A&J: Boys and girls, we present, THE ULTIMATE LIST OF MUST-HAVES!

You see something in the supermarket, you know you may need it but you still think twice about buying, you then leave the place without it. The following day, you find yourself in need of the product you thought twice of buying, but now, there isn't anywhere you can go to purchase one. Don’t you just hate those moments?

Sometimes, taking a visit on the health and beauty section of department stores wouldn’t hurt, and yes, we’re also talking to you, boys. Sometimes those things that we should have in our shopping baskets are the ones that go unnoticed.  

We’d like to share with you the things we make sure we always have at our dressers and in our purses. Products we use/apply before leaving the house, and things we carry around with us. Aside from the usual shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush toothpaste, and bringing our wallets, mobile phone, IDs with us, here are our other must-haves.

Bebi A's 5 Purse Must-Haves

There are things that I think one should always have ready, either on his/her car or purse. These are very easy-to-find and very affordable things that will never be useless once you get to know them.

1. Wet tissue / Facial tissue

No matter how careful we are, there will always be times when we will get our hands on something gross or we will have something dirty accidentally stick to us.And while wash rooms can be found available on many places, there can be chances when we will be left without an option to wash the nasty dirt off with water. And at times like those when wet tissues or facial tissues can come to your rescue.

I personally think that everyone should have wet tissues or facial tissues readily available for use. And this is regardless of the gender. These things are not only helpful whenever nature calls, you can also use them on your face to freshen up after walking under very humid weather condition, on wiping dirt off your mouth, keeping your hands clean, and the list goes on. Let us let experience tell you what kind of scenarios wet and facial tissues can be used on.

I do not have personal favorites when it comes to wet and facial tissues, but I  have been using these kinds. I find the packaging very cute, so I always just go for it (and they’re very affordable), plus the wet tissues in the purple packaging have a light hint of lavender, and that smells really nice.

2. Breath freshener

Bad breath is a total turn off. We all know that. And although we all (I really hope) spend ample time going up and down and in circles with our toothbrushes while dealing with our teeth, it cannot guarantee that we will have fresh breath the entire day. Eating and not eating can both cause bad breath. When you don’t eat, the gases from our stomach will escape from our body through the mouth (that is the explanation that I know, if I’m wrong, please feel free to correct me on the comment box below), and that can cause bad breath. With eating, and I think all of us already know this, depending on the food that you ate, your breath can smell Mexican, Italian, American, and if you’re even luckier, you’ll have that garlic breath scent. 

You’re lucky if you have a place where you can whip out your toothbrush and toothpaste and eliminate the bad smell in your mouth by brushing your teeth, or if you have a place where you can use your mouth wash to gargle. But for worse scenarios when you want fresh breath and you don’t have a place to brush your teeth or gargle, then mints can help do the trick.

My work dictates for me to either be in the office or in the field for some training. I am lucky because most times, I am able to have some teeth-loving time after lunch in the office, but during days when training are scheduled one after the other, then I go for the aid of my mints.

I always carry Clorets Actizol Plus Cool Mint Tablets. I personally like this one because its cool effect is felt until the tiniest bit of mint. It keeps your breath smelling minty for a sensible amount of time.

NOTE: There is a difference between fresh teeth and clean mouth. Mints are not a replacement for brushing our teeth.

3. Loose change

Have you ever had those days when you just wanted to buy something but it can’t be sold to you because the money you're using to pay is just a single bill and is of a big amount? I hate those moments too. And it’s because of those moments that I have learned that it is important to always have coins and bills of smaller amounts in your wallet.

If you’re in the Philippines, then it is likely that you will not be able to purchase an item worth Php15 with your Php500 bill. You will get that strange look from the person at the counter. Haha! And if you’re in Singapore, then you can say goodbye to your $2 or $5 when you left your EZlink card (the card we use to pay for public transpo) at home because the machines in buses wouldn’t give you change.

I like putting my $1 in my piggy bank, but I still always make sure I have at least three $3 coins plus couple more coins of smaller value in my wallet, and of course some bills.

4. Portable charger

Gone are the days when the only “features” a phone has is the ability to connect to another person through call or text messaging. Now we can watch movies, listen to music, take photos, play games, read e-books, among many others through these small pieces of technology. And although we are all thankful that we can now do all those things with the use of a small gadget, we all dread to see a red mark on our phone battery. We all have, one time or another, made a sad sigh upon seeing the low battery symbol on our phone. And that is not a good icon on our phone especially when our day is just starting or when we have to make or are waiting for some important phone calls or text messages.

All the worrying can end, and we can all say goodbye to phones with drained batteries, thanks to portable chargers. A portable charger, for me, is a life saver. I had found myself worrying about my phone’s battery life way too many times, until I got tired of trying to find a free phone charging area in all kinds of places.

I have the Sony Cycle Energy portable charger in black. I like it because it’s light, and it’s not bulky, so I can fit it in a small purse that I put in my bag. Although this portable charger can only charge my phone another 100% battery life before the charger drains its own battery life, I still find it helpful. I carry my portable charge fully charged, and I make sure I charge it (using my laptop) at home after I have used it.

5. And for my girls, our holy grail; makeup kit

I don’t think I need to even type anything on here. It’s already understood. I cannot even begin to describe how I used to panic whenever I would forget my makeup kit at home. There was even a time when I was already in school when I realized that I forgot my kit. My school is roughly an hour and fifteen minutes away from my home, and you think that stopped me? Hell no. I went back home, took my kit, and traveled back to school. It was THAT important. Hahaha! I don’t panic so much anymore, but I do get sad when I forget to put my lipstick or pressed powder in my kit. When my things aren't complete, I feel a like I’m half-naked.

In my kikay kit are the basics. If you can carry your makeup brushes and palettes around, then good for you. I, however, prefer a smaller bag. I have my compact powder from The Body Shop in shade no. 04. I apply a very thin layer of this one, and it’s always enough for that fresh and natural look. For my cheeks, I sometimes use this Clinique color surge eye shadow duo and blushing powder, in twilight mauve / braided plum and smoldering plum shades respectively. Another essential item in my kit is my lip balm; The Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care SPF15, which I love so much because it’s not sticky, and really moisturizes your skin. I've tested this in autumn/winter weather, and it helped me not have chapped lips. ;) And of course my two lipsticks, NYC Ultra Moist Lipwear in Retro Red shade, and Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suade lipstick in Couture. Both lipsticks are red shade, but what can I say, that's how I like 'em! And last but not the least is my eyebrow pencil, which is from a local brand; Ever Bilena Original in brown shade, I definitely cannot leave the house without it.

Bebi J's 5 Dresser Must-Haves

I have to admit I have a lot going on in my dresser. It’s filled with so many different things from my toner and moisturizer to my makeup palettes, brushes, and scrungees! This list can go on forever. Well, not forever because I have my 5 key things that my dresser can never be without (in terms of makeup and skin care)! These are the things that girls (and also boys) must have, never mind if you ran out of the other stuff, but these 5 you must stock up!


1. Sunscreen (Coppertone Sunscreen SPF50/VMV Hypoallergenics’ Armada Face Cover 30)

Sunscreen is the key to escape those nasty chapped skin and early guesting of your wrinkles!! I use the Coppertone Sunscreen as a lotion for my body. It’s not sticky at all! In fact, the skin absorbs it very well and quick too. Sunscreen basically has the same elements a lotion does, so weigh which one you need more, sunscreen or lotion? It’s really useless to double up the coverage because the other one will just absorb the other and will just reduce the SPF, hence useless.

For my face, I use the Armada one but only when I won’t use a foundation or a BB cream with an SPF on it. Because using it with a foundation that has an SPF will just pack on the heat in your face resulting to a quicker makeup meltdown and besides just like what I said earlier, it’s useless to have two products that both have an SPF.

The Coppertone Sunscreen SPF50 costs Php450/tube and the Armada Face Cover costs Php1,350/tube.

2. Moisturizer (L’oreal Hydrafresh)

Okay, people! You must know that the secret behind anyone with that glowing, beautiful skin is MOISTURIZER! This must be everyone's mantra: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize! We need this to maintain or atleast prolong our skin’s elasticity to prevent it from the early star appearance of wrinkles! So we must choose our moisturizers wisely, like our lives depend on it!

And, I just simply adore this moisturizer! It’s specially designed for people with oily skin and God (sorry for using God, but that’s just to emphasize) knows I have a very oily skin. What’s so nice about it is that it’s in a gel form, thus, faster absorption and lighter application, it also cools the face when applied. It’s really refreshing and highly effective as well.

Each jar of L’oreal HydraFresh cost Php395.

3. Perfume (Annick Goutal Petit Cherie/Clinique Happy Heart/DKNY Be Delicious)

This should be a staple on anyone's dresser! It doesn't matter if you're a boy, girl, bakla, tomboy. LOL. One must always have a perfume or atleast a cologne. I don't think I need to justify this one so I'll just share my top3 signature scents. I interchange them by week! Hehe. This is where the girly bit starts so boys, look away! Or if you're thinking of getting you girlfriend or wife a perfume, here are some suggestions:

First one is my Annick Goutal Petit Cherie Eau de Parfum. Fancy!! That's why I rarely use it. I use it on special occassions and stuff. It smells lovely. It has that subtle scent of flowers and citrus in perfect harmony! This one's kinda pricey but my mom got it for me in Doha at around QR450 and I found it here in the Philippines at Rustan's Makati, they sell it at around Php6000.

Second is the Clinique Happy Heart, I bought it from Doha as well. Clinique Happy Heart may not be as famous as it's predecessor, Clinique Happy, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't smell as good. I love it so much. I got it for QAR300 (Php3300)

The last one has been my perfume since my college days, DKNY Be Delicious Green Apple! It's citrus-y but not too strong that it stings your nose. Out of the 3, I can say this one really is my signature scent, just because I've been using it the longest plus the bottle is cut as well! ;)

4. Deodorant (J. Thomas No Sweat Deo-Spray)

I can't emphasize enough how this should be present at all times, especially if you're aware that you sweat a lot, as I admittedly am!! Sweaty armpits can cause bad odor and bad odor can cause major inconvenience and annoyance to the person beside you or, worst, AROUND YOU! Haha. So, please always put on a deodorant. This is a Public Service Announcement, really! Haha.

I just recently found out about this J. Thomas deo-spray and I am telling you it does wonders to your armpits hehe. I noticed minimal sweating in that area the moment I started using it.

5. Qtips a.k.a Cotton Buds

Cotton buds is mainly used to clean your ears or nose, but did you know that if you're a woman struggling with those nasty mascara getting into your eyelids, qtips can be you BFF? You can use it to wipe away those mascara transfer from your eyelids or you can put the qtip against your lid before putting on the mascara to prevent smudges.

These are our top 5 list of must-haves, if you also have the same list, but have a different kind of use for them, please feel free to share it with us on the comment box below. Or if you think we left out some other essential stuff or have your own must-have list, we would love to know what they are! :)



Happpppinesss! - J and A

A: Women's week special: Talk about GIRL POWER! The women I look up to.

Remember those days when women did not have the right to vote, to study, and basically to have a promising future? Boy did we kick that period in the a$$ or what?! Women have stood up for countries, for religion, for their beliefs, and slowly, have shown to the world that we all have voices that should be heard.

There are a lot of women who made big differences in the world, and most of them did not only make a mark in history, but more importantly, in the hearts of many. I have women I look up to whose footsteps I’d like to follow. And in celebration of Women’s month, I’d like to share how these feisty ladies help me believe that I too, can be anything I want to be.

Lea Salonga

Photo source: www.broadway.com

Photo source: newsviewintl.blogspot.sg

Lea Salonga is a pure-Filipina actress/singer/endorser who made her mark in the world through her roles in stage plays like Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, her voice in Disney movies Mulan and Aladdin, and many other appearances on TV, movies, magazines, and the list goes on and on. She was, during her teen years, part of the entertainment show, “That’s Entertainment”, and has been one of the really talented inclusions in the Philippine showbiz industry. She since then has not stopped appearing on TV, the big screen, and on stage plays. She, with the use of her voice, has captured the hearts of people all over the world.Now you hear the name Lea Salonga and you immediately associate it with “powerful voice”. 

I look at Lea and see a person who was determined to make a mark in the world, and she made sure she did. She makes me believe that it doesn't matter what your nationality is, if you have what it takes, then you have to keep your mind focused and reach for your dreams.  Plus, isn’t she just a really pretty face? I remember scanning through the pages of my mom’s Avon brochure just looking at their beautiful endorser; Lea.

Wanda Sykes

Photo source: www.thetvaddict.com

Photo source: www.exposay.com

Aside from being hilarious, Wanda is known to be someone who strongly stands up for gay rights. I’ve seen two kinds of videos of Wanda Sykes, one is with her standing on stage, making people laugh with her witty jokes, and the other one is standing on stage, making people happy because she’s standing up for what she believes is right. For someone like me who believes that I should stand up for what I strongly believe in, getting to witness how famous people like herself do the same is a big encouragement.

I remember on one of her stand up acts, she shared that she shops at Target, and when a person from the audience asked her why a celebrity like her goes there,  she dropped this, "I'm a celebrity, but I'm not a dumb celebrity, ". I found her answer really funny, and at the same time it reflects simplicity. She, on my opinion, is one of the funniest stand up comediennes there is, and yet, she remains to be down to earth. She also loves to inject a piece of her personal life in her acts, and through them, laughing at my own flaws and mistakes is a lot easier.

Ellen DeGeneres

Photo source: www.justjared.com

Photo source: www.dailymail.co.uk

She’s gay. So what? She’s fun, hip, and she loves to share her blessings to people. She did not only help raise even more the already raised women flag, she went ahead and raised the gay flag with it. If there is something I learned from her, it’s that you shouldn't care about how people will perceive you, the goodness of your intentions will always shine brighter than all the negativity people will throw at you. Now isn't her show just one of the highest ranking shows of its kind?

She showed the world that your gender preference has nothing to do with who you are and who you can be as a person. And I just adore her even more when she lets people take a glimpse of her personal life by sharing her life events with her wife, Portia De Rossi.

Oprah Winfrey

Photo source: www.stylishthought.com

Photo source: www.blog.zap2it.com

When Oprah talks, everybody listens. She has this charisma that I think works towards almost everyone. I look at her and I see a person who is kicking racial discrimination one butt cheek at a time. It was never an easy road for Oprah as well. She’s from a poor family, and she had to work at an early age. But these things didn't stop her. Now we all know her as that person who doesn't only handle great interviews, doesn't only help boost the morale and confidence of her viewers through the positivity she promotes, she is that person who doesn't hesitate to share her blessings. “You’re getting one, you’re getting one, everybody’s getting one,” is her most famous line during my most favorite episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show; Oprah’s favorite things.

It seems as if she feels that it's part of her duty to help raise the spirits of every woman in the world, especially those women of color, and those who have gone through different kinds of hell in their lives. And that intention alone makes her a blessing to everyone.

Her drive and her positivity makes me believe, that if she can do it, I can do it too. Because of her, the fire inside me and the hope that I can be anything I want to be has not died.

Lynn Dipasupil

 Isn't she lovely? :)

Hahahahaha!

Love her!

I bet you haven’t heard of her name, I bet you have not seen any of her photos, I bet you have not heard of any movie she starred in, and that is because she’s not a celebrity, not a talk show host, not a singer. She is my mom.

I think it is evident through my previous entries that my mom is a single mom, and I am her only child. She is a very strong person, and whoever I am today, is because of her. She was there when I said my first words, and is always there when I talk my heart out, she helped me make my first steps, and is always there to support every step I make in life, she heard my first cry, and is always there when I pour tears of sadness, she loved me since day one, and now, I know the meaning of love.

Because of her, I know that being alone is not the same with as being lonely. Because of her I know that people can come and go in your life, and when people choose to leave you, it doesn't mean you stop living. Because of her, I know the meaning of sacrifice, and I know why there are people you are willing to sacrifice your own happiness for. Because of her, I know that there is nothing wrong with living a simple life. Because of her, I know that when someone gets mad at you and points out to you your mistakes, then you should be thankful because you are loved. Because of her, I know how to take care of myself. Because of her, I know the importance of knowing when you should be independent and when you should ask for guidance. Because of her, I believe in my One and Only Savior.

Inside my mom’s small physique is a big strong woman whose courage, devotion, and love is overflowing. And she continues to inspire me to become who I want to be.

It's neither our height nor our body size, not the color of our skin, and more importantly not our gender that can dictate the things that we can and cannot do. We all just need to have a dream,  to have the heart to reach for the dream, to get some push from people we love, and encouragement from people who have proved the world that no obstacle can be big enough to stop someone whose heart is burning with willpower. 

I salute all the women who are making marks in the world by giving helping hands, saving lives, protecting their countries, loving their kids, and being the strong person that they are.


Spread the positivity! :)

- A  

A&J: 5 YouTube channels you don't want to miss out on!

If you know Achmed; the dead terrorist, Charlie; who bit his brother's finger, some "wins" and "fails" of different years, some bloopers from your favorite TV series, tutorials, and tons of parodies, then you probably visit Youtube as often as we do. We all know the site has a lot more other videos aside from the ones mentioned, included in those videos that some of you may also know are those Youtube sensations that are now singers with big hits. We know some of them aren't even talented, but what the heck, that's the power of Youtube!

We will always thank Youtube for saving us from those boring long trips to places, dull times at home, lousy shows on cable TV, and for entertaining us when there is no new interesting entry on Facebook or 9gag. We like going on Youtube to watch random videos, but we LOVE visiting video channels we are subscribed to and check out their latest video entries.

Today, we're going to share with you our top 5 favorite Youtube channels, and why we can't get enough of them!

Top 1 (Bebi J and bebi A's pick): ELLEN DEGENERES

Oh Ellen, Y U SO FUNNY? Haha! We are crazy about her! What's not to love about her? She's fun, she's hip, she's cool, and just the things she makes her writers and other staff do? Ugh! Such a cool boss! Ellen, if you can read this, please employ us! We will ride all the scary rides, eat gross-looking food, and do weird things! Or we can be two sexy foot rests if you're company is packed. :D -A

We also love how she engages with her audience, example, Ellen digs into some of her audience's facebook pages and makes her own story off of them! Haha! And, she really has some great staff because they always manage to find the coolest and cutest youtube videos! One of our favorites from Ellen are Sophia Grace and Rosie, they're just so cute adorable and very talented. We always watch out for them in Ellen's channel. We're also crazy for the different segments that she posts on her youtube channel like Know or Go, Just Kid Ink, Clumsy Thubsy, etc. And lastly, it's always very touching how generous and caring she is when she gives out life changing gifts to deserving people. -J

And just to show how fun Ellen's channel is, here's her latest video:

Top 2 (Bebi J's pick): PIXIWOO / GOSSMAKEUPARTIST

I am kinda cheating with this because Bebi A and i are supposed to have 2 YouTube channels each, because we already agreed who should be our top 1, Ellen! ;) But, I am just torn between these two. Both of these channels are the reasons why my mom is calling me a “makeup nazi” or a “makeup hoarder”! Haha! But honestly, everything I know now about makeup is because of them. And, I have to say I learned from (I think) the best makeup gurus there is in Youtube. They are both so nice and not alienating in any way, especially for beginners. They also give extensive product reviews to save anyone from wasting their money on products that are just not worth it! They also do not use any jargons that only makeup experts speak, and that makes them easy to understand. Just to show how helpful their tips are here are my favourite tutorials from both channels.

Pixiwoo: Is a youtube channel put up by two sisters that are passionate Makeup Artists, Sam and Nic Chapman. Sam already has her own makeup brush line, and I have almost all her brushes and I will complete them very soon ;)  

Gossmakeupartist: He is a male MUA named Wayne Goss and that intrigued me so much I had to watch his makeup tutorials! And they are all great and very practical. Wayne is very fearless when it comes to makeup reviews and does not yield even with bigwigs like “Chanel”! He’s one of the most honest makeup guru I've watched on Youtube! 

Top 3 (Bebi A's pick): JENNA MARBLES  

You think you know funny crazy? Think again.

My boyfriend was the one who introduced me to Jenna's video channel. One video was all it took for me to get really hooked to her channel. She posts really funny vidoes about random things, and that's what makes the channel really fun. You don't know what to expect. I personally love her video titled, "What Nicki Minaj looks for in a man".

 

Top 2 (Bebi J's pick): AngKikayKo by Teena Arches
 

Teena is a Filipina makeup guru and it was through her that I became aware of different local makeup brands. I owe it to her that now, I know Dollface, Shawill, and Ever Bilena (all local brands) have very good makeup products as well! It was also through her that I have come to know Pixiwoo. She is a very hyper makeup guru! I can’t help but laugh everytime I watch her videos. She also do really “Philippine weather-friendly” makeup tutorials! Haha! She also does some very funny vlogs! She is very spontaneous and I can totally relate to her because she is a body image warrior as well! She is a certified Plump Pinay and I am definitely one too. I came to know about Teena when she was featured in Plumpinay; another blog site here in the Philippines. She inspires me, and I bet tons more people, a lot, and let me tell you, she's even younger than me!!! I’ve also won some brush freebies from her giveaway, so extra love for her! :D

Here’s my favourite video from her channel. It's not a tutorial, it's more like a funny rant video:

Top 5 (Bebi A's pick):  BEBEXOXO

I have made it clear on our first joint entry that I am not someone who knows how to put makeup on. I leave the house with a dab of lipstick and lipgloss and with my brows done. I am loving the simple and very natural look, but given the chance, I'd like to be able to stay a little longer in front of the mirror and hold a brush and an eye shadow pallette and know what to do with them. And that is exactly one of the reasons why I love going to Bebexoxo's Youtube video channel.

The array of tutorials she has, from shaping your brows, to putting on blush, getting that smokey-eyed effect, and doing your hair are all amazing! And plus, she's really cute! Haha! I see her like a tiny (the courage for me to say she's tiny... like am over 5'3"! haha!) fairy who can grant you your three beauty wishes.

And, that completes our top 5 youtube channels, We hope you found some interesting stuff from this lineup of inspiring, funny, and witty bunch of ladies! And, if you have a favorite youtube channel that you want to share with everybody, please just leaave their links in the comment box and we'll check them out!

That is it for now and if we may borrow Ellen's favorite line; Be kind to one another, Bye! :)

- J & A

A: How I made the most out of my vacay in the Philippines!

If thinking happy thoughts would really make you fly, then am pretty sure I would’ve been up in the air after I booked our flight going to the Philippines. I have gone back home twice since I started working abroad, and the amount of excitement coming home is the same if not even greater this time.

I had everything planned right away. Well, I can say that the "planning"  part is easy; you choose the dates, book flights, buy pasalubong, and pack your bags. It's  making the most out of my limited time back home that gets quite challenging. But having learned many lessons from my first trip back home, I now know the to-dos and not-to-dos when coming home for a vacay. 

So many loved ones, so little time? Not anymore. Here are some tips on how you can maximize your time when visiting home:

Tip #1: Make a schedule

Coordinate with people you want to meet. Create a time table for all the meet-ups you will have, and this should include the place. 

If you are going out with a group of people, make sure everyone is aware of and have agreed to the date and time of meet-up, this way there will be no room for sudden changes in plans.  If you have a group of friends who prefer to chit chat while eating, and another group who prefers to do just the same but over a couple of drinks, then set a lunch date with the former, and a dinner date with the latter. With schedules starting quite late, you can even inject some shopping time in the morning. Find those filipino goods you missed while you were away from home. 


Tip #2: Too much of anything is bad

Unless you are meeting friends over their 1-hour lunch break, then the tendencies are you all would want to stay and chitchat longer and enjoy more food or more drinks. And this is why it is not advisable to schedule a meet-up with three different groups of people in a single day. The last thing you want to do is check on your watch every minute and worry that your other friends might already be waiting for you.


Tip #3: Location location location!

Ask your different sets of friends to meet you in places that are near each other.  This gives you enough time to enjoy every second you have with your first “date” and not worry that there could be heavy traffic on your way to your next meeting place.

Plus, I bet the people you will want to meet are your really close friends, and with that being the case, am sure they’d be willing to compromise. 


Tip #4: Take the level of drunkenness to a 0!

Remember that time when you went out drinking with friends, you had so much fun you downed all the alcoholic drinks you got your hands on? Then the following morning you woke up perfectly fine, all energetic, and ready to go malling? Yeah, neither do I.

We all know how bad hangovers can get after a night of all-out partying. And although letting lose with friends can be a lot of fun, it will not be so entertaining while you try to drag yourself in to the bathroom so that you can start preparing for another day out with friends. It also can be heartbreaking when you know you will not get to leave the house because you're still dizzy from last night's drinkathon and you cannot leave your bed.

Depending on your alcohol tolerance, a couple of bottles should be okay. None of us wants to be that KJ (kill joy) balikbayan who only wanted iced tea, right? Have a good time, but make sure you will still be strong enough, if not sober enough for the following day's agenda. 


Tip #5: Always be on time

It’s simple, if you get to your first schedule on time, then the chances of you becoming late on your next meet-up is very small. If you really want to spend enough time with people you want to see, then you should stick strictly to your schedule.
 
These are the tricks that worked for me on my last trip in the Philippines.We would also love to hear how you make the most out of your time when you go back home or when you visit places. Please feel free to share them with us on the comment box below.

Now this is the part that I'm excited about the most. This is how it all went down during my 7-day vacation in my country.

HELLO PHILIPPINES!

Flight back home: We booked the 1:20AM / February 7, 2013 flight and we were happy that we landed on time. Smooth flight and comfy seats. Thank you, CEBU PACIFIC!


Day 1 / Feb.7.2013 Thursday:

Sunrise!

Our first stop was of course, at that fast food chain with a red-and-yellow-striped bee! :D Popo’s mom and dad had no idea he was coming home, so needless to say, they were both surprised to see us early morning in their house, with Jollibee breakfast meals!

Teatime!

We went to SM Mall Of Asia (MOA) later that afternoon and did a little shopping. Oh I missed looking at that globe. We also finished what needed to be done at BDO. They really find ways! Special thanks to Mr. Ryan Bautista.

All the walking got us tired. How about some merienda? RAZON’s! Ooohh you got to love their halo-halo!

Sunset!

And of course, what better way to end our first day back home but by having dinner with our families at Seaside Dampa! Julie’s Ihaw-ihaw provided a wide variety of grilled meals and all-Pinoy dishes. We savoured their Sinigang na hipon, buttered shrimp, ensaladang mangga, baked tahong, grilled liempo, and calamari. Oooohh just typing these meals makes me hungry. And for dessert? The White Hat Italian fro yo and Chatime milk tea!

Day 2 / Feb.8.2013 Friday:

Sunrise! 

I woke up Friday morning feeling really happy. I'M HOME, B%^#CHES! :D For breakfast, mom bought some creamy pandesal.Yuuuummm! I started to finally unload the things inside my luggage before I prepped for another day of gala.

Teatime!

We made sure we pay our "college mommy" a visit. We stayed for a couple of hours, and just did some catching up over ice cream and juice. Haha! Here's our photo with our mommy Chil in Letran. Love her!


Sunset!

After Letran, I went straight to Greenbelt to meet my drop dead gorgeous high school girl friends. We enjoyed our dinner at Gerry's Grill Greenbelt 3. Our dinner was followed by a few bottles of beer, and then some coffee. I have never, in years, laughed so hard, and had much fun as I had with them. We met around 8PM and were in Greenbelt area until 3AM. I am crazy about these girls!  

(Notice that I changed my outfit? I met my mom at Glorietta first and bought a different top before I went to see my girls. Haha! I can’t help it.)

 
Day 3 / Feb.9.2013 Saturday:

Sunrise!

Usually, I get grumpy when I only get 3 hours of sleep, but not this time. I got home from my Fridate past 4 in the morning, slept around 5:30, and I was up prepping around 8:15.

I visited some some friends from my previous work in Mandaluyong. It felt weird to wear a visitor's ID. Haha! We headed to Hap Chan after some chikahan in the office. :) 

Teatime!

I spent the entire afternoon with another close friend, my ate Tine. I enjoyed this part of the day so much. We had so much catching up to do, and we did that over shopping. Even more fun huh? I got to buy so many items for very reasonable prices, all thanks to Fashion Market at Market! Market! If you live near the mall’s area, you should drop by and visit their four floors of all-affordable goodies; native delicacies, clothes, gift items, house displays, and furniture. You can find many nice items with good quality, and practice your bargaining skills at the same time! 

Sunset!

My amigang Yka would have seriously demanded we go to a bar in Timog had I not explained to her I really have somewhere I need to be early morning the following day. Haha! She loves me! So instead, we enjoyed dinner and a few bottles of beer at Giligans Glorietta 5.

I have one question though, Giligans. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? We had this old metal table that leaned to the side and wobbled. So you can just imagine how careful we tried to be when pouring pork sinigang in our bowls. The place was dead quiet. It was nothing like how it was before. 

Good thing the girls I was with were anything but boring. I love these girls, and I will always have a day/night dedicated to being with them when back home. It's funny how we "attacked" the mangga't bagoong served to us? Hahahaha!

Day 4 / Feb.10.2013 Sunday:

Sunrise / Teatime! 

We were at Jollibee SLEX a few minutes after the sun rose on my 4th day home. After munching in on our breakfast meals, we were back on the road. Next stop: Tiaong, Quezon; home of the Dipasupils!

My lola (grandmother), native chicken, and fruits picked from our trees backyard, are just some of the many reasons why I always visit Tiaong.

 
Sunset!

And as if we haven't had enough Chinese food in Singapore, dinner at Chowking! Well, Popo and I still enjoy Chinese food cooked the Filipino way.

Day 5 / Feb.11.2013 Monday:

Sunrise / Teatime!

Remember our first joint entry? That would fall under this day. Bebi J and I spiced up our Monday.

Photo taken at Conti's Greenbelt 2. Love that Mango Bravo!

 
Sunset!

With my college/org friends that night for some good old peer bonding.

Day 6 / Feb.11.2013 Tuesday:

This day is specially for my mom. I really miss going shopping with her, so this day is for some mother-daughter bonding.   

Sunrise!

Photo not taken in the Philippines. Just wanted to show you my mom! Haha!

We went back to Market! Market! and shopped a little, then waited for my cousin, kuya Joel before going to Max’s for our (late) lunch. 



 
Teatime!

With time still in our control, we went back home first to drop all the things we bought and freshen up before leaving again for Makati.

Sunset!

It was our last night in the Philippines. After buying all we needed at SM Makati, we headed to Conti’s Greenbelt 2 for our family dinner.

Day 7 / Feb.13.2013 Wednesday:

Ensaymada, caramel bars, happy peanuts, dragon sid, Oishi Cracklings, Tomi sweetcorn, sour sampaloc, and some processed goods. Yes, our bags are packed. Bound for Singapore.

- A (02.24.13/11:00PM)