Havaianas Contest: Be a Happy Sole & See Brazil!

What is it about us Filipinos that make us one of the happiest people in the world?

In study after study, it has been found that it is not wealth that makes people happy. In fact, many of the unhappiest people live in First World countries and surrounded by abundance. According to the New Economics Foundation, an independent global think tank, Filipinos are the happiest souls in Asia and 14th worldwide. This new record makes the Philippines the only Asian country to be ranked in the survey’s top 20 – with more developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom ranking 114 and 74, respectively.

New research by Richard Davidson, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin found that humans have more control over their happiness than previously believed. 79% of Filipinos polled said they were happy with their family, religion, friends, love life and health. Surprisingly, even those in the D income bracket were also found to be part of the happy crowd despite their lack of material wealth.

These results seem to confirm a growing theory that happiness is really not found from external factors but felt from within one’s self.

In line with these happy findings, Havaianas decided to launch its Happy Soles campaign. Its flip-flops have stood witness to a significant part of many Filipinos’ happy moments — in the beach, the mall, family gatherings, vacations, and many more. What better way to celebrate happiness then than to give a Filipino and 3 friends the chance to travel to Brazil via its “Happy Soles Will Travel to Brazil” creative competition.

Brazil??? Yes, yes, yes! The land of samba and Mardi Gras and places like this –

Here are the mechanics.

My GlamBox Day with Beauty Bloggers

A bevy of beauty bloggers came together one day in January to get a first glimpse at the latest innovation in makeup: airbrush cosmetics.

No, I’m not really a beauty blogger. But I must confess, being surrounded by all these friends who are into it has given me quite an education in the how-to’s of  ’dagdag-bawas’ in the right places to highlight one’s personal facial features.

(L-R) Sophie, Mark (our photographer for the afternoon), Bambi, Lauren and her friend Nikki

(moi with Cher and Nikki)

(with Shen, Nikki and Sophie)

Also there was Phoebe but for some reason, I can’t find a pic of her among my pics of the day!

So, what is this airbrush makeup?

Think of car painting. Yup, car painting.

Did you ever wonder why car paint is not applied with a brush but with spray paint using an industrial compressor? To give the body an even, natural look, right? Well, this concept is now being applied to makeup!

This tiny compact GlamBox, which comes in a luscious pink (my favorite color)  & black combination, when used with its compressor and gun, sprays a very fine mist of liquid foundation on the skin. The effect is natural, evenly applied, flawless complexion.

Glambox is so versatile. It can be used to contour and highlight facial features and it can also be used to airbrush the body for coverage and for sunless tanning.

The procedure is easy, actually, according to Valerie Tan, who first showed us a demo of the whole procedure. Pour about 10 drops of the liquid foundation into the gun, choose any of 3 air pressure modes (1-for the eyes, 2-for the face and neck, and 3-for the rest of the body), hold the gun about 6 inches from the area, and spray away!

I gamely agreed to be the guinea pig. Why not? There were 3 makeup artists in my midst! When else can I get makeup done for free — and with GlamBox’s airbrush makeup pa? Here’s my dear friend, Bambi, with what I call her “weapons of mass beauty” making me over.

After it was sprayed on me, I hardly noticed the airsprayed foundation. Unlike the usual liquid foundation which can feel cake-y and heavy, the effect of using the Glambox gun and compressor was surprisingly almost NOT there! Bambi finished off the makeup session with eyeshadow, blush-on. I reapplied mascara and lipstick and ***drum roll*** — here’s what I look like after, with airbrush makeup — and clowning around with Bambi.

And another one with Hannah, who also got to try the airbrush makeup.

GlamBox kits come in two varieties: Starter Set and Deluxe Set.

Starter Set (P8,500)

Includes:
Compressor
Airbrush Gun (w/ accessories)
Gun holder
Adaptor
Airhose
CD
GlamBox carrying case

PLUS + Three Bottles
One – 30ml Foundation (of your choice)
One – 20ml Cheek Color (of your choice)
One – 30ml Cleaner and Thinner

Deluxe Set (11,800)

Includes:
Compressor
Airbrush Gun (w/ accessories)
Gun holder
Adaptor
Airhose
CD
GlamBox carrying case

PLUS + ALL COLORS++ (Total 10 Bottles)

FOUR – 30ml Foundation:
- Florence (light beige w/ yellow undertone)
- Cannes (natural beige w/ reddish undertone)
- Barcelona ( medium beige w/ reddish undertone)
- St. Tropez ( dark beige w/ yellow undertone)

TWO – 20ml Cheek Color:
- Malibu (light pink)
- Cancun (darker rose pink)

ONE – 20 ml Luminizer in Venice Gold (highlighter)
THREE – 30ml Cleaner and Thinner

Thanks to Sophie for inviting me to this fun & beautiful event. And thanks to Valerie for introducing me to Glambox.

Order online at www.glamboxairbrush.com / Available at the Suesh Showroom and Studio
For more information please contact Andrea Hontiveros
0922-8210172 / 02-985 4064 / glamboxcosmetics@yahoo.com

College Entrance Tests: How To Prepare Your Kid for Possible Setbacks

It has began. The results of college entrance tests for schoolyear 2010-11 are being published beginning this month. De La Salle University’s (DLSU) college entrance test results started everything off by being the first to release their results last January 2. Over the next few months, high school seniors in different schools around the country will experience extreme highs and/or lows as each university publishes its admission results.

As a parent of two older children (in college now), I have rejoiced and likewise, been saddened as well as they got their exam results. I am just grateful that in the end, they did get into the school of their choice. Now, it’s the turn of our third child to go through the stress of waiting it out. Again, I sit it out with him, knowing he is sometimes stressed at the thought of whether he will make it or not. Once again, I ask myself: How can I support my child if the results do not turn out favorable for him?

I’m sure this thought has also crossed your mind if you are in the same situation I am in.

There is a philosophy that I have always tried to remember and adopt in disappointing situations:

When things do not go the way we want it to, it is not a sign of failure.

It is just God’s way of closing the door so that our eyes, which had been focused solely on that door, will veer away and see that He has opened a window.

We cannot shield our children from everything bad. We can’t stop them from bruising themselves. We can’t prevent mishaps. We cannot prevent their hearts from breaking due to rejection from friends or from a broken heart. And we surely cannot prevent them from a possible rejection by the school they most wished to go to.

So what can we do if our kids are not accepted by the school of their choice? Here are some things we can do:

New Year’s Eve Blue Moon

When people say “Once in a blue moon”, it’s not because the moon turns blue but because a blue moon is an uncommon site to see.

Wikipedia defines a blue moon as:

A blue moon is the “extra” full moon in years that have thirteen full moons. Most years have twelve full moons which occur approximately monthly, but in addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains an excess of roughly eleven days compared to the lunar year. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years (7 times in the 19-year Metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon. The extra moon is called a “blue moon.”

Last Dec. 31, 2009, many of us in Manila, Philippines looked up at the clear skies and saw a blue moon.  A blue moon that falls on New Year’s Eve supposedly occurs only every 19 years.

I did not want to let the night pass without going out into the garden to see it and capture it with my trusty ol’ digicam. Here are two shots that I took:

The next blue moon that falls on a New Year’s Eve is expected in the year 2028.

2010: New Decade, New Self

To whoever designed this 2010 wallpaper: I owe a debt of gratitude to you. This is going to be my 2010 wallpaper and avatar in most of my social network sites.

A little flashback…

Those who know me from about 2 decades back know that I came from a different mold altogether.

Dad was an accountant. He had no chance to take the CPA exams so that dream must have been something I absorbed in my growing up years so much so that I followed his footsteps, albeit blindly. Along the way, I did have a chance to discover my creative side. Mom made sure I took piano, ballet and jazz lessons. Yes, I even did Tahitian dancing at one point.

I was not a nerd in school but studying hard was a habit that paid off as I graduated at the top of my class both in high school and college. Getting a job with the premier accounting firm then was not so difficult with grades like mine and I must say that staying with that firm for the next 16 years taught me even more about discipline, hard work, teamwork and many others. My determination to make it big in the corporate world got me a firm scholarship to an Ivy League school in Pennsylvania. Even when I left the firm to join a universal bank as head of its Corporate Planning Division, I carried those very same work ethics. Because of the intensity with which I worked, I almost lost my youngest son in a really bloody incident in Baclaran during a meeting. At one time, I spent Christmas Eve in the bank till past 6pm – practically the only one left on my floor.

So it was a great surprise to everyone who knew the workaholic ME when I submitted my resignation letter. Which company are you joining? How much more will they pay you? We will match whatever they offer you. You can be Chairwoman of this affiliate company, said the Chairman of the bank. To all these questions, I simply answered that I wanted to just become a homemaker for once and serve my family.

Friends made side bets i would not last 2 years. I should have made a hefty bet because I beat them by a decade.

Fast forward to the present…

3 years ago, I discovered blogging. I sort of dawdled the first 2 years, simply writing for its pure joy and creative outlet. But now, I am exploring that long inert, creative side of my self. I want to reinvent myself into a right-brained woman.

Let me ask you something: Have you ever wondered if your past life was a mistake or has hit a no-growth stage? Are you nursing a deep desire to change course, paddle elsewhere, find out if you still have it in you to do something different? Have you ever wanted to put more meaning into your life?

I have wondered. And I have nurtured a deep yearning to put more meaning into my life.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Lao Tzu

I’m taking life as it comes now and I am amazed at the different opportunities that lie out there for people willing to give it a try. Just in 2009, I got myself into the following;

• Internet marketing/SEO-related activities
• Freelance columnist for Zen Health magazine (writing about yoga, one of my passions)
• Blogger-writer for Blogwatch.ph (a media site for anything related to the 2010 Philippine elections)
• Volunteer for Tech Tanod (a collaboration among Globe, Philippine Blog Awards, RockEd Philippines and the Philippine blogging community)

And more opportunities appear to be opening up in 2010 that will put to bear more writing assignments, among others. In the works also are plans to get more training in internet marketing/SEO and a not-to-be-missed creative workshop with Jim Paredes.

Pursuing it at this stage of life is easier, I guess, now that my kids are teens and adults. They are growing independent of me after years I spent with them, being active in their school activities. But I believe that pursuing the deepest passions in you have no right or wrong age. The time to start is always NOW.

Who knows where else this journey is taking me? I still can’t see the big picture.

But that picture above of the fluttering butterflies and flowers growing delightfully under a bright sun say it all. That’s how I want to reinvent my life -

New, exciting, sunshine-y, positive, growing, free-spirited, love-filled, and God-centered.

Are you also in the process of altering the direction of your life? In what way? I’d love to hear from you as well.

Oodles of Pasta at Goodles!

I am a pasta lover. No doubt about it. And I love every opportunity to try out a new pasta place.

So when blogger friend Fran posted a sign-up notice for this new pasta place, Goodles, in Robinsons Galleria that her friend had just put up, I quickly signed up. It helped, of course, that I live close by. I also got to bring my girl C1 with me.

Sharlene Tan is the proprietress of Goodles. Shar explained the concept of Goodles to the bloggers present. It is simple, really – provide delicious, gourmet pasta choices ‘to go’. Now why hasn’t anyone thought of that before?

Before Goodles, one would need to find a casual or fine dining pasta restaurant with a sit-down ambience. Then one would wait about 20 minutes after placing an order for it to be served. Prices of such dishes would also be in the P200 to P400 range per plate.

Goodles is not a brick-and-mortar type of pasta restaurant. Instead, it is located near the fountain area, in an open space, with simple tables and chairs for those who choose to sit down to eat while also offering the order-and-go style for those who wish to take the food out or who want to take something other than popcorn and chips into the moviehouse.

We got to try all the dishes they served up but my personal favorite that night was the Grape Carbonara. No kidding, they put grape halves in with the carbonara. Shar said that carbonara, which oftentimes comes out too creamy and rich, is complemented by the taste of the grapes which tempers the richness of the carbonara sauce. I must say that she was absolutely right. The grapes went very well with the carbonara!

C1 had the Seven Layer Lasagna. That was very good too. I dug into the layers upon layers of the chunky meat sauce topped with lots and lots of mozzarella cheese.

The Salsa Rossa Shrimp is good for those who can stand it a bit spicy hot. This is a creamy tomato sauce with white shrimps and sweet basil topped with fresh mozzarella bits. Chili is added for that hot ooomph!

All the bloggers who went that night were one in saying that the Goodles menu was truly value for money. Know why? None of their prices hit P200. Great pasta at a great price. That is the real deal!

We all vowed to come back again and again. Next time, I’m bringing my girl C2 who is a definite pasta lover like me.

Goodles is located at the 4/F of Robinsons Galleria (near Movieworld and in front of Pizza Hut).

Metrobank Cardholders Get Free Red Ribbon Treats (updated)

Do you have a Metrobank credit card? Do you love Red Ribbon?

If you do, then this Christmas promo is for you.

It’s gift-giving time once again and if you are in the midst of Christmas shopping, you not only get to use your Metrobank credit card for convenient gift-buying, it allows you to also get free Red Ribbon pastries. The more you shop, the more treats you get. You could treat yourself to the Red Ribbon delights after a whole day of shopping on your feet. Or, you could add these to the goodies you are serving for Noche Buena or Media Noche. Or give them away to your loved ones.

Here are the promo mechanics:

1. This promotion is open to Metrobank Visa/Mastercard Credit Card, Go! MasterCard, Femme Visa, or PSBank MasterCard cardholders.
2. Cardholders can surrender their charge slips to get FREE Red Ribbon Products.
   • For a single charge slip with a minimum valid spend of at least P1,000, get ONE of the following:
     • Free 1-pc. Red Ribbon Ensaimada, Red Ribbon Cinnamon Roll, OR Red Ribbon Mamon
     • Free 1-pc. Red Ribbon Palabok Petite
   • For a single charge slip with a minimum valid spend of at least P2,500, get ONE of the following:
     • Free 1-pc. any choice of Red Ribbon Cake Slice
     • Free 1-pc. Red Ribbon Palabok Regular
     • Free 3-pc. Red Ribbon Pastry Bundle (any combination of Ensaimada, Mamon or Cinnamon Roll)
   • For a single charge slip with a minimum valid spend of at least P4,000, get Salisbury Meal with Regular Softdrink or Bangus A La Pobre with Regular Softdrink (new)
3. For accumulated charge slips worth a total valid spend of P10,000, get any choice of one whole Red Ribbon Junior Cake
4. Valid spend includes all retail transactions; examples of retail transactions are purchases at groceries, department stores, gasoline stations, restaurants, etc.
5. To redeem the free Red Ribbon products, cardholders must surrender their original valid charge slips, and present their Metrobank Visa/MasterCard Credit Card, Go! MasterCard, Femme Visa, or PSBank MasterCard at any Red Ribbon branch.
6. For the charge slips to be valid for redemption:
   • Name and card number on the charge slip must be the same as the name and card number on the Metrobank Visa/MasterCard Credit Card, Go! MasterCard, Femme Visa, or PSBank MasterCard credit card presented.
   • Transaction date of the charge slip must be within the promo period.
7. Promo Period is October 15, 2009, to January 31, 2010 (promo extended); redemption period is from October 15, 2009, to March 15, 2010.
8. Cardholders can avail a maximum of three items in a day for item 2a and 2b. Cardholders can avail a maximum of one item in a day for item 2c.
9. Redemption will not be allowed on the following dates: December 23, 24, 30, and 31, 2009.

For more on this promo, visit www.metrobankcard.com
Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 5288, Series of 2009.

MOVE – a World AIDS Day Project by Headshot Clinic

Are we aware of how HIV/AIDS is rapidly spreading in the Philippines and in the world?

I got hold of some materials with some statistics from the National Epidemiology Center and was shocked to find out that:

- At the present rate, there will be 700 new cases of HIV/AIDS before 2009 ends

- In 2000, there was only 1 new case every 3 days; in 2009, there are TWO new cases EVERY DAY!

- 89% of HIV transmission is through SEX

- Since 2007, 72% of new cases were males who were infected by having sex with OTHER MALES

View this document on Scribd

Coinciding with the annual celebration of World AIDS Day last December 9, a series of portraits done by the renowned Filipino conceptual photographer, Niccolo Cosme, is on exhibit at Greenbelt 5 (fountain area). The exhibit runs till December 14.

My oldest daughter and I were lucky to have been part of a pool of bloggers who participated in this year’s Project Headshot Clinic. On their website, this is what Headshot Clinic has to say about their unique way of spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS:

The Headshot Clinic is the flagship in employing unparalleled advocacy using digital photography as its main medium of representation and publicizes it through the presently prevailing social networks. The collaborating powers of both will further enhance awareness as last year’s UNAIDS supported Project Headshot Clinic: AWARE to spread the issues and facts of HIV/AIDS. “AWARE” took the internet by storm. It was able to spread consciousness and made more people aware of HIV/AIDS.

This year, UNAIDS and Project Headshot Clinic are working together to call for ACTION in fighting the spreading of HIV/AIDS. It is a sad realization that as much as we are aware of the dangers, still – more and more people are diagnosed with the decease.

And so we have to MOVE.

Headshot Clinic Project: UNAIDS MOVE aims to facilitate curiosity in people and drive them to make a change. We will inform the public and will ultimately thrust a call for action to fight HIV/AIDS. It will feature advocates who are the movers and shakers in the Philippines, as well as regular people like students, taxi drivers, or personalities who are or have been affected by HIV. This time, as we have succeeded in the dissemination of awareness from last year, we are acting on it.

And we will fight it together, everyone has a voice and it should be heard.

To put the exhibit together, Headshot Clinic and Niccolo tapped celebrities, bloggers and ordinary people for headshots. Personally, I felt it was my chance to help promote an advocacy as a blogger, to do something worthwhile and push for awareness and change.

Some people I recognized among the pics taken by Headshot Clinic were Boyet Sison (ANC host of Hardball), RJ and Vanessa Ledesma, Carlos Celdran, Joey Reyes, Cong. Risa Hontiveros, Kristine Hermosa, Gelli de Belen, Dr. Eric Tayag of DOH, Tim Yap and Niccolo himself.

Here is my own headshot pic.

It’s time to MOVE and make more people aware of the creeping threat of HIV/AIDS in our country!

There will be more activities to drum up HIV/AIDS awareness in the Philippines scheduled for 2010. Watch for them!

Today Marks the Start of Advent 2009

Today, November 29, 2009 is the 1st Sunday of Advent.

For years now, our family has tried to follow the Christian tradition of lighting the Advent candles at home, together with some prayers and songs. Here is an old post, Season of Hope and a Family Tradition, that describes what we have tried to do since the kids were small.

Tonight, we lit the first purple candle. Two family members were not around: hubby and M1, who are both abroad. But nevertheless, we continued the tradition of waiting and hoping for the coming of the Christ Child who is the Savior of the world. Despite the gloom that hovers over this country in the wake of the Maguindanao massacre just a few days ago, we continue to hope for speedy resolution and justice.

O Come, Divine Messiah!