Hey girl, you rock!

Yes, folks, I rock! And I rock, two times!! Well, at least according to two of my favorite blogger friends: Tracy of Alaskan Adventures and Cookie of ScroochChronicles. :) Thank you so much, you two, I am extremely flattered yet humbled and touched that you think so. I happen to think you both rock too!

If you haven't already had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely women, let me give you a little introduction. Tracy is a fellow travel junkie who shares my love for adventure and the occasional adrenalin fix. I've been reading her blog since I first discovered blogs. She has a flair for writing about her life on the road that makes you feel like you were right there with her, or at the very least makes you want to be right there with her. Don't let her tag line deceive you, she's anything but ordinary. She is a very independent woman whose courage and determination I admire greatly.

Cookie is a loving mama to two adorable and lucky little girls. She writes mostly heartwarming stories that reflect the joys of motherhood. Her love and devotion to her family is truly remarkable. Cookie's blog is all that and more, like Forest's box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. That's one of the things I like most about her. She's a multi-faceted woman and it shows in her posts.

So now it's my turn to spread the love. As usual, this is going to be tough, very very tough. Since I started reading blogs about two years ago, I've 'met' so many strong, intelligent, funny and incredible women who have so generously shared their lives with whoever cared to listen. I really think they all rock. And as much as I'd like to give this award to all of them, I don't think it's supposed to work that way. So I'll pick seven, just because I like that number.

Joey of 80 Breakfasts - If haven't already met Joey, you need to head on over to her blog right now. There you'll find a lady of immense talent. The talent to create enticing dishes, the talent to capture some of the most beautiful food shots, the talent to entertain you with her colorful stories, and most importantly to me, the talent to remain a trusted and loyal friend for life. Yes, this girl truly rocks my world!

Rowena of Rubber Slippers in Italy -Rowena is an island girl living in the Lombardy region of Italy. Can you imagine how wonderful that must be? She weaves stories of food and travel together so beautifully that I love to live vicariously through her and her cute-as-a-button pup Maddie. Rowena is a genuinely warm person who I hope to meet someday.

Bee of Rasa Malaysia - I discovered Bee's site before a trip to Kota Kinabalu earlier this year. I was researching Malaysian cuisine and serendipitously stumbled upon this gem. Her gorgeous photography and mouth-watering recipes lured me in and made me a willing captive. After my trip and hours spent reading her blog, I developed a better understanding and deep appreciation of Malaysian cuisine of which I am grateful. This Bee rocks the blog hive!

Mae of Rice and Noodles - Mae constantly blows my mind with her photographs and writing. Her blog is one of the classiest in the blogosphere and it's always such a delight to visit. You just know she's the type of woman who can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. She's a creative genius and her talent extends beyond the kitchen. Check out her beautiful photography here.

Wysgal of Rants & Raves - Wysgal is an apt nickname for her, for she's wise beyond her years. And her blog is a wonderful resource for all things notable - be they restaurant reviews, books, articles, travel destinations and music. She's about to embark on an exciting two year journey at Wharton, yup, this lady is definitely going places and I'm eager to read all about it!

Mila of Watergirl - Mila rocks because she's an intelligent and sensitive woman and a very thoughtful and generous friend. What initially brought us together was a shared passion for football (or soccer to some of you), but what sustained our friendship was a most basic formula of great conversation, comfortable company and a love of good food.

Shalimar of Wanderlust Sha - It's funny how I first discovered Shalimar. I was toying with the idea of naming my own blog Wanderlust (in fact I do have a registered blog with 1derlust in the addy, and was supposed to name it the Wanderings of a gypsy soul) but didn't want to 'steal it' from anyone who was already using it. So I did an extensive search and found Sha. The first thing that caught my attention was that she was Filipina too and that she lived in Greece and travelled often. I knew at that instant I was in for a wonderful journey. Shalimar is a rockin woman with a rockin job that has her travelling to the most beautiful ports and discovering the most wonderful food along the way. She makes me wish I could trade lives with her even for a day.

Keep on rockin' ladies! And feel free to spread the love... :)

They make me think happy thoughts

I am tickled pink! My dear friend, Jo-jo, who you all know as Joey of the very charming and delicious blog 80 breakfasts, (Jo-jo is my pet name for her) presented me with the The Thinking Blogger Award. I was taken by surprise to say the least and extremely flattered, considering the many exceptional blogs I know she reads. Despite having a multitude of choices to include in her list she picked lil of me, awww... thanks Jo, that really made my day . :)

If someone else had presented me with this award, Joey would definitely be on my own shortlist of bloggers who make me think. She inspires me everyday with her joie de vivre and she approaches life with a childlike wonder that I adore so much. But because the award came from her I will pay it forward to five other bloggers who make me think.

Those of you who know me personally or have read a handful of my blog entries would know that travel, food, photography and books are high on my totem pole of things I am passionate about. And though the blogs I read encompass a variety of subject matters, I tend to gravitate towards those whose authors share my passion. And if the blog combines two or more of those passions? Well then they've most definitely got themselves a new stalker!

So here they are, the five blogs I stalk because they inspire me and make me think:

Ariela of Baking and Books - From the first moment I stumbled upon Ari's site I felt we were kindred spirits. We both love baking, reading, breakfast, coffee and we both have a big dog we adore to pieces. Her posts are all at once informative, enjoyable, absorbing and addicting! Many times I catch myself thinking about what cookbook she'll be reviewing next, who interesting personality she'll be interviewing or what exciting and funny culinary adventure (and misadventure) story she'll have for us. Ari has also taught me a lot about Jewish culture and cuisine, and it is because of her I have added Israel to the list of places I must visit before I die.

Ilva of Lucullian Delights - If I were to choose one word to describe Ilva and her blog, it would be captivating. I am in awe of this woman's talent! She has this gift of seeing the beauty in everything even the most mundane which she captures so precisely and beautifully in her photographs. And if food porn is your thing, her recipes include images that are, simply put, eye candy. It just so happens that as I write this I am in the middle of a photography course and I draw a lot of my inspiration from her, so thank you, Ilva! :) Oh and another thing, she makes me seriously think about throwing caution to the wind and moving to Tuscany!

Mimi of French Kitchen in America - Mimi charmed me with the first sentence I read on her blog and she still continues to do so. Everything about her site makes me think of curling up in front of a fireplace with a soft warm blanket on my lap and my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of cocoa. She tells the most fascinating, thought-provoking and heart-warming stories about life, family, food and everything in between. To quote Mimi, her blog is not about food, "it's about tasting life." Can it get any better than that? Yes, because all that is peppered with glimpses of life in the gorgeous French countryside. :)

Carlos of Walk This Way - Yeah, Carlos is an old friend who I've known since I was in diapers so you may think this is a wee bit biased, but heck, the man makes me think! And what can this guy who practically slept through high school make me think about, you may ask? Well, for one, the city (and country) I live in. He has taught me to look beyond the grimy surface, to recognize the beauty that we thought was lost forever and to love the country I live in . His passion is infectious and those who meet him are changed forever. Carlos sums it all up perfectly with his philosophy: "I can't change the way Manila looks, but I can change the way you look at Manila."

Rama of Poch Ang Ina Mo - Rama is a 5 yr. old who will make you laugh and cry, charm your pants off and melt your heart. Her stories, as told by her mom Poch, will make you think you want a child of your own right this minute! (Yes, I said think because as much as I adore kids, I am quite happy and content to be surrounded by my nephews and nieces - who I love to pieces - at the moment) To see life through Rama's eyes is to learn to appreciate the simple joys, to be reminded of the thrill of discovery, and to realize that all is good in the world again.

So there you have it. Phew, that was no easy task as there are so many deserving blogs to choose from.

A heartfelt thanks to the five of you who make me think, you've enriched my life beyond measure. :) If you'd like to play along (again, for some of you), please write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.