Reliving The Kid Within--Cristine Belen's Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang

I was very fortunate to be asked by my friend to attend a stage play last May 29, 2012 3pm at PETA, No. 5 New Manila, Quezon City. This was my second time to watch a stage play courtesy of PETA (Well, the first one  was 3 Stars and a Sun) but the excitement and the heart pounding was still there. This is PETA, home of the greatest artists you should know. 

How adorable was it to have a mini stage within PETA.

We were given to tickets to get to see Cristine Belen's Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang. I remember Lola Basyang when I was young and having a sight of her children's stories again is like giving a chance to relive the kid within me. Before the show started, i am imagining who could be the Lola Basyang. I was thinking about Gloria Diaz and Chichay that time. :)

Lola Basyang's rocking chair is one of the trademark of the Filipino's Story Telling place where children would gather around their lolo's or lola's attentively listening with eyes sparkling with amazement. As the stories go, Filipino children utilize their imagination,which is somehow should be instill again to our generation today.

There were lots of kids and kids at heart who were very eager to see the show and all of them knew have to behave well. The ushers were very helpful of our inquiries and mindful of what they were doing. every staff were calm and nice to us.

It is so nice to see families patiently waiting for their turn to enter the theater

Before I went in I was picturing of what the setting of the stage would be and to my amazement, they were only one rocking chair and three boxes on the stage. I kept wondering why they only have 4 things on the stage. It was really a mind boggling moment. 

The other side of the theater where you can see how sublime the rocking chair of Lola Basyang in the midst of  eager children and children at heart.

When everybody found a seat,and settled down comfortable, the lights where dimmed and the Our National Anthem was sang with a sign language interpreter in front left side of the stage. That was quite moving for me seeing a sign language interpreter for the sake of our special kids.

The sign language interpreter patiently waiting for the signs to start helping kids to understand the National Anthem. 

Then the lights went all out. the back door opened and stage actors came with some sorts of cut out pattern with their cellphone flashlights on them. Oh, they were like shadow puppets! I loved the idea! Shadows for story telling was what my mom used to do when we were children back then during the frequent blackouts nationwide

the flying book shadow in the midst of darkness

.

and there was Lola Basyang with her lampara

Lola Basyang introduced herself and slowly and sweetly and in the most delightful way, she told the audience what are the ethics or rules when you are watching a stage play. Her book was a alive! It seemed that it may want to flying or something but the made me giggle as an adult because it means that the stories will start so i must behave and watch attentively.

Actors in unison. If you would hear them, you will be mesmerized.

Interpreter for each character. This should be a mandatory in every children's theater acts. I love it!

 

 The Stage Play was consist of two stories. The first one was  "Ang Prisipeng May Mahabang Ilong which tells us not to judge anybody or worse bully others because that is hurtful and unkind. It also tells us the love can be found anywhere to anyone regardless of the status of life or how do you look like. Then helping others is a good deed no matter how bad the persons are, if you can help extend your arms to them. I won't tell how the story went because I really want you to watch it. You should watch this... It would be fun. I guarantee you will be happy.

Lola Basyang checking out if the children were really listening well. Should he bite the cat's tail? for you to find out!

The prince with that long nose was still handsome. When you thought it was about Pinocchio... Think again! 

Can you see who's ugly in this picture? Nobody for sure! that smile is so gorgeous in spite of the bark skin like she has. 

The taunting characters making fun of the others. 

This is adorable! They let the kids participate and help  to pull Bungal and Duling from the quicksand.

When love conquers All! Can you see now the difference?

The second story is "Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Mahal na Datu" In this story, it tells us the love conquers all. Love can be found anywhere and to anyone who is willing to love and be loved and this love is enough for the young lady to fight and to be put in three tests of the king before she lose her head off. Did she lose her head? I wont tell! Really,  you must watch this!

May FOREVER sa pag ukit ng puso and pangalan sa punong hindi pa napuputol ng illegal loggers.

What??? How could you cook 12 dish from that poor PITPIT bird?

Another crazy test! Could you return the sheep alive with the payment from it???

That face of the king is priceless! Can you guest why? 

With all those laughs and confusion, this simple stage play unleashed the kid within me. The kid i am missing all this time is just a book away from this play. The book of Lola Basyang still having plenty of blank pages to filled with such value oriented stories that our imaginations knows no boundaries. I hope to see more of Lola Basyang's stories  here at PETA in the future.

I love this picture of Lola Basyang with the background of the world with children on it. Somehow it tells me everybody has a kid within to relive... the kid we often forget because we have grown up so fast.

--Rissa

My Great Stay at Novotel

sometimes you may want to stay anywhere but not home... especially when you lost somebody you loved most... we are currently living in the heart of Cubao, where the busy traffic jam sometimes block our way out of the civilization that you may rather stay here and be at the various mall around you... suddenly they build this Hotel in the center of Araneta Center besides the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, across Shopwise. It is called Novotel. my mom decided to have our staycation here instead of having that outside the metro... the traffic jam really kills her... but i was thankful to that traffic jam because i got to have my stay here with my friends...

my friends and i, while waiting for our room 

that awesome colors hanging in the lobby

this is where you can have your finest tea servings

upon inquiring that morning of our decided stay, we were greet by nice and polite team. we were accommodated well and gave us a tour of what the hotel looks like. their medium of communication is English but they are quite ok speaking in Filipino, and the flow of communication is quite very welcoming, especially for Filipinos who cannot speak English well.

cute computer lounge for the guests at the lobby

the lobby of the hotel is very nice! awesome chandelier changing colors softly as you look at them seems to be relaxing while we wait for our room... yes we waited for our room to be ready because we were early. but kids are kids and so we played the huge digital touch screen game in the lobby. they also have this corner where you can use some computer units as you stay in their comfort... the lobby has this sweet light smell of home.. the hotel stewards treated each guest fairly and sweetly.

while waiting for our room to be ready my mom headed in their buffet dessert station

she a really a fan of desserts... drooling over that strawberries 

we were escorted to our room. we jumped in the elevator and a matter of a snap we were in our floor. the corridor was so neat, you can actually lay flat and sleep there. hahahah... They gave us a welcome amenities like fruits and cookies... i like the cookies.

you have to try those cookies!... the fruits!

how lovely the clouds...

we didn't wait for our bags to be settled in our room. we went for a swim as soon as we got there. i loved the breeze from the air. the pool was not not too cold and not too warm. it was just right even for a night swimming.

that blue pool with relaxing falls 

my friend gigi trying to survive, hahahah!

as for my mom, she hit the shower. she loved the shower where you can be in control of the water temperature. you can see through the looking glass the bathroom.

through the looking glass bathroom

you can see the my world from here

the beds were nicely tucked in with white clean comfy bed sheets. my mom sank in to the comfort of linens and dozed up. Everything in the room was very clean... the WIFI connection was very fast... and the room service was very awesome in answering the questions...

two nicely tucked beds...

how nice my friend were chilling on the comfy bed...

my mom called us for breakfast at the lobby. free breakfast? that was awesome! i didn't know where to start! they have lots of hearty and healthy breakfast for everyone. bacons and pizza, toasts and sausages, yogurts and fruits. my mom went jumping with delight when she saw the juicer. fresh juice in the morning! name what veggies and fruits you want in there station they will serve you at your table... or you just wait at the station and in a matter of a sec you will have your juice.... fresh juice!!! what i love most is the noodle station and the brick oven fire station where you can actually wait for your toast to be toasted. i complimented the chef for serving me a bowl of strawberries when i asked one. I and my friends really had the great breakfast ever!

not your ordinary healthy bowl...

pizzas for breakfast? why not?!?

i don't what i want... sausages or bacon?

freshly baked!

can i live here, please? 

the station my mom loved most... fresh juices in the morning

yogurt and fresh fruits

they look lovely and healthy in these bottles... like elixir for eternal life

happy meal! huge sausage and wedge potatoes...

the chef taught me how does the brick oven works

your wish is my command! the main chef gave this bowl of strawberries because i asked one!

we had our few hours in the pool before we checked out... before we went they had this room checking to see to it we didn't wreck the room. i loved waiting at the lobby over looking what was seemed to be an ordinary neighborhood i have everyday... who could ever thought that you can have a great vacation in the heart of the city... i cant wait to have another stay with Novotel... i miss jumping in and out of the elevator in Novotel!

to summed up what i like most in novotel, here are my top 5 reason why i will be back here soon

1. staffs are very accommodating and friendly regardless how a guest looks like.
2. the swimming pool is awesome! not too cold and not too hot... just right.
3. the linens and towels are very clean.
4. you can choose your food from hearty to healthy.
5. sleeping here is very easy... no buzz and noise from the outer world we usually have...


--Justin

AN AFTERNOON TEA PARTY WITH SKIN101

at my age now, I and My Mom love to spend time with the love of teas and tea lattes while talking about things and creating thinks we love... things are really great and more interesting when we have our teas together... 

my mom loves to browse social medias and came across with such wonderful afternoon tea party for moms, Beauty101 Me time by SKIN101 at Ascott Hotel Ballroom, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

we came by past 2pm. i was amazed how lovely and neat things were in the event area. we had our photos taken courtesy of Meder Mom

there was this skin analyzer machine which can indicate how good are skin is... everybody was eager to know how fine their wrinkles...

there was also benefit with a free make over and while you were having a make over the beauty consultant address who to use their products. My mom was drooling over the  benefit make ups...

then the Ultherapy booth was the last thing in my mind, very intriguing to know how this work. As they say it is not your mom's regular facelift...

the staff invited us to eat some very sumptuous and too good be eaten finger foods... and of course we tried different kinds of teas!

while we were having our teas, Ms. Kristine Duque, the 20-year make up veteran in our showbiz and tv world  talk about what was really important...  she said what really matters to her were not the make up s but how good you take care of your skin... oh my! we don't use sunblock or sun screen to protect our not so good skin from the harmful rays of the sun and gadgets... ( sorry for this i don't have their pics taken because i forgot to charge my camera...my bad!

next speaker was Ms. Nikki Duque, the daughter of Ms. Tin, the first speaker, also an artist and my! she is really a famous blogger! She had a model to show us how to put on our make up well on the spot. do you know that hashtags are not only for social media but also for applying smoky?

then the last one was about Ultherapy... not your average moms' facelift. you can see the beauty of sound through it... the talk demonstrated how it works with a special ruler, the face was divided by parts, then each part that the machine stick passed released 25 pretty quick pricks... did the model hurt?... no, not at all! she was calm all through the session. That resting face while the session was undergoing means the procedure doesnt hurt at all. My mom better try this before she hits 50.

my mom was very eager to win that grand price in the raffle they had... she was very curious to try how ultrasound is use as a non surgical procedure to life up that inverted heart shaped face of her... but she didn't... anyhow she was given some GCs and freebies to enjoy and blog about...

thanks skin101... we had fun, knowledge and pretty scrumptious tea party... til next time dear! Thank you!