Biographies of world figures

My mom always tells us that Christmas is more fun and meaningful when you celebrate it with children. And I do agree with her. There is a certain happiness watching kids opening their presents and seeing their eyes sparkle with joy. And for this year, GMA Network has come up with a new kind of Christmas campaign that speaks directly to the heart of celebrating Christmas, the Filipino way. Family is a very important aspect of our lives as a society. As much as possible, we spend it with our loved ones. With the onset of video calls, it makes things easier for us to do that especially when we are far away from our families. I do admire GMA's creative use of 3D Animation to show the Magic of Christmas. And another great thing about this, is that the animation is made locally.  There will be 3 instalments to the overall story with the first part shown tonight.  Magic Crayons-Magic ng Pasko shows a young girl bringing life to her drawings by way of a box of magical crayons. The las...

With Cebu experiencing more rain than ever this year, this piece of good news is a life-saver. Converse has been the number one choice for hipsters, stylistas and young-at-heart for their sneaker collection. This year they are debuting various sneaker designs that you will wear at all times. These are available in three Converse Cebu locations: Ayala Center Cebu, SM Cebu and Robinsons Galleria Cebu. For their Fall/Winter collection, they are introducing their innovative technology to battle the unpredictacle weather that the world is currently having. The Climate Change Collection highlights the need to have a pair of shoes that could withstand rough weather conditions without you worrying of throwing away a good pair of sneakers just because they got soaked from rain water. These shoes are water-repellant with the classic Converse styles and Nike in-sole tech. The Counter Climate collection is available in Cons, Chucks and Jack Purcell designs. I'm wishing that someone would place...

Watch as the Philippines' greatest boxers, Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire fight for the Welterweight and Junior Welterweight titles.  Mactan Newtown Alfresco will be making this day special for Cebuano fans of the two boxers as they show live the game fights.  The alfresco-style entertainment area of Mactan Newtown is the perfect venue to cheer on the 2-1 punch of Philippine Boxing.  Prepare for combat on November 5, 9PM (E.T.) or November 6 (Philippine Time). This will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. This is the first time that Pacquiao and Donaire will be in the same fight card. Pacman (58-6-2, 38 KOs) will try to win the Welterweight title from the younger Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10KOs). The 12-round match will be one of the highlights of the night. The Filipino Flash (37-3, 24KOs) will defend his Junior Welterwieght title against the less experienced Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17KOs). Admission is free at Mactan Alfresco for this event. The area is ...

"...and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."  - Steve Jobs Last Wednesday, I was on my way to the office when I received a text from my friend, Ditas, that I was a finalist for this year's Best Cebu Blogs Awards. I couldn't contain my excitement and happiness that I shared the good news with my Uber driver. That particular announcement gave me an extra boost of energy and nerves which I badly needed that day since I had a presentation at work. I felt like I was on Cloud Nine. The Visual Traveler is a BCBA 2016 Finalist This is the first time I've been nominated as well as chosen to be a finalist for any Blogging awards. Being recognized is both an honor and a privilege. As per my favorite Steve Jobs quote, it inspires me to continue doing great work and to enjoy what I am experiencing. I officially started blogging in 2012 but stopped and started again in 2014. I init...

Hey, wanna find out where the best Affogato places are in Cebu? Let me help you uncover them. You might ask yourself, is it a dessert or a drink? That has been the biggest mystery of the Affogato . For me, I consider it a drink. I enjoy the combination of hot and cold in a glass plus it's wonderful looking at the contrast of the gelato and espresso. Affogato Collection In my endless quest of finding that perfect Affogato drink, I have discovered eight cafes and restaurants in Cebu that offers this unusual treat. My love affair with this Italian specialty started more than ten years ago and it just keeps getting better and better.  I had a former co-worker who used to be a Starbucks barista and she introduced me to the concept of Affogato. She suggested adding a shot of espresso to my ice-blended frappuccino to make it a little stronger. I tried it and immediately got hooked. It's a secret item on their menu. Definition Affogato means "drowned" in Italian. Espresso is ...

A couple of months ago, I was invited to an Art exhibit in Qube Gallery and when I got there I found out that Cebu Brewing Company is located on the ground floor. My craft beer mania has just begun. It was open bar during the exhibit and I got to taste some bottles of craft beer that they were offering. I got a little curious and mentally told myself that I would go back and bring some friends along.  Cebu Brewing Co. The place is small but cozy which I very much like. No blaring music. You can actually have a real conversation. No shouting or texting or doing selfies. Last night, I went back with my friend and we had a nice quiet time. We were just chillin' and swirling our beer to distinquish the ingredients. We ended up comparing our beer choices. I remember my trip to Arizona and we ate in this restaurant which boasted of having more than 50 beer brand options. That's how Cebu Brewing Co. is set-up. Numerous brands that might be unfamiliar to us.  99 bottles of beer on the...

The Annual Cebuano Festival of Sinulog celebrates the Miraculous Holy Child of Jesus. The Holy icon that is found in the Basilica Del Santo Nino is almost 500 years old. Pilgrims and tourists flock to the Basilica to pray and visit. The Basilica is one of Cebu’s treasured Historical Landmarks. There is a small museum located onsite that you should also include in your Itinerary.  The Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Jesus has a storied past. It is the first Roman Catholic Church built in the Philippines. It traces its roots to the first Spanish explorers who landed in the Island of Cebu. Historical Marker History In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan gifted a statue of the Holy Child of Jesus to the wife of local Chieftain, Raja Humabon. It was lost to History when the Magellan forces were ousted from the island. 44 years later when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s expedition arrived in Cebu, a soldier found the Holy Icon buried in a gravesite. Fray Andres Urdaneta and Fray Diego Herrera, both A...