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Hey Candy girls!

I’m back… with a vengeance. Just kidding! Things were crazy after I got back, so I didn’t have the chance to tell you about my Aklan adventure ‘til now. Warning: long post ahead!

So many things happened (some good, some bad), but all in all, I had a super fly adventure. Instead of the usual Bora beach trip, my friends and I decided to stay in Aklan a couple of days to explore the town. (I’ll share what we saw there next time.) We stayed in this strangely beautiful, mish-mash of a house/resort/carnival called Sampaguita Gardens. Apparently, the guy who owns it is the same guy who created Precious Moments! The theme of this place was “everyday is Christmas” so to celebrate Christmas, we decided to exchange gifts. Who cares if we did it on March 22? Hahaha!

With our P100-budget, I found an adorable Cookie Monster keychain which Ryan received. (I’m hoping he puts our Bora group pic there!) Meanwhile, I got a cutesy poodle wallet from Dennis. It’s hilarious ‘cause there were only three girls in the group, so if I didn’t get the wallet, a guy probably would have!

On our third day, we trekked to Bora and soaked up the sun. It was my first time back after almost four years, and I’m so happy with all the changes. I’m glad the local authorities decided to make a unified dock for all the bancas. That way, the view of the ocean would be totally serene and unobstructed.

I absolutely love these pictures taken during our first sunset at the beach. (Thank you, Canon IXUS 900 Ti. You are such a joy to work with.) The soothing colors created such a beautiful dusk palette. That’s Kaye, Per, and me trying to immortalize a slice of paradise.

On the next few days we tried to strike a healthy balance between fun and relaxation. I love Ivy’s “Edge of the Ocean,” Incubus’ “Wish You Were Here,” and Joseph Arthur’s “Honey and the Moon” so these were constantly playing in my mind. See how even my flips were trying to run away and get “swallowed in the sea”! (That’s a Coldplay tune.)

For the “fun” part, my posse rode ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) and tried parasailing! That’s me in front of "my" motley crew. Haha! I don’t know how to drive a car, so driving the ATV made me feel awesome and powerful. In my Multiply photo caption, I said, “Writer by day, rider by dusk.” Haha!

Moments before getting hooked on the parasail, I seriously got scared. But that feeling was crushed when I saw the view before us. That’s me pointing at the horizon with Kaye who slightly conquered her fear of heights. Congrats, girl!

We stayed at the White House, and usually traveled to eat at D’ Mall. I was so happy when I spotted Candy and WITCH mag being sold at the local newsstand.

Here’s a snap of some of my favorite treats! That’s the infamous Choco Banana Peanut shake from Jonah’s, Mango Madness and Tiramisu from Lemon, and Cheese Quesadillas from Mañana. Of course, I enjoyed snacking on the chore burgers (they spelled it this way on one stand, but I really think it should be chori for chorizo).

Speaking of food, there’s a new magazine from Summit Media that’s out in the market. Click to see who their new endorser is. Hehe…

Lovin’ my sun-kissed glow (though Marla says I’m not tan at all!),

Mimi

Dear Candy Girls,

I can’t believe it’s March 29 already. In just two days, a new month will begin… and that means, our birthday month is almost over! So before it ends, I’ll let you guys do the talking. Here are some snaps of our loyal Candy readers posing with their fave issues and telling us why they love Candy. Are you one of them?

MY FAVE ISH 

“I totally love the June 2006 issue of Candy mag! Like majority of teens these days, I am fond of buying the trendiest tops, bottoms, shoes, and accessories. But wouldn't it be better if we got them for a lesser cost? This ish helped me realize that dressing up need not be expensive, and you can be as gorgeous as you like without going broke. Keep rocking, Candy!!!” —Kate

“We moved to England last year but guess what—I still have all my Candy issues since I left. How in the world did that happen? Well, every time my friends go to the Philippines for vacation, I ask them to buy me Candy magazines as pasalubong. That's how I get to stay in touch with my favorite magazine!  

This is a picture of my friend Georgina. I showed her my collection of Candy and she fell in love with it instantly! She answered all the tests and found the Candy Confessions and Grr section interesting. I hope you can inspire more girls like me and help them see the beauty of this magazine! God bless and more power.” —Kaye

SWIMMING IN CANDY 

“I’m a true blue Candy girl because this mag has been a big part of my life! It guides me in everything. When my friends and I get together we talk a lot about the articles and we follow the advice you give to keep our friendship strong. That's why we love your mag so much!” —Jullienne

"Even if I live in the middle of a pineapple field (seriously, I do) I always make sure to grab my copy of Candy! It not only opens my mind to real issues confronting real girls, but also helps me to stay healthy, be fashionable, love myself, and be beautiful inside and out—just like a true-blue Candy girl! God bless Candy, and thank you for being every girl's best-est friend." —Kimberly

PROM PRINCESS 

"I’ve spent months dreaming about my first Junior-Senior Promenade. I had always fantasized it to be a night of fairytale twinklings. Together with my parents, I had things planned out beforehand: the make-up, the jewelry, and the gown. My head was preoccupied with great prom expectations to the point that I had built them up to unrealistic heights. But thanks to Candy mag, I was able to reconcile the real deal with my great prom expectations. So during the big night, happiness indeed took the center stage. I never knew that just like Cinderella, I was going to live the dream. I must admit that it wasn't a perfect night but that didn't stop me from enjoying myself. Because of Candy’s prom special last year (that I made sure is safely kept) and last month, my prom was a night to remember. Now I’m looking forward to Candy’s 2008 Prom Special issue. Thank you, Candy!” —Gianne 

ARTISTIC CHICK

Thanks so much for the shoutouts, Candy girls! We hope you’ll keep loving Candy for many, many more years to come.

Overflowing with Candy Love, 

Angel

What do you get when you cross the European way of life with the familiar that is Filipino? You get Europino—experiencing Europe right here in the Philippines!

The Candy girls trooped to Two Serendra this afternoon to sample the yummy treats at the Europino Food Festival. Jennie was the most excited one among all of us. Haha! Before we headed out to the different booths, we were served lunch in Thai at Silk.

Look at what they served us for lunch! So much goooood food—I didn't finish everything on my plate so Jennie helped me out.

A shot of me with Angel and Shar. We look happy and full. Haha!

Here's a shot of Marla, Jennie, and Angel in front of the fountain at Two Serendra. It's just one of the pretty design elements that can be found within the complex. There are landscaped gardens, sweeping pathways, and it makes you feel like you're walking through Europe (or what I would imagine it would be like since I've never been to Europe! Haha!).

Waiters start bringing out the food that's part of the Europino Food Fest.

Yummy tsokolate de batirol. Batirol is that wooden stick used to stir the hot chocolate. The result is the froth on top of the rich chocolate drink.

Marla and Angel checking out the food spread in the middle of Two Serendra.

It was so hard not to pick at the food while taking these pictures. Hahaha!

The Europino Food Fest at Two Serendra runs from March 28 (that's today!) until April 1 (Sunday). So if you don't have anything planned this week yet, why not drop by? There are a lot of good stuff to try and you can have a taste before you decide to buy anything.

Still full from the food fest,
Macy

Hi, Candy girls!

I'm back Well, just for today. I visited the Candy girls—and I shopped with Mimi for a pair of jeans because I'll need them for my trip. I'm going to the States tomorrow and I realized that I have no good, sensible jeans to wear! And can you believe it—we stepped into Karimadon, headed straight for the jeans, I pulled a pair out, asked for my size and it was perfect! That has never happened before! Maybe the denim gods know that I am in a hurry and I need a perfect pair ASAP.

But aside from that, the highlight of my day was really spending it here at the Candy office. These gals are the best friends ever! 

Love you all!

Ines 

Last Friday, my friends and I went on a road trip to one of my favorite places in the world—my hometown, San Jose, Nueva Ecija. My parents had invited our org moderator to be the inspirational speaker for a high school graduation ceremony, and we all volunteered to be part of his entourage. How supportive, right? Haha.

Here's a shot of me with our org moderator, Sir Chris. I introduced him to over a hundred guests, and in my speech, I said, "His skills and abilities are powerful instruments in fostering and nurturing his relationships with other people. It is precisely because he is a good mentor that he is also a good friend. It is with deep pride that I present to you a man of great talent, wisdom, and an even greater heart." (Awww.) 

I also got to introduce my friends to my whole family—finally. They found my two little siblings adorable, and they ended up playing video games and eating and laughing together. (We also discovered that Sir Chris and my dad really do have the same sense of humor, but oh no, I shall not get into that right now.) I must say, being able to "merge" two important groups of people in your life, even for the span of less than a day, is one of the best-est feelings in the world.

The next day, we woke up super early to go to Hundred Islands in Pangasinan. There are three developed islands, and in one of them, we even caught a glimpse of the Pinoy Big Brother house, the one Kim and Gerald stayed in last year.

Here are a couple pics we took while we were on the boat. That's me, Sir Chris, my brother Timo, and my friends Ed and San.

A photo on the beach with my friends Ed and Celine, and one of the beautiful islands: 

We basked under the sun the whole day, went kayaking, and swam. (Well technically, THEY swam. I can't swim, so I just put on a life vest and let them pull me along to the deeper parts. Great workout for them! Haha.) We were so tired that we fell asleep at 9 that night and woke up at 10:30 the following morning!

We arrived at Manila on Sunday afternoon and went back to our own places, but not before promising that we'd go on another fun trip again—soon. I wonder where the roads will lead us to next time?

***

Hot new band Silent Sanctuary is having their album launch tonight! Drop by Mayric's in España if you're not busy. Macy, Mimi, and I are huge fans, so we'll definitely be there.

Big summer hugs,
Marla