Photography Workshops
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 25, 2009
I am definitely an accidental photographer, I never planned on getting a dslr camera, I was merely planning on getting the slimmest and lightest point and shoot camera (well, it was pink so I was drooling over it) that’s easy to bring during events and dinners.
But my ever indulgent husband insisted on me getting this
he reasoned that I needed a new hobby, aside from shopping and trying hard not to be a brat, that explains the robotic looking camera. I’ve tried reading the manual and I’ve hoarded books about digital photography but to no avail, the language spoken in the books are just foreign to me. So the search for lessons and wokshops began! I’ve narrowed down my choices to 3 workshops. My criteria for choosing is 1. location (should be near or within Makati), 2. Teacher Profile 3. Past participants’ feedback.
Here are my top 3, any other suggestions are more than welcome, (you can jump to their websites)
1. The Alcove Perspective: References
2. Photography Seminars by Jo Avila
3. Basic Photography: Philippine Center for Creative Imaging
Sta. Elena + South Superhighway traffic
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 23, 2009
Today I facilitated a waxing training workshop w/ my technicians yup, Celebrity Nails Makati also offers waxing, I gave them a brief lecture about waxing,history, dos and donts and ofcourse practical application. My driver was kawawa since he served as our waxing model for the day. He’s now officially the driver with the smoothest, leg free hair in all of Makati! bwahaha! Please call the numbers in our website if you would need waxing services in the comfort of your own homes! Shameless plugging I know!
Right after my workshop I did wifely duties by going to Sta. Elena w/ DH. Going to Sta. E still gives me that nostalgic air for DH and I first met there.
In one of these tables to be exact… ♥
While waiting for him, I took a few shots using my dslr, they’re futile attempts I know but baby steps, I’ll get there.
Going home was hell, I hate South Superhighway traffic we had to pass thru Alabang, BF, Better living & Bicutan just to avoid the bumper to bumper ride. It was a good 2 hours of my day spent on the road!
Wifely duties for now, Venj is sick (again!)
July 2008
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 22, 2009
Writing in hindsight isn’t as easy as I thought. For starters, I couldn’t exactly remember what happened which month and once I remember things the more that I confuse myself with dates, people and places hay! talk about a bad case of senior moment in your 20s, bad bad. Thanks to my ever reliable iPhoto, I was able to trace my July 08 moments, see love your notebook and it will love you back 
Enough of my notebook love affair, I’ve got some memory flexing to do. For starters, I was a busy bum for most of last year. I quit my promising corporate job in March and I was uncertain whether or not I should change fields, pursue further studies, look for a better job or just start my own biz. But even with the “not sure” mindset I had I still randomly applied for work, I would frequent Jobstreet.com or JobsDB for openings that would appeal to me, and without thinking twice hit the Apply Button. I had several interviews and job offers but I turned all of of them, since I was then more than ever more demanding of my paycheck, my time and my post.
Back in June 08, I applied for a fun job. I knew the job won’t pay me well, I knew it was underemployment personified and I was a 100% ready for the raised eyebrows I’d get from my parentals. I was in for the perks and discounts that the job can offer (more of these in my August – September in hindsight post). I was accepted and my rebellious nature couldn’t take going back to work without a final vacation in tow!
DH (my then fiance) had a golf tournament to join in Malaysia, I dug out my meager savings to book myself a flight and followed him without his consent! The club were he stayed was outside Kuala Lumpur so I had to occupy myself and be content with malls / places that are situated in the outskirts of the city. Pyramid mall was my home for 3 days. This mall could be compared to the likes of Podium, nice mid to high-end stores all in one roof. I went crazy over makeup and La Senza underwear during this trip, I never bought so much make up and undies in my life (fast forward to today, I still have some panties and eye color in stock!) and when the airport officials back in Manila opened my luggage for customs check, they were embarrassed to ask further questions hehe. I wanted to check Petronas just for the turista feel of it, but sadly, we didn’t catch the morning queue. So quick tip to those planning to check the twin towers, quit those sleepyheads and get those asses in line early! And oh, while in Malaysia I spent hours trying those Osim products, check them out here. I actually got myself the iSqueeze a day after I returned from Malaysia.
I wasn’t very much a camera monger then which explains the lack in pictures, here’s part of my meager stash:
Malaysian Landscape Mainit (Outside Petronas)
Can art (yep, made of recycled soda cans) We missed it!
My July experience in hinsight is obviously about being spontaneous and going with the flow, I had no plans whatsoever, I didn’t know for sure what to do. Some might say that mine was a case of plain katamaran and complacency maybe true, but contentment is good you know. In July of 08 I learned that steady waters is good, and good timing is needed when you’re out to sail in a different direction.
Happy Father’s Day!
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 22, 2009
I’ve always been a self confessed daddy’s girl, even when I left home a few years back I’d find myself missing my papa and end up teary eyed if not totally crying when I get my “I pity myself moments”. DH finds it funny that after all these years I’m still papito’s little girl. You see my dad’s an interesting personality, I used to be scared out of my wits when I was little everytime he’d reprimand me. He’s strict but he indulged me with unnecessary kiddie stuff that I destroyed, lost or gave away, though I wish I kept them until now. He devoted his life to us his family and thinking back now I could see how many sacrifices he made just so we’d get by, you see life wasn’t always easy for him, his story could be likened to those Mano Po plots where a chinese family had, lost and gained everything again, but through his hard work and frugal nature (oh man, my papa is so kuripot, he’s stuck with 1990s price tags!) everything’s more than good now. Clearly, my papa is and will always be my superhero, he never controlled me like how other fathers would, he always supports me even when my decisions are often towards the unbeaten track and he gave me freely away when I got married (no dramas, dowry or tears), yet no matter how effortless he loosened his grip on me, I always find myself going home to him, giddy as ever still like a little girl.
To the photographer who taught me how to smile and project infront of a camera, to the teacher who never got tired of piano, ballet and swimming lessons, to the gentleman who loved me through my shift in all weight classes (from heavy weight to feather weight!) and to the man who deeply despises zara and mango price tags, to my forever love…. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
Played his role as father of the bride gracefully
Playing Lolo
And oh, enjoy our gift! I love you PAPITO!
After a yearlong (almost) hiatus…. I’m back!
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 21, 2009
After my love affair with Facebook, blog’s original prodigal daughter is back! Yep, I’m trying to work out another blog stint, hopefully this time I can manage it! I’ve always had this on and off relationship with blogging but somehow I always find my way back home (to my homepage that is). So what brings me back? For starters, I now have time in my hands, a lot of things to write about and most importantly beautiful memories I’d regret to forget. The past year was truly unfolding for me, it was a series of ups and downs, being broken and finding myself whole again, frustrations and solutions and finally getting my grip back just when I needed it. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let those days unaccounted for, and I’ll put real effort in putting them into words as real and as sound as the day it happened. Writing in hindsight will also be a good exercise for me, it will help me reasses my actions, put into heart my learnings and remind me that no matter how shitty life went I was still blessed. Will start my writing tomorrow, since wifely duties calls for a night of watching this:
Hopefully, we can watch it live next year in Pebble Beach
Stage fiancee
Posted by: venzandanz on: July 31, 2008
Call me a stage fiancee, a soon to be golf widow, that would bring me nothing but sheer happiness. Here’s Venjo’s article (with Kevin Tayao, a good friend of his) from Gof Digest Philippines August – September 2008 issue. Every bride to be or girlfriend would be flattered given my wonderful fiance’s interview! Go ahead brand me, I’m a loud and proud stage fiancee. hehe.
Save the Date
Posted by: venzandanz on: July 19, 2008
- In: Preps
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I was inspired by other brides who have the talent to do the artsy wedding stuff themselves. Admittedly, I’m not as talented and the only wedding thing I do myself is to balance the checkbook (ha! not artsy at all!), everything is outsourced which is kinda hurting our pockets as of the moment (plus the ouch-y impact of my bum lifestyle). So in an effort to save more shopping money, I attempted the impossible, and surprisingly I think I outdid myself!
Here’s our Save the Date cards, I’ll have them digitally printed in heavy card stock (I’ll use my past corporate connections for this one) plus I’m still game for more arts and crafts in making the envelopes. Here’s the first installment, I promise to post printed finish products, hopefully SOON
Wedding Bands
Posted by: venzandanz on: July 10, 2008
- In: Preps
- 2 Comments
I’m a self confessed jewelry monger! (who isn’t?) So even with so much time still in my hands, I’ve already managed to get hold of our wedding bands. We’ve had them since May coz I took advantage of our HK trip, jewelry there is miles cheaper than here in Manila, plus it even comes with a certification that makes shopping a lot safer. We didn’t have much of a choice in terms of design, we couldn’t do uniform bands since my size and venz’ are of the extremes (mine very small, his very big), besides its hard to achieve compromise in terms of our personal styles and of course everyday practicality. Venz is a golfer which means out under the sun, holding a steel shaft every tick tock of the clock, while I’m a working mall rat guilty of being caught in groceries, restos, nail spas and salons 90% of the time (well the other 10% is spent in the golf course and sleeping!). To cut the long story short he got what he wanted in his sporty style and convenience while I got something that suits my everyday retail adventures! Not uniform like most but it serves its purpose.
This is mine (obviously! bwaha) worn over my engagement ring. Looks kinda heavy I know but sooner or later I’ll wake up being an old lady and cutesy stuff won’t look nice anyway. It’s 18K white gold with diamonds with total weight of 1ct. (you wouldn’t believe how cheap I got this band for!)
Here’s venz’ (sorry pic blurred), he chose it and wonderfully, I like it, it’s a comfort fit, 18k white gold ring with one 0.1 ct. diamond (feng shui told him that he should have diamonds for luck!).
To all those planning to buy wedding bands in HK, I strongly suggest that you buy the rings earlier in your trip to allow for adjustments and engravings, we bought ours a day before we departed for Manila and time didn’t allow us to engrave anything in the rings. Also, if you want rings that are uniform and your sizes are like ours, I’d be the first to burst your bubble and tell you it’s impossible, they can resize but time time time would often be your enemy. On a financial standpoint, don’t be intimidated by the mandarin speaking sales agents who would often be more than willing to give you the real last price, but only if you ask for it, there’s always the trusty calculator where you can type in your tawad if your chinese language skills are non existent (like mine!). Last but more importantly, don’t force the issue of uniform rings, you are female and your fiance is male (at least in most cases!) mars and venus they say, hence don’t force your beloved to wear that intricate vintage inspired ring you’ve been eyeing for years. You’d see like to see him much happier with something that he’d be proud and happy to wear not just during the big day but also in the many years to come.
Invitation Ideas
Posted by: venzandanz on: July 8, 2008
We’re finally done with the design and layout of our invites! As with other wedding details, Venz and I made sure that our personalities are equally reflected even we are leaning towards the vintage / art deco theme.
Here’s the main invite
It will be printed in 350 gsm ecru cotton stock, thermograved in black ink and the icons on top will be both embossed and thermograved.
Here are the possible envelope liners, please don’t mind the colors for these are just pegs. Just like the main invite, the envelope liners will be printed on ecru paper with black ink.
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
Your comments, suggestions and what-nots are anticipated! Thanks!
13 days and other updates
Posted by: venzandanz on: June 15, 2008
Pardon my unexcused absence from blogging, there were just too many things and issues that came up, I wouldn’t want to make this blog a litany of my agonies, anyhoo all is fine now, well except for the fact that venj is in the States for the US Open (told you he’s nuts for golf!) caddying for his closest golf buddy Temyong (guess who Temyong is, he’d kill me for publishing his nickname in the www, haha!) Thanks to skype and smart bro prepaid, I’m able to keep my sanity in tact.
So let’s get right down to business, my updates!! Venj celebrated his 25th birthday, early this month and he had 2 surprise parties, one was a mcdonalds kiddie party with the Elena kids and a dinner with his closest buddies.
The surprise doesn’t end there, who would’ve thought that Venj would fall trap to a bag, a signature bag, yes he succumbed! I got him a nice beige bag, his choice :
So there goes venjo’s birthday story!
Wedding updates: Mangored FINALLY (with emphasis on the word finally!) posted our prenup pics in their blog! This isn’t the typical prenup sessions that couples do, Venj and I decided to make it different so as to make the surroundings, our attires and just our mere presence reflect our personalities and whats to come. Here are my favorite shots:
Venz and Anz by the bridge
My venjo doing the thing he loves most
The golfer and the muse
Self Portrait
