The home of the Marcoses, gigantic windmills, old churches and world-class beaches.. Ilocos Norte is indeed a jewel of the North and one of the best tourist destinations in the country. We've arrived in Paoay Church on a fine Sunday morning. The structure of the church is very much the same as I've last seen it more than 3 years ago, still sturdy together with the bell tower beside it. It may have been built about 300 years ago and underwent several restorations due to damages caused by earthquakes but its beauty remains the same. 

A few kilometers away from Paoay Church is the Paoay Sand Dunes. The weather and temperature at 8 A.M. were just perfect to start our 4x4 adventure. The experience is similar to a roller coaster ride as the car rolls uphill and downhill. There were six of us in the vehicle and all of us were screaming our hearts out through the entire ride especially for very steep slopes. For me, this is the best barkada experience and I will definitely try this again.

We've also visited the Malacañang of the North, the residence of the late President Marcos and family when they are in the North. In the town of Burgos, Cape Bojeador lighthouse is undergoing restoration but still we were able to take pictures there. My favorite part in Burgos is the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, a giant ship-like limestone formation facing West Philippine Sea. I've noticed that there are giant windmills now surrounding Kapurpurawan which makes the place more breathtaking. It started last 2013 when the town of Burgos started building windmills to generate electricity similar to the municipality of Bangui. We still visited the main windmills attraction, the Bangui Windmills but the weather there was not good. It was raining, the winds were heavy, and the sky was dark, we were not able to take good pictures there. The last part of our Ilocos Norte tour was in Pagudpud. We passed along Patapat viaduct, it connects Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Valley and is the fourth longest bridge in the Philippines. Then we went to the beach, the Blue Lagoon, but due to bad weather, we were not able to swim also. We took pictures inside Hannah Beach Resort instead.

Paoay Church



Paoay Sand Dunes



Malacanang of the North



Cape Bojeador Lighthouse



Kapurpurawan Rock Formation



Bangui Windmills



Patapat Bridge



Blue Lagoon

Whew.. Super full yesterday and super sulit dimsum buffet for only P198.00 at Dimsum Break SM Annex. Satisfied my craving for Spicy Steamed Fried Rice!!! :)

I've been following a lot of online shops in Instagram because of affordable fashion finds. Last week I've decided to drop by Poshmark Boutique in Timog Ave., QC., it houses several clothing brands from different online sellers. It's an everyday bazaar and even local celebrities shop here too! You can find shoes, bags, cosmetics and accessories on the first floor while the chic blouses are on the second floor. They have fitting rooms and the staff were very nice and accommodating.  I was able to buy five blouses for only P1500.00. I got my favorite items from Ripples by Jenny, Chestbox and Hershoppe. ♥♥♥

Hi Guys!  I've been missing in action for several weeks now. I ran out of vacation leaves so I don't have travel post for the past three months. I just make the most out of my weekends hanging inside the cinemas and it seems like the months of July and August are packed with must-watch films. Here are some of them:

1.) Transformers: Age of Extinction, from the fourth installment of the Tranformers series, who wouldn't miss the autobots especially Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. They've battled against the man-made transformer Galvatron, who was later revealed as Megatron in disguise. 

2.) And since I'm a KathNiel fan, I won't allow myself to miss She's Dating the Gangster, a Cathy Garcia-Molina film. Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla pulled off the roles Athena and Kenji. It is a story from Wattpad about two teenagers who hated each other at first, pretended as a couple to make the ex-girlfriend of the guy jealous, but fell in love seriously in the end. All their cheesy scenes literally brought hysteria inside the cinema! 

3.) Then there is another version of Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson, this time the legendary half-god half-human doesn't fight alone. His five friends, who were great warriors as well joined him in his battles. They trained the army of Thrace as requested by King Cotys and they were rewarded with gold. They were forced to battle with the same army in the end. 

4.)  One of my favorites, Guardians of The Galaxy, also came with positive reviews. The combination of  Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper made a perfect ensemble. The story is about Peter Quill a.k.a StarLord who stole a very powerful orb from planet Morag, the supervillain Ronan wanted to get it to destroy other planets. There were lots of funny scenes in the movie and who would have thought that Dave 'Batista' Bautista, a WWE fighter can pass as an actor. 'I am Groot!' became a favorite line from this movie.
I also love the 80's music incorporated in this movie, those are Peter's favorite songs played on his walkman, a gift from her mom when he was young, before he was abducted on Earth by aliens.

5.) Scarlett Johansson is L-O-V-E! She's so pretty that's why I really wanted to watch her film, Lucy. Gladly, I wasn't disappointed with her movie because of its amazingly unique concept. Her character as Lucy began when she became a drug mule to a Korean drug lord. The bag of a drug called CPH4 hidden inside her abdomen accidentally broke and the substance was released inside her body. On the other  hand, Professor Norman is researching about the theory that humans only use 10% of its cerebral capacity. Because of the CPH4 inside her system, Lucy was able to reach up to 100% of her brain capacity. Her physical and mental abilities became so exceptional, she can control other people's mind, can travel back in time, can teleport and many more.

6.) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles a.k.a TMNT was the only movie I've witnessed in 3D this year because it's free. Company perks are blessings indeed! Say hello to Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael as they return on big screen with Megan Fox. These humanoid turtles discreetly protects New York City from Foot Clan, a gang that brings terror into the city.

7.) Just yesterday, I've watched Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, film adaptation of the popular samurai manga.
This is the film I definitely wouldn't miss and my ever favorite. It is the sequel to Rurouni Kenshin released in the Philippines last 2013 which is also a great one. The film is in Japanese language, only with English subtitles. Amazingly, the language is not a hindrance to its blockbuster success as Filipinos really embraced this movie and loves every character most especially Kenshin and Kaoru. The actors Takeru Satoh, Emi Takei and Munetaka Aoki even visited the Philippines last August 6 and 7 for their red carpet premiere. By the way, Takeru Satoh is so damn hot! I'm actually excited for the next sequel Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends which will be shown by September, also this year.

FYI.. I wouldn't make my movie watching hassle-free without the use of my e-Plus tap to pay card from SM Cinema. :)

     Baler is the provincial capital of Aurora province. Aside from its historical background and cultural heritage,
it is considered as one of the best travel destinations in the country. Being accessible via land travel from Metro Manila, I can consider it as the best place for weekend getaways. The place is so popular for surfing activities. Every October of each year, Sabang Beach starts to produce large waves which professional surfers get to enjoy. An Aurora Surfing Cup is being hosted by the town every February. During summer is the best time for moderate waves, perfect for beginners like me. And no need to worry about tutorials as there are local surfers near the beach that offer surf lessons and board rentals. Being able to surf perfectly amidst so many stumbles is a fulfilling experience. I had an extreme body pain after an hour of surfing.

    Aside from the beach, Baler is also known for another natural wonder, the Ditumabo falls. Geographically, the falls is located in San Luis, a town near Baler. In order to reach the hidden treasure, you'll need to hike for 4 kilometers. You can opt to ride a tricycle but still need to trek the remaining kilometer because you'll need to walk through a shallow river with big smooth rocks. The water from the mother falls flows from above the cliff of 140 feet, the water is so cold and crystal clear, perfect to dip on a hot summer. Huge pipes can be seen along the trail as the falls provides water supply and electricity for several towns of Aurora.

     The giant Balete tree, known as 'The Millennium Tree', which is the largest of its kind in Asia can be found in Maria Aurora, another town near Baler. The tree is said to be around 600 years old, with a height of about 200 feet and 49 feet in diameters. Our group, which consists of up to 20 people were able to pose altogether on its roots. It is warm and dark inside the tree, there are openings where tourists can enter. Pictures taken here can be easily uploaded as the Millenium Park is a free wi-fi area.





Day 1

0100    ETD from Manila
0700    ETA to Baler – Start of City Tour
           - Baler Church (San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Church)
           - Quezon Memorial Park (the birthplace of the late president Manuel L. Quezon)
           - Dona Aurora Aragon Quezon House (a house rebuilt in honor of the wife of the late Commonwealth     president)
          - Museo de Baler (houses artifacts and paintings of the history of Aurora Province)

1100    Lunch (restaurant infront of Museo de Baler)
1230    Check in (Aurora Polytechnic College dorm)
1330    Waterfalls tour
           - Ditumabo or Mother Falls (4km hike – 30-45 min)
           - Diguisit Falls
1800    Dinner
2200    Lights off (KJ lang hahaha)

Day 2

0700   Breakfast
0800   Surf/Beach
1100   Chill @ The Hungry Surfer restaurant
1200   Wash up (depends on check out time)
1300   Late Lunch @ Gerry Shan’s Place (buffet for P190)
1400   Pasalubong Tour
1500   ETA to Millennium Tree
1600   ETD from Baler
2200   ETA to Manila

       Who would have thought that this teen star would make it big in Araneta the second time around. Daniel Padilla is the Philippine Television's Teen King. His DOS (Daniel On Stage) Concert held last April 30, 2014 in Smart Araneta Coliseum was a huge success. His great mass appeal, comprised of his charming Padilla looks, great acting skills (Yes, this young man has shown his talent, passion and depth as an actor in the primetime series 'Got to Believe') and pop/rock singing talent captured the hearts of million teenage girls, kids, mothers, grandparents, and even adults (mid 20's.. ehem..) like me. Just to inform, I'm not an official member of any of his fans club but I really do like KathNiel! I'm a teenage girl at heart and I get so 'kilig' with the tandem of DJ (Daniel's nickname) and Kathryn Bernardo. For me, the relationship they have as friends or more than friends is genuine! :) I just became a fan during Got to Believe days when I never missed any of the episode, I always watch it through iWantTV.

       Last March 1, when the selling of concert tickets opened online, I've waited to get the best seat, I want to see him perform live and up-close. At that time, Ticketnet was already crashing. I've tried refreshing the site so many times only to find out that VIP seats are already sold-out the same day. :( I was able to purchase two patron tickets at Row 14, huhu.. it's not the best seat for me.. :'(

So here's my kwento na (In tagalog na ha, para madali magdescribe ng concert experience.):

       During the concert proper, what pisses me off are the audience in front, they are all standing and everyone has their own monopods. Bakit ba kasi nauso ang monopod? ok lang sana kung kaunti lang kaso andami..everyone has it, for me hassle sya, nahaharangan si DJ sa paningin ko. :p At syempre di lang yun, ang daming nagvi-video using their iPad.. Susme, mas malaking obstruction! Ang weird pa nung iba, nagvi-video, then dun sa screen ng phone nila nanunuod. Nanuod pa ng live, sayang naman! Then the ushers won't allow us to go near the stage, which was tama naman, kasi lugi ang mga nahaharangan ng tumatayo but for me, ang KJ nila noh. Wala man lang akong close up picture, yung kita pores. Pag pasensyahan nyo na muna ung pictures ko at blurred lahat. Zoom to the max na yan, di kinaya ng powers ng iPhone. Ba't ba kasi di ako nakapag dala ng digicam, at least mas mataas ang focal range. :P

      Grabe ang tilian sa buong Araneta, kahit commercial palang ni DJ sa screen, sigawan to the max na. Ang mga kabataan nga naman talaga ngaun. In fairness, kaunti ang mga lalake at beki. Ang mga straight guy lang na nandun, paniguradong napilitan lang samahan ang mga girlfriends nila, isa na si Radney don. :p
Ewan ko pero nahihiya ang mga boys syempre, and di masyado interested sa mga ganyang bagay. Mga insecure kay DJ. Haha.. Then nung nag perform na sya.. mas lalong dumagundong sa buong Araneta.. Nag perform sya first with Khalil Ramos, then ayos din yung pag perform nya with Rico Blanco. Galing ni Rico, very energetic! Nagperform din ang Parking 5, banda ni DJ, vocalist ang brother nya na si Carlito. Then nag-duet sila ni Toni Gonzaga, they sang 'Grow Old with You'. Iba pala ang sound ng voice ni Toni in person than in TV. DJ also performed with his mom  Carla, then with Richard Yap. Lastly, duet with Kathryn na pinakilig ng bongga ang audience. They sang 'Got to Believe'. Ambongga ng white dress ni Kath. In fairness, amputi nya na in person ha, pero morena ang rehistro sa screen. :p Hindi ko na nga natandaan lahat ng songs na kinanta nya, focused kase ako sa pag tingin sa fez nya. What you see on tv, ganun na ganun ang mukha nya in person. :) Super saya and enjoy naman ako!!! Si Radney, sakto lang.. haha... :p


Here are some of the video clips I had during the concert:

Daniel Padilla with Rico Blanco
Daniel Padilla with Kathryn Bernardo

Did you know that one of the cheapest way to travel in the Philippines is to summit climb? I'm pretty sure mountaineers pro or not can relate. :) Imagine no air fare, no hotel reservations and no fine dining restaurants. We can bring our clothes, tent, food and cook and dining wares in order to survive. Since I'm already in Luzon, some of the mountains and volcanoes can be reached via land travel (bus or rent-a-van). I confess that I am not a mountaineer  but I had few hiking activities in Mt. Sto. Tomas (Benguet), Mt. Gulugod Baboy and Taal Volcano (Batangas), Mt. Pinatubo and lately Mt. Pundaquit (Zambales). In all of those climbs, I didn't have the proper attire! :p I don't even own a pair of hiking shoes. I usually entrust my feet to my brazilian-made flip-flops, not a good idea, but honestly, I'm comfortable with it. :) On my next climb, I promise to bring a 'malong' which can be used as face/body cover, face towel, blanket, etc.... in short, multi-purpose!!! :) 

This trip can be considered as my second time in Anawangin Cove, the first time was via boat transfer, and only for a short span of time because we stayed overnight in Nagsasa Cove. This time, in order to get there, we chose a different route, via Mt. Pundaquit which was a quite challenging trek, for the main reason that it's summer! Hotness overload! Before reaching the foot of the mountain, we had long walks, alternately, on the sand and soil. The sand absorbs the heat very well that you can actually feel the burning sensation on your feet. Definitely, it's not a good idea to go on with slippers. There are only few trees on the trail, there are some rocky areas, some are grassy, and some are pure soil. If you're conscious about your complexion, you'll surely get dark here. :p We need to put high SPF sunblock to protect our skin from UV rays damage. Also before the climb, I took my Usana Essentials food supplement to keep my energized the whole time. According to our guide, the trail will take us 5-7 hours (uphill and downhill), but we finished it for 4 hours and 30 minutes, oh yeah! <3 We almost ran out of water supply, but thank God, the whole team reached Anawangin Cove safe and sound. Everyone was so tired, ate late lunch, pitched our tents, then slept after. We enjoyed swimming in the afternoon and had long conversations at night. Still, there is no electricity nor communication signal in the area. :)