This Summer 2015, Belle De Jour Power Planner in partnership with Subic Grand Seas Resorts, Havaianas Philippines and Serenitea, launched a pop up challenge that requires each bella to snap a photo of themselves accomplishing each item on the list.
As a bella who actively enjoys and de-stresses herself by joining online contests in social medias and an active follower of BDJ accounts, I still chose to enlist myself to the challenges given the time limitation I have due to my mommy duties and my beau just got back from his 10 months on board duty.
The campaign period run from April 29 to May 18, but as verified with the BDJ Team, bellas can submit photos that were done this summer of 2015. A shoot in the vase! Some of the challenges here were done by me before they had released the list.
With the #BDFFuninTheSun list on hand, I plunge into maximizing my summer of 2015 and making the most of it.
Without further ado, here are the photos I took of how I enjoyed accomplishing each task:
***Photos were also uploaded in my Instagram account, just click on the Underlined challenge numbers to go directly in my IG post. (lots of thanks!)
To be honest, I had this agony right from the start that I might not be able to complete all of the challenges for I had to insert doing the activities required in between my mommy duties but this apprehension did not get into me for I believe that as long as you are willing and happily doing something you will accomplish it.
On May 1, 2015, I had a solo travel to Nuvali Open Field to watch Cinema One's offering of an "Open Air Cinema". It wasn't my first time to travel solo but it was a first to be in Nuvali Tagaytay. I was able to watch the movie entitled "Shift" with Yeng Constantino as the main cast. I loved its plot because I can relate much to it as I have been in the call center industries for almost 7 years before shifting to a full time mommy work. Doing this, not just made me accomplish one of the #BDJFunInTheSun challenges but my own bucket list as well, because I never thought we have open air cinemas here in the country. Back then, I envy the casts of the chic-flick films I used to watch where they will have these dating moments watching a film on an open field.
Oh by the way! A plus in attending the Cinema One's Open Air Cinema, I got the chance to watch my all time favorite band Up Dharma Down up close and have a photo with the lead vocalist, Armie, What a day to remember! :)
I am such a lucky bella because our family outing was scheduled a weekend before the deadline of this challenge meaning I had my time accomplishing the tasks that requires me to be on a beach.
On May 16, 2015, Saturday, we had an overnight stay at Nano Beach Resort in Calatagan, Batangas. In preparation for this challenge, I brought a lot of old newspapers and scratched papers just in case there'll be no dried barks or leaves for me to set up a campfire. To my gratitude, my cousin found some dried tree barks and branches and he made a campfire out of it before it got too dark and just in time for dinner desserts.
And what we had as a "tanggal umay" desserts were my smores. I did a lot of batches of smores for the whole family which was the true accomplishment for this item.
When I was a kid, every time we spend hours on a beach, I would just play with the sand but never did it occur to me to make a castle out of it.
Through this challenge, I would always remember the date, May 17, 2015, for another first was accomplished by me. On the photo is my first ever sand castle. Yehey! I made a castle with sea shells surrounding the main castle wall and with double walling outside it. On the corners of the outside wall, I put a tower on each with tiny makeshift flag that my camera failed to capture.
When I was done making it, I was a little confused if it did really look like a castle but a family passed by my work and the boy bursted into a big WOW! and his father said that my masterpiece was a great sand castle. I felt really proud and finally believed that I did justice to this "sand castle" challenge.
CHALLENGE 4: Attend A Local Fiesta
I have three (3) photo entries for this. With all honesty, I had a dilemma if festival and fiesta would mean the same. My research resulted to an answer that they are synonymous with the meaning of "as a celebration of or as a festivity". But traditionally speaking, the word fiesta is commonly used in religious and cultural celebrations.
With these in mind, here are how I accomplished this item:
Photo 1:
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| Aliwan Festival (April 25, 2015) |
April 25, 2015, Saturday - After paying respect on my uncle's 40th day in Project 6 Quezon City, I hurriedly went to Pasay City to catch up with the Aliwan Festival being held annually in front of Aliw Theater beside Star City. You might find it weird but I always have the feeling that my year wouldn't be complete without watching and taking photos of the festivity.
Here are the photos that I took during the event but I had no selfie with it. I guessed this happens to every aspiring event photographer and when you get caught up with all the wonders of music, colors, laughters. moves and overwhelming performances right before your eyes and your camera lenses. You will just continuously click on that shutter button to capture every moment because you simply do not want to miss one.
Photo 2:
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| Good Earth Day Festival (April 26, 2015) |
The second festival I attended this summer is the Good Earth Day Festival celebrated every last weekends of April by the people of Pandacan, Manila, which is the hometown where I live in. This one is something that I don't want to miss sharing with everyone as this is very dear to my heart.
As the tradition goes, it was again held at the Liwasang Balagtas, the main park of the town. The Good Earth Day Festival was started by the SSKPil group members in Pandacan 5 years ago (Samahan ng Sining at Kultura ng Pilipinas), the same time that we actively fought for the request of the relocation of the Oil Depots currently situated in Beata, Pandacan run by the 3 biggest oil companies in the country
On its 5th year, the theme was "Goodbye Pandacan Oil Depot, Welcome Green Living Pandacan". Finally, after countless battles in court and rallies in roads the relocation request was signed and granted and the companies have until 2016 to transfer their oil deposits and tank barrels on a safer and less populated area as mandated by the court.
The programme had cultural performances, awarding ceremonies of outstanding SSKPil members and Pandacan leaders and of course a "Balagtasan", a poetry speaking contest, as inspired by whom we named the liwasan, the poet and writer - Francisco Balagtas.
There were booths advocating saving mother nature. There were raffles for the attendees as well, with a mountain bike as the grandprize. The winning ticket had 2038 as the serial while the ticket I had was at 2058. Too close yet too far. Haha! Though I didn't won even anything of the consolation prizes, I indeed experienced great fun as I learned new stuffs that will promote and that aim on the betterment of Pandacan as well as saving the entire environment we live in.
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| Feast of the Our Lady of Penafrancia (May 15 and May 17, 2015) |
With the traditional "fiesta" in meaning, I attended the celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Paco, Manila. The celebration runned for three days, from May 15 to 17.
On May 15, Friday, together with my beau and my cousins, we went to Gomez Street and watched their annual Ms. Gay contest being held in their main plaza. I had so much laughs because of the ever active and entertaining host and the super "un-kabog-able" question and answer portion.
And right after our family outing, last May 17, we watched the crowning of the new Emperatriz and the dance contest of Ilang Ilang Street (also in Paco, Manila and as part of the celebration of their patron.)
May 12, 2015 - My beau and I had filed for a late registration of our baby's birth certificate. Our day was so jampacked, from NSO Makati to Manila City Hall to St. Jude Medical Center in Dimasalang and lastly a relaxation and a picnic at Rizal Park (also known as Luneta Park).
As we stopped on a shady ground just in front of the giant Lapu-Lapu statue, we savored the fresh air and the last few hours of the sun. We let our baby sleep for a while as we rest ourselves and had snacks, gatorade and a liter of water. An instant picnic in our national park, another challenge done.
My first fun run for this year happened last April 19, 2015 as spearheaded by Watson's Color Run Manila. This was another first for me, first time to accomplish joining a fun run with color packets being thrown to you or with the obstacles having color powders on it. I had so much on my face and my body but I loved how the hue splashes seemed to make me an abstract canvass.
This was indeed a different kind of stress reliever and not just your ordinary run.
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When the list of photo challenges were revealed, I immediately posted in Facebook if any of my friends there knows a local fair or "perya" where I can accomplish this item. I got a lot of responses and mostly were from teenagers, who are half of my age. They had given me the same answer as this, "Ate King, bukas na ang peryahan sa BBAC." (Ate King, the fair in BBAC is already opened.)
I replied in disbelief, "Wehh?! Di nga?! May peryahan pa din dun?" (Wehh?! Are you sure?! There's still a fair there?). It never crossed my mine that the "peryahan" of my childhood is still existing.
Upon confirmation from one of my mom's friend who used to collect our garbage and other recyclables materials from our house, I planned to visit the place as soon as my time permitted me to.
On Friday night, that same week, May 8, 2015, I asked my mom if I can go and see a look of the perya in BBAC. She advised me to take the short cut but unfortunately I couldn't remember the exact way and therefore opted to do a walkathon through the main road. Fear of walking alone was not enough to hinder my drive to see BBAC. I'm too curious to see how it looks like after 20 long years.
When I finally reached the main street going to the perya per se, I started having goosebumps and told myself, "So this is how it feels like!" I couldn't hide my overwhelming excitement, especially when I entered the gate of the fair, I had to literally wipe away tears running down on my cheeks. Flashbacks of how BBAC played a special part on my childhood starts to uncover themselves and flawlessly run through my memories.
Scanning the place, I realized that there's a lot of modernization of the place already but minimal perya-goers were there. There were no more perya rides like the mini ferris wheel, carousel and the octopus which happened to be my favorite. As what I heard from Ate Bibot (my mom's friend), the local government does not allow those rides in BBAC now.
Though a lot had changed, I still found the color wheel, shoot the hoops, piso tossing and the ever popular Bingo game. I tried playing ten different patterns of the Bingo games, but lady luck was not on my side that night. I enjoyed playing bingo once again especially when a childhood acquaintance called and waved at me from the other side of the table. It made me felt like seeing the 8 year old King watching the old ones playing bingo energetically while I tried to convince them to buy my bibingka.
Two decades ago, everyday after classes, I will drop my school stuffs, eat my lunch fast and come running to BBAC and line up at the bibingka booth. Ate Manang from the booth will then hand me a wooden tray heaping with 25 slices of hot bibingka that I will sell for 1 peso each. Before 4 in the afternoon, I will get back to Ate Manang and give them my sales for the day, 18 pesos goes to Ate while 7 pesos serves as my salary. My earnings for the day will either directly go to Mr. Piggy Bank or half of it will be spent by me in buying an ice cream or a pop corn or paying for an octopus ride.
Reality check, Ate Manang is nowhere in sight now that somehow made me feel a little sad but there still stand the burger, pop corn and ice cream booths.
My trip to BBAC was more of a recollection trip. This is my favorite among all the challenges that I had accomplished. The day that I stood in front of the booths and stalls made me felt very much alive for I believed that I had a very productive and rich childhood. Crossing this bucketlist was only a secondary achievement, the main accomplishment is doing something I long time didn't do and bringing out the best of my childhood memories.
And this is what I am very much grateful about. Thanks so much for this Belle de Jour.
Here's my fingerpainted masterpiece which I did last May 5, 2015, entitled "Where to next?" as inspired by my favorite travel destination pose and get away shot. I do hope and pray that my next destination will be at the Subic Grand Seas Resort. Heeyah! Haha!
When summer was announced, I instantly craved for halo halo to beat the summer heat. And it was hard for me to find one that will suit my taste. I was looking for a halo halo that have the right punch of sweetness and will make me forget my thirst and ask for more. A halo halo that will make me eat the gulaman, beans, and nata de coco and not set them aside (which I usually do if I don't like their crispiness or how they were cooked and prepared). And guess what?! I found it through Kenny Roger's Restaurant newest dessert. I already tasted it thrice (twice in SM Manila and once in SM San Lazaro) and I am telling you this is the best halo halo in town for me.
To be more specific I want the one that is being served at SM Manila Kenny Rogers. I do believe that there's a difference between each store (because I really prefer the halo halo served to me there compared to the halo halo that was served to me in SM San Lazaro. Haha!)
CHALLENGE 10: Capture The Best Sunset/Sunrise
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| Nano Beach, Calatagan, Batangas Sunrise (May 17, 2015) |
Above is an amazing view that woke me up in the morning twilight of May 17, 2015, during our family getaway in Nano Beach, Calatagan Batangas. I was astonished by how the first orange hues of the sun slowly diffused itself over the horizon and how its reflection kissed the calm sea. What a perfect stretch of scene to start our day.
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Manila Bay Sunset (April 12, 2015)
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Twenty eight years of living in Manila, who would believe that it was just last April 12, 2015 (after getting my race kit for the Colorrun Manila), that I had witnessed the most beautiful sunset in the Metro. This was indeed an amazing shot I got. How the sun dispersed its vibrant colors in the sky and over Manila Bay before finally setting its course.
I saw atleast 8 stars shining above us the night of May 14, 2015 at the bayside of SM Mall of Asia but my phone camera captured only 2 of the brightest among them. Can you spot them? Hihi :)
My first summer get away 2015 was last March 8 where I tried going on a white water rafting in Magdalena, Laguna and guess what?
At the end of the rafting course is this water slide where I am comically entertained by the ever funny tour guides who assisted me from positioning myself on the rubber floater and with warning, pushed me through the slide. Another equally jesting guide waited for me at the end of the slide. With all the humors that the guides have, my safety was not set aside in fact they were very much vigilant on it. They ensured that no one among the adventurers will be outbalanced by the strength of the water current.
It was truly a remarkable experience for me. Another first and another crossing out on what's on my own bucket list as well as in this #BDJFunintheSun challenge... ^_^
May 17, 2015 - Few hours before we finally packed our things and get back home, while my cousins were smoking cigarettes, I unsealed my bubble materials. I asked one of them to take photos of me while doing this challenge with the last shot using the burst shot option in my camera phone. I jokingly told them this "I do not know how to smoke but I do know how to blow ..... (dead air) ..... blow bubbles".
On our way home, I saw that my phone was dead and upon restarting it, I found out that the memory card was corrupted. I thought I would get home heartbroken but thanks for that single burst shot, that was saved in the phone memory rather than the external memory card, I do still a copy of how I had done and had fun doing this particular challenge.
This challenge might be the hardest for me to take simply because I never thought of riding a giant ferris wheel one day. I don't fear heights in fact I am a chaser of it. It just so happened I always thought that the ferris wheel moves too slow that it will somehow make me dizzy while on it so I'd prefer a giant fast moving roller coaster instead.
On March 14, 2015, while waiting for the showing time of Pitch Perfect 2, I finally had the guts to try it with my beau and my cousin who were also, at first, very hesitant on joining me. But with my convincing prowess, they accompanied me in the ride.
The MOA Eye ferris wheel ride did a great job in ensuring the comfort and safety of the riders. It was cooler inside the coach than outside which is because of the airconditioning unit (which WOWed me). The ride took less than 10 minutes and oh yes! the wheel moves slow but I didn't feel dizzy afterwards probably because we had fun taking photos and sight seeing on the view around and below us.
So here's my ootd as we celebrated my daughter's 7th monthsary last May 11, 2015. The soft material my dress was made of and its ladder back design made me comfortably confident and classically sexy just perfect for the hot summer.
It was summer 2014 when the craft of loom band became popular here in the Philippines. Everyone was fussing about of buying bracelet bands online especially in instagram. That same time of the year, I was suffering from a critical pregnancy so I had to find a hobby that can make me deviate my attention away from the feeling of sickness. So I started out making bracelets and necklaces until one night one of the artificial flowers in my mom's vase had fallen. I then put it using glue gun on one side of the loomband necklace I had just finished. And bang! It was a hit then even with only one flower attached. My youngest sister asked me to make a lot and we sold them to girls from elementary up to college. But nearing the end of 2014 loomband lost its fame and I swam with the flow and kept my tools on top of my closet.
But through this #BDJFunInTheSun challenge, I again unleashed my artistic side through making my own DIY flower crown. It's been a year since I learned how to make a flower crown using loom bands and recycled artificial flowers but this time it did much look better than just having one-big flower at one side. Lucky enough, I found the artificial flowers left overs from last year's unfinished and unclaimed orders. ^_^
Wearing this flower crown, felt like I am one charming fairy in a rather whimsical world.
After so many years, I paid Manila Zoo a visit again. This time with beau and our dear little angel who at times looked both confused and amazed on what's we were pointing at or on what's in front of her, We even had our first "real" printed family picture there.
I'm really thankful that Belle De Jour came up with the list of challenges that lets every bella not just enjoy summer but also to cross out most of their bucket lists and relive their childhood memories.
May 16, 2015 - I brought my makeshift hammock during our family outing unfortunately there's no place for me to hang the 2 ends but I am quite lucky enough that the care taker of the resort have this at the parking area making me accomplished one item on the list.
What I loved in napping in this outdoor hammock was that I had a breathed of fresh air as I took in the soft sounds of the splashing waves in the seashore and the merry chirping of the birds.
May 17, 2015 - For me, this is the second hardest challenge (next to the ferris wheel ride).
I wasn't able to make it to the kite flying activity last May 1st in Nuvali before the open field cinema so I was a bit apprehensive on completing the challenge because of two reasons:
First, I have to make my own kite and secondly, once I have it, where do I fly the kite?
On May 5, during my free time I made my own kite out of 2 pieces of clean stick from "walis tingting", my unused nylon rods (which is originally for making bead bracelets) and recycled the Fast Track plastic parcel bag (where the products I ordered online where encased). TADAA! I now have a kite but then again where should I fly it?
It had been few weeks of thinking. The first thought was going back to Nuvali and fly it but that doesn't sound good since I have limited free time due to my mommy duties.
I even thought of flying my makeshift kite somewhere near our place, like in the CCP grounds area or in Luneta but when we went to Rizal Park I observed that the wind there isn't enough to fly a kite.
The last choice I got was to bring my kite all the way from Manila to Calatagan Batangas. True to what I expected, with the more than 5 hrs of travel, my kite received a lot of damages and I had to re-do it.
On May 17, Sunday morning, I tried flying it in the seashore but the wind there was not helping my kite to fly. Thanks to the support of my beau, who voluntarily took care of our baby while I looked for a place near the resorts to fly my kite. Lucky enough, the son of the resort's care taker approached me. He had been watching me trying to fly the kite in the seashore. He accompanied us to an open field area, not far away from where our cottages were.
And without too much difficulty my kite flew. It may not be as high as I wanted it to soar on but true enough to make me ecstatic for having the feel of seeing my makeshift kite above me and in the air.
Last May 10, while we were chatting about the plans for our upcoming family outing, I asked my cousin's beautiful girlfriend if she would want to play badminton with me. Without hesitation, the ever game AJB competed with me. We tried not to let the shuttlecock hit the ground while we recited the alphabet. We certainly did a great job in completing the ABC challenge and celebrated it over a liter of RC soft drinks courtesy of her boyfie and my cousin Mac.
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Yehey! I was able to accomplish all the challenges in this #BDJFunInTheSun list. What I gained here is not just fun, but also I learned new things, been into places that I almost forgot to pay visit to, gain new friends and got to bond with old pals, family members and childhood acquaintances, gotten into my crafty artsy side, went to new travel destinations, made me learn to be patient and maximize my time and prioritize things and of course, relive my childhood's best memories.
Kudos and many thanks to Belle De Jour Power Planner (together with their partners - Subic Grand Seas Resorts, Havaianas Philippines and Serenitea) for a very challenging summer bucket list that inspired and taught me a lot.
With much Love,
---xtal---
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Labels: Contest and Giveaways, Personal Thoughts and Works, Travel and Adventures
