I Blog, Therefore I Am.

I love bang-for-your-buck shopping. I fulfilled my two budget shopping wishes last night and I am so happy about it! Wasteland Wonderland, indeed!

UNIVERSAL RECORDS CD SALE
Our operations in Quezon City are just floors away from the Universal Records HQ. I noticed a few months ago some Big CD Weekend Sale announcement of Universal. I got curious because it says that they sell Buy One, Take Ones and some CDs are even 90% off. What a steal!

Fortunately, I had a meeting yesterday with some of our Call Center leads and it coincided with one these famous CD Sales. I made sure that all my meetings and commitments are done by 6:30pm so I can browse and buy to my heart's desire. The sale usually starts at 9:00 am and ends at 7:00 pm.



I was able to buy two Jazz compilations, one Hale album, and an OPM love song compilation (Yeah, I am all for cheesiness) for only P200! That's basically P50 per CD. The cheapest they have there are the P2 casette tapes and the P40 Country Music CDs. They also have P100 or P200 Buy One, Take One CDs. It's really a joy to go there if you're a music lover or collector.

Universal Records
Universal Towers, Quezon Ave., Quezon City
(Just above Smart Wireless Center)
Remaining Sale Dates: May 31, June 5, 6 & 7

~*oOo*~

SAIZEN (DAISO) JAPANESE STORE
I've been hearing and reading about the Saizen Store at Robinson's Galleria in the last couple of months. Saizen is a Japanese Discount Shop brought by the original Daiso All For 100 Yen Shop of Japan. It's a dry goods shop where you can buy everything for P85! The one you see all over the malls - Japan Home Depot or something - is a fake one. THIS is the real deal.


My Loot! Not much but I'll be back again!

I am a sucker for stores like this. I love the thrill of buying seemingly unnecessary things at a budget price. The stuff in the store are all made in Japan (obviously) and are usually specially made for the Daiso/Saizen stores. They have everything from Housewares, Cosmetics to Office Supplies.



I love the row of plastic containers and the Japanese bowls and plates are just perfect for my brother & sis-in-law who loves Japanses cooking. I initially bought them a rolling container to perfect their maki-making.



My favorite sections: Office Supplies & Notebooks! I was able to buy two File Folders (I love filing!) and will come back for the Colored Staple Wires and the Cushion Notepads.



They also have all kinds of CD/DVD racks and cases; and there was also a row for all types of laptop sleeves. I was able to buy a small blue one for our HP Mini Note.



I love the Saizen shop and I can't wait to go back. This is going to be an ideal Christmas Shopping store. There's truly something for everyone!

Saizen / Daiso Japanese Store
East Wing, Robinson's Galleria
Ortigas, Pasig

I was fortunate to be in Boracay last Labor Day weekend for the Smart Buddy Hot Summer Samahan event. I was not really expecting the work trip and I only learned that I was going less than 24 hours before my actual departure. I went to the island to oversee one of the activities of Smart's premiere summer event.

It was only my third trip to the island and it was fun to learn and experience new things and visit different places which I haven't been. It's also nice to discover a different Boracay apart from the watersports and beaching that we all love. Read on!

1. I was "almost" and "mostly" solo on the trip and it was both good and bad. Good because I can do all the things I want and bad because I don't have anybody to share it with.

2. Labor Day weekend was the second busiest period of summer! I was early at the airport but I was still bumped off because PAL Express overbooked my flight due to four canceled Caticlan flights that day.



3. PAL Express transferred us to Seair and it was my first time to ride a 20-seater plane (I counted)! The plane was bare and I can't sleep. I was finally able to sleep 30 minutes after take-off but the repeated turbulence woke me up.

4. The upside of Seair? We were only 9,000 ft. high so I was able to take some overhead shots; and land and sea travel to Boracay were also free!





5. There were so many people in Boracay that weekend! It was so crowded! You have to line-up for almost everything. It was also raining on and off but the people were dedma about it.

6. I met and worked with colleagues from Boracay, Iloilo and Makati who helped me with agents stuff, booth supervision and reaching the target. :)

7. First lunch meal was at The Big Mouth in D'Mall with colleagues. I ordered a small bowl of Pesto Pasta and a glass of Coke. Damage? Php 200! Welcome to Boradise of Expensive Everything!



8. I was supposed to stay at Patio Pacific (it was overbooked) or at the Fairways (it was so far) but I ended up at this simple, beachfront hotel at Station 1 called Casa Fiesta. It was right in front of our event venue and it was just less than a hundred feet from our Wireless Center. Perfect!

9. The lady who owns Casa Fiesta was very kind and accommodating. She did not ask for even a deposit or a down payment for my 4-day stay. She just asked me to fill-out some forms. The room was spacious and the bathroom was clean. It has a double bed, a TV, a ref, a/c and a veranda overlooking the beach.

10. Work on my first day was very stressful. The target was high and it was really stressful working in the beach. Unbelievable but true.



11. I took a break and a stroll along Station 1 mid-afternoon to check out the scenery. I was hoping for a Jonah's shake but it was jam-packed as usual.

12. I'll be fit as a fiddle if I live in Boracay with all the walking and strolling. I loved all the solitary walks I had.



13. I love great hotels so I took note of all the resorts and boutique hotels I want to stay in. Here are some of them: Zuzuni, Las Brisas, Residencia Boracay, Two Seasons, Bluewaves Beach House, Seawind (always been on my list since 2001), Boracay Regency and, of course, DS.



14. Since it was a work trip, we obviously had meetings! I had two on my first day.

15. I love the I-don't-care Boracay attitude that gave me the convenience of wearing anything I want. Shorts? Check! Floral overload? Check! Non-black stuff? Check! It was also the first time I wore white in years!

16. Our first day dinner was buffet at Seawind where I was able to taste one of the best pastas I've ever had = Oil & Garlic With Mushrooms and Hams. I am now hunting for a recipe!




17. There was also something in the Boracay air that makes one thirsty! So I ordered a glass of Bailey's on one of the beach bars near my hotel. I had the shock of my life when the bartender gave me two glasses. I apparently ordered one their "buy one, take one" drinks. Geez!



18. I was up bright and early on my 2nd day for our actual Summer Samahan event. I was happy and excited. I was up until 2:00 am devising a strategy that would "sell". It DID sell and we had a favorable outcome. Yey, me!

19. I was busy the entire day working non-stop. I only stopped for a well-deserved lunch at Tribraz along Station 2. Tribraz is a french bistro near Cafe Del Mar. I had Potato & Meat Casserole and Rice Pilaf. Yummy!

20. I had an EX moment across the miles. I can't believe it! *shakes head, roll eyes*

21. Speaking of #21, I learned that all my pasts and possible future are all Smart subscribers. Galeng!

22. The Summer Samahan event was so great! Bosses will be happy. I realized that I can also be an excellent frontliner and on-ground person. Chat will be proud!



23. I would like to thank Aqtiv 100 Plus Energy Drink (Hi, Jomar! Hello, Mark!) and Colgate for the support and sponsorship. Until next time!

24. I was so exhausted the whole day but it did not hinder me to peek at my Social Networking Sites and tweet.

25. Second night's dinner was another buffet at Le Soleil De Boracay at Station 2 with colleagues. It was just so so. Nothing spectacular.

26. I strolled along Station 2 and 3 after dinner. I discovered new restaurants, saw the new Mandarin Spa and took note of all the places I can take my family on our trip in June.



27. Looks like the best chill-out places in the island are (and still are) Guilly's, Bamboo Lounge and the new Obama's Grill at Statiton 1; and Bombom's, SummerPlace and Hey Jude at Station 2.


The new Obama Grill at Station 1

28. Spongecola is the best! 'Nuff said, love 'em. The Summer Samahan Event culminated with a concert of Spongecola, Rocksteddy and Bamboo. Rock on!

29. I caught a fever because of the on/off rain and the high temp of my room's AC. I spent the night on-line with my favorite fattening snack bought from D'Mall: Lays & Coke.

30. I am the biggest loser in Boracay because I spent the day in bed resting and nursing my colds on my 3rd day. I was awoken by cheers before lunch as a result of Pacman's greatest boxing battle against Hatton. I wasn't able to watch the match live but I learned from Twitter how the bloodshed happened.

31. I spent my final afternoon doing usual Boracay stuff like eating Chori Burger, strolling along Station 1 and sipping Jonah's Fruitshake. I tried the plain Mocha flavor and it was delicious.



32. There was, of course, the Sunset! It was not a magnificent summer sunset and it was very cloudy but it was great nonetheless.





33. I love the All Flip Flops By The Beach store at Station 1. Nice lighting, too!



34. My favorite Boracay activity is Massage By The Beach so I obviously did not leave the island without it. It was relaxing and refreshing as usual.

35. I had my first-ever Henna Tattoo! I was so happy about it so I had two. One on my right ankle and the other one on my right leg.



36. One of my best ever meal was at Aria. I had the Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino pasta for my last lunch at the island. It was so delicious. All the raves about Aria are indeed true!



37. The flight back home was breeze. I took a PAL Express flight and I must say that it's the best ride I've ever had from Caticlan to Manila. It's not as "uncontrolled" like Cebu Pacific and Seair.



38. I arrived around 4:00 PM on a Monday and was both happy and sad about it. Sad because I just came back from one of best places in the world and happy because I am back in my beloved city with my family and friends on it.

I'll be going back to Boracay in June but this time with the family. We will be celebrating my brother's 27th birthday there. Hopefully, I'll be able to swim and do beach stuff and watersports by then.