Mountain Province Travel Mood Board

I honestly can’t wait to unplug and be closer to nature. I guess it’s one of the factors that influence us every time we decide where we want to go. This year’s themes have some sort of element in them, and we have completed that immersion factor already. January, we had air at the Hot Air Balloon Festival. April we had sea as we went Whaleshark Diving. For October, it’s going to be land because where we’re headed, is all full of land as far as the eye can see but it’s still going to be a memorable experience.

Since I want to maximize the time out I’ll be having, I’ve organized a mood board for our upcoming travel. I’ve fantasized about this for quite some time now, also because it’s on C’s bucket list to experience these all. It’s kinda contagious don’t you think? 

1. Mt. Pulag- The Playground of the Gods

We’ve heard many things about Mt. Pulag both mystical and natural. It captured our curiosity, plus C’s friends have shared stories of the Playground of the Gods, I also saw some milky way shots from visitors who have been there. It’s been on C’s bucket list and I’ll be happy to put my photography skills to the test. 

2. Sagada Tour

I’m after the hanging coffins in Sagada for a photo opp and then maybe do a side trip to one of the strawberry farms in Benguet. I might meet Ifugaos as well. Who knows what else I can do in Mountain Province. I’ll definitely be happy to just drink it all in. My cameras better be ready with spare batteries! Don’t give up on me powerbank!

3. Baguio City Tour

Just like the Sagada Tour, I’ve also listed what I want to do in Baguio. That includes a visit to Mt. Cloud Bookshop, then a taste of strawberry tahu, visit the nearby attractions and then…

4. Shopping for Pasalubong and Succulents 

I know that I’m supposed to grab pasalubong with anything strawberry and ube in it. Yep, I’m a good tourist like that lol. I’d also like to get myself a little souvenir from Ibay’s Silver Shop if I’m lucky. 

5. Conrad Manila 

We will be ending our week with a stay in Conrad Manila. It’s also quite a meaningful place for C because he’s one of the engineers who have helped construct it. From roughing it, we sure can lounge around in a luxurious place such as a hotel by the bay. 

I really hope we can cross off all our items in our bucket list. Plus, I’m hoping that all goes well. We can come back with more stories to tell too. Who knows where else our feet will take us. 

I guess it's also going to be our last travel for this year before we head on out next year. We've sort of developed appreciation for looking at both ancient and modern architecture lol. We'll definitely share some more stories here as well as our hacks and itineraries. 

It Won't Be Long Now, P Wants To Give Up On Me

 

It's been ten years, Pentax Optio has been the witness of our family affairs and my constant blogging companion. But during one of my photo sessions for beauty products that I was featuring, the screen was flickering on and off. 

Admittedly it's gone through a lot, it has its own stories to share. It fell, was comatosed, resurrected and now is living its twilight years. Even if I've acquired a smartphone with a camera, I sometimes still prefer to use the P because of the color quality and macro shot focus. I know sooner or later that it will be stubborn and say "hey, other gadgets get to retire at the age of 5 or 6, why do I have to push beyond 10 years?"

To be honest, I have to maximize the P. But in the meantime, I'll use the Xperia (that's what I've been doing lately). I'll be lucky to find a replacement pretty soon but I'm saving.

The Week That Was- Love, Arista

Hi friends! It was quite an eventful time since the last post I made here. I sure read and appreciate comments from Mommy’s close and online friends alike on my first post. So to all those who have read, thank you so much. Mommy is beginning to think that Love, Arista will be a regular contribution here. (Does it mean that I am a better writer than Mommy?) Sssh! Don’t tell! 

So the photos here go back to the week before when Mommy went to visit her old campus and also had lunch with my Auntie. Don’t the desserts look yummy? You can see our Papa relaxing on a Sunday afternoon at the poolside of a local hotel. Also, Mommy went on a photo walk during the Dia de Zamboanga parade. Yep, that’s my hometown.

  

 

 

At night, Mommy engages into a little sketching, no matter how primitive her skills may be just to let off some stress. As for me, I do get to enjoy Italian Coffee Affogato Ice Cream.

 As for the doggie side of things, Mommy got me another silicon bone since the first one got lost and I am still not an expert in my retrieving skills (to my shame). I also have a bag of doggie treats and I also received a replacement leash which is not in the photo, the reason behind being I kind of gnawed on my old leash because Mommy had to go to work and I didn’t want to be left behind. So yeah, I admit I was being such a baby then. 

Let me introduce you to my brother Axle who is possibly the laziest baby boy in the whole world. He’s a black Labrador and we’re the same age but it’s obvious who the smarter and sweeter baby between the two of us is it? (I’ll share with you some treats if you agree that it’s me.) 

So I guess that’s it for our week. Mommy is looking to finally get me that bed because she hates to see me just stretching on the floor or on concrete. I’m pretty excited. I hope you’re having a fab weekend. Don’t forget to join our latest giveaway and I wish you luck! 

Love, Arista  

Week in Photos

Too much has been going on for me, and it is quite difficult especially if I am the one being paranoid, going after deadlines. But at least I am looking forward to some down time with Bessie. I will also be posting new looks next week just to satisfy my love for prints. And when my Bessie sees my Lookbook account again, she will comment again on my addiction to florals and prints, hehehe.

Look who visited in our neighbour’s field in Pamucutan! This is a young carabao grazing on the front field. That’s how life is in our area. Some time ago, there was a carabao stampede right in the rough road leading to our house, good thing they did not crash against our gate.

My brother made me some fruit salad shake so that the leftover fruit salad from New Year’s Eve would not go to waste. He preserved it very well in the freezer and this just happened to be such a great treat from writing on a hot afternoon.

I think this is inspired by what he saw on TV by Chef Boy Logro in GMA. 

I did some not so impressive nail art! That’s just me trying to see what baby pink and silver glitters look like and I tried to make my very own version of French manicure. Hmm, if this one did not work, perhaps I should try caviar nails next time? I think V-Day which is less than a month away could be a fitting event for caviar nails. I saw a shop online which sells affordable sets. 

That’s all in the meantime. I am seriously thinking of big plans for this corner. But the big reveal will have to wait. Ciao! 

The Fall Of Kodak

For some of us who grew up with Kodak as a household name, and have always grabbed the camera while trying to capture moments by saying "Kodak it!" instead of "Take a picture", I also couldn't believe my ears when I heard the news.

The following was contributed by my friend Robin Gonzales.

Second Look 

by Robin Gonzales 

The Fall of Kodak 

For what seemed like from time immemorial, Kodak cameras and film were a part of every household. Special moments were always incomplete without the familiar Kodak camera to capture them. Likewise, the Kodak film roll that photo shops would never run out of was always a best seller. It seemed like the Kodak Company was a permanent fixture on the world’s psyche. No one would have predicted then that the year 2012 would see the Kodak Company to file for bankruptcy.

The dawning of the digital age has changed a lot of things. One of the inevitable changes was the obsolescence of the traditional camera and film pair. The prevalence of digital cameras and ready cameras on phones, tablets and the pc has doomed the camera and film pair. Though Kodak has continued to develop digital cameras, the market in the digital world was a lot more crowded than the traditional camera and film world where it so easily dominated. With steep competition from brands such as Nikon, HP, Canon and the inability to compete with the other brands’ technology, Kodak now faces its inevitable fall.

Kodak over the years, maintaining its identity

The Wall Street Journal has reported the Kodak Company is preparing to file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the coming weeks ahead if it fails to sell a trove of digital-imaging patents. Since then, Kodak shares have fallen to an all time historic low. In the decade before 2011, Kodak has reportedly lost 95 percent of its company value to competition and the digital revolution. The New York stock exchange has warned that it plans to delist Kodak as a trading company shall the value of its shares stay unusually low for a long period. It seems the once legendary Kodak giant has fallen to its knees.

All is not hope for the once iconic and invincible photography company. The company has invested heavily in digital inkjet printers and revenue from that part of the company’s sales has risen a staggering 13 percent. If Kodak hopes that the printer and software industry will triple in the short future ahead, it may be able to make a comeback on those products. The company is also in the midst of selling patents, property rights and in the midst of talks for loans to keep it afloat.

No one knows for certain what the future holds for Kodak. Whether it can weather the storm it faces or fall victim to it instead, only time will tell. What is certain is that with so many technological revolutions, Kodak is not the only company that will face such tough times ahead. As always in a free market system, the free hand will favor those companies who remain competitive and disfavor those who do not. It’s a story of survival of the fittest and no matter how iconic and successful a company has become in the past, the fortunes of the times change as fast as direction of the wind. 

The Subanen Dance

I was part of a media tour hosted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development here in our region, last November, where media practitioners from various outfits get to visit indigenous villages in some municipalities up north. In the municipality of Leon Postigo where their sources of income are farming and fishing, some native Subanens can still be found. Some of these Subanens have been recipients of the government's social pension and poverty alleviation programs. To express their gratitude, they have prepared a Subanen Dance for us, with a gong providing the rhythm in the background. 

One of the touching moments to experience is for the native Subanens to express their gratitude through their traditional dances.

The dance has been performed in many rituals like christenings, weddings and other major festivities in the area. 

The gong is being sounded at a corner, some more Subanens dressed in their cultural attires have also come to say "thank you".