Taking Gifting to the Next Level

It's November! And it's our last chance to do "advanced Christmas-shopping" and be considered responsible enough and prevent to be panicky and stressed when December enters.

I have to admit that I am a perennial last-minute shopper. If I buy way in advance, chances are I find something better for a loved one closer to Christmas! Though I think for this year, I have a good strategy in place :)

Sam and I agreed to gift the family with a game console. No individual gifts for husband and wife! We're leaning towards an X-box One with Kinect. Though we've been hearing about PS4 and the PlayStation Camera. As first time console-buyers, we are basically stumped. Which do you think is a better buy? Last time I touched PlayStation was way back in college - with Tekken, Sonic, etc...

Eenie-meenie-minie-mo

For Tonyo, his acceptable "wish list" includes (1) Jake and the Neverland Pirates Lego (Duplo) or (2) a Lego Duplo Truck set, or (3) any Lego kit that has animals in it. (Oh, in case you were wondering, his "non-acceptable" wish list includes a trip to Japan, or to Italy... maybe next time, anak!)

Our little vet wants animal Lego sets

For "worthy" friends and loved ones, I have photobook vouchers on-hand and ready for layout! Photobook printing is a really nifty online service where you layout your own photos and they will print them out, coffee table book-quality! I plan to go on a photobook and layout frenzy in the coming month to produce albums and personalized notebooks. (watch out for my post on photobooks soon! FYI, I order from www.photobookphilippines.com.)

Physical books are better than photos saved in hard drives

Christmas is also time for us to give thanks to God for the blessings that he continues to give to the family. It is also the perfect time to share those blessings! From my family to yours, here are some ideas to spread some cheer this season, and take gifting to the next level!

• Pack "Noche Buena" gift packs for distribution to selected families. You can opt to choose families closer to your home, or maybe link with a church or an NGO to determine recipients. Last year, our family "raffled off" packs that had spaghetti, spaghetti sauce/  fruit cocktail, cream, condensed milk/ 2 kilos rice/ cookie cans!
• You can also make little snack packs (water/ juice, cookies/ crackers, maybe a small face towel) and bring these in the car for distribution to anyone who might need them, such as kids knocking on car windows, traffic aides, or (my favorite) toll personnel. 
• Pledge a gift to your favorite charity. This can be a one time donation, or you can commit to a monthly commitment. Check out the following organizations :
• http://www.caritasmanila.org.ph/  - you can give a cash donation or you can also donate old but still useful stuff for their Segunda Mana campaign, where they can sell your goods in their second hand shop. 
• Sponsor a child through https://www.worldvision.org.ph and help change his life

Or, you can also hit "two bears" with one stone ;) by checking out the SM Cares Bears of Joy campaign and learn how you can take part in the season of "gift-ing" (http://smcares.com.ph/newsevents/?p=993) 

For Php 200, you get to keep one bear, and donate another one to children from various orphanages and other institutions through the SM Cares Program 

For sure, my family will be spending a lot of time at SM Sta. Rosa or SM Aura Premier this season for other holiday needs. We always take advantage of the sales and promos. Not to mention soaking up the holiday vibe with all the fun events that they come up with:-)

 Let the holiday shopping and responsible gift-ing BEGIN!

For more updates about this year’s “Merry SM Christmas” campaign, visit SM’s official Christmas microsite (https://www.smsupermalls.com/merrysmchristmas2015) and follow its official social media accounts at Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/smsupermalls), Twitter (https://twitter.com/smsupermalls), and Instagram (https://instagram.com/smsupermalls/); and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through Viber (http://chats.viber.com/SMsupermalls). Shoppers can actively share their holiday merriments inside the SM Supermalls by posting their photos on social media and adding the hashtag #MerrySMChristmas2015.

Songdo, South Korea (now it can be told)

Date of Visit: April 2015
Where: Songdo International Business District, Incheon, South Korea
Website: http://songdoibd.com/
Solo Travel (job interview) 

In November 2014, I applied online for a post in a new international organization based in South Korea. After waiting a few months (and then giving up waiting.. because I thought they hired already..).. I finally heard from them in March 2015! I was thrilled to be scheduled for some online interviews, a writing test, and then another writing test. And then, lo and behold, I was invited for an all expenses paid on-site interview in South Korea!

I printed the photo of the Songdo Central Park and skyline for "visioning" while I was doing the online interviews and tests. 
 When I was given the opportunity to visit, I spent an hour looking for the exact spot.

I really, really tried to curb my innermost feelings so I would not jinx my application. I had to tell myself, over and over... being invited to an on-site visit does not mean I was getting the job. It just meant that they were seriously considering me for the job. They sent me my schedule, and aside from my interview,  it included some time with a real estate agent to visit apartments and see the nearby community, as well as some international school options for Tonyo!

Travel opportunity aside, it was by far, the most enriching interview experience I've ever had. Twenty-four hours before I left the Philippines, I received a topic for a presentation that I had to prepare for my interview panel. On the day of my interview, I made my presentation, and they asked me questions about the presentation and also about my thoughts on the organization's mission. I was also given the opportunity to ask questions, and I really had fun getting to know them. After my panel interview, I spent some time with the hiring manager, who talked to me about the local culture, the expat community, schools, and bringing your family with you. At that time, I also disclosed that I was pregnant (yep, while preparing for my trip, we found out about Baby #3... which we lost a few weeks after, but that's another story)

"Would-be Apartments" - I loved the playground of one compound.

After my discussion with the hiring manager, I was turned over to the real estate agent for the tour! We looked at 2 apartments (and met the landlords and current occupants) and drove by the international school. Eek, sino ba ang hindi aasa? We talked about the cost of the apartments, the space requirement, etc.. it felt so real and within reach!


I had a lot of free time after my company-prescribed schedule (and before my flight the day after), so I opted to roam around Songdo  which was a fascinating city, especially if you are doing climate or green-related work. I heard Songdo literally means "Island of Pine Trees" - but also nicknamed "City of the Future," and aspiring to be the "World's Smartest City." Indeed, the architecture was very modern, yet punctuated by pockets of nature (highlighted by its Central Park) I felt like I was in a real-time Jetson movie, and couldn't help but feel excited how great it would be to raise a family in all that fresh air and open space.

Songdo is a new city. Wide open spaces yet to be "occupied".

In stark contrast to its "sustainable city" aspirations, Songdo International Business district is actually 600 hectares of reclaimed area! (This part gives me mixed feelings about the place), and some articles say that the project disrupted the natural migration patterns of the visiting birds. But still, Songdo was built to promote low carbon green growth, and boasts of green, intelligent buildings, water recycling systems, and a centralized waste system. So, points for the effort. Let's judge its success once it is fully occupied. 

Walking from my hotel to "my" building ;)

Lower left... a real solar-powered electric car charging station!

Enjoy the photos ! (more below) I look forward to the opportunity to visit again. It is a good educational trip for people who are into sustainable cities.


Oh, and just in case you were wondering... I didn't get the job. Much to the dismay of Tonyo, who was already practicing his "Annyeong haseyo" and eating his Bibimbap ;) No bitterness though, I firmly believe in the organization's mission and wish them the best for their challenging tasks ahead! And if they think another person could help them get there faster, so be it.

Caption says, "Anyone who seats (sic) here will have luck." I probably sat there for 30 minutes :D

Tonyo's Vision: PetVet Animal Hospital

Let's wander into the future, shall we?

Dr. Tonyo (DVM) keeps records of his patients and their ailments

Our 4-year old Tonyo has a pretty creative and vivid imagination. When he was in Kinder 2 and had to dress up as "who I want to be when I grow up" - he chose between being a magician, a "charmer" (he meant snake charmer), a chef, a "gamer" (one who plays games), and a doctor of animals. He finally decided on veterinarian, but with a footnote: he can still be a charmer, magician, a chef, and a gamer during his free time.


Now, as we enter Prep, his dream of becoming a Vet is stronger than ever. With occasional quips, such as:


"Mom, saan tayo maglalagay ng clinic pag Vet na ako?"


My uncle once answered him, "Sa Pavilion!" (a nearby mall)


To which he seriously asked, "May space pa ba doon? Puno na doon eh!"


And they continued to discuss as to who will "make" the clinic (Kuya Rodel, our neighborhood handyman), and who will paint the clinic (My uncle and Daddy daw).


Last weekend, while playing in the garden, Tonyo suddenly told me that he felt a clinic would be too small. He said he wanted a big animal hospital BUILDING, painted yellow, and then to hire more doctors, "Mom, hindi lang dapat ako ang doctor. May iba pa."

I was amazed at how he described his future enterprise, with matching facial expressions and hand gestures! So I encouraged him to draw his vision, so we would have a plan for the future.

His dreams for the future: to travel to many places (Legoland and Egypt on top of the list), and the Pet Vet business. 

The future "PetVet" Hospital, envisioned by Dr. Tonyo. It will be manned by 7 animal doctors. Spacious parking, with security guard. Swimming pool (with salbabidas!) and playground area open to pets and their owners. A nearby Pet Food store, which only sells broccoli, apples, and oranges. Open 24 hours for pets that get sick at night. Watch for it.

For the Love of Art and Illusions - Art in Island

Date of Visit: April 26, 2015
Where: Art in Island, 175 15th Avenue, Brgy Socorro, Cubao, Quezon City
Website: www.facebook.com/artinisland
Travel Buddies: #ThePacuanderers (Sam, Hanna, Tonyo)

Sam & I caught a glimpse of the Trick Art Museum in Sentosa, Singapore last year. We didn't go in due to budget constraints (a choice between the museum and the Singapore Cable Car!) We amused ourselves with the preview art outside the museum which were really amazing enough :)

So when we heard about  "Art in Island," the so-called biggest trick art museum in Asia, we couldn't wait to take Tonyo, an art/ painting/ picture lover himself! Our 4-year old was so excited to go, he could barely sleep the night before.

At Php 500/ head (Php 400 for students/ seniors/ PWDs), the tickets were a bit pricey. However, this buys you unlimited time to roam around the museum and take all the photos you want to your heart's content!

Art in Island is an interactive art museum where you can pose to be part of the paintings on the walls and floors. We'll let the photos speak for themselves!

Duuuudes!

when in Venice

No look pass

From the high board

 

What's this, mom?

The paintings were amazing! Really, the guys who did the paintings must be masters themselves. Big applause! It was cool that the artists were recognized as you leave the exhibit.

After 2 hours (or maybe more?) of browsing, posing, chasing Tonyo - we all agreed that the ticket price was worth it. I was exhausted, but not bored. There must have been more than 100 artworks there, which you can utilize every which way you want. The boys were so energetic doing all those poses and facial expressions. And I thought I was the one with the Thespian blood! Natalbugan nila ako sa acting!

We recommend this trip for all ages (be prepared to walk, though!). You must have love and enjoyment for art and having your picture taken, though. Forget it if you are camera-shy. Get your game face on and be fast since there could be alot of competition for some of the photo ops.

Be creative. Keep your eyes open to the camera stickers on the floor, which shows you the best angle to shoot from to get more realistic photos. Be considerate to others (who also want their pictures taken, or those who are taking pictures -- you might walk across the line of 'fire'). Bring socks (you have to check in your shoes at the entrance).

All that picture-taking might make you hungry - the museum has 2 small cafes, but has limited meal choices (rice-in-a-tumbler, rice burgers, coffee,drinks). You might want to go to the museum with tummies full, for a more energetic experience!

Tonyo's verdict: Enjoyed it so much! He was already asking us if we can go back the next day! Good news for repeat visitors... just show your used ticket and a photo of you in the museum, and get 50% off.

Italian Feel-Good Food in Tagaytay: Deli de San Honore

When: April 5, 2015
Where: Deli de San Honore, Brgy. Neogan, Tagaytay City
Travel Buddies: Lolo Ross, Lola Nenet, Sam, Tonyo (Hanna's Birthday Lunch)

My parents (Lolo Ross and Lola Nenet) love discovering new eats in new places. A fresh new restaurant has recently opened near our place in Tagaytay.

Deli de San Honore is operated by husband and wife team Jeremy and Kate Joson, and open only (by reservation) on weekends. They serve mostly Italian fare, with brick-oven baked pizza and fresh breads. Compared to authentic Italian in Manila, this place is really good, and has reasonable prices, too.

I like the all-white, cozy ambiance of the place - it feels like visiting someone's house and getting served good food :-) They also have a small garden at the lower level of the house, where they plan to expand the restaurant area later on.

 

 

The family with resto owners, Jeremy and Kate

The first time we were there, we ordered the parma-ham pizza. This time, Sam requested for Italian sausage, which was really good, too. You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients. 

D'Italian (Php 450) - their pizzas are good for 3-4 people

Stuffed Chicken Breast (ham/mozarella) (Php 280) - tender and juicy! Good to share as well

For this trip, we also ordered Herb de Provence Porkchop (Php 320) and their Pasta of the Day, Frutti de Mare (Php 320 - one order is good for 2 or 1 very hungry person ;) Next time, I am eager to try their fresh breads.

Try it and go off-the-beaten path (dish!?) in Tagaytay. If you are familiar with the turn to Antonio's restaurant along the highway (past the small bulalo eateries and the signal towere), then you can turn there and you'll pass by the white building of Deli de San Honore!

Call for reservations and their weekend menu:
0915-9591675 (Jeremy) ; 927-8649 (Manila landline)


Tonyo with Chef Jeremy



Tonyo's first ABS-CBN Audition

Life is one major sitcom. And that's how the Pacuanderers like to live it, for the sake of experiencing things! Last Saturday, we took Tonyo to an ABS-CBN call for new kid talents for a new show. The TV ad said 5-9 years old, but our talent agency contact (yes, we have gone that far to finding opportunities for Tonyo, more on that later!) told us that 4 year-olds can also try.

Why not? We decided to go for it to prevent our "what ifs" in the future.

Overall, the experience gave us a taste of what it is to be like a stage-parent (stagemom, to be more specific! We were just lucky that Daddy was free that day and was "game" enough to accompany us :-) I now know what to expect, what to bring, what to wear, during situations like these, and will share that in another blog entry.

Call time at agency: 8:00 AM

Not too early, but with an unpredictable 4 year old,  preparations could be a pain. During weekends, we strive to be on our own (no yaya), so I had to wake up at 5 am to prepare breakfast, clean up breakfast, shower, and then prepare everyone else. Since we did not know Quezon City well (plus, Sam's car was acting up..) , we aimed to leave at 6:30 AM from Fort.

(of course we left past 7am...)

Arrival at agency: 7:50 am

Travel time was not so bad, so we were able to afford the wrong turn along EDSA, as well as the wrong turns along Sgt Esguerra Ave. There were a couple of kids in the agency already, all looking like "seasoned" auditioners! One talent manager asked Tonyo... "May lines ka na ba kuya?"

Clueless mom thought bubble: What lines?? "Well, kumakanta and sumasayaw naman sya pag may music. And magaling sya mag memorize."

"Naku mommy pag wala pang lines yan doon, baka kainin lang yan ng ibang bata!"

Lol. So we just practiced Tonyo's usual "VTR" lines:::

"My name is Samuel Antonio Pacua, but you can call me Tonyo. I am 4 years old" -- and agreed for him to sing a few lines from a school song (A Song of Peace) or a Frozen song. I told the talent manager, we don't need to drill him just yet, since we just wanted him to get used to the concept of "auditioning" :)

Of course, we couldn't help but feel intimidated by all the kids around us who were really practicing monologues! Namamalimos, nag-babaliw-baliwan, at bumibirit ng mga kantang pang-matanda!

We'll get there, anak.

Walk to ABS-CBN: 8:40 am

Sen. Miriam Santiago, Ramon Bautista, Alex Gonzaga and Tito Boy standees with our future star!

I've always been a Kapamilya fan so just being inside the ELJ building was enough to get me excited. Tonyo was equally thrilled to see the "people standees" - I didn't even notice that he was imitating the poses until I was making this picture collage !

We got to the registration line and received our number. 118! Grabe, sa daming gustong mag artista, I think it's really a highly competitive culture, and one should have the guts for it. After our number, lo and behold - we were handed a 2-page script, and were told that this was the audition script! Sam and I just looked at it and laughed, okay let's have fun now.

CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words pa lang ang nababasa ni Tonyo ... so I just read the script to him as I would read him a story (with feelings, some kids were looking at me funny... lol). He repeated some of the lines, jumped around, and immediately asked to play with the iPad.

All around us were (mostly) moms and kids, rehearsing their lines profusely. I also heard snippets of arguments along the lines of, "Sayang lang ang pinunta natin dito kung hindi mo aayusin ang pag-arte!"


Tonyo's Batch: 11:15ish

While in line, we made friends with Tim and his mom (number 158), who were from Los Banos, Laguna and were also first timers.

The long line, a new friend (good luck, we hope you made it!)

Finally, our "batch" was called (something like #115 - 125) and were asked to fall in line. At that point, all kids will enter the studio, without companions! I handed Tonyo his application form and pictures and told him to "wow" them! To which he immediately replied, referring to his application form, "Mommy, pag binenta ko ito, anong sasabihin ng mga tao sa audition?"

And off he went, confidently, to the sea of kids inside the studio waiting area. I had doubts whether he could last on his own there , just waiting and doing nothing!


Security Guard call: 11:30ish

There he goes...  (in yellow)

"Mommy ni 118 ! Mommy ni 118!"  the megaphone crackled, -- and there was my Tonyo, all smiles escorted by a security guard. Sabi ko, "Yes?"

"Mommy, hindi daw po nya memorize ang script. Kung gusto po ninyo, practice muna kayo , and then isisingit at ipapasok na lang siya ulit."

Knowing that this attempt will be futile, I just told the guard to just let him in for the sake of facing the panel. "Mommy, sige, kayo po bahala!"

At the back of my mind, I would like to believe that they liked how my child looked and wanted to make sure he knew his lines so he can have a fighting chance? Ganun ba yun? 

Baby Out: 12:10

And one by one, the kids from our batch started coming out of the back door. They were mostly older kids, and most looked disappointed. Pina-intro lang ng pangalan, pinalabas na. Yung iba naman, after just a few lines from the script, pinalabas na. I have no idea what they did when they "like" someone.

With eager anticipation, we waited for my baby to come out. Tonyo came out of that back door, all triumphant, as if he just won something!

"Mommy tapos na ang audition! Madali lang pala eh!" Oh, the age of innocence!

The security guard said, "Mommy sayang okay daw sana siya kaso hindi nya memorize ang script." (I didn't know how he meant by okay.. nagustuhan ang itsura kaso hindi makamemorize? Or did Tonyo tell him that story? I can only wonder... ) I snapped a photo and Tonyo went on with his kwento....

"I said, 'TONYO' , tapos ask nila how old, sabi ko FOUR. Then pina-sing ako."

"O, what did you sing?"

"Happy Birthday!"

(Lol, mommy and daddy #facepalm. My son, who can sing 4 Frozen songs, give a cute rendition of a Song of Peace, and can also do some "Baby, It's Cold Outside" just sang Happy Birthday for his audition!)

"And then?"

"Tapos hindi ko na kasi alam yung recite eh, so, tapos na." 

 Ha ha! Kaya pala madali ;) 

Also had a souvenir pic with the Dreamscape staff at the registration table.

He looked so happy, so we were happy. We walked to the nearby McDonalds and got him a Happy Meal. We had a few more celebrity sightings there, and most of the kids from the audition were also there to have lunch. Observing the celebrities and the other kids, perhaps like every parent, we felt like our child has what it takes to be a star. 

With Mutya and some of the Goin' Bulilit Kids.

That evening, when I asked him to draw a picture about our day, this is what he came up with:

That's Tonyo (in Yellow), Mommy, and Daddy. Yung ibang tao, hindi ko kilala.

Will we try to audition again? Probably :) Hangga't kaya ni mommy pumila and hangga't okay lang si Tonyo (and si daddy...)


Do you have an audition experience? Please share it with us! :-)


PS: Thanks ABS-CBN and Dreamscape and the Kuya Guards for the very organized audition. Everyone was nice and accommodating.