Can you hear it? The sleigh bells ringing! It may seem like Christmas is too far away to fully immerse yourself in the holiday spirit, but now is the best time to start shopping for our loved ones. We don't want to leave everything until the last minute, now do we? Well, even if you plan to, Karton got us covered.


Founded in the third quarter of 2016, Karton is an e-commerce platform that let users choose from a huge selection of handmade goods and specialty dishes – all ready to ship at a moment’s notice. The site features a diverse roster of sellers that range from long-time bazaar staples to aspiring home entrepreneurs, each one with its own distinct character and style.




As soon as I entered their store located at 315 B LRI Design Plaza Bel-Air II, 210 Nicanor Garcia Makati City, I was lured by everything I was seeing. From hand-made tote bags by Cheeky Olive, Pure Lambanog by Barik to Natural Pet Care Products by Fetch. It was a match made in heaven, indeed. Ms. Thea Serad, Karton's Marketing Associate, talked me through all I need to know about their shop that promotes artisan goods proudly owned by Filipino entrepreneurs. According to her, the idea of building an e-commerce website sparked when one of their partners asked when will their next bazaar be, now sellers will no longer have to wait - instead, they can sell their hand-made goods any time of the year and customers can reach their products online and have them delivered to their doorstep with just a few clicks.



Even if you're on a shoestring budget it doesn't mean you should settle for less, Karton's selection of Christmas Baskets filled with artisan goods will surely make your loved ones feel special this Yuletide. With their delivery fee of Php 150.00, you can easily order your chosen product/s and have them delivered to your address. However, if you want to send it directly to your recipient, Karton has an "Add as a Gift" option for that. Now that's what we call a hassle-free solution to our gift giving woes! It is especially convenient for us gift-givers who have non-negotiable schedules but also for commuters who just couldn't take the Manila traffic. For easy reference and more options, check out their updated list of gift boxes through this link.

I always find hanging out in Cafés a more inviting option than going to the mall. There is just something about it that makes my heart flutter - and no, I don't mean palpitations from having too much caffeine. I'm talking about the ambient music, the refreshing environment and even the whir of a coffee machine. It's true what they say, finding the perfect place for work or meeting with friends is one of the simple pleasures of life. Last Saturday, my boyfriend and I discovered a lovely café nestled in the small neighborhood of Banawe, hence the name; Neighborhood Game Café.

They are located close to one of the busiest streets in the Metro so whether you're commuting or driving, Neighborhood Game Cafe isn't really hard to spot. Prior to our visit, I made my research because knowing my boyfriend he dislikes going to places with no parking. So just imagine my relief when I found out they offer free parking space for their customers. We haven't even gotten to the place but I'm already loving it. Hooray for that!



As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by a warm and inviting atmosphere (thank you to the kind security guard for guiding us into the parking lot!) but even more so when we got inside. Everyone had beaming smiles, myself included, especially after seeing their wide array of board games. Mrs. Jenn Tan, one of the owners of the shop, was kind enough to guide us to our seats and offer the menu card. I must say, they serve budget-friendly food without compromising the taste and quality. My personal favorite was the Sweet and Spicy Flavored Wings then matched with their S'mores coffee-based drink - a winner combination!


After placing our orders, my boyfriend and I went straight to the shelf where all the board games are. We were ecstatic like kids in a candy shop! Their selection are top-notch in my opinion, and most of the board games I used to play when I was younger were there such as Monopoly, Snakes and Ladder, Uno and more. It was also nice to see other familiar games like Exploding Kittens, Resistance, Cards Against Humanity and Taboo.


Since my boyfriend and I wanted a bit of a challenge, we agreed on trying out a board game we've never played before. Mrs. Jenn suggested us to try Melissa and Doug's Suspend Family Game. If you're not familiar with the game, basically, the objective is to balance metal rods onto an elevated base. It may sound easy but don't be deceived because unlike Jenga, this Suspend Game is harder to complete. After playing the Suspend Game, we tried a more complex strategic board game called Splendor. It took us about 20 minutes to read and completely understand the rules on our own but once we get the hang of it, we had a blast! It was so fun my boyfriend recently purchased his own board.


While some board-game cafés cater to kids - Neighborhood Game Cafe is also for anyone looking for a place to hunker down to study and work or people who simply wants to do something out of the ordinary. As for my boyfriend and I, we wanted a place where we can ditch our phones and have a face-to-face conversation - board games encourages us to do just that.

After filling up our tummies, we had the chance to have a chit chat with Mrs. Jen who turned her hobbies with friends into a successful business. What really struck me the most from our conversation was when she said to; "THINK A MILLION TIMES" before venturing entrepreneurship and I believe this can also be applied to anything in general. One choice could either make or break us. So it is important to think, think, think before we decide because once it's done, we can't undo even the littlest of things.

Neighborhood Game Cafè is located at 48 Ubay St, Banawe, Quezon City and they are open daily from 10AM to 10PM. To know more, visit their website here.

Download the Wish 107.5 App and use my promo code: IRW5G88 to earn points. But that's not all though, you can get more points when you start sharing my blog posts.

So, what are your plans this Friday night? Share it with me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

With all the hustle and bustle going on around me, it's good to unwind a bit and just let loose. What better way to do that than to spend a day at Art In Island? The first time I heard about the interactive museum was through my friends who shared photos on social media and since then I always wanted to go. Well, talk about answered prayers because just last week I was invited by Wish 107.5 for a Bloggers Meet which comes with a free pass to Art In Island. Despite the indecisive weather, I still opted to attend because not only am I in dire need of a break but also, it occurred to me that my blog had been on its longest hiatus and I can't let that happen anymore.


I'm ecstatic to share with everyone that I'm officially a Wish 107.5 App Blogger. I don't want to spoil the details but you'll definitely know more about it in the coming months. Exciting times! Honestly, I'm very grateful for this opportunity because this somewhat paved a way for me to finally come back to blogging (for good, this time) and bond more with my blogger buddy, Kirs. I just realized that all along I've been waiting for a little push and here it is.


During the event, the CEO of 1K Solutions Inc. Mr. Noel Peralta Jr. talked us through our role as WishCard bloggers and this was also the part wherein we got to sign the Memorandum of Agreement. Afterwards, sumptuous snacks were served courtesy of Cafe' Minou. I honestly forgot what this was called but I heard it's their best-seller! Anyway, keep scrolling down to witness my most awaited part of the event.

To anyone who thinks OPM (Original Pinoy Music) is dead. Think again. Last February 20, I was invited to attend OO: Originals Only event presented by Acousteoke at The Brewery. It was truly a wholesome experience for me watching all these OPM artists showcase their talents and musicality. As a musician myself, I'm happy to see that original Filipino-made music is starting to flourish again. This made me realize that local music is indeed still alive, we just have to dig deeper.