Day 1: A Day of Misfortune for the DaBEHwenyos

My college friends and I have been itching to go on a trip since forever and of course, it took one of us getting married to make that happen. For Karlo and Chic's wedding, we had to fly out to Davao and I can surely say, it was a trip that we would never forget.

I took it upon myself to organize our trip to Davao. Of course, we each had to purchase our tickets individually but the rest of the trip details, I handled it—with Joan's help of course. Joan and I scoured agoda.com and booking.com for months for accommodations that were nice but budget friendly. We saw one in booking.com and immediately, booked it. I looked for Samal Island tour providers and when I found the cheapest one, I booked it. I also looked for car rentals that allowed a self-driven arrangement. I figured that we were a big group with a baby, it would be more convenient and less expensive if we drove our own car.

Fast forward to the day of the flight. I asked Dan to bring me to the airport. Because we slept late and he was still groggy, he imagined that my flight was cancelled and I didn't have to leave. Anyway, we left home at 5 AM, anticipating no traffic. Boy, we were wrong. There was a major pile-up in C-5 corner Ortigas Avenue and we had to take a detour. Dan violated two traffic rules in order for us to get to EDSA. We were still met with a bit of traffic when we got to EDSA but it wasn't as bad as C-5.

Misfortune #1: In the nick of time but one wasn't as lucky

I almost didn't make it to my flight. For one, Dan missed the exit to the airport. So we had to exit at Merville and traverse the service road back. Secondly, a lot of people were also flying that day so there was a pile-up on-ramp to the departures area. My plane leaves at 7AM and it was already 6:10—five minutes until the check-in counter closes! At that moment, I got down of the car and got my two bags and hurried to the gates with Dan shouting behind me, "text me!" Lastly, there was a long line just to get into the airport. I looked for a porter, told them I'll be late for my flight, paid a hundred pesos for the rental of the cart and another hundred each to the three men who helped me out. I literally bribed my way to the airport. In the end, what's 400 pesos to the 2500 pesos I would be paying for rebooking my flight? Alas, my friend Fefe wasn't so lucky.

On a brighter note...

I was really happy to find out that I was seated next to my friends Joan and Jordan in the airplane. At least, I had someone to talk to for the almost-two-hour flight and I got to help them take care of their baby, my godson, Kyn. At that point, I was just so relieved that I made it to my flight and I was on my way to a much deserved vacation.

Misfortune #2: Three hungry adults and an irritated baby stuck in an airplane

Our plane landed a little past 9AM but due to traffic in the hangar, we weren't able to un-board immediately. It took us a good 30 minutes before we deplaned. Imagine that and us with a restless baby. The driver of our rented car was already waiting for us. On top of that, we were all very hungry.

On a brighter note...

After we got our things, I exited the airport and went to the parking area to meet with the driver. I was greeted with a gold Avanza with A/T transmission, exactly what I ordered. Finally, something right! I went ahead and volunteered to be the driver because I was the one on contract. We decided to go to SM Lanang to grab brunch. Meanwhile, our other friends Raffy and Kim were on their way to get their rented car. Fefe rebooked his flight to 10AM and would be arriving at around lunch and Dawn would be arriving at 2.

After lunch, and with Raffy and Kim already with us, we decided to grab some coffee while the couple bought some groceries for their baby. When Fefe arrived a few minutes later, we joined them to buy groceries for the rest of the trip. We were renting a whole house for four days and we decided it would be better if we prepared our own breakfast and had something to snack on while hanging out at home.

At 1pm, Raffy and Kim made their way back to the airport to pick up Dawn while the rest of us drove to the location of our rented house. It was a stone's throw away from SM Lanang and the airport and from the pictures, we cannot wait to settle in.

Misfortune #3: Nowhere to go

We got to the gate of the village and asked the guard for directions, he told us that there was someone who was already renting there. We weren't alarmed. After all, our booking had been confirmed and there was no notice from the tenants that our booking was cancelled. You may have already predicted this but yeah, they had cancelled our booking and made other reservations with another group. So not only are we tired, we were homeless and, at this point, really pissed off.

Rather than dwelling on the sorry state that we were in, we decided to just leave and make a mental note to leave a bad review for the place the minute we get back to Manila. We looked for options. I called a friend of mine who lived there. We still wanted a house because it was the cheaper option for us. We looked at ads and decided to drive around and look for those places sans exact addresses leading us to the next misfortune.

Misfortune #4: A bruised Wigo

My friends Raffy and Kim, who decided to rent a car separately, went to Davao expecting a Mirage got a tiny little Wigo instead. Oh god. The adventures of that day were leading us to places with unpaved roads and it was already hard on our sturdy Avanza, imagine what it would be like for a cute city car such as the Wigo. Good thing that they opted to go to Raffy's hotel and ask if there were still available rooms or we would have had to deal with a flat tire that day.

On a brighter note...

Our day was saved by a very diligent poster in Airbnb. If he hadn't answered our query immediately, we would have slept in the car that night or worse, slept at a fleabag motel. It's funny how we were all graduates from a very prestigious university and were all working professionals and yet too cheap to spend just one night in a classier hotel.

We met with the owners and they led us to a newly built/ renovated place in downtown Davao City. Finally, a place to rest our head. Because of our situation, we lost one day that was supposed to be devoted to seeing the sights of the city. I had everything planned!

When we finally settled in, it was already almost 5 pm. We decided to rest for a bit. I was exhausted! I barely got any sleep the night before. Since the entire day was wasted, we just decided to grab a bite to eat.

We decided to eat at Balay Bukid. It had great reviews and after the day that we had, we deserve a great meal! I'll be writing a separate post on our dining experience there.

After eating, we decided to come home and get some rest as we had a big day the next day. It's Samal day! I let the others go ahead and shower first while I took a nap. My nap was cut short by a baby crying.

Misfortune #5: The place is haunted

Kyn for some reason was awoken from his sleep and was crying loudly and incessantly. He was pointing at something and of course, we were kinda creeped out by it. Joan and Jordan knew that he wasn't hungry or that he needed changing. Kyn's crying was a strange one. A cry of a frightened baby. Something was creeping him out and of course, it creeped the rest of us adults out as well. We tried everything! We tried clothing him in red. We tried consoling him by praying (but I think none of us were close to God at that point). We tried making him laugh. We tried distracting him with toys. We even tried force feeding him formula. None of them worked! He wanted his parents close by all the time. The only thing that made him stop crying was fatigue. He was dead tired after hours of crying. 

That's Day 1. Yes, we ended with a low note. But that's just Day 1. What adventures and misfortunes await the DaBEHwenyos on their second day in Davao. Find out on the next post...

But first, let me take a selfie.

When you have tons to say but just don't know where to start.

Blanc

We had a presentation today for one of our more important clients and of course, it required a bit of dress up.

Only the shoes and the watch are mine, the rest I scavenged from my siblings' closets.

Top from Chancellor, pants from Uniqlo, shoes from Stradivarius, bag from DKNY, jewellery by Bvlgari, watch from Morgan

Can I just say how much of a nuisance is getting foundation all over your white shirt? Damn son.

The 10 Guys I Met on Tinder

I am embarrassed to say, I am, well, was on Tinder. My chaotic and antisocial existence has forced me to consider an app to achieve some semblance of a social life.

I've been on Tinder for almost a year now and in that time frame, I've met 10 guys. Each one made for really interesting dates. When I say interesting, I don't mean great. So without further ado, I present to you the 10 guys I've met on Tinder.

1. Bob Marley

my first tinder profile

I blame this match on my profile back then. Tinder also uses your Facebook description and that I wrote when I was a college sophomore (9 years ago?). It used to say "...I love brainless pot movies," which the selective male brain then translated to "I love pot." I've gotten quite a number of matches because guys thought I was a pothead. Guy reads "I love pot" and goes "Ooh, pretty free spirit" and swipes right. This was one of those guys. In fact, our first date involved getting naturally medicated and him attempting to get into my pants. Sorry to say, I was just sleepy. In spite of that, there was a second date but this time, he tried wine. Here's the thing, no amount of alcohol or herbs can get me to sleep with a guy I don't have the hots for.

2. Mr. Sneezy

me on that date except without the green hair

I swiped right because he seemed cute and he was moreno. At the time, I was trying to veer away from type -- the chinito mestizo. His first message involved asking me who my favorite Friends character was, to which I promptly replied "Joey." We set a date. It was a Wednesday. I had a shoot at a construction site that day and terribly exhausted. He had allergies. Ms. Sleepy and Mr. Sneezy made for a terrible date. On top of that, he didn't look at all like he did in his photos. He looked 40 when he was just 32. I have been catfished.

3. The Insurance Agent

source

To be fair, he didn't peddle his insurance on me. Handsome with a devil-may-care attitude, he was a hard one to resist. He picked me up from my village and we got a couple of beers at a nearby bar. His friends texted and I came with. Long story short, I got drunk. This guy is now a friend and my insurance agent. If I retire a wealthy woman, I have this guy to thank.

4. Poor Man's Dennis Trillo

A skinnier version of this handsomeness. source

That's what I thought when I first saw him. Handsome definitely but a little on the skinny side. He laid out all his baggage on the first date -- he was getting annulled from his wife. The honesty was a breath of fresh air. I was intrigued. The next two dates happened at his place where we just marathoned movies. As much as I enjoyed his company, I wasn't that attracted to him. He was my polar opposite. Also, his insistence on getting serious scared the shit out of this commitment phobe. He wanted to see me five days a week! Nobody got time for that!

5. Dull Boy

source

It took me a while to go out on another Tinder date due to the first batch. Meeting people is exhausting for an introvert. Anyway, I was talking to this guy for two weeks, albeit non-exclusively. I told him I'll be in Makati the next day and with a few hours to spare. He asked me to lunch, I agreed. Let's set aside the fact that reality didn't match expectations, that's the premise of life. Let's focus on how much of a dud he was. Come on man, you should have a personality at least. My friend said he'd be real handsome if he loses weight. Yeah sure, amen to that. But getting thin doesn't make you gain a personality. This was the most boring date I've ever had. Sweet guy but if I'm using an app to date, I should be able to pick someone else more exciting.

6. The Douche

source

This guy was a self proclaimed douchebag and knowing he's a douchebag didnt make him less of one. It did make him entertaining. Dear Peter, he was relentless so I agreed. Again, reality was cruel and after all the bad dates, I wasn't expecting much. He lured me into another date under the guise of basking on my uber wisdom. The uber consultation was spent on him trying to convince me to date him. Two glasses of mojitos were the best decision I've made that night and this week.

7. The Articulate Lover

Yeah, he has a beard. source 

This guy I actually like. He isn't handsome or anything but at least, I knew that. He actually looked like his photo. He's intelligent and articulate. Heavens, that's sexy. We've met around three times already but only for work. I have come to terms that anything romantic is off the table but I'm glad I met him. One of my best career decisions.

8. Batang Hamog

This is actually a million times better than his hair
 source

He isn't really a batang hamog. He was just having a really bad hair day. This guy was so "makulit." I can and will never be able to match his energy level. Also, he had a girlfriend so, no.

9. The Family Man

source

He was 37, estranged from his wife, and with two kids. In my defense, I didn't know about the wife and kids when I met up with him. I found out only when I saw a deep mark on his ring finger while we were having coffee after dinner. So I asked.

10. The Catch

source

After all the dates, I have decided to quit Tinder. It is a fucking waste of time. But right when I was about to delete the app, this guy messaged me and so I decided to play one last time. He was my last swipe and I remembered going back and forth about swiping right or not. I did because #yolo! That was a Tuesday and we met up that Saturday. Damn, what a catch. Tall, handsome, successful and with a fear of God, this guy is the guy you bring home to meet your parents. He does go out and get drunk a lot but he's still able to get up early in the morning and kick ass at work so there's really nothing to worry about. We've met four times since then. Twice in Alabang, once for dinner in Makati, and the last time in the airport before we got on separate planes on the way to our respective vacations. So far, it's too soon to tell. I'm just hoping for the best.

So that was my Tinder experience and this does not count all the other guys I never met but I've matched with and spoken to. I don't think I'll ever meet someone better than the last one on Tinder. So Tinder, buh bye. Thanks for the memories.

posted from Bloggeroid

Beauty: How I Apply My Concealer and Foundation

Here is a tutorial (in photos) of how I apply my concealer and foundation everyday.

1. I start with clean but already prepped (toned and moisturised) face:

2. Next is color correction. I use an orange/ peach hued color corrector from Inglot's Freedom System to counter the dark circles around my eyes and then a green one for the red patches on my cheeks and chin. I apply by using a concealer brush and use my fingers to blend the corrector in.

Peach to counteract dark circles

Green to negate redness

3. After color correction, that's when I apply my foundation. I use Inglot's YSM foundation in the shades 41 and 48. I use the lighter shade to highlight and the darker to contour.

Highlight

Contour

This is how it's gonna look like before blending:

4. Using a Stippling brush, blend, blend, blend!

Blend, blend, blend and some more!

Here's how it looks after blending:

5. After I do my eyebrows (you can see the tutorial here), curl, and swipe mascara on my eyelashes, it's time to define my face even further. I use Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana to set the lighter foundation and to further highlight and I use a Mac Studio Careblend pressed powder in Medium Deep to set the darker foundation and to add contour.

Second Highlight

Second Contour

6. After applying my blush, I proceed to set my entire face with loose powder. I use BYS Loose Powder in Medium.

That's it! Here is the complete make-up look right next to the no make-up one:

Before and After

And here's the complete look with my hair done:

Easy peasy right?

Small but Wonderful,

Monica

10 Reasons Why I Will Always Hope for the Best

My friend Cara sent me an article over Facebook entitled "I'm Sorry But No One Is "That" Busy — It Just Comes Down to How Much of a Priority You Are." I know, wordy title. It's one of those articles by the ever popular Thought Catalog. As much as I find many of the articles entertaining, I refuse to be guided by them. And I know my friend means well and I know she just doesn't want to see me get hurt by yet another guy who was "too busy" for me but there are reasons why I still hope for the best and here they are:

1. I am not waiting for him. I'm waiting for true love.
I am completely aware that this guy and I might not work out but every failed relationship, even the almost ones, brings me closer to the real deal.

Source

2. If you believe in people, people come through.
This is one particular quote that stuck out to me while watching the last season of How I Met Your Mother (Marshall was the one who said this). I really do believe in him. I believe in the moments we shared. And if he doesn't come through, I know someone else will.

Source

3. I believe in myself.
I have the worst credentials. I don't even bring my transcript to interviews because they will just pull me down. But I manage to get jobs because I believe in myself. I believe that I am better than my grades. I believe that I have so much to offer than what that lousy piece of paper has to show. And I am the same way when it comes to love. I know I am unlike anyone, not exactly better nor worse. My self-worth is never defined by the boy who thinks I'm not worth his time. My mom always quotes this verse from the Bible that I am worth far more than rubies. It's about time I take it to heart.

Source

4. Some things are just out of our control.
I am a control freak. The saying "If you want the job done right, you've got to do it yourself" is a saying I live by. But as I got older, I realized that as hands-on as I am, there will be some things that I just can't control. There will be situations I just won't be able to manipulate. And although I'm still learning, I am letting go. In those circumstances, I have learned that there is nothing more I can do than hope for the best.

Source

5. Some people need time.
Some people take longer than others and if you give up on them, you rob them the chance of proving you right . It took my brother ten years to realize his potential and if we gave up on him, he wouldn't be where he is today.  Sure, there is an alternate ending which is disappointment but then again, there will always be a silver lining. If he disappoints me then he'll be a lesson learned.

Source

6.  So I won't regret.
I hope for the best so I won't regret. In the end, it's the person who didn't give it his all who regrets. I don't want to be the girl who shuts him down because he failed to shoot me a text every second. I want to be the girl who gave him all the chances in the world so that he'd be the idiot who missed the opportunity.

Source

7. I am a dreamer.
Yes, my head and heart are in the clouds but that's who I am. Reality bites and one of the ways I cope is by dreaming. He might not be the one but it's pretty fantastic to think that he might be. It's the possibility that excites me.

Source

8. There is still time.
I wait because I am in no rush. Good things happen to those who wait. And if he's really a good thing, he will happen for me.

Source

9. He needs the time and space to think/pray about/for me.
I don't want to be a decision out of impulse. I don't want him to want me for a moment. I want him to want me forever. And forever isn't something you rush into. I am not an easy person to be with and if he rushes to be with me, it's most likely that he'd be in a hurry to run out on me when the going gets tough. He needs to pray for me because I am praying for him.

Source

10. God only has the best for me.
I hope for the best because I already know that He has already orchestrated my love story. It's in the works. If he's not my happy ending, I know he entered my life for a purpose.

Source

Bonus: He's a good guy.
I really do think he's one of a kind. If he hurts me, I know he doesn't mean to.

Source

Small, Wonderful and Always Hoping for the Best,
Monica

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos above. All photos are properties of their rightful owners. 

12 Reasons Why 2014 Was My Year

It's no secret that 2013 was very unkind to me so I was determined that 2014 should be the best year yet. And it has been. 2014 knocked me off my feet, in a good way. Here are the reasons why:

12. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
I kickstarted my 2014 with a break-up. It wasn't the easiest ordeal that I had to go through but it was necessary. My year wouldn't be the year that it was if I didn't let go of the unhealthy relationship I had. It hurt. It hurt like hell but I am a stronger person because of it. You can read my goodbye to him here.

One of the few good memories that I have of him.

11. Almost Mr. Perfect
When 2014 started, I caught the fancy of this gorgeous guy and he was perfect in a lot of ways. He's handsome, smart, successful and we share the same faith. Of course, I wasn't ready for him. I was still picking up the pieces of my shattered heart. Suffice to say, it didn't work out. It just made me realize that I am deserving of so much more than what I previously settled for. It is true what they say. Some people just enter your life to teach you a valuable lesson. So, thank you R.

This text from R blew me away.

10. Livin' life YOLO
Before 2013 ended, I started becoming chummy with a friend who loves to party. She would take me out to clubs and we would be partying until the wee hours of the morning. I'm a sleeper and dancing the night away is very unnatural for me but I did it anyway. I never liked it though. There was something so empty and unfulfilling about a life of getting wasted and twerking. I have always known what I wanted out of life. I may not know how to get it but I know I wouldn't be getting it at the bottom of a bottle of Jack. When 2014 rolled in, I kicked off my dancing shoes and left the club scene.

Lounging under the shade while listening to Up Dharma Down perform at the recent 7017 Music Festival

9. Working 9 to 5
Technically, it would be 11 to 6 but there's no need to get our panties up in a wad over that, is there? I wasn't looking for a job but I got one and it's the best job I've ever had. I am so grateful for the vast opportunities that opened up to me once I entered the world of advertising — an industry I've been trying so hard to avoid.

Lacing up for a day at the construction site

8. Taking a Turn to the Silver Side
2014 is the year I turned 25 and it has been the most uneventful birthday I've ever had. For starters, my heart was still breaking and I was broke. But you know what they say, "when you've hit rock-bottom, there's no other way to go but up." Even if that was the case, I was hopeful that my life was about to change from that day on.

Single and Employed at 25

7. Learning how to change a flat tire
I've always considered myself to be an independent woman but when it comes to cars, I am such a noob. I've always depended on my ex-boyfriend to fix any vehicular problems I might have. When I finally learned how to change a flat tire, it made me feel that I'll manage just fine without him.

I need to get me one of those hydraulic jack thingies.

6. An Unexpected Wedding
My college best friends and I were planning a trip to Hong Kong when Joan announced that she just took a pregnancy test and it was positive hence, she cannot come with us anymore. MC and I decided to put our travel plans on hold because how can we ever go on a trip without her? Solidarity, baby! After that surprise, 2 months later, we were on our way to a wedding in Subic. Prime example of "life is what happens when you're too busy making other plans." Good times!

With the newlyweds

5. Purchasing my first Air Max 90s
I know, I know. This item seems too shallow to be so high up in the list but let me explain. For the past few years, it's been really difficult for me to spend money on myself for reasons I really can't divulge in here. My AM90s are so much more than shoes, they're a marker that I've left the past behind and I'm finally moving on to better things.

At Sports Lab by Atmos in Takashimaya

4. Ohayo Tokyo!
After a lot of failed travel attempts, it was such a blessing to go to Tokyo. You can read about all the fun I had here.

Getting Lost in Shinjuku

3. Kuya going to the US.
It's been a slow and rocky journey for my Kuya these past few years but God finally gave him a break through. After graduating from Culinary school, he is now on a paid internship program at a ski resort in the US. Never did any of us imagine him flying across the globe for a job. God is really bigger than anything we can comprehend.

A photo with the sibs before Kuya left for the US

2. Friendship Never Ends
In the best and worst of times, true friends will always be there for you. That's what 2014 taught me. Thank you to all of you for laughing and crying (but mostly laughing) with me through out the year. I love you all oh so much!

All classed up at a friend's wedding

101st wheeling with the rest of the crew.

Girls' day out in Tagaytay

1. Meeting Mr. Funny
B is definitely the highlight of the year. From the first text to the actual meeting at the airport up until he kissed me good bye at the bus station, he is really something. You can read a little about him here.

Blurred because I am so ugly in that picture

Small but had a Wonderful 2014,
Monica