Thoughts on turning a year over 30

I know it’s a couple of days late and the ship has sailed but hey I’m 31 for the rest of the year aren’t I, so might as well. When I was a kid I used to think of 30 as old! I couldn’t even begin thinking how ancient 31 would be. Back then, in my young mind, the thought of turning 31 is synonymous to the Mayan Prophecy, the end of life as I know it :D. How melodramatic right!

As melodramatic as I was as a child, looking back, I think my young self was absolutely right. As I look at my life, I think the moment I turned 30 and now 31, my life has changed so drastically and life as I have known it completely changed. The good thing though is that when I was I child, the fear of the unknown scared me that is why I thought, when I turned 31, the changes would be scary, horrific even! But now that I’m actually here, I realized that the metamorphosis that my life underwent is indeed hair-raising kind of scary but these changes are also profoundly amazing!

Don’t get me wrong, my teen years were good, my twenties, even better! Through these years, I have learned a lot, experienced life, learned how to love and be loved, made tough decisions that shaped my life as it is now, earned friends whom I will keep to my death bed, married my prince and has been bestowed with a baby who is part angel and part princess. During the past three decades, I have travelled, I have explored, I have lived my life. So indeed the past three decades have been a blast. But as great as the past years were and as blessed as I have become, I know my God is not yet done with me and he has so much more in store. Now, as I turn a year over 30, I know that much more exciting things are waiting for me, more wonderful places be explored, more brilliant decisions to be made, and more astonishing blessings to be received. As I start another chapter in life, I know and I am looking forward to living my life, this time not only for myself but also for the family that my honey and I are building. I am so eager to reap the rewards of the past and invest for our future.

There is only one word I could think of as I turn another leaf in my life… Thrilled! I’m so thrilled to journey 31.

The Boutique Bed & Breakfast

A secluded escape that promises luxury intertwined with comfort sprinkled with liberal dashes of romance in a city not to far from the Metro, it was a promise too tempting to resist.

I’ve read mixed reviews about this quaint bed and breakfast and I’ve been curious for ages that is why, since we are in the Philippines for our 123rd monthsary, I’ve decided to surprise honey with a little trip to Tagaytay. I’ve booked the I Lust room by calling them, it was quite easy, just gave them my credit card number and voila! I’ve secured a night’s stay at their best room. I’ve also availed of their birthday package, this package includes a cake, candles, wine, balloons and rose petals to be scattered in your room. Very nice touch!

The B&B was quite easy to find, we arrived just before dinner. We went to the small room just at the back of the reception to choose the scents that we want for the room and for our toiletries. After sniffing fragrances and making our choices, we were taken to our designated room, the I Lust room. The first thought that went to my head was, “This is it?” Don’t get me wrong, it’s a really pretty room with an inviting king-sized bed at the centre topped with a gazillion pillows. It’s just that the expectation for this room has been so hyped up that I was looking forward to something more.

After dropping off our bags, we went downstairs to have dinner in the Hawaiian Barbeque and that was a big hit, hubby loved the fall-off the bone ribs, it’s a definite must try when you’re in the area. We forgot something in the room (I forgot what it was now) and hubby was about to get up to go back in the room to get it. Good thing I remembered that some hotel staff would be there arranging our room so I convinced honey to forget it, whew!

I pulled off the surprise, honey had no idea about it, he was very surprised when we entered our room and there candles every where and petals were scattered on the floor. The birthday package was really worth the penny.

The room in my opinion is a totally different matter all together. For starters it was a bit small, and I thought that the tub would be in a bathroom with a window that overlooks Taal, instead it was in one corner of the room opposite the bathroom. I’m not sure but there something about it that I find off. Maybe it was the fact that when later during that night after I got up from enjoying a hot bath, the cold air from the aircon (which was directly opposite the tub) gave me shivers, LOL! I also found the balcony too small; so small that during breakfast the following morning, the service trays were inside the room coz the balcony can barely accommodate the table and two chairs were we had our breakfast. Apart from being small, I felt that the concept of the room wasn’t translated enough. I kept on thinking, what made this room the I Lust room, there was no defining aspect, there was nothing in the room that suggests lust or passion (well apart from the book that was under the shelf which was about love and sex).

As part of the room rate, the B&B also offers welcome drinks and a forgettable plate of espasol, some goodies were also found in the room (I wasn’t too thrilled about these either, it was a very small bottle of shing-a-ling and another very small bottle of hard yema). The room rate also include a mid night snack of hot choco and churros.

The following morning, we were served a Filipino breakfast, I ordered Tapa and honey ordered tocino, it was nothing special really, but the nice view made the breakfast more special.

I have mixed feelings over the Boutique. I really admire the plan, the idea is really promising and I believe that the potential could be great. I believe the exact words I told honey is that The Boutique’s concept is superb down to the room ideas to the service included in the rates of the rooms but the execution falls short.

So will I go back? Honey liked it enough to think of going back, but I told him, I didn’t feel that it was good value for money and I’d be able to get the same or even more for less.