I’ve been up to my neck in tasks and errands lately but I found the time to travel 3 hours to attend a party.  Why?  Read on.

This will surprise a lot of people who have known me for years because  I’m the type who is almost always absent during Christmas parties and Senior’s ball in high school with the exception of the JS Prom.  I would’ve loved to ditch the prom but I know I wouldn’t get away with a no-show because attendance was required.

In college, I avoided sem-enders and year-enders.  I also  purposefully missed my College deparment’s farewell party.

Oh I’ve been called a lot of names before– antisocial, killjoy, and anti-fun are some of them.

What changed?  Nothing, except that  I  found the right people to party with.  This is why I took some time off from my responsibilities at home and a burgeoning online workload.

And here are more reasons why I traveled all the way to General Santos City and stayed overnight for a party.

• Orman, Orman, and more Orman.  It’s Orman’s blogoversary party.  I love Orman Manansala, the formidable force behind GandaEverSoMuch.com, and certainly one of Philippine blogosphere’s most likable personalities.  ’Nuf said.

• The GESM part is an open party. The GESM party was open to all who laughed, lived, cried, and loved with Orman and his daily updates on life’s boon and bane. No soul was out of place during the party, even the frogs partied with us.  No “I didn’t invite you here!” escaped from the host’s lips.

• Lots of good food and unlimited supply of drinks. The venue was at Le Jardin Arnevel where we  enjoyed the lavish spread specially prepared by Tita Nitz.  There was an unlimited supply of beer for the beer guzzlers while I, nursed a couple of Coke Zeros throughout the night.

• It was a time to be merry and be no-holds-barred wacky.  Thanks to EZCapture PhotoBooth, the guests had the grandest time having their pictures taken.  Too bad I forgot to try out the costumes.  I would’ve been stunning in oversized sunglasses and pink wig. Hehe.

• No sore losers, only giddy winners.   Orman made sure everybody went home with lots of prizes.  My haul included a GESM shirt, a Maybelline goodie bag, a Red Tent Gift certificate, and a GESM coffee mug.  Other attendees looked like  they went shopping.

• Had a  great time with blogosphere’s friendliest bunch.   There were lots of old and new faces at the GESM party, all of them very warm and friendly.  The SOCCSKSARGEN BLOGGERS are truly blogosphere’s friendliest bunch.

• More extras for the out-of-towners.  Orman made sure us out-of-towners were taken care of throughout the weekend.  There’s the marvelous lunch at Gusteau’s the day we arrived, the fabulous hotel accommodation at East Asia Royale Hotel, and the boxful of prawns he sent us home with.

Gandaeversomuch.com‘s first blogoversary party is one of the most memorable parties I’ve been to because Orman is one of my best blogging buddies, General Santos City is one of my “happy places”, and the Sox Bloggers the best bunch to party with.

Congratulations, GF!

Thanks to Lyle Santos for the images used this post.

Reasons Why I Attended and Had Fun at the GESM Blogoversary Party is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

By 7:00 am, we left Ice Castle Experience and were on our way to our first stop for the day, to have breakfast at the magnificent Dolores Farm Resort in Polomolok, South Cotabato.  I have been to the resort before so I knew that my companions will surely love the place.

The very Filipino Breakfast at Dolores Farm Resort’s Chanee Restaurant was quick.  I normally have no appetite for a full breakfast but I finished mine in no time.  It must’ve been the breezy Sunday morning or the whole feel of the place.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After breakfast,  my companions took off for a quick exploration of the mini-zoo, swimming pools, and durian orchard.  I chose to stay behind and helped myself to more of the restaurant’s native hot choco.

After thanking our hosts for the wonderful breakfast, we proceeded to Koronadal City to meet Zion Travel’s Francis Sablon and Carlo Ebeo. Zion Travel facilitated the Lake Sebu leg of the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari.

On board the van provided by Mayor Jun Acharon, we traveled the 47 kms between Koronadal City and Lake Sebu, passing by the towns of Banga and Surallah.  I’ve been to Surallah and Lake Sebu years ago but can’t remember much about my trip so I made sure that this time, I enjoyed both the journey and the destination.  Yeah, even in the sweltering summer heat.

Soon, we reached the steep dirt road that leads to the entrance to the majestic “Seven Falls” and the zipline.  After paying the entrance fee, we immediately headed to where the zipline is.

(photo by Charles Ortiz)

The mist from the spray of the falls was  refreshing, as in Evian facial spray kind of refreshing.  I was energized despite the 3-hour trip from General Santos and I was itching to try the Seven Falls Zipline.  I have braved the ziplines in Davao City but I wanted to conquer my fear once more.

But bummer of all bummers, lots of people got there before us.  Locals and tourists from as far as Baguio City stood there, patiently waiting for their turn. Lake Sebu is not recognized as a premiere ecotourism destination in Mindanao for nothing.

We were advised that our group will be accommodated in the afternoon and since it was already time for lunch, we proceeded to Punta Isla Lake Resort.  There, we enjoyed a splendid view of Lake Sebu, the lake that never dries up.

We were also lucky to have been entertained by T’boli dancers.  The dreamweavers, in traditional T’boli garb, enthralled us with their captivating courtship dance.

We also enjoyed a wonderful lunch of mostly of tilapia, cooked in every imaginable way possible.  There were other Filipino dishes, of course, but in Lake Sebu, tilapia is the way to go!

After lunch, some went back to Seven Falls (Dongon Falls)  while I joined the group which headed to Merl Garden Spring Resort for some snacks.  I was so tired and sleepy that once I got there and found a comfortable seat, I dozed off.  While I was sleeping, here’s some of what I missed:

Sheng at Seven Falls (photo by Ric Dumalay)

Ariel on the zipline (photo by Orman Manansala)

I know I missed out on the fun but hey, I woke up in time to enjoy the snacks prepared by our hosts.  :D

At 4:00 pm, we headed back to Koronadal City for coffee at SaBalai Bistro, owned and managed by  Carlo Ebeo.  Must-tries at the place are the brewed coffee, mulberry tea, and pandan shake.  And while you’re there, take time to check out the interiors– homey and artsy at the same time.

(photo by Charles Ortiz)

After a while, we had to head back to General Santos City for our farewell dinner at The Red Tent Steakhouse.  The owners, Dina and Dexter Dumaran– with the assistance of their uncle Gilbert Tan–  prepared an elaborate dinner of crown ribs, steak, crabs, among others.  We may have been very tired from our adventure in the highlands but that doesn’t mean we left our appetite there.  We certainly ate dinner with gusto!

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After having our pictures taken with our hosts, a bunch of us decided to meet for coffee while some of the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari participants decided to rest in preparation for their trip back home.

The SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari might have happened over a short weekened but those two days helped in forming stronger relationships between and among bloggers from all over Mindanao.

To Avel and Orman Manansala and the rest of the SoCCSKSarGen Bloggers,  CDO Bloggers, and the Davao Bloggers who participated in the Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour and SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari, thank you for the funnest weekend ever.

Many thanks to the following event partners:

• Hon. Mayor Pedro “Jun” Acharon, Jr.
• Ice Castle Experience
• Pacman Sports Bar
• Le Jardin Arnevel
• Piyesta KTV & Resto Bar
• Dolores Farm Resort
• Seven Falls Zipline
• Zion Travel
• Punta Isla Lake Resort
• Merl Garden Spring Resort
• SaBalai Bistro
• The Red Tent Steakhouse
• Rolee’s Bakeshop
• Kuya Chito’s Takuyaki

SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari- Day 2 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

A flurry of email exchanges ensued between the key persons of the Davao , SoCCSKSargen, and CDO bloggers and before we knew it, ChiQ and 7 other bloggers from Cagayan de Oro City were on their way to Davao City via the Davao-Bukidnon Highway last May 29.

The Davao leg of the Mindanao Food Appreciation Tour was highlighted by a meet-up between Davao and CDO Bloggers at Ranchero Grill.  What happened during the meet-up?   We introduced ourselves and our blogs.   We also enjoyed a hearty lunch consisting of the restaurant’s bestsellers such as  Seafood Vegetables, Isda sa Miso (Tiyan ng Bangus), Karagatan, Pinapugon na Liempo, Ranchero Ribs, Garlic Chicken, Seafood Kare-Kare, Seafood Platter, and Pancit Canton.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

We would have wanted to stay at Ranchero Grill longer and enjoy the food a little bit more but we had a strict schedule so after thanking our hosts, our group proceeded to the bus terminal for our 3-hour trip to General Santos City.

In GenSan,  special arrangements have been made for the SoCCSKSarGen leg of our food appreciation tour.  Aptly called the SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari, our humble food appreciation tour evolved into something grander and adventurous, thanks to the marketing muscles of Avel Manansala and the persuasive charms of Orman Manansala and the strong support of the Sox Bloggers.

We arrived in General Santos around 6pm and immediately proceeded to our hotel, thanks to the van provided by Mayor Jun Acharon. We had a few minutes to spare before the start of a very busy night so we checked in at our official residence for the weekend, Ice Castle Experience, a themed hotel which will  open its doors to the public next month.

After depositing our things at the hotel, we proceeded to Pacman Sports Bar, the newest addition to GenSan’s bar scene.  At Manny Pacquiao’s sports bar, we relaxed and enjoyed the welcome drinks and very generous servings of appetizers.  The appetizers, by the way, are to die for.  I really went crazy over the huge cheese sticks and tasty garlic chicken while my blogger friends swear by Pacman Sports Bar’s mean sizzling sisig.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

Soon, it was time for us to have dinner at Le Jardin Arnevel, a sprawling garden resort which is home to GenSan’s biggest catering business.  The owner,Tita Nitz, was waiting for us at the resort’s poolside and my eyes widened when I saw the huge feast she prepared for us.  There were more or less 20 people in our group that time but the whole spread was big enough to feed 50!  Seafood and other Filipino dishes were  in abundance and oh, did I mention the lechon?

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After the awesome feast at Le Jardin Arnevel, we hurried to Donna Mae Congson’s Piyesta KTV and Resto Bar for the grand bloggers’ meet-up.  In full force were the Sox Bloggers and I was so happy to see lots  of  familiar friendly faces.

At Piyesta, my companions loved the bar’s signature drinks, the Jell-O Shots and Gayuma.  They also immensely enjoyed the platefuls of kurasticks, sizzling ubol-ubol, and lechon ( sent by Mayor Jun Acharon and yes, our 2nd lechon for the night!) while I gave my undivided attention to the glorious Crispy Tuna Buntot.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

SoCCSKSarGen Summer Safari- Day 1 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

We were up early and had breakfast at TAPS, along Torres Street.  TAPS is  an institution in Davao City, providing Davaoeno’s with affordable, hot meals.  I don’t usually eat breakfast but I enjoyed  the fish, eggs, and rice I ordered that morning.  That, and a cup of coffee.

After breakfast, we proceeded to Pearl Farm Marina to meet Tom Claudio and Jojo Estrella of ETours.  ETours has the best Davao tour packages for locals and tourists alike and this is why Avatar Media partnered with them.  We wanted this year’s DFAT participants to have the best island-hopping experience ever.

(photo by Lyle Santos)

Our first destination during our tour of Samal Island was Maxima Aquafun.  Half of our group tried the water slide and went swimming while the other half (myself included), opted to stay dry and enjoyed the snacks provided by Dimsum Diner and the packed lunch we had with us.  We then explored Coral Garden, Angel Cove, and Babu Santa.

(photo courtesy of Marz Bendol)

I’m not  a beach bum or an outdoorsy type of person but I enjoyed every second of the tour.  I welcomed the short break from the hustle and bustle of city life and just enjoyed the clear blue waters, the fresh air, and the breathtaking beauty of Samal Island.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

For making the third day of Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010 super fun, many thanks to the following:

TAPS
Owners: Benjie Lizada
Locations: Branches around Davao City: Ilustre Street, Torres Street, Matina Town Square

DIMSUM DINER
Owners: Bryan and Czarina Lim, Apie Yao
Snacks provided: Assorted Siopao
Locations: Branches in Davao City, General Santos City, Digos City, Panabo and Cagayan de Oro City

ETOURS
Owner: Tom Claudio
Tour Guide: Jojo
Services: Davao City and Adventure Tours
Resorts/Islands Visited: Island Garden City of Samal (Samal Island), specifically Maxima Aquafun, Angel Cove, Coral Garden, and Babu Santa
Email Address: info@etours.ph
Contact Numbers: +63917-7011882, +63916-4333199, + 63922-8674779, +6382-2861173, and +6382-2861645

MAXIMA AQUAFUN
Owner: Sonny Dizon
Amenities: Water Slide, Canopy Walk, Diving Board, Water Trampouline
Entrance Fee: P300

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010- Day 3 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

(photo by Lyle Santos)

However, I joined them later that day at Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp.  and saw how the first-timers at Lachi’s went crazy over the restaurant’s bestsellers like the unforgettable pork ribs, pork marinara, and breaded soft tofu in teriyaki sauce. They also squealed in excitement when they saw the buffet table filled  Lachi’s decadent cakes and pastries.

Below are pictures of  what we at Lachi’s Sans Rival Atbp. courtesy of Orman Manansala.

For the successful Day 2 of Davao F.A.T. 2010, many thanks to the following sponsors:

OUTLAND ADVENTURE Xcelerator
Owner: Project Challenge Foundation Inc.
Price: P300
Location: Diversion Road, Maa, Davao City
Contact Numbers: +6382-2245855 and +6382-2716067

PENONG’S Barbeque Seafoods and Grill
Franchise Owner: Jayvee Tyron Uy
Price Range: P60 – P200
Locations: Sta. Ana Avenue, Davao City and Ilustre Street, Davao City

LACHI’S Sans Rival Atbp.
Owners: Mike and Melvin Aviles
Price Range for Hot Dishes: P60 – P150
Price Range for Pastries: P50 – P100
Location: VAL Learning Village, Ruby Street, Marfori Heights, Davao City
Contact Number: +63916-9841183

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010- Day 2 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

Davao F.A.T. 2010 started with welcome snacks at Mam Bebs Bakeshop. The DFAT participants who arrived in time were treated to  pancit palabok, potato rolls, mango squares, and pork and chicken siopao.

As expected, the participants loved everything served at Mam Bebs’  that day.  The pancit palabok is already a big favorite among Davao Bloggers and Avatar Media members during workshops and get-togethers.  The mango squares and potato rolls are our top pasalubong picks  for our blogger friends in GenSan.

After the heavy afternoon snack, we brought  the Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010 participants to the Davao Zorb Park.  Some members of Avatar Media have gone zorbing before and had so much fun that we decided to let this year’s Davao F.A.T. participants try the exhilarating ride.

For dinner, we proceeded to Pablo’s Steaks and Crabs to sample their newest food offerings.  At Pablo’s we enjoyed more than 10 delicious dishes and some of my favorites are the Chicken in Balsamic Barbecue Sauce, Shrimp in Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta, and Insalata del Sol.

(photo by Lyle R. Santos)

For coffee, we went to the newest branch of  Jose Rafael Fine Coffee.  Jose Rafael  is one of my favorites coffee shops as they serve only the  choicest selection of coffee and tea and the most appetizing snacks like jaffles and oz palabok.

The first day Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010 was a success and I would like to thank the following sponsors:

MAM BEBS Bakery
Owner: Joseph Andrew dela Serna
Price Range: Hot Meals – P30 to P80, Pastries – P300 – P600
Location: CVA Building, CM Recto Street, Davao City
Contact Numbers: +6382-22718131, +6382-3018691

ZORB PARK
Owner: Mr. Sonny Dizon
Services: Zorb Ride
Price: P200
Location: Riverfront Corporate City, Diversion Road, Maa, Davao City

PABLO’S Steaks and Crabs
Owner: Sunglao Family of Gen Santos City
Price Range: P250 – P2000 (Premium Steaks)
Location: Metro Lifestyle Complex, Jacinto cor. F. Torres, Davao City
Contact Number:+6382-222-0793
Email Ad: pablos.davao@yahoo.com

JOSE RAFAEL Fine Coffee
Owner: Dennis Montecillo
Price Range: P80 – P200
Locations: Door 2, Phase 1 Insular Village, Lanang, Davao City (Next to China Bank); Buhangin Branch
Petron Complex, Airport View, Diversion Road, Davao City
Contact Numbers: +6382-3055698 and +6382-2351647

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2010- Day 1 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

Avel and Orman knew that we will be needing the extra calories that afternoon so they brought us to Marasa Grill for lunch.  There, we were introduced to the best of Ms. Kring Macion’s homecooked recipes. I really enjoyed generous portions of the ensaladang talong, tuna sashimi, tuna kinilaw, pinaputok na tilapia,and inihaw na panga.  And even if  already stuffed, I still managed to help myself to a serving of their mango float. That’s how irresistable Marasa Grill’s offerings are!

Tuna Sashimi

Tuna Kinilaw

Ensaladang Talong

Inihaw na Panga

After that hearty lunch we hurried to Pioneer Avenue at around 2pm, just in time for the opening of the  Street Dancing Competition. Our group was there as spectators so we were able to just watch and enjoy the performances of the contingents.  We then proceeded to the Oval Plaza to witness the  focal presentations.  And to borrow the Festival Director’s words, this year’s competition was the grandest Street Dancing Competition so far.

Kalilangan Street Dancing Competition

The Kalilangan Festival Street Dancing Competition was divided into two categories:  The Kadsagayan Street Dancing Competition and the Festivals of Mindanao Street Dancing Competition.  SPED High School emerged as Kadsagayan’s grand winner while  GenSan’s entry won the Festivals of Mindanao Street Dancing Competition.

I also enjoyed the the Kalilangan Festival 2010 Closing Ceremony led by Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. And just like the Tuna Festival, there was a very grand fireworks display signalling the culmination of a very grand event.

Daghang Salamat, GenSan!

Experiencing Kalilangan Festival 2010- Day 4 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

Day 3 in General Santos City was another day of fun!

Our day started with a hearty lunch at Mt. Sabrina in Tambler Hills, General Santos City.  The restaurant is owned and managed by no less than Mrs. Sol Mananquil, GenSan’s Queen of Tuna Cuisine.

I have been to Ms. Manaquil’s Jams Resto Bar before and  loved each and every tuna-based dish she prepared for us that time.  So I was not surprised when her staff started serving delectable-looking dishes one after the other.  Everything looked mouthwatering that I knew  I’m  in for a big treat even before the first morsel entered my mouth!

After the wonderful lunch, we proceeded to Robinson’s Place GenSan for the Search for Queen of Mindanao Festivals.  We were at the venue early because some of my companions were to sit as judges during the pageant; Lyle and Avel also had to to prepare for the live video-streaming of the event.

I really enjoyed the Queen Of Mindanao Festivals Pageant.  It was well-organized and was successful in showcasing the festivals and culture of the participating towns and municipalities.  I hope there will be more participants next year as this year’s event really made a big impact as far as tourism in this part of Mindanao is concerned.

(photo by Chattee Lara)

The pageant’s big winner is the beauteous Madonna Galang who represented GenSan’s Tuna Festival. The other winners were the festival queens of the municipalities of Malapatan and Tampakan.

After the Queen of Mindanao Festivals pageant, we went to Jo’s Chicken Inato for dinner.  This time, we were joined by the GenSan bloggers.  Our group chatted and bonded over generous servings of chicken barbecue and stir-fried noodles.

For the usual after-dinner get-together, we went to Piyesta KTV and RestoBar where we stayed until the wee hours of the morning.  And while my friends enjoyed Piyesta’s signature drinks, I helped myself to plate after plate of cut-up fruits (Thanks, Sir Gilbert!).

Experiencing Kalilangan Festival 2010- Day 3 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

We were informed by Avel and Orman that our group was invited to have lunch with their good friend, Francis Sablon of Zion Travel. Francis, we were told, was waiting for us in Tupi. I didn’t ask where exactly in Tupi we were heading, because my visits to GenSan taught me this:  The Manansala siblings like to surprise their guests.  And the surprises are part and parcel of the whole GenSan experience.

Lunch with Zion Travel's Francis Sablon (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

So when we got to Nadies Chicken Hauz in Tupi, South Cotabato, I was nearly bouncing off my seat in excitement.  Why wouldn’t I be?  I LOVE grilled chicken and I have heard so much about Nadies Chicken Hauz’ popular chicken barbecue!

I don’t know how the owners of Nadies Chicken Hauz do it but in my book, they serve the most succulent and best-tasting chicken I have ever tried. The secret must be in the grilling technique or in the annatto seeds in the marinade that they use. Needless to say,   I enjoyed lunch so much that day.  I swear  I have never consumed that many grilled chicken parts in my whole life before.

Best-tasting grilled chicken in an unassuming setting!

Francis Sablon knows SOCSKSARGEN like the back of his hand so he brought us to Blooming Petals, a cut-flower plantation in Cebuano, Tupi.   Blooming Petals is one of the stops included in Zion Travel’s Ancient South Tour Package and Francis is doing a great job in helping promote Tupi’s vast flower plantations.

Chrysanthemums in full bloom: Flowers of happiness... (photo by Chattee Lara)

After Blooming Petals, we went to Brgy. Sarabia (Bo. 8), Koronadal City for Apareja’s Buko Halo-Halo.  The  place was packed when we got there so it took a while before our orders were served.

But it was well worth the wait because  nothing beats cooling oneself  on a sweltering hot afternoon with buko halo-halo made only with the freshest ingredients!  And like a salve to our parched throats, Apareja’s buko halo-halo refreshed us for the rest of the day’s activities.  I have tried buko halo-halo lots of times before but none of it came close to this one.

The perfect antidote to the scorching heat... (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

After that day tour to Tupi and Koronadal, we went back to GenSan to meet Ria.  She wasn’t able to join us earlier so we bombarded her with stories about how fun and enjoyable the day was for us.  We had a few hours to spend before dinner so we stayed at BluGre- Robinson’s Place to have coffee and attend to some online tasks.

Pre-dinner Coffee and Wifi at BluGre... (photo by Ria A. Jose)

Next, we went to Ice Crops Express- still at Robinson’s Place GenSan, upon Orman’s invitation.  There, my companions feasted on Ice Crops’ cheesy bacon melt with gusto. I wasn’t exactly hungry but the cheesy bacon melt looked so appetizing that watching my friends dig into their share made me want some of it, no… make that ALL OF IT!

Too bad I can't have bacon this year...*sniff* (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

I had some of the fluffy, gawd-it-tastes -so-good bun, cheese, and mushrooms.  My innards certainly clamored  for some of the meat.  And my stomach growled…Baaaccooon! Baaaccoon! but willpower managed to win me over.  Still, I chastised myself mentally for declaring 2010 a No Beef, No Pork year.

My body is nowhere near sending me real hunger signals yet when it was time to leave to have dinner at  O-ohlang Fishing Resto Seafoods and Grill.  There, we met our hosts Baby and Paris Ayon and Sam Akutsu.

O-oh Lang Fishing Resto: Serving the best seafood is their business (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

O-oh Lang Fishing Resto Seafoods and Grill is a Filipino restaurant located within NCCC Compound, National Highway, General Santos City.  The restaurant’s specializes in seafood-based dishes so diners will surely love their Karagatan Soup, Seafood Casserole, Nilasing na Olang, Steamed Kuracha with Garlic, and Pinaputok na Hipon just as we had.  I personally loved their Seafood Casserole and of course, their signature milkshakes.

The exotic kuracha, made even more flavorful by O-oh Lang's special recipe... (photo by Lyle R. Santos)

Seafood Casserole: Guaranteed to please even the most picky!

After thanking our gracious hosts for the scrumptious dinner, we went back to Robinson’s Place GenSan for the usual after-dinner dose of coffee and WiFi at Coffee Club 101- Robinson’s Place GenSan.   Coffee Club 101 is by far one of the most tastefully-decorated coffee shops I’ve been to.  And considering that this one is housed within a mall, the place is spacious!  Coffee Club 101 is truly a combination of quality service, comfort, and style.

While we were there, Lyle and Avel worked on some tech stuff for Avel’s blog while us girls opted to make the most out of the coffee shop’s wonderfully-lit interiors.  Dulce played photographer for the night while I, along with Chattee and Ria, were the very willing models.

Excuse the asian poses, because we can be quite outrageous when we're in GenSan...lols (photo by Chattee Lara)

Experiencing Kalilangan Festival 2010- Day 2 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.

If I haven’t been blogging or plurking much lately, it is because I was in General Santos City  for the city’s Kalilangan Festival.  The festival is a celebration of  General Santos’ 71st Founding Anniversary and this year’s theme is Honoring the Past. Understanding the Present.  Embracing the Future.

I was also there during the Tuna Festival last year and its grandeur was breathtaking.  And knowing first-hand that the Generals celebrate their festivals with much aplomb, I immediately said yes when our small group of Davao Bloggers was invited by Orman Manansala, the Kalilangan Festival Director, to participate in the event.

We left Davao City around 7:30 am of February 24 and arrived in GenSan before noon on the same day.  We got off at Robinson’s Place for a quick lunch at Giacomino’s Pizza with Avel and Orman .  I am a big fan of Giacomino’s so I conveniently forgot about my diet and enjoyed my chicken and pasta meal with gusto!

After lunch, our group hied off to Family Country Hotel to freshen up and rest a bit before that afternoon’s event.  I must say that the de luxe rooms we were assigned to were definitely spacious and clean and comes with the best amenities.

I, along with Angel and Lyle, were invited to sit as judges in the Lakan at Lakambini ng Kalilangan Pageant Night. Since the Pageant night required us to look our best, Angel and I made a quick trip to Envy Me Salon at Robinson’s  to have our hair and make-up done professionally.  The salon’s top hairdresser and make-up artist finished mine in a record 30  minutes so our group arrived at the pageant venue just in time.

This blogger, post-Envy Me Salon....nukzzz! (photo by Chattee Lara)

Choosing the rightful winners among the 22 pageant hopefuls was no easy feat.  Taking my judging task seriously, I took into consideration the contestant’s appearance, pose and projection, and intelligence.  I expected that only the cream of the crop will emerge as winners that night and thankfully, the very deserving Caroline Lim and Gevic Romero were crowned Lakan at Lakambini ng Kalilangan 2010.

Lakan at Lakambini 2010 Winners (photo by Orman Manansala)

After the Lakan at Lakambini Pageant, we went to the Oval Plaza to watch the Bb. Gandang Hari Pageant where we ooohed and aaahed at the contestant’s beauty and poise.  And if I thought I was prettier than usual that night, my self-esteem took a major beating when I saw  most of the contestants, especially Contestant #9, because she is more womanly than I’ll ever be! Lolsss….

Yes, sweetie, life is unfair! (photo by Lyle Santos)

Dinner that evening was at Piyesta KTV and RestoBar with Orman, Avel, Donna, Emman, Marzz, Romarie, Chattee, Dulce, Ria, Angel, Lyle, Mandi, and the contestants of the Lakan at Lakambini pageant.  We truly enjoyed the Piyesta spread Donna and Emman prepared for us, and as usual, I had a sashimi platter all to myself. :p

Dinner at Piyesta (photo by Chattee Lara)

Experiencing Kalilangan Festival 2010- Day 1 is an article originally published at Blogging Frenzy. For news and updates on fashion, beauty and lifestyle visit Get Prettified!.