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The weekend escape!

rajo — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:45:37 +0000

I really wanted to get away over the Labor day weekend. The thing was I was not really able to prepare for it well. I found out quite late that Monday was declared a holiday too, so It was a mad scramble to get a place for us to go to too. I tried everywhere to find a place and everything was booked solid! This made me realize that I really must stop procrastinating on my “secret” project and start on it as soon as I can. The good news is that we were able to find a weekend escape courtesy of our dear friends Carla, Tin-Tin and Neil! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This is where I went to over the long weekend. I loved the fact that each time I go here it feels like it us just us and no one else.

We had the most amazing time in Zambales! I love the peace and serenity of heading over there because we were the only ones in the beach! I mean, that for me is true luxury! I also was able to sleep for like 10 hours straight which is impossible for me to do when I am in Manila! It was great just to turn everything off! No phones, No computer, No internet! I loved it! However the down side to all of this free time is that I ended up eating so much! Our hosts just kept on feeding us and who was I to say no to all the great food? I just have to intensify my work out schedule this week! LOL! Here are some photos from my weekend escape.

The last time I was here I tried to get on a surf board and learn how to at least paddle! LOL! That was not too successful so I did not even try on this trip.

The views were really nice.

Enjoying the Sunset!

HUGS!
RAJO!

I am going to miss this!

rajo — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:35:38 +0000

I just had a wonderful weekend in Misibis! It is probably my favorite resort getaway in the country! I had the best villa this visit! Nix and I would like debate whether we would like stay inside or enjoy the sun. Good thing the villa had these gigantic windows and you could feel the sun shine through! Plus the beds were GINORMOUS! LOL! It was difficult to leave, but it’s December and we have so much to do! Just wanted to share with you my latest Misisbis resort shots!

The lovely manicured walkways.

Discreet villas, lined with lush greens.

The view when we woke up! Precious and priceless!

The gigantic bed which I had to be pried out to get out off! LOL! Misibis has really the most awesome beds and pillows!

HUGS!
RAJO!

NYC Day 2

rajo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:24:41 +0000

The weather has been pretty grey and rainy in the city, so I kind of feel lazy going out! Instead, I decided to enjoy my fabulous suite! Oh, they upgraded us to a bigger suite by the way! Can you imagine? I love my new suite because it’s so old world! I mean I don’t know anyone from my generation who has rooms that look like this. It’s really lovely!

This is the bedroom! It feels like a room fit for a princess!

This is the living room!

The bathroom!

The view of Park Ave.

My youngest sister Gela arrived this morning and we all took the time out to watch HAIR the musical! The performers were amazing but we had those nosebleed seats cheap tickets! LOL!). I am also suffering from a bit a jet lag, so I was dozing off at some points of the musical. It was a free- for-all kind of musical and the songs were great, but I did not get the story. I think I may have to watch it again, next time with a better view and without JET LAG LOL! I just hope that the weather gets better!

Gela and me in Times Square!

We were so all so excited to watch Hair the musical.

The ceiling of the Hirschfeld theater was incredible! Loved the details!

Our view from our nosebleed seats!

HUGS!
RAJO!

New York Pilgrimage!

rajo — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:08:00 +0000

Greetings from one of my favorite places in the entire planet! NEW YORK CITY! I just love the energy of the place and I come here to energize. I arrived at night and I decided to walk around first to feel the cool autumn air! Thankfully, it was not super cold as I expected. My brother and sisters arrived ahead of me and this is like a reunion of sorts. My siblings and I have not traveled together for a really long time, so I am pretty excited about this. I will be trying my best to update my blog everyday, since there is so much to share and so little time! So far, these are my day’s highlights!

Walked around the city to get my bearings.

Looked up and saw the beautiful Chrysler building all lit up

My lovely suite at the historic Waldorf Astoria. Love staying here as I feel the history all around me!

Love the complimentary champagne and the super DELISH chocolate-covered strawberries! YUM!

We woke up to find this outside our window! The view is breathtaking! Said my prayers of thanks!

Close up of the view from our room!

Nix, admiring the views!

I had this for breakfast! It may not be so pretty, but boy was it good!

My sister Venisse and John are with me, and my youngest sister Gela is arriving tom pa! YAY!!!! We are all complete!

Enjoying the fantastic Fall weather!

Had to stop here for the Gossip Girl fans! LOL!

Photo op! LOL!

My dear friend PJ is taking care of me on this trip! He is a DARLING!

RAJO!

Magnificent MISIBIS BAY!

rajo — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:43:36 +0000

A few months ago, I blogged about this fabulous resort that was about to open! It’s called the MISIBIS BAY resort! Finally, after all these months, I was ready to try it out. After my stay… Trust me when I say that this place is going to be one of the hottest resort destinations in the country! I love the tranquility of the whole place and the fact that it is run by the Raintree group, so you can be assured of the most impeccable service.

The resort is situated in the island of Cagraray, which just a quick 30-minute boat ride out of Legaspi. The airplanes you take are the big ones, so those of you scared of tiny planes need not be be petrified! There are 5 flights a day and getting there is a breeze!

This is the super chic fast boat that took us to the island!

When we arrived, there were dancers that greeted us!

Our resort manager Ian giving us the welcome speech!

My beautiful villa!I loved the views from the super large windows, as this automatically puts you in a relaxed mode!

Halo-Halo was like given to us the minute we set foot on the resort!

Leica and Anika Valdes....enjoying the Halo-Halo!

The accommodations are stellar! I mean the beds are just so comfortable that often you find yourself wishing to stay longer in bed! Did I forget to mention about the food? OMG! They kept on feeding us every 25 minutes! LOL! It was crazy! You could not say no as the food was really delectable! I mean they have the best LAING on the planet! LOL!

This was our personal butler JG HENRY! He was super efficient! I mean it felt like he was always there each time we need him. He had this ready smile every time, it was so honest and he was so happy to help all of us!

Nuts and their infamous Kropek was also served! This Kropek was so deadly that we must have consumed 2 kilos each of these highly addictive snacks in our stay! At one point, I just had to move away from it, as one piece is all you need and kaboom, you're hooked! LOL!

ARGH! More snacks! The thing is, they are all so yummy and good!

Nix getting the signature foot bath!

Leica....instantly hitting the day bed for a quick nap.

Personal cookies for the kids! It's tiny touches like this that made our stay truly unforgettable! Like when we got into our room, we had a photo of NIx and myself on the TV screen! It said welcome to MISIBIS BAY! OMG!

The beach sand was not as fine as Boracay, but since it was just us, you could really feel how luxurious it all was! We literally felt that we had the island just to ourselves!

I took some photos of the decor of the dining area. I love the use of local color!

When in Bicol, one must have Bicol Express!

YUMMY LAING! I swear it was probably one of the best laings I have tasted.

My villa at dusk! I was so blessed because they gave me a villa with the views of the sea!

The other villas with a 100-meter lagoon, which served as a connection for all the villas.

Another view of the villas.

I was so happy that I bumped into Rusty Lopez and Larry Silva. They are fashion designers that paved the way for all of us! They were so fun to be with! Misibis is the kind of resort that you hardly bump into any other guests. I think it was designed that way.

Nix and I during cocktail hour! LOL!

I had the best weekend experience at this resort! Check out their website at www.misibisbay-raintree.com or call their sales office for more information (632-683-8222 local 3881 & 3882).
HUGS!
RAJO!

The Long Weekend

rajo — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:40:49 +0000

I am loving all these long weekends that we are having. It gives me a chance to escape and seek adventure. When I heard that my friend Tessa Valdes and her family were heading to the Misibis Bay resort, I just had to tag along. We left on a Saturday at the break of dawn and took the first flight to Legaspi. We were bummed out that the plane was delayed for an hour, but we were rewarded by the beautiful sight of the MAYON volcano with all its glory! I took this as a sign that we will be having a really fantastic weekend! I decided to break my trip down to several posts as I took more that 300 photos! LOL! Enjoy the pictures!

I was traveling with the entire Valdes family and our fave girl friends Leica and Joanna. Here were are lounging at the airport waiting for our delayed flight.

When we were about to land Nix pointed out the Mayon Volcano to me! I was so excited as it was so clear! Legend has it that the Mayon only shows herself to those who deserves to see her beauty! Well....We should be so lucky! As she was in all her glory!

I took it as a sign that this would be a really fantastic weekend!

The required tourist shot! Nix and His BFF Joanna Arcega!Leica and Tessa jumping up for joy! WOO HOO! These ladies needed to chill big time! They just finished the ironman triathalon last week and all they wanted was to rest!

Before heading out to our resort we stopped by the airport gift shop and loaded up on the best looking bags in the region! Check this one out?

These were designed by my dear friend Marissa Andal. The consumate shopper Tessa cleaned the racks out of the store in less that 10 minutes! The poor sales person must have been so overwhelmed as Tessa must have bought 20 bags or more! LOL!

Tessa and my beautiful God daughter Athena!

Nix and His BFF Joanna Arcega!

HUGS!
RAJO!

Weekend Escape!

rajo — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:14:04 +0000

I really needed to get away from it all this weekend! You know that kind of feeling when all you need is a whiff of fresh air and just a change of environment? We were invited to my godson’s first birthday party over at the Anvaya Cove so I decided to make a full weekend out of it. Never mind if there was an impending storm in the area, I was determined to get out of the city!

I work Saturdays, so right after work, we drove up to Anvaya. I was so surprised at how great the roads were. It was a really quick drive, not counting the traffic along EDSA. It took us under 3 hours, and my driver even said that without the outgoing city traffic, he could do it in under 2 and half hours. A family friend has a villa up there and they were so generous to let me borrow it.

Anvaya cove ROCKS! It was so beautiful! It was everything I really needed and more. The weather was quite weird – sunny one minute and rains and winds the next. I did not mind because I loved it! The house was perfect, as they had the Jacuzzi warmed up and we had many hours to relax in the pool with our wine glasses in hand! Even if it was just overnight, it was such a treat. I really wanted to stay longer but alas, work beckons. I do hope that I get invited again?

The lush greens and the impressive trees were just so poetic around the Anvaya cove. This is an Ayala land property. I think it's their first venture in the leisure market and I was very impressed!

This was the entrance of the villa we borrowed. It was really nice. Just the perfect size.

The villa is surrounded with so much greenery that you could really feel your lungs take in all the fresh air. I loved the Jacuzzi/pool as it was so inviting and relaxing. I went on a lazy mode immediately.

The plants here are so healthy!

We peeked inside the villa next door and I almost collapsed with the beauty of the view! OMG! The weather made the waves extra strong! I really really want a place like this!

The pool and the deck spread out to this amazing view!

Pauline came over to try out the Jacuzzi! We actually ended up quite late but it was truly a much needed break.

HUGS!
RAJO!

Goodbye Tokyo!

rajo — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:45:21 +0000

It was my last day in Tokyo and there was this sadness that was in me. I was sad that I had to go back to Manila because it’s always so wonderful to be on vacation and not care about anything, although I do know that Tokyo will always be there for me.

This entry is about random shots taken on my last day in Tokyo. I had a super time bonding with my family and just running around doing silly things. Everyone needs to be silly and bored every now and then. I do not get to have that luxury when I am home. Till my next adventure!

Kabuki theater in Japan is really an experience. The actors are all men, even this lady on the bottom right. Teka, mukha namang lalake yan talaga ah? LOL!

More Kabuki shots. Too bad I did not have time to see a show this trip. Next time.

Love this egg-like sculpture found at the Tokyo mid-town mall.

The beautiful rooftop of the Tokyo midtown mall!

My girl Leica.

Dong and Leica doing last minute shopping around the Roppongi hills area. We were so lucky as the summer sales began that day. Can you imagine that everything was like 50% off? Since we were tourists, we got an additional 10 to 15% off pa! So we shopped to death! LOL!

Check this cake out! Does it not look like the most yummy cake in the world? It's from this bakeshop called Harps. Or was it Carps? LOL! I forget the name because the cake was too good!

I had this super light peach cheesecake! It was good, but the layered fruit with crepe was 1000 times better!

Bye Tokyo! See you very soon!

HUGS!
RAJO!

Dumaguete Daze!

rajo — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 10:22:05 +0000

I flew out to Dumaguete for the weekend! My Mom is from here and I have lots of memories of Dumaguete. I spent a lot of summers here as a child. I try to come and visit every year. We are normally here this time of the year, as we never fail to celebrate my Grandfather’s birthday! This year my Lolo is turning 89 years old! I am so fortunate to still have grandparents from both sides of my family. I feel that having them is really a wonderful blessing.

We took the first flight out of Manila and we arrived just in time for breakfast. I love having breakfast in the province, as everything is really fresh! We had freshly baked pandesal, local longanizas, and scrambled eggs! I love the fact that the my Lola Turing‘s kitchen is still the same after all these years! It’s the old-fashioned outhouse kitchen, the type where you use firewood. Somehow, this adds a special flavor to the food.

After breakfast, I decided to go UKAY-UKAY! Dumaguete for me is a secret vintage resource. I have been “vintaging” here since I was a teenager and I always manage to score some major finds. My favorite UKAY place is called AlenMae. I love how civilized the UKAY is in Alenmae. It’s very organized and it’s not too grungy! LOL!

This trip was spectacular as I was able to find a fabulous Louis Vuitton jacket for Venisse! I failed to get a photo of it as she immediately took it home. I will definitely post a photo of it when the time comes. I also scored several finds with photos and captions.

After the UKAY, we headed out to Bahura, a resort in Dauin. We love going here, as my nieces and nephews love the gigantic pool! We spent the rest of the day swimming and eating and bonding!

There is actually so much to do in this laid back university town! I will be here till Sunday and there are still several things on my to do list! In the meantime, I would like to personally invite you to Dumaguete! I consider it my secret treasure.

As the morning sun rose, I took quick snapshots of the Boulevard! I love how large the trees have grown!

The boulevard is really a great way to feel this sleepy and laid back town.

On the boulevard, you will find this surreal flying nun monument. It never fails to make me smile.

At the end of the boulevard is the pier. Funny how this now looks so small, for I remember it being so big when I was a child. Now they have this merienda-like area where you can watch the sunrise or sunset while enjoying local delicacies.

This is my Lolo and Lola's house. We call it "Dakung Balay," which means Big House. It's really not that big, but we though it was gigantic when we were small so it stuck. I am loving how my Lola has kept the garden so lush and green despite the summer heat.

This is my Grandfather Herminio "Meniong" Teves. Happy Birthday LOLO! He is really an inspiration to us all!

This is my Lola's wood-burning kitchen. I have lots of memories of this place, as I literally grew up in the kitchen! LOL!

Nix and I stayed at this funky inn called Florentina Homes. It's really cool! It has several villas and each of them is styled differently. One is Tudor English style, another is like a Swiss Chalet. My mom got us the Mexican-inspired villa. I liked the place, as it is well thought out and the beds are quite comfortable, Check it out at florentinahomes.com. This is Nix at the cafe, which was like a '50s diner.

This is another shot of the Cafe. It has a do-it-yourself charm about it, with lots of personal effects lying around. I have a feeling that a lot of it comes from the knick-knacks from the vintage bazaars which dot the city.

I always go UKAY-UKAY in Dumaguete! I love vintage hunting here, as it's very organized and it's not so dusty! There are several vintage centers in the city. but my favorite is AlenMae. I won't disclose where it is...LOL! But when you come to Dumaguete, every tricycle driver knows where it is.

I was over the moon when I found these vintage shades! The brand is Bushnell, a division of Bausch & Lomb. They came with a cool leather case. Inside the case was a certificate that stated that it was made in 1978. How cool is that?! I found two aviator style shades. This and a vintage aviator Rayban, but I decided to share the loot with my new balikbayan friend from Toronto, Caroline.

I found this amazing '50s dress I automatically thought that it was perfect for my friend Pauline Suaco-Juan. I love the delicate beading on the bodice and the soft pleat detail on the skirt. I cannot wait for Pauline to try it on for size! I know that it will definitely suit her feminine aesthetic.

I also found these "Bugaloo" shades for just 250.00 Pesos! I bought it for my wacky friend Angelo Villanueva! I am sure he will love these!

We then proceeded to the resort called Bahura. My family really likes it there because each time we're in town, that's where we go. The weather was just GLORIOUS!

This is my sister Gela. She is trying out the shades I bought for Angelo. UH... It's not working for her.

I love the water! Here I am with my nieces Alix, Danielle and Gaia. Gela also made singit in the shot.

Summer blooms were abound. Loving the color of this flower.

Nix really likes the Kalachuchi (Frangipani) tree. I like the name. I find it funny!

Palm trees = Summer for me.

Right after lunch, we headed out to the beach to just chill. Best of all, we did absolutely nothing. I love that!

HUGS!
RAJO!

Pink Easter!

rajo — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:15:20 +0000

I just wanted to share with you how I spent my Easter Sunday! We had a PINK BRUNCH! LOL! You all must know that I love Sunday brunches, and since it was Easter, we had to do something extra special.

I have a friend who is the PR manager of the Le Meridien in Shanghai, and he conceptualized the LA VIE en ROSE brunch! What I loved about it was almost everything was in PINK! Even my PR friend! LOL! Me and my friends had the best time! We specially loved the overflowing champagne! It was the perfect way to celebrate the Resurrection of JESUS! I hope everyone had a fantastic EASTER!

This greeted us as we entered the super busy Le Meridien Shanghai hotel!

The man in pink is my friend Leo Capispisan. He is the main PR man of the Le Meridien in SHANGHAI! A really remarkable man! His story is really something special! Ask me about it when I see you, as it's one for a MAALALA MO KAYA epsiode!

A rose pink chocolate fountain!

Those are my Easter Brunch buddies! (Clockwise) Eddie, Keith,Kelvin, Bob and Nix!

Assorted Martinis all lined up for the taking!

I loved the candy section, where you can fill up your bottle with yummy candy and take it home as a souvenir.

Me and Leo strike a pose! Pardon my wearing Black...I was traveling lightly!

I loved Bob's sunshine yellow shirt!

Me, Eddie and Nix could not resist more photos!

High FIVE!

It took two women to carry the gigantic champagne bottle! Can you imagine what a workout that must have been, as they had to give everyone champagne!

I found the uniforms of the champagne girls very "Richard Prince" of last year's LV collection! LOL!

Bob.. living the LA VIE en ROSE in Shanghai! Thank you Bob, for the wonderful EASTER invitation!

Loved Nix's cropped khaki pants and matching cropped jacket! A casual version of THOM BROWNE...isdatchu?

HUGS!
RAJO!