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20Jul 2015

UNIQLO babies : safe, premium baby fashion

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

I miss my babies! I remember getting excited as I bought them those cute baby clothes and trying it on them right away. My husband used to tease me “they are your dolls”. Dressing up our kids is a guilty pleasure of most parents. Choosing baby clothing is not simply considering the style. Safety should always be priority in selecting these pieces. Parents are blessed these days because there are is a wide variety of brands to choose from.

Though my cute little girls are now adults, I still want to catch up with the latest trend in baby and children clothing. UNIQLO babies collection offered a wide variety of stylish and safe clothing essential for babies. Following the global Oeko-Tex Standard 100, UNIQLO ensured that every piece of clothing is free of harmful substances and meets the highest standards. I got to view the collection at the second floor of the UNIQLO branch at SM Aura. I kept thinking , “if only, I could bring back the time and have my little girls wear these…”.

I am told that UNIQGLO Baby Wear are categorized as Class 1— the safest classification under the Oeko-Tex Standard from the raw material used to the finished product. Also, the clothes have to be formalin-free to ensure the health and safety of the babies. Nine different baby clothing categories are available in 16 UNIQLO stores.

Now, Titos, Titas, Lolos, and Lolas will find it easier to shop for the little kiddo. They will feel assured that they are buying the clothing products that follow safety standards. The best quality control is applied to the smallest details of the baby range. While care labels are usually sewn inside clothes, UNIQLO places the label outside to prevent irritation. A special technique is als0 used to remove any unevenness on the cloth or thread to keep the skin of babies safe. Babies ‘s little fingers can get entangled with these threads . Lastly the clothes undergo tests for more than 200 chemical substances during the planning and production stages.

Now that is commitment of providing safe clothing for your babies. Who wouldn’t want to give the best to our babies?

Check it out mommies. Uniqlo’s BABIES collection are available at these Uniqlo branches: SM Megamall ; SM Aura ; SM North Edsa ; Powerplant Mall; SM Mall of Asia ; SM Makati ; Robinsons Magnolia and also in provincial outlets. SM Pampanga, SM Clark, Robinsons Manila, SM BF Paranaque, SM Southmall, Gateway, SM City San Lazaro.

19Jul 2015

Being a Tita has never been this “in.”

by webs ⋅ Leave a Comment

written by Toni Tiu, as originally published at , “Tita of Manila” Mode: ON!, Philippine Online Chronicles

Being a Tita has never been this “in.”

“Tita” is what you call your Mom’s sister, your Dad’s female co-workers, basically any lady who’s a generation above you. But now, Tita is more than just a title or a term of endearment. It’s a mindset, a lifestyle, one that’s not reserved only for those in their late 30s or early 40s. I recall when being a Tita made you cringe as that meant you were truly much older than most folks in the room. That’s why I was surprised seeing my 30-year-old friend brand herself “Tita” on Instagram, sharing a picture of her wine glass as she stayed home Friday night at her condo. “Tita mode. Staying in for the night,” she captioned. Being called “Tita” may still make some cringe, but because so many women are embracing being a Tita and loving Titas, the cringe can be accompanied by a little joy.

The Twitter account “Titas of Manila” hilariously captures Tita-isms and Tita behavior.

@TitasofManila Jun 1

(sees pamangkin wearing makeup) Wow artista!!

@TitasofManila May 14

* lines up at French Baker in Megamall for 50% discount on bread *

@TitasofManila May 13

*sees chubby pamangkin * Ay, napabayaan ka sa kusina, no? *kurot sa tiyan*

@TitasofManila Apr 16

You know the daughter of your Tita Susan graduated cum laude and she’s working in London now tapos ang gwapo pa ng asawa na mabait pa!

This is very much the typical Filipino Tita. From blatantly asking you about your weight gain to repeatedly asking you during family reunions when you will get married, this Twitter account captures the many Tita lines that irritate nieces and nephews everywhere. But it also captures the behavior and quirks that make Titas endearing such as not being able to resist eating butong pakwan or trying to figure out how to spring clean her collection of Fit-Flops. The personification of being a Tita is so endearing and amusing at the same time.

Buzzfeed has even published an article called 20 Signs You’re the Tita of Your Group. Funny signs include “You’re way too exhausted after a day out with friends.” (accompanied by an image of a body part with Salon Pas) and “You have a bag full of things your friends might need in case of emergency.” That is SO Tita.

Embracing Tita-ness

I’m in my late 30s, but even then I don’t feel like a Tita. However, three moments in the past month made me realize I was very much a Tita.

Incident Number 1. My officemate was complaining about a really bad headache. “You want to drink medicine?,” I asked her. “Sige, you have?,” she asked. I reached into my kikay kit and pulled out a banig of headache medicine. “O there, you get as much as you want,” I advised her. In the past, this behavior would be called being a Girl Scout. Now it’s being a Tita.

Incident Number 2. Air-conditioning in the meeting room dies. It is really hot. I reach for my bag and take out my pamaypay and begin fanning myself furiously. I realized I was the only one in the room doing that and slowly put down my fan. Abaniko in my bag? So Tita. But hey, at least I didn’t have to suffer the heat in silence.

Incident Number 3. My husband and son got me a present for Mother’s Day. Upon opening the box, I saw it was a pashmina. I LOVED it. As I wrapped the beautiful red pashmina around my shoulders, I also realized that I felt very much like a Tita at that moment. (That moment also made me realize that one can’t have enough pashminas. I want one in basic black and another in navy blue, please.)

Shawls in all colors? Call your Tita! This can be her happy place!

Being a Tita has never been this “in” because of how social media has helped make Tita-isms endearing. It’s a good thing. In Filipino culture, a Tita can be our second Mom or a mentor. Titas may have their irritating moments, but for the most part they’re really just looking out for us. When they tease you about your weight gain, they sincerely want you to be more conscious about your health. When they ask about your marriage plans, they sincerely want you to fall in love and find that “forever” of yours. In or not, at the very least, you can always count on the Tita of your group to have food in her bag.

18Jul 2015

My Pandora , story of my life

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

Early this year, my daughter asked me “Have you heard of pandora bracelets ?” The brand sounded familiar to me but I didn’t bother to check it out. She explained that Pandora made charm bracelet a trend.

The idea of Pandora bracelet is to get charms that represent your life story. I love the idea of a bracelet that is customizable. I own a gold charm bracelet which I bought in Thailand but the charms were set. Though Pandora is mostly in silver, it is expensive in the Philippines but I figured if I acquire the charms slowly, it won’t be painful on the pocket.

The opportunity came during our 30th wedding anniversary last May. My dear husband bought me the silver collier, the Bride & Groom Charm, two fancy pink sparkling hearts spacers and two heart silver clips. Naturally, the bride and groom tells the story of our 30 years of marriage and the seven years as sweethearts for a total of 37 years together as a couple. Now that is such a big feat considering I nearly wanted to call it quits . Hearts symbolize our love and the love of family. It also depicts my favorite quote, love never dies. May is also the month when our beloved Luijoe went to heaven. I added the “Love and Guidance” Angel wing silver dangle with 14K heart charm to symbolize my son who is now an angel. I will continue to keep Luijoe’s memory alive in my heart and in my mind since it is a very important part of who I am today. I want his memory to live on forever and for Luijoe to never be forgotten. This is the story of those hearts and the wing charm. I loved it but it felt my bracelet needed more charms.

I told my daughters and dear husband that my bracelet lacked two girl charms to signify my two daughters. “Hint, hint”. I showed them my wishlist.

…and the brochure that the Pandora branch in EDSA Shangrila gave me.

Surprise! On my birthday last month, my husband surprised with a girl silver charm and a a pink glass ribbon charm. My second daughter got me a the dangle girl dangle charm. My girls… I wish they will always be with me to love and to hold but I know at the same time, I know I needed to step back and watch then fly high and free. Now they have flown their wings and I am left with an empty nest. But the two girl charms will always remind me that they are close to my heart.

My eldest girl got me the “Mothers of the World Charm”. One of the biggest life-changing event in 2013 was when my kids left home to live independently from us. This charm reminds me that my children will always be in my heart because home is where the heart is .

Each charm means something close to my heart. I will add more but for now…This is my Pandora bracelet , the story of my life.

Here is the gallery of my Pandora charms and bracelet

: SILVER BRACELET 590702HV

: LOVE & GUIDANCE 791389

: SPACE IN MY HEART, FANCY PINK CZ 791252CZS

: STEADY HEART 791279

: MR. & MRS. 791116

: GIRL SILVER CHARM 791531

: MY LITTLE GIRL 790860

: PINK RIBBON OF HOPE 791604

: MOTHER’S HEART 791112

22Jun 2015

Aging gracefully with the help of Olay’s Miracle Duo

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“And the beauty of a woman, with passing years only grows!” Audrey Hepburn

Turning 58 years old a few days ago was a day to celebrate. I know 58 is just number but it affirms 58 years of trials and tribulations that made me who I am today. I feel positive about my life. I enjoy pampering myself because things can get too busy with my writing commitments. I feel good and beautiful inside and out because I know I am aging gracefully. Feeling and looking beautiful starts with taking care of myself. It means leading a meaningful and active life; maintaining a positive attitude; taking care of my skin and eating a balanced diet. With my skin rejuvenation treatments from my dermatologist-sister, I need to complement it daily with a good skin care treatment.

For the past three years, I have been using Olay Cleanser and Olay Regenerist for day and night time use. My skin care routine is a quarterly visit to my dermatologist-sister who recommends a skin care cream that contains peptides.

One reason I use Olay Regenerist is because it contains amino-peptides.

Peptides are tiny fragments of protein molecules that are found naturally throughout the body. Along with glycerin, peptides hydrate and enhance the stratum corneum, or outer layer of skin. This helps allow for the natural production of collagen, which can help to firm up skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

For women my age, the Olay Regenerist is the answer to aging skin. I still don’t have wrinkles. Though I have brown aging spots , I easily hide it with a concealer.

Recently, I got introduced to the new Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence and Micro-sculpting Cream. ” or the Miracle duo . My skin rejuvenation starts with a good skin care regimen.

Let’s take a look at the Miracle Duo and how it helps me age gracefully.

The Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-Essence is designed to boost the penetration of anti-aging actives of your moisturiser to increase skin cell metabolism and renewal. The first drop starts renewal of a million surface cells and helps visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, pores and firms the skin.

Its unique auto-dropper packaging ensures the exact and right amount of the pre-essence is delivered in every single application. I apply the Olay Miracle Boost Pre-Essence after the cleanser and before the cream. The smell is refreshing and not too overpowering. The combination of Miracle Boost Pre-essence and Olay’s Micro-sculpting Cream work together to boost renewal of surface cells.

Now, the sculpting cream my skin with a concentrated formula of Amino-Peptide Complex that stimulates my skin to make more collagen and progressively hydrates my skin to lift, firm and micro-sculpt.

Both Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-essence and Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream are called the Miracle Duo .

If you’re like me, I look at the ingredients to understand what each component does to my skin. I have already been aware that my Olay Regenerist cream contained Vitamin B3 and Amino Peptides. There are two other ingredients : the Lys’lastine (natural extract of Dill seeds) which enhances skin elasticity and OliveM (Antioxidant from Olive Extract) which improves penetration of anti-aging ingredients .

I know that as I age, collagen that supports and makes my skin firm, gets destroyed and not replaced—causing winkles and sagging. In fact, collagen production begins to diminish starting at age 21. If you are in your early twenties, it is best to start a skin care regimen now with Miracle Duo. Continue to take care of your skin even as you reach your prime time just like I do with the help of Miracle Duo.

Stay beautiful everyone.

You can purchase the New Miracle duo (The New Olay Regenerist Miracle Boost Youth Pre-essence and Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Cream) at Lazada. Make sure to check out www.olay.com.ph, like Olay on Facebook or follow @OlayPhilippines on Twitter and @OlayPhilippines on Instagram for more updates.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me for Olay. All the facts and opinions are mine since I have been using Olay a for the past five years.

03Jun 2015

Retirement Planning: What do I want to happen in our financial future?

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

When you retire, think and act as if you were still working; when you’re still working, think and act a bit as if you were already retired. ~Author Unknown

(Photo Credit)

“If I can provide a good future for my children they will look after me during my old age.”

This has been referred by some as “Filipino retirement planning”. Truth is, I have never heard of this practice. My daddy old boy, bless his soul, never gave that impression to us, 7 siblings. Even at his semi-retirement at 55 years old till his death at 73, he supported himself and still left enough income for us even after death. He prepared for his retirement the moment he graduated college.

I am following dad’s plan but I am not as liquid as he once was at my age. I had been busy saving for my kids’ college education and paying off two home mortgages that it’s about time I rebuild my liquidity. Ever since the kids left college, I see myself working even past the age of 70. I don’t have a retirement age. My work is fun. The only factor going against me is my health, the diabetes and my spastic heart condition and that’s the future I am concerned about. I need to save up for contingencies like that.

In “Retirement Planning, Pinoy-Style” written by Randell Tiongson, a registered financial planner and writer for Money Sense Magazine, a short survey of average middle class Filipinos was done to look into Filipinos’ view towards retirement planning. Most of the respondents prefer to retire earlier than the usual 60 or 65 years old. It seems many do not see themselves working very long and would like to get out of the rat race earlier than most. I think these are the employees and not someone like me who enjoys work at home. Here’s an interesting revelation from that survey. While most wanted to retire early, many of them do not have any retirement program in place. It makes me wonder how serious they are in early retirement. It might just be wishful thinking.

Most agree that they may not have enough money to retire comfortably. As to the best time to start planning, most were unanimous in saying that “the earlier, the better”, from the time one earns income or at least when one hits 30 years old. That’s the practice I am inculcating to my children. Start saving for your retirement today. The best investments for retirement are real estate, time deposits and savings. Few mentioned sophisticated instruments like life insurance, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, socks, bonds or structured notes. Fortunately, my father exposed me to all these type of investments but on a more conservative approach.

On the reason why retirement planning is not taken seriously, respondents talked about immediate gratification, mañana habit, lack of funds, low income, increasing expenses, wrong priorities, short-term thinking, lack of knowledge. One respondent even added that “Filipinos are not too keen on preparing for their retirement maybe because of what we call the extended family.” Most parents, including myself, are too busy preparing for their children’s future and they tend to forget their old age which brings me back now to the Pinoy-style Retirement Planning.

I cannot imagine my children supporting me in my old age especially if they have families already which is one reason that I stopped giving them financial support once they started work so I could rebuild my savings. My kids often say that they will help us in our old age but I don’t want them to think that is our plan. If they want to give us gifts, well and good. It is not an imposition but more out of love.

I do have a retirement plan and it starts with a goal and an action plan that started in our first year of marriage.

Each of us today, has a financial future. There are few future aspects of my life I can control, but one part I can play is to assist our family’s future is setting goals. I dont have to obsess about my goals. I don’t have to constantly watch and mark our progress toward them. But it is beneficial to think about my goals and write them down. What do I want to happen in our financial future? What financial problems would I like to solve? What bills would I like to be rid of? What would I like to be earning at the end of this year? The end of next year? Five years froom now? Twenty years from now? I know I am willing to work for these goals and trust God to guide me.

Taking responsibility for my retirement plan enables me to take focus off money. It frees me to do my work and live the life I want. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility.

Do you have a retirement plan?

The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income. ~George Foreman

01Jun 2015

Just singing in the rain.. What a glorious feelin’ !

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Singin in the Rain will open on August 20 for a strictly limited season at The Theater , Solaire. You can buy tickets through TicketWorld. Call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph . Tickets start at 1,500 pesos.

I’m singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again
I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin’,
Singin’ in the rain

Are you familiar with those lyrics? Well if you don’t know it yet, “Singin in the Rain” is an iconic 1952 movie which starred Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. Set in 1927, it tells the story of the first Hollywood musical, when the silver screen found its voice and left silent movies — and some of its stars behind. I remember watching Gene Kelly on TV tap dance to the rains . There are so many delightful moments in this iconic movie. Sometimes, I can’t help singing along because it is just a happy song. Remember how it was when we were kids and played with the rain?

Here is the “Singin in the Rain” from the movie.

“Singin in the Rain” has been described as “one of the most joyous dances ever filmed”. Gene Kelly explained that his inspiration for the famous street dance scene was the way children like to play in the rain.

The good news is “Singin in the Rain” will come to Manila during the rainy month of August from the producers of box office hits, CATS, Mamma Mia, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. I usually dread the rains because of the flood waters but I love the rain in its pitter-patter mode. The song reminds me to be grateful that the rain will kiss the dry soil .

Here is a snippet of the musical.

I was also delighted to be present during the press launch and got to meet the three main characters: Steven Van Wyk, Bethany Dickson , Grant Almirall. They presented “Good Morning”.

From Left to right: Steven Van Wyk, Bethany Dickson , Grant Almirall

The musical preserved much of the iconic movie since it was just important to serve the piece as well as the movie because people come to hear certain things and that’s what the producers want to provide. Expect glorious songs like Good Morning, Make ’em Laugh , Moses Supposes, and the classic Singin’ in the Rain.

Steven Van Wyk (Cosmo Brown)

The wonderful thing about the play is the choreography is flawlessly created with the help of 12,000 liters of water. Definitely the audience will enjoy one of the most famous dance routines live on stage, with some leaving the stage a little wetter than they arrived. The 12,000 liters of water will be poured on the stage over the course of two numbers–, the first one being the iconic SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN , as done by Gene Kelly and they see it again in the finale. All the water is is UV-treated, sand-filtered and chlorinated. It’s the same machinery as in the swimming pool except that this is pouring in the air.

Bethany Dickson (Kathy Selden)

Audience seated in the first three rows will be in for a one-of-a-kind experience because this is the “splash zone”. The audience will get a treat by being subject to a generous amount of rain water from the show during some of the dance numbers. Bethany Dickson , one of the main characters told me that the water is heated. The bonus is the first three rows will be provided with a poncho if they want to protect themselves.

Grant Almirall (Don Lockwood)

Leading the cast of 27 as the charming Don Lockwood is Grant Almirall, Bethany Dickson as Kathy Selden, and Steven Van Wyk as Cosmo Brown. Expect to be showered with everything you wish for in a musical: breath-taking songs and dance numbers, sumptuous set design and costumes with a superb score and joyous story.

Steven Van Wyk , Bethany Dickson, Grant Almirall

So if you want to watch this feel-good musical, you can buy tickets through TicketWorld. Call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph . Tickets start at 1,500 pesos.

25May 2015

Lazada Philippines launches Mom Loves – A shopping extravaganza for all the moms, May 26- June 4

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Did you know that 63% of Filipino moms read online advice from : Parenting websites (82%); Facebook (36%), Search engines (31%) and family and friends (84%)? More and more mothers are online because they have become tech-savvy, digitally engaged on their laptops and mobile. They made a purchase mainly because it was recommended on a parenting website followed by “they saw an online brand promotion” and lastly, they “saw someone follow the brand online”.

Now, I am going to recommend to you an online store, Lazada Philippines – the country’s one-stop shopping destination. I like shopping at Lazada because it saves me, time and money as I can shop at the comfort of my home. I like how they constantly update me on the status of my purchase and delivery.

Good news for mommies and daddies. Lazada prepared something for you out there starting May 26 until June 4 via www.lazada.com.ph/mom-loves .

You can start browsing the items here.

Whether you are social media savvy, on-the-go, urban lifestylista, or even the stay-at-home type of mom, Mom Loves has something in-store for every mom. From exciting flash sales coming from top brands, to hot discounts and exciting games, Mom Loves is packed with all the coolest deals that every mom could get to nurture her family.

Lazada carefully took into consideration a couple of fun mom facts into designing this year’s mom-focused shopping event:

1. 60% of mothers visit social media sites such as Facebook, Youtube, and

2. Mothers in emerging markets such as the Philippines consider a variety of other product information beyond quality, price, and convenience, such as branding

3. 8 out of 10 moms would buy frequently but of lesser basket size due to the management of cash flow;

Top items bought by moms in Lazada would be the following:

a. Learning Toys

b. Home Appliances

c. Home and Living Items

e. Health and Beauty

There are many learning toys at the Mom Loves Shopping portal and I discovered Fisher-Price toys , one of my favorite toy brands for young children. Most of my children grew up with Fisher-Price toys because they are so sturdy, offer visual stimulation and help my baby develop problem solving. . One such toy was the Fisher Price Elephant Shape Sorter .

An activity center was one toy I bought for my babies. This “Bright Starts Bloomin Birdies Activity Gym” contains so many fun activities for babies.

Other than toys, there are many sale items under lifestyle, Apparel, Health & Safety, Feeding and Partnerships.

Start checking out the sale items in Mom Loves and see if you need this in your household.

24May 2015

A mother-daughter photo shoot on a Sunday morning by Sunday Morning Studios

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” – Eudora Welty

I love taking photos . I got that quirky habit from my daddy old boy who kept snapping away every single moment when my siblings and I are touring in some place . I also love good photography and capturing the moment in time. Around 40 years ago, my mom hired a studio photographer to take our family photo. I am glad she did because this is our one and only decent family photo of my parents and siblings. My dad , mom, and two siblings have passed away since this was taken in 1972 but I have this photo that holds this moment from running away. Aren’t we stiff?

Five years ago, my husband and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary. I knew I just had to get Mimi and Karl to take our family photos. It was just natural that we chose the UP campus (where we met) for our silver anniversary photo shoot and the celebration of our then 37 years as a couple on March 7. Dragging my two girls to join us, the two hour photo shoot was sweet and poignant. As Butch wrapped his arms around me, I loved how the soft breeze cooled the scorching sun hitting us between the branches of the tree.

Now this is a better family photo, where we are all relaxed even if we were guided to do this pose. We held our daughters’ hands as we walk around the campus where their parents met 37 years ago.

Such a beautiful day, because in 2010 my daughters were still living with us. I get sentimental when I look back at these photos and reminisce that afternoon. We watched the sunset as the photo shoot ended with this pose.

Three years later, my second daughter asked me if I wanted a photo shoot with her. Why not? She was leaving for Europe and I wanted to hold this moment in time.. She discovered this wonderful photographer in Tumblr that took great portraits. I soon found out they were two photographers (Aaron and Anabelle) of Sunday Morning Studios, wedding and lifestyle photographers and lovers of natural light. We again headed off to the UP campus and took mother-daughter photos as well as solo photos.

Here is one of our mother-daughter photos. Isn’t she lovely?

Unfortunately, Lauren could not join us that afternoon. I told that we should have a photo together one day. Two years later, we found the time to have this photos shoot on Mother’s day , a sunday morning with Sunday Morning Studios.

This time, we wanted a photo suited for a LinkedIn profile , with a twist of both lifestyle and corporate look. The scene we envisioned was a coffee shop so we chose CO/OP Goods & Eats in San Juan where we also had our Mother Day brunch. Another lovely photo of my daughter, don’t you think?

I really like how Anabelle and Aaron took our portraits. Anabelle guided us on how to pose by making us imagine an emotion or an idea. The simplicity, elegance, beauty and life caught in each frame. The moment captured forever.

A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. ~Ansel Adams

21May 2015

Blog Giveaway: Tickets to the ICON 2015 , get started in making the right investments & financial choices.

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 7 Comments

UPDATED May 27- Winners (you can only win once. If your name is also a winner in other blogs, then I will choose another winner)

Gold Winners:

1. Jyrus Cimatu
2. SHIELA MAY LOPEZ

Silver Winners:

1. John Paul S. Tanyag
2. Kim sigrid espiritu
3. Liz Aquino

——

My father, a self-made man, was orphaned during his teens. He survived because his parents left a few coconut lands which gave his five siblings some passive income. More important than acquiring wealth, I learned from my dad the importance of risk-taking, investment and managing personal finances at a young age. But what if you were not exposed to financial planning? How does one learn?

In fact, you might ask…Financial planning, entrepreneurship, trading, investment, and stocks… What do these all really mean ? Do we know what money management exactly means? Are we utilizing what we earn in the right way to invest and create value for a better future? What are the risks involved when it comes to trading and stocks? These are a lot to think about. It might even sound complicated and intimidating, but this is where my friend, Randell Tiongson’s ICON 2015 comes in. Hailing from the success of last year’s ICON 2014, Tiongson makes a comeback with a conference that’s bigger and better, and promises to have more in store.

I have known Randell Tiongson in 2008, way before he became a blogger. I attended his first seminar on retirement planning with my husband and daughter in 2009. He is such a great mentor and inspiring lecturer. If you attend ICON 2015, you are blessed to listen to the best financial experts in the country . ICON 2015 will be held on May 30, 2015 from 8AM to 5PM at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. With a whole-day event and a packed program flow, you will ;earn the basics, get motivated and ultimately be inspired by the best speakers in the Philippine financial industry. In just one day, you will gain the knowledge and tools you need to get started in making the right investments and financial choices.

This year ICON 2015 is bringing you no less than the best speakers and advocates in the field of investing. Here they are:

1. The event’s pioneer, columnist, and best-selling author of “Money Manifesto,” Randell Tiongson .

2. Francis Kong, respected lecturer, inspirational speaker and author of Only the Real Matters.

3. Marvin Germo,the well-known stock market trader and best-selling author of Stock Smart

4. Jess Uy,s Global Investing Advocate, personal speaker and finance coach and

5. Economist and Ateneo De Manila University Professor Alvin Ang .

The new speakers for this installment are: the seasoned financial adviser, best-selling author of the “Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide” series and founder of Personal Finance Advisers Philippine Corporation (PFAPC) Efren Cruz and radio host, wealth coach and best-selling author of “Till Debt Do Us Part” Chinkee Tan. Also, a brief sponsor’s session will be given by Sun Life Financial’s Managing Director (Asia) Michael Manuel as he tackles “Why It Is A Good Time to Invest Now.”

Here are the registration fees : (It is an investment)

Gold – PhP 2,800 (You get 1 FREE coffee and snack from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf but only for the first 150 attendees. You also get to be closest to the stage)

Silver – PhP 1,200

Student – PhP 500

You will learn a lot that it will surely pay the way to your financial freedom.

If you want to join us to this avenue of learning and investing, visit Randell Tiongson’s ICON Facebook page and log on to bit.ly/ICON2015REG to book your seats as soon as possible! Also stay tuned to their posts on Twitter (@icon_ph) and Instagram (icon_ph) for more information.

Be part of this and learn how to invest for a greater future!

Giving you all a chance to join me

Thanks to my good friend, Randell…I have 5 tickets to give away: 2 Gold and 3 Silver tickets. Here is how to join:

1. Comment below why you want to attend ICON 2015. Make sure you can really attend the May 30 conference.

2. Deadline of comments is until 11:59 PM , May 26, 2015

3. Ticket is non-transferrable once your name is chosen.

I will choose the best comment for the Gold tickets and the next best three comments gets silver tickets.

17May 2015

Having a fun run in a color festival

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“I think we are the oldest here”, my husband muttered as we assembled for the Color Manila Nite Run: Black Light Edition.

I laughed. “Don’t worry, we are here for the fun!” There is no age limit when it comes to fun and definitely none when it comes to fitness. Reality is I don’t like to run but I prefer to walk briskly. In fact, I have never joined any running events.

And well, why shouldn’t I try new things, get out of my comfort zone? When I attend the launch of this fun run a few weeks ago, I was told this is not your usual fun run and not a competition. I like that. No pressure to reach the finish line but just to enjoy the moment. Who knows, this might actually be the event to encourage me to even take the sport more seriously one day.

The Color Manila Nite Run: Black Light Edition is a “color festival, a fun run like no other, and a party rolled into one. It’s like that party but you wake up early for it, and never regret. The fun does not start at the finish line where you hear the bands. The party starts when you hear Gun Start. ”

As my husband and I started running/walking to our goal, we literally encountered the most colorful confetti ever. I got bombed with pink colored powder that smelled of candy. The entire time that we started running, from the gun start, the organizers started to explode powder on us. We passed by three color stations along our 3 K route. Each station has a specific color assigned. They made sure we all the happiest colors of the rainbow (yellow, blue, green, purple, orange) formulated to glow under UV light. Each of us had a blacklight headlight that reflected this powder. I felt like my body was “tie-dyed”

Even the streets exploded with colored rain. The only sad people were those caught in traffic as we passed through intersections.

There was so much happy-spirit fever everywhere as colors transferred from one person to another. The best part is finishing the fun run as we each got our finishers’ medal. Mission accomplished. Fun and run! You know what, I am seriously considering joining more fun runs before I take this sport seriously.

The young ones continued to party as we sat by the grassy corner, wiping off our tinkerbell dust before heading off to our car. And by party, this meant being with “a bunch of happy, supersonic, neon-colored balls of energy dancing while singing” .

“Let’s look for another fun run”, says my husband .

Uh-oh,here we go.

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Having a fun run in a color festival

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