8 Things I Love About Pangulasian -- Palawan (Part 2)

[1] Canopy Villas

It was a blissful stay. We had our own villa on the treetops. Personally, I prefer this to the beach ones. We had the beach casita before, and I always had to make sure sand doesn't make its way to the bed or the bedroom floors. Haha. At least, with the canopy villas (treetop), your feet will dry off as you walk to the top.

There's the occasional monkey visit to our terrace, but I pretty much prefer that than reptile ones by the beach. Haha.

[2 & 3] View and Food by the Sea

Pardon the weird photo. I was testing our cheapo wide angle phone lens. But you get the idea. You dine by the beach with a roof on your head and you can hear the waves crashing.

One of our favorite menu item was this miso chicken pizza. It has the perfect hint of salt and sugar in it. Yum!

During breakfast, you can eat al fresco inside their dining hall with a fully loaded buffet that starts inside and overflows to the veranda.

You can have this view while you eat.

[4] The Lagoons

Lagoon visits are a must when you travel to El Nido. Pangulasian Island Resort gives complimentary tours to these wonderful places. I think my jaw dropped when I saw the lagoons of El Nido.

[5] The Arts and Crafts Scene

We were welcomed with palm leaf necklaces when we arrived. The crafter in me wanted to learn, so I asked the staff if I could.

One of them taught me. It was pretty easy and so fun!

I also learned how to make anklets using these beads.

See? The string we used was what fishermen use to make their nets. How awesome is that?


[6] The Staff

They are one of the friendliest people I've ever met. It's always a treat to talk with them about the resort, how they came to work there and maybe a little showbiz chismis on the side, but not too much.

[7] Sustainability

The resort gave us reusable water bottles, small canvas pouches and bayongs to store our stuff while trekking the island. It's one of their ways to promote waste reduction. They whole island has its own sewage treatment plant where they reuse the water to flush the toilets. Oh, and for those who asked about the canvas tote, that one is a gift from Pine Sol. I need to change the monogram though.

[8] The Company

Most of all, I love the company. I was with my best friend and my life partner during this visit. It was truly an amazing experience for us --  a much needed vacation away from the concrete jungle. And it was perfect.

Crafts/DIY: $0 Valentine's Day Art

I was looking at my messy desk, and found some scraps of used stationery and some cut origami paper. I didn't have the heart to throw them away because they were still in good condition -- no wrinkles or anything like that. For some reason, I thought of tangrams using right triangles and decided to make art using the paper I found.

* paper scraps 

(stationery, newspaper, origami, 

wrapping paper)

* card stock for backing

* scissors

* ruler

* all-purpose glue

[1] Cut your paper scraps into workable rectangular strips.

I found that 1-1/2" strips are easy to manage.

[2] Then cut into squares. Then triangles.

[3] Play around with the triangles to make a shape, like how I did

letter "A" below.

or you can make a heart, too.

[4] When you're happy with the positioning, glue the shapes on

cardstock. You can frame it after and give it as a gift this Valentine's.

Love: (Eye) Candy Business Cards

All 101 grams of it.

I had our business cards made by Pat, the stationery printer behind the blog 101 Grams of (Eye) Candy.  I've learned of her blog through mommy circles, and when she decided to create a small printing business, I knew I was going to order at some point.

It was this variety of patterns that got me.

Image from 101 Grams of (Eye) Candy

Now, the company I'm in has gold and grey as the main colors. Too bad they can't change the colors of the patterns available. I requested for the catalog, and luckily, there were designs that have those colors. I ordered three sets.

The package came in this simple white paper bag, sealed with a gold candy cane stripe washi tape. Inside was another waxed paper bag with a few freebies.

On to the good stuff. The business cards came in the usual boxes.

The first thing I looked at was the patterns at the back. Look at how pretty they are.

Pat is so easy to talk to (quick response and turnaround) and has great customer service, and those are the main things that define a good shopping experience (at least for me). I had a great experience with Candy Shop Prints and I am already thinking of ordering some more. :-)

If you want to know more about Candy Shop Prints' products (they don't just make contact prints), go and visit their website here, or their facebook page here.

Body: Unwinding at Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La

We decided to go on a weekend staycation at the Edsa Shangri-La. We were especially excited about the spa treatment that we scheduled because we heard so many good things about it.

"In traditional Chinese philosophy, ch'i or 'Qi' is the universal life force that governs well-being and personal vitality. For good health to be maintained, it is believed that ch'i must flow freely within the body and, when blocked, 'dis-ease' and illness follow."
- Chi, the Spa at Shangri-La

Come and take a look.

The waiting area has a view of the garden. You are served with a hot towel and yummy pandan ginger tea.

From the waiting room, we were accompanied through the garden, into the elevator to go to the fourth floor, where the spa is actually located. We stayed at the couples room. There is a prep room where you can go use the steam room and rain shower before the treatment. Bits and pieces reminded me somehow of my Amanpulo experience.

I had to wear this disposable thong they supplied (it's that tiny packaged black thingamajig above), and those probably were the worst fitting undies I've ever worn. I'd rather wear a loose pair of shorts.

There is something about a spa's scent that I love. I want my bedroom smelling like that all the time. The massage we had lasted for an hour. The massage was perfect because we were so tired from walking around Shangri-La mall. I was wearing heels. My body's so relaxed right after. But oily as usual. Haha.

Despite the undies they provide, I still highly recommend the luxurious spa treatments at Chi, the Spa at Shangri-La, especially with your significant other. For more of Chi's spa menu, visit here.

Shopping: The Customer is Always Right

I love, love, love and miss, miss, miss how much freedom US consumers have. They're very lucky shopping-wise. Let me count the ways.

A pregnant me, shopping

1. You can change your mind about something you bought yesterday, last week, last month or last year. Depending on the store's policy, you can return stuff you bought earlier. If you felt guilty change your mind about this $400 dress you bought yesterday on impulse, it's okay. No biggie. Just go back to the store (sometimes, even another store branch), they will credit it back to your account. Most stores offer 30-day returns, a few having 90, a handful with forever. They will even let you return even without a receipt.

In the Philippines: The return policy is virtually non-existent. It's basically store credit or exchange -- and the offer does not even last a whole month. Usually, it's just 14 days.

2. One store sells it at a lower price? The other will match it. Granted stores only do this price matching game with brick-and-mortar stores, they still are willing to match the exact same product at the lower price. Most stores also accept competitor's coupons. Which leads me to No. 3.

In the Philippines: You'll just probably see this happen in bazaars, and that is, if you're lucky.

3. Coupon craze all over town. I was once one of those who collect small pieces of papers that would give me discounts. I would keep coupons that I think would be used in the near future. My favorite ones are the grocery coupons from Kroger and Target. Kroger because they are personalized based on your shopping history. Target because, well, it's Target. I'm biased. Don't judge me.

In the Philippines: Coupons are starting to appear here and there, mostly by SKU, usually restaurants. Oh yeah, and there's Deal Grocer and Groupon, too. They're like Zulily and Gilt. I have yet to see a big store opening up to coupon craze though. If SM or Rustan's does this, that would be the day.

4. Customer service reps are more forgiving. This happened to me recently. I did some online shopping and used my US credit card, then I didn't get the email alert they usually send when it's almost time to pay, so I forgot. Silly me. I just called customer service, and asked if they can waive the late fee. The fee was about $30, give or take, and the agent nonchalantly took it off. Amaze-balls.

In the Philippines:  You will fight an arm and a leg, and probably lose them both and not be waived a single cent. I am deadly serious.

5. Good quality private label brands. I say this because I miss Archer Farms and Trader Joe's. They are great examples of good quality food products.

In the Philippines: I have yet to see this in big stores. One thing that is noticeable though is the dramatic entrance of independent food sources/manufacturers that are really amazing, like this very creamy and delicious salted caramel ice cream, and this local supplier of organic meat products.


I do hope though that retailers here realize the importance of customer satisfaction and consumer rights. It might be because they are scared that people will take advantage. What if they return used products? Tell them you only accept unused ones. You might get lied to about a lower price? Do your regular research (data is king!). What about coupons that are fake? Well, get a control number. Good customer service is a must for satisfaction, and good private label brands, that is just a plus.

I say give your customers a chance. They might prove you wrong, and you might get the better deal.

Print: Cupcakes & Muffins

Tech: 8tracks App

Handcrafted internet radio on the rise here. One of the things I missed when I moved back to the Philippines was Pandora. Pandora, as in internet radio, and not the charm bracelets because we have that here.

Well, my sister introduced me to 8tracks the other day. 8tracks is a collection of music playlists. It lets you choose a music playlist based on categories. Pwede na siyang pamalit sa Pandora. First, it would let you choose from the following.

Say you choose 'happy'. Then it will let you choose from these subcategories.

Then you pick the playlist.

Then hit play.

There are lots of playlists to choose from. Maybe you're in the mood for pop + workout... or some breakup + sad music.

Love it yet? Well, you can access it through your laptop (http://8tracks.com) or even your mobile phone by downloading the app.

Baby: Allie and Water

Allie just loves being in the water. We visited the pool at MetroClub near Rockwell just before summer ended.

Travel: The Best Looking Toiletries For Me

I've had my share of staying at hotels during my travels, most of the not so expensive ones anyway -- haha. One of the things that make an impression on me is how hotel toiletries are packaged. I usually won't book a hotel if I heard or found out their toiletries are really bad. Well, not unless the price of a nightly stay in that hotel is super sulit.

I don't know about you, but I find hotel toiletries sooo useful for travel. They can go inside your carry-ons because they are under the limit of the 3-1-1 rule of the TSA. So yes, I'm one of those people who take them home with me. But only if they look nice, and smell good, and work great. This way, I don't have to buy travel-sized toiletries from the supermarket. Besides, being a mom, I always always make sure I have liquid hand soap in my bag (and lotion too), and hotel shower gels and lotions fit the bill perfectly.

One of the nicest toiletry packaging I've found worthy of being taken home are those of the Archive brand. They can be found here in the Philippines too ... in Baguio Country Club. I love the packaging. It's so simple, it's beautiful.

Do you take home hotel toiletries like me? What's your favorite hotel toiletry brand?

Fashion: DVF x GapKids Round 2

Diane von Furstenberg and GapKids got together again in a Limited Edition Explorers Collection. The prints are refreshing and colorful. There are new cuts and accessories available too. Visit Gap to learn more.

Food: Early Bird Breakfast Club

My in-laws always try to celebrate each of our birthdays (every one up to the grandkids) by having dinner out together. Because we usually have around 10 people in our party, 16 if we're complete every time, we seldom find a restaurant that makes every one happy with the food and service. Every single time, we get bad food, bad service, and sometimes, even both. I shall not mention those restaurants here because I strive to keep this blog happy and positive. *smile*

We found a cute restaurant tucked in a little secret (or maybe not-so-secret anymore) spot at the Strip area of Global City a couple of weeks back. It's called Early Bird Breakfast Club. My husband and I love eating breakfast food any time of the day. We tried it one afternoon, and we loved the coziness and the food. We loved the place so much that we decided to have dinner here with the family on my birthday. I was secretly scared that bad service for a dinner party as big as ours might ruin it forever for me. But I really was cheering them on in my mind. They did not disappoint. I am so glad they broke our birthday dinner curse of bad service and bad food. I couldn't be happier.

The first thing I noticed is their interiors. This full wall mural on the right side when you come in. The teal wall color is adorned by a whimsy white outline illustration of birds and foliage. If you want a casual and intimate seating for two, choose the tables located on this side. The tables are a bit small if you are planning to order lots, but they are perfect for coffee and snacks. Don't you just love the colorful herringbone pattern on the chairs? They perfectly complement the wall.

Love: Dove Real Beauty Sketches

When I first watched this video, I was moved -- moved because what it says is true. Women are their own worst critics. They focus on their flaws, and they tend to disregard their own beauty. This video by Dove just proves it.

Go on, watch it for yourself.

Love: Paperman

Am I the only person in the world who hasn't seen Paperman until 10 minutes ago? It's such a cute story!

Love: Lego Minifigs

Sometime last year, we went to one of our go-to malls in Buckhead, and we saw that Legoland Discovery Center has occupied what used to be the food court on the top floor. I was super excited but bummed at the same time. Excited because it was something new, but bummed because Allie was still too young to enjoy it.

We decided to go in the store anyway.

I always love to look around Lego sets. I saw these cute minifigs keychains.

Woody --

Buzz --

Captain Jack --

Want some Star Wars minifig keychains?

Anyway, here is an infographic showing interesting facts about Lego minifigs. I want the gold one!

Source visual.ly

Fashion: Hermès x Comme des Garçons

Another collaboration has finally made its way out. The "Comme des Carrés" scarf collection is a feast for the eyes. Each one is art on its own. If I could, I would get my two favorites. I will probably secure them on black frames, and put them in my forever living room.

Copyright Hermes. Via highsnob

Copyright Hermes. Via hypebeast.

Do you like them as much as I do?

Well, I heard they retail between $550 and $720. You can get them at COMME des GARCONS in Paris, New York and Tokyo, and at Dover Street Market in Ginza and London.