Saturday, September 30, 2023

When Queen P meets Kween P!

This 2023 MIBF, I was too lazy to attend, but my author friends kept on tagging me to go.
 
Little did I know, the Universe had a surprise for me.
 
If you have a chance to ask Pia Wurtzbach one question, what will it be?
 
My answer is: When was the last time that you felt you were the Queen of the Universe?
 
And my question was one that led me to meet the 2015 Miss Universe.
 
It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I wouldn't miss.



 
I was one of the lucky gals to be invited to the book launch of Miss Pia Wurtzbach on September 14.
 
Before the actual book signing, Pia was asked by the media about her debut novel, her journey as an author, and what her fans would be looking forward to from her. She answered everything with grace and so much empowerment.




 
She is indeed the Queen of the Universe!




 
I was nervous and excited as I reached the stage. What should I tell her? Will she talk first? 
 
Meeting Pia up close, chatting for a few minutes, and having her sign her book (not all were given a chance) was the best Manila International Book Fair experience I have had since I started going to the event! 
Queen P is more beautiful and kind in person!



I never expected in my wildest dreams that this would happen, so thank you very much, Universe!
 

I am forever grateful to Tuttle Publishing for this amazing chance, and I cannot wait to read about Cleo's journey. 





Please grab a copy and let's support Queen Pia! 

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Tara let's sa Tipi Joint!

The weather forecast announced that it would be rainy the whole day of June 25th and 26th, and yet, the heavens were pleasant to us. Mr. Sun smiled at us.

It had been 13 years since I set foot in Zambales. That's why, when my name was luckily picked from Tipi Joint's giveaway, I didn't hesitate to grab the chance. I planned to avail myself of my prize last May, but unfortunately, on the days that I booked for overnight, I was sick and there was a typhoon. I am so glad that they allowed me to rebook my stay for a later month.

With my lovely cousin, we rode on the Victory Liner (via Iba) to Cabangan. The fare was 416 PHP each. It was raining while we were on the way, but we were still optimistic that it would be sunny the next day.
 
Alas! When we arrived at Zambales, there was no rain. Yet, the bus passed by the supposed tricycle station where we should drop off. We paid a special tricycle fare of 50 PHP to go to Tipi Joint.
 
But nonetheless, it was worth the trip when we finally came. 





It looked like we rented the whole place because we were the only guests!  Yay!




We ate a late lunch, then rested before we put our things in the Tipi Hut where we were going to stay.





Look inside... 


It appeared to be so comfy that I would rather rest, but my cousin tagged me to see the beach, which is only five minutes walk away.

There were few people when we reached it, and we waited for the sunset. It was a beautiful scene to witness after a long ride. 


We got back to the hut before the darkness fell. It rained at night, and we were grateful for good sleep.
 
When the morning came, my cousin and I finally dipped into the water! 



It was Monday. There were a few locals that we saw, and the other tourists probably went home, so we truly enjoyed swimming by ourselves in the Philippine Sea.
 
The weather was very nice to us.
 
Before eleven in the morning, though, we had to check out.

Our yummy breakfast

Unlimited iced tea


It was a sweet but short stay at Tipi Joint, yet the ambiance and the hut in which we stayed gave us a lovely and unforgettable experience. 


Thank you for being very accommodating, Tipi Joint team!  Up until we got back to Manila, they surely checked on us. Hopefully, we will be able to come back soon.

Monday, January 30, 2023

Brown Planners and Yellow Calendar for 2023

I know it's a little late, but I wanted to share my organizers for this year, and what are the chances that both of the planners I'm using are brown? 

*Suki Daybook 2023 (Out of Stock) 



One of the privileges of being a Mercury Drugstore Suki customer is getting this lovely Daybook for free, or should I say you need 45 points to get it? This year, MD decided to release three colors for their planner: Black, Blue, and Brown. I picked the latter because the design reminded me of childhood and summertime. 




What's inside the planner: 




*2023 and 2024 calendars 
*Holidays and Reminders 
*Inspiring pages 
*Blank Notes 
*Budget Tracker  
*Sticker  






*Scribble Planner 2023 (Out of Stock)  



I had planned to buy this planner, but it was sold out, so I quickly checked Lazada to see if they were still available. Luckily, I was able to browse and see the Scribble Planner 2023 from Colortech. The simplicity and content were exciting and fitting for my goals for this year. The available colors are Black, Blue, Red, and Brown. I picked the last one because I was attracted to it. I paid only 139 PHP for it. 

I was laughing when I saw that the two planners that I am using this year share the same color. I do hope, though, that Brown will make me more organized and will push me to write entries every day. 

What's inside the planner: 



*Notes  
*Calendars 
*Expense Trackers 




And a cute yellow desk calendar that I purchased for 55 php added more excitement for the activities and schedules that I will be looking forward to. 


This Space Girl calendar is still available at the Lazada ZZ shop. Aside from the vibrant color and animated designs, the checklist or memo that could be found every month is a plus for me.  I am satisfied and happy with the planners and desk calendar that I have for 2023. 

May they push me to be more disciplined in scribbling my daily experiences and more focused on my intentions and goals for this year of the Water Rabbit. 






Friday, December 9, 2022

11th Blog Anniversary Giveaway: Mystery Boxes and Surprises!

Wow! I couldn't believe I am celebrating my 11th year as a Blogger and Content Influencer! I never imagined that I would reach this point with the ups, downs, and everything in between.
 
Perks Be With You is my sweet haven. Throughout the years, I've met people online and in person with whom I did not know I inspired them, appreciated the things I shared, and liked reading my blog features.
 
And every year that passed, I would always think about how to return my blessings when my anniversaries took place.
 
For this 11th blog birthday celebration, I decided to give four mystery boxes and Gcash prizes to eleven winners.
 
You have four chances to win the mystery boxes (MakeUp, Skincare, Bookish/Bookworm, and a Suprise Box) because I am giving them away on one platform: FB, IG, Tiktok, and here on my Blogpage! 




How to get one of the Mystery Boxes? 
 
1. Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite or most memorable read from the blog features since I began (from 2011 to 2022).
 
2. Indicate too what mystery box you want to win (Make Up, Skincare, Bookish/Bookworm, or a Suprise Box). One box only for this platform; you may join from Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok for the other boxes. 
 
3. Follow my social media accounts: 
IG:
 
4. Share this blog post via your Facebook account, tag me, and don't forget to put #Happy11thPerksBeWithYou on your post. Please make it public. 
 
5. Extra credit: Tag one or two of your friends in your shared post. This is a season of giving, so let's share our blessings!  

*The giveaway will run from December 9 (9 a.m.) to January 8 (8 p.m.).
 
*Announcement of winners: January 9 (9 p.m.) through a randomizer (7 Gcash winners), and I will personally pick the four mystery box winners based on their answers.
 
Thank you very much for supporting me throughout the years and for being with me since I started this blog page in 2011. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

My Five Days Balanced Plan Meals with Dear Diet!

Last year, I took the challenge of a one-month low-carb diet with my daily lifestyle. It changed my perspective on being healthy, and I learned a lot from the experience.
 
This time around, I re-examined my eating habits with a test. When I was given a chance last August to try five days of Balanced plan meals with Dear Diet, I was excited and worried. I even told my officemates about it, and one even commented that I am already thin, so I don't need it. But, I love challenging myself, so let's get it on!





First day (August 1)
Breakfast: Frittata Cups and Ciabatta Roll w/ Pimiento Spread



Lunch: Lasagna


Snack: Homemade Ferrero Rocher



Dinner: Flatbread Pizza Margherita



 
Thoughts: 



I really commended their lasagna! It was absolutely delicious! One of the best I've eaten! I'm not a fan of Ferrero, but the homemade Ferrero Rocher was unreal! I liked it! 

 
Second day (August 2)
Breakfast: Liege Waffles and Fruits 




Lunch: Belgian Beef Stew 



Snack: Speculaas Cookies


Dinner: Shrimp Croquettes with Potato Fries and Salad



 
Thoughts: 



I was definitely surprised that there was brown rice! Like when I did the Low Carb, no rice at all. The Speculaas Cookies were so good, I wanted to have a bite again. 
 
Third day (August 3)
Breakfast: Singaporean Kaya Toast and Egg 



Lunch: Chinese Roast Pork Belly



Snack: Red Bean Mochi



Dinner: Hainanese Chicken Rice



 
Thoughts: 



I had two rice meals and they were alright. My favorite, though, was the Red Bean Mochi! I was addicted to it! 
 
Fourth day (August 4)
Breakfast: Pretzel and Bratwurst


Lunch: Chicken Schnitzel and Rice Pilaf 



Snack: Lemon SoufflĂ© 



Dinner: Swedish Meatballs and Pasta
 



Thoughts: 



I had a good time with the variations of meals for that day. Probably the one that I liked the best was the Chicken Schnitzel. 
 
Fifth day (August 5)
Breakfast: The Daily Oats' Blueberry Vanilla Pistachio Cheesecake 




Lunch: Coq Au Vin



Snack: Cream Puffs



Dinner: Salad Nicose Puff Sandwich 



 
Thoughts: 



For the last day of the Balanced Plan meals, the most exciting thing for me to try was the Daily Oats because of how colorful they are. I didn't even want to taste them. Yet the winner for me was the Coq Au Vin. The name might be hard to pronounce, but the dish was easy to satisfy my taste buds. 
 
Outcome and Verdict: 



The most challenging part for me of having Balanced Plan meals was not the portion of food being prepared but rather the time of delivering the meals per day. I struggled to wake up at 5 to 6 am, especially on my rest days. Yet, I was grateful to Kuya, who called me up when he arrived in front of our gate and waited for me to get the deliveries. 
 
I learned that you can eat rice (brown and red) even if you are on a balanced meal plan. As you remember, rice was a no-no during my low-carb month. 
 

It was a short but great experience and I would definitely do the Balanced Plan Meals again, perhaps even longer because Dear Diet has different variations every week. Go check out their social media pages and try it for yourself!