Cruisin' in Hong Kong

The 3rd city on our #LoveStarCruises tour is one that I have been to twice already and one that has come to mean a lot to me. This was the first country I have been to and the first one where my entire family and I went on vacation to.

Memories, memories, memories.

This cruisin' in Hong Kong led to many more memories being made but this time, with D.

when selfies become a struggle coz you have a resident photobomber

This time around, we got lost. We literally got lost and had to ask so many people for directions and questions to get to Mongkok. For some reason, I just couldn't remember the right signs to look for. Good thing D was still a good sport and just told me that we can just walk around and soak in the sights. Unfortunately, perhaps because this was the 3rd city, my crankiness level was way up high and being that we really do not know each other that well, I thought he wasn't in the mood because he was silent and we ended up fighting.

YES, again. It was bad enough on my end that I even told him to go back to the ship on his own but thankfully he saw through my temper tantrum and he decided to pull me and just lead the way. We ended up here.

He knows me so well that he knew a cup of coffee or milk tea would work wonders on me. He literally dragged me to this place for which I am very happy. For this shot, I thought of the idea and by this time around, I was feeling more cheerful and amiable. You see, I could never fake photos. For some reason, my true feelings show up in my eyes and it's always a little impossible to do a fake happy photo with me. Thankfully by the time this photo happened, we were already okay.

The milk tea was pretty awesome but the pastry was a little bit too strawberry-ish for me. It was just an overload of strawberry for me. Perhaps if you love strawberries, it will work but for me it did not.

Afterwards, we went back to Mongkok and this time around, everything fell into place. Perhaps it was good juju but this time around, everything was good. We tried a few dishes: snails, cheesecake, and oyster cake.

The snail was spicy but in a really good way. The cheesecake had 4 flavors: green tea, cheese, durian, and Taro. All of them were pretty good and the flavor really hits you in the face. The oyster cake was crunchy and good as well. This was a definite win for D and I.

Afterwards, we roamed around. We had 16,000 steps each.

He also got me a surprise in Hong Kong. You see, I saw this carousel and I really liked it. Unfortunately, by this time we have already used up our Hong Kong dollars. This cost 280HKD and we had 60HKD. I told them we couldn't afford it and we left.

On our way back to the MTR, D had a moment. For some reason he decided to get me the carousel and had his money changed to HKD. Can you imagine the happiness I felt? You probably can't. I actually cried!

Overall the few hours we had was not enough to see Hong Kong at all. Perhaps a cruise really is not meant for eveyrone but for someone who just needs a quick break, this one is definitely an option.

Cruisin' in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

My first experience with Kaohsiung was a costly one. What could have been a 15 minute walk to go towards the MTR cost us 30NT because we took a bus. It seems that not having mobile data can cost you more than actually signing up to have internet even when you’re abroad especially if it’ just for a day.

Thankfully, it was a very pretty sight that greeted us when I got to the Metro Train Railway of Kaohsiung. Upon seeing the instagrammable sights, I set off to take a couple of shots. Yes, my first order of the day was to take OOTD shots of beautiful Taiwan.

The MTR system of Kaohsiung is similar to that of Hong Kong which is a good thing because it can be easily understood. The locals, contrary to what we thought, was actually quite helpful so long as they can speak English. However, what surprised me the most was the food.

After going around and just soaking in the view and the neighborhood, I happened upon this little kiosk selling noodles. Since it was almost lunch time and all I’ve had was coffee, I decided to sit down and have a bite. Though miming and making quacking noises, I finally got to order a duck noodle.

The soup was so tasty. The noodles were equally amazing and the duck wasn’t hard to chew. I had only one because I wanted to eat as many street food as I could find.

Next I had that really stuck to my head was the Taiwanese Fried Chicken. Again, this was just in a little corner tucked away and it wasn’t anything fancy. It seems the best eats of Taiwan can be found even in the simplest of places. The Taiwanese Fried Chicken may not look appetizing but trust me when I say that Hot Star in the Philippines is nothing compared to this. This was cooked right and though covered with breading, there was more chicken inside it. This was definitely a must.

The other one was the Chicken Balls which was a cross between Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Balls. It was really tasty that I didn't even bother putting sauce on it. I also tried the oyster pancake and funny enough, one shitty milk tea and one awesome milk tea. I also had this weird sausage thing covered in hashed brown. WEIRDEST.THING.EVER.

I started my day in Taiwan with coffee at CRAFT which was a really fancy coffee shop attached to a small hotel that had so many IG worthy spots it would have taken an entire day just to do a shoot and then I ended the day at HENRY’S COFFEE which was a quaint little place I saw in another small neighborhood. This was the one thing I actually really loved about my trip.

I was able to just walk around like locals, soaking in the scene, and finding neighborhood spots you would never see in a tourist guide. It felt like being one with the city.

CRAFT

HENRY'S

Truly, I can say that I saw  a part of Taiwan not seen by a lot of tourists and this makes me happy. I know that eventually I will be back here and I’ll see the tourist spots but for now, I want to savor the fact that even for a few hours, I was one with this little neighborhood in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

Cheers to the Sperm Donors

Every year, there is one day that is dedicated to celebrating the fathers of the world and though there are many fathers out there who try their hardest to be great Dads, there are those that we call “sperm donors.” These are men who just basically donated their half to create a person and failed to do more than the donation part.

Yes, they exist. Yes, they are real.

Yes, it is very unfortunate but what can we do. To make things easier, let’s categorize them shall we?

1. Bring home the bacon

These are the Dads who simply work and do nothing else. They think that as long as they pay for everything, it’s all good. They don’t attend PTA meetings, they don’t attend recitals or programs, and they don’t participate in anything in their child’s life. As long as they bring in money, they think their job is done.

2. Donate and run

These are the Dads who as soon as they find out they got someone pregnant, they go running for their lives. They don’t even bother to stick around and find out the sex of their child. Soon as the pregnancy test shows positive, they become negative and cease to exist.

3. I Just Can’t Get Enough

These are the Dads who can’t stay still with one person. They womanize and end up leaving the mother of their child or have the Mom leave because for them, one isn’t enough. As a result, they become absentee father figures which could be easily avoided if they had stayed true to their partners.

4. The Perfectionist

This is the complete opposite of Mr. Bring Home the Bacon. This one is intensely involved in the kid’s life but not in a good way. Instead of being the Dad who cheers his kids on, he is the Dad who fault finds and is never satisfied. He is the Dad who makes everything about him and how your achievements are a reflection of who he is as a person. It’s not you, it’s HIM. When you have these kind of Dads, it can get frustrating when Father’s Day rolls in. After all, there is no Hallmark card that says:

“Thank you for your money. Really appreciate it Dad!” “Thanks for donating your sperm. I exist coz of that.” “Thanks for showing me the effect of being greedy.” “Thanks for making me feel worthless and not enough.”

It’s hard to greet someone “Happy Father’s Day” when you have never bonded together. It’s hard to talk about how he helped you with homework when it has never happened. It’s hard to talk about cherished moments when those moments have never ever happened. It’s hard when you never really had a “father” to begin with.

As the millennials would say: the struggle is real. It’s not a laughable matter. It is actually gut wrenching and heart breaking. It is the kind that leaves a mark on you for life but should you decide to use this intense pain to be a better person and not let it destroy you, it will allow you to add steel to your spine. It will force you to make something of yourself and just be a better person overall. After all, they may have helped create you biologically but at the end of the day, it is still your decision whether or not they get to make you who you want to be. Cheers to every child who has had a sperm donor for a father. May the odds be ever in our favor. 

AVON City

The Sales Leaders Congress aka SL Congress of AVON is one of the highlights for AVON Philippines. The No. 1 direct selling beauty company in the country held the first ever experiential exposition of it’s best selling products at the SMX of Mall of Asia. The event was aptly named AVON City and it also marked the company’s first time to simultaneously hold the SL Congress with the National Sales Convention aka NASCON.



The SL Congress highlighted AVON’s expertise in fragrance, makeup, hand and body lotion, roll on deo, as well as intimate apparel. Other items showcased were the jewelry and watches, accessories, and home and kid essentials. To make things more fun, they had the Home and Kids Market, Fragrance Be Arcade, AVON Fashions Loungerie, AVON Skin Care Juice Bar, Jewelry Chocolaterie, Simply Pretty Picnic Park, Avon Accessories Cake Shop, and Personal Care and Color Theater. Freebies were handed out like candy to guests who dropped by the festive and amazing booths.

The brand AVON has been around for over 130 years and it is one of the most trusted brands of women in the Philippines. We all grew up using an AVON product one way or another and the fact that it has lasted this long is testament to its longevity. AVON has been able to meet the changing needs of generation of women through scientific breakthroughs and reliable consumer study.



Avon is the country’s number 1 direct selling company. Avon products include well-recognized and beloved brands such as ANEW, Avon Color, AvonCare, Skin-So-Soft, and Advance Techniques sold through nearly 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.​

Cruisin' in Laoag with Star Cruises

I’ve never thought of going on a cruise. It just wasn’t my thing. I’ve always been a plane kind of person simply because if the plane were to crash, it would mean instant death. With a cruise, you would have to fight for your life by attempting to get on the life boat and then there’s the complicated life jacket and you’d still end up drowning anyway. So no, a cruise wasn’t part of my bucket list so to speak.

Also the fact that I do not know how to swim weighed pretty heavily.

However, fate had another plan for me and a 6 day 5 night cruise landed on my lap that I could not say no to. Since it involved work, D came with me and off we went to lose ourselves (literally and figuratively) in 3 cities in 3 days. Let’s talk about the first city, Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

City # 1 – Laoag

I’ve been to Laoag  before but I wasn’t able to explore the city side of it. This time around, D and I went around on foot and just explored the place the same way a budget traveler would. We walked on foot to the highway because we refused to pay 4000 for a van when there were buses and jeeps that could also take us to the city. We asked locals for directions and found our way on foot after alighting the bus on how to get to La Preciosa. It was a good way to see the city because we saw the little nuances that were hidden away from tourists and we saw how the locals lived.

Laoag Eats

We tried the famous carrot cake of La Preciosa and IT IS A MUST HAVE! The carrot cake had textures on it and it was fluffy and very tasty. It has nuts which gives an added flavor and the carrot … you can definitely taste it. We also tried out their bagnet which was really soft and the Igado which was okay but not the best one for me. Overall, I’d have to say that the carrot cake really is the main reason why you need to visit La Preciosa.

We also visited Johnny Moon Café because we were on the lookout for coffee and it looked quite interesting. However, the most interesting part of this coffee shop was the wall design and not so much the Café Americano nor the Iced Latte that we ordered. This may not be a fair assessment though because we did just have coffee but we’re thinking that the moment you call yourself a café, your coffee better be more than interesting.

Lastly, I finally got to try an authentic Vigan empanada which we bought off the streets.  I saw how it was made and I got the special one which apparently just meant there would be a raw egg placed inside before it gets deep fried. Yes, this is not for the health conscious because it is deep fried goodness with eggs, meat, and flour. However, if you just want to know how a true blue Vigan empanada tastes like, then buying one off the street is a must. It was actually good and I understood why people raved about it. However, I can’t say that you’d see me running off to buy one the next time I see another kiosk selling it.

Overall thoughts on Laoag

There were a lot of Instagram worthy places in Laoag. I felt that the government is really targeting tourists to visit and take photos of their place by having IG worthy areas to take photos of and geo tag the place. Perhaps a city WiFi would help it more though because signal can be a big problem in Laoag. My Globe data struggled and my SUN data was absolutely useless.

Laoaog seems like a good place to go to but only if you have Google Maps downloaded already because as mentioned, your mobile data will struggle and the locals apparently do not even know their own bus stations. We got lost several times because the locals kept pointing out to different areas for the bus station that we needed to help us get back to the Port Area. They also do not seem to know where their port area is. Perhaps it would be better to put up more road signs showing the tourists where key areas of transportation are than put up umbrellas for IG worthy shots then having same tourists get lost in the city.

We almost missed our ship because of this. We kept getting lost after asking more than 5 people and this killed a lot of the time we allotted to ensure we wouldn’t be late. Thankfully, the guy at the port area held off the last boat for us which was apparently meant for the crew and took us back to our ship. It would have been a major disaster if that had not been the case.

Overall, Laoag is a good place to visit for those looking for a place where old meets new. They retained the old architectures that gives off a Spanish vibe for those looking for a more nostalgic feel and have the little coffee shops and other tourist attractions to entice the millennials of today to visit and do their OOTDs.

I could have sworn ...

I could have sworn I was telling the truth when I told you it was okay
When I said that I didn't mind
that I will be fine
it did not matter
did not hurt.

I could have sworn I was telling the truth when I told you I wouldn't miss you
When I said to go ahead and leave
that it was time for you
it was going to be okay
I'll be fine.

I could have sworn I was telling the truth when I told you I'm happy for you
When the two of you became an item
that finally you met someone
it was a happy ending
not for me though.

I could have sworn
I was telling the truth
I could have sworn
I was lying only to myself.

I could have sworn this
until I could swear no more.

bitten by the Travelbug

My friend Alg told me this morning that he has never met anyone who has been bitten by the travelbug as fast as I did. In 2017 alone, I have been to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cebu, Subic, Baler, and now Laoag, Taiwan, and back to Hong Kong. In September, I will be back in Malayia again but this time in Kota Kinabalu.

In every travel I have done, I learned something about myself. I learned that I am resilient and that I can survive even in things I never thought I could. I learned that I can be independent. I learned that I am okay on my own. I learned that travelling does help you forget even a little bit and it helps heal the wounds you have deep inside you.

Tomorrow I will be going on a 5 day cruise and I will be setting foot on 2 unfamiliar territory and then going back to a place I've come to love. I will be going with D and it's going to be another adventure. In every travel we have had, there has been mishaps but in those mishaps, we have learned something new about each other and our bonds continue to be stronger.

I wonder what new adventure awaits when I wake up tomorrow morning?

AVON Fashion Gifts for Mom

It’s that time of the year when everyone suddenly remembers the beauty of having a Mom and they shower Moms with appreciation which they should have been showering Moms with all along. AVON is in line with this and since AVON has always been about women empowerment, and who else better to empower than MOMS who can do almost anything.

Sometimes though, Moms tend to look harried because they give all their time to the people around them that they no longer have time for themselves. However, one of the best fashion icons kids can have are their Moms and with AVON Fashions, the shopping destination for the most stylish and affordable gifts, finding a fitting accessory to give to your Mom won’t be so hard anymore. Show your appreciation for your Mom through the gift suggestions that Avon has for Mother’s Day. These are the gifts that will make Moms truly feel they are the superheroes in your lives.



The Sweet Sayings 5-piece imitation gold earring gift set is something that Moms will appreciate for their quality yet practical appeal. The set comes in various accents: cream faux pearl, red and mint enamel, as well as round brilliant cut crystal acrylic. The packaging for this gift set is creatively set with a cheesy yet adorable message specifically addressed to Moms coz there is no better day to go all cheesy than on Mother’s Day.

If Mom is not into earrings but bracelets, the Sweet Sayings Charm Bracelet will tell moms how we think of them: precious and sensible. Accented by ruby red, emerald green, and sapphire blue acrylic crystals, these charms are held together by a chain and other symbolic charms in imitation gold. Both sets are sold at only Php399.



To complete the Mother’s Day surprise for Moms, Avon Fashions suggests a Jodi Stylish and Imari Seduction purse concentre gift set that costs only Php599. The purple leatherette bag can serve as both a clutch bag and a sling bag. If you can throw in an additional Php399, you can get the Chiara 3-piece ring and 2-piece earring gift set in a butterfly box as well as the special Avon Fashion Mother’s Day gift that will definitely make any Mom giddy with all the attention.

Surely, there are many ways to make Mom feel better and pay tribute to the superheroes in our lives by giving them gifts that is functionaly yet stylish and something that has good value for money. After all, Moms are very keen on those things. Grab these gift sets in time for Mother’s Day from AvonShop.ph or through any Avon representative.

Infallible Pro-matte 24 Hour Foundation

With the crazy weather that we have nowadays, our make up is one of the things that get affected. We may go outside the house looking all fresh and radiant only to be greeted by the blistering heat in the morning, a rainshower during lunch, and extreme humidity at night. Make up fail and meltdowns then become a really common thing.

What more if you had oily skin?

The globally renowned Infallible Pro-Matte 24Hour Foundation is the #neverfail foundation especially suited for oily skin. Infallible Pro-Matte deliver 24 hours of long-wear and it resists oil, sweat, and caking - making it the perfect foundation for our hot and humid weather. It's air-light texture and matte powder finish ensures a flawless yet comfortable wear from day till night.



This is because the product actually has mattifying perlite minerals that act like a blotting paper which absorbs excess oil and sweat all throughout the day which gives you a fresh, shine-free look that lasts for 24 hours.

This also comes in 6 different shades that is curated perfectly for the Filipina skin tone which is pretty awesome because it has always been a struggle to get the right shade. This is already available in L'Oreal Paris makeup counters and official online retailers for only Php700 SRP.

Of course if you already have the perfect foundation, better make sure to complete your entire look with the INFALLIBLE PRO-CONTOUR.

Now a lot of people find it hard to achieve a contoured face but with the latest innovation from L'Oreal, you can contour and highlight with just one stroke. They have designed a pro-applicator, which can sculpt the cheeks, nose, and forehead, as well as the jawline with just one sweep. This Infallible Pro-Contour is now available for only Php600.

You no longer have a reason to look haggard or unkempt with these Infallible Line. Manage to stay looking fresh and glowing all the time for that picture perfect OOTD even under the sun or the rain, whatever may come your way.

Mali at Tama

Minsan nagmahal tayo ng mali
At sa pagkakamali natin
Bumuo tayo ng maraming tama
Maraming pangako
Maraming pangarap
Inakala natin na dahil nagmamahal tayo
Kaya nitong itama ang ating mga mali
Kaya nitong takpan ang sakit na sinimulan natin
Akala natin magiging tama na ang mali kahit hindi natin ito itama
Akala natin tama na.

Ngunit hindi.

Minsan nagmahal tayo ng mali
At ang pagkakamali na yun
Hindi nawawala
Hindi nagbabago
Hindi kailanman magiging tama

Minsan nagmahal tayo ng mali
At kahit anong gawin natin
Hindi ito magiging tama kaya pakiusap
Tama na. P

Zenfone LIVE and going LIVE

I have never been a fan of Facebook LIVE or Periscope. In fact, Snapchat and IG stories did not also make the cut when it comes to my Top 5 favorite social media platforms. It just wasn't my thing. I couldn't understand why people woud go "live" on a social media platform when they weren't celebrities.

Seriously, who would watch you?

When I was initially asked by ASUS to review the Zenfone LIVE, I had hesitations. Okay, I had MAJOR hesitations. After all, I wasn't a fan of going on Facebook LIVE and yakking my heart out to possibly no one. At least with my site, if no one reads it, it won't hurt unlike seeing 0 in your watching you window.

Of course, being the trooper that I am, I said yes and the first day I had this with me was the same day I went to Malaysia for Influence Asia. I had 0 sleep for 2 days and it was possibly the worst start to a Facebook LIVE but the Zenfone LIVE promised to let me #LiveStreamBeautifully so I can #LetsGoLive anytime anyday and I wanted to test if it could actually deliver on what it said so I went ahead and whipped it out, clicked GO LIVE and was blown away.

VIDEOS 

I LOOKED SO FRESH.

The Facebook LIVE # 1 was literally beautified and I looked like I had so many hours of sleep. I had rosy cheeks, no pores, and just plain alive. It was amazing. Look up all the #ZenfoneLive hashtags coz all my videos are on public. This was back in April 7 and you would see that I am not lying. It is so amazing!!! Click on this link to watch it. Afterwards in my hotel room, running on more than 40 hours of no sleep, this is how I looked in the video.  This is my video upon waking up, literally, I looked presentable still.

AESTHETICS 

The Zenfone Live comes in 2 different colors: rose gold and gold. What I have is the rose gold and I love that though I am not a fan of the color pink, this was one is actually easy on the eyes. It is also very light and compact. It will barely make a dent in your pocket but it is also formidable. You may drop it and ensure that it will still work though I won't suggest you do.

The speakers may look small but it's good enough to listen to in an average room if you're with 2 or 3 people.

The back of the phone looks sleek and you wouldn't be ashamed to whip it out in front of people because the overall look is still very stylish. Perfect for doing Facebook LIVE and having this propped on a small tripod.

SAMPLE PHOTOS 

5MP Front Camera

13MP Rear Camera

BATTERY LIFE 

When you use data on this, it actually lasted 5 hours. Without data but on WiFi, it lasted around 9 hours. When you just leave it alone, it lasts around 1.5 hours.

So as you can all see, the Zenfone LIVE delivers on the following:

1. Beautify you while you are livestreaming via Facebook and IG Stories.
2. You can also record and upload to YouTube or Facebook and be guaranteed that you will look beautiful in your videos.
3. 13MP rear camera and 5MP front camera which means that it's your standard camera but then again, the selling point of this phone is the livestreaming beautification
4. Audio wise, as you can hear from watching the videos, it is able to pick up the sound pretty well so there's no need for a mic unless you also want noise cancellation and the like.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has a child who needs to have a phone with him so he can be easily contacted as well as any budding YouTuber or Facebook LIVE person who just wants to be more confident when facing the camera. It gets rid of the flaws and it is easy on the budget at 6,995PHP.

I wouldn't recommend this for harcore gamers or those who want to shoot videos professionally. For beginners, defnitely a yes but not for PRO levels. Again, manage expectations because this is a phone meant for you to use when you livestream and for that purpose, this phone delivers. Here are more links for you to check out what the Zenfone LIVE is like. For now, excuse me as I set up for another Facebook LIVE, something I have become addicted to since I started using the Zenfone LIVE.

YouTube video Initial Impression

YouTube video First Look

Simul-LIVE of 5 Zenfone LIVE

Full review here.


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BLOG CONTEST: I Stabbed a Unicorn

Ever had one of those moments where you just feel like the world is ganging up on you and there is nothing that can make you smile or feel better? Well, think of that day and then think of the cutest or most innocent creature you can think of, say a Unicorn, and then stab that unicorn in your head. There is just something perversely satisfying about stabbing a unicorn in your head when you are mad because it's something that most people would gasp at in disbelief and sometimes, this is what you need from people.

A REACTION. A TOTAL SENSE OF DISBELIEF.

I stabbed a Unicorn is a playlist that I have created along with the help of D to play in the background for those days when you don't really feel mad at the world but you are sick and tired of everyone around you, yet you need to smile and just be happy because you are so #blessed (I hope the sarcasm was felt in that statement.)

This playlist is set to make you feel better about your crappy day. It's the playlist that doesn't make sense coz sometimes, you just have days that do not make sense. This is the playlist that lets you be and doesn't try to make you into something else. Just go. Just stab a unicorn and feel better afterwards.



Now that you feel a lot better, follow this playlist and like me on Spotify. 3 of my followers will win something special from Spotify should I have the most number of followers at the end of June 2017. So let's make it happen guys. Also, I'll throw in a bluetooth speaker because what else can make Spotify better? Blasting Spotify from a bluetooth speaker that's what.

Comment below once you are done following me.. I will randonly draw a winner by the end of May and end of June. Again, just follow me on Spotify. Happy listening and happy stabbing.

with Spotify management and D