Enjoy Philippines Mid-Year Party

It is true that you realize the value of money when you start working hard to earn it. I know that I am a good child to my parents when I was still studying, but I do admit there were times that I would pull a "Puss in Boots" stare to my parents whenever I have some requests to them. When I started working - waking up very early, stressing myself the entire day, I became very appreciative of every centavo I receive whenever my payslip comes.

I try to save as much as I can so I have something to spend during the rainy days, but I do love to shop and dine out, as my way of rewarding myself for working very hard. Sometimes, I would spend senselessly, sometimes I would check group buying sites, but as much as I know buying deals on group buying sites saves me money, there are times that I couldn't avail of the deals because the terms won't jive with my schedule or simply, I don't have money that time.


Imagine my surprise when I received an invitation to the 2013 Mid-Year Party of Enjoy Philippines - the largest provider of discounts and coupons in the Philippines. Unlike group buying sites, Enjoy Philippines allow members to enjoy lots of perks - may it be discounts or freebies, without the time constraints. Each member is allowed to use their privilege anytime of the year. With over 250 brand partners around Metro Manila and some located in Cebu, Boracay, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao, and with savings and freebies worth at least 350,000 pesos... the annual membership fee of 1,995 pesos is really worth it.

Inside the Enjoy Philippines kit are two booklets - one with the list of partnering establishments in Metro Manila, the other lists the partners located in Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Davao. The booklets are divided into categories - dining, nightlife, shopping, travel, live & learn, and automotive. Also included in the kit is your own membership card - your passport to awesomeness. :)


The 2013 Enjoy Philippines Mid-Year Party took place at Rue Bourbon in Makati. I, together with my siblings and blogger friends, as well as members of Enjoy Philippines were treated to a night of food, drinks, and lots and lots prizes!

In the party, Enjoy Philippines launched a new booklet - containing more perks to more partnering establishments! The booklet acts as a guide, so members know what kind of perks they can get whenever they visit the establishments. Each partner also has a voucher to more perks, although this voucher can only be used once. Members have to present their card and the voucher if they want to avail it, or download the Enjoy Philippines app.


I won a Gift Certificate for a 3-days, 2-nights stay at The Tides in Boracay as part of their raffle prizes, while my sister Jenny won in one of their games. She also won a 3-days, 2-nights accommodation in Boracay... but at the Alta Vista de Boracay. We are planning to use it next month, never minding the distance between the resorts.

To know more about Enjoy Philippines, please call their hotline at (02) 478-8888 or visit their website - www.enjoythebest.com.ph.

Thule from Sweden

My parents have different perspectives on how to buy items. When I was still studying and I needed to buy new shoes and bags, mom would often go for the cheap buys, which is always a miss (than a hit) because it did save her some money, but after a few months I would make another request for them to buy new items. My late father on the other hand, would like to "invest" on pricey yet sturdy items because not only did it save him money in the long run, it also saves him the annoyance of going to the mall with us and buy our much needed things.

I would like to believe I got my late father's perspective. When it comes to bags and shoes, I don't mind spending twice the amount of what my mom would like to buy if it ensures me quality. Well, not all pricey means sturdy, so it is best to actually know what to buy.



Just this year, the first Thule concept store in Asia was opened here in the Philippines, and last Tuesday, I was with my siblings to attend their product launch. Thule may be a new brand, but they have been in the business for many years, and was first known for their roof racks. In 2007, Thule bought Case Logic and started producing automotive bags and then crossed over to functional yet stylish bags, which was made available in the Asia Pacific Region in 2009.

Thule has four collection:



Crossover - Depending on the bag model, the bags on the crossover collection have compartments for helmets, gloves, and other necessities. These bags are very durable, but are light enough for you to store as much stuff you want to pack. It also has compartments for your gadgets.


One of the bags that made me go wow was this rolling luggage because it seemed to have everything I wanted in a luggage. It has ample space for clothes and has its own compartment for the gadgets... it has a safe zone for the fragile items (like eyeglasses and small gadgets), it has big wheels for easy dragging across different surfaces, and although it is made as a rolling luggage, it has different straps/handles strategically placed around the bag so that you can carry it however you wish, too. It even has hidden padded straps that will transform the luggage into a big knapsack!




En Route - Now this is my kind of bag! My work place is far from our house that sometimes I needed to pack extra clothes for those days when I can't commute home. My usual choice of bag whenever I knew I won't come home was my knapsack, which was doing its job, but I often find my items mixed inside. The Thule En Route bags also have compartments for laptops and tablets - so even if you packed a whole lot of clothes and toiletries and other thingies, your gadgets are very much secured in its place. The bags also have two safe zones to store your fragile items and it has a pocket on the side for your water bottle. It's a very functional bag you can use either at school, at work, and yes, for traveling. My sister and I are actually planning to buy a bag each when we finalize the plans for a Mt. Pulag trek.



The Gauntlet - The first two Thule collections are weather-resistant, but not totally waterproof, but the Gauntlet collection is waterproof, to ensure your gadgets are very secured from sudden weather change. It is padded and it has a soft velvety lining inside to protect the surfaces of your laptops. Now, this collection is made specifically for the MacBook, but it can also be used on different brands, as long as it fits, of course.



Perspektiv - This collection is for photographers - both hardcore and enthusiasts. There are different sizes to hold different kinds of DSLR cameras as well as the lenses and other accessories, and the messenger type of bag also has its own laptop compartment, perfect for photographers who needed to transfer files as soon as possible. For the compact camera users, there's also this small bag that looks like a lunch bag - the camera and the batteries are placed on the hard shell like compartment and other knick-knacks can be placed on the bag above, which can be folded to follow the amount of contents inside - really kinda like a lunch bag.

Checking the price tags, the Thule bags are indeed more expensive than the typical bags we see at the mall, but not really over the top expensive. Given its mission to provide durable bags, these are made to last many, many years... and they even have 25 years warranty!

If you want to check the bags and purchase one for yourself (or as a gift), the Thule concept store is located at the 4th level of SM City North EDSA. Select bags are also available at the Power Mac Center as well at Tripologie branches at Eastwood Citywalk 2, Alabang Town Center, and Bonifacio Global City.

Reception at Luyong Restaurant

We haven't updated this blog for this week... sorry, my shift this week is quite awkward (4pm-1am), and my sister Jenny's quite busy with some stuff (she told me she started exercising again), so I decided to share this today.

Last Wednesday, I attended Alessandra's Baptism. Her mom, Claudette, is one of my good friends in college, and I really am thankful we maintained our friendship even if we are busy living our own lives after college. I am one of Alessandra's godparents, and because I wasn't able to take pictures of the ceremony, I will wait for official pictures from the event to be shared before I can put it here. For now, let me share the food from the reception, which took place at Luyong Restaurant in Marikina City.


Soup - typical egg drop soup, but it had tofu cubes and quail eggs... which I love! The egg, that is.


Veggies - I don't know what's the name of the dish, it is certainly not Chopseuy; I am quite picky with vegetables, so I didn't eat a lot of this.


Pansit - Saucy... meaty... and with quail eggs. I am in heaven! :)


Pata Tim - Sinfully delicious, and yes, I didn't eat the veggies. :)

I know, I am not made to be a food critic, but I did enjoy the event, especially because I am with good friends - catching up with life and sharing stories.

Jonel and Marjorie's Wedding

What are the chances for two bloggers to fall in love? Well, love truly has no boundaries, and today (10 January 2013), I witnessed the union of two lovers who met because of blogging. The event took place at the Oasis Garden along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City, and even if the couple knows a lot of bloggers, not much bloggers were invited to the event. Well, I guess I have to thank the Lord for making the bride our second degree cousin! :)



The ceremony was so awesome! This wasn't the first time I witnessed a Christian wedding, but I guess it made it more close to heart that a cousin is the one getting married. The vows were touching, too! My sister and I were sort of the people behind the scenes - taking pictures here and there - and I was pleased at how smooth the event flowed, they had a nice set of coordinators and staff that made everything on the dot.


It was a solemn celebration and everyone was happy for the couple! Based on the vows exchanged and the words spoken, it wasn't at all a bed of roses for them while dating for a year (before deciding to get married), but their union is a testament that obstacles can be hurdled as long as they're together.

Best wishes to you, Marjonel!


My camera's battery died just after the ceremony, so I will let Jenny do the reception post... leaving you with this photobooth picture we had. Too bad we only went for one picture, but we truly enjoyed it!