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Dear Candy Girls,

Let me tell you about the happy-crazy day I had yesterday.

1. Candy team publisher Koko and I attended a really awesome event in the morning and we each got a pair of these pink Vibram FiveFingers footwear. (But more on the benefits of this cool pair of shoes in my next blog entry!)

2. We had a filling meal of pad thai, chicken satay, and Thai iced tea from Som’s, one of my fave Thai restaurants!

3. In the afternoon, I headed to Ateneo for a meeting with my thesis adviser. My day had been going really well so far and I was hoping my lucky streak would continue. Fortunately, it did! My adviser was happy about what I had done so far. She said I’m on the right track, which really lifted a lot of the anxiety I was feeling about my paper.

4. In the evening, I headed to a prayer meeting at my friend’s house. My other friend brought lots of yummy Chinese food to celebrate his birthday. It was an evening of fun, laughter, bonding, and good conversation.

It was nearly 1 am when we finished and it was time for me to head home. I was full and happy with the day’s events… but alas, it was all too good to be true as my luck finally ran out. Somebody stole the side mirrors of my car! And it wasn’t just my car—two of my other friends’ cars’ side mirrors were swiped too!!! We decided to go to a nearby police station to file a report so they’d be aware of what happened, and hopefully, tighten security in the area. (This happened in Maginhawa St, near V Luna, QC.)

The Side Mirror Special Victims Unit

It was almost 2:30 am when I finally got home. I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about the day’s events (and about how this could make a great blog entry!). At first I thought, it’s only fair that this happened, no one’s day can be that perfect. Perhaps it’s nature’s way of restoring balance in my world. But then, when I looked back on everything that happened, I realized that all the good stuff totally outweighed the bad. And even in the bad stuff—something good came out. For instance, I was so touched that one of my friends (whose side mirrors were still intact) stayed behind and offered to lead me home.

Perhaps there’s no such thing as a stroke of luck—whether it’s good or bad. No matter what kind of day you’re having, if you focus on the things that made you smile instead of dwelling on the negative, you’ll be just fine!

Hoping you’ll tell me about your day too,
Angel

Posted in Candy | 5 Comments »

I’m easy to please. Give me some dessert or anything sweet and I’ll be your slave for a day… Just kidding! But seriously, I love to eat! Even though I do, I at least “try” to sweat it all off with my daily dose of 30 Day Shred (I stopped for awhile but now I’m trying to complete the whole 30 day challenge.) I like to chew on something when I’m using the computer or watching TV. It can be chips or candy, as long as it’s chewable. Let me share with you my top 5 favorites (not in order):

1. Moniegold Chewie Tamarind Candy
My brother introduced me to this cheap but yummy tamarind candy. I like how it sour and sweet at the same time. It looks like goat’s poo (sorry for the visual image) but it’s really yummy and addicting.

2. Maltesers
Airy and sweet. Just the way I like it! I like to melt it inside my mouth ’til I reach the crispy malt ball in the middle. Yum!

3. Cheetos Cheddar Jalapeno
I’ve been a Cheetos fan ever since. When I tried this new flavor, I couldn’t get enough of it! I like this even better now than the original crunchy Cheetos I used to love. I even got the Candy Team craving for it. b:

4. Fritos Twisted Honey BBQ
I love how the bag is so packed. Usually, chips are just half way filled but a bag Fritos almost has 3/4 of crispy (and fatty) goodness. Tastes great with Coke, too.

5. Oishi Bread Pan (Cheesy Garlic Flavor)
I love eating this from the bag or using it as croutons for my caesar salad.

What’s your favorite snack? Share it with me.

<3,
Roch

Posted in Candy | 3 Comments »

Who doesn’t right? But today am talking about Perfect Endings Manila’s incredibly yummy desserts. I stopped by their booth at the Eastwood Gourmet Weekends Fair, and brought home a box of their famous Dulce de Leche Ensaymadas, as well as some of their Strawberry Sans Rival. I’ve tried tons of desserts from various food fairs and weekend markets, and I’ve grown kind of jaded because I’ve had more than my fair share of Dish Disappointment.

But after one heavenly bite of this Dulce de Leche Ensaymada, I knew all my previous (foodie) heartbreak was only meant to lead me to this—Sweet Perfection. The Strawberry Sans Rival was true to its name—I can honestly say I’ve never tasted its equal. I’m no expert but I’m guessing their desserts are exquisitely scrumptious because they use the finest ingredients, and maybe because a lot of care goes into producing them.

Visit their website at www.perfectendingsmanila.com or call 6434882 and 9741716 to place an order. Try their ensaymadas with the chocolate shavings on top—there’s a sweet surprise inside.

Posted in Candy | 2 Comments »

1) Start the interview without knowing who’s who.
When interviewing a group with multiple members, Macy, Marla, and I almost always prepare cheat sheets with photos of the members and their corresponding names underneath. See our HelloGoodbye guide below. We weren’t so sure who their drummer was (Mike or Aaron? Turns out, it was really Mike!) and couldn’t find a photo, so we had to leave him out.

2) Giggle like a five-year-old.
After years of meeting celebrities, I must admit I still do this to release tension. This might make you appear unprofessional, but then again, it might make them think everything they say is funny. HAHA!

3) Butt in when you don’t really know who they’re talking about.
HG: Do you know The Misfits?
3Ms: From Jem and the Holograms? [as in the ‘90s cartoon show]
HG: No, they’re a punk band from the ‘80s.
3Ms: Oh! [nervous giggling]

4) Be unprepared with your camera.
We took two photos with HelloGoodbye, both of which were blurred because we accidentally set the camera to night mode. Ugh! This was actually our second shot with them, but it looked worse than the first one.

5) Be so nervous you forget to have fun!
One thing I always try to remember before talking to celebrities is that they’re only human and they must be nervous about making a good impression too. To ease my mind, I try to imagine them as my long-time friends, so that the vibe I’d give off is relaxed, friendly, and cool.

Hope you can use these tips when you meet your favorite band (watch HelloGoodbye perform on Friday, September 17, 6:30 pm at the Greenbelt 3 Park; Saturday, September 18, 6pm, Trinoma Activity Center; or on Sunday, September 19, 6pm, Market! Market! Activity Center) or if you run into a Candy Cutie at the Candy Fair on October 2. You’re coming, right?

Have a great weekend, Candy Girls!
Mimi

Posted in Reality Bytes | 2 Comments »

I’ve always been a fan of travel spots around the Philippines. I believe we have some of the most beautiful beaches, the best mountains to climb, and the friendliest people! And the great thing is, you don’t have to spend so much to enjoy all of that beauty. These awesome scenic spots are just a car, bus, boat, or short plane ride away!

I have a map of the Philippines on my desk at home which I put pins on whenever I visit a new place in the country. When I saw this virtual map on Lakbayan, I thought I’d give it a try. All you have to do is click on all the places you’ve been to around the Philippines, then the site will make this map for you and give you a grade.

Hmm… looks like I’ll have to do a lot more traveling to turn that C+ into an A!!!

Go on and try it too! Let me know what grade you get.

-
Off to do more island hopping,
Angel

Posted in Candy | 1 Comment »