All Things Beautiful

I joined Beachbody Team

2014-07-09T19:51:00.001-07:00

I'm so happy to be accepted in the Beachbody Team by my coach Ashley Girard. My weight has been an on-going problem for me ever since I had my daughter. Well, that was my excuse. I got pregnant so it is naturally accepted fact that moms get fat, but it doesn't have to be that way. I have lost the fat and just to gain it back again so many times before. As of the moment, I am not overweight, as the ideal weight for my height is about 185lbs, but I still want to lose 10-20lbs more. I want to lose just a few pounds so I can wear nice clothes again and just to have that energy to do a lot of things. I don't want to lose more than that because I think I don't look good thin. I just want to sculpt my body to get the nice curves and I want to get back my confidence.

I have yo-yo dieted for a long time. Being around with my family who constantly eats junk food and sweets, it is really hard to stay away from. We love chocolates, we love desserts, we love anything sweet and being Asian we also eat a lot of carbohydrates. We eat a lot of rice, bread, pasta. Every meal consist of loads and loads or carbohydrates, salt and sweet. Hmmmm, not a goo combination right. So today I will start my day 1 again. I will not let my schedule or my partners schedule interfere with my goals.

Join me in my journey. Let's work out together. Let's start our new healthy life. So here's for the new me!!!

How about you? Care to share your story? Comment below..

Cheers!!!!

Interior Design: How to create a Sample Design Board

2014-07-04T20:29:00.002-07:00

Sample Boards, Mood Board or Concept board, these are just some of the names that you may call this and for a lack of a better term let's use Sample Board for this blog. Interior designers, graphic artist, architects, photographers, advertisers and even make up artist use sample boards as a tool to convey their concept to clients. They place the color samples, images of the selected furniture, examples of the materials to be used and accessories selected for the project on a board.

A Sample Board may included the following pieces:

swatches (paints , fabrics, wallpapers) basically little pieces of things you proposed to use
Proposed Look - it can be perspectives, 3d, photos , or shop drawings, sketches
Plans (floor plans)
Materials (carpets and laminates etc.)

There are a number of reasons why designers use sample boards. Firstly they can be used as a way of communicating interior designing ideas. It can also be used to act as a reference tool during the life of a project. The tools need to make a board include the board, tape, adhesive, Stanley knife and labels.
Tools needed to create a sample board

Board (paper, foam, illustration, museum boards, or Gator board for heavy materials)
Tape (masking, double sided, Velcro for heavy items)
Cutting tool (Stanley knife, pinking shears, sharp scissors)
Rulers (metal for cutting, scale rule for measuring)
Pens and pencils (felt tip, soft pencil, colored pencils, colored pens)
Adhesive (Clear all purpose, spray adhesive)
Cutting mat
Labels (usually white)

The size of the board selected to create the sample boards usually depends on the size of the project. In these eco friendly times, the smallest board size possible should be used for the project. The most common sizes used by designers are A2 or A1.
Creating the board

Most designers leave a border of at least 1cm from the top and the 2 sides of the board
A larger space is left at the bottom of the board
The border can be colored to coordinate with the color scheme of the interior designing ideas.

Tip: A sample paint pot of the color to be used in the room could be used for the border or the space inside the border

Work out the size for each item (for example the carpet sample would be bigger than a lamp)
Trim the items to be placed on the board
Fabrics can be cut with pinking shears to stop fraying
If more than one room is involved in the project then each board should be labeled (living, bedroom etc.)
Create labels for each item (labels can be created on your computer or by hand)

Tip: Have all the tools and items ready before you begin

Position each item on the board according where they would be placed in the room (for example carpet at the bottom of the board, ceiling paint sample at the top of the board)
When you are happy with the arrangement you can use adhesive to place each item in place
Remember Velcro can be used for heavy items (tiles, timber….)

Tip: A hairdryer can be used to remove some glued items if they have been position incorrectly
To see some of my sample boards here are some links:
Bachelor's Pad
Glam Nail Spa
Inner Sanctum
Prince Living Room
Living Room Design Board

Interior Design : Room in a Box by Windsor Smith

2014-07-02T02:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had your Interior Designer shipped right to your doors step? Well, now you can. Interior Design is very stressful and time consuming for both, either you are the client or you are the designer. It entails a lot of work, from actual site measurement , concept boards, samples boards, and so many other things. Sometimes you also want a particular designer to do it for you but your schedules just wont meet.

I have been toying with this idea for a long time in my head, being an Interior Designer/ Architect/ Project Manager I wanted to make things more simple for me. If I can get away into doing a "shortcut" in how it is done then this must be it.

Windsor Smith of Windsor Smith Home has actually brought this idea to mainstream. She launched Room in a Box which is a complete Interior Design that you can order online and have it shipped right to your door step. It is an innovative virtual design program on the internet. All you have to do is to go online and follow the steps and your just a few clicks from getting your Interior Designed Room. It is quite genius if you ask me, but then again this has been in every designers mind ever since. Somebody finally had a guts to do it. Coming up with an idea like this has its own pros and cons.

Pros:
Its fast and easy.
Can be done in the comfort of your home.
They claim to be cheaper and economical.
Gives you link to where you can purchase your items.
Less leg work.
Instant Gratification.

Cons:
More room for errors.
Can be unrealistic.
Actual site situations may vary constantly.
Can be costly if not done right.
Lack of professional advice.
Lack of personal touch.

Adobo as 4th of July Recipe by Gwyneth Paltrow

2014-07-01T00:00:00.001-07:00

ok, so I was surfing the net and blog hopping and this is what I stumbled on. a 4th of July recipe which featured our very own Filipino dish Adobo. I was pleasantly surprised to see this post in Gwyneth Paltrow's blog goop. It goes to show that Filipino dishes are as much liked in other parts of the world. A different twist to our favorite home cooked dish adobo. This one is half-American using fried chicken and simmered slowly in the vinegar - soy sauce concoction.

This dish is not only interest in taste, but I am quite honored that our All-time-favorite Adobo dish is not just appreciated but also well loved to be featured in a very widely read blog such as goop and in a 4th of July issue? How awesome is that?

This is this is also featured in goop's instagram account, which is another reason to say "yey!!!" Just take a look at the comment section. Another idol just commented there, Ms. Daphne Osena Paez. How cool is that right? Hahaha.

Ellana Mineral Argan Oil Review

2014-06-19T19:54:00.001-07:00

Jojoba Argan Beauty Oil - photocredit MyMineral Brunei

Jojoba Argan Beauty Oil
Our dual action Jojoba Argan Oil is gentle enough to be used for the entire face including the eye area. Jojoba Oil nourishes and moisturizes the skin and helps improve supplenss while Moroccan Argan oil is a traditional cosmetic and healing oil that is produced by the Berber women of Morocco. It is currently the most sought after anti-aging oil. High in vitamins A, E and Omega 6. It has an amazing ability to repair skin. May be used as make up remover , as it instantly dissolves and removes all traces of make up.

This is not a paid review, my statement as written on this blog is true and actual as per my own experience.

I have a love / hate relationship with the Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil. I must admit when I first used it months ago, I didn't like it. It is good for my skin, its very moisturizing and delivered what was promised on the flyer and delivered what I expected. It helped with my acne problem and gave me a more healthy looking skin. But I have one problem. I didn't like the feeling of oiliness. I already have a very oily skin, and putting additional oil on it only adds to the eeky feeling through out the day, and because of that I stopped using it.

Fast forward to a month ago. I was washing my face after a long day of work, I noticed my facial wash didn't take out all the mascara and eyeliner residue. So I grabbed the Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil, and put a spritz or 2 on a cotton swab and used that to take out my makeup gunk on the eye area. Then I flipped the cotton swab and used it to clean the rest of my face. After doing so, I rinsed my face with water then clean it with my usual face cleanser, then rinse again. Whoalllaaaa!!!! Problem solved. I can now use my Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil, without the eeeekkky oily after shock.

Just a little tweak in my routine solves the problem. When I first used my Ellan Mineral Jojoba Argan oil, I did it backwards. I wash my face first, then with a cotton patch I would used it all over my face, without rinsing it afterwards. Hence, leaving my face with an oily feeling. Fast forward to now. I am very glad to rediscover the power of Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil. It is not just a good make up remover, but it also moisturize my skin thus giving it a healthy looking skin. This helped me even out my skin tone and the most wonderful effect I got from using the Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil is that it helped diminish my acne marks in a very short time. I've only been using this product for less than a month, and it took out all the acne marks. Something I've always wanted. No need for laser, no need for microdermabration, no need for painful facials at the derma. I am very thankful for the Ellana Mineral Jojoba Argan Oil, now I don't need to put heavy make up to cover my blemishes. I can even getaway with using just the Ellana Mineral Espresso con Panna finishing powder.

My Before (left) and after (right) pictures are a true testament of the product. You can see that I have many acne dark spots on my before pictures. If I only have a better resolution camera then it will show more blemishes on my face. The after picture shows that all the dark acne spots are gone, even the small indentation at my upper right forehead is gone. It completely healed all my problem areas. Thank you Ellana Mineral.

I Am an Architect

2014-03-28T01:05:00.001-07:00

I am an ARCHITECT.

Graduated 2003 from the No.1 College for Architecture, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.

I took the board exam 2 years early and passed on my first take. Got my license 2004, right after I graduated. This is not allowed anymore, since it is stipulated in the laws that you can only take the board exam 2 years after graduation. During my college years, they only specify that you need to have 2 years diversified experience in Architecture, the very clever me saw a loop hole on that law and instead of taking the board exam 2 years after I graduate, I took a different route. I started working when I was in 3rd year college. So by the time, I graduate (Architecture is a 5 year course) I already have the 2 years experience as well. I was working as for DM Consunji Inc. one of the biggest Construction Firms in the country and finishing my degree at the same time.

I enrolled in a review center February 2013, I graduated March 2013. #multitask

I have worked in all the fields of Architecture.

Project Management
Construction Supervision
Design
Purchasing
Sales
Building Management

Name it, I've done it.

Project Management / Construction / Supervision
My first real job, after graduation is with Daiichi Properties where I worked as a Project Coordinator. My task is to coordinate all information between the Consultants , Project Managers, Contractors, Sub-Contractors, Clients, Owners, Marketing. We were building High Rise Buildings. This is where I experienced using the construction elevators that we fondly call "Alemak". It is the an elevator that is like a cage, that you can see everything outside no walls. This is where I experiences playing "patintero" on top of the 38 storey high helipad. Where I experience all the first mistakes in a real job. I learned a lot.

Building Management
After high rise buildings, I went low. I may not be in huge in height but still huge in floor area.
I was Mall Architect for Robinsons Malls. I was the first "Mall Architect" who handled 4 malls at a time. I was in charge of the following malls.
Robinsons Place Pioneer

Robinsons Place Sta. Rosa
Robinsons Place Metro East

Robinsons Place Los Banos

A mall architect should only handle 1 mall at a time. Multiple malls are handled by District Mall Architects, which is a higher position whom mall architects report too. But for some reason, they entrusted me to handle 4 malls at a time. On my first few months of being Mall Architect I was so scared, completely terrified. I lack the confidence and experience of handle such an enormous job. But I did not falter, I learned all the ropes of being a mall architect. I learned to "punchlist" all items while strolling in the mall. To have a keen eye of the tiny defects that most naked eye dont see. To have an imaginative eye on how to make it more beautiful, to have a business sense on how to bring in more patron, more money to the company.

It is where I experienced going up the roof to check damages while the mighty Ondoy typhoon is going on. It is where I experience seeing the whole 3 floors of mall get flooded. It is where I saw a whole roof of a huge Cinema got torn out like a tissue, including its purlins and truss. It where I experience leaping from 1 building to the next on a 6 inch plank of wood with at least 40 meters below me. It is where I triumphantly presented a different design concept for redevelopment, against a team of highly experienced Architect of Palafox and Associates. The Management believed in me, and trusted me with a multi-million peso budget. It was a huge success. After that redevelopment, the Mall started getting more foot traffic, and high end brands for retail.
I learned a lot.

Design / Purchasing / Sales / Construction
I also started putting up my own company, and to tie-up with construction companies. I was principal Architect for Havenas Inc. , Havitall Corp. and my own Design Insignia. This is where I experienced the reality of being an Architect, that you cannot dictate what you want in an design and you will have to compromise with the clients vision, even if it is against your concept of beauty or practicality or even logic. It is where I learned that in the real world, you will have to bend your own rules, to close a deal or to claim for payment. I must have done more than 40 residential houses, 10 retail spaces, 10 offices. This is the time I learned to design the outside (architecture) and the inside (interior design). A place of money making (retail spaces), or baby making (motel rooms). A place of beauty (derm clinics, spas, etc). A place for the dead (mausoleum). I learned a lot.

Fast Forward to Now
Today I am in a different land, a different world, trying to put in to practice what I have learned. I am in Brunei, a country of wealth and prosperity, where the nation is rich but yet very old fashioned. Where lifestyle is laid back but the culture is rich.

Where architecture is very different from what I used to know. This is where I have experienced the best and worst of being an employee. Where I was made to clean toilets yet my position is "Architect". It is where I designed and renovated housed for the Kings and Queens. Where I go inside palaces and meet the royals. It is where I realize that my beloved country Philippines is still far more beautiful even if its full of traffic jams and pollution. It is where I realized than I and the rest of the Filipinas/Filipinos are far more beautiful inside and out.

So here I am now, trying to learn more.

How about you? Where are you now? What have you learned? Comment below, share you story.

Bachelor's Pad Interior Design Project

2014-03-18T00:29:00.001-07:00

As soon as you enter the room, the first thing you will see is the bookshelf. The book shelf is designed in such a way that it is modern, and yet not too trendy. It becomes a focal point as you enter the room. This sets the mood for the rest of the design accents. I chose to use dark charcoal color for the main accent furniture for it to pop up from the walls. A basic color that is both manly and yet modern. The shelf is chunky for better support and to make it look more "designed" and not just store bought pieces. This chunky shelves continues to the TV/ entertainment system, same simple and sleek lines. Clean and sophisticated look. The base cabinet can be used for more storage and the top for entertainment devices. The TV can be wall mounted to accommodate more counter space. We can also add a strip of LED lights under the TV counter for mood lighting.

For the kitchen, I chose to move the fridge where the range should be, for us to have more space. The area where the fridge will now have a counter, that can be used both for dining as well as preparation area for cooking. This is also a good open space for entertaining, where you can entertain your guest while cooking, more of an open kitchen so there is more interaction. I would suggest for you to use a standard dining height for the counter so you can use ordinary chairs, it is more comfortable than bar stools. The cube ottoman/ stool that is used as coffeetable/ottoman in the living area can also be used for extra sitting for this dining area. This counter can comfortable sit 3-4 persons, but can also be expanded up to 6 person use.

For the Bedroom, as per our discussion, I took out the wall in between the 2 bedrooms. This give more room and a more flexible way to layout the furniture. I moved the closet to Bedroom 2, where the door opens to. Because of this I suggest to take out that door ad just use the door going to the Bedroom 1. The back wall at the back of the bed becomes a feature wall. The column and beam is already there, so instead of concealing it I used the existing architecture as an accent. So I added a built up wall on the opposite site of the column to balance it out and for symmetry. You can opt to use a wall paper or just a different paint color for this to make it stand out. You can also line the sides of this wall with cove lighting that will add drama to the space.

On the opposite wall, i demolished a part of that wall and placed a TV/ Study console. It is both your TV wall and right behind that is your study area. We can have it designed that the wall pivots from 1 space to the other so u can have just 1 TV both can be viewed on both sides. You can also hook up your TV to be the monitor for you PC so you save more space and much easier for you to shift. At the opposite side of your table is a customized bench, something like your day bed at the living room. and hanging shelves to the corner. This is a good place for you to sit and relax while enjoying a nice book. The bench will also come handy when you dress up, to put on your shoes or socks.

Your PM

2014-01-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

Your PM: "Good Evening, I've been reading your wall today and as you answer a lot of questions I thought of asking you as well. There are a lot of things that are bothering me. First, I'd like to ask if I should stay with my current job, I feel that the company itself is unstable, but the benefits I am receiving now is good.

"2nd, about my lovelife, we are facing a lot of problems and I dont know how to handle it. For the nth time we are apart again, Im abroad and he is is Philippines.

"here is out photos, his full name is ___________________ birthday ___ __, 19__

"mine is ____________________ birthday ___ __, 19__

"3rd, how can i help my daughter, she is suffering and confused because of our situation. thank you"

My answer: Hi _______!

1) Now close to retirement, here is what I will ever say about jobs: There is no such thing as an ideal job, there is no such thing as an ideal supervisor, and there is no such thing as an ideal work situation. If you do not believe that you will simply wander from job to job only to discover, in the end, what I already discovered a long time ago.

Your job is what you make it. Primarily it should pay your bills and allow you to save some money as well. You can actually design it in such a way that it can give you and others deeper meaning and a more extensive outlook on life.

2) It is a bad idea to love someone and be apart from him at the same time. Everything must be tended with care: a plant, a pet, a flame, a work in progress--so why not a human being as well, especially someone whom you are in love with?

3) Children are more intelligent than you think, except that they are never given the right information, which confuses them.

Inform your daughter:

--Why you love your lover, on all levels.
--All of the loves you ever had in your life, leading to this one lover.
--What love is to you.
--What lust is to you.
--Your lover's shortcomings.
--Your own shortcomings.
--That a relationship is a psychological contract between two consenting adults, and that the children need not feel guilty about not being involved in it.
--That you will never make your daughter promises that you cannot keep.
--That you will not dream for your daughter, and that you will allow her to dream for herself.

nude pumps

2013-12-16T00:09:00.001-08:00

nude pumps by jpespino featuring pointy toe pumps

Christian Louboutin pumps / Jimmy Choo high heel pumps / Jimmy Choo black shoes / Kurt Geiger pointy toe pumps, $405 / Kurt Geiger pointy toe pumps, $295 / Nine west pumps

Peplum Top

2013-12-15T23:45:00.001-08:00

Peplum Top by jpespino featuring a strapless bustier

By Malene Birger strapless bustier, $350 / 2b peplum top / River Island top, $46 / River Island top, $46 / AX Paris zip front shirt, $41 / Boohoo flat top

Interior Design - Lobby

2013-10-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

This is an Interior Design for a Redevelopment I did a few months back. Looking at it again makes me realize that there are hit and miss in this design. I do like the play of lights and shadows for the textured back wall for the reception area. I like the choice of materials, a mix of dark wood stained accents, a glossy marble flow and even the 2-tone reception counter. I like how it all came together and set a cozy relaxing mood. What I didn't like is the display cabinet and seating area under the stairs. A seating area would be fine, but that display cabinet is absolutely horrible. It should not be there, the scale is wrong, the placement is wrong, the ergonometrics is wrong.

I realized one thing, that for me to get better in what I do, I should criticize myself more. I should go back to the things I did and try to learn from it. If we think about it, the same rules apply when it comes to life. We will only learn and get better as a person if look back and try to see the mistakes that we did, to understand it more and to analyze. In lieu of that, I would like to set Friday as my day to look back at my previous Interior Design works and criticize myself. I am excited of the things that I will learn.

How about you? What do you think are the hit and miss in this rendering? Which part do you like and what are the things I should improve on. I appreciate your comments. Let me know your thoughts.

My Answer to Maria Kang

2013-10-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

This photo has gone viral on facebook, a picture of a 23yrd old mom of 3 boys, fit and sexy in her skimpy exercise gear. I would have not noticed this since I am busy with work but my own boyfriend posted a this on his wall which forced me to take a look at MariaKang. I dont know what other moms feel about this, and usually I will just let this pass me by. But since my own boyfriend, who is the father of my child posted this, I felt I had to answer.


Rough Translation: Filipina's are extraordinary. Maria Kang you are a legend. Hope a lot of moms will follow you.

First of all, I am not offended by the "whats your excuse" tagline on her photo. I admire her that she has kept her body looking like this. In my own experience, it is not that hard to look this good after you give birth. I myself looks this good when I just gave birth.I gained weight years after that. A lot of moms, was giving negative comments about her posing like this and with that tag line. It is as if, other moms who doesnt look like her is just giving an excuse to not look that good. She is proud of her body, and she should be. It entails a lot of work to look that good. I am happy for her.

Since my boyfriend posted this on his facebook wall. I would like to answer her tag line. "whats your excuse?" and this post is specially dedicated to my boyfriend.

1 year after giving birth

2 months after giving birth

1. I looked this good when I was 23. In fact, I just gave birth to your daughter at 23. You cant expect my 32 year old body to look like that. Yes age is a big factor, as we grow older our metabolism slows down, thus making it more difficult to lose weight. Just look at my 23 year old pictures, I can wear that same skimpy gear and look as sexy, only I am prettier than Maria Kang.
2. If you have 3 kids in 3 years, like Maria Kang did, yes it is much easier to keep that body. Breast feeding is a natural fat burner and if she was breast feeding non stop for 3 years yes she will still look that good. She didnt even had to exercise that much. What the exercise did was the body toning for her 6 pack abs, but breast feeding will keep the weight off even without exercise.
3. Since you are an "absentee dad" , i had to work to keep our baby alive. That means, I dont have time or money for gym or other exercise, make myself look good stuff. Heck, I wasnt even getting a hair cut for a long time. So spa, mani/pedi, facial, make up and getting a photoshoot is not in my budget list. Maybe if you were there to support us. I could have pampered myself.
4. In my opinion, yes she is pretty and sexy in that photo. But I am as pretty and sexy as her, some some say I am sexier than her, even if I gained weight. Just check out my photo below.

This is me Now! If I am not pretty and sexy for you, then there is something wrong with your eyes!!!!

I still have a lot to say, but I have to go now and spend time with what matters most, family. I will continue this post soon...

Advice from Tony Perez

2013-10-14T01:57:00.001-07:00

Your PM: "Good evening. I hope you can help me get a better view of my relationship. I am in a crossroad, i dont know if i should split up with him or keep going. We are not together now, i am working abroad. My bf is suppose to join me here soon, but i dont know if it is a good idea. He doesnt have a work here so thats a big risk. We have a kid together and i really want it to work out. My questions are the following: does he really love me? We'll we be happy together when he gets here? Are we going to be happy as a family? Is he the man i am going to marry? I hope u answer my questions. If there are other things thay you sense about us, hope you can also share with me. Thank you.

My answer: "Hi _______! Yes, allow your boyfriend to join you there. He will eventually find a job, and working together to save money is always a good idea. You will be doing this not only for yourselves but as a duty to your child, whom you are both responsible for and who deserves a good future. You took the risk of falling in love and having a child. Venturing forth in a foreign country is yet another risk, but one worth taking for the sake of your family.

"At this point 'Does he really love me?' is immaterial because you are a family, whether you are married or not and whether you like it or not. It is not romance but a deep friendship that bonds together a healthy family, and that is something you have already.

"Yes, you will be together as a family. Whether you will be happy or not is not up to me but up to the three of you. You will eventually have two more children.

"Yes, he is the man whom you are going to marry, keeping in mind that marriage is not a bed of roses but a commitment that entails many sacrifices."

TONY PEREZ is a creative writer, playwright, poet, lyricist, painter, portraitist, fiber artist, and psychic journalist and trainer. He is one of the 100 Filipino recipients of the 1898-1998 Centennial Artists Awards of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Filipino Beggar in Brunei

2013-10-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

OK! He is not a beggar, in fact he is a scholar, but their strategy makes him look like a beggar.

His name is Nino, I met him while having a quick lunch at The Mall, Gadong. He approached me while I was eating my chicken joy. He introduced himself as a Filipino Scholar, now in Brunei to raise funds for other scholars. He asked me in english and I answered him in tagalog, so he will instantly know that I am a Filipino as well. As he explained to me why he is in Brunei, I asked him, is your story true? He said, for me to help out, I can buy the pens that he is showings for a whopping $10 for 2 pens. That price is really high for pens, meaning 1 pen is almost Php200? With that story and with that price, who would believe him. So I asked more questions, where he is staying, how many are them in Brunei, how long are they staying; and he was able to answer all my questions. He even showed his ID and all. I asked him, who's idea is it to go to other countries just to roam around and beg people in the mall to buy their over priced pens. He said, it was the school director's idea. To which I answered, it is a stupid idea.

I told him to tell that director/ mentor that his strategy of begging people to pay for over priced pens in a foreign country is not only stupid but also degrading for the Filipinos. There are thousands of Filipinos working here in Brunei and we are working very hard to get respect from locals and other nationalities. I am proud to say that Filipinos here are regarded as smart, hard working and very good with whatever job we are in. In fact, Filipinos are favored for all work positions, and compared to locals and other nationalities we are also one of the highest paid in this country. Simple because we are good in what we do and the employers know, that even if they pay a little higher for a Filipino employee the money there are paying us is worth it. We are regarded the smartest and most reliable in any field of work here in Brunei. Some may even say, that Brunei cannot function well if Filipinos are not here, the palace itself has about 90% Filipino employees, that's how much respect they have on Filipinos when in comes to work.

So to see a Filipino, roam around the mall asking people to buy overpriced pens in simply ridiculous. We have worked our as* off to show to everybody here that Filipinos are professionals, smart and very good in what we do, and as we show them that, we also gain respect from locals and other nationalities.
Seeing a Filipino "beg" for money is degrading and shameful. There are a lot of other means on how to raise funds, if the director/mentor has commonsense I am sure that there are a lot of other ways to raise funds.

Filipinos are intelligent and talented, something that we can showcase all over the world. Im sure if they have done their homework and coordinated with the right people they will get a lot of support from the Filipino community. If they coordinated with Philippine Embassy, I'm sure they can point them to the right direction. They could have staged a show, I mean I would rather dance "tinikling" in front of a crowd rather than beg for money. If they only did their homework, I'm sure the whole Filipino community will be more than eager to help them out. They can get support from Expression Music which are mostly Filipinos, or some refreshments from Reyni's or Jollibee which is known Filipino Restaurants. Even the children from SMS-IS are mostly Filipinos. This way we could have shown Brunei and the rest of the world (since there are a lot of other nationalities here) what "Bayanihan" is about. I am sure they could have raised more fund doing it this way, with so much pride, rather than going around the mall and begging for money. Worse, if people would think that it is just a scam and they are trying to trick people into giving them money.

Life Cycle of a Choco Chip Cookie

2013-10-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, the caption in the picture is not the typical caption you expect to see on a Choco chip cookie recipe, but if you think about it, this caption is true in comparison to our life cycle. Let me discuss further below:

Conception - the ingredients are prepared but still needs to combine together to form something. Very much the same as on people. The eggs and sperm needs to bind together to form something. ~~No need to discuss in detail.~~

Childhood - ingredients are mixed together but still not looking quite there yet. It is like when we are kids, the parents, school, environment are trying to ~~add~~ instill something to us. We are still trying to learn, about ourselves, about life, about everything. But we are not quite there yet as we still don't know for sure what we want to be, whats our goal, whats our purpose. We just try to absorb everything we can absorb, and hope that whatever we absorb, will help us to be a one wonderful person.

Puberty - This is the actual baking process. I believe, puberty is very much like this process. At puberty we are exposed to a lot of peer pressure, we are forced to face a lot of changes in our body, our life and everything else. In baking, the heat is giving this pressure and the cookie is going through a painful change, and although it maybe hard to go through, most of the time. If we we're "mixed" with the right ingredients we turn out ok.

Adulthood- Let the cookie rest. After baking, we let the cookie rest on a drying rack to release the heat and let it cool down a bit. In reality, Adulthood is the same. Yes we can still feel the heat, but little by little we let ourselves cool down. We have to let our self relax a bit, or else we may crumble. This is the time that we are still under pressure, but the heat from the "baking" process made us mature enough, so we can handle the pressure gracefully.

Retirement - Cookie Stored - After the painful process of baking and resting. We then go to retirement (although im not there yet) I am still in the "let the cookie rest" period. Sometimes I fell like Im still in the "baking process", or in deeper thought I may still be in the "mixing process". Retirement is the time, that we go into seclusion, stay somewhere quiet, something we are comfortable with and relaxing doing nothing but stare outside the cookie jar and watch the chaos of the outside world from within.

Lastly...

Death - ultimately, we all die a horrific death... haha..being eaten. If you think about it, even this part is true. In time for our death, we get eaten and swallowed in earth, six feet under. During this time, we just hope that when that happens, we are mixed right, baked right, rested enough, to give a delicious and satisfying treat to the earth that swallowed us and to those we left behind.

My Pandesal Recipe: Hit or Miss

2013-10-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

Being in Brunei for almost 3 years now, there are some things that I miss about Philippines. One if this is the hot pandesal every morning. I grew up in Sampaloc eating pandesal with butter almost everyday of my life when I was a kid.

Nostalgia scene in my mind: My lola and Tyang me and kuya, eating that hot pandesal early morning before my dad picks us up from lola's house to send to school. Miss my lola so much. Miss Tyang too, I should give her a call.

Moving on with my story. We can easily buy pandesal here, but it is not hot anymore. As is already packed in plastic and probably was baked hours before I finally her my hands on it in the groceries. So I am craving for the "hot steamy pandesal". So I searched youtube and found a lot of pandesal recipes and gave it a try. Contrary to what I expect, it wasn't that hard as all. This is my first time to bake anything, and I almost sure that I will fail. Gladly, it turned out well. It didnt turned out as a perfect pandesal, mine is a bit heavy, more on a monay rather than a pandesal. But I am happy with it. It tastes great, and very filling too.

So, in conclusion. My pandesal is certainly a Hit. I love it.

Recipe from Panlasang Pinoy

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup white sugar
5 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup fresh milk, warm
1 pouch rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup bread crumbs
1 piece raw egg
1 tbsp cooking oil
Procedure
1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully disolved
2. In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingrdients starting with the flour then the sugar, salt, and baking powder . Mix well by stirring
3. Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until a dough is formed. Use your clean hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
4. In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.
5. Mold the dough until shape becomes round then put back in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least 1 hour
6. Put the dough back to the flat surface and divide into 4 equal parts using a dough slicer
7. Roll each part until it forms a cylindrical shape
8. Slice the cylindrical dough diagonally (These slices will be the individual pieces of the pandesal)
9. Roll the sliced dough over the breadcrumbs and place in a baking tray with wax paper (makes sure to provide gaps between doughs as this will rise later on)
10. Leave the sliced dough with breadcrumbs in the tray for another 10 to 15 minutes to rise
11. Pre heat the oven at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 10 minutes
12. Put the tray with dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
13. Turn off the oven and remove the freshly baked pandesal.
14. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!

Topics for Blogs

2013-10-06T20:03:00.002-07:00

Wahhhh! I have so many things to say. So many things to blog about. I've been gone for a looooong time, and now that I am back to blogging. It's as if I am so excited again to tell ~~everybody~~ or one person who accidentally stumble onto my blog. I have so many stories to tell. So many photos to share. While my adrenalin is still on peak. I will write them all in one sitting and schedule it for publishing. So here are the topics that you will expect to read on my blog.

My pandesal recipe: Hit or Miss
How I Got a FREE House. (and everything in it is free too/ including rent)
How cheap it is to live in Brunei. (This will shock you! Stay tuned!)
My New Work.
Accident!!!!
Filipino Beggar in Brunei
Life Cycle of A Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Stay tuned!! I will be writing all day today. Leave me a comment.

Long Hiatus

2013-10-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hi, I know I haven't posted a blog for a long time, the reasons? I got busy, depressed and lazy among other things. Now that I have a little bit more extra time, I would like to get back to blogging. I know, there are very few people who reads my blogs since I wasn't active for a very long time. This is perfectly fine for me. I started this blog years ago to find solace, to express myself. I didn't intend to earn on this blog, nor have a vast readership. Now that it is back to that again, meaning no more readers, no more pay blogs, no more advertisements. I don't need to worry about statistics, pagerank, etc.

But my blog is still open for public, and if there is somebody else in the world who bumps into my blog every now and then. I will appreciate if you will comment on the post, I would love to interact to with you. So this is me now. I must admit, I do miss blogging, I miss interacting with the bloggers. I miss going to events and meeting new people. I wonder if blogging is the same here in Brunei. I wonder, if there are many supporter for bloggers as it is in the Philippines. What I know, is that they do love to go online. Everywhere you go, people have their faces glued to a tablet,or a phone. I just don't know if they recognize the power of blogging here. If they know how to use is for marketing, for media exposure. Hmmm! Interesting subject. I will soon discover, if blogging effective as a marketing device and if it is applicable to the Brunei market.

For now, I am leaving you guys with my recent photo.

mademoiselle

2013-08-29T20:39:00.001-07:00

mademoiselle by jpespino featuring a white slip

GANT white slip / Emilio Pucci black fringe kimono / Carven high waisted short skirt / Funtasma greek sandals / Yves Saint Laurent beige clutch / Stella & Dot stella dot bracelet / Dorothy Perkins brown diamond necklace / Drop earrings / Alice by Temperley bow tie belt, $145

Inner Sanctum

2013-08-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

Inner Sanctum by annmaira featuring flower boxes

Seashell home decor
laylagrayce.com

Ballard accent chair
ballarddesigns.com

Litecraft 5 light crystal chandelier
$160 - debenhams.com

Lili Alessandra white bed linen
laylagrayce.com

HUGO navy blue pillow case
$71 - amara.com

Floral pillow cover
etsy.com

Barbara cosgrove table lamp
laylagrayce.com

Sunpan chrome furniture
allmodern.com

Quintessence flower box
$54 - harveynichols.com

Interior Design Projects

2013-02-15T00:53:00.003-08:00

Hi, I've been out of the loop for so long, I haven't posted anything in months. Since I am not so busy today. I would like to share some of my recent Interior Design works. Hope You like it.

living room for a V.I.P.

dinging room for a prince

bachelor's Pad 1

Batchelor's Pad 2

Master Bedroom

Family Hall

Lasagna, croissant and lemonade

2012-02-12T20:20:00.001-08:00

I've always wanted to bake lasagna since I went here in Brunei. I am so fed up with chicken and malay food I am looking for food that is more familiar to my taste buds. So I stock up the ingredients, with the intention to bake a whole batch to bring to my friends when I go to the "mess", but the last time I went there I was too lazy to cook so I just bought fish and chips.

I was perky and happy on a Sunday morning so I decided to cook. It was delicious, I want a bit of more herbs in it, like our home grown basil back in the Philippines, but other than that I thinks this batch is really "mouth watering" good. To bad I don't have anybody to share it with.

New Brunei Adventures

2012-02-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, for some reason I have decided to resuscitate this blog and give it a new life. I have to many things to write but I just dont feel like writing about it, but I am bored and sad.. haha.. I think this blog will be my best friend once again. There are a lot of things that happened to me, I got fired, got hired, found new love, bought a car and gained some weight all over again.

I don't even know where to start, which stories to tell. So I guess lets start with the photos. So first photo to share is my new car that I would like to call "cutie pie", simply because it is so small and cute.

The new sexy me!!!

2011-09-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

before

Finally, after years of struggling with my weight, I can now say that I am back to an acceptable weight. I still needs to lose 10lbs more to reach my goal, but I am satisfied that I lost 20lbs in 3 months. Here's my before and after pictures.

Living Room Design Board

2011-09-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

1.Inspiration Room 2. Color scheme 3. Upholstery Fabric 4. Antique Gold Wood Finish 5. Furniture Pieces 6.Fabric Suggestions for Pillows 7.Fabric for Curtain 8.Lighting Fixture Suggestions (either use a glass or crystal base or silver metallic base)