Damsel In Dopeness

Capones Island

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 10:54:00 +0000

It's when the travel bug bit me that I became the happiest girl in the world ever, and I'm not even interested of any idea leading to its cure.

A few weeks after my KL trip, I got struck by the grandeur of Zambales. It's been on my travel list ever since I've read some blogs about its famous islands and coves. Oh, how lucky I am to be living in 7,1007 awesome islands. So, what did I get from this unforgettable trip? Scroll down and be awed by the beauty of Capones Island.

This is the part where it felt like we just came through a portal and have been transported into a Game of Thrones setting. New zealand, Iceland or Ireland, name it I swear it felt like I was on a foreign land, but the thought of just being in the Philippines and nowhere else was exhilarating.

Hiking towards the Light House.

And so we trekked for about 30 minutes that seemed like forever, pressured by the amount of time our bangkeros had limit us. We passed through rocks, grasslands and cliffs hurriedly, carrying my sister's 2-year old baby, not wanting to miss the Light House.

It has been a 30-minute scenic trek to the light house, and I swear what we saw was beyond words to describe. It was a perfect view of the South china Sea with crags and grasslands you thought you can only see on TV.

A perfect view of the South China Sea from the Light House.

View from the Light House

This trip to Capones Island was a part of the package on our Anawangin and Nagsasa trip. Since arranging the whole trip, we've been contacting with our boatmen constantly about the price of the boat and the list of places we could go to, the things we can use during our beach camp like the woods for the campfire, drinking water, ice, ice cooler, tents, foods, etc., until we've arrived. Please be reminded that this is a remote island with no electricity. We were lucky enough to have contacted the right person, Mang Mike, for this whole trip. He even gave us directions and tips going to San Antonio. He's so generous with his ideas and he even arranged a trike from the highway to Pundaquit beach for us. The other one we contacted first was overpricing though. Unfortunately, I lost my phone a couple of weeks ago so I don't have his number anymore. On the other hand, we decided to camp in Nagsasa and not in Anawangin nor Capones after having read some reviews.

Another 30 minutes of walk from the Light House back to our boat.

Here's our DIY tips on how to get there:

-From Diosdado Macapagal airport in Pampanga, we took a cab to Dau for 200php.

-We then took a V-hire from Dau bus terminal to Olongapo City for 130php. We let the night pass and decided to leave for Zambales at dawn.

-From Olongapo, we rode on a bus to San Antonio Zambales for 44php.

-We stopped at the Municipal Hall and rode on a trike to Pundaquit that was arranged by Mang Mike. They advised us to buy everything we need at the market before heading on to our boat. There we bought a kilo of pork belly for our dinner, coals, softdrinks, etc.

-And we're ready to sail!

Along the highway of San Atonio, Zambales

Bracelet vendor at San Antonio Beach, Zambales

San Antonio Beach, Zambales

This is just the first part of our Zambales trip. I suggest you look for Mang Mike because he got the most reasonable price ever, and he gave us everything we needed. Stay tuned for our Anawangin, Nagsasa, and Mt. Pinatubo adventures. I will also post the itinerary of our whole trip next!

Happy travels! :)

The Mystical Island of SIQUIJOR

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 06:53:00 +0000

Abaft the scuttlebutts about Siquijor being a land of black magic, is a tropical Eden. White sand beaches, clear turquoise waters, beautiful crags and awesome spots for sunrise and sunset. No pollution, no traffic jams, just the right balance of a laid-back and civilized island. C'mon pack your bags and let's sail to the mystique island called Siquijor!

It's odd. My mother's father is from Siquijor but I've never stepped on the Island of Fire before. Though my mother still visits Siquijor sometimes because we still have some relatives there but I never got the chance to go with her. And then an exciting thing happened, my family finally decided to have a vacation there last summer!

True enough, I heard stories about all the creepy stuff before because my mother had those experiences back on her teenage years and that her father would always warn them to be vigilant whenever they visit Siquijor. But upon setting foot on the island for the first time, it felt different from what I always hear about Siquijor. The island welcomed us with crystal clear waters and one can definitely plunge in right at the port with the tempting water. No creepy feels at all.

We went straight to our Lolo and Lola's house who happened to be in the country that time to avoid the winter season at the States, and started checking out our itinerary.

ROAD TRIP AT SIQUIJOR

Here's a quick list of some of the beautiful spots in the island. What's amazing about Siquijor is that you can actually drive around the whole island for only a day. But you don't have to follow the list below in order.

Let the road trip kick off!

1. Triad Coffee Shop

OMG, this view! Located at the mountains of Larena, you can definitely spend the rest of your day chilling here with the perfect sunset in the island! Don't miss this amazing view when in Siquijor! :)

2. Salagdoong Beach

Who wouldn't want to try the cliff jumping at the famous Salagdoong beach? Conquer your fear of heights, the water is so tempting after all. Salagdoong is located at the town of Maria with an entrance fee of only 15 pesos.

3. Cambugahay Falls

You should not miss this refreshing waterfalls in the town of Lazi. Cambugahay Falls is one of the attractions in Siquijor that consists of cascading multi-tiered waterfalls.

4. San Isidro Labrador Church and Convent

"The church complex is among the Baroque Churches of the Philippines list submitted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) to UNESCO as a candidate for World Heritage Site." - Angel Juarez of lakwatsero.com

Just across the church is one of the oldest and biggest convents in the Philippines.

5. Capilay's Spring Park

Awesome cold spring for free! We didn't take a dip here though, but it's worth the visit.

6. Century Old Balete Tree

Never saw a Balete tree as big as this one! The spring below the huge tree is just so awesome and we had fun with the free fish spa. The place was very enchanting.

7. Infinity Heights

HOW. AWESOME. IS. THIS. VIEW. End your road trip at this a very relaxing resort.

One of my favorite stuff in this very laid-back island is finding this modern spot above the mountains. Thanks to our lolo and lola for tipping us this newly built mountain resort. I highly recommend this one together with Triad Coffee Shop. A cocktail in hand, sunset, and the view of the rest of Central Visayas. Perfect.

Visit their website for more info. http://www.infinityheightsresort.com/

Siquijor is now flocked with tourists from all over the world, and is surrounded with lots of awesome resorts.

HOW TO GET THERE:

From Manila

-Airphil Express and Cebu Pacific have a total of five daily scheduled flights between Manila and Dumaguete.

From Dumaguete

There are various ferries operating to Siquijor. The following are the recommended choices:

-High Speed Ferry operated by Ocean Jet taking approximately 45minutes to an hour. Ocean Jet operates in the afternoon at 1PM. Check website latest schedule and fares. http://www.oceanjet.ne

-Jay Lan Ferry departs Dumaguete everyday except Saturdays. At the moment their time schedule from Dumaguete is 9AM, 12Noon and 4PM

-Cargo “roll on – roll off “ ferry operated by Montenegro Lines taking approximately 2 hours. Montenegro operates 2 services a day.

From Cebu

-Ocean Jet operates a daily service from Cebu to Siquijor via Tagbilaran (Bohol) and Dumaguete. The total traveling time is approximately 4 ½ hours

-Cebu Pacific operates an early morning service three times a week from Cebu to Dumaguete. They operate Turbo Prop ATR 72 aircraft on this short sector that takes approximately 20-30 minutes. From Dumaguete to Siquijor take one of the ferry options mentioned above.

-Ceres Bus Liner has a trip every hour from Cebu South Bus Terminal to Liloan, Santander or Bato, Oslob which is in the South tip of Cebu for about 3-4 hours. The bus will drop off the passengers at a port where you can take a fast craft to Sibulan, Negros which is only 30 minutes away from Dumaguete City.

Surigao del Sur Trip

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 08:31:00 +0000

Lanuza - Cantilan - Enchanted River - Tinuy-an Falls - Kagwait White Sand Beach - Sanctuary Cafe

Finally had the video of our Surigao trip 4 months ago!!! Whoah! What a throwback! :D Edited by our friend we call Brah, (so surfer! hang lose, man, hang lose! haha) thanks brah! :D This was originally a surf trip but we decided to have side trips to other awesome attractions in the region. We were really stoked from Surfing in Lanuza to snorkeling in Enchanted River, waterfall hunting near Sanctuary Cafe and at Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig City and had fun at the long stretch of white sand beach in Kagwait. Although the weather was a bit gloomy that time, oh wait, I think there really was a typhoon! However, we just enjoyed everything and danced and had fun under the rain. Check out my other post about Lanuza here http://damselindopeness.blogspot.com/2014/05/stoked-in-lanuza-surigao-del-sur.html.

Sending you all some cyber shaka! :)

GrabTaxi Officially Launched in Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 08:31:00 +0000

GrabTaxi, the largest Southeast Asian (Malaysia-Philippines-Thailand-Vietnam-Singapore) taxi-booking mobile app, is now available in Cebu City, providing Cebuanos a safe, secure and fast way of getting to their destination.

“Being one of the top tourist spots in the Philippines, combined with a high smartphone and data penetration rate, Cebu is more than ready for GrabTaxi. Commuters have limited options to get to their destination, and it gets increasingly difficult to compete with other commuters especially during peak hours. We want to provide Cebuanos and tourists a convenient and safe way of getting to their destination,” said Anthony Tan, Founder.

Here are some reasons you should download this app.

Now, around 200 taxi drivers and 20 taxi fleets in Cebu signed up already. A booking fee of P25.00 is charged on top of your fare, but here's the good news! GrabTaxi is having a free booking until the end of September 2014 for the Cebuanos! Spend less time looking and waiting for a cab specially during rush hour and book one at GrabTaxi now!

To use GrabTaxi,

1. Download the free app from App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android), Windows Phone Store, and Blackberry World.

2. The app detects your current location and shows you how many GrabTaxi drivers are in the vicinity. As soon as you input your destination, the app tells you the estimated fare.

3. At your confirmation, the app will contact nearby drivers and see their responses in real time.

4. When a driver confirms, the app will show you the driver’s photo and name and waiting time. A button also allows you to call your driver.

For more information, please visit www.grabtaxi.com.

Because everyone deserves a SAFE, FAST and SURE ride!

KUALA LUMPUR: Hotel Istana Review

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 21:09:00 +0000

Photo from www.hotelistana.com.my

When traveling, the proximity of the place you're going to stay at is always to be considered. Lucky us, Air Asia Zest and Tourism Malaysia checked us into this elegant hotel right at the heart of KL.

Photo from www.hotelistana.com.my

A few months back, Air Asia Zest had its inaugural flight from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur, and I was one of the lucky few that has been invited to go on board and enjoy KL for a few days. You can check out my previous post about it here.

Photo from www.hotelistana.com.my

We couldn't be any happier to stay in a 5-star hotel located in Kuala Lumpur City Centre. With just a block away from Pavilion shopping Mall, 10-minute walk to the Petronas Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) through the Skybridge and, 5-minute walk to Fahrenheight, BB Plaza and other shopping malls, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Especially during those nights when my cousin and I wanted to sneak out of the hotel and explore KL on our own. That would be my favorite part, leaving the hotel late at night and take a walk to Jalan Alor and experience the street foods, Kuala Lumpur style. And not to mention passing by Changkat Bukit Bintang, where the nightlife of the financial district is located.

Our Room

The view from our room. Spot the top of one of the Twin Towers secretly peeking out. It would be more visible if we were on a higher floor.

We stayed in a Deluxe room furnished with 2 single beds, mini bar, writing desk, coffee table, mini fridge, flat screen TV, broadband internet access and a huge closet with an in-room electronic personal safe, and iron and ironing board. I love our huge room! We had more than what we needed.

(Click image to enlarge)

The bathroom was neat, pleasing and massive, and wasn't scary at all. Sorry, but I'm such a scaredy-cat when it comes to hotel rooms and bathrooms.

The Breakfast

Photo from www.hotelistana.com.my

I have always enjoyed my breakfasts at the cozy Taman Sari, fueling up for each day's tour. Who wouldn't enjoy a hotel breakfast buffet?

Wasn't able to snap the other foods. I'm hooked with the carbs. Kidding! Missing out on Malaysia's authentic cuisine is a no-no on this trip. Couldn't get enough of the pancakes though. :D

To sum it all...

I had a great stay at Hotel Istana. Everything was so great except for their wifi connection. I wasn't that happy with it for you can only enjoy it at their restaurant and at the lobby lounge. It would be more convenient if they have internet access at the rooms aside from the LAN cables. Especially for a 5-star hotel. But I heard that they are doing some upgrades, so that's good news, eh? The staffs are all friendly and approachable, and I liked it when they call us every morning to wake us up and to update us with the bus so we won't be late for each day's activities. Thank you Hostel Istana, Air Asia Zest and Tourism Malaysia for the unforgettable experience!

Hotel Istana
73 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603 2141 9988
Fax: +603 2144 0111
Room Reservation Fax: +603 2149 5500
Email: general@hotelistana.com.my

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This trip was made possible by AirAsia Zest – The Right Way to fly and Tourism Malaysia – Visit Malaysia 2014. AirAsia Zest now flies to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia from Cebu Mactan International Airport. Visit www.airasia.com for flight schedules, promos and online flight reservation. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

CansoX Mountain Adventure Park Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 18:33:00 +0000

Want to spend your weekend outdoors?

Up in the mountains of Barangay Cansomoroy, Balamban, Cebu, a good 235 MASL, AboitizLand and CIPDI has created the ultimate adventure park in CansoX. It is 12 full hectares of leisure and eco-adventure set amidst the verdant rolling terrain of Cebu's cool mountain landscape.

CansoX is adventure in three forms - hike, bike, camp. Even Yoga is perfect in this lush mountain.

Despite our bustling city, it's good to know that we still have lush mountains to unwind to if we want to spend our time with nature.

Get on a road trip, gather with your friends and family on a camping and be awed by the vivid beauty of the Balamban mountains.

If you are into cross-country mountain-biking and trail running, CansoX is the place to be.

Bike here all you want, practice on the friendly trails if you're a newbie or explore some tough trails if you're a hardcore. :)

Here are two cool young downhillers enjoying the day's ride.

You can even organize a duathlon here.

Trek to the refreshing and clear waters of the river within the expansive property, hike and enjoy nature. CansoX is perfect for the healthy lifestyle.

510, Brgy. Cansomoroy

Balamban, Cebu

(032) 411-1600 loc. 1472

0923 978 7640 0r

0915 345 5661

https://www.facebook.com/Canso.XHBC

Cebuanos Unite | See You All at HYPER CEBU

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Tue, 20 May 2014 05:28:00 +0000

Hyper – A word that describes the exuberance of a person; to be high-strung and excitable and everything in between.

Over the years, Cebu has evolved and adapted to the changes that the Queen City of the South has gone through. We have become a melting pot of different cultures. We, in itself, have become a lifestyle. Music. Fashion. Food. Gadgets. Travel. It's all in Cebu and it's all going to be at Hyper Cebu. We're hitting five birds with one stone and bringing it even closer to home, right into the heart of the Metro, at the Baseline.

Established and stabilized by the JCI Cebu Inc. and strengthened by the commitment of the of Hyper Cebu Volunteers (Members of the young and dynamic students, young professionals and the media practitioners of the metropolis), Hyper Cebu will celebrate the Cebuano lifestyle and will merge everything and everyone together whether you’re a hyper foodie, a hyper fashionista, a hyper techie, a hyper traveler or a hyper musician. For 36 hours, starting on May 31 and lasting till June 1, the Cebuano lifestyle and all that it entails will be celebrated and there will be no barriers.

A Lifestyle Bazaar, a Weekend Food Market and an activity area, to be used as a Family Zone during the day and turned into a rave pit of awesome once the sun sets, will be the highlights of the event with a few surprises in store for the whole duration of Hyper Cebu. Hyper Cebu is more than just a party. It's a celebration of everything we are and everything we are proud of, something truly Cebuano. Something that can get us hyped up.

Each ticket will include a hyper pin. This will give individuals their brand during the Hyper Event.
Either they are a #HyperFoodie, #HyperTechie, #HyperMusician, #HyperFashionista, #HyperTraveller or simply a #HyperCebuano.

HyperCebu in its humblest nature is a charity event. HyperCebu partnered with iLearnersCebu Organization to fight rural illiteracy one child a t a time.

Now, isn't it great? You'll surely have fun and help the students in the rural areas at the same time! Visit http://ilearnersinc.org/ to learn more about the organization.

I, along with other Cebu bloggers have been invited to sell our stuff like clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. at the bazaar. And yes, proceeds will be given to iLearners. Hope to see you there and let's all support this amazing charity event. :)

HyperCebu will be 36-hours non-stop. It starts with a Fashion show, then a rave party, transitioning into an Indie Festival! It would showcase homegrown Cebuano Talents and a whole lot more!

See you all and let's shop, eat, chill, party and just have fun!

Now. ARE YOU HYPER CEBU?

Stoked in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Sat, 03 May 2014 13:39:00 +0000

Life gets better when you're on a surf trip. It's all about spending some time slowing down and enjoying the days, having the freedom to roam the coasts while traveling with friends and having a blast. And the after glow is lasting.

Where to Stay

Mami's Surf Haus

It's already my second time in Lanuza and nothing has changed with my love affair in this tiny and tranquil town. Me and my friends always stay at Mami's Surf Haus when in Lanuza. It's one of those houses that's included on the Homestay Project of the LGU since there are no hotels in the town. We're in love with this place because Mami Belen, the owner, never fails to give us a warm welcome and a great time all throughout our stay. She's a great cook also and she always surprises us with delectable foods every meal time. It's only 200.00php (around 4$) per night and 100.00php (2$) per meal. There are also other surf camps but I highky recommend Mami's Surf Haus. Mami Belen's number is 09199239007, just in case you'll visit Lanuza one day, and wants to have a great home away from home.

Attorney's cool office. :)

If you're on a tight budget and wants a not too crowded place for surfing, Lanuza is the place to be. For the surf boards, mostly are longboards but I've seen a handful of locals using a short board which you can rent for a minimum of 300.00php (6$) a day. It's that cheap. Just think about how much money you can save, compared to the 500.00php per hour surf board rental in Siargao. Just don't forget to look for Attorney if you're going to rent a board and also if you want to make your stay in Lanuza, let's say, more fun and memorable. Everyone knows him and he will take you to the awesome surf spots in Lanuza and the neighboring town, Cantilan.

Why I Love Lanuza

Aside from the fact that this is the place where I first learned surfing, Lanuza is really a place of pure stoke. And most of the surf spots there are beach brakes, nothing much to worry about when you get wiped out, which is the thing I'm good at.

It's when you catch a wave, no matter how big or small ( I always get the small ones though), that you can really experience pure amazement and glory. "Just one more wave. And another . . . Really, this is my last one." ;)

Since this is only a small town, you must understand that ATMs or money transfers are nowhere to be found here except at Madrid and Tandag, which is at least 30mins. to 1 hour from Lanuza.

All places are walking distance, including the bars and snack houses so nothing to worry about the fares. There's this outdoor bar fronting the sea called Bayod (wave in english), that sells a local tequila called Pirik-pirik for only 35.00php. Just be extra careful not to mix it with other liquors or you'll end up missing that perfect wave the next morning. Not too bad for a very laid-back town, eh?

You can also bring your longboards with you and roam the roads or play pingpong with the locals while having some shots of pirik-pirik. Believe me, you'll definitely have fun here without hurting your pockets. Here it's just eat-surf-drink-play-repeat.

We surfed until our cheeks turned red. We danced and joked under the rain while walking the streets like a local. We trekked to a nearby waterfall. We battled the doldrums, injected happiness and repelled the negativity.

Here's our family picture together with Mami Belen (the one with the pink shirt), and the cool German surfer couple who stayed there for four months. Toby the German, does surfing photography and he's touring the world together with his girlfirend. You can check out his work at www.driftwoodpix.com.

Lanuza rocks! Sending you all some cyber shaka. :)

How to Get There

Good news! Cebu Pacific is now offering flights from Cebu to Tandag. Say goodbye to the 5-hour bus ride from Surigao to Lanuza. Or you can travel by boat from Cebu to Surigao (Cokaliong which leaves on 7pm and arrives on 6am). From the port, head to the Terminal through a tricycle for only 15.00php.L ook for a Vhire (Van) or bus en route to Lanuza for 200.oophp (4$). I know a vhire driver from Lanuza, his name is Jake, you can contact him on his mobile: 09198874511.

Their Surfing Festival is on November and there's a surf trip every summer. So expect lots of people and fully-booked houses and camps during those times.

During our last stay there, we arranged a trip going to the Enchanted River in Hinutuan, Tinuy-an Waterfalls in Bislig and the long stretch of white sand beach in Cagwait. Will blog about it soon, stay tuned! :)

Keep the Faith

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 10:53:00 +0000

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has shaken the Philippines, particularly Visayas last October 2013, then super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreak havoc a month after. Those were really the most terrifying moments in the lives of the Filipinos. I don't want to pour all of the deets here because it's done and over now, and I'm more than happy 'coz I know the survivors are now moving on and slowly getting up from that tragedy. The stuff I love most about us Filipinos, smiling and fighting after every peril. That's the Filipino spirit!

So I opted to wear this top while roaming the streets of Kuala Lumpur, to remind myself and every Filipino to keep the faith.

Back to what I'm wearing (hihi :D ), I really love the pearl details on my skirt, so chic. And I was glad that I chose to wear this because I really felt comfortable all throughout the tour.

And yeah, did I mention that it was mostly raining the whole time that we were there? So glad I brought these boots with me.

And this was really my savior when we had a challenge for us bloggers. We had a race from the Twin Towers in City Centre to Central Market and made our way through LRT and a couple of sprints. We had no idea which way to go or which station to get off, good thing we met a Filipina while on the ride. It was really funny 'coz I was just running and running following my fellow blogger despite the rain and my flapping skirt. We even crossed the bustling street without passing the pedestrian lane. We were lucky that nothing bad happened to us, and yeah we won! Never knew i could run that fast. Or maybe I was just too scared to get lost. Hihi! :)

Top and skirt from July, Boots from Maze, Bag from Michaela, Accessories from Aizylim

Our trip to Malaysia was a blast! Will blog about it more. :)

Restoran Muar | Where To Dine in Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 05:50:00 +0000

What better thing to do upon stepping on a country for the first time than to venture on their cuisine first? Agree, yes? :)

After we landed in Kuala Lumpur, our itinerary led us straight to Restoran Muar at Tengkat Tong Shin for lunch, a place for the best home-cooked Malaysian cuisine right in the heart of KL. And since it's my first time in Malaysia, I was very excited to try their foods. People said that in order to truly know each country's culture, you should devour its food. Which I totally agree. Restoran Muar is located just behind Jalan Alor, the famous spot for to street foods.

Let's get started and have you salivating shall we?

This is their version of Crispy Fried Egg (7RM). I'm really amazed by how they cooked it. I mean look at that, it doesn't only looks good but tastes good as well. Yum!

The French Bean Squid and Prawn (16RM) is on the top of my list. I guess it's everybody's favorite, too. Look, it's almost finished for seconds after it landed on our table, heeee!

Second is the Dried Chili Fish. I;m loving their foods!

One thing I like most about Malaysian foods is that you can really taste the spices. Before flying to Malaysia, I was a bit challenged and excited at the same time with regards to trying their cuisine, I mean I was a bit worried that I'll be starving for a couple of days if ever I won't like their foods because it's my first time stepping on a foreign land, hehe. But I was very glad that I liked it! Loved it even!

Chicken in BBQ Sauce

The interior design, setting and food presentation is not that grand, however the food really compensates it all. Again, it's a home-cooked resto thus the home-like ambiance.

Here are some of the media, travel agents and bloggers enjoying the lunch.

On the same tour with Tim Yap and Tessa Prieto-Valdez. What an honor to be on the same trip and event with them!

This dish called Butter Kailan (12RM) has tickled my taste buds. This is a deep-fried Kailan aka Chinese Broccoli or Chinese Kale with butter and sugar. It's crunchy and tastes good, too.

We also had Garlic Kangkong, Malaysian style!

Last but not the least is the Steamed Bean Curd. I'm not that fan of tofu so I did not bother tasting this one. :P

And for dessert, we had Cendol! A traditional dessert and also popular in Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand. It tastes like taho and the shaved ice was really delighting. It has red beans with Gula Melaka aka palm sugar for just 1RM.

Sorry for not capturing the prices but it's really worth it, and I swear the dishes we had are really good! So yeah, my first gastronomic adventure in Malaysia was so great!

Restoran Muar Home-cooked Cuisine
6G, Tengkat Tong Shin
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Mobile +6012.219.2199
Tel +603.2144.2072
Click for Google Maps .

Operating Hours: 11am to 3pm / 6pm to 10pm
Closed on Monday

Putrajaya, Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:26:00 +0000

Our itinerary in Kuala Lumpur last December was so great. Everything has been smoothly prepared by of course, Air Asia Zest and Tourism Malaysia (thank you guys!). After arriving at the airport, we went straight to Restoran Muar for lunch (will blog about it soon! ), and then we checked into Hotel Istana, which is in the heart of the city and were told to rest and prepare for the smart-casual dinner with Tourism Malaysia in Putrajaya Shangri-la.

Top from July, skirt from Maze, shoes from So Fab

We stopped at Putra Square for a quick photo op and I was secretly smiling inside the bus thinking that the tour guide has a perfect taste for a an awesome spot for an OOTN, haha.

Necklace from my cousin, heels from So Fab.

You guys should also check out this beautiful bridge called Seri Wawasan which you can pass on the way to Putrajaya. It's changing its colors from time to time and the design is really awesome. :)

This travel is really one for the books. Will blog more about Malaysia soon. :)

Direct Flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur by Air Asia Zest

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:35:00 +0000

AirAsia Zest, the world's leading low-cost airline, launched it's first CEB-KL flight last December 1, 2013. I, together with some media and travel agents were lucky enough to be invited to go on board and be a part of their very first flight from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur.

I was literally in Cloud 9 since I've never been to any parts of Malaysia. To make the trip way cooler, Air Asia together with Tourism Malaysia took care of everything and made sure that we can experience what Kuala Lumpur has to offer.

Quick meals were served on the flight to KL by their friendly and approachable flight attendants.

Hot meals are also being offered on board. One can order the meals upon booking or during the flight.

On our return flight to Cebu, we were served by the two hot meals on their menu: Uncle Chin's Chicken Rice and Junior Cho's Korean Beef Stew, Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert and our own choice of sodas. It was so yummy that one box was not enough.

Here is the list of prices on what they are offering on board.

It was indeed a great and safe flight. I am now looking forward for more travels with Air Asia Zest, especially that they're offering very low-cost airfares!

AirAsia Zest's CEB-KUL service is available 4x weekly (Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday) effective December 19 until further notice due to operational requirements. Or visit www.airasia.com for more flight details.

Will blog about our KL trip next. Thank you Air Asia Zest for the wonderful and safe flight! :)

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Best Cebu Blogs Awards 2013

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:28:00 +0000

The 6th Best Cebu Blogs Awards is here! Thank you, readers for the support and the Facebook likes.

BCBA will acknowledge this year's top 10 famous blogs and the Niche winners on December 7 at Avalon Building, Cebu Business Park. My blog Damsel In Dopeness is nominated again this year. I just wanna thank the people behind this event for making the bloggers in Cebu recognized, us bloggers will surely aim to make our contents great. Wish me luck, readers! ;)

BCBA wouldn't be possible without these great people:

Mark Monta of www.cebufitnessblog.com

Agnes Jimenez of www.empressofdrac.com

Bjorn Bernales of www.bjorncebuano.com

Jaysee Pingkian of www.jayseeblabs.me

Gezelle Tapangan of www.geemiz.com

Chanel Imperial of www.shankybaby.blogspot.com

This event is made possible by:

Gold Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Donor Sponsors:

Official Online Media Partners:

Official Photographer and AVP Artist:

The Master of Ceremony is Best Cebu Fashion Blogger 2011-2012 Finalist, Rabsin Dela Cruz of finlust.blogspot.com

Cebu welcomes AirAsia Zest’s first international flight

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 00:26:00 +0000

Daily flights to/from Kuala Lumpur, the first among many new routes

from AirAsia Zest hub in Cebu

CEBU, 1 Dec.2013 - AirAsia Zest, the Filipino Low Cost Carrier that flies hand in hand with AirAsia, voted the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier, today launched its first international flight from Mactan Cebu International Airport to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Flight Z2 187, operated by an all-Filipino crew, left Mactan Cebu International Airport at 6:00AM and arrived ahead of schedule at Kuala Lumpur’s Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) carrying over 100 guests.

A traditional water-dousing ceremony welcomed AirAsia Zest return flight from Kuala Lumpur when its Airbus A320 touched down at Mactan Cebu airport at 2:50PM.

“Today’s inaugural flight is only the first among the many new routes that AirAsia Zest will launch in Cebu. Our commitment in partnering with AirAsia, the world’s best low cost carrier, is to build a truly great value airline that will serve the needs of the Filipino travellers and invigorate the tourism industry in the country,” Joy Caneba, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AirAsia Zest, said.

The new flight from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur compliments AirAsia Zest’s twice daily flights currently operating out of Manila’s NAIA Terminal 4 to Malaysia.

“Our Cebu to KL flight provides yet another link for Filipinos and Malaysians in the areas of trade and commerce but more importantly, we hope to draw tourists from Malaysia to our amazing beaches and natural wonders in Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Cagayan de Oro amongst others. If we are able to draw even a fraction of Malaysia’s 25 million annual tourists, it will have a significant impact on our tourist arrival record, which translates to more jobs, more food on the table, more opportunities for every Filipino,” Caneba said.

“Staying true to our commitment to give more choices, better value and enhanced service, AirAsia Zest is pleased to announce that we are adding two new international routes from Cebu. Starting December 19, we will start servicing Cebu to Kota Kinabalu and by mid-December we will fly to Incheon, South Korea,” Caneba added.

To celebrate the new routes, AirAsia Zest is offering P8 base fare only promo for all domestic and select international flights from its hub in Cebu and Manila. Promo seats from as low as P545 one way are available for booking now at www.airasia.com. Guests who will avail of this promo will be able to fly from 1 June to 30 September 2014.

“In partnership with AirAsia, we offer passengers super affordable fares and the strength of our combined network between Korea and the Philippines that extends across 87 destinations in Asia including China, India and Australia,” Caneba said.

Never miss out on updates about AirAsia Zest promo seats and announcements by following us in Facebook (facebook/airasiaphilippines) and Twitter(twitter.com/airasiaph).

Relief Operation For The Victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:03:00 +0000

After the three successful relief operations for the victims of the earthquake in Bohol, once again, we are appealing to your kind hearts.

Inter-mountaineering Society is accepting donations for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in Northern Cebu, specifically our fellowmen in Bantayan Island where Yolanda had its 4th landfall.

90% of the household in Bantayan Island is badly damaged. All houses made of light materials are wiped out while the concrete houses are partially damaged.

Credits to Aldo Nelbert Banaynal of The Freeman for the photos above.

People are homeless and hungry.

The population of almost 500,000 are now suffering in pain.

We need all the help we can get:

-rice

-canned goods

-water

-noodles

-candles

-clothes

-blankets

-tarps

Please see the deets on the photo above for those who want to donate.

Our group will distribute the relief goods on Wednesday, so please coordinate with us before the said date.

People are getting hungry each hour so we have to move and help fast.

Thank you and God bless!

Dumaguete - 2 Story Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 09:44:00 +0000

While in Dumaguete last summer, we've been to a lot of food trips and found this hip Korean cafe (former cafe noriter) just a block away from Sans Rival. The foods are great and the prices are reasonable.

One thing I love about Korean cafes is their interior design. Feels like we're somewhere in Seoul. Tee-hee!

They don't limit their menu to korean foods, they also have these delctable delights.

And because we love sweets, we also had these:

We enjoyed lingering there for a couple of hours although their wifi did not seem to reach the second floor.

Don't miss this dandy cafe while in Dumaguete. It's situated at Sta. Catalina Street. :)

Exploring Apo Island

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Before summer came in, my family and I planned a trip to Dumaguete, our hometown, and to Siquijor, where my mother's father is from. We've been to Dumgauete for a lot of times already but we never had the chance to explore Apo Island in Dauin. Yes, the incredible Apo Island. Because according to my mom and my titas, the island is shark infested and is not safe to go because the waves are blahblah and blahblah. But now that we're grown ups and are adrenaline junkies, our plans can't be disrupted.

We had a short bus ride from Dumaguete to Malatapay in Zamboanguita which costs 30.00php, where the wharf towards Apo island is located. It has been told that a couple of years ago during a fiesta in the island, an overloaded pump boat capsized and since then, the LGU and the coast guards had strictly operated every trip to Apo. Their pump boats can accommodate at least 4 up to 8 passengers, depending on the size of the boat to avoid overloading.

After paying, we're off to the 30-minute bumpy pumpboat ride and braved the waves.

We were thrilled upon approaching the island, getting a close-up view of the different beautiful rock formations and of course, the sparkling white sand.

Okay it's not that sparkly on this part.

The obligatory feeling ~~sexy~~ summer photo. Haha

Upon arriving, we paid the entrance fee worth 25.00php only since we told the in-charge that we're locals from Dumaguete. If not, we would've paid an amount of 100.00php. We then explored the island but it rained suddenly. So we decided to stop by a cottage near the lagoon and had some lunch. Aaah, perfect view for lunch, isn't it? :)

With our stomach full, we trekked a 600-meter uphill terrain towards the viewing deck.

And this is the view while we're hiking. Paradise! That cove right there is where their marine sanctuary is but unfortunately, it's temporarily closed because it was destroyed by typhoon Sendong and they're currently rehabilitating it.

I grabbed a photo from google so you, dear readers, can see the awesome view. The uphill battle was so tiring, 600 meters seemed too long, although I did enjoy it because I miss trekking a lot. Just lacking some practice I guess. My friend and I tried to find a cliff and decided to just jump on the water and swim on our way back since we brought some snorkels but the rocks are so scary below.

I swear to God the view at the viewing deck is so surreal, but our camera died when we got there. And since it was raining, we only brought one camera and we left the others including cellphones at the cottage. But there were two Manila boys with us, whom we've met on the way to the island. They took photos of us at the deck and I'm hoping that they're going to send it since we've exchanged emails. *fingers crossed*

Warmed up by the trek, we went straight to the old and new light houses located at the opposite side of the island while the others decided to spend the remaining time snorkeling. We hiked through cemented stairs, more than 200 steps I think. I was out of breath with the hike and I literally lost it when we arrived. Isn't this so breathtaking?

Salty air, sandy hair lang ang peg.

We were running out of time so we immediately went back after taking photos for ze blog so that we can at least have some time to snorkel on the front beach, but the pawikan (sea turtle) was already not around when we got there. At least my sibs, cousins and friends saw it.

We had so much fun trekking, snorkeling and exploring the island. Will blog about Siqujor next! :)

Check out https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200489268091517.1073741834.1151840018&type=1 for more photos.

Insta That Shiz

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:35:00 +0000

A must-visit dainty cupcake house in Banilad.
A box of just-been-dropped cuppies.
Paddle pop for ze intense heat.

La Belle Aurore Bookshop, my favorite tambayan when I have breaks in school.
Forever 21, Vaseline and Zee lifestyle mag's summer fashion show.
Putting on some strawberries on my ice cream.

Summer fashion show by F21, Vaseline and Zee Lifestyle.
Candies: magazine and jellybeans. ;)
A poker kind of night.

Ashtanga Vinyasa session at Surya Nanda Yoga.
Post-yoga treat at Chatime with ate Charm.
The best pancakes that my sister, Caitlin has ever made.

Cap, diploma and a bouquet of red roses. Prolly the best thing that happened in my life so far, to have a degree. Yaaay!
So fab pumps and aztec boots.
A nice evening at Dolce.

Jamming with Bethany in La Belle.

A booze night to celebrate my graduation.

It's undeniable that instagram has become a part of our daily routine. Just wanna share some snapshots taken last March.

Follow me as @carlaswaggg.

Rock Climbing At Cantabaco

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:43:00 +0000

One thing I can brag about Cebu is that it has everything. Night clubs, restaurants, white sand beaches, cool outdoors spots, and the list goes on. But I can't be more proud to have the country's premiere rock climbing destination located at our very own island.

Last month, I was lucky enough to be invited by my sister's boyfie's troop to go on a rock climb on the Southern part of Cebu. I was so giddy to go because it's been on my bucket list ever since. I even ditched a class for this. Ha-ha.

With an hour of travel from the city, you will find this limestone wall nestled in the small town of Cantabaco, Toledo, Cebu that is famous in the international rock climbing scene. We took 3 routes that day, getting more difficult each route. I'm not that familiar with rock climbing but I learned that its grades go from 6a to 8a + and totals up to 40 routes in the entire crag.

The cliff is divided into two sides, below is the left where we first took the two routes, Vulva and I forgot the other one. Here we are, pulling ourselves up. :)

Still not contented with the scratches and bruises we had, we continued our way to the more difficult level which is on the right side of the crag. We're here now so why not enjoy the moment to the fullest? :) The belaying area in this part is fine compared to the left side, but the holds, tsk, na ah. I swear I really had a hard time finding the holds. I thought my arms are gonna rip off from holding on too long.

In going there, you can ride a v-hire at Citilink Terminal in N. Bacalso Avenue that is en route to Lutopan, Toledo for a fare of 70.00php. Ask the driver to drop you off at Silangan then ride a motorcycle that will take you to the wall. The place is so common for the locals, of course, so don't hesitate to ask them. In our case, the group who invited us has their own equipment like ropes, harness, rock shoes, etc. so we had no problem finding one. In case you don't have any, better ask someone who knows about rock climbing. However, there are local rock climbers who lend their equipment but I don't have any idea on the prices. Before you hit the wall, you need to sign up on the log book first in Manang Memeng's crib that can be found alongside the trail. A short trek to the wall will warm your muscles up, but if it's not enough, dude, you got a lot of climbing to do. ;)

SUNSTYLE: Summer Skin and Fashion Fest

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:29:00 +0000

A few weeks back, I received an invitation in my email to the launching of Vaseline's new Healthy White lotion and Forever 21's summer collection. I got jitters when I read it because these are great brands! I excitedly RSVP'd to Karla Henry while thinking about what to wear to the great event. Tee-hee!

Drooling over F21's summer collection.

All I see are neons, florals, aztecs and pastels. Aaaaah summer is finally here!

As the summer rolls in, most people are showing off some skin to take advantage of the clear blue skies and tropical weather. However, bringing out the sundresses and tank tops means exposing the skin to the sun --- the major cause of premature aging, skin darkening and dryness.

Vaseline Healthy White SPF24 brings out together highly effective features to get ready for the summer sun. Its SPF24 PA++ protects skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays, and is equipped with Vitamin B3 to effectively whiten skin. Plus, the lotion backs on Vaseline's more than 140 years of moisturizing experience to make sure skin is soft and smooth.

Vaseline Healthy White SPF24 provides the perfect balance to keeping soft, fair and protected, giving you the chance to truly show off your sunstyle.

Vaseline got this SPF30 sunblock also that's perfect for the summer heat. Can't wait to use this and bask under the summer sun.

Since the event is all about summer, I decided to wear loud summer vibe prints.

With the pretty Karla Henry :)

So that's what's in store for you guys this summer. Go grab 'em now. :)

What Happened On Sinulog 2013

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:27:00 +0000

Another very late post. EEEEK! Well, let's start shall we? :p

Every third Sunday of January, Cebuanos proudly celebrate the feast of Sr. Sto. Nino, the child Jesus. The image of Sto. Nino was brought by the Spaniards when they landed on the island of Cebu on the early years, and gave it as a gift to Raja Humabon. By then, the miraculous child Jesus never fails to protect the island of Cebu and had gained thousands of devotees.

Before I will tell you about the crazy Sinulog street party, let me show you first the everyday crowd on the Basilica for 9 straight days. As a devotee of Sto. Nino, I have completed the Novena for 4 straight years already. Yay! Sto. Nino never failed me in all the favors and petitions that I have asked from him, and I'm so thankful for Him.

See the crowd? That's what I'm talking about. Here are the thousands of devotees, that's how much we, Cebuanos, love Sto. Nino.

After completing the novena, it's now time to PARTY!

You can't fathom what a real street party is if you won't experience Sinulog. A street party literally, like liquors thrown in the air that makes you wet all over, broken bottles of booze on the floor, wasted people that makes the streets congested, and of course, paints and hennas on everyone's face and body! All of these of course, can only be found in Cebu. In one of Sarah Meier's interview in a certain documentary, she said many people from the other side of the world are asking her what Sinulog is, then she said it's a celebration in honor of Sr. Sto. Nino and they were like, what? A wasted party in honor of the child Jesus? Jesus! Ha-ha. That's how we celebrate it here, ya'll.

On Sunday, Sinulog Festival is celebrated with parades, lots of floats and dancing delegates and tourists and locals that fill the streets of Cebu with different flying colors from morning until evening. In my case, I only went out of the house by dusk because I can't contain the heat of the sun watching the parade for the whole day. I was somehow able to see a few floats when I was heading to Baseline, the place where a real party is.

It has been another great Sinulog. I mean every year is so great. Partied with my mountaineering friends, my cousins and sibs, and with my best friend JM. Another one for the book. Let's get wasted again next year. Pit Senyor. :)

Cohen's Lifestyle Center Now Open in Cebu!

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:54:00 +0000

Last January, Cohen's Lifestyle Center opened and launches its branch in the city. Now any Cebuanos can have their chance to a better and healthy way of loosing those fats.

Cebuanos can now enjoy the benefits of a slimmer and healthier body with the opening of the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre in the Queen City of the South. Conveniently located at Suite 105 Business Center A, 880 A.S. Fortuna Street, Oakridge Business Park, Banilad Mandaue City, the Cebu branch of the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre offers the same rapid weight-loss and wellness program through nutrition.

Scientifically proven to allow individuals to safely and effectively lose 8-10 lbs. in one month, the Cohen Program is based on internationally-accepted medical research and has been available for over 25 years with thousands of success stories worldwide. Available exclusively at the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre Philippines, the program was formulated by Dr. Rami Cohen, MD, an international specialist renowned for his research on the hormones involved in obesity and weight loss.

Dr. Cohen’s research isolated the hormones responsible for obesity. These are the human growth hormones (HGH) which preserves muscle tissue and breaks down fat, insulin which regulates blood sugar levels and therefore stops hunger pangs and serotonin which tells the body when it is full or satisfied. In people who suffer from the “obesity syndrome,” there is an imbalance in these hormones – the HGH level is low; unnaturally high levels of insulin are released and serotonin is not discharged correctly. As a result, obese people constantly crave food and despite how little or how much they eat, they still gain weight.

With the Cohen Program, Dr. Cohen personally develops an individually tailored Eating Plan by analyzing a person’s unique body chemistry from his/her specific blood test results. The personalized eating plan is designed to use food to trigger the body’s natural ability to shed off fat rapidly and safely and to bring the hormones back in balance, thus ‘food becomes your medicine’.

The Eating Plan consists of three meals a day taken in specific quantities from the basic food groups of proteins, vegetables, fruits and carbohydrates. No exotic or expensive foods need to be purchased. The essential formula is the specific quantity and combination unique to each person.

The specialized Eating Plan is followed by a short, stabilizing Refeeding Program to reintroduce richer foods without upsetting the balance created by the Eating Plan. This ensures that the weigh will not be regained once the individual resumes normal eating, provided that management guidelines are faithfully followed.

“The Cohen Program is not a diet, it is a lifestyle,” says Barbara Young, CEO of Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre. “Following the program precisely will allow the body to correct the hormonal imbalance naturally. The Cohen Program is also safer, healthier and cheaper alternative to invasive procedures,” says Barbara, herself a beneficiary of the program.

Before she gave the Cohen Program a try, Barbara weighed 172 lbs. Caught up in the frenetic pace of the corporate world, she would eat whatever she wanted in order to cope with stress; or for no good reason at all. But after adopting the Cohen Program, Barbara says she now “eats only when I know my body needs it and I also watch what I eat. I’ve also influenced my family to eat healthily by eliminating many of the processed foods we used to eat or use for cooking. We’re now conscious of what types of food are beneficial for our bodies. Now I’m healthier and slimmer.” Barbara lost 46 lbs. in just four and a half months.

Barbara found it hard to keep the good news to herself so she shared her positive experience to her friend Regina Rodriguez-Chuavon. Regina then convinced her sister Dr. Angela Rodriguez-Bandola to also undergo the program.

“The greatest lesson I derived from the Cohen Program is being conscious of the types of food that I put in my mouth. Before the program, I always went for fatty foods and junk food. In a fast food restaurant, I had a hard time ordering because I wanted everything on the menu. After the program, to my surprise, I would find myself in a fast food restaurant and again have a hard time ordering because this time, there was nothing on the menu that I wanted to eat,” says Regina.

For Dr. Bandola, her weight of 240 lbs. made life difficult for her. She also found it very difficult to find clothes that fit her. Wanting to lose the extra pounds, she tried everything from jogging, boxing, medications to all the other diets that were in vogue. These did not result in any substantial weight loss. And when she stopped, she would regain the weight“with interest." Says Dr. Bandola: “With the Cohen Program, I saw and felt the results immediately.” Just one month into the program and she was already unearthing her old clothes because she could fit into some of them again. When she finished the program, Dr. Bandola lost 110 lbs. Now, she remains mindful of what she eats and she feels so much better.

The life-changing benefits that Barbara, Regina and Dr. Bandola gained from the Cohen Program inspired them to set up the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre in the Philippines. Together, the three women actively serve as senior consultants to their clients.

Barbara says that the center’s mission is to save and transform Filipinos to live better lives.“With 3 out of 10 people being obese, we knew that this program will be able to help a lot of people. We want to give Filipinos an effective, safe and natural alternative to weight loss and a lifestyle that can help them remain healthy for the rest of their lives,” says Barbara

To know more about the Cohen Program, visit the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre Philippines Cebu branch at Suite 105 Business Center A, 880 A.S. Fortuna Street, Oakridge Business Park, Banilad Mandaue City, Cebu. You may also log on to www.cohenlifestyle.com.ph, email info@cohenlifestyle.com.ph or call (632) 236-2334 or (0917) 308-0580.

Here are some inspiring photos of the successful graduates of Cohen's

Name: Richele Hilario
Age: 34
Profession: Businesswoman
Starting weight: 210 lbs.
Current weight: 110 lbs.
Weight lost: 100 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 11 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Obesity/ health reasons

Name: Arturo Selim
Age: 43
Profession: Lawyer
Starting weight: 268 lbs
Current weight: 197 lbs.
Weight lost: 71 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 5 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Health reasons, sedentary lifestyle

Name: Karen Gayle Sison
Age: 20
Profession:Fresh Graduate
Starting weight: 220 lbs
Current weight: 120 lbs
Months on the Cohen Program:7-8 mos.
Reason for enrolling:Risk of infertility, diabetes, cancer and other fat-related diseases (she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS)

Name:  Margarita Lacsamana
Age:  47
Profession: Sr. IT Project Manager
Starting weight:  225 lbs
Current weight:123 lbs.
Weight lost: 102 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 12 mos.
Reason for enrolling:Health reasons

Name: Jeffrey Tan

Age: 35
Profession: Businessman
Starting weight: 291 lbs.
Current weight: 171 lbs.
Weight lost: 120 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 8 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Obesity/ health reasons

Life Dance Sinulog 2013

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:02:00 +0000

They say it's not yet too late for anything, right? So here's my fair share of Life Dance Sinulog last January. I know I'm two fvcking months delayed posting this GREATEST RAVE that has happened in Cebu. Shame, shame. But this one's worth to be posted so here it is. :)

Girlfriends!

International DJs like the duo An21 & Max Vangeli, the Joachim Garraud and many more shook the whole place.

Bumped into kuya Rabsin of http://finlust.blogspot.com/. The pretty girl in red is Aby. :)

Dressed as hippie Bohemian feeling like I'm in Coachella. Tee-hee!

My Lovies! :)

Saw some celebrities and bloggers like Raymond Gutierrez, Vice Ganda, Petra Mahalimuyak and Ms. Aisa Ipac, Karylle's stylist.

Bebe Elaine and her pbf Abby.

We were just like dancing the whole night with fireworks in the night sky and confetti falling on us. Night life couldn't be more perfect. I swear Life Dance is an epic rave! You can see all the partyphiles in their cool-outdoors-party clothes, and everywhere you look there are lotsa guapos and guapas. Even the people from the other side of the world and from the other parts of the country went to Cebu just to experience Life Dance. I even had a week of hangover from the event. I can't wait to to be on the next rave this summer. So mark your calendars and let's all invade Life Dance probably this May and party 'til we drop! :)

Credits to Elaine and Jm for the photos. Thanks, loves! :)

FREE PEOPLE

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:03:00 +0000

Been obsessed with bohemian and free people lately. I just love this kind of life! So I wanna share to you these bits of photos that inspire me big time on my mood board. :)

Can't wait for summer and for the following months to come and live like free people! :)

Celebrating Czarina Soliel's First Birhday

noreply@blogger.com (CARLA) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:09:00 +0000

Last January 3, my cutest niece turned 1 and we've celebrated it with the oh-so-girly flying colors of pink zebra in a garden set up! :) Yep, this backlog is way too behind the track already. Haven't blogged about Lifedance, Sinulog, my birhday and many more, yet. That's how busy I was for the past months. Busy as in sleeping, eating, sleeping, lying around staring at the ceiling, reading, sleep again and a lot more. The bottom line, my bones are all in its lazy mode. Tsk tsk.

Now, back to the birthday celebration.

Now, how glamorous is this cake? I loooove this! Looks like one for a debut.

The celebrant with her mom and dad. :) I really love Czarina's outfit! :)

The candy buffet. Cuteeeee!

The giveaways. DIY-ed by my sister. Nice job ate! :)

Our cutie-pie, little princess, cutesy patootsie! :****

Everyone's favorite. Even I have not controled myself and jumped into the inflatable with the kiddos. :D

See? :D Jumping in with the celebrant. My baby! :)

The cutesy celebrant with her cousin kuya Jah. Our adorable babies! :*

The clown is sooooooo funny not only the kids are having a good laugh, even the adults. This is my best friend Jm called up by the funny clown.;D

The beautiful garden set-up.

Posingera. hehehe

Lechon Cebu makes a celebration complete. :)

Family and friends. :)

Location is at Garces Royal Garden, Talisay City, Cebu and the party was a DIY by my ate, the mom of the celebrant. So proud of her for planning a beautiful and successful party. Good job, sister! :)

Will blog about Lifedance and Sinulog next. Stay tuned, readers. Damsel In Dopeness is back! :)