on the Verge of

It is February again and Valentine’s Day is just two weeks away. Making this day extra special for our significant other is always a must. And since this coming Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday, the most feasible plan would be romantic dinner date. It is best to make early preparations, especially on hotel and restaurant reservations, since the best ones usually get fully booked a week ahead. So far, here are my top recommendations for that romantic dinner date this Valentine’s Day here in Davao City. 1. Misto at Seda Abreeza Seda Abreeza's will be having a movie-inspired dinner set-up made more romantic with harmonies of love songs for their Valentine’s Date Night. Their Misto Restaurant, which was hailed as one of the best restaurants for 2018 by Philippine Tatter, will be offering an exquisite 3-course dinner featuring their signature Angus Roast Beef. https://www.facebook.com/sedaabreezahotel/ Seda's Date Night costs P1,680 nett per person. Dinner will be ...

2016 has been a year of surprises and unexpected turns for me. In this post, I'm taking a look back at the significant events that made my 2016 an interesting year. Early this year, I decided to leave my comfort zone and resign from my first job. It was probably the most difficult decision I made this year. It had been a tough goodbye especially to the people who've become my second family. But there was a sense of relief and peace of mind when I was able to make the reset I've been needing in my life. Around the same time, I was reunited with a high school batch mate who, months later, became my boyfriend. It was one of the biggest surprises for me this year: to be in-love with the most unpredictable and barely acquainted boy from high school. We explored Cebu and had so many unexpected adventures together. In May, Duterte won the presidential elections. Although it was quite expected given the massive support from the people, it still feels incredible to know that o...

December is finally here! As the famous Christmas song goes, “It's the most wonderful time of the year!' It seemed not too long ago when I was cramming for Christmas presents. As cliché as it sounds, the month of December seem to arrive and pass by so quickly. We begin the month by finalizing our schedules for parties and budgeting our gifts for everyone. Next thing we know, it's already Christmas day and we're just one week away from starting a new year all over again. I find myself in a whirlwind of activities and things-to-do. There is also an upcoming travel that I haven't really prepared for. There is so much to do but so little time. I'm afraid that this December will pass too quickly like the previous ones. I hope that this season will be more than just parties, meet-ups and kris-kringles. I hope this year's Christmas will be about family and friends, reunions and remembrances, thoughtfulness and generosity. May this Christmas be about gi...

Travelling is food for the soul. While some who belong to older generations find it as an unnecessary expense, most millenials have learned that travelling is more of a personal investment. Travelling gives you space to think outside the corporate/entrepreneurial world. It gives you a break from the recurring activities of work. It takes you away from the monotonous routine that's been giving no meaning in life. It makes you realize that there is more to life than just looking at the computer and documents the whole time. Travelling takes you outside your comfort zone and into unfamiliar territories. It gives you the opportunity to marvel at the beauty of mother nature or other urban jungles. It gives a new sense of awe and fulfillment. It gives you a wider perspective of the world which used to be boxed in just one city, region or country. Travelling builds stronger relationships. It allows people to personally know each other's weaknesses and strengths. Thus, it makes y...

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf  has finally released four designs for their 2017 Giving Journal and I couldn't be more excited! I have always collected stamps for CBTL's Giving Journal since 2013. This year will be more special since my boyfriend will be collecting stamps with me. Yay! The Giving Journal has always been a great companion for me. It's where I write down personal notes or new ideas for my crafts. It helps me schedule my events, organize my thoughts and realign my journey once in a while. It also serves as a cheat sheet during meetings with the bosses. There are other journals out there but I find the Giving Journal's simple and functional design more suitable for my needs. Unlike previous years though, CBLT is nowhere near my workplace. It used to be beside our office (Abreeza) or a just few meters away (Ayala Cebu or High Street BGC). Nonetheless, it won't stop me from collecting stamps this season. Speaking of which, you only need...

Being in love is one of the best feelings in the world. If you haven't been in love, or haven't had a real relationship before, you might not be able to relate to this post. Then I suggest you move on to the next blog. Anyway, I have been in a relationship for seven months now. It is a relatively young relationship. It has experienced a lot of first time moments, a few ups and downs and a couple of wonderful travels. I am quite excited for the adventures that are yet to come. On the other hand, I have friends who are or have been in long term relationships who would say to me that I should enjoy this stage while it lasts. They say that this is the 'honeymoon' stage of a relationship, one that could last for a year or more, depending on how fast the relationship matures. After which, the feeling of longing to be with each other begins to wane. Cracks would sometimes seep through the relationship. If not addressed properly, it could lead ...

It was only when I started working when I discovered Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Our showroom/office both in manila and davao was just beside it. CBTL  was then the most convenient coffee shop for me to grab a pandesal or have an informal meeting. Ever since then,  I've grown to love CBTL. Even when I was moved to Cebu, it was my comfort place where I get to relax and enjoy my frappe.  Their blends are just right for me. I love their planner and its doesn't require an absurd number of stamps to get it. Their pastas and sandwiches are great especially when paired with their iced tea. Their African Sunrise is my ultimate favorite in their list of beverages. But now that I'm staying mostly at home, the closest CBTL is now two jeepney rides away. Good thing they launched this Ready Coffee, a 3-in-1 coffee stick that I can enjoy at home. It has the right blend for me and it starts me up for the day. Hopefully soon, they can offer delivery for their pandesal, especially the s...

I can't believe it's been almost two months since my last blog. So much has happened during the time that I've been gone. There were many life changing decisions, sudden twists and turns, goodbyes and new beginnings.. And now here I am, back to where I always belong: Home. Nothing can give you a better rest than being at home with your family. Everything becomes calm, nurturing and carefree. It's a peace of mind that you cannot exchange for anything material in this world. It's almost a month now since I came back to Davao and I'm cherishing every moment of this rest period. I feel my mind, body and soul slowly recovering from fast paced life I've led. Sometimes we just need to stop for a moment and reevaluate. That's exactly what I'm doing. I'm thankful for my family and friends for always being there to understand and support me in my 'weirdness'. Leaving the company was hard because I was saying goodbye to the people who have b...

Last year was probably my most traveled year so far. I wanted to look back at the wonderful places, things, people and food that I discovered in my journeys last year. So here's a timeline of my 2015 travels. January 2015 I kicked off the year with a trip to the beach with high school best friends. We had an overnight stay in Paradise Beach Resort in Samal Island. It's one of the oldest and most renowned beach resorts in Samal. Funny thing is, it's my first time there! (LOL) We played some music, charades, Frisbee and even monopoly at the beach. We had so much fun in our first beach outing together. Our colorful friendship bracelets Frisbee at the beach In the middle of January, I was lucky enough to be in Cebu with some of my workmates in time for the famous Sinulog festival. We took the opportunity to have some fun during the festivities. We attended the fluvial parade and had some crazy street dancing and drinking in the streets of Cebu. Hundreds of ...

I got my third CBTL planner this December. My key takeaway from their 2015 planner was to always have an 'Attitude of Gratitude'. This coincides with one of Bo Sanchez' message in the last Cebu Kerygma Conference I attended. There he said that prayers should not be about asking but about being thankful, for the things that we've been praying for have already been given to us. We already have it. Be grateful. And so my last blog for this year is about being #GratefulFor2015. I am grateful for my family for always welcoming me home with happy hearts. I am grateful for my friends and colleagues and the many memories we've had together. I am grateful for my work and for the many travels I had this year. I am grateful for all the heartbreaking lessons and the rewards reaped from success. I am grateful for another year full of life. Everything I went through made me who I am right now. And I continue to be grateful to God for 2016. I claim it and I know that I already...