120/365 photoblog: Jolly

It was a really pleasant surprise when my brother Karl actually brought home these Jolly products because I was supposed to bring these home from the PR group and as you can see, these are heavy. Thank you little bro for caring enough to bring these home. It really was an awesome surprise.

Viva Manila Pasyal Sunday and how we survived our first Bazaar

When I first heard about this, I was simply curious as to what the concept was all about. When I read that you could actually rent a booth and sell stuff, it was like a light lit on top of my head and I immediately coerced my family and my Tita to sign up and join. I thought to myself, might as well sell stuff while taking photos and posting it on the blog.

Two birds with one stone you know.

When we got there, the heat was a killer. We were sweating in less than 5 minutes and it was the kind of heat that stung the skin. The funny thing is, it seems that no one in my family really read the email that I forwarded them because no one brought tables and chair and apparently, all we get from the organizers were a tent.

Thankfully, myKaffe brought chairs and tables. Whew.

We finally had the tables set and initially, business was slow. Perhaps we were not situated in a good area or we lacked signages but I decided to go around and offer the pastillas we were selling individually and on the streets. While roaming, theses were the things that caught my eye.

ROMANCE is not dead.

It was such a sight to see. I loved how vibrant and colorful the street of Intramuros was. Truly, it would encourage anyone to walk the streets of Intramuros. Wouldn't you if you would get to meet this guy?

Pasyal Sunday will be on again on the last Sunday of May. Do come over and visit us. I'll be Pastillas Girl and we'll be selling cupcakes and other delicacies.

on finding Mr. Wrong ...

“We’re all seeking that special person who is right for us. But if you’ve been through enough relationships, you begin to suspect there’s no right person, just different flavors of wrong. Why is this? Because you yourself are wrong in some way, and you seek out partners who are wrong in some complementary way. But it takes a lot of living to grow fully into your own wrongness. And it isn’t until you finally run up against your deepest demons, your unsolvable problems—the ones that make you truly who you are—that we’re ready to find a lifelong mate. Only then do you finally know what you’re looking for. You’re looking for the wrong person. But not just any wrong person: the right wrong person—someone you lovingly gaze upon and think, this is the problem I want to have. I will find that special person who is wrong for me in just the right way. Let our scars fall in love.”  ―Galway Kinnell

6 failed relationships and I finally have a true understanding of what I need in my life and what I should look for when I'm ready to be with someone. November 2011 saw me listing down things that I want in a man and I asked God for this.When I met FM in January of 2012, I thought he was God's answer to my prayers simply because he fit everything on the list.

What I failed to do was to prepare myself for the man that I requested God for. What I failed to list down was resilience and a man who would fight even his own demons just to be with me. I thought that FM was it ... but I did not ensure if I was ready to be with the "man of my dreams."

“I do not trust people who don’t love themselves and yet tell me, ‘I love you.’ There is an African saying which is: Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt.”  ―Maya Angelou

I was that naked person, hollering around, offering shirts and when FM got the shirt, I thought, "here is my perfect match." Finally, or so I thought.

I didn't love myself. I thought I did but all my insecurities got in the way so when FM made a mistake, it haunted me and I couldn't let it go. I brought it up over and over again until he got tired of understanding ... until I got tired of making myself believe ... until things just fell apart.

We were both at fault. He had his expectations and I had my demons. I wasn't ready. I thought I was but I wasn't. I couldn't believe him because I didn't think I was worthy of being loved and he couldn't understand because he didn't fully know all the demons that were running in my head. In his mind, if he loved me as much as he did, I should be fine. WE should be fine.

He didn't understand that until I forgave myself for letting the bad things that happen to me happen, until I learned to let go of all the demons, monsters, and nightmares that continued to haunt me ... until I learned to love and appreciate myself ... there was no amount of love that would make me believe. How can I believe someone loves me when I found it so hard to love myself

So now ... I don't look for Mr. Right anymore for I know that there is no Mr. Right. All I can hope and pray for is that somewhere, somehow, there is someone who is Mr. Wrong but he is my Mr. Wrong ... the one wrong thing the will complement the wrong in my life and when he does, everything will slowly start going right because finally, there is someone who accepts and love everything that is broken and scarred about me ... someone who won't give up ... and someone who will say ... "you are wrong and I am wrong, but together, we can right all the wrongs and finally be right for each other."

Until then ... I need to love myself more, appreciate myself more, and focus on the fact that I am worthy of being love and no one can tell me otherwise.

118/365 photoblog: Mommy Friends

I was supposed to attend an event today at EDSA Shang but due to circumstances, I ended up hanging out with Mommy friends today. I realized I missed them since it has been over 2 weeks since I last saw them.

Thank God for Mommy friends. They make life a bit easier. :)

Marina Halo Halo and Sorbetes All You Can

If you look at the signage, you wouldn't think that Halo Halo would be one thing that they served so it definitely came as a surprise when I was invited to try their Halo Halo AND sorbetes all you can that they were offering for a limited time.

I was like, w00t w00t!

There were over 15 ingredients for the halo halo. It was like heaven. I felt like a kid when I was asked to make my own halo halo.

I made mine as colorful as I possibly could to match my blog which is of course, Kulayful. I enjoyed the halo halo treat and the avocado sorbetes. It was really sweet!

Thank you for a fun afternoon. For those who would like to beat the summer heat and love sorbetes or halo halo, go ahead and visit Marina Makati. It's located at Rockwell Drive corner Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. You can also call them at 02-3572725 and 0925-8802216.

Earth Day Jam

During the presscon of Earth Day Jam, we were informed that there would be a lot of artists joining and true to their word, I am happy to say that there were a lot of artists that supported the cause. When I got to the venue, I was overwhelmed by the number of people who came out to show and lend support to the cause of Earth Day. Surprisingly, a lot of the audience were teenagers who were no more than 16 years.

Lou Bonnevie who is the founder of Earth Day Jam sang a few songs to fire up the audience and fire them up she did. I was in awe of her voice and the energy that she had.

I was also very happy to see Raimund Marasigan present to lend support to such a worthy cause.

Thank you Ross of Wazzup Pilipinas for the invite.

117/365 photoblog: Pasyal Sunday

We experienced our first bazaar today and it was at the Pasyal Sunday Intramuros. Thanks Viva Manila for this experience.

Clean and Clear

When I was in my teen years, one of the facial wash that I tried was Clean and Clear. Back then, it was just a simple facial wash but it was an effective one. I used until I felt that I was too old for it which was when I turned 20. Fast forward to 13 years later and I encountered Clean and Clear once more but this time, they have already evolved and now have new products such as the Fruit Essentials Facial Cleanser.

They now have beads that burst when you wash your face which gives you the feeling of it really cleaning your face. I also love that it has 2 variety which is the lemon and berry. Personally I like berry since I love the scent of it.

It was a fun afternoon of great acoustic songs. I love how Clean and Clear promotes self love and friendship. I hope that my sister will one day be part of the Clean and Clear group since she definitely belongs here.

Tea Farm Cafe

Tea Farm was one of the main culprits as to why I got addicted to milk tea. The Wintermelon was simply so good that I found myself buying before going to work and during breaks and then when I was on my way home. This means that I would drink a minimum of 3 and on a really bad day, I would even end up drinking 5 cups of milk tea from Tea Farm.

Yes, I now realize the calories I gained were beyong horrifying but what the heck.

Unfortunately, I transferred work and found it hard to pass by so you can imagine my surprise when I visited the other day and instead of a small kiosk, I saw a cafe instead. It seems that from selling milk tea, they now sell rice meals as well.

I had my standard Wintermelon Milk Tea and was very happy to see that they still have almost the same staff. It tells me that management handles its people well which is always a good indicator.

Luckily, they were able to let me try their Kare Kare Bagnet meal and I must say that it was actually quite good. It wasn't the most awesoe karekare bagnet that I have ever had but it wasn't bad as well.

Thank you Tea Farm for never changing how my drink is made and for welcoming me again in your arms.

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* I was invited to review the food. I did not pay for my meal. However, the free meal did not in any way sway my opinion and everything you read here is MY PERSONAL OPINION. 

PR: JOLLIBEE FAMILY BEE DAY GRAND PICNIC

Jollibee Family Bee Day Grand Picnic set on May 10

 

This summer, the country’s number one fast-food chain is gathering Filipinos across the country   as one big happy family for the Jollibee Family Bee Day.  Dubbed as the grandest family picnic ever,   it will be held simultaneously across the Philippines in five venues—Quirino Grandstand in Metro Manila, Bayanihan Park in Pampanga, Nuvali football grounds in Laguna, Plaza Independencia in Cebu and Crocodile Park  in Davao – on May 10 (Saturday) from 2-5 pm.

 

“For over 35 years, Jollibee has played a significant role in the lives of Filipino families by serving as a place where they bond and relish one another’s company over superior-tasting food,” said Jollibee Vice President for Marketing Harvey Ong. “The Jollibee Family Bee Day grand picnic is a fun venue to celebrate our strong love for family which also extends to people who have been part of our daily lives.”   

The grand family picnic will feature exciting performances from guest bands like Callalily (Manila), 6 Cycle Mind (Pampanga), Moonstar 88 (Laguna), Spongecola (Cebu) and Imago (Davao) as well as celebrity performers for each leg. There will also be raffle prizes, and side activities for the kids.

To be a part of this one-of-a-kind picnic, simply visit any participating Jollibee store from April 12 to May 9, 2014 nearest to your preferred picnic venue. Tickets are sold for only P150 (with any food purchase) and  comes with a set Jollibee picnic meal (Jollibee Yum with Cheese, Peach Mango Pie, bottle of mineral water and tetra-pack juice) good for one pax which will be distributed  on the day of the event plus a special Family Bee Day cap.

So get ready with your picnic mats and gather all your family, relatives and the whole gang for a family picnic like no other!  For more details, visit www.jollibee.com.ph. 

Filipinos are set to celebrate as one family at the Jollibee Family Bee Day: Grandest Family Picnic, happening on May 10, 2014!

CHOPS Chicago Steakhouse

Chops Chicago Steakhouse is one good reason to visit the topmost floor of Greenbelt 5. Hidden away in a little corner, the not so little restaurant sits quietly in a corner waiting to welcome customers to its very comfy abode.

We were seated inside the function area which is great for intimate or small meetings. I loved the high chairs that they used and the dark wooden panels surrounding the place. It was masculine and not loud which is how I have envisioned steak houses to be.

First thing that was served to us were the bread and the bruschetta which cost Php375. Composed of smoked bacon, fuji apples, arugula seeds, seared foie gras and topped with red onion dressing placed on top of a grilled crostini, this small concoction was enough to illicit a big “ANG SARAP!” 

Next thing we had was the bone marrow which is priced at Php295. This is made of roasted beef marrow topped with parsley salad and served with crostini on the side. This was a treat since it was a lot of fun trying to get as much of the marrow as you can from the bone. 

The Kurobuta Bacon Slab (Php875) was heaven. I don’t know if I am becoming a bacon person but this one was just really good. I initially thought that it was just meat I’m eating because I have always thought of bacon as something icky but this time around, there was nothing icky about CHOP’s Bacon Slab. This is something that you need to pair with rice though to ensure that you get the full experience. 

Now this alone is enough to make me go back to CHOPs. The Cauldron of Creamed Spinach which is Php180 was simply good. It had a lot of spinach and it was perfectly balanced with the cream. Nothing overpowered anything. It was just love. In fact, I believe that I finished almost ¾ of this on my own. Teehee. 

Finally, the star of the day arrived and I can definitely say that it left my mouth open. The CHOPs Tomahawk was HUGE. It was so big that I seriously doubt any one person can finish it on his own regardless of how much he loves steak. Trust me on this. 

The Tomahawk is 100% grass-fed and certified and graded dry aged beef. The prime black angus rib eye bone has meat so soft that chewing it does not require effort at all. It was tender and juicy and it was definitely a star on its own. 

Of course, if there are stars, there would be mini stars and this came in the form of the desserts. The root beer cake (Php245) was just a delight. The dark chocolate that melted on the side makes you want to forget your manners and simply lick it off which I actually did once. Haha. The cake inside was also very tasty and it makes you wonder if you are eating cake out of a root beer mug or your root beer float just happened to turn into a cake. The chocolate cigar that they used instead of the regular stick-o was also an added plus. The sarsaparilla was the icing on the cake and it was absolutely perfect. 

The banana cream pie was better than expected. It was banana cream custard, toffee and caramel, tropical bananas, peanut brittle and whipped cream placed on top of graham chocolate crust.

Overall, I loved my dining experience at CHOPs Chicago Steakhouse. I’m glad that I was able to experience what they had to offer since this is definitely one place that people should dine at.

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* I was invited to review the food. I did not pay for my meal. However, the free meal did not in any way sway my opinion and everything you read here is MY PERSONAL OPINION. 

115/365 photoblog: Karen

It was so much fun seeing Karen after more than a year. The last time I saw her was in Cebu back in June 2012. It has been far too long. Hopefully, I get to hang out with her soon with our other Chinese friends.

Masters Game Face

When I was initially invited to the event, I had a big question mark in my head as to why. It was about basketball and it was a mans product. However, when I was at the media launch I finally had a better understanding of what Masters was about and now, I know why this should be written here.

Masters is not just another product. It is something that men can use to ensure that they wouldn't have any oil on their face for 8 hours. This matters to basketball players who are constantly practicing on the court but are expected by fans and the media to still look fresh and clean off the court.

Masters can also help those who have acne problems since they products that are made just to address that. Masters also help to teach men about proper hygiene which the ladies should be thankful for.
Hahaha.

The Masters Game Face Challenge will also help to encourage the youth to pursue basketball and hopefully, steer them away from vices that could ruin their future. If the youth could channel their energy into something as positive as basketball, then Masters would have achieved its goal of being an inspiration.

Thank you Masters and I loo forward to watching at the Big Dome. I feel that this would be one of those epic games in the making.