The Lost Boy Lloyd

For four Saturday nights, we watched the Close Up Pyromusical at the SM Mall of Asia. For four Saturday nights, we were taken away by the breathtaking fireworks set on lovely music.

Truth be told, I’m not that big on fireworks. But aside from the once-in-a-year chance of seeing big fireworks displays from teams around the world, I saw each night to be with you, to get close to you even more.

I remember the great fireworks of Canada, the Netherlands, and China—we agreed those were the best teams—but I remember looking at you, at your eyes that glimmer looking up at the Manila skies. What I saw best each time, however, was your nice smile; there’s something about it that just makes me happy. Yes, your smile makes me happy.

Seeing you smile made each night as magical as the lit-up skies. Seeing you smile made me gravitate towards you even more.

And so the night of the grand finale of the Close Up Pyropalooza came. Never the Strangers played the new Close Up song, Moving Closer.

The song goes like:

Inch by inch, we’re moving closer.

Feels like a fairytale ending.

Take my hand, this is the moment.

I’m moving closer to you.

The song encompasses what’s happened to us during the four Saturday nights. With the most colorful fireworks and your smile, we moved closer, and I fell for you even more.

It came to a point that there was a perhaps irrational urge to kiss you, but I snap back to reality. No regrets though—we’re young, and we still have a future ahead.

To close this piece, my favorite line from the new Close Up song goes, “While we’re young, come away with me. Keep me close and don’t let go.”

I can’t wait to come away with you and see the world. I’ll be your lost boy.

Some photos were used with kind permission from Jonver David.

Setlist for Katy Perry Live in Manila concert
January 22, 2012
Mall of Asia Concert Grounds

Teenage Dream
Hummingbird Heartbeat
Waking Up in Vegas
Ur So Gay
Peacock
I Kissed a Girl
Circle the Drain
E.T
Not Like the Movies
The One That Got Away
MEDLEY: I Want Candy / Milkshake / Tootsee Roll
Hot N Cold
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Firework

Encore: California Gurls

*setlist subject to change prior to the concert.

1. First off, I would like to thank and credit Nina Fuentes of Just Wandering, as her blog was the inspiration for my travel blog. The Lost Boy wouldn’t have been born without a concept. Nina, whom I also consider my mentor and idol, connected me to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers group, which enabled me to share my ideas with my travel blogging idols.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes.  How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife?
How do you measure a year in the life? How about love?

-Seasons of Love

Here’s to a rockin’ 2012, everyone! Cheers!

Photo credit: hellojenuine

Win a #Moonleaf2012Planner from my blog! Check out the details from the following link:

http://tiny.cc/lostboymoonleaf

We were invited by Globe to a small, informal gathering at Bo’s Coffee in Glorietta 5 to know about their newest exciting partnership with Bo’s Coffee, The Lighthouse Marina Resort Subic, and Citi Mobile: The Globe Tattoo Indulge and Unwind.

First, the indulge part: With a purchase of a Globe Tattoo Stick (995 PHP) or a MyFi Prepaid Kit (1245 PHP) at the Globe Online Shop, you will instantly get to indulge in treats from Bo’s Coffee: a White Chocolate Mocha Grande and Cookie for the Gods; Blueberry Cheesecake and Short Brewed Coffee; or a pasta or a sandwich.

Yes, you will get free delicious goodies from Bo’s Coffee, a homegrown coffee shop from Cebu that I go to whenever I am there. They actually have some stores here in Manila and elsewhere in the country too!

So here’s the unwind part: With every minimum 100 PHP reload onto your new Tattoo Stick or MyFi Prepaid Kit, you get an electronic raffle entry to unwind through a 3D/2N stay at the luxurious The Lighthouse Marina Resort Subic with massage for two. Citi Mobile get an extra entry.

I haven’t been to that portion of Subic, but when I got home, I searched where it was. As it turns out, The Lighthouse Marina Subic is a beautiful boutique hotel. Goodness, I wanna be there!

This Christmas, give yourself (or someone else) a Globe Tattoo Broadband Stick or a MyFi Prepaid Kit, so you could indulge and unwind!

Check this link for more details:

http://tattoo.globe.com.ph/promo/indulge-and-unwind

So I went to the exciting Globe iPhone 4S launch party at the Ayala Museum, and no other than Kaskade did the electrifying set!

And Globe made trending topics too! Kaskade was among Twitter’s trending topics with their anticipated return here in the Philippines—at the Ayala Museum and at Republiq for the Globe Tattoo iPhone 4S Launch. But more importantly, #globeiphone4s not only trended but even surpassed the trending topic of the competitor!

Globe also received the best endorsement when none other than President Noynoy Aquino, a Globe subscriber, received his iPhone 4S as a loyalty reward, making him the first one to own the Globe iPhone 4S!

The following morning, I went to the InterContinental Manila to hear from Globe’s CEO Ernest Cu and their Senior Adviser for Consumer Business Peter Bithos about the Globe iPhone 4S and their exciting, value-for-money plans.

We were told that the Globe iPhone 4S can be availed for free or with cash out across all plans from Plan 299! Plus, all iPhone plans have unlimited data, so there wouldn’t be fears of bill shock. This is aside from the fact that data across all plans, even on regular ones, are capped at 999 PHP.

Those getting an iPhone 4S also get a 20% discount voucher towards an iPhone 4S case until December 31. This is aside from the free rewards apps that are offered exclusively to Globe iPhone 4S owners.

Here are the OFFICIAL Globe iPhone 4S plans and pricing:

And this is how Globe goes against the competitor:

So get the iPhone 4S from the #1 in postpaid and the first 4G network in the Philippines! Get it from the people who have four years experience with the iPhone!

Get the Globe iPhone 4S from Globe stores nationwide, the customer sales hotline +63 2 730 1010, or online via www.globe.com.ph.

Photos are from Cheftonio’s Blog.

Whenever I step into an airport, my heart drops. Yes, I still feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach whenever I travel.

It brings me back to the first time I traveled in 2009. I was 18, young, teenaged, and restless, and I was to embark on my first solo journey to Cebu. When I heard my boarding call, I stood up and felt those butterflies—the ones I still feel up until now.

Whenever I’m in some new place, I try to be adventurous as much as I could. I make sure I try the food I’ve never tasted, the exhilirating modes of transportation, and the best of attractions. I’ve made my trips so exciting that travel to me is like an addiction that needs rehab.

Aside from being able to support my mobile needs wherever I am in the Philippines or abroad, I go for a telecom that is exciting—with its services and its offers. I’ve been with Globe since I was in fourth grade, and up until now it doesn’t fail to excite me. They come up with so many innovations and exciting value-for-money offers that I sometimes can’t keep up!

Let me talk to you about Globe’s BlackBerry Christmas Promo. For as low only 599PHP a month, you get a BlackBerry Curve 8520 with unlimited mobile surfing! Plus, for 999 PHP, you get a BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 with unlimited mobile surfing, 400 PHP consumable amount, and one freebie!

There are two more handsets available, the BlackBerry Curve 9360 free at UnliSurf Combo Plan 1799 with 1200 PHP consumable amount and three freebies and the BlackBerry Bold 9780 free at UnliSurf Combo Plan 2499 with 1900 PHP consumable amount and five freebies.

Freebies include ten minutes calls and 200 SMS to Globe/TM; five minutes calls and 25 SMS to other networks; 20 minutes IDD and ten ISMS to ten international destinations; and unlimited calls and texts to one Globe/TM number. The consumable amount meanwhile can be used towards any Globe postpaid service, thus giving subscribers the flexibility they need.

Choose what BlackBerry handset and plan is right for you below:

A BlackBerry is fast becoming the phone of choice of a lot of Filipinos, and I’m excited to bring one once more on my travels here and abroad with Globe Telecom, of course. You should consider getting one too only from the #1 in postpaid and the leader in mobile internet!

Know more and apply through this link.

Typhoon Sendong has displaced so many families and has left so many casualties from Mindanao. Badly hit were the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

They need our help. You could extend your aid by the following:

1. Iligan Bloggers Society is holding a “One for Iligan” donation drive through Paypal. Donate any amount (even a dollar is well appreciated) through this link: http://bit.ly/unX71B. Alternatively, DSWD and TV stations are also accepting donations. Help them if you are able.

Update: Globe Telecom through Xavier University’s E-Ugnay Hub is already packing relief goods. You may also bring/send your donations in cash or in kind (clean drinking water most especially) to Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro.

2. Make #Sendong trending on Twitter, so the international community and fellow Filipinos would be alerted of its severity. Please include a link to the donation link above, http://bit.ly/unX71B if you could.

3. Reblog this post on Tumblr.

4. They need our prayers. Nothing beats the power of prayers.

Mindanao was shell-shocked by this tragedy, as it is unusual for them to have a typhoon of this magnitude. In the spirit of giving, let us help our friends in Mindanao.

Go ask me anything from travel, love, lifestyle, skincare, or anything actually! I will feature your question on my blog! :)

Just watched the reunion of the old woman with her husband. I honestly teared up a little. If it were not for the viral picture, it would have been an unsung love story that may not have had a happy ending.

I guess when you’ve loved someone all your life—or love someone so much—reasoning is impaired. You know, you’d do anything for true love. Cheesy, but it does happen as we’ve witnessed on Facebook and on TV tonight.

Thinking about it, I could only imagine what great lengths I’d do for the love of my life. I want to do what the old woman did or even beyond what she did. The bottomline is, I believe in undying love and commitment. I believe in always and forever.

On its 7^th year, the Skechers Streetdance Battle 7 got just tougher and hotter. After grueling elimination legs all over the metro, nine high school and 15 college dance crews were set to ultimately battle it out for streetdance supremacy in front of the 16,000-strong crowd at the Big Dome last Saturday.

I was lucky to get a front row ticket courtesy of our friends at Skechers. From my seat, I had a good dose of popping, locking, vogueing, and flipping, much to the delight of the Skechers fan in me who’s been following the competition since 2007 through YouTube. Hosted by Tony Toni, Slick Rick, and Sam YG of Magic 89.9’s Boys Night Out, the night just got thrilling and pumped up as the crowd first grooved to this year’s Skechers Signature Move, making “fist bumps” and “do the smurf” dance moves with Prince Altu-ob.

Shortly after the Big Dome turned into a big dance floor with the crowd doing the signature moves to the tune of LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem, guest performers took over the center stage with their energetic and hyped dance routines. First to perform was Legit Status, the crew to bag the 5^th place in the Varsity Division of this year’s World Hip Hop International Championships in Las Vegas. Next is the new group Rockstars, which is headed by one of the night’s coaches Kenjohns Serrano, with their sizzling hot dance routine. Lastly, but definitely not the least of all, the girls of the internationally-recognized dance crew ReQuest wowed the crowd with their usual fun and lively dance moves. ReQuest was a two-time champion at the World Hip Hop Championships and a finalist to the America’s Best Dance Crew Season 6.

Then the high school category commenced with the boys of Ateneo High School’s Indayog ng Atenistang Kabataan (InDAK) grooved their snappy and vivacious steps. Battle veterans include former champions Airforce of La Salle Greenhills (Year 6), Hataw of Claret School of Quezon City (Year 5), Sayawatha of Miriam College High School (Years 1 and 4), and Dance X of Xavier School (Year 2), all set to grab the title as the best high school dance crew in the country.

A surprising 2^nd runner up finish went to the defending champions La Salle Greenhills with a score of 81.06.

Meanwhile, the boys of Claret Hataw placed 1^st Runner up with a score of 83.38.

Reigning in this year’s competition are the girls of Terpsichore of St. Paul College of Pasig, coming from last year’s third place, with a score of 90.9 (Who run the world? Girls!)

The college category was much tighter and more exciting as the crown is just a snatch away after last year’s champions Company of Ateneo Dancers of the Ateneo de Manila University got eliminated early on this year. Led by Year 4 champion La Salle Dance Company-Street of De La Salle University and 4-time champion UP Streetdance Club of the University of the Philippines Diliman, the college crews set the stage on fire with their creative choreography and breathtaking stunts to win this year’s title from Loyola.

Coming back-to-back for 2^nd Runner up was Indayog Dance Varsity of UP Manila with a score of 87.7.

Finishing 1^st Runner up was UP Streetdance Club of UP Diliman, which last won the championship in 2009, with a score of 89.5.

And this year’s best college dance crew is yet again La Salle Dance Company-Street of De La Salle University with a score of 90.82.

Aside from the intense performances of the high school and college crews, the event also highlighted the usual Freestyle Showdown, a friendly competition with two representatives of a participating crew battling it out whatever way they want it with another pair from another school. For the high school category, the girls of Miriam College High School and St. Paul College of Pasig rocked it with their sexy moves and a banner ending their routine that goes by: “Who run the world? Girls!” On the other hand, streetdance powerhouses UP Streetdance Club and La Salle Dance Company-Street went against each other with the b-boys of UP did the Green Archer gesture while the pair from DLSU posed like the Oblation. The Skechers Battle Crew, a performing group composed of selected members from each finalist dance crew, also moved to the night’s music with their hip and cool dance routine. Handpicked high school and college dancers took off their respective streetdance outfits to wear the Skechers shirt in unity for the stellar performance.

Also that night was Skechers Street Style, featuring the hippest and most stylish b-boys and b-girls among the participating crews since the elimination leg. The b-boy and b-girl to sport the coolest street fashion were Ryan Godfrey of Centro Escolar University while Theabelle Celeste of Miriam College High School, who both will get a feature in Meg Magazine. Another special award was Mob Poster Campaign winner, with Pas Des Tous of St. Paul College of Paranaque and Thomasian AC&P of University of Santo Tomas getting the most number of people in a photo for high school and college categories, respectively. Completing the set of special awards was the People’s Choice Award by Juice.ph, with Tedeum Crew of Ina ng Buhay Catholic School and E-Stars of Universidad de Manila getting the most number of likes among the high school and college finalists.

The Skechers Streetdance Battle 7 was sponsored by Skechers Fitness and Skechers Time, and co-presented by ETC. Also sponsoring were SM Department Store and SM Supermalls. Official media partners included Meg Magazine, CLAVEL Sneaker Magazine, Magic 89.9, Wave 89.1, JAM 88.3, and Juice.ph, and it was conceptualized and organized by Brainbox.

Special thanks to Ms. Michelle Obligacion of Skechers!

After six rounds of grueling elimintations, 24 high school and college dance crews will be battling it out tonight for the Final Battle of the Skechers Street Dance Battle 7! Join me as I find out what dance crew will reign supreme this 5pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum! :)

Features:

• polycarbonate body for superior antenna performance and better reception
• 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss autofocus sensor
• a wide-angle lens with a large lens aperture
• HD-quality video capture
• free turn-by-turn drive and walk navigation with voice guidance in Maps
• video play in true 16:9 widescreen format and surround sound experience
• Near Field Communication (NFC) for sharing images, videos and music in between devices by touching them together

The all-screen Nokia N9 is very stylish and modern. Run apps, keep abreast with your social media sites, and switch between activities with just a swipe!

All approved preorders until November 18, 2011 will come with a limited edition Nokia Wireless Music Receiver for FREE! It enables wireless connectivity between the Nokia N9 and a home stereo system through Bluetooth technology.

Place a preorder now! The Nokia N9 is available for preorder at www.nokia.com.ph in three bold colors: black, cyan, and magenta. Preorders will be released by November 21, 2011.

Now the word is officially out, I’d love to invite you all to the opening of Moonleaf Tea Shop at UP Los Banos. It’s going to open this 11/11 at 11AM. I’ll be there to cover the event and support my friends LaRue and Czeane. See you guys there! :)

Hey guys, Helios Project International is looking for photographers, videographers, graphic artists, bloggers and anyone in between for its exciting Xtreme Photo Challenge. It’s happening on November 13, 2011. Sign up now at tinyurl.com/theimagehunt :)

josiahsicad:

Let’s all do the Rice Dance

Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull Racing RB7 makes a pitstop. Formula One World Championship, Rd 14, Singapore Grand Prix, Race, Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore, Sunday 25 September 2011. 

(c) Singapore GP Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

evilmartian:

I really wonder why I love to travel.

Like Sarah Geronimo, my life is always on the go (well, except that I’m not a celebrity). But I do juggle my time between school and travel—I study on weekdays and explore the Philippines on weekends. And as you may have known, I’m a blogger and netizen too. It’s as if I cannot survive a day without tweeting, checking my Facebook, and answering emails. Practically, my life is online.

When I’m on the road, I always try to look for a wifi hotspot, just so I can do my usual internet habits, tweeting most especially. But when I travel, it’s not always that I find a wifi hotspot, and some hotels I’ve lodged at do not have wifi at all.

But thanks to m.globe, I now have connectivity wherever I go! I can access Facebook and Twitter, and mail providers Yahoo!, GMail and Windows Live all on one portal. Plus, I can see what’s the latest in news and entertainment and check my balance.

And the good thing about m.globe is that virtually ANY phone with internet connection can have access to their mobile portal. Plus, accessing the m.globe portal is FREE, long as you use myGlobe Connect as access point.

So start being ON by sending GO to 2951 to get your phone’s internet settings. Then go to http://m.globe.com.ph/ on your mobile phone’s browser.

If you’re not ON, you’re not IN. With Globe Mobile Internet, you’re ON!

To access sites beyond the portal, Globe has its value mobile internet plans. Know more for free by sending SURF to 8888.