Thebaghag will always be Dear Daddy’s girl

Yesterday was my Dad‘s 5th death anniversary. It felt so unreal that 5 years have already passed. It’s still so fresh in my mind, the memories of when he would call me up to check up on me, no matter how busy he was with business or his socio-civic activities. His opening line was always “Are you still sleeping?” because he knows I’m such a lazy bum and am never really a morning person. He always frowned upon that because he’s been a firm believer that our days should always start early in the morning. I guess my inability to function in the morning (I’m brain dead if you ask me to start off my day at 8am) would very well count as one of his biggest disappointments since he was not really able to instill that principle in me. I try hard, Daddy— the mind is strong but the body is weak *hehee sorrrryyyyy*. I really should try a lot harder. I realize that I have no discipline when it comes to my sleeping/ waking up habits. And my being sick is a constant reminder that I should amend these bad habits. Sigh…

Anyway, our summer holidays as a family wouldn’t have been complete without him. We always flew to San Francisco, a city he loved. Dad would always take morning walks in the garden and afternoon naps in the living room while tuned in to Nickelodeon (yes, the kids channel!) He and I used to watch cartoons– and also watch those vintage cartoons with Donald Duck. We also would watch nightly reruns of the old Star Trek *yes I was a Trekkie fan :D*. It was funny because in retrospect, I realized that it really doesn’t take a lot to make my dad laugh :). I remember lusting for a pair of Nike running shoes and going with him to San Francisco Centre (Nordstrom) to “show” him the pair, and hoping of course that he’ll buy it for me. My dad was aghast at why I would like that particular pair (especially since he KNEW I never really did any “running” or any form of real exercise for that matter!). So he tried dissuading me by intentionally mispronouncing the brand (Nike) out loud 🙂 “I can’t believe you like these ‘Nick’ sneakers!”. Of course we had a good laugh. I never asked him if he will buy them for me. But I made it clear in a subtle way *nothing verbal* I wanted them (haha ok I was a spoiled brat). Dear Daddy paid for them.

I remember how DD taught me how to swim at a young age. I remember piggybacking on him as he treaded along the shallow area of our pool. Yep– no swim instructor. It was all Dad! I remember all our Hong Kong trips when we stayed at The Regent Hotel (now Intercontinental) and thought DD must be someone special since all the people at the reception knew him (of course I didn’t know then that’s what’s called “service par excellance”) . I remember staying in these big suites at The Regent– my 2 DBs would share a room and I’d end up sharing a room with DM and DD because I wasn’t old enough to have my own room (I had to wait til I finish high school!) *Muwahaha I wonder what DD would say to me now if he were alive and see the rooms I stay in (the size of a hotel closet) when I’m in HK hahaha.. Sorry DD, I’ve yet to make enough moolah to stay in a nice spacious hotel room :D*. I remember how we’d take after-dinner walks by the hotel by the Victoria Harbour. I remember how he’d walk a mile to buy Chinese appetizers ( century egg, jellyfish, goose tongue *eeew I know, but it was soo good*) for us to munch on at our hotel room. I remember back in 5th grade when my wardrobe still consisted of frilly dresses (thanks to my beloved DM, who just loved dressing me up like a doll even if I looked nothing like one– eeww), DD went and bought me these cool denim minis and a jacket in Hong Kong from Esprit (Esprit was such a hot brand back then– hehe showing my age now hehe). I remember the time DD told me that I was finally going to have my own room at the Island Shangrila hotel Pacific Place on our annual trip to Hong Kong because he said I was already “old enough” to have my own room (I was 16 by then, and I remember staying at the 56th floor with a view of the Victoria Harbour– I hardly slept that night haha too excited to have my own room!). I remember how Daddy bought me a white leather Prada bag (no, I didn’t even tell him what style to get, nor did I ask him to get it for me. And I loved using this bag!) from his business trip to Italy back in the 90s, even before Prada came to Manila. I remember how Daddy complimented me on my very first Chanel bag, even though he knew I literally starved myself so I could save up to buy it. He knew how to appreciate good quality. I remember how he would call all my other stuff “junk” because he found the clutter in my room unnecessary (well ok confession time: so I was a slob because of all that hoarding– all those cheap finds contributed to the clutter haha). I remember him roasting racks of lamb and setting off the fire alarm. I remember sitting in the car with him to go to Petrini’s to pick out our steaks which he would later grill. I remember him teaching me how to enjoy a good piece of steak. While I was in college, I remember denting my car (I hit the brick post of our house on a foggy night) and getting reprimanded by my mom *boy was she livid!!* for being so careless *and reckless* when all Daddy did was Laugh! I remember my first dance with Daddy on my 18th birthday at the then newly opened Makati Shangrila Ballroom. I remember how I drove him to my college to look at the roster of the dean’s listers during my Sophomore year and I remember how happy he was to see that I was 6th on the list. I remember how dapper my DD would look in his Zegna suits and designer ties (he was a tie fiend– Chanel, Leonard, Versace, Hermes… name the brands and he has it. He had over 300 of ’em that DM and I bought together! Look who hoards haha :D) I remember our last trip to Las Vegas where we stayed at the Bellagio, and how we went into Hermes and I had asked about the Crocodile Birkin on display and how he did a slow wolfwhistle when he found out the price 😀 I remember sharing the happy news of my engagement over the phone to Daddy while I was in San Francisco with DM and my now DH. I remember him on the day of my wedding, how we had barely spoken to each other that morning and how we refused to look at each other in the eyes for fear that we’d both cry. And I remember how he walked me down that aisle, smiling but fighting back the tears. All those events I remember, as if it were only yesterday.

He has accomplished so much in his life– he saw his dreams fulfilled in business and in the society that mattered to him. But at the end of the day, all his accomplishments and dreams aside, he still had time to be my Daddy. At the end of the day, he would always say, he is just a very simple man. But he really had a very big heart, always willing to give and give and never asked to receive. He’s always supported my bag “habit” (well those and shoes). So now I’ve become this baghag (I was once a shoe fiend, but thanks to childbirth, my feet were never the same size again *sob*) Daddy, I hope you know that I miss you. Life has never really been the same without you. Thank you for everything that you have taught me… I shall never forget them.

If DD were still alive, he’d approve of this beautiful white bag for use with my DKs.

Andrew Marc Large Kelsey tote.Because now that I have 2 DKs, a small bag just won’t do anymore. And since I am a clutter monster (yes, there’s clutter in my bag too!), the exterior pockets and that extra little coin purse would work wonders for me. No more dumping coins anywhere inside the bag. This looks like a great white bag to tote when I’m with the kiddies. Priced at US$695, I’m certain DD would approve too (but he’d say no to this bag if it were to be carried to a “night- out” with DH or friends. Hehe, he’d say “You don’t need a big bag for nights out. You’ll only end up stuffing it with more of your ‘junk'” :D). Available at neimanmarcus.com

P.S. I hope you hags don’t mind that I used my blog to do a tribute about my DD. I felt also that he should be part of this bag blog because he was also one who appreciated nice bags– he never failed to compliment the nice bags in my DM’s and my collection before :D. This post is a very personal glimpse into my life when DD was still with us in the corporeal world. I want to make sure I will never forget these memories with DD so I shared them with you– in hopes that one day should I forget, one of you will also remember to remind me!

xx