there if we were rich.
Augie: On the scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being romantic, how would you classify yourselves as a couple?
Jeng (without hesitation): 1
Augie: 1?! Really??
Haha. And so it began. Here is our feeble attempt at being romantic.

Despite our rating at 1, Augie did a great job at capturing our silly relationship, especially in this picture:


After the shoot, Augie emailed his praise: "You two did so well that I can easily consider you one of the best “models” I have had in the last year! Seriously!! I love the laughs and the giggles throughout the shoot." I think my addiction to ANTM finally paid off! Maybe I have another back-up career option in case this b-school thing doesn't pan out.

I'm not one to keep my talents hidden so here are my top takeaways for a model:
• Act natural. Ignore gawking crowds.
• Everyone has a double chin. Stick your head out a tad to make it disappear on camera.
• Since I'm short, wearing short leggings make me look taller.
• Pointing toes, and bending/crossing legs add curves to make the photos look more dynamic and less awkward.
So if any of our readers go pro, I hope I get some credit. . . . read more.

What's in a name? Part 3 - The Surname Conundrum

With the wedding day looming, a question that often arises is -- Will you change your name? For curiosity sake, I googled the meaning of this tradition and stumbled across some interesting facts:

According to Slate.com, "roughly 90% of American women automatically assume their husband's names." That may be true, but "now that women marry later and live more of their adult life with their maiden names, it can feel unnatural to assume another name, even for women who do not consider themselves feminists." I agree.

A more historic article states three key reasons for a bride taking the groom’s name:
1. Protection of family and wealth
2. Designation of a new life direction
3. Acknowledgement of God’s presence in and endorsement of the marriage
Do these 18th century traditions really still apply?

When I introduce myself to strangers, I purposely disregard my last name. It's a mouthful and the other person has no idea what I'm saying. On the phone, I spell my name out loud often. It goes like this: B(as in boy) - UEN - V(as in Victor) - IA - J(as in Jack) - E. Despite the clarity of my message, there is still a high probability it will be spelled incorrectly.

I get compliments on my last name. It's unique and has a clear meaning -- good trip. It can be found in signs all over Spanish-speaking countries. Its the title of a movie from Uruguay that played at Cannes Film Festival. Its the name of a hostel in Cuba that gets great reviews. Its the title from a series of Spanish language books. And I even share my name with the chef from one of my favorite brunch spots in SF.

While the meaning of my name and source of my lineage makes for interesting conversation, the butchering of the pronunciation is something I wouldn't miss. Reyes, on the other hand... it might as well be Smith or Brown. Okay, maybe not quite. To be fair, it does have its claim-to-fames.

Reyes is a type of computer software used to render realistic 3D images. Its the name of a brewer and food service provider. This name is shared by a artist, national park, fashion designer and of course, martial artist. According to About.com, Reyes derives "from the Old French rey, meaning king, Reyes was often bestowed as a nickname for a man who carried himself in a regal, or kingly, fashion. Alternative meanings include "one who plays the part of a king in a pageant" or "someone who works in the king's house." I will not be labeled "the one who works in the king's house". Oh hell no.

If I don't change my name, people may be confused. "What do you mean you're married and don't have the same last name?" And when we have kids, there is a sense of unity in sharing the same name. The Buenviaje Reyes Family sounds a bit absurd.

While I know this decision doesn't need to be made immediately, in some sense it does. Shortly after our wedding, my driver's license expires. I'll need to go through the hassle of renewing it and changing all my addresses. If I'm going to do the name change, I might as well do it then. But do I want to? What do you think?


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Putting the Party in Wedding Party - The Ladies

What's a wedding without the wedding party? Well, I guess its still a wedding but definitely not as fun. Who else will I get to listen to my wedding planning woes and help plan the bachelorette party if not these fine females? So without further ado, introducing the lovely ladies of my bridal entourage:
Maid of Honor: Aimee "Sister" Buenviaje
Matron of Honor: Elaine "E" Chatterton
Bridesmaids:
• Cathy "Cat" Hoang
• Kathryn "Kat" Cabrieto
• Dale Lipata
• Erica Reyes

To some of you, these names are strangers. To others, they are my most logical choices. Either way, a list of names is incomplete without the stories of why I chose these six.

Aimee "Sister" Buenviaje
I think my sister would've disowned me if she was not maid of honor. I would do the same to her. Anyone that knows us, knows that we have a close relationship in our own unique, unusual way. We don't do the "heart-to-heart crying on each others shoulder" thing. It's more like the "oh my gosh I'm shopping and I don't know if I should buy this" thing. There are very few decisions I can make without my sister's input. In fact, I got mad at Jeng after he proposed because he didn't ask for my sisters approval after he asked my parents. Haha. Needless to say, she reluctantly approved of my choice and looks forward to calling Jeng her future brother-in-law. (Sometimes. It depends on her mood.)


Elaine "E" Chatterton, Cathy "Cat" Hoang & Kathryn "Kat" Cabrieto




I combine these three because I've known them the longest -- E and Cat since Kindergarten and Kat since 2nd grade. Combined, that is 73 years (25 for E, 25 for Cat and 23 for Kat)! There are very few friends who have lasted as long as we have. Any childhood memories I have include these three girls and of course, I couldn't have my wedding without them in it. E is my best friend, despite the fact that she currently lives in Colorado with her husband and their dog, Lola. Cat currently lives in LA where she collects degrees and accreditations to see how many initials can fit after DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy). Kat is our steady constant, still in the Bay Area but always looking for adventurous travel opportunities. And she's single in case anyone's interested. Haha. ;)

Dale Lipata
Dale is a "newer" friend compared to the other three, but not by much. I've only known her for 19 years. She joined us in fifth grade and although we parted ways for high school and college, we managed to maintain our friendship throughout the years. Dale, E and I were the threesome you would always find playing sports together. Even though Dale and E totally kicked my butt, I held my own. Now Dale continues to be quite the b-baller, a champion in her league. I don't play with her anymore. Now, the only activity we compete in together is dancing and drinking. She still beats me in the drinking part but I'm okay with that.

Erica Reyes
Erica is Jeng's younger sister and my soon-to-be sister-in-law. We openly speak of my questionable taste in men and she continues to hunt for a more suitable partner for me. (Her deadline is approaching quickly with the wedding and all.) Erica and her brother have an amusing relationship. As the only daughter, Erica must deal with the loving but endless harassment from Jeng and his brother. When Jeng and I first got together, he didn't like the fact that I was becoming her friend. He feared that we would team up against him. We ignored him and now we're friends, united in the cause to dish out to Jeng what he dishes to us.
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Oh the Places We've Been...

It's Valentines day and while Jeng and I are not big celebrants of this holiday, I thought it would be an appropriate time to launch a photo montage of our greatest hits in photos. (There are some great ones of Jeng with hair and earrings. Crazy guy.)

Keep in mind that while we've known each other since 1997, we didn't start dating until 2004. Unfortunately, pictures from the early years are scarce because 1) they're hiding in an album somewhere in my parents garage, unavailable in digital form; and 2) there were only a few pictures with him and I in them in which I did not look like aforementioned not nice person. Oh well. C'est la vie. . . . read more.

Who needs their ring finger?

If asked to describe Jeng's style, most people would draw a blank. Its not because he's too cool like this guy:

He's just... well... boring.

Most of his wardrobe consists of items purchased by others -- presents from birthdays and holidays, 'pasalubongs' from vacations, and of course the obligatory "please wear a different t-shirt for once" donation (mostly courtesy of his mom). On the rare occasion he buys something for himself, he usually opts for plain and black. Not because he's trying to be gothic but because of his lifelong dream. I remind him that grown ups need grown up clothes, preferably in more than color, but he'd much rather purchase a new pair of fancy headphones or another PS3 to support his addictions instead of new shoes or shirts.

Needless to say, when shopping for a wedding band, his reaction was one of indifference. After he tried to convince me that wedding TVs and wedding cars were the wave of the future, I decided to take initiative and pick a ring for him. He had said that if he was a girl, he would want a lot of diamonds, so my initial idea was for this:






But on second thought, given his simple style and love of black, I finally settled on this:









It just had one flaw. Black rings are made of tungsten, which are not the best for emergency situations. Rumor has it that some hospitals are not equipped to remove such rings if for example, your finger swells up. Despite my attempts to thwart such rumors, Jeng was not ready to sacrifice his finger for fashion and would hold it against me for the rest of our lives if it were ever to occur.

That said, we settled on platinum. Yawn. I wonder if I should've gone with his second choice. A nut, for my nut, from Home Depot:

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Well Groomed

As evidenced by my lack of updates, I continue to hit writer's block every time I'm supposed to blog which causes me to forget to blog. Luckily there's an app for that and I have it. It's set on a recurring schedule for weekdays and weeknights and it says without fail some form of, "You have to blog." If you're interested in it, just visit the Buenviaje house. There might even be another one available but I can't vouch for its reliability in terms of blog reminders.

I have heeded this call and am hitting the snooze button on that app for another two weeks. Topic for today? One of the groomsmen has dubbed it the First Annual He Man Woman Hater Club Retreat. Eileen refers to it as my Pre-Bachelor Party.

I don't consider it a trip related to the wedding but it just so happens that all of the groomsmen and myself were in attendance. As a group we decided to venture from the confines of the Bay Area in order to take advantage of the cheap airfare to Las Vegas. Were this any other year it would be considered a guys' trip. But because it coincides with our wedding, Eileen thinks it was a Pre-Bachelor Party. (My brother and said groomsmen are planning the actual Bachelor Party).

In any case, to Vegas we went, and let me tell you it was a crazy trip. We arrived there Saturday evening and right from the get go it was intense -- the taxi line at the airport was horrendous! When we finally made it to the front of the taxi line, they told us we needed TWO cabs! "What do you mean, TWO cabs!? You don't have a cab that can fit 7 gentlemen?" Outrageous!

We stayed at the Venetian and when we finally got there were treated to the splendid marble floors and painted ceilings of the hotel lobby. I've been to Venice and I'll be darned if this was not a lot cleaner. After we got to our rooms we neatly unpacked our belongings and discussed our plan of attack for the rest of the night -- Phantom of the Opera or Beatles Love?

We couldn't decide so we ate dinner (it was delicious BTW) and decided to call it a night. All that travel and the mayhem at the airport taxi line was too much. The next day (Sunday) we had brunch, walked the Las Vegas strip, went to Church, gambled at the penny slots, then ate dinner. The weather was agreeable and everyone was so nice. Sin City? More like Win City! (I won $11 on the penny slots!) All in all it was a relaxing trip and one of the funnest I've ever had in Las Vegas.

Except for the part where I blacked out... Just kidding.
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New Year's Resolutions

If you hadn't noticed we sort of forgot to blog in December. I know -- some faithful reader(s) has been anxiously awaiting a blog and because of all the built up suspense they may now expect the blog equivalent of a unicorn sighting. But that's not going to happen. Instead, the best you'll get is an update and my two New Year's Resolutions of 2010. To start it off, I hereby declare and resolve to do the following:

1. Lose weight (as previously discussed)


2. Marry Eileen

I'm pretty sure the first one is doable. And of course the second one is, too, otherwise I lose my security deposits. But after going through some of the wedding details over the winter break, it's crazy to think that in six months this party is happening.

I was fortunate to take some vacation in December and was looking forward to relaxing, maybe catching up on some video games with my brother, etc.

(dramatization depicted; not actually me and my brother playing video games)

Lucky for me, Eileen had plans that were even more fun.

Welcome to the wonderful world of linen shopping. I won't go into all of the details because I'm sure you can imagine my excitement when we walked into the room and were presented with various shades of purple named things like eggplant, lilac, fuchsia, and shoot-me-in-the-face-now-please.

But what about invitations? You still haven't picked out the design. Will it be a single page, fold-out, tri-fold or whatever-you-call-it? Will you use this paper, or that paper in this color, or what about this paper in that color? What? No Evite option?

I know -- I'm making it sound worse than it really is. I didn't greet everything with total indifference. For example, I did sort of look forward to cake tasting. But what I thought was going to be us going in to taste cakes turned into more questions being asked -- buttercream, whipped cream, or fondant? How many tiers? I just wanted some cake.

The final wedding related task I had to help out with was finding what the groomsmen were going to wear. So I hung out with the groomsmen, passed through a store or two, had some lunch, went to the suit store, picked and tried on suits, opened up a credit card to reap the discount benefits (25% additional off on a suit already marked down 50%), purchased suits, and left the store. All within about 2-3 hours for seven fitted suits of varying sizes. Maybe this wedding planning thing isn't that bad after all.
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