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A Challenge

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor an expert in medical field. Statements below were based on my OB GYNE doctor and on my personal research.

--I am not writing this to embarrass or make others feel uncomfortable. I am writing this post to raise awareness about this condition, as well as to support other women who experience this.--

Everyday of our lives, we discover something new to ourselves. It maybe something good or bad, big or small, or something unique.

Recently, something in me was discovered. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, also known as PCOS. It is a hormonal imbalance, and causes women to skip menstrual period and makes it hard for them to get pregnant. Common symptoms are irregular menstruation, weight gain, acne, and getting hairy than usual. The cause of PCOS is still unknown to this date.

It turns out I already had this for years. To be honest, I ignored my symptoms for a long time. And just last week, I finally had the courage to consult a doctor, and underwent ultrasound. They found a lot of follicles (that carries immature egg cells) in my ovaries. I was quite relieved as my doctor didn't see any other cysts in my ovaries (which could be malignant).

It has been a week since I started taking my medicine, and though it is on low dosage, I can still experience its side effects such as headache, bloating, and nausea. Welp. I'm gonna be like this for months or even years.

Hoping my condition will be better in the future. I still wanna experience being pregnant! Lmaooo. It may be a simple thing for others, but it means a lot to me.

Ladies, please please don't ignore irregularities you notice in yourself. Consult your doctor immediately, or your condition could be worse.

Thank you for your love and support! 'Til my next post! :)

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2019 Color Of The Year: Living Coral

Every year since 2000, Pantone announces what the Color Of The Year is. I was lucky enough to have witnessed the reveal of 2019 COTY- Living Coral, during the Art Basel Event happened in Miami Beach. Pantone partnered with Tribute Portfolio, and created a Pantone Pantry which kept the mystery color. Living Coral, a warm, vibrant orange-pink. According to Pantone, the hue embraces us with “warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment”.

I had the pleasure of working with Pantone and BMF Media on this big event. At least a hundred of guests were in Royal Palm Hotel, and every one was ecstatic for the big night. Different artists and designers were there including Athena Calderone!

Unfortunately, I didn’t have much picture of the pantry as I was busy handling other meetings and events through out that week. Nevertheless, every one had a great time the entire event.

I only had this picture of the token they gave me: 

I can’t wait to be back in the industry and handle more events like this!

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I Woke Up In A City That Never Sleeps

A week after Valentine’s Day of 2019, I thought of going on a trip. I wanted to treat myself because I had been really stressed out at work for the past few months. I didn’t know where to go exactly until I saw a picture of a familiar place on Facebook- Central Park. My eyes lit up like I figured out one of the greatest mysteries of all time. Hahaha! Yes! New York! I immediately booked a flight after I convinced my friend, Josele, to go with me the following month. Then two of my roommates learned about my upcoming trip and they decided to join us. Well, the more, the merrier!

Two weeks before my much-awaited trip to the big apple, and I am already planning out my outfits. It will be pretty cold so I had to purchase a winter coat and jackets. I was not planning on buying a lot of winter clothes since I cannot wear any of those when I get back in South Florida. 

Our trip was from March 15th to the 18th (Friday-Monday). I left early from work on that Friday to make it on time to my 5pm flight to La Guardia. We almost missed the plane as our Lyft driver took the longer route going to Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Our names were announced for the last call, and the ground personnel were waiting for us on the boarding gate. Kinda embarrassing for the other passengers when we got in the plane- all eyes were on us. Hahaha! But we made it, and the trip has officially began.

We arrived in La Guardia International Airport at around 9PM. The cold wind welcomed us upon exiting the airport. My leather jacket was not enough to warm my body. We had to book immediately for a Lyft going to the hotel. However, New York traffic was crazier than Miami’s, and waited for at least 30 minutes for the Lyft ride to pick us up.

We stayed at Hilton Hotel in Long Island, New York for a couple of nights. We took our time resting on our first night, knowing that the following days we’ll be exhausted. 

First stop- The Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, we spent an hour walking and taking pictures of the 1.8km suspension bridge. The view was incredible. Even the Statue of Liberty is visible from the bridge! I cannot contain my happiness, and was just staring at the skyscrapers. We then walked down to Dumbo, Brooklyn to see the wonderful Manhattan Bridge.

Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

We then continue to explore more of NY. Went to Grand Central Terminal, The Flat Iron Building, The Rockefeller Center, The New York Times, Madison Square Park, Grand Central Terminal, The Empire State Building, Times Square, and we were able to witness the parade near St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the feast day itself. There were different Irish schools and bands at the parade, playing only Irish music. At night, we went back in Times Square to see how beautiful it’s gonna be during at night. It was 1degC that night, the wind breeze made it worse so we had to take pictures as fast as we can. Haha! We squeezed all of these tourist spots in just a day! Kapagod! To end our first night, we had Korean BBQ for dinner in Korea Town. Yum!

It was past 10am when we left the hotel on our 2nd day. We went straight to the subway and later found ourselves in New Jersey for the ferry ride to the Liberty Island. I was so excited! I’ve been dreaming to see the Statue of Liberty up close, and I’m one step ahead on ticking one of the items on my bucket list. The ticket for the Ellis and Liberty Island tour was around $18 + tax; not bad!

The Statue of Liberty

It felt so surreal when I finally saw The Statue of Liberty. I couldn’t believe my eyes, right in front of me was the historical Lady Liberty. I had plenty of time to take pictures, and I didn’t waste any of it.We got into the ferry going back to Battery Park in Lower Manhattan after an hour or so. After walking a few blocks, we arrived at the 9/11 Memorial also known as the One World Trade Center.  There’s pain in our hearts as we saw the memorial. Thousands of people died and their names were carved around where the twin towers were standing. I couldn’t smile, as I cannot imagine how difficult it is/was for their loved ones who were left behind. Instead, I say I little prayer for them. That’s the only thing I can do for them at that moment.

9/11 Memorial

Moving on, we took the subway going to Central Park. We got there late in the afternoon. It was comforting to spend the rest of the afternoon at the park. Just walking, taking pictures, and just admire the beauty of nature. We were walking around Columbus Circle while drinking a cup of hot chocolate, and later on headed back to the hotel.

Central Park

We ate at a local Chinese restaurant near Times Square for breakfast on our last day. We later on decided to walk around Midtown Manhattan. Spent a few minutes in Bryant Park before heading to the New York Public Library. NYPL was huge! We then made our way to Washington Square Park, and roamed around New York University.

Washington Square Park

Bryant Park

Our New York trip wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Jollibee! We dined in maybe three times? Lol yeah we missed it. The nearest Jollibee in Miami is in Tampa (newly opened branch) which is 3 hours drive. 

We headed back to Miami later that night. I still couldn’t believe it, I was in New York! Another dream that turned into reality.

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MIAMI BEACH- A Place I Never Expect To Call My Second Home

It all started when I decided to have my work and training in USA. I have always wanted to work abroad; not just to earn money, but also to grow in different aspects. There’s no doubt that the USA is one of the leading countries worldwide, and I believe that I’ll get great opportunities once I step in this country.

I started my application last January of 2018. After a few months of processing necessary documents needed, I flew to the USA in June of the same year. I was so stoked of what were in store for me in that journey.

I flew straight to Atlanta, Georgia to visit my sister first. After travelling for roughly 26 hours from Manila, it was comforting to see my sister. I almost got teary eyed as I hugged her. I couldn’t blame myself, I traveled alone in a completely strange place, and will be in a new environment. She lived there for 2 years, and I honestly missed being with her. I stayed for a little over 4 days before starting my journey in Miami. I was hesitant to stop by Atlanta before reporting in the property that I’ll be having my training with. Good thing I listened to my family, my sister got me goodies that I needed to settle in my apartment. Hehe thanks, Ate!

Miami is a crazy city- one of the busiest cities in the states and top tourist destination. As soon as I knew the city I was going to, I started researching about it. I saw a lot of GREAT pictures, and I can say that those pictures did justice to the place. Yes, Miami is THAT beautiful.

South Beach Boardwalk

Key Biscayne

I started my J1 journey as a restaurant hostess for the first 4 months. I met a lot of nice guests along the way. I even met the nephew of Mother Lily Montenegro! At first glance I knew that he’s a Filipino, and I wasn’t wrong. He’s so nice, and I’m glad he had a great stay at Royal Palm. Going back, we had a training plan to follow as cultural exchange visitors. For every 3 months, we had to rotate positions within the department.

The property’s executive committees were checking on us and making sure we were having a great experience in the hotel. Three months into my training at the restaurant, our HR Director approached me and asked if I would be interested in other positions such as HR coordinator or Reservations coordinator. “Yes!”, I replied, “If given an opportunity it would be a great experience for me.”. Our HR director consulted this to the rest of the executive committee, and they have decided to open the position of Catering and Sales Specialist / Banquets Captain to me, as it was still related to Food and Beverage. And without hesitation, I accepted the job opportunity.

October 10, 2018- I officially became the new Catering and Sales Specialist. This time I told myself that this will be a new experience. I knew that this will not be easy, and will require high level of professionalism and critical thinking. I was very shy and soft-spoken when I started working in the office. You’ll just hear me say ‘Yes’ whenever something was asked of me. I won’t deny, I was scared of voicing out what was in my head. I was scared of giving suggestions or observations because I was afraid to make mistakes. Well, who would want to fail? I promised myself to learn as much as I can, and give every one with utmost respect.

Let me give you an overview of what were my duties and tasks as a Catering and Sales Specialist:

Always attend the 9am meeting with all the department heads, and report if the hotel has any group meetings / events of the day, and the status of in-house groups.

ALWAYS check e-mails and voice messages.

If there are any meetings or events during the day, make sure they have everything they need and fix whatever problem they have- it may be an issue with their sleeping room, meeting room, billings, food selections, etc.

ALWAYS BE ON THE FLOOR.

ALWAYS be on top of everything. Think ahead of time all the possible challenges that the event/meeting will encounter.

Prepare reports such as Group Resumes, Banquet Event Orders, Banquets Forecasts and Banquet Checks, Final Billing and Closing Log.

Be in touch with clients in detailing their incoming meetings/events in the property i.e., food selections, schedule of their programme/meeting, total number of people attending, if they have any dietary restrictions, table set up, audio/visual needs, and even decoration.

December to March is the high season in Miami. Some people in America are trying to stay warm on winter season, and have their Holidays in the Sunshine State. Indeed, in these times, Miami is packed with different tourist around the world. The historical Ocean Drive has different city-wide events especially this season. This only means that businesses are very much alive. Hotels are fully booked, restaurants have at least 15 minutes waiting time, bars and nightclubs are packed, and the streets are never empty. I bet you cannot imagine how busy it can get during these times.

ART BASEL 2018 [December]

SOBE Food and Wine Festival 2019 [February]

April to May 2019 were a little lighter. I was able to move freely as my mind was not that stressed out. During this time, I was able to go out more often, and see Miami as it is. Not like the first months when I was just focused on work and had a home-work-home routine. It took quite a long time for me to get out of my comfort zone, to be confident with what I do. Don’t get me wrong, ever since I started working in the office, I gave my all. I walked extra mile with anything that I did. I just wished I did it sooner, to believe in myself. Anyway, I really had a great experience in Royal Palm. I learned A LOT.

I admit, I got really excited to be transferred to another department and position. Little did I know, things will get pretty heavy. I got overwhelmed with how much work I had to do. Everything was new to me. I had a little experience with handling big groups and clients. To be honest, I felt like being thrown into the ocean without knowing how to swim. I’m so lucky that I was surrounded with a great team that helped me and taught me everything that I needed to know.

El Patio, Wynwood

El Patio, Wynwood

2018 Holiday Party, Royal Palm South Beach

Royal Palm South Beach

I had countless breakdowns, not to exaggerate but I had it almost every night. I also had panic attacks much often than it used to. One time I had a rough day at work, I started crying on my way home. I didn’t care if I was in a jam-packed bus, tears started streaming down my face. I couldn’t help it. As time goes by, I was able to cope up. One day I found myself handling all things by myself. However, things got pretty much hectic with work on the first quarter of the year 2019. I was usually off during weekends, but since January came, sometimes I only got Sunday off. That was fine. I mean, it’s included as overtime. Lol!

I remember being nominated as the Associate Star of the Month for the months of February and May. I didn’t expect being nominated, as I was struggling with work during those times. But it was really comforting to know that some people appreciated my hard work even when I thought no one saw it.

I got attached. Yes, deeply attached with Miami. I got to experience living away from home, being independent, paying my own bills, being responsible with the basic stuff. I had a freedom. My freedom. It felt good to decide whatever I wanted for myself, at least for a few months.

The beach was just a few steps away from my apartment. I love spending Sunday afternoons at the beach with a bottle of beer. Who would’ve thought that this lady would love the beach so much? Lol. The ocean witnessed every emotion that I felt in the duration of my stay. Whenever I was happy, I’ll be at the beach. Whenever I get sad, the moon and stars listened to my story. When I missed home, the wind caressed me. When I got broken, the cold breeze sympathized with me. And when I thought that I found love again, the ocean was the first to witness.

I wanted to stay, but I guess it’s not God’s plan for me. Who knows, maybe sooner or later I will be back again. I really hope so.

I had a lot of down times, not to add the homesickness I felt. But I thank my friends I made along the way. They helped me cope up, they cheered me up. I honestly wouldn’t know what to do if they were not beside me.

I am grateful to experience the Miami vibe!

’Til next time, Vice City!

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Paano maging maganda?

Just be yourself HAHAHAHAHA hmp

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STUDENT NO MORE!

Time flies! I graduated almost 3 years ago? Feels like it happened just a year ago. Lol. College life was a rollercoaster ride, and I'm honestly grateful and don't want to change a bit of my experience in La Salle.

I definitely miss everything (minus exams lol jk), I miss my friends, after classes shenanigans, FOOD TRIP, etc.

Thank you, DLSU-D!

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FLORIDA’S SOUTHERNMOST POINT

Went on a spontaneous trip to the Keys, May of last year. Key West is the southernmost point of Florida, and is just 90 miles away from Cuba. We were not supposed to push through with this cos I had an event to handle in the hotel.

I reserved a car online a couple of hours before we drive down to the Keys. Upon picking up the car in the airport, the agent who assisted us with our reservation was Fil-Am. We chatted for a few more minutes while she's verifying my documents, asked us how many months we've been in Miami, our journey as J1 visitors, etc. She told us that we were so brave to drive to the Keys since we were all girls. She was so nice and pretty!

I originally booked a Toyota Vios, however, she cannot check it out as it was already given to another client. She was so kind to upgrade us to a convertible Mini Cooper S! I didn't believe it at first since it was too good to be true until she handed me the form and the key of the car. Deym!

We left Miami Beach on Saturday at 12mn. Took a stopover in Homestead to get food before driving for 3 hours. It was nice to drive on an empty road, as we know, Miami traffic is crazy. Lol! We got to the Keys at around 4am of Sunday, tried to check in but our room was not yet ready at that time so we had to wait 'til 8am to get in.

We rest for a couple of hours before exploring Key West. We went to Fort Zachary Historic Park to see the beach. It was a beautiful, sunny day- perfect to get that golden tan and just relax. There were a bunch of people at the beach, good thing we were able to find good spot easily.

After spending a couple of hours at the beach, we went to look for a place to eat, and we found the famous Restaurant & Conch Bar for lunch. Food was meh, however we loved the ambiance. It is located in a sea port; while roaming around, we saw a fisherman feeding the manatees.

Key West has a large painted buoy which was established as a tourist attraction. We waited and fell in a long line just to have a picture with it (sadly, I couldn't locate my picture with it :().

Here's a picture of the street in front of the iconic buoy:

We headed back to the hotel shortly after we took pictures with the buoy. My friends and I maximized our stay in Marriott Beachside Hotel, and went for an amazing afternoon dip at the pool. We were relaxing and having fun until an iguana decided to join us. Lmao, I couldn't forget how quickly we got out of the pool once we realized the iguana was swimming beside us. 🤣 Iguanas are common in Florida, we were used to see it every day in Miami Beach especially in Indian Creek.

Going back, the hotel pool is located just in front of the sea. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the beautiful sunset, and took pictures in the golden hour.

After a tiring day, we were excited to eat and ended up in Outback Steakhouse for a sumptuous dinner. We hit the road once again after dinner and explored Duval Street. Duval Street is the drag of downtown. It will give you the '60s vibe. While driving, I noticed how Miami and Key West differ from each other. The streets in Key West are much quiet and empty, the beach is much peaceful, and people are calmer. It is a great place to disconnect from a busy city.

We headed back to the hotel at around 10pm. We had a bit of rest before hitting the road again back to Miami. Checked out of the hotel at around 3am of Monday as we had to report for work at 8am of the same day.

It's crazy how spontaneous trips turned out to be one of the best trips you'll have in your life. Key West has a lot to offer, and I was fortunate enough to see even a little bit of it. I hope I can go back and explore Key West more.