Myanmar 2017

I usually plan my vacation at least 3 months before my birthday month which is April but this year my twin sister and I didn't want work to get in the way so we decided to just to go for it and travel 1 month ahead. Our country of choice this year is Myanmar. In case you're wondering why, I find this country interesting just by looking at pictures of famous local celebrities that I've been following on Instagram. Most people who visit Myanmar recommend to visit Bagan because that's where all the ancient temples are located. My trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia three years ago is one of my most memorable travels because I have never seen such beautiful and intricately made temples so I thought about going to another country that will mesmerize me the way this country did.

My itchy feet couldn't wait any longer so I book our flight a week before our trip and just planned our itinerary afterwards. There are no direct flights from the Philippines going to Myanmar, only connecting flights with stopover to either Singapore or Malaysia depending on the airline company. We agreed to book Tiger Airways with connecting flights to Singapore going to Yangon. 

Finding a place to stay is a challenge for us since we have no idea what to expect from hotels in Myanmar. I relied heavily on reviews from Tripadvisor and travel blogs. I booked via hotels.com for our first hotel in Yangon and we want one that's close to Aung Mingular Bus Station since we're looking at going to Bagan on our second day in Myanmar. My sister decided that we book JJ Express Bus ahead of time for our Bagan trip to avoid any hassle when we get there which is highly recommended by tourists. Just an fyi, JJ Bus or Joyous Journey is a reputable bus company in Myanmar with routes going from Yangon to Bagan and vice versa, Yangon to Mandalay and v.v., Mandalay to Inle Lake and other famous tourist spots. Booking with JJ Express online is such a breeze. What my sister did was to communicate with them via Facebook messenger and we got our assigned seat numbers for both trips in no time while I took care of another hotel reservation for us so we have a place to stay when we arrived in Bagan. I jotted down four famous temples that we'll be visiting in Yangon and Bagan and hopefully it wouldn't be so hard to accomplish. 

We're all set and ready to go.

This is it!

02.27.17

Boarding soon

Upon arrival in NAIA T1 we paid our travel taxes immediately. Travel tax still cost Php1,620 each. We were starving we decided to grab a bite first while waiting for the check in counter to open. For some odd reason there's no other dining option in T1 but Jollibee. Our flight is scheduled at 9:35 PM and the check in counter opened around 7. We boarded almost 10 PM, talk about Filipino time y'know. 

Hello Singapore!

(02.28.17)

Airport and Sky train hopping at Changi

Singapore time is the same as the Philippines. We arrived in Changi Airport Terminal 2 earlier than the e.t.a (estimated time of arrival) which is 01:15 AM. We strolled the airport and hopped the Sky train to get to Terminal 3 where Singapore Foodstreet is located because I've been craving for Hainanese Chicken rice all my life since I went to Singapore 6 years ago. Chicken rice is a popular dish in SG unfortunately the only stall that sells that is not open 24 hours so I ate Duck rice instead. We enjoyed the free wifi, foot massage and exercising through the travelator for 6 hours until it's time for our 07:20 AM flight to Yangon.

Yangon-Bagan, Myanmar

Yangon International Airport is practically NAIA Terminal 1. It is a very basic and small airport you won't get lost. The only familiar fastfood chain is KFC but we preferred to eat at this local resto called Bites because I don't like eating western food when I visit other countries as much as possible just for a change.

Chicken Lemak and Coke for brunch

We hailed a cab for 6,000 kyats from Y.I.A to High Five Hotel. We're able to check in early at 11AM at no extra cost. Check in time is supposedly not until 2PM but most hotels allow early check in as long as it's not too early like maybe earlier than 9AM otherwise if you want to check in immediately, might as well book one more day and note as very late arrival if it's going to be the following day already. 

High Five Hotel

High Five Hotel, Yangon
35, Thiri Kan Thar Street (Near North Oakalar Lane Zone), Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

We had 2 beds put together and an ironing board in the room as requested. There are large windows and the room is spacious for the two of us. The staff were hospitable and helpful but barely understand or speak English. We also noticed the frequent power outages and latency of the Internet at this hotel which is kind of frustrating I don't think they have a generator it's quite a shame to their guests. I'm aware that they do not have a lift because I read online reviews about this hotel but I did not expect the narrow stairs I regret wanting a room on the 5th floor which is the top floor.

Day 1. 

Yangon Day Tour

Shwedagon Pagoda 

After a warm shower and an hour of rest we took a cab for 5,000 kyats from our hotel to the infamous Shwedagon Pagoda. We paid an entrance ticket of 8,000 kyat total for both of us. We were given stickers and brochures of what we expect to see inside the temple. No shoes/socks allowed in Myanmar temples because it is a sacred place so we endured walking barefoot under the scorching heat of the sun our feet was literally on fire. We were in awe upon seeing golden temples we couldn't help but take lots of pictures and videos. It didn't take us an hour to get around this temple. 

Chaukhtatgyi Buddha
a.k.a Reclining Buddha

From Shwedagon Pagoda we rode a cab again to get to Chaukhtatgyi Buddha a.k.a Reclining Buddha and paid only 2,500 kyat. I suppose it's not too far that's why the fare is pretty cheap. Stray dogs roam freely at this temple but they're harmless and we really didn't mind since we're animal lovers. There are several souvenir shops around this temple we wasted no time and bought stuff like pashmina scarves, fridge magnets, and scroll artwork display. I also bought a longyi (lon-jee) for myself that I can wear every time we visit a temple. Longyi is a traditional Burmese wrap around sheet worn around the waist down to the feet, it's kinda like Sarong. Haggling is a bit of a challenge in this country probably due to language barrier but you can try, to get more value for your money. Souvenir prices range from 500 - 8,000 kyats but for high quality fabrics it can go up to 25,000 kyats. 

Souvenirs bought from Yangon

We dine at a local restaurant few blocks away from this temple then took a cab back to our hotel. We're so tired we had a good night sleep. Our first night in Yangon went well, I think. 

Day 2.

Off to Bagan 

(03.01.17)

At JJ Express Bus terminal. Snack on board and TV
made our trip really comfortable.
I fell in love with Faludah.

We checked out at 01:00 PM from High Five Hotel then went to straight to Aung Mingular Bus Station where JJ Express is located so we can pay and claim our tickets for our 08:00 PM trip. It was extremely hot in Yangon we couldn't wait at the terminal for 6-7 hours we decided to look for a place to eat and cool down for a while. There are many local restaurants in the area however, locals don't speak English and their menu is written in Burmese we nearly gave up thank God we found one restaurant with pictures of their menu posted on the wall with corresponding prices it definitely made things a lot easier we just pointed at the picture of the food that we want to eat and there we have it. We ordered fried rice chicken curry and strawberry shake because those are the only food that's familiar to us. I think Myanmar is spicy food haven because anything we ate so far are spicy. While waiting for time to pass without wifi, we edited pictures on our phones just so we will not get too bored. Later on we ordered Faludah because I read somewhere on the Internet that it is a must try dessert in Yangon we told ourselves we must not let this chance pass. Faludah tastes so darn good it's made up of rose syrup, jellies, vanilla ice cream, milk, etc. This yummy chiller made my day. 

They serve free hot coffee at JJ Express which is kinda awesome especially if you're getting kinda sleepy. We boarded the bus 10 minutes before 08:00 PM. Snacks like biscuits, bread, bottled water, soda and blanket came with our first class ticket. There's also a small TV for each passenger I watched Tom and Jerry, lol. We had a really comfortable trip so to speak. It's a 9 hour trip from Yangon to Bagan but there are stopovers for passengers to use public restrooms and find some place to eat. The first stopover is for 30 minutes and the last one is 14 minutes. It was a long ride but time passed by so quickly when you're tired and asleep anyway. We arrived in Bagan around 6 AM.

A chilly morning greeted us.

Day 3.

Good Morning Bagan 

(03.02.17)

Sky View Hotel
No. 69, Shwe Knat Kaw Street, Zay Ya Waddy Quarter
Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma)

View from our room Sky View Hotel

Bagan full day tour

Spicy and yummy tofu
at Be Kind to Animals the Moon
Restaurant

After the receptionist scanned our passports we settled in our room then had our first breakfast in Bagan at the rooftop. No wonder this hotel is named Sky View because there's literally a view of the sky and some hot air balloon from afar at the rooftop, it's kinda cool. I told my sister that this hotel offers half or full day Bagan tour. I saw a tarpaulin by the reception area so I called the receptionist from our room phone to inquire about the tour rates.

We took advantage of the full day tour for 35,000 kyats. What I like most about this hotel is that they offer private tours, we have group tours we want be able to take charge of our time y'know. The driver of the SUV awaits us outside the hotel and picked us up at 09:00 AM. We went to several temples in Old and New Bagan where we took a lot of photos and videos as usual. We went shopping for more souvenirs and had lunch at this vegan restaurant called Be Kind to Animals the Moon located in Old Bagan. We decided to end our tour at around 3 in the afternoon and head back to the hotel to get some rest. We missed seeing the Bagan sunset supposedly at 5 PM which is still part of our tour but we're already very tired from our trip last night and we've been walking all day.

Bagan have too many beautiful temples

Keep walking

Awesome structures

Very rich culture

At Mahabodhi Temple

I love rooms with large windows. This hotel do not have coffee and tea making facilities, a hairdryer and in-room safe but there's a mini fridge and we're okay with that. Free breakfast and wifi is offered in most hotels in Myanmar but the Internet is not fast just like in Yangon.  

It's a nice room we got. No power outage.

We slept soundly.

Day 4.

Leaving Soon

(03.03.17)

Palm tree farm in central Myanmar

Check out time is at 12 noon but we have nowhere to go after leaving the hotel. The cab driver who drove us to JJ Express terminal told us that we're too early to be at the terminal because our trip back to Yangon is not until 08:00 PM so he offered us a tour to Mt. Popa for 35,000 kyats but we asked him first to take us to downtown to have our money changed since we are running out of kyats then we went back to the bus terminal to pay for our tickets before going to Mt. Popa which is an hour drive located southeast of Bagan in central Myanmar.

View from Mt. Popa summit

Bright as the sun

Spicy stir fried noodles and monkey
guarding the temples at Mt. Popa

On our way to Mt. Popa we had a quick stopover at a Palm tree farm where we saw interesting products made from palm tree juice, leaves, etc. Upon reaching Mt. Popa the driver parked the car across the entrance of the temple that we have to climb. I got a little scared because there are monkeys everywhere and they are not very friendly but I kinda pity them when I saw how poor their health condition was. They have scabies all over their bodies and they feed on anything that tourists will throw at them no wonder why they snatch food because they are not fed properly. It's a long climb to get to the summit I just realized that we climbed 777 steps when my sister Googled how many steps there are to get to the peak of Mt. Popa. Well, that explains why my legs are shaking really bad after.

We arrived at the bus terminal around 5 PM  which is still quite early but I think we're able to manage our time wisely. I booked us another hotel in Yangon via Agoda.com while at Sky View Hotel but I forgot to note that we'll be arriving really late. I called the hotel from JJ Bus ticketing booth I'm glad the lady was kind enough to let me advise the hotel. 

It's another 9 hour bus ride from Bagan to Yangon.

Goodnight and goodbye Bagan. 

Day 5.

Back to you, Yangon 

(03.04.17)

Galaxy Hotel
No.(2A/5A). Okkalar Thiri Garden Street, (D) expand,
North Okkalapa Township, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

Our room at Galaxy Hotel.
They have a lift and nice dining room

Galaxy Hotel have a western feel for me. It's modern and newer compared to High Five. We arrived in Yangon as early as 5 in the morning good thing it's not very difficult to get a cab from the bus terminal to our hotel. Upon arriving at Galaxy Hotel I showed the booking number from my phone to the receptionist. She gave us orange juice as refreshments and asked us to wait while she scan our passports. After giving our room key and wifi password we immediately went to our room at the 4th floor unfortunately we had to come down after a few minutes because the wifi isn't working. The receptionist couldn't figure out what was wrong why both our mobile phones wouldn't connect to the Internet she eventually rebooted the router and that solved the problem. We're about to head back to our room when she called my attention that breakfast is ready. I honestly enjoyed breakfast at this hotel because they have more options compared to all the other hotels we've stayed at. I also like their dining room, it's nice and clean.

We thought about visiting one more temple since it's our last day in Yangon but our plans changed we decided to just stay at the hotel and get a good rest. We bought snacks at a nearby convenience store then spend the rest of the day watching movies.

Day 6.

Goodbye Yangon

(03.05.17)

Goodbye Yangon!

Our flight is scheduled at 09:25 AM (Yangon standard time) so we checked out from the hotel at 6 AM. We arrived at the airport before 7 but the taxi driver dropped us off the wrong terminal we had to walked passed 2 terminals good thing terminals at Y.I.A are not too far from each other. The check in counter is not open yet we had our last breakfast in Yangon at KFC. We thought about spending all the local money that we have left so we bought flavored gum and bottled water. I'm kinda sad our vacation is almost over but still excited for our 12 hour layover in SG.

Our plane departed kinda late I guess Burmese people also have their own version of Filipino time.

Goodbye Yangon!

Back to you Singapore

I love Changi and chicken rice!

Our plane landed in Singapore earlier than 01:15 in the afternoon, our e.t.a. We didn't have to go through Immigration check since we purchased Tiger connect which is kinda convenient unfortunately we didn't get our passports stamped nevertheless, we're glad to be spending more time in Changi this time around. We availed of the 24 hour free wifi we just scanned our passports in their self service wifi kiosk then we had our late lunch at Singapore Foodstreet. I'm a happy camper I was able to finally savour Hainanese Chicken rice, yay! We went souvenir shopping afterwards. We changed some of our $US to $SG so we have some money to spend on food and drinks while at the airport. We bought pizza bread before checking in at Aerotel Transit Hotel located at Terminal 1. We had a hard time finding this hotel for some reason maybe we're just really tired or something but thank God the front desk guy whom I suspect is a Filipino too, adjusted our check out time because we booked for 6 hours from 4-10 PM supposedly however, we arrived late around 4:30 PM already looking for this lounge, geez.

Aerotel Transit Hotel
Level 3, Departure Transit Lounge, Terminal 1 (above Gate D41)
Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore 819642

Our room at Aerotel Transit Hotel

I'm in love with that life sized
cosmetic mirror

We had a really comfortable stay at Aerotel. We booked a 6 hour day rate package (minimum length of stay) for $76. We got a medium twin room with an ensuite shower room, TV, coffee and tea and free wifi (Changi airport's public wifi). There's no in-room safe or mini fridge but it's no biggie. Their rates may be a little overpriced but we didn't mind because we really need a place where we can rest comfortably and shower before our flight back to Manila.

We stayed at The Wings Transit Lounge in NAIA T3 last year when we went to Hanoi, Vietnam because we intentionally arrived really early for our flight to avoid getting stuck in traffic. We booked a twin room with bunk beds but the actual room size is rather small. There's no air conditioning and no private bathroom. There's free meal to boot but we didn't have a comfortable experience for a hefty price of Php1,800 only for 4 hours compared to Aerotel.

We checked out before 10:30 PM although our flight is not until 01:55 AM so we still have time to eat and stroll Changi.

Time is up. Goodbye Singapore!

Touchdown Manila

(03.06.17)

Our plane landed past 5 in the morning at NAIA T1. I'm not a fan of  this terminal simply because there's no place to eat but thank God at least there's Foreign Exchange around the corner. We had our foreign currencies changed back to PhP and finally travelled back home.

Travelling is such a wonderful experience. I cannot wait to travel again.

Right on!

Not so Jolli...Bee :(((

I haven't been watching a lot on TV lately that's why when these Valentine TVC (television commercial) series from Jollibee (one of the top fast food chains in the country) came out I was like "what the hell is going on???" Because everyone is talking about it on Facebook, Twitter, it's pretty much everywhere on the Internet I told myself I gotta see all three Jollibee TVCs or I'll be completely left out. 

Without further ado, lets watch Jollibee's Valentine TVC series first in case you haven't seen any of these yet.

"Date"

"Vow"

"Crush"

Now what? 

When I first saw "Date," (the first out of the three) I was hopeful that the dad will show up after his son because I was thinking that he has a bigger surprise but the ending came out totally unexpected it left me shattered and tearful. I was like, wtf?! It was a very sweet moment that for some reason ended tragically for me. Hello, William Shakespeare? or a date gone wrong it left a very heavy feeling to be honest. 

Here comes "Vow," the second among the three which was quite predictable for me although at the back of my head I was still thinking that maybe what I'm anticipating will not happen unfortunately, it did. The girl married somebody else and not his "bestfriend. Friend zone at its finest man! I told myself that maybe he courted her at one point just not shown on the tvc of course, but she turned him down that's why even if it was really difficult for him to accept that they're not meant for each other, he accepted his fate (sigh) with a heavy heart (I suppose). He's such a good friend but a real martyr I wanna strangle or slap him (I'm so affected, lol!). 

Last but not the least is "Crush." Thank God I last saw this one because it ended happily, yay! I like the 80s feel on this kinda like reminiscing the 1984 movie "Bagets." I didn't realize that the lead characters will end up together really, I thought it's another heartbreak and I wouldn't want to completely lose my wits so I better expect the worse. I guess it's best to not expect too much to avoid disappointments, teehee!   

To sum it up, Jollibee totally nailed it with their Valentine tvc series it was very, very effective. Thanks a whole LOT Jollibee for "toying" with our emotions it was a real good marketing strategy even foreigners who've seen these commercials are literally crying but left them curious at the same time some even mentioned about trying Jollibee's food when they visit the country. 

So what else to say but, thumbs up Jollibee. Well, what more can I say but love is can be bitter-sweet sometimes. IRL (in real life), there's no "perfect world."

#KwentongJollibee

H.V.D. + SHIFT Indie Film Review

Happy hearts day, yay! To be honest, there's really nothing special about this day although for some reason it's celebrated like a holiday in most parts of the globe. I bet flower shops and chocolate manufacturers are real happy. I greeted my niece Gab a happy V day by making her a Valentine inspired bento lunch box. I get my bento ideas from Pinterest, I'm a bento addict in case you didn't know, teehee! 

My Valentine's Day inspired
bento lunchbox

Since I'm not too busy for quite some time now, I signed up for Iflix, it's free anyway but for only for a month, no credit card required and there are tons of Tagalog movies compared to Netflix. I use to download movies a lot but my 1Tb external hard drive is running out of space I've already deleted a lot of movies believe it or not so I decided to just watch free movies online to take advantage of my 3mbps plan with PLDT. There's just so much to do on the Internet and the service is not cheap but my family only use it for basic stuff like emails, social media and downloading music and movies we thought we'd rather make the most out of it. We rarely use the phone but it's no biggie, you can't have Internet without a phone line with DSL so there's no way to drop it. 

Shift, Pinoy indie film 
by Siege Ledesma

I like watching local and foreign indie (independent) films when I have nothing to do since today is Valentine's day I think it is only fitting to review a love story. I've been scouring the Internet for a long time to find this Pinoy indie film entitled Shift, written and directed by Siege Ledesma starring Yeng Constantino but couldn't find it anywhere until recently my sister found a website where we're able to watch it (finally) for free. I know it's kinda late to review this film but who cares I liked it even more after watching it. Shift is an unconventional love story about Estela, a call center yuppie (young professional) portrayed by Yeng Constantino who fell in love with his co-worker Trevor played by Felix Roco, a gay colleague who became her mentor. Estela never had a boyfriend while Trevor is confused about his relationship with his boyfriend when he became her mentor to help pull her metrics up. The two became good friends so when Trevor broke up with his boyfriend Estela thought that they have a chance at love only to find out that he already met somebody else that left her heartbroken. Estela confronted Trevor about her feelings but realized that she can't change him so she decided to leave and pursue her application with another company. 

What I like about this film is that I can very much relate because I am working in the call center industry. I know how it feels to be working in shifts, to struggle with metrics and to try to find something to inspire me to come to work every day. I thought it's pretty interesting because it's definitely not a boy-meets-girl but gay-meets-girl love story as well as a realization about life, like finding one's purpose which happens to a lot of people who feel like working in a call center is just a temporary job while waiting for something better. I like the concept of rebellious-boyish girl meets a confused gay guy because I know that with love, anything is possible however, there are things that we cannot change but life goes on no matter what. I think I can watch this film over and over again, it's basically an emotional roller coaster no wonder it bagged the Grand Prix or Best Picture Award during the 2014 Osaka Asian Film Festival. 

On that note let me share this video of Cambio's song Call Center to end this writing. 

Kbye.

Feb-Ibig

Hello February! Love is in the air again. Today is the first day of February 2017 and I still could not believe that the most awaited 65th Miss Universe hosted by our country after 23 years is finally over. I was in sophomore high school when Sushmita Sen won the title in 1994, would you believe it? Can time slow down a little bit, please? How I wish. 

I know, it's only been 2 days since the Miss Universe pageant so I will completely understand why everyone is still talking about what happened, the excitement, disappointment and all the mixed emotions during the recently concluded event. To be honest, I am proud and disappointed at the same time just like everyone else but let's just face it that things happen for a reason. It is nerve-wracking to be on stage, believe me, I know for sure because I use to sing and compete as a kid. It's not easy not to get nervous in front of a large crowd, more so when the whole world is watching you. You can't please everybody, people will judge you no matter what. It's funny how some people are quick to express their disappointments over social media that our country's bet, Maxene Medina should have answered in the vernacular so it's easier for her to express her thoughts but let's just put it this way, what if she really cannot think straight because she got nervous or experienced mental block perhaps? Will that change anything? I don't think she deserves all the bashing and stuff because with all fairness to this lady, she gave her all it's just maybe the Q and A portion is her weakness. We all have our own weaknesses as human beings, right? No matter how beautiful or perfect you think you are. So let's just move on and get this over with, shall we?

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach passing the crown to
Miss France Iris Mittenaere. The 65th Miss Universe Pageant
was held last January 30, 2017, at the Mall of Asia, Philippines.

Miss Philippines was asked the question about what significant change she has seen in the last ten years. This was a tough question but let me try to answer it just for the heck of it:


"I believe that women empowerment is the significant change I have seen in the last ten years. Gone are the days when women have to stay at home and take care of the family. We've become more independent and assertive. I am proud to be a woman and proud of how far we've come."


If I joined Miss U and with this answer, will I make the cut??? Lol. Yeah, whatever hehe. That's all for now.

Welcome 2017!

Happy New Year!!! Welcome 2017, the year of the Fire Rooster. 

New year, new hopes and aspirations and of course, new year comes with New Year's Resolution, it's a tradition, but to be honest I would prefer to call it a game plan. 

Here's a list of what I'm looking to focus on this year:

1. Get back in shape.

- Holiday binge is over so there's no more excuse. I need to get back to healthy eating.

2. Travel at least once a year.

- I know that work can get in the way but I will still travel whenever I could.

3. Veer away from anything stressful.

- I want to live long. Stress is a killer.

4. Save up.

- This is perhaps the toughest one for me but I've done this before so I am pretty positive that I the key is to manage my expenses well.

5. Take time to learn new things.

- I'm up for anything new, bring it on. 

~ That's it for me. So what's yours? :p

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas y'all! I still have a little bit of a hangover from Noche Buena. I feel so bloated but I still can't stop eating because seriously, who doesn't love food right? I have this feeling that I'm being haunted by food spirits if they have one lol!

Noche Buena feast

Caffeine kept me awake from morning till midnight until it's time to open my presents and I'm really happy with what I got from my sissies I'm just a little disappointed that my twin was unable to make it for Noche Buena because she's at work. I'm just lucky that my rest days fall on weekends. Anyhow, I slept an hour past midnight then woke up again so my elder sister and I can attend today's mass. I'm still a little weary and sleepy from last night's food preppin' but I hate to spend my day in bed, it's Christmas right?!

My Christmas prezzies

I did not let Atari cat visit any garden yesterday so he spent all day sleeping which is better than fighting with other cats in the neighborhood, he's not very friendly.

Lazy Sunday it is.

44 Days

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... (one of my favorite classic Christmas songs) oh well because it's only 44 days to go before Christmas! It's no surprise the weather is getting kinda chilly these days. I thought about having a "kris kringle" at home for the sake of my eight-year-old niece so she'll feel the Christmas spirit a little and have something to look forward to, you know how kids get excited over gifts right? I promised her a bicycle if she gets good grades and I hope she's working on it. 

I'm still not over with my makeup shopping I thought this is the best time of the year to pamper myself so I recently got myself a makeup palette from Victoria Secret called the Mega Makeup Kit. It's actually my first time to own such a huge makeup kit, it's pretty hefty because it comes with tons of eyeshadows, blush and lip gloss to choose from for different occasions. The packaging is really nice although it doesn't come with the original box and brushes anymore. An officemate who sold this to me said that his aunt never used it and that it was just a gift so I got it at a discounted price from Php1,900 ($38) to 1,200 ($24) which is not bad because the new one cost anywhere from $500 - $240 (Php24k-11k+) in Amazon.com and the cheapest offer is around $99 (Php4k+). I guess the leather case made it so expensive? I really don't know but I think it's way too costly for a makeup kit. I haven't tried using this yet I just tried a few swatches of the eyeshadows and lip gloss I'm hoping that the price is all worth it. A friend of mine once gave me a VS Ultimate Shadow Trio and to be honest I don't use it that much because I noticed that VS eyeshadows are not pigmented enough it's kinda loose even if I use a primer compared to less expensive brands but like what said I still have to give this a shot and it's a good addition to my makeup collection.  

Victoria Secret Mega Makeup Kit

106 must-haves for eyes, cheeks, and lips

Aside from this makeup kit I also bought a Kylie Lip Kit True Brown K from an officemate for only Php200. I know, it's way cheaper for a KLK which cost around Php1,400+ (about $29 on the website) so you know for sure that it's fake and it's unfortunately sold everywhere. Just like any liquid lipstick, this is super matte once it dries up but the thing is we really don't know what it's made of so this kinda bothers me a lot, the health hazards and all.


I still don't encourage buying fake stuff although the quality may be just as good as the authentic ones, I still suggest going for dupes instead

Kylie Lip Kit True Brown K

So how do you spot a fake KLK? Watch this video.

MakeUp and More

Hello November, G'bye October!

Hey, I'm back! I've been busy with work, that's all. Hello November! This is it, we're getting close to the most awaited holiday of the year so better be done with your wishlist. I still prefer online shopping because I find it really convenient since I don't have time to go out and shop around  plus I'm not the type of person who has a lot of patience shopping especially during the "sale season" where everybody is heading to the mall I'd rather catch up on sleep and stay home. So, I bought some makeup and thought I'd share with you some feedback on these products which might help if you're a makeup addict like me.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color's Touch of Spice and Clay Crush 

(Watsons, SM Department Store / Php199 each)

Maybelline's Creamy Matte "Touch of Spice" 
(top left) and "Clay Crush" (bottom right)

When I saw this article on my Facebook feeds about month ago that there are Kylie Lip Kit dupes on sale from Maybelline, my sister and I tagged along to check out these creamy matte lippies for just P199 from its original price of P299. In case you're wondering why it's called creamy matte since there's no such thing as matte and creamy lipstick in a lady's point of view,  it's simply because it looks matte yet it doesn't leave your lips feeling dry, it's creamy formula glides on smoothly. I have a thing for dark shade lippies but for a change, I bought the nude shade of pink called "Touch of Spice" whilst my sister got herself the even nude-er shade "Clay Crush" which is kind of like a pale shade of brown and orange to me. These nude shades are perfect to wear during the day or if you just want to sport a "no makeup look." I've only used this product twice and so far what I like about it is that I don't need to apply too much because it's visible enough. To be honest, I'm not a fan of tube lipsticks anymore when I started using liquid to matte because I find it long-wearing and requires little to no touch ups unless you eat something oily. I think Maybelline's Creamy Matte is a good addition to my lipstick collection and I recommend it especially to ladies who prefer a more natural look.

Dose of Colors in SAND 

(Php200)

Dose of Colors for only P200+? You gotta be kidding me right? My answer is nope. When my sister told me that she bought a DOC liquid lipstick from a makeup kiosk at a local mall I knew for sure that it's not the real thing because I bought mine online for P600+ about a year ago. I've been thinking of buying another DOC lippie and SAND is on my list so when my sister hands me her fake DOC I tried it on my lips immediately, I still get excited a lot when it comes to makeup, may it be the real thing or not. For comparison's sake, you can hardly tell the difference just by looking at the packaging but what I noticed is that there's quite a difference in the label font and the original bottle is heavier, unlike the fake one which is very lightweight. The US authentic DOC I own is Berry Me which has a thick finish compared to this but just as matte and long wearing so if you just want to join the liquid lipstick bandwagon thingy and just got curious of DOC you just might buy the fake one instead of the original.  

DOSE OF COLOR's Berry Me (top)
and SAND (bottom)

Can you tell which one is authentic?

Personally, I don't encourage buying inauthentic makeup primarily because it contains ingredients that may be harmful to the skin but because it's way cheaper compared to the real thing that's why it's becoming more and more popular. I don't want to come clean because in the past I bought fake stuff too but just out of curiosity. I remember buying an Urban Decay liquid eyeliner from an Instagram seller for only P150 who claim that her items are Singapore authentic but just as good as the US authentic ones. I was totally disappointed when I tried it on it's like water and ink mixed together it's not worth buying at all and it's also causing my eyes to water every time I use it, must be some allergic reaction or something. Another online purchase that caused a sudden breakout to my face was a fake Mac Professional Highlighting and Sculpting powder and I didn't realize that it was causing the breakout until I stopped using it. If you have sensitive skin I still suggest buying the real thing and always remember that quality makeup ain't cheap so deal with it or better yet go for original dupes.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Beauty Mark

(Php200+)

I think NYX is probably one of the most affordable makeup in the market that's why when it comes to tube lipsticks I would still prefer this brand compared to the more expensive ones. Before I fell in love with liquid lipsticks I've been collecting matte from NYX. When my sister bought "Beauty Mark" it reminded me of "Maison" just the lighter version. Just like other NYX lipstick, it has a certain smell and this one smells like chocolate, yummy!

   

NYX Matte lipstick 
in "Beauty Mark"

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipstick - Trap

(Shopee, Php450)

Colourpop Ultra Matte's TRAP is love!

The next best thing after LA Splash "Ghoulish" is Colourpop's nude-ish pink shade called "Trap." I fell in love with this product instantly, it made me realize that nude is the new black. It's super matte but the texture is not too thick compared to the quality of LA Splash lippies so you barely feel it in your lips. Colourpop is a must have, it's definitely worth a penny.   

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - MILK

(Shopee, Php220)

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - Milk 
and LA Girl Pro Pressed Powder

LA Girl Pro Face HD Matte Pressed Powder 

(Shopee, Php299)

I find online shopping in Shopee such a breeze because you can shop and chat with the seller just by using one app. I also find it safer because the payment will not be released to the seller until you receive your item. I took advantage of the free shipping promo for orders over P250 last week that's why I decided to do my makeup shopping and I'm glad that I got all my orders the same week (yay!). 

I ran out of white eyeliner unfortunately that LOL brand in Watsons is out of stock so I decided to replace it with NYX jumbo eye pencil called Milk. I use a white eyeliner to line my waterline to make my eyes look bigger, it creates a more dramatic effect. This eyeliner can be used as an eyeshadow base or an eyeshadow too.

LA Girl is kind of new to me because I haven't tried any of their makeup yet but so far I'm liking the texture of this powder because it blends well with my skin tone. I usually apply the powder using a small brush when touching up but with this powder, I decided to use the sponge that came with it. I like the packaging a lot, it flips up easily, the compact mirror is nice too and there's a separate sponge keeper at the bottom of the powder with air holes so the sponge can breathe to avoid bacteria from thriving in it. I definitely recommend this powder since I like a more airbrushed look and great coverage too. 

Human Nature Perfect Finish Mineral Loose Powder - Soft Ivory

(Shopee, Php425)

Human Nature's Perfect Finish 
Mineral Loose Powder is 100% natural

I have oily skin so choosing a powder that will work for me is kind of tricky. To achieve a natural look is really important to me so I'm very picky when it comes to choosing a loose powder. It's my first time using a mineral loose powder from Human Nature so I have no clue if it will work for me but after a week of use, I think I'm loving it. This brand is locally made and 100% natural so I'm not worried about breakouts and all. This powder blends well with my makeup and Asian skin. I also like that it has a little bit of shimmer but it doesn't make my face look oily or cake too much.

W7 In the Nude Eye Color Palette

Dupe alert

This U.K. drugstore makeup will give Urban Decay a run for their money because it is a good dupe for Naked 3 Palette. My sister's officemate sold this to her for Php200 (about $4) which originally cost around $8.35 in Amazon.com. I haven't tried all the colors in this palette yet but so far, so good I like how pigmented it is I thought it's good to have and wearable for daytime makeup.

That pretty much wraps up my makeup review and before I go m.i.a. (missing in action) again, I just want to share my Halloween makeup.

Happy Halloween! 

Vamp it up! Boo... Happy trick or treat!

Hello Pout

Hashtag "Hello October", why can't time slow down a bit? I'm still trying to think what my Halloween makeup would be but definitely not Harley Quinn because every girl is going in that direction for sure so maybe something creepy enough to scare myself, lol. I guess I'm just terribly busy I noticed that I'm almost running out of makeup to use but no time to shop around so most likely I will end up shopping online again. Since I mentioned about makeup already I might as well do a quick review of this BYS lipstick I borrowed from my sister two days ago. 

I'm not a big fan of light colored lipsticks simply because I'm used to always accentuating my lips. Every time I wear a dark shade lipstick it makes my teeth look white, I just love contrast. I like liquid to matte lippies because it dries up easily and stays on longer. My sister bought this BYS Velvet lipstick called Mystical Rose from Watsons at SM Department store for almost Php400, which is not bad because other liquid lipstick costs a lot more so I decided to try this on for a day to see if it is long wearing just like La Splash or Dose of Colors. I thought the shade is a lot like mauve just by looking at the bottle so I was quite surprised that it is a pale shade of pink. The applicator is very easy to use which I like however, I'm not happy with the texture because it's not thick enough for me, I had to do multiple coats. Touch up is needed since it is not totally waterproof so, to be honest, I would rather go for a non-liquid lippie brands like Wet n Wild for this shade really. It's good to try something new but for now, I'll stick with brands that make me happy. 

So what do you have for me October? Bring it on.

My SSS UMID Application Experience

Hello September! Surprise me.

Hey, hey September! It's officially the start of "ber" months so before the year ends I decided to update all my membership records with Philhealth, Pag-Ibig (HDMF) and SSS (Social Security System). It's been over a decade since I got my SSS ID so I decided to keep my records up to date while I have some time to spare.

When I heard about the news five years ago that SSS will finally come up with a Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) which can be used to conduct business with these agencies (mentioned above including GSIS) I was ecstatic because this will definitely make life easier. SSS is the first agency to utilize the UMID system. I've been thinking about getting a new ID card but was too busy (and lazy)  to do so until somebody from HR (Human Resources) for the company I worked for suggested that I get the SSS UMID instead of Pag-Ibig ID because I told her about my plan of getting one when I drop by at the Pag-Ibig Fund office. 

The SSS Unified Multi-Purpose ID

I went to SSS office earlier and had things done in less than an hour (I think) with some help from the Information desk. Rule of thumb, if you don't know what to do, just ask because that's what I always do but also do a little bit of research before going there so you know what requirements to bring to avoid wasting your precious time. 

I booked an appointment online simply by logging on to my SSS account. The earliest available date is highlighted then it will ask for the reason for your appointment as well as your preferred time. Make sure to print out a copy of your confirmed appointment so you can just show it to the person in charge at the Information desk where you will get your queue number. A photocopy of my passport and TIN ID came handy as well as the accomplished copy of UMID card application form that's why I got things done in no time.  The last name on my old ID doesn't have an "enye" but I've used it for so many years I was surprised when the lady at the e-Ticket department asked me to to fill out 2 copies of the E4 form  to request for a last name change. I also had my home address updated because that is where the new card will be delivered. After updating my information I was asked to get the R6 form from the Information desk again and accomplish all 5 copies before going to the teller and pay the Php300 replacement card fee. Yes, there is a charge! For those people saying that it is free and that you will only pay if you lose your old card, it is not true at all because I asked someone from there. I still have my old card but once you decided to have it replaced you will pay for it regardless if you have a name change or not. Once paid I had my information double checked then I went ahead and have my picture taken where I was asked to remove my earrings and nose stud (it's required, no questions asked). Last but not least, I had my biometrics taken and was shocked when told that I had to wait 3-6 months for my new ID card to be delivered. I guess to keep my hopes up I was advised to follow up on the third month. I was like, seriously? 3-6 months is just way too long I think and I didn't see it coming I guess I have no choice but to just wait for it anyway.

That wraps up my SSS UMID application and I hope that the information I provided will help others who are looking to get their SSS ID updated. Just a heads up though, don't rely everything on what you read on the Internet because the experience is still the best teacher so when in doubt, just visit any SSS office near you. 

So there.