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Today, after a long lull…I was back at my old gym. Yes, it is old. I signed up at this gym two children ago. My last visit at this gym was about 3 years ago? It was when my old trainer, Zaldy, left the gym and I felt sad not having his chatty self around and no one was bugging me to go to the gym anymore.
I think the gym needs a facelift badly. The equipments are still functional and fairly in good condition but new equipments would be wonderful. The dumbbells’ rubber cover has holes in it. The ceiling has a hole that appears to be under construction.
Why did I go to the gym today? Is it to criticize the gym’s condition or to work out? Of course it was to lose some fats from my pregnancy that I have failed to lose 7 months after my youngest son’s birth.
Just between you and me…should I come across a newer gym nearby with better facilities and equipments that offers a reasonable membership price…I will be there tomorrow! For now…let me drag myself to my old gym.
I was both excited and anxious at the same time to be flying to Paris again after a long time of being amiss and missing work as well. I was on bed rest for the most part of 2010 due to my delicate pregnancy and have been on maternity leave, annual leave and sick leave afterwards. It was a welcome flight for me since I was going to fly with a colleague of the same nationality and I was planning to go to Chateau de Versailles too.
The morning that we arrived in Paris the weather was lovely. It was about 18 degrees Centigrade and the sun was waving “hello” to me. When we got to the hotel we got our room keys and per diem then made plans with other crew members. My colleague Cyrill and I decided early on to go to Versailles on the second day of our stay. Our Chief Purser on the other hand, made an open invitation to our team members for a steak dinner “French style” on the night of our arrival. I was sold! I love steak! I especially love the New York steaks for the honest-to-goodness taste and tenderness. I never got to try french steaks so this was a first for me.
We proceeded to our respective rooms and snored the morning away. Cyrill went out in the afternoon to buy her toilettries while I spent the whole morning reading about Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI.
We all met at the lobby of our hotel at 6pm and since there were 7 of us, we took two separate cabs. One cab had three passengers and the other had four passengers. We didn’t know that in Paris they charge an extra 3Euros if four passengers would take the cab. Weird but true. The two groups had the restaurant’s name and address written on the hotel paper that the concierge gave. There was no way of knowing if the driver was taking us for a ride but we were relieved to have reached the place which costed us 17Euros including the extra passenger fare.
the corner where the entrecote restaurant sits
When we got there it was about half past six in the evening and the restaurant was still closed! The front desk at the hotel thought it would have been open by then. We took the opportunity to take photos in front of the restaurant and to chit chat a little.
photo op
It opened at 7pm and by then there was a long queue outside of the restaurant and I was just happy that our group was first in line.
Le Relais de Venise son entrecote
I was surprised to find out that the only thing they served were steaks steaks steaks!!! The waitress just had to ask each and everyone how they wanted their steak done. Neat!
our waitress expertly plating the entrecote and frittes
- the plates of entrecote and french fries to be pre-plated
my first entrecote
Yummm… They served me this plate at first and refilled it with another serving when I was done with it. I really thought it was bottomless! (wishful thinking…haha!) The steak was tender and the sauce was like nothing I’ve tasted before. It seems like it was a mustard sauce of some kind that appeared somewhat like green curry. It was good, though I’m not used to having that kind of sauce on my steak, it was a welcome change. I guess I also have to get used to steaks being pre-cut. I actually don’t like it when they pre-cut the steaks at Smith and Wollensky. I prefer my steak in one piece but we can’t have everything in life…so it’s all good.
ice cream filled profiteroles with chocolate syrup and almond shavings
A french meal is always capped with a french dessert.
- a beautiful building a block away from the restaurant
- the restaurant is near Le Palais des Congres de Paris
Surely I will be back for more!!! See you soon Le Relais de Venise!
I miss my brother and he knows that. I have not seen him for more than 8 years now and I would always stop to wonder how he is every now and then.
Last night I was up till it was past midnight +8GMT and I was happy that I did stay up. He popped a message in my Yahoo Messenger and we had a chat.
I told him how I am on sick leave now and the doctor said that it could be stress related due to a lot of factors. Whatever it is…I am staying on ground for now. Since I just gave birth it could be post-partum and my gynecologist prescribed that I stop all medications, change my diet and avoid meat specifically beef and chicken. (what about pork? I really don’t know…but that’s what she said!) Exercise 3 times a week. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Try to be in bed by 10 pm. And I will be rejuvinated. Oh, and she added that I drink St. John’s wort or chamomile tea and pray.
Now there is a big problem there when it comes to being in bed early. If I fly the red eye flights then that means I will be working from 10pm-12noon the next day! Good thing my specialist recommended that I take a week or two weeks of sick leave to get well and feel better. I have been walking like a zombie these past few days and doing things in auto-pilot. That spells D-A-N-G-E-R to me!
Now back to my brother. My brother, being the cool, easy-going guy that he is told me. “My prescription is: watch two funny movies everyday, Take naps in between, download funny clips on youtube, eat the food that you love and pray.
Wow! That sounds like a good plan and I certainly think it would work! Of course I would combine my gynecologist’s prescription with his. I believe that laughter is still the best medicine and of course the most important thing which is common to the two prescriptions. Now I can’t wait to rehab myself!
God Almighty I am claiming healing on my whole body and mind. By the stipes of Jesus I am healed. I know that this is not your plan for me or for my body. Give me the strength to follow the diet that is right for my body and guide me to do what is fit for me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to chat with my brother and feel his warm hug. Thank You for your love Lord. I rest in the fact that you have plans for me not to harm me. Protect me with the precious blood of Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Good morning world! Or should I say good afternoon? I had a very weird dream last night of being in a beauty class. It was nice to see my old friend in college though even if it was just in my dream.
I had lower back pains as I woke up and I tried to do some stretching exercises that my physical therapist taught me. Then I proceeded to read the Bible. I have been trying to read the story of Asa in 2 Chronicles 15-16 while I was on the plane last night on the way back here to my second home. I was led to read that story…I don’t know why. So I decided to read the whole story this afternoon when I woke up.
In the beginning of his reign as a king of Judah, Asa was a delight in God’s eyes. He took down all the statues, the high places and the incense altars in every town in Judah. He also commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands. (2 Chronicles 15:2-5)
When he went into battle he would seek the Lord first and ask for his hand to help them to win the war and God did answer his prayers.
What I noticed is that when King Asa relied on his own judgement by the time of his last year of reign, he failed God. He took matters in his own hands and forgot to seek God first. He sent silver and gold out of treasuries of the Lord’s temple (which as to my own understanding is like dethroning God and stealing from God) and sending it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram as a bribe (which is a sin) so that Ben-Hadad will break his treaty with Baasha the king of Israel just so that they will stop getting into war with King Asa.
He got sick and never sought God’s help but only from the physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12)
That got me thinking! I am at fault too in seeking my physicians more than I seek God for help to heal me. I know that God will heal me. He is in control of everything. Thank You Lord for your revelation to me today.
Lord, my heavenly Father, forgive me if I at one point trusted on my own understanding and tried to take things into my own hands. Thank You for guiding me and revealing Your word to me. I repent for my unfaihfulness. I want to follow You and delight myself in You. Keep my paths straight O Lord that I will never leave Your side. Heal me O Lord, my body, my mind and my spirit. Shower me with joy, peace, comfort, strength, endurance, clarity of mind, patience, love and understanding. Protect me with the precious blood of Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
After being on bed rest for more than six months due to a delicate pregnancy I am back to blogging. Now I have more things to blog about. I also have decided to keep this account.. I have started blogging a few years back and many things have changed. The reason why I have decided to keep this blog alive is for others to see the difference that is evident in me and it will be shown through my blogs too.
Today I am in my homebase and feeling rainy like the weather. I just started to try my wings and give Paris a go but I failed. After being away from work for more than 1 year due to pregnancy and almost 2 months due to sick leave…I have failed.
Tomorrow I will see my doctor and declare sick leave once more. I never thought that old age paired with having a baby would affect my well-being so much. I am just not ready to spread my wings yet. Maybe next month…let’s see.
