Something gets in my eye

No, not the smoke that got in my eye..


Last week,  I started to feel something strange, a feeling  that there is a  foreign object that invaded my eye.  I did not pay attention to it  because  I thought it was not really serious at all.   It's an external problem just like a dust  because I could see and feel it  in my  eye.    Today,  I felt  irritated that  it  already affected  my whole body,   my mood and my whole being.  I  called up  Manila Eye Specialist for an appointment.  The ophthalmologist who checked my eye  found an eyelash that grew towards  the cornea direction.   The doctor  removed it safely  and there..  my vision came back to normal again.  It really  pays to see a specialist  (literally)   who knows exactly what to do.  Our  eyes are  very delicate so it is just important to see an eye doctor  if you feel something strange  in your eye to avoid any problem  like loss of  vision,  if  not treated properly.   I was given an antibacterial solution to drop into my left eye for five days/four times a day.   I was glad to see an eye doctor early because a corneal abrasion is already starting  to damage my vision.  Corneal abrasions are common but this problem could be so bad because cornea is very sensitive and could be painful sometimes.    I told  my  doctor that I only flushed my eyes with water and did not rub it and he said I  was right  but the eyelash that entered into my  left  eye  already  scratched my  cornea.


Tips when something gets in your eye.

Don't ever rub your eyes with your hands. rubbing can cause abrasion.
If you can't remove it, gently flush your eye with clean water.
Blink your eye several times.
See a specialist. Only an eye doctor could safely remove it.

BABY COMPANY, The Baby Specialist

Good news to all shoppers, expectant and  new moms!  Grand Baby Fair  is  back   happening at  Megatrade Halls 2 & 3 from February 1 to 3,  2013.    It aims to bring the biggest names in the baby and family business all in one roof!   It is also a celebration of   growing Mom Card members at around 60,000 to date.

On  September 1991,the infant's Accessories and Furniture section in SM Department Store became a corporate entity under the name Nursery Care Corporation also known as Baby Company. Primarily engaged in and carries on the business of trading all kinds of baby products. Since then, Baby Company has expanded and continues to open branches inside all SM Department Stores.

Baby Company also opened stand-alone specialty stores in Rockwell Powerplant Mall in December 2000, The Podium in December 2002, SM Cebu Mall in November 2010, SM Southmall in December 2010, SM City North Edsa and The Block in September 2012.

We also ventured inside some of the SM Hypermart Stores like Mall of Asia, Bicutan, Muntinlupa, Sucat, Las Pinas, Pasig-Frontera, Mandaluyong, Taytay, Monumento, North Edsa-The Block, Fairview, Novaliches, Molino, Imus, Valenzuela, Marilao, Baliwag, Clark and Rosales.

Philosophy

Is the company's major thrust to provide our customers easy and convenient shopping for quality newborn and infant's needs at reasonable prices.

Baby Company offers a wide range of merchandise to match a newborn's checklist - from nursing, feeding and weaning essentials, clothes, toys, diapers and toiletries, to furniture and carriers even educational media for the enhancement of the baby's mental development. We answer the needs of the busy and career oriented parents by providing them a one-stop easy shopping destination.

Baby Company, as the parent's partner in rearing healthy, active and happy babies, provides tried and tested brand names for all your babies' needs.

Baby Company,  the baby specialist in infant feeding, caring, playing, sleeping and learning.

Website:    www.babycompany.com.ph
Facebook:  facebook/babycompanyph
Twitter:  Baby Company PH

Will migrate soon!

Yes,  finally I decided to migrate my old blogspot to new wordpress soon.  I am just waiting for new design to dress up my new site. I am excited and couldn't wait anymore till I see my new home.  I hope it happens very soon.   I'll  announce once I fully migrate the data,  theme, posts, pages and all. :) Stay tuned!

Dell Unveils New Latitude 10 Essentials Configuration for Unbeatable Tablet Value

• New Dell Latitude 10 offers a full-featured, enterprise-ready Windows 8 tablet experience at a more affordable price • Ideal for schools and small businesses, new tablet brings ease and affordability to deploying, securing and managing tablets to budget-conscious organizations

MANILA, Philippines, Jan. 23, 2013 – Expanding upon the success of the Latitude 10 standard configuration launched in November2012, Dell today announced the Latitude 10 essentials configurationto offer a secure, manageable and durable enterprise-ready tablet optiontobudget-conscious customers[2]. Ideal for organizations such as schools and small businesses, the new configurationoffers outstanding value with essential productivity and collaboration features and a full-featured Windows 8 tablet experience. The new Latitude 10 offers consumer customers rich entertainment features for movies, books and games, as well as compatibility with familiar applications and accessories to transition seamlessly between work and play.

“Dell’s heritage is rooted in meeting the needs of our customers with cost effective, tailored solutions that empower them to reach their potential be it in the office, classroom or hospital,” said Christopher Papa, country manager, Dell Philippines. “This legacy, combined with our portfolio of new enterprise services and product offerings, such as the Latitude 10, enables our customers to deploy the latest technology while balancing IT control and end-user productivity.” The new tablet snaps easily and securely into existing IT environments to help improve IT efficiency and decrease total cost-of-ownership. The Latitude 10 does not require new mobile device management or software licensing, supports new and legacy Windows applications, is compatible with Adobe Flash and connects with existing peripherals to allow end-users to work and play the way they always have. Likewise, the Latitude 10 enables seamless sharing of one device among multiple users for an affordable, safe and consistent touch computing experience.

As with the other Latitude 10 configurations, the new tablet is framed in magnesium alloy and covered with soft-touch paint for enhanced durability and a good grip. Corning® Gorilla® Glass delivers a responsive touch experience and vivid graphics display and stands up to the test of busy and active users. The Latitude 10 powers through typical school or work day and with optional Dell ProSupport™ [1], an expert engineer is available 24/7*online or by phone for unexpected hardware and software remote troubleshooting to keep end-users productive no matter where they are.

The Latitude 10 is available with an optional productivity dock for in-office productivity with a traditional keyboard and mouse for desktop content creation activities. The full-size USB port provides connectivity to existing equipment and SD card reader enables easy file transfer plus back-up when Internet access is not feasible.

Excellent tablet for school and classroom use The new Latitude 10 essentials configuration is particularly well-suited for students and teachers and will join Dell’s existing solutions and services to offer school leaders, school IT administrators and educators the support they need to create an effective,personalized learningexperience for each student. “Our commitment to innovation in education runs deep, and the Latitude 10 essentials configuration offers the robust accessibility features and personalized learning experience educators, students, and parents tell us they need for a productive classroom,” said Rani Burchmore, head of education practice for South Asia & Korea, Dell. “An end-to-end education solutions provider, Dell designed this tablet with schools in mind to provide an affordable, efficient device that is a snap to manage and deploy while protecting previous investments in applications and other classroom devices.”

The Latitude 10 is equipped with Microsoft Windows 8 designed to increase learning productivity and collaboration by maximizing learning time with instant access to resources through the Instant-On with Connected Stand-By mode feature. The new tablet is powered by Intel’s Atom system on a chip and can run Windows 8 Snap Mode, allowing students and teachers to easily multi-task between two applications, such as interacting with a remote teacher via Skype while taking notes in Microsoft OneNote.

Availability and Pricing[2] The Latitude 10 essentials configuration 64 GB is available today starting at US$677 and the32 GB will be available in the coming months. It joins the Latitude 10 standard configurationannounced in November2012.

Tweet This @Dell@DellEdu announce new #tablet ideal for schools& SMB. #CES #DoMoreEdu

About Dell Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com

Dell and Latitude are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. 

Baguio Trip Day 3

On the third day of our trip, we checked out early  at  Recedencia  at around 10:30am.  We  packed our things    ready  to go home after a  few more visits to some tourist spots.  Right after our breakfast, we headed straight  to our destination, Lourdes Grotto.


Lourdes Grotto

Lourdes Grotto is located in western part of  Baguio City. During Holy Week, the place is a  favorite site for pilgrimage. Going on top of the grotto takes about 250 steps.  When you reach the top, you may light a candle and say a prayer you want.

Diplomat Hotel


After our visit to Lourdes Grotto, we then proceeded to Diplomat Hotel    which is only about a few meters away,  located on top of  the  Dominican Hill.  

The Biggest Ten Commandments Tablet

Baguio holds the Guinness World record for the  biggest  Ten Commandments Tablet with  its 152.90 square meter (1,650 square foot) high square edifice.   It  is  also  located  on top of   Dominican Hill and inside Diplomat grounds.   The Ten Commandments tablet was  inaugurated by city officials  last October 2011.

We only stayed for a while and prepared ourselves for a 6 hour travel back home to Manila.

Lion's  Head

We never got the chance to stop by at Lion's  Head on our way to Baguio on our first day  so before finally heading back to Manila, we stopped by  in this popular landmark  for  a souvenir photo.   So true,  a trip to Baguio would not  be complete without stopping by  in the famous 40-ft  Lion's Head,  located a few kilometers from the Kennon Road view deck.  Lion's Head was carved  by a Cordillera artist from a limestone boulder.

Mcdo and Jollibee

This is not really a part of itinerary but I want to include this in my Baguio Trip Day 3 entry as our first and last stop.  It is good to feel young sometimes.  Our first stop was an early  breakfast at  Mcdo.  Obviously,  at Mcdo with our hand gestures,  "At home ako dito."   *Not a paid post*  :)   A photo of us  full of energy with our long  trip that's  about  to begin that day..

and our last stop few more minutes before home on the third day,   a  quick dinner at  Jollibee.  Sa Jollibee, Bida ang Saya. :)  The kids all looked very tired  but we're almost near  Manila.

I wish I could stop the time and spend more nights and days in Baguio. I love the atmosphere, the weather and the people.   pine trees,  night market,  downtown  and most of all,  I love the trip with  Mendiolables! Awesome!

Discovering your child's talent

My  younger daughter shows interest in music.  There is no perfect time to discover the talents hidden inside   so give all the support that your child needs.  Last year, when she told  me that she wants to be a swimmer,  I  enrolled her to a swimming class and dedicated my time to support her in this field but  she became lazy afterwards.  Swimming isn't  really  her craft.   With the skills that she acquired,  she  lose nothing  because swimming is not only a sport  but also a survival skill.    Now that she seems to love  another field   that is music,  I might enroll her again  to discover what she really wants to do in life.  I might   get  her  a a guitar  to  bring out  her ability and  hidden talent.   There is no harm  if  she  learns how to strum a guitar   just like when she's still into swimming,   because it  is  about  developing the talent inside her   and having  some fun at  the same time.

How to treat first degree burns

I accidentally pulled the kettle towards myself while  I was filling  in my mug  for a hot coffee  with   boiling water and  it  went straight to my body.   It was boiling and really hot but  I only  acquired  first degree   burns.  However,  first or third degree is still painful.  Let me post this entry to give   my clumsiness  a good purpose after all,  that is to  give you some tips and warn  you all to be very careful.

Immediately, I  gave myself   first aid and ran tap water to the affected area.  I consulted Mr. G  for some suggestions  like  treatment and ointment for  fast healing.  First degree burns usually have swelling and redness of  the injured area.  I have blisters at about 6 inches but the whole affected area  was  about 12 inches wide.  Pain developed  few minutes  later   but   it subsides after  putting  Burnsil ointment in the affected areas.
 
How to treat first degree burns.

• Remove patient from heat source.
• Run cool tap water (not icy water) over burnt area. 
• Gently  clean the injured area.
• Gently dry.   Apply anti biotic such as Silver Sulphadiazine
• Use a sterile bandage to cover burns
• Take tetanus vaccination, if required.

Hey, Mr. DJ

DJs  are cool and hip and they are the life of the parties and events.  When I attended a wedding of a friend, his nephew who's a DJ gave a message with his cool rap. Imagine how cool is that!  Well,  I think that they are  superstars in their own way and are treated special like having the most expensive wine  or the most beautiful girl in the bar.   I am not saying it's another advantage of being a DJ,  but I think that they are really  known to be somebody when they're on stage with their mixers. Search for  a DJ and you'll see  them with lots of  followers on the net. DJ's are popular in their own field with many followers who truly admire DJing art.

I  hope I could  post a longer entry about  DJs   but I guess it will happen  when  I encountered a DJ in one event and have a one on one  interview to understand   what  life  the  DJ  has.   Does becoming a DJ start with enrolling a certain course?  Okay, I will  get an answer when I talk to a DJ or when I'm done with  my detailed study.

First Love Never Dies

I fell in love with Baguio from the first time I visited the place way back “I can’t remember.” Oh boy,  excuse me for my  word here.  I  just changed the title from "A Taste of Baguio"  to catch your attention.  Kidding, I was just hoping for some miracles that the climate in highlands extends down here. Ok enough for the segue. I haven't done yet with my post  with my  Baguio Trip Day 3  which is now   a  preserved  jelly in my  draft page and  here we are now longing   to go back and visit Baguio  after watching the news.  Now is the best time to stroll around  the City of  Pines and   feel the  cold climate  with  7 degrees and below temperature.  Must  be a  winter  outfit  theme  vacation.  I knew it,  because when it is cold in Manila,  Baguio is 10 degrees cooler.  Or maybe,  Tagaytay  is next best option.

Baguio Trip Day 2

You wouldn't appreciate Baguio if you don't wake up early in the morning and experience a chilly walk in the park. That's what I believe because it is coldest in this time of the day.  On the second day of our trip, me and my friend Joy had a short  walk   to convenience store to grab some frozen meat products   for breakfast.  It was kind of cold and  we weren't  prepared and should have worn  thicker clothing. I could feel the chilly air in my face. I may be exaggerating  if  a  local in  Baguio read this post because I am used to Manila with typically warm temperature even during dawn time.:)

So here's a quick shot of  us.  Yey,  we  got to wear  a  hoody  in Baguio.

And  here's what we had for breakfast on the second day.  I suggest  travelers  who are looking  for  cheap  accommodation  to look  for  transients  home.  If  you opt  to stay  in a  hotel,  a  lot  of  accommodations are available  in the city.  Check  some  reviews and website for more options.  

After  our  sumptuous breakfast,  we headed our first destination, Bell Church and later proceeded to Strawberry Farm.


Bell Church

Unlike the famous spots like Mines View Park, Burnham Park and more,   Bell Church is less visited by tourists. It is one of  Baguio's lesser known landmarks.  The Bell Church is located north of the downtown area of  Baguio  along the road  leading to La Trinidad where  Strawberry Farm  is located.  The building is designed with flags, bells and dragons.  

Strawberry Farm


One of the most popular destination when in La Trinidad is Strawberry Farm. Tourists are allowed to pick fresh strawberry at  400/kilo but you can also buy freshly picked strawberry  at  a lower price.  For a traveler like me who literally travel light, I chose to buy from the vendors  with pre- packed freshly picked  strawberry  at  a  price of   P100/kilo.  Picking  strawberry costs a little higher  than  pre-packed.   If   you want  to experience picking, then go ahead, its more fun if you do it  yourself  because you can choose  the  freshest and reddest strawberry.   If  you are a city girl,  you better try picking,  because the memories are  surely   much fun  to keep.

I choose strawberries that are not fully ripe  because it wasn't our last activity that day and I need to keep it  fresh  till we come back home  to Manila.
 

Also available  at  the farm  aside from strawberry are cabbage,  lettuce and broccoli.  It was our first time to visit La Trinidad and  see  the  Strawberry Farm,  the only place in Baguio with flat stretch of land. 

Broccoli is available at  P100/4 pieces. It's a lot cheaper than in Baguio Public Market.

Tam -Awan Village

I have no idea of Tam-Awan Village and haven't read of it in other blogs unlike the Laperal House and   Diplomat Hotel   that my kids and I are always wanting to visit.  It was included in our itinerary for the day  right after Strawberry Farm stop.

The Tam-awan Village is located in the northwestern part of the city. You need to pay a minimum entrance fee at the gate.   You need to climb uphill and steep pathways from one hut to another.  It  surely  is a good exercise  but  make  sure to wear the right shoes that is  comfortable  enough for a  few minutes hiking.  It was a breathtaking experience when you reach the top where you can see the view  of La  Union Province and Gulf of Lingayen. Such an amazing reward after a  tiring climb. 

Grabbed the above photo from Occasions of Joy

I took this shot near the peak of  garden in the sky.

One of the huts inside Tam-Awn Village.  This is  the typical  Igorot huts   where you can picture  how the homes of the mountain people look like.

Arko Ni Apo

Right across Tam-Awn Village is Arko ni Apo. I have no knowledge about what is inside Arko ni Apo and who is  Ben-Hur Villanueva until Joy introduced me to the man who was  busy working with his masterpiece during our visit.

Ben Hur Villanueva, a sculptor, painter and art educator  founded his gallery workshop in Baguio after he retired  from teaching at  Ateneo de Manila . Among his notable sculptures are:  Kapit Bisig,   Among Supremo,  Thy Will Be Done,  St. Aloysius Gonzaga and  Risen Christ  at Caleruega Nasugbu Batangas. Villanueva is best  known as a sculptor, working with brass, metal and wood.

Before this visit , I have zero knowledge about sculptures in famous landmarks in different parts of the country.  I  was totally surprised because the man whom we visited,  Ben-Hur Villanueva created some of those.    When we asked for what project  he was  currently doing, he replied, "if  I can please others,  why can't  I please myself."   He was making the  bull sculpture  for his own happiness and fulfillment.   We asked permission to take photos and he allowed us  to roam around the art gallery.  Every pieces of  arts  displayed were  truly amazing. I can't exactly  define the feeling  but it's unbelievable how those pieces of  arts  were made.  Unimaginable. Glad that we included the place to our destination.  Now I appreciate more about art.  Next time I visit the Global City,  I know  who made the Among Supremo - Andres Bonifacio sculpture,  that's  a masterpiece from  Ben-Hur Villanueva.

Ben Cab Museum

From Arko ni Apo, we then proceeded to BenCab Museum located in  Asin Road known as Km 6 Tadiangan  Tuba, Benguet.  Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, known as  BenCab,   is a Filipino painter and was awarded National Artist  of  the Philippines for Visual Arts in 2006.  It is definitely a must visit  place  when you're in Baguio. You can find different collections of  his paintings, indigenous Cordillera art and the works of  Filipino masters and contemporary artists.

Asinan Carving Village

Located along Asin Road, you will find Asinan Carving Village, a place where carved furniture and figurines are made.  You can buy them on wholesale and a lot  cheaper if you know how to make a deal.

Camp John Hay

Camp John Hay is a haven for nature because of its numerous pine trees inside. It is located at southeastern side of   Baguio City.  It is cooler in Camp John Hay.  It is the only  remaining protected pine forest reservation of the city according to their website.   It has 250,00 pine trees and average temperature of 16 degrees Celsius.   We just made a quick visit at shopping area and  commissary and headed straight to Baguio Country Club. 

Baguio Country Club

Our last stop for the day before heading home.

Burnham Park

It is during night time where you will appreciate Burnham Park more because it is much cooler in temperature and there are fewer people  compared during daytime where people flock to go boating and bicycle rides. After dinner we walked down to the park to  burn some calories. We then proceeded to night market and went home late afterwards. Did I mention I had my first goal in Baguio? Ah, wait til my next post. My  first  ever soccer ball kick happened at Burnham Park in  Baguio.

It was  tiring  but more fun on the second day  in  the City of Pines.  Strawberry Farm,  Tam-Awan, BenCab, Arko ni Apo  were amazing sight  that  you shouldn't miss   when you  visit the Summer Capital of the Philippines,  Baguio.

The coldest months of the year

It seems that January and February are the  coldest months of the year.  I've been seeing   some photos of my friends lately  posted  in social networking site wearing thick clothing like  patagonia ultralight down shirt  while playing with snow.   The weather must be in negative degrees in some parts of  the world by now.  Sometimes I wish I could take a  vacation in a country with  snow so I could enjoy  ice skiing  with my thermal jackets on.  I have some in my closet but I did not bring them during our vacation in  the city of pines.

The weather is typically cold  in highlands but is not really ideal  to wear such.   It  is in this kind of place where you will enjoy your  hot  coffee  more.   I'm  still  wishing  for a longer  vacation  and   now  having  a hard  time  going  back  to normal  life  in the city of  warm  weather  and pollution.

Baguio Trip Day 1

On Day 1 of our trip, before we headed to Baguio we first stopped by at Our Lady of Manaoag by which  I will  blog in a separate post later.  We reached Baguio at around noontime.  After checking out  our   reservation at  Alecksandra Recedencia, we  unloaded our things and had lunch.  We wanted to maximize our time so after a few minutes rest,  we  proceeded to nearest tourist spots like  Mines View Park, Cordillera World,  Good  Shepherd and Botanical Garden.  We passed by at Laperal House, known to be a haunted house in Baguio   (will  blog in a separate post)  before proceeding to Pink Sisters,  our last destination for the day.



Mines View Park

Our first destination was at  Mines View Park.   Mines View park  is the most visited park  in  Baguio. I said so,  because  it is always also included  in my place-to-visit list when in  Baguio.  At the park,  you can  see a breathtaking panoramic view of  Benguet's  gold mines  and  mountains.  You can also rent a binocular for closer view.  At the entrance park, you will find a  flea market where you can  buy a lot of souvenir items such as jewelries, accessories and local products like baskets, brooms, blankets  and sweaters.

Above photo grabbed  from Occasions of Joy

Cordillera World

The place is located near Mines View Park.  From the name of the place itself, you would know that  it's about  Cordillera and the people of  the province. In less than an hour inside Cordillera World, you would discover more of  the products, handicrafts and  their way of  living. This travel destination was only launched in March 2011.

You can have many photo ops as much as you want  inside the  Cordillera World. You can wear Igorot and take all the pictures  that  you want. Donation is welcome to support  out-of-school youth go back to school and help finance and support  young families.

Good Shepherd Convent

A quick stop at Good Shepherd for Ube Jam. I forgot that I have enough  Ube Halaya back home, left over food  for our New Year celebration.  Good Shepherd is a place where you can  buy goodies and other pasalubong. The most famous products are  Ube Jam, Peanut Brittle and Choco Crinkles.

Good Shepherd is located just a few meters away from Mines View Park, so don't forget to swing around if you're in the vicinity for delicious pasalubong.

Pink Sisters Convent

We arrived at Pink Sister's in perfect timing just before it closed.  Pink Sister's convent is located somewhere along Brent Road in an upscale area  in Baguio. It is not like the usual church where you can hear mass.   The sisters were all  in pink and  meditating when we arrived but we were not allowed to take a photo as  posted inside the convent.  The place is also perfect  to  meditate and reflect. You can also write your wishes/prayers and drop in petition box  located inside the church and the pink sisters will pray for your petitions.  We ended our tour for the day  here  and headed back home. 

Again our big thanks to Mendiolables for another great adventure. If  not  for  the best  event  planner,  now  travel planner,  Joy who prepared the  itinerary  and her better half  John for making the trip  possible,  not to mention his familiarity to  the place via GPS guide,   the trip would have been  cut  to ten,  half  only  of   the  places we visited.   What makes this trip new  is the happy Mendiolables who's always smart  and witty  in making the trip worth every time.