Happy New year!

A most wonderful 2012!  My last round of golf for the year was at Eastridge Golf & Country Club.  I quickly took this picture before the sun went down.

2013 is a chance to start over and create new memories.  I welcome 2013 with open arms and with much gratitude in my heart.  To be alive, to live and to be able to love.

Happy New Year to all!  May your handicaps go down for 2013.

Fore!

Year end golf sales!

Attention all golfers! It's that time of the year... (much like Black Friday) when lots of golf equipment, apparel and other golf goodies go on sale.

Check this out:

TGW it's the year end clearance sale with almost 70% off on selected golf items.

 Golfsmith it's 60% Clearance men's and women's apparel and more.

Golf Essentials for Women there's 10% off your entire purchase.

Budget golf-  has steals like outerwear for $29.96 only!

Golf Shoes Only - Is having an after Christmas sales event where you can save over $100 on select golf shoes.

Sandbaggers - Has a clearance section on golf sandals.  Plus their new colorful slip on mesh golf shoes are so cute.

Happy shopping!

Fore!

Tonight's going to be a GOOD Night!

Apl De Ap in Boracay

What a Christmas treat to be able to watch Apl. de. ap live in Boracay!

Apl de ap  who is best known as a member of the Grammy award winning group The Black Eyed Peas, was such a delightful performer.

Perhaps it is because he gives so much to his fans as well as the communities and children within the Philippines who he is committed to help thru the Apl. de. ap foundation.

Everyone had fun and declared it a Good good night!

Come back soon Apl de ap!!!!

It's almost Christmas!

Paragliders Christmas party

Two more days and it's Christmas!  How time flies.  It's been a hectic but delightful December. Lots of catching up with friends and loved ones. There were just too many events that by the time I sat down to write I realized that it had been three weeks since my last post.  So very quickly here were some of the highlights....

A friendly tournament between the Southwoods and Forest Hills ladies

Tournaments with the  other ladies golf clubs are almost always competitive.  So to have one just for fun was terrific.

Forest Hills and Southwoods Ladies 

At Forest Hills

With Beachie Abiera, Eleanor Leung, Violy Pegels and Claire Ong

Ready for Greensome?

Christmas in the sky!

 Santa came with wings this year!

The Christmas invitation said we had to come in costumes.  So i came in scrubs.

With my flying coach Buko

A flying scuba diver?

Even the kids got to fly!

The flying Veneracion family

I asked santa for my own wing for Christmas.  I hope it comes on time....

Pot Session

Christmas will not be complete without our annual Raku pot session.

Raku fire

With no time to change from flying i ran off to the annual Christmas Raku party at the the PettyJohns in Laguna.

With Pot buddy Pablo Capati

While waiting for the pots to fire there's lots of singing and well yes drinking...

The highlight is when we open the kiln.

We normally get together days after for a Christmas dinner to exchange pots.  How cool is that?

Ging Pajaro and Rescy Bhagwani

The potheads at Peppon Rondain's pot house

Small Group

As the days get closer to Christmas and the schedules get tighter, our "small group" had time to squeeze in our family Christmas party.

With my inaanak Nate Alcasid

The kids loved it!

Lots of fun games.  Thanks to Liza who put the games together!

Liza Martinez

Even the the "bigger kids" loved it!

With Tessa, Crickett, Sandy, Jovy, Liza, Cris & Regine

With Dindo, Jojo Tad, Job, Anthony, Rubby, Dingdong & Ogie

What a blessing to have such lovely friends to spend the holiday season with!

So there! Now off to the beach with my family for some quiet Christmas time.  On the way to the airport and we bumped into my favorite Apl De Ap!

I know tonight's going to be a good night!

With the loves of my life

My first born Christian Ignacio

But Christmas will NEVER BE COMPLETE without my firstborn Christian who we are missing so very much!!! Come home soon baby boy!!!!

Have an awesome awesome Christmas everyone!!!!!

You know it's Christmas when...

One Christmas carol get's a whole mall singing...

Why Fly?

Why fly?

Why not?

Well, I fly because I can.  And it's fun.  Because life is too short.  Because there are other fun things to do aside from golf.

With my paragliding instructor Buko

This time of the year in the Philippines brings in the Amihan or the cool northeast wind. It's wonderful for paragliding because the temperatures are moderate and there's usually little rainfall.

Perfect conditions for flying.

Even with a paramotor.

Black Friday Madness

Just before midnight at Macy's 

Imagine the Mega Mall Midnight Madness sales in Manila and multiply that across the country.  That's how i would describe the Black Friday sprees in the U.S. Last year most stores opened at midnight. But this year some stores like Target were already open at 9:00 p.m.  Over at Best Buy some shoppers were camped out of the store a few days before Thanksgiving just to make sure they had a slot to go in. This to get a 50"inch TV for half off.  Unbelievable!  

For a couple of years now my niece Selene and I have started to make it a tradition to head out before midnight to check out the madness. We start the day with a hearty Thanksgiving family lunch. One can't shop on an empty stomach after all ...

Then the bargain hunting begins. Our first stop was Target.  The lines were busy as expected. Next stop was Macy's where a large crowd was waiting for midnight to strike so they could begin their shopping.  As soon as the doors opened there was a mad rush to get in. It was scary to watch these mad shoppers acting like it was the last shopping day of the world! The women scrambled to the shoe department.  Then in just a matter of minutes the piles of shoe boxes disappeared! It was like they were possessed and just had to bring a pair home.

Some shoppers get vicious so most stores now have their bouncer like security guys on watch.

For golfers Black friday is  the best time to stock up on your golf must haves. From Golfsmith to TGW, Golfmart, Budget Golf and more!

For the crafty ones, the sales really begin at 6:00 a.m on Friday.  Much awaited are Michaels, Joan's Fabrics and Aaron brothers.

Then there are the constant favorites like H & M

You can literally shop all day Friday .. 

Now that's what i call retail therapy.