Spend a hassle-free birthday with kids

This post is three months late, but there is a voice in my head that’s telling me to share this.

Every year since I graduated from college, I always planned on spending my birthday doing an outreach. Every year, I also find excuses on why I’m not able to push through (I was abroad, I was unemployed, I’m broke, etc.). 2019 has been a good year for me and I decided to push through with my wish of celebrating my birthday with kids.

Having a day job, it’s hard to plan an event on my own. I decided to get help from U! Happy Events – an organization made up by volunteers who connect people to marginalized children. All you have to do is pick a schedule and location, indicate the number of kids you want to celebrate with, select 3 out of their 71 offered games, and choose from their available add-ons.

A representative from U! Happy Events will call to confirm your event. I live in BGC so I chose Gawad Kalinga Pinagsamahan, but it was unavailable on my preferred date. They recommended Gawad Kalinga Laura instead (fair warning: it’s in Taguig but still far from BGC).

I still wanted to give a personal touch to the event, so I bought the school supplies on my own (note: please don’t forget to ask the kids’ age group and if they actually go to school). If you want to save time going to Divisoria, Shopee is your best friend (but to save money on shipping fee, I bought the notebooks from Market! Market!). A good friend sponsored payment for face paint so I contacted Syntax's Party Needs (I contacted him on the same day and he agreed to go!). Some of my friends also offered to bring snacks (baon) for the kids. I bought a cake from Goldilocks since their birthday cake is simple but big enough for a lot of kids to enjoy.

Some tips:

• If possible, bring friends instead of family. You’ll be celebrating with marginalized children; please have empathy.
• Gifts are optional, so just bring what you’re willing to give. Kids are easy to please and your time for them is enough to make them happy.
• Dress modestly, prepare to sweat, join the games and have fun yourself!

Get affordable luxury at Nail It!

This is going to be a no-fuss review because my experience in Nail It! was super fuss-free!

I went to Fisher Mall Malabon on a Saturday and it was crazy noisy. Nail It! opened just last month and it’s a welcoming sight away from the hustle of the city. Going here was such a good idea because you will feel relaxed and at peace right as you enter the nail spa. You actually won't feel like you're in Malabon anymore.

The place is very spacey and I got that instant feeling that this place embodies the cleanliness-is-next-to-godliness rule. The minimalist white and purple interior just adds to its charm.

The staff is nice, and they make sure that all the tools that will be used on you are sterilized (this specific branch is owned by a lawyer so ya know she's serious about avoiding any mistakes lol). You can choose from a variety of imported nail polish--they have ORLY, L.A. Colors, Ruby Wing, Kiara Sky, and Zoya (I would have loved to try the Zoya Pixie Dust in Waverly but I didn’t see it right away huhu). I had the foot spa and manicure, and I went with a pink shade of ORLY.

No cheapaz products!

Can ya feel all the tension leave my body? That's what it felt like!

Getting rid of all the stress in my life one toe at a time

Nail It! has an extensive list of choices on their menu. You can get pampered for as low as PHP 100! Check out their Facebook page for all the services they offer.

TL;DR: This place gives you affordable luxury in the heart of the city. Head on over to Nail It! for your much needed me time!

Nail It! is located at 4th Floor, Mezzanine Level, Fisher Mall Malabon. For reservations, please call +639452286955.

Save the planet with Justin Bieber and Lil Dicky

Hi! I'm a baboon, and I’m truly embracing the weird with this post.

A friend sent me a link to a song by Lil Dicky (yes, that guy from Freaky Friday) and I didn’t listen to it at first because I’m not a huge fan of this weird bearded dude. When I saw the video on the trending tab on YouTube a few days later, curiosity kicked in and damn son, it’s entertaining and relevant.

I’m making an effort to write about this song not just because it’s catchy and has an all-star ensemble (with a surprise cameo at the end), but because like my other posts, this video can help save the Earth!

To make this possible, Lil Dicky collaborate with 28 famous artists and one award-winning actor (you have to listen to the song ang guess who’s who). The number of streams and views that the song will get will help earn donations for nonprofits like the Quick Response Fund for Nature, the Shark Conservation Fund, the Solutions Project, the Global Greengrants Fund and the Carbon Cycle Institute. Of course, help spread awareness about climate change by sharing this video to your friends. It’s a bit PG-13 so if you want a clean version, click here.

For more information and to prove that I’m not making this up, visit https://welovetheearth.org/

Enjoy the video!

Spoiler alert: Check out this article after you watch the video.

Plant a million trees with a single like!

Shoutout to everyone who has an account on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

I’m not exactly proud of this but there are days when I spend hours on social media, which means hours of zero productivity. A few nights ago, I stumbled upon one of my friends’ stories on Instagram where she shared a post that said “double tap to plant a tree.” My first thought was finally, another way to use social media for good!

Olá, Alegria!

There are a lot of hangout places in BGC but if you’re looking for a restaurant that’s less crowded but still has the vibe of a good chill party, check out Alegria Cozinha Moderna & Sangria Bar.

Tortuga x HOGWings' Hot Wings Challenge

It was a chill Friday night in Poblacion brought to us by Tortuga, HOGWings by House of Griddle, and Jimlong’s Chili. I gotta say, it was a very collaborative effort – the relaxing vibe from Tortuga and DJ Ryle Alcantara, the superb food by HOGWings, and the wild excitement brought by Jimlong’s Chili and Dee Jae Pa’este made it a night worthy of celebration.

Help plant trees while you stay online!

Ok, so, there are so many things I want to write about; I just never have enough energy or enthusiasm to put words onto paper (or laptop or whatever) BUT I stumbled upon something really cool—we can help plant trees while searching the web!

I’m always looking for ways on how to help save the planet (how very superhero of me) but constant laziness (when it comes joining outreach programs, recycling, etc.) keeps getting in the way. I try to be as Earth-friendly as possible (btw, I sell glass straws! Hit me up for orders lol) but being in the office nine hours a day can limit my options. While browsing through Facebook, I saw a post about Ecosia. Basically, it’s a search engine (like Google) where if you make around 45 searches, you help plant one tree!