Nivek's 365 Project

064 - staple

2012-03-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

"staple"
one of my all-time favorite filipino staple food - sun-dried fishes (locally known as "tuyo")
st. john condominium, sacred heart, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i never thought i have been craving for sun-dried fishes, or tuyo, dipped into seasoned vinegar until i finally tasted them. since our resident chef was nowhere in sight, i was left with no choice but to do the cooking, i decided on consuming our stacked tuyo - a deviation from our usual consumption of canned goodies and preserved noodles, and an easy cook i first thought. i was thinking also of preparing other dishes, but then the lazy me consumed myself. so i stayed with the "plain" sun-dried fishes. but i was glad i did! it was like a trip down memory lane. i remembered the times that i could consume a whole pot of rice just by having these tuyo! no kidding! having them makes me ask for more and i missed eating them with my bare hands! i just loved the experience and i reminisced those moments when my family had a great dining experience even though there were only sun-dried fishes and a pot of rice served on the table. good ol' times!

063 - pyromusical

2012-03-03T22:30:00.000-08:00

"pyromusical"
heart-shaped fireworks from china's jinsheng fireworks
3rd international pyromusical competition, sm mall of asia, pasay city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 850 is

thanks to mcdo philippines' twitter contest, i was able to watch this year's spectacular pyromusical competition held at the sm mall of asia, pasay city. i won two vip tickets just by answering their twitter question for the day! :)

this year's competition was far different from last year. with the inclusion of major sponsors, viewing from afar, like the mall's vacant parking lot, was made more difficult. we had a good glimpse of the fireworks display last year even though we did not acquire tickets. the organizers this year made it sure that one needs to have tickets to have a good glimpse. plus, the inclusion of unnecessary production numbers (lousy band and unsynchronized belly dancers) just made the event less desirable. good thing the fireworks display of both competing countries, china and the netherlands, were a blast and paved way all these adversaries. i just could not stand a more than 30-minute gap in between these two outstanding presentations. it was way different than last year...

fortunately, we had a blast witnessing the two majestic fireworks displays. china's presentation had a heart - which included a narration on one of its romantic love stories, the nine-tailed beast. though there were a bit lapses with regards to wowing the audiences, we still enjoyed its overall presentation since it gave a new way of presenting pyromusical displays - through narration. credits to okal85 for this amazing video.

netherland's presentation is the usual pyromusical display accompanied with great music. if china had the heart and story, netherlands knew how to incorporate fun in their craft! the choice of music was a big factor since it wowed most its audiences. technically, they had the better show since they just simply gave us, audiences, the sight we were looking for. with the constant wows from the audiences, and the many claps it received, i bet netherlands had the best performance that night. watch the video below to witness netherland's amazing fireworks display. credits still go to okal85!

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3rd Philippine International Pyro Musical Competition 2012Official Website: www.PyroPhilippines.com

Venue: SM by the Bay, Mall of Asia Grounds

062 - @jambajuiceph

2012-03-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

"@jambajuiceph"
nivek zeuqracne goofing with jamba juice's photobooth
jamba juice, bonifacio high street, bonifacio global city, taguig city, philippines
camera model: jamba juice's photobooth camera

it all started with a blender, a bunch of fruit, and a vision that's equal parts good and good for you...

that's how jamba juice says it, believing on the good stuff. i have always been a fan of their all fruit smoothies and fresh squeezed juices. i never fail to drop by at their store whenever i am at bonifacio high street (amidst the location) and grab my favorite banana berry smoothies. they are just the perfect quencher and they have the most soothing taste, even a not-so-fruit-lover like me would be mesmerized!

right now, they are juicing up more branches at sm mall of asia and alabang town center! how slick and lucky for neighboring jamba-holics! i do hope they will put up one branch here at quezon city too. i would be so thrilled, and i know a lot would be too! bring jamba juice here, please! let quezon city be jambafied! ;)

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(Grabbed from Jamba Juice Philippines official site) The store in Bonifacio Global City is situated in an easily accessible, central location and designed to accommodate up to 50 guests who will be able to enjoy Jamba’s wholesome, great tasting, real fruit smoothies paired with delicious snacks while socializing with friends or family. It is the first Jamba store to open in the Southeast Asia region.

Operating Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 7am-11pm
Friday to Sunday: 7am-1am

Map:

Additionally, here's a rundown of their mouthwatering offers:

(Images above are screen grabs from Jamba Juice Philippines' Official Site)

061 - domain

2012-03-01T23:47:00.000-08:00

"domain"
nivek zeuqracne's new domain on iphone 4s
st. john condominium, sacred heart, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 850 is

it was one of those lazy nights that i decided to browse on about anything. i stumbled upon blogger's domain registration and i was awed with the idea of having your own domain, instead of the usual subdomain. a few minutes later, i purchased one! i was ecstatic that i was able to acquire one domain that i could use for my 365 project. i never dreamt of actually pursuing one, but one crazy thought made me hit that "buy" button. it was roughly PhP45 per month, so i decided to purchase one through godaddy.com, blogger's affiliate custom domain registration site.

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As blogger says it, GoDaddy.com has an easy tool to link Blogger blogs to desired custom domain. Just click on this link to go to Go Daddy's Blogger dns setup. Log in with your details until you see the following page:

Enter the desired domain and click on the "confirm" button. a confirmation message, same as below, will be shown on the screen once done.

After setting up the above on GoDaddy's site, head back to Blogger's dashboard and update the information found on the settings | basic tab (as seen below).

Click on the "Switch to advanced settings" link to get more options.

Enter in desired URL for the custom domain in the text provided and click "Save". The blogspot.com address will soon be redirected to the new custom domain! Just be patient though. It might take 24 hours for the direct to start working. But don't worry guys, mine was up in just a minute!

(above images from Blogger help)

060 - antipasti

2012-02-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

"antipasti"
carpaccio di manzo con rucola e parmigiano
trattoria italia balducci, eastwood mall, bagumbayan, quezon city, philippines
camera model: blackberry curve 8520
our people manager, elaine, decided to treat all her direct reports a sumptuous dinner at eastwood's balducci. it was the perfect place for such occasion. we felt the place was exclusively for us since we occupied most of the seats. and we had a feast! their appetizer alone, slices of cold beef tenderloin on a bed of fresh arugula, topped with shaved parmesan cheese, made us drool. thanks to drew for the awesome food choices! their bestseller, white sauce pasta balducci-style, was the bomb - literally! we loved its taste and made us crave for more. definitely, it was all worth it. big thanks to elaine for the treat and until our next get together! ;)

059 - t-rex

2012-02-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

"t-rex"
stan, the most complete fossil replica of the tyrannosaurus rex (t-rex)
the mind museum, j.y. campos park, bonifacio global city, taguig city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 850 is

i recently joined this blogging contest mainly because of its sweet prizes - the first 20 submitted entries win free passes to the mind museum! considered as the first world-class science museum in the country, it will formally open its doors to the public on march 16. lucky me to be one of the few to witness the grandeur this museum offers!

with the vision of building a world-class home for science in the philippines which is unique and filipino, it was built to exude the brightness of filipino art works, scientists and engineers alike, in portraying scientific facts in a fun and simpler way. the museum presents science in five different stories, with beautiful storytelling and a wide range of enthralling galleries. the five main galleries are atom, life, universe, earth and technology.

as described in their official site, here are some brief details of their fantastic and fun-filled galleries. sadly, we came in late and had barely 20 minutes to explore the area. still, we had so much fun and enjoyed the sights the museum offer. i can't wait for more exhibits and offerings! they had a great start!

1. the atom gallery is the gallery with the most number of interactive exhibits. it will contain the very elemental forces that are so familiar that we take them for granted – gravity and electromagnetism. it will present the counter-intuitive quantum world which resembles nothing in the ordinary, everyday experience, yet serves as the basis for much of the technology we find so common and take for granted – computers, mobile phones, lasers, and many medical technologies.

2. the life gallery is the gallery which features the defining exhibit of the museum: the human brain. the gallery will feature the exuberance of a living planet in all its forms. it will feature the various habitats that nurture an astonishing number and kinds of organisms. this gallery will also feature the inner spaces that inhabit this life in the form of molecules called dna.

3. the universe gallery will showcase humankind’s wondrous fascination with outer space, and will include the mini-planetarium. it will feature exhibits that will show how all of life, as we know it now, found its atomic beginnings in the stars in space. it will enfold visitors in the fundamental elements and forces that are at play in the universe. it will also include wondrous images from the hubble space telescope as well as a graphic history of humankind’s quest into other parts of the solar system.

4. the earth gallery will feature the first t-rex exhibit in the country along with other unique exhibits that will focus on the earth and nature. knowing natural history is the way we can educate museum visitors on how long it took the planet to give us what we now inhabit. the earth gallery will also feature natural history from 4.6 billion years ago.

5. at 680 sqm, the technology is the largest of all the galleries, and is the only exhibition space on the second level, overlooking the other four galleries. its centerpiece, the human face of technology – a 360° screen showing a constantly updated video of stories told by people about their favorite technologies and why they love them. this gallery presents technology not as a mere tool, gadget, or industrial advancement but as means to flesh out human values, to help us become better humans. thus, the gallery is divided into five major themes with each theme occupying a node. the themes of the nodes are: how we live, who we are, how we know, how things work, and here to there.

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THE MIND MUSEUM: World Class Science Museum

JY Campos Park, 3^rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Website: http://www.themindmuseum.org/

Telephone Number: 909-MIND (6463)

TOUR SCHEDULE:

Visits to The Mind Museum are designed IN 3-HOUR TIME SLOTS,

WITH ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VISITORS ALLOWED PER TIME SLOT.

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.(NO GUIDES AVAILABLE FOR THIS SLOT)

TICKET PRICES:

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE GATE.

BUYING TICKETS ONLINE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Adults: Php 600

Private School Students (Up to College): Php 450

Public School Students (Up to College): Php 150

Teachers: Php 150

ALL DAY PASS (enter anytime, leave anytime. No 3-hour limit): Php 750

058 - #airasiaph

2012-02-27T20:30:00.000-08:00

"#airasiaph"
air asia philippines' 100plus keychain
st. john condominium, sacred heart, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 850 is

i got the above keychain as a souvenir from my trip at the recently held hot air balloon festival in pampanga, care of air asia philippines. as asia's largest airline and pioneer in low-cost travel, i was glad that they finally added the philippines as one of their rosters. it will start its two domestic operations to davao and kalibo come march 2012, via clark internation airport. recently, to boost their market, they came up with a promotion via twitter contest. they gave a total of 60 pairs of round trip tickets to their domestic destinations! it was the best online promotion i have gotten in years (imagine 60 round trip tickets!), plus their mechanics of joining was one of the simplest! followers just need to compose a reason, in 140 character or less, as to why they want to fly to davao or kalibo via air asia philippines. and since it was a game of metamorphic words, i got a strong feeling that one of my friends would win. when the result came, we really did win! i and some friends got round trip tickets! we were so excited because we were given a chance to spend the summer together, on an out of trip aboard the newest airline in the philippines - for free! awesome indeed!

the following were our winning tweets. note that sassy (joanna c) did not even intend to join said contest, but still won! they might have read her plea! ;)

currently, air asia philippines is giving around 20,000 seats to their new destinations at a lower cost - an all-in fare of PhP275 one way from clark to davao and clark to kalibo or vice versa! how fab and amazing this offer can be! seats are up for grabs until march 4! click on the image below for more details, and start grabbing those seats!

057 - greatness

2012-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

"greatness"
globe's greatness starts @home blogging contest at my blackberry curve 8520
st. john condominium, sacred heart, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i first thought of making my blog posts with subjects exclusive only for my 365 project. but i just can't resist joining globe's recent blogging contest about greatness @home. i have always been a family-oriented person and i proudly write about the greatness i have experienced at home. it may not be as great as others would think, but in my family's own little ways, that greatness helped us to be who and what we are today.

tattoo@home believes that nurturing a child's potential can lead to achieving greater things. and what better place to start the road to greatness than at home! this is where my personal experience of greatness started too, at home. my greatest moment of achievement would be the time wherein i and my siblings started our way of giving back to our parents. we all know that we owe a lot to them. they are the reason why we stand magnanimous today, the reason how we are defined as human beings, the reason how we perceive life. these reasons would go on, for there are so many reasons why we should be thankful for all the greatness our parents have given us.

in our own little ways, we should return them that greatness. for us siblings, we make sure that they are at their best always and they enjoy life the way they should at this stage. for all the hardships they experienced in taking care and nurturing us, this would be one of our simple ways in giving back. my brother and sister, who are based in qatar, gladly initiated a family tour. it was one of those times that we really cherish for we were one as a family - physically. it is a very rare feat nowadays since our work locations would not want us to. my mom lives in zamboanga city and my dad works in pagadian city, a seven-hour ride away from her. imagine how apart we all are... as for me, my little way of giving back is to treat them here in manila wherein i am currently based. seeing them happy and relieved from life's adversaries even just for a moment are what we really wanted. the feeling is just priceless! i remembered my mom said she dreamt of riding an aircraft one day. and now, she have been to not just one but a countless times! they have been through a lot when they raised us. we grew up where everything seemed scarced but our parents were able to provide us the basics that we needed. and now, it is time for them to be pampered, and let them enjoy life the way it should be.

here are some memorable photos we had. we make sure that every moment would be cherished. the greatness they once shared, we are just now reciprocating - slowly but surely.

thanks much to our mom and dad, lucresio encarquez and remedios encarquez! we are proud to have them as our parents. i have briefly featured them in this blog but thanks to globe, i was able to do an in depth gratitude. my heartfelt thanks!

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CONTEST MECHANICS:

1. Write about Greatness Starts @Home with one of the following topics:

IF YOU’RE A PARENT: What is your child’s greatest moment of achievement and how did it all start at Home?
IF YOU’RE NOT A PARENT: What is your greatest moment of achievement Who inspired and helped you at Home to achieve it and why?
2. Include a photo or video of you or your child’s greatest moment of achievement with your post.
3. Include the Tattoo@Home badge on your post linking to http://tattoo.globe.com.ph
4. Post the direct link to your blog entry as a comment under this post for you to get qualified.
5. We will be featuring your story on our official Tattoo Facebook page (http://facebook.com/GlobeTattoo) the day after your submission
6. Contest will run from February 25 – March 17. Great prizes will be given away every 2 days to lucky participants!
7. Grand Winners of Samsung Champ phones and Samsung Galaxy tabs will be announced on March 25.

GREAT PRIZES:
Twenty (20) winners of 4 FREE PASSES to Mind Museum (scheduled visit on February 28, 9AM-12PM) for the first 20 posts. This will be awarded on Monday, February 27.
Twelve (12) Samsung Champ phones (Two (2) phones will be raffled off every 2 days to lucky participants for the next 3 weeks)
Two (2) Samsung Galaxy Tabs AND Two (2) Samsung Champ phones for the Best Blogs (One (1) from each topic) based on the criteria below:

CRITERIA:
Creativity – 40% (Does your blog post successfully integrate well-crafted text with engaging images or video?
Content – 30% (Does your blog post embody what it means to start Greatness at Home?)
Originality – 15% (Does your blog post present your story in a unique way and highlights the subject’s individuality?)
Interaction on Tattoo’s FB page – 15% (Number of likes and comments from unique users about the story on the official Globe Tattoo Facebook page – http://facebook.com/GlobeTattoo)

056 - #edsa26

2012-02-25T19:30:00.000-08:00

"#edsa26"
yellow ribbon commemorating edsa revolution's 26th anniversary
edsa shrine, epifanio delos santos ave. and ortigas ave. intersection, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

#edsa26 is a hashtag which trended on twitter last february 25. commemorating the 26th anniversary of edsa revolution, i decided to include the shrine as an entry on my 365 project. in my own simple way, i was able to participate in the celebration of one of philippines' greatest history, flaunting a yellow ribbon signifying filipino pride - freedom and democracy.

055 - republiq

2012-02-24T03:30:00.000-08:00

"republiq"
calvin harris rocking republiq!
republiq club, newport mall, resorts world manila, pasay city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i did not know who calvin harris was before i joined tim yap's twitter contest. luckily, for one of his famous #yap4grabs contest, his followers just need to call republiq's hotline number and answer a single question. be the first five to get the right answer, and two vip tickets to republiq's calvin harris event are for grabs - free! slick!

while calvin harris' biography via wikipedia is opened on my laptop, i persistenly dialed the number - a number of times! i got in after my fifth attempt and i was asked with the golden question, "what is calvin harris height?". pressing ctrl + f on my laptop, and typing "height" on the search bar did not help. since wikipedia lacked such personal information, i gave a wild guess - 5'9". it was a wrong answer and the call ended. i then googled for his height and found it! he was freakingly tall - 6'5"! i redialled the number, and lucky on my third attempt, i got through! then voila! i got two vip tickets for the said event! i won again! XD

i decided to tag along my partee buddy - mara! she has been my weekend getaway partner when we were still working in ncc - zamboanga city. she was so ecstatic knowing that i won and invited her. and she knew calvin harris - famous for rihanna's hit, we found love! she even found a way to join me on the event, for the love of partying!

the day came and the event was filled with "elite" people. and i would say elite! we thought we were the odd men out. but then, we were there to party and enjoy! and i was glad we did not pass and just ignored the constant chills (and mara's silent shrieks) every time somebody elite-like and famous pass by. though it was not like my experience with last month's trance energy event, we had a lot of fun! we withstood the constant sways of people as we jump and go crazy with calvin harry's playlist. he was playing trance music, too, and we loved it to the very last song! his music made everyone crazy, amidst the crowded, little space republiq has. we waited until clavin harris played his famous hit, we found love, rocking republiq and everyone else. it was such a great night out! thanks to tim yap's #yap4grabs contest, we really had a blast!

check more photos by clicking this link!

054 - bonifacio

2012-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

"bonifacio"
andres bonifacio shrine
andres bonifacio shrine, padre burgos st., manila, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

located along padre burgos st., right across manila city hall, is a sculpture commemorating one of philippines' heroes, andres bonifacio. he was the founder of the katipunan and a revolutionary leader seeking philippine independence against spaniard's colonization. the shrine depicts bonifacio's colorful life and history. it showcased selected periods of his biography, which represent the events and personalities involved in molding philippine history.

053 - tallest

2012-02-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

"tallest"
one of makati's skycraper, pbcom tower
pbcom tower, ayala ave. cor. v.a. rufino st., makati city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i dropped by makati's central business district today to retrieve two prizes that i recently won via twitter - ftw magazine's #goforth contest and mcdonalds philippine's #hoorayfortoday promo. it has been a very long time since i visited makati on a weekday, and i totally forgot how busy the streets can be. along ayala avenue is a stretch of professionals briskly walking and not minding of the people and their environment. it was a sight that amazed me since i could not see such feat on my daily routine.

since i was already in the area, i decided to take a photo of pbcom tower and included it on my 365 project. since 2000, it currently holds the title of the tallest building in the philippines, with an architectural top height of 259 meters (850 feet), bearing 52 storeys including an 8-level radio tower. i have always been fascinated with stalwart buildings. it is such a sight to behold when one gazes up to its top and be amazed on how it complements with the blue skies above.

052 - hitman

2012-02-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

"hitman"
mara ione sarail and nivek zeuqracne flaunting their premiere tickets
cinema 10, sm megamall, mandaluyong city, philippines
camera model: iphone 4s

i was never a fan of filipino movies, and only star cinema-produced movies would make me want to watch one. one day, i stumbled upon orange magazine tv's online contest and they were giving away free premiere tickets to the latest filipino action flick - hitman, helmed by cesar montano. i was mocking mara that i wanted to join and if ever i win, i will be dragging her with me. she obligedly said yes, not knowing of the actual consequences if i won. we were both shocked when the results were out. i was one of the five lucky winners! i remembered it was one of the few wtf moments that i ever had. i never imagined i would win!

i won three tickets so i tagged along anthony too, my housemate. the glossy premiere tickets made me go and want to see the movie, hoping it might be a reflection of what we will be experiencing. but sadly, it did not.

i am not a movie critic. i will be detailing some strong and weak points of the movie as observed by the typical movie goer me. for the strong points:
1. this first strong point is a biased commentary. i remembered a part of the movie was shot on our condominium's basement. cm films productions is just a few meters away, therefore our building would be a good and practical setting. the filming took two days i think, but i just saw a good five or ten minutes of it on the film.
2. there was a moment in the movie wherein all characters seemed to freeze - a camera trick detailing on the different angles of gun shots and a 360 perspective of the characters. it was a great camera shot, though the character's slight movements were still visible.
3. philip salvador's acting is superb! he just showed that action movies are still his forte. i would definitely watch another action movie if he is one of the leads. he is good as a villain.
4. we were punk'd! we did not see the twist coming! one big point for that.

and for the weak points:
1. the movie's plot is typical and predictable (aside from the twist of course, or we just didn't see it coming?). there was a time that i could not comprehend the flow of the story and there just seemed unnecessary stories. i was a bit lost at times.
2. the usual mediocre acting from the leads (and their support too!). i was not totally convinced with montano's act and his one-liner comedic lines (on a difficult situation?) just did not pull through. this ain't the 80's or 90's wherein these lines would be a hit. and good thing sam pinto's shots were beautiful. the camera loves her, and so do most of the movie goers!
3. comedic lines inserted during an intense moment was a drawback - big time!

though i have enumerated more stronger points than the weaker ones, the latter has a greater bearing since it seemed to be seen on the whole duration of the movie. i know it wants to heighten up the action movie genre we once had, but it just simply failed. this movie would be the start of reviving a genre the philippine movie industry has been lacking. hoping for more to come - improved and worthy.

051 - workstation

2012-02-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

"workstation"
nivek zeuqracne's previous workstation number
ibm bldg. j, up-ayala technohub, diliman, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

manic monday... i was supposed to be working at home today. but since i badly need a stable intranet connection, i decided to go to the office instead. our client needed a bunch of reports. it would require more time if i would be working at home. luckily, my workstation was free and still bore my employee name. we recently gave them up over our work at home agreement. we now use different meeting rooms when at the office, and we're loving it - having our own little world, just for the team!

050 - hope

2012-02-19T20:24:00.000-08:00

"hope"
rainbow as the sign of hope and the lost slipper
tinaga island, calaguas group of islands, vinzons, camarines norte, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

it was our last day on the beautiful island of calaguas and we are still raving about our experiences on this unspoiled paradise. it was indeed an experience of a lifetime to be in one of nature's best, amidst the adversaries we have encountered. luckily, we spotted a rainbow which appeared briefly after a light drizzle. hope... that was what i thought when i saw this god's amazing creation. hope that after all the adversaries, we will endure and still continue to relinquish the wonderful memories we had in the beautiful island of calaguas. i have detailed most of our raves on my previous post and i will be detailing the drawback of this wonderful experience here.

1. the night before, we helped in towing our boat to the safe side of the beach. it was said that if the boat stays on the sea for the rest of the night, the swelling waves could have crashed it into pieces. that was how strong the waves could be! and while towing away our boat, i accidentally slipped and my other pair of slipper was washed away into the sea. sigh. i never thought i would be able to find it. but luckily, the next morning, i found my lost pair of slipper! such a relief.
2. we were awaken at four in the morning with the cold breeze and the constant rain. our tent was filled with rain water after. we then stayed at the nearby cottage and slept on its damped benches. the cold breeze kept me awake most of the time!
3. finally woke up with an aching body and a swollen bruise on my arm. it was mainly because of my desperate attempt to successfully skim board, albeit the zero experience nor training.
4. while boarding the boat on our way back, we were constantly swayed by roaring waves taller than us! i was one of the few who swam around 100 meters, with life vest of course, and braved the swelling waves just to reach the docked boat. i remembered the horrors on the faces of my friends who were first on board when a huge wave almost enveloped the whole boat!
5. it was raining when we sailed back! though it was an advantage since we ran out of sunblocks, it just made the sea rougher.
6. i never saw waves as huge as what we had witnessed! they were way taller than us! literally, the waves became our horizon and engulfed everything within sight - the distant white sand beaches and the neighboring islands. there was nothing on sight but mere waves and the gray clouds!
7. the engine broke in the middle of nowhere! i remembered all i could see were light nimbus clouds - islands or mountains were nowhere in sight, as if we were in the middle of nowhere! we kept steady and it seemed like forever. we swayed along with the roaring waves, making us more sick! i never had seasickness before but the constant motion with the waves almost made me throw my insides out. half of us did, and one became hysterically afraid of what might happen to us. a sense of panic can be felt in each eyes. i was wondering why the boat men just kept cool and told us that it was just normal. yeah, it was for them i guessed.
8. not sure what they boat men did, but luckily they found a way for the engine to start. we sailed very slowly, making sure the engine would not act up again. if we were on the infamous turtle and rabbit race, we would be the former since the supposed to be 2-hour ride became a 3+-hour ride for us! we sailed slowly, but surely. i never felt joy seeing the distant land. we were like rescued from a shipwreck!

we were so glad we endured these hardships. being in calaguas is indeed the greatest adventure! after all the adversaries we had, the experience was still worth it! though a part of me does not want to experience the sea trauma again, i would still be willing to go back and enjoy this unspoiled paradise. we were planning to go back this summer since it is said to be the best time to travel. hope it will push through!

more photos can be viewed on my facebook page by clicking here.

049 - calaguas

2012-02-18T23:30:00.000-08:00

"calaguas"
the long stretch of mahabang buhangin in one of the calaguas group of islands
tinaga island, calaguas group of islands, vinzons, camarines norte, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i have been hearing rave reviews of the boracay-like beaches of the calaguas. so when a group of friends invited me to join them on a weekend trip to these amazing islands, i didn't hesitate at all. though the trip was excruciating - enduring an 8 to 9 hour land trip (via bus) to paracale alone, plus another 2-hour boat trip to the calaguas battling with man-like waves - it was all worth it! the reviews and amazing photos of calaguas were understatements of what we witnessed. the long stretch of mahabang buhangin was breathtaking - picturesque as the still photo portrays! and fortunately, we had the middle island all for ourselves! there were only two groups of campers who ventured for the weekend. lucky for us, the island was ours!

we arrived at the calaguas around ten in the morning, after a two-hour boat trip. our contact was very cordial and introduced us to the caretaker of the "middle" island, manong (my apologies for not asking his name. we were just sooo excited that we missed asking!). we were so lucky to have friendly natives (and pets too!) that we totally enjoyed our stay. we were so pampered, treated as visitors though we did not intend to. ;)

manong gave us the the nearest cottage to the beach. we hurriedly unpacked our things, set up one tent for our bags and prepared our grumbling tummies for an early lunch. luckily, our "resident chef", elaine, already prepared our packed lunch so there was no need to cook for one. we loved her spicy chicken and pork adobo and devoured them to the last piece! what a great lunch we had!

since the sun was extremely up, we decided to start with our usual get together routine. we don't explore the places we were at. most of our time are consumed by the usual chit-chats and the usual drinking spree. good thing, cha and i brought our x-mini speakers, we had blasting music all day and all night long! we loved the "empy lights" and the newly discovered "strawbeery" and squeezed them at the very last drop, though onlyy four of us endured the session 'til the very end. i enjoyed most our booze since i had no hangover the day after, though we lots of beers!

here's a rundown of the wonderful experience i had:
1. the place was surreal - wonderful and awesome beach stretch, no crowded people. it was just perfect for an out-of-town getaway and for photography-hobbyist like me!
2. i tried skimboarding for the first time! though i have tried a number of attempts, i just was not able to do so.
3. i loved the friendly villagers and their pet dogs. it gives the feeling that we were welcomed.
4. the best night sky and the most number of stars i have seen! if i was into astrology, i might have pointed out numerous constellations from the thousands (or millions!) of stars above.
5. the drinking spree was just perfect. started at 11 in the morning til 12 midnight! we managed to finish three liters emperador lights and four liters of red horse beer. the newly discovered "strawbeery", as i call it, was a blast! mix a liter of red horse beer and a pack of tang strawberry-flavored litro pack and you got the best tasting, hangover-free beer! you will love it 'til its last drop!

p.s. i have been raving a lot on this post. indeed, calaguas is a hidden paradise - no doubt! on my next post, i will cite some of our adversaries. we had the best and the worst during our trip!

more photos can be viewed on my facebook page by clicking here.

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048 - express

2012-02-17T21:30:00.000-08:00

"express"
superlines' daet express bus bound to paracale, camarines norte
superlines transportation co. inc., cubao, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

onboard superlines' daet express, we headed our way to paracale in camarines norte. it was a very long nine-hour ride but we endured it for the sake of venturing to an unknown paradise - the calaguas group of islands!

047 - prizesss

2012-02-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

"prizesss"
the many, many prizes from rajah travel corporation's online trivia contest
rajah travel corporation, a. mabini cor. t.m. kalaw sts., ermita, manila, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i got the chance to win awesome prizes from rajah travel corporation's online trivia contest! i actually won in six of their many trivia which ran for a couple of weeks; however, a contestant can only claim a maximum of two contests. bummer! so i invited some friends to join too and luckily they won! the contest was part of their campaign for the upcoming 19th travel tour expo which will be at the mall of asia's smx convention center. i have been longing to join and experience such event, but sadly, i will be out of town this weekend... sigh. on positive note, i have these coolest prizes! thank you very much again rajah travel corporation and their sponsors. i got a bunch! XD

p.s. rajah travel corporation got some awesome travel deals too! their very friendly staff gladly accommodates everyone, even if it's just an inquiry! that's what i call a true customer service. visit them at their site or facebook page for more information. follow them on twitter too! who knows, you might join in their lucky circle of winners!

046 - meaty

2012-02-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

"meaty"
grilled chops and bacon with potato side dish
st. john condominium, sacred heart, quezon city, philippines
camera model: iphone 4s

i am a self-confessed meat lover. i remembered i had a bunch when we head our meaty korean brunch. such a treat to consume that much meat! for day 046, here's our "usual" meaty dinner - grilled chops and bacon with potato side dish, made by house chef anthony! and what was my part on this routinary preparation? i do the dishes after everything is devoured. they don't like my cooking that much (so do i, at times), so washing dishes is the best thing i can do. XD

045 - valentines

2012-02-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

"valentines"
chocolate bars courtesy of hedgren philippines
the travel club, trinoma mall, quezon city, philippines
camera model: iphone 4s

i got a tweet from hedgren philippines that they were giving away limited edition valentine's gift for free just by visiting the travel club branches in shangri-la, trinoma, glorietta 4 and sm mall of asia. as a fan of these online promos and a newly confessed hedgren-lover as well, i rushed my way to trinoma mall's the travel club, 12 noon on a valentines day. luckily, i saved the tweet on my phone so i was able to present them hedgren philippines' tweet. i was the first to claim their gift and i got this luscious choclate bar with a valentine greeting. sweet! and to top it all, i got two discount coupons (a massive 50% and 20% discount coupons) for all hpml and hra hedgen products! thank you very much, hedgren philippines! follow them on twitter and facebook and be amazed with what they offer!

044 - papa's

2012-02-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

"papa's"
one of papa john's best selling pizzas - the classic super papa's pizza
papa john's, tomas morato st., quezon city, philippines
camera model: blackberry curve 8520

since we could not connect to our office network at home due to the untimely system-wide maintenance, we were obliged to report at the office in up-ayala technohub - on a dreaded rainy monday! to reward ourselves with these adversaries (thanks to drew's one million points in temple run), our people manager, elaine, treated us a sumptuous dinner at papa john's. i have heard a lot of raving reviews about the restaurant and i was excited to experience their great service and tasty dishes. we had for their best sellers - the classic super papa's pizza, grilled barbecue pork ribs, their famous diablo burst pasta and a set of chicken and chips platter. overall, it was a great treat. we enjoyed the food very much and munched everything we ordered. having a separate garlic dip for the pizza crust was a breather, and made us enjoyed our pizzas up to the last piece. i think i just had the best pizza experience ever. thanks to elaine and papa john's!

043 - tickets

2012-02-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

"tickets"
jade pelingon with our the vow special screening movie tickets
rockwell cinema 4, rockwell powerplant mall, makati city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i started joining online contests after winning a prized pop phone from ayala mall's twitter contest. to be abreast with the latest, i followed on twitter some online contest enthusiasts and a few merchants. one day, i stumbled upon a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger, marj sia's the travelling heels. she was giving away five (5) pairs of movie tickets for the special screening of the vow as a pre-valentine treat. i was reluctant in joining at first since mainly, i am not really an avid blog reader of hers, and secondly, most (or all) contestants were female. good thing is i was chatting with jade that time and she encouraged me to join. and thanks for that encouragement, the rest was history! we had our free passes and watched the perfect movie for this valentines!

the movie was like a rollercoaster ride due to the different emotions one would feel for all the characters. thumbs up to the two actors who portrayed the lead roles. both of them were believable! i am an avid rachel mcadams fan since her "red eye" flick, so seeing this movie was worth it. this is indeed mcadams' genre. she was perfect for the role and her charm exudes vividly. the movie's storyline was a nod - minus the usual family cliche'. i thought the ending felt lacking (and so did jade). i guess most would have wanted a fairy tale-like ending.

here is my winning tweet and a confirmation that i won. special thanks to the beautiful marj sia, carmex philippines and zoya manila for the tickets!

042 - #aaphballoonfest

2012-02-11T15:01:00.000-08:00

"#aaphballoonfest"
mara ione sarail amazed with the puffer fish-like kite
omni aviation complex, angeles city, pampanga, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i never planned in going to this year's hot air balloon festival in pampanga. thanks to air asia philippines' twitter contest, i won two tickets to the said event! luck must really be on my side this year. the newest airline in the philippines, which will start its operation by march, run a contest instructing participants to tweet the reason they want to go to the hot air balloon festival, mentioning them (@airasiaph) and hashtagging #aaphballoonfest. i submitted a quite generic entry and luckily, i was one of the five winners! below is a screenshot of the entry that i submitted.

it was supposed to be a no-show for me since my friends ditched me at the very last minute. but then, the adventurous me and the eagerness for a picture-perfect photograph for my 365 project gave me the will to go. and luckily, a good friend of mine, mara, tagged along too! the two of us still had a blast!

p.s. kudos to the team spearheading the air asia philippines' event. it was a huge success! as a winner of their twitter contest, i had the privilege to have a quick tour on their newly acquired aircraft - an airbus 320. it was fun lurking in their aircraft, and i enjoyed the served lunch - a malaysian cuisine! we were all given free giveaways too - an air asia cap and the coolest keychain! that experience alone was worth it. thanks again for the free passes!

041 - milkfish

2012-02-10T02:44:00.000-08:00

"milkfish"
grilled boneless milkfish (locally known as "bangus")
pixie's sinugba, sky garden - sm city north edsa, quezon city, philippines
camera model: iphone 4s

XXX

040 - pricey

2012-02-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

"pricey"
ylac antonine a. valdez
valdez residence, cambridge st., cubao, quezon city, philippines
camera model: canon digital ixus 65

i have always been fascinated with cutesy, little children because i never had the chance to be with little siblings since i was the youngest of three. it was one fine thursday afternoon when the team decided to meet at our team lead's residence for the regular weekly team meeting. we love "hanging out" at larissa's place mainly because of the cutesy, little version of her - the youngest of four, ylac antonine "pricey" a. valdez. watching pricey in her usual bubbly, active persona, showing her own unique dance moves and her constant shrieks, just made our day. it is always a delight to be with children, giving us a glimpse of their own little world and not minding our own. the photo above almost tells everything. who wouldn't be delighted with her, all messed up but still enjoying herself with the delicious pesto? she's such an angel!