Fun in Baguio, Day 2 and 3: Tree Top Adventure and Wright Park

Our Baguio adventure continues after a beautiful first day of driving around Session Road and touring BenCab Museum. Despite having car trouble on day one, we were still able to visit some sights with a rented van the next day and enjoyed ourselves for the rest of the trip with amazing outdoor activities for the whole family to remember.

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Fun Friday: Quick Trip to Museo ng Katipunan in San Juan

I enjoy going to museums, maybe even more than my kids coz I like learning about history, which has fascinated me since I was a student. My boy is now a fifth grader and we are currently studying Philippines history as part of his social studies subject. One important aspect of our history is the Katipunan, and luckily, the only museum dedicated to that topic is in our home city of San Juan.

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Family Weekend Destinations and Staycations

Metro Manila will enjoy a long weekend starting tomorrow until Monday, in the event of the Papal Visit. It is truly an honor for the Philippines to have Pope Francis and for sure, millions will join the celebration and the mass to be held in Manila and in Palo, Leyte.  For most of us observers and non-participating section of the population, it's a good opportunity to travel or plan a getaway with the family.

If you can go abroad, why not? But a leisurely road trip would be just as pleasurable. I have compiled some local destinations that we've been to that I know the whole family would enjoy. You might want to check them out and plan a quick trip during this long break.

Click on the names of the places to get full details and locations.

RECREATIONAL PARKS and FARMS

BALAY INDANG and YOKI'S FARM, Cavite (Tagaytay)

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Day 2 at Seda Nuvali Lifestyle Hotel and Solenad

I still can't over our recent family staycation in Seda Nuvali last December 5 to 6. We considered it our post-anniversary celebration and it was such a pleasurable overnight accommodation. You have to read about our first day here to have a better appreciation of what the hotel can offer.  The kids are bugging us to go back.

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Fun Friday: Zip Line and Circle of Fun at Quezon Memorial Circle

Third Friday of the month:  Recreation / Entertainment / Leisure 

I've been a Q.C. resident until I had my second child.  I am guilty of not exploring the city where I grew up in.  For sure there are so many wonderful sites and destinations that I may have enjoyed.  Two weeks ago, we went to Quezon City Memorial Circle for the kids' last "field trip" before they go back to school.  It was their first time, while it's the second for me.  My first time was for a location shoot when I was still working in advertising.  Today, the place looks so much better.

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5 Family-Friendly Places We Visited in 2013

Third Friday of the month:  Recreation / Travel / Leisure

It's Christmas break! The kids are all excited and restless at the same time.  We don't have any travel plans during the holidays, but sometimes, we end up booking an overnight stay at a hotel within the metro or go to amusement parks.  It's been a wild year for us, with major adjustments at home and with the kids' school life.  But the fun side has been memorable, peppered with new experiences especially for the kids.  

For today's post, I'm sharing a few family-friendly places we were able to visit this year, and to give you ideas on where to bring the family this holiday break.

The Fun Farm at Sta. Elena, Cabuyao, Laguna

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Maliwanag ang Pasko for Island Schools

"Light up your homes and show the world that the nation is moving as one, towards a brighter tomorrow."

That line was part of the script I wrote for a TV ad over a decade ago.  It was a corporate holiday greeting to highlight the progress of the country during that period of economic growth.  When I was tapped to do this feature for Meralco's Maliwanag ang Pasko, I immediately remembered that specific line and thought it is still very relevant, no?

Image from Meralco website

To tell you the truth, I was not aware about the thrust of this lighting project until now.  Learning about their charitable cause gave me a better appreciation of Meralco's annual Christmas program which was launched in 2006.  This year, Meralco's Maliwanag ang Pasko campaign has a 3-pronged approach to make Christmas even brighter and more fun:

1. Liwanag Parks - Meralco has tied up with the Department of Tourism to help promote the Philippines as a Christmas destination (since our country has the longest Christmas celebration) by creating more Liwanag Parks in and around the Greater Manila Area.
2. Liwanag raffle - Meralco customers like me have a chance to win PhP 5,000 daily! Simply upload photos of your lighted homes or any of the Liwanag Parks to www.facebook.com/meralco until December 22.
3. School Electrification - By supporting this program, we will help energize island schools to benefit more children and communities around the country.

Have you ever experienced studying or reading in the dark?
I did a few times, during power outages when I was still a student, and also while I was tutoring my son.  It sucks.  I knew it was just temporary, but it was very difficult to accomplish anything.  The sad reality is there are still areas in the country that live in "darkness" in this day and age.  

We all need light. We need power.  Electricity is essential for us to keep up with the rest of the word, and thankfully, Meralco's Maliwanag ang Pasko initiative is energizing one school at a time, helping communities every year.

Gaudencio Abordo National High School - Palawan

Beneficiaries of the Maliwanag Ang Pasko program:

1. Cagbalete Island National High School (Mauban, Quezon)
2. Cagsi-ay III National High School (Mauban, Quezon)
3. San Fernando National High School (El Nido/Bacuit, Palawan)
4. Teneguiban National High School (El Nido, Palawan)
5. Gaudencio Abordo (Bulawit) National High School (Linapacan Island, Palawan)
6. Pandanon National High School (Jetafe, Bohol)
7. Cabul-An National High Shool (Buenavista, Bohol)
8. Rizal National High School (Basilisa, Dinagat Islands)
9. Cab-Ilan National High School (Dinagat Islands)
10. New Nazareth National High School (Dinagat Islands)

Image from Meralco Facebook Page

Let us all try to participate in the program and help light up these schools.
Join the Maliwanag ang Pasko 2012 raffle -- 2 winners daily!
Install the Facebook app and read mechanics here.

Look at my lighted trees at home -- I'll be posting these as my "Liwanag sa Tahanan" entries soon! =)

Visit the Meralco Liwanag Park (Ortigas Center) - Open daily
6 -11 p.m., until January 6, 2013 (Free entrance)


Learn more about the program:
Meralco - Maliwanag ang Pasko here
DOT, Meralco to make Christmas brighter and ‘more fun’

Program photos courtesy of Meralco.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
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Family Friday: 6 Favorite Kiddie Pastime & Bonding Activities

Second Friday of the month:  Kids / Parenting


Everyday, my kids will have their 'cat & dog' fights, and some sweet moments in between.  It's inevitable among siblings.  It doesn't matter if they're all boys or all girls, or both... they will kick, push, scream and fight, hug, play and laugh together.

We're no exception.
The boy is in second grade while the girl is in junior kinder, technically preschool. With their gender difference and age gap, we'd often wonder what could they enjoy doing together especially at home.  I guess we're at this stage where they can get very physical with their quarrels (with some minor injuries here and there) yet still show affection towards each other without being too conscious about it.

Precious snapshot -- sharing and feeding each other potato strings!

My challenge is what (unisex) activities, aside from reading books and cooking, could I introduce that would appeal to both of them given their obvious differences, and encourage more interaction.  Well, good news for me, I think I don't need to try since they're doing quite well on their own these days -- with the power of imagination!  Barney would be so proud of them! LOL!

6 Favorite Kiddie Pastime & Bonding Activities


1. Dress-up and Pretend Play

With whatever toys and props they find in their room or around the house -- from kitchen tools, my scarves, old boxes and whatnots, conjuring up mythical characters, pretending to be animals, making up stories, and playing dress-up has been a regular scene around the house almost everyday. And they can play for hours!

Pretend play with using plush animals

2. Build and Create with Manipulative Toys

We have tubs and boxes of colorful blocks in different sizes like MegaBlocks and Lego, magnet balls and joints, Jenga, Jawbones and Zoob among others.  They love creating different shapes and characters with them, use for their "puppet show" or even create something pretty for mommy! These toys promote busy hands and creative minds. I love them all!

Zoob character creations

3. Gadget Games

I cannot deny the fact that my kids are tech-savvy, thanks to daddy. I have no contribution whatsoever when it comes to using their Nintendo DS, iPod Touch, and iPad.  They also, on occasion, invade our laptops/notebook. They have their favorite video games that they play regularly, and which we allow for as long as they are done with their school work.  I recognize that they do learn so much from these gadgets, like improved reading and comprehension, analytical thinking, and math application.

Hogging some computer time

4. Art and Drawing

Drawing is like a part of their daily routine already. If you've been following my blog, you'll know how much my kids enjoy drawing.

Given some downtime during the day, either they grab the iPad or bring out pencils and clean sheets paper.  Big brother has been a positive influence on the little girl in this area, so when the boy sits down and starts sketching, the girl will not be far behind.  And they both love to show off their 'works of art', even asking me to take photos like this one here!

Showing off her 'Simon' chipmunk sketch

5. Outdoor Play

Swings and slides. They won't refuse an invitation to go to a park or playground, and they don't wanna leave! We have a slide, but we don't have enough outdoor space for them to play and run, so I try to bring them to the nearby village park if time permits.  Running in the open field, climbing and swinging helps release their energy and allows them to get in touch with (a little bit) nature.  They even get a thrill from poking ant hills, and picking tiny berries from the aratilis tree!

6. Taekwondo / Sports

It's been a little over a year since we introduced this sport to our kids. Since summer of 2010, my boy started attending Taekwondo lessons, and recently, my girl has been joining big brother twice weekly.  It is so sweet to hear my boy's request for his little sis to always join him, and vice versa.  They even practice sparring at home, even though it sometimes lead to serious rough play which we have to referee! I just hope they can keep this up and move to the next level.

With all the toys, gadgets, and recreational materials we've provided, I believe they are more resourceful now on how to make use of what they have. Since they have found some favorite pastime, I am not one to stand in their way, and will just continue to show support and encouragement.  I wonder how long before the next wave of special interests?

See what the kids had been up to:
Art of Plants vs. Zombies
Taekwondo Classes for Kids
Draw Insects
Bonding over Zoob

Do you have kids? What's their favorite pastime? Do share! :)


I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!
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Fun Friday: Watching Jellies at Manila Ocean Park

Third Friday of the Month:  Entertainment / Recreation

Jellies, a.k.a. jelly fish or sea jellies, are translucent soft-bodied sea creatures with a basic body structure resembling an umbrella made of gelatinous material called mesoglea. The jellies don't have a brain nor central nervous system. They only have a loose network or nerves stemming from their 'nerve net'. Many say the term 'jelly fish' is a misnomer since they are invertebrates, unlike a fish, so jellies are more appropriate. - Wikipedia

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Day-Out At Eton Centris Walk

A new commercial center right smack in the middle, or should I say corner, of busy EDSA and Quezon Avenue?  First time I've heard of Eton Centris, I cannot really visualize where and what this place is, so I have got to see it first hand.

The family took the opportunity to visit the place when hubby had a scheduled lunch meeting at one of the restaurants in Eton Centris Walk.  My curiosity was finally satiated. The complex looks cool and futuristic! As soon as we walked through the promenade, I was impressed.

Centris Walk is part of business tycoon Lucio Tan's Eton Centris property on that huge corner of EDSA and Quezon Ave. which conveniently connects to the MRT Centris Station. According to it's website, Centris Walk is a "mixed-use complex that epitomizes the vibrant work-shop-play-and-live concept...covering a gross floor area of more than 14,000 sqm. ...making use of “green architecture”, this new dining and lifestyle oasis will feature lush landscape, covered walks and pedestrian-friendly promenades."  Wow.

I was held in awe by these mushroom-like discs towering over the whole complex.  Honestly, I don't know their purpose but they definitely made up for the lack of scenery at this time.  There are a number of establishments already open but I was informed that everything will be up and running before the holidays.

Despite the scorching mid-day sun, the kids just went crazy at the play area...with the swings and slide, mini camp house, and their all-time favorite carousel!

Worth mentioning was our lovely lunch with my friend and her kids at Italianni's. We had our favorites like calamari, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken parmigiana, and their latest offering, Spaghetti Al Granchio -- tossed in aglio olio and crab meat. I love anything with crabs but this pasta dish didn't make an impression, so I had leftovers. But service was excellent and they even went an extra mile with customer satisfaction when they generously offered to cook me a new serving of the pasta dish after they asked how our meal went.  I gave an honest feedback that it tasted a bit bland and they offered to replaced it. So thank you to the Italianni's Centris Walk service team and their training officer Rich (hope I got the name right)! It was a welcome surprise. And that's what I have here in my take-out bag. :-)

Then off we went to Tutti Frutti for some yummy fro-yo desserts courtesy of our friend, who invited us to sample the different flavors on offer. I was really looking forward to this part of our day. :-)

Don't miss my full story on our visit to Tutti Frutti Centris Walk, up next .

And this summed up how our day went.

 

GOOD NEWS to all Mom-Friday followers!

TUTTI FRUTTI Centris Walk will be giving away a 

SPECIAL TREAT!!!

Find out how you can join on my next post!

(Update: Tutti Frutti Fro-yo Treat happened here)


Tutti Frutti - Centris Walk
Eton Centris Walk
EDSA corner Quezon Avenue



This is my first participating post for Pixel Bug Weekend. Thanks for the invite mommy Salen! :)


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Mommy Moments: Kids and Amusement Rides

Tea Cup ride, Carousel, Mini-Ferris Wheel, Crazy Bus. Young kids can demand so many rounds on their favorite amusement rides once they get started. And they want to ride 'em all till they drop!

Here's my share of those fun (and dizzying!) rides with the kiddos for this week's Mommy Moments.

Having a blast, this is the little man's first try at Cosmic Kidz's Sling Shot ride in Kids Universe at SM Mall of Asia. He went for four rounds straight!

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A Quickie from The Cliff House to Nuvali

Third Friday of the month:  Travel & Leisure


Don't be misled by the title.  This is a family blog, so read on (",)

It was a bright and sunny Mother's Day and the family spent half the day from Tagaytay to Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The plan was to have a nice and relaxed lunch at Tagaytay, then spend the afternoon at Solenad in Nuvali before driving back home. When I thought about going out of town for this particular Sunday, I was really hoping we could at least have a whiff of that cool Tagaytay breeze and escape the summer heat for a day. I was sooo wrong.

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Clark Field Educational Tour: Zoocobia & Paradise Ranch

I consider being a stay-at-home mom to be a privilege. And one of the perks is that I am able to participate and be involved, whenever I choose to, in my children's school activities.

Aside from the kids' special programs and school events, what I really look forward to are their exposure trips.  No doubt, such trips are great learning experience for the children and bonding opportunity with their parents (if they're allowed to join), aside from building stronger friendships and camaraderie among the students.

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Clark Field Educational Tour: Air Force City & Nayong Pilipino

Third Friday of the month:  Travel and Leisure

Assembly: 7:00 a.m.  Departure: 7:30 a.m.  ETA: 9:00 a.m.  Destination: Clark, Pampanga

Air Force City, Clark Field

Early this year, the kids and I had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of this educational trip to the former U.S. air base -- Clark Field, in Angeles City, Pampanga. This all-day excursion was organized by my son's school, DML Montessori, for all the Kinder and Prep students, joined by their parents. Some nannies, grannies, and siblings were also part of our large entourage.

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Tagaytay Family Holiday, Album 2: Paradizoo

Farm Animals, Vegetable Farm, Flower and Evolution Garden, Perpetual Park, Butterfly Garden, Honey Bee Farm, and a host of in-house facilities and activities are available for visitors of all ages in this private-owned zoo and farm.  Welcome to Paradizoo!

What to do and where to go with four kids in tow?  I took a cue from my friend, The Phenomenal Woman, as I found inspiration from her family's Paradizoo experience. So, here's the second installment of our 2009 holiday album.

After checking-in at Taal Vista Hotel and a hearty Pinoy lunch at Leslie's resto-grill, we then drove our way to Paradizoo Theme-Farm in nearby Mendez, Cavite. It was a 20-minute drive from Aguinaldo Highway. The farm is operated by the same owners of the popular Residence Inn & Zoo, another tourist destination in Tagaytay.

The farm was not all that spectacular and scenic, but more of having a provincial rustic charm. Very organic in every sense. So don't expect a modern theme park ambiance as it is really a working farm where a variety of plants and fresh produce are on offer.

First to greet us on the tour was this large dromedary camel. What distinguishes this camel from the ones we usually see in the movies crossing deserts is that this one only has one (1) hump on it's back. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good angle to shoot it's profile to show the single hump. Just for fun, read through the sign below and you may find yourself doing a spell-check ;)

With a friendly guide leading us up and down the path and around the farm, we were introduced to a number of animals we don't commonly see in the city zoo. The tour gave us a better knowledge and appreciation for these friendly creatures as well as the flora and the produce grown on the property.

Mooo, Wagyu -- beef of Japan! 

So this is the famous, and pricey, wagyu -- the melt-in-your-mouth beef cubes / steaks. Sorry, couldn't help but think of the steak when I saw the sign.  It described them as a pure Japanese breed of cattle dating back to 1830, and can live up to 20 years. They are dark, chocolate-brown colored cows that are relatively smaller than their heavier dairy cow brothers/sisters.

'What are they looking at?', you may wonder. Well, we were all waiting for the arrival of the famous Voltes-5!

I'm serious. Really!

Meet Voltes-5, the cow. So, what's so interesting with this cow?

Look closely...closer...closer...

Voltes-5 has a 5th leg!!!  This so-called freak-of-nature cow has an extra leg and hoof dangling on the right side of his front leg.  Thus the name.

We also passed by several goats and kids, hogs and pigs in large pens, geese and chickens freely walking about. Can you spot the shy kid below?

As we cross the field, we spotted a lone scarecrow. I had my sister-in-law pose for a souvenir shot (",)

The farm nurtures a variety of flowers, and grow assorted vegetables for agribusiness.  A few caught my eye, like this 'Mickey Mouse' plant. Also known as Nipple fruit, it has chemical and medicinal properties, and decorative as well.  It looked to me like it's from the tomato family, and seemed like plastic fruits up close.

Getting this close to a bee was a first for me and I was so glad I was able to capture this one as it was pollenating, I guess.

Now correct me if I'm wrong here, but is my imagination running too wild when I thought this looked like The Grinch screaming and pointing a finger towards the sky as it gets frozen as a tree monster?

 

 There was an afternoon drizzle and these cousins still managed to continue with their curious discoveries.

And more wonderful discoveries along the way...

Can you believe these lettuce were like 2 feet high?!

Sss...slithering reptile was camera-ready to pose over our necks when we got to the farm's log cabin. Well, we did not pose with this one if you're wondering.

 

 

We all took a breather from the walking tour and the kids opted to circle around the cabin on rented bikes.

One of the elements in the farm that also caught my eye was their use of solid, natural wood for their tables and chairs, just like the ones found at the log cabin and cafe.  The distressed and antique look of these furniture reflects the Filipiniana theme.

 A golden tree of dried ears of corn stand proud in the field. Pure ingenuity.

These are my favorite shots from the whole trip. Pure emotion captured. My girl was pretty excited to catch a butterfly in the tent but quickly got so scared when it flew straight towards her, not knowing it landed directly on her cap!

Seeing this worm reminded me of one of my girl's favorite book by Eric Carle, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar".

And on we went to the bee farm...uhmmm, it was actually a gallery where we got to see and touch a honeycomb. There was also a viewing window of a small colony of bees.

 

The PerPETual Park, or pet cemetery, was totally unexpected yet logical since this is a farm with lots of animals. A most wonderful way to commemorate our dearly departed animal friends.  Sadly, we lost our own pet poodle Sushi when we got home the day after our visit.  Was this coincidence? Creepy.

One of the cutest and most adorable animals I saw in the farm is this miniature pony (?).

Fresh from the farm's wide lettuce patch are these bountiful harvest of crisp greens.  Beside it was a crate of firm green tomatoes also on offer.

Paradizoo Theme-Farm proved to be the perfect choice for our live-wire gang of four, leaving everyone with a fun and unique learning experience that will surely be remembered for a long time. Even for just a day, the bonding time of the cousins are truly priceless.

 

And now they all went quack-ing out of the farm and ready to head back home for some downtime. Goodbye Paradizoo, we had an awesome time. 'Till our next visit!

 

As soon as we left the farm, my parents, my brother and his family drove back home to the city. As for my crew, we headed back to our hotel for more R & R. To be continued... (",)

Move on to Album 3.

Check out our Album 1

Paradizoo Theme-Farm
Km. 63 Panungyan Mendez, Cavite
Tel.:  (046) 413-1244 / 860-2238
Makati Office:
Tel.:  (632) 898-3695

Admission:
Adult - P149
Kids - P99

For tours and inquiries:
Zoomanity Group
3rd Foor, Yupangco Building, 339 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +63917-8351111

Email: info@zoomanity.com.ph

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