Thursday, May 30, 2013

Oh Wow, SM!


I still remember the first time I set foot on SM Store Cubao. It was more popularly known as Shoe Mart at that time and not yet called by its now very famous 2-letter initials. I was no more than 7 years old when I first stepped into that mall that I thought sells only shoes and nothing but. As a young and gullible child, I easily took everything at face value. It was called Shoe Mart so I thought it should be selling just that or else they should call it Shoe Mart and a Lot More Mart (SMLMM). Okay, Shoe Mart is a lot easier on the tongue.


I remember that time when my mom brought me there the first time to buy me a pair of black shoes. I was amazed at the many shoes on the display racks.  It wowed me. I was just as excited as my mom who was also a lover of pretty shoes. This was the place where I bought most, if not all, of my school shoes during my elementary days.  


I do not know the exact date when SM Megamall came into existence. All I know was that everyone was looking forward to its opening. And when it finally opened its doors, I was among those who could not wait to check out what the fuss was all about. I was awed by its size and splendor. It was really SM’s Megamall with a capital “M”.


SM Megamall started a new trend in mall shopping. I believe it is where the word “malling” originated from.  I was a young executive when it became a phenomenon. SM Megamall was in the center of everything. It has become “the” landmark. Everybody converges to Megamall: young, old, rich, poor, celebrities, feeling-celebrities, yuppies, bum.
 

When my brother with his wife and family from the U.S. came to visit us here after more than 10 long years, we brought them to Megamall and they were awestruck with the place. Never had they been to any shopping mall as big as Megamall. My brother even commented, “We don’t need to bring anything from the U.S. because everything is already here at SM.” And this remark came from someone who had not yet heard SM’s jingle ad. Indeed, SM’s slogan rings so true, “Here at SM, we got it all for you.” Whoever thought about this slogan is a genius.

SM Megamall has been our Sunday habit. After attending our worship service at a nearby church, this is where you could find us.

But whether in Megamall or in any SM Store branch nationwide, Toy Kingdom is my husband’s and our daughters’ first stop.  While me, I am a fan of any SM supermarket where the cut and pre-packed fruits and vegetables first became a hit. Up to this day, I look forward to having my grocery shopping at any SM supermarket.


But one more thing that continues to excite me about SM is that of its department store.  Yes, I definitely love to shop at The SM Store. With its classy, trendy, fashionable and yet affordable selection of clothing wear, you can never go wrong.  The layout of the entire store is even more fantastic. 

 
It’s a breath of fresh air.  It’s young, vibrant and fun to shop here.  No wonder my daughters as young as they are, enjoy shopping here, too. It is my go-to-place when I am looking for nice outfits not only for me but for my little girls, as well.  And yes, without that hefty price tag.     
 


SM Sale Events are as exciting as ever.  I have been part of many SM sale events ever since.  When an SM Store holds a sale, there is a promise of big savings.  I have in my possession some of my SM Store fashion finds and I’m just so happy to have them.  I wore them, either separately or all together, in many occasions, events and celebrations.  The SM pieces I have are very versatile.  And because I want to share my SM Dept. Store fashion finds, I make it a point to bring “balikbayan” relatives and friends to any SM mall branch and shop with them. The vast selection and great finds surely make them go wow!  

 
One SM store that never fails to elicit a wow factor to my balikbayan relatives and friends is SM Mall of Asia.  This has become not only a shopping destination but also a tourist attraction of sorts and a must-visit destination for them, as well. With its grandeur and perfect location, it is the ultimate “pasyalan” and shopping mall by the bay. The first time I stepped on its grounds, all I could say was “Oh, wow!”    

From the very first time that I entered an SM store and up to this day, SM continues to wow me.        

From the school shoes that my mother used to buy for me in SM and now that I have my own kids, it’s still SM shoes that I patronize…for me and my kids.  Only this time, it’s not only their shoes but a lot, lot more.  And that is just WOW!           

And here are some of my fashion finds in The SM Store:   

 




Don't you just love to shop at The SM Store? Well, I do. 


 

 

 

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Camp John Hay's Le Monet

Ahhhh, how shall I start this post?  I cannot count the ways....

For the longest time, I have been wishing to experience Camp John Hay's Manor Hotel with my family and do some strawberry picking with my girls at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad.  Well, both my wishes came true last April.  Well ok not exactly... but it was very close to what I thought I really wanted. We stayed in Le Monet and it was perfect.


This was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing. I just got us a winner of a deal from my Metrobank Card and voila! We were booked for 3d2n at Le Monet.

We couldn't be happier with our hotel and our room. We had a big room with a balcony. The room is equipped with two queen-size beds with four big, fluffy pillows on each. 



The room is so right for the five of us. We just love it!



We had a modern bathroom, too.


They also have a pretty garden.
 
 

If you want to go around Camp John Hay, the hotel has a complimentary shuttle service for their guests.

This is the view from our balcony

And just look at the comforters. They were really soft and so comfy.

The price we paid for our stay here was so worth it. In fact, I wanted to book for another 3d2n here as soon as we got back to Manila. But, I guess that was too soon.  Oh well, maybe next summer.




             


               

Our Graduates

We have two graduates in the house! We're so proud of our babies.

Nisi in her gala uniform during her graduation day

Nisi graduated elementary while Noelle finished pre-school.

Noelle, proudly showing off her diploma
 
But wait, we have another reason to celebrate -our youngest, Nala, will start schooling this June. She's been excited eversince she found out (which was a few months back) that she'll soon be attending school. And we're doubly excited for her.

Nala, our excited baby girl who will be attending school this June

We had a graduation lunch celebration for Nisi at Yang Chow along Marcos Highway but I wasn't able to take pictures.  Her wuwu and wuwa gave her a graduation cash gift which she gave to me for safekeeping.

Noelle with her little sister, Nala, during her Moving Up Day

Noelle, on the other hand, just wanted to spend an afternoon with us at Starbucks and have her fave cinnamon roll with butter.

 

This school year, we have our 3 girls going to school which will cost a lot.  I thought about homeschooling Noelle and Nala before when the prospects of migrating to Malaysia was high until husband came home.  Well, I'm still open to homeschooling our 2 little girls.  But that would entail that I stay at home and quit my job.  If homeschooling is in His plan for me, then I know He'll let me know and prepare for it, soon.

Right now, I am just as happy with what our children have achieved and learned. A big thanks to their Assumption Antipolo education, for bringing out the best in them and their preschool, Integrated School for Young Children (ISYC), for preparing them for the challenges and demands of big school.  Still a long way to go for the 3 of them (and also for us, parents), but only with God's goodness and grace can we achieve what God intends for us to achieve.  



Sunday, April 21, 2013

Sun Cellular, The Good Choice in Postpaid

I've heard about it and believed it to be true!  Sun Cellular Plan 600 and  Plan 999 is not just a good choice but is THE Good Choice in Postpaid.  With the features of Sun Cellular's Plan 600 and Plan 999 as follows, who wouldn't agree?
 
Plan 600 
You may choose from the following Profiles:
Call & Text Unlimited
Get the following:
  • Unlimited Calls & Texts*
  • P250 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
  • 350 FREE SMS to other networks
Text Unlimited
Get the following:
  • Unlimited Texts*
  • P450 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
  • 350 FREE SMS to other networks
Fully Consumable
Get the following:
  • P600 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
  • 350 FREE SMS to ALL networks
* Local Sun-to-Sun Calls and/or Texts only.
** Consumable may be used for the following:
  • Sun Cellular calls to other networks – including NDD & IDD
  • Sun - to - Sun MMS
  • SMS2Email
Plan 999
You may choose from the following Profiles:
Call & Text Unlimited Get the following:
  • Unlimited Calls & Texts*
  • P250 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
  • 350 FREE SMS to other networks
Text Unlimited Get the following:
  • Unlimited Mobile Internet
  • Unlimited Text to Sun
  • 4 Hours Calls to Sun
 
 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Live Your Style with Adidas Neo

I can't say that I'm a "stylish" mom if we equate stylish with those celebrity moms we see from magazines.  I don't follow trends. I'm not brand conscious. I won't kill for fashion.  But, I do have style... and I'm happy with it.



When I'm at the office, I'm comfortable with the classic blazer and slacks get-up.  The blacks, grays and the chocolate browns dominate my corporate wardrobe. I'm pretty bored with my corporate style that's why I'm now adding more color to my everyday corporate look.  Yesterday, I wore my newly-bought red blazer with flower embroideries. I think it's cool.  


My style on casual days depends on my mood for the day or what I'd like to be for that day. Yes, it's understandable that I'm more adventurous outside my corporate world. I sometimes like to wear colorful, girly casual dresses even when I'm just grocery-shopping in a nearby supermarket.
 
But there are days that I like to be a hippie, just a boho blouse paired with jeans worn with my fave sandals.


I like to mix and match - a simple white classy shirt accessorized with pearls and a pair of red beaded pants may look off but it works for me.  I have pieces of clothing which have been with me for so long, have been worn repeatedly and am having difficulty to part from.


Quirky, edgy, feminine, classy, simple, fun --- these all describe me!  I'm extreme.  That's my style.

I can just opt to be simple one day ... 

 
and be edgy the next day.
 


I can be quirky and fun at times ...
  

 or a bit more sophisticated.  

 

Everybody has a style.  But I believe that the best style one can adopt is the one that lets you be YOU, the one that allows you to be free and be comfortable in your own skin.  Nothing can beat that style.


  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Embrace fun, spontaneity and the unexpected twists in fashion when the adidas NEO Label Spring 2013 collection hits stores in January to March.
Living a carefree journey that lets teens make their own style, NEO will capture attention with unique and innovative fashion and design twists on Spring merchandise. Products have multiple purposes or added value.
NEO will release a fresh product offering each month, spotlighting a fashion trend interpreted in a different way. In March patterns are the highlight, featuring vibrant waves of colour, with subtle patterns that appear to be one thing but on close inspection reveal another. These will include camouflage prints and edgy takes on adidas NEO slogans with a focus on windbreakers and shirts. Sporty, street and lifestyle footwear silhouettes with strong colour and graphic links create the look.
NEO footwear is available in SM and select Robinson’s Department Stores nationwide.














Sunday, March 3, 2013

Nuffnang, Nokia & Abenson Bring You "Oz The Great and Powerful" Movie Screening!

 
Whew, that was fast!  If you don't know what I'm talking about, which most probably you don't really know, haha....well, let me tell you --  I just got back from my trip to Abenson in Glorietta where I got to see, touch and experience Nokia Lumia 620, 820 and 920.  
 
Our eldest daughter have been raving about Nokia Lumia since last year when she attended a Nokia party.  I wasn't there.  Since then, she's been bugging me to buy one for her.  A while ago at Abenson, I finally was convinced that it's the one phone that suits me and my daughter perfectly.  The features and applications are very Vivian- and Nisi-friendly, hehe.  Anyway, below are some facts about it:  
 
 
One thing I like about Nokia Lumia and other gadgets for that matter being sold at Abenson is that Abenson stores have very reasonable payment terms/schemes at 0% interest via credit card.  It's very helpful for budget-conscious moms like me.   
 
 
To know more about Nokia Lumia, visit any Abenson stores.  And to know more about Abenson Stores, visit the webiste at: http://www.abenson.com.ph/
 
 
 

Electrolux HUSH Happier at Home



 
I've always put a premium on spending quality time with my family.  But, I also believe that for me to be a happy mom and give my best to my family, it's imperative that I spend as much quality time with myself.  I'm happy to have a house that is so much a home. Our humble abode is not only our happy place but a place of comfort.  It's a place where we can just kick back and relax, be at ease and be ourselves with no one judging us.
 
A working mom like me whose more than 50% of its "24 hours" is spent mostly away from home longs to spend the remaining hours of the day at home -- chilling, relaxing or spending a quiet time may it be alone or with the family.

Spending some sweet quiet time with myself



   or some weekend quiet time with my daughters

Just like many busy moms, I look forward to weekends.  I look forward to weekends when I can just savor some idle time or when I can just be lazy or have the privilege to be one.  Oh those days or weekends come pretty rare nowadays but when I do get that time, I savor every minute of it.  Yes, I love it when all the noise is turned off.

I realize that because of our own "busyness" and preoccupation with a lot on non-essential things, we are afraid to slow down and just stop whatever we're doing. We are so used to the noise around us that even if there are opportunities to just be quiet, stay still and do nothing, we refuse to see or grab these opportunities because we feel uncomfortable.  We are just not used to the "hush".

Spending quiet and relaxing weekends at home have done wonders to me. It recharges me; it prepares me for the coming 5-day work week ahead of me; it allows me to quiet my mind and my soul; it enables me to reflect on the most important things in life; it makes me appreciate life more and all that God has blessed me and my family with.  It's empowering because it is during these times that I get to listen to what God is telling me.


When I am empowered, I am at my best and able to give my best at home. I am stress-and-worry-free because of the needed "hush" I savor and experience during the weekends. And who doesn't like to live a worry-free life, right?  If I am happy, my husband is happy and our kids are happy.  It makes for a happier home. It makes for wonderful memories at home. That's the best thing I get when I allow myself to spend a quiet and relaxing weekend at home.


This is my official entry to Electrolux Philippines and Nuffnang's “Electrolux HUSH” Going Back to Happiness at Home! Blog Contest


To know and find out more about Electrolux Hush, visit: 
Electrolux Philippines Official Website at: http://www.electrolux.com.ph/index.aspx
Electrolux Philippines Twitter: https://twitter.com/electroluxPH