Home bakers turned entrepreneurs!

Hello everybody!

Once again, it's Wine and Dine Wednesday and that means, we're going to be talking about food. I am beyond ecstatic to feature some of the home bakers I have personally known whose talents, creativity and tongues, I must say, are extraordinarily gifted. They have the sweet tooth which in turn, had led them to becoming entrepreneurs in their own right!

"TIME just stops when I bake." - Malyn

Let me start off with a good friend of mine, Mrs. Malyn Santos. She is known for her genuine compassion for her friends, her beauty inside and out and her sweetness towards everybody.

One of the things she could never live without would be chocolates. And that being said, she possesses a strong tactile sense that will surely give a "pang" when it comes to baking her own adorable cakes.

Every time, our circle of friends would gather up, we go giddy-yap when we are warned to make room for Malyn's dessert. We all look forward to it.

Personally, I find Malyn, fun to hang out with, sincere as a friend and has that classic sense of style. She is an epitome of "your girl"! and this reflects in the cakes that she bakes. Once you get a taste of it, there she leaves a mark that will surely make you day dreaming a week later to experience it all over again. I still remember when she made me a Banana Cream Cheese Pie with Cinnamon for my birthday two years ago, it was just a delight! The picture above was for her boyfriend (then, now husband...), Giles, since he loves Angry Birds and the one below was for his birthday, a Red Velvet Cake. I loved that too!
 

  

Malyn's Pumpkin roll - one of her bests and firsts.

 At first, she wasn't comfortable baking cakes for money since baking is her own therapy. She never wanted it to be a sort of business but every now and then, if close friends need it, like I did one time, she considers so. I know baking takes a lot of time so with much respect, I purchased one from her. Plus, her husband has a catering service, MTSC (https://www.facebook.com/foodfusion.buffetmtsc), so sometimes, she gets in charge with the dessert. Check out the link above for bookings and orders.

Next off is Gisele Guarin who had never failed in surprising her clients with her creative taste. It seems like whatever you request from her, she can actually do it! She is very much known for how she stylizes her fondant cakes. Of course, the initial design would come from the requests of those who order from her. But how, it turns out, is something that she calls her own little "secret".

Just a little bit of understanding when making fondant cakes... uhm! It takes a lot of work! FONDANT, according to Wikipedia, is one of the several kinds of icing-like substances used to decorate or sculpt pastries. It is popularly used to decorate wedding cakes but it depends on the baker's familiarity to it. It can empower a baker to be more than productive when sealing a cake's presentation with fondant.

So, how do I know Mrs. Abejero?

One thing that binds us? We were part of the Salinggawi Dance Troupe way back in college in the Philippines and I still remember being her 2nd base in training for a pyramid one Summer back in those cheerleading days. To make the story short, I transferred schools to finish as a nurse and she fulfilled commercial dancing with Powerdance.

TIGERS - mascot for our our uni, UST

I didn't hear from her for a long time but this small world worked it out for the two of us to work in Disney together, (not to mention that I have worked with her mom too in Far Eastern University). We held a reunion amongst Salinggawi dancers and it was the pot-luck type. She brought this beautifully designed cake with a glittery fondant that amazed everybody. It tasted so good too and from then on, people had known her for her hands' greatness with fondants. Here are some of her works.

Ela's beautifully designed birthday cake with Chocolate filling.

 

Cathy's baby shower as she expects Enik - with chocolate filling too.

the most recent one that she baked for Silver's 2nd Birthday - Madhatter's Tea Par-tea

I ordered Chocolate cake with Hogan's tattoo for its design for his bday last '11.

Honestly, I don't know how she juggles everything. She is a dance captain, a principal dancer, a mother of two, a very supportive wife, part of the 7-time Champion in Rowing this year, Team Mushu, a party planner, on-the-spot confidante and an entrepreneur (baking business). Whew! I'm pretty sure, there are still a lot of things on the side such as doing dance competitions, bringing her daughter to a dance class, making sure that everything runs smoothly, at home, at work and a lot more. But yet again, G never fails except when her oven gives up. Ha! That cannot even keep up with this superwoman. Don't hesitate to place your orders though. Feel free to place your comments below if you are interested to order from her.

Jarvey Castillo, now part of the Festival of the Lion King Team, also hacks up customers thru his everyday supply of Red Velvet, Oreo Cheesecake and Carrot cupcakes. I, for one, had been munching on them while I was there in the theatre break room to do light duty. I first had a taste of the Carrot Cake he baked when he was still part of the parade team. It felt sinful indulging on that Cream Cheese for a cupcake topper but what the heck! I'm no chocolate lover! Surely I can give that to myself every once in a while, or every chance that I get (which was every afternoon). WIKIPEDIA defined a Cupcake as a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a small thin paper or aluminum cup. As with larger cakes, icing and other cake decorations, such as sprinkles, may be applied. A cupcake may not hurt at all but I am guilty in eating more than one. 

Just like me, I know how people loved Jarvey's Carrot Cake so we actually had put his business up officially during our Holiday Celebration within the Parade Team. Actually, it wasn't just about his cupcakes but the food that he prepares is just but amazing. He pours a lot of effort when having cook outs. He loves purchasing cooking materials. He just finds it enjoyable and satisfying when he sees his loved ones are fed well. He loves being productive and actually getting paid with what he enjoys doing... and doing best.

This is just how he presents what he cooked.

Let me feature this particular cake that he did last April. I love how he bathes his moist spongy loaves with that zesty icing. This deserves to be posted up in the newest food craze called Food Porn. Just look at that luscious pool of chocolate icing just for Ela. As per presentation, it was alluring and hard to ignore. I do white chocolates so I got saved from sinning. Hahaha! But according to the people who were drooling just before having a bite, it was mindblowing. 

For orders of Jarvey's cakes, you can contact Lhelai Centeno, his personal assistant thru Facebook. With regard to personal information, I would like to encourage you to message him personally or yet again, leave a comment with your email or contact details after reading this post further.

Themed dessert tables are now a hit most especially when Net's Kitchen had done a very good job at it. Noelle, famously known as Net had started this because of her passion for cooking. She had a culinary course taken here in Hong Kong and it had been awhile that I got abreast with how she's doing. The last thing I know was she was offered a scholarship abroad to learn more about cooking. Outstanding products have continuously amazed customers and clients from different parts of the world. Most recent achievement was getting invited to be in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre last August 2013. Here are just but a few of my favorites. 

This one I recently attended, was for Malyn's bridal shower.

Despicable Me Cake

Superman Themed Dessert Table for Uno Zoleta

Circus Birthday Theme: Kaelee's turns 1

Rapunzel Theme

1st Birthday of Maiko, her daughter

Renee's 1st Birthday

I love the personalized cupcakes.

capturing Buddha munching on Net's Kitchen cupcake for Moerice's birthday party

Isaac's 1st Birthday Party, Theme: LUAU

Ms. Bongiwe's sassy cake

Tiamson - Vega Wedding Cake

Nate-Nate's Birthday Party, Theme: Disney's CARS

These wonderfully themed cakes speak for themselves. I need not elaborate but then there's still something to share that I'm truly excited about. For now, you can like their facebook page and you can place your orders there too. Here's the link, https://www.facebook.com/nets.kitchen, but soon, their website will be established and it would be easier for all of you to place your orders online. Pre-designing your own cake before actually making an order is the best part. I can't wait!

Lastly, let me introduce to you the sister of my good friend Cathy, who had been given the chance to travel a lot to experience authentic, varied and wide array of goodies, treats and desserts. Andre Cheung, a budding home baker who had made it to my wedding loots found her inspiration from her sister whom she trusts the most, Cathy.

Andre Cheung

Coconut Macaroons

This smart gal who paved her way to Hong Kong University developed her passion for baking when she had the chance to live with her twin cousins. Every chance they get, they bond over this hobby until such time that it inspired her to take up Business Administration aiming to put up her own bake shop someday.

 As she looses track of time in baking, she finds herself being a perfectionist aiming for customer satisfaction when she complies to their orders. I felt instantly in love with her coconut macaroons because she gives justice to the word "home-made" as she sprinkles her own magic to the products she makes. All of her specialties are featured in her own blog: http://andresthehomebaker.blogspot.hk. Follow her thru this link, pinterest and facebook and there she feels free sharing the recipe that she follows. All of these treats that I've posted, I've tried personally. Yet again, I was just able to try the white chocolate covered lollipops.

Party Cake Pops

Cupcakes by: Andre

Horlicks Serradura (aka Macau Sawdust Pudding)

As I interviewed her online, one question popped to mind: 

Kyte: Some of your posts on your blog are your firsts. Did you ever find it difficult to do it on your own? Did it always come out perfectly the first time time you did it? 

Andre: I bake what I wanted to make/love to eat. I will usually keep a to-bake-list in my iPhone notes/mac book. Save recipes to favourites or Pin to pinterest. So mostly the desserts in my blog are my firsts. I seldom find it difficult because I enjoy being alone in the kitchen, working with my cake/cookie batter without any distractions or comments. (I don’t like to be disturbed). But for some occasions when I needed to bake a large batch of cakes or what, I will ask my sister for help (who I trust the most). For some basic recipes like cookies/brownies/muffins/cupcakes will usually come out perfectly. However, I remembered the first time I attempted at French macaroons, it went hollowed for the first batch.

There you go folks, these people are outstanding but they have their share of failures too. Never stop pushing yourself to the limit. You may never know up what you can do until you try.

Buchichoos!!!!

Autumn being part of my favorite season leads to another much awaited seasonal event in Hong Kong Disneyland. From October 4 - 31, every Thursday to Sunday, you are encouraged to dress up in your scariest outfit as you take the No-Scream challenge as a Halloween treat, the park has in store for you.

Vampire of Main Street

For all of these shows, attractions and rides that I am about to reveal, I'm afraid, it would be too hard to contain yourself. Halloween is all about the creatures of the underworld coming to life in Hong Kong Disneyland. Screaming, whether it'd be a reaction of fright or delight, is inevitable.

Let me start with the clash of evils. Vampires and werewolves roaming around Main Street. Beware for they might just give you a bite. It's just them welcoming you anyway.


Next on, the street caters to Hong Kong Disneyland's Glow in the Dark Halloween Parade where Jack starts the parade along with the imbeciles and devils, villains and creepy characters, featuring glow-in-the-dark effects, show stops and costumes.

Jack Skellington

Maleficent Dancer

Vampire Dancers by: Patrick Hui

There are SCREAM-NO-MORE Challenge Check Points where your might surely be tested. It is best to try each as it will surely give you unforgettable experiences. With that photo opportunity at Toy Story Land, don't miss the Baby Head where you'll be led to the RC Racer and the Parachute Drop. Spectacular rides that will surely take your breath away. Take it from my own experience.

RC Racer on the right, Parachute Drop on the left - both sharing the same height almost.

The Mystic Manor at Mystic Point awaits as you walk further. Lord Henry would take you to a magical adventure as his pet monkey, Albert opens up a mysterious box which makes inanimate things come to life. His manor is full of mystery that it is ready to take you to a whole new journey.

As you walk further, Grizzly Gulch mine cars await for you to explore underground caves but beware of the grizzly bears roaming around that may take you on a detour. It's up to you how you'd go about on the excitement it brings. But it doesn't stop there.

Adventureland which is next to Grizzly Gulch features the side performers who are ready to show their dark side. The Inferno and the Crystal Temptress manipulate fire and ice, the Bat-Boy and the Siren of the skies, as the website describes them, would be ready to reveal their dark side for you.

Furthermore, Adventureland's main attraction for Halloween fans would be the Revenge of the Headless Horseman. His main exhibit is all about claiming what really is his. Revenge is what he seeks so beware!

As you are about to leave Adventureland, the corner to Mainstreet holds another No-Scream-challenge checkpoint that surely would creep you out. The eerie Graves Academy, holds a dark curriculum developed from the decaying bookshelves of Principal Graves.

Way on the other side is the Fantasy Garden where your favorite characters are also in their Halloween getup ready to do meet and greet with their fabulous guests, YOU!!!

Mickey & Minnie with their friends welcoming Halloween

Lastly, your weekends are to be pumped up by the groove of the Galaxy Gothic Dancers and swag of the Hip Hop Dancers as you step in Tomorrowland. They are doing a show that you'll find yourself moving too; full of games, Diabolo Techno Performance by Luis Reis and a mind blowing Drum Exhibition by Hong Kong Disneyland's own musicians which; all in all sends out a powerful entertaining vibe.

Luis Reis, doing what he does best

There you go, my featured post for my Swaggin' Saturday. Visit the park with your family, friends and loved ones. Dress up, don't forget your cameras and make memories... Enjoy!

Credits to: Josh Antolin, Sammy Phu and Patrick Hui for the photographs used in this post.

Hogan and Kyte, August 26, 2013

For our friends who had spent time in coming up with a video for us, 

thank you very much. We will be forever grateful of you.

Let me share to you videos that we will forever cherish in our hearts

as it imparts a little bit of our life before tying the knot

and up until the happiest day of our lives had come.

Credits to Mr. Joel Garcia, and Mr. Rong Rong for these.

CROWNING GLORY

I was watching the GAME OF THRONES and I can't help but notice and adore every female character's way of carrying their hair. The setting was during the ancient times and obviously, the princesses' hair had been well taken care of. They grow them long, completes the ritual of brushing it a hundred times at night or better yet, bathes it with milk, honey and fragrant flower oil extracts.

Now, that we live in the modern times, it's undeniable that women of our era rely greatly on hair spas and treatments which most often than not, are costly, and time consuming. Due to a fast paced and competitive lifestyle, it maybe good to know how to take care of our crowning glory naturally. One simple way to consider would be enriching our diet with the following foods as they help in keeping a heavenly hair.

I - FRUITS AND VEGGIES:

One word that this sets of foods are known of: RADIANCE.

Fruits and vegetables help our INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM (skin, nails, hair, sweat and oil glands) by containing antioxidants that enhance its reproduction. We change skin overtime (thus, the myth that DUST is composed mostly of it). Our hair and nail-beds are composed of dead skin cells as it grows distant from our core, making it hard for the heart to be supply it with nutrition and oxygen. This together with our sweat and oil glands serve as part of the initial protection of our body from harm. All of them work hand in hand in preserving our outward looks. Our hair specifically stays healthy and shiny depending on how healthy our scalp is. Vitamin E is of essential factor in keeping our scalp healthy. You can got a lot of it from various fruits and vegetables namely:

1. STRAWBERRY:

Besides being the 4th among all fruits that are leading when it comes to its total antioxidant capacity, it contains ELLAGIC ACID, which is a polyphenol that was searched by the European Research Society. This is used to delay androgenic alopecia, thus preventing your hair from being dry and brittle.

2. BANANAS:

I love everything natural and organic. And I've come across a "Natural Hair and Lifestyle Blog" that shared benefits from BANANAS when consuming and/or applying it on hair. It wrote that bananas are rich in potassium, carbohydrates and natural oils that help the scalp and skin stay moisturized, thus keeping it from being brittle and dry.


* Additional Information:

Bananas and Beauty Sleep:
       We all know how essential a good night sleep is for maintaining the health of your skin and hair. MELATONIN is the sleep inducing hormone that is necessary for the production of this sleep hormone. Bananas not only contain large amounts of tryptophan and serotonin but also have a very high carbohydrate content in them that helps the brain to utilize tryptophan and serotonin to produce the sleeping hormone. Eating a banana few hours before you go to bed will help you in getting that essential beauty sleep and thus, a refreshed and healthy skin.

- www.stylecraze.com

3. SWEET POTATOES:

Sweet Potatoes are also known as YAMS. Packed with a lot of vitamins and minerals, I'd like to focus on the combination of three specific nutrients: Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E and Vitamin C.

Beta-Carotene is a group of natural chemicals known as carotenes or carotenoids. People who include vegetables that are rich in carotenoids in their diet daily have reduced risk to having cancer, sever chronic heart disease and age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. That's why your mom always encourages you to eat yellow and orange food while saying, "It's good for your eyes." So, this property of the sweet potatoes combined with Vitamin E and Vitamin C provides good protection to your hair. Vitamin E is a good antioxidant and Vitamin C keeps your skin intact and prevents the scalp from breaking and also prevents it from developing bald spots/alopecia.

Bad hair day? Or Big swirl day?

Sweet potatoes are a good source of manganese which helps regulating blood flow all over the body. It helps these antioxidants to get fully utilized rendering a healthy release of natural oils from the scalp, enhancing regeneration. It is used for the treatment of anemia and is useful as a treatment for several premenstrual symptoms in women as well. These points should not be ignored as they may have a direct affectation to the growth of your hair. Usually, anemia (lack of iron in the body) can be a hindrance to having good hair since the essential cells that are located nearest to the blood vessels themselves lack oxygen that they need. What more the distant ones? For example, the blood vessels that supply the heart are needed to be supplied of nutrients compared to the cells of your hair that are far less important for the human body's survival. Hence, the brain detects this and prioritizes the need of the heart muscles rather than the aesthetic benefit from your crowning glory leaving it so dry and almost dead. On the other hand, when you are experiencing premenstrual symptoms, stress adds up to hair fall. So, yams helps the hormones get balanced out accordingly. Samantha of Sex and the City 2 movie had been depending on these greatly as aging also induces hormonal imbalance.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/035739_sweet_potatoes_beta-carotene_nutrients.html##ixzz2h2jf4lN9

II - EGGS:

As mentioned above, good supply of iron plays a great role in keeping the oxygen supply well disseminated to the different parts of the body. EGGS provide us with IRON greatly along with numerous other nutrients.

For one, it is a good source of PROTEIN. Protein helps to strengthen hair follicles that hold your strands. It makes your hair strong until the tip preventing it from gaining split ends. When applied to hair (make sure you're not allergic of some sort to eggs!), the eggs help your hair get moisturized without stripping the scalp of its natural oils unlike the usual side effect of shampoo usage. It acts as a conditioner that smoothens your hair and makes it glow and shine.

If you plan to apply it directly, give it 2-3 weeks before any changes may be obvious. This cost effective way of giving your hair a home-made protein treatment may turn out messy so it's better if you'd do it in the bathroom sink. Allow 15 minutes for your hair to absorb the eggs then follow it up with your regular shampooing but just with COLD water. (Hot water may cook the eggs on your head, get the picture?)

III - NUTS:

Nuts are good sources of ZINC. Deficiency in zinc usually makes the hair shed off. We don't want this to happen so charge up with nuts as it is a world-wide-known snack that is handy to bring anywhere you need to be. Have a handful of BRAZIL NUTS, that are rich with SELENIUM (most shampoos have this in the contents) that helps the scalp stay healthy.

IV - FISH:

Personally, I love fish. And I'm so glad to share this to you.

One essential nutrient BENEFICIAL to your hair from fish is OMEGA-3 fatty acids that are optimal to your scalp's health. Increase this in your diet and you'll never go wrong. From the healthy dose of iodine, healthy oil and protein, you could never go wrong. Fish (ex.: mackerel, salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, blue fish), canola oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts altogether helps the scalp to give out that essential oil to keep your scalp healthy and moisturized.

V - BEANS:

These are usually alienated from at least 6 out of 10 people's plates of a good meal. You may neglect it all you want but these small but mighty ones are superb in giving out protein, iron and zinc. If you're allergic to egg, this could be a good source of protein. Reminding you once again that protein is an essential nutrient for optimal hair growth and so are iron and zinc. Legumes which include kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans, etc.,. may serve you very well being rich with these minerals. Beans are rich in BIOTIN, which prevents the hair from staying brittle.

It may be good to know that any damage to your hair are irreversible. The easiest way of dealing with damaged hair is to prevent damage to reach its roots (be mindful of bald spots - have it checked out once noticed), or just grow the damaged part off then take care of the part that is nearest to the scalp as this usually couldn't possibly be that affected. Remember, you are what you eat. If you decide to eat right, your hair, skin and overall health would be undeniably radiant. Also, get ample rest and avoid extreme exposure to the sun. Be abreast with usage of wide-rimmed hats or umbrellas if you have to. Have a trim at least every 3 months for severe split ends to be prevented.

Asian Girl Remixes Rihanna "Pour It Up" & Lil Wayne's "Good Kush & Alcohol

For another laid back Tuesday everyone,
I got 2 videos for you to enjoy.


First is, I am asking for you to
support this young woman's creativity!
No words for how passionate she is with what
she can do.

 

I came across this one and I had a good laugh. I'm sure you'll end up having one too.

For Our Own Good

THRIVE, as defined by Google:

/THrīv/ Verb - (of a child, animal, or plant) Grow or develop well or vigorously: "the new baby thrived" flourish: "education groups thrive on organization"; "a thriving economy".

 Synonyms: prosper - flourish - succeed - blossom

For my serene Sunday today, allow me to impart to you something that had woke me up from that ignorance when it comes to the banking system. Like any other profession, business and banking are powerful agendas that make the world go round. Right? Wrong!

It is just but an UNDERSTATEMENT.

Personally, it is frustrating that us humans do not know that we are capable of making a move as a whole because of numerous differences. We have unlimited potential yet we deny this to ourselves because of the mentality and closed minded environment we were born with. But as I was about to finish this documentary, I was realizing that I may not be blessed with fortune, but I have enough to survive. I eat 3 times a day, I have clothes to wear, and I have a shelter with a loving husband to go home to. Needless to say, money, being a means to an end, affect our mood to thrive. Putting it in layman's terms, money makes it easy for us to thrive. But I believe that sharing this video serves a purpose. Money can't buy purpose nor your will. And I guess I will to share this awareness because knowledge, education and awareness are 3 things I can impart to help you erase that belief that money is the answer to everything. We need each other to live life harmoniously.

"DON'T WORK FOR THE MONEY,

MAKE MONEY WORK FOR YOU."

PAPEMELROTI

When I was in secondary school (high school),
I had a collection of stationeries, stickers,
journals and I loved making scrapbooks.

Papemelroti is one-of-a-kind shop
that had provided me most of what I had used then.
Their designs were fun introducing
Pinoy style of humor and Godly reminders.

I have always been a fan of papemelroti

and watching this feature presentation

had made me even love it more.

The documentary is in Tagalog.

But basically, it is about a family hobby becoming

their own business. Everything that they

make are all made up of recycled materials.

Their mission is to work for the Lord

and their intentions focus on giving out

a Godly message making us remember

little things that we were taught when we

were young but have forgotten it

already because of what this busy and

materialistic world had molded us to be.

The whole family, being into crafts are encouraged

to express their own artistry and creativity
in their own unique ways at all times.
They never perceived creating and

designing as work but rather, an opportunity

to bond more with family and
to serve the Lord however it pleases Him.

Autumn Breeze

Here comes my favorite season. It is known as the third season of the year that marks REGENERATION, BALANCE, and COMFORT; the season when EQUINOX happens and the season that marks the most celebrated part of living... HARVEST.

The season of AUTUMN is here, which according to the traditional East Asian solar term, starts on or around the 8th of August and ends on about the 7th of November. (But in AUSTRALIA, Autumn officially

begins on March 1 and ends on 31st of May due to differences of the axis settlement of Earth.)

This year in Hong Kong, the Mid-Autumn Festival, was celebrated on a Wednesday where sky watchers could get a glimpse of the "Harvest Moon" (any moon that looks bigger than the normal moon) until Thursday morning. To highlight this event, full moon gathetings and lantern festivals are scheduled to highlight the sky as the bright moon is celebrated. The "harvest moon" isn't necessarily bigger or brighter than a regular moon but because of the phenomenon called, "moon illusion"(whose cause is still yet to be discovered), the moon appears to be bigger near the horizon than when it hangs high in the sky; INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES shared this video from YOUTUBE.COM.

Also, the article shares that the September Equinox - and 1st day of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the southern, will fall on Sunday at 4:44pm, EDT. At that moment, the sun will appear to cross the equator, going from north to south. Earth will be positioned such that its axis is perfectly perpendicular to the plane of its orbit, meaning that the sun's rays are hitting the daylight side on the planet dead-on, bathing the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in equal amounts of light and creating days and nights of near equal length. "EQUINOX" is Latin for "equal night" after all. But in reality, the date with equal day and night lengths comes a few days before the equinox plus day length varies depending on how close you are located to the equator. In New York City, for instance, equal day and night lengths actually will occur on September 25, of this year.

Autumn is the season which is also known as "Fall", originally denoting the season of the "Falling Leaf" or "Fall-of-the-Leaf". From the sunny, dry Summer season, trees naturally gets dried up as

well, hence, the dramatic colors. Personally, it is such a good sight because of the vibrant orange, joyful yellow, bright red and different shades of brown, altogether. It  channels out a vibe of a LIFE ENDING beautifully. As we all know, DEATH is inevitable. It'll come to each and everyone of us, to every living thing for that matter. We all come back to where we came from, the GROUND, being dust and serving the next ones who'll proliferate and generate from it. Keeping everything balanced out. The questions is, WHAT LEGACY ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND? HAVE YOU FULFILLED YOUR PURPOSE? IF SO, HOW?

These questions always strike me during Fall because this season's energy kind of makes me feel relaxed, mindful and at peace. Compared to the draining days of Summer and in anticipating the cold days of Winter, Autumn gives you a breather and allows you to get ready for yet again, a number of challenges. It allows you to reassess your life, your views and your goals. They say it is a reader's favorite season because it offers breezy days in the park - a metaphor for having a time for yourself, a time to energize your soul of things you love doing.

Being the season of harvest too, it gives you that sense of renewal, an end to what you had worked hard for and paves a way to start anew. Hence the celebration of Thanksgiving to hail the American Indians' humility of sharing what they have to the people trying to claim their land.

Besides this occasion, we look forward to welcoming the season by dressing up with layers. That part we love to do.

And since the warm days are compensated with cool nights, it's good to curl with your loved ones this Fall over a movie with cocoa at hand. Single? Gather up with friends over a scrumptious dinner and indulge on wine. Serve it by your porch or by the terrace for a chillax ambiance.

Last but not the least, make the most out of the season of Autumn by redecorating your house. Play with its hues. Rediscover your creativity. Dressing up in Halloween is another fun way.

HIP-POP or HIP HOP?

According to the Urban Dictionary, HIP-HOP was defined as:

"A culture and form of ground breaking music and self expression with elements that consisted of the elements of graffiti art, DJing, MCing, and breaking. Today Hip-Hop is considered to be dead in the mainstream because so-called mainstream Hip-Hop doesn't have the elements of hip-hop and have no meaning.

The stuff on MTV and the radio can't be called Hip-Hop because the lyrics don't have any meaning or self expression. Wack artists today just rap about their shopping lists and other bullshit. There are no more DJs making a prescence since artists today think they can manage without them. Without a DJ there are no scratches and cuts. No much graffiti art is being shown in videos. Artists such as 50 Cent, Nelly, Chingy, J-Kwon, P. Diddy, Cash Money Millionaries lack the 4 elements since their lyrics are ridiculous (no MCing skills), they don't have any DJ presence in their tracks (notice that so-called hip-hop today lacks scratches and cuts), and not much graffiti art is being expressed.

The point of this defintion is to show that MTV/Radio mainstream Bling Rappers should be categorized as Hip-Pop artists, not Hip-Hop artists.

Hip-Hop Music is: Run DMC, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Gang Starr, Wu-Tang Clan, Pharcyde, Hieroglyphics, Aceyalone, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Public Enemy, Common, Mobb Deep, Nas, Rakim, and many more old school and underground acts.
Hip-Pop Music is: P. Diddy, Ja Rule, Nelly, 50 Cent, G-Unit, Cash Money Millionaries, and other mainstream money making oriented acts."

Nonetheless, may it be hip-hop or hip-pop, there is yet a group born to share, express and perform. I'm so excited to swag on-stage this Halloween with the B-Crew composed namely of: Earl Mallari, Sky Bautista, Lady Dazha Dacanay, Lhelai Centeno, Amy Conchinha Echaluche, Camsy Cruz, Erica Hui and Paola Kagoan together with John Paul Adena, featuring: Rodolf and Randolf Escalona...

LUCA

"Dance is the hidden language of the soul." - Martha Graham

Besides performing, I find delight in interacting and communicating with people.
I am more than willing to extend a helping hand when guests need it. I just find it hard to communicate sometimes when language barriers arise. But that doesn't hinder me from talking to the guests, most especially to kids. Though not until I experienced somebody being sarcastic to me and swearing.

It happened one late afternoon. I had to help out guests in taking their photos with the characters, assisting them where they want to go next and suggesting the things that you can't miss during your visit in the park. Skills, and I mean, "skills" are needed when cutting the line, when sets of characters get finished up. You should stick to the schedule and more often than not, a lot asks you to consider them for a last shot. So there was this family who went up to me and asked me if I could consider their son to see the characters together with a bunch of families asking for a last chance. And so, i was apologetic because I had cut the line already. plus together with them, more than 10 are asking the same "last chance".

Me: I'm sorry ma'am, but the line has been cut already.
Mom: Oh! Please, please, please, my son wanted to see them so bad.
Me: I'm truly sorry but you can see them in the hotel tonight. For now, the line here is closed.
Mom: Wow! It's very disappointing that you don't give a shit to a kid who've just had surgery.
Me: I can give this for him (sticker) .... reaching out.
Mom's hand on my face... : Oh I know that! A sticker wouldn't help and they just walked away.

She was very upset, no doubt... So, I told myself, what's the use of working in the happiest place if I can't make magic for the kid at all. So, I advised them to hold up where the characters would exit and both of the characters can walk with the kid as they go back. They were a bit hesitant still. Then I went to my leader, to let her know of the whole issue. My leader supported me. It turned out, the kid got to walk with the characters back with all of 7 greeters who were there behind them acting like bodyguards. And he had his moment to ask the characters if they can ride the park's taxi cab with him as they passed by it. They couldn't as they're passed they're last set schedule. But I still made the effort not to take the happiness away from the boy so I asked the cast member who runs the taxi cab if he can still run it but like us, he's done with the last trip. In general, the mom turned to me and apologized and thanked me for helping out their son, Luca. The thing is, he had his arm in a cast after a bad fall from playing on his tree house. After the surgery, when the mom couldn't help but comfort his son asking, "What can I do to take your pain away?", her son answered, "I want to see Mickey Mouse and hold his hand." And her heart melted. She knew she had to give it to him.

I am truly blessed with having opportunities like this - to literally make MAGIC for the kids. You can make your own magic too by being true to what you do, loving it and willfully making it. For sure you might find this very simple but to me, in seeing that kids happy face after hugging his favorite characters, and jumping up and down, is just but PRICELESS... and that's it for my DIY Monday.