The Unveiling of the Yahoo! Philippines Purple Hunt Campaign

Yesterday, I blogged about how purple is coming our way. Today, my blog is about the event itself that I attended with fellow Purple Crew members. These are the very people whom I have been hanging out with since the campaign was borne. People who are really so fun to be with that I always look forward to bonding with them.

The event was slated at 6:30 PM. I left the office at 6:05 and arrived at the Ayala Museum at around 6:15. I registered myself then promptly located Ate Janette and Anne, who are both Purple Crew members (Anne and I are for Yahoo Answers while Ate Janette is for Yahoo Groups), in one of the cocktail tables. We were later joined by Kuya Jimmy who is the Purple Crew member that represents Flickr, also a Yahoo product. We spent the waiting time giggling while Ate Janette, the perennially online person, "twittered" about the event.

We were ushered inside the air-conditioned event venue (as earlier, we were just waiting outside) at around 06:40. Thank heavens as it was so humid outside.

the event was well-attended

Inside, there was a really cool board (shaped like a Y) that had information about the about-to-be-unveiled Purple Hunt Campaign. There's the Yahoo Answers Board (I forgot to take a photo of it, dang!), a Flickr Board, the Yahoo Philippines Board, our Profile Board and the Board that details the prizes at stake. Below are pictures of some of the boards I mentioned.

As people were going around the boards, I busied myself with looking at my surroundings (what can I say, I am observant by nature!). I was fascinated with the purple cocktail table centerpieces. Lovely!

The night's host was perky Patty Laurel who delivered her information-laden spiels about the Purple Hunt.

As it was a cocktail, drinks were of course present. I had fun with the Purple Sling, which I was told by Jeanne (of Yahoo), was specifically made for the said event. I think I had three shots of that yummy purple concoction.

Heavy canapes were then served. The dessert was yummy! Too bad I wasn't able to take photos of my food as I was starving I dug into my plate the moment I got back to our cocktail table. LOL.

I consider the unveiling of WeWillDoodle's work of art one of the most amazing occurrences of the night. From scratch, these talented artists managed to create something that conveys what the Filipino way of life is about. How cool is that.

The event ended at around 9:00 PM. We bid goodbye to Lynn who introduced us to Bennette, her boss (both are from Singapore and are looking after this whole Purple Crew campaign). Bennette took some pics of us. Afterwards, we hopped around the different boards and had our pictures taken by Kuya Jimmy.

And yup, for the first time, I am going to post a picture of myself in it (it's not a solo picture though). LOL. Below is a pic of me, Ate Janette and Anne. I call ourselves the "Las Niñas de Bungisngis" as when we are together, we always crack jokes, giggle and poke fun at each other. He he!


Maybe when I got permission from these lovely girls (and from Kuya Jimmy), I'll post more pics of us.

Stay tuned for more purple updates!

Purple is Coming Your Way!

Last night, Yahoo! Philippines officially unveiled the Purple Hunt at the Ayala Museum. It is a campaign that aims to empower Pinoy passions by encouraging the Filipino's creativity, innovativeness and drive to excel in whatever field they take interest in.

Purple is the New Black

Why the color purple? Because it is the color that best reflects one's individualism, the color that showcases one's spirited self. It is the catalyst that motivates a person to bask in her creativity and to take the road less traveled. It is also Yahoo's corporate color.

The Purple Hunt

It is Yahoo's version of a treasure hunt with a purple twist. Interesting insights about the web and the Philippines will be uncovered through the Yahoo! Purple Hunt micro-site. Participants will be asked to solve online clues and find items located around Metro Manila.

Log on to the Yahoo! Philippines' front page (http://www.yahoo.ph/) and click on the Purple Hunt to join. The fun begins on June 02, 2009 and culminates on July 25, 2009.

The Prizes at Stake

Up for grabs are Purple Krispy Kreme doughnuts and other Yahoo! prizes like Canon digital cameras, Blackberry mobile phones specially designed by Pinoy artists, Apple iTouch, Apple Macbook Air, Bose iPod Dock and Sony Play Station 3.

For the grand prize, one lucky purple hunter will drive away with a one-of-a-kind Honda Jazz car sporting purple artwork created by WeWillDoodle.

Personally, I am salivating over the "purplized" Apple Macbook Air and the Blackberry Storm. Wouldn't you want them for yourselves?

For purple updates, please check the official Yahoo! Philippines front page and stay tuned to this blog.

Happy Hunting!

Botanical Garden

After our tour of Wright Park, my friend was stumped on where else to go. The night before, I declined her offer to climb up the hundred stairs of the Grotto of Lourdes as my feet were aching and I was just so tired. As she was enumerating more places to go to like the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), the religious sisters' place where I could buy the best jams etc, I shook my head on each option as they held little appeal to me. When she mentioned the Botanical Garden, my eyes lit up and I eagerly said yes.

I love gardens and flowers, as mentioned before in my previous post about wanting a garden. There's something eye-catching in their vibrant colors, something that manages to elicit serenity every time I gaze at them.

In the entrance of the Botanical Garden were locals in their finery. Tourists who wanted to have their picture taken with them had to pay them though and I refused to do it as in a way, I felt as if I were exploiting them. I mean, why would I allow myself to be part of it when I knew that they were only donning their costume and dancing their native dance in exchange for money? That's commercializing their heritage!

Thus I just took a photo of this, which was in their entrance. I had to wait for like 15 minutes though as their were just a lot of tourists!

Inside, I was greeted with this walkway. Isn't it lovely?

There weren't a lot of flowers though and my friend says I should visit it during the summer, when almost all flowers are abloom.

There's a replica of their native house too and statues.

On one end of the garden is a field of Bandera Española in a color so rare as I only see these in yellow or red. This one is pinkish in color. What a bevy of beauties!

Too bad that when I visited the place, the flowers weren't all in bloom. Maybe I'll drop by there during the summer season so I can see them in all their magnificence. Hopefully this happens next year.

Animal Cruelty

While I was sitting in the steps of a shed in Wright Park, I saw children enjoying themselves while horseback-riding. Parents and horse handlers cheered them on. I was happy for these kids but felt sad for the horses. Not only did they appear thin and poorly fed. Some had their forelocks painted pink!

Maybe the handlers wanted these horses to look like Starlite and Sunriser, the horses in the kiddie show, Rainbow Brite, so they can be more appealing to children but I must say it made the horses look ridiculous!

I love animals. When I was a child, my mom would watch me like a hawk each time I came home from playing because I almost always had an animal with me. It may be a friend's dog or cat that I'd love to play with or some stray that I brought home to feed.

I remember that when I was 10, I saw some kittens crying in one of the bushes at school. On the street was their dead mom that got hit by a tricyle. Worried that they would not be able to fend for themselves, I brought them home, hid them in our backyard, made a makeshift "house" for them and secretly brought them food thrice a day (think of the movie Beethoven, except that these were kittens, not a dog). And since the kittens were too young, I remember trying to bottle-feed them with my baby brother's milk bottle but since they could not suck yet, I had to find a way to feed them. In the end, I had to dip my pinkie finger in milk then painstakingly put it in the kittens' mouths. When mom found out, they were already 2 months old and were eating solid food. LOL.

I love animals. Thus it angers me to see what they did to those hapless horses!

Wright Park

The Wright Park in Baguio is located just across The Mansion, which features a long rectangular man-made pool of water as pictured above. It is also known as a "Pool of Pines" and named after architect Luke Edward Wright who was appointed Vice-Governor of the Philippines in 1901 and later, in 1904, became its Governor General.

When I was there, there were a lot of tourists and locals who were selling souvenirs and Baguio products like strawberries.

There's this shed too where I spent some time resting as I got tired of walking.

The Mansion

After our sightseeing at Mine’s View Park, we proceeded to The Mansion. The Mansion is the official residence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines whenever s/he is in Baguio. It was built in 1908 and named after the New England summer cottage of Governor General William Cameron Forbes during whose administration the original Mansion House was built.

The place was imposing on the outside that I could only imagine how grandiose it must be inside. Visitors here are not allowed to go beyond the gardens and there are guards who will make sure that this restriction is met.

These wrought-iron gates are quite famous and I must admit that they are rather impressive. It is said to be a replica of one of the main gates of London's Buckingham Palace.


Since I went there during the Christmas season, there were Christmas decors like this Santa hanging by a tree as well as life-sized statues that made up the nativity scene.

The garden was also very well-maintained. And I just love this picture I took. The flowers are just lovely!

Mine's View Park

Now this is the place that I often see in movies and pictures that I so looked forward to seeing it. Then I discovered that it's too tourist-y and a tad overrated.

There’s this pretty “lobby” (I don’t know what to call it as it’s in the entrance of the place so I will just call it the “lobby” as hotel entrances are called) where one could even put on a traditional costume and have his pictures taken. I donned the headgear and held the wooden staff and got my picture taken but as I always say, I won’t be posting any personal pictures here. He he! After the picture-taking, the guest would then have to give a “donation.”

This life-size wood carving also caught my attention. Nice.

The park was teeming with tourists that taking pictures was kind of annoying as before I had a certain spot to myself, I had to wait eons.

In the view deck, there’s the view of the mountains. And rows and rows of colorful houses, some with rusty rooftops that destroyed what could have been a breathtaking view of a vast expanse of greenery. Too bad. My friend said the place used to be really very pretty but when people came flocking to Baguio in droves, the place became crowded and densely populated.

My favorite shot is of this pine tree. I just love how the dark green of its leaves beautifully complemented the blue skies.

Cafe by the Ruins

After having some hot chocolate at Arko ni Apo, we had dinner at Cafe by the Ruins. The place was quite popular among locals and tourists, so my Baguio-based friend told me. I surmised as much as when we arrived and it was still early for dinner then, the place was almost full.

The ambiance was pretty. Artworks decorated the walls and the tables, chairs and placemats were all locally made but I was so concerned with my grumbling stomach that I did not take the opportunity to take many pictures of the place.

Their breads were one of the best I ever had. And it was most unique too as I never had camote bread in my entire life! I mean, I know camote can be made into camote cue and chips and is an ingredient in ginataan, which happens to be one of my Favorite Filipino snacks, but I did not know that it can be made into bread.

I was starving that night I ordered a sandwich and pasta. They were really good. Below are their pictures though the latter was taken rather too brightly as my camera then was new and I was yet to master it (I literally just point and shoot at my subject without any care at all to its functions).

The Ruins is located in 23 Chuntug Street, Baguio City. You may contact them through telephone numbers (074) 442-4010 and (074) 446-4010. Their fax number is (074) 442-5272.