Kita kita na-in love sa isang birthday party sa Max's

Last August 5 at Max's Restaurant in Scout Tuazon, Quezon City-- the very first branch of the popular Pinoy food chain established in 1945--- I attended Chickie Boy's birthday party.

Chickie Boy, in case you don't know, is the playful mascot of Max's who has been spreading fun and his loving feathers to kids of all ages who celebrate their special day in "the house that fried chicken built."

I shared a table with two families who were able to bring their kids in the event. I was supposed to tag along my 8-year old son but he would like his mom to come too. Unfortunately, my wife is not available. I went to the event because I already confirmed my attendance and how can you say no to a birthday party, right?

Just like in any party, I grabbed a drink. Iced tea with a slice of lemon in the bottom of the glass to be precise. I moved to one play booths to another. I found myself staying for a few minutes at the Princess Palace (one of the four party themes in Max's. The others are Carnival, Other Space, and Super Racer).

I was watching kids taking their turns in having a photowith a pretty lady in pink when I noticed a young man who look a bit sad.

I asked him, "You also don't have a kid with you today?"

He smiled back, "I'm still single. NGSB."

That's No Girlfriend Since Birth for you.

Since I thought we are the only "unattached" men in the event, I decided to stick with him until the party is over for some company.

We had a quite a talk and he even opened up some personal stuff especially his love life which I thought is worthy for TV or movie adaptation.

The kuya in me stepped out and gave him some unsolicited advice. I just have to help this guy who has spent almost half of his life loving somebody. The girl has been in a number of failed relationships and it is always him who is there to give him a shoulder to cry on. The problem is, he's been friendzoned and can't seems find a way to make the girl fall in love with her.

I told him to try to sweep her off her feet with sweet nothings. Simple gestures can sometime mean a lot specially if done sincerely. 

1. Make him miss you but at the same time maintain a feeling that you are just there anytime she needed you

2. Tell her she's the only one that can complete you, not just through words but also by deed.

3. Give him the Princess treatment that she deserves.

4. Ask her the real score between you because she might not be aware of your three intentions.

5.Be like Max's. Sarap to the bone dapat kung mag-mahal.

And finally, just in case that he will be able to make her fall for him, they might want to throw a party. At Max's Restaurant, of course.  Max's, can give you both fun and meaningful celebration with the following amenities:

• Three (3) hours use of venue

• Mascot appearance

• Use of party banner

• Party room decor

• Party host

• Party kit

• Giveaways

• Game prizes

• Birthday themed cake

Kita kita na na-inlove sa Max's

Do More With Less this Holiday season

2015 will be remembered by many Filipinos as the year when we witness how small things made big impacts to our lives.

Who can forget that simple kilig smile and pabebe wave that launched the phenomenal AlDub love team and spread good vibes all over the world (not to mention the dozens of TV ads that we will definitely see until next year or who knows until when). Or how about the struggling indie film outfit that defied the highly commercialized local showbiz industry and produced the bio pic Heneral Luna that made history in the box-office. Or how can you move on from the thousands of viral memes that we pass around online and even in our everyday conversations which were basically derived from just about any ordinary thing around us. I’m talking about the very clever and creative #hugot lines, of course (Kung hindi mo agad nakuha. What’s new? Kaya nga hanggang ngayon e umaasa ka pa rin).

Talking about hugot moments (which are even more relevant this Christmas season when most of us find this time perfect to reflect on the year that is about to bid goodbye), here are some tips, amusing they may seem, that may help you survive the holiday rush this year and beyond even if you only have less to do more.

CONSERVE ENERGY. Almost every home takes pride on how beautiful their Christmas trees are during this most wonderful time of the year.  We want our tree to be the brightest and most colorful it can possibly be. Just don’t sleep at night with those Christmas lights still turned on not only to conserve energy but also to avoid accidents in case a power outage or electrical wiring issue. Besides, true beauty comes out from simplicity.

SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. We become more generous and thoughtful individuals during the Yuletide season. We spend more money during December than any month of the year (unless your a politician, of course). But have you ever thought of spending more time with your family and loved ones? You have filled your IG and FB wall with photos of your company and weekend getaway with friends, I hope you can “insert” in your loaded schedule a family “we time” before you realize your baby is already a lady.

MAKE A SHOPPING LIST... AND KEEP IT. How many times did you go home from the mall asking yourself why you bought something you don’t even need. We sometimes tend to purchase stuff when we see them marked as “SALE” which eventually will end up in the attic or under your bed for a looooooooonnnnngggg time. A wise shopper has a list of people whom he/ she will buy a present. A wiser shopper will keep that list until the gifts are all given to the recipients. For sure, you also have moments that a person visited your home and you can’t find his gift because you already gave it to someone else, accidentally or purposely. That small piece of paper called “the list” can help you avoid this from happening again.

Image credit: how-to-recycle.blogspot.com

RECYCLE. You received gifts, big and small in the most colorful papers, bags and boxes. What do you do with the gift wrappers? If you can be just that careful in unwrapping gifts, you can re-use the papers to wrap your own gifts or find other uses like ornaments for DIY Christmas decors and making lanterns. By doing this, you lessen the clutter in your house while saving some money. This would also be a good start to initiate recycling in your home. I’m sure you’re aware that plastic containers of mineral water, softdrinks, cooking oil and newspaper can be sold. Start this coming January and by December next year, you might be surprise of how much you have earned.

IT’S BETTER TO RE-HEAT FOOD THAN TO SPOIL IT. During Christmas and New Year’s eves, our dining tables will be turned like buffet platforms like those we see in restaurants. But yours has a much better deal because everyone can eat for FREE. It’s a sure thing that you’ll have bowls of leftovers from your feasts and more plate-full delicacy from your neighbors. If you have plastic containers, keep food that won’t easily spoil like lechon and adobo and just reheat them. You don’t have to cook for the next 2-3 days and you will stilll have a happy tummy. Trust me, our Electrolux microwave oven has been a great companion it situation like this in more than three years now.

Indeed, the holiday season brings the that one of a kind joy that we only experience during this time of the year. It’s up to us how we will make the moment more magical. One sure way is to do more with less. Wishing everyone a blessed and fruitful 2016!

This blog post is in support of the #DoMoreWithLess advocacy led by Electrolux Philippines.

On rainy days, hugot lines and a bottle of Neosep

The rainy season is here again.

Along with it, we should start to prepare for the health and well-being of our family because everyone is prone to illness brought about by sudden rainfall, floods and other weather-related hassles.

Expect people to start to talk about their headaches, flu, cough and cold posts in their social media accounts and soon you might even find yourself joining the band wagon.

But what’s good about us Pinoy is that we find a way to inject fun in things we share online despite experiencing sore throats, clogged nose and a body temperature enough to use your armpits to re-heat those cold pizzas in the ref. Here are some hugot lines I created while bed resting in the house with fever and cold.

 

Got to share these hugots in the hope that some of you who are under the weather will be cheered up. After all, laughter is the best medicine, right? But of course, let’s be realistic, we need to at least intake some medicines to help our body recover fast especially when we need to finish our tasks, like this pending blog post.

Personally, one brand that I trust when it comes to fighting colds is Neosep. I’m sure you’ll agree. I’ve been a fan of this wonder tablet since high school because it never fails to help in bringing back my body and senses in tip-top shape. Of course, there were times that I also used other brands but always comes back to Neosep because “hiyang ako.”

How much do I trust the Neosep? Well, it’s the same brand I give to my 6-year old son whenever he has colds. We never have a hard time giving it to him because of its child-friendly taste compared to other syrup which we commonly describe as “lasang gamot.” I won’t be surprised if he’ll share the our family’s trusted brand to his future kids.

Know more about Neosep and other trusted products via www.unilab.com.ph.

Bonus hugot lines, you like?    

Hugot Moments at iACADEMY

I've always believe that learning is a lifelong journey.

That's why if there is an opportunity to visit schools or any educational institution, most of the time I will find time to squeeze it in between my work schedule and daddy duties. Which I did when iACADEMY held another open house event last February 28.

I was a bit of excited when I got the invitation since I have heard a lot of great things about the school  and their programs/ courses especially with regards to animation and multimedia--- stuff that really amazes me since I was a kid.

When I set foot at the entrance of iACADEMY, it somewhat gave this youthful feeling because I was reminded of the days when I was just a fresh high school graduate looking for a university to be my home for the next four years. So it was like a senti o hugot moment already for me at the entrance of  the school.

Inside the campus, there was this homey atmosphere because I see people greeting just about everyone entering while I was registering at the reception area. Well that's one good thing about smaller schools, students will get a family-like interaction since you'll definitely see just about everyone on  a given day.

I was told to go to the library where a program will be held prior to the tour for parents and prospective students. I was impressed because even though the school boosts an innovative approach on teaching, they still have an area for people who are fans of books and hard copies reference materials. I was brought back again to the library days with schoolmates many many years ago.

We were welcomed by the Deans, Chairpersons and Professors of iACADEMY and no less than its President and CEO, Ms.Vanessa Tanco who will pass as a student or even the school's model-endorser with her beauty and wit (actually even a slot at the Bb. Pilipinas Pagent). She will remind us of our school's official crush ng bayan who melts us with a chance smile and "hi's." But Ms. Tanco is cool and approachable which is another check mark for the school.

After the presentations of the courses offered by iACADEMY (which will be enumerated after this sentence), we were invited to take a tour of their rooms and facilities.

School of Computing
    Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Specialization in Software Engineering
    Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with Specialization in Web Development
    Bachelor of Science in Game Development with Specialization in Game Programming and Design

School of Business
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Specialization in Marketing and Advertising
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Specialization in Financial Management

School of Design
    Bachelor of Science in Animation
    Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts and Design
    Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Technology

The MAC Room

School of Design Hall

Animation Lab Room

This room is for the future Michael Cinco, Rajo Laurel and Monique Lhuiller of this generation.

After that interesting half-day introduction about iACADEMY, I was convinced that it is indeed one of the better schools today that can offer courses that cater to the needs of the industry by combining theoretical and practical learning techniques designed to equip them with the skills they need to thrive in their chosen careers.

Plus! The school is located along H.V. Dela Costa St. in Makati City, the country's  leading financial and central and business district. This means that safety and great opportunities awaits every student who will enroll at iACADEMY.

And  as I was about to fetch a cab going home, I can't help but notice this tambayan area infront of the campus. I'm sure every one of us has great memories of after school happenings that we still cherish until today.  That and the chance to shape the course of your future is what iACADEMY is all about.

For inquiries and other hugot moments, please call (02) 8897777 or visit their official website at www.iacademy.edu.ph or visit their FB fanpage www.facebook.com/iACADEMY.