Pawlentines Date

I spent Valentine’s afternoon at the PAWS shelter along Katipunan Avenue. I went there after my family lunch and Ash Wednesday mass. 

I was excited to join their PAWS Furst Date event, which is their Valentine’s Pop-up Dog and Cat Cafe. For only Php300, I get to spend time with a shelter animal, a cup of coffee, cookies, treats for my chosen doggo or kitty, and lots of cute photos.

I was super thrilled by the time I reached the cafe area. 

I selected senior dog Ruff because of his smile. He was so delighted to spend time with me! 

He was huggable, kissable, and adoptable! Unfortunately, I can’t adopt him. But if you are thinking of taking a dog home this year, please consider adopting him. He’s the sweetest. 

We entered the cafe area and I chose the Paris corner.  

He devoured his dog muffins from Whole Pet Kitchen in between photos. 

I fell in love with this cutie and I really wish he will find his furever home soon! 

We walked around the compound and I made it a light jog. This buddy was able to keep up with me. I was impressed! 

The pop-up cafe will run until February 17, from 1-5 PM. Please drop by if you can! It’s the best Valentine charity event I have ever been to. Who knows, you might also fall in love with one of their adorable and sociable shelter animals!

February Coffee with Diane

I started my weekend with an Ebe Dancel concert last Saturday at Trinoma. I appreciate his music because it reminds me of the best days of my college life. I had all the feels as he sang my favorites, such as Tulog Na and Burnout. 

The next morning, I did some brisk walking at UP. 

There was a color fun run, so I had the chance to peruse their pink powder. 

I had my usual ice cream sandwich: avocado and cheese!

And since it was a Sunday, my strawberry taho vendor was there to dish out this sweet dessert. 

I had to deal with some personal matters, so I was hungry by noon. I drove to Breakfast Bin for my beloved toasted naked longganisa. 

But first, I went twinning with the drinking glass.  

Finally, it was time to devour my lunch.  

I listened to some pop music while enjoying my slow Sunday meal.  

After lunch, I found two teen girls selling balloons. I bought a heart one for Diane, and I had my photo taken while holding their merchandise.  

I have always wanted to do this! 

Confession: I do buy balloons every now and then to spruce up my room. I’m forever a kid at heart! 

Then, I went back to UP to burn my lunch.  

After my afternoon walk, I bought French Vanilla coffee from a convenience store.  

And then, I delivered my Valentine’s treats to Diane. 

I tied her balloon around her stuffed flowers.  

I also got her a bracelet with a meaningful saying from Papemelroti. I hung it around her bud vase. 

As always, being with Diane was a time warp. I spent some quiet time with her. 

Before I knew it, it was time for me to go to my next engagement.  

Spending time with Diane gives me a sense of peace and tranquillity. Whenever I felt sad in high school and college, I would always run to her for advice and comfort. Now that I’m already thirty-one, I still do so. I am lucky to have her in good times and in bad. Like me, she was an only child. She knows how it is to cheer oneself up. Her memory inspires me to continue doing so. Her life motivates me to keep going.  

Thank you Diane! I will see you next month.  

Drawing Deliciousness

I spent my Monday reading, working out, and updating my Traveler’s Notebook. I have previously shared how I was pleasantly surprised with my return to creative journaling, and it has sort of awakened my inner diarist again. It is a welcome change, and it is glorious to have my hobby back.

Since my mom cooked sopas for lunch (it was delicious!), I was inspired to whip out my TN (traveler’s notebook) and drew my yummy meal. 

Yes, I did have both coffee and hot chocolate! The rainy weather made me crave for comforting drinks, so I made both to satisfy my drowsy urge for caffeine and good vibes.  

My second illustration depicted my epic breakfast last Sunday. I bought bicho-bicho (traditional Filipino donut) and bananacue from a street vendor along UP Diliman during my brisk walk. You have to give it to them for their ingenious merchandising. 

I plated it this way at home, and yes, both treats were HEAVENLY and simply satisfying after a long workout.  

I am glad to be back to journaling. It has become second-nature to me again. Indeed, the best art moments are those which are spontaneous and unplanned. I look forward to more delicious meals and colorful illustrations ahead!

Faith and Arrows

I am the type of girl who follows rituals. One of them is my weekly (I try my best!) visit to St. Clare Monastery along Katipunan. I offer eggs and lift up my intentions for the week. 

After visiting St. Clare, I proceeded to DMZ Archery Range to shoot arrows. I liked their Gwen Stefani x Justin Timberlake playlist during my visit. 

Also, I adored my bow which had my lucky number 13 on it! 

I was able to have fun and release all my stress during the game.  

Archery also helps in improving my posture. 

I think I have a favorite sport now. 

I look forward to more routine days which in time will be productive habits. Mindfulness has taught me to pursue the good and the meaningful. I sure hope am doing a great job this 2018!

Kilometer Zero

Yesterday, I visited Kilometer Zero at Luneta. I got the idea from Stephanie Perkins’ Anna and the French Kiss. Without providing spoilers, the protagonists had an important scene in their love story at Point Zero, which is the kilometer zero in Paris. Beyond the novel, Point Zero is still a hotspot for rituals involving luck and wish-making. As a result, I became eager to test this in our local Kilometer Zero located in front of my beloved Rizal’s final resting place. 

When I dropped by Luneta last Rizal Day, I was so moved by our late National Hero’s presence that I failed to notice that Kilometer Zero was literally in front of me. I only realized my oversight when I was already home. Thus, my determination to return to Kilometer Zero grew stronger during the week until I simply had to make the trip once and for all. So, after my workout, I took advantage of the traffic-free roads and made the commute to Luneta. 

I was greeted by history. 

I am very excited to visit this museum once it opens this May 2018.

Of course, this never gets old. 

A train named Pepe and Friends goes around Luneta for a minimal fee. 

It was a beautiful morning.  

This was morbidly gorgeous. 

I was about to cross the street when I first spotted Kilometer Zero.  

Finally, I made it!

I took my first selfie at KM 0. 

I wore another Rizal shirt for the occasion.  

I felt a sense of peace and hope whilst standing at the beginning of all roads in the Philippines. 

I just had to take another selfie with my homeboy Rizal. It felt good to see him again. 

I had a fruitful morning, and it was awesome to finally be at the beginning of everything geographically measured in the Philippines. I wished for all the best this 2018, and it was perfect to begin the year at KM 0. It was worth the commute!  

Do visit KM 0 at Luneta and make a wish or two! While you are there, take a brisk walk and appreciate history in the hallowed grounds. You will definitely enjoy your time.  

Fun on Target

Yesterday, I had coffee with my college friend Mae. It was fun to have some time to catch-up over soy latte. I definitely enjoyed her company and I look forward to seeing friends like her again. 

Afterwards, I tried archery again. It was my second time to do so. My main objective is to have fun, so I kept on shooting arrows as I felt all my stress melt away. It was amazing how this sport totally made me feel that I could learn something again with ease. I enjoyed the vulnerability of being clueless about something. I am still learning archery, so I still have a lot of pointers to remember and apply. However, if fun is the target, it is easier for me to enjoy something. I look forward to my next archery session and I hope that I will also enjoy it regularly.  

#funonfleek

It was thrilling to win a talk pass to the Filed #FunOnFleek planner launch. I have admired the brand since its early days, and I have already purchased their Scribble planner before. I submitted an entry on their Facebook competition, where I said that I wanted to amp up my creative journaling with the inspiration I will get from the talks. Before I knew it, I already had a pass in my inbox and I was good to go!

It was held at Century City Mall, which happens to be a specialty mall I like. Attending the event was a no-brainer, as I also wanted a planner for 2018. I was welcomed by a room full of like-minded ladies and true to its #FunOnFleek theme, a ball pit! I dove right into it and took a few selfies which was show how happy I was to feel like a kid again for a few minutes. 

Rizza Lana made time management doable in her life! 

The first speaker, Rizza Lana, shared her insights on Time Management. She owns three businesses: Whim Manila, Le Cat Coffee Shop, and Lana Skincare. Here were the key points from her talk:

Time Management Hacks

1. Prioritize
2. Write, write, write
3. Know what motivates you
4. Break down your goals into tasks (yearly, monthly, weekly)
5. Delegate tasks
6. Celebrate small wins
7. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just start

• Align your yearly, monthly, and weekly goals
• Deadlines help
• Stick your to-do list behind your phone or make it your wallpaper
• Set alarms for using social media
• Reward yourself whenever you achieve something

I find it admirable that at twenty-seven years of age, she already found a Time Management system that works for her. This takes commitment, and I will surely try setting an alarm when I go on Facebook (which eats up a lot of my time).  

Rhea Bue inspired me with her story. 

I also enjoyed Rhea Bue’s talk on blogging and PR. I may not be a vlogger yet, but I learned how tedious the process is from Rhea. She said that it is better to review products on blogs, but vlogs can work for a single makeup product. If there are a group of products being reviewed, a blog entry will offer a more detailed overview. It would help if the product and swatch photos are unfiltered. Also, personal thoughts will enrich your entries. So whether you blog or vlog, it is important to make each review personal. 

The same goes with events. A blog entry will cover more information, and it will allow you to include more photos, quotes from key people, and important details. A vlog can only cover the highlights of an event. A video can work as a teaser, but a blog is your main entry.  

For travels, she prefers to blog because she shares her itinerary, photos, and tips on budget and survival tips. Travel blog entries can also provide your readers with personal interest stories. For instance, if you are a bibliophile, you can write on a trip to a bookstore or a local library. If you like coffee shop culture, you might want to try a cult third-wave cafe. It will make your entry stand out amidst the sea of travel blogs.  

My key takeaway from her talk was that at the end of the day, a blog should be a form of storytelling. Blogging is a venue to share your life and answer potential questions from your readers. And by injecting your personal style, you get to develop your own voice and remain consistent.

Maan and Roma Agsalud of Common Room  

Another talk that resonated with me was the Passion Talk by sisters Roma and Maan Agsalud. They are the duo behind Common Room, which is a shop that sells handmade items. I visited their store several times already, as I also support handmade because they are objects with a story. They shared how a passion for crafting led to their first brand, PopJunkLove, which sells cute plushies. They have since incorporated their first brand into Common Room, where they host other handmade merchants’ items along with their own.

While I am not a businesswoman, I was triggered by their talk primarily because their passion resonated with me. I learned that taking action to pursue your dreams is the secret behind realizing them to fruition. Lack of money should never stop you from making it happen, as there are free venues on social media where you can test your brand (or your blog). Lastly, you should never make excuses for your dreams, because there are concrete actionable steps to start making them grow. And as Roma has emphasized, growth takes time, so you might as well start small and build on your dream.

My new planner sleeve and Keepsake journal 📓  

A cute planner for a sleek 2018! 

Of course, my #FunOnFleek experience will not be complete without a Filed Planner! I purchased a Keepsake Planner and personalised sleeve to help me manage my time and ideas in the coming year. While I am passionate about my blog, I still prefer to outline and plan my posts using pen and paper. I am happy that this local planner brand makes me excited to plan ahead and get my dreams from paper to reality. 

I enjoyed my time, as it was really a lot of fun. Those were only three talks I enjoyed, but there were other speakers as well. I chose these three because they have inspired me the most. If they can do it, then I can be a better version of myself too!