Faith in Humanity Restored!

Here's a story that will truly make your day!

So, the boyfriend Buji is in California, right? One day, I receive an email in our work account with the subject "lost wallet". At first I dismissed it since I didnt know the sender, thinking it was one of those email scams asking for money. Then my email window showed a preview of the message and i saw Buji's name in the letter. So I opened the email.

It read,

"I found a wallet for Gian Carlo B Libarnes outside a goodwill on Saratoga. This is the only contact info I could find in the wallet so let me know if you have his phone number. My number is 4----99--0. It has $283 in it and as I am homeless I would like to use some to buy gas and cigarettes, hope that is ok."

So I immediately called Buji to ask him if he did lose his wallet. He actually didn't realize It wasn't in his pocket anymore and was thankful that the guy who found it was a kind hearted soul. Imagine? A homeless guy not taking that cash?! Hey, 283 dollars is a lot of money! Anyway, Buji did call the guy and everything worked out. He got his tank full of gas, a pack of smokes, and Buji threw in a box of polvoron for good measure. Hahaha such a noyps.

Awesome, right? Right?!?! But wait there's more. 

Two days later, I again receive an email from him and it read,

"Glad it worked out! Sorry I took some cash, I was totally stranded! 

I'll pay you back once I get a job :) Cheers"

YOU. ARE. AN ANGEL. Of course Buji told him to not worry about it, and the world needs more people like him.

I literally had tears in my eyes. #truestory

PS. In case your all "If he's homeless how could he have sent an email?", some friend from California said they've seen homeless people with Macbooks and phones and all. They hang out in the library for free wifi (and books).

PPS. So what if all he wanted were some smokes and some gas?

Here are the screen caps of his email from my phone.

Surf Kalikasan

If you're a surfer, you know this problem... you're at the mercy of mother nature. Both in the sense that She may give you massive waves or teeny tiny ripples. This is what happened to us last July 20-21 in La Union. The Manila Surfers' Association together with Maui & Sons organized a southswell surf comp. But, again, if you're a surfer from the Philippines, you know how unpredictable south swells are in Luzon.

True enough, the surf forecast said we would be getting 4-5 foot swells that weekend, so therefore MSA said the contest is a go! But wait! when we got to La Union... It. Was. (almost) Flat. Horror.

But being true blue troopers, the MSA crew made the most out of what waves God gave us and we all had a pretty good time. :)

see? TINY.

(photo from My Life on Board)

with the shortboard invitational finalist Thereze Lumdang & Champ Tin-tastic!! 

And thanks to my ever trusty LOG, i was able to catch some good ones during that almost flat spell... i got a new board! Thanks MSA & Maui!

For more photos, check these links out!

Manila Surfers' Association - Maui & Sons Surf Kalikasan Project 2013

My Life on Board - SurfKalikasan Competition

Sports Unlimited - SurfKalikasan 2013

visitors

A gloomy day at the construction site made brighter by these two little cuties! They made me miss my Skip! Maybe next time I'll bring my dog to keep me company at work...

Terimah Kasi!

Went on a surf trip with my best buddies last week and we spent 8 days in beautiful Bali. We stayed in the quiet town of Canggu, rode around town in our rented scooters, surfed, surfed with our idols (kassia, dane peterson, etc, etc), had nasi goreng, watched and experienced the Deus surf event, oggled the surf stars of the said event, shopped, had bintang, and laughed, laughed, laughed.

This trip couldn't have been better except if we had 8 days more. :) Here are photos from my instagram feed, but these don't even describe half of the fun we had. 

Terimah Kassi Indonesia! See you next year! :)

{all photos from my instagram feed: @nikkidelapaz)

inspirations

As 2012 ended, I looked back on that year and was quite thankful for the travel and adventure it gave me. And I dared 2013 to do the same.

So far not much has happened on the travel department but I was blessed with not only a lot of work but also with the opportunity to be able to surf with two of my ultimate surf idols within the last 2 months -- Belinda Baggs and Kassia Meador.

So thanks 2013! So far you've proven awesome. :)

with Bindy in Baler, Philippines

with Kassia in Bali, Indonesia

chillin' like villains

after a college-like hell week full of submissions and deadlines, errands and more errands, I flew to Cebu for some r & r with the family (missing one brother though!). It is always a fun time when I'm with these crazy cats, from road trips to swimming in the ocean, to swimming in the hotel sheets, to drinking mochaccinos from plastic cups (reused of course), to lunch buffets, to DESSERT BUFFETS, ordering sisig pizza, fighting over the hotel room temperature from normal to antarctica, and to 5 days of waking up with a beautiful view of Cebu City.

What a perfect pre-Bali holiday! Now I will start packing and bubble wrapping my board, for tomorrow, I'm heading to Canggu. 

#thatbalerweekend

photos from that baler weekend where we surfed with the most graceful lady slider i have ever seen - bindy.

(photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

jeff g (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

my buj (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

bindy (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

(photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

(photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

waveless

Born with naturally curly (sometimes wavy, sometimes frizzy) hair, and not really being anal about hair care, rare are the times that i take the time to straighten my locks. So it was quite a surprise that I got the urge to do it twice in a week! Headed to the salon last week for a wedding I attended and two days after, did it at home with my mom's help for a friend's baby shower.

I do love my curly locks, but what do you think about my waveless hair?

Zara shift dress, borrowed clutch, Steve Madden pumps

with the lovely Kim Jones

color coordinated with these lovely ladies 

Forever 21 shorts; Topshop camisole; Chloe Marcie mini shoulder bag; Payless ballet flats

#paosamwedding

photo from instagram.com/angelaamongstrangers 

Last week, I attended one of the most beautiful, grand, and fun wedding I've been to! They are truly one of the few couples I know that are made for each other. Congratulations guys and thank you for that awesome party!

The simple yet extremely cool wedding invites. The logo was designed by the bride.

How cool is this buttoniere? Took a snapshot of this one from the pocket of one of the groomsmen Jericho Rosales

photo from instagram.com/ritzmarie

the gorgeous bride onto her walk to her love

the amazing voice of mr RJ dela Fuente blew us away

father of the groom, the groom and Aj Rafael. Yep, we had some gooood music at the reception

awww. cute! {photo from instagram.com/kimcamjones}

Congrats & Best Wishes you two!! mwah!