Happy Friday: Everybody Wins! 3 points how I did it!

Before we ended FY16, our team had our annual year-end activity and it was none other than a sport called "Bowling".  If you are aware, it's Sweets who loved this sport and I am a mere cheerleader -- had some problems at my back and thus was not able to even play.

Anyways, I think it's a great game choice because we all do not want to get sweaty under the heat of the sun -- Bowling Alley are air conditioned :)


We all can play but we were not experts and thus everything that happened was all about having fun, building relationship and TRYING (yes trying!) to even hit one PIN.


Lucky for me -- we were all normal  (mediocre) players -- not being able to hit a single PIN was like a norm -- haha! 





Come awarding day -- I was surprised that I was one of the top scorers! I
 even had an award for the "MOST NUMBER OF STRIKES" --- yes MOST NUMBER na ako ha :) If you would ask how many? I had two strikes!!

When I was telling Sweets -- i think what's going on at the back of his mind was:
"2 LANG?" --- "Well Sweets, hindi ako expert na kagaya mo!"


Learn more here --> Sweets Played Bowling!







ANYWAYS -- this is just my introductory story for the main story!
My realization is that -- in everything that we do, if we put our hearts in it, it will result to good things!


Like for this particular event that I was not even competitive because I really do not know how to play but only to find out that I indeed played well! ^_^


Simple things that I would like to share so that "WE ALL WIN".


1. Do not expect -- Do your best but do not expect for something in return.  Then if you will be rewarded because of what you did -- it will feel GREAT!


2. Communicate -- Tell something! Tell the people around you what you want.  How you want things to go and you will definitely get what you want -- Side note: you have to be patient of course!


3. Do not compare -- This is the greatest mistake one can make!  You will never be happy if you will compare yourself to others! Look at what you have achieved, what you have and BE HAPPY!  Remember, whatever it is that you have now that you are taking for granted, someone is praying for it!


Xoxo

Happy Friday: A Reminder!

One time my husband and I was on our way home while discussing some stuff that matters to our lives and then suddenly this.


I zoomed my eyes and took my camera to immediately make this shot.

It was in my phone that I read the entire message at the back of this tricycle and I was in awe.  I totally agree with this message and why do we have to see this message at the back of a tricycle while we were driving a car?


Have we (Sweets and I) thought of this? Us who is capable of buying the things that we want in life?  Have we thought that happiness is inward and not outward??


My point is: In life - we will always want something! Something that we feel will make us invincible or will make us famous.  But have we thought, even for a moment, that the simplest things are those that should always matter and should make us happy? 


What are those simple things that money cannot buy? Here are my thoughts:


1. Your relationship with your family - the memories you've shared together.
    May it be a simple meal together at home, jamming and singing time.
    Simply listening to your mom or dad as they share their stories.
    Helping your siblings with their school or life problems.


2. Doing what you really like to do - your passions! If you want to do journals!
    If you like to be healthy then run, if you like to sing then do so!
    It's a bonus if you love what you do at work! <I AM!>


3. Removing the negativities in your life - no explanation needed!
    We are all old enough to know. *Wink*




Quoting the small text above:


" Beware! Don't always be wishing for what you don't have.  For REAL LIFE and REAL LIVING is NOT RELATED to how RICH you are".


This is an eye opener that I would like to share to everyone.
Happiness is within us an what other people tells us! :)


Xoxo

Samuel's Plate: A must in San Pablo!

I'm from San Pablo Laguna but ever since I got married, i rarely go home. These past few months I always see posts from my family that they were always eating at Samuel's Plate and i got curius.

Thus when we celebrated Father's Day I suggested that we all eat there so that Sweets and I can also have a taste and review of what this food haven can offer. 

Outside view is good, they have enough parking space outside their establishment and they are located in a not so crowded area.

On the inside, you will be welcomed by their bar and pastry stand! Hmmm!! You can indulge with some drinks or two (They don't have softdrinks).

 They haven't had their formal opening yet but this place was already a hit! 

From the image below you can see that they can fit around 50-70 pax all in one.

When we went there, there were only 2 floors but we were informed that a 3rd floor is a to be opened soon!

First is some appetizer to kick off the taste buds.. We had Nachos (ultimate favorite of Sweets).

They also gave a free appetizer which was good as well!

White bread dipped to their own mix of oil, soy souce and some herbs.

Another appetizer was the Mozorella Croquettes.

Then on the the main dish.

Sausage and Mash -- you got there three types of American Sausage and mashed potato.

We also had Braised Short Ribs!

Then Tilapia Parmigiana that had mouth watering cheese on top of it.

So deadly!

We had Pan Roasted Salmon Steak.

True to its name -- Krispy Kare Kare!

Then the salmon.

As mentioned earlier, they do not have carbonated drinks and thus we had water!

 Sharing with you as well their menu. So when you go there you have already reviewed their menu and you can odder immediately.

 Nevertheless, you can always ask their friendly staff on their best seller and you can never go wrong!

It will always be a great thing if good food are shared with loved ones!

Super hit as always!

 They serve their own pastry for desserts and you should also try them! 

Another satisfied customer!

Xoxo

This one person: Never fails to make me Smile!

You all know that I am a few decades old already and in this wondrous life there are a lot to expect and think about!  I remember in the 90's there was a famous song with the following lyrics of and sang by Serena Dalyrymple.


"I Love you Sabado, pati na rin Linggo..."

I remember when I was in my elementary days in our small city of San Pablo, a store was built, it was "Jollibee" and I look at it as a "Children's Haven".  We went there only for special occasions like recognition, birthday, graduation and that every time we go to Jollibee, it means that we did something great as a kid!


Fast forward to 2016 --


I never had a "Jollibee Kid's Party" but every time I see him (Jollibee) he gives me magic!  It is like all of a sudden all my worries disappear and that the child in me is rekindled. 
How I loved to be a child -- someone who,
doesn't worry about things;
doesn't worry about what people think of her;
doesn't worry if she only has Php100 in her pocket! 


All problems vanished in one move! 


That's an interesting fact to note!
This is his influence -- he shares a lot of positivity, cheerfulness and LOVE!
Like you want to love all people and just smile at them!


How about you? Who is that one person who never fails to make you smile?
You must have one right??


Xoxo

When Bored: Have FUN @ Caffe Piansa!

Random moment that when you are bored -- all you have to do is have some FUN!  Nothing beats the time being spent with friends -- super kulit friends!

This is a restaurant in Marikina and it was my first time there.
Another serious post shall be created for that!
For now, let us have some fun!

Are they happy or happy that they have an electric chair? Hehe
Of course this is not the real deal!

The famous! Now who's the real guilty one?

I loved this! Mga walang magawa talaga sa buhay!

Xoxo

Blurred!

How many times in your life when you feel that your LIFE is not going to the direction that you want it to be.  It feels like the lens is blurred and you cannot see clearly?

These are points in our life when we:

1. Encountered a Failure, maybe at work or at home
2. Our goals were not met, maybe entering a business, buying a car, not being promoted (soon)
3. Lost a loved one, maybe by accident or by sickness

There are many negativities in this world and these are inevitable part of our lives.  We can never experience true happiness and fulfillment if we don't fall.  We need to see a bit of darkness for us to appreciate the light!

What to do if you are feeling blurred!  Sit back and take a deep breath because you need a bit of silence. Sometimes it is not the external noise that are bothering us but our internal voices -- the little things we hear from our heart and mind sometimes clouds us from clear judgement.  Then re-focus!  That's when you will see and realize that LIFE is really a great ride -- Negativities are meant to be experienced but not lingered.

So when the time comes again that you are feeling blurred, take a deep breath and re-focus!

Xoxo

Trick or Treat: CF CMT Style (Halloween 2015)

It's better late than never -- okie this is super super late as in half a year late but this is still worth recognizing.


Okie -- our team (CF CMT) has always been situated in Gateway but last June of 2015 we moved here CG2 to be situated in the "Workplace of the Future".  With this transfer, we were able to participate in the yearly "Trick or Treat".


We were not that prepared actually..

I thank the team c/o Tine, Jo, Odette, Rox for decorating our work area.
Our theme was "Candy Land".


Then for the entire team in contributing for the candies.

The winner of them all was when Ace dressed up as a super cute monkey mascot.  This is Ace, he was still wearing his badge :) super compliant -- he does not want to tailgate.

This year -- I know it will be a blast!

I swear we will super prepare! haha!
This event was after our Team Halloween Event.

Xoxo

The Gown: Louise' 18th Birthday Celebration

You all know that I am coming back -- yes that is definitely correct.
This time, I would like to share how the wonderful gown of Louise came about.

Before I start, let me give you a glimpse of how the top looked like!

Let me share with you where it started...

First I was not thinking of a ball gown, instead I am only thinking of a tutu skirt because I am thinking that it would best fit the simple event that we would like to celebrate.  

Initially, I recommended this one:

And yes, I was so ready to order!   Another yes, that's how stingy I am!
Louise did not mention that she didn't liked it, she told me that she doesn't want sleeveless top (she sure knows which part of the body to emphasize!).

And so the search continues -- and I am still thinking of how to pull it off without spending too much.  Louise drew something and she specifically mentioned that she doesn't want sleeveless.. okie I get it!

Alright, so this is what Louise wanted and have imagined in her head (maybe several times) but I can't seem to figure out where are we going to find this kind of gown.  Definitely not in SM, not in any other malls, I am sure we need to get a couturier.

Still in search of the perfect gown to wear, one night, our Tita Baby visited us and we opened up about this debut and she recommended a gown where she found to be elegant and beautiful.

This one -- 

Okie, so a Rajo Laurel gown specially made for Alex Gonzaga when Tony and Paul was wed! Okie sa suggestion ha!

It was really good but I know how expensive it was so I was left with a blank space in my face!

What's next? Find a couturier -- someone who can deliver this design but not as expensive.. I was actually praying -- "Please Lord Guide me and bring me an angel who can pull this one off + with a cheap but elegant deal".

I started scouting (in San Pablo Laguna) and after several questions and stuff, I was able to find the perfect person to take on this gown, ate Maan Ortega!

Initially, Louise was thinking that the color of her gown would be orange, simply because that is her favorite color but when we consulted Kuya Alvin, he told us that it would be great to stick to this color palette and just tweak the design based on the body type of Louise.  

Aminin, hindi naman ganito ka sexy si Louise ---

After some months, we were off to the first and only fitting --

This was the raw gown -- still didn't have the bead and lace work on it.
Louise lose a bit of weight -- excited??

Then three days before the event, we got the final gown!

Words cannot describe how elegant it looked like -- 
I am very thankful that we listened to Kuya Alvin's recommendation and trusted the skills of Ate Maan that they can pull off this beautiful gown inspired by Alex' Gonzaga's gown (made by Rajo Laurel).

It looked perfect on Louise, she is the star of that night, the Princess!

Xoxo

The Venue: Louise' 18th Birthday Celebration

Another good thing about this event was the venue! 
Four months ago, my mother and I was scouting for a venue for this event and honestly we scouted to a lot of venues.

Of course I had to consider several things in choosing a venue and here are a few: 

1. Cheap - this is the hardest part! Haha
2. Even when cheap, very presentable and with good quality
3. Accessible
4. With a great hostess that I can talk to with my recommendations

Good thing, Papa Gary remembered where we had our JS Prom when I was in college.  At first, I can't recall the place but Papa was patient in picturing the place and so I remembered!  I remember Papa mentioning about the stairs where we had our pictorial, he also mentioned that it was the location where Erika had her 7th Birthday Celebration.

Let me share with you how the place looks like -- these shots were taken during the photo shoot of Louise last January 3 (a separate blog shall be posted on that).

At the background (on the left) that's the venue, on the right was the room that we rented.

Aerial Shot by Ralph

One of the things that struck me the most and I highly salute Tita Milette on this one, was how the stage was set up! 

It was a newly built backdrop and Louise was lucky to have a first dip in using it!  Can you see the intricate design there -- it was wood! Behind that was a spotlight where the color of the lights can be changed.  Of course we chose orange spotlight.

If you will notice, there are 6 white standee there (i dont know how they are called).  They were beautifully decorated with the DIY pompoms that I created (separate blog post on that one to follow) by JWs in-house Florist (Kuya Toffer).

Before you enter the hall, you will be welcomed by this frozen inspired ark as if you are entering into a magical kingdom! Indeed it was! 

Then there was a beautiful red carpet entrance for the celebrator.

Another unique thing about JW Reception is that they had a non-traditional candle holders. Beautiful!

A closer look.

These are just some of the highlights about JW Reception Hall. 
Here are some more including my recommendations:

1. They have their own Mobile System and DJ -- I never had an issue with the Mobile system and DJ BJ.  DJ BJ was very professional and we just need to tell him what to play and he will take care of it.  Certain costs will apply -- but all worth it!

(From Left) Marvin, DJ BJ, Ralph

Photo taken from DJ BJ

2. Cocktail tables -- If you want your guests to have pica pica first (outside the venue) then these tables are available.

3. Registration Table -- they have an available registration table and you just have to beautify them to be enticing (that's what we did).

4. Photo-booth Area -- they accommodate Photo-booths and they have a specific area for that, an additional fee of Php 1000 shall apply for the usage of electricity.

5. Rooms -- they have two available rooms that you can rent on the day (24 hours) of your event.

6. In house Caterer -- I can never stress enough how happy I was with the food.  I highly recommend them! I have a separate blog post on that.

7. Attendants - very friendly and accommodating waiters and waitresses, they were all very helpful and hospitable. Ad hoc requests were made and they duly obliged!

8. Hostess - overall in charge for the place and the caterer was Tita Milette, I cannot describe in words how blessed we were that we had Tita all along (from planning stage until the end of the event).  She was very helpful, accommodating, patient, open minded and kind!

9. Letter Standee - they have available Letter Standee -- yes no extra charge and it made the stage looked very special. One request though is to take really good care of it!

10. In-House Florist - I never requested for a florist because I know I can take on the decorations.  Tita Milette recommended one because she knows that her ideas can be executed well and I must admit that it was indeed carried out very well. I bought flowers for the bouquet because I was thinking that I can pull it off.  Upon realizing that I can't do it, I asked Kuya Toffer to do it and it was beyond simplicity and beautiful that I have imagined.

11. Garden - for pictorial purposes they have a well maintained garden that you can use. 

Aerial shot by Ralph

Aerial shot by Ralph

You may opt to have a garden wedding here or even a bohemian inspired event.

What else? I am not sure if I am missing anything else as my emotions are still ecstatic as the day of the event itself.

I highly recommend JW Reception Hall.  Not only if you are choosing for quality service but if you are choosing that your event be MEMORABLE!

Xoxo