To celebrate Easter this year, MOMtrepreneur Files is bringing you another contest.

Just answer and submit the form below for a chance to win 2 dozen cupcakes!

Red Velvet, Ferrero, Tiramisu etc.

Contest is starts today (March 29 until April 8 -Easter Sunday 5pm) and is open only to Metro Manila residents.

Winners will be picked out via Randomizer.org.

Winners will be notified via email.

Good Luck!

This online form was provided by Freedback.

Summer is here once again!

We’re excited to travel to different places  and indulge in our fave summer activities.  But we also want to make it a fun yet productive time for our kids.    To help you along, here’s a list of summer workshops around the metro:

Sports:

Milo Sports Clinic: http://www.nestle.com.ph/milo/

Futbol Funatics: www.futbolfunatics.com

The Younghusband Football academy: www.theyounghusbandfootballacademy.com/

Xavier School: Basketball, Swimming, Taekwondo, Fencing, Soccer(Football), Badminton, etc.
Tel. 723-0481

Aqualogic Swim Co.: Swimming for 6 months and up
Tel. 703-6386 / 0917-858-2782

http://www.aqualogicswimco.com/what_we_do.php

Bert Lozada Swim School:

http://www.bertlozadaswimschool.com

Figure Skating / Ice Hockey: www.smiceskating.com

Fencing: www.ezkrima.com

Bowling: smbowling.com

Sailing: http://www.manilayachtclub.com.ph/?p=sailing

Surfing: infor@philippinessurfingacademy.com

Taekwondo Training Centre: www.monsourdelrosario.com

Music / Voice / Theater / Dance:

Gymboree Play and Music: For 0 – 5 y.o.
www.gymboree-ph.com
Tel. 910-7529

Kindermusik, Philippines: For 0 – 7 y.o.
www.kindermusik.com.ph
Tel. 913-5124

World of Music: Drums, guitar, etc.
Gen. Lim St., San Juan
Tel. 724-6291

Greenhills Music Studio:
Connecticut Street, Greenhills
Tel. 724-0705

Yamaha School of Music:  http://yamahaschool.webs.com/
Make Believe Productions:  www.makebelieve.com.ph

Tel. No.: 729-5899

Basic acting workshops for print ads and TV commercials

Basic acting workshops for TV, Film & Radio For teens

http://www.aciateam.net/ , Tel No. 585-6344

The Camp Art, a musical theater workshop

Call (02) 750 1551.
Text (0915) 447 8959 or (0919) 433 8565.
Email kidsactsphilippines@yahoo.com

Trumpets Playshop:

http://www.facebook.com/playshop

http://www.trumpetsplayshop.com/playshop/schedule/

Spotlight Artist Centre: www.spotlightartistscentre.com/

Repertory Philippines:

Tel:  571-6926, www.repertory.ph/

Steps Dance Studio: http://www.stepsdancestudio.ph/workshop.html

Danspace: http://10fingersdesigns.com/danspace/sched.html

Manila Polo Club,ForbesPark,Makati

Arts & Crafts / Writing / Story Telling:

Little Painter: March 20 onwards (10 sessions), Tuesdays & Thursdays, Valle Verde 1  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150463160753525.364324.692693524&type=3

Art Camp Bezalel: www.artcampbezalel.com
Tel. 722-1434 / 414-2044
Text/Call: (63919) 3284531

GlobalArt:

G/F Sekai Building, Ortigas Avenue, Greenhills, San Juan
Tel. 515-7005 / +63915-8747747 / 404-4399

Winged Wonder Learning Center:  (Winged wonder crafts) www.wingedwonder.org.

Museo Pambata: http://www.museopambata.org/

My Masterpiece Movement: http://welovemymasterpiece.com/

National Library of the Philippines in cooperation with Children’s Literature Association of the Philippines invite kids ages 7-12 for a Summer Workshop on Stroytelling, Puppet making and Arts and Craft activities.   For inquiries, please call the Reference Division at 310-5033/528-1972 and look for Melai/Kristin.

Cooking / Baking:

Junior Chefs Cooking Workshop: Tel No. 6337222 loc. 7220

Center for Asian Culinary Studies: www.cacschef.com
3/F The Promenade, Wilson cor. P. Guevarra Streets, San Juan
Tel. 725-5089

Tiny Kitchen: http://www.tinykitchen.com.ph/index_home.html

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tiny-Kitchen/123909400969973?sk=info 

CCA : http://www.cca-manila.com/blog/?p=416

The Maya Kitchen: http://www.themayakitchen.com/index.php?view=185

Academics:

E-nopi: http://www.enopi.com/Main/Main_Local.aspx?CountryCd=Philippines&HMAC=Uz3ecjK76vAraoUdxUDQUaMQvvI=

Tel. (632) 706-1670

Singapore Math: http://mathemagis.com/

Kumon: ph.kumonglobal.com/

Aloha Mental Arithmetic: 7212039

The Learning Library: http://www.learninglibraries.com/

Reading, Writing & Comprehension (English)

Wika’y Galing (understanding, speaking, reading Filipino)

Writing & Public Speaking Workshop

Tutoring Club: http://www.tutoringclub.com/why_tutoring_club.php/tcphilippines

Media / Photography:

Photography: http://pcci.com.ph/Courses/Photography/Kids.html

Essential Photoshop for Kids:  http://pcci.com.ph/Courses/Photography/Kids.html

Kid entrepreneurship: 

http://eaa.edu.ph/is-your-child-a-budding-entrepreneur/

Tel. No.:(632) 576 4423 | (632) 310.1301
http://eaa.edu.ph/
Email: info@eaa.edu.ph

Others:

McDonald’s Kiddie Crew Workshop: www.mcdonalds.com.ph.
The McDonald’s Kiddie Crew Workshop is a yearly event specially designed for kids to learn the values of hard work, friendship, team work, self-confidence and cleanliness while having fun.

I came across this before, don’t know if still available - Summer Nature and Arts Camp for Kids (SNACK):

Ibsy M. Carballo, SNACK CampOrganizer
Tel. Nos. (632) 7210801, (632) 7267164, eve_cay@pacific.net.ph

m

After hearing that DepEd will implement the K+12 program for the next school year, a lot of parents are worried, panicked and dismayed about the news of additional school years for their children. 

The K12 system is one of the most controversial programs of this administration and has been met with criticisms and resistance by parents, teachers, youth & student groups, and also other lawmakers.  For those who are not familiar with the K12 program, it means that High school will be comprised of 6 years for those starting their freshman year in June.

Students and parents, however complain that it would be an added strain to a lot of middle class families and more so for poor families, whose priority is to spend for food and basic necessities, rather than school needs.  This might eventually lead to more students not being able to finish even high school because of poverty and lack of funds.

I support the DepEd’s aim to improve the quality of education, BUT in my opinion, this is NOT the way to go about it.

As parents, we all aspire that our children will finish school and earn their diploma.  However, adding more school years will definitely put a strain to most parents who are already struggling with the high tuition fees and paying for a myriad of things like school supplies, uniforms, field trips, school projects, extra activities, transportation and allowance.  These are big expenses especially for those with 3 or more kids. Moreover, besides the financial strain, the K12 program needs to account for many other pressing concerns and issues such as:

• What about those children in the provinces who have to cross a river or go down a mountain, just to be able to attend school? Is it justifiable to prolong their ordeal and suffering so they could earn a high school diploma?
• For those parents in their 40’s with very young children, how old will they be when their kid’s reach high school? Or the more important question is: will they still be there to support their kids until college?
• The K12 program seems harsh to middle-aged parents.  Let’s say you’re 43 now and you have a toddler, by the time he or she graduates from high school (add 1 year for nursery + 2 for prep + 12 for elementary and high school), you will be 58 years old.  And if you’re 46 now, you will be 61 by then!  Imagine the long financial and emotional strain many families will have to endure.
• Also, more years in school can cause boredom and burnout for the kids, which could translate to a higher dropout rate.

I believe that it’s also wise to assess the current private school system before the DepEd jumps into this K12 program.  For those in the private school sector, before the K12 program, our kids would have gone through 1 or 2 years of toddler classes, then nursery, plus 2 years prep/kinder, plus 7 years of gradeschool, plus 4 years high school.  These translate to already 14 years of studying or more!  What if our children go to good, reputable schools, and not to forget those attending IB (International Baccalaureate) world schools, can you still say that they are getting mediocre educational training?!

Parents invest their hard earned money for their children to attend these schools because of the quality of training and education, and the belief that these students would gain admission to some of the most respected universities in the world.  Now, if DepEd is so gung-ho on implementing this program, shouldn’t it be on a case to case basis?  Do these schools really need the K12 program?

Now, let’s look at the public school system in our country.  Yes, there’s definitely a need to improve the quality of education is this sector.  But is adding more school years for students and more burden to parents the solution?

I don’t think so.  For me, K12 is NOT the solution.

I think DepEd, should focus more on the QUALITY of education, by strengthening the Math, English and Science curriculums.   And the MOST immediate and important factor to be addressed first is the shortage of classrooms and teachers.  How can you give quality education when a lot of public school students attend school for only a few hours a day because of lack of facilities and human resources?!

I also believe that instead of using the budget for the K12 program, they should use this to increase the public school teachers’ salaries (some teacher’s resort to side-line selling to augment their income), give them better benefits/incentives, and send them abroad for trainings.  DepEd should also build more classrooms, provide enough school and teaching supplies (as some teachers even use their own money to buy materials), update old and outdated reference books, and also modernize the school system by buying more software for computer studies.  These are more productive ways of using the DepEd’s budget.

… and so the debate continues… Should the government put its limited resources on the Enhanced K-12 Basic Education Program.  Mommies and Daddies, what’s your side on this?  Should the government implement this program?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments (no haters please) and cast your vote on the poll.

Or for those who want to validate if there is really a correlation between the length of schooling and students’ performance, maybe this excerpt from a write up I read can help you more:

“According to results of the TIMSS, the length of schooling does not necessarily mean better scores. In fact, some countries with the same or shorter school cycle garnered the highest scores while those implementing the K-12 model or more years of schooling got lower scores.

According to a study released by former Deputy Education Minister Abraham I. Felipe and Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) Executive Director Carolina C. Porio, the DepEd’s arguments are “impressionistic and erroneous” because there is no clear correlation between the length of schooling and students’ performance.

The said study shows that fourth graders from Australia had respectable TIMSS scores despite having only one year of pre-schooling, while Morocco (two years of pre-school), Norway (three years) and Armenia and Slovenia (both four years) had lower scores than Australia. South Korea, which has the same length of basic education cycle as the Philippines, was among the top performers in the TIMSS, while those with longer pre-schooling (Ghana, Morocco, Botswana and Saudi Arabia, three years) had lower test scores.

Test scores of Filipino students, meanwhile, were lower than those garnered by all 13 countries with shorter elementary cycles, namely, Russia, Armenia, Latvia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Moldova, Italy, Egypt and Iran.

In the high school level, Singapore that also has a four-year high school cycle, got the highest score. Ironically, thePhilippines got a lower score together with countries that have longer high school cycles likeSouth Africa,Chile,Palestine,Morocco andSaudi Arabia.

For the pre-college level, the Philippinesalso got a low score, but so did the United States, which has a 15-year basic and secondary education cycle. Students from Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, all with shorter education cycles, got higher scores than America students.”  (Source: http://thepoc.net/thepoc-features/politi-ko/politiko-opinions/10020-k-12-philippine-education-system.html)

Reminder:  Pls. comment on this blog page and NOT on the Voting or Poll page.  Comment box is right after the post.  Thanks

Please Vote Here:

Parent & Child Bonding

Most of us have memories of our parents teaching us how to ride a bike.    And I am sure most of us parents would like to continue this practice with our own children.  But why buy your child an ordinary bicycle when you can give your precious little one a bicycle that will teach about the importance of fitness, the beauty of nature and the gift of giving back to society.

Kawayan Tech Push Bikes

Kawayan Tech Push Bike is a pedal-less bike which one learns to ride by gliding first.  The child’s confidence is developed as he or she controls the speed of the bike and the child’s core is developed, allowing the kid to maintain balance on the bike.  From here, the kids graduate to a pedaled bike withOUT the need for training wheels!

Kawayan Tech Mountain Bike

You might be wondering about the durability of bamboo bikes and think that it wouldn’t be good for much except as decoration.  However, bamboo is in fact inherently strong and after processing, is stronger than steel.  In structural engineering tests, bamboo has a higher tensile strength than many alloys of steel, and possess higher compressive strength compared to many mixtures of concrete. 

Kawayan Tech Bamboo Bike in Action

The Birth of Kawayan Tech:

In 2006, Hecky Villanueva, an urban anthropologist who was then based in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Tammy, was looking for a dissertation topic and learned about Gawad Kalinga (GK).   He then decided to adopt this cause and  even organized GK walks in Tucson and spearheaded 2 GK villages.   In 2008, Hecky heard about bamboo bikes and became fascinated with the idea.  He researched on it and realized that producing bamboo bikes would be a good business venture for himself, GK, and other Filipinos.  So in 2009, together with his UP Mountaineer friends namely Boy Siojo, Eng Chan, John Climaco and Eric Cadiz, Hecky put up Kawayan Tech.    They then invited over bike builder and designer Craig Calfee, through his Bamboosero program, to give a bamboo frame-building workshop. Armed with the proper technical knowledge, they are now ready to build their own bamboo bikes.   Kawayan Tech has produced different kinds of bamboo bikes and has clients from Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.S.  Sadly, Hecky passed away from aneurysm last November 2010.  His equally committed wife Tammy has taken on his role in the company.  

Gawad Kalinga is just the first community Kawayan Tech has partnered with.  But the company has numerous plans and is bent on reaching out to other communities.

Hecky Villanueva and his Bamboo Bike

Why your child will love a Kawayan Tech Bike:

- Learning to ride a bike is a fun adventure.

- They get to spend quality time with parents.

- They will be proud to own a uniquely Filipino-made and beautiful bamboo bike.

- They learn about the value of nature. (Kawayan Tech’s slogan - We Grow Your Bikes!)

- They will be happy and proud knowing they are helping other people and supporting a social cause. (Kawayan Tech Bikes are  made by the loving hands of GK Sitio Pajo residents)

5 year old boy on his bamboo bike

So, if you’re still thinking about what to give your child or your favorite “inaanak”  this Christmas, consider giving this bike.  It is not just a thing of beauty and Filipino innovation, but a gift that brings hope to other Filipinos this Christmas Season.

Kawayan Techs push bike - a great beginners bike for kids (Php5,000)

Kawayan Tech:

For orders and inquires email:  kawayantech@yahoo.com

Finally, a complete planner made just for moms!

Mommy Mundo presents its maiden issue of the MOM 24/7 Planner!

MOM 24/7 is a 6x8inch hardbound, spiral-bound planner with special planning pages with space for Mom’s schedules and kids’ schedules as well. On each planning page there are special portions for reminders for our different concerns and roles as well as space for our essential to-do lists.

To make us more efficient mommies, MOM 24/7 also has special forms such as Health record pages for mom, dad and each child (up to 3 kids), family vacation planning pages, party planning pages, and more.

To help us run an organized home, there is an expense tracker, grocery list, menu planner, yaya/ household help record pages.

Of course Mom 24/7 has “Me” pages such as goal planning pages, idea pages, and a menstrual tracker.

PLUS! MOM 24/7 has discount coupons from Mommy Mundo partners!

The MOM 24/7 Planner will be launched and available at the Mommy Mundo Bazaar on November 19 and 20 (Saturday & Sunday) at the Rockwell Tent!

The MOMMY MUNDO BAZAAR - The ULTIMATE Lifestyle Event for Moms, showcasing the most interesting finds (from different mompreneurs) for you, your baby and kids, for your home, and for other members of the family!. Plus different Mommy & Kiddie Events, a photo corner and hourly Raffle Draws!

 There are 3 ways to get a copy:

OPTION A: GET the MOM 24/7 PLANNER (worth P350) FOR FREE by applying for a Mommy Mundo Passport Card!

OPTION B- Get the MOM 24/7 Planner at a discount at the Mommy Mundo Bazaar!

OPTION C- Get the MOM 24/7 PLANNER anytime after November 20!

Pls. click on the the link below for complete details on how to get your copy!

http://www.mommymundo.com/mom-events/mommy-mundo-promos/the-mom-247-planner/

Last night I attended a birthday dinner of a friend at her resto.  Now, I usually turn down invitations in the South as I find venturing towards Parañaque or Alabang area so troublesome for me, because of the distance and the traffic.  But I was really happy that I made this trip.  Because nestled in one of the numerous restos in Aguirre st. is a gem – Raaz Mahal, which serves very good Punjabi cuisine (which is from the Punjab region of northwestern India and Eastern Pakistan).

As soon as I entered the restaurant, I was greeted by the cozy and inviting ambience.  It has alcoves and nooks that provide privacy without the feeling of being stifled.  The lighting was warm and beautifully enhanced the colors of the interiors.

Outdoor dining area

The food for the party was served buffet style and needless to say, I swooned when they opened the chafing dishes and I inhaled those fragrant aromas…  it got me excited and ready to dive into the myriad of spices and flavors.

I have posted pics of the dishes below.  Pls. forgive me for the mediocre quality, I had to hurry as there was a line of hungry people behind me, waiting for their turn.

Beef Nehari - tender beef that melts in your mouth in a flavorful curry sauce

Chicken Curry - cooked in a tomato and onion paste with 14 different herbs and spices. It was so good dunking my naan into that yummy sauce!

Vegetable Biryani - Aromatic basmati rice cooked with vegetables & spices

Chicken Kebab (all kebabs are served with yogurt mint sauce)

Beef Kebab

Vegetable Samosa - theirs were bigger than the usual samosas and packed with baked potatoes, peas and spices. Served with tamarind sauce.

Warm, freshly baked Chapati and Naan

The food was really good and very flavorful.  Everything was well seasoned without being overly spicy.  I loved everything but my faves are the Chicken Curry & the Beef Nihari.  I was able to taste the complex but tantalizing fusion of the different herbs and spices. And the beef was a pleasant surprise, it was melt-in-your-mouth  tender!

Service was also very good, the staff was friendly and accommodating.  It was a really good and satisfying dining experience.  And their prices are very reasonable and easy on the pocket (menu pics below).

Appetizers

Chicken Entrees

Beef Entrees

Seafood & Goat Entrees, Soups

Rice Entrees

I would gladly make that drive all the way to BF Homes anytime, just to taste the wonderful food of Raaz Mahal.

The model pouting sexily is wearing heavy make-up and gold stilettos.  She’s posed seductively on leopard print bed covers… seems like an ordinary Vogue pictorial, right?  Except that the model, Thylane Blondeau is just 10 years old.

The photographs had brought outrage and complaints from parents worldwide.

And as if little girls aren’t growing up too fast, a French company, Jours Après Lunes has also earned the ire of parents.   The brand is featuring little girl lingerie for girls ages four to twelve. Seriously?!  Little tots shouldn’t even know what lingerie is!  The bra and panty sets are modeled by very young girls, with their hair teased up and cheeks covered in rouge.

With grown-up styling and poses, these kids are made to look and act like models who are twice their age.

So the question is where do we draw the line?  How young is too young for girls to look sexy?  Would you allow your kids to pose for these kind of photos?

Adhering to age-old circus tradition, Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai is aptly staged in a huge air-conditioned circus tent in the Quirino Grandstand.

We arrived early and were surprised to see most of the seats were already occupied.  The atmosphere was abuzz with excitement, in anticipation of the most talked about show in town.

Varekai’s story is about the Fall of Icarus – a young man who plummets from the sky and is parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest.  In a kaleidoscopic world populated by fantastical creatures, this young man sets off on an extraordinary adventure. On this day at the edge of time, in this place of all possibilities, begins an inspired incantation to life rediscovered.

The word Varekai means “wherever” in the Romany language of the gypsies, the universal wanderers. This production pays tribute to the nomadic soul, the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and the infinite passion of those who journey along the path that leads to Varekai. 

The show area is fairly small, which makes it more intimate and envelops us into the mystery of the show.  With the beautiful costumes, dramatic set design and lighting, haunting music and the mystifying acts, I was swooning with awe and delight.

Of course, a circus act would not be complete without a clown.  In this show, they have a man and a woman who performed funny, absurd skits.  Not your typical circus clowns, they had everyone laughing and provided light moments in the show.

But of course, the highlights of Verakai are the acrobatic acts.  Let me share with you some of my favorite scenes from the show:

Flight of Icarus – I loved the drama and agility of Icarus as he elegantly flies, swings and dives in his net.  It showed the sensitivity and vulnerability of the character.

Water Meteors – These 3 young acrobats were just amazing.  They whirl, toss and catch these ropes with metal meteors attached to the ends, while performing daring acrobatic acts.  It was fascinating to watch them, which made me wonder how early these kids started their training.

Aerial Straps – Two remarkable men, suspended by wrist straps, glide gracefully, while doing exciting acrobatics with precision and power.  With a double strap, they meld in mid-air, united in a series of striking acrobatic silhouettes.

The Finale (Russian Swings) – This impressive act was so heart thumping and breathtaking!  Two Russian swings hurl the acrobats high into the air, and they are caught by their partners or land into billowing fabrics.  The audacity and sheer daring of this act had everybody shouting.  The jumps got higher and bigger, with men soaring mid-air to land from one moving swing to the other!  It was surely an unforgettable scene.

Overall the show is a feast for the senses.  With its sensual fusion of drama, contrasting colors, astonishing stunts and stunning acrobatics, this spectacular show is a definite must see!

PERFORMANCES FROM JUNE 22 TO JULY 24, 2011

Tuesday thru Friday Matinee

Friday Eve thru Sunday Evening

• Arrive early.  The show starts on time and latecomers are admitted only during a suitable break in the performance.
• Mobile phones must be turned off during the show.
• Videotaping &  photography are prohibited

Dress Code – Smart Casual

Food & Beverages - Refreshments and snacks are available in the entrance tent

Merchandise - available at the Cirque du Soleil store in the entrance tent.

Cirque de Soleil’s Varekai

Quirino Grandstand,RizalPark,Manila

http://www.hoopla.ph/

This post is long overdue.  I’ve been meaning to write about this, but being the overworked, frazzled mom that I am, time quickly slipped out of my hands, again…

I am an avid fan of  FORTyFIED, a weekly column in The Philippine Star headlined by Cecile Lopez Lilles.  So I was really excited to hear that she has compiled some of her articles in a book, which was launched last April at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati City.  The book launch opened with welcoming remarks by UST Publishing House Director Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, followed by a charming speech from Lilles’ daughter, Isabel.  The successful event was attended by many of the author’s family, relatives, friends, colleagues, and enthusiastic column readers.

Cecile Lilles is a columnist for The Philippine Star.  She is a mother, a homemaker and a writer.  Born in Manila, raised in Davao, and schooled in the U.S., Cecile currently lives in Manila where she cooks, runs, and writes about gender differences and the joys and tribulations in everyday human relationships.

The Author

Her book is a collection of essays and follows the author as she attempts to understand the male psyche – from adventures at the hardware store, potential suitors who ran away after a midnight screening of The Amityville Horror, meeting her future son-in-law, observing man dates, and cheering for tennis players.  Equally witty and humorous, Lilles’ essays reflect her belief that men, despite being “the most complex (supposedly) rational beings – impossible to classify, qualify, quantify, or second-guess,” are as interesting and riveting as women are to the male order.

I’ve read the whole book and here are some of my favorites: Speed is Their Music, Deconstructing Male Admiration, Traveling with a Man, The Pocanhontas Phenomenon, Real Man Don’t Dance; or Do They?, Why Men Think Women are Senseless, God is in the Details, The Girl-Boy Conundrum, Who Ordered the Ambiance and He Doesn’t Know it Yet.  These stories stem from her own experiences as a mother, wife, daughter and friend.  As a fellow mom and contemporary woman, I quickly resonated with many of Cecile’s perplexing, critical, yet often-times amusing encounters and observations on the male species.  I definitely subscribe to many of her viewpoints and I’m sure you will too.

Here are some reviews and comments from various personalities:

Writer Chi Chi Lizot says “Its takes “balls” to write about men. Cecile’s Fortyfied is a funny and witty attempt at exploring their world. She has succeeded in more ways than one in this compilation of little stories of little and big boys. An easy and entertaining read for men and women alike that I thoroughly enjoyed.”

Poet, fictionist, essayist, and Ateneo Professor Rayvi Sunico says, “At a time when gender politics and–horrors–gender wars have attained the dubious status of cliché and sound byte the sane, deft touch of these essays by Ms. Lilles reminds us that the opposite sex is best understood with honesty, candour and above all, wit.”

Louie Ysmael, hailed asManila’s undisputed Nightlife King observed “Cecile sure has the insight on men.  Nothing beats living through it and being able to nail it accurately.”

As for me, FORTyFIED is certainly an enjoyable read.  The author’s perspectives and witty musings are tastefully written.  Moreover, the essays are funny, insightful and very entertaining.  I highly recommend this book to all smart, passionate, and open-minded women out there!

Fortyfied is the first book in the Personal Chronicles series of books to be published this year by the UST Publishing House. It is available at the UST Publishing House, or through online orders at avalon.ph, and in major bookstores nationwide.

You can also find new FORTyFIED articles every Wednesday in the Lifestyle section (For Men) of The Philippine Star.

When we think of summer getaways, barkada trips, company outings, family vacations or honeymoon destinations, what comes to mind is Boracay, Bohol, Palawan,Cebu or Bellaroca… among others.

Well, who would have thought that there is a gem of a resort right here in Luzon!

A few days ago, we caught a Cebu Pacific flight to Tuguegarao for our trip to Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort in Sun City.  The flight took only an hour and we had to take a 3-hour van ride to get to the resort.  Yes, the road trip was longer than I expected, but Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort is very well worth it and even exceeded my expectations.

Our villa has 3 bedrooms all equipped with their own airconditioning units and plasma TV,  2 bathrooms, living room (also with plasma TV and seperate air-conditioning unit) and dining area.  I heard they also have 2 BR and 5 BR villas.

Villas

2nd bedroom

Masters Bedroom

chic furnitures - lobby

lobby bar / cafe

There are so many things you can do, there’s something for everyone –  swimming, relax  & get a tan, (open sea) game fishing, boating, jet-skiing, kayaking, have a massage at the spa etc.    And for the health buff, you can also squeeze in some work-out time at the gym.  You can also have some drinks at their hotel bar (free wi-fi) or their awesome club/bar, videoke in their beautifully furnished private rooms or play billiards at the sports club.

Gym

VIP pool. They also have an infinity pool facing the sea, but it was being cleaned when we arrived. So I had this pool all to myself while hubby went fishing

boat ride going towards White Sand Beach

Spa & Holistic Center

Infinity pool

Here are some pics of their club/bar, Sky Lounge.  The place was epic!  Definitely impressive and not someplace you’d expect to see in the province.  The interiors and furnishings of the club will definitely induce lust in some Manilaclub owners and make them go green with envy.

Sports Bar

And the food… glorious food!

Rib-eye steak from the lobby resto

their Chinese resto

Abalone with Lettuce

Beef Tenderloin

Spicy Prawns - Yummy!

Fish maw & Black Sea Cucumber

Seafood Hotpot

Fried Rice with Dried Scallops & Egg Whites

Broccoli w/ garlic Stir-fry

Shrimp Hakaw

Sour & Spicy Soup

Fried Savoury Puffs

Actually on our 2nd day, since it’s a seaside town, we also decided on having some fresh seafood cooked at the nearby Dampa style eatery near the highway, but it was closed that day (a person told us that the owners must have been tired after the all-night celebration of the town fiesta the night before)  ;)

The resort’s staff are courteous and  service is impeccable, just ring the front desk and they will send over a golf cart to take you around.

Cagayan Holiday & Leisure Resort is definitely a place to consider for your next trip.  And the good news is, the new airport might be ready by next year, so going to sun city will no longer be 3 hours but just 45 mins.  Just less than 2 hours (flight plus road trip) to get to paradise.

We would definitely go back here with the kids

By the way, you can’t leave Tuguegarao without trying their Pancit Batil-Patung or Pancit Tuguegarao.  We had this at the Airport eatery (50 pesos) while waiting for our flight  And don’t forget to buy some of those garlicky Cagayan Longganisa for pasalubong.

Pancit Batil-Patung

Email:  info@cagayanresort.com

Phone: +63 02 8440 888 / +63 91 8233 0333

Website: http://www.cagayanresort.com