Flora 101

I had my own fair share of receiving bouquet of flowers not just because it was Valentines, sometimes during ‘saries (yes month & anniv, etc.) I have even received a humongous bouquet one New Year’s Day several years ago. I am a flower fan although I always have this projection that I’m not a person really fond of flowers especially during my younger years because 1. I don’t know how to explain to my parents that this guy gave it to me, 2. I don’t want to be teased by my friends and classmates and 3. I don’t know how to drive nor have a car to drive. It always embarrasses me to commute holding one big bunch of bouquet because people would often stare at me. I love spring flowers – daisies, mums, gerberas. Roses? Not too much. But I always have a thing for baby’s breath, asters, lily of the valley and the likes. I know all about stargazers and hydrangeas too. Well we know all about the Gumamelas (Hibiscus if you want to be sosyal) since it’s the main ingredients of our bubbles, the Santan flowers (raise your hand those who would sip the stems of the small flowers because they tasted sweet?). My mother loves the Boungavilleas, with their thorny stems and flimsy petals, she used to collect different shades of this type in our garden back in our hometown. We know the Yellow Bells (Campanilla), Calachuchi (oh we feared it’s smell when we were younger, reminds us of funerals), the orchids – we love them during graduations and our Moms and Aunts collects them, placing coconut husks, eggshells, attaching the plants to dead trees, watering it with beer or their special human urine concoction – oh yes! My Mama and some aunt are orchid freaks when I was young.

I know a lot about flowers right? WRONG.

I have never been so flower dumb in my entire life.

I was amazed that there is this a whole new world of flower education. I met (well we’re just emailing, I haven’t met him personally – yet) this one amazing guy who knows all about flowers. Well he’s a master in that field, it’s his business to know it alright but man, when I was asked what flowers to I have in mind I was speechless. All I know is that I love colors, I love small petals, I hate gigantic flowers and I hate spiky and too much green in one flower arrangement.

I started googling all about the flowers I have heard and learned from the master and you can click each flowers to have an idea of what they look like. I have just learned all about Statice, Agaphantus, Snapdragon, Alstromeria, Eryngium, Peonies, etc.

It’s crazy! I was overwhelmed with too much information to absorb and all details of what they looks like so I could remember. More about flowers to be posted on the wedsite soon.

So gentlemen, very timely for the Vday, KNOW YOUR FLOWERS. Enough of the roses (Oh well unless they’re American long stemmed or Ecuadorian). Try a little research and impress the ladies.

The Year of the Rabbit

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

As we prepare for the Chinese New Year, it won’t hurt to follow a few Chinese traditions that could bring prosperity, good luck and happiness to us and to our families. It worked for our Chinese brothers and sisters so why don’t we try it and see for ourselves. Here are some tips that you can try at home:

ON FEB. 2, fill your dining table with fruits, particularly pineapple, pomelo, orange, apple, banana, grapes and dragon fruit, to attract money, harmony and prosperity. And, who doesn’t want that? Five means harvest and luck in Chinese.

Don’t forget to put two pieces of ang pao on the table so you can have better luck in the Year of the Metal Rabbit. Add more candies like macapuno on table because they mean “home sweet home.”

It would be auspicious also to have watermelon and lotus seeds on the table which signify money and luck, respectively, in Chinese.

Have your rice bin filled up during the Chinese New Year and place on top more lucky stuff like Chinese lettuce, Chinese celery, spring onions, carrots with leaves and lotus root. The lotus root implies harmonious relationship between husband and wife.

Add kiat kiat or mini ponkans on top of the rice bin overnight with P168 inside the rice bin. Don’t use coins. Use paper notes. Then, place one piece of ang pao on top of them all. (And how can we produce an exact P168 without using coins? The answer varies, you can add old P2 bills or write a check hehehe – Anne)

It is also advised to wear new underwear (hehe) and a new pair of slippers. Then you take a bath to remove all the bad luck of 2010. Even if you’re lucky in 2010 you still need to do it for the Year of the Rabbit. Use the new items you purchased :)

It is also advised that families go to Makati because Makati is the Philippine’s business district and because money is concentrated in that area.

The Year of the Metal Rabbit is generally a better year than the Tiger (last year). It promises a romantic year for everybody. Business will bloom, specifically in trading, mining (gold), real estate, hotel business.

Lucky colors of the Metal Rabbit, white, sky blue, gold, red, peach, silver, green, orange, pink and violet.

Love life in general is good for everyone except those under the rat sign (those under the rat signs, don’t feel sad… these are just guide – Anne).

Lucky signs this year: Rabbit, Horse, Goat, Dragon, Rat and Ox.

These advises were from the renowned Hong Kong-based geomancer Joseph Chau, feng shui consultant of Mandarin Oriental, Manila.

So there you go boys and girls, all the best this New Year. I bet all my single friends (whom majority are born on the year of the Goat, will be happy this year for it was advised in almost all sites that romance will blossom for all single ladies born with our sign, a few lucky ones will even get married this year (huwahaha!). Take care and happy year of the Rabbit!!!