Thursday, December 1, 2016

CBTL 2017 Giving Journal Launch


It's that time of the year again when we start eyeing planners for next year-- seriously one of my favourite things to do! I literally can't live without a planner because I'm a planning freak-- I have to plan things ahead of time. I can't help it lol.

I recently attended the launch of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's 2017 Giving Journal at Greenbelt 5. Unlike other planners, CBTL's Giving Journal promotes goodwill and social responsibility in the community. Read on to find out how.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Boracay 2016


My most relaxing trip to date (and probably my favourite) was my trip to Boracay with friends last June. Since all of us have been to Boracay countless times before, we didn't feel the need to explore the place and try the water activities. Every day, we had the same routine - get up at 10am, grab breakfast at the hotel, relax inside our hotel room for a few hours, get a late lunch, chill by the beach while having afternoon snacks and drinks, swim during sunset, and then grab an early dinner. I've never felt so relaxed in my life! I think I want to make this a yearly tradition. Who's with me? Lol.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Tagaytay Day 2: Lavender Cottage


As I mentioned in my previous post, we stayed at the biggest cottage in Sonya's Bed & Breakfast-- the Lavender Cottage. They have fourteen cottages-- all named after herbs and spices. The weekend rate is PhP3,400/person for one night regardless of the cottage. I did a ton of research online but I didn't find any photos on how these cottages look like inside.

For those of you who are planning to stay at Sonya's, especially the first-timers, these photos might help you decide whether or not the Lavender Cottage is the one for you.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Tagaytay Day 1: Sonya's Bed & Breakfast


My siblings and I planned a trip to Tagaytay for our parents' 25th anniversary. We stayed at Sonya's Bed & Breakfast as per my mom's request, and got the biggest cottage, the Lavender Cottage (more on this on my next post).

After checking in, we took my parents to Qi Wellness for a surprise spa treat. They were caught completely by surprise! I booked them for a 3-hr Quick Escape package which included a 60 minute use of bath house facilities (pools, steam, shower), a 30 minute foot reflexology, and a 90 minute massage. They loved it!

After the spa, we headed back to Sonya's for our dinner. Everyone enjoyed the healthy dishes, especially the salad greens that were freshly harvested from the garden. We then went back to the cottage which was just a few meters away from the dining area and presented our gift to them -- a portrait of the two of them during their wedding hand drawn by my sister! We've been planning this for months and we were glad that everything went smoothly!

P.S. Don't have much photos because all of us were busy enjoying the moment! Lol.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Penshoppe x Lucky Blue Smith


Last Friday, Penshoppe showcased their pre-holiday collection with international model Lucky Blue Smith as frontline of the fashion show. This new collection boasts of monochromatic pieces, gradient tees, plaid shirts, utilitarian jackets, and distressed denim. I can't wait to get my hands on them!

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Guangzhou Getaway


Guangzhou (Canton) is surprisingly just a short two-hour train ride from Hong Kong. The train had comfortable seats and it even had a food car (yay!) for those with hungry tummies. Upon arrival in Guangzhou, the first order of business was to get a good look at the Canton Tower. The weather was warm and sunny, it was a perfect day to walk around and take photos. Below are some photos taken during my trip last May!

Friday, July 22, 2016

OOTD + Levi's 505C Fashion Show


This navy crop top is something I absolutely adore! Luckily, I found this pair of high waisted pants that goes perfectly well with it. I got these pants around 5 years ago, I wore them once, and never had the chance to wear them again until now.

More than the style, the first thing I consider when buying jeans is the fit. And when talking about great fitting jeans, I'm sure the brand Levi's always comes to mind. Just last week, Levi's introduced the new 505C jeans and showcased them in a fashion show at Revel. Keep reading for more info + photos!

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Aqua Mineral Hand & Body Lotion and Foot Cream Review


I received these two products from Aqua Mineral when I attended their event last May and decided to share my thoughts in a blog post.

I tried first the Aqua Velvet Touch Hand & Body Lotion in Midnight Magic. True to its claim, it is indeed very quick absorbing. After several hours, there isn't any trace of product on my skin. It has a floral powdery scent, but very light and goes away as soon as the lotion is spread all over the body. I'm hoping that they come up with a lotion that has a stronger scent to keep the skin smelling good all day.

The Nourishing Foot Cream is more moisturising and has a much thicker consistency than the lotion, which is expected since this product is meant to be applied on the foot. Overall, it does the job of moisturising the skin. Plus, it has a mild sugary scent which I really love.

Big downside: according to its website, the lotion costs $59, and the foot cream costs $89. Quite expensive for just so-so products.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Stripes


Long time no outfit post! Lol. So anyway, this is what I wore to Clean Reserve's media luncheon at Blackbird. I've been wearing this pair of shoes a lot lately, especially in the office. Although it's not as high as I originally preferred, it's super comfortable, I can run around, and can even wear it all day long!

Sunday, July 10, 2016

CLEAN Reserve Arrives in the Philippines




I was recently invited to attend CLEAN Reserve's launch at Blackbird. According to their press release, CLEAN is a ‘non-perfumed’ perfume loved by those who don’t want an overpowering scent, and for those who don’t want to make a statement when they walk into a room. But they want to smell good for themselves and the people close by.

I get terrible allergies when exposed to strong odors, and because of this, I dont have a lot of options when buying perfume. I'm definitely glad that I have more scents to choose from now that CLEAN perfumes are here!

Monday, June 27, 2016

Alpha Strength Media Launch

I was invited to join the Media Launch of the newly opened gym Alpha Strength at the ground floor of Sparta Philippines along Pioneer St. and since I love working out, I couldn't find the heart in me to say no. We all participated in a one-hour workout, which was quite fun but physically challenging as well. We were then treated to some healthy snacks afterwards. 

Alpha Strength aims to make you the best, strongest version of yourself. With this goal in mind, they came up with three programs, each tailored to your fitness level -- Be Alpha is for building your physical and mental strength, and is ideal for beginners; Alpha 365 aims to optimize strength, agility, coordination, speed, power, and endurance; and Alpha Mode is all about maximizing your strength.

See below if you want to see some photos of the event. :)

Monday, June 20, 2016

Spud Buds Chocolate Potato Chips


Hey everyone! I would like to share to you my most recent food discovery: chocolate-covered potato chips from Spud Buds! They're the same people who set up shop at Mall of Asia, where they served various potato products/snacks. The best part is that the business supports local farmers in Benguet by sourcing potatoes directly from them! If you haven't seen my review on Zomato, you may visit this link.

I saw a lot of potential in their concept and was quite glad when I heard that they recently came up with new products. I love everything potato but they definitely took it to the next level by adding imported chocolate to their potato chips. My personal favorite would be the Dark Chocolate, which had just the right amount of sweetness. I could finish one pack in just one sitting! Haha.

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Hongkong Adventure


I thought I had already seen everything there is to see in Hong Kong considering that I've been there a couple of times when I was younger. Apparently not! My friends took us wakeboarding off the coast of Hong Kong (Sai Kung), and this time, while being pulled by a speedboat instead of a cable! How awesome is that? 

It was terribly cold when we went wakeboarding, which only means I have to come back during summer!

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Miss Selfridge Premium S/S 2016 Collection


Last April 22, one of my favourite clothing brands Miss Selfridge launched its Spring/Summer 2016 Premium Collection at Le Jardin Manila, Bonifacio Global City. We got a sneak peek on some pink, nude, and cream hues, and vintage style embellishments inspired by prohibition era flapper dresses and couture gowns. It features a mix of twenty-one pieces composed of fully embellished tops, floor-length gowns, and short, striking evening dresses.

Miss Selfridge's Premium Collection is available at Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Greenbelt 5, and Mega Fashion Hall.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

A Week in Singapore


I've been to Singapore several times, but none of those previous trips ever lasted more than four days—so when I found out that I was going to be there for a week, I thought it would be boring. What I didn't realize back then was that, although Singapore could be considered quite small, you can never run out of places to visit and things to do.

We met up with a few friends who showed us around and brought us to places popular among locals (and of course, thanks for letting us stay in your apartment for an entire week!). During this trip, I could say that I got to experience Singapore in an entirely different way—taking trains to travel from one place to another (I now have the train stations almost-memorized!), and stopping by hole-in-the-wall kopi tiams for breakfast. Even though we've been to most of the touristy places before, we still didn't mind coming back to Orchard Road, Haji Lane, Universal Studios, Adventure Cove Waterpark, and Marina Bay Sands.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Color Manila Blacklight Run 2016

I clearly remember the time when I joined Color Manila's first running event last 2012 at BGC. It was very early in the morning and I had to force myself to get up so I could make it on time. I like working out and going to the gym, but running? Nah. Perhaps it's because I get tired easily. Although I feel that way, I wonder why running still excites me and I still regularly join running events (weird lol).

So when I was invited by Color Manila to join their Blacklight Run on May 28, I was completely game! They had a press launch at Prive where they gave us a sneak peek on what's going to happen in the actual run. It was really fun to watch the neon colours glow in the dark!

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Phuket Day 3


On our third day in Phuket, we caught up on things we didn't get a chance to do the past two days. We woke up extra early to go to the beach to watch the sunrise, had a poolside breakfast at the hotel, then took a quick dip in the beach. The best thing about this day was that we weren't in a hurry at all. We took our time and enjoyed every moment of it!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Phuket Day 2


The second day was no doubt the highlight of our trip. We went island hopping to the various beaches of Phi Phi Islands (apparently, there are two Phi Phi Islands -- Phi Phi Lay, and Phi Phi Don). We visited Khai Nok Island, Monkey Beach, Viking Cave, Pileh Lagoon, and Maya Bay.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Phuket Day 1


Crossed another country off my list -- Thailand! Although I didn't visit the country's capital which is Bangkok (I'm saving that for another time!), Phuket is just as exquisite with the crazy shopping, the insanely spicy food, and the pristine white-sand beaches.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The Glamourtini x Gourmet Society PH Giveaway (CLOSED)


One of the things I love doing lately is trying out new restaurants around the Metro. And to document my foodie adventures, I even created an account on Zomato where I regularly post my reviews. Always eating out can get costly so when Gourmet Society announced that they have a loyalty card that takes 20% off your bill, I got quite excited!

Gourmet Society Philippines offers membership cards giving 20% discount to over 200 restaurants in Metro Manila with no minimum purchase. Membership for one year is Php 1,999 but the awesome team behind Gourmet Society offered 10 Gourmet Cards to be given away to my readers! Click here to view the full post and join my giveaway.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Weekend at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar


I think I've been bitten by the travel bug! I've been to quite a lot of places in my lifetime but they're never enough and I feel that there is so much more to see! As early as now, I've started planning some of my trips for the year (I'll be in Phuket this weekend!). I have work on weekdays so I can't really be away for long. But on weekends, I like going on road trips, exploring new places, and challenging myself to do things I've never done before (hello, scuba diving!). On this particular weekend, I visited Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

If you haven't heard of it, it's a heritage park located in a huge property in Bataan where they reconstructed traditional Filipino houses from the 18th to the early 20th century. It really felt like I was transported into the past with the cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture, complete with a breathtaking view of the mountains, some rice fields, and the beach. An overnight stay wasn't enough because there were so many things to do!

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Rexona New Pinoy Mover Campaign


Last January, Rexona launched their new MotionSense technology with their New Pinoy Mover campaign. A New Pinoy Mover is someone who knows that every move makes a difference and lives a life that inspires and empowers others. Rexona handpicked fifty people from various industries to represent this campaign. If you're wondering who these people are, you may click the "Read More" button or scroll down the page.
 
The MotionSense technology is the first of its kind with its patented technology that is released by movement. It contains microcapsules filled with fragrance that burst with friction. This technology will be particularly useful to those people who are always on the go! :)
 

Friday, February 12, 2016

Kicked off 2016 at Sagada! + Gifted.ph


I promised to myself that I would pursue my new-found love for travelling, and make the most out of the little free time I have. A few weeks ago, I traveled twelve hours to Bontoc, Mountain Province for work. Since it was a mere forty-five minutes away from Sagada, I decided to extend my stay for one more day. It was a day full of adventure and a lot of firsts—I went spelunking at Sumaging Cave, traversed mountains to swim in ice-cold waters of the Bomod-Ok Falls, tried Sagada's famous homemade yoghurt at the Yoghurt House, and saw the popular rice terraces for the first time!


Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Highlights of 2015


(Photo from Shutterstock)

There are no words to express how awesome my 2015 was! I learned so many things, embarked on various adventures, met new people, and experienced some great firsts. Read through the entire post to know why 2015 was one for the books! :)

Monday, January 25, 2016

Review: Asus Zenfone 2 Laser 5.0


Last December, I was invited by Asus to attend the launch of their Asus Zenfone 2 at New World Hotel. After lunch, the Asus team prepared a fun-filled afternoon at Intramuros for us to try the camera of the Zenfone 2.