Held at the coffee shop’s Lanang branch, the Kadayawan Bloggers’ Networking Event was also for the benefit of Pens of Hope- an outreach program that helps address the scarcity of writing materials in the country.  Avatar Media, the event organizers, encouraged the attendees to bring their donations of pens, pencils, notebooks, and other writing material for the beneficiaries of Pens of Hope.

The event lasted for a couple of hours and we all had a great time because we had the opportunity to do a good deed and bond with fellow bloggers despite our busy schedules.  And of course, the staff of Jose Rafael Fine Coffee were such excellent hosts and served us the coffee shop’s best-selling beverages and snacks.

Also with us during the Kadayawan Bloggers’ Networking Event were Marga Rey of Campaigns Cebu, Angie Maestrado of  Pens of Hope, Eric Su of Piclyf, and visiting travel bloggers Enrico Dee and Sinjin Pineda.

The Kadayawan Bloggers’ Networking Event was made possible by the following sponsors:

• Jose Rafael Fine Coffee
• Leah Valle of 13th Witch Design Studio
• Aromacology-Sensi

All images used in this post by Lyle Santos.

Kadayawan Bloggers’ Networking Event is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

• Ganda Ever So Much- an online journal by Orman Manansala- Philippine blogospere’ s fastest-rising superstar
• Plurk Designs- free Plurk themes and layouts by Lyle Santos, one of Mindanao blogging scene’s most respected bloggers
• Kusina Maria- Ria Jose’s food and  cooking blog
• A Thousand Ships- online journal of Mandi Nicolas, probably the best writer in the Philippine blogosphere
• Kikay Much- the beauty and fashion blog of Donna Mae Congson, General Santos City’s fashion princess
• Alexis Chua- the self-titled blog of  one of Mindanao’s smartest teen bloggers
• Ako si Rabsky- Ravi Villanueva’s personal blog filled with sincere and very insightful blog posts
• Avatar Media- the official site of Avatar Media, a new media outfit that makes the most exciting things happen in the Philippine blogosphere
• Tea, Completely- a blog by tea  connoisseurs Andrew dela Serna and Aileen Apolo
• Get Prettified!- my attempt at blogging about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle (ahem!)

The Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs Writing Project is sponsored by: Events and Corporate Video, Budget hotel in Makati, Pinoy Party Food, Copyediting Services, PR Agency Philippines, Budget Travel Philippines, Send Gifts to the Philippines, Black Friday Deals, Roomrent – units for rent, Search Profile Index, and Corporate Events Organizer.

My Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2010 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

That’s it.  No further explanation needed.

Yet Another Online Contest Entry is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

I’ve been up to my neck in tasks and errands lately but I found the time to travel 3 hours to attend a party.  Why?  Read on.

This will surprise a lot of people who have known me for years because  I’m the type who is almost always absent during Christmas parties and Senior’s ball in high school with the exception of the JS Prom.  I would’ve loved to ditch the prom but I know I wouldn’t get away with a no-show because attendance was required.

In college, I avoided sem-enders and year-enders.  I also  purposefully missed my College deparment’s farewell party.

Oh I’ve been called a lot of names before– antisocial, killjoy, and anti-fun are some of them.

What changed?  Nothing, except that  I  found the right people to party with.  This is why I took some time off from my responsibilities at home and a burgeoning online workload.

And here are more reasons why I traveled all the way to General Santos City and stayed overnight for a party.

• Orman, Orman, and more Orman.  It’s Orman’s blogoversary party.  I love Orman Manansala, the formidable force behind GandaEverSoMuch.com, and certainly one of Philippine blogosphere’s most likable personalities.  ’Nuf said.

• The GESM part is an open party. The GESM party was open to all who laughed, lived, cried, and loved with Orman and his daily updates on life’s boon and bane. No soul was out of place during the party, even the frogs partied with us.  No “I didn’t invite you here!” escaped from the host’s lips.

• Lots of good food and unlimited supply of drinks. The venue was at Le Jardin Arnevel where we  enjoyed the lavish spread specially prepared by Tita Nitz.  There was an unlimited supply of beer for the beer guzzlers while I, nursed a couple of Coke Zeros throughout the night.

• It was a time to be merry and be no-holds-barred wacky.  Thanks to EZCapture PhotoBooth, the guests had the grandest time having their pictures taken.  Too bad I forgot to try out the costumes.  I would’ve been stunning in oversized sunglasses and pink wig. Hehe.

• No sore losers, only giddy winners.   Orman made sure everybody went home with lots of prizes.  My haul included a GESM shirt, a Maybelline goodie bag, a Red Tent Gift certificate, and a GESM coffee mug.  Other attendees looked like  they went shopping.

• Had a  great time with blogosphere’s friendliest bunch.   There were lots of old and new faces at the GESM party, all of them very warm and friendly.  The SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS are truly blogosphere’s friendliest bunch.

• More extras for the out-of-towners.  Orman made sure us out-of-towners were taken care of throughout the weekend.  There’s the marvelous lunch at Gusteau’s the day we arrived, the fabulous hotel accommodation at East Asia Royale Hotel, and the boxful of prawns he sent us home with.

Gandaeversomuch.com‘s first blogoversary party is one of the most memorable parties I’ve been to because Orman is one of my best blogging buddies, General Santos City is one of my “happy places”, and the Sox Bloggers the best bunch to party with.

Congratulations, GF!

Thanks to Lyle Santos for the images used this post.

Reasons Why I Attended and Had Fun at the GESM Blogoversary Party is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

My Super One and I are separated by two cities and one municipality.  I hail from Davao City while he, on the other hand,  spends most of his time in a small town in Compostela Valley tending to his small fruit farm.

So twice a day, he makes sure that he sends me a text message– asking me if I’m doing well, if it rained recently, or if I’ll be home late.

The distance that separates us is bridged by our very affordable postpaid plans, us being subscribers of the No. 1 in postpaid,  Globe Telecom, for a number of years now.  Globe  keeps our communication lines open, not most of the time, but all the time.

During weekends, my Super One visits Davao City to make sure that I eat healthy food.  He knows I don’t cook so he wakes me up for a Saturday or Sunday morning brunch of rice and chicken adobo (my favorite).  He even does the dishes if I’m too sleepy or too busy to do it myself.

Whenever he is in the city and I’m out with my friends, a simple text message from me saying “I’ll be home late” elicits a very simple reply from him.  He usually replies with a “Ntd” which usually means I’ll open the gate for you if nobody else will so don’t worry.

I could go on and on about this person who is my Super One because he has taken care of me  for more than 30 years.  I know a blog post will not do justice to all those years but this is the first time that I’ve written about him and it makes me happy knowing that he will be able to read this someday.

So before I forget, let me end this post with a picture below. With me in the picture below is My Super One, Art Balaga,  former airline executive-turned- fruit farmer-and-family cook.  Only that at home, I call him “Dad”.

My Super One is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

WordCamp Philippines 2010 will be on October 2 at the College of St. Benilde, Taft Avenue, Manila.  Avatar Media’s working hard to make the event more exciting this year, with sessions for newbie bloggers, advanced bloggers, and developers.

The organizing team of WordCamp Philippines 2010 is currently looking for speakers for the event.  So if you think you’ve got something to share to the Philippines’ blogging community, we have put up a sign-up page for you.

WordCamp Philippines 2010 is now open for sponsorships.  Check out the sponsorship packages available, there are exciting marketing opportunities for your company or business.

So, see you on October 2, 2010?  And do help us promote WordCamp Philippines 2010.  Plurk it, tweet it, share it on Facebook…talk about it!  We definitely need your help in spreading  the buzz about the biggest WordCamp Philippines yet!

And oh, did I mention that Matt Mullenweg is attending?

WordCamp Philippines 2010 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

By 7:00 am, we left Ice Castle Experience and were on our way to our first stop for the day, to have breakfast at the magnificent Dolores Farm Resort in Polomolok, South Cotabato.  I have been to the resort before so I knew that my companions will surely love the place.

The very Filipino Breakfast at Dolores Farm Resort’s Chanee Restaurant was quick.  I normally have no appetite for a full breakfast but I finished mine in no time.  It must’ve been the breezy Sunday morning or the whole feel of the place.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After breakfast,  my companions took off for a quick exploration of the mini-zoo, swimming pools, and durian orchard.  I chose to stay behind and helped myself to more of the restaurant’s native hot choco.

After thanking our hosts for the wonderful breakfast, we proceeded to Koronadal City to meet Zion Travel’s Francis Sablon and Carlo Ebeo. Zion Travel facilitated the Lake Sebu leg of the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari.

On board the van provided by Mayor Jun Acharon, we traveled the 47 kms between Koronadal City and Lake Sebu, passing by the towns of Banga and Surallah.  I’ve been to Surallah and Lake Sebu years ago but can’t remember much about my trip so I made sure that this time, I enjoyed both the journey and the destination.  Yeah, even in the sweltering summer heat.

Soon, we reached the steep dirt road that leads to the entrance to the majestic “Seven Falls” and the zipline.  After paying the entrance fee, we immediately headed to where the zipline is.

(photo by Charles Ortiz)

The mist from the spray of the falls was  refreshing, as in Evian facial spray kind of refreshing.  I was energized despite the 3-hour trip from General Santos and I was itching to try the Seven Falls Zipline.  I have braved the ziplines in Davao City but I wanted to conquer my fear once more.

But bummer of all bummers, lots of people got there before us.  Locals and tourists from as far as Baguio City stood there, patiently waiting for their turn. Lake Sebu is not recognized as a premiere ecotourism destination in Mindanao for nothing.

We were advised that our group will be accommodated in the afternoon and since it was already time for lunch, we proceeded to Punta Isla Lake Resort.  There, we enjoyed a splendid view of Lake Sebu, the lake that never dries up.

We were also lucky to have been entertained by T’boli dancers.  The dreamweavers, in traditional T’boli garb, enthralled us with their captivating courtship dance.

We also enjoyed a wonderful lunch of mostly of tilapia, cooked in every imaginable way possible.  There were other Filipino dishes, of course, but in Lake Sebu, tilapia is the way to go!

After lunch, some went back to Seven Falls (Dongon Falls)  while I joined the group which headed to Merl Garden Spring Resort for some snacks.  I was so tired and sleepy that once I got there and found a comfortable seat, I dozed off.  While I was sleeping, here’s some of what I missed:

Sheng at Seven Falls (photo by Ric Dumalay)

Ariel on the zipline (photo by Orman Manansala)

I know I missed out on the fun but hey, I woke up in time to enjoy the snacks prepared by our hosts.  :D

At 4:00 pm, we headed back to Koronadal City for coffee at SaBalai Bistro, owned and managed by  Carlo Ebeo.  Must-tries at the place are the brewed coffee, mulberry tea, and pandan shake.  And while you’re there, take time to check out the interiors– homey and artsy at the same time.

(photo by Charles Ortiz)

After a while, we had to head back to General Santos City for our farewell dinner at The Red Tent Steakhouse.  The owners, Dina and Dexter Dumaran– with the assistance of their uncle Gilbert Tan–  prepared an elaborate dinner of crown ribs, steak, crabs, among others.  We may have been very tired from our adventure in the highlands but that doesn’t mean we left our appetite there.  We certainly ate dinner with gusto!

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After having our pictures taken with our hosts, a bunch of us decided to meet for coffee while some of the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari participants decided to rest in preparation for their trip back home.

The SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari might have happened over a short weekened but those two days helped in forming stronger relationships between and among bloggers from all over Mindanao.

To Avel and Orman Manansala and the rest of the SoCCSKSarGen Bloggers,  CDO Bloggers, and the Davao Bloggers who participated in the Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour and SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari, thank you for the funnest weekend ever.

Many thanks to the following event partners:

• Hon. Mayor Pedro “Jun” Acharon, Jr.
• Ice Castle Experience
• Pacman Sports Bar
• Le Jardin Arnevel
• Piyesta KTV & Resto Bar
• Dolores Farm Resort
• Seven Falls Zipline
• Zion Travel
• Punta Isla Lake Resort
• Merl Garden Spring Resort
• SaBalai Bistro
• The Red Tent Steakhouse
• Rolee’s Bakeshop
• Kuya Chito’s Takuyaki

SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari- Day 2 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

A flurry of email exchanges ensued between the key persons of the Davao , SoCCSKSargen, and CDO bloggers and before we knew it, ChiQ and 7 other bloggers from Cagayan de Oro City were on their way to Davao City via the Davao-Bukidnon Highway last May 29.

The Davao leg of the Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour was highlighted by a meet-up between Davao and CDO Bloggers at Ranchero Grill.  What happened during the meet-up?   We introduced ourselves and our blogs.   We also enjoyed a hearty lunch consisting of the restaurant’s bestsellers such as  Seafood Vegetables, Isda sa Miso (Tiyan ng Bangus), Karagatan, Pinapugon na Liempo, Ranchero Ribs, Garlic Chicken, Seafood Kare-Kare, Seafood Platter, and Pancit Canton.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

We would have wanted to stay at Ranchero Grill longer and enjoy the food a little bit more but we had a strict schedule so after thanking our hosts, our group proceeded to the bus terminal for our 3-hour trip to General Santos City.

In GenSan,  special arrangements have been made for the SoCCSKSarGen leg of our food appreciation tour.  Aptly called the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari, our humble food appreciation tour evolved into something grander and adventurous, thanks to the marketing muscles of Avel Manansala and the persuasive charms of Orman Manansala and the strong support of the Sox Bloggers.

We arrived in General Santos around 6pm and immediately proceeded to our hotel, thanks to the van provided by Mayor Jun Acharon. We had a few minutes to spare before the start of a very busy night so we checked in at our official residence for the weekend, Ice Castle Experience, a themed hotel which will  open its doors to the public next month.

After depositing our things at the hotel, we proceeded to Pacman Sports Bar, the newest addition to GenSan’s bar scene.  At Manny Pacquiao’s sports bar, we relaxed and enjoyed the welcome drinks and very generous servings of appetizers.  The appetizers, by the way, are to die for.  I really went crazy over the huge cheese sticks and tasty garlic chicken while my blogger friends swear by Pacman Sports Bar’s mean sizzling sisig.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

Soon, it was time for us to have dinner at Le Jardin Arnevel, a sprawling garden resort which is home to GenSan’s biggest catering business.  The owner,Tita Nitz, was waiting for us at the resort’s poolside and my eyes widened when I saw the huge feast she prepared for us.  There were more or less 20 people in our group that time but the whole spread was big enough to feed 50!  Seafood and other Filipino dishes were  in abundance and oh, did I mention the lechon?

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After the awesome feast at Le Jardin Arnevel, we hurried to Donna Mae Congson’s Piyesta KTV and Resto Bar for the grand bloggers’ meet-up.  In full force were the Sox Bloggers and I was so happy to see lots  of  familiar friendly faces.

At Piyesta, my companions loved the bar’s signature drinks, the Jell-O Shots and Gayuma.  They also immensely enjoyed the platefuls of kurasticks, sizzling ubol-ubol, and lechon ( sent by Mayor Jun Acharon and yes, our 2nd lechon for the night!) while I gave my undivided attention to the glorious Crispy Tuna Buntot.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari- Day 1 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

We were up early and had breakfast at TAPS, along Torres Street.  TAPS is  an institution in Davao City, providing Davaoeno’s with affordable, hot meals.  I don’t usually eat breakfast but I enjoyed  the fish, eggs, and rice I ordered that morning.  That, and a cup of coffee.

After breakfast, we proceeded to Pearl Farm Marina to meet Tom Claudio and Jojo Estrella of ETours.  ETours has the best Davao tour packages for locals and tourists alike and this is why Avatar Media partnered with them.  We wanted this year’s DFAT participants to have the best island-hopping experience ever.

(photo by Lyle Santos)

Our first destination during our tour of Samal Island was Maxima Aquafun.  Half of our group tried the water slide and went swimming while the other half (myself included), opted to stay dry and enjoyed the snacks provided by Dimsum Diner and the packed lunch we had with us.  We then explored Coral Garden, Angel Cove, and Babu Santa.

(photo courtesy of Marz Bendol)

I’m not  a beach bum or an outdoorsy type of person but I enjoyed every second of the tour.  I welcomed the short break from the hustle and bustle of city life and just enjoyed the clear blue waters, the fresh air, and the breathtaking beauty of Samal Island.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

For making the third day of Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010 super fun, many thanks to the following:

TAPS
Owners: Benjie Lizada
Locations: Branches around Davao City: Ilustre Street, Torres Street, Matina Town Square

DIMSUM DINER
Owners: Bryan and Czarina Lim, Apie Yao
Snacks provided: Assorted Siopao
Locations: Branches in Davao City, General Santos City, Digos City, Panabo and Cagayan de Oro City

ETOURS
Owner: Tom Claudio
Tour Guide: Jojo
Services: Davao City and Adventure Tours
Resorts/Islands Visited: Island Garden City of Samal (Samal Island), specifically Maxima Aquafun, Angel Cove, Coral Garden, and Babu Santa
Email Address: info@etours.ph
Contact Numbers: +63917-7011882, +63916-4333199, + 63922-8674779, +6382-2861173, and +6382-2861645

MAXIMA AQUAFUN
Owner: Sonny Dizon
Amenities: Water Slide, Canopy Walk, Diving Board, Water Trampouline
Entrance Fee: P300

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010- Day 3 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

(photo by Lyle Santos)

However, I joined them later that day at Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp.  and saw how the first-timers at Lachi’s went crazy over the restaurant’s bestsellers like the unforgettable pork ribs, pork marinara, and breaded soft tofu in teriyaki sauce. They also squealed in excitement when they saw the buffet table filled  Lachi’s decadent cakes and pastries.

Below are pictures of  what we at Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp. courtesy of Orman Manansala.

For the successful Day 2 of Davao F.A.T. 2010, many thanks to the following sponsors:

OUTLAND ADVENTURE Xcelerator
Owner: Project Challenge Foundation Inc.
Price: P300
Location: Diversion Road, Maa, Davao City
Contact Numbers: +6382-2245855 and +6382-2716067

PENONG’S Barbeque Seafoods and Grill
Franchise Owner: Jayvee Tyron Uy
Price Range: P60 – P200
Locations: Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City and Ilustre Street, Davao City

LACHI’S Sans Rival Atbp.
Owners: Mike and Melvin Aviles
Price Range for Hot Dishes: P60 – P150
Price Range for Pastries: P50 – P100
Location: VAL Learning Village, Ruby Street, Marfori Heights, Davao City
Contact Number: +63916-9841183

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010- Day 2 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.