BOOKED: Novotel Nathan Road, Hong Kong

As I wrote in my last post, we are destined for HK and Macau in our first honeymoon trip. We plan to spend a couple of nights in HK and a couple of nights in Macau.

Probably the most challenging part in this trip so far is getting a good and not-so-expensive hotel in Hong Kong. I'm used to staying in a hostel when I visit HK, but of course, we won't settle for that in this trip. As we do our research we've come across some nice options that other honeymooners can consider when planning for their trip and intend to splurge a little.
 

Novotel Premier Room

Our Choice
Novotel Nathan Road - I initially wanted to stay in a luxury hotel, but we decided to save it for more shopping. We picked this hotel mainly because it is just minutes away from the Jordan station of the MTR and it's in the heart of the shopping district in Nathan Road. I've read good reviews about the hotel in Tripadvisor (which by the way has a great app for Ipod) as well. Room rates start at HK$1,000 + tax (breakfast not included, no cancellation policy).

Also, check out this blog entry from travel blogger Ivan Henares to know more about their room upgrade promo. I inquired about this promo and true enough your superior room can be upgraded to a premier room (with free wi-fi and buffet breakfast) for free. If this promo is availed, the standard room rate for a superior room will be HK$1,200 + taxes.

Other Options

-> W Hotel - This hotel still makes me drool. From the pictures, interiors are just very modern yet elegant. Would love to try out this hotel next time. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,800+.

-> Langham Hotel - Has good location and is near the star ferry pier. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,600+.

-> Langham Place - Right at the heart of Mongkok, this hotel should be perfect for tourists who love shopping. I was just afraid that the area may be too busy. Still, this hotel might be worth trying in the next visits. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,400+.

-> Luxe Manor - Has really unique interiors. All rooms seem to have a mystic feel in them and their themed suites may be worth a try someday. Somehow the themed room pictures remind me of the Victoria Court rooms here in the Philippines. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,100+.

-> Novotel Citygate - Nice hotel, but just way too far from everything else. Very close to the airport as well. Cheapest promo rates start at around HK$1,000+.

READ: The Dip by Seth Godin

Just finished reading The Dip by marketing guru Seth Godin. I bought his book out of curiosity after watching one of his talks in TED. I must admit, it was an interesting read that gave me a good perspective on when to quit and when not to. It's also a short book, just a perfect book to carry whenever I'm commuting or maybe doing my thing in the restroom.

Godin explains in his book when to know if you've reached the point where you are in The Dip and according to him, it is during this time when most people quit. Successful people though find a way to fight through The Dip. He also shared his perspective of being able to quit on something as early as possible, in fact he encourages quitting and quitting often.

There are a few things that stuck the most in my head.

1. Determine under what circumstances would you quit even before starting something.

2. If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.

3. If you're not going to get to #1, you might as well quit now.

To be honest, another reason I got this book is because a part of me believes I've hit a plateau in my IT career. I don't feel like I want to move up ranks and face the challenge. After reading The Dip, I gave myself a new perspective about my career and when I should quit and definitely now's not yet the time.

BOOKED: The Venetian Macau

Last month Joyce and I booked for our first out-of-the-country trip as a married couple. Taking advantage of Cebu Pacific's 50% off sale, we got MNL-HKG and MACAU-MNL tickets for just P8,500! It's no P0 fare, but it's quite a good deal considering that we'll be greeting the Chinese New Year there.

* Royale Suite

For our stay in Macau, we decided to book a 2-night stay in the very famous The Venetian Macau. And since we were booking early, we got a good 20% discount as part of their early bird promo. Still, the price didn't come cheap as we'll be spending about HKD5,000 for two nights in their Royale Suite (Cotai Strip View) Both Joyce and I wanted to experience the luxury of The Venetian so we never really bothered to look for other options. 

One thing that makes me nervous about our trip to Macau is the timing. We'll be there during Chinese New Year and since everyone's on holiday during that time, I'm pretty sure tons of visitors from the Mainland and Hong Kong will be flocking Macau and gambling through the holiday. Still, I'm pretty sure the atmosphere will be festive and that's something I'm looking forward to. Worst case scenario, we'll end up staying in our luxurious suite during most of our time there. ;)

01.30.11 - The Invite

Wow! Two months to go! I'm getting a bit nervous and excited by the day. Nervous because I feel there's still a lot to do and excited because I want to get this over with so we can move on to married life! In fact, it's so exciting that it makes me lose focus on other stuff in life, like work. There's just so much going on right now that a day may pass without me realizing it. I can't believe that it's just two months away, before we know it, we're walking down the aisle already!

In the next couple of weeks, we will probably start sending out invitations already. This just means that we should be ready with our trimmed down guest list by then. And I must say, cutting down the guest list is easier said than done. In fact, as each day pass, there seems to be a new guest that I would want to invite or maybe an old friend that we missed considering in our list.

For now though, here's a glimpse of our invite. We wanted the invite to be simple yet elegant and luckily, after going through boxes of samples, we found something we both liked. Unifair's prices are quite cheap compared to other invite suppliers. We got ours for only P85 and this already includes the main invite, entourage card, an RSVP card and a map to the church and reception. All texts are embossed as well. If we have 200 invites printed, we can add a Chinese invite at no extra cost.

When I saw the draft, it felt surreal at first, and then the feeling of excitement slowly crept in. Then it hit me...this is really happening!

WATCH: Be Remarkable!

Yesterday, while checking out some books at Fully Booked in SM Mall of Asia, I came across some books by marketing guru Seth Godin. Godin wrote books such as The Purple Cow and Sundae Meatball. I easily noticed his books because the title were just weird. I didn't get his books, but found some time to search for some videos of him in TED.

This one talks about having remarkable ideas and telling them to people who cares to listen and hope that they tell their friends. He's got very interesting insights.

Marketing these days are so interesting to me. I just feel it's an exciting field that squeezes the creativity out of one person.

01.30.11 - OTD: Tin Abad of Shimmer Events

Our Options

One of the more important suppliers we thought we must have on the day of the wedding is the OTD coordinator. Joyce and I both agreed that we want a hassle-free wedding day. Coordinators don't come cheap as well, especially the more famous and trusted ones. I actually had some biases already since I know someone who's into wedding coordination, but still, we looked into a couple more options.

1. Ernest Pascual - Ernest was highly recommended by our videographer. Checking out his site, it was obvious that he's really good with details. Oddly, Ernest doesn't do on-the-day coordination, only full and partial. His coordination services though come with a price, a steep one. It would've been nice to work with Ernest, but he was just way over our budget.

2. Christine Ong-Te - This was actually Joyce's first choice. Christine has been in the business for quite sometime now so we were quite sure she can deliver. One factor that made us not choose her was the price. Don't get me wrong, her price was competitive, not as steep as Ernest's, it's just that we got a way better deal with our choice supplier.

3. Other coordinators worth considering:

- Perfect 10 Weddings

- Once a Bride Weddings

- Events by Clarice

- Just Like Ours

Our Choice - Tin Abad of Shimmer Events

Like I said, I had my biases. Tin is a good friend of mine and I recommended her to Joyce (she knows Tin personally as well). One reservation Joyce had was Tin's experience as a coordinator since compared to Christine or Ernest, she's relatively a neophyte in the business. I was open to Tin about this so at least she can assure Joyce that we'll be in good hands. I also gave my assurance to Joyce that I completely trust Tin that she can deliver. It's also my way of supporting a friend.

01.30.11 - Photo: Metrophoto by Oly Ruiz

Our Options

Photographers are actually the easiest to book, simply because there's really a lot of them out there! But looking for the best one that showcases the style I like could be hard. Joyce actually gave me the freedom to pick our photographer, since I am OC about it. I wanted our photos to be unique and out of the ordinary, not too dramatic but captures our emotions and those of our guests.

1. Paul Vincent - He was the first photographer I contacted last March and to my surprise he was already booked on our wedding date! Ten months away and he was booked? I somehow panicked a bit because I might not get the photographer I like and settle for second best. But this was actually a blessing in disguise as you'll see later on in this post. His packages are reasonable and he doesn't charge any out of town fees for Tagaytay weddings, which was a plus.

2. Fol Rana - I was able to meet Fol personally and it was evident that he has been in the business for quite sometime. I felt though that his works were a bit traditional, so I didn't really feel his works.

3. Kenneth Uy - I saw Kenneth during the bridal fair and loved the framed photos that were displayed. During the time of our search, he had the cheapest packages and he was giving us a lot of freebies. But then I didn't want to rush things and book immediately, so I considered him and looked for more.

4. Dino Lara - If you love black & white, Dino Lara's the guy! His shots capture the emotions of everyone and his style is leaning towards the dramatic side of the wedding. His price though I thought were just too much for me.

5. Erron Ocampo - I actually loved Erron's style and play with colors, unfortunately, I didn't get to meet him since I was already decided on who to pick before I could set an appointment.

6. MangoRed - If you want different, then MangoRed would probably be best for you. They're just out of the ordinary and really adventurous in terms of style.

Others we didn't consider but are equally as good:

- Pat Dy

- Mimi + Karl

- Nelwin Uy

- Jeff & Lisa

- Raymond Fortun

- Mark Ches Photography

Our Choice - Metrophoto by Oly Ruiz

If I were to be honest with myself, Oly Ruiz was my first choice. When I first inquired, I was  a bit overwhelmed by the price so I told myself, I'll scrap him off my list even if I really loved his works. After missing out on my next choice (Paul Vincent), I thought why not schedule a meeting with Oly and see how that goes. 

So I scheduled a meeting with him one early morning. He was late, which wasn't really a good sign. When he arrived, I was actually starstrucked, but I didn't want to show it. He was very apologetic and at that time I had one eye brow raised (not literally of course, I don't have the skill). Then he asked me questions about our love story that softened me up. He showed me his albums and then the raw photos and at that point I already had my biases! So I called Joyce after the meeting and I'm sure she knew I sold myself to Metrophoto.

What I love about Metrophoto is how they play with colors. Really good! And the way they work with angles is just kick-ass! So there, I splurged and I'm happy I got the chance to get them!

Rate: Album packages start at P80K (there was a price increase recently, so this might not be accurate anymore)

Thankful @ 30! - My Birthday Wishlist

I'm now 30! And yes, it's just a number. I actually don't feel like I've just hit the big 3-0. I might be enjoying life too much these days that I feel like I'm renewed and rejuvenated! I could say this year has really been good to me. So much things happened and are happening that I'm overwhelmed by it all!

I learned to cook, proposed to Joyce (looking forward to THE DAY!), bought a condo unit, headed the PEAK Club (group in charge of extra-curricular activities) in the office, got myself trained to be a facilitator in the office, enjoying the wedding preparations (which I should say have been a stretch physically, emotionally and financially, but loving it!) and built really good relationships with the people around me. There may have been low points, but I never held back! This is probably the year I had the least 'what ifs'.

I know I have been truly blessed this year, but it won't hurt to hope for some more.

1. Macbook Air - Since I saw the new one, I've been wanting to get one!

2. Iphone 4 - Well, who doesn't want one?

3. A 3D/2N or 2D/1N stay at W Hotel, Hong Kong! - Been wanting to stay here for our HK-Macau trip right after the wedding, but we're saving some budget for the planned Eurotrip in June/July.

4. Books - I've found a lot of books I wanted to get in Amazon. Hopefully I could get a couple before the year ends.

 

01.30.11 - Video: Cinemaworks by John de Guzman

Our Options

When it comes to wedding videography in the country, there's THE Jason Magbanua and then everyone else. Luckily for me, I'm not really the person who would care about the intricate details of a wedding video, that's why I felt JMag was just like everyone else. (Though at times I think about what it would be like to work with what many considers to be the best.) And I say luckily because for me, JMag's prices were astronomical for a videographer! So we just selected from the 'everyone else' list.

1. Rommerson - We met Rommerson at the first bridal fair we attended and the first thing I liked about him is that he's very personal and a really good salesman. He was very easy to deal with and was giving a lot of freebies to his potential clients. What I like about his work was that his videos are light and not dramatic, something that maybe reflected on how me and Joyce are.

2. Chug Cadiogan - Chug's style is almost similar with Rommerson. Personality-wise, Chug was a bit more softspoken, but their works were of similar style.

3. Wang Videography - Actually, this group caught our attention first. Even before going to the fair, we liked their videos already. What threw us off was that they didn't entertain us too much during the fair. But they were the cheapest among those that we heavily considered.

4. Cinemaworks - John de Guzman was actually referred to us by our photographer. He's young but can be considered a veteran in the industry. He has worked with JMag and the likes of Bob Nicolas, mostly on doing edits before coming out on his own. His style is a little bit more dramatic, but not overly done.

Next to the photographers, it is the videographers that can give one a hard time deciding. Through the process of searching, I've enjoyed watching videos of others as well:

- Phoeben Teocson

- Threelogy

- MG Digital

- Bob Nicolas

- Jason Magbanua

Our Choice

Joyce and I were able to meet John and his partner Wellen and I was actually surprised how young he is and I, being a sucker for great potentials, was actually impressed with his works. It also made it easier when I found out that he worked for JMag. I'm sure he was able to learn a thing or two from JMag. Another plus, was the fact that he was recommended by our photographer which only means he and John can work together as a team and hopefully feed on each other's creativity.

Rate: Starts at P50K

01.30.11 - Suit: JC Buendia

Our Options

A suit for me looks the same whoever made it. That's why my initial choice for a suit maker was a random shop/tailor in Divisoria which makes suits for about 5-6K only. But then Joyce made me realize that it would be really nice to get a designer suit since we've got an awesome photographer. So I thought, maybe this would be a perfect time to splurge (the thought of this being a once in a lifetime thing can really be a pain in the pocket) and find out if it really is different from a Divisoria-made suit!

Just like the gown, it surprised me to know that a designer suit can cost up to P35,000, while a tailor-made suit ranges from 6-12k! Of course I had to feel like a celebrity on my wedding day, so I figured go for a designer suit.

1. Jorge Palmos - He was the first designer we visited upon knowing that his suits weren't as expensive as more famous designers like Randy Ortiz (whose 4 piece suit costs P35K). He sketched us the design of the suit and Joyce liked it mainly because the tie used was a cravat tie! Well, it was ok, I didn't see anything special in it. I also was not digging the cravat tie, I couldn't visualize myself looking good in it. Jorge's rates ranges from P15K-25K depending on the material used.

2. Marc Rancy - Since his shop was just along Buendia and we pass there everyday, we thought of inquiring with Marc Rancy. His suits start from P18K and could go up also depending on the material. He sketched me two designs, one was semi-adventurous while the other had more 'drama' in them. I actually liked the semi-adventurous one, but thought of looking for more options.

3. JC Buendia - Yes, the designer made famous by the president and his sister. JC was one of the most talked about designer after Kris Aquino declared to the world that he'll be doing PNoy's barong. I've also seen his name in some of the online forums I've visited while doing my research. I dropped by his office to ask for a sketch. He was so soft-spoken and didn't talk much, he just asked for some details of the wedding before going through his sketch. Again, a suit for me looked pretty much the same whoever drew it.

4. Veejay Floresca - I recognized Veejay from the reality show Project Runway Philippines, so I thought I'd check out works from a younger designer. Unfortunately, his prices are quite high for my budget.

Our Choice

Well, in the end, it all boiled down to the best feedback from forums and groups. Many considered designers like Francis Libiran, Randy Ortiz, Jerome Lorico to be really good when it comes to suits. The same has been said of JC Buendia. Upon finding out that JC's works start at just 20K, I thought I'd give him a shot. Though it didn't help much that he was too soft spoken, the feedback I've been getting have been enough for me to pick him.

Rate: Suits start at P20K depending on the material and design.

01.30.11 - Couturier: Cecilio Abad

*Photo taken from Nelwin Uy

Our Options

If there's one thing a bride values most other than groom during a wedding, it should be the bridal gown. For this, Joyce wanted to splurge, and to splurge means, not letting me pay for it since according to her, 'babaratin ko siya'. Well, she might be right as I initially thought a gown would only cost P25K-P30K max! Apparently, cost of a gown can get as high as 160K. That's when my jaw dropped! I am just thankful my wife-to-be knows me too well and accepts me for who I am.

Veluz Reyes - She is probably one of the most sought after bridal couturier in the country. From what I know, her gowns start at P80K. Unfortunately, she's booked already for our wedding date. I'm sure this somehow disappointed Joyce. (for Veluz's Blog)

Cecilio Abad - Ironically, it was me who discovered CA for Joyce after going through some wedding blogs. Joyce somehow liked what she saw. CA would probably be a very good alternative after Veluz. He was W@W's Supplier of the Year for 2008. He also seems to be really soft-spoken and a very genuinely nice person. His shop being 5 minutes away from where Joyce was staying in Manila also helped. (for Cecilio's Blog)

Our Choice

We got lucky with CA because he only accepts 3 weddings a day and on the day of our wedding, Joyce will be the third. Upon knowing this, Joyce immediately set an appointment with CA for a sketch. Before doing the sketch, CA asked Joyce to wear this tube-like outfit. If I'm not mistaken, this is being used to somehow get an idea what type of body figure the bride has. I think CA gave Joyce a couple of options to choose from. Of course, it was quite difficult to make a decision on the spot, so Joyce decided to sleep over it and she did some research online so she can visualize the sketch better. After a couple of days, Joyce decided to book him already. Oh, while at CA's shop, I learned about fashion terms like 'drama' and 'tulle'. And all this time I thought 'tulle' was only for boys.

Rate: I believe CA's rates start at P65K.

Update!!!

This morning, Joyce had her 3rd fitting. She asked me if I wanted to go with her and see how the gown looks like. I declined the offer since I wanted to have an element of surprise on the wedding day. As cheesy as this may sound, I can visualize myself looking at her for the first time in her wedding dress as the church door opens - a scene I often see only in wedding videos, so now would be my chance to experience that feeling.

01.30.11 - Reception: Taal Vista Hotel Ballroom, East Wing

*Taal Vista Hotel

Our Options
For the reception, Joyce and I entertained the thought of having it on a garden or maybe some place that's not a hotel. But since we had a large guest list, we kept our minds open for other possibilities so we contacted a number of options.

1. Ville Sommet - This is actually my early favorite because we would have the place all to ourselves once we book them. They have the Glasshouse for the reception, a nice chalet for the preps and the place seemed so peaceful and beautiful. Unfortunately, a guest list of 400 would be too much for their glasshouse.

2. Splendido Taal - From their website, this place seems lovely! But again, they were quite hesitant in squeezing 400 guests in their reception area. So we had to take a pass.

3. Taal Vista Hotel - Probably one of the oldest hotels in Tagaytay and probably one of the most famous ones. We considered checking this place out for the reason that it's a famous landmark in the area. Plus, they have a big enough ballroom that can accommodate our guest list.

4. Hacienda Isabella - Since we were considering garden weddings, this seemed to be a really good pick. If I'm not mistaken, the place is owned by famous singer Kuh Ledesma. Based from the pics, the place seems lovely as well. However, after asking for their rates, their prices seemed too steep for us, so we had to scratch them off our list.

5. Hillcreek Gardens - Hillcreek Gardens was a nice find. It wasn't as famous as Hacienda Isabella, but it has a really nice garden which according to the owner can hold around 700 guests for parties. This might be it!

6. Summit Ridge - One of the newest hotels in Tagaytay, we asked for their quotes but the ballroom could just fit 250-300 guests.

Our Ocular
Again, since choices were a bit limited we scheduled an ocular on the same day we booked our church. We first went to Hillcreek Gardens. We were quite surprised to see a small chapel inside the compound. But since it hasn't been accredited by the Catholic church, it can't be used for wedding ceremonies. The area is big, but our worry was guests might be too scattered that it's hard to interact with them. Also, the very unpredictable weather was one of our major concerns in garden weddings. We left Hillcreek, not really convinced that that was where we wanted our reception to be.

We then headed to Summit Ridge to see if we can squeeze in 400 guests. Unfortunately, their ballroom wasn't really that big and it will be a major risk to get them.

Then off to Taal Vista Hotel. Janet, the Banquet Sales Rep, showed us the new ballroom. Well, it was a ballroom! What more can I say? But Janet was a great saleswoman, she gave us a lot of freebies...flowers, cake, rooms, sound system upgrade, discounts. She then asked one of the staff to showcase their mood lights. She asked for the motif, and then showed us the purple (our motif) lights. Impressive! At that point, I think Joyce and I had the 'this is it' feeling already.

Our Choice
Before making the choice, we had to sleep over it. But we were almost convinced that Taal Vista was the perfect place. Oh, and the new ballroom had a cocktail area that has a great view of Taal Volcano! We were sold! We just had too many concerns for garden weddings and far too less for Taal Vista.

01.30.11 - Church: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (Tagaytay)



* Our Lady of Lourdes Parish


It was February 14 when I proposed to Joyce. The proposal was uneventful, but hearing "YES" when I asked her to marry me was the most significant answer that mattered most to me. Right after the proposal, we immediately talked about wedding plans. Luckily, we agreed on a lot of stuff we wanted for the wedding. We both wanted it to be held in a calm, peaceful place that is NOT within Metro Manila. She initially wanted Boracay, but I thought that might be too far already. So we settled for probably the most famous wedding destination nowadays, Tagaytay!

Our Options
The search for the church was fairly easy since choices are limited. There are just four in or around Tagaytay - Calaruega, Chapel on the Hill, San Antonio de Padua and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (OLLP). Of the four, Joyce called only two: Calaruega and OLLP, as the other two seemed to be a bit far (well, Calaruega was far as well, but it was famous). The former was almost fully booked having open dates mostly on weekdays. Luckily for us, OLLP had some open dates on weekends.

Our Ocular
Having limited choices, we scheduled a trip to Tagaytay to check out what seemingly was our only choice. OLLP didn't have the rustic charm of Calaruega, but it was beautiful in its own ways. It seems to have been newly painted as well. It was also way bigger than the church in Calaruega. The size of the church was one of the major factor we had to consider considering that the guest list reached 400.

Our Choice
Well, we really didn't have much options. OLLP was beautiful and it was the church easiest to find as it is along the highway. Plus, it was big enough to accommodate our guest list.

Rate: P15,000, I guess cheaper than most churches here in Manila.

01.30.11 - Suppliers List

This post has been long overdue. With four months to go before the BIG DAY, we've winded down to the details of our wedding. Ironically, it is me who is starting to become more OC with the preps while Joyce takes care of the honeymoon destinations. It's all good though, at least not both of us are stressed and overwhelmed with the planning. So far I'm enjoying the planning experience, though at times I need to stop the procrastination and just do it!

Let me start off my wedding post by updating everyone with our wedding team. Most of our suppliers have been booked a few months back. I'm sure the list may increase as we get closer and closer to the wedding day.

Church: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Tagaytay
Reception: Taal Vista Hotel
OTD Coordinator: Christine Abad of Shimmer Events
Photographer: Metrophoto by Oly Ruiz
Videographer: Cinemaworks by John Marvi de Guzman
Joyce's Gown: Cecilio Abad
Joyce's Shoes: Perfect Match
Je's Suit: JC Buendia
HMUA: Lourd Ramos
Entourage Gowns: Frock's
Entourage Suits: Winnie Tiu
Invitations: Unifair
Photobooth: Poof!
Church Flowers: Flowers of May
Strings: Bernie Pasamba Music Consultancy
Emcee: Sweet Casuyon

WATCH: Keeping goals to ourselves

Somehow I find this to be true! Derek Sivers explains why we should not announce to the world our goals even before we actually achieve them.

GO: Legaspi City, Albay, Bicol

Just got back from a much needed vacation in Legaspi City, Bicol. We didn't really have much of an itinerary for this weekend getaway other than a city tour and hopes of getting a day trip to Misibis Bay. Unfortunately, we were not able to enjoy the latter since Misibis Bay was fully booked for the weekend. So we just got a whole day city tour through Hotel Venezia.

*View of Mayon Volcano from Lignon Hill

I didn't really know much about the city other than Mayon Volcano so I didn't expect much from the city tour. We started early with the hopes of getting a really clear view of Mayon Volcano. We went to Lignon Hill first and since no cars are allowed to go up the hill before 9am, we had to take an early morning hike to the top. The hike wasn't really something to enjoy, but the view at the top made the trip worth it! Mayon Volcano is just majestic! The volcano can actually be seen from anywhere in Legaspi, but Lignon Hill will probably give you the best view of it. Lignon Hill also gave us a good look at the airport runway and basically an overlooking view of the city.

*View of Legaspi Airport from Lignon Hill

We also headed to the famous Cagsawa Ruins, where only the bell tower of the Cagsawa Church remains.

*Cagsawa Ruins

We were met by some kids and teens who amazed me with their photography skills as they had some really cool trick shots. The teen who guided us was more than just our photographer, he was also our tour guide as he answered our questions about the ruins and its history. He also showed us his photography skills, even taking a jumping shot of us. The amazing part was, he needed only one shot to capture this with a point and shoot camera!!!

*Jumping shot @ Cagsawa Ruins

Our driver, Joel, then took us to the town of Camalig where the Hoyop Hoyopan Cave can be found. There were a lot of rock formations inside the cave, some would require the use of one's imagination to see what these rock formations are.

Our last stop (because we were dead tired!) was the Busay Falls in the bario of Malilipot. It was unfortunate that we weren't able to bring any swimming attire for the tour. It would've been really nice to take a dip into the water!

There's really not much to see in Legaspi, but like I said, after seeing the famous Mayon Volcano, it was definitely worth the trip. Legaspi is quiet and calm city, just the perfect place to unwind and get away from a busy city like Manila.

WATCH: Randy Pausch's inspiring talk about living life and childhood dreams

Randy Pausch, in this video, is dying. (Pausch succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2008.) But Randy Pausch is having fun! This is Randy's Last Lecture where he talks about how he was able to achieve his childhood dreams and how he has helped thousands achieve theirs.

It's actually a very long talk, but the way he told stories about his life makes you want to listen more.

Check out his talk, might be a good way to start your week, really inspiring!

WATCH: Pugh achieves his inspiring dream of swimming the North Pole

Lewis Pugh is crazy...and inspiring! Watch this video to see how Pugh went on a journey towards his dream of swimming the icy waters of the North Pole.

How he did it?

100% Belief = 100% Results!

He believed!

WATCH: Lewis Pugh swims Everest for a cause

Lewis Pugh heard about the lake in Mt. Everest that was formed because of melting ice. So he decided to swim in this lake as an act against climate change. Truly inspiring!

WATCH: 8 Secrets of Success

Richard St. John explains the secrets of success in less than three minutes. I love the way he explained his points, very direct and I love the way he used quotes as examples of his points.

According to St. John, the 8 secrets of success are:
- PASSION
- WORK
- FOCUS
- PERSIST
- IDEAS
- GOOD
- PUSH
- SERVE

Watch St. John explain his points in this TED talk:

WATCH: Aware, Enabled and Empower - I CAN!

Kiran Bir Sethi, an educator, talks about children empowerment. In her talk, she preaches the 'I can' attitude and shows the children's journey towards Awareness, Being Enabled and Empowerment.

What I love about the talk is how she incorporated inspiring videos so we can really feel the essence of her presentation. Her smile and passion about her talk was really contagious. And though the talk may have centered on kids, it is something that truly inspired me to say...I CAN!

and I WILL!

TRAVEL: Got miles?

Great news to everyone who's saving up miles for the rainy day! PAL, in celebration of their 70th year anniversary is giving out 70% off on miles redemption.

Booking Period: August 2-4.

Travel Period: August 16-October 20 and November 4-December 7.

Just to give you an idea how cheap you can redeem miles, round trip tickets to Hong Kong would cost you only 4,500 miles (14,000 miles are needed on non-promo days).

Click on the image to know more about PAL's Mabuhay Miles promo.

WATCH: Guy Kawasaki's The Art of the Start

Guy Kawasaki talks about ten important things to consider when starting a business. According to Kawasaki, a startup must:

1. Make meaning
2. Make a mantra
3. Get going
4. Define a business model
5. Weave a MAT (milestones, assumptions, tasks)
6. Niche thyself
7. Follow the 10/20/30 rule
8. Hire infected people
9. Lower the barriers to adoption
10. Seed the clouds

I love the way Kawasaki presents. He adds a lot of humor to his speeches plus his insights are really worth knowing. Watch his 4-part video of his keynote presentation about the Art of the Start. It's really insightful and entertaining.

Enjoy!

WATCH: What really counts?

Chip Conley talks about what really matters in business. It might be a good idea to show this to our CEOs. Maybe, just maybe, they raise our bonuses and realize what really counts.

PRESENT: Gapminder Desktop...presentation genius!!!

Found this video as I was going through Garr Reynold's blog site. Great presentation tool! I wish we had these in high school. It makes presentation of facts far too easy.

STAY: Hotel Venezia, Legazpi City

After weeks of squeezing budgets, and drooling over Misibis Bay, Joyce and I finally decided to just let go for the meantime our hopes of experiencing Misibis Bay and find a different accommodation for our Legazpi City trip this August.

While searching I found another great alternative, Hotel Venezia! This boutique hotel is located near the Legazpi City airport and is a great starting point for city tours and whale watching trips to Donsol. The price is way cheaper and starts at Php3,660 nett for a standard room, Php4,880nett for a Junior Suite and Php6,100nett for a One Bedroom Suite . The price includes round trip aiport transfers and daily breakfast.

They also offer half day city tours that cost Php4,000++ inclusive of transportation services and all necessary entrance fees. I've also read that most of the tourists wanting to experience whale watching in Donsol stays in this hotel. Since whale watching is one of the attractions (the other being Mayon Volcano) we are looking forward to in this trip, Hotel Venezia is the most practical choice for us.

To know more about Hotel Venezia, check out their site.

*photos taken from Hotel Venezia website

GO: The Philippine Wedding Summit

Since we started preparing for our wedding, Joyce and I have gone to a number of wedding fairs already. Nothing, however, beats a Themes & Motifs - organized wedding fair. The first time we went to one of their fairs, we were just overwhelmed by the number of suppliers that were there handing out their own brochures and offering a variety of packages.

Here are my top 5 things I look forward to during wedding fairs:

1. Discounts! Discounts! Discounts! - Unfortunately for us, we were not able to maximize the discounts during our visit to the wedding fairs since most of our major suppliers have been booked already. This time, we're hoping to avail as much as we can for our 'nice-to-haves'.

2. Hourly Raffle - They usually have hourly raffles during the fair. I'm hoping to win a major prize this time around.

3. A variety of suppliers to choose from - In fairs as big as this, there are tons of suppliers to choose from and if you don't come prepared, you will be overwhelmed by the sheer number of brochures you would get. The upside though is that you can see first hand the products of these suppliers without scheduling an appointment with them, plus, you get great deals when you book them during the fair.

4. Friends tying the knot - Since going to these fairs, I've bumped into several friends of mine tying the knot as well. Since I don't get in touch with them as much, it's nice to know that they're doing well and happily in love.

5. FREE Food Tasting - For some soon-to-weds, they take advantage of the FREE food tasting offered by some caterers.

To pre-register and avail of free admission to The Philippine Wedding Summit, you may visit their website.

READ: Maximize Your Day by John Maxwell

Every morning, before I go to work, I grab my copy of John Maxwell's Maximize Your Day and read through a page. This book is a compilation of some of John Maxwell's philosophies taken from his different books.

There's really a lot to learn and I take that learning as I go through my day. He has some really inspiring insights that can keep you upbeat and motivated on a daily basis.

365 days, 365 thoughts. A truly great read for everyday grind.

WATCH: Back-to-back baby!!!

Relive the Los Angeles Lakers' epic game 7 victory over their rival Boston Celtics!

Back-to-Back and more to come! Congratulations to the LA Lakers...STILL your NBA Champions!

01.30.11

Mark your calendars...

01.30.11

I will be posting some entries about our journey towards the big day in the succeeding months. Watch out for them.

STAY: Misibis Bay, Albay, Bicol

We first saw Misibis Bay on Trip na Trip (one of the travel shows in ABS-CBN) and after watching the episode, Joyce and I immediately loved what we saw. So when Cebu Pacific launched its promo fares last month, we immediately grabbed the opportunity ang booked a flight to Legaspi City with the hopes of being able to experience Misibis Bay!

Misibis Bay has a very reasonably affordable package called the Exciting Misibis Escapade. For as low as P18,888 nett/person, one gets to enjoy a 3D/2N stay, 6 full board meals, round trip airport transfers, and several exciting activities to choose from.

Activities to choose from includes: introductory diving, hobiecat sailing, sunset cruise, island hopping, windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, ATV rides and city tour. The best part is, according to the reservations associate I contacted, you can choose to do as many activities as many times as you want, all for free! The package just seems too good to be true!

We haven't booked yet, but we're planning to soon, simply because the package seems to be really worth it. To inquire about their packages, you may visit their website, email them at reservations@misibisbay.com or call their reservations hotline: 661.8888.

*Photo taken from www.misibisbay.com.

PREVIEW: Lakers vs. Celtics (Game 4)

Ray Allen showed up in Game 2. KG played in Game 3. Who's going to show up playing in Game 4? Whoever that is, one thing's for sure. Rajon Rondo is the key for the Celtics to win. He's probably the best player they have in this series and he's the guy who can make it happen for Boston. But for Boston to be effective, they need to run! It worked in the early part of Game 3 and it will compensate for LA's length.

The Lakers, on the otherhand, knows what they should do, that's slow down the pace of the game. They are doing really well on both ends of the floor when they slow down the game. Now I also appreciate the upside of getting Artest. Where's Paul Pierce?

I got a feeling LA's taking this game again. And as Pierce said, "It's not getting back to LA." Well, that might happen after all.

Lakers vs. Celtics. Game 4. 9am (Manila Time)

Big Baby and Little Nate to Boston's rescue! It's starting to look like a battle of the supporting casts now. Celtics tie the series at 2-2.

PREVIEW: Lakers vs. Celtics (Game 3)

Ray Allen probably had the game of his life in game 3, while Kobe's game didn't get going due to foul woes. What's actually scary about the Celts right now is that Paul Pierce has been quiet and KG still hasn't showed up. Eventually, I think those two will start playing and having three (or four, including Rajon Rondo) superstars click can spell some doom to the Lakers.

For LA, the bench plus everyone else (other than Kobe, Pau and Bynum) should start playing. On the defensive end, they need more effort in fighting off those screens to stay close to Boston's shooters (a.k.a Ray Allen). As long as they can control the pace of the game, they'll be fine. For sure Kobe will come out playing better in game 3. Still, they have to attack Boston's big men because that's LA's advantage.

At this point though, I think it's a battle of the coaches now. Who makes the better adjustments heading into Game 3 and during the game.

Game 3 is tomorrow 9am (Manila Time).

Well, as I said, for the Lakers to win everyone outside Kobe, Pau and Bynum should contribute, Fish did! Lakers now are two games away from the back-to-back. Lakers 2 - Celtics 1.

PREVIEW: Celtics vs. Lakers (Game 2)

KG was a non-factor in Game 1 and he might be the reason why the Celtics wasn't even close to matching up with the Lakers. So how will KG do in Game 2? Find out tomorrow 8am (Manila Time).

So far, the addition of Ron Artest and presence of Andrew Bynum has been helping LA a lot. After watching Game 1, I think LA has this series in the books, but that's what I thought about the LA-PHX series after two games. The Celts are still dangerous, but as long as the Lakers don't get complacent, it will be a long night again for KG and company.

Damn! Ray Allen throwing those shots like hot potatoes! Eight threes made the difference plus Kobe's 5 fouls! Celts tie the series. Lakers 1 - Celtics 1.