Life Lately #3

Life lately? A chaotic mix of “I deserve a break” and “I should really get my life together.” I’ve been teetering between calm and chaos, making it up as I go—but if winging it with style counts as personal growth, then I must be thriving. So here I am again, writing it all down—not because it’s extraordinary, but because it’s mine. Let’s catch up.

Thursday night set the tone in the best way: a casual date at Thai Central. No dressing up, no reservations—just two people choosing each other over bowls of beef stew noodles and a sizzling plate of pork and veggies that could probably cure the common cold. The noodles were rich, the pork was sizzling hot, and we left with full bellies and happy hearts.

Back home, we capped the night with Men in Black II, because what says romance like aliens, sarcasm, and Will Smith in a black suit?

Friday was Matariki, so we had the gift of a quiet public holiday—and true to winter form, it rolled in grey and rainy. The kind of weather that practically begs for soup. So we made bulalo, because what else do you do when you have beef shanks and misty skies? Nothing says domestic bliss like simmering beef bones at 9AM.

Photo above grabbed from Panlasang Pinoy

Bulalo is a comforting Filipino soup made with tender beef shanks and bone marrow.

Later, we curled up and watched The Sum of All Fears, a 2002 thriller where Ben Affleck plays a young CIA analyst trying to stop a nuclear war. Just a casual little film about geopolitical doom. Dinner was leftover fish and chips with aioli. Reheated. Still elite.

Saturday brought a hint of sunshine—and the motivation to put on pants and leave the house. Brunch at Double Shot Café was a hearty mix of big breakfast plate and fettuccine pasta. The portions were so generous, I ended up taking my pasta to go.

After that, we wandered around town aimlessly until we stumbled on Smiths, a shoe store having a closing-down sale. Naturally, this led to an unplanned (but highly justified) Crocs purchase for AJ and me. My first pair ever. No regrets, only arch support.

Somewhere between “We’re just looking” and “I’ll probably wear these every day,” I also picked up a jacket from Kathmandu—because apparently I’m prepping for an alpine expedition. (Kidding. I just needed something to survive Taupō’s one-degree mornings, especially now that I’m cycling to and from work.)

Still buzzing from caffeine and minor retail euphoria, we walked along the lake for an hour. The breeze was crisp, the views were peaceful, and winter felt like it was gently tapping us on the shoulder.

That night, dinner was alfonsino fish cooked with onions, garlic, and an excessive amount of tomatoes and lemon.

Fun fact: Alfonsino is a deep-sea fish known for its rich, buttery flesh and bright red color. It’s often found at depths of over 1,000 meters, making it a bit of a recluse—but a very delicious one.

Sunday was a full-on lazy day. We had leftover bulalo for breakfast—yes, again—then dove into a back-to-back movie marathon. First up was Kiss the Girls (1997), a psychological thriller based on James Patterson’s novel, where Morgan Freeman plays a forensic psychologist tracking a serial kidnapper. Second movie was The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023), a slow-burn gothic horror set on a doomed ship unknowingly transporting Dracula. Based on a single eerie chapter from Bram Stoker's Dracula, it left just the right amount of creep lingering in the room afterward.

By the end of the night, I realized the weekend had stretched just long enough to give me exactly what I didn’t know I needed: a bit of rest, quality time with someone I love, and a gentle reminder that joy doesn’t always need an itinerary.

We didn’t travel far, climb a mountain, or do anything particularly groundbreaking. But we ate well, laughed a lot, powered through four movies, and made a spontaneous purchase or two along the way.

If that’s not a perfect long weekend, I’m not sure what is.