Our Christmas Together!

It was indeed a fun (and melodramatic) Christmas 2013 for Martin and I!!!

This year, we decided to create and give gifts as a couple, yung nakalagay sa signatory, “with love from Martin and Edz”.  Kopol na kopol e, haha! It’s fun because this is both our FIRST TIME of signing gifts coming from the two of us. It doesn’t seem yucky or cheesy because I think we’re both, or rather I am (yikes!), of age to do something like this. Tumatanda na.

Some of the gifts we received were labeled as “To Martin and Edz”, haha! Wala lang, nakakatuwa yung feeling that people indeed recognize us as a couple. It’s exciting for me because Martin is my first boyfriend (and so I am, too, Martin’s first girlfriend) and this is all a FIRST TIME for US! Ganito pala yung feeling, parang high school lang kung kiligin, hahaha!

 We bought the raw ingredients for a homemade salsa, including the containers, from SnR then we cut and hand-painted EACH of the Christmas cards. Ang saya habang ginagawa naming ito kasi talagang TEAM EFFORT! Woohoo APIR! I took care of the packaging and handwriting (because that’s all what my limited knowledge in preparing/cooking can do) then Martin took care of preparing the salsa. We weren’t able to deliver the gifts together though, as the salsa needed to be distributed once it was prepared; so Martin took care of that.

Our hand-painted gift cards! Yey!

Clockwise from top: That's me taking a selfie on Martin's bed; Martin hard at work at his card. Notice the human anatomy book that we used as hard board, haha!; our hand-painted Christmas gift cards, yey!; another shot of Martin concentrating on what he's doing, haha! Take note of the watercolor palette--- this belongs to my Papa pa! Mga taong 90's pa yang palette na yan, buhay pa! Galing ni Prang; or magaling lang pumili yung Papa ko ng painting materials :)

The finished product! :) That's my handwriting right there on the container's body, haha! Self-proclaimed YUMMY!

What even made us happier is that people found our “Yummy Homemade Salsa” good to eat!  Hooray for my love, Martin! Galing galing magluto! Ako naman, ang galing galing kong mag-cheer! Woohoo! Go, go Martin! Go go go Martin, go! Hahaha! Indeed I am blessed with someone who can cook really good dishes, something extraordinary. Masaya ako sa ganung skill because I love to eat. And what can be more special and happier than eating the dishes of my one true love? (Shet eto talaga, ang cheeeesy na, yuuuuuck! Cut for commercial break!)

Martin and I goofing around and taking photos on Christmas Day :)

But aside from time spent together, we also spent time with our respective families this Christmas. Of course, this is a time where we should spend precious moments with our loved ones. Martin’s family was complete except for his twin brother; and mine too was complete, together with the apos that bring us such joy in the family. Martin prepared a feast for his family which he decided to share with us too. Sobrang dami magluto ni Martin pwede niyang i-sheyr sa amin, haha! And my family did enjoy his stupendous cooking.

This may be a late greeting from Martin and I, but we hope you guys all had a 

WONDERFUL and MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On cleaning up after eating at fast food restaurants in the Philippines

Wouldn't it be great  if you can contribute in making this world a better place if you can just clean up after yourself  after dining in a fast food restaurant?

Late at night after office hours, I normally dine by myself at Jollibee or McDonald's PHILCOA. I make it a point that after eating, I put all rubbish on the tray, wipe the table with a napkin, and carry the whole tray onto the dispensing area. Isn't that just neat for the next customer to sit at your table? Doesn't that make the life of the cleaning staff easier?

All it takes is a bit of effort and a conscience for the environment and for the people around you.

Be a good citizen. CLEAN AS YOU GO.

Interesting guide for Wine Beginners

A nice guide:

 www.businessinsider.com/wine-folly-beginners-wine-chart-2013-11

Richard and Jonalyne's Wedding + Mini College Classmates Reunion

If June is a month of weddings, so is December. 

December 1, 2013, our good friends Richard Relator and Jonalyne Jose decided to get married in an elegant and lavish wedding ceremony in Tagaytay. It was a splendid wedding with Jo wearing a very beautiful gown that made her radiant amid the black sea of men in their suits and women in their olive green gowns. Richard was in a tux, looking handsome as ever. The ceremony took place in the kapilya of the Iglesia ni Cristo in Tagaytay. It was my first time to attend an INC gathering and it moved me. What moved me was how the pastor weaved the readings from different Bible scriptures into one coherent piece. Ang galing e,talagang hinango from different books in the Bible tapos meron siyang coherent theme tapos lahat ng magiging actions mo are Bible-based. Ang galing lang talaga.

Reception took place at Ville Sommet in Tagaytay City. The venue is big enough to fit, I think, 500 guests. Notice the real fountain behind the couple's bench and how beautiful the draped ceilings are with the old-style chandeliers. The cake at Chi and Jo's wedding is intricately designed and very classy. The centerpiece at every table is simple yet elegant.

The reception was held in Ville Sommet, not sure how big was the ground area, but it was a beautiful, sprawling, architecturally pleasing place to be in. The landscape architecture was also beautiful, with the plants matching the theme of Ville Sommet. One of the wonderful things about this wedding is how hands-on and creative Jo can be when it comes to the details. This camera you see below was Jo's idea. Also the marmalade giveaway and the corsage/boutonniere name plate that was given to us to find our table number. Ang galing nung attention to details. And I think it was Jo's brainchild, all of this small details. Jo, if ever you're reading this, can I ask for your services to be my future wedding's creative director? Hahaha! Thanks in advance, hahaha! Kapal lang ng mukha! :)

Each table was provided with an instamatic film camera for you to take photos of the people seated at your table and whatever good moments the wedding has. Natuwa ako sa concept na iyon, yung may camera per table tapos picture picture kayo. I also took photos of the bride and groom, garapalan lang pagpunta sa harap at pagtawag ng atensyon nila habang nagffirst dance, haha! The principal sponsor's table was long and elegantly set. Outside the wedding reception area was Ville Sommet's grounds lit by tea light candles in jars--- very beautiful sight at night.

Hooray for the bride and groom!!! Congratulations and best wishes to Richard and Jonalyne for tying the knot! **it's a trap!** Just kidding! :)

The photographs below were our photobooth pictures taken at the wedding. Even after more than seven years of living separate lives, hindi pa rin nawawala yung kakengkoyan ng isa't-isa--- that attitude that makes every person in the block unique. College friends are indeed priceless to have. Lahat ng kaek-ekan nung college, alam na alam niyo pa rin at syempre, pinagtatawanan niyo pa rin ito. Ang tagal na ng panahon na magkakasama tayo guys, more than ten years!!! And I get so DAMN GIDDY every time we see each other :) I am VERY HAPPY to have these set of friends way back in college. And it makes me even HAPPIER that until now, we are all still friends :) How fast time flies talaga, ang dami nang may baby at asawa sa batch natin at mga ikakasal pa in the future. Ang saya-saya how our lives evolved into something mature, and I thought hindi na ako mag-eevolve sa stage na yan, hindi na ako magmemetamorphose, forever caterpillar na lang! Hahahaha!

From the bottom of my heart, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Richard and Jonalyne Relator and big I love you to all my chem/biochem blockmates! :)

MABUHAY ANG CHEM/BIOCHEM 102!!!

Typical Fieldwork Assignment

I shall be again roaming the very cold and sometimes damp surroundings of Baguio and Benguet. I've been here many times, doing field works in the Cordillera Region of our country. But what differs my field work now compared to previous ones is that I'll be ALONE (but with Kuya By, our trusted and responsible driver), hopping from one community to another in various municipalities in Benguet Province. Below is the map of the sites where I'll be going. Excluded in this photo is Buguias Municipality, located two hours from La Trinidad. It's farther up north hence it cannot be seen in this screen shot anymore.

All in a day's work. Hello Benuget, my love!

But thank goodness I'll just be alone for three days because Jun, my colleague and also my boss, will follow on the 24th. Winding mountaintop roads, clean and crisp air, and thick clothing will again be part of my itinerary for eight days; not to mention multiple handshaking, rehearsed lines for introducing myself and explaining the project, and plenty of facial muscle smiling to accompany my courtesy calls.

It can be tiring sometimes, yes, but when I think that I am here at the grassroots level, representing the government agency I work for and addressing people's concerns real-time, it makes all my effort and hard work worth it. It's not that bad to work for the government, it's actually fulfilling. Yes, working for the government is fulfilling, if it weren't for those F*CKED UP AND UNSCRUPULOUS PUBLIC OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BETRAYED THE TRUST OF THE FILIPINOS. Because of them, we have become disillusioned; the people who have sworn to serve and protect the interests of the Filipinos have become the forerunners on corruption, betrayal, and dishonesty. Disgusting;

Youth Planning for 2014

The Jesus the Divine Healer Parish's (JDHP) Youth Commission core together with the next-in-line leaders organized a one-day activity planning for the year 2014. Plenty of ideas were discussed and it's amazing how the youth can think of the freshest ideas to uplift and engage fellow youth in the church.

We've retained some institutional (read: annual) activities such as the Youth Week, Youth Mass, and General Assemblies. The freshest idea so far came from Wilbert Bacudio, entitled: KAPEHAN. Sa totoo lang nalimutan ko na yung meaning ng kapehan. Meron yan e, hindi lang maisip ng utak ko right now, haha! Pero magandang ideya 'to! It aims to gather the youth into small groups and share about their day-to-day activities and realizations  over coffee. But the twist is that there should be a Bible reading/passage every sharing so that everyone will still be rooted in God's Word.

It's actually a "revamped" version of the usual prayer meeting. Kapag prayer meeting kasi yung pangalan nung activity amboring. Seriously diba? Parang eto na naman, prayer meeting na naman, parang ang santo-santo pakinggan sa kabataan. Parang ambaduy, pang tanders. But with Bert's idea of sharing over coffee, nakakaexcite pakinggan yung, "tara, kape muna tayo". Then you proceed to sharing your life stories to one another and sharing God's Word.

Mga kalokohang pinaggagagawa namin during the Youth Planning for 2014: (clockwise from top) that's me lecturing the kids; that's Bert elaborating in his KAPEHAN gig that I forgot what it means; Loreen and Grace laughing kasi na-conscious dahil pinipicturan sila; our brainstorm plans; in Sinangag Express Tahanan branch, photo taken by my one and only!; last two photos are the participants with the core (me excluded) having a funny time with the camera. Si Isabel FTW!

Aside from these gigs, we also put in an activity that is line with the Diocesan thrust for next year which is: Service for the Poor. When we say poor, it's not only the people who are poor. There are also those poor in spirit. Maraming klase ng poor. Meron yung poor in love. Eto yung mga taong hindi binibigyan ng atensyon. Kawawa naman. So we need to define first what "poor" is and from there we will create activities that will address this problem. Yung mga physically poor, nako, mahirap na yan. Baka kailangan kay Belo sila lumapit,hehehe. Free hugzzz lang ang kaya namin ibigay and a good pat on the back.

We've also created outreach programs for this year. Matagal ko nang gusto itong gawin, hindi lang talaga naeexecute kasi ang daming mga activities na bigla na lang papasok out of nowhere and will eventually disrupt our plans. All of our activities aim to engage the youth and make them feel like they "belong" in the crowd. Of course in Christ's Church, there is no one who does not belong. Lahat tayo belong kay Lord, lahat tayo magkakaibigan at walang diskriminasyon. :)

Actually may na-unsyami kaming activity e. We were supposed to hold the elections for the next batch of officers for 2014. Kaso walang dumating from Sampaloc 1. Sayang. The reason the core wanted to push through with the elections is because we already want a new set of officers to replace us. We LOVE serving the church but we've been the core for five years already! It is time that we vacate our posts and elect new officers, new blood, to bring about change to the Commission. Iba naman ang mag-lead, ibang leadership style naman. I hope matuloy ang elections ng November 30.

The core will still be there forever, guiding the new set of officers and also establishing a new sub-organization under the Youth Commission. Perhaps we'll be creating a Young Adult Ministry. Or who knows, Bert may become the next Vicariate Chair *wink wink*. As for me, gusto ko na mag-asawa! Hahahah jooooke! Matagal pa. Gustuhin ko man, kailangan ko muna patandain boyprengs ko, ambata pa e, me gatas pa sa labi. Haha!

But whatever our fate may be in the future, one thing is for certain: that we will NEVER TIRE of serving the Church. We will be serving God until our last breath. Ang drama lang ng peg pero totoo. :)

35 Months!

Today, Martin and I mark our 35th month of being together. Happy happy, joy joy! :)

In a month's time and we'll be spending three happy (but full of arguments) years together, yey! :)

Kadire. This was our first photo together after Martin came back from the States in September 2011. Kapayatan at ka-cheesyhan lang ang peg! Nene at Totoy lang. Eto ang litrato para sa throwback Thursday! At isa pa, litrato ng mga "early couple days" kasi PAYAT pa! Ngayon, never mind.

Infographics 101: Good references for creating effective infographics

And so today I am going to create an infographic for the communities in Benguet Province regarding early warning system protocols.

I am stumped on what to do. I am not an artist. I do layouts for posters, pamphlets, and covers for conference manuscripts, but that's it. I try to be creative but my left brain can only let my right brain dabble a bit on its operations.

I've searched Google on how to have an "effective infographic design" and here are the sites I've come across. They do not teach you how to create per se but these can serve as good references and inspirations for you to create a good infographic. In my case, a mediocre infographic. Here they are:

The Best 80 Infographics in the Web (2011) - they have compiled in 2011 the top 80 infographics available on the web. It's inspiring enough to let your creative juices flow.

The Dos and Don'ts of Infographic Design - some may agree with the writer's perspective some may not. But it can still be a good read as you will be the one to decide on which points to pick. But there has been another article to explore this write-up in a different perspective. Here it is: The Dos and Don'ts of Infographic Design: Revisited.

Jing Zhang Wignall - I know there are a lot of illustrators out there but Jing Zhang's illustrations are just damn cute you'll thoroughly examine them. She has been a consultant artist for big names such as Toyota, Adobe, Nokia, and IBM to name a few.

Airbnb - a complete, creative, and informative infographic from Airbnb.

Flowtown - try exploring their website and be inspired with its graphics.

Zia Somjee - his creations are something like Jing's but Zia's illustrations can show a more "male" side as it uses darker colors compared to Jing's pastel shades. His concepts are good too and I like how clean and simple it is.

That's enough browsing of infographic references for now. There are TONS and TONS of it out there, you just have to google them. But these are my picks in the meantime.

On another note, if you just want to laugh a bit, check this website out. Unfortunately the captions are not that funny but when you see the photos, it's enough to make your diaphragm muscles hurt and your shoulders spasm from laughing.

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/209534/bad-taxidermy-is-the-perfect-mix-of-hilarious-and-terrifying/

The Happy Monk (House of Steam) Restaurant not-so-complete-yet Review.

It was a sunny and windy weekend and Martin and I were together spending quality time. He bought food for his brothers in Andok’s BF and when we headed home, we came across this restaurant that had a big tarpaulin posted outside their establishment that read:

40% off on ALL dimsum from 3pm to 5pm.

Martin looooves dimsum. In fact, he worships dimsum more than he worships me, haha! Handa niyang ipagpalit ako sa dimsum! *dapat pala ang hitsura ko mukha ring dimsum para mahalin ako nito, hehe.* So automatically, we were drawn to eat at this new and seemingly interesting place--- The Happy Monk. It was 4:45pm so pasok pa kami sa discount!

We ordered the pork and shrimp siomai and the Japanese siomai. Grabe. Ang S-A-R-A-P. What makes it masarap is, aside from the taste and concoction of the siomai, alam mong HINDI KA TINIPID sa ingredients. You get your money’s worth when you buy these dimsum here at The Happy Monk. Though I am not a huge (literally and figuratively) fan of dimsum like Martin (eto talaga literally huge, hahaha joooke! labyu Mahal :* ), alam ko naman yung hitsura ng tinipid sa hindi. I've eaten quite a number of dimsum already in 27 years and this one's something to sink your teeth and taste buds into. They don't have hakaw though.The best hakaw I've tried so far is Zhu in BGC, beside HSBC and McDonald's. Pumuputok yung hakaw ng mga hipon! Yum! We weren't able to order the Xiao Long Bao here at Happy Monk, hindi raw kasi kasama sa promo rate, haha! Kuripot lang kami mag-jowa, haha! Tipiders mode! :)

Another thing: what is depicted in the pictures, more or less, that’s EXACTLY the same look you’ll get when your food is served to you. Pasok sa banga! Hindi siya yung mga photos na dinownload lang sa internet tapos the establishment claimed that it is THEIR food. This is the real thing 'ika nga ni Lisa Stansfield sa ni-remake niyang kanta. We ended up ordering two sets of pork/shrimp siomai and japanese siomai. So lumabas e parang tag-isang order kami ng pork/shrimp and japanese siomai. Takaw much lang???

For the price, compared to other restaurants in BF that serve dimsum, The Happy Monk's price is competitive,  pwede na, mura na. What even makes it more appealing is its VALUE FOR MONEY vibe. Kung kumain ka ng siomai dito at siomai ng Mandarin Palace, mas sulit babayaran mo dito sa Happy Monk. Ganung levels. SULIT siya e, yun yun.

Do not confuse this restaurant for The Happy Monk in Guanzhou, China. This one is nicely located in Aguirre Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City, approximately 80 meters from Little Quiapo. Very accessible to BF people who just wants to have a dimsum-kinduva-great-time. Shet ambaduy lang ng hirit!

(Clockwise from top left) There's that big tarpaulin poster hung at their window. And that's a selfie of Martin and I. Plus Martin attacking our first order of dimsum. Second batch of pork/shrimp an japanese siomai. Lastly, the ambiance and interior design of the restaurant is simple and functional. :)

The Happy Monk's menu. Sorry if it's a bit blarred. Bad trip lang kasi yung camera ng tablet e. Hope you guys can read it.

Martin and I will definitely go back to taste more of their sumptuous food. 'Til then, this is just a mini review of the wild and delicious time we had at The Happy Monk. Ang galing e, parang out of nowhere in-you-face, BOOM! Delicious siomai for you! Ganung levels! Sarap! At siguro nga ang pumatok sa takilya samin e yun 40% off on dimsum promo nila, hahaha!

Kaon ta! :)

How you can help Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims

It is indeed unfortunate and devastating for Filipinos to experience this kind of hell-hath-no-fury-like-Yolanda typhoon. Numerous photos and news articles are available online for you to digest and reflect on what truly happened during the event.

Yes, PRAYERS are powerful indeed. But your DONATIONS are also equally powerful in helping alleviate our typhoon victims. Rappler has stupendously established an online reference on where you can donate money and relief goods. I know I am a small-time blogger and may not have that much page views per day but I would still like to help, in any way I can, spread the word on where and how you can dole out donations:

Rappler Relief Map for Typhoon Yolanda and other Links --- a Google map that shows the relief center nearest you where you can donate your goodies and cash.

Rappler List of Relief Operation Centers Locally and Abroad --- in this link, foreigners and kababayans working abroad can find the names and links of organizations where they can donate cash for Typhoon Yolanda victims.

It doesn't matter how minuscule your help may be. Big or small, the important thing is you CHOSE TO DO something about the calamity. You CHOSE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Start changing your life by resolving to change the world.

Start now with Typhoon Yolanda victims.

Random Cheesiness

This morning I was so groggy from staying up all night (well, almost all night) monitoring our landslide sensors in the Visayas and Mindanao. So because of this, my mood wasn't really all that amiable. But at around 7:30am I received a text from Martin and it read:

"...i'll just wash my face and change shirt then sleep na. :) good night my unicorn... I love you so much."

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaction ko dun sa MY UNICORN. Hindi ko alam kung tatambling ba ko sa kilig or kung tatambling ako kasi ang cheeeeesy or dahil ang corny. Hahaha! But I think it's a mix between kilig and cheesy. But it is NEVER corny when you tell things like these to your partner.

Haha! What a grrreat way to start my morning!

Ako na ang UNICORN! 

Buhay ng Hilaw-na-Scientist: Overnight at PHIVOLCS

It's 0030H here in Quezon City and I'm still up with my colleague, Kai, keeping an eye on Typhoon Yolanda and our landslide sensors buried in Southern Leyte (2), Surigao del Sur (1), Surigao del Norte (1), Iloilo (1), and Negros Oriental (2). A few more hours and I'll go berserk. Wait, hindi pala ako pwedeng magwala rito, mawawalan ng magmomonitor ng sensors.

I don't know what came into my head and I suddenly decided to do an overnight here at the office to do this monitoring job when in fact I can monitor this at home. Perhaps because when I go home I'll definitely fall asleep and wake up late the next day. Baka takasan ako ng mga sensors at biglang mag-guhuan yung mga lupa, kasalanan ko pa kung bakit hindi ko na-warn yung mga tao.

Good thing Kai is here to keep me company. I stuffed myself already with a lot of carbohydrates at around 2130H. Kadire. Gabing-gabi, carbs ang kinakain. Thank goodness Kai is such a food girl scout. She brought all these yummy goodies for us (actually just me because she rarely eats at night) to feast on. My workstation is almost a cafeteria with the bevy of foods you'll find on it:

Clockwise from top: my record book of sensor and community monitoring; Stik-O and my laptop; the best friend a graduate student can have: instant noodles and a rosary; my workstation at the office during an overnight.

A realization I had while writing down the data is that NOTHING BEATS WRITING YOUR DATA WITH A PEN AND PAPER. You write it down on a notebook; you do it the old-fashioned way of recording data. For me, I get my thoughts more organized and I tend to write every detail down in my notebook. With the technological advancements nowadays, I know that information can be directly typed into the laptop and it would be easier for other people to access it. But surprisingly for me, when typing scientific data in the computer, some ideas just escape my mind. Also, I don't find it that appealing to type in the computer, parang walang buhay, walang art, walang personal touch. It's as if you are distant with your data. E kapag ikaw yung nagsulat sa notebook, feel na feel mo na sa'yo ang data na yun. Or baka naman kasi undergrad pa lang, sanay na sanay na ako magsulat sa journal dahil sa isandamakmak na laboratory classes namin. I was trained to write all data and ideas, even how simple it may be, in a notebook. We were also taught that if you're going to make drawings/descriptions that only you can understand, make sure you leave a note so that others would understand what it is.

Iba talaga ang training kapag undegrad ka 'no? Parang yun talaga yung panahon na kung saan mo matututunan yung klase ng impormasyo na pwede mong magamit sa pagtatrabaho at sa pag-earn ng sahod.

Baguio trip on a budget: 8,000 pesos can afford you a 2N/3D board and lodging for two + transpo money + date money+ shopping

Just recently, my Martin and I spent two nights and three days in the City of Pines known as Baguio City. It is located ~244 km north of Manila and its elevation is ~1,500 masl. This high elevation is responsible for the cool climate of Baguio throughout the year. It was my nth time in Baguio and Martin's second. We had a budget of PhP 8,000 for this trip and it covered everything, including our date money and a bit of shopping. In fairness, dalawang buwan namin pinag-ipunan tong budget na 'to! Haha! Tipid tipid lang kung may opportunity. This can actually be lessened if you eat just the right amount and not stuff yourselves, like what Martin and I did, haha!


Here's the gist:

Expense	Budget
Fare (two-way via Victory Liner air-conditioned bus with stopovers)	920.00/person x 2 = 1,840.00
Accommodations for two persons	600.00/night x 2 = 1,200.00
Food (five FULL meals + drinks good for two persons + street foods)	2,300.00
Movie at SM Baguio (we watched two movies)	130.00/person x 2 x 2 movies = 520.00
Transportation (going around Baguio in FX for three days)	750.00
Shopping money (we shopped at Baguio’s night market)	600.00/person x 2 = 1,200
Taxi fare from Victory Liner Pasay to our homes in BF	190.00
Total Cost	8,000.00 for two persons (~USD 230)

Getting there:
We boarded the bus via the VICTORY LINER Pasay Terminal. Each ticket costs PhP 460 (455 for the ticket and 5 for insurance). Buses leave every hour so you need not worry whether or not you guys shall push through with the trip. There will be three or four stopovers (I cannot remember because I was asleep during some stopovers) for the duration of the 8-hour or sometimes 7-hour trip, depending on the route of the bus. Some traverse the SCTEX; others the traditional roads, which take longer.

Upon arrival at the Baguio Victory Liner terminal, we immediately purchased our departure tickets to ensure we are going to be seated together. Plus you can already calculate how much money is left for you to spend during your Baguio tour. Buses in Baguio Victory Liner leave every 20 minutes. So again, guaranteed you can go home the same day you planned to go home.

Tip: I suggest you book or buy your tickets in advance to be SURE you will be seated together. If you'll just peg your hopes on being a chance passenger, more or less you'll end up seated separately on the 8-hour trip. Also, VERY IMPORTANT to be 20 minutes BEFORE the departure time stated in your ticket. Martin and I arrived at EXACTLY the time written on our tickets and we were NOT allowed to board anymore since they've already accommodated the chance passengers. We ended up being chance passengers ourselves and waited for two hours in the long line of chance passengers.

Where to stay:
We stayed at a house which have rooms for rent located at Angels Hills Rd., Lourdes Subdivision. It will cost you PhP 60 taxi from the house to SM Baguio. It cost us PhP 600/night for two persons. The room was equipped with a queen-sized bed with foam mattress, two pillows, and two blankets; a table and chair; a rack to put your bags; and a wooden cabinet with hangers. The bathroom was equipped with a heater (of course) and the toilet and bath both have partitions--- something that I'm very particular with. The sink is situated between the toilet and bath area.

The rooms have wood panels and flooring hence you can be sure of a warm stay for the night. It's not a fancy place to stay in but it is decent and clean enough, and affordable for a two-night stay. Trust me when I tell you that it's decent enough.

The best part about this house is that it has a well-equipped and structured kitchen, complete with refrigerator, stove, cutlery, pots and pans, knives, and two industry-strength/size sinks. You can cook your meals and dine al fresco. But if you feel chilly, there's also a foyer where a dining table and chairs are set up. It also has other rooms that can accommodate four to six people. We've stayed there during field works but I forgot what the room looked like and how much it costs. You have to buy your own ingredients and condiments to cook. Luckily, my boyfriend is an expert chef and has provided us with sumptuous meals throughout our stay.

If you are interested in booking, text me at 0918-9231765 and I'll give you the number of Manang Priscilla, the caretaker of the house. I cannot explicitly post her number here. This is somewhat a "secret" place to stay in Baguio because of its cleanliness and affordability. :)

What to cook:
Here's what my boyfriend cooked for us (see photos). Our total expense for our food was ~2,000 pesos. That includes five meals already. Five HEFTY meals with wine and soda and condiments. When there were leftovers, we bring it along while going around the city.

For Day 1 breakfast, Martin cooked nuggets and we had buttered rice. We used buffalo wings sauce as dip.
For Day 1 dinner, we had buffalo wings, vegetables (romaine with tomatoes), and buttered rice plus soda and wine
For Day 2 breakast, we had a myriad of longganisa (bought at SM Supermarket), red egg with tomatoes, fried rice, romaine, and pineapples (takot kami magutom e, haha!)
For Day 2 dinner, we had shrimp curry and bagnet plus curried rice and pineapple with condiments and soda and wine
For Day 3 breakfast, we ate hotdog, bacon, and eggs for breakfast plus vegetables again and pineapple and fried rice. There were plenty of hotdogs left hence we took them with us during our going home trip.

Where to go:
I know that while at Baguio you should go visit the sites worth visiting, right? Well, I think the most noteworthy place we've been to is the BenCab Museum. It's capable of overwhelming your senses with delight. The place's architecture is perfect. The museum's artifacts, sculptures, paintings, and exhibits were designed to wow you that you just want to take a photo with every piece. The garden at the back was well sculpted and it's so relaxing you wish you could spend a night in that place.
Tip: It would be better if you could tour the place with a docent. It's free. But gratuity is greatly appreciated. There are not so many sign boards for you to read that explains the pieces so if you tour it on your own, you will be missing quite a lot of information about the items there.

This was taken Ben Cab Museum's cafe. Such a nice and refreshing ambiance.

Since Martin and I are movie lovers, we cannot resist watching movies in SM Baguio. It's only 130.00 pesos per person for one movie! Way cheaper than Metro Manila prices of PhP 220.00 per head. Plus, the film itself is clear with great surround stereos to give you that complete movie experience. And the seats are nice too!

Another irresistible place to go to is the Baguio Night Market located in between Session Road and Burnham Park. It opens at around 9PM and you can shop there until 2AM. It's also an ukay-ukay sale but this one is waaaay cheaper. At one time, I bought three blouses for 20 pesos! And you know what are their brands? Ann Taylor, Gap, and Massimo Dutti. All originals. But second hand items though. But I checked the integrity of the fabric and they can still be worn a few times before totally disposing them. At one time I bought four blouses for 100 pesos and they are all branded (again): Banana Republic, Isaac Mizrahi, Talbots cardigan, and H&M. And the fabric is just fabulous! Silk with Lycra, viscose, and cotton mixes!

Photos were mostly taken at the Ben Cab Museum (we actually have a gazillion photos there), SM Baguio balcony, Don Henrico's Session Road branch, and during one of our dinners in our first Baguio visit.

We also walked around Baguio's famous Session Road. On our first visit, we dined at the original Don Henrico's branch. Quite pricey but at least we get to eat their first outlet. Don Henrico's by the way is a Filipino brand. We also ate the very yummy shawarma of Solibao restaurant, also located at Session Road. Walking along this street at night can be relaxing and nostalgic and you get a feeling you're in another country. The shop's architecture is reminiscent of vintage American shops lined up in a boulevard. Session Road is also walking distance from SM Baguio.

Martin and I heard mass at the Baguio Cathedral. It was jam packed but I was lucky to have been ushered into a seat by a kind gentleman. Martin however, stood by my side along the aisle. The priest's homily wasn't that engaging though and the architecture and sculptures and murals were satisfactory, but not stupendous relative to other cathedrals in the Philippines.

When we bought pasalubongs, we went to the Baguio Public Market, situated below Session Road.

There are other places to visit such as: Mines View Park (this is so overrated), Good Shepherd, Baguio Botanical Garden, Burnham Park, The Mansion, Wright Park, Camp John Hay, PMA Camp, and other tourist-worthy places. But we didn't bother to visit these perhaps because we were running low on funds, and visiting these attractions require money, haha!

Author's recommendation:
What makes Baguio romantic is probably the cool climate. There are very few places in the Philippines where it's cold kaya sa Baguio patok sa takilya ang hug hug at kapit tuko sa braso ng jowa. It's also a good place to take romantic strolls around the forested areas of Camp John Hay and Wright Park kasi HINDI KAYO PAPAWISAN habang naglalakad, hahaha! Si Martina pa naman, wagas kung magpawis. It doesn't matter where you are in Baguio, it doesn't matter if you won't be able to visit the tourist destinations, but what's MOST IMPORTANT (in my opinion) is just being TOGETHER and observing the sights and sounds Baguio has to offer. :) Okay na yun, solb na, feeling ibang bansa lang ang peg! Malamig kasi hindi katulad sa Manila na mainit at feel na feel at amoy na amoy ang polusyon. :) And also, take AS MANY PHOTOS as you can. So you can document your memories. Unfortunately for Martin and I, we're not much of a photographing couple, haha.

During our visit to the museum, there was an exhibit of artist couple Plet Bolipata and Elmer Borlongan. This exhibit I'm sitting on is Plet's.

Strip: Ministry of Waxing vs. Lay Bare --- A comprehensive review of two prominent waxing salons in Manila

Here’s the gist:

Skill	Strip	Lay Bare
Ability of waxing technique to flawlessly remove hair	x	x
Competency of waxing technicians	x	x
Cleanliness, hygiene, ambiance, and comfort	x
Speed (proportional to pain tolerance)	x
After care	x	x
Hair removal services range	x
Accessibility of branches		x
Credit/debit card availability	x
Price		x
Overall satisfaction if you have that extra money to burn	x
Overall satisfaction if you’re on a budget		x
Total Score	8/10	6/10

Ability of waxing technique to flawlessly remove hair: It’s a tie.

I am not that adept to determine whether both these waxing salons use a hard or soft wax. All I know is that for Strip, the wax needs to be heated for it to be malleable while Lay Bare’s wax is malleable even under room temperature.

I say that both waxing technique to FLAWLESSLY remove hair is a tie because both can cleanly remove hairs completely. The reason some technicians go back over and over a certain area and cause you immense pain is the hairs are still short to completely latch itself onto the wax. So you should make sure that your hairs are long enough to guarantee a fast and easy waxing job. This may be unsightly for a few days but the results will definitely be worth it. Mas maganda talaga kung mahahaba na yung buhok para tuloy tuloy ang pag-wax at walang pabalik balik sa mga certain areas at wala nang ip-pluck pa.

Competency of Waxing Technicians: It’s a tie.

If Strip has 20 waxing technicians in their two stores (yes, only two in the Philippines--- Serendra and Greenbelt), their waxing prowess can easily be matched or probably be topped by the top 20 waxing technicians of Lay Bare, probably even the top 30 of Lay Bare.

Lay Bare has so many branches, the probability of you falling into the hands of a bad waxing technician increases. But there are really good and competent technicians on their team. What I like about them is they truly endeavor to remove the hairs, even the tiny ones, from your skin. They even hand you a mirror to check if everything has been removed. They do a post-waxing hair check and feel if all the hairs have been pulled out. If not, they will tweeze it out until you’re super hair-free. But of course tweezing can be painful for the legs and vagina and sometimes traumatic that you would rather let demhairs (parang dembabies lang ni Mariah) be there forever. Just so the pain would stop.

Strip, on the other hand, are well-versed in handling melted wax. They do it with such precision and swiftness you feel assured they damn well know what they’re doing. They are also polite and quiet. They don’t try to strike a conversation with you unless they feel you would like to talk with them. They are also professional and act with class. Sanay na sanay maghandle ng mayayaman na kliyente.

Both waxing salons have competent waxing technicians. I suggest you find the technician you are most comfortable with and the one who can remove your hairs swiftly and painlessly.  

Cleanliness, hygiene, ambiance, and comfort:  Strip.

I cannot blame Lay Bare if their facility is cramped and not up to par with Strip’s cleanliness, classiness, and quietness. Strip is way more expensive because you pay extra for these qualities. There are just so many customers in Lay Bare that the staff have very little time to clean up after waxing someone because the next customer have been waiting for hours (there’s always a long line of patrons waiting in the cramped “lobby”). The towels being used are already old and scruffy because the towel stock cannot compete with the volume of people who go in and out the salon. Sobrang daming tao sa Lay Bare, hindi na advisable bumili ng isandamakmak na towels kasi masyado nang mahal.

The waxing booth in Lay Bare is not architecturally pleasing to the senses as they are makeshift walls that do not completely enclose your space. You can overhear the conversation in the other cubicle and you can hear the technician’s chatting in the hall and in their backroom. It’s not a place where you can feel at ease to have your hairs removed because aside from the noise, you will also wonder if your bed sheets have been completely replaced by new ones because you’ll be seeing stains and sometimes, pubic hairs. And you’ll think to yourself, “omigosh whose pubic hairs are these???” And the booth is just so darned small. Most of the time, the technician slides herself along the walls to be able to access your body parts.

The waxing technician’s uniform in Strip is better compared to Lay Bare’s as well as their hygiene practices. Strip technicians properly wear their latex gloves and their fingers seldom make contact with your skin. Most of the time it’s the spatula that touches you. Another hygienic feat of Strip is that they immediately throw away the spatula that was just used on you. Every application, a new spatula is used, guaranteeing clean delivery and application of the wax. The strip cloth too gets thrown after one use. The ambiance and comfort you’ll feel at Strip is the best you can have. Their rooms, take note: rooms and not badly partitioned cubicles, are spacious you can do a somersault inside. You can place your bag and clothes on designated areas within the room and you don’t have to worry about the sheets being unclean. Everything is hygienic. Everything is relaxing and peaceful.

Speed (proportional to pain tolerance): Strip.

The longer you stay in the bed, the longer time your hairs are being pulled out, the more painful it will be. This is because the brain will start to register prolonged pain afflicted on the body.

If your pain tolerance is low, I suggest you go to Strip. It’s super fast, like reaaallly fast. I was composing a text message to my boyfriend while I was being Brazilian-ed and I haven’t even finished typing the somewhat lengthy message and I was already finished! Wow! Really impressive. It’s because their waxing technique can cover larger areas of skin and remove the hairs in one go, which can shorten the time a technician has to spend removing your hairs.

As opposed to Lay Bare’s waxing technique, it covers only small segments of your skin because the wax cannot be spread much on the hairs.  Plus some technicians put too much force on spreading the wax it becomes painful, especially when you’re having the Brazilian.

After care: It’s a tie.

Both have cream preparations that are applied to the waxed areas. I didn’t notice the difference between Strip’s and Lay Bare’s. Though the packaging and explanation of Strip’s product was better, you may think that Strip’s preparation is better than Lay Bare’s. But actually they just have the same function: as an anti-inflammatory colloid to soothe your disturbed pores.

Hair removal services range: Strip.

Well, Strip offers IPL services to permanently remove your hairs making them have a wider range of hair removal services compared to Lay Bare. Yes, it is more costly compared to other dermatological clinics but for those living in Forbes, Dasma, Urdaneta, McKinley Hill, BGC, and Serendra, this is but a paltry expense in their wallets.

Accessibility of branches: Lay Bare.

Lay Bare has so many branches all over the Philippines! You can just google their website and see. If you live in Alabang, no need to go to Taguig or Makati to get your hairs waxed. There’s one in ATC and another one in Festival. There’s another branch opening soon in SM Southmall. Lay Bare has got the ladies covered in a lot of branches nationwide.

Credit/debit card availability: Strip.

I guess Strip has a credit/debit card facility because of its expensive waxing menu, haha! Actually I find it more convenient to pay with credit/debit card. Something that Lay Bare doesn’t have. Quite disappointing.

Price: Lay Bare.

NOTHING BEATS the prices at Lay Bare. It’s by far the most affordable waxing salon out there that can flawlessly remove your hairs by competent waxing technicians. If you are not too anal about cleanliness and comfort, and if you’re a practical boy/girl who earns just the right amount of salary to afford you a few luxuries from time to time, and if you have a high pain tolerance, you can put your money on this waxing salon to get the job done of removing unwanted hairs (almost) perfectly.

Overall satisfaction:

If you have extra money to burn: Strip

If you are that sosyal-sosyal and mayaman-ang-magulang-ko-kaya-what-I-earn-I-keep-for-myself type of person, then by all means, SPLURGE it baby! You deserve the best pampering a salon/spa has to offer! No one does waxing better than Strip: Ministry of Waxing. Hands down talaga! And if you have A LOT MORE extra money, you may want to book an IPL session to permanently remove those darned hairs in the armpits and legs.

If you are on a budget: Lay Bare

If you want to remove your hairs somewhat painfully but don’t want to painfully hurt your wallet, then get your hairs waxed at Lay Bare. If you’re not too iffy about cleanliness, classiness, quietness, and ambiance, okay na rito. Basta matanggal ang mga buhok from the roots at mura, patok sa takilya ang Lay Bare!

Author’s recommendation: If you don’t have the moolah to have all your hairs stripped at Strip, I suggest for the legs and armpits, you go for Lay Bare. But for Brazilian, ONLY STRIP can make you feel overly satisfied and giddy. Iba talaga! It’s super fast, clean, efficient, and classy! They can even wax your pubes into certain shapes! Nothing beats Strip for a Brazilian waxing experience. But the price is really overwhelming, haha. Just think of it as an “investment” for hygiene and you can be well on your way for a cleaner and fresher down there. J