Off to Malapascua Island

Everything was so last minute. 

My sister and I planned for this when I went to Cebu last October.  We only stayed in the city then and due to the bed weather we had at that time plus tons of work I had to take care of online, we didn’t have the time to visit any beaches, hence this plan. However, my sister just got a brand new project and she just couldn’t leave it. She totally forgot we were going to Malapascua so all the while I thought things have been taken care of, well… they were not. And I just found out late this afternoon. We had no accommodations, no itinerary whatsoever. I panicked for about a minute. Then I composed myself and saw it as an opportunity for adventure. I immediately surfed online about the available resorts in Malapascua. And this happened while I was in the middle of rummaging through my closet, looking for perfect little outfits that will go well with this trip.

There were a lot of hotels available and of course all of them have good reviews online. So just like in the movie Sex and the City when Miranda was debating whether to go back with Steve or not, in the end I used my gut feel in choosing which resort to book at. Good thing it’s not super peak season yet so there were many rooms available. And because Peter and I are more into adventure rather than comfort (plus we want to save money as much as we can), we booked at Hippocampus Beach Resort. Their fan room is at P1,450 per night with toilet and bath. I have yet to find out if it indeed feels as wonderful in person as the photos look online. I’ll find out tomorrow. In the event that I won’t feel very good about it, we can always ask around and transfer to another resort.

So anyway, I’m just killing the time. I’m done with work, it’s almost midnight, Peter is not yet home and he still has yet to pack. Our flight to Cebu is at 4:45 am and I should panic. But I choose to remain calm and enjoy the whole process of this vacation. It’ll be our very first time in Malapascua. And I bet it’s gonna be awesome! Here’s how we’re getting there:

So as long as we follow these directions, then we’ll have no problem. 

We might do some diving, we might not. It depends on how we feel about it tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll have a good weather there. A tropical storm has just passed the Mindanao region and there were a couple of rain showers  in some parts of Cebu. But according to my sister, it’s not raining anymore. So hurray for that!   Anyway, I hope to update you more about the travels I’ve had. I’m just so busy with work the last couple of days that when I had the time to relax, I stayed offline and did other things like watch movies or sleep. Teehee. Enjoy your long weekend folks! Catch up with you when I get back. ^_^

The Sad & Happy Week That Was

November is that time of the year that I get saddest the most. My favorite holiday has just ended (Halloween), Mama’s death anniversary and birthday are lurking in the corner (Peter’s mom), capitalism is at its finest in preparation for the Christmas season and it’s just simply the aligning of my stars and planets that have got my emotions in whack. I’m keeping them at bay, don’t you worry. And I’m not going to dig deeper into that. It’s just that as far as I can remember, the advent season (November-December) has always brought me mixed emotions since I was a child. Christmas makes me happy but it makes me so sad too. It didn’t help that Peter was away for the Ad Congress last week (Nov.18-21). I know I should be used to him not being around all the time, but it’s much more difficult when I’m the one left at home and I know he’s in a different region all together. It made me feel even more sad knowing that for the first time, I was lonely. It’s funny, I used to gloat how good I am at being a loner, heck I even told my friends I’d be happy too if I was single. But seeing how I was paralyzed that week got me thinking… all of my other friends who are single are so brave… they must be superhumans! Or maybe, they just don’t know what they’re missing and so they are better at being alone and lonely. As for me, it made me feel sick that I couldn’t even log in for work. I ended up finishing Paolo Coelho’s THE WINNER STANDS ALONE and Dennis Hambright’s MERCENERAY INTENT. I was missing Peter a whole lot. But at the same time, I was happy for him. He’s in his own element and he was having an amazing time. It’s enough that tells me he missed me too and couldn’t wait to go home. As long as I knew he was safe, he was learning a lot and he was meeting all sorts of people (including hot agency girls and even one who unknowingly showed her nipples to my Baboo), I was okay with it all. He has become the man that I knew he’d always be and more!

So anyway, when he got home late last Saturday night, I just finished watching THIS IS IT (again) and I was in the middle of singing I MISS YOU by Klymaxx on videoke. I was half tipsy (I made myself some cocktails) and I was excited knowing that he’s on his way home. Then there he was! The moment I hugged him tight and kissed him on the lips, I knew I was safe… I was happy again! Yipee!  I missed my Baboo soooo much!

Then I started noticing everything else. Man, he brought home two of the biggest loot bags I’ve seen in my entire life! There were all sorts of products, mementos and trinkets. Coolness! Then he showed me photos of the Ad Congress, including some hot girls and celebrities he’d met. Ooohhlalah! I was just glad he’s safely home. Our wonderful weekend can then start.

I knew he was tired from the trip so we just lounged at home, sang some more songs and watched DVD. I couldn’t even remember now what movie we watched. I was just feeling happy and content snuggled next to him, kissing him every few seconds and feeling his body next to mine. I was in Baboo Heaven. ^_^

We woke up late Sunday morning (before noon time) and I think you can guess what happened next. Teehee. We discovered a new position… we call it the standing doggie… we’ve never seen it in any adult flicks before so it must be unique to us. I love it coz my sexiness shows in all its naked glory and Peter loves it so much! Teehee. ^_^

The rest of our weekend was spent on a date… a married couple kind of date that is. We ran a few errands, did some shopping (I bought new clothes at YRYS and 248… they always seem to have what I like; Peter bought new black leather shoes at Mendrez),  had late lunch at Cabalen in Festival Mall (Peter loves their eat all you can Merienda. I looove their goto, dinuguan and turon), window shopped for a chair and umbrella set for our balcony (unfortunately, they don’t have the color we want) and did some groceries (I’m excited to cook some pesto pasta and grill some rosemary chicken after this post). Afterwards, we dropped off some stuff at home and proceeded to Ruins. We bought tons of DVD. Our “suking Muslim tindera” was oh so happy.  Hehehe.

When we got home,  before I prepared some grilled rib eye steak, toasted bread and veggie salad  for dinner, I sliced a piece of expensive fruit called RED PLUM and shared it with Peter.  It was the first time I tasted such fruit. It was like Duhat without the sappy taste, like Peach without the grainy texture,  like Apple without the sweetness. It tasted just right. Anyway, I always eat fruits before having a real meal. We both learned a while back that eating fruits with an empty stomach helps in digestion, makes one slim down naturally and is good for overall health. And it’s true! Even after I eat tons of food, my tummy is still not as bloated and easily flattens unlike before. Of course, it tremendously helps that I also drink Vita Plus after having fruits in the morning. ^_^ 

By the time our dinner was ready, minutes have already passed which is the best time to eat a complete meal after having fruits. Then we watched 2012. And OH MY GOD! This is the most realistic disaster flick I’ve ever seen. Though the story line is not as gripping as THE CORE or ARMAGEDDON, the possibility is so real that it really got me pretty worried. I wanna die quietly in my sleep… Not banged by some huge tidal wave or crushed in an earthquake! Oh Lord!

Our weekend ended at around 1 am. Peter had to do an all nighter for work and I cleaned up the house. I wasn’t sleepy yet so I went up and started watching this MICHAEL JACKSON DVD SET I got earlier. It contains all of MJ’s mini movies, music videos and concerts. I watched them all until I fell asleep (I still can’t get over the fact that he’s gone… I still cry every time I think about it).

I woke up with Peter by my side early this morning. We spent a little more time just curled up and snuggled in bed until I fell asleep again. Then he had to get readyfor work. We chatted just a while ago over YM and he said he'’ll be home tonight. Yay! I can’t wait! I want to watch 500 Days of Summer with him. ^_^

And that was the week/weekend I had. How about you?

I’ll continue  with may travel series (Cagbalete and Singapore) on my upcoming posts. ^_^

DOT Announces 3rd Leg of Phil. Kayaking Series 2009

Following the successful first two parts of the Philippine Kayaking Series 2009, Kayak Explore Hundred Islands and Kayak Explore Cavite-Corregidor-Bataan, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is urging all kayak enthusiasts and novices to join the 3rd leg of the series which will be held in Cebu and Bohol on December 4-6, 2009.

Entitled Kayak Explore Cebu-Bohol crossing, the 3rd run will follow the route of Mactan Island to Bohol, where paddlers will cross the 125-km scenic route passing through a motley of islets, coves, mangroves and river deltas.  The DOT together with the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) is supporting the event.

“We have 7,107 islands, with infinite possibilities for kayaking adventure.  Exploring the span of our clear waters surely opens travelers to the unique splendor of our country,” said Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism.

 
The tourism chief also commended different sectors for their active participation in boosting the eco-adventure package, “The Philippines can undoubtedly become the Kayaking Capital of Southeast Asia with these overwhelming support from the private sector and local communities.”

Eduardo Jarque Jr., Tourism Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions highlighted the country’s bountiful natural waterways, “This unique eco-adventure allows tourists inside secret coves, inlets, channels that lead to stunning views of our mangrove forests, limestone cliffs, unspoiled coastlines and other exciting mysteries around our islands.”

The Caramoan Peninsula offers a view of limestones, rugged coastlines, and white sand-ringed islands, complemented by a stunning view of underwater marine life by snorkeling around shallow waters.

 
For the high-spending market, the DOT offers Luxury Kayaking in Palawan.  Known for its idyllic beaches, lagoons and caves, Palawan enjoins travelers to kayak in El Nido and Coron.

 
Cebu draws attention to paddling in Hilutungan Island and Marine Sanctuary, Sulpa Island, Olango Island and Mactan Island for moonlight kayaking.

How to Go to Cagbalete Island

The other day, I gave you a sneak peek into this wonderful paradise we’ve visited over the weekend — Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon. On this post, I am going to share with you how we were able to go there on a tight budget but with memories and experiences full of sunkissed glorious moments. It all began about a month or two ago when my girlfriends and I planned for an island getaway. Koryn was the one who recommended the place since she has already been there with her family over the summer. She was telling us how nice, serene and “virgin” the place was. It’s not intended for vain travelers as we would need to just simply commune with nature and let go of all the luxuries we’re used to in all the other beach resorts we’ve visited before (like nice toilets and shower rooms). We all said “game!’ and the planning began. There were supposed to be around 7 of us. But as the intended date of departure from the city (Nov. 14-15, 2009) was nearing, attendance boiled down to four (Peter, Koryn, Danes and moi). Since we originally budgeted P2000 per person, we presumed that our budget would go up to P2500 or even P3000 per head. Well, we couldn’t back out anymore. We’ve waited for this moment and we were raring to go! We coordinated via email and the final budget and  itinerary was as follows (emailed by Koryn, intended for five people):

Hi guys! Eto na!  Eto na!

Here’s our budget breakdown for the trip:

Inclusive in the 700-peso meal package are the following:

Breakfast

Snack 1

Lunch

Snack 2

Dinner

Masasarap food nila, promise!  Think lutong-bahay and fresh seafood.

Because we’ll arrive at the island around 11:00am, the serving of meals will be as follows:

SATURDAY

Lunch

Snack 1

Dinner

SUNDAY

Breakfast

Snack 1

And here’s my proposed itinerary:

SATURDAY

3:30am  -    Call time at Peter and Jen’s in Alabang

4:00am  -    Departure from Peter and Jen’s

                 *We can just eat breakfast on the road

                 *Travel time to Mauban is 3-4 hours pero I gave ourselves some time allowance for breakfast, photo ops, and possible

                   confusion in directions hahaha.

9:00am  -    ETA Mauban, Quezon

            -    Park Car at Rommel Pansacola’s (my contact) house

9:45am  -    Head to pier

10:00am-    Ferry departure from pier

11:00am-    Helloooooo, Cagbalete Island!

SUNDAY

3:00pm-    Departure from Cagbalete Island

4:00pm-    ETA Mauban town

          -    Pick-up car from Rommel’s place

9:00pm-    ETA Manila

On Sunday, we’ll be riding a rented boat back to town.  The ferry kasi leaves at 1pm so naisip ko baka mabitin lang tayo kasi magmamadali tayo, hahabulin pa natin yung sked kasi one trip lang yung ferry.  But if you do want to leave earlier so we can arrive in Manila a little early also, let me know para I can tell our contact.

* We decided to stay until 4 pm on Sunday so we added P200 each for Sunday lunch. ^_^. We also gave tip of P100 each. So total planned budget went up to around P2700 per person.

Finally, Nov. 14, came. I was so excited! We all were! I’m all packed since Friday the 13th. Peter arrived at 12 midnight from work, packed in a flash and slept for a few hours. At 4:00 a.m, Koryn and Danes were here at our home and we were all set to go. We left our house and was on the road by 4:30 a.m. Below is the map we followed from Muntinlupa to Mauban, Quezon.

If there were more than five of us, we would’ve used the bigger car, the Revo, which consumes more gas than usual. But because there were just four of us, we used our smaller car instead (Toyota Yaris). Full tank of gas cost us P1,200. We hoped to save as much as we could so we can make the most out of this trip.  For directions, here is the text message sent by Koryn’s brother Carlo. You can follow this too:

From SLEX, exit to Sto. Tomas Batangas (going Legaspi/Bicol). Pass through San Pablo going to  Tiaong Town proper (take that). Go straight to the towns of Candelaria and Sariaya. In  Sariaya, there’s this fork going to Lucena, the other going to Tayabas. Take Tayabas (there’s a sign), go straight until you reach Tayabas town proper. Once in Tayabas, find the main road. If it’s one way going to the church, take the second corner from the church. Take a left turn to the main road. Once in the main road, find the Shell gas station. Take the  road beside it. At the end of that road, turn right. That road will already take you to Mauban. It’s quite a long road. You will pass by Pansacola street on your right…a school…. until you see another Pansacola street cor. Quezon street., also on your right. Stop there on that corner. Park your car and cross the street.

Across from where we parked, we saw this house with capiz windows on the second floor and  store/carenderia  below. That’s the house of Mr. Rommel Pansacola (0928-5058633), the owner of the Pansacola Beach Resort in Cagbalete Island. Because we had previous arrangements with him through Koryn, he let us park our car inside his garage and assisted us in getting a tricylce that will take us to the boat station. 

***When you call him for booking, tell him you got to know about his resort through Jen and Koryn, who went there last Nov. 14-15, 2009. You might just get a discount like we did. ^_^

We were there at around 9:30 a.m. We unloaded our stuff and rested a while inside their carenderia. Peter was very exhausted since he hasn’t been sleeping for two days due to his very hectic work schedule. So after a few photo sessions, we let him rest while we waited for our tricycle ride.

The tricycle ride took no more than 5 minutes and cost us only P5.00 per head. The boat station is nothing special. The boats they have are small, something like the boats we used to ride when going to Puerto Galera, only a bit smaller. It was supposed to leave port at 10:30 a.m. but because the captain was trying to fill up all possible spaces with people, food, drinks and other commodities, we waited a bit longer.  Here, you will smell all kinds of possible smell. Like I told you before, this is no picnic. But wait till you get to the island and everything will be worth it. By the time the boat left port, it was already drizzling and we were feeling gloomy. We’re all praying for the weather to be nice at the island and hopefully the sea won’t be as turbulent.

The boat ride took an hour. By the time the boat docked, the sun was already shining. Hurray! However, our calvary is not yet over. Considering that it was low tide, the boat docked not so far from the beach. We still had to wait our turn to ride  (in standing position) an even smaller boat that will take us to the beach. Quite an adventure, I tell you! On the beach, people were asking us where we’re staying. We didn’t mind them coz Koryn already knew where we’re going. But we still had two kids guide the way because it was a bit far from where the boat docked. I can’t say how many kilometers we walked that afternoon. Probably a kilometer or two or even more. I thought it was neverending. But I didn’t complain. I was enjoying the view while I was losing more and more calories every minute. ^_^
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The Wonderful World of Coffee

Thanks to Ria for my “tapis”. So perfect for the event, haha!

I don’t know if I’ve told anybody this. But I used to not drink coffee. I’m more of a juice kind of person. But since I went out with Peter in 1999, I slowly got introduced to the wonderful world of coffee. When we got married seven years ago, I witnessed how coffee was very much a part of Peter’s family’s life and it still is until now. And I’m not talking about the 3-in-1 instant kind. I’m talking about their family, particularly his mom, brewing her own and Peter concocting all sorts of flavor for it — cinnamon, hazelnut, vanilla, etc. It was so awesome! Needless to say that through the years, I became quite addicted to coffee myself and eventually, I learned how to brew my own too. I started with a coffee maker and now, due to time constraints, I find it easier and faster to use a coffee press for my daily dose.  Lately though, we make sure that we buy Philippine coffee. Ours taste so much better anyway. ^_^  So when I found out about the Coffee 101 Seminar to be conducted by Ms. Pacita “Chit” Juan , co-chair of the Philippine Coffee Board, I signed up for it. ^_^ 

with my fellow coffee addicts

(from top, left-right: Ria, Arvin, Jonel, Earth, Azrael, me, Sire, Leirs)

The seminar was held yesterday, Nov. 17, 2009 at Le Bistro in Fraser Place, Valero St., Makati. It was my first time there. It was huge and cozy and since the holiday season is here, I keep thinking how perfect it would be to hold meetings and Christmas parties at Le Bistro. Hmmm. That’s really something to consider. I better tell my friends about it.

 Le Bistro’s ambience is sooo cozy! I loved the wall painting too!

Le Bistro is a coffee shop and restaurant that offers a lot of delightful dishes, desserts, coffee and drinks at very reasonable prices. They have salads, sandwiches, wraps, food for the soul, pasta, pizza, breakfast, spirited partners, hot and cold drinks and pastries. Better check their site for the complete list of menu. ^_^

 This was what I got — yummy Putanesca with fresh vegetables, Chicken Ceasar sandwich, soup and veggie salad!  

Anyway, the following were the topics discussed by Ms.Chit Juan:

The Myth and History of Specialty Coffee

Did you know that coffee was used and utilized primarily as food and medicine before it became known as beverage? Did you know that coffee originated in Ethiopia? It was first cultivated in the monastery gardens of Yemen (c.1000). And the people who brought coffee to our country were the Franciscan friars who brought 3 gantas of coffee beans into the Philippines and planted them in a monastery (1740). Today, coffee is the most drank beverage next to water. It is a giant global industry employing more than 25 million people! It ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. How astonishing is that?!

Coffee Species

Coffee is the seed of a berry/cherry from an evergreen tree that grows in a subtropical belt that circles the globe, and grows to heights of 20 feet. It has four (4) species. We call them REAL Coffee: R - Robusta, E - Excelsa, A - Arabica and L - Liberica. Robusta is the most disease resistant and high yielding (from the word “robust”). It is used in blending coffee because of its body and strong character. Most, if not all, instant coffee blends are made up of Robusta because it is the most affordable of the species. I learned that this is the strongest kind, the one that has the most caffeine content and the one that can cause my heart to palpitate. Yikes! Excelsa  is characterized by a fruity taste. It is more popular as a blending variety and often used as extender. Arabica is smooth in flavor. It is the most widely-traded variety of  coffee in the world and the most fragrant among the four species. Liberica is locally knwon as “Kapeng Barako”. Its berries are the largest among the four and have a distinct earthy flavor and aroma.  

Phases of Specialty Coffee

Planting coffee takes 3-5 years. Next comes harvesting (selective picking, strip picking, mechanical picking), processing of cherries (wet [pulping, fermentation, dying] and dry), milling, hulling (friction and impact hulling), polishing, sorting and grading (gravity & screen, electronic, hand), decaffeinating (chemical and swiss water), roasting (hot air and drum), grinding and brewing (levels of roast: Cinnamon, City, Italian, French), blending , flavoring and cupping, packaging and storage. Whew! And did you know that per tree, one can only harvest about a kilo of fresh cherries per year? Once selected and roasted, this will go down to around 400 grams harvested per tree per year. No wonder coffee is so expensive! So beware of those selling cheap ones. They may not be made from real coffee beans. Or worse, they may be made from old coffee beans! Eww! 

Espresso 101
A concentrated coffee extract from 1.5 ounces of hot water (198 degrees F) passing through 6 to 8 gms of finely ground coffee at 135 psi within 20 to 25 seconds.

Coffee Trivia

“Over all research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful” - Dr. Tom De Paulis, Instiutute for Coffee Studies, Vanderbilt University. I guess, as long as it is taken in moderation, then coffee is a pretty safe bet to health.

The whole session was so educational and informative! I learned a lot that night.  But there are still so many things I gained. What I’ve shared with you is just the tip of the iceberg. It would be better if you attend a session yourself. I promise you fellow coffee lovers and addicts — you will have a grand time!

The Philippine Coffee Board holds Coffee 101 with Barista  101 Training. I learned how to  make my own mocha coffee using Le Bistro’s very expensive coffee machine (Ms. Juan said it’s priced around Php350,000.00.) Woot! And you will be trained too when you sign up for their courses:

BASIC BARISTA TRAINING

An intensive  3-Saturday course for corporate types looking for a new skill to learn . At the heels of Coffee Month, this special  course module is conducted by the Philippine Barista and Coffee Academy.
Le Bistro in Fraser Place, Valero St. Salcedo Village, Makati
November 7,14 and 21
Call Pam at 813-1028 or text 0915-576-7886 for inquiries.

COFFEE 101 with BARISTA 101

Basic knowledge about the world’s most popular beverage. Conducted by Chit Juan, Coffee advocate and Philippine Coffee Board Co-Chair.  A three-hour course to introduce you to the wonderful world of coffee. Includes Espresso-making and basic preparation of  cappuccino and latte drinks.
Le Bistro at Fraser Place, Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati
Schedules are after office hours! November 17, 530-830pm
Call 8131028 or text 0915-576-7886 for reservations

 L-R: Azrael, Ria, Dante,Janette, Ms.Chit Juan, Arvin, moi

Towards the end of our Coffee 101 and Barista 101 training, we were given wonderful tokens by ECHO Store.  They are Philippine-made, of superb quality and beautifully packaged. I think, how perfect it would be to buy Christmas gift baskets at Echo Store.  The green baskets would be fantastic  gift alternatives today! There are numerous packages to choose from! Take a look!

 These are the tokens I got — Antibac hand sanitizer (I love its lemon scent!), peppermint lip balm and Kape Isla’s Yrong Yrong Coffee Blend

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Sneak Peek: Cagbalete Island

Hi folks! I’m all tanned and gorgeous from our weekend island getaway. I know I’m not yet done with my Singapore blog posts but I couldn’t help giving you a preview of my latest vacation. I don’t have the time to blog much right now so let me just give you a sneak peek of the beauty of this wonderful paradise .. Cagbalete Island… the nearest island to Mauban, Quezon…

To see all my Cagbalete posts, please click the following link or copy paste it on your browser:

In Focus: Metropolis

Philippine independent cinema may well become a global phenomenon  as it continues to delight critics & audiences around the world with the diversity, vitality & creativity of the Philippine film industry. These are artists & producers who can truly go places when it comes to evoking the essence of a unique cultural landscape without disregarding a defiant, homegrown sophistication that can only enhance the beauty & bravura in their work.

The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines has played a key role in representing & nurturing talent as well as encouraging the creation of new cinematic works with an unequivocal commitment to enduring, contemporary filmmaking. For the movement & the movers, there is also an emphasis on works ‘that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience’ with fresh insight & artistic integrity.

Standing up for culture & the world of art films, be sure to drop by Indie Sine at Robinson’s Galleria on Tuesday, November 24 for the first installation in a series of indie film screenings called Metropolis presented by community based artistic collective & grass-roots production team Anahata Foundation.

With an urban punk rock vibe ‘Iskwaterpangk’ (2006) directed by Khavn De La Cruz will play back to back with ‘Batad: Sa Paang Palay’ (2006) & Hawaiian Orchid Award nominee ‘24K’ (2009) as the third headliner, where in exploring tribal customs & the indescrutability of the human spirit, directors Benji Garcia & Ana Agabin together embrace an evolving pilgrimatic sensibility that might also serve as a metaphor for modern times.

Following in the footsteps of the recent Wi_i Body 4 ‘In Focus’ series at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, don’t miss this bold line-up of works, well regarded in the arts scene for the social issues explored as well as for their historic & cultural significance, educational focus & entertainment value.

Metropolis is made possible through the assistance of the Indie Filmmakers Cooperative (IFC), the Cultural Center of the Philippines Media Arts Division & Cinemalaya. Screening times are at 1pm, 3pm & 5:00pm with featured filmmakers dropping by to introduce their films & share industry insights.

Tickets are P150 with proceeds supporting Anahata Foundation’s community based projects involved in movement, performance, fashion, media, visual arts & concern for the environment.

For reservations / inquiries please call Indie Sine (632) 395 2038. You may also text (63) 9296944138 / (63)9087568699 / (63)9278748789 or email anahatafoundation@yahoo.com.ph.

Indie Sine is located at Level 4 of Robinson’s Galleria along EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.

Singapore 2009: Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards

We are still on Day 1 of my Singapore trip. Date is Oct. 23, 2009. For prior details on this trip, please click the links below:

Singapore Arrival

Food Tripping at Tiong Bahru

 Little India

 ~~~oOo~~~

At around 6 pm that day, all bloggers from the Asia Pacific region (Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia) got ready for the awards night. We all congregated at the lobby of Link Hotel and waited for the bus that will take us to Pan Pacific Hotel where the event was to take place.

Everyone looked so pretty and fabulous!

If only I had enough time and energy to fix my hair… 

But since I still haven’t really slept yet since I got off work Thursday evening that week and I wanted to spend my time exploring the city rather than fixing myself, I was content and happy with wearing a pearl headband and ponytail while other bloggers really prettified for the event.

At around 6:30 pm, we’re off to our bus, excited and giddy.

The place was so impressive and illustrious. They really prepared for this event. Well, why not? It’s the first ever Nuffnang Asia Pacific Blog Awards, after all.

The event was hosted by Allan Wu (bottom right photo). He is the Amazing Race Asia host and is undoubtedly one of the most sought after hunks on screen.

Allan has hit the big screens with movies such as Raintree Production’s romantic comedy “I Do, I Do, I Do” and “Night Corridor”, a Hong Kong production produced by the acclaimed Stanley Kwan. Allan recently completed a film in China entitled “Kung Fu Hip Hop”.
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Singapore 2009: Little India

We are still on Day 1 of my Singapore trip. Date is Oct. 23, 2009. For prior details on this trip, please click the links below:

Singapore Arrival

Food Tripping at Tiong Bahru

 ~~~oOo~~~

Please click to read more about Singapore: Little India.

Singapore 2009: Food Tripping at Tiong Bahru

We are still on Day 1 of my Singapore trip. Date is Oct. 23, 2009. For details on my arrival, please click the link below:

Singapore 2009: Arrival

  ~~~oOo~~~

After  we secured our stuff at Link Hotel, five of us decided to start exploring the city with the hours we have left before the Nuffnang  Asia Pacific Blog Awards Night. The five of us included Kate, Crissy, Jonel and Jane. Near our hotel in Tiong Bahru is this mall called Tiong Bahru Market along Eng Hoon street. Before getting there, we saw locals happily eating along the sidestreet where delicious hawkers’ food are also located.

Please click yo read more about this Tiong Bahru food trip.