Sneak Peek : M’s Flower Power Baby Shower

One of my BFF’s is about to give birth soon!

Not only is her impending delivery something to be excited about, but so is the baby shower we’re throwing for her next weekend!

Another opportunity to be creative and to do some DIY!  Woot!  Woot!

This time around, because I know she’s having a girl, I thought of having a simple, but very dainty and feminine floral party.

I got my inspiration from this Rifle Paper Co stationery design:

Ofcourse, the color motif is pink, blush, peach, white and gold

Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been working on as part of the decor:

I’m pretty happy with how these paper flowers turned out

What do you think?

More pictures of the party styling next week!

Stay tuned!

What’s In Store + Happy Weekend : April 20-21, 2013

Looking for something to do this weekend?

You may want to check these out…

1. If you’re a foodie, head on over to:

It’s the Philippines’ biggest benefit summer food fair, now back on its 3rd year! I particularly cannot wait to try new food items from the various specialty stalls that are participating in this event.  One thing’s for sure, I must make sure to come with an empty stomach!  Hahaha!

2. If you are artsy and love the environment, you may want to join:

This event by WWF aims to highlight the importance of eliminating illegal wildlife trade through art!  Looks like this will not only be interesting, but a lot of fun!  There’s an entrance fee of Php300, but that will entitle you to a Doodle Kit, access to the booths, and will serve as your donation to the cause.

This is a wonderful way to do something meaningful for the environment, while at the same time spending quality time with your family!  I may just drop by with the H and the Little Miss!

3. If you love arts and crafts, and browsing for unique, vintage finds, make your way to:

It’s the start of the weekend!  And after a long, tiring work week, what better way to rejuvenate than to do some retail therapy?

If you’re tired of hanging out at the mall, here’s an interesting alternative!  With retro and vintage, recycled and upcycled items for sale, there may be some treasures waiting for you here!

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

Today, happiness is…

…the little one “moving up” from nursery school!

Our baby is really becoming a little lady!

Congratulations, my love!!!  Mama and Dada are very proud of you!

Singapore La la la la laaah…la la la laaaah!

My super sweet H knows how stressed I’ve been at work, especially these past couple of years (yes, years!).  Prior to all the challenges, I used to have more of a life–hahaha!–which included lots of travel and quality time with the family.

This year, though, I promised myself that things would be different, and that I’d make more of an effort to do all the things that I used to love doing.  At the top of that list is ofcourse spending more time with the little girl and the H, followed by making more time for arts and crafts projects, and going on trips!

If I had my way, I would love to escape somewhere out of town or out of the country every month!  Hahaha!  And so far, I think I’ve done pretty good!  While January had its share of day trips, February was a highlight because the H treated his ladies (that’s moi and the little girl) to Singapore!  Yup, a first for A, and a first for our family!

Here’s a photo diary of what went on during our 3-day vacation.  We also celebrated my birthday, so turning 38 (yes, I am proud of my age !) turned out to be extra special this year!

Day 1 consisted of a trip to the aquarium in Sentosa.  Thank goodness we decided to buy our tickets online!  We totally skipped the long queues and got in right away!  But it seemed like we were there with the rest of the world–so many people were in the aquarium that day!!!  Nevertheless, we really enjoyed ourselves .

Day 2, the busiest of all the days, started with a trip to the Children Little Museum, and ended with a visit to Singapore’s newest attraction, Gardens by the Bay.  We had an awesome time!

The Children Little Museum is basically a two-storey shop filled with curios and vintage paraphernalia.  That it was filled with a collection of items that would give one an idea of life during the “olden” days, piqued my interest.  I thought that it would be a fascinating experience for the little one too .

Located very near the Bugis area by the Arab Quarter, the Children Little Museum is identified by the tall robot standing at the store front.

Some of the merchandise on the first floor are for sale, but it is the display items on the second floor that people come to see, and where the real treasure lies.

Ascending the steps is like walking up memory lane–the items on display reminded me of a totally different era when things were much simpler, when children drew pictures and played games on the streets.  There were different types of toys mounted on the wall, different types of tricycles, rocking horses, strollers, a collection of school supplies, old musical instruments and equipment, and other interactive displays.

This was a really cute display of a street barbershop, the H pretending to give the little miss a haircut!

As you can see, we really enjoyed our visit here .  There are many things to explore so the little one was kept busy!

After the museum, we headed over to Gardens by the Bay, right by the Marina Sands Hotel.

Aside from the outdoor gardens, this place also has two huge conservatories. The one called The Flower Dome features many different flower species from various parts of the world, while The Cloud Forest mimics the conditions inside a rain forest.  Visitors get to walk through the “forest” via some ramps that go up, down and around a mountainous structure.

The Gardens by the Bay is unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced so we really had a wonderful time!  It amazes me how the Singaporeans are able to come up with these unique tourist attractions.  Galing!

On our last day, we decided to take it easy and have brunch at one of our favorite restaurants, PS Cafe.  Since the Dempsey location was a bit too far, we decided to try the one on Orchard Road instead.

I really, really love the interiors of PS Cafe.  It’s very chic!

We decided to sit outside on the balcony though since it was a pretty cool day, and we wanted to take advantage of the sunlight and natural setting.

Aren’t these tiles soooo pretty?  I tried to take the token feet shot with the fam, but the little one couldn’t keep still!  Hahaha!

We left PS Cafe and decided to walk all the way back to our hotel.  When we arrived, we had just enough time to freshen up and grab a cab to the airport.

It was a really quick weekend, but I think it was a weekend well spent!  We saw a lot of new attractions, and a side of Singapore that we have never seen before! It was also wonderful to be able to get away even for a short bit to re-charge and spend quality time with the fam bam .

Next month, it’ll be a trip to Japan to see the cherry blossoms!  Woohoo!  I am sooo excited!  In April, it will be a Palawan trip with my colleagues.  I can’t wait to hit the beach!  I wonder what other trips this year will have in store?  Stay tuned!!!

Ushering In the Year of the Water Snake

Let’s make 2013 awesome! Happy New Year, folks!

Foodie Friday : Spectrum at The Raffles

My dad just turned a year younger .

To celebrate, we were treated to a sumptious buffet dinner at Spectrum, in the newly-opened Raffles Hotel.

It’s been AGES since I last ate buffet dining!  Obviously, I’m always on a diet and challenged to shed these extra pounds I’ve put on.  Hahaha!  But since it was a very special occasion, and hey, it was  a free dinner, so I allowed myself this indulgence .  Hahaha!  Excuses, excuses, right?

The restaurant is very posh and nicely decorated .  Quite dimly lit, compared to Circles and Heat at the Shangri-La.  But it had a very luxurious feel to it, without feeling too stiff and stuffy .  I liked that .  I also liked these tasseled drop lamps .  Very pretty .

The staff was also very friendly and attentive without being too overly solicitous. They knew just when to magically appear by our side to offer to clear our plates, or to follow up on our food.  They were also confidently well informed about their offerings, and answered our questions with knowledge and ease.  That’s another thing I liked.  Waitstaff who don’t know what they’re talking about is a serious pet peeve of mine, and can seriously ruin my dining experience.

On to the food…

Just like other buffets, Spectrum had many different stations.  Funny though, from where we sat, we had to pass by the dessert station first before getting to the actual food!  Hahaha!  My mouth was totally watering when I saw all the delectable sweets that were on display!

Aside from desserts, Spectrum also had a salad bar, a bread bar, a selection of cheeses and cured meats, a raw bar, a noodle station, a carving station, an area for Chinese food (siomai, duck, steamed fish, etc.), and a selection of international dishes.  There was so much to choose from!

Careful decisions definitely had to be made.  Hahaha!

Eventually, I ended up with a plateful of sushi, a couple of dimsum, some noodles for long life (ofcourse!), and roast beef from the carving station.  I have to say, the roast beef was sooooooo good, and sooooo buttery soft it totally deserves a special mention!  Mmmmmm…!  My tummy is growling right now, just thinking about it!  Hahaha!

The verdict?

Even though I’m not a fan of buffet dining, I have to say that Spectrum provides a yummy, enjoyable eating experience.  They have a good selection of food items to choose from, without being too overwhelming.  I also like that the food is cooked in small portions, so you are assured that what you eat is always fresh, hot and new.

The staff is very well trained–friendly, knowledgeable, and on their toes.  The manager even came to our table to greet us, and to make sure we were enjoying our food.  Our glasses were promptly filled with water, plates were bussed immediately, and they were also very quick to act upon all our requests .  I actually felt like we had our own personal butler !  Definitely, plus points!

The ambience was also very nice .  Among all the hotel buffet restaurants, I think Spectrum is the most classy .  I liked how the space felt so intimate and cozy, despite its size.  The acoustics are really good too!  I actually had no idea that there were so many other diners in the restaurant that night!  It seemed like it was just us .  It was that quiet!  Hahaha .  Which was great because it was like dad had his own private little party .

Great food, excellent service, and a beautiful ambience–what more could I ask for, right?  For those of you looking for a place for your next gorge fest, definitely give Spectrum a try!

SPECTRUM, G/F Fairmont Makati, 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue, Makati, TELEPHONE (632) 555.9888, EMAIL makati@fairmont.com

Fab 5 : Our Anniversary

The H and I celebrated our wedding anniversary recently.

5 YEARS!!!

Yeah, baby !

To commemorate this special occasion, I’ve decided to start a new series called Fab 5.

For this particular entry, I’ll be posting 5 photos from our (whole day) celebration .

1

I woke up to find this beautiful flower arrangement waiting for me on the kitchen counter  From Mabolo, no less!  Plus points for the H!  Hahaha!  The colors of the blooms were so wonderfully vibrant, it immediately perked up my day, and my mood too!

2

This is my gift from the H .  Ain’t she a beauty?  I just love that slip of red suede that peeks through  H sure knows the way to my heart!  Hahaha!

3

Had breakfast at an oldie but goodie–Breakfast at Antonio’s!  It’s now back in its original location right on the ridge!  Yummy food and an amazing view is a combination that’s tough to beat!

4

While I had originally wanted to try their Daing na Gindara, unfortunately, it was not available during the time we were there.  I had to “settle” for the Nilagang Corned Beef with Garlic Rice and Poached Egg which was sooooo good!  I practically polished off my plate!  *dyahe*

But, since it was a special occasion, I gave myself the authorization to eat without inhibition.  Hahaha!

5

We capped off our day with a romantic dinner at Cru–just the two of us .

It was really nice to be able to have some alone time with the H .

Although we still go out on dates, rarely do we get the chance to dress up, and have a relaxing meal with each other.

Also, I was so touched by how the H really went all out in planning the entire day for us!  From the flowers and the amazing gift, to the wonderful, relaxing breakfast with A, and our equally amazing, romantic dinner…I must say, the H did an awfully wonderful job of making me feel really special

The Weekend That Was

Aaaaaaaaand yet another weekend down in January!

OMG, is it me or is this month just passing us by at warp speed?!?

This weekend we celebrated our clan reunion.

Since my family played host, we held it at my grandparents’ rest home in Bulacan.

I just love it here!  It holds so many wonderful memories of my childhood .

I especially love the house’s facade, not only for its retro ’70s design (isn’t the wooden grill carving surrounding the front door so vintagey cool? ), but also for how it reminds me of many an afternoon spent on Lolo and Lola’s rocking chairs, seeing how high they could go.

The inside of the house is now a treasure trove of antiques and other items that belonged to both my grandparents.  It’s actually been converted into a museum, but I think it still looks much like how it used to when it was their home–only a bit nicer and more organized.  Hahaha!

I don’t know if you can tell, but aside from some artwork, this wall also has a lot of pictures of my family throughout the years.

Those were the days…*sigh*

That painting in the middle is by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.  I’ve heard that he painted this portrait of my grandmother and my aunts for 500 pesos!  Can you believe it?

One of my most favorite spots in this house is the dining area (I’ve got my eye on that chandelier.  Hahaha! ).  I have such fond recollections of drinking sweetened buko juice, with the hugest chunks of coconut meat to go with it.  It was Lola’s idea of merienda when I was little.

Those were definitely good times .

I wish I had taken more pictures to show you guys but unfortunately, these were the only ones I was able to take .  The reunion was in full swing, and I had just slipped out for a while to use the bathroom when I took these photographs.

Nevertheless, these photos took me on a wonderful 5-minute trip down memory lane.

It was a great way to wrap up the weekend .

Christmas at Casa P

Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how long it’s been since my last post!  Huhuhu

I don’t know about you but this year’s holidays have been extraordinarily hectic for me!  While the parties and get-togethers are typically frenzied, we also had an out of town wedding, and more balik-bayans in town than usual.  So talk about busy, busy, busy!!!

Also, it seems that my gift list has grown exponentially since last year so I was shopping and wrapping gifts everyday, up until Christmas Eve!  Grabe, last minute!  And to think I vowed that I would try to do better this time around .  Apparently not!  Hahaha!  Oh well…

But despite all the craziness, I really do love Christmas!

Christmas Eve, in particular, is an occasion I always look forward to .

It is always celebrated at my parents’ home, and is a time for relatives from my mom’s side of the family to gather and get-together over a delicious meal, dressed in our special holiday clothes.

Through the years, we’ve developed many Christmas Eve traditions–some good, some forgettable–but one thing that’s remained constant is the warm, fuzzy feeling of having all the people I love most gathered together under one roof, celebrating the most important holiday of the year .

So anyway, just wanted to share some images of our family celebration with you, and to take this opportunity to greet everyone, “Happy Holidays!” and “Best Wishes for a Prosperous 2013!”

Musings of a COO: A Night Out With My Girls

My girls and I have been working so hard lately, that I totally feel we deserve a break–a break from the stress and madness!  Hahaha!

As timing would have it, we were recently invited to WWF’s (World Wildlife Fund for Nature) Partner’s Night at Chef Jessie’s in Rockwell.  This event is held yearly, and is an opportunity for WWF to award the different companies that they work with, and that support their environmental advocacies.

We were not only honored to be one of the evening’s awardees, but we were also very excited at the chance to kick up our heels, get dressed in fancy clothes, and just be away from the confines of our office.  Hahaha!  Never mind that it was a work-related function–we were all just so thrilled to be able to have a night out! Hahaha!

We arrived at Chef Jessie’s just in time to find our seats, have a quick bite, and make the rounds of greeting our friends at WWF.

Soon after, we heard the name of our company called, so I had to go up the stage and accept the award.

The best part of the evening (aside from receiving the award, ofcourse!) was being able to meet Rovilson Fernandez and Marc Nelson, WWF’s brand ambassadors, and the hosts of that evening’s shindig.

Here is my team posing with Rovilson and Marc, as well as with WWF’s Chairman, Vince Perez, and President, Lory Tan.

Haaaaay!  To be in the presence of such cuteness!  Hahaha!

Seriously, though, I am very proud of the work my company has done with WWF. This year, we collaborated on a project called Kalakasan, Kalikasan, an environmental life skills program aimed at educating children aged 9-11 about the effects of climate change on health.  It taught them about the causes of global warming, and how we play a huge part in saving the environment even through small lifestyle changes. Students were also taught how to keep themselves healthy in the midst of the ever-changing weather patterns, and the increasing incidence of weather-related diseases.

The nice thing about the program is its trickle down effect.  It began with the teachers, was passed on to the students, who in turn shared the information they learned with their families.

It was a very successful collaboration so we will definitely be doing it again with WWF next year!  Hooray!  And it will be even bigger and better, with more schools enrolled in the program !

It’s initiatives like these that really make me proud of the work that my team does.  To be able to affect lives positively and to be a proponent for change is not just fulfilling, but it is also such an honor.  Especially lately that we can really see how “damaged” Mother Nature has become, and how we are feeling the effects of global warming, it makes every contribution to saving the environment all the more valuable.  And I’m glad that through this effort, our company is able to do its share .

Okay, enough of the seriousness…Let me end this post with my final photo of that evening–a souvenir of the cuteness that is Marc Nelson. Bwahahaha!

Tadaaaaa!

Yes, ladies, that is my arm around his waist  Hahaha!  Yes, I have no shame. Hahaha!

It was definitely a fabulous night .