The Best Things in Life are FREE!

Two years ago, I scored 4 tickets to a Valentine concert by Basil Valdez at the newly opened Esplanade in Bay City. It was a cocktail event and I was so excited to invite Tats and my in-laws (who adore Basil) to something we can dress-up for since our first and last dressy affair was on our wedding the year before.

Not very familiar with the artist, Tats wasn't so crazy about the idea so I ended up giving 2 tickets to his uncle and aunt - one couldn't make it so it was one slot gone to waste. My in-laws had a great time and I was glad... but I was fuming mad at Tats for passing up the opportunity... it's not like we had anything better to do. Channeling my inner Scarlet O' Hara, I vowed that as God as my witness I shall never let up on freebies again!

It's not about being cheap - it's about opening yourself up to opportunities. What have you got to lose?

With open attitude I had experiences I probably would not have been able to afford or be willing to spend on myself.

I got to cruise out on the sunset aboard a media mogul's private boat with a most vibrant bunch. We had sangria and paella, then our host served whisky... I was having so much fun I forgot it's uncharted territory - too late after I swiveled scotch on the rocks. I was instantly woozy - good thing our host was gracious enough to offer French wine, sweet!

On the way home, my head spun with the movement of the van - my composure was only until Tagaytay where I stuck my head out just in time to throw up out the window.

I haven't broken my alcohol limit since 4 years before but I'd do it again in a heartbeat so long as the sky is as golden.

Another great freebie experience came through my rowing teamate, Joyce - she gave 2 tickets to Avenue Q which I was not totally familiar with. Good thing I didn't have to drag a kickin' 'n screamin' Tats this time... he's a fast learner that husband o' mine.

It was a hilarious musical with swearing and copulating puppets that got us laughing our heads off. The actors were brilliant and Aiza Seguerra was a deadringer for Gary Coleman! Lea Salonga was in our row too and I was starstuck.

Back to my point - as long as it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg... go ahead and check out whatever life throws your way!

Tats' Birthday Excursion

On October last year I made an impulse online purchase of roundtrip tickets for two to Bangkok for January because...

1. my work was driving me crazy and i wanted a reward for all the hard work
2. it was to mark a milestone - my 30th birthday
3. shempre Cebu Pacific was on SALE!

Off to Bangkok we went with our credit cards still burdened by the expenses from the Holidays and where do we go on our first day? The Gem Production Company where Tats combined credits from 3 cards to get me a ruby necklace (aaaw shucks!)... needless to say, we got maxed out and had to subsist on the little cash on hand for the rest of the trip which wasn't really hard since Bangkok is quite budget-friendly... but that's another story.

Come March, we we're debt free but I was still struggling as I just got back to work after a 2-month hiatus. Then there was the 17th day of the month, glaring at me from all calendars - it's Tats, birthday! Well no worries, he was never into parties or anything fancy, perhaps he'll be happy with just me popping out of a box...

But as the 17th hovered, he shoots me with, "So, what do you have for my Big 3-0?"
I froze like a crook under a spotlight... what can else can I say other than... "It's a surprise!"

It was a frenzy from then - I thought of a concept, looked for a venue, secretly passing road maps to friends and on D-day, Tats and I were off to South Superhwy.

He was all cranky missing the exit and not knowing where I was taking him until we pulled into parking and 3 of our selected friends were there... surprise!

As hostess, I made sure the journey towards the destination was eventful. For lunch I brought them to Balinsasayaw in Silang, Cavite. I've been there with officemates before... dining is in cogon huts dotting the hills with flowering shrubs along the pathways. The signature dish is "Crispy Pata-tim", that's golden fried pork leg... crunchy skin, tender meat, served on a bed of chopsuey (crisp veggies with slightly sweet sauce)... heavenly! We also ordered sinigang na sugpo, vegetable kare-kare, grilled liempo and tuna belly among others. There were 5 of us and bill was under P2k! Great Filipino food with cool, fresh Tagaytay breeze sure can kick the ass of most air-conditioned fine dining resto!

While digesting I took them to Ilog Maria Bee Farm where they delighted in fresh honey, beeswax lipgloss, bee pollen supplements, handmade organic soaps and more!

Then off we went down the winding roads to Talisay. The main road was rugged until I led them through plain white gate and right before us was breathtaking Taal Lake with the volcano not far behind.

I discovered Walter Bruan's (0437730286) place through contacts from Taal Lake Yacht Club just 2 gates away. It's basic rows of whitewashed cottages each with air-conditioned room, 2 queen-sized beds, cable TV, vented toilet & bath and an outdoor sitting area with kitchen and refrigerator for only P2k - coolness!

We opened a bottle of wine and placed the other 6 in the freezer, laid out a spread of assorted cheeses, sauteed shitake mushrooms, vegetable sticks, fresh fruits and chocolate fondue. We had an iPod, speakers and the rest of the day to just chill... and chill we did.

Our friends left at 10pm while Tats and I stayed overnight. The next day, we celebrated at home with family over steak, mashed potatoes and cake.

Initially I thought of throwing a big barbecue party at the house but I figured that 2 intimate celebrations was more to Tats liking and I was right... it turned out much cheaper too!

BF's Charming Miracle Spa

Had to post this now before the afterglow of a truly miraculous experience wears off!

I've been wanting to get a massage for the longest time to untangle my muscles from successive weeks of rowing and running (another story on cheap sports). After another long wait for my husband, Tats, to finish up at work, I was able to emotionally blackmail him into indulging me. We hurriedly took dinner at home, freshened up and be out of the door by 10pm.

Aguirre, BF's main road, is lined with quite a number of affordable spas. We've already tried out 3 but wanted to check out something different. To our surprise, a lot of them were full with at least an hour's wait - guess a lot of people were stressed last night.

Anyway, we moved along to Miracle Spa and asked the Guard/Parking Attendant if they had slots available and they did! We entered and found ourselves in an old house very nicely converted with teakwood furnishings, dividers in natural fibers and Asian drapes. Massage oils in huge bottles displayed at the reception for selection, a water fountain behind cheongsamed receptionist playing world music from an audio component and of course the requisite magazines for waiting patrons.

We don't find dry massages relaxing so we opted for Swedish with Peppermint oil for him and Tea Tree for me at P350/hr. For additional P150, we got the couple's room and were ushered into a lovely area with two beds each with beaded canopies. The details and lighting were very charming.

We wasted no time getting into position in anticipation of relief from accumulated body aches. Face down, I was delightfully surprised by the warm oil-dipped towel rubbed up and down my back. I asked the masseuse to please give special attention to a "black hole" on the upper right side with the heaviest concentration of soreness in my biological universe. This she heeded with firm, fluid strokes that were both pleasurable and painful... I endured them all with deep breaths striving for Zen... and then I heard Tats snore...

I figured she eventually popped out all the "lamigs" in my body when I started to experience nothing but bliss all the way. The rest was a blur until Tats woke me up and it was almost 1am. It was so nice of the staff to let us sleep for over an hour after the massage - perhaps they felt sorry for our bodies being no different from cargo haulers...

We happily went home to get the best 3-hr sleep until it was time to row again. I don't dread the bodily exploitations anymore because I now have a fitting reward to look forward to.

Oh Wine Me!

In my old job marketing some bars and restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Stolich, Moet and my favorite Lapiz Anejo… tequila so smooth you just feel the warmth sliding down your throat – dapat lang considering it’s $50/ bottle… not that I spent for anything of course.

But after consecutive nights of “working”, I already smelled tequila coming out of my pores. So Iwent cold turkey and hit the treadmill 4x/week until I was sure I sweated all the alcohol out.

In my current job where I am constantly snubbed by San Miguel and welcomed by wine suppliers, it was inevitable that I develop a taste for the wines served in our events. After several seminars and tasting, I still don’t know how to sniff wood, florals, spices et al… all I know is whether I like the taste or not. Many times when eating even at the most modest of places I feel the meal can be made perfect only if accompanied by a red, white, rose or sparkling. Wine is just so delightful to me plus the fact that it’s good for the body and gets you to that giddy place without getting you trashed. I’ve gotten to the point of including a bottle in my weekly grocery budget.

Don’t get intimidated by the imported names. Start off with Novellino if you must. Check out these brands at P500/ bottle and below: Cava Vallformossa from Barcino, Sangre de Toro & San Valentin from Torres, Sta. Carolina from Premier and Viña Albali from Titania available at major groceries and liquor stores.

Expand your horizons by stopping the expansion of your midriff – consider this… Beer=4.5% vol., Wine=14-15% vol… mas astig kapag wine-drinker ka!

Bag It!

I developed a fondness for upscale bags from my former boss who would gift her all-female staff with bags for Christmas, birthdays and homecomings from trips abroad. She believes that a bag can always find a place in a woman’s wardrobe – and being the classic lady that she is, her bags are never monogrammed but unmistakable in their quality.

So there I was, an uhugin girl working beside accomplished and stylish women in my Divisoria clothes upgraded by their affiliation with Nine West, Fino and Mango handbags.

If you’re still in school (up to graduate level only) then you can probably get away with the craziest, most colorful bags. But if you have a career going on then quality bags are a must.

1. Invest on Quality. It may cost a quarter of your monthly salary but if it lasts 5 years then it saves you from years of mediocrity. Quality is deceptive when it comes to clothes – I had a P90 black blouse that served me well for many years. But such is not the case with bags that can make or break a professional ensemble.
2. Go for basic colors- start with black and brown supported by a set each of belts and shoes. These will be the anchors to which you can build your career wardrobe on.
3. Choose timeless designs, go easy on the metalworks and trimmings, the 80’s is over!
4. Remember utility – it’s a working vessel that should contain your essentials with space for a notebook, pen, your business cards or anything that might come up.

Casual occasions are when you unleash all the quirks from within and be your schizophrenic self. Scour bazaars and ukay-ukays for unique pieces that reflect your personality. Avoid generic bags that can be seen on arms within every kilometer of you – for the life of me I have yet to find the appeal behind them Le Sportsac bags!

When buying bags keep in mind the clothes they will go with. I’m a plainclothes person so I take it out on my bags – they come in varied colors so they’ll match most of what’s in my closet. This category should be the cheapest in your bunch so avoid buying extremely offbeat ones to which you’ll have to build a wardrobe around.

In the Beginning

I bet the first advocates of classic fashion were tightwads who could not afford to indulge in too much petticoats, ribbons, laces, make-ups and hair products. Thus the foundation of simple, clean and natural looks as the building blocks of style.

Growing up in a clan with a male-female ratio of 1:10 , it was easy to get carried away with girly trends like Madonna’s “like a virgin” look of spiky hair, short denim skirt, off shoulder blouse and hi-cut sneakers. My sisters and cousins still cringe at the photos of their puberty while I have no worries about anyone recognizing me in my Prince Valiant haircut, t-shirt and shorts.

My lolo in his blessed heart, believed I was a prodigy and raised me as a nerd so my priorities lay far away from fashion. After he passed away and I no longer had anyone to impress with books and medals, I fell one foot into girliness while the other has already gangrened into geekilitis beyond cure.

Dressing up for me can be summed up in one word… comfortable – it should have proper circulation that you wear with confidence and a sound mind.