A self-destructing phone case is normal for me.
Sigh… another phone cover shopping time.

I saw an awesome phone protector designed to look like an old-school Nintendo console controller– But it’s only for iPhones? And freakin’ $20+???

I’m sorry to fellow owners of the Samsung Reality– the phone cover choices are fewer than Season 1 Pokemon.

In shopping for a new phone case, I’ve read hard cases are more protective and slimmer than rubber cases– but I reeeeally wanted that Nintendo controller case. Oh well, I can just be extra careful. If I wanted a non-existent Samsung Reality phone case… I’d have to “make” one.

Even better, my rubber case was only $3.99 on eBay. Plus I already own fabric paint (Less than $2 per color at Wal-mart)

Materials:
White rubber/silicone case for your phone
Fabric paint (Red, black, and gray)
Inky pen
Enamel spray paint (optional)

1.) Take the “back half” of the case. Keep the outside facing you and rotate so the “camera hole” is on the right side (positioned like in the drawing above)

2.) With the pen, sketch this onto the case. (see “step 2″ image above) Make sure lines are straight! Yes– die-hard Nintendorks don’t have to tell me I’ve drawn an extra middle line. Well– the proportions were off so I HAD to add that!

3.) Follow the image and color in the black areas with your black fabric paint. Then go play some Mario Bros. By the time you defeat the last Hammer Brothers pair the paint should be dry.

4.) Get your gray paint and color in those horizontal gray lines. Remember– the middle part with the two black “buttons” remains white.

5.) Now get to level 50 on Tetris before advancing. After all that paint dries, use your red fabric paint to draw in the red buttons at the bottom right. And those extra red “dots” and “squigly lines” aren’t mistakes. Since it’s difficult to write small print with the fabric paint, just draw wiggly red lines in those other areas. (Follow the picture)

6.) Is your phone dry? Even when dry, you’ll notice the paint part feels “sticky”– you can spray a thin layer of the enamel to prevent that. Remember– only spray in a well-ventilated area.

Cover up your phone! Now get your friends to say “awwwwww SNAP!” whenever you lift up your stylish, retro-ized phone to your ear.

Note: Markers/Sharpies don’t work! It rubs off. This should work for most white, rubber phone cases despite location of camera/speaker holes. Ha! iPhones don’t have to be the only ones with cool cases.

Final end of procession-- the Santo Nino shrine against St. Paul's Catholic Church

Here an Asian fan. There a statue of the Virgin Mary. Here a barong. There a cross.
Ah– the blend of religion and culture.
Ah– the blend of the Catholic religion and the Philippine culture.

Statue of Virgin Mary watches over the Sinulog dance honoring her Son

Tampa Bay Filipinos gathered to celebrate the Sinulog (aka Feast of the Santo Nino) at St. Paul’s Catholic Church by performing in the pews, running around the statues of saints, dancing in the halls and eating over any flat surface.

Sinulog comes from the Cebuano word “sulog” indicating a river-like movement. After the Spaniards taught the pagan Filipino-Cebuano natives about the Santo Nino (aka baby Jesus), the Filipinos took such a devotion to Him they transformed their pagan dance moves to one that would honor the Santo Nino instead. Dancing in waves while waving flowers and personal statues of the Santo Nino, the crowd moves like a river… hence “sinulog.”

To this day, commemorating the past where the Philippines gave up its pagan ways to embrace Christianity is still a big deal. Perhaps the Sinulog hasn’t reached Superbowl status such as in the home country– but the Filipinos in Tampa still gather.

A packed mass began the celebration. Besides readings in various Philippine dialects, a quick reenactment of the Cebuanos honoring the Santo Nino took place (elaborately costumed participants wove through the aisles towards the “princess” at the front who displayed a statue of the Santo Nino) Images of the Santo Nino and His honored mother led the way for a prayerful procession around the church grounds before a free lunch is enjoyed. The church hall then invited all to dance the Sinulog before organizations also performed choreographed dances.

PAAT (Philippine American Association of Tampa) performs

As a bit of a Catholic snob I did cringe a bit at the sight of my fellow Pinoys who treated the day like a free Philfest. Forget the rosary procession! Once mass ended there’s a rush of (duh who else?) teens like zombies towards the food. And don’t forget those who didn’t appear dressed to impress… impress God that is. And what’s with all the stands trying to make a personal profit? (I’ll understand if some of the profits were for donation)Plus something about performances during mass… I’ll have to look that one up.

Haha, this saintly statue has suddenly become a place to eat lunch

I was disappointed the only Philippine representative of this year’s lunch was an empanada. The sticky rice, lumpia, and pancit were replaced by cookies(?) chips(?) and a turkey sandwich(?!?). At least the lack of food culture was substituted by the culture in the Sinulog dances. Besides costumes ranging from simple wraps to traditional Philippine dresses, each performance followed the accepted music and gave honor to the Santo Nino through their movements.

Despite some lack of homage-paying by some fellow Filipinos, this feast of the Santo Nino still stirred Philippine pride within me… and Catholic pride as well.

You’re welcome to click on the pictures and travel to the Sinulog with me.

Date of this year’s event: January 15, 2012
St. Paul’s Catholic Church
Tampa, FL

But Rollbotto is different than its predecessors– and I predict its unique concept will help it survive.
Forget the server or the ‘date night’ atmosphere. Forget tipping or feeling rushed to exit so the next table can be seated. You enter and march up to the counter where tiny menus are glued to the glass.

The Yellow Submarine Roll

Step 1) Choose your roll style or bowl
Step 2) Choose your “protein”
Step 3) What are your add-ons? (choose two)
(or for the lazy, select some pre-designed specialty rolls)

It’s like going to Subway and watching my sub being passed from container to container. And yes– robots get into the mix. Bots prep the rice on the seaweed and slice the end result into perfect pieces. And did I mention the miso soup is by machine? (shudders)… but… the taste of it all… even the miso… WOW! I don’t think there was a taste difference between this and any other sushi restaurant. I didn’t see the seafood go into the containers, but it sure tasted fresh along with all the other ingredients. Add-ons weren’t overbearing and all flavors worked well together.

There’s still lots of improvements to be made in the non-food areas. Please add warmth to the almost pristine, surgical lab-restaurant appearance, increase preparation speed (people expect Subway/Chipotle speed now), and a few “hey! We’re over here!” ads wouldn’t hurt. (Ahem, coincidently I design media). But the (cute!) co-owner was wandering among the customers and seemed very enthusiastic about feedback and improvements.

Would you believe this is a sushi restaurant?

As an independent lady, I get into MANY sushi moods but HATE being the sad loner in sit-down restaurants by myself… and I’d rather not suffer under those left-out, wannabe-sushi from supermarkets. Cost-wise, sushi rolls are near similar in price to other restaurants, but because of the great, casual sushi deli-ness, I’m sure it will soon become the gang leader in Downtown.

Rollbotto
221 2nd Avenue North, Suite 106
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

2010 left Pyra with a cheating ex-BF and being let go from a job. I thought my luck was turning after another job interview…

… and then I begun the only Soap Opera I ever hope to witness…

I thought only Archie got into these situations. Well… I got a job…

And my Soap Opera continued with two situations I’d rather not remember… (Dumb “V”… dumb “D”)

Staying with bad guys… becoming “the other lady”… suddenly moving alone… my family all spread out… no wonder Pyra suddenly wasn’t so hot. Wow… I’ve never been so depressed.

Maybe it’s cliche, but seriously– God slapped me with a Bible.

Since that CFC Singles for Christ conference, I’ve been happy. No TSA-agent, platy-fish dying or discontinuation of the Oreo-O cereal has wiped it. I’ve had an obsession (or a catching up?) of being an “Experiencer” once more:

… and yes… there is a NICE guy in the picture. And this time my brain is in it as well as my heart (and other body parts)

Here’s to a MUCH BETTER, FULLER 2012. God bless.

I'm ready to work my way down the Springs

Even though traveling to Weeki Wachee Springs from St. Petersburg, FL is parallel to hiking in a rainstorm through a desert (is there a town-wide ban on Taco Bells and Sweetbay Supermarkets?) the sudden increase of greenery and decrease of struggles to breathe were very welcoming. The trees suddenly opened up to reveal the famed water park of Weeki Wachee’s famous mermaids… and launching site of our kayaking adventure.

I’ve been here before but in a hard-to-manage, clunky unbalanced canoe… kayaks are kindergarten breezy by comparison. Wait, there’s many places to kayak around the Bay– why Weeki Wachee? True, but compared to the fertilizer happy, water-that-looks-darker-than-my-hair-during-a-blackout, swamps of the Bay, Weeki Wachee’s spring water is clear and clean. You WANT to swim in it.

And that we did.

I didn't get as much height as I thought

The journey through the Springs is fun. Many kind water-lovers of the past had already strung small piers, Tarzan swings and ladders along the water. It didn’t matter no one else was swimming… nature was my playground. Plus the springs of Weeki Wachee create a thin river with a slight current (making it easier for kayak noobs to travel) and Thai partner Pij and I just followed the water.

Gorgeous, clear water right?

Other travelers and even homeowners along the water were happy to offer tips. Manatees swimming through the springs is a big draw… but alas, Pij and I were early during our November visit. In wanting to go kayaking while it was still warm, we were trading our comfort for missing the manatees who go to the springs when the weather turns cold.

It’s more than kayaking, Weeki Wachee is clear water, swimming water, fish everywhere… a natural playground. I’m putting down my Nintendo games… I have a strong urge to buy a kayak.

Another alas, my three-year-old “waterproof” camera decided it was time to abruptly retire… thus resulting in only a few pictures of my trip. But if you want to come kayaking with me… just click on my pictures or here.

A slave.

Life suddenly changed when the plush Peep’s owner, Brother Bamboo, accidently left “his possession” with me. Under Pyra’s care a new world suddenly opened up for Peep.

Trying delicious fresh salsas

Peep relaxing with some cabernet sauvignon

Instead of eating pocket lint, Peep was treated to new flavors and textures.

Taking in a true BIRD'S-eye view of the Pier

He has explored St. Petersburg, Fl like a native and explorer.

Peep wasn’t just the entertainment anymore. He WAS the entertained.

But happiness like this never lasts long. The wave of emotion tilted the other way when Peep’s true master was called into Pyra’s domain via marching band competition. Reluctantly, Peep freshened up and clothed in his best for Brother Bamboo’s return.

Clothed and ready to return to his master

Never underestimate a master’s love for his slave. Brother Bamboo was near tears upon receiving Peep and ran away without giving his sister a hug.

… and never underestimate a slave’s love for his master. Perhaps it’s the Stockholm syndrome effect, but even clothed in the most recent duckling fashion, Peep never glanced back at me.

A smaller dance number from 2010's Bill and Ted

I cringed as the sexy females strutted towards the back unbuttoning their blouses while timing their steps to the pulsing music. I wasn’t cringing at the mini-stripping… I cringed at the dancing. It was awful!

It’s still the season for theme parking and Halloween events are still fresh in my skull. In hosting such a top-notch Halloween event featuring crazy special effects and over-the-top scares, you’d figure Universal Studios in Orlando can invest in decent dancers. I sat open-mouthed during the always funny Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Show at Halloween Horror Nights. Jokes were corny, but funny. Acting was great (this is freakin’ Universal Studios after all) but the dancing? I didn’t remember this many dance numbers at past Halloween Horror Nights events… and perhaps it was better left that way. It was like watching my high school’s junior cheerleaders returning from a strip club– stab my eyes!

All together in Fiends

And yes Disney, we know you somehow manage to grab every budding and aging singers, actors and pop dancers so I can’t really talk about you.

Meanwhile, Busch Gardens Tampa has become the next choice for artists who have either been rejected by Disney or prefer the coast. I always watch jealously during every Fiends show at Howl-O-Scream. Although the script has barely changed, my eyes can’t help but wander to the “sexy nurses.” Not only are they eye-catching in pink wigs and skimpy nurse outfits, but they can DANCE (individual and as a group)! And if you can’t fill the nurses’ D-cups, there’s always room for more dancers as the cute, purple-wigged “bat ladies.” And did I mention singing? BGT seems to enjoy throwing its talented singers into everything… there’s even singing in its animal show!

Singing at dancing with animals at BGT's Critter Castaways

So Universal Studios… why? I love you as a theme park, but why did your Halloween show try to be a dance-off? Between its Horror Make-Up Show, Sinbad and many acting moments throughout the park, I realized there are NO performance involving singing or dancing. The “dancers” at Bill and Ted were probably all strictly actors forced to dance… but whyyyyy? Was the sudden burst of dancing, sexiness and lip-synching an attempt to jab at Howl-O-Scream? And Disney, we know you’ll never put on a massively sexy show.

I’m not trying to convince you to visit one theme park event over another. This is just merely an observation from a theme park snob.

It was Dia De Los Muertos– a Mexican celebration to honor the dead– and Casa Tina’s Mexican Restaurant had pulled me into the town of Dunedin through its annual outdoor festival. Local businesses not only participated by building altars at their stores, but if you visited all altars, Casa Tina’s promised a tequila shot.

One of the smaller altars inside the Candy Bar

Destiny? Natural selection? Two Asian girls stumbled through the map and half the stores had closed for the night. (I choose destiny– a tequila shot on us may have led to foreign songs and wedding rings)

Finally– I paid my respects at the festival and whispered a prayer to the person closest to me who had died.

Try and count how many animals appear on this mural... we couldn't

But it was still a joyous event featuring Mexican food, decorating sugar skulls vendors and live music.

NO! I refuse to be one of those squealing foodie-wannabes who react to Food Trucks in the same way a middle school cheerleader faints upon seeing the Biebs. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t… Wait… Dena is going too? Suddenly the image of me spending a Saturday morning alone reading a sci-fi and eating leftover noodles seemed… sad.

Cucumber mint on the left... Strawberry on the right (Whatever Pops)

And that’s how I found myself surrounded by about 20 mobile kitchens. Unlike Tampa’s last attempt to beat DisneyWorld in creating the longest lines for the shortest entertainment, Tampa’s Food Truck Rally version TWO was hands-down a better experience. More trucks… shorter lines… cooperating weather… more places to relax… and more visible entertainment.

With more time, I was able to sample tidbits from many different areas… but these were the most memorable:

Ceviche from Tacos Ceviche (I swear that was the name on the “truck.”— the freshness of the lime, cilantro, tomatoes and onions created a delicious mix, but I wished for a greater variety of meat. I love my fish and shrimp… but it would’ve been cooler to add the texture and flavor of other seafood.

Ceviche

Spicy tuna bowl from Fish Out of Water—Umm… we’re Asian snobs… and this is sushi from a truck… would we be disowned if we enjoyed it? Then disown us! Besides creating a highly photogenic meal, the bowl was deliciously spicy and the tuna could’ve easily wrestled with the best of restaurants.

The beautiful (and tasty) Spicy Tuna Bowl

Various popsicles from Whatever Pops—But the cucumber mint really loved me back. With an unusually “cool” and “leafy” taste and gritty texture, I loved it! This little pushcart featured more naturally created and crazy mixtures.

And everything tastes better when eaten on a picnic blanket above the grass.

With representatives for Mexican, burgers, cupcakes, soup, slushies, jerk chicken, sushi, Cuban and more… there was something for everyone.

I still firmly believe Food Trucks are an overhyped novelty—a top-notch food court on wheels minus the shopping or carnival rides. But judging from the way the flocks milled around, it was still a good experience that allowed the norms to taste a variety of food in one location.

Visit Tampa’s second Food Truck Rally by clicking through my pictures.
And show some love to Ms. Dena’s blog—she focuses on the foodie part of this whole experience

Asia Trend Magazine hosted its second annual Asian Cultural Expo (inside the awesomely fun Downtown Disney)

Did I mention tiny? The expo’s size was obviously not reflecting how many Chinese are overtaking the world—just a handful of tents. But wait… didn’t I see dozens of tents? Perhaps not coincidently, dragon boat races were taking place nearby along the Disney waterfront. The tents served as the home base for teams from all over the country.

Although there were only a few Asian-loving tents, the stage was the Expo’s focus. I cheered as the Filipino team from UCF showed off some of my country’s dances (sprinkled with humor). I clapped at the Malaysian cultural performances, Japanese fans, Tai Chi and Chinese yo-yo workshops among many others. (The yo-yo workshop WOULD’VE been fun if it weren’t for my show-off Thai partner Pij who managed to make all beginners look like manatees)

The headliners were the always entertaining Taiko drummers– a crazy crowd of people ranging from recent toddlers to senior citizens and all still managing to beat drums in unison.

Just as entertaining were the continuous dragon boat races. Watching those graceful boats glide by through the power of paddles dancing to a drum beat made me want to join them in the water. Ah… maybe someday.

And of course… there’s still all the Legos, Mickey ears and restaurants of Downtown Disney to explore when you’re done.

Next year, I hope the expo grows in size (because I’d also love to also LOOK at Asian culture within some tents—who wants to sell bonsai trees?), hire me as the MC, and have even more performances! And next year… I hope to see you there! (… and especially you Asians)

Meanwhile, visit the expo by clicking on my pictures