Staycation Destinations
The heat we’ve been experiencing these days is truly undeniable and suddenly, all we can think about is it’s already summer! Like seriously, has it really been three months since the last time I heard “Jingle Bells” and marveled at colorful, twinkling lights? Oh well. Time flies sooo fast, indeed. And apparently, this post is three months overdue too! Hahaha!
It’s a good thing though that whether it’s Christmas, summer, or just about any holiday you can think of, these hotels in the metro definitely define what a “staycation” ought to be. 
My family and I spent Christmas 2012 at Fairmont Makati — the newest addition to the number of properties the hotel chain owns around the world, located in the middle of the country’s business and shopping district: Makati (duh!). =))
Of course the Fairmont brand is already known for its world-class customer service but aside from that, the hotel also boasts of its “Pillow Menu” wherein guests can opt to request for additional pillows that are made of different materials, as well as give different sleep benefits — free of charge. I think that’s a signature of the hotel chain because the “Pillow Menu” was also one of the things I enjoyed when we stayed at Fairmont Singapore a few years back.
Anyway, the other things I loved about Fairmont Makati were their Willow Stream Spa, Fairmont Gold Lounge, and of course, Cafe Macaron! I swear, I’m a French Macaron addict and only three brands have passed my “taste” so far: TWG, Chez Karine, and Cafe Macaron. So trust me when I say that the ones served at Fairmont Makati’s Cafe Macaron are a must-try! Wahahahaha! 
French Macarons at Cafe Macaron!!!
LIKE and SHARE Fairmont Makati’s Facebook page HERE.
And then just a tumbling away from Fairmont (you know what I mean!) is Raffles Makati. 
Actually, this is both a residential area and a luxury hotel. Most of the floors are allotted to the former (so those are off-limits unless you know someone who owns a unit), and just a few floors for the latter. But of course, the hotel experience Raffles Makati gives also makes you feel like a unit owner — even their suites (yes, there are no “rooms”) are designed as if you’re staying in your own personal space… even for just a couple of days!
LIKE and SHARE Raffles Makati’s Facebook page HERE.
SEDA BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY (BGC)
If our Christmas was spent in Makati, our New Year 2013 was celebrated at Bonifacio Global City — at Seda Hotel to be exact!
Before you even wonder why name a hotel “Seda,” well it’s actually the Filipino equivalent of “silk.” And according to the management, silk is “a lustrous yet strong fabric that perfectly represents our commitment to providing a seamless accommodation experience.” At least now you know! 
Located in the middle of Bonifacio High Street, Market! Market!, and Serendra (just imagine what a perfect location this is!), the BGC branch is only one of the Seda Hotels located all over the country; the others are in Cagayan de Oro (Centrio), Davao (Abreeza), and Laguna (Nuvali) — although this one’s still under construction.
LIKE and SHARE Seda Hotels’ Facebook page HERE.
♥♥♥
So the next time you plan to take a staycation, remember these three words: Fairmont. Raffles. Seda.
Now off you go and may you all have a blast this summer (or any staycation-worthy event for that matter!).
xoxo,
Mika
Doesn’t Really Feel Like It :)
I know it’s still too early to tell where my “chosen” career will take me, but I’m glad to share with you that I don’t regret fighting for it and eventually experiencing it full-time.
To tell you the truth, my aptitude test in high school actually “advised” me to take Communication Arts (or those related to it) in college. But since I was still a clueless 15-year-old back then, I ignored the test result and decided to take a different “route,” listening to others’ opinions about where they saw my personality fit. Hence, my never-ending “defense” during job interviews that ask me why I’m applying in print media (yes, the chosen career path) when my background deals with Foreign Service/International Relations and History.
But hey, that’s already water under the bridge. And please, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that I regret taking up Consular and Diplomatic Affairs in college and History in graduate school. NOT AT ALL. If anything, I’m still thankful that I was given the chance to “pursue” those courses because I learned A LOT of other things, albeit very different, from them. Besides, I met some of the best and interesting people during those years (hello, college and graduate school friends!!!). But I guess when you’re really passionate about something, nothing can ever stop you — not even degrees and diplomas.
So in between finishing articles/blog entries/writeups, perfecting my copy-editing skills, commuting my way to events, interviewing celebrities, assisting in photo shoots, and most of all, meeting deadlines, I feel lucky that I still get to smile at the end of every work day. Sure, it still gets stressful at times, especially when my multitasking skills are put to the test (meet deadline this, meet deadline that), but you know, no job is really easy — not even the ones you’re starting to fall in love with. I didn’t say that my current work is easy peasy. In fact, it’s actually a combination of stress and happiness. Hahaha! Why? Because the good thing about it is there are different tasks at hand, so there’s really no room for boredom. One day I’m working on an article, the next day I’m on my way to a hotel or mall to do something that’s still work-related. Everyday’s a new day. Calling it “the daily grind” isn’t really the right way to describe it.
I’m not saying, though, that this is already the career I see myself doing for the rest of my life. Like I said, it’s still a bit early to tell where this’ll take me. And the rest of my life? Pressure much!!! All I know is that if you’re reading this and you’re someone who’s still in high school and still have yet to decide on what you want to do in life, I say think about it really, really, really hard. And when you’re ready to make a decision, make sure that that’s what you’re really passionate about. ”Passionate” in the sense that it’s something you’ll still enjoy doing even for free! But if you think that you’re like me — someone who realized what she wanted to do “later” in her college life — well, being another cautionary tale isn’t as bad as you think.
If I may say so, today’s world has been more “encouraging.” As The Holstee Manifesto put it, “if you don’t like your job, quit.“ Just make sure that you have a back-up plan. I’m not encouraging you to be unemployed — trust me, it sucked, sucks, and will forever suck. Anyway, we know of doctors being business practitioners, lawyers being novelists (chick lit at that!), even corporate executives being professional bloggers. So there’s really NO EXCUSE to let go of what you want to be doing — as opposed to what you should be doing! Take me as an example (but whether you see it as something good or bad is completely up to you! Haha!). I should be working for the government or an embassy, and yet I’ve always wanted to be in print media — so here I am, finally part of an editorial team. Heehee.
Of course I’m still open to practicing my default fields, but for now I’m just enjoying my chosen field. I may still have a looong waaay to gooo but at the end of the day, what’s important is I feel like I’m in the right place. So when work doesn’t really feel like “work” anymore, alam naaa! Try your very best to hold on to it and be better at it Every. Waking. Day.
Because when that happens, that’s when stress will be finally replaced by BLISS. And for us who need to work to live, work to feel self-worth, or just WORK in the broadest sense of the word, shouldn’t that be more than enough?
“Live your dream and share your passion.” -The Holstee Manifesto
Hotties from Faraway Lands! (Vol. 3)
You’ve seen the title. THIS is already a third attempt to compile a list of not just “the most this, the most that” kind of men, but a combination of everything: talent, looks, fortune, brawn, and the most important of all — brains! Combine them all and I believe that’s the true definition of “HOT!” (Sorry, Paris.)
Of course, these are just some of the popular ones. So for those who make the cut IN REAL LIFE, cheer up! And of course, keep it up! Hahaha!
But yeah, I gotta start naming names sooner or later, so here are they are:
THE HOTTIES FROM FARAWAY LANDS
#10 Dominic Lau
(Faraway Land of Origin: Hong Kong/The United Kingdom)
This British-Chinese VJ-slash-model-slash-host’s love for music can be traced back to his university years. After all, he graduated with a degree in Commercial Music from the University of Westminster in London! Currently, you can catch him on E! News Asia as he delivers the latest AND hottest celebrity news straight from your TV screens. No doubt he’s dubbed as Asia’s “Ryan Seacrest.” Idol-worthy, indeed.
#9 Nick Simmons
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United States)
I came to know of his existence thanks to his family’s reality show: Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Having said that, YES, he’s the son of Gene Simmons (from the rock band Kiss). But aside from having a famous rock star father, Nick‘s famous in his own right too! He graduated with a degree in English Literature from Pitzer College in California and according to Wikipedia, he’s “a comic book writer, musician, and voice over actor.” Yeah, well, you should’ve heard him sing during his parents’ wedding on their reality show. The guy CAN sing! Heck, hearing him talk is already music to my ears! Last but not least, he’s funny! Now, now. You can never go wrong with humor, can you?
#8 Oli Pettigrew
(Faraway Land of Origin: Hong Kong/The United Kingdom)
He may be born in Hong Kong, but he’s currently residing in Singapore. You might’ve spotted him at some high-profile events, but I first set eyes on this British model/host on AXN’s Sony Style. Of course, he also holds a degree in Corporate Communication — with honors! And if that’s not enough, I believe you can still catch him on Cash Cab Asia (not to mention listen to his adorable British accent!)
#7 Matthew Atkinson
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United States)
The “small screen” may be his current specialty, but I don’t doubt that he has what it takes to be the lead on a “bigger” screen someday. But while we’re still waiting for that to happen, watch him on Jane by Design. Trust me, you won’t be able to get enough of that smile AND those dimples!
#6 Ryan Lochte
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United States)
Fresh from the 2012 London Olympics! Aside from graduating with a degree in Sport Management from the University of Florida, this Olympian already has several medals to his name! And even though the swimming portion of the current Olympics will soon end, this Olympian’s not yet done collecting ‘em! Talk about a “gold” rush! Haha!
#5 Colin Egglesfield
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United States)
Tom Cruise? Naaah! There’s more to Colin than just being an actor and former model. He actually hold’s a pre-med course from the University of Iowa and paying for med school was the only reason why he got into modeling in the first place (at least that’s what Wikipedia says! Hahaha!). Not to worry, though. He may have given up his dream of being a doctor, but he sure played one very hot lawyer in the movie Something Borrowed! How’s that for a career change?!
#4 Matt Bomer
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United States)
Let’s drop the bomb right away: he’s gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’ve to admit that I was surprised when I first found out! But moving on, he still earns a spot in this list because aside from graduating with a degree in Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, he and his partner also father three sons (through a surrogate). Now that’s what you call BOMER diggity!
#3 Harry Styles
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United Kingdom)
British? Check. Hot body? Are you blind? Of course, check! Killer smile? Check. Music career? Big check AND cheques! There’s definitely only ONE DIRECTION for this lad to go to: SUCCESS! And yes, that’s check! check!! check!!!
#2 Chris Hemsworth
(Faraway Land of Origin: Australia)
There are simply no words for this man. How can you not include the god of thunder in this list? Well, that’s just it. You cannot not include him! And since we’re already used to seeing those rock hard abs and bulky arms of his, I’ll leave you with this picture. After all, it’s not everyday that you get to see an Avenger holding his real-life baby! *all THORgether now* Awwww!
…and of course, THE HOTTEST of ‘em all:
#1 Benedict Cumberbatch
(Faraway Land of Origin: The United Kingdom)
“Stop boring me and think. It’s the new sexy.” The famous character he plays once said on his equally famous TV show. And I agree. Brainy, indeed, is the new sexy! A drama graduate at the University of Manchester, he further trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. And judging from his interviews, the guy’s not just intelligent and talented, I can say that he has tact and respect for women, is a gentleman, and knows how to keep fit too!
Oh yeah, consider me SHERLOCKed.
And there you go! Don’t worry if your “hottie” of choice wasn’t included here. There’s always room for Vol. 4, you know?
The end.
Care for Some MORE (Milk) Tea… And Other Drinks?
More than a year ago, I wrote the “prequel” to this blog entry. But you know, once a milk tea drinker, always a milk tea drinker (except of course if you’re lactose intolerant, but you get what I mean!). So here I am, more than a year after, sharing with you the milk tea places and other drinks I’ve tried that I haven’t included in the prequel (which by the way, you can read by clicking HERE).
I do have a disclaimer, though. The pictures I used in this entry are entirely borrowed from Google, so I don’t take any credit for “taking” them (no pun intended). After all, I just wanted to show you the brands’ trademarked cups or whatever. What I do take credit for is my recommended drinks. I can assure you that EVERY DRINK I mention here has been tried and tested by moi. So let’s make this short and simple again, shall we? Here are my recommendations:
1. Bubbatealicious
Try their Royal Milk Tea
2. Bubble Tea
Try their Strawberry Milk Tea
3. Cebu Pacific’s In-flight Milk Tea
You can only choose from two flavors, original or taro,
but both taste good!
4. Jamba Juice
Try their Strawberries Wild
5. Gong Cha
Try their Earl Grey Milk Tea
6. Happy Lemon
Try their Matcha with Adzuki Bean Mousse Spin
7. Moon Leaf
Try their Wintermelon Milk Tea
8. Pao Pao Xiao Chi
Try their Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese
9. Tea Farm
Try their Caramel Milk Tea
Bonus:
Homemade Milk Tea!!!
I usually use Twinings‘ English Breakfast Tea (which is the exact same tea that Queen Elizabeth II drinks, by the way — so this is definitely recommended! Haha!), any fresh milk available in our fridge, plus some sugar and ice.
Those are basically my “ingredients” and the “recipe” would actually depend on YOUR taste, so you can just adjust it to your liking. But here’s mine:
Step 1: I add hot water in my mug (which is about 16 fl oz) until it looks already half full.
This is the mug I use. So if you have the same one, then my recipe will be more accurate for you! Hahaha!
Step 2: I then leave 1 tea bag of Twinings‘ English Breakfast Tea in my mug to steep. Wait for around 2-5 minutes, depending on how strong you want the tea flavor to be.
Step 3: Of course I remove the tea bag from the mug! But if you’ve already done that, add 5 tablespoons of milk or depending on how creamy you want your milk tea to taste. Stir.
Step 4: Now this is the tricky part — the sugar level. I usually put 2 teaspoons of sugar, but this will again depend on your preferred sweetness level. More stirring.
Step 5: I put lots and lots of ice! Hey, I just happen to love iced milk tea! But this is entirely OPTIONAL — you can always have hot/warm milk tea!
The last step: KEEP CALM and DRINK UP!!!
And that’s it! But just remember, TO EACH HIS OWN. So please don’t blame me if you don’t like the things I mentioned in this post! Okay? Great!
♥♥♥
If you have other milk tea recommendations,
don’t hesitate to sound off in the comments section below!
My Direction Infection
So One Direction. Ever since I got “infected,” I’ve written two 1D-related posts on this blog (HERE and HERE). If those weren’t enough, I even acquired my very own “fangirl stuff,” which includes 1D‘s debut album, their two official books — One Direction: Forever Young (Our Official X Factor Story) and Dare to Dream: Life as One Direction, their first concert DVD, a baller, a fan magazine, and still counting…
So when Ms. Dyan Zarzuela of Candy magazine asked me if I could share my 1D “fangirl story” with her, of course I didn’t think twice! There’s no better way to proclaim to “the world” my 1D devotion than with the help of the Philippines’ #1 teen magazine, Candy, right???
“Candy Girl Mika Chiong on 1D” can be found inside Candy magazine’s July 2012 issue!
The feature was short, but definitely sweet. As for the interview itself, I kind of got carried away! Hahaha! But if you get to read it, you’ll definitely UNDERSTAND how and why I got “infected” in the first place! So I decided to share it with yoouuu!
And now I’m warning you… what you’re about to read from hereon was pretty much how I gushed about 1D!
The video that made me become a 1D fan.
I’ve to be honest… my Direction Infection wasn’t a “love at first sight” thing. In fact, I kind of overlooked their “What Makes You Beautiful” music video the first time I saw it on TV. But on MARCH 21, 2012 (yes, it’s pretty recent; and yes, I know the exact date! Haha!), THIS video made me see 1D in a whole different light:
“ONE DIRECTION Teaches You to Speak British!” was THE video that made me a 1D fan!
The top 3 things I love about 1D.
First, they’re BRITISH — which is kind of a giveaway already since I’m a self-proclaimed Anglophile! Heehee.
Second, their STORIES. All One Directioners know that 1D was formed thanks to The X Factor (UK), but when I read their latest book, Dare To Dream: Life As One Direction, it was as if I was able to have a deeper connection with the boys and realized that yes, they, too, were just ordinary humans like most of us who once upon a time had big dreams… and were able to make them come true!
Last but definitely not the least, their MUSIC. Of course! 1D‘s album is actually what I play ALL DAY on my iPod! And I repeat, not just their hit singles, but the ENTIRE ALBUM — no kidding! I love the fact that each song in their album is distinct from one another. For example, “What Makes You Beautiful” sounds very current, typical for a boyband… but when you reach the last track, “Stole My Heart,” I actually get some kind of an 80′s vibe or something! I can’t really explain it… all I know is that 1D‘s music isn’t something people should take for granted or worse, underestimate.
My fave 1D member.
HARR-EH!!! Yes, Harry Styles is my favorite 1D member because I love his (husky) voice, I love his megawatt smile, I love his hair, I love his green eyes, I love that he loves cats, I love his personality (such a self-proclaimed cheeky chappy!), I love his “Isn’t She Lovely” audition on The X Factor, I love the fact that he’s close to his mum, I love that he doesn’t think age matters (hahaha!)
Oh let’s face it, I love EVERYTHING about him!!! ♥
Things that make a real 1D fangirl AND things that a real 1D fangirl would never do.
A real 1D fangirl is someone who…
…knows all 1D‘s songs by heart.
…has a Facebook wall/Twitter feed full of 1D news/stuff!
…gets her hands on every possible 1D merchandise — whether it’s from the U.K., Australia, America, or just any part of the world (guilty as charged! Haha!)
…smiles at the thought of 1D. As simple as that.
…supports not just her favorite member, but ALL the members!
…will name her future sons Harry, Liam, Louis, Niall, and/or Zayn! =))
A real 1D fangirl would never…
…bash/trash-talk any of the boys’ girlfriends/love interests (no matter how much that sucks!) </3
…buy a pirated 1D album/CD/DVD. It’s just plain wrong… not to mention ILLEGAL.
…compare the boys to other artists. Simply put, the boys are unique in their own ways. 1D IS 1D; they’re incomparable. (Spoken like a true One Directioner! Hahaha!)
…outgrow the boyband. 5, 10, or more years from now — even when they’re already classified as a “middle-aged men” band! There’s just NO CURE for this Direction Infection!!!
—
And actually, I once had a Facebook status talking about my decision to resign from my job:
“I contemplated… and changed my mind. Fight ’til the end! Ika nga, use all possible ‘lifelines!’ You’ll be surprised that even One Direction played a big role in this decision-making… That’s HOW MUCH they’re influencing my life right now! But then again, only a REAL FAN GIRL will understand why.”
Believe it or not. But yes, BELIEVE IT!
My friends actually found it “different” that I decided not to resign from my job because of 1D. Obviously, the boys weren’t the only reason BUT they were one of the major factors.
First is very obvious. How else would I be able to afford 1D fangirl-ing stuff and merchandise if I didn’t earn my own money? At my age, I already pay for my own “wants” and asking money from others isn’t just an option.
Next, they inspire me. To WORK HARD, that is. We think that being a celebrity/superstar is all glitz and glamour. True. But it also takes a lot of hard work. We all witnessed THAT (hard work) during the seventh season of The X Factor (UK). We all STILL see that while the boys are busy traveling the world, satisfying each and every fan… while enduring being away from their families and not having the same kind of privacy when they were still ordinary British boys. Why do they do those? Because that’s how DEDICATED they are. Because that’s how they’re grateful for all the support they received, are receiving, and will receive from their fans!
But going back to my status, I’ve to say that the “fight” is over now. I did use my so-called “lifelines,” but my decision to finally resign eventually became a “need” instead of a “want.” I may be unemployed now, but I’m not rushing anyway. It’s because when I land my next job, I don’t want it to be just another job — I want it to be where I can finally have a “career.” Besides, I already have sufficient time to focus on my graduate studies now. And guess what? I still get to be my fangirl self and get my hands on 1D merchandise — thanks to my ever supportive family members! Harharhar.
Like I said, only a REAL FANGIRL can get me! Enough said.
—
Ooh, while we’re at it,
why not grab a copy of Candy magazine’s latest issue?
Turn to page 70 for “A Fangirl’s Story” (photo courtesy of Candy magazine)
Available wherever magazines are sold for only Php100.
Sojourning in Cambodia
Four months ago, my sisters found out that there’s already a direct flight from Manila to Siem Reap via Cebu Pacific. Prior to that, we already booked a trip to Vietnam… but since I didn’t know that I’ll already be free from my work come May, I passed up the opportunity to go with them to Siem Reap since I have had limited leaves! Ahem!
But I did resign this month, and now I have TIIIME! *tumbling here* So days before my sisters’ flight to Siem Reap, I decided to go with them. Bad news? It cost me a couple of bucks since there were no promo fares anymore! Boo! But good news? I was finally going to Siem Reap, baby! As simple as that.
So I just got back from Siem Reap, Cambodia… but where to start?
Okay, let’s start with Siem Reap’s airport. For seasoned travelers, I bet you know the so-called “Banana Pancake Trail,” which includes Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. You can travel these three countries by bus, but since I’m not a big fan of looong bus rides, my best option is to ride planes — now that, I’m a big fan of! Hahaha! Anyway, Siem Reap’s airport was quite surprising (in a good way) considering that it’s a province. It actually reminded me of a resort, and I can only wish that our local/provincial airports can be like it!
Next, let’s talk about our Cambodian “home” for several days: Sojourn Boutique Villas. One of the things I noticed when I first stepped on Sojourn was its eco-friendly ambience, reminiscent of one of my favorite local resorts in the Philippines — El Nido Resorts.
Anyway, upon arrival, we were greeted by their friendly and warm staff. Plus, welcome food and drinks were served! Panalo!!!
with Sojourn’s friendly and warm staff
It’s actually owned by an Australian couple, and “with only ten private villa rooms, Sojourn offers journeys of an entirely different nature.” I also loved their “Book Bundle” concept wherein you can exchange your books for theirs. Unique AND useful, indeed!
And one of the good things about Sojourn is that it’s like a one-stop place for everything you need for your trip — including tours (click here)! So yes, we availed of their Angkor Trekker – Private One Day Guided Tour, and our “tour” day pretty much looked like THIS:
Sunrise at Angkor Wat…
We were actually quite “unlucky” because it’s already the rainy season…
(kung saan ako’y biglang nakakita ng mukhang Prince William! HA HA HA)
Grabe ang ngiti ko oh! =))
Hello there, guy with the green shirt! Kaya lang may kasamang blondie eh… Hayayayay.
Well, sabi ko naman mukhang Prince William… ”mukhang” being the operative word! Wahahahaha!
breakfast…
my favorite was the Asian rice topped with a sunny-side up egg = yumm-eh!!!
the temples…
Wat Athvea
Angkor Wat
Angkor Thom
(Bayon Temple)
Ta Prohm Temple
Ta Prohm was where Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) kicked some butt in the movie “Tomb Raider.”
The so-called “Lara Croft Tree”
After touring the temples, we went back to Sojourn to have aromatherapy massages at their in-house spa called Origins Spa. By nighttime, we went back to the town center to eat a buffet dinner and watch a traditional apsara dance at Koulen II Restaurant.
Right after that, we went to a night market — where a bunch of sellers called me “lady” to get my attention and eventually buy their products! Haha, feelingera! =)) But seriously, feel na feel ko ang pagiging “lady” dun! Bukod sa puro may “royal” ang pangalan ng mga hotel, ‘sang katutak na sapphires ang binebenta dun! And as the Duchess of Cambridge‘s royal loyal follower, my eyes easily spotted lots of replicas of her engagement ring! @_@ Kung nalaman ko lang ng mas maaga na sa Cambodia lang pala makakabili nun, edi sana nakamura ako ng mga $20! Harharhar.
Now you know where to buy a replica of THE royal ring!
Ooh, two more things to remember when in Siem Reap:
-the US Dollar ($) is widely used, so you don’t really have to think twice about foreign exchange; and
-the tuk-tuk is their sosyal version of our padyak!
riding a tuk-tuk!
Last but not the least, let’s go back to Origins Spa. The day after our tour was our “relax day” because that was the time my sister decided to have another spa treatment! The best news? My sister “sponsored” my own spa treatment! Heehee. Kaya thanks talaga sa ate ko! I love her to bits!!! ♥
Anyway, each treatment at Origins Spa includes a complimentary drink and footwash. As for the main part, my sisters and I each had the Sojourn Signature Spa Package:
“The ultimate in pampering and the perfect way to complete your Sojourn experience. We start with your choice of body scrub and wrap to cleanse and treat your skin. While basking in your body wrap, enjoy a Kaffir Lime hair and scalp treatment. After your body wrap, enjoy a refreshing drink and light spa treat in your garden oasis.
This is followed by a one-hour aromatherpy massage”
Define “bakasyon.”
(shortly followed by merienda at the poolside!)
feasting on Khmer cuisine!!!
Overall, I can say that this Cambodian vacation I just had is one of my best vacations ever! Kasi hindi lang puro sightseeing, may kasama ding “relaxing” part (a.k.a. spa treatments). SERIOUSLY.
So babalik pa ba ako sa Siem Reap? Aba naman, SIEM… pre! And I hope that you get to experience a Cambodian vacation like this, too! Kaya ano na... tara?
Gotta Love A Travel-Themed Debut ♥
First of all, I’d like to greet the debutante, Rossell, a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!
Ingenious theme; gorgeous debutante ♥♥♥
Anyway, the last debut I attended was more than three years ago… and that was the debut of Rossell‘s Achie Minnie. In fact, I also blogged about it on CandyMag.com! You can check it out here. Time flies sooo fast that I can’t even fit into the dress I wore for Minnie‘s cotillion! Wahahahaha!
2008 and 2012 (don’t even mention the 30 lbs. I gained! HA HA HA)
Going back to Rossell‘s debut, it was truly a night to remember! And based on this post’s title, you can already tell what its theme was: TRAVEL! ♥♥♥
Actually, Rossell‘s Achie Minnie was my very first featured traveler when I started my 2012 blog project — click here! So no surprise there at all because their family truly loves traveling.
From the invitation…
The Lady’s “passport” to Rossell’s travel-themed debut ♥
the stage…
Eiffel Tower, anyone?
down to the cake!
Talk about EDIBLE LUGGAGE!!!
Everything was truly lovelovelove.
Plus, I was able to catch up and DANCE (haha!) with friends I haven’t seen in a looong time! Perfect night, indeed!
Special mention goes to my seatmates during that night: Stephanie, Bianca, and John! Heehee.
And of course, thanks to my friend Carol for my dress that night!!!
Thanks, C! ♥♥♥
And that’s it! Once again, I’d like to greet Rossell a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! Thanks for inviting me! From The Lady to another lady, may all your wishes come true and I wish you all the best in your studies and future career — Doktora Rossell diba? Hehe. Stay gorgeous and sweet. Love you!
Ate Mika xx
How To Be Miss Saigon*
*without starring in a musical! =))
(Feeling) Miss Saigon
Go to Vietnam.
Duh. You really didn’t think that this is about ze musical, did you? Well if you did, sorry to disappoint you! We’re kinda going for the literal meaning of words here… Besides, I don’t think anyone can replace the Lea Salonga! NEVER!!! *fangirl mode insert here*
Ms. Lea Salonga in “Miss Saigon”
Anyway, one of the first things you’ll notice when you go to Vietnam is their public transportation — motorbikes/scooters!
Kung sa ‘Pinas, mga jeep ang hari ng lansangan, pwes sa Vietnam, ITO!!!
Travel with your fellow misses.
Traveling with family is always special. Traveling with friends is another kind of special. But when you travel with both your family and friends… what more could you ask for?
Yep! I traveled with two of my sisters and three of my college friends! In good company, indeed!!!
Be the best tourist that you can be (i.e. tour the place for at least EIGHT HOURS!).
Thank the heavens we went to Ho Chi Minh (formerly called Saigon). Why? Well obviously, if we went to Hanoi (the capital of Vietnam, btw!), I might as well use “Ms. Hanoi” in my title! Haha! Anyway, tama na nga ang pilosopohan. Time for some major sightseeing!!!
We availed of Buffalo Tours‘ Full Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour:
“A holiday in Vietnam is not complete without a tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as the city is still frequently referred to, is Vietnam’s largest city. It is a fast-paced metropolis full of contrasts, with street vendors selling fruit and vegetables next to glitzy western-style bars and boutiques. Amazingly, the city’s history dates back only 300 years. For quality Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon tours, Buffalo Tours has you covered.”
The Reunification Palace
“This is one of the most important buildings in the city. Here on April 30th 1975 the ‘American War’ officially ended when tank number 843 of the North Vietnamese Army crashed through the gates of what was, at the time the residence of the President of the Republic of Vietnam.”
Binh Tay Market
“The name ‘Cho Lon’ can be roughly translated as ‘Big market.’ Although the whole district lives up to its name, a visit to this market really drives the point home. Selling everything from hats to dried squid, you are sure to enjoy a walk through the maze of stalls in this bustling market.”
Chinatown
What’s in a NAME? Hahaha!
Lacquer factory/showroom
In this factory, I finally found the perfect artwork to put in my room! Spell happiness!!!
Dong Khoi Street, the Opera House, and the Peoples’ Committee Building
“Built in 1897 by French architect Ferret Eugene, the 800 seat Opera House was used as the home of the Lower House Assembly of South Vietnam after 1956. It was not until 1975 that it was again used for performances. The structure was restored in 1995. The Opera House is located on the historical Dong Khoi Street which is home to many boutiques and fine restaurants. Just around the corner are the iconic Rex hotel and the beautiful Peoples’ Committee Building.”
The War Remnants Museum
“Formerly known as the Museum of American War Crimes, this is a poignant display of the futility of war. Some of the black and white photography in the ‘Requiem’ exhibit is particularly touching, dedicated to both foreign and Vietnamese journalists and photographers who perished during the conflict. The courtyard outside contains the spoils of war, namely rusting jets, tanks, and cannons captured from the American military machine.”
The Notre Dame Cathedral and Old Post Office
“Built between 1877 and 1883, this is one of the best examples of classical French colonial architecture. Remarkably, every stone used in its creation was shipped from France to Vietnam. Her two forty metre towers, topped with iron spires, still dominate the city’s skyline. The Old Post Office is another example of French colonial architecture and is also the country’s largest post office.”
Eat the Vietnamese way.
Va-va-Vietnam! Ang sarap-sarap ng pagkain! Ang mura-mura paaa! I swear, EVERYTHING you eat in Vietnam is guaranteed to make you satisfied! Gastronomic with a capital G! And don’t even get me started with ze famous Vietnamese Coffee!!! @_@
From my hotel breakfast…
nilalakong tinapay…
our city tour lunch…
ready for our Vietnamese lunch!!!
PHO! PHO!! PHO!!!
down to their Vietnamese coffee!
Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4!
ANG SARAAAP TALAGAAA!
Arm yourself with your MATH SKILLS.
Who wants to be a MILLIONAIRE? Well, your wish can be granted in Vietnam! The đồng (or VND) actually has A LOT of denominations… with mind-blowing figures! And since math hates me as much as I hate it, I kind of got dizzy whenever I had to pay for some things that caught my eye! Hahaha!
just look at all those ZEROOOES…
But don’t get excited too much! According to Wikipedia, “the đồng currently ranks as the second least valuable currency in terms of exchange rate.” When we were in Vietnam, US$100 was around 2,840,000+ đồng. ”Around” being the operative word.
Still, ang astig lang ng usapan minsan ‘pag tinanong ka kung magkano ang nabili mo tapos ang sagot mo, “Mga 1 million LANG!” Kalurkey much!!!
Fall in love with an American soldier.
THIS… I still have YET to try! Now if this really happened, you could finally call me The Lucky One! *cough*Zac Efron*cough* ‘Wag lang sanang blue eyes nga, tapos cross-eyed naman! Wahahahaha! Naging choosy pa eh noh?!
And that’s how you can be MISS SAIGON (The Lady‘s version): Go to Vietnam. Travel with your fellow misses. Be the best tourist that you can be. Eat the Vietnamese way. Arm yourself with your math skills. (See if you can) fall in love with an American soldier.
To my travel mates, did I miss anything?
If so, then sound off in the comments section below! Peace out!
When in Bohol and Cebu… KEEP CALM, CARRY ON, MAKE LEMONADE, and HAVE F.E.A.R!
Intrigued by the title? Well, my latest domestic trip pretty much revolved around those Words Of Wisdom…
…but before I tell you all about THAT trip, have you watched the parody movie A Tale of Two Cities and Three Friends? It’s actually a local indie film released early this year, and its synopsis is quite relevant to this post.
So if you still haven’t watched it, the synopsis is about three friends who went to two cities (DUH — what a stupid introductory sentence! Haha!).
Anyway, they arrived at the airport ON TIME, underwent the usual airport protocol, found seats near their boarding gate… sat still there until it was already near their boarding time. When they realized that it was already past their boarding time and they still haven’t heard anything from the airport announcements, they assumed that their flight must’ve been delayed. And so they waited… and waited… until it was too much. It was really odd to have a delayed flight just like that, so one of them decided to finally ask an airport staff. That’s when they found out that their plane had already taken off and they were left behind at the airport! x_x
Of course it was a total bummer, but one missed flight wouldn’t stop them from pushing through with their trip. They immediately went to the ticketing office inside the airport, booked the next flight (even though that meant spending half of their pocket money!), and attempted to get their luggage BUT they were told that those could just be redirected to their next flight. And they believed it.
When they finally boarded the next flight, it turned out to be 2 hours delayed! Yes, TWO FREAKIN’ HOURS! Upon landing on their first destination… surprise, surprise! Their luggage was missing! Turns out that the airline failed to “redirect” their luggage to their destination, and the three friends were forced to spend one whole day without any of their clothes! Of course they decided to buy toiletries at the nearest store, and considered THAT action as their “first lemonade.” But c’mon, mamon! Take a bath, but wear the same clothes for more than 24 hours? Survivor Philippines ba ito?!
Okay, their luggage arrived just before lunch THE NEXT DAY. From then on, they “traveled” happily ever after…
Aaand you caught me! What indie film synopsis was I blabbering about? Indie film?! More like hindi film — dahil hindi talaga yun film! Hahaha! That “synopsis” you just read was exactly what happened during my trip to TWO CITIES in Bohol and Cebu, with my two friends Carol and Maxine.
THE Three Friends! Hahaha!
That’s right. Those things happened to us!!! And when faced with those kinds of scenarios, we turned to “words” for help — our Words Of Wisdom. Having said that, let me enlighten you more with the aforementioned WOW.
Mika: “KEEP CALM…”
Since we were able to score round-trip tickets to Cebu-Manila and vice versa at very reasonable prices, our original travel plan was take a plane to Cebu, ride a ferryboat to Bohol and stay there for 3D/2N, and then go back to Cebu for an overnight stay.
But when we found out that we were left by our plane (1/8 of the blame goes to the airport; the rest is on us! Haha!), there was nothing left to do but to KEEP CALM. And how did we do that? We decided to just buy the next direct flight to Tagbilaran, Bohol. Of course that time, there was no promo. So we had no choice but pay the original price — which kind of defeated the purpose of buying our “promo” fares because when we added the total price of ALL our tickets, it seemed like we paid the original price from the very beginning. Right.
Mika: “…AND CARRY ON!”
When we finally had our NEW boarding passes, we tried to get our luggage but the airport staff reassured us that they could just change the sequence number, blah, blah, blah. Edi syempre we had no choice but leave everything to the travel gods…
And then when we were already on our plane bound for Bohol, our flight was delayed for TWO HOURS! I repeat, TWO HOURS!!! Okay, CARRY ON.
Carol: “WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE!”
Upon arriving at Tagbilaran, my friends and I were even joking that our luggage must’ve went straight to Cebu…
…turns out, hindi pala joke yun! Grrr!
Nasa Cebu nga ang mga luggage namin! This time, hindi na namin aakuin ang pagkakamali! Ibang usapan na ‘pag sinabi sa inyong “ililipat” ang sequence number whatever, tapos hindi naman pala magagawa!
Kumulo talaga ang mga dugo namin! Lalo na siguro ako at nasabi ng mga kaibigan ko na hindi na daw talaga mapinta ang mukha ko! And to make things more lemon-y, our Tagbilaran flight was the last flight for the day! P***** ***** **n! Oops, sorr-eh. PEACE.
So anyway, since our airline doesn’t have Cebu-Tagbilaran flights, our luggage had to go back to Manila, and then from there, fly to Tagbilaran — THE FOLLOWING DAY! Since we were so hopeless, we just decided to buy toiletries at the nearest drugstore AND try to survive for the day…
…tadah! Instant SWEET LEMONADE, made from 100% BITTER AND SOUR LEMONS! Wahahahaha!
Extra squeeze: When traveling, ALWAYS include your first articles of clothing in your carry-on bags! No exception!!! —Credit goes to my friend Carol. Heehee.
We stayed at Bohol Bee Farm in Panglao, Bohol and I must say, I felt like I went to a detox retreat or something because everything was organic! Not that I’m complaining, thank you very much!
organic food!!!
Plus, their ice cream was to die for! My favorite flavors are malunggay and tsokolate (made from cocoa tablets!) YUM!!!
Maxine: “HAVE F.E.A.R. (Face Everything And Recover)”
Now, we’re on the “tour” proper. When our luggage arrived just before lunch the following day, we were finally able to kick-start our “travel plans” — the PLAN B version!
Bohol
My friend Maxine was able to find a Van for Hire, with Kuya Rommel as our driver:
If you happen to be in Bohol, I recommend that you give Kuya Rommel a call at 0906-7462885.
Having said that, we went to the following places:
THE BLOOD COMPACT SHRINE
BACLAYON CHURCH
BUTTERFLY GARDEN
MAN-MADE FOREST/TARSIER
CHOCOLATE HILLS
ALONA BEACH
Cebu
From Bohol, we rode a ferry called SuperCat to get to Cebu. The entire trip took almost 2 hours, but it was smooth sailing so no biggie!
aboard the SuperCat…
Aside from checking into our hotel, which was Cebu R Hotel, the first thing we did upon arriving in the Queen City of the South was — guess what — go malling at Ayala Center Cebu!!! But can you blame us? We’re all self-proclaimed mall rats anyway! =))
We actually watched the movie Battleship there and then in the evening, we went to Marriott Hotel Cebu to have our buffet dinner! Thanks, Max! SIMPLY DELISH!!!
just look at that LECHON! crruuunch.
buffet dinner = lamon forevah! harharhar.
But wait, there’s mooore! After dinner, we went back to Ayala Center (isang tumbling lang siya from Marriott, btw!) to meet our friend Biboy. We all found it so funny to meet in Cebu after NOT seeing each other for yeeaaars! Talagang sa Cebu pa nagkita-kita eh noh? Iba talaga ang mga college friends ko!!!
Biboy, we missed you!!!
The following day — our last day in Cebu — we attended Holy Mass at BASILICA MINORE DEL SANTO NIÑO, visited MAGELLAN’S CROSS, and ate lunch at CASA VERDE (which serves different kinds of steaks at very affordable prices! Awesomesauce.)
And that’s how we FACED EVERYTHING — by simply enjoying our trip! I think even the clouds on our flight back to Manila would agree…
heaven?
Now the next thing to RECOVER from is figure out a way to be NOT broke! Haha! I swear, my friends and I were so surprised to realize that we spent A LOT on this trip… halos triple nung nagastos ko sa Brunei, which was my latest international trip. Must have something to do with using the same currency and not thinking about conversion, etc? Oh well, perang papel.
—
And that’s it! Whew, right??? But just think about it… if all those things from the start of our trip hadn’t happened, then this blog entry would’ve been entitled “Bohol and Cebu” or “My Bohol and Cebu Trip.”
Honestly, that would’ve been plain BORING! And who needs boredom when you can have fun, right?
Exactly! MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES it is!!!
Now, now. I wouldn’t trade “having MORE fun” for anything! Would you?
“When Mika Met Harry…”
Yesterday, I blogged about my very own “Direction Infection.”
Today, I’ll be posting pictures of how my future husband and I will look like…
Mika and Harry ♥
HEP-HEP! Before I get violent reactions from fellow One Directioners out there… CHILLAX! You can also pose beside any One Direction member by using FACEinHOLE.
See what I mean? You don’t only get to make your (day)dreams a reality, you also get to change your looks! Haha!
Oh well. I guess I still have to wait for the day when I’ll FINALLY meet Harry Styles in person… but until then, there are my daydreams… and yes, FACEinHOLE!
this is actually a baller design; click on the image to know how to buy one (or two!)
(baller design/photo courtesy of One Direction Philippine Merchandise)
This Thing People Younger Than Me Call An “Infection”
It all started with a link — a “tweeted” link, actually. After that, I practically waited ONE week before I decided to post something about my entry’s focus for this day. You know, just to make sure that what I feel is legit… After all, “it” happened oh so fast — thanks to my friend Jeselle!!!
:)
Oh yes, I needed ONE week to really convince myself that I’m indeed a fan of, none other than, One Direction (or 1D for short)
But I have to be honest. The first time I saw their music video on a local music channel, the first thing I thought of was:
“A boyband? In the year 2012?! Oh not again…”
And then I kept hearing their songs almost everywhere. Nada.
And then I found out that they’re British. Oh-kaaay… but still not enough.
And then Jesselle finally sent me something on Twitter, telling me that the link she provided reminded her of me since I love everything British…
I watched it… found them very charming… and then realized that they were the same people on THAT music video I didn’t give much attention to the first time I saw it…
After pressing “replay” a few more times, watching related videos here and there, and basically spending more time on YouTube than expected (almost 6 hours!), I stumbled upon THAT music video again. But unlike before, my eyes were finally glued to the screen, my ears were finally listening rather than hearing, and overall, I just saw “What Makes You Beautiful” in a whole new light:
That’s when it hit me. I finally got the so-called “Direction Infection” — which usually affects younger people. But hey, Jesselle and I can be the “exception” to this “infection!” =))
And of course, just like Ronan Keating (Boyzone) and Nicky Byrne (Westlife) from the nineties, I also have my eyes on a particular 1D member: HARRY STYLES. ♥
The other "Prince Harry" of England. Heehee. ♥
Watch the following video to know why Harr-eh‘s oh sooo “lovely” to me! Gaaah~
Yes, One Direction was formed thanks to the seventh season of The X Factor (UK).
And yes, thanks to Simon Cowell.
To prove that I’m far from being “cured” of this “infection” (not that I want to be anytime soon!), I bought 1D‘s debut album in less than 24 hours of being “infected.” Haha!
Of course, I bought the one with the "Harry" cover! ♥
I know, I know. I’m already too old for this kind of stuff… but as One Direction “sang” it,
♪ “I don’t, I don’t, don’t know what it is, but I need that one thing… And you’ve got that one thing.” ♫
Yes, I need THIS one thing… whether you call it a crazy thing, fangirl-ing, and even an “infection,” only one thing‘s for sure: whatever THIS thing is, 1D‘s definitely the only ONE that’s got it!
And I don’t plan on doing anything about it, but simply ENJOY it while I’m still already not-so-young and not-so-beautiful. Wahahahaha! Heard enough of IT? Okay, great!
A Floating Bookstore, A Dose of Carbon Dioxide, And A Whole Lot of Fun!!!
Weird title? Heehee. But yeah. Even though this is already considered a “late” post, let me tell you first about my Manila adventure with my two friends Mark and Maica, one fine (spontaneous) day…
(photo courtesy of my friend Mark)
Last week, we went to the heart of Manila with the hope of having a one-of-a-kind bookstore experience: the MV Logos Hope. As self-proclaimed bookworms, the three of us traveled all the way from Makati just to have our hands on very rare, but cheap finds! But lo and behold, it seemed that we lacked in the “research” department because when we finally arrived at the gate, we were told that the ship’s closed on Mondays! On MONDAYS!!! And we went there on a Monday. Fuuudge. 
Since we didn’t want to “waste” one whole trip (not to mention “excitement”), we decided to go to the Manila Ocean Park instead.
And that’s when ALL THE FUN started!!!
MANILA OCEAN PARK
It was already my second time to go there and honestly, I didn’t even think that I’d be back when I went there the first time! Oh well. I guess this spontaneous “excursion” was another proof that it doesn’t matter WHERE you are… what matters is WHO you’re with! Ahem!
Plus, it was nice to see Maica HAPPY after finally seeing penguins in the flesh! Trust me, you don’t know how much she loves ‘em!!!
Maica and her beloved penguins!!!
As for me, I kind of “penguined” out when it was my turn to feed them… that’s why I could only get as close to a penguin like THIS:
penguin hugs, anyone? HA HA HA
Good thing there was also another attraction to SMILE about inside the Trails to Antarctica part of the Park: SNOW VILLAGE!!!
Traveling to Antarctica is a dream of mine too, ya know?
Ready for some snow...
...and MORE "FAKE" SNOW!
After that, we decided to try a five-minute 4D movie (thanks to my insistence!) located at the mall outside the Park.
But wait, there’s more…
Once at the lobby, I suddenly saw a familiar “sight” — Mr. Carlos Celdran of Walk This Way fame!
—
ME: Carlos Celdran!
CARLOS CELDRAN: Hi, how are you?
ME: *smiling like an idiot* =))
—
I swear, I’ve been planning to go to one of Mr. Celdran‘s Manila tours since time immemorial, that’s why seeing him in person even before availing of his tour spelled only one word: STARSTRUCK! Hahaha!
I plan to FINALLY avail of his tour THIS YEAR and of course by that time, I promise to have my picture taken with him already. Don’t worry… knowing me, you’ll read all about THAT on THIS beloved blog of miiine! *more hahahas*
Lastly (for that Monday), I realized that with happiness comes PANIC MODE! On the way home while on the jeep, I witnessed my very first “snatch” encounter! I don’t want to rehash the details anymore, but I was ThisClose to being the victim! I’m just really relieved that it wasn’t me, but still sad for THAT lady… 
Overall, it was truly one OMG moment for me!
Nakakalokang OMG MOMENT talaga that it made me avoid public transportation for a week!!! I’m starting to get back to my usual “commuting ways,” but Mayor Lim, do something about THIS for the sake of my fellow Manileños, Taft Avenue, and the City of Manila in general! Please and thank you.
—
Moving on…
The following day (Tuesday), we finally stepped foot on the MV Logos Hope (we’re so full of HOPE, no?) with our other friends Angela and Jen.
...some of the places the MV Logos Hope has been to. "Some" being the operative word!
Inside the MV Logos Hope were BOOKS (duh), a cafe, and hundreds of volunteers! Actually, volunteering for the ship is NOW part of my bucket list! So when it gets back to our shores, I’ll definitely apply! Hehehe.
...couldn't really decide what to buy, so may the heavens help our credit card! =))
a cafe inside a ship - reminds me of our cruise trip! Not bad. Not bad AT ALL.
And there you have it! After all that’s been said and done, I realized that no amount of carbon dioxide (sad but true) can stop me from exploring the streets of my beloved Manila!
As posted inside the MV Logos Hope,
"Life is a journey. We're all going somewhere, but where are we going?"
My answer? Might as well go somewhere you’ll always keep coming back to (THAT song was right after all)…
…and for me, that’ll always be my hometown: MANILA. ♥
The Great Megamall Adventure :))
I love malls. However, I only go to those located in Makati (Ayala Malls and Power Plant), Manila (Robinsons Place), and Pasay (MOA). Other than those malls are considered out of my “territory” if I may say. So when Kanebo Philippines invited me again to another event in Megamall, I was so looking forward to a so-called “adventure!” Oo, isang malaking adventure na para sa’kin ang magpunta sa Megamall! Hahaha!
Image via Wikipedia
Of course, no adventure’s complete without sharing it with someone! So I asked one of my best girlfriends, Val, to go share this “adventure” with me.
Thanks, Val! ♥
♥♥♥
The first stop of the “adventure” was the BEAUTY part = the Kanebo event. Having said that, I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks (again) to my friend Noriko Hanajima of Summit Media and Yannie Valencia of Kanebo Philippines.
Thanks, Kanebo Philippines!!!
Anyway, Kanebo Philippines held a mall animation featuring their Kate line — which is already my favorite makeup line! SWEAR!!!
photo courtesy of Kanebo Philippines
Plus, Val and I were able to get free makeovers courtesy of Kanebo Philippines‘ Suzzanne Tan and more freebies!!!
Use Kanebo's Kate line to "raise the impact of your eyes, face, and lips."
Aside from the Kate line, one of my favorite Kanebo products is their Freshel White C Mineral BB Cream. I first used it two days ago, and I instantly fell in love with it!
I use the one in Natural Beige (but there’s also the Medium Beige shade) and for those BB cream junkies, this is definitely a MUST-TRY product!!! Today, I’m glad I was finally able to own one whole tube (after receiving a free sample from the previous Kanebo event I attended! Heehee.)
Moving on…
The second part of the “adventure” was the FOOD AND DRINKS part = Bubble Tea and Happy Lemon. Since I don’t get to go to Megamall that often, I wanted to try “something” that can be found there, but not in the malls I frequent.
Okay, there’s a Happy Lemon branch at Power Plant but still, this was just my second time to try it. AND my first try wasn’t even “happy!” For some time, I wasn’t a fan of Happy Lemon because I got disappointed when I first tried their Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese. I thought it was too overrated and tasted just like any ordinary iced chocolate. But today, that changed when I finally tried their Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese!!!
Bubble Tea x Happy Lemon
Oh well, to each his own. But yeah, consider me a fan already. HA HA HA
And the third part of our “adventure” was seeing our (former) officemates and lovebirds KC (with her family) and Leo at Megamall! Stay in love, you guyysss. ♥
Good luck...
...and may we ALL finally find our "careers." =))
Looking forward to my next MALL adventure,
Mikaaa
Your resident Kanebo girl!
There’s A New “It” Phone in Town!!!
First thing’s first. At the end of this blog post, I’ll be giving away a FREE PHONE!!! *palakpakan*
Yes, you’ve read that right. But patience is a virtue, my friends. So before that, let me introduce to you…
DTC Mobile
(photo courtesy of DTC Mobile)
DTC Mobile was established just last year (2011) by DTC Mobile Distribution Inc.
It “was established to provide the telecommunication needs of Filipinos. DTC Mobile is designed not only with superior-quality, guaranteed durability and trendy fashion, but aims to be the best user-friendly mobile phone which suits users of all ages from all walks of life, at a very reasonable price.”
It’s true because their handsets range from Php888-Php2,888 only. Having said that, drop by their official website to know more about DTC Mobile.
Anyway, the brand carries the following phone units: Classic Bar, Qwerty Phone, and TV Phone. PLUS, I believe that Android, Tablet, and Touchscreen models are already in the works! So unlike other more expensive phone brands, you really can’t go wrong with what DTC Mobile has to offer!
DTC Mobile's First Era Units (photo courtesy of DTC Mobile)
Now, on to the fun part — the free phone!!! Thanks to our friends from DTC Mobile, I’ll be giving away a GTV1 Stark phone:
Click the image to know more about the GTV1 Stark.
How to join? Just follow these three simple steps:
Step 1- Click the Facebook LIKE button below this post, as well as the one on the DTC Mobile Facebook page.
Step 2- Get FIVE (5) of your friends to click LIKE, too, on both!!!
Step 3- Send your name, the names of your 5 friends you asked to click both of the LIKE buttons, and 1 mailing address to mikhaelageorgette@gmail.com on or before March 9, 2012. (Open to Philippine residents only.)
[CONTEST CLOSED]
And that’s it! The winner will be notified via e-mail. I repeat, you have until MARCH 9 (Friday) so I think that’s enough time to keep LIKING and SHARING the DTC Mobile Facebook page. See, I told you it’s that simple!
In the mean time, you can already buy your own DTC Mobile handsets by visiting any Mega One Phones and Gadgets Shop. Also, DTC Mobile kiosks are located at:
-Robinsons Lipa (soon to open)
-Robinsons Metro East (soon to open)
-SM Bacoor
-SM Batangas
-SM Bicutan
-SM Calamba
-SM Dasmarinas
-SM Fairview
-SM Masinag
-SM San Lazaro (soon to open)
-SM Southmall (soon to open)
-SM Sta. Mesa
-SM Taytay
With DTC Mobile, we can truly attest that our voice IS their passion! Thaaank yoouuu!
—
This is a sponsored post.
Family Night
February 18, 2012. My family and I attended a thanksgiving dinner for our grandparents’ joint death anniversary.
We love you Lolo Joe and Lola Vic! Rest assured, you'll forever be in our hearts!!! ♥
It started with a Mass… then dinner… and of course, ENTERTAINMENT courtesy of The Executives Band!
My Tito Hector and cousin Julius Sanvictores are actually part of the aforementioned band, as well as one of my favorite bloggers, Cara Manglapus — who also happens to be the only girl member-slash-vocalist of the said group.
The Executives Band
The Executives Band's Cara Manglapus
That night, I was also lucky enough to have finally met her. (Thanks to my cousin Julius for introducing us! Haha!)
another "fangirl moment" for me! =))
Check out Cara‘s blog HERE.
And of course, who can forget our much needed “cousin bonding!” One just tied the knot, the other WILL also tie the knot within the year, and then another one just got engaged too! Sooo, hindi naman ako masyado na-prepressure ng mga pinsan ko noh?! Oh well. HA HA HA
Anyway, meet my beautiful and handsome cousins! And along the way, guess who’s who!
Couples' Corner ♥♥♥
After our thanksgiving dinner, we made the most of our “bonding time” by deciding to go to a spa across the street. Spontaneous Moment #1.
at Babaylan Spa
Babaylan Spa‘s second branch is located at Scout Tuazon, Quezon City. You can avail of their full-body massage for only Php450. But if you prefer a quicker way to relax, you can opt for a foot massage (Php300) or foot spa (Php350). Aside from the fact that it’s open from 9-2am (yes, 2AM!!!), I love Babaylan Spa for its location. Let’s just say that its location is where I had most of my childhood memories, and THAT place will forever hold a special place in my heart JUST BECAUSE.
And if that wasn’t enough, we all decided to drink MILK TEA in the wee hours of the night (read: 2am)! We went to four different milk tea places along Tomas Morato but unfortunately, the first three milk tea places we went to were already closed. Luckily, we found SerendipiTea!!!
(photo courtesy of My SerendipiTea)
My SerendipiTea = milk tea fix at 2am!
Visit My SerendipiTea‘s Facebook page here.
And that was our Spontaneous Moment #2. Ah, one of the good things about spending time with my cousins: SPONTANEITY. We may not have the chance to meet as often as we want to but when we do, it’s something I always look forward to! So there. See you next time! (And I do hope it’s SOON, too!!!)
The Lady is now out!
“Lady Mikhaela Georgette” by Teresa Wee Sit
The Lady's Header
I’d just like to say thanks to Ms. Teresa Wee Sit (or simply Tet) for making this LOVELY and WONDERFUL artwork (she only used paint!) for my blog.
I don’t just like it, I LOOOVE it!!! ♥
Watch Mamma Mia, Go to Baguio
Sooo, I had another EPIC weekend. And knowing me, I just have to blog about it — again! But hey, this is a PERSONAL blog after all. So what did you expect? Haha!
Anyway, let’s start with ba-ba-ba-BAGUIO!!!
My family and I went to Baguio for the weekend since my brother-in-law was already there anyway for a golf tournament. We stayed at one of The Manor‘s family suites in Camp John Hay, and that’s where all the epic-ness started!
If you’ve been to The Manor (or Baguio in general), I think you’ll agree that the weather isn’t the same in Manila. And when I say “not the same,” I mean it in a positive way! I don’t know about you, but I’m actually a “cold person” — meaning, I looove anything cold, including the cold weather! But if you want to interpret my being a “cold person” in a different way, that’s NOT my business anymore! Go ahead, feel free to do so.
Hahaha! Of course, I kid!
Moving on, here are some more shots of The Manor:
view from our room
Aside from savoring the awesome cold weather (I heard that it was 10 °C when we were in Baguio), I just practically took advantage of the fact that I could be a “bum” in my own right for at least a day. So some of the things I did while in The Manor Baguio were watching DVDs (Bridesmaids and Chances Are — which by the way stars a very young Robert Downey, Jr. So spell H-O-T!), eating, shopping at the outlet stores, eating, having a massage at the spa, and yes, EATING! EATING!! EATING!!!
two of my newest discoveries! HARHARHAR
Hay, kaya nakakarir ko ang pag-shoshorts sa Baguio eh… eh pa’no, marami kasing baong “fats” ang legs ko! (Read: mga pata!) Wahahahaha!
jump shots!
Well, ganun talaga! Gotta love my cuuurves, people! And yes, gotta take advantage of the cold weather I’m so deprived of while in Manila! Kaya shorts all the way talaga!!! HA HA HA
But seriously, if you’re planning to GO TO BAGUIO, stay at The Manor. It’s ALL good!!! I actually give it a rating of: FIVE HEARTS (♥♥♥♥♥)
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And then… there’s MAMMA MIA!
The Lady's outfit wouldn't be complete without her favorite accessory - anything UNION JACK! Hehehe.
Speaking of the U.K., did you know that MAMMA MIA! The Musical is actually an original British production??? Ooh, plus! plus! points there!!!
Anywhooo, I watched it last Friday at CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) with my sisters and MY, MY, it was totally a very, very, lovely show! Of course my ticket was the cheapest (tumataginting na Php772.50 lang naman), but who cares? Nilibre lang naman ako eh… magrereklamo pa ba ako?! =))
view from my seat... not THAT bad! Haha!
my "cheap," but totally worth it ticket!
Besides… all those “accents,” all those witty lines, and all those wonderful ABBA songs? Totally WORTH IT!!! I actually plan on watching it again if I have the time… this time, with a more “expensive” ticket for a better view, and yes, a better “musical” experience! Rawr!
But yeah, you and I have to hurry because the show runs until February 19, 2012 only. We can cross our fingers and hope that it gets extended, but why depend on wishful thinking when you already have the power in your hands NOW? At meganon talaga?!
Sabi nga ng ate ko,
“Kung gusto niyo sumaya, manood kayo ng MAMMA MIA!“
Oha, rhyming lang si a-TEH! But it’s true. If you want to be happy, head to CCP and WATCH MAMMA MIA! now!!! I promise, it’s a rating of FIVE HEARTS and mooore (♥♥♥♥♥+++++)!
For more information on how you can buy tickets, click here.
♪ "...'cause somewhere in the crowd there's YOU!" ♫
Enjoooy!
Me, My Friends, and Brunei
WHO GOES TO BRUNEI?!
That was the question most people asked me and my two friends Carol and Marta when we suddenly decided to book a trip to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
The Lady in Brunei Darussalam
Julia Roberts? =)) Nah, JALAN ROBERTS (or Roberts Road!)
Brunei is the seventh country I’ve been to and I’m glad I was finally able to cross it off my bucket list! (Click here for a complete list of the countries I want to travel to. Haha!)
Anyway, my trip to my seventh country was also a trip with a lot of “firsts”:
- obviously, it was my first time there (and I think last? Chos!)
- it was my first abroad trip with my friends (I didn’t consider my Hong Kong trip with my other college friends back in 2007 because there was a “school” business involved)
- it was the first ever trip I paid for using my own hard-earned moolah (from airfare, hotel, and even pocket mahneeyyy!) Just like what my friend Dyan said,
“The best things in life are supposedly free but there’s a sense of fulfillment and pride in saving up enough money to treat myself to a well-deserved vacation.”
Yes, ako na ang natututong tumayo sa sarili kong mga paa! But still, I wouldn’t mind having “sponsors,” you know? Hahaha!… what else?
- Oh, it was also my first time to feel tired for NOT doing anything!!! To know why, I’ll prefer it if you just ask me in person! =))
Honestly, I don’t even know how to start this blog entry… Let’s just say that if SERENITY (and I’m sooo NOT talking about the milk tea place!) is what you’re after, then Brunei’s the place for you! But if you’re into “busy” cities (just like most capitals), then Brunei’s a whole different story! Gets?
Okay, good. Having said that, I’ll just let my pictures do all the talking. After all, the following places are pretty much the only tourist-y ones you can go to in Brunei.
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque
Royal Regalia Building
Istana Nurul Iman (Royal Palace)
Jame Asr’ Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
The Empire
Hotel & Country Club
Carol, Marta, and Mika at The Empire
No, I’m not saying that you should pass up the opportunity to go to “The Green Heart of Borneo.” Experience din yun noh! What I’m saying is Brunei isn’t your “usual” bakasyunan. It can be a little boring at times, but c’mon mamon, it’s also dubbed “A Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures” — in short, ‘wag talaga kayong mag-expect! Wahahahaha!
Kidding aside, enough about ME and BRUNEI for the title of this entry speaks for itself. This trip wasn’t just about Me and Brunei, there were also My Friends! And as cliche as this may sound, it’s true. It doesn’t matter where you are… what matters is the people you’re with! Oha, meganon talaga Carol at Marta!!! Looking forward to our next trip! (At oo, may sequel na agad ang Brunei trip namin — SOON! Hehehe.)
Now, going back to the first question… Who goes to Brunei? Err… I don’t really have a definite answer to that. After all, TO EACH HIS OWN.
But this I can leave you, my dear readers. You’ve heard of the newest tourism campaign of the Philippines, right? Well, THIS is proof of how true that slogan is!
Call me biased or whatnot, I don’t care! But yes! It truly is… no doubt…
MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES!!!
college friends!!!
The Lady is now OUT!
SirKevinMartin Says…
What do you do when you have a friend who makes awesome videos, entertains those who watch THOSE videos, and finally gets the recognition he so truly deserves?
You blog about it. Well, at least “I” do. Hahaha!
So if you still haven’t watched the video “Shit Spoiled Filipino Teenagers Say” by my friend Kevin Martin Vitug (a.k.a. SirKevinMartin), I say go watch it NOW! And if you have watched it already, I say go watch it AGAIN!!!
For more awesome videos, check out Kev‘s YouTube channel here.
Wala lang. I just really had to blog about Kev… Fangirl na fangirl lang talaga tuloy ang peg ko! Wahahahaha! =))
with Kev
So to Sir Kevin Martin, just so you know…
I’M SOOO PROUD OF YOU!!! Ikaw na talaga!!!
Keep up the GREAT work and good luck sa future “career” —
Oo, meganon talaga! Heehee. ILY!!!
Yours truly,
Lady Mikhaela Georgette ♥
miKAte Strikes Again!!!
What do you get when you combine MIKA + KATE? Well, you get miKAte (pronounced as “mee keyt”)! Wahahahaha, sabaw! =))
But seriously, ever since I discovered FACEinHOLE last year, I just couldn’t help wasting hours putting my face on different bodies when I’m bored! Err… that didn’t sound right, did it? Hahaha! Anyway, you know what I mean! It’s for pure ENTERTAINMENT purposes only.
And so, I present to you…
In cooperation with FACEinHOLE…
…Lady miKAte!
*all together now*
WA HA HA HA HA!
Pagpasensiyahan niyo na’po… Isa yata ito sa mga naidudulot ng quarter-life crisis! Mwahahahahaha!
In the meantime, also go crazy using FACEinHOLE by clicking here.
See you next time…
…The Lady is now OUT!
Jingle Bell ROCK!!!
In this blog entry, I’d like to take a “short” (and quick!) trip down memory lane.
Destination: just this (past) weekend!
First stop:
“Blogoversary”
First of all, I’d like to greet my blog a HAPPY SECOND YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! I actually started this blog on December 11, 2009 ON IMPULSE that’s why I wasn’t THAT consistent at first (you can check out my blog history on my sidebar if you want proof! Haha!) But anyway, I decided to publicize it THIS YEAR, and I got hooked — line, sinker, and all that jazz! I kind of declare 2011 as my “blogging year.” Having said that, cheers to mooore years of “consistent” blogging! Yay me!
Next stop:
Jingle Bell “ROCK!”
(Hence the title.)
And then there’s our company Christmas party! Last Saturday, my company held our annual Christmas Party at Hard Rock Cafe, Glorietta and my golly! Many “unexpected” things happened…
Image via Wikipedia
…starting with the pre-party! Let’s just say that in between getting stuck in traffic for two hours (!) and walking the not-so-short distance from the parking lot to the venue wearing my four-inch heels (!!!), “something happened” at the parking lot. I’m just glad I was with one of my close friends, Val (she’s the “only” witness AND I, thaaank herrr!)
I’m also happy that I was able to park my car PROPERLY! Whew! Whew!! WHEW!!! Hahaha!
The Lady and her car. Chos!
Now, let’s go to the actual party!!! Like I said, Val and I were late for two hours (thanks a lot to the Zobel traffic!), but when we arrived, people were eating already. Hahaha, nice timing! Prizes were given. People were nominated. Games were played. Wait, what — people were nominated? NOMINATED FOR WHAT? Well, there were two: “Best Dressed” and “Star of The Night.”
I, for one, got nominated for the former. At isa lang ang masasabi ko: SAAN NANGGALING YUN?!
Wahahahaha!
NakaKALURKEYT MIDDLETON!!! Kasi naman, this is what I call THE “KULTO” LOOK! Black na black — parang pang-Halloween lang! Pero kasi, BLACK AND METALLIC ang theme namin eh! KALURKEY talaga!!! =))
Good thing I have a co-nominee from my department, Marj (who's also my current seatmate!)
With you Marj by my side, it wasn’t THAT kalurkey anymore! Meganon?! Joke lang. I sound like some freakin’ conyotic-speaking kolehiyala. Define ANNOYING. Hahaha, PEACE!
Overall, it was one heck of a Christmas party! I seriously had fun! Ika nga, it doesn’t really matter “where,” BUT with “who” you’re with! And with my awesome office friends? Oh it’s always gonna be a GREAT TIME with GREAT PEOPLE! Yebah!!!
Introducing, the AWESOME PEOPLE OF CDP:
with Angela and Val
Val and Ms. H
with my "milk tea" buddy, Mark
with CJ
with sexy Kimmy
with Gian (a special shoutout to our IDOL PATTY Laurel!!!)
hahaha.
with KC (a.k.a. Ms. Lucky! She always wins stuff!!!)
with the beautiful Mao
with Maica, Mark, and Val
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Which brings us to…
The last stop:
Nyoy Volante and The Rhythmic Circle
Nyoy Volante and his band
The after-party was all about a violin, singing (President and CEO included! Haha!), a violin, jamming, and did I say A VIOLIN— ist?! HA HA HA
Let’s just say that a few minutes after they started playing (and after our boss started singing!), all eyes were also on the person on Nyoy‘s right — including mine:
Need I say more? ♥
Siya naaa! Siya na talaga ang HEARTTHROB! Talented pa!!! ♥♥♥
Lagot-lagot ako nito kay Reed!!! Pa’no ba ‘to, panibagong blog entry na naman ba? Haha!
‘Nuff said.
Meet Kevin.
Kevin is my 15-year-old cousin from Sacramento, California. He can actually play the drums, guitar, ukulele, and of course, piano!
Kevin and I when we were still kids (circa 1999)
The other day, I asked him to play a piano cover of my “LSS” (Last Song Syndrome) for the past few days — “Without You” by David Guetta featuring Usher, and I think he nailed it:
As you can see, ni hindi nga siya gumagamit ng piyesa (sheet music)! I say that’s pure talent!
And here’s another favorite of mine:
Find Kevin on Facebook and Twitter.
Anyway, he actually has a YouTube account and I highly encourage you to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE. He has more covers showcasing his musical talent there, and you can check them out here.
Who knows? With talent like that, I believe Kevin has the potential to be the next (social media) “sensation!” And when that happens, well… don’t say I didn’t “warn” ya!
Planners Here, Planners There, Planners Everywhere!
One of the things I love about the Christmas Season is none other than the different PLANNERS offered by most establishments here in the Philippines!!! Mapa-bakeshop, bookstore, coffee shop, clothing store, kahit nga yata si manang sa suking tindahan… halos lahat may offered na na planner tuwing sasapit ang Pasko! Tama ba? Hahaha!
Anyway, I’ve been really planning on making a post about planners (now that’s a lot of “plan” in one sentence!) since last week but luckily, SPOT.ph made this “job” easier for me! This week, they’ve rounded up a list of the Top 25 Planners of 2012. You can check it out here.
Three of my planners actually made it to the list! Namely the Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Philippines 2012 Planner, Papemelroti 2012 Planner, and Belle du Jour 2012 Power Planner! Yay!!!
But I think the more important troubling point here is… WHY THE HECK DO I NEED not just one, not just two, but THREE FREAKIN’ PLANNERS , you may ask?! Okay, let me defend myself.
First, I’m very O.C. And not just any O.C. As in the serious kind of O.C. Some of you may be shocked to know this, but I actually have O.C.D. or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder! Oo, yung “disorder” kind. But no biggie. I’ve been living with my O.C.D. self for more than a decade now (I started showing symptoms when I was in fifth grade) and I’ve learned how to “manage” my life with it. Yun nga lang, sometimes it can be really tiring… time-consuming… and yes, sometimes it requires THREE PLANNERS! Wahahahaha!
Moving on…
The Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Philippines 2012 Planner
I just got mine (in bamboo) last week, and that’s actually my seventh Starbucks planner. Ever since I had my hands on my very first Starbucks planner, wala pang taon akong na-skiskip! So yeah, blame it on “tradition” kuno! Hehe. But seriously, if you’re a natural coffee drinker anyway (who just happens to choose Starbucks), then spending moolah shouldn’t really be an issue.
So for those complaining about how pricey these planners cost… kayo ah! Tsk, tsk, tsk. Obviously, you’re just going to Starbucks just. so. you. can. get. the. planner. Puh-lease. I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but I’ve been drinking Starbucks ever since I was in sixth grade. Hence, may planner man o wala, nag-staStarbucks talaga ako. Kaya kung nagrereklamo kayo, edi ‘wag niyong buuin yung stickers! Ganun lang kasimple! Case closed. Tapos!
O siya, peace on earth na ulit! Hehehe.
Papemelroti 2012 Planner
I just started using Papemelroti’s handy-dandy planner this year (2011), but I’m still not sure whether or not I’m going to buy one for next year! But c’mon, at P19.75 each + its adorable designs + convenience (it doesn’t take too much space inside my bag!) — and not to mention that it’s eco-friendly since it’s made of recycled paper, THIS IS DEFINITELY A STEAL! Okay, fine. I’m getting the princess-y one! Heehee.
Belle du Jour 2012 Power Planner
2012 will be my first year to use a Belle du Jour (BDJ) planner, and the only thing that made up my mind is next year’s theme: TRAVEL! As you can see on the picture… Oh it’s travel-inspired, alright! ♥ PLUS it doesn’t hurt that it has tons and tons of coupons that can score me discounts ALL YEAR ROUND! ’Nuff said.
So… Starbucks planner? CHECK! But you see, my Starbucks planner is my “home planner” — meaning, it always stays at home. I don’t know. Maybe because I write more personal stuff in it? Harharhar. Now it’s just down to what gets to be my “bag planner.” Papemelroti’s or BDJ’s? I need mooore convincing.
Thoughts, please?
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How about you? What’s going to be your 2012 planner?
Sound off in the comments section below!
Season’s Greetings!
*all together now*
CHRISTMAAAS IS HEEERE! ♥
Yes, IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR once again! And if you still haven’t noticed, even my blog is being one with the Season! Heehee. So let me take this opportunity to be one of the first peeps to greet you: SEASON’S GREETINGS EVERYONE!!!
You see, the Christmas Season and I, we share a very deep, personal, deep, special, and DEEP relationship! Oha, oha! Wala nang lalalim pa sa relasyon namin ni Christmas! Hahaha! Kidding aside, I don’t know… I just feel really HAPPY whenever this time of the year arrives. It could be the nostalgia I feel that dates back to my childhood days… maybe it’s the awesome, lovely, and special people I spend it with… OR it could be the traditional lights and sounds show the city of Makati (my “work” town) showcases every year:
“Spectacular Spectrum” at the Ayala Triangle Gardens
happens every night, 6-9PM (until December 30, 2011).
Oo, ganito kami sa Makati! Hahaha!
Kahit ano pa ang dahilan, isa lang ang katotohanan: I. LOVE. CHRISTMAS!!!
So, in honor of my undying affection and love for the Season, I made a simple video (note: SIMPLE being the operative word! ) using “Christmas is” by Regine Velasquez featuring Jim Brickman as background music — which I consider one of the best Christmas songs ever made! It truly captures the real essence and meaning of the Season!
Please lang, panoorin niyo. Effort din maghanap ng pictures at mag-edit sa Windows MovieMaker noh! Wahahahaha!
Anyway, here are more pictures with SOME of the awesome, lovely, and special people I spend Christmas with:
with two of my sisters ♥
with my beautiful friends Camille and Tinah ♥
At akalain niyo, on this very same night… during our dinner…. LOOK WHO WE SAW:
JOSE MARI CHAN in the house, yo!
If that’s not “Chistmas” destiny, then I don’t know what is! Haha!
Having said that,
“Christmas in Our Hearts,“ anyone?
