Boracay

A big thanks to online promotional airfares, traveling inside and outside of the country has become more accessible and more affordable. Everyone loves traveling for a number of reasons. To some, it’s their way of recharging for work; to some it serves as an inspiration or even a motivation to even work harder while to some it’s just their way of releasing stress. Whatever reasons there are, I am of those who always look forward to my next trip. Just recently, I had the pleasure of going to Boracay with my family. A friend of mine, Allan, and I have booked the tickets 10 months prior to the actual trip. It’s our first time to travel out of town with the kiddos.

We stayed in Boracay from October 06, 2012 to 09ctober 09, 2012 and it’s their off-peak or low season. Yes, you heard it right. Boracay has 3 seasons: Low season (June 1 to December 15), High Season (December 16 to May 31) and the Super Peak season (December 26 to January 02). We’ve decided to go there during the off-peak season to avoid the hassles of booking hotel reservations online, the long lines and the sudden rise of population in Boracay. A lot of people don’t normally go during the low season as it’s also the peak of the rainy season but with the bipolar weather these days, it could rain during the sunny season and shine during the rainy season.

We left Manila and took AirPhil Express. It took us around more than an hour to reach the Kalibo airport. The moment we reached Kalibo, a lot of locals were offering us with package deals of both the travel from Kalibo to Caticlan which is via van and from Caticlan to Boracay which via boat. I can say that we had a good deal. After 2 hours from the airport we’ve finally reached the white sands of Boracay.

Boracay is a small island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak municipality of Malay, province of Aklan. Administered by Philippine Tourism Authority and the provincial government of Aklan.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boracay

So tempting. So enticing.

We stayed in the lovely Alice in Wonderland because for parents like us we really liked the security the place provided. And it has its own pool! ♥

Without going outside, you can enjoy by simply dipping in the pool!

Right after we’ve settled in the hotel we took a quick nap had shower and we excitedly went to look for yummy restaurants we could dine in. our hotel is located in Station 2. It’s a 5-min walk from the beachfront which isn’t too bad and right at every corner there’s a place for pigging-out. They say that for singles or those who go to Boracay with friends, Station 1 is more suggested as it offers a lot of gimmick spots. Station 2 has more of the “family vibe’ while Station 3 has to be the most subtle out of the 3 stations. There weren’t a lot of Filipinos at the time we went there but there were a lot of Koreans, Americans and Europeans. Here are some of the pictures we’ve taken from Station 2. 

Late lunch, early dinner.

Nature at its best. This is Boracay staying true to what it’s famously known for- pure white sand.

The day went by and it was time to rest and recharge for the following day. That’s everything we did during our 3-day stay in Boracay; eat, sleep, swim and stroll. We were not able to try any activity as we had kids with us although for those interested, here are some of the thrills you can try once in Boracay.  (Photos courtesy of Google)

Banana Boat- Banana boats, as the name implies, is a long orange colored inflatable raft that is shaped just like a regular banana. The banana boat can carry a maximum of around eight to ten adults and there are safety grips to keep the riders on the boat while it is pulled from a motorboat at high speeds. There are several sizes for the banana boat but most beaches in Boracay have the long version. Hardly can one find the junior size or "kiddie" banana boat. The long banana boat can easily fit the entire family so that no one is left out.

Helmet Diving- All you have to do is to climb down a ladder until the water is at shoulder height, once in this position a helmet that has clear glass plates is placed over your head. Just climb down the ladder even further down until you are standing on the ocean floor (around 10 ft. below the surface). Walk along Boracay's sea bed accompanied by a guide. This is a wonderful excursion and a close-up view of underwater life.

Paraw Sailboat Sunset Sailing- Sail on around the island or just for front seat view in this traditional Philippine double outrigger boat (images below).

Island Hopping. 

Henna Tattoos/ Hair Braiding

If you’re up to all these activities and more then it’ll sure be a lot of fun!!! And when you get tired, fret not, as mouth-watering smoothies and sumptuous meals are also being offered for everyone’s delight. We spent most of our money in FOOD! We’ve tried dining in the fanciest of restaurants, we’ve tried the street foods, and we’ve also eaten from the fast food stalls that we also have in Manila but my most favorite would be the dinner we’ve had by the beach.

Help yourselves with some grilled oysters and a variety of Filipino dishes.

Our stay in Boracay is beyond words. The beauty of this heavenly paradise can be hardy expressed in just words. Allow the pictures to speak for itself... 

Some lovely souvenirs to bring back home.

 with my lovely friend Iya and her cute lil kid, Auzy

the love of my life, my baby boy 

err... uhhmm.. 

with my boys, can u see daddy's abs? :D

I can say that my over-all experience gave me confidence and a positive belief that there is really such a thing as an incredible beauty. The incomparable beauty of nature, its peace, its calmness... these are just probably few of those things that make us drawn to traveling even more. My trip strengthened our bonding as a family. When I got back in Manila, it gave me motivation to even work harder and to save for my next trip. Who knows? Maybe my next trip could still be in Manila or it could be elsewhere. One thing’s for sure, it’ll be inside the country because it’s more fun in the Philippines! :)

Self Acceptance

It's funny how these days a lot of girls look almost the same. It makes me think if there is a "certain look" that has become the standard look for the young girls of today. What look exactly am I referring to? It's the meztisa, long hair, super slim, big boobs, almost china-doll kind of look. Okay fine, maybe I am exaggerating but I guess my point is not how these girls chose to look like but the process they had to go through in order to look that way.

First off, I have nothing against make-up. I actually have high respect to those professional make-up artists who do well in their expertise. Make-up, in my opinion is used to enhance the physical attributes of a woman or even a man in some cases. Say for instance, I think I have nice eyes so in order to enhance 'em, I would put a light application of mascara. Not too much as to not look like a clown but just enough to still make it look au naturel. Same thing goes with my nose, in special occasions, to make my nose look more camera-ready, I'd add a not too obvious nose line just to make it look a bit presentable in pictures. So to me, a nose line is fine but not a nose job. So I guess, I'm starting to make my point more apparent.

To enhance what we have is okay but to actually change it? Sad.

When I went to India for a 3-month vacation in 2008, I was surprised by how the marketing strategy in the cosmetics and beauty products business is. Since in India, they practice mostly natural methods in beautifying themselves, the products that are being offered are made of "natural ingredients". Garnier is actually BIG in India and when you check the ingredients, it'll tell you that it's made of sunflower seeds, this and that, which are all natural. Garnier is under Loreal, as we all know. On the other hand, whenever I would receive items from the US either from a friend or a relative, I noticed how most of their skin products are intended for tanning or darkening purposes. So you probably know where I am heading right? Loreal, who offers products in India and in the States base it on what the consumer need. So no wonder why Loreal and all the other companies when it comes to targeting the Filipino consumers focus on whitening or skin lightening products. So on and so forth.

This post will not focus on the "whitening issues" that Filipinos have. It's just one of the little things that are concerning and if not, alarming. Whenever I go outside, I would see billboards of Belo or Calayan with really sexy celebrities promoting slimming services that they have. At first look, it's pretty much convincing and even tempting, well at least to those who can afford it but to those who can't, it can be depressing. Little do people know the amount of airbrush or the skills of Adobe that were used to make that billboard a success. It is nothing but deceiving and it doesn't even promote self- acceptance or it doesn't even give a push to people's confidence.

Sorry for being a meanie but with just a few reasons stated above, I wouldn't be surprised if there are news of teenies asking their moms for a plastic surgery and stupid moms agreeing to it. Ok, so you like your daughter to feel good about herself but you are encouraging her to ALTER what's already beautiful. You think that will really make her feel good about herself? At the end of the day, when she's all alone in her room, all the material things and worldly matters won't fill up the emptiness that only self-acceptance can.

Why not instead of changing what we already have, ACCEPT it. I actually had a hard time with this self-acceptance thing. It took me a long process, a lot of tears, a lot of self-doubts, a lot of questioning... but with true friends, my family and faith in God, I was able to set aside my insecurities and let go of all my physical issues such as my color, my really huge thighs and my stretch marks. HAHAHA but trust me, it feels a LOT better now that I have accepted my flaws and identified my assets.

So for you girlies out there, before getting a nose job, think of the ff: that nose that you're wanting to get rid of, you might have gotten it from your mom or your dad who for sure is PROUD that you had their nose, if you choose to change it, who will you get it from? You'll have the same nose everyone else have and that will leave you with 0% originality. Boo! But most importantly, think of GOD. He created us in his own image. We are unique in our own ways. A nose job is not the solution, it will not make you happy and worse it'll hurt God. :( So think about it, your family loves you for who you are and your friends will accept you no matter what so get rid of that thought, love yourself and live happily! :)

Sea Oil/Poker Run 2012

Last March 25, I attended the SeaOil/ PokerRun event held by some of our VW peers in cooperation with NIPS Midnight Crew, Cult Klassics, Flashbacks AutoHaus and the Marikina boys with the event's main sponsor Sea Oil. I went there together with my boys, Armand and Alkie. As I have never mentioned in any of my blogs before, let me quickly give you a glimpse on how I was associated to the VW community. Well, it was through my loving partner who owns a '60 green/white beetle himself which he named Brikbrik. It has been three years now and I couldn't be more thankful to have friends from the VW gang as they are not only a bunch of VW enthusiasts but they're also a group of smart, talented and adventurous people. So going back to the Poker Run event, as we have had a lot of targeted locations in the past, this time around, it was Tayabas, Quezon.

The SeaOil Poker Run was an organized event in which the participating VWs and Mini Coopers had to each stop by five Sea Oil branches/ checkpoints in order to draw five cards in total to which is the basis of the Poker winner and the main highlight of the event. The first stop was the Sea Oil branch in Shaw Blvd. Everyone was provided shirts, caps, as well as car stickers courtesy of the kind sponsor of the event, Sea Oil. And with the way the gas price is heading, just to make the event a success, vouchers of 500php worth of gas were provided to the car owners! Beat that! 

As i mentioned a while ago about the group consisting of talented folks as we have photographers too, here is my favorite shot of the event.

genius! just amazing!

We had a few stop overs as our growling tummys needed it but once we got to Lucena City we were welcomed by the VW Quezon Chapter which made it even more exciting and needless to say, breath-taking. A VW run, honestly, is a must-try for everyone! Just imagine vintage cars, human nature, great company, a few bottles of beer, good food and all the way picture taking. Need I say more?

We then had a sumptuous and mouth-watering lunch at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan where they serve fresh and deliciously cooked sea foods. And the winners of the poker battle were announced. So who had the luckiest poker hand?

It was no other than Glenn Acaylar with a mind-blowing Royal Flush and there next to her is one of the event's main organizers Dindo Razonable. She, alongside her partner during the event, Dino de Jesus, won a voucher of 1500php worth of gas! Cool!

The event ended with a total of 33 participating cars, 5 of which are Mini Coopers and has been nothing but successful. I'm sure everyone enjoyed the event as it reunited different chapters of the VW community and just proved it once more that the MiniCooper and the Volkwagen are truly incomparable! 

 Mini/VW family

the Minis <3

just perfect ♥

hurray for the successful event!

There were hundreds of pictures taken that day. Smiles and stories shared. At the end of the day, it's not about the cars but the car owners as this is a testament of friendship. Thank you to everyone who participated, to the event organizers who made it happen and of course to the ever kind event sponsor, Sea Oil. =)

Special thanks to Rolli Barron and Homer Ninofranco for allowing me to grab 'em photos. =)

Sore Eyes: Blessing in Disguise

The last time that I have been a full-time housewife was when I have just given birth to the love my life, Alkie. For the first two months, I was hands-on with all things Mommy. It was a gratifying experience and I love it that I was able to breastfeed him and take care of him my way but due to financial difficulties, I had to get back to work. For almost 3 straight years of working, it was only this week that I felt for the second time how it is to be a full-time housewife.

April 02 was my first working day of the month and I was ecstatic with my new schedule which is 10am to 7pm. My 1st time in 3 years to be working on a pretty humane and normal schedule. But as unwanted as it is, I was hit with sore eyes. I didn't like it at all since i was using my sick leave credits in vain and the fact that it's Holy Week means it's double pay. But I also realized that it was timely due to the fact that our babysitter/house-help left a week ago.

I'm really not the type to be complaining or whining too much so I thought to myself if I can't be productive at work then better be productive in the kitchen. I started with cooking pasta for my boys and some Filipino beef steak for dinner. I'm glad that my in-laws loved it. Other than that, I was finally able to do some intensive cleaning in our room and organize our closet the way I like it. But most importantly, I'm thankful for being able to spend time with my boys especially my little one.

My little one and I have gone out for an exclusive picnic date and I'm just savoring my every minute with him. I also get to teach him the basics in preparation for his 1st year in school this coming June. This coming Easter Sunday, we will have our crafts day by painting some faux Easter eggs hoping to bring out the creative side in him. And as the week is nearly ending and my sore eyes is almost healing, what I thought would be a long, boring week is now something i wish would not come to an end. 

Oh.. a week is actually not enough for all things fun and creative. I've jotted down some of the things that i want to accomplish before the week ends such as revamping this site which apparently I haven't done or decorating our room and such. I have 3 days left and I surely wanna make the most out of it and I can only do that if I get off this keyboard NOW. <3

The Story of my Life- Part 2

When i got to Romblon, everything changed big time! From living the life to witnessing the simple life my dad, my step-mother whose a total bitch btw and their 4 kids had. I stayed there for 3 miserable years and it was during those years that i felt tormented and really torn emotionally, mentally, physically and socially. It was those 3 years that somehow caused me to have the broken soul that I am now trying to mend.

My life in Romblon was close to hell. It was only my siblings and some true friends who I was clinging to for some glimpse of hope. I felt abandoned by my own dad since i could feel no support from him as he was totally in-love with my whore of a step-mom. I, on the other hand was close to being the house helper with all the daily chores I had to complete.

It was when I was in 3rd year that I just felt so ALONE. It was my birthday and I didn't have any birthday greeting from anyone. It was when I started to question life. It was when i started looking for a mother's love. I was just so down at that point that i got into stuff like smoking and drinking and being too attached to friends. My friends who to me was my only family.

But miracles do happen. In my 4th year in high school, I regained communication with my mom. Then she started supporting me financially. It was my chance to leave Romblon and live my life the way i want it. After graduating from high school I didn't really go to college right away as I had a lot of missing documents. For a year, I traveled to places like Kalibo, Ilo-ilo and Bacolod. It was in 2006-2007 that i went back here in Manila. At the age of 15, I was living by myself and at the age of 18 I started working. Until now, i haven't finished my studies yet since I don't even know who I am or worse what it is that i really want. I wasn't able to establish my identity and my self-esteem. I did and saw things differently. My heart and soul were scarred so bad it's now hard for me trust or even believe people. My past experiences somehow emulated who i am today.

Then 2009, all the empty holes in me were filled by the greatest family I've had. A1 and A2, Alkie and Armand. It is true that all the right things fall into place at God's perfect time. And I couldn't be more thankful and happier. However, going back to the origin of this story, I still need to do a lot of reflection and this Lenten season is just perfect for it. A reflection to help me realize who I am and what I want and I know for a fact that with my boys being there for me, it'll be a lot easier. :)

The Story of my Life- Part 1

All of us, once in our lives go through a phase wherein we just want to take things slow, relax a bit and try to do some soul-searching. That's exactly what I'm going through right now. I'm thirsty for peace of mind and happiness of heart that I have decided to change the pace of my life and just make out of things a day at a time.

Let me tell you the story of my life.

I was born in Sanaa, Yemen. During that time, my parents were required to change their religion to Islam in order to get married, hence the name Samira. After a few years, my dad thought that my name sounded so Muslim-like that he opted to Sweety for my first name and of course my last name as Escarda. My mom whose name is Seema worked as a head nurse who by the way is pure Indian. And my Filipino dad, Elmer, worked as a bartender. Unfortunately their marriage only lasted for less that 5 years. I was told that there were a lot of reasons behind the failure of their marriage. There goes the differences between their culture and my dad's love affair with a Filipina co-worker. 

During the 5 years that my parents were still together, there were instances that I stayed in India. I was even surprised to learn that I studied there for 1 and a half years. But 1993-1994, I went here to the Philippines.

My dad asked my mom to send me here in the Phil. alongside his Filipino friend, my kuya Mike. My mom at that time was probably that young that she somehow agreed to my dad. Now, whenever I ask my mom she would tell me it was out of her love to my dad, she was hoping that sending me here would bring them back together. 

But that wasn't the case. Her decision turned to nightmare which up to this moment she regrets for that was the last time we saw each other.

When i first got here, I was hoping that my dad would take care of me as he promised but he didn't. Instead, I was adopted by my Uncle (my dad's brother) and his wife who as a couple didn't have kids. My mama tita worked in Intel while my papa tito worked as an OFW in Saudi Arabia. My life was normal and I found myself really happy under the care of my mama tita but I guess not everything is permanent. 

I was in 1st year high school when my mama tita and I learned about my papa tito having a second family in Davao and he was addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling. That incident shattered my mama tita to pieces and ruined her life. It was also when my papa tito turned unsafe to be with since he was showing signs of abusing me that my mom decided for me to leave Makati and go my biological father instead who at that time was living in Romblon. Then the second chapter of my life was born.

33 Ways to Stay Creative =)

India in Manila: New Bombay

A blast from the past mode on.

When i got back from India from a 3-month vacation April of 2008, the first thing that I looked for is an authentic Indian restaurant that offers food as good as my Granny's cooking. I was in search for the one place that would satisfy my cravings and put an end to my growing frustration. I just love Indian food so much that i gained 10 kilos in my 3-month stay in India. Gross, i know.

Just a quick background reference, my mom has 100% Indian blood while my dad is purely Filipino. Sometime in the 1980s, their paths crossed, they fell in love and had me. Unfortunately, their relationship is one of those that doesn't end up like fairy tales do and they went on their separate ways. I was 5 then, and since then i haven't seen my mom until February 2008. I might dedicate a separate post for that "mommy-daughter" moment but for now let's mainly focus on how good Indian food is.

In my first few days in India, i was reluctant to indulge to their spicy foods. Thankfully, one of my Aunts, despite being a full-blooded Indian doesn't have the tongue for anything spicy. So, every time food is being prepared they would have the "spicy" and the "non-spicy". But even the non-spicy stuff was unbearable for the first few days because of the smell and the tangy taste of it. I remember having scrambled eggs for days and i even cooked Pork Adobo which to them is nothing but blah.

Not until my mom convinced me to step out of my comfort zone and be more adventurous with food. Then I thought of Anthony Bourdain and I realized that you're not a full born traveler without trying the native food. Haha! Feeling traveler. So little by little i opened up my heart, mind and mouth and tried their basics: Chapatti, Khana soup and Beans. It was okay and i was learning to like it but it wasn't until i had my Granny's Chicken Biryani that i went nuts over Indian food. Oh.My.God. Biryani is to-die for!

And there goes the looong list of my favorite Indian food both spicy and non-spicy which eventually resulted to my 143-lbs weight. HAHA. But what can i do, the food is just lovely. I would even have one Samousa a day (a street food for around 5 rupees) which is equal to 400 calories. Even their sandwiches and fruit shakes are unforgettable! So you can just imagine how upset I was when I got back here and found nothing that tastes like anything straight from my Granny's kitchen.

I was on the verge of losing hope when ta-dah I learned of New Bombay! It's one of the happiest feeling ever! When they say that their food is authentic, it really is! I just got to give it to them. The food is GREAT, the price range is a WINNER, even the place gives out a Taj Mahal vibe. I was in-love with the food that it became a weekly habit.

So for all of you out there who wants to experience India even for just a few hours, try New Bombay which has 4 branches in  Manila and trust me when i say that you will NOT regret it! Enjoy!

ABABU

I've always been a fan of Meditterenean food. And I firmly believe that good food plus a reasonable price to it is always a champion of a deal. So i'm really glad when years ago, my partner-in-crime, Armand, introduced me to Ababu.

Ababu located at 75 Xavierville Ave. Loyola Heights, Quezon City serves Persian food from Kebab (which is my personal favorite) to Shawarma to Kibda to the evil Ox Brain. And the price ranges from 55php to 300php, ain't bad at all, right?

So if you pass by Katipunan area, you may wanna try Ababu for your share of pocket-friendly and sumptuous Persian cuisine. Now, i'm drooling. Ugh.  

Mommy Sam

I would have to say that being a mom has to be the most grueling role in the world. It plays up with all your emotions. From being sad to happy, to excited and panicky when the little one is sick. It consumes you. It makes a fool out of you because you just give your all and everything. It's when "unconditional love" comes in the picture because nothing and no one can stop you from being a mom. It cannot be taken away from you. Well, only death can end your role as mom.

I am writing this now because I am kinda overwhelmed by my role as a mom. I have a handsome, sweet and such a loving baby boy and I can't help not to feel blessed for having him in my life. But being a mom is far from a perfect life.

Being a mom requires a lot of patience and understanding. And it's not hard to execute those since in love everything comes naturally. But there are still instances when your patience is being tested. I was told once that as a parent I have to be extra careful with my actions and that's true since your child would emulate your actions and even your words as they grow up. When you become a mom and start your family, your priorities change. All of a sudden all the things that seem so important when you're single suddenly becomes trivial. It changes you and the responsibility you have is never-ending. Imagine a life depending on you? It's not an object, it's a life. What a miracle, indeed. You want the best for your kid's future, his welfare and well-being. You work hard to provide him with his needs and the best education possible.

When you're a mom, you love your child with all your heart. Yes it is stressful, crazy and tiring but the reward is priceless. Just by hearing your child's laughter and being showered by hugs and kisses gives you inexplicable joy and happiness beyond words. :)

Book Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

If you are a latecomer to the Stieg Larsson phenomenon, here, briefly, is the deal: Larsson was a Swedish journalist who edited a magazine called Expo, which was devoted to exposing racist and extremist organizations in his native land. In his spare time, he worked on a trilogy of crime thrillers, delivering them to his Swedish publisher in 2004. In November of that year, a few months before the first of these novels came out, he died of a heart attack. He was only 50, and he never got to see his books become enormous best sellers- first in Sweden and then, in translation, all over the globe.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is the 3rd installment of the trilogy; its predecessors, which i call Book 1 and Book 2, have already sold a million copies combined in the US and many times that abroad. All 3 books are centered on two principal characters: a fearless middle-aged journalist named Mikael Blomvkist, who publishes Millennium magazine and a slight, sullen, socially maladjusted, tech-savvy named Lisbeth Salander, the "girl" of the books' titles, who, in addition to her dragon tattoo, possesses extraordinary hacking abilities, a photographic memory and a twisted, complicated past.


To me, the 3rd book is good but not as good as the 2nd one. It is pulse-racing, action packed and intellectually structured. However, it threw me off on how a number of new characters were added. It was like a revelation with a lot of complicated details. It was all about Lisbeth and the long kept secret about her father. It shows that despite Lisbeth being "asocial" she had friends who stuck with her till the end. The trial is my most favorite, that fucking Teleborian, haha! But for some reason i was a bit bored in some parts of the stories which is an unexpected  feeling. And i really find the Blomvkist- Figuerola love affair, GROSS. But nevertheless, it was a story that I would never forget.

This book review is rather sentimental than fun, why? I was left with a feeling of remorse and sadness with the fact that Stieg Larsson has died even before all the success happened with both the books and movies. I had questions in mind: If Larsson is still alive, would he have written a 4th book? With all the success, would he have been inspired in writing more books? Sad.

Book Review: The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second book from the best-selling trilogy "Millennium Series" by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. It was published posthumously in Swedish in 2006 and in English in January 2009.

As you all know or probably don't know yet, my only time to read is during my avail time at work. I don't really read when i'm at home because that is time spent with my boys. So, I have at least 2-3 hours a day to read but that depends on how addicted  i am with the story that i would spare another hour or two. This 2nd book has worsen my already established obsession with Lisbeth Salander. And made me stay awake 'till 6 am in the morning for 3 straight days leaving me less that 8 hours of sleep. The Girl Who Played with Fire causes extreme sleep-deprivation. This book is THAT good. To compare it with the 1st book which i finished in 1 week, I finished this 2nd one in 3 days. Haha! Now what is it that made me enjoy thsi book so much?

1. Book 1 focused mainly on the Vanger family and gave more of Mikael Blomvkist and a little of Lisbeth Salander who after all is the main character of the book. Apparently, i feel like it was intended that way for the readers to long for more and have something being played in the imagination. Book2 focused on no one but Lisbeth. Yes, there were some new characters added too but damn! Lisbeth's hacking skills was more emphasized and the details of her character were revealed giving the readers an idea of her background and history.

2. Lisbeth was fucking missing for a few chapters that i started to get REALLY annoyed. And due to this annoyance i couldn't put the book down and i just had to wait until her name appears on the context of the book. She disappeared after being the chief suspect for three murders but of course, I've decided not to retell the story in any way so go figure yourselves.

3. I love the pace of the story. The manner of giving the readers a glimpse of Lisbeth's past but moving forward to what's gonna happen next. It shows how Lisbeth is loved and loathed by the people that surround her. It really brings a totally different view of her because for the first time you can see her being truthfully affected by her friend, Miriam Wu. It shows a soft side of her.

4. The book was so thrilling that my hands were literally shaking as it was reaching the end of the story. I loved it so much, it was hard for me to recover not until i got my hands on the 3rd book. Haha! The pace of the story, the introduction of the characters, the intellectual capabilities of Blomvkist and Salander, the involvement of Dragan Armansky and Holger Plamgren and the fucking media and policemen.

5. Who would've thought that Salander would have a notorious half-brother and a father who was a former Russian spy? Interesting family members were revealed and it was both shocking and surprising. It gave details on why Lisbeth was locked in the mental asylum and what her next actions were.

6.This book leaves you so BITIN, leaving you with a lot of questions. Will she go to jail? Will she die? What the fuck will happen???

All-in-all. I was satisfied. I know i haven't made a review of the 3rd book(which i have already read) but i am now giving the conclusion, that this one is the best book of the trilogy.

Movie Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Finally! I have seen the movie that I have been waiting for since last year. David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I have to admit, I was holding my breath the entire movie (wonder why I’m still alive) but to my dismay I kinda got a bit disappointed on how the movie ended. I don’t want to be biased since I’m a huge Fincher fan from way back The Social Network days. His trace can be seen throughout the movie and with the sound effects you know it’s a Fincher film. Btw, before I proceed, I would not make any comparisons to the Swedish version since I haven’t seen that one. This is purely my take on the American version.

Fincher did a great job in executing the movie. While I was still reading the book, it was playing in my head on how it will be made into a film since there were a lot of tweaks and complicated scenarios in the book. I was really curious on how the series of murder will be laid out and how the characters will be presented. Before I watched the movie, I placed myself in a seat of someone who hasn’t read the book. I pretended to be someone who doesn’t know a thing about the plot of the story.

Good Points:
1. The CAST. Wow! They picked the actors very well! Daniel Craig made a convincing Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara.. oh my goodness, I vouch for her to win the Best Actress in this year’s Oscars, she did an awesome job! She was the perfect Lisbeth Salander! The make over was undeniably brilliant and her acting was raw, edgy and was very much Lisbeth. I just love them as a pair. It worked! No wonder Scarlett Johansson was snubbed of the role. Lisbeth was described to be an unattractive girl and was even said to look like a 14-yr old boy. And with a lot of nude scenes in the movie, with Johansson in it, it could’ve been easily tagged as porn. Sorry ScarJo!
2. The Soundtrack. I am a Led Zep fan. The movie’s OST was a cover of the “Immigrant Song”. It wasn’t bad at all, it was gut-wrenching!
3. Cinematography. Fast, energetic and compelling. That is how I would describe the movie. Everything was just beautifully shot.
4. The flow of events. Even for someone like me who has read the book, i was still struck in some of the scenes. It’s as if I didn’t know what would happen next. I was thrilled, nervous and I was sweating. It was really getting into my skin. Creepy.

Bad Points
1. I wonder why they had to omit Blomkvist and Cecilia Vanger’s love affair, wasn’t that significant enough? Isn’t it that in the book, she was somehow suspected in being part of Harriet’s disappearance? Isn’t it that she was the one who was first suspected as being “the girl” seen in the old photograph at Harriet’s window? I guess the movie time wasn’t enough to include that. Acceptable.
2. Now this is what I was most disappointed with. For me, I believe that Harriet’s expose has to be the climax or the highlight of the movie. After all, it is Harriet that everyone was looking for right? How is it that in the movie, Anita and Harriet are the same people??? When Mikael went to Anita’s house and they managed to hack her computer, I was eagerly waiting for an e-mail or a phone call that Anita would make to Harriet, then they trace it then end of story, they find that Harriet is in Australia. But instead, they killed Martin, talk to Anita/ Harriet then that’s it. Walang pasabog! Anita and Harriet looked alike but they’re not the same person. Unacceptable. The ending of the movie was a bit lousy. The only redeeming factor was Salander’s “dress-up” party. The movie ended exactly how it was written in the book, Lisbeth was furious seeing Blomkvist and Erika Berger happy together.

My favorite part of the movie would have to be:
a. Lisbeth’s revenge to her Rapist Pig guardian. I am fascinated by gore and brutal images.
b. All of Blomkvist and Salander’s love scenes. They have chemistry on screen.
c. Lisbeth’s “dress-up” thing. She was HOT!
d. I also like it every time I see her lit a cig or type on her keyboard. Attitude!

So there, I wasn’t even sure if this is helpful or not. I don’t care. But all in all, I would still give it 5 out of 5 stars. Why? It’s because it’s very rare that I would like a movie this much. The last time I had the same feeling for a movie is when I watched Black Swan. I like movies and stories that haunt me.

I still have one question though, I’m not sure if it’s just me or what.. but why does it seem like Blomkvist isn’t that crazy for Lisbeth? When he got back in Stockholm, he went back to that Berger girl. And just like how the movie ended and how Lisbeth felt, I too, got furious.

I am in-love with Lisbeth Salander. :)

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

It took me a 8 days to finish reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", the award-winning crime novel and first of the best-selling trilogy which is the Millennium Series by the late Stieg Larsson. The book’s original title in Swedish is Män som hatar kvinnor – "Men Who Hate Women". It was published in 2005 and later in 2008 it was published in English. It was a success in both the European countries and as well as in the United States. Larsson shows a great yet disturbing depth in the book and when I searched him on Wikipedia it clearly explained the reason behind the intellectual book.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo): Larsson witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was 15. He never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth – like the young main character of his books, herself a rape victim, which inspired the theme of sexual violence against women in his books.

Here’s how I would describe the book in two words: brilliant mindfuck. I wouldn’t want to spoil you with the story since you can read it yourself and if you’re quite lazy then you can just see the movie. This is just my personal view on the book. I totally loved it! It’s been a long time since I’ve read something that actually had a great effect on me. I remember I was reading it one night and I had to leave the lights open ‘cuz I was paranoid that the killer was just next to me. Yes, there is a killer and that is where the story evolves.

Allow me to give you just a gist of what the story is all about. The book starts with journalist Mikael Blomkvist who was sued with a libel case by a billionaire industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerström. His career and his credibility was at streaks that he somehow agreed on signing a contract with Henrik Vanger of the legenday Vanger Corp. Blomkvist was then assigned to solve a mystery that has been haunting the Vanger family for more than 40 years and that is the disappearance of Harriet Vanger. In his search for the truth which eventually became a case he couldn’t get enough of, he needed the help and assistance of an experienced researcher by the name of Lisbeth Salander who was also a genius computer hacker and had the gift of a photographic memory. So there.. that’s just 5% of the whole story, and the rest you would have to read yourselves. Bitin ba?

I’m not good in giving book reviews, as this is my first. I might end up telling you what happened so let me be more subjective. Larsson’s trilogy is quite addictive. My next read is The Girl who Played with Fire. I love Salander’s character that I feel it sinking inside my skin. I could totally relate to her when it comes to her reaction on certain situations. I actually wanna be like her sometimes. Haha! The book starts pretty well until it gets just a bit boring when it tackled that Vanger family tree. Maybe I don’t have the patience to know who the family members are. Everything turned fast-paced when Salander and Blomkvist were working hand in hand, completing the puzzle in a systematic and dramatic way.

Most parts of the book became a total shock as well. Some of which would be Salander’s unwanted torture from her 2nd guardian. There was also the short relationship Mikael had with Cecilia Vanger which was rather gross to me. And third, is the turning out of the events, the expose of Martin Vanger and the fate of Harriet Vanger of what exactly happened to her. It was a roller-coaster read that for most of the time I had to light a cig to keep me from being too tense with the tweaks of the story. I like it how Lisbeth is such a kickass that most of the problems encountered in the book were solved by her but I simply could not comprehend how it seems to me that Blomkvist doesn’t really like her the way she liked him. He would always tell her about their age gap or he would remind her of their relationship as work partners, which to me is a clear sign that he wasn’t into her.

All in all, the book was pretty much satisfying. And I would recommend it to anyone at any day. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book of the trilogy. It might take me another week or so, ask why? I only read during my available time at work or any other chance I get except for when I’m at home since that is time devoted to my boys. Oh well, nuf of this shit. Just go read the book and Read to Lead! Hell yeah!

fuck yeah Saab

Ok, it’s actually rare that I would like a local personality. Anne Curtis and Ornusa Cadness are both an exemption since I had an instant crush on them the first time I saw them. So what exactly it is that captures my attention when it comes to women? And btw, I’m straight. Well, I think it’s not only the looks but the "dating" of that person. And Saab Magalona definitely has it!

When I first started reading blogs, it was mostly fashion blogs from who I call the Top 4: Tricia Gosingtian, Laureen Uy, Kryz Uy and Camille Co. Among the four of them, Tricia has to be my favorite. Why? Because she’s pretty smart and I like her writing skills. But it only took me a month to get tired of visiting their blogs. But don’t get me wrong. Yes, I’m impressed by their work ‘cuz I know that blogging is a hard work. And they also deserve respect for their craft and individual success with their expertise. The only problem I had is that I’m not a fan of high-end fashion. I would shop once every 3-4 months or whenever needed. I’m very lazy and low maintenance. So, I appreciate their blogs, I just couldn’t relate myself to it.

Then I learned of Saab Magalona’s blog. Would you believe that I only read her blog last December??? Just exactly where I have been, I don’t know. But the moment I started reading her blogs (http://www.isabellamagalona.com/) I got hooked! Now, I visit her blog everyday! I actually get sad when she doesn’t update her blog. Haha! Demanding much? But since it’s only last year that I’ve learned of her I had to back track all her posts on both her blog account and her Tumblr account on which she would post mostly pictures.

I’m currenty obsessed with Saab. I love her non-conformist sense of style. I like how her fashion sense is very much similar to mine. I’m not saying that I dress up as good as she does but I’m definitely smitten by her. I appreciate how she’s fond of DMs, sneakers like Vans and Keds, National Geograpic bags and MAC lipsticks. She is also effortlessly pretty. Walang arte. Kanto chic. She is very smart, wide-read, excellent in writing, talented as she can sing, act and she’s very indie. I could even relate to her taste in music and choice of books. And I just decided to grow my hair because Saab’s hair cut is so fucking cool and I would definitely copy it! Haha! Gayagaya!

It’s through Saab that I was inspired to blog. It’s funny cuz we’re of the same age yet I feel like she’s a superwoman who has accomplished a number of things. And as I learn more about her, I also got to know more about her family. I’ve always liked the Master Rapper and as a child I had a crush on him. No one can deny the fact that Francis M. was such a cutie and he looked like he didn’t age. But death is inevitable and he succumbed to Leukemia. Then there’s the strong-willed, sophisticated Pia Magalona. I really admire her parenting skills, I mean I don’t personally know her so I really couldn’t tell how she is as a mom but to see that she can handle all 8 of her kids is just awesome! I have one kid and I still stumble on my mom skills, what a shame! She’s just really pretty and graceful and seems to be such a cool mom! So we have the perfect mom and prefect dad who are equally good-looking so no doubt their kids are blessed with enviable genes. I haven’t really seen their eldest ate and kuya that much but let’s start with Frank, then there’s Maxx, Saab, Elmo, Clara and the super cute Arkin. Their family is a good-looking, talented and awesome bunch.

I actually got so much to say because I’ve turned my fangirl mode on but I would suggest you visit her blog and her Tumblr account instead and follow her on Twitter! I swear, it’s no non-sense, it’s very informative and I’m sure you’ll enjoy her book reviews since she is being sponsored by Fully Booked. Go ahead, discover for yourself and get Saab-holic. Haha! <3

Calmoseptine

　

This is going to be short and simple (I’m applying the K.I.S.S. law). As a mom, I just wanna say how happy I am that this brand of ointment was introduced to me. In September of 2009, one of the most devastating typhoons to hit the Philippines was recorded, Typhoon Ondoy. My son is one of the youngest survivors of the typhoon for he stayed on the rooftop of our house for not more than 24 hours. That caused him not only fever, cough and colds but also an extreme case of diaper rash. I’m not sure if I have a picture of it but it was painful to look at. It looked like strips of bacon on my baby’s butt and that was because he was wearing the same diaper the whole time while we were waiting for the floods to subside.

Alkie was confined for four days as he was infected with E-Coli, perhaps because he got exposed to contaminated water. And due to that, he had a frequent bowel movement (paumanhin sa mga kumakain), resulting to the worsening of his rashes. The consistency of his poop was watery and quite acidic so it just didn’t help at all. But thank goodness.. one of his doctors from the hospital recommended Calmoseptine and in less than a month, his once sore, reddish and skinless butt healed. I’m really grateful for that product. Up until now whenever he experiences diaper rash, be it a mild or an extreme rash, I just apply Calmospetine and ta-dah, it resolves all my worries.

So there, I have intended for this to be short so.. I’m ending this with a shout-out to the genius behind the product. Kudos to you whoever you are! =)