Date with Mama: BORACAY 2014

I really don't know how this blessing came but it happened on one of the scorching afternoons, I was thrilled when my mom suddenly asked me if I want to go to Boracay with her and her friends for this summer. *MIND WENT BLANK HERE...hahaha before I immediately blurted out a big, fat, juicy YES! My excitement was understandable because it will be my first time to see the wonders of that internationally acclaimed, highly recommended white sand beach. 

Boracay  is a small island in the Philippines located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines according to Wiki. It is a shame, I know, for a Filipino like me to miss out going to an amazing place like that but I do know that there is a time for everything. This summer was mine!☺☼

I just want to share some of the photos I took with the BB cam.

My flight to Boracay. :) Cebu Pacific Air

After arriving at Boracay Airport at the main land, I needed to take one of this boat rides to Boracay Island itself. It probably took me about 15 minutes. Adventure starts here

Mama fetched me at the port. :) She arrived a day earlier than me. Haha!

We stayed at the Elizalde Rest house :)

YEY! I finally made it! :) This was taken at 5pm. I loved the colors of the sky, blues, purples with hints of pink and orange from the setting sun!

Of course I needed to pass the opportunity of having the typical Starbucks, Ice Monster. Instead we ventured in trying out the fruit shakes! 

Here are the 2 mighty competitors that both claim to be the BEST FRUIT SHAKES in Bora. :)

Try this stone-oven baked thin crust pizza from CARUSO. :) This is heavenly!

Finally, dine in an authentic Thai resto located at D Mall. :) I am super lost for words when I tasted the rice with pineapples and chicken, the curry was delectable! Plus the papaya salad was refreshing and totally tasty! 

I would just like to clarify that my whole stay in Bora was dedicated in swimming, EATING, and shopping. :) I would try the activities like island hopping, helmet diving, etc. when I return with my friends.

You might boo me at this point but I really did enjoy the other side of the adventures by trying out the different restos and food kiosks the island has to offer, relaxing by the beach, stargazing, and walking by the beach at night. This vacation for me was relaxing and allowed me to listen to nature's silence. 

More from me soon! :)

*shine!

PUERTO GALERA ESCAPADE: Planned it. Did it.

good day everyone! :)

how are you doing? sorry for being absent from my blog for a long time. i just came home from a recent trip away from the busy, fast-paced life here in the urban. :) sometimes it really just amazing when you get an enormous amount of blessing from our Lord! He let me and my church friends to travel 130 kilometers south of Manila to this isle of White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. 

this is my first time traveling for a real VACATION. :) so i'm just really super excited! haha! it took us months to plan for this summer's fun out and i must say it was worth it! 

Puerto Galera is dubbed as the "poor-man's Boracay" mainly because of the similar white sand on its coast. there are so many things to love about this place! 

1. Budget-friendly- based on experience, traveling here with a group makes everything survivable. for more or less than 3 thousand pesos, you can stay and try all of the activities for 3 days and 2 nights.
2. People- i love meeting new friends anywhere because i'd like to hear their stories and life experiences. one of the things i noticed about Galera is the friendly people. they are honest and hard-working. in our 3-day stay there no one tried to con us or take advantage of us. they earn their living true and clear.
3. Food- okay, where do i start??? hahaha! i just love the perfection of their grilled pork, squid, chicken, kebabs. plus the rice is screaming, "EAT ME! EAT ME!" delicious! the prices are not at all bad. food budget for each meal ranges from 99-200 pesos at most. :)
4. Environment- its every Biologists' dream to be surrounded by diverse wildlife, well, Puerto's got snorkeling and hiking! perfect for searching crawlers, fish and corals. ♥.♥ the beach is also kept clean and preserved. :)
5. Activities- everything that they offer is for 200 pesos each person. just to mention a few:

• SNORKELING and ISLAND HOPPING
• HAIR BRAIDS
• MASSAGE
• TAMARAW FALLS TOUR

okay so now i'll stop blabbing and show you guys the photos from the trip. 

ENJOY!☺

@ Batangas Port 1. we got the round trip ferry ticket for 500pesos.

boarding the bangka. :)

inside the bangka. :)

Ate Joy & Kristel, Ate Sarah & Ate Jhing :)

Marlon, Angeli, Jek, A & me

we arrived after an hour on the bangka. :)

this is the Lagundian, our home for the 3 days we've spent in Galera. it is located on top of a mountain. you have to climb the stairs to get there. every step that you take is really worth it because once you've reach the top, the view is breath-taking. :) in terms of privacy and security, this place is a guarantee!

our rooms. :) spacious and equipped with a television in one and a fridge in the other. :) each has its own bathroom, air conditioner, cabinets, and a pantry.

the view from Lagundian. :) 

White Beach. :)

FUN ACTIVITIES! :)

• watch bold and talented fire dancers on the beach font!
• try their MANGO and STRAWBERRY scramble! :) this is so delicious! i could taste real fruits being used and not just flavoring
• visit TAMARAW FALLS. this is a must! for 200 pesos each person  you'll get to have an adventure  that you'll never forget. 
• ISLAND HOPPING- we went to 2 islands. :)
• FOOD TRIPS. :)
• SHOPPING for souvenirs.
• SNORKELING!
• let's not forget to try the famous drink, MINDORO SLING.

those 3 days were really blessed with friendship, fun and most of all love.♥ i would like to come back there and try the other activities like riding the banana boat, para-sailing, trying out the extreme sports (riding motor bikes), and of course hiking! having a henna tatoo can also be on the list. haha. so much activity so little time. 

thank you for reading! i do hope that you guys could visit Puerto Galera, you won't regret it!

the next post will surely be more photo heavy! be ready! 

*shine!

GIFT IDEAS: A's Gift Box.☺

hello everyone!

have you guys ever came to a point when you just don't know what to give that special someone on their special day, uhhh...say like a birthday? anniversary? even Christmas? i've often experience situations like this because i really do give gifts, either hand-made or bought, to people i consider special to me. :) i just love that feeling of searching for "that is the ONE" for him/her. plus its better to give than to receive. :)

these past few days, knowing that A's graduation is fast approaching, i had the same dilemma i was mentioning above. i have been searching in Pinterest, Tumblr and other blogs for their suggestion on what to give him, a boyfriend who is an IT major, loves music and a fan of magic tricks.

 their suggestions are really good and varied but it just that i've already done it or it just impossible for me to give him an electronic gadget. :)))) hahaha. i know i wanted my gift to be special and be the best but i am in a budget constraint here people so a Mac/Beats by Dre are totally outrageous!

so i stopped my searching and focused on something that really matters, his FUTURE. a graduation signifies a new stage in life A will soon be facing and i think one of the best ways to show him that i support his development is to give him some things that will help him go ease into the transition of a school boy into a young professional. i also considered that he'll be visiting the isle of Boracay in May.

i devised A's GIFT BOX.☺

CONTENTS:

1.  2 Beach Shorts- from the Landmark. :) one for his Puerto Galera trip and one for his Bora trip. these are colorful and versatile shorts that he can use not only in the beach but also for walking and church practices.
2. 1 White Muscle Tee- also for his beach trips. this is made from cotton so it'll be light-weight and easy to carry.
3. 1 Baleno Undershirt (muscle tee)- Kai (my brother) choose this for A. :) happy to help he is!
4. 1 Basic Tie- for future job interviews or jobs.
5. 6 White Handkerchiefs.
6. 1 Basic Black Leather Belt
7. 3 Pairs of Black Socks

it may not be much but i think these things are things that he will need when he finds work in any company. :) the important thing is he loved it.♥ since i mentioned that he loves magic tricks especially card tricks my aunt surprised him with a limited edition Bicycle Ghost Deck. :)

another treat for him is the IRON MAN 3 movie!!! yey for Tony Stark!☺☺☺

overall i'd say his day was really special and blessed. for he is also a blessing to his family and also to me. again good job A!☺ you deserve the best of every thing!

giving a gift doesn't really need to be expensive and over the top, simple stuffs such as these can make one person feel special because you remembered him/her and his/her needs. and as always its the thought that counts.

*shine!

Double A's Graduation Day.☺

"Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you! Do not be afraid to dream of great things!"

-Pope Francis

these words from our Pope is another inspirational thought to ponder on especially since we are in that time of year when we welcome a new batch of young professionals into the adult/real world. A's graduation day was yesterday. :) everyone was extending their greetings of congratulations to him and i for one, am very proud of what he has accomplished. 

why? you ask. well...A is not just an excellent IT student but he is also a member (and became the president) of the Lyceum of the Philippines Chorale for 4 years earning a 4-year scholarship and being a Dean's Lister on the side. <insert dramatic music here> hehehehe. while doing so he is also preoccupied with our church choir plus other activities in our parish, never did he reason that he is busy with schoolwork when he is needed in the parish and vice versa. and yesterday he finally earned the fruits of his labor, when he was called on stage to receive his diploma.♥

A with his parents, Tito Tony and Tita Agie

we celebrated this special day in Tramway Bayview Buffet in Roxas Blvd. :) click on the link to view their website. 

A with his family. :)

Kiel, Angeli, Julianne, me and A. :)

A and me and Julianne. :)

after dinner we headed back to A's place had some ice cream while solving 4 Pics 1 Word. then we arrived at MOA at around 10:15 pm to watch the last full show of Iron Man 3! it was AWESOME!!!!☺☺☺

i won't spoil anything from it sooo please watch it! 

us @ MOA, waiting for Iron Man 3.

its all about AA yesterday. :) we were really proud to be with you and witness your success! we all know that there will be great things ahead of you. we'll be praying for your future my labs. dream great and claim those in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he will give you what you asked of Him.☺

i love you, you know i do.♥

*shine!

YC Goes to FEU-Manila & WOF.☺

hello everyone!

here's another issue of YC Goes to... i know its been a while since my last post. i've been doing a lot of cooking and household chores this summer. although that's not my idea of spending the rest of the season i did learn a lot from these experiences. :) let's get on with my newest blog entry. 

a few weeks ago....

"Guys...wait lang. Pwedeng pa-help?" asked our future attorney, Sarah, during one of the OLFP Youth Choir practice sessions. she needed a choir to sing for the baccalaureate  mass of FEU-Institute of Law, where she is the VP of their student council. this sounded really great for us since the last time we were invited out was last December in Camp Crame. a few of us said a big "YES" while the others were held back because of other engagements like work. 

it was a mixture of laughs and nerves as we travel via LRT1 to the university. we talked, teased and tattled. thinking how would we perform and who will play the guitar and the piano. its a bonding moment for the rest of us who couldn't spend a lot of time together and wanted to make the best out of that day.

we attended the mass and listened to the wise words the priest said to our future lawyers. i remembered that he said that these lawyers should serve the people and use their intellect to uphold and ameliorate the way of living of the countrymen.
(perfect sermon for the coming elections! i'm just sayin' :))

after the mass we went sight seeing. :) haha! one of my favorite parts of the day. and met up the rest of the council of IL. when lunch was served we gobbled the KFC chicken like cavemen! :))

here are a few shots while we were in FEU.

 the chapel. :) i loved the murals depicting the Passion of our Lord!

smiles! :)

more fun ahead as Sarah and I decided to treat the kids (and kids at heart) to the World of Fun! this time i discovered that Monique, one of our altos, would make an excellent basketball shooter! beat that boys! haha! the whole afternoon was well played-out. by the time we were about to go home, we were all exhausted! playing almost 2 dozen games of basketball shooting and "the crane" but in the end all we got was bag full of Potchi!☺

the YC (from left to right):

Red, Monique, Jerommel, Luis, Aljon & A. :)

buying tickets! :)

playing the game!!!

thanks guys for this wonderful day! i hope we could have lots of it in the future!☺☺☺

STAND IN THE FAITH!

*shine!

seasons of love!♥

hello!

1st day of March! oh yeah! February passed by in a *click! as well as the cool breeze and chilly mornings but hello to the summer heat and more sun baby! who's super excited for summer? haha i know all of you guys still stuck in school are! 

before we head on to another amazing month, lemme just share these photos from i've created through Photoshop. forgive me masters of CS5! i know my skills are in a super novice state but i'm still learning. :) these are just little labors of love for two of my most beloved friends who are expecting a little bundle of joy named, Gab.☺

these are collections of quotes and Biblical scriptures about the wonders of being a mother. i believe it is a perfect gift for a baby shower. :) 

 

feel free to copy and print these cards. i don't really mind. its for me to share! i hope moms and expecting moms could be given this kind of a reward. honor their motherhood. its not easy to become one. 

just like our Virgin Mother of God, Mama Mary, all sorts of experiences of both joy and pain are up for her, but she never gave up because she knew that a child was a precious gift from God.☺and to see that life, that child grow up and harvest the fruits of her hard labors is a most wondrous sight.

i salute my mom and all the other mothers out there!♥

for our ate Joyce, we are so excited for baby Gab! may God bless you and kuya Uly as you guys embark on  another journey together as parents. i can be a nanny! :) haha. 

*shine!