I am Aileen

FOREVER SUMMER at Baler | Beach, Booze, and Beats

2012-05-25T02:42:00.002+08:00

Our trip to Baler will finally push through this weekend!

We actually planned to just go surfing in Baler (this will be my first time to surf!) but then, one of our companions found this awesome event from Travel Factor—an adventure travel company here in the Philippines—called as Forever Summer! For only P3,900 per person, they will take us to Baler's beach from May 26-27, where we'll be having lots of time for surfing, a night of beach partying, booze, and the best backdrop beats from Manila's DJs! Whew! The overnight lodging will be at the Aliya Surf Camp and there will also be a roundtrip transportation included in the package. Add on some tokens and shiz, blah blah blah... Bottom line: A great deal! So yes! This weekend, I'll be at Baler having the most awesome time this summer—forever summer!

...I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS!

Well... I'm actually anxious really about the surfing part, because I don't really know how to swim. (Oh the irony. To think that I can't swim when in fact, I was born in an island!) One of our companions for this trip who's a regular 'surfer' in Baler had assured me that I can still surf despite how I'm a non-swimmer. But that still doesn't appease me. And I hope they wouldn't make me wear a life vest. LOL. No. I'm kidding. I'd pick life over an uncool vest. HAHA. But anyway, I'm badly regretting how I haven't took the time to take some swimming lessons... *sigh* Haha! But I guess I'll push through. I mean, I should!

So goodbye for a while, Manila, I'll be back!

Zalora Philippines | Grand Launch

2012-05-23T02:30:00.000+08:00

If you're a busy person like me, it's often a pain to find time to actually shop and indulge your inner shopaholic-slash-fashionista. But thankfully now, there's Zalora! Philippines new online shopping website that has two note-worthy quirks: First is the fact that it offers over 5,000 products and 200 local and international fashion brands for both men and women (e.g. Gucci, D&G, Jansport, Calvin Klein, Freeway, Crocs, etc.)! And then second is on how it offers same-day delivery and free nationwide shipping! Yes! You read that right and it's crazily good! As for the payment? You can do it by credit card or just pay the cash-on-delivery! Aaah, heaven!

And much thanks to Nuffnang, I was given an invitation to Zalora's grand launch last May 9, 2012 at the Sky Lounge in BGC! Through this event, I managed to learn more about the company, their service, the founders, and the team too!

There were laptops all over the place so we could personally check out the website for ourselves!

The lovely host for the night, the model and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist, Sarah Meier-Albano!

And of course, the three founders of Zalora which were surprisingly (or not really so? Haha!) all men! From left to right, Pedro Dominguez, Brian Cu, and Paulo Campos.

For a sneak peak of their fashion show, here it is:

And then... the after party began! The place was so packed! I didn't stay too long though (I have work the next day! See how I say that I barely have time? Haha!) but I had fun meeting a lot of new people that night! A lot of fashionistas and celebrities were also in this event and it was such a joy to see them clad in their best outfit!

Check the Zalora website now [ click ]! They also have a SALE section for your easy access! And just to add before I end this post, another perk when you buy at Zalora is that you are guaranteed a 30 days return! Check out their FAQ section to learn more [ click ].

La Senza | SALE!

2012-05-20T20:38:00.002+08:00

I was strolling around Serendra last Saturday and these bright pink signs outside La Senza's shop caught my eye; signs that were full of these phrases: "50% Off! 2 Days Left!!!" Apparently, it's their Spring sale! And sure enough, I knew I had to come and conquer. LOL.

I looooove La Senza so I am really thankful for this sale! Once I got in to the store, I swear my head was spinning (with excitement!) because the items were really cheap and there were a lot of funky designs to choose from!

Unfortunately, the sale just ended today, and I hope I had learned of it a lot sooner so that I could have also shared it you guys here in my blog. But nonetheless, I'm sure they'd have a sale soon! (They should! Haha!)

Just in case you're curious, here was their sale offer!

And this was my haul:

And these are pictures of me, wearing what I've bought....

LOLOLOLOLLLLL. NO.

There's no way in hell that I'd take pictures of myself in undies. Hahahaha! But anyway, I got the 7 cotton panties for P1,495 and the 2 bras for P1,395 deals!

I was more than happy! ♥

Mother's Day at F Restaurant

2012-05-16T00:21:00.001+08:00

Having to live apart from my parents plus my hectic work days rarely gives me the opportunity to see my mom. Unless, she personally visits me here in my apartment, then yes, we get the chance to actually spend some quality time together. It would never be enough, but it can't really be helped.

That's why I knew I had to make 'Mother's Day' a special day for her; and for me too! Now, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) has become my second home for the past months, so somehow, I know the good dining spots in the area and there's this one place that piqued my curiosity: F Restaurant, which is in BGC's first hotel, the Best Western Premier F1 Hotel. Unfortunately, that Sunday was fully booked, I was about to look for another restaurant but then my mom told me that we could go for the 12th since she had things to do on the 13th anyway.

Fast forward to the day, we arrived at F Restaurant by six, which was early! But that gave us a chance to actually roam around the floor... and I have got to say! I'm so glad for picking this place! Everything was posh and easy on the eyes!

More to love about F Restaurant is that we had a clear view of BGC's cityscape even from within the dining area! So definitely, this place would be really great for a romantic dinner as well!

Guests are even welcome to roam their pool deck, and just... wow. I swear this place was divine! (I didn't get a chance to picture the scene when they put the lights on and stuff).

Well... the restaurant is actually small compared to famous buffet places like Sofitel and Circles (not too small!) but what F Restaurant may lack in size, it makes up for the ambiance and the food; of course! As I usually am, I went on to attack the bread, cheeses, and desserts like a madman for most of the night! Mom on the other hand, went mostly for the fruits and salads.

If you want to check out more of the food porn, go by to my food blog at: [ click ]

Aaaaand what's a Mother's Day blog entry without a a photo of my mom? Right? Haha! I love her so much! ♥ ...I actually wanted to also post photos of my mom back when she was young (especially because she had this crazy long black hair then! Haha!) but I don't have her old photos with me.

Seen in the photo above is also my additional gift for mom: a white purse. (I had to make the photo in BnW because mom... was being vain. "Gawin mong black and white!" HAHA!) I also gave her my brother's gift for her that day; a phone, and I kept teasing mom that it's going to be a challenge for her to deal with a touch phone. And she keeps blackmailing me in return for teasing her too much. LOL.

Contented and full, we decided to drop by Serendra to window shop and talk... and read. (Fully Booked, baby!)

Needless to say, it was a really great day! Having such days like this makes me miss the times when I had a LOT more free time to spare.

Night Life at the REPUBLIQ

2012-05-13T02:25:00.000+08:00

The party scene is NOT overrated.

Okay. Actually, I used to think that it is. I've witnessed a lot of people who get all wasted and cranked up for all the wrong reasons—during and after a night of clubbing, so who wouldn't think of it as overrated? But right now, if someone were to ask what partying is for me, I'd say straight out that it's 'the good life'.

I know that a lot would disagree especially if they've had disappointing experiences before and especially if they're also quick to judge. But if they really party for the fun of it, and if they party with the RIGHT crowd, then I think they'd understand where I'm going with the 'good life' statement; and I think they'd agree with me! I do believe that the reason why they're against the idea of partying is because they haven't experienced it with the right people YET. Besides, partying isn't about drowning yourself away in alcohol and getting all high as if that's all there is to it. No. Not really.

Partying is an excuse to hang out with your friends and also an excuse to meet new people who are all on the same page with you for that night. It's just a unique experience altogether; I mean, let's take for instance the fact that even if a bad song comes on, you'll still find yourself having fun because you just can't help but to dance and do your own thing. It's just like that! You'll feel so alive because everyone around you is on the same level! It's intense. It's infectious. It's... just... yeah, awesome. Haha!

"You're not missing much." Yeaaaah. I've heard this line for numerous times already. "It's a cramped place, it's too crowded, too hot, too noisy, blah blah blah." And yes, yes, yes it is. I won't deny that reality to you guys. But, those bad parts aside, I still do think that it's a great and worthy way to unwind; even more so while we're still young and able to stay up till the wee hours.

Now, I'm not a party girl myself; I rarely party! BUT if an event comes up and I get invited, I never say no because here's what I think: "No one really looks back into their life to remember the nights that they had plenty of sleep." Right? And parties make for good places to make memories in, which can all be great to be retold and laughed over in a couple of years. I guess what I'm just trying to say is... we should all just try and live it up a little. I'm definitely not forcing anyone to go partying, but everyone should at least try.

...and now, after that very lengthy rant, let me just say that I've recently went partying with my cousins! Haha! It has been far too long since I've last met up with them and this night out that we had over in Republiq (at Resorts World Manila) was one of the most memorable nights that I've ever had this year!

I've been to Encore, Fiamma, Manor, etc. etc. and had a great time from each of these clubs! But I can totally agree that Republiq is the best-est night spot in the metro right now! Entrance is worth P600.00 but if you can get in to the guest lists, you can of course, come in for free!

That night, I managed to gain spots for us in Sha's guest list for Republiq's Pure Saturdays. (I would have loved to come during Soiree Fridays but I had some errands to do that day. Boo!)

But just to get straight to the point—I had an AWESOME and WILD night! Haha! I guess I could say that I did a lot of silly things that I wouldn't regret! Hmmm...I refer to myself as a free spirit so I guess that mainly accounts for the reason why I love partying!

I guess I should just let the pictures speak for themselves. I try to limit the pictures to protect some of my cousins' privacy. (So photos below consists of some of my cousins and some of our friends.)

Ombre Hair | Black To Red Makeover

2012-05-07T23:40:00.000+08:00

I've dyed my hair red before (check my entry about it here), but that eventually lightened out after numerous washes, thus giving me a copper brown hue. (And in the first place, it wasn't too red; so not a lot of my friends had noticed. Haha!) Recently, the regrowth became obvious, so you can say that I was in dire need of having my hair recolored. Thanks to Kira's amazing contest, I managed to win over an ombre hair makeover just when I needed it most! Of course I was very, very happy when she notified me of the fact that I've won! ♥ Besides, I've been dying to 'amp up' my look!

Ombre is a French word for 'shading', and hair stylists have used this term for this certain method of coloring wherein they give the hair a two-toned color—usually, dark to light (e.g. black to blonde) or dark to dark (e.g. black to blue). With the right technique, it wouldn't look like your typical 'highlights'; it would look more appealing and classier because there would be uneven ribbons of a different color other than your base hair color.

This hairstyle first became trendy last 2010 in Hollywood, but it was only just recently that it became popular here in our side of the world. Knowing this, I was very excited to join Kira's contest so yeah, once again, let me just gush my 'thank yous' to her. Haha!

This free ombre hair makeover was done by Azta Urban Salon's Tomas Morato branch. I scheduled an appointment with them last Saturday and I found out that they were located across the street of Johnny Rockets. It was a charming spot, and I was then introduced to one of their senior stylists, Anton, and his assistant, Maybelle who will be handling me that day.

The two of them were very friendly and accommodating. I consulted with them first, telling them of my plan to have a dark to dark ombre hair: dark base with red tips. They were very excited to do it, especially since, as they say, I was the first to request of this style. Before we began, they first offered me magazines; they even asked if I would like to have a drink. Apparently, they offer free drinks! Some of the choices were iced tea, iced/hot coffee, herbal tea, or milk tea. I of course, ordered for milk tea and it tasted great! A bit sweet, yes, but I didn't mind much.

Now before we really get started, I had to take a picture of my hair before it goes ombre!

See how dull it is? Haha. And the regrowth is really obvious.

So first thing first, Maybelle shampooed my hair. I was about to get off my seat to go to their 'rinsing station' but she said that there's no need to. Azta has its own 'shampooing style', where the shampoo process will be done at my seat first, ridding off the dirt and oils, before rinsing it off at the station.

Next up, the coloring process! Anton told me that since I have a round face (or yes, specifically, a heart-shaped face), it was better to apply the red at the lower end—meaning, not too high. I told him that I wouldn't want such a loud red color, but he told me that it's fine if it's a bit loud and pronounced at first because red fades rather quickly. And well, I had to agree—just take for example my before red hair which turned to brown in a matter of weeks. So I just let them do their way, and off they go with the meticulous process of coloring the strands of my hair in an uneven fashion.

I was actually a tad less 'chit-chatty' because I was so nervous (but excited!) as to how things would turn out!

After coloring it red, there were of course, brown strands left still at the upper most portions of my hair so Anton colored those locks into black.

And then finally, I saw the end result!!! And I was more than happy! My anxiety was gone and I was more than satisfied! Anton asked that he curls my hair, since ombre is more flattering that way and I gladly obliged.

End note: I was told not to wash my hair for two days. But anyway, let's take a moment to gawk at the blending of the colors! I mean, it's just how I envisioned it to be! It's gorgeous! Thank you Azta, Anton, and Maybelle! I commend you for your superb service! ♥

I went out that night with my cousins, so here are other photos of me with my new red ombre hair!

I apologize for the messy hair and derp faces! Haha! We were having so much fun that night!

If you want to have rockin' ombre hair, check out Azta Urban Salon's Tomas Morato branch! Complete address: 282 Tomas Morato Avenue, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City.

The Avengers | After Credits Shawarma Scene

2012-05-05T19:19:00.000+08:00

You have probably seen the bonus scene at the end of The Avengers movie where they showed Thanos smiling like a pervert before the credits started to roll. But have you seen the after credits' shawarma scene?

^{Don't worry if you can't hear anything; the scene was full of silence anyway haha}

I happened to discover a still image of this scene just this week at Tumblr, and thought that it might have just been a photo of one of their eating places during one of their movie tapings. But today, much to my surprise, I found out that it was actually a scene from the movie! And I felt so bad for not staying in long enough in the cinema so that I could watch it...! BUT APPARENTLY, this after credits or post-credits scene was only shown to viewers in North America.(Luuuucky!) This was shot on April—said to be a day after the world premiere.

Nonetheless, I'm still happy for finding this out! ♥

I mean... Just look at them eating in silence! With Thor being... well... Thor. And Hawkeye being such a badass with his feet up on Black Widow's chair while reading a book! YES! A book! And then the indifferent Captain America. And The Hulk who's clearly minding his own eating business. And let's not forget Iron Man—this classy son of a gun, who's surprisingly not talking! (He talks a lot.) ...But Loki! Where is Loki? They should've brought him in too! ...Poor guy. (LOL)

Now I don't know about you, but so far, The Avengers really has been the most entertaining movie that I've ever seen for this year!

_{*I do not own the video above.*}

Cinemagraphs | Living Images

2012-05-04T10:07:00.001+08:00

If you are on Tumblr like I do, you must have seen examples of these so-called 'cinemagraphs'. What is it exactly? A cinemagraph is actually just a .GIF animation but unlike mainstream .GIF images, they are 'still images' with only minor repeated movements of certain elements in the photo. This 'technique' therefore gives cinemagraphs a unique charm because it makes the image more realistic. It's as if a moment in life was well-preserved and frozen in repeat.

It's much like the magical photos in Harry Potter movies, but much more brief with a flair of artistry and without the magic. This idea and term was actually started and coined by two New Yorkers: a fashion photographer, Jamie Beck, and a motion graphics designer, Kevin Burg, just last 2011. Since then, a lot of fashion designers and photographers have started to make use of this 'cinemagraphic' effect.

So far, I've seen a lot of good cinemagraphs online and I've decided to share them with you! ♥ (NOTE: The images would take time to load.)

Coco Takes Manhattan.

Makeup.

Runway.

Meet Me at the Bar.

Barber shop

Have an Adventurous Weekend.

The Never-ending Commute.

Hookah by Firelight.

Beach.

Traffic.

New York.

Can you Smell Them?

Coffee.

There are still a lot of awesome cinemagraphs out there, but these are just some of those that I've loved. But from all of these, let me ask: What's your favorite?

*Most of these photos are taken from Jamie and Kevin's website: [ click ]

The Avengers Fever!

2012-05-01T21:18:00.001+08:00

Up till now, I still can't get over The Avengers movie! If you've read my previous post about the movie, I can guarantee to you that I am still as high as how I sounded in that entry. Haha! And yep, my watching of it for three times in a row did happen and it was AWESOME. I really can't say that the 3D experience was really '3D', but it was great in its way.

But anyway, yes, that's Iron Man right there in this photo on the left and he's looking fine and dandy! ...but looks a bit short though. LOL! (Now if only it was really Robert Downey Jr. that's inside the costume then that night would have been complete!) This was taken during Nuffnang and PLDT's exclusive screening at the Shangri-La Plaza where I, was luckily invited! *cheers*

And there was one other guy who had graced us with his presence during this day... ladies and gents', it's The Hulk!

Err... well, actually, it's the ugliest and smallest version of The Hulk—which brings me to the thought that maybe this was a different green being altogether. LOL.

Second round was at Greenhills right after we celebrated my college blockmate's birthday at Omakase! And I could not go on without mentioning how we ordered practically almost everything off of the menu! It was crazy! Haha! But I couldn't complain really, because my tummy was in nirvana. ♥

The highlight of our dinner was when my blockmate's barkada brought in his cake from Kink Cakes:

Moving on to the third and final movie-watching was at Greenbelt, a company event of ours. I've mentioned before that I was planning on joining our cosplaying competition where I'll dress up as the female version of Nick Fury, but I lacked the energy and the will (a.k.a. laziness) to push through with it; besides, work alone is keeping me busy too much lately. But it would have been fun to come in dressed like that though—especially if others would join in on the fun too! ...Because that day, there were only two people who came in in costumes. Haha! Brave men, indeed! But this just shows how busy the other people are. LOL (Or that most are also embarrassed or expectant that only a few would have the guts to join haha!)

To cap my Avengers fever, I was given the poster below and I'm still thinking if whether I'd put the poster up or not, and if I do... where. Haha!

How about you, have you watched The Avengers movie? How was it for you?

Batangas | ROAD TRIP!

2012-04-29T15:00:00.000+08:00

This post is long overdue, but I have to post it! This happened during the first week of this month. My friends invited me over to come with them on their Batangas trip—and certainly, I couldn't say no. ♥

We left Manila at around 5AM and our trip to Batangas took around 2 hours, I think? I can't remember well. But when we did arrive at the city, we decided to drop by Laiya to check out the beaches and have a nice fun dip in the sea. UNFORTUNATELY, we got lost. LOL. I think we ended up way over Lucena, so our brief trip turned into a four hour drive!

When we did reach Laiya, one of the 'resorts' was packed and we were too tired to haggle... end result, we decided to just go back to the city. This sh*t cray! HAHA!

On our drive back, it was already noon and we were starving. Now who would dare leave Batangas without trying even one of the lomi houses? (All the lomi houses that were spread about were screaming at us!) The first neat spot that we saw was Centro Food House, a humble restaurant just by the side of the road in Rosario. You can check out our food trip here in this entry that I've made over my food blog! - [ click ].

I can't remember the last time that I've tried lomi, but our lunch here was great!

Now when we did reach the city, we decided to check in to our hotel first which is Hotel Ponte Fino! This is said to be Batangas' popular 'boutique' hotel (I'm honestly not sure as to what that means). But the place was such an eye candy; especially because of the small colorful apartments lined up in front of the area. What's even great is that this was located somewhat right at the center of the city and it's near the SM mall too.

The entrance had this vast driveway and fountain up front—for sure, the sunny weather really helped in making this place into a dreamy one.

Inside, they had a neat lobby, and out in the garden would be the pool! Seeing it for the first time that day badly urged me to start swimming already! (But looking at the sun and the time, I had to retreat.) On the left side, there was a small bar and a small area where we could play billiards.

Now, for our rooms! We were five in all; so we took two Premium rooms where each have two twin beds; the three guys would take up one room, and us two girls would of course take the other. I think the rate for an overnight stay in this room was around 4K+. And I say it's a good deal because it was neat and cozy with predominant hues of orange, white, and brown. The CR though was small and actually... unflattering, but it was okay! There's even a huge closet and a flat screen TV with a lot of channels to choose from!

Tired from our drive, we decided to lounge around our rooms for a bit, so yeah... for the remainder of the afternoon we wasted away our time watching TV and singing along to MTV/MYX songs. LOLOLOL. This was the part where I was introduced to The Wanted's newest song, "Glad You Came" which was actually a funny moment.

The Wanted: ♪♫♪ "The universe, will never be the same. I'm glad you came...~" ♪♫♪
Me: ...............
Friend: ...............
Me: ...............
Friend: ...............
Me: *slowly looked at him*
Friend: *looked back*
Me & Friend: *starts laughing*
Me: Boy, were they glad she came! HAHA!
Friend: We're going to hell.
Me: Yep, haha! We definitely are!

Finally, we decided to go out to SM to buy Monopoly Deal Cards, but when we were at SM's Toy Store, there weren't any stock available. It was getting dark so we decided to eat dinner; we spotted this really bright place called Bigg's Diner. Apparently, this was a popular fast food chain that originated from Bicol. (Read about our experience here in my food blog: click!)

After dinner, we proceeded to go to the supermarket to buy some food to eat for the night ahead! Looking at all our haul, my inner-healthy-living-persona was screaming foul! But I decided that this would be one of my guilt-free cheat days! Haha! ♥

What was rather interesting while we were shopping is that my companions who are all Chinese, kept on introducing some treats that they've grown up with... which I was of course, not familiar with! One in particular was this rice cake! And it tasted great!

Armed with food that could last us weeks (LOLJK) we went back to the hotel and finally took a swim! What's cool is that they have a jacuzzi too that was smacked right in the middle of the pool area. Now... At this point, I didn't take pictures. My friends took some though especially since they had an underwater camera in hand, but they have yet to start uploading the pictures! Haha!

Once we had enough of swimming, we went back to our rooms and started playing cards and pigging out. The rest is as they say... history.

Come the next day, we had a hearty breakfast! (Check my entry about this here: click!) Afterwards, we checked out of Hotel Ponte Fino and set our eyes on Tagaytay. We were planning on going to Sonya's for lunch; but there was such heavy traffic! It was Easter Sunday anyway... but we prevailed! So finally, we reached the bed and breakfast place at around 1PM. Check out our experience here: click!

Our trip back to Manila was a battle—there was still such heavy traffic! Nonetheless, this trip we had was really fun! I can't wait for our next 'road trip'! ♥ ♥ ♥

The Avengers (2012)

2012-04-27T05:19:00.004+08:00

Watching The Avengers a while ago turned out to be the BEST 142 MINUTES OF MY NIGHT!

I had such high hopes for this movie and boy, I was right for setting the bar that high, because every scene and every thing about this movie was freaking awesome! Much thanks therefore to Nuffnang (yet again!) and PLDT for the free movie tickets! ...Now I really can't wait to watch this in 3D this Saturday!

Yeah, I'm watching it again because before the screening day had arrived for this movie here in the Philippines, I was already 'booked' on three consecutive dates to watch it! First was a while ago at Shang c/o Nuffnang. Round two would be happening 'today' at Greenhills with my college friends, and then round three would be the 3D experience at Greenbelt c/o my work place where I'd be watching it together with my work mates in style! WOOT! ♥ Well of course I was worried at first that I'd get so sick of watching this especially if it would turn out be such a 'suck-ass-sh*t', but as it is, I'm actually more than happy that I'm going to watch this for three times in a row! Oh, yeah!

Now back to why the movie was awesome... Well, actually, let's face the fact first. It’s a common thing for action movies to have less to no substance and 'plot' at all; the flow is almost typical and clichéd—and for the most part, most of what you’ll get to see are big doses of trash talking, action, explosions, and sci-fi shit—but ladies and gents'……. THAT’S EXACTLY WHY I LOVE THE AVENGERS OR ANY GOOD ACTION MOVIE WHATSOEVER! The Avengers in particular had scenes that were breath-taking and clever! Add tons of humor too, and I’m sold hardcore.

Besides, I'm actually that type of girl who would take on action movies over tear-jerkers at any time of the day! ♥ One of the boys, baby!

What's even more commendable with this movie was the acting! And kudos especially to Scarlett! Why am I saying this? ***SPOILER*** Well... it was at that part where The Hulk ran amok and mad, and she (Black Widow) became too scared at how he was behaving. Now, Black Widow as I see it is one fearless chick, so to see her cowering in total fear against The Hulk was a very infectious moment—multiply that with her good delivery, acting, and expressions, and I was totally at the edge of my seat!

And well of course, how can I forget the effects and ugggghhh... the hot men! Haha! It was a feast, I tell you. A really, really, great feast for the eyes.

Before I go on discussing the humorous parts in the movie, let me discuss a personal funny experience that I had while watching this movie. It was in the middle part when I heard someone fart loudly in the crowd (or at least it sounded like one), to which Nick Fury suddenly muttered something onscreen which kind of went like: "We didn’t see that one coming." Hearing that, naturally, I couldn't stop laughing!!!! My companion nor anyone in the cinema didn't seem to notice that bit, but I definitely did! So I kept it to myself, and tried in vain to stiffle my laughter! It was really shallow, I know, but it happened in such perfect timing that I couldn't help myself!

*cough* Moving on, I'll just get on with the humorous parts! There were a lot actually, but here were my top five! ***SPOILERS AHEAD***

The Hulk started to attack Loki, smashing him inside Stark’s building. Infuriated, Loki stood up in anger and said something like: “I’ve had enough of this! I am a God! You should bow before me, blah, blah blah.” Indifferent, The Hulk proceeded to smash him all over the place in such a savage manner, which surprised and semi-paralyzed Loki (and me. LOL). Finished, The Hulk walked away and muttered, “Puny God.” AWESOME SHIT.

Thor and the other members of the Avengers team were arguing over Loki, and Thor keeps on defending him since he's brotherly like that (LOL), he said things like: “He’s still my brother”. And then someone said, “Your brother killed 80 men today.” To which Thor quickly replied, “He’s adopted.” LOLOLOLLL.

After regaining consciousness due to The Hulk’s deafening roar (that's a 'doctor' right there!), Stark said something like: “Tell me that nobody kissed me.”

Agent Coulson, a big fan of Captain America, couldn't stop gushing over him so he was behaving in such an awkward way. At one point he said, “I watched you while you slept.” BAHAHAHAHA. Cue: Twilight.

After defeating a lot of Leviathans, Thor and The Hulk stood side by side, basking in their victory…. and just to make up for the earlier part where they had to fight where Thor won; Hulk quickly and ‘casually’ punched Thor. LOL!

Gaaaahd, I really can't wait for my round two and three! (And yes, especially the 3D experience this weekend! I hope it wouldn't suck! Most of the 3D shows that I've seen weren't that '3D' anyway and were more of a pain to watch.)

Now I honestly think that this Avengers-fever wouldn't go away soon. And if you haven't watched this, I suggest that you do and get infected with the 'fever' as well! GO! XD

My Tumblr Page

2012-04-17T21:47:00.000+08:00

I don't know if I have announced it here before; but anyway! Just in case you want to see more daily updates from me, you can check out my Tumblr page because this is where I'm posting most of the random things in my life and my thoughts. ♥

Now what's the difference from my Tumblr page and this blog? Well of course, this blog is my main blogging space and will remain to be that so; but my Tumblr is wholly dedicated to my short spasms of insatiable desire to write, rant, and comment on just about anything—hence the reason why my Tumblr page is updated more regularly (as I've said, daily *wink* haha). In www.i-am-aileen.tumblr.com is where you could also view my Project 366!

In the times when I was rarely updating this www.iamaileen.com site, I was actually spending most of my blogging time away in Tumblr (from the half of 2009 to 2011). And no worries though, because I don't reblog much! I try to make my site more personal and less of a 'reblog blog' in the Tumblr community.

So there. Hope you could check it out! :)
You could also leave a question by clicking the 'Ask' button; as you can see, it's one way for me to connect my followers. ♥

PLDT myDSL & Nuffnang bring you The Avengers!

2012-04-16T01:11:00.000+08:00

I don't watch TV, but I bet you guys do. So I have a strong feeling that you've seen the Anna Banana PLDT commercial long before me.

Now that's a really supportive mom right there! "A singing voice that only a mother can love." Haha! See how the internet could even help a kid's confidence? Well actually, I've heard of this 'song' way before since it was being constantly played in this one radio station's commercial break; it was only just last March when I discovered that it was a kid who was singing the song.

Nonetheless, I commend PLDT for this cool scheme! Aside from the catchy song that I have come to bearably like (haha), I like this commercial because it also shows how a stable internet connection in every device could help you accomplish the things that you need to do.

The video below was the original music video of that cute little kid, Derek, as he declares his 'love' for Anna!

His singing didn't stop there though! After hitting 1M+ views, Derek posted another video to thank everyone, and then sang a song again! This kid is adorable!

If you want such a stable connection; and we do want a stable connection since we are all so hard-wired to the internet nowadays, then certainly... the PLDT myDSL Plan 1299 is just the plan for you! It used to be only 768KB, but now, it went up to a smashing 1MB! No worries though if you're already on the Plan 990, because if you'll add just about P300.00 to your monthly bill, then you can also avail this sweet deal!

If you need more detailed information, just head on to http://www.pldtmydsl.com/ or to their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pldtlandline

Nick Fury Inspired Getup

2012-04-14T12:29:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, something really amazing happened. As part of our HR's 'People Committee' effort, our perk-for-the-month was finally announced!

Really cheap tickets to an exclusive 3D screening at Greenbelt for the Avengers movie; and then the tickets would serve as an access pass to an after-party at Palladium Bar in New World Manila Hotel where there will be free food and drinks!

DAMN, SON! My company rocks; no doubt about it! What's more is that there's going to be a raffle and they're also going to hold a Cosplay Competition wherein Apple prizes will be given away! Surely, this shit is cray! And I'm not complaining, haha! But knowing this 'cosplay thing', a thought suddenly struck me. I've never done cosplaying before so I was thinking that I should try it, just for the fun of it! Of course the first getup that came to mind would be Black Widow's, but I thought, naaaaah, that's too easy and expected. So I did the next best (simple) thing, and I came up with a Nick Fury inspired getup using Looklet.com! Ta-daaaah!

If my decision pushes through, I'd opt for a dress rather than for pants (like the below picture). And oh, I'd just need to find some fake guns and a long coat, an eye patch, and sky high boots. Well okay, almost all of the ensemble. Haha! But I'm so excited! I hope this wouldn't end up as just some plan.

When my friends learned of this, they were all, why not just go for Black Widow since Nick and Natalia's looks are almost just the same, being black and all that. I was tempted because if I go for Black Widow I can get to have an excuse to color my hair red again. But I was all, "No way, Jose." There's no way that I'd wear a snug body-fitting suit in public—not yet!. Haha! And besides, I instantly opted for Nick Fury because I also wanted a reason to wear an eye patch. LOL!

This aside, I'm really hoping that I could get to buy the limited tickets since this event was especially exclusive for us—our previous cheap movie screenings have allowed us to bring a friend, but since this was a bigger thing, it's understandable how it'd only be for us.

This extravagance wasn't for nothing though because all proceeds will be given to charity; more of a reason for me to watch and party! ♥ It is said that the Avengers movie will be showing on theaters this April 25 and I'm hell excited for it! I will LOVE every moment of the movie and I hope it wouldn't disappoint.

My 2012 Holy Week

2012-04-12T01:23:00.006+08:00

I haven't been too active in my blogs lately, mainly because of the Holy Week—which is actually a good thing! These were holidays, so naturally, I took my sweet time and spent most of those days with my family and friends. To be precise, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday was with my family, and Saturday was with my friends (where we went on a trip to Batangas and Tagaytay which I will discuss in another post later on).

For this post though, I want to share what our family had done for the Holy Week. ♥

Thursday

I spent my morning at the office since it wasn't a holiday over at New York, but! I was allowed to leave once I was done. (Yay!) So, by 3PM, I went home for as quickly as I could and come night time, my mom, my sister, and I went on a movie marathon spree! Haha! But before that, I actually played with my nephew (who is around 9 months still) for hours (and hours) in order to tire him out—and boy, he has a ton of energy, I tell you! After a millennium, he finally went to sleep, which my sister greatly appreciated and which I was greatly exhausted.

But anyway, during our marathon, my mom let us indulge on junk food and I of course, picked Lay's Sour Cream and Onion flavor!

It was tough trying to make Gian laugh like that in front of the camera.
The Lay's chips was very easy to take a shit at though. LOL!

And oh, during the afternoon, my mom and sister went to church to pray the Stations of the Cross. I think at this point I'll have to say that I'm not really... religious, or should I say that I'm confused(?). I'm actually bordering on being an agnostic, but of course, I do believe in God.

Story is, I still have my doubts but I'm trying to work on my faith, I really am. This is the reason why I don't go to Church that much. I prefer praying privately to God and doing things, my way, to worship Him. My mom isn't happy about it, she had tried for years to make me... but eventually she let me do what I want in order for me to find my own way, which is actually effective for the both us, and we're good. Hmmmm... Actually, I've been wanting to do the Visita Iglesia for years just to see how it would fare for me, but I haven't really gotten to that point yet.

Friday

One of the reasons why I also miss my hometown (Batanes) is because I can get to commemorate these kinds of days with less people in a serene environment. Also, I love going to our street processions and it is in those days where my faith was at its strongest; unwavering to be exact. But here in the city, I really can't find the same comfort. Either way, me and my family went to mass for this day in order to venerate Jesus Christ.

The rest of the time, we spent it at home; lounging and sharing stories of different sorts... which I really enjoyed! We rarely get to have this much time, seeing as I'm working on weekdays and prancing around the city on weekends.

Sunday

My friends and I arrived in Manila at around 8:30PM which... isn't what I really had in mind. The thing is, I didn't want to pressure my friends nor destroy our fun time out. I also didn't want to be a killjoy especially since I'm not the one who owns and drives the car that we were using, BUT I really just wanted to go home. If I had my own car, I would've left in the morning, but I don't have one at that moment, and I'm not even brave to get out of Batangas by commuting or whatnot. So...! I gathered up the courage to kindly request for us to leave earlier so that I could arrive to Manila at around 6:00PM or 5:00PM even, which my friend (driver? Haha! LOLJK) and other friends gladly agreed to. Whew!

...I have such awesome friends, I know. Haha!

But, no thanks to blasted traffic... we spent most of the afternoon in the car, listening to music, sharing stories, and sleeping. Haha!

Road trip! Yes, I picked out the picture where their faces won't be seen! HAHA!

Well, my reason for wanting to come home ASAP after our overnight trip in Batangas is because I really wanted to spend Easter Sunday with the family. It has been some sort of 'tradition' for us to always ensure that we all spend Easter Sundays together and I wasn't planning on letting the day pass without celebrating Easter outside with them.

I also wanted to treat my family for this day, so once that I arrived home, I made them rush around the house (haha) so that we could quickly drive away to The Fort. I initially wanted to bring them to Tomas Morato but I suddenly had the urge to be in a bustling place, so yes, I opted for The Fort.

Which is funny, because the middle garden or middle walkway in Serendra was adorned with artistic representations of the Stations of the Cross—I say funny, because as I've said, I'm not that religious, but this place welcomed me with such displays. Kidding aside, I'm glad to have made the sudden decision to change our destination!

There's this one station where you could also carry the cross from point A to point B.

The street near the Nike store was also blocked and a concert stage was set up. There were bands that took turns in singing songs related to worship and God which I did enjoy. And of course, how could I not stop and admire the numerous cuddly and fluffy dogs that were sprawled all across Serendra? Among all of those breeds, I love the Husky types the most! But my mom and sister are both afraid of dogs so I kept on laughing whenever a big dog (or even a small dog!) would pass by and they'd tense up completely. LOL.

*squeals*

Actually, while we were going down the walkways and up to the two ends of the Serendra lot, we were also looking for a place to eat. I initially wanted to bring them to Mamou but there were a lot of people; I tried to go for Chelsea, but that was packed too, how much for T.G.I.! In the end, we went to Mary Grace and had a pasta feast! ♥

To cut it short: it was such a great night and I'm very glad that I spent it with my family. Now, to end this post, let me show you a candid picture of me, haha! This is how I look like when I'm engrossed with 'something' in my phone. I guess... LOL.

And this is a photo of me going to the loo—okay, that was corny. But anyway.

How about you? How did you spend the long weekend?

Zebra Nail Art

2012-04-01T23:30:00.000+08:00

Before Monday comes, I decided to pamper myself a bit so I went to Luxe Nail Lounge at Robinson's Galleria to have my nails done. But while I was on my way to Galleria, I realized that I was wearing my Tom's.... stupid little me.

End result, I didn't get to avail a pedicure; so, I just opted for shaping and cleaning.

But for my hands! I decided to splurge a bit and got this nail art! ♥

I actually wanted to have them do a leopard-patterned nail art, but the front lady and I were having a hard time connecting (LOL) and it seems like they didn't do that kind of design, so I didn't bother explaining further. But I think this zebra-pattern was cool enough!

Now, if you're looking for a satisfying mani-pedi experience, try Luxe Nail Lounge; their employees weren't only friendly and skillful, but the prices/packages of the salon are very affordable too. You can read my first experience with them over here: [ click ].

LEGO's Newest Ad Campaign

2012-03-29T19:57:00.000+08:00

I like it when I discover cool advertising campaigns of products or brands—much like how I discovered some of Absolut's cool poster ads. So lately, I luckily stumbled into LEGO's newest advertising campaign called "Imagine" made by a German ad agency, Jung von Matt. It's a campaign made up of minimalist ads showing famous cartoon characters in simplified LEGO form.

At first, I was really lost because I didn't know yet what the blocks of colors were trying to portray.... but then, I saw this first image and I knew instantly that these were representations of cartoon characters! From that point on, I found it really nice and intriguing because it really makes my brain/memory work.

Can you figure out these other images?

The three images below are the ones that I had a hard time figuring out! ....and when I did figure them out, I knew the reason why—they weren't really a part of my childhood. Haha!

If you're having a bit of a difficult time and just want to know the answers already, just comment away below and I'll be glad to give them to you.

Winner for my Starbucks Planner Giveaway is...

2012-03-26T14:12:00.000+08:00

BUUUUT I MUST PUT ZE SUSPENSE FIRST! LOL.

So yes, to prolong your agony a little bit longer while reading this entry, *cough, cough* I must first express my heartfelt gratitude to those who have found it in themselves to join my coveted giveaway. HAHA! WHAT EVEN. But no, really. I am thankful! I didn't expect a LOT of people to join since my friends were telling me non-stop that no one is looking for a planner when it's already after February. BUT of course, I told them that they were wrong because people would always loooove a planner especially if it's from Starbucks; and besides, everyone loves giveaways! (That always brings frowns to my friends' faces, making me realize that... it might have been their subtle way of saying that I should just give it to one of them instead. LOLJK!)

Therefore, my followers and readers are always so lucky because I put all of you first! (Which is somehow wrong and flawed. HAHA! But I'm obviously just kidding. I love my friends.)

Speaking of friends... my best friend and I were hanging out yesterday, getting our lady swag on, and I just noticed how ugly my nails have started to look like, it looked disgusting and—LOLOLOLLLL okay, okay. I'll stop now. The winner for my Starbucks Planner Giveaway is.............!!!!

JILL ROQUE

(You guys can check the Rafflecopter widget here [ click ] as it also shows the randomly-picked-out winner)

And guess what? She was one of the participants who have submitted the most entries! That goes to show that with more entries, comes more chances to win. So, Jill, congratulations are in order! ~~And may the odds be ever in your favor~~!

I have sent you a message on Twitter and I hope you reply ASAP or else, I might have to draw again another winner. *insert happy face here of the other giveaway-joiners* Haha!

There. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Even if this has ended, I hope you everyone stays tuned in to my blog because I'm going to hold another giveaway reaaaaal SOON. It's something that's going to be perfect for your summer escapades... and yes please do continue to support my two blogs. I would really appreciate it.

Cheers!

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!

2012-03-24T03:41:00.000+08:00

Last night, I watched the Hunger Games along with my best friend, Celine, for free! All thanks to Nuffnang, Boat Banana, and Shick! ♥

This was the first ever Nuffnang event that I have been to so I'm hoping that I could get to be more participative of their promos and affairs.

Now the screening was held at Shangri-La Plaza and my trip towards this place was really... STRESSFUL—an understatement. Surely, I should have anticipated the traffic that a Friday brings, but a lot of things happened that my commute towards Shaw became more than just an annoying adventure for me. First, I should have left the office at five but of all days, my trader asked me a lot of questions so of course, I had to tend to that. Ending time: 6:30PM. But well, I didn't feel rushed at all because I know that the movie was around 8:30PM.

Imagine my surprise though when my BB phone flashed a reminder that the movie would be starting at 7:30PM! And this happened while I was in the middle of a traffic jam at Edsa! A long distance away from the MRT station! Time check: 7:00PM. So naturally, I PANICKED!

I quickly told Celine—who was waiting for me at Shang—that she should try and ask for the tickets under my name if the movie was already starting because I'll be ~~fashionably~~ late... FORTUNATELY, she replied back, saying that the movie will be starting at 8:30PM pa naman, so I really shouldn't worry yet! I received her message at around 7:30PM so I was all: OH SWEET JESUS! And then I immediately threw my BB out of the car window—NOT. Haha! But really now, it's my fault for putting in the wrong time. Gaaaaaah.

Finally, at 7:35PM, I reached the Ayala station. At this point, irritation turned to strong annoyance when I witnessed the long lines! While I was standing in line, I was seriously fuming and mentally running over a long list of things that I dislike about the Philippines!!! (LOLJK). But to cut this rant short, I just hate Friday traffic. Arrival time at Shang: 8:00PM.

So I immediately met up with Celine, and this is where the funny part started. Nuffnang is a blog advertising company, therefore, the guests (like me) were bloggers; in result, I saw a LOT of familiar faces that night—especially the bloggers who are quite popular in the blogosphere! *cue mental fangirling mode* HAHA!

But no, really. It was nice seeing them up close and personal! For one, I saw Saab Magalona with a guy, that Celine and I started wondering if that was her boyfriend. And then I saw Helga of Ditz Revolution and she was really rocking her pink hair; it was hard not to spot her among the throng of people! Camie of Wild Spirit was also there, wearing high-heeled boots all night long that I can't help but be all: "I feel your pain, girl. I really do."

Yeah, I was having fun! I also met some of the bloggers that I personally know like Stacy of Tsinoy Foodies. I guess that's the good part about me; I can go extreme with my emotions but once it's done with, I have the ability to forget it or to just shove it to the back of my mind and then continue having a good time with my life! (And then go back to being stressed again. Vicious cycle, indeed. Haha.)

The Movie Experience

The bottomline: Hunger Games was an awesome movie!
(WARNING: There may be spoilers ahead!)

Spanning at around 2 hours and 30 minutes; it was a long watch! And even if you've read the book, you'll still feel that there were a lot of things missed out—in our own Filipino word: BITIN! But then again... in it's own right, the movie was still a great watch! Because it's not like they could fit in all the intricate details! So yes, my lovelies, this was DEFINITELY worth watching!

Besides..! The clothes, the setting (especially the Capitol and the ~~flower~~ people!), the scenes, and whatnot's were *almost* just like how I imagined it to be! But! I just have a top-of-mind concern though... and it's the shaky camera effect. It could be a bit too much! It was good at some parts because I felt like I was looking through Katniss' or a bystander's eyes, but come on! Shaky footage for the first thirty minutes of the movie? CAMERA GUY, GET YO SHIT TOGETHER MAN. LOL. In some of the fighting scenes, the camera would even move too much that I wouldn't know what I'm supposed to be looking at...

But kudos for the parts where the angles were taken and used so well! During that 'fire' part, it was a great idea to take a shot of the fire ball head on because I felt like the fire ball was headed right at me too! Really, really, suspenseful and thrilling. So thumbs up for that!

Now for the highlight: Katniss and Peeta: I SHIP THEM SO MUCH.

Actually, at first, I didn't think that Jennifer Lawrence would fit the Katniss role. But watching her last night made me realize that NO other actress could play the part so well than her! I especially loved the part where she showed such raw and natural emotions when she was chosen to be the tribute and when she was about to plunge into the arena.

Also, I reacted so badly when I found out that Josh Hutcherson will be playing as Peeta because I found his face... odd. Like if you put his face and Jennifer's face side by side, you'll also be probably thinking along the lines of: "What is up with that big square face??" And yes, that's me being horribly rude... I'm sorry... BUT! Come movie time, I fell in love with his acting and his looks—much like how I fell in love with Peeta's character in the books! ♥

And oh, Gale? Who's that? LOLJK. There were some really brief but VERY funny scenes of Gale because he'll be flashed just at the right time that Katniss and Peeta would get all lovey-dovey. Haha! Oh you lonesome, lonesome, boy, you...

But of course, who would forget Cato???? Alexander Ludwig was and is A-GRADE! He has a really, really, handsome face!!!! It makes me feel a bit sad that he wouldn't be showing up in the next Hunger Games movies. *sigh* He's... he's too beautiful. LOLWUT.

Cinna, on the other hand, was really, really cool. He's got swag (especially with that gold eyeliner thing that's going on for him, HAHA!) I should say that there were times that he and Katniss would have these brief sensual scenes that I almost started to think that he would the new love interest of Katniss. LOL. Just kidding! But anyway, the clothes were really great! The fire costume and fire gown were finally materialized in an amazing way! ♥

The book is still the best and number one way for you to fully understand and appreciate the Hunger Games. Nonetheless, the movie didn't disappoint! ★ Here's to hoping that the Hunger Games Part 2 would come soon!

Painting and Me

2012-03-18T00:52:00.000+08:00

A N I M A
6.9.2011
Watercolor painting on paper

I'm a frustrated artist. LOL. No, really. I am. I obviously am. Haha! I always try to draw and paint but can never really concentrate on it long enough to develop what little part of me is still artistically skilled. So... the 'artworks' that I rarely come up with would always be caused by sudden and brief spasms of creativity.

One example is this. I made this last year and I remember promising to myself that I'd continue painting so that I could put into paper the images or scenes that I often suddenly think of. But... meh. Obviously, that didn't follow through!

FACT: I painted a lot back when I was still in high school. I mostly painted sunsets and abstract stuff and then that stopped when I started my fourth year; I actually want to kick myself so hard (if I could) because I left all of those frames and painting materials back in Batanes and I didn't even take photos of my work—or if I did, well I can't find it. But yes... there's no use crying over it now. *cries still* LOL

But anyway, going back to this ANIMA painting, I titled it as such because as definition goes:

“Anima” is the inner personality; the soul; life. It is the source of the female personality while Animus is the source of the male.

From that, I guess you can just infer whatever kind of meaning you think I was trying to portray because I really can't find the will to explain it right now... Haha! But no, I'm not joking. I can still remember my reason for painting it this way but it's just too embarrassing to restate it again. Yeah, it really is. But if you're a follower of my Tumblr blog, you can rake through my past posts, and if you're lucky you'll see my entry for this.

Now I actually painted this during a time when I was feeling down and lost... which is kind of funny I know, because I used such lively colors. And yep, I intended it to look unfinished, with her hair like that and all.

Hmmm... I must resurface this hobby! ★
How about you? What hobby/hobbies do you miss doing?

2012 Starbucks Planner Giveaway! [CLOSED]

2012-03-13T22:18:00.001+08:00

By a struck of luck, I have two Starbucks planners with me. So what should I do with the extra one? Give it away of course! ♥ I know it's already the 3rd month of the year, but better late than to never have a planner! Right? (LOLWUT) Haha! Anyway, read on below for the contest mechanics, and good luck!

The specifics of the prize:

2012 Planner
Brown Pouch
Coupons/Vouchers
Bookmark

To Join the Giveaway:

Simply use the awesome giveaway widget below!
(Confused about the widget? Leave a comment in this post and I'll answer ASAP!)

HEADS UP! First four steps are mandatory. There are also optional steps where you can gain more chances to win! (E.g. you can Tweet about this giveaway daily to gain two entries everyday!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is hosted only by me and it is open only to residents of the Philippines given that that their address is serviceable by local major couriers. (I will shoulder the shipping fees.)

Contest ends on March 24, 2012 (Saturday | 12:00PM (Manila Time). On the same day, the winner will be picked randomly through an application in Rafflecopter. Winner must respond within two (2) days; so that's up to March 26, 2012 (Monday) | 12:00PM.

If the initial winner fails to e-mail me, I will be drawing a different winner; so please do remember to check by my site (or check your e-mail) when the contest ends! Good luck! ♥

Once again, just to reiterate, contest ends on March 24, 2012 at 12:00PM.

Good luck!

Summer is hotter with Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion, Schick, & Nuffnang

2012-03-12T02:05:00.004+08:00

My ideal Nuffnang summer is a summer that's well-spent in Batanes—my kick-ass hometown!

It's just sad though because I haven't been back here ever since I started going to DLSU for my college studies; so yes... it's a given that just by looking at pictures of my hometown would make my heart swell. That's why right now, for my kind of summer, it will really be Batanes because it's something close to home, much like Nuffnang that is as grounded to its roots.

Acrually, if I think about it well enough, I really really miss our pristine beaches, our hiking trips to our green terrains, and camping sprees by the shore or even deep within the woods! Of course, I wouldn't forget the late night dips at the beach! And there are those during the day too!

It's kind of funny because I can still remember how brown I was from all the swimming—day in, day out! My hometown takes the seasonal changes very seriously; so when it's December, it will be as cool as can be, and when it's summer, it can be as hot and sweltering as you can probably imagine! Hence, to reiterate, I was really brown.

Good thing I've discovered sunblocks and developed the habit of putting it on even if it's a cloudy day; so I'm sure that I'll be well-prepared for as soon as I get some time off to visit Batanes. Besides, the sun can really be harsh and harmful to our skin when we're exposed too much, and given the Batanes weather, I'll be sure that I'll bring along a Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion!

Out of all the brands, I'll go for this one because it's a waterproof fragrance-free sunscreen; that would mean that it will keep me covered even when I'll be swimming all day long! It will need reapplication after every two hours but I can believe in this brand. You can prove it for yourself by trying them out. As their tag line goes: "Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion. We’ve got you covered." Sounds like a deal, right?

We've got sunblock down, but how about unwanted hair? (Yes, I'm really going to talk about unwanted hair here in my blog! LOL! Oh come on, we all have it!) Schick is one of the famous brands available in the market; a safety razor not only for women but for men too! If you want an effortless skincare, this is the right choice for you: Schick. Free your skin. If you must know, these babies come in such awesome colors and designs, and are affordable too!

To get the most out of your summer, get Schick and Banana Boat too! Dip in a bit of the Nuffnang flair and you're ready to go!

Back to Basix

2012-03-11T22:36:00.000+08:00

Err, well actually, the title isn't true. It's my first time at Basix but it's just so tempting to make that as my entry title. Haha! Anyway, today, my mom was craving for some good Sunday brunch meal and incidentally, I know that there's this Sunday Crossover Brunch at Dusit Thani where we could enjoy all of their four restaurants' food selections: Umu, Tosca, Benjarong and Basix for P1,800.00! Such a steep price I know, but cravings like this must be fulfilled! So off to Dusit we go.

Unfortunately for this 'crossover buffet' spree, we mainly stayed at Basix only because we suddenly forgot about the other restaurants. LOL. Darn it, right?! But we'll get them next time! We really will! Nonetheless, we arrived a tad too early so we went around the lobby and garden area to wait.

I was wondering if there were also koi fishes on this side of the pond. LOL.

...And then something funny happened.
This happened:

Just like the candid photo above, my mom also took this one and our conversation went on like this:

Mom: Hey, what are you so mad about?
Me: *looks up* Huh? What? I’m not.
Mom: *shows me the photo* You really looked mad. And stressed.
Me: Wow… do I always look like this when I’m reading?
Mom: I don’t know. What are you reading anyway?
Me: Something about food.
Mom: That makes sense.
Me: What.

LOL. Now I’m wondering…

But anyway, watch out for my post for Basix in my food blog: www.foodiefromthemetro.com

Will be posting about it soon. And well... I'm actually still a bit irritated because my stomach couldn't handle all of the food, that's why in the end, I didn't get to experience the other restaurants. Gaaaah. LOL. But anyway... happy Sunday everybody!

Watch, Eat, and Party! | Latest Discovery: Izumi Sake Bar (Pole Dancing, Anyone?)

2012-03-10T20:01:00.000+08:00

Going back to blogging was the best-est decision that I've made since December of last year (or was it November?) Why do I say this? Because I've met a lot of interesting people, got invited to a lot of awesome events and food feasts, and won stuff! All while I am doing what I love most: writing/blogging. This is also the reason why sometimes... I don't even feel like I'm a working at all! Haha!

They say that work-life balance doesn't exist... but in my case, I beg to disagree.

February 1 to 12

February 13 to 19
February 20 to 26
February 27 to March 4
March 5 to present...

So yes, those are snapshots of events and affairs that I've been to, and I'm very thankful to each and every person who have invited or awarded me to these wonderful experiences. ♥

And actually, I had this really bright idea of posting something more interesting for this day here in my blog, but given my poor memory faculties (LOL) I forgot what it was. But before I end this post, I just wanted to rant that I had such an awesome time last night at Izumi Sake Bar!

After work, my friends invited me over to have some drinks and at first, I wasn't up for it because lately, I haven't been that chummy with alcholic drinks nor have I been tapping too much with my party-girl-self. (At one point, I had a feeling that I was acting like an old woman.) But I'm glad I gave in and went along because in the end... I HAD SO MUCH FUN! (And I thank myself for controlling my 'poison' a.k.a. alcohol.)

I also met new people and I'm glad that they do know how to have such a good time too!

As for Izumi... The place was actually quaint and charming upon entering—it's your typical Japanese fine dining setting, but come the second floor, BAM!

I instantly saw the pole stick (which is of course, meant for pole dancing) right at the middle of the room! The space at the middle, as what one waiter told me, was the catwalk and I looked at him incredulously because given the small space, well... they must have dwarves for models. LOLOLOLLLL. But anyway, for that pole, I was sooooo.... intrigued.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand here is the photo where my guy friend...........!!!!!!! LOLJK.
Oh well, that's all. Haha! I just wanted to share this place, but I will definitely make a better entry next time. I hope. Haha!

Kony 2012

2012-03-08T02:17:00.000+08:00

I am once again sacrificing my health by being up this late, but this time around, it's for a reason that I would gladly stay up for. To my followers and new visitors alike, please, don't click the 'X' button just yet...

Why? Because first, I would like to kindly ask of you to watch the video below. It is around 30 minutes, but it would be worth your time.

This is a campaign made by 'Invisible Children' and it aims to make Joseph Kony famous. NOT to celebrate him, BUT to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

When I watched this video, I can honestly say that I was moved. It took Invisible Children YEARS to reach where they are now, and knowing that fact... it just made me realize even more that if we all work together, 'we can make a difference'—an abused phrase, but still and always the truth.

Just a few things that I must say though...

I have read a lot of people over the internet supporting this cause (which I am a part of).

Yet... there are also some who criticize this and make such outlandish remarks and it just makes me so frustrated to see some people complain and blog, for example, that:

"This campaign is ignoring the current political issues in Uganda!"

"Kony's not popular enough? That's b******t, he's the leader of the notorious LRA!"

To that person (who I won't bother mentioning), my reaction to your first statement, YES, there is no denying that there are current drastic political issues in Uganda that have to be fixed, but I believe that what we should be looking at right now is to firstly help stop and capture Kony. Political drama and affairs? Though important, that can be done LATER. Why do I say this? Because this campaign right here is the least we can do; as mere citizens, all we can possibly do is to help, donate, and support this.

Rather than sitting on your computer, complaining, and making people doubt this campaign, why not believe in it and spread it around? So that finally, we could all create domestic and international pressure on the United States as well as other countries that are willing to help, to actually start and make some plans and actions because they're the only ones who CAN make the decisions. It's not like we can all form one big organization, take arms, fly over to Uganda, and aimlessly roam their forests to search for a Kony man or whatever (even if that is a tempting thought).

Remember that the reason why US hasn't made any actions for this before is because they see no economic interests in Uganda, therefore, the remaining choice was to coerce US to do it for a humanitarian cause; and IC succeeded. So finally, Obama sent a few men but now, it's slowly being forgotten because of the lack of support. Hence, this is what this viral campaign is trying to do right now; garnering more support for a more stable help from influential policy makers.

In today's time, acts of peace-making really and usually involves politics—as proof, Kony's arrest has been issued by the ICC for years but was there a stable plan and support from the government/s for this? NOT MUCH. That's why he's still a problem right now. So hopefully this time around, we and 'they' can start.

And then to your second statement, YES, Kony is famous... BUT ONLY TO YOU and some other people, as well as to the Ugandan citizens. But to the rest of the world? Not really.

Up until an hour ago, I haven't heard of 'Kony' nor this 'notorious' LRA that you're speaking of; and that goes the same for all the millions and millions of people who have made this a trending topic in Twitter and in the whole internet (which resulted to www.kony2012.com to crash due to the huge traffic). As of now, I'm still looking more into this matter, but still and the same, concerned and offering my full support.

So have you realized this now? ...This is what the Invisible Children aimed for. TO RAISE AWARENESS, no matter how simplified or 'dramatic' their video might have been for you. If you're doubtful of the IC organization itself, then by all means, do your own research, and if you're still doubtful that's okay, but don't let yourself stop there. Spread the word, still.

*exhales*

Wow... I haven't made such 'outbursts'/'rants' like this for such a long time ever since I started writing again in this website. Most of my lengthy rants are in my Tumblr website where I have been active for the past four years. Yet for this? It's just that... all the pessimistic back-lashing that I've been seeing around on this Kony campaign just got me so irritated! But well, all of this aside.... whew! Let's get back on track! So here it is:

I tag each and everyone of you. It's your turn. Take advantage of this moment and help spread the word for this. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr—etc. etc. It's your call.

Let's support the international effort to arrest Kony and disarm
LRA so as to bring the child soldiers home.