Bucket List: Food Category

Here's the list of the best food that I have eaten so far...

Chocolate Sin  (Zuzuni Boracay). The best chocolate thing I have ever consumed. 

Couple's Halo-halo (Halowich Boracay)

Quattro Stagioni (Aria Boracay): Pizza with four toppings (Aria, Boscaiola, Napoli and Frutti de Mare)

Jonah's Fruitshake (Boracay)

Jeepers Creepers cake (Banapple)

Triple Decker Cheesecake, Mango Cheesecake and  The Dome (Parvati)

Fish Tonkatsu with Cheese and White Topping (John and Yoko)

Spam Musubi (UTT 7.0)

The Man Sandwich (Mad Marks)

Cello's Doughnuts




Stores:

Aria: Station 2, Boracay, Aklan and Bonifacio High Street

Banapple: Katipunan, Quezon City and Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City

Cello's Doughnuts: Katipunan, Quezon City and SM North Sky Garden

Halowich: Station 2, Boracay, Aklan

John and Yoko: Greenbelt 5 and Alabang Town Center

Jonah's Fruitshake: Station 1, Boracay, Aklan

Mad Marks - Kapitolyo Food Strip (that's what I call it), West Capitol Drive, Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Parvati: Trinoma (near Fully Booked and Beabi)

Zuzuni Boracay, Station 2, Boracay, Aklan (near Havaianas store)







Lazy Sunday: Photography Books

What I love about Sunday is that I can sit around our house and be prisoner of written principles and moments.  I am a reader, not very fond of fictions, but more of non-fictions. I would go straight on business and marketing books and self-help (aside from pens section) once I am in a bookstore. (Yes, bookstores here in the Philippines are not merely "book" stores, but they offer stationary, home and office supplies, bags, kids stuff and magazines. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you would see various gift items (like bands, mugs and alike)).

Anyways, since its Sunday and I have one of the cherished free times in my work, I am busy checking out Photography books. As many of us will notice, teens and young alike are lurking around malls carrying their DSLRs. I wouldn't like to be dubbed as a poser photographer, so I believe it is necessary that I start reading materials that would make me understand my new hobby.

Google is our friend, and thus, I found a list of photography books suited for a beginner. I have two saved in my laptop though, National Geography's Ultimate Guide to Digital Photography and Five Steps in Shooting in Manual. These are light reads, and being a fast reader, I should be buying another book by the end of the month.










So while looking for new books,  I stumbled upon these few recommended for photography hobbyist like me:









My goal is by the end of the third quarter, I will on the next step in photography and will be reading the following:





I would like to think that this is my own way to be able to differentiate myself from those poser photographers. I don't like to be named one, so I am doing these extra steps in improving myself on this new craft.

Addition to my Techie Family: Nikon D5100

Finally, my significant other gave up on my every night parinig since last year and he bought me our new baby. It was the fourth of our digital 'anaks' and an early gift for my birthday, our anniversary and Christmas.  Well, it is not actually a gift, since I will be paying the item for a discounted price. The discounts are actually the "gifts". :D I have been bugging him if I could get one, years ever since he was in Japan. He never wanted one, since it was so heavy (and he will be the carrying it when we will be on trips) and it might be prone to snatchers. I have to assure him that I will not flash it before the suspects eyes, and will take very good care of it. Presenting, my Nikon D5100 with 18-55 and 55-300 lenses.









I have been long waiting for this, as I would like to pursue another hobby on Photography. I was inspired on how events photographer captures each inch of happiness, sadness, emotions and physical aspects. Moreso, being a fan of America's Next Top Model, I imagine myself taking the places of Nigel Barker (big shoes to fill in) and capturing more fashionista photos. 

Well, I haven't mastered my camera yet and been searching for photography class over the metro. I stumbled upon Sir Nicolay's photography class, which I think is best suited in my schedule, financing and inspirational venues. His classes are conducted around UP so I get to be in the campus every weekends. :) Aside from being so near with the place I love, his classes are "swak" on the budget, with it being Php 850/ class and he has packages too. 

I am looking forward on the first event that I will be covering on July for my friend's wedding. I should somewhat mastered the idea of the wedding photography, portraits and stills. 

I would like to share my first few unedited shots with my new toy. :)






Where I am now?

So its been a while since I last blogged, and its been a month since I changed my job. A lot have changed and I know it was for the betterment of me.

I only shared to special people where I worked now. Its very far from who I am, but yet, the job is very much the same. I have been working as a Marketing Researcher for a major beverage brand in Ortigas (yes, it is just a relatively smaller company than its main name) for the past month.

Changing workplaces is never easy. Like what I mentioned, you have to start from scratch. Though you basically know the ins and outs of your main work, you have to keep yourself updated on the industry statistics, that is understanding how the company works, its current economy and market, its projects, its initiatives and so much more. Aside from the burden of knowing these vital information, you have get by your new office mates. New people. New set of co-workers. New characteristics and personalities.

And little do you know, you are missing those people who have become a part of your life for the past 2 years. You missed their laughs, their early morning tsikahan, your open access to everything, your lunch time, your baon, your walk down the 20 flight of stairs when the elevator is full, your ID, your laptop, your desk and even those little errands that you do for them.

Like what everyone says, whether when you break up with somebody, lost somebody you loved the most or even the train that will take you smack right to your office hour, LIFE MUST GO ON. Good thing, the team I am with now welcomed me with open hearts and arms. With barely a month, we had lunch together, merienda and chit-chats. They would openly allow me to browse their computers, looking for things that will make me understand our products, our company. They shared what they know about each and every person in that floor.

In two weeks,  I made my first contact to the research agencies, asking them for bids. That is my first experience of being a client,  and being part of that "marketing group". In a month's time, I'll be handling a nationwide project, another project for the team across our floor, and slowly, my partner is letting me experience how to handle our brand managers, how kulit they become when they need the monthly reports. How I hear my name across the room, as I looked for the data that they need.

And last week, my first business planning and my first experience of reporting to the brand, in front of everyone. The whole marketing team welcomed us, the newbies, to their world. I am just happy that they are so accommodating and warm.

The GSMI Marketing Team (with me as the photographer)


I'm getting used to my new job. I have to wait for 5 more months to become a regular employee, but I am very happy that I have this experience.

I can proudly say that every thing I learned from my first job is getting paid off.