And just like that, Palawan had me wanting her so bad.

It was just last week when I explored Palawan Philippines with my family.  After so many years, a family get-away finally transpired---the Iletos and the Macaraegs (my dad's sister and her family from California) enjoyed a four day trip in such a beautiful place as Palawan.

In fact until now, I am so confused on what to write about this trip, I just felt there are so many things that are worthy of sharing that I really do not know where to start.  Do i post pictures? Do i discuss the place? My personal experience with my son? Write a travelogue perhaps? Really this has made me thinking for days that only NOW I sit down and write down my thoughts.  

Perhaps to sum up my experience, I felt like I was a "lakatsera sa Palawan" for a time.  From beaches and river to restaurants and churches, to wet and dry market tours, I can say that I have conquered Palawan pretty well:)

I know very well that Palawan is too famous already that every Juan knows about the wonders of nature you can find there.  So, I will not write about that.  Perhaps I just want to share some points I learned about Palawan and why it became so memorable to me:

First: It's our first travel destination! Me and my little bieny!  I enjoyed him so well from our flight going to PPC and then our adventures in the city and then back in Manila. My son's smile is priceless.  I know he learned a lot from our trip!

Second: I learned that Palawan is the safest place in the Philippines when it comes to natural threats due to erosion. earthquakes and the like. Palawan has no fault line, therefore no quakes can rattle this place.  I'm actually considering buying a lot here where I can build my dream house!

Third: People are very hospitable, kind and soft-toned.  I think they will make great neighbors! hehe.

Fourth: Of course I love the beaches!  I love the salty air! I love the beautiful rock formations, the place is just jam+packed with many wonderful things to see!

Fifth: Tourism is good, I don't think there is a dull business operating in this place. I would consider opening a travel agency, or a hotel or a canteen of some sort!

So there!  If you haven't gone to Palawan, it's about time to think about saving some of that allowance for this heaven!  

Id definitely go back to this place.  El Nido and Coron will surely rock my world.:)

Travel with your loved ones. Explore Palawan. Explore Philippines:)

Humorous. Fun. Exciting. These are just some of the adjectives you'd probably associate with Benefit when you get to discover the looks and the tricks their products can give you!

I'm talking about the no-boring make up brand, Benefit Cosmetics!  A wonderful invention from San Francisco,  USA. Benefit Cosmetics totally changed the way I shop for cosmetics! As the original Bene-gals, the Ford twins would always say " Laughter is the best cosmetic.." so true that you'll find yourself buying their products not just because it totally works but because you find yourself smiling at the gift you give yourself.

Perhaps, what makes Benefit Cosmetics popular is the way they style the packaging of their cosmetics.  Creative, lovely, daring and brilliant, Benefit has got me obsessed with their products that honesty, I would really want to try everything! (Warning: you really have to save a lot since Benefit is not just a typical make up brand). ^_^. Then think of it as an investment! A gift to yourself, a piece of collection:)

My first purchase of benefit products started just last month when I finally gave it a try.  Since I don't really look for complete make up, I mean with all that concealers, foundation, etc. I never gave it a chance until I passed by its newly opened pop-up store in Trinoma and was invited by their bene-babe assistants to try on POREfessional.  

Velvety and amazing. I was like, "really?" There is a product like this??? LOL. As funny as it was, I have realized that yeah, I have not really given it a try.

Let me guide you through this kit.  If you haven't tried on any benefit products or if you are new to this brand, I advise that you buy the Primping With The Stars Kit as a good starter!
It is easy to use and really BENEficial at 1700 php:)

What's IN it?
Let me give you a basic product decription based on what I have researched and what I have experienced:) All photos were taken at the same area, same day, and under the same incandescent light:)  TOTALLY, NO FILTER or any effects to let you see how it is really when applied:)


Let's start with this clean, bare and NO make up face:) this is me, without any thing on:)

Now let's start!

a. Stay Don't Stray is an eye shadow primer.  A primer is the base that holds your eye make up/eyeshadow and makes it stay/last longer.  It likewise brightens the eye area.  How to apply it: Using the brush, make three dots around the eye area and then gently spread it using your finger outwards.

b. POREfessional: this product puts Benefit on top of the game together with Benetint as POREfessional is a beauty invention that minimizes appearance of your facial pores as it gives it a velvety feeling and acts as a primer as well.  The product gives you an INSTANT result, NO Kid!

c. Some-kind-a-gorgeous!  is a foundation faker. You apply it all over the face using your fingers. Apply it after POREfessional:)  The packaging is cute and the quality of the foundation is excellent. You should try this!

d. benetint is a lip and cheek stain that has a rosy smell and tints naturally on the skin. Benefit Cosmetics actually started with this product back in 1977 when "an exotic dancer ordered nipple stain to Ford sisters."
Using your fingers moving circular in motion to your cheeks, you create a wonderful blush stain that is gorgeously natural.

e. girl meets pearl is a liquid highlighter you dab with your fingers on the cheeks to give a luminous rosy pear effect on the stain you previously created.  I love the smell of this product! Try this and complete that glowing look:)

f. They're real.  Last in this kit is they're real mascara.  This one is highly recommended especially if you are the type that doesn't like smudges, bludgeoned-looking-eyes after wearing a mascara for an hour or so!
I swear, amongst the mascaras I have tried, this is the only one that does not fail you in terms of its water-proof and volumizing/lengthening effect.  Max factor, Revlon, Estee Lauder and other mascara brands have failed me a number of times:( But with They're Real, I found hope! HAhaha. Imagine I trained kickboxing and got sweat all over my face but it was still there with no mess!  Imagine the sweat--really dripping and even as i wiped my face with a towel, the towel got mascara stains but not on my face/eye area.  Cool huh! My sister gave it a try (as I was making "kulit") and she got herself convinced! Now she owns her own Primping with the Stars kit, initially, because of they're real! hehe

There! I'm ready to go:) Bye girls! thanks for reading. More posts to come:) If you have a product/service/event that you want me to blog about, just email me:) Go to Connect with Caroleen page and send me message:)

Let's celebrate being us--girls:) everything lovely is about beauty that is shared. 

Muah! 

I first heard about Muay Thai from my college rhetoric professor Maam TP De Luna in 2005, when she narrated how she enjoyed her kickboxing class and how it gave her "that" high-feeling knowing that she can kick with such power/ strength.  As a student I wondered why women like my professor consider boxing and kicking when they can actually choose playing badminton or swimming or belly dancing--- something more "feminine."

Perhaps as a 19 year old, I was too worried about engaging in sports that are famously played by men.  A little shy perhaps to serve that punch or even raise my leg for a kick.  

But everything has changed now, especially with the way i view sports for men and for women.  I have realized that sports has no gender and anybody, even that shy lass in your class can be a badass kicker in that boxing ring!

So, while doing aerobics for almost a year at Jessica's gym in San Ildefonso Bulacan, last May 4, 2013 I finally decided to give myself a new kind of training for health, self-defense and personality development. I thought "I'm ready to kick some butt:)"

Kidding aside, I was really into this because I wanted to bring back my weight :)  But more than that, I wanted to train because I wanted to be really fit--by "fit" i mean, not just achieve an ideal weight, but achieve right endurance, strength, flexibility and body and mind coordination through self-defense/ exercise.

Kickboxing

Muay thai is a combat sports from the muay martial arts of Thailand (wikipedia). It combines a physical and mental discipline as it includes combat on foot referred to as "the art of eight limbs":  use of fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet (wikipedia).

Third: acquire self defense moves
more than just a form of exercise, kickboxing lets you acquire additional valuable knowledge of self-defense. This is particularly ideal for women and even little girls, pre-teens, and teens. 

Fourth: get rid of stress and aggression, consider anger management therapy

Kickboxing lets you release tension, energies that may be negatively disturbing your mind and your focus that somehow affects the way you move.  As you train, you would eventually feel a good sense of relief.  It lets you focus or concentrate on what you should do and gives you time to think about what you feel:)  

Fifth: Confidence from Within.
You know you can.

With kickboxing, you get to give yourself another level of experience and knowledge that adds up to that confidence not just in facing a dangerous situation, but with the things that you fear or situations that you think you are actually scared of.

Plus, it makes you feel good about yourself, your body---knowing that your muscles are not lazy and that you are sexy and beautiful from within:)

Fight factory Manila offers muay thai, boxing, MMA, jiu-jitsu and the like to men and women.  the gym is located at Thompson's Square in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.  The rate is 350php per session.  At first I thought that Muay thai training is much like aerobics where you can train for an hour and a half.  However, with muay thai, especially for beginners like, 3 hours would just be right per session as you would really have to take a couple of rest in between your warm up exercises, actual kickboxing training, abs work out exercises, cooling down, and finally, stretching.

You can actually enroll as a group (with your friends) or one on one.  Since I went there by myself and decided to pursue it even without a friend to accompany me, I get to focus more with the training as the personal trainer assigned for me really gave his time to see my lapses.

The warming up jumping rope exercise is really challenging.  I have been attending the training for the 3rd time now (June 8, 2013) and yet I still can't seem to get the rhythm of the jump and the rope I supposed to skip.

"Nagwawala na siya oh" they jokingly tell me as I tried my best to jump---as a result, the jump was too high that easily tires me.  Plus the rope was making too noisy taps on the rubber mat. It was supposed to be done smoothly and with less sound.  Anyway, this is one of the things that inspires me to continue kickboxing.

Try it.  If you are looking for a new sports to engage yourself in with the purpose of burning those calories, consider kickboxing!  You'll even learn valuable self-defense. 

After all, you are a woman, you owe it to yourself that you can protect yourself while being fit:)

you are not just lovely, you are tough:)

A lipstick person is one that holds certain fondness for lipsticks---whether she is actually applying it on her lips, or just merely collecting lipsticks by color, texture, or brand, a lipstick person has a quite significant impulsive behavior on buying lipsticks as spotted on a make up stall or in an online make up shop.  As trivial as it may sound, there are a number of girls that hold certain fondness on this powerful tube.

In fact, lipsticks are popular even during girls' early childhood.  For instance, i can remember how i played with my Barbie doll and just stare at her lips and adore its color.  Growing up, I see my Tita applying ONLY lipstick whenever she goes out.  In a way, i grew up with an understanding that a face make up will never be complete without that stain on the lips. 
Stain on the lips brightens your face and gives you a kind of personality or character or attitude.  It can be soft and subtle, lovely as pink or bright and witty, hot as red; simple and bare as beige or nude or vibrant and eye-catching as neon orange.

There are a roster of lipstick colors you can choose from depending on your skin color, occasion to attend to, depending on your mood or probably the way you just want people to notice you (or your lips!).

Based on research, lipstick invention started during the ancient times when Mesopotamian women crushed gemstones and apply it on their lips (wikipedia.com)!

I wonder how gemstones feel on the lips. haha!  Nowadays, lipstick variety includes those that have matte-finish, glossy, or semi-matte. Matte-finish is my favorite!  Perhaps amongst the brand that has good matte-finish, MAC lipsticks stand out.  My personal choice is MAC candy Yum yum and Russian Red.  It gives you the full lip pigmentation you want to achieve as it stains and stays long without the oily/shiny effect.  However, during my high school days, I would always wear Revlon gloss, as it makes my lips soft and look pouty! (Perfect for a teen!)  Semi-matte however gives just the right color and protection for the lips.  I must admit, my lips are chapped and always dry because this is the side effect of Matte lipsticks---they make lips really dry.  Anyway, if this happens to you just take care of your lips by using a balm or petroleum jelly applied overnight or whenever you take a break from your matte lipstick.

MAC Creme Puff on my lips in this photo.  The color is pale pink, subtle and simple.  However, I think this color is quite sensitive with skin color matching, morena or tanned girls may find this more appealing.  hahah. For those who have whiter/fairer complexions, you may look a little pale when you wear this.  i guess, deep smoky eyeshadow paired with this lip color will give it an elegant or should i say, vampirish-twist:)

Lip Tricks:

Before i buy lipsticks, i make it a habit to read reviews first and look at images of women wearing the lipstick i plan to purchase.  Blogs, reviews from the official website of the brand, random images---they all help so you may execute a "wise buy" and be not sorry about your purchase.

Consider visiting the physical store and try on the lipstick/ tint first.

If you want something bold--something that makes your lips noticeable/ full or if simply you want to emphasize your lips, try Mac matte lipsticks.  Look for Russian Red, Ruby Woo, lady Danger, Saint Germaine or Candy YumYum. 

If you want something natural, more like just a stain on the lips, try lip tints!  Benefit Cosmetics' Bene-tint has a nice rosy smell, however it does not stain much especially on first application. Face Shop's My Lips eat Cherries stains perfectly and instantly and it is much economical compared to Bene-tint, if you are considering the budget:)  

With my sister Athenna!  I tried Bene-tint on her cheeks and lips. See how natural it appears, for everyday make up:)

There! I hope i have helped you guys on your next lip tube purchase:)

What's your favorite lipstick, by the way?

Lovely as an Orchid.

A trip to an orchid farm--one of the activities I did last May with my dear tita who is a member of the Philippine Orchid Society.  Perhaps, it was a perfect event to spend my mid summer month-dream this year.  I must admit, I have never been to such farm with really colorful, lovely and precious flowers such as orchids. Hence, the reason why Im so excited to share this with you!

The farm is situated in Malvar, Batangas.  Almost a 2-hour trip from Manila.  Owned by former Justice Secretary Hon. Nani Perez, Malvarosa Orchid Farm has its own laboratory for breeding of new orchids. After coming up with a new breed they would send it abroad for proper identification, study and to verify that indeed a new breed has been produced, it is a long process and would definitely take years hence, the cost is likewise high should there be a client wanting to have a new breed of orchid named after him/her/ another person.

Sec. Perez's farm takes pride in their beautiful cattleya farm that houses popular breed such as Corazon Aquino in brilliant yellow, Cristine Bersola, a large white and really lovely cattleya, the eye-soothing orange President GMA cattleya and others such as Malvarosa Sunrise, Why Not Round About and many others. 
My tita got Malvarosa Sunrise and the Why Not cattleya, really pretty orchids for our small garden here in Bulacan.  

Meanwhile, grapes, dragon fruit, avocado, bananas, other fruits and vegetables are being grown there as well. in fact during our visit, they have just harvested their sweet dragon fruit---the inside is pinkish and the taste, real sweet!  This surprised us because most dragon fruits available in the market are tasteless and the inside color is either yellowish or whitish.

We ended our tour in Malvarosa Farm with a good lunch prepared by cooks of Malvarosa Farm!
_______

----
Earlier we visited an ornamental farm in batangas as well---Unigreen is owned by a Japanese businessman who provided job opportunities for the Batanguenos residing nearby the farm.

Ornamentals refer to any plants that that are grown for decorative purposes in a garden.  There are indoor and outdoor types depending on their characteristics. Some ornamental plants need to be watered daily while others can survive even without water in three or more days.  Further, some plants need direct sunlight while others do not.  Hence, if you are planning to purchase ornamental plants, analyze first where you intend to put it.  I bought some plants that I intend to place as decor in our bathroom, while my tita took the ones that can serve as highlights for her garden.

In totality, the trip with the Philippine Orchid Society was so cool and refreshing.  It's like being exposed to a green world where flowers serve not just candies in one's eye, but a good stimuli to start something new---such as a hobby:)

Take care of an orchid and feel good about this new hobby. Visit philippineorchidsociety.com for membership and other inquiries.

The said organization provides annual orchid exhibits and other ornamental plants, promotes environmental-awareness through lectures on how to grow orchids in our home/garden, holds monthly trips in different vegetable/orchid/ornamental plants and farms in the Philippines.

Escolta, Manila--- Maestro Fernando C. Amorsolo, a renowned Filipino painter and National Artist was given the honor by the Mayor of the City of Manila, Mayor Alfredo Lim, of having the 30th of May be declared as the "Fernando Amorsolo Day."  Hence, last May 30, 2013, the very first celebration of Amorsolo Day was held in the culturally-rich place Escolta that likewise commemorated maestro's 121st birth anniversary with a theme "Ipinita ang Maynila."

There is such a thing as art in cooking.  For most people, cooking may just sound like one of the normal house routines that wives and daughters do.  However, today’s society does not just regard cooking as a way of turning raw food to a ‘cooked’ meal. Media has played a significant role on this, as home buddies suddenly become inclined to experimenting different cuisine and cooking techniques that would either promote extra-ordinary taste or healthy cooking choices! 
Our one day experience as a student-chef ---"Chef" Caroleen and "Chef" Ely (at yer service eh:) in AICA taught as many techniques we didn't learn in our own kitchen.

A BIG HEARTY THANKS to Academy for International Culinary Arts and eglobalMD for this free culinary arts session. We had fun preparing our Chinese cuisine with Chef Nicki Zamora and pigging out after! 

what we prepared: 
Pinsec Frito
Yang Chow Fried Rice
Sweet and Sour Pork

Almond Jelly by Chef Nicki Zamora 

i had fun cooking at AICA professional Kitchen, my first time to visit and actually work around in one (with all those sophisticated kitchen equipment, indeed i felt like im a culinary student! ) it was a memorable experience to somebody (like me) who is not good at cooking.LOL. really, Ely is a better cook/photog.

AICA or Academy for International Culinary Arts is one of the leading culinary schools in the Philippines.  they have two big campuses in Pasig City and in Cebu City.  

AICA takes pride in the kind of culinary education they provide---the traditional/ classic culinary education with high hands on policy, complete and functional facilities and kitchen and bar equipment and a roster of experienced professors.
   
Cooking is an art, and like art, people can either be born with it or to a better advantage, be armed with it.  To be armed with it, entails the formal training of classic culinary education.  When we say ‘classic’ it pertains to the traditional yet timely form of technique in food preparation.  According to research, classic culinary education is that of which trains culinary arts students of the two important aspects in food preparation: the native ingredients and the classic French technique.  These two are the major factors that distinctly provide the edge in the whole classic culinary education.  

 In classic culinary education, the native ingredients program is taught in a detailed course.  Some schools do not regard this topic as a main course or program compared to those culinary arts institution that highly features classic culinary education above all.  The native ingredient course exposes the students to the use of indigenous ingredients, spices and herbs that make a certain dish ‘classic’ and sumptuous. It encourages culinary arts students to embrace and be familiar with natural ingredients that the world may have not discovered yet. 

Meanwhile,   classic French technique endows students with the basic and sought-after kind of technique in every professional culinary kitchen in the world.  As an art, culinary technique may be done uniquely by individuals; however, one can never perform a unique approach without having grasp any knowledge on the classic French culinary technique.  Knowledge on this gives a student the edge in which he or she would definitely utilize in the demanding world of culinary arts.  

 Technical cooking preparation techniques and an in-depth knowledge on history of native ingredients use as well as the study and practice of traditional trends in culinary arts are likewise encompassed in the broad study of classic culinary education.  

   Food preparation, when done as a profession, would always require some classic schools of thought.  In cooking, perhaps, this classic culinary education may be deemed as the basis or the base ground that guides every chef in creating a world-class dish; a sumptuous feast that doesn’t just delight a stomach, but feeds the creative mind.

Maillot is--as stated in Wiki, a designer's label or name for a woman's one-piece swimsuit. 

The term is commonly used by designers and swimwear retailers, hence, for some people who do not really pay attention to labels the term is quite unfamiliar. 

Maillots fit perfectly to a woman's body no matter how petite, skinny or thick they are.  This is so because women have natural curves and a maillot, designed as a body hugger ca n expose women's curves subtly and with class.

Perhaps, one of the best maillot styles i have seen is ilovekoi's two tone maillot. I've seen their styles from ilovekoi.com.ph and amongst the available maillot designs they have, this rust-purple two tone maillot caught my attention. 

Why do i love it?
 

First, the color combination is perfect for my fair skin type.   It promotes a fine blending with my skin hence it was not too bright to wear. 

Second, the V neck detail is SUPER sexy. It shows your collar bone and the cleavage for a daring effect. I love it even though I don't really have that Victoria's Secret model body (haha).

Third, it has a sexy feminine back detail.  It shows too much skin at the back. The ribbon is adjustable.

Fourth, the bikini cut is not too high to expose too much waist. Perfect for those who do not really want to go for thin bikini strings:)

I did make some adjustments though especially with the V neck as it shows too much... (bones? right. LOL). Kidding aside, I actually got the larger-than-my-size size during the Bazaar at the Word Trade Center last February, because there was only one of this type left! And i BADLY WANT it. 


So i thought, i can ask my auntie to alter that part so I can wear it more comfortably at the beach. (Yes, that's what you will do when you really want something)!

And so that March when we headed to the beach in Morong Bataan, I was able to wear it, the altered one and this is how it looked:

Fine and perfect, I even played with the kids of Morong Bataan, without worrying about the V neck area.

As a mom, I used to worry a lot about the clothes I wear, much more with swim suits, as my body has changed due  to pregnancy. Somehow with right aerobics training and by eating well, I have managed to be back in shape. I guess, the best learning I realized during the whole journey of being thin to becoming huge (carrying Bien inside) and then thick or chubby down to my-almost-there-ideal-weight, is that:

No matter what size you are and what color you have, you will only be beautiful in others' eyes if you can see that in your own. Every girl can wear swim suit! Just look for the best style that you feel comfortable with. 

Shoes are girls' obsession, (well at least one of those) and this is true especially to girls who have dreamt of having their walk-in closet full of shoes, Imelda-inspired lifestyle or as little girls would claim, being "princesses" in their own little way.

Aside from clothes, make up and perfume, a collection of shoes is one of my wish list.  While it is hard to actually just buy and buy shoes especially those that cost too dear, a collection of shoes that I dream of is one that has a variety of style, hot colors, and functionality (yep, for some shoes are good for display or photo shoots only huh?) hehe.

Nevertheless, girls still buy it.  Reason? well it makes us happy! 

One of my best shoe-purchases include this hot red wedges I got during the Super Bazaar at the World Trade Center, summer of 2013.  The shoe store is Tonic by Kim. According to their FB page, the shoes are personally designed and locally manufactured!  You'll actually be surprised because it is as classy and as sturdy as those international shoe brands that takes too much of your shopping budget! (Just sayin').
Seriously though, the shoes do not hurt my feet. Even if it is actually 4-5 inches high, I can wear it long enough without feeling too much pressure on the heel and toes.  Plus, amongst the high platform wedges i have tried (ever in my whole life!... seriously) this pair of wedges did not make me fall, especially the first time i tried it on!  

I'm saying this because normally i go for stilettos because every time i attempt to fit wedges,there's a "falling" effect that I really hate!  

But with this pair, really I feel safe. You can walk tall and elegantly without worrying you might fall.  

If I remember it right, I bought the pair at less than 500php during the Super Bazaar.  The original price was 900+php.  I was so happy with my purchase.  

The red color is so classy. Plus, the ribbon like cross-hugging detail gives it a darling feminine look!  So dainty, these wedges can be worn with either casual dress , semi-formal lace dress or with skinny jeans!

My fashion advice: Don't just stick with the usual designs that you have, try something new once in a while, have a variety of shoe designs, types, colors not just to go with the trend or to look fabulous, but to help you explore your creativity from within, bring out your inner confidence through shoes that you wear, and clothes you mix and match.

Visit TonicBagsShoesMAnila on facebook and get updates on their products and event announcements!