[Project FeeTrail June 2014]: Just when I thought this project is getting boring

If you happen to have read my blog for a while now, you know that each month I have a feet shot project that I started in 2012, called The Project FeeTrail.

It started when I noticed I collect a lot of feet shots, then each month I take a photo of new places I got my feet into.

Last month, I felt the pressure to have something new each month. Because I don't know what else to feature since I don't find myself in new places these few weeks, I thought of just coming up with something mundane to take photo of.

And just when I thought it is getting boring... one Saturday morning I found something to spice this project up!

My friend Kat and I were brisk walking around APEC one weekend morning when we heard a loud "Moo" coming out of nowhere! 

Then we heard one jogger said that a cow fell down in a "gutter/hole". We couldn't believe it is possible and we just have to see it for ourselves, so here is the 4 month old baby cow who fell down the hole.

And baby cow likes to have his photo taken!!!

The next morning, the baby cow is no longer there. We were told that they used a rope to pull the cow up. 

It's July first tomorrow! How did the first half of your year go? 

On Tina Fey high

I just finished my newly purchased Tina Fey book, Bossypants, that I bought last week. You see, I already had a bunch of accumulated books from last year til early this year, and I was not even able to finish it. (I will come around, I am promising my self).

Two Fridays ago, as I was waiting for my sister and her bf in ATC, I decided to drop by at Powerbooks and there I got Tina Fey's Bossypants book.  I've been seeing a lot of really good quotes from her that really pushed me to buy the book. I contemplated a bit on Mandy Hale's The Single Woman VS Tina Fey's Bossypants, then got Bossypants instead and it was totally worth it.

What I learned from rebooking a local airplane promo fare

...or How Cebu Pacific Air earns from those airplane promo tickets.

We booked an international flight before I left for Japan. We're lucky to book the Thailand trip at 75% off, with check in baggage and travel insurance.

Last month of May, our purpose of trip got postponed due to Thailand's Martial Law. The plane ticket was not shouldered by the organizers (as previously agreed upon). For the majority of the days last week, I have spent time trying to work my way around that trip not going to waste. After all, the cost of the ticket is my hard earned, almost nine grand and it's an opportunity for a travel abroad. I called Cebu Pacific to see my options and here's what I've learned, straight from the horse's mouth:

1. Promo fares are re-bookable, BUT non-refundable and non re-routable. Meaning, we will still have to go to Thailand should we decided to re-book it.

2. You cannot re-book your flight to another promo seat sale, whether you are just moving your flight dates within the promo travel period.

3. If you re-book a flight, you get a penalty fee of Php2,000.00 per way plus air fare difference from current pricing. So if you plan to re-book a round trip flight, it's going to cost you four thousand pesos plus air fare difference. How do you compute for air fare difference? It's the cost of the current air fare price minus the paid air fare.

4. For promo fares, there's no "no show" fee. If you book a regular priced plane ticket, that's the time you will be charged a "no show"fee. ( When I was told about this, I did a quick mental computation of how many times I could have been charged for no show fee due to my excitement and luck in booking promo fare tickets.)

5. You have until 4 hours before your departure time to decide if you will re-book your flight.

BUT they offer you other options where you can temporarily put your flight schedule on hold and put it in what they call a Travel Fund, because its no one's fault that Thailand happened to be on Martial Law. But for their promo fares:

5.7 Promo Fares and Lite FaresPromo Fares and Lite Fares with promo code discounts and the applicable fees, taxes and surcharges are non-transferable, non- reroutable, non-refundable and may not be stored in a Travel Fund but may be rebookable (except to another promo seat after the sale period). Where allowed, rebooking must be done at least four (4) hours before the estimated time of departure (ETD) and is subject to the applicable charges such as rebooking fees and fare difference.

When I called their hotline, they only have a specific travel advisory for a specific covered dates. But since our supposed to be flight is due next month, I will still have to wait for another set (if ever) of a new travel advisory.

To make the story short, I have to pay for more than 5,000.00 after my proposed plan of re-booking. My friend Frankie, to fit in his schedule, will have to pay more than 10,000.00.

And to quote my friend Cristina: "Naku sis, it's [re-booking] almost like you bought a year-round priced ticket!"

Promo fares are really risks to take. You win some, you lose some. So I guess it's really cheaper and practical to just say goodbye paid promo plane ticket and see you next time Thailand.

And Cebu Pacific just easily earned more than $500.00 from our tiny group of three alone.

Modus Operandi of Salisi members in Los Baños (elbi), Laguna caught on CCTV!

There are two gay men walking around Los Baños, going inside stores, eatery, and other business establishments. This happened last June 4, 2014. Another boutique had the exact same experience from these two and was reported to the authorities last May 28, 2014. A newly opened eatery was swindled Php 2,000.00 by these two gay men. Reports show that similarities among the incidents happen around 5pm-6:30pm.

Please be warned and share this to your friends, family, facebook networks and other business owners. They are not only targeting business establishments, but they are also targeting properties of customers, students in coffee shops, and restaurants.

1. Two gay men enters the boutique and pretends to look for something:

 2. The Culprit looks in the CCTV camera to see if it is working.

 3. Culprit leans again to see if it is a CCTV camera.

 4. The two talks about their plan. They will pretend to look for something.

 5. The gay man in stripes shirt and glasses served as the look out.

 6. After distracting the sales ladies, the culprit tries to steal the sales lady's cellphone.

 7. The culprit returns it immediately then pretends to pick up the tape dispenser when the sales lady saw what he is doing.

8. What happened to other stores is the bag of the customer/owner gets stolen. In this case their next plan is to distract the cashier into giving them money. Notice the encircled hand ready with a spare money for exchange.

 9. Earlier, the culprit hands over Php 1,000 to the saleslady, pretending to pay for the items they want to purchase. Then they will change their mind, not buy anything, and ask for the money back.

Please check the encircled right hand as the culprit already has a spare Php 100 that he will exchange later.

 10. The culprit handed the Php 100.00 back to the cashier, claiming that she handed over the Php 100 pesos using the right hand and not Php 1000.00.

Notice the other gay man in stripes blocking the scene.

 11. The cashier will give the Php 1,000.00 back to culprit.

 12. The culprit takes the Php 1000.00 away.

 13. Both the culprit and the look out will leave the store.

The CULPRIT:

 The LOOK OUT:

Full blow by blow account screen capture found here.

If you have information about these two, please report here or to the nearest Brgy Hall in Los Baños, Laguna. This has already been reported (blottered).

Municipal Action Center – 049-530-2818

Batong Malake – 049-536-4349

Thank you and keep safe.

(UPDATE: A month later, this incident was featured in 24 Oras, GMA News Network)

Satya: A Vegetarian Restaurant in elbi

Frankie just got back from Apayao and requests "Vegetarian resto tayo please. This is my acquired craving after weeks in Apayao."

We found this Vegetarian Cafe and Restaurant called "Satya"and Frankie recommends that Aya and I try their "Vegchon"( Vegetarian Lechon Kawali) for us without veggie cravings. He said it looks and tastes like real lechon.

Aya and I were intrigued. 

We found the road to Satya beside Lopez Elementary School. I've seen their signage before but I did not know that it was a Vegan restaurant. 

This cute little nook houses vegan and organic food. The place looks like a secret hide out for peace and quiet. There's a small library for customers who likes to read but there are mosquitoes in the place. But don't fret, its a good thing they have anti mosquito repellent on display to be used by guests for free. 

They also have fast, free wifi too! I asked our server for how long has this restaurant been around elbi, but she's not sure. I think its been around since last year.

Not really an adventurous eater but we tried stuff like Crispy seaweed (Php60), the good old potato fries (Php60) and what we went for: The Vegchon, or their Vegetarian Lechon Kawali with their all around sarsa (Php170.00). They also have brown and white rice (Php35/serving).

The Vegchon, I heard, was a mixture of different kind of veggies. Interestingly, when you take a bite, you will see a meat-like strand, which you might think that it is meat. Of course it does not taste like meat.It was worth a try but what I didn't like about it was there are some portions that "felt" like fat, but it isn't fat. I felt like really fine sticky rice (kakanin) that quite resembles the stickyness of mochi in Japan).The sauce is homemade and taste exactly like fresh lumpia sauce.

If you're wondering what else to order, below is their menu:

Over-all, it was worth the experience and worth trying. I just don't see myself craving for it again, being non-vegetarian and all.

Worth reading: An inspiring story behind the Maserati for a good cause

I saw this last month while I was browsing instagram. I knew that it was a rent a Maserati for a good cause, but little did I know there is an interesting, heart-warming, tear-jerking story on top of this good deed. I only got to read this now.

This is definitely worth your time. Take a seat and read with me. I promise you won't regret it.
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Wheels of Fortune

by James Deakin ( article originally from PhilStar Website)

Meet the all-new Maserati Quattroporte––one of the most beautiful four-door saloons ever made. It comes with a 3.7-liter V8 Ferrari engine, an 8-speed gearbox, all-wheel drive... 

... and a chauffeur named James. Seriously.

Here’s the deal. And stick with me here because it is one amazing story. When I found out that I would be testing this car, I made all sorts of selfish plans––fun runs, a blast up to Tagaytay with my son, maybe even sneak it on the track in between the Vios cup practice sessions. Then I found out about my friend’s 2-month old daughter who needs some very expensive open heart surgery.

Suddenly, the thought of tearing up the streets in this Italian supermodel seemed, well, inappropriate. So I called my friend MarcSoong, who lent me the car for a review, and pitched him something different. I asked him if I could auction off his car for a good cause. The idea would be to auction my services as a personal chauffeur and drive someone anywhere a full tank can get them, so long as the money goes straight to Alessandra’sAngels––which is a working title for our small group that are raising money for the operation.

Being a man with a heart bigger than his wallet, Marc didn’t flinch. This is the same guy that had me auction off a pair of Fernando Alonso’s racing gloves and a scale model Ferrari GTO donated by Luca de Montezemolo that raised over 600,000 pesos last year to fund our job fair that found 721 Yolanda survivors a job before Christmas. All he asked was that I personally knew the people I would be driving around (or have friends that could vouch for them) and not post the offer on Sulit.com, cashcashpinoy or Ayosdito.ph.

That said, I posted it up on my Facebook page last Wednesday, April 30, with an ambitious goal of getting 20,000 pesos from someone. I bought a clip-on black neck tie, had my suit dry cleaned and even had a friend call up the Sofitel to borrow a chauffeur’s cap, which was given to me by Darwin Labayandoy.

My first customer was Rhian Ramos. She asked me to drive her to the One Fighting Championship in the MOA Arena on Friday night, but only on the condition that I be her date. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. The idea was to pull up together to the red carpet where the TV crews and reporters were waiting, which would naturally force the question: So, who’s the dude? That would be my segue to talk about what we were doing and help raise more awareness and eventually money for the operation.

Well. It. Worked.

Before I knew it, I had offers literally pouring in. Some guy offered me 5,000 pesos to be driven around the block just so he could say, “Home, James.” Ryan Agoncillio, being forever the car nut, bid an undisclosed, but very generous amount to be driven to dinner with his wife at Elbert’s Steak Room––which Elbert Cuenca absolutely refused to charge for when he found out what it was for. 

A foreign photographer from the Isle of Man offered me 10,000 pesos just to take a picture of the car, while Iza Calzado, who never seems to tire of supporting good causes, had me ferry her from ABS-CBN to her home.

Soon, the images of these absolutely stunning women being seen chauffeured around in an equally stunning car started getting splashed across social media sites and drawing even more attention to little Alessandra and her struggle to get her heart fixed––as well as melting other hearts in the process.

One evening, as I was picking up another couple to drive them to dinner at Elbert’s Steak Room and an overnighter at Sofitel that was donated by Wellington Soong, I pulled up to a car wash in Ortigas Home Depot to just get the Maserati looking its best. As I hopped out, the owner comes out and says, “Hey, that’s the car from Facebook! The one being auctioned off as a luxury taxi, right?” I said yes, and then told him that I was on my way to pick up some more people to raise money for Alessandra.

After the wash and vacuum was all done, not only did the owner refuse to charge me, but there was a check in the car for 5,000 pesos sitting in the cup holder. I noticed it immediately and said, what’s this? And he simply replied. “I’m a parent, too.”

So from dinner dates, lunch dates, to drives around the block, the Maserati had managed to raise P234,000 in just three days.

I went to visit Alessandra and her parents to tell them about the incredible response and generosity. They were, as you can imagine, very emotional about it. Then the grandfather came down. He was very thankful and humbled by all the support. And then he asked me where I got such a car. I told him that the distributor lent it to me. And not only that, but paid for a suite in the Sofitel that I could package together with the dinner and the car to get more money.

He said, “Wellington Soong lent you this?” I said “Yes.” He began to choke back the tears when he said, “Does he know who this is for?” I said “No, he just knows it is for a little girl with a broken heart.”

He looked down and said. “You tell him that this is my granddaughter that he has helped.”

So I called Mr. Soong up and asked him if he knew who exactly he was helping. To which he replied, “Marc tells me it is a little girl who needs an operation.” So I told him who the little girl was and who her grandfather was. There was silence. Dead silence. Followed by what I could only describe as the sound of a deep sigh that was being muffled by tears.

I wasn’t really sure what to say as I was just as much in the dark as you probably are right now when Mr. Soong eventually explained that how as a child growing up in Mandaluyong, his family had very little money and no car. So for years the Ugarte family would pick him up every single day and drive him to school and back. And now, some 50 years later, as the wheels of fortune have now turned, he raised a small fortune by lending out his wheels when his friend needed the biggest lift of all.

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(Excuse me as I now reach for a tissue.)

Learning the Magic of Non Attachment

Part of my 2014 vision board was to submit an article to an international conference for paper presentation and also I would like to travel to Bangkok, Thailand. April this year, I got my answer right before I went to Japan. My paper got accepted and was invited for a paper presentation and it happens to be in Bangkok, Thailand!

I was so excited that I immediately booked a round trip ticket (which happened to be on Sale) I, together with the people I am going with, already booked the hotel, and membership fees. In my attempt to maximize the cheapest of all deals, I also paid the early bird rate to make sure I will get a discount. To make the story short, I miraculously have spent over $500 in less than a couple of months, on top of my regular expenditures. I have also submitted my full paper for the conference to be included in the program and just counting the days for my flight to Bangkok. This week I even intend to create a Bangkok bucket list and other things and places to explore in Thailand.

Then Thailand declared Martial law.

I was still feeling optimistic about it. I was doing my research, monitoring the condition and asking a relative who lives in Bangkok about their current situation. They said it was not so bad, and it's different compared to Philippines' Martial Law. 

Last Friday I was on a bus when I saw on TV that Taylor Swift canceled her concert in Bangkok this year. That's not a good sign. Then when I came home last Friday night I got an email from a friend who's paper also got accepted, that the conference was postponed and still thinking to be moved (to a different country) within the year or else they will just cancel the whole thing.

I cannot hide my disappointment because I have been plotting out plans and figuring out my direction in the future. I feel that it was really meant for me because hitting 2 goals with one event? I'm really lucky! But then with happened, I cannot help but feel emotionally attached because I was looking forward to it even though I also feel nervous of my very first time presenting my paper in front of several representatives from different countries in an international conference.  

I have been reading Richard Carlson's Don't sweat the small stuff and it recommends to learn the magic of non-attachment: 

"Being attached to an outcome , holding on, takes an enormous amount of energy, not only during an effort, but often after an effort is complete, after you've failed, or been let down, or were dealt a bad hand.

Being non-attached, however, creates emotional freedom. It means holding on tightly but letting go lightly.It suggests trying hard, really caring, but at the same time completely willing to let go of the outcome."

It's been three days and I am still in the process of bouncing back and still learning to apply the magic of non-attachment. Even though I am out $500.00, (that's the thrifty me talking) I mean, what is $500 compared to our safety being compromised? I know this will be for the greater good.