[Project FeeTrail March 2014]: Standing in Stones at SMX

I took this photo during our event at SMX last March 4-5. Not really an exhibitor but more on working behind the scenes. I was able to sneak in a few minutes to check the booths as well and I saw this display and decided that it'll go with my project Feetrail for March 2014.

I've been so busy during this 2-day event but I'm so glad we had this event because I get to sleepover at my bff's house and managed to pick up important vacation documents. It's like I got two free trips to Manila!

I saw this exhibit at UPLB's Science and Technology Exhibit held at SMX. From the moment that I saw this display, I knew it's going to be in my collection for my Project Feetrail 2014.

Anyway, UPLB's Science and Technology exhibit was a huge success. Although I cannot say that everything is really great, knowing that I worked behind the scenes, but it was really good that we were able to pull everything off in just a couple of months or so.

Can you believe the first quarter of 2014 is almost over?

Why it's better to find someone whose heart already got broken

This is late for a Valentine's post but I saw this months back and kept it in my desktop. Then I realized, this is just too good not to post and share.

May we find someone who is worth the wait and make us realize why it never worked with anyone else. 

10 things worth enduring before you hit 30

I was watching my favorite series, Friends, when I chanced upon the episode where they all turn 30. One of my guy friends (and the last one in our group to) turn 30 last week and it got me thinking: 1) Shit, we're really are and supposed to be adults; 2) What lessons have we learned from graduation (assuming you graduated from college at 20 years old like me); and 3) Where did the time go?

They say your 20s are really exciting, I really believed and lived that. I was telling my 18 year old godson over the weekend not to rush about getting married and enjoy his life in his twenties before settling down to prevent the shoulds-woulda-couldas and that could creep up in his midlife. Because by the time I was 26, twenties went a lot faster than I thought it would.

A little disclaimer here, I am no life pro, but according to my memory and personal stack of first hand experiences, here are the top 10 things worth enduring by the time I turned thirty.

1. Experience a bad, crappy or so-so job.
We've all been there. Having a job where we drag our ass to work and faithfully wait for payday then payday comes and you wait for another payday. It's a cycle and a never-ending routine until you actually realize that you can't take it anymore.

Why it's worth it?
Every bad job gives you an experience that you might (and most likely will) use in the future. You will know the feeling of loving your next job that leads closer to your dream job. (Because of course you won't switch careers just to be in the same crappy job). It is always better to invest in experiences.

2. Get fired or resign from a safe job.
When I was 20, the first time I splurged on shopping, I showed up at work later only to find out that on that actual day out account was pulled out and that we're all forced to put on furlough for a while and wait for an opening. And during my first year in Graduate School, my professor in one of my favorite subjects, shared that it takes a whole lot of guts to resign from a job and that is true.

Why it's worth it?
So that you will learn not to take your job for granted and save up first before you splurge so that you have an emergency fund. And also, you will experience breaking away from your comfort zone and discover more things about you. There's something very brave about leaving a job and choosing something for yourself and not being allowed to be held back.

3. Work for someone who doesn't like you (or you don't like).
I've worked with brilliant bosses and at the same time extremely challenging ones. When I was younger, my motto was: I cannot work for someone I don't respect. But as you mature, (naks!) you will learn that it is not always the case.

Why it's worth it?
Because whether you admit it or not, not only you will learn to be on your toes and not to be complacent, it will also hone your character. If you resign just to avoid these kind of people, trust me, you will meet the same kind in another person and in another place. They're like back subjects in college, you can't graduate until you actually passed them (hopefully with flying colors!)

4. Experience not having a plan or a back up plan.
When I was 19, I already have a Plan A to C. I was so optimistic and idealistic and I am so excited to experience my independence. Until I experienced Quarter-life crisis and experience having a rug pulled under my feet.

Why it's worth it?
So that you will know that not having a plan just yet is not so bad after all and as the time goes by you learn to figure it out and be fine not having the answers right away.

5. Fall dangerously in love then get your heart severely broken.
This is not those cutie-patootie I-loved-him-from-a-far-but-he-doesn't-notice-me or He's-found-someone, or He's-getting-married-I-did-not-even-had-the-chance-to-tell-him-how-I-feel . I'm talking about being in an actual real relationship with the person to the point of Okay-baby-I-am-willing-to-move-from-the-city-to-the-suburbs-just-for-you-and-change-my-life/religion/career-and-dont-care-If-I-get-disowned-as-long-as-we-are-together kind.

I will tell you exactly what this feels like. It feels like you are drunk, hung over, numb and light-headed the entire time you are together and nothing else really matters because as long as you're together you can endure anything. Only to find out it's not working out and you're not really mean to be.

Why it's worth it?
Because you will learn to love genuinely, and find out for yourself how much you can take and how far you can go. You will also learn to love yourself (cliche but true). You will also learn to be compassionate and respect for people who go through similar experiences as you. And you will have depth! There's really no exact measurement for this thing but it is generally painful, but when you experienced "Going-through-hell-and-back" there's nothing more empowering than going through the fire and brushing the dust/ashes off your shoulders.

6. Live alone.
One of the bravest things I did before I hit twenty five was to decide that I would like to live alone in a 1BR apartment. That meant I am paying three times my rent share from the old condo that I used to live with other flatmates. It came with independence and freedom to be able to declare that you own your life (and the freedom to walk around your living room with only your knickers on! Haha!)

Why it's worth it?
Because independence came with a price and that meant learning to juggle your bills from electricity, water, laundry, groceries, cab fare and credit card bills. You will learn to measure your household consumption, budget and really think about your purchases (Do I really want this shoes on sale or this can go and secure my water bill instead?) and  assess the lifestyle you want to live.

7. Get in debt.
I wrote before about my financial lessons, I did not actually get into a neck deep debt because my mom trained my sister and me about saving and spending within our means, but there was a time that I got excited with all my three credit cards that I used them (not to its limit though) and enjoyed the feeling to be able to afford and feel rich (feel lang!). Until I did not like the feeling of having spent my good money in something so shallow and wondered where it went and only afford to eat bad food just to make ends meet.

Why it's worth it?
Because you will learn that your credit card bills are your responsibilities and there's no one left there to pay but you. I'm sure its a different lesson for everyone, but I am uncomfortable having something that is not fully paid. Even as little as a laptop purchase, I can breathe easier once I know I'm through with the payments, or I make sure to pay my monthly due first before I spend on another one. I did not like the feeling of walking around with my splurge hanging when I know they are not really paid yet. This will also teach you to be financially responsible and set your financial purchases and priorities straight, plus do you really want to be blacklisted by the bank? You never know you might need a good credit history in the future!

8. Lose some old friends to find out who your true friends are.
I keep my friends and love them to the moon and back so when I lose one it is very painful for me. I still hold friendships with people for more than 20 years.  But a wise woman once told me that you will know who your true friends are before you reach 30, and by the time you're 40, you'll be surprised you will still be shedding some from that same list.

Why it's worth it?
Because it is better to be with the people you are sure of and will not drag you down. Sometimes friends just fall apart because they've grown very differently and it's not really both your fault but just how life is sometimes. Also, sometimes we lose friends because they're just too emotionally heavy (read: emotional vampires sucking the life out of you) and you don't want to put up with their crap anymore. Trust me, when you do it, there will be no hard feelings and also no looking back.

9. Break up with someone just for you not because you have someone new.
Because, admit it. After being coupled for an amount of time and finding out that it's really not working out and you know deep inside you that there's really no future for the both of  you is shit scary. Sometimes we tend to stay for convenience, like you've already put up with this person for X number of years, sure you can put up with 50 something more. A family friend who went through annulment (after putting up with her horrifying husband) once told me, I will get my self out of this (really bad marriage) because who knows how many years I have left and there's no way I would spend my remaining years on Earth being miserable.

Why it's worth it?
It is worth it when you realize that you owe it to yourself and that you would rather be alone than be with someone you are not sure about or makes you feel alone. Better to have loved and lost than put up with someone who makes you miserable for the rest of your life. Plus the only person you can change in your relationship is you, you really don't have control over the other person. In the beginning you might think you have, but trust me, no amount of money, threat, bribe, guilt trip or emotional blackmail will change the person if he/she doesn't want to.

10. Travel Alone, or fly alone. 
I've never really traveled alone but it's one of my fantasies that until now I still find myself thinking about it. The closest thing I've experienced actually if flying solo to Cebu and flying to Laoag alone facing turbulence when I am actually, kind of shit scared of flying. Cebu was a breeze but Laoag is scary.The closest I've been to travelling/experiencing alone time in an entirely different place was when I visited my then boyfriend (who was on field most of the time) so I get to roam the cities, coffee shops, markets by myself.

Why it's worth it?
It will raise and heighten your level or awareness. You will discover your hidden navigation and survival skills when you are not depending on anyone. You wouldn't even know you had it in you until you're actually there.

Again I'm no life pro and sometimes just thinking about these things makes me anxious about what else do I need to painfully learn. I'm sure there are some more that needs to be included in this list, so if you are comfortable enough to share, feel free to leave some of yours by leaving a comment below.

First aid for dogs who fainted due to heat stress

I was just telling my friend Faye over dinner last week that I've been having really good mornings since I made a conscious effort to walk my mini-pinscher dog, Drake.


You see, he is not a house trained dog and when I got him as a puppy last Halloween 2011 (hence his name is Drake for Drake-ula) we locked him up in a cage because he is so hyper. I like brown dogs with pretty faces. His energy level is so high and draining that my father ended up taking care of my new dog. Drake is also the last dog we bonded over feeding him.

Anyway, last Friday after I had gone to Faye's, I came home at 11pm with my sister. I was just telling her on our way home that I am now letting Drake have his running line since it's now on our yard and not in the garage. Before we made him a running line in the garage so he will have a place to rest and also just in case it rained,  but he ended up killing all the nearby plants.

But when I got home at 11pm, I saw his harness but with no dog. I thought he might be stolen. Then we found him in the laundry area at the back of our house, almost lifeless. He can't lift his head up and paralyzed and shaking like he is having seizures. We thought he had a stroke!

We called friends for a referral to a veterinarian who might be still up at midnight who can assist us with what to do. My dog is paralyzed but he is alive because:
1. His heart is beating.
2. His brows are twitching and responding when his name is called.
3. He is breathing.

But the downside is, his mouth is locked. Like you can't force open it. He cannot stand, he can't hold his head up.

We bothered a neighbor who is a veterinarian, who happens to hold the free vaccination for anti-rabies around our subdivision every year. When we knocked on their gate, the husband shooed us away. Actually what he is said is,"Sorry the vet is already asleep and we don't really accept or entertain dog patients in the house."

We went back at home feeling frustrated. If the veterinarian, the one who's supposed to "save"the dog doesn't see it as an emergency, then the rest is up to us.

So what to do when your dog suffers a heat stress?

My sister, through her experience with dog emergencies in our house in grove, did the following:
1. Force opened his mouth (we couldn't because it's really locked. But we managed to do so through spaces between his gritted teeth.)
2. Poured water and help him drink water.
3. Mix sugar with water and make dog drink it. (Use whatever sugar is available in your house, it works like magic, I tell you. I don't even know why and how.)

At first, the water just keep flooding the garage floor but then our dog started to swallow the water. We poured some more and he started taking the water but still the mouth wouldn't open up.  After a few minutes, we decided to put him in his cage with the dog open, accompanied by his blanket and hoped for the best. I really thought that we're just waiting for him to die. So that night, I sincerely prayed to God and let him decide since I feel so powerless. I just can't help being sentimental and all because this dog is special and he makes my mornings happy. I don't know if you have an idea what a funny dog is, but Drake is funny and he makes our morning walks together, fun and not boring at all.

At 5 in the morning, my mom woke up to check the dog to find him to having already roamed the yard. He was not back to his hyper self at first but at least he can now stand, respond, eat and drink. So timely that my friend, Kat, told me that he veterinarian is dropping by to give shots to her dog. We took Drake to her house and we finally found a vet who confirmed that Drake suffered a heat stress and not a stroke, because had it been a stroke, he would've died by the time we got there. We told him the first aid we did, and got an approval that we did the right thing! Good job Aprille!

After less than a week, look at him, hyper again like it never happened:


Drake is back! from The Kea Channel on Vimeo.

Post-heat stress event:

1. We gave him heartgard as per his veterinarian, he will be tested for heart worm.
2. Small hyper dogs, especially during summer, suffer heat stress, so make sure they always have water and a roof/shade to hide from the sun.
3. I also learned that contrary to popular knowledge, all pets are not born with instant rabies, because otherwise they would have died immediately. We were informed that it was a campaign drive by the government to drive pet owners to have their pets vaccinated with anti-rabies.
4. The reason why pets needs to be at least 3 months old before their first vaccine is the vaccines are so powerful they can kill the young dogs below 3 months old.

Got something pet-related to share? I'd love to hear from you. Leave your comments below or send it in a private message here.

The Grad School Diaries: Episode 25 - It's Official!

Today is my Father's birthday. He would've been 63 today.

Last year I had a small lunch treat with my friends and colleagues and also as my mini-celebration treat for my new colleagues. Also last year, we went to Tatay's grave and had car trouble which turned out that our Revo's battery needs to be changed. From then on, we never forget when the car battery was last changed.

Last weekend, I was told that it's no longer proper to celebrate one's birthday once they have passed on. I don't know if it's one of the ridiculous Filipino myths/sayings, but better be safe than sorry.

I usually get adult responsibilities bills in the mail, but this morning, something was personally delivered to me that made me smile.

And very timely since it was my Tatay's birthday and I know this would've made him proud.

Dear Inay and Tatay,

This is for you! It's official! 

Love, 

Kitin 

Quick Review: Dainty Gourmet Bites

It probably isn't a good idea to bring an actual foodie to a place that says "Gourmet". Because when you say "gourmet" certain expectations just come around.

I've been meaning to try to this little corner at Vega Center called Dainty Gourmet Bites and I'm not really sure if it's good. We tried Kaska before, find it so-so, after more than a year tried it again and it appears that it redeemed itself. You just have to choose the correct pasta to order.

Anyway, the first time I saw this corner, it was jam packed with diners. It looks cute from the outside and I wondered for how long it's been around.

 We got lucky one lunch hour, because there were only two customers dining inside.

 Check out the space. Not really a good idea if you want some peace and quite but when you get the chance to come here on a not busy day, it might just work.

I just had my lunch but my foodie friend is hungry. I decided to just get some ice cream (Php 25/scoop) and was pleasantly surprised with the presentation:

My friend ordered the mushroom burger (Php60.00). My friend, who is  a good cook and an actual foodie, took a few bites before I asked her how she found it:

 "Ordinary." She said. "The burger in that bar on the second floor of Coffee Blends (IC's Bar) tastes a lot better."

Anyway, I enjoyed my ice cream and its presentation and maybe consider ordering the crepes in the future. The menu looks affordable, the pasta the other table's eating smells yummy but maybe it was just not Dainty Gourmet Bites' day today. Maybe like Kaska, it'll redeem itself some other time.

Review: LOL Matte Bronzer in Brown Sugar

I've been looking for a matte bronzer since last year. After my frustration to use my BDJ coupons to purchase the Revlon bronzer that I wanted, I decided to try this way cheaper alternative called LOL cosmetics. LOL stands for Lots of Love. (Cheesy, I know.)

The reason I want to use a matte bronzer is because my skin has large, open pores and shimmers only amplify my pores. If I can remember correctly, this matte bronzer from LOL only costs Php 139.00.

I wanted to get a bronzer and use it to contour my face and to sometimes use it as a blush for a more natural look. I can't get away with slightly pink/old rose blush because I have morena skin.

I've already been using it for quite sometime and I love that it's matte. However, since I only paid Php 139.00, the pigmentation is okay but it doesn't last long. You will need to retouch approximately 4 times if you want to maintain that color on your cheeks (if you used it as blush) or accents (if you used it to contour your face) to last the whole day.

I used my powders and blush with Marionnaud contouring brush N32. (The brush is really worth buying!) 

So, in a nutshell review:

Product: LOL (Lots of Love) Bronzing Powder (Brown Sugar Shade)
Price: Php 139.00
Place of Purchase: SM Department Store (Beauty Section)
Performance: 2 out of 5
Purchase Again? Not anytime soon. Other products of the same brand maybe.

What to do when the Church lost your Baptismal Certificate

It was only during the process of our acquisition of travel documents that we found out that the church where my sister and I were baptized was burned down. So all of the files from year 1992 and below were lost and in order for us to retrieve the information the following were required:

1. Photo of the actual Christening
(If you have a photo of the church back drop, photo with priest, and all the rest of the godparents, the better!)

2. Official/Original Receipt of the Baptism from the Church who issued it.

3. Then they will create a new certificate for you.

I know what you're thinking. What if you do not have any of those? If you do not have Christening Photos, you are required to present the following:

1. Valid Birth Certificate (In Philippines, it must be NSO'd)

2. Parents'Marriage Contract (NSO'd too!)

3. Personal appearance of your actual godmother/godfather who will be interviewed by the parish church to tell the details of the baptism. The lady in the church administration informed me that they have certain questions to determine if the godparent who was presented is lying.

Don't even think of getting a fake godparent to show up, because the lady even told me that one foreign embassy called them to check the validity of the document. It was found out that the document presented at the embassy was a fake one from Recto.

4. They will make an affidavit of the said Baptism to be showed as proof of document.

Thank Goodness my father was a photographer and my mother is a memorabilia fan that all of our childhood photos shot in film were documented and kept in photo albums to this day. With this digital age where people no longer bother with prints for their concern is uploading it on Facebook, I think I will go back to selecting shots and printing them in picture paper to be kept in a photo album.

From Behind the Scenes: The Jessica Soho Experience

I'll try hard to write without too much gushing. I've always been a fan of Ms. Jessica Soho and now I love her even more.

You see, we were assigned to welcome her in our event. She came with no entourage. No huss or fuss. And being the big time celebrity/ TV news anchor that she is, I appreciate how she was very graceful and accommodating when people flock her for a photo opportunity.

One time she said in the nicest, respectful way to hurry with the photo op as she doesn't want to delay the program.

I love her speech and how she captured the audience with what she's saying. Of course the content of the speech is for another story (and I think we have an article coming out about that). She stayed the entire awarding ceremony when most huge personalities and celebrities sneak out due to their hectic schedule. Actually she was supposed to sneak out, but she decided to stay even if the program got a little over time. She did not stay for lunch, but I watched how she secretly handed money to one of the guys from GMA TV Network (her home network) so they can eat ahead of her and will not get hungry. Despite being on stage and on spotlight, she made sure her staff is taken care of.

I noticed how she pleasantly accommodated all the photo opportunity request even if it's causing a delay in her schedule.

I watched how she talked with the lady elevator operator, making her at ease like she's just like everyone else and not a major TV News anchor. I witnessed her magic into making people at ease, all in less than a minute.

I noticed how, as we were passing by the huge crowd, people were actually happy to see her. People waving their hands saying "Hi Maám Jessica!"and how she acknowledges them with a smile and a nod.

We got to the point where we really have to go through the shoulder to shoulder crowd, and I, in my instinct as her "lady guard of the moment" asked the people "excuse me po..." and she told me that it's alright. That It's okay (translation: no need to do that, as I try to part the crowd like Moses parted the red sea) just because she's coming through.

I took up Mass Communication in college but did not pursue the career of being a TV documentary scriptwriter. I wanted to work for a magazine instead. But seeing how Jessica is, I wonder what it would be like to be mentored by her.

Hidden "Jem": Jerome "Jem" Isorena ( The Kenny J of Pakil, Laguna)

Last year, during our Capacity Building Workshop in UPLB, UP's Vice President for Public Affairs, VP J. Prospero "Popoy" de Vera, invited this young lad from Pakil, Laguna to serenade the guests and participants during post workshop socials. It felt like a wedding reception background except the live version is so much better.

His name is Jerome Isorena and he's a Saxophone player from Pakil, Laguna. VP Popoy de Vera discovered him during the town fiesta.

This year for UPLB's Exhibit, he was invited again to play during the recognition day. When we were talking after his stint, he shared that he learned his saxophone skills in a marching band in Laguna and from there, he further honed his skills. His brother, who accompanied him in SMX, plays the musical instrument, trombone.

(Photo by Juan Paolo A. Aquino)

After his stint and after having lunch in our media room, he gave in to the request of our resident Titas who requested him to play a song or two. I never really took time to appreciate Saxophone music until I heard it live. If you're getting married, having a saxophone player playing in the background is so ferosh!

Here's a sample of his rendition of "Be careful with my heart"Song requested by the Titas:


Jerome The Saxophone player Video 2 from The Kea Channel on Vimeo.

After I got home, I decided to google him to check if anyone has blogged about him yet. I found two very impressive videos of him. The first one is this:

And the next one is his appearance in Wil Time Big Time, January of last year. I can't seem to embed the video, but you can find it here.

To get in touch with Jerome, here's his contact information:

Mobile Number: +63.930.222.9121

Review: Revlon's Nearly Naked Foundation + Colorburst Lipgloss (plus Cheap Tips!)

I, myself, cannot believe this incredibly lucky deal that I got by just going through the make up section. I bought a new liquid foundation and got this Revlon Colorburst Lip gloss (one of their newest shade) for FREE!

Regular Price:
Revlon Nearly Naked Liquid Foundation (True Biege): Php 525.00
Revlon Colorburst Lip gloss (Embellished shade): - Php 575.00

Yes, the free lip gloss costs more than my actual purchased product!

I have friends who tells me that they are quite hesitant when buying lip color/lipstick because they do not want a shade that's too dark or loud. I'm no pro when it comes to make up, I'm just an ordinary make up enthusiast and not even a make up junkie...yet. So to set expectations in this post, I am not a beauty/make up blogger so there'll be hardly any photos of me. But I am a quality cheapskate and always in search for the cheaper alternative but same quality. Let me share some of my cheap tips on these kind of make up:

Watch out for the "hidden hair" in Manos Greek Tavern at SM Mall of Asia

After our event last Tuesday, I had dinner with my bff and her mom at this Greek restaurant in SM Mall of Asia. I've never really had Greek food before, but Mina said it's shawarma and some stuff. I decided to give it a go because I love kebab. They might have them too!

This is what I ordered. A Pork Gyros Pita (Shawarma) for Php 150.00. Their bestseller is actually lamb, but I'm not sure if I'm going to like it so I decided to go with pork instead.

Huge serving size, I tell you. It's worth the Php150.00. It almost occupied half of my plate.

We also ordered the Vegetarian Pita 1 for Php 195.00. I'm really trying to be adventurous here but I love their fries, the dip, the cabbage (where you put in oil) and their goat cheese. I didn't try the cauliflower though. 

I was actually starting to enjoy my first Greek food experience when suddenly, I saw this hair, like long hair that is seemed to be intertwined with the meat in Shawarma. Of course I did not pull out the hair to further discover how long the hair was, but from what I have seen, it is an estimate of more than 5 inches already.

Gross, I know. I only just had a few bites. I called the waitress and she offered to replace it. But since I was already full from the goat cheese and pita bread, I told them not to replace it anymore and also to take if out of our bill because there's no way I am going to pay for that.

I actually remembered my colleague Paolo, experiencing the same thing with Mang Inasal at Kalaw Branch. He was already 90% done with the meal when he saw this short black hair inside the meat. The store manager offered to replace the food, free of charge, of course. But this is more high end than Mang Inasal. And located at SM Mall of Asia! As you can see in the first picture, we were the only customers in the place when it happened.

I don't know if I'm too tired, or I have matured, or just shy that we were dining with my bff's mom, that I didn't throw a fit regarding the gross food. But I actually am glad I didn't because literally a few minutes after I sent back the food, I received some important good news.

The Universe rewarded my self-control haha!

According to the list: 20 Things All Women Should Do Before Getting Married

Came across this post from Huffington and as I was reading it, though I don't really agree with all of the things written here (especially with the writer assuming all the readers of this post already have a significant someone) I figured out it would be cool to cross some things off the list.

20 things every woman should try to do before tying the knot

Written by Maressa Brown on CafeMom’s blog, The Stir.

1.      Travel with your sister(s) and/or closest female friends. Not saying you can't do this after you get married, but lots of ladies agree there's something especially liberating, eye-opening, and bond-bolstering about doing it beforehand.

2.     Travel with your future spouse. "Everyone can get along for a weekend, but see if you can stand each other for a whole week, dealing with travel dilemmas, etc.!" my wise fellow newlywed friend noted, and I couldn't agree more.

3.     Suffer major heartbreak. As one woman put it, "It not only made me a stronger individual coming out of it, but it also showed me never to take love for granted."

4.     Dump someone. Pleasant experience or not, it's empowering to be the one who called the final shot in a relationship at one time or another.

5.     Get your finances in order. One of my close friends made it a point to clean up her credit and make some serious sacrifices so that her future husband wouldn't have to carry around the burden of budgeting mistakes she had made while single. It's also not a shabby idea to do it for your own peace of mind.

6.     Talk about your finances with your future spouse. Make sure you know where you stand on long and short-term goals and spending vs. saving. Depending on how much either one of you is willing to bend on certain things, money matters can be serious buzzkills for marital bliss -- or, at their worst, dealbreakers.

7.     Live alone. Slash with roommates. But not with Mom and Dad. Autonomy is awesome! Plus, as one recent bride put it, having lived alone "makes you grateful for the things your spouse contributes" once they're in the picture.

8.     Live with your partner. Sure, if you're old-school, you may not be a fan of this one, but it can definitely serve as a "test drive" before buying the car.

9.     Have a summer fling. Even if it doesn't last past Labor Day, it's a fun memory to look back on -- and makes for a fun story to reminisce about.

10.  Learn how to cook. Not because you're getting ready to be someone's June Cleaver, but because it's reassuring to know that you can fend for yourself in the kitchen.

11.   Splurge on yourself. Because you can -- and you should!

12.  Have at least one big blowout fight with your future spouse. Then make up. It's good to know you can get through it.

13.  Date around. Serial monogamists often feel like they missed out on the experiences of going on both good and really bad/hilarious/cringe-worthy dates.

14.  Face one of your biggest fears. Be it skydiving, public speaking, or dining in public alone.

15.   Try having a friend with benefits. If only to make sure that friend you always had a crush on doesn't somehow become "the one who got away."

16.  Focus on your education. Not that you can't do this once you're married, but you may want to spend pre-martial time on getting one -- or several! -- degrees.

17.   Get started on making your career dreams come true. Same as #16.

18.  Decide how you feel about kids. Kind of like money, a majorly important thing to reflect on/discuss before getting hitched.

19.  Clean up your act. AKA drinking less, eating healthier, working out more.

20. Get to know yourself. Should go without saying!


I crossed 14 out of 20!

New Find: That secret ice cream place called Mini Moo

I've noticed in elbi that new things pop up every semester. There seem to be a new hang out, a new bar, a new kiosk waiting to be discovered.  Last week, as we were on our way to have dinner, we passed by this cute little space called "Mini Moo" and Aya swore that the ice cream is really, really good.

It looked just like any other ice cream shop until you actually see what the flavors are. If you lust for the pistachio ice cream of a very popular pizza place, or crave for a break from the usual ice cream you purchase at the local convenience stores, this is the place to go.

And because I'm a huge fan of mint chocolates, I got the mint chocolate chip one. Aya got the bubble gum flavored and Paully ordered the double dutch. No regrets I tell ya. In fact, I really enjoyed the mint ice cream. I can't wait to go back. They have other flavors too! 

Now for the quick review:

They charge per scoop which is between Php35-40, depending on the flavor and the ice cream cone. (They had to make sure it is still affordable by UP students)
You cannot buy by gallon or pint due to exclusivity and confidentiality clause between the owner and the "secret supplier" of the ice cream.
They are open from Monday to Saturday at 10am.

Mini Moo is located on F.O. Santos street. The lady owner said that they just opened last Feb 12, and Aya already tells me that a lot of student customers are already flocking their little shop. If you happen to have tried it, share your favorite ice cream flavor in the comment section below.

Travel Laguna: Accommodations in SEARCA Guesthouse

My sister, Aprille, also works in the wedding industry as a Los Baños-based, wedding/events florist. We're often asked about accommodations near or within UPLB. We've met couples who studied in UPLB, who were not really from Los Baños, but wanted to marry in UPLB because "this is where we met."

As a wedding/events coordinator, we are often asked where is the best place to check in before the wedding day. Some bridal party prefers resorts or hotel but some prefers within a short drive from their hotel accommodation to the church. 

One of the nice ones we've seen within UPLB and also quite nice on the pocket is the SEARCA Guesthouse. In fact, one of my sister's bride clients already had her pre-wedding day preparations in this Guesthouse. So today, let me share you some photos of the place together with their accommodation rates.

"The Searca Guesthouse (SGH) is a self-contained hostel with it's own conference hall, dining area and kitchen that is ideal for a group of 20-40 guests. Group package offer includes use of kitchen, a conference workshop room, and the dining area." 

 

Read more and find out about the rates after the jump!