An Adventure to Remember: Baby Company Grand Baby Fair Year 5

Feeling the bliss and the blessing of being the emcee for the third consecutive year now, here's my look back at the 3rd and most successful day of the Baby Company Grand Baby Fair, the most anticipated event for parents and the little ones! I just have to share my outfits for the three daze, I mean days of this memorable safari adventure: 

Which outfit did you like best? I loved them all and had fun dressing up as I think they all exuded something different for each day. Day 1 was playful - like a kitty cat. Day 2 was more serious (black or white, no grey areas) as we talked about major issues such as health and safety. But my frilly skirt still spelled fun, it can't all be serious talk. As for Day 3, I think it was more corporate but still adventurous, as we spoke about global trends ushered in by some of our favorite brands. More serious talk from professionals, but with my bright red shoes (a major contrast to my safari dress), I felt that I was still RED-y to have fun with all of our Parenting jungle friends who came swinging by the for the last shopping hurrah.

I enjoyed every single bit of being here - from hosting to dressing up in my safari-wildest fashion ideas! And below, here I am with the beautiful celebrity mum, Ms. Karel Marquez who took over some of the hosting duties in unveiling the big Star Baby winner! Isn't Baby Skyler the cutest? A well deserved win indeed!

Much love to my family over at Baby Company, headed by Ms. Tess Ponce one of the directors / owners of the brand. Thank you Ms. Tess for the exciting three years and looking forward to the following years! Below is a snap of Ms. Ponce and I:

And of course I did my rounds of shopping after! So here are the brands that I bet on. Hands down the big winners and the best brands for this three day adventure, the big names that my son and I just love, even if he's already 5 years old already: 

Giant Carrier. During the program I had a very lovely chat with the Giant Carrier guys, led my Mr. Fernando Pahati who shared not only timely insights about their business, but also the direction they are taking. And boy do they have big plans for us! I laud Giant Carrier especially Mr. Charlie Ching and his handsome sons Lincoln and Lester Ching for the exceptional steps they are taking for this business, which is not just an enterprise but an advocacy we Filipinos can all be proud of. Indeed, this company is all about GRIT.

Global - so much pride exuded when I listened to the directions of CLC Giant Carrier as a company. More than just contributing to employment and uplifting lives of Filipinos in more than one way, Giant Carrier is definitely a Filipino brand that can compete with imported brands! 

Responsive - they know exactly what the discerning market needs, and respond to this before you can say "Giant Carrier." Churning out very practical features, they have become the perfect partners of parents. Exceptional products at unbelievably low prices!  

Innovative - I was just blown away at the nice new designs of Giant Carrier, from their smart strollers that can make any new mom feel fashionable and sexy, to their awe-inspiring cots, pens, child seat/ carrier systems and more. It is a wonderland at the Giant Carrier booth with durable design features coupled with savvy, world-class print and styles. 

Trustworthy - indeed, they have been around and they continue to improve their product and services to deliver what's best for you and the ones who matter most - your little ones. Indeed Giant Carrier is someone you can trust!  

I had to share that Giant Carrier is not just the Benz of the stroller and child carrier systems industry. It is the Rolls Royce. So better put your baby in nothing less than Giant Carrier - the Rolls Royce of strollers, pens and more! 

Philips AVENT. I never get tired of saying this - I am forever thankful to Philips AVENT, for giving my son the best start in life. And to this day I am so delighted to work with them for Parenting events, as I continue to learn about more amazing things as my son grows. I have also made good friends, like my BFF Chef Dang Adrias, celebrity chef and supermom, who is also the official Chef of Avent and their sister company, Chefs Classics. Here I am below for the segment of Philips AVENT during Day 3, with the beautiful actress and blooming preggy mom, Ms. Ciara Sotto! 

Fisher Price. I have been hosting for Fisher Price for a long time now, and I got to meet Ms. Carrie Lupoli, and amazing Child Expert based in Singapore. Fisher Price is all about age-appropriate learning and I absolutely love how amazing their toy designs are - because these were all designed with love and with science! Yes, through in-depth child psychology studies and research, they are able to churn out only the best toys that stimulate baby's growth and development. They pattern each design based on the specific stage of development in a child's life. Congratulations Mattel, Richprime and Fisher Price for being one of the best names in play and development... and for winning one of the coveted Best Booth awards too! Below: Going bananas with the hard-working and fun-loving FP team!

Loved the cool, supportive crowd in this year's Jungle, as always! 

Thank you so much to everyone who dropped by. Hope to see you all again next year, and also in the mini events by Baby Company. I am so excited and looking forward to what next year's theme will be. Are you? 

PS: Photo below shows Star Baby Skyler lounged on his safari-themed Fisher Price wheels and toys: 

- Marylaine Louise L. Viernes 

Earning my (Zebra) Stripes at Day 2 of Baby Company Grand Baby Fair Year 5

It can't get any Stripe-tacular than this - I reported to my hosting duties for the second day of the Baby Company Grand Baby Fair Year 5, in a zebra-inspired ensemble and this proved a perfect fit for the exhilarating second day! Not only did I have my safari fashion thing going on, but even the stage backdrop (I swear I didn't talk to the production design team on this) had a mobile zebra to the delight of the kids and kids at heart, including myself! 

Above: Suited in Stripes like my Zebra friend onstage. Below: I am safari delighted to pose with the sweet Truman the Rabbit of Philips AVENT and cutie blue Bibi Bear of Bibibons! 

But of course more than just doing what I love most - hosting events, and coming for it being dressed to thrill, it was another fun an learning-filled day! More people came to join the Safarty (Safari Party), and we gave away tons of prizes and smiles! Here I was below, with fab safari mommy and celebrity, Rica Peralejo, as she talks about the benefits of having the Baby Company Mom Card! 

A fab family affair it indeed was. Moms and dads enjoyed, while the babies and kids were amused too! Here is Baby Skipper of Giant Carrier below, keeping me company. As usual, we had tons of games and stripe-tacular prizes given out thanks to our friends. Please visit my blog again soon, as I will share more about Giant Carrier on my Day 3 post! 

And I could not resist having a photo taken beside this fab zebra (my fashion twin for the day) and... Alonzo Muhlach! Yes this little superstar was present today! He surely had so many fans swooning over him! 

So this leads me to wondering, are zebras black with white stripes or is their skin white with black stripes? Scientists say it's black with white stripes. But then, isn't it amazing to wonder? Below is a fun, quirky poem by Shel Silverstein to help you ponder... 

I asked the zebra: "Are you black with white stripes, or white with black stripes?" And the zebra asked me, "are you good with bad habits, or bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times, or are you quiet with noise times? Are you happy with some sad days, or are you sad with some happy days? Are you neat with some sloppy ways or are you sloppy with some neat ways?" And on and on and on he went. I will never ask a zebra about stripes again.

- Marylaine Louise L. Viernes 

Hop aboard Baby Company's Grand 2015 Safari Adventure!

Tremendously blessed am I indeed to be hosting again for Baby Company's Grand Baby Fair, now on its 5th year, and with a spanking, stripe-tacular new Safari theme! Yes it was one unforgettable, fang-tastic jungle weekend for me as I hopped aboard the very busy BC train into the jungle known as "parenting" where I got to meet new species of "parents" and "moms" all sharing the same excitement and confusion that all new and longtime parents feel - because everyday is an adventure when you are a parent and that's why we are thankful for the likes of Baby Company for guiding us in this vast and scary jungle that can leave new (and experienced) parents Catatonic... like me below, looking all CAT-atonic!

Meow or Me-Wow? (My version of Fab or Drab? Hope you like my Day 1 outfit. Was it a Fine Feline Fashion Wonder, or a CAT-astrophic Fashion Blunder).

Above shows me-owt and about playing games with the fun gang of parents and grandparents who joined the adventure! It was one long, exhilarating 3-day train ride, so let me take you to the highlights first of the fang-tastic first day of the much-anticipated Baby Company Grand Baby Fair - Year 5! We had our fun rounds of games and superb expert talks - but the best part? SHOPPING! For Day 1, below are my treasured brands: 

The best is never too FAR... thanks to FARLIN! Many families really got the best buys and deals that day, thanks to FARLIN! Above are my favorite unscented wipes, but for the more adventurous thrill-seeking moms and dads, they also have one in blue - their fresh powder scent variant! All the explorers such as myself even got to take home FARLIN Baby Buds, the perfect pal whether you have a newborn, or you have an active pre-schooler like me! (But I bet moms like me, not just our kids are huge fans of these wipes and gentle buds too!)

I definitely love FARLIN products - so affordable but world class indeed! you don't have to look FAR and wide, or FARLIN's got it all!  Plus what I loved about the FARLIN booth apart from awesome products at big discounts and the freebies, were their activities! There was a coloring station for kids while parents shopped, plus a photo booth! More growl-icious and stripe-tacular SA-FARLIN pics coming in my blog soon! 

After FARLIN, let us now forget our longtime friends over at the PHILIPS AVENT booth. Here I was above when I dropped by the AVENT booth with friends-slash-bosses Ms. Jenny Gingco (and her adorable son), marketing extraordinaire of LJS, distributor of Philips AVENT and Ms. Jeryl Sy, daughter of the owners of LJS Philippines. And we mustn't forget the adorable Truman the Rabbit - official mascot of AVENT!

They have all the top-quality products for moms and babies,guaranteed to give your babies the best start in life! They gave my son truly the best and I will never forget the generosity of Philips AVENT - such a big support for a young mom like me.  My son has definitely enjoyed the best first few years of life thanks to this well-loved and 'til now, he is so proud to be an AVENT boy! Below are faves for the day: teats for his Classic, Comfort and Standard bottles! 

Just please don't tell my son I shared to the world that he is still soothed by his Philips AVENT bottle at night (and here's to hoping that while he reads so well, that he never gets to read this). I love how my son will always be an AVENT Child, and now he loves getting active too, with the help of FARLIN's exceptional products, especially the wipes which is a staple in his school bag and in my purse! Here is my son and his classmate and best buddy, Jared, whose backs I always have to wipe clean with FARLIN wipes... 

"They say that little boys are Superheroes in Disguise... and I totally agree. My son is definitely my hero. Such a small child, but such a Great Miracle. And as he grows in size, wit and will, I witness how my life's Miracle just grows larger and larger..." 

Thanks, Baby Company for trusting me with your annual event - a humbling experience where I trade my thoughts and hosting expertise for more parenting tips and wisdom. See you all for my Day 2 AVENT-ures!!! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes 

Elburg continues to sail toward Success!

Elburg Crew Management Philippines, with their vision "One Crew, One Horizon," proves once more that they are indeed number One in the Ship Manning industry! The same family behind the numinous Augustea Ship Manning Philippines Inc., Elburg has been sailing in this business much longer than Augustea and having founded by Capt. Nicolo Terrei and Mrs. Proserfina Terrei, they have gradually let their children take lead in this vast enterprise, as this is being led by the wise and strong-willed Ms. Richelle Labrusca Terrei, their eldest among the brood of 5 intelligent and kind children. 

 This year, the conference was held at the SMX and was attended by many of their distinguished partners from Italy, all respected men and women in the cast crewing and ship management sectors. Different salient and timely issues were discussed, and the most important ones being the Safety and Security standards that must be upheld at all times, because this just doesn't pertain to securing the business, the investment in procuring a vessel or a tanker ship, but it also means securing the lives of these seafarers. Business is built on the safety and welfare of these men on deck and that is why Elburg stresses the importance of ensuring safety on and off the ship. 

Various discussions on governmental policies, new trends, heightened training and educational implementation were also discussed, which really drove to the point that the ship crewing industry is getting larger than ever and most importantly, Elburg is here to stay. I am glad that many (I believe thousands attended the crew conference) and they all appreciate the care and development that Elburg - just like Augustea Ship Manning Phils) endows on them - just what they deserve being today's modern day heroes. See the very relevant talking points below, plus my photo with the beautiful Ms. Grace Labrusca during the fellowship party and entertainment; she may not be the Captain of this Ship (her sister Richelle leads Elburg, while she leads Augustea), but she still looked every inch a Star that night... 

Mabuhay ang ating manlalakbay-mandaragat, and ating mga bagong bayani. At mabuhay ang Elburg Crew Manning Philippines sa kanilang pagsuporta at pangangalaga sa ating mga Marino at sa kanilang pamilya! 

- Marylaine Viernes 

Smooth Sailing with Augustea Philippines' first-ever Crew Conference

I sailed through worlds when I got the honor of being the Master of Ceremony for Augustea Ship Manning Philippines' first Crew Conference. It was an empowering and unforgettable 2-day Conference and I am thankful to be part of it. First stop: I reveled through the high seas of business wisdom and immersed myself in the vast "Inform-Ocean" from listening to the esteemed speakers. I learned so much about the Maritime industry, especially in this country. 

Second was that I had learned how this well-respected industry has made heroes out of ordinary men. Sailors or "Marinos" grow with the trade, leaving home and comfort behind, weathering the rough seas all to give their families a bright future. And what's most important is how they literally keep the economy floating and sailing in the right direction, as Seafarers are among the largest remittance contributors among the overseas Filipino Workers, contributing much in volume and value.

And lastly, this meaningful journey ended in knowing the wonderful Terrei Family, led by Captain Nicolo Terrei and his wife, business ingenue, Ms. Proserfina Terrei. I am so glad to know them and most especially their beautiful daughter, President of Augustea Ship Manning Phils Inc., Ms. Grace Labrusca Terrei, who has trusted me to host this phenomenal, eye-opening activity. I met other members of the Terrei family too and they were all genuinely kind and brilliant! To summarize, Day 1 was all about the company (relatively new, being only 1 year in Operation), the plans and the policies of the trade, and Day 2 was more on the needs of the Seafarers signed with Augustea, and a peek into the many amazing plans Augustea Philippines has in store for all of them. Talk about motivation! 

After the two amazing days of relevant talks, we capped it with a night of fellowship, song, dance and wine. And I am just astounded at how disciplined these seamen are! From the cadets to the captains, they were all very polite and pleasant! It was a fun time and I felt safe even if those gentlemen knew how to own the night and seize the dance floor! They all deserve the good life they are now happily sailing to... Congratulations to the Seafarers and to Augustea Ship Management Inc! More success to come to you all! 

Mabuhay ang Augustea Ship Manning Phils.! Mabuhay ang mga Bayaning Marino! (Long-live Augustea, and our modern-day heroes, the Filipino Seafarers! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes 

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Proud to B a Barbie Girl!

We love Barbie! Such is the battle cry when I lead my legions of pretty little princesses in Pink, all loving and looking like Barbie! I can definitely say that I have grown up with Barbie, as the little Barbie girl in me will never outgrow her pretty fab pinkness, and the idea that we can B anything we dream to be (in my case, I continue to discover that this is true!) 

Here's my look back to the recent fabulous holidays I've spent with Barbie - the memories of fun and her endless Barbie jingles still ringing in my head today! All of these fun times are best described with my favorite letter, B! Brilliant... Bedazzling... Beautiful... Breathtaking... Bright... Bravery... Bliss... Bountiful... Blessed...  

First was the launch of Barbie Dolls of the World where we had a fabulous Meet & Greet session at the SM Mall of Asia, with beautiful Barbie dolls on display, and Barbie Philippines came to life as we played a ton of Pink-tastic games and danced ballet! The MOA crowd... 

A week after, we celebrated the Magic of Barbie at the SM North EDSA featuring Barbie The Secret Door where we had a fun and delectable cooking workshop with the beautiful Chef Sabrina Artadi, plus singing and modeling activities too with Center for Pop. We also awarded the Barbie collectors for sharing their awe-inspiring Barbie doll collections and their love to everyone during the holiday season! 

Much love to my Richprime family who has let me live out the child IN me, whose spirit grows braver through the years... for letting me "B" who I really am (sometimes a mermaid, a selkie but often a fairy... sometimes even a mummy!) Love 'em all plus Richprime's Mia and Gilbert...

Summertime and Halloween when I get to become a Fabulous Ghoul with my Monster High gals and of course, almost all year round I get to be Ate Barbie! What a Magical year it has been and I am so thankful! Looking forward to a much brighter and more Pinktastic 2015! Where I have come to learn (like what Barbie says all the time) "Nothing is Impossible as long as you Believe." (Except having a Real Prince. So below shows me with my pretend Princes Charming, but just for that day only...) Here below we had a Prince Cosplayer during the Barbie Princess event (but the shoe didn't fit) plus my handsome peers from SM North EDSA, both Mall Managers) 

Remember that the Best is yet to come! This calls for a Barbie Self-We! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes 

A Wedding to Remember...

This December proved to be so fabulous as I had a week of hosting Weddings! And who said that February alone was the love month? Love is everywhere everytime! This time I got the honor of hosting the beautiful wedding of Chad and Che (last post I emceed the wedding of Jae and Jo, I guess to be married nowadays meant that you have to find a partner with a name that starts the same letter as yours huh?)

This breathtaking wedding with a lovely coral pink theme was attended by an intimate number of family all of whom witnessed the ten years of the couple through thick and thin. We had our usual program a bit of the games, a bit of trivia about the usual symbolic parts and a ton of well wishes and meaningful messages and prayers for the beautiful couple!

Thanks for trusting me with your beautiful December wedding and more blessings to come for you both! - Marylaine Viernes