Boracay Birthday Getaway: Veli's Inn

"You're flying to Boracay in 20 days and you still don't have accommodation? That's so not you."  Kuya Stew said on his last night in Laguna. He's been to Boracay twice this year.

His then girlfriend, now wife, booked their accommodations using this website: Agoda.com. I'm not really a  fan of these sites, because I prefer the direct transaction. It's exactly what I did when I booked our trip to Davao last year and when we booked ourselves in a nice hotel in Kalinga. I always, always want to transact directly to the hotel concerned. Trust issues, I guess.

I was supposed to go on this Boracay trip alone, then my sister booked herself as well because the roundtrip airfare from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) is so amazingly cheap that we got it for less than Php 1,300.00 ( Less than $32.00, Less than 20.00 British pounds, that's all in with travel insurance). We booked it on a P2.00 promo flight of Air Philippines last February, we forgot about it when Dad got sick, then now that we have an already paid round trip ticket on hand to one of the Philippine's most amazing paradise, it would really be crazy not to go!

I tried calling other googled accommodations that seems to be offering good and practical rates. My sister and I are determined to make this a budget trip so every peso counts! I've been calling Boracay Courtyard, Taj's Guesthouse, but they keep on hanging up on us when we called. I guess it's either they are freaked out by an anonymous callers (then why give your business number online) or they have jampacked guests. (They could've just properly said so.)

Since I do not want to be stressed last minute, I decided to give in to this whole Agoda thing and booked my sister a room for 3 nights and 4 days. We found Veli's Inn.

Boracay Birthday Getaway: I'm still a paranoid flyer

I wish I could be one of those people who flies in and out with a breeze. I cannot fly with ease. I had to calm my self down, pray to St. Joseph and brace my self for turbulence, although I love take offs and landings. I wish I can get one of those pills that Kuya talked about before. In UK, you can go to your doctor, tell him you're a nervous flyer, then they can give you some anti-anxiety pills. Funny, for a nervous flyer like me, I still get excited about seat sales, will book 'em in a jiffy then deal with paranoia later. I totally understand why people get drunk on the plane.

More after the jump!

Project FEETrail [November 2012]: The Sand, The Sea and the Sisters

It's our first time to travel together...just the two of us. Most of our trips were with family, relatives and cousins. I'm thankful we had this opportunity to bond. We got really cheap tickets that we booked as early as February this year. We had cheap accommodations that we booked just less than 30 days from our trip. People are surprised that we are sisters, they probably were guessing that we're cousins or relatives. Who can blame them? She's fair-skinned and I'm chocolate brown caramel skinned! Haha! I think at one point or another, we've been compared by those people outside the family. It worked to my advantage. :)

My sister is The Aprille Araguas Designs, and I'll always be very proud of her and I'll always make sure she got my back. I love you bunso!

It was supposed to be an out-of-the-country trip for just the two of us, but the very nice weather in Boracay made up for it.

Thank you Dear Lord.

After 11 years, I got one of the best birthday surprise!

The first birthday surprise that I got was when I turned 18. I have routed my friends to what I thought my debut party venue only to find myself in a empty venue with no guests. Then, my dad turned the car around and headed to a different resort and there in the dark, I walked in like a movie star, with light bulbs flashing, bubbles flowing everywhere, yellow Christmas lights hang from the sides and I was totally clueless. It was staged by my surprise-giving-lover family. And I didn't think I'd be more surprised on my birthday (realistically) other than that. But then I was wrong.

I wrote before that I am not fond of surprises, but I love giving surprise parties. If you want to get my heart pumping, ask me to stage a surprise party, treat, gimmick for friends.  This year, we've been having the surprise birthday celebrations. First it was Lyle's, then it was Ellis' then it was Jim's.

Then the day after I got back from my Birthday trip, I was just supposed to drop by my friend Joy's shop after a day's work so I can give her my pasalubong (gift from trip). I did not plan on staying for long because I have not even unpacked yet.

I was on the verge of just leaving stuff for her (because I feel like I'm zoning out like a zombie) when she told me she's already on her way...like 30 minutes ago and UPLB community is just a tiny cute community where, even if you're on a jeepney, it wont take you 30 minutes (unless you decide to sit and get stuck in traffic). I texted my other friend, Lyle, asked him where he was and that I have their pasalubongs  and I did not get another reply after saying he's just at home. Which is unusual because he's one of my best BBM buddies.

I'm hungry, tired, waiting and haggard. So I just stayed at the shop and watched a TV series with Joy's niece, Kyla when I heard this loud noise, which I thought were random, ambush, tone-deaf, christmas carolers...

Then I saw my highschool friends, collectively called the BMS and Blacksheep!

Grateful at 29

This year, I learned to never underestimate the power of one more day. So when I woke up at 29 years old, I was very, very grateful. With just 12 snippets from Instagram, let this be just a short post:

Thank you to Airphilexpress, for the P2.00 promo base fare of the MNL-Caticlan round trip ticket, that we've been the envy of the competitive stranger mudra who asked us why do we still have to pay for terminal fee when it was included in her P2,000.00 round trip ticket to MNL-Kalibo, and she's staying at "Regency". And thank you again Airphilexpress for charging me only P500 for re-accommodation so I can join my sister on her flight back to Manila. Most of all, thank you for a safe, round trip flight. It is a big deal for a paranoid flyer like me.

I can go on thanking everyone and the universe, that God gave us really good Boracay weather, that it only mildly showered for 2 minutes on a Monday afternoon, given the unpredictable weather Boracay is known for. I have yet to blog about this Budget Boracay Birthday trip.

Thank you to my family and friends who called/sent a text message/tweeted and to facebook for reminding friends that I turn a year wiser on my birthday. I am very comfortable and satisfied with the people that I have in my life. I love you all!

I'd like to mention my sister, Aprille, who came with me on this trip. It was supposed to be just me, then she decided to join in. We got asked a lot if we're sisters and got raves like "I envy you, my sister and I were not able to do that". This trip validated our "I-got-yo-back" bond and was a beautiful opportunity for a sisterly business meeting. Instik na instik lang kami. 

It is true that when you get older, you want simpler things. I could not even think of something to wish for when I blew out my birthday candle, I just wished for the people that I love. The best things in life are really free.

Thank you Dear Papa Jesus, for never forsaking me. I'm a grateful, lucky child and waking up in Boracay is just a bonus.

The 20's checklist

The twenty random things I wanted in my twenties that I remember:

1. Become a scriptwriter for TV documentary or a writer for a magazine.

2. Have a career in communications.

3. Party wild at the beach with friends.

4. Travel and Fly alone.

5. Get so drunk that I can barely walk.

6. Fall crazy in love.

7. Find and meet someone that I consider a blessing and marry him.

8. Learn to forgive and to trust. 

9. Take a personal day off from work just for my self.

10. Learn to surf and actually stand on the board and, well, surf.

11. Go out of the country.

12. Resign from the BPO industry as a Operations/QA/Training Supervisor.

13. Spend my birthday with the kids at Virlanie or donate my childhood toys at Jollibee's Christmas Box.

14. Live independently and alone in a 1BR condo/apartment complex.

15. Pursue Graduate School  and earn a Masteral Degree.

16. Weed out toxic friends.

17. Enroll and get a crash course in a Make-Up school so I can finally do it professionally.

18. Take up web design, graphic design and website making-related stuff.

19. Take up photography and enroll myself in a photography school.

20. Buy my first big investment (a pre-selling 2BR condo or a townhouse in the subsurbs) with my own money.


How about you? Do you have a checklist?

Transparency in the age of the internet

Source

Anyone who’s ever smitten by the internet and was caught by the blogging fever would know that multiply has been the most happenin’ place for bloggers, photo enthusiasts and eventually sellers-alike.

If I can remember correctly, I have started properly blogging as early as 2004. Properly being the operative word. I took a writing break in 2009 after getting my heart severely broken and dealt with my quarter-life crisis.  I resumed writing before 2010 ended and in a new blogging host, the page where you are now.

I consider myself lucky. 

Lucky because internet trolls weren’t accessible to the internet back then. I have learned very early when and when not to secure my posts, I’ve gained followers because they think I’m entertaining off and online. The most common feedback that I get is: 1) it’s too darn funny with visuals. 2) The way I write is engaging 3) It’s too fucking honest.

Love is nothing like they say

 "Love is nothing, nothing, nothing like they say"

This line abandoned my beliefs about that darn thing called love.It threw away my intelligence, values, good judgment, and everything that I practically stood up for in my younger years so forget about those quotes about love.

I didn't get hooked on the song ( I actually found the song blah)  but that line "Love is nothing, nothing, nothing like they say"  by Liz Phair's song "Love is Nothing" striked home.

I wish I can tell you what I found out and single-handedly learned about Love, that when it strikes, it goes beyond space, time and even after-life...

Source

But then again, I stand by the line that shook me to the core and abandoned all my pre-conceived beliefs about love.

Love is really nothing, nothing, nothing like we say.


( a scheduled post) 

Travel Lumban: Where to get really nice Barongs + Filipiniana Terno?

One of the many advantages about living in Laguna is you need not to look further if you need a really nice  Barong or a genuine Filipiniana Terno made. Because Lumban in Laguna is the home of the finest Barong and Filipiniana Makers.

Friends with Lucky Hand must have someone to hold them back

I came home one time carrying this toy,Tom, my car buddy.

At first, my Achi thought I was seeing secretly on the side because I do not just randomly bring a stuff toy home, then I said: I got that from Lyle!

Review: SYOSS Airy Curl Cream for Curly Hair

If you've been reading my blog for quite sometime now, you would know that ever since I got my hair digitally permed more than a year ago, I've been obsessed about curl defining hair products that I am always trying out different products. In fact, I've created an entire section that you can read here.

I saw SYOSS Brand at a department store and got curious. I've never heard of it and I've never really used a Curl Cream, but I did use a Monea Curl Defining Lotion that I will not be buying again. I thought, maybe a Curl Cream is different from a Curl Defining Hair lotion. So I decided to buy and try it out.

So out of curiosity and sense of hair adventure, I decided to buy it and test it for 5 days.

I found the perfect 2013 planner for me

I remember contemplating about planners last year. I've always been the one who's really obsessed about papers, pens and planners because I really use planners/organizers and my bag is really heavy because of it. I can forget a make-up kit but I feel incomplete without my planner in my bag. And because of this, I really enjoy shopping, searching, discovering new planners that would suit my current phase.

You see, I've had my share of acquiring the much awaited Starbucks planners for three years then moved on to Belle de Jour Planners. I was able to abuse enjoy Starbucks freebies such as buy 1 take 1 coupons on special holidays and free stationery. Belle de Jour is good but it has become too feminine and girly for my taste now.

When I moved to Laguna two years ago, I didn't get the chance to use my coupons free in the BDJ planner that I ended up just giving them away to my classmates in graduate school who lives in Manila.

What coming back to your Alma Mater feels like

If not only for some important documents that I need to personally request, then I wouldn't really have the chance to go to my undergraduate university this year.

This is where I earned my Communication degree and where I spent my four great years as a regular, average student, who never really studied geek-hard, but passed the degree because of passion. Naks!  

Nostalgia-inducing Subdivision of San Beda

I lived in San Beda Subdivision all four college years of my life. When I graduated last March 2004, two weeks after I graduated was spent on moving apartments from San Beda Subdivision in Concepcion Aguila/Mendiola Consortium in Manila to Quezon City.

The last time I was here was back in 2004. I  only returned to this place to visit bff Mina, who was then studying medicine in San Beda.

Now, almost nine years later, I came back to visit the place after I finished my official business of requesting  for some records from my old Alma Mater and couldn't help feel nostalgic about the place I once called home.

 

The Grad School Diaries: Episode 15 - It's that time of the semester again

Oh dear.

It's that time again. The enrollment season. I should be done with my thesis and earned my Master's degree after having passed the compre exam that everyone's dreading about, but here I am with Episode 15 of Graduate School Diaries.

I am enrolling again this semester because I have not finished my MS Thesis.

I wanted to come up with the universal weapon reason for mass destruction bullshit: I got busy. But really, it's for real:

1. My kuya got married and we flew to Kalinga.
2. I was busy covering/working for the College Centennial Celebration.
3. I was busy planning and actually doing something for my plan B, or my longer-term plan to be in the university.
 Okay fine, here's another one:
4. I'm busy planning my super friends' bohemian hippie wedding that I really like to doing it for my favorite couple because it pumps my blood up and keeps me alive. (Plus I really love the couple).

But wait. I really have to get my degree this semester because I got my eyes set on a bigger adventure by next year.

#crossingfingers

Old Photographs and Memory Lane

I grew up with a photographer father so films, negatives, slideshow films (yes, the really old school ones), albums with printed copies of photos  have a special place in our house. I was looking through some childhood photos to use for our cousin Kuya Stew's wedding last month, when I saw this:

This was my first art exhibit in UPLB. It was called ART Mussaenda and paintings of Mussaenda flowers were sold in this gallery. I don't even remember the location of this gallery, or where it was held.

Here I am in my school uniform.  I think this is my photo with exhibit organizers. And I don't really  like to smile at the camera back then and I already have the frighteningly bipolar artist mood at such a young age.

Review: Maybelline Mineral Powder Foundation + Nichido's Kabuki Brush

I swore not to buy Maybelline's face powder product that I blogged about before, but I kept my word about buying the Pure Foundation Mineral Powder Foundation.

With just one sweep, I don't know how it can cover and conceal at the same time giving a really good finish. And it's long lasting too! I just didn't use the kabuki brush that it came with, because I bought  Nichido's surprisingly soft kabuki brush for only Php 238.00!

I prefer using powders in cans rather than those in compact because I get stressed about powder cracks in face powder compacts that I end up smashing the entire thing, turning it into loose powder because I hate waste.

This powder costs Php599.00 on the market, but I got mine for Php 479.00 because it was on sale. I am still looking out for a darker shade, because apparently, I always ask for the darkest foundation but it ends up a little lighter on my face unless I let it sink in for a few hours.

Oh, darn girl problems!

Halloween Camping

Tonsilitis kicked my sorry ass this year, so I stayed home, in bed, the whole weekend. The bad news: I have tonsilitis so I can't attend Halloween parties. The good news: I get to stay in bed, play couch potato, and watch The Big Bang Theory  marathon all day long. (and I blame my friends Joy and Poch for introducing me to the series.)

For the past years, I've been attending Halloween parties. I even remember my dad, being very supportive of my Halloween activities that he actually lent his vintage barong for my friend Rogus to wear! This year, now that Dad is gone, we decided to have a Halloween camping at the cemetery using  Dad's favorite things: Camping tent and his sleeping bag.



I don't really consider myself an outdoorsy kind of girl. The last time I went camping was January this year and all the boys took care of practically everything. I was just the one in charge of negotiating prices for discount rate on our day tour, but still hats off to the guys!

Anyway, we went to Eternal Glory Memorial Park on the actual Halloween night and we were one of the first ones to camp out. There's already a film showing at the cemetery so there are more people than usual. I was supposed to take photos of the first night, but it was so cold and our tent was so comfy that we fell asleep in no time.

So here's what it looks like in the first morning:

The first peak at the fog from the inside of our tent: