Hello everyone! It's just a few more days until Christmas and I'm still on the lookout for gifts. I've been to 3 different malls in the past weeks but haven't really bought anything yet hoping I could find better ones elsewhere. Good thing I had to be in Makati for an event because I really want to see what other malls have. Anyway, it's been a while since I last set foot in the country's business district particularly in Makati Shangri-La Hotel. I've been there before to attend several occasions and I'm impressed that it's still as beautiful as I remember it.

PRC ID Renewal Center in SM North Edsa

Hey everyone! Just recently, I realized my PRC license expired last month giving me a gruesome image of long lines at the PRC main office on a hot summer day. Good thing license renewal can now be accomplished in chosen SM Malls and luckily Sm North Edsa is one of them. 

It's located along the bridgeway connecting The Block to SM's main building at the bills payment section. First counter you see on the left is where you should begin:

♥ Get a PRC renewal form from counter 1.

♥ Submit the duly accomplished form together with your PRC license  and 1 passport size picture of yourself in a collared top with name plate and white background. 

♥ Have your picture taken as a back up.

♥ Pay the renewal and processing fees of Php 500.

TIPS:

If ever you came without a passport size picture, you may want to go to Tronix Imaging Center at the basement of SM Annex. A set of 6 passport size pictures costs Php 60. They can edit your image pretty good and can even make it look like you're wearing a collared blouse without additional fee. Nice huh? But please do wear a collared top when you go there because they still need to take your picture
at counter 1 for back-up. 

I think they coordinate with PRC online for info verification. In case of an expired license, the penalty will depend on how long it's been expired. In my case, it's been a little over a month which did not incur any late fees. It doesn't matter whether your license is expiring months earlier but the best time would be at least a month before your license expires because it also takes a month before you can pick up your renewed license. You also have the option of having it delivered to your doorstep for an additional fee.

Overall, I love the idea of having your license renewed in more convenient places other than the main office of PRC in Morayta. You can avoid the hassle of not having to go with the large volume of board exam applicants. This way, you won't have to endure the long lines just to renew your license and you don't have to miss work because they're open everyday during mall hours. What's really impressive is that it only took me 15 minutes to accomplish everything because all transactions are done in one counter. I really commend PRC and of course the SM management for making all these possible in an organized manner. Gone are the days when PRC license renewal equals to a headache.. heck, even a migraine. 

Other SM branches that offer PRC license renewal are listed on PRC's official website so do check that out. Thanks for reading and have a pleasant weekend! 

♥ ♥ ♥

A Night To Remember

Hey guys! I felt like being gone for a month from the blogosphere then it dawned on me I wasn't after seeing my last post was just 4 days ago. That's how I love the blog community, being away from it seems like forever. Speaking of which, I was away for 3 days for the Philippine Pediatric Society's 50th Annual Convention. It was entirely fun especially on the Fellowship night at the World Trade Center where we got to see world class performers in one event! 

The event was hosted by Marc Nelson and this pretty lady whose name I forgot (sorry). 

The program started with no less than John Lesaca. I wasn't able to get pictures because we arrived a little late and got seats in the middle.

Yeng Constantino came in next so I was immediately off my seat and took pictures up close. A lot of people were just sitting and the entire space below the stage was empty when I took this shot. Needless to say that after a few brave souls dared to stay in front, a lot of others followed. 

Erik Santos looked so great in his suit, good thing my friend took the chance of approaching the stage just to take this shot even if security didn't allow it. Miss Sheryn Regis was up next but we weren't able to take pictures because at that point they didn't allow anyone near the stage except for the official photographers(boo!!!).

It's just so sad that the organizers were too strict but they loosened up after a while and realized they organized a concert, not a graduation ceremony. Nothing could stop the crowd especially when the legendary Ely Buendia came on stage with Pupil. Everyone, including me and my friends, ran towards the best spot.. right smack in front of Ely, hence the nice shots.

Arnel Pineda was the final performer of the night and rocked the house with his powerful vocals. Taking good pictures wasn't easy because he couldn't stay in place for more than a minute, he was all over the stage smiling at everyone in between singing and was constantly reaching out his hand to the crowd shaking hands. Not an ounce of arrogance can be seen or felt from his presence. Truly a world class artist with a big heart for his followers. 

The evening concluded with Arnel Pineda calling out all the other performers on stage thanking the audience for being in the event. 

Hands down, this has got to be the best Fellowship night I've attended so far. Food was decent enough, they gave away 3 Ipad minis, one of which was luckily won by one of my dear friends although it looked like our entire group won when her name was called because we cheered like crazy. Awesome line up of performers that truly reached out to all age groups. The venue was also appropriate for the event although parking was a bit of a problem. The organizers did a great job although I have to admit I got a little irritated at how they implemented security and was so strict in letting the viewers come in front to take pictures. They eventually got to their senses and realized it's rude not to let the crowd enjoy the show. Overall, the event was a big success, truly a night to remember!

 ♥ ♥ ♥

Bath Vanity

Hey guys! I had a very busy weekend but I managed to squeeze in some time to get myself something that I've been planning to buy for the past months. An organizing rack for my bath products.

I got this from ACE Hardware at the basement of SM North Edsa for Php 349.

You can hang this on your wall or just put it on your toilet tank top. I prefer not to drill more holes on my bathroom wall so I just let it stand like so. You can see that the size is just right to fit all my bath essentials. I arranged all my face products in the bottom while my hair and body essentials are on top together with my clarisonic. I do have a lot of facial cleansers because I use what's appropriate for my skin condition like if I have pimple break outs, I reach for The Body Shop Tea Tree line or Garnier Pure Active. When my pimples have all dried out, I go for whitening foams like Lancome and L'oreal. On a clear skin day, I go back to my anti-aging products like Olay Total Effects and Avon's Anew. At night after a long day of wearing makeup and being exposed to dirt, I use deep cleansers like Neutrogena and Tony Moly Aqua.

I'm really loving this organizing rack because it has definitely made my bath time more pleasant. I don't have to rummage through a basket just to get the product I want to use for the day and I get to see right away which ones I need to restock. The only problem I have with this is eventual rusting because it's not stainless steel but the sales rep said rusting won't set in until a year of use so it's all good for now.

How about you? Do you have organizing tips to maintain a clutter free bathroom? Please share your thoughts on the comments section below. Thanks for reading and have a fun day!

♥ ♥ ♥

Wish Box

Hi everyone! I've been thinking of a year end special entry and I thought of doing Mykikaystuff 2012 Favorites by having a run down of my top products from different categories. But when beauty boxes emerged and became talk of the town since October of this year, I've been thinking what would it be like if I was to create my own beauty box. So I decided to do just that! Hold your horses, I'm not doing this for real. I just want you to know what products I would love to include in a beauty box if I were to make one.

Just a heads up, products I've assembled in this imaginary box may be a little over the top since most of them are my ultimate favorites. I call it Wish Box, very appropriate for it contains every product a girl like me would wish for.

This box originally contains a set of perfume and lotion from Gilly Hicks. I just positioned the bow to cover the label and made my own using the A+ Signature app from my Ipad.

Since this is just a make believe box, I went all out and included all the stuff I use on a regular basis and some that I think are worth mentioning. If you're subscribed to BDJ Box or Saladbox or have seen reviews on them, you would notice that none of the products in my Wish Box have been included in any of them.

This might also serve as a suggestion box so people behind these beauty boxes may have an idea on what other products we subscribers wish to recieve every month.

I assembled this Wish Box keeping in mind that I can include any product I like. So I reviewed my daily routine and chose the products as I would use them.

The Shu Uemura Whitefficient cleansing oil is a recent favorite and has become a mainstay in my daily routine. I got to try this via Sample Room and I've been hooked since then. It effectively removes all traces of makeup and accumulated dirt leaving your skin fully cleansed and feeling supple without being greasy.

Clinique mild liquid facial soap is one of my favorite facial cleansers because it truly matches my dry combination skin type. It adequately cleanses without drying your skin and leaves it feeling fresh and dirt free. 

The Floria Hydra Energy toner is one of the best products of Tony Moly. This watery gel type toner removes remaining dirt after cleansing your face. It doesn't dry your skin, instead it locks in moisture hence improving skin texture.

Clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion maintains optimal moisture for dry and dry combination skin leaving it feeling soft and smooth. It doesn't cause any skin irritation or break outs. True to its name, this moisturizer dramatically improves your skin with continued use.

Celeteque DermoScience Brightening Eye Tuck plus Dark Circles Lightener instantly hydrates the skin around your eyes leaving them moisturized without looking puffy. It lightens your under eye giving it a brighter appearance. It's mild enough to use everyday and it promises to deliver results in 4 weeks. I actually got it free from Sample Room, you may click here for a detailed review.

Garnier Pure Active anti-imperfections roll-on is ideal for acne prone skin because it has antibacterial ingredients that can fight emerging and active pimples. It also has dual action formula that can eliminate blackheads and remove skin imperfections. I use this on emerging and active pimples because they dry faster and don't darken as much. 

Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream sits at the top of my list among the array of BB creams I've used. It glides smoothly on application and blends well with your complexion. It has a creamy texture that doesn't cake over time. It provides medium coverage and it leaves your skin with a bright dewy finish. Click here to see my previous review.

The Body Shop all-in-one face base has a fine texture that feels light and comfortable on your skin. This offers light to medium coverage and has a matte finish that looks natural without caking. It doesn't dry your skin or cause irritation and break outs. Click here to know more about this product.

Wet n' Wild Color Icon Knock on Wood is so pigmented that you only need a few strokes to achieve a rich display of color. It gives just the right amount of shimmer to give you a glowing finish. The colors are wearable on any occasion from a simple day look to a dramatic evening look.

Tony Moly Cat's Wink Mascara enhances the volume and length of your lashes with just a few strokes. It dries almost instantly and doesn't feel heavy on your lashes. It doesn't irritate the eyes and can be easily removed by a cleansing cloth.

Tony Moly Berry Berry magic lip tint is my ultimate favorite lip product. It visibly stains your lips giving it a healthy glow. It has decent staying power and touch-ups are quite unnecessary except after a meal or drink. I've been using this for 9 months now but the pot still looks full so this will definitely last long.

Kleenex oil blotter is an effective product that removes excess oil leaving your skin feeling fresh after each use. It doesn't irritate your skin and offers a quick fix in the middle of the day when it tends to get oily. 

Organix Moroccan Argan penetrating oil restores shine and softness as it strengthens your hair. It also provides you with perfectly moisturized and silky straight hair that looks great and smells divine.

Sally Hansen Maximum Growth nourishing nail color effectively reinforces soft, bitten, weaken or thin nails protecting them from further damage. It also visibly lengthens the nails faster in just one week. The natural color of this polish makes it wearable on any occasion. 

This concludes my Wish Box, a fantasy box containing all the stuff that I love and hope to be featured in beauty boxes soon. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did rounding up the products included in this box. 

What about you? Have you ever thought of making your own beauty box? Share your thoughts and let's all dream big together. After all, some dreams do come true. Spread the joy and have a happy holiday everyone!

♥ ♥ ♥

Bio-essence BIO Spring Water and a lot more.. :)

About a couple of months ago, my cousin from Singapore surprised us with an unexpected visit. We got together as usual and celebrated over the one thing that never fails to make us happy.. FOOD.

Good thing we were all craving for pizza and pasta that day. Seeing the yellow and black stripes of Yellow Cab immediately perked our appetite.

I didn't know Yellow Cab already offers group meals called Fleet Packages" so it took us a little while to decide what to order. We eventually opted to get the package with an 18 inch pizza (New York's finest), two pasta dishes (Charlie Chan chicken pasta and Spaghetti with Meatballs), two small tubs of ice cream, half a pint each (Pistachio and Serendipity) and a pitcher of Coke.

With my beautiful cousins

Playing around with our spoons.. :)

But good food and AWESOME company weren't the only ones that made me smile that day, my cousin's pasalubong also played an important role. She gave me Bio-essence' BIO spring water spray.

I honestly wouldn't have bought this for myself two months ago because I really don't use water sprays even in the gym after work out. Also, I am an avid reader of product labels and this one doesn't look any different from a regular mineral water. Good thing my cousin gave me this and swears she got clearer skin on regular use. I started using this just a month ago and here are my thoughts:

This comes in a tall canister that can fit in your gym bag. I love that the spray works well each time, dispensing the contents in small particles that feel like cool mist sprayed on your skin. It instantly refreshes and hydrates, leaving your skin feeling clean and moisturized. I don't really feel my face tighten after each use, instead it makes my skin feel supple. This product didn't irritate my face or made me break out. As for the pore refining effect of this product, I feel like I have yet to observe if it does have that effect on me.

Bio-essence suggests daily use in almost any occasion but I use this in the morning before washing my face and at night before applying my skin care routine. It seems like an added step to my regimen but I really don't mind because it's easy to use and I feel it works well for my skin.

Overall, I do recommend the Bio-essence bio spring water to anyone who's willing to try something new for maintenance of healthy skin. Athletes or people on the go may find this very useful especially after work out or in the middle of the day when you want to freshen up. I will be purchasing one for myself when this runs out though I predict it won't be that soon since the canister is big enough to last me for months.

TID BITS:

• Thanks to my beautiful cousins Raquel, Treysie and Cyndy for the company.. I think we should do this more often.. Agree?
• I am on the verge of buying a new ipad case from speck.. :)
• My friends and I just watched Breaking Dawn 2 and it was BREATH TAKING.. Great twist in the end, for those who already read the book, you'll find it a bit different but in a good way.

PMA: Lay Forum

A week ago, I was invited to talk about Immunization in a lay forum sponsored by the Quezon City Medical Society (QCMS), a component society of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) in celebration of the 55th National Medicine Week.

Several activities were simultaneously held at the PMA auditorium including free consultation, basic laboratory exams, medicines and on the spot drawing contest among elementary students from different districts in Q.C.

Loving the certificate of appreciation they gave me after the event especially their gift, Marks & Spencer royal jelly shower gel.

It was indeed an honor for me to be invited as a speaker by my mentors from Capitol Medical Center who are dedicated officers of the QCMS. The event was a success judging by the number of people who came and participated. 

To the officers of QCMS and PMA, thank you for inviting me to take part in your celebration. It's a great honor to be an instrument of service to the community through your noble society.