Bianca Gonzalez launches Paano Ba To?!

Before she surprised us with her destination wedding, celebrity endorser, TV host, magazine editor, columnist, blogger, UN advocate and now, wife, Bianca Gonzalez, added book author to her resumé. I had the opportunity to meet the multi-hyphenated super girl when she recently launched her first book, "Paano Ba 'To? How to Survive Growing Up."

I have always admired how Bianca carried herself on TV and voiced out her opinions. I'm an avid reader of her blog too. This is why I didn't pass up the chance to meet her in person and get my hands on her book. (Thanks to Sky for the invite.) 

I rushed to National Bookstore in Glorietta and it looked like I wasn't the only one excited to meet her as the place was already jam-packed when I got there. Standing room only na lang. 

Bianca arrived dressed like her "doodle-self" on her book cover. 

Bianca said that writing a book was one of her dreams and dedicated this new accomplishment to her mommy Ofel. She talked about how she got the idea of writing the book when her young followers started asking for advice.

Bianca gives out advice based on her personal experiences in life, love, friendship, career, fashion and passion in this new book. Not claiming to know everything, Bianca had the help of experts and celebrity friends like, Anne Curtis, Luis Mazano, Atom Araullo and many more to share pieces of their mind as well. Girls in their tweens and teens may find this book very helpful for them while growing up in this crazy world of ours. I got two copies, one for me and the other for my little sister.

Bianca was so pretty up close and was very sweet when she signed the books.

I can't wait to give this book to my little sister when I see her.

Now you know what you're getting for Christmas, little sis. 

Paano Ba To? How to Survive Growing Up by Bianca Gonzalez is available at all National Bookstore nationwide.  

You can follow the super girl, Bianca Gonzalez on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

P.S. Congratulations on your wedding, B! (Yes! Feeling close na ako.) :)

Brick Adventure at Kinder Zoo Adventure Jungle

Kinder Zoo Adventure Jungle, the 2000-square meter zoo and private facility inside the Manila Zoo has just launched a new attraction last  November 30, 2014. 

Our family of three was there when they opened Brick Adventure. Here they showcased their collection of Lego animal sculptures. Some of them were huge, standing 4-6 feet tall. They sure were a sight to see.

They also had an area for kids to build their own Lego sculptures. Here's the little boy trying his hands on some of them colourful bricks. 

Of course aside from these, Kinder Zoo also has 58 different species of animals. They have seven Hyacinth macaws just like Blu from the movie Rio. 

You can not only look at the animals, you can also interact with them. Some birds are flying freely and a boar was also roaming around the place when we were there. 

The little boy enjoyed playing with Gabbie the baby gibbon.

We had a really great day! I think that this would be a great place to take any kid. 

For more information, you can find Kinder Zoo Adventure Jungle on Facebook and Twitter. 

Kinder Zoo Adventure Jungle is at Manila Zoo, Adriatico Street, Malate,Manila

Mom, Santa Claus isn't real

At this age, I can say that I’m still a kid at heart. I’m like a 10-year old trapped in a 20-something year old’s body. I still love all things magical and I still wish that fairytales can happen in real life. This is why I want to preserve Henry’s childhood as much as possible. I want him to believe in magical things, that the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy and Santa Claus are all true because they give him something to look forward to.

However, just last week, he went home from school and said to me, “Mom, Santa Claus isn’t real, my classmate said so.” He believed it which crushed my heart a little. I couldn’t convince him that Santa really do existed.

But one day, at the mall. This happened.

Yup, Santa was standing in a corner. Henry was like, “Mommy, he’s here. what is he doing here? He’s real after all.” And just like that, he believed again. Hopefully, he’ll do anything to stay on Santa’s nice list.

Does your child still believe in Santa Claus?

It takes GUTZ to be a Guttierez in Paradizoo Theme Farm in Mendez, Cavite and Residence Inn, Tagaytay under Zoomanity Group {Press Release}

It takes GUTZ to be a Guttierez is a Channel E exclusive about famous royal showbiz family in the Philippines. It's a reality tv series about the interesting and exciting life of the Gutierrez headed by Eddie Guttierez and Annabel Rama. 

On November 30, 2014 at 9PM, the show aired their experience when they went to Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite (Upper Tagaytay) and Residence Inn (Tagaytay proper), two of the famous theme parks under Zoomanity Group, the leading theme park management in the Philippines under Robert Laurel Yupangco of Yupangco Group of Companies. 

According to Leonardo Badon Jr. of Zoomanity Group, "Paradizoo Theme Farm was featured in "It takes GUTZ to be a Gutierrez", the Best Reality Show at the concluded PMPC Star Awards '2014. A paradise in the south, Paradizoo Theme Farm is a farm for romantic people. a place for family, barkadas, friends and those who loves nature. The Gutierrez family went there to explore and experience a different farm lifestyle." 

The episode revolves when  family is having a photo shoot.  The Gutz family gets prepped for a group photo shoot and after when they check the pictures they notice that their mother Annabelle is gaining weight. So, Ruffa suggested that they should hire a personal trainer to help their mother lose weight by working out. Perspiration for inspiration to remove the fat of course. In other words, with so many shots in between, they went to Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite, not only to have a clean and fresh air but for Annabel to have a chance to exercise in a different way, walking in the farm.  

Annabelle and Eddie bond with the grandkids, Richard with Sarah and Ruffa tried to milk the goats in the barn with the friendly and expert tour guide from Paradizoo. Super farm life only at Paradizoo. 

One activity too in Paradizoo or more like an advocacy is to give education. During the tour, they learn about the process of making honey and what happens when the honey bees mate. 

The handsome Richard and lovely Sarah got their time  alone time together. They ride the cable car at Residence Inn, Tagaytay as they talk about planning their wedding and other future plans. 

Paradizoo and Residence Inn are under Zoomanity Group. Paradizoo is a 12 hectares farm while Residence Inn is a 2 hectare theme park with hotel inside overlooking the majestic Taal volcano.

Event Alert! Cardinal Santos Medical Center's Lactation Fair: Providing Care Through Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond

Calling all mommies and moms-to-be! The month of August is also known as Breastfeeding Month. In line with this, Cardinal Santos Medical Center and its Breastfeeding and Perinatal Committee invite you to this year's Lactation Fair: Providing Care Through Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond on August 30, 2014 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Listen to an inspirational talk by Ms. Ina Raymundo and lectures about breastfeeding and pregnancy by our expert doctors.

Fun games, raffles, prizes, giveaways and food await. There will also be a Lactation massage demo.


This will be held at the Assembly Hall 1, Academic Wing, Medical Arts, Building, Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Registration starts at 8am.

REGISTRATION IS FREE!

For more information, check out the poster below.

You may also contact Dr. Julie Valencia or MS. Karen Monarbo of the Department of OB-GYN at 7275754 or 7270001 Local 3122 or Dr. Jodi Dizon of the Department of Pediatrics at 7270001 local 3116. 

Cardinal Santos Medical Center is located Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan City.

Budsies: Bringing your child's artwork to life

The little boy is becoming quite an artist. He's been bringing home artwork from school everyday. Imagine his excitement when he learned that he can bring his drawing to life as a stuffed toy through Budsies. They're an incredible company that brings children's artworks to life by transforming them into stuffed animals. When I told Henry about this, he decided to go with this drawing. It 's a "Tiger Bear" according to him.

Henry's Budsies

Ordering your very own Budsies was such a breeze. You just send them a copy of the drawing and wait for your Budsies to arrive. Ours took about a couple of weeks.

The Budsies was impressive. It was very close to Henry's drawing. I expected it to be very small but it was enough to become a pillow. Henry's eyes lit up once he saw his drawing become a toy. They really put attention to details.

We decided to give it to his baby cousin, Eidan since we rarely get to see him. Just so he can have something to remember Henry by. After all, they are oceans away from each. And we're very glad to know that Eidan is loving Kuya Henry's gift to him.

Budsies is a great idea especially if you have a stack of drawings of your kids. Just ask them which ones are their favorites and give them life.

To know more about Budsies, you can visit their website or their Facebook page.

Our Mother's Day at Abe

Hey dear Mommies! How was your Mother's day celebration? I hope you had fun and spent it with your families.

I was lucky enough not to be on duty that Sunday. Thus, I got to spend Mother's Day with my Henry.

I received the sweetest letter that morning. 

The boys also treated me and the mother-in-law to a special late lunch/early dinner at Abe in the new Fashion Hall at SM Megamall. This restaurant is starting to become one of our favorites. Abe serves Filipino food, mostly Capampangan in origin. 

Good Housekeeping was there too. They gave complimentary fruit shakes to all the mothers that dined that day. 

Here's the MIL with her shake.

We had our usual order of Knockout Knuckles (Crispy pata), Kare-kare and Gising-gising. Each serving was good for 3-4 persons. 

They were all sooo delicious. Henry especially loved the crispy pata which went prefectly with the gising-gising. I'd have to say my favorite was the Kare-kare. 

Our family shared a very scrumptious meal but most of all we were just glad to have spent time with each other. 

The husband also treated me to some shopping, which made me extra happy. LOL. 

I hope you enjoyed Mother's day as much as I did. How did you spend your Mother's day? Please, do share. 

Moms be Proud: Shout You The Mom! {Press Release}

By the time a child reaches his second birthday, his mother would have changed his diaper 7,300 times. By his 18th birthday, she would have prepared for him 19,710 meals--and spent more than 100,000 hours to his care, granted that she gets to sleep eight hours every day that is, which is doubtful. Motherhood truly is an all-encompassing vocation, which can sometimes overwhelm mothers themselves.

But what makes moms so good at what they do is that they absolutely love what they’re doing. Caring for baby while running her home, making sure healthy meals are prepared at home, and all the children’s needs are met. They do the groceries, take the kids to the dentist, and oh, and in most households, moms hold 9 to 5 jobs or run successful businesses too!

Mommy Mundo Founder Janice Villanueva says, “We admire moms for their almost superhuman qualities, their powers in time management and multitasking alongside their ability to do anything and everything for their loved ones, and they all do these things wholeheartedly and passionately at that! And because most moms do all these tasks with grace and usually with flair even, we may sometimes forget to show her some appreciation and affirmation.

Even moms themselves sometimes don’t seem to recognize their own efforts. That’s because taking on numerous responsibilities and caring for those we love come natural to us. Still, we should take pride in who we are and the important roles we play not only in our own families, but also in our communities and country.

This Expo Mom 2014, we shout out YOU THE MOM! – this is a campaign to recognize the many big and small accomplishments of all moms. Through various planned activities online and at the Expo Mom event, we affirm and appreciate all the awesome things that moms do every single day, whether they’re taking care of their babies at home, doing volunteer work for a cause they believe in, or helping out a friend in need.

Now on its seventh year, Expo Mom is the biggest event of its kind, gathering progressive, active moms in an environment that’s both recreational and educational. Showcasing beloved mom brands alongside mom- created products, Expo Mom has drawn over 60,000 mom participants since 2008. It has become a venue for like-minded moms to establish lasting connections and has also become the catalyst for the mompreneur movement in Manila. This year’s Expo Mom will feature over 60 booths at the Glorietta 2 Activity Center, Palm Drive, Ayala Center. Expo Mom 2014 will also feature all-day talks, demos, and raffle draws.

Expo Mom’s You The Mom! campaign puts the spotlight on all the unbelievably good things that moms do by featuring 10 women whose stories represent every mom who has made a difference in her community,her family and in her child’s life.

Real portraits of these moms, as photographed by Cres Rodriguez-Yulo, will be showcased via in an online gallery, hoping to spur on a complimenting social media campaign encouraging everybody to take the time to post a #youthemom statement. Statements from moms can be a post on what they are most proud of as a mom. For non-moms, posts can be a shout out all the good things that your mom has done for you or recognize a mom friend who inspires you. By using the hashtag #youthemom and #expomommanila, posts will be tracked and 3 of its participants will get a chance to win sponsored shopping sprees at Expo Mom.

At Expo Mom, a “You The Mom!” signature wall will allow moms to write their statements on what they are most proud of as a mom. “You The Mom!” is a celebration of motherhood,” Janice says. “We want to give value to moms who make a difference in the lives of our families and influence the course of our country. If you know of such a mom, give her a hug today to show just how much you appreciate her. If you’re a mom yourself, go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back because you’re doing an awesome job! You The Mom!”

Entrance to Expo Mom 2014 will be a requested donation to MomShare’s literacy projects. One hundred percent of Expo Mom’s entrance fees will go to its partner beneficiary, Kinder Project, which aims to provide reading tools and training to public school teachers in Quezon City and Payatas.

Mommy Mundo Privilege Passport holders get in free and will bring home a You The Mom! Tote bag. To apply for a Passport, log on to www.mommymundo.com/passport.

For more information and event updates, visit www.expomom.com. Download coupons and the event map from the website and be prepared for a grand time. To be part of the You The Mom! Campaign, check out www.expomom.com/youthemom.

Follow Mommy Mundo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on events and activities for moms throughout the year.

KEY CONTACTS

Monica Santiago


09088657245

monica.creativejuice@gmail.com

Janice Villanueva

09189300313

Janice@mommymundo.com

Henry's Mom Reviews: Movie Stars Cafe plus Discount Code

Hey y'all! How's it been? Tomorrow is my first day at work and I'm so nervous about it. But before I go back to my toxic life, the boys and I together with my MIL decided to check out the Movie Stars Cafe near the Mall of Asia. (Thanks for the invite, Lani!)

Movie Stars Cafe is, as the name implies, a movie-themed cafe and restaurant. As soon as you get there, you will notice their trademark gorilla sculpture. Of course, the little kid and the mother-in-law couldn't wait to have their picture taken. 

Once inside we were blown away with the whole set-up. The Movie Stars Cafe has 4 huge screens and a hundred more small ones playing different movies simultaneously.

There were actors and actresses in different costumes who also served and entertained the customers.

For the food, you can choose from their menu or avail of their Dino buffet (P599). You can see their open kitchen from the buffet section. They had a huge selection of food which all looked delicious. You won't get lost finding the buffet because of the large T-rex head hanging above it.

Chef Albert with T-rex

We chose to order from their menu since we were on a "diet". Their meals were inspired by different movies. All their meals are good for 2-3 persons. It was really sulit. For starters, we had the seafood platter, Treasure Island. 

Treasure Island

Our main course were their bestsellers, The Notebook and the 18" El Supremo Pizza. 

18" El Supremo

The Notebook

While we ate, we enjoyed the live performances. Every 30 minutes, a different show goes on stage. This goes on from the moment they open until closing time. 

Xanadu

Iron Man

Magic Show

The Magic show was our favorite. They had a volunteer come up the stage and join them. 

Magic Show

We also had fun roaming around the place because of the sculptures. The MIL was so game to have her pics taken with them. 

My cool mother-in-law

This restaurant is very family-friendly with great food and entertainment. We had such a great time and the little boy cannot wait to go back

.

Aside from the regular menu and Dino Buffet, Movie Stars Cafe also offer a Midnight Buffet  (P599) from 12am to 2am. Party packages are also available.

Henry's Mom Blogs readers can enjoy a 10% discount at the Movie Stars Cafe by using this special code:

Save this coupon on your phone and use it every time you dine in at Movie Stars Cafe. Just mention this code to your server or show your coupon and they will automatically slash 10% off your bill.

You can visit Movie Stars Cafe at By the Bay, Seaside Blvd, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. For more information, you can also go to their Facebook page.