Having never travelled alone (meaning: without family who will pay for lodging, food, or transportation), I’ve never had to survive on just my own money. So when I travelled to the Queen City of the South with my friends, I took on the challenge of trying to stay within the limits of a strict budget imposed by my own personal financial crisis (read: the state of being dead broke). So, over the course of the next few weeks, I will attempt to itemize just how I survived on an under-10,000 peso budget (including airfare!). I’m off to Cebu City and Bantayan Islands!

Greetings from Virgin Island in Bantayan

Meanwhile, on the Metro Manila side of things, Tippi also has a budget mission of her own. She has been scouring the world – okay more of Metro Manila – looking for fab makeup alternatives for those looking to scrimp instead of splurge. Check back on Queen Nefertippi’s take on the haven of all things fun, flirty, cheap and chic – HBC.

More interesting – and more importantly, cheap –  stuff, soon. We promise.

Ta for now!

XOXO,

Luj

Earth Day will be on April 22. Starbucks, once again, takes a stand to the call to protect our environment by Reducing, Reusing and Recycling.

From April 22 to 23, Starbucks is cutting off Php40.00 to any drink one will purchase for those who will bring his or her own tumbler or mug and will opt to use that to contain their drink. It doesn’t matter what kind of tumbler, mug or cup you will bring because what really matters is that by bringing your own container, you are helping save mother Earth.

“In the fast paced and luxurious world we live in today, we often seem to neglect nature and only concentrate on our own benefits. Well, Veridis is here to change all that. Our company aims to spark environmental concern amongst the youth by selling shirts with designs that are inspired by environmental acts,” is what Veridis is all about, as stated in their Multiply site homepage.

Veridis: (1st row) Jeric Teng, Julian Co, Robert Lorenz Chua; (2nd row) Aloisius Kho, Neill Chuacuco, Mr. Simoneil Mendoza

These Xavier Seniors picked to innovate and create designs such as ”Nature Hates You”, “Green Is The New Gold”, and “Turn On The Green Light”  to make noise and catch the attention of shoppers and passers-by during the Xavier Entrepreneurial Bazaar last Nov 29-30 at the Corinthian Gardens Club House.

Robert Lorenz Chua, the artist/designer of the shirts

Xavier Entrep Bazaar Food Finds from MF | Veridis Multiply Site

Pasalubong, literally meaning something to greet with, is not actually a necessity, although it has become as customary as the giving of Christmas or birthday gifts for the Pinoys. So who am I to go against tradition?

Besides, it’s another great excuse to shop, shop, shop!!! ^_^

A recent trip to Baguio reminded me of this age-old custom precisely because it was one of the first places we had visited as kids and is also where I had first witnessed my mom frantically scurrying around the Public Market looking for presents to bring back to Manila.

And now as an older and more *ahem* seasoned shopper version of me, I took it upon myself to save YOU the trouble of having to go through the panicking and the scurrying and penny-pinching…
I now present to you, dear reader the first installment of:  Baguio, the Pasalubong Files!

Good Shepherd

This is actually THE place to score some of the best pasalubongs in Baguio.  Of course you have the classics like ube jam, strawberry jam, peanut brittle, peanut butter, adobong peanut… (you get the idea ? ) And then there are the latest additions for those with a more adventurous pallet.  Ever tried guyabano candy? Interested in a jar of guava jam? How about sesame brittle? Good Shepherd has a little bit of everything for everyone.

One other thing that makes this place special is that it’s actually a convent and whenever you buy one of their products, you’re actually helping out the Good Shepherd nuns in supporting their chosen charities and in the maintenance of their convent as well.  How cool is that??? ?

Budget: Php 500 – 1000 (USD 10-20) should be enough to buy you a sizable amount of stuff to share AND to enjoy for yourself.

Location: The Good Shepherd convent is located in Mines View Baranggay with the entrance along Gibraltar Road just past the Mines View souvenir shops

The Starbucks Coffee Planners are back with three colors (Red, Black and Blue) to choose from. It’s hardbound, unlike last year’s, which was bound in leather. Some say that the planners look like from circa 2006. Here’s a preview of what to expect inside (see photos below).

This year, you only have to get a total of 16 stickers (8 Holiday Featured beverages and 8 Starbucks beverages of your choice); last year you had to collect 24 stickers. They even threw in one sticker for free (“a treat to You from us”) because it was the first day today.

White is out for the season because the red cups arrived today! You will love the newest addition to the Holiday Featured beverages — the Dark Cherry Mocha (bittersweet chocolate infused with the rich flavor of dark, dried cherries). Although the Dark Cherry Mocha Frappuccino is a good treat this season, I am still waiting for the Dark Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino’s return. Toffee Nut Latte and Praline Mocha are still in the trio.

Designs include the pixelized Rizal, Jeepney design, and a number of other statement designs that will surely leave gift-receivers amazed and smiling. You guys better check out more details about the launch at Daily Grind, Daily Grind | News, and Team Manila.

Photos by: Daily Grind | News and Team Manila. You can check their site out for more designs.