Isn't it so amazing when you try out something new and realize how much you actually love it? I recently discovered a newfound love for travelling. I think the first time I ever travelled by plane was back when I was 6 years old. It was a trip to a faraway location for one of papa's movies. It was probably "Mama's Boys" although I'm not so sure. Anyway, that trip was more of a work thing and the family just sort of tagged along since it was the perfect opportunity for all of us to relax and bond. We were never really the type of family that had annual trips abroad. The closest thing would have to be our trips to Baguio in the summer.

On my own, I started travelling for leisure when I was already in my 20's. But my first trip abroad was to Hong Kong when I was 15 and it was for work. It was one of my first big hosting gigs and I loved it! I was asked to cover the Disney on Ice event for a local TV show in Manila. I love being able to travel to different places for work but it was only when I met someone who loved travelling so much that I fell in love with it too.

The first time Chino and I "met" was in Boracay (the very first time we really met was when we were both still in college at Ateneo). He was there for just a while because right after that trip, he was going to Barcelona with his mom and sister. As a family, they love to travel a lot. His sister Monica is actually such an inspiration because she quit her day job to start her own travel agency now known as Bookie because her real passion in life is to explore the whole world! Awesome! It's quite evident that a passion for exploration is shared by these siblings. They are two of the most passionate and dedicated people I have ever met in my life and because of them, I have learned to love and appreciate travelling all the more.

So far, I've already been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Hawaii, Davao, Boracay, Palawan, Cebu  and so many other provinces in the Philippines. I'm so excited to go to so many more places! I'm not gonna lie. Turning 27 last November gave me a slight heart attack thinking how little time I have left before I turn 30. But since I've started looking at things from a different perspective, I actually see this as the perfect opportunity to travel more. I'm just so excited to make the most of the last years of my 20's. The world is such a marvellous place! All we need to do is open our eyes and see the beauty in everything that surrounds us. It's always just about perspective, really. My glass is always half full. :)

#MaxeneMillion (Final batch of winners)

For the #SmartUnli25 promo, the winners are:

1. @leemhaica - Mhaica Crdeña 2. @leahsheryl - Leah Manansala 3. @rsicad - Rica Sicad 4. @patrickstar88 - Jose Lorenzo 5. @TrendingKasi - Professor Gums

Thank you for your sweet messages! You each just won P1,000 worth of load c/o Smart! :D

For the final #MaxeneMillion question, “What is my favorite workout?” The answer is RUNNING! Here are the winners:

1. @holycruzANGELO - Angelo Banal 2. @alternickren24 - Ren Punongbayan 3. @nowienowie - Nowie 4. @rociaeil - 5. @trianmacasaet - Patricia Macasaet 6. @tiriritweets - Patricia 7. @nicolededios - Nicole de Dios 8. @honeyrush24 - 9. @jdr_dmci - 10. @ken_rhoel - Ken Rola

CONGRATULATIONS! You just won GC’s from Nike Forum! Enjoy working out in awesome Nike apparel! :)

To all the lucky winners, please send me your full name and address (together with your Twitter username so I won’t get confused) at this email address: info@maxene.ph :)

Thank you so much for joining #MaxeneMillion and for making me reach a million followers on Twitter! I am blessed! Love you all!

#MaxeneMillion (Fifth batch of winners)

For question number 8, "Sa Indio, ano ang nangyari kay Rosa sa araw ng kasal nila ni Simeon?" The answer is "Siya ay pinadukot ni Senyor Juancho at pinaslang." Congratulations to the following winners:

Congrats! You guys just won gift sets from Updated Trends!

But wait.. There's more:

Congrats! You have just won gift sets from FMCC, The One Core and The Francis Magalona Foundation!

To all the winners, email me your complete names and adresses to info@maxene.ph so that we could send you your prizes :) thanks!

#MaxeneMillion (Fourth batch of winners)

For the 6th question, "Ano ang pangalan ko sa palabas na "Trudis Liit" kasama si Jillian Ward?" the answer is MERCEDES "CHED" CRISTOBAL. The winners are:

Congratulations, you just won gift certificates from Sure Slim! Get ready to get fit! :)

For the 7th question, "Which is my favorite scent/flavor -- lavender, peppermint or strawberry?" the answer is PEPPERMINT. Here are the winners:

You guys are the lucky winners of gift certificates from Posh Nails good for a free foot spa! AWESOME! Enjoy! :)

Again, for all the #MaxeneMillion winners, please send me your complete name and address at info@maxene.ph so that we could get in touch with you for your prizes :) THANKS FOR JOINING! More questions and giveaways coming soon!

#MaxeneMillion (Third batch of winners)

For the 5th question, “Sa Indio, ano ang katumbas ng pagpayag ni Rosa sa pagpapakasal niya kay Simeon?” Ang tamang kasagutan ay, “Dapat na niyang iwan ang poder ni Senyor Juancho.” And the winners are:

CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS! You just won a brand new FMCC t-shirt! Please email me your complete name and address at info@maxene.ph :)

Dear Winners

Please wait for instructions on how to claim your prizes! I will announce it soon :) please be patient :)

Congratulations, once again! :)

#MaxeneMillion (Second batch of winners)

For the third question, "I did a commercial for a shampoo brand when I was 16. My line was 'Dati, takot ako sa ____ ________." The answer is "hair monsters." Congrats to the following winners:

You have just won a Quikstyle brush and a Quikstyle comb c/o Goody!

For the fourth question, "As kids, Saab and I loved ordering what flavor of pizza?" The answer is HAWAIIAN. And the winners are:

You each just won a pizza party c/o Greenwich pizza! ENJOY! :)

Looloo

My last two entries are from my Looloo app which is the coolest local iPhone app ever! It's designed to help users locate and discover different places in the Philippines. Plus, you get to see what other people think of those places!

Looloo users post reviews of the different places that they go to. It could be a hip new bar, a posh nail salon or a cozy restaurant that serves comfort food. You name it, Looloo's got it! All you have to do is search for "Looloo" in your app store and download it. Once you have the app, you just have to sign up with Looloo and you're only one step away from discovering great places in our beautiful country.

I love using Looloo especially when my friends and I find it so difficult to decide where to eat or go, most of the time. I quickly refer to Looloo for options. I was so surprised to see that it even generates directions going to whichever location is chosen. So awesome!

Download Looloo today :)

San Seh Noodle Haus - ★★★★★

One of my greatest addictions is my love for noodles. I am probably one of the biggest noodle fans in the world which is why finding San Seh was like hitting a gold mine. It's a very, very simple noodle house that serves delicious and not-so-simple Chinese hand-pulled noodles.

When I first tried one of their specialties, their braised beef dry noodles, I fell in love right away. Their noodles are made fresh and hand-pulled by their chefs. You can even watch them prepare your meals through a window! It's a fun way to wait for your food. That way, you won't get bored plus the anticipation of eating your noodles intensifies.

San Seh's dry noodles come with a small cup of soup. Every time I eat the noodles paired with their house broth, it always gives me that incredible burst of different flavors in my mouth -- it's spicy, just the right kind of salty and the beef is so tender. Plus, the noodles are consistently the right texture and taste. I even add a little more chili to my dish whenever I'm feeling adventurous!

The most amazing thing about this place is that their noodles don't cost more than P300! You'll get so full and satisfied without having to pay much! Awesome!

I highly recommend their dry noodles plus an order of any of their dimsum -- it's the perfect combo. Trust me.

Milky & Sunny - ★★★★★

My favorite meal of the day would have to be breakfast. So, when I found out about Milky & Sunny and how it serves breakfast food all day, I knew I had to go check it out.

This cute little place has walls that are painted aqua, white chairs and tables, beautiful picture frames and a menu that is sure to make your mouth water. Immediately, the name "bacon tostadas" caught my attention. Bacon has been a favorite of mine since I was little and I can never get enough of it! So, I ordered a plate of bacon tostadas along with other yummy dishes.

Everything was delicious. Nothing was a miss! Their bacon tostadas were so crisp! Plus, the veggies served with them are so fresh! It's a must-order. Also, I highly recommend their beef tapa and garlic rice, eggs benedict, hazelnut King Kong french toast, strawberry "Milky" shake, bacon and Spam pasta and banana Nutella pancakes (as shown in photo). I love how their presentation is done nicely to make their dishes a treat not only for our tummies but also for our eyes -- Just like their colorful banana Nutella pancakes! Their dishes look like plates of heaven and happiness.

As for their prices, it's not very expensive and the servings are quite generous so it's the perfect place to hang with friends or enjoy a hearty breakfast with someone special. Good morning!

#MaxeneMillion (First batch of winners)

Here are the Twitter names of the people I've chosen as my first batch of #MaxeneMillion winners:

For the question "What is my favorite color?", the answer is YELLOW. Here are the winners:

You guys just won Yellow Halo gift certificates! CONGRATS!

For the next question "Which cuisine do you think I would prefer, Chinese or Japanese?", the answer is JAPANESE. The winners are as follows:

Congratulations, you just won Yabu gift certificates!

To the winners who don't have their full names published here, please tweet me @maxenemagalona and I will edit this post to include your names! THANKS and HAPPY EATING!

This is what I look like NOW! Blogging with my hair tied back, wearing a black shirt, my glasses and chillin' with my friend Foxy Kitty! Kainis?

What do YOU look like when you blog?

#MaxeneMillion

As a thank you to my super awesome followers, here are the following prizes that I'll be giving away:

JOIN NOW! You have to be a resident of the Philippines and one of my followers on Twitter: @maxenemagalona :)

Maxene.PH

Hey guys!

Welcome to my official website! I initially wanted to get http://maxenemagalona.com but it's already been registered by http://godaddy.com. #weird

So, I'm left with http://maxene.ph which I think is much easier to remember. Plus, I love that it's ".ph" -- very patriotic. Everyone knows we take after our father when it comes to loving our country. Filipino pride, all the way! 

The reason why I decided to start my blog again is because just a few days ago, I noticed how close I was to a million followers on Twitter. And because I've always loved and adored my followers, I thought of a way to show them my appreciation. How else but through an online give away contest?? Yay! :)

As promised, my "sure-prizes" include gifts and give aways courtesy of Yellow Halo (my and Elmo's guilt-free restaurant), Yabu, Greenwich pizza, Posh Nails, FMCC, Goody and Smart! It's raining gifts online! Woohoo!

All you guys have to do to qualify is to FOLLOW ME on Twitter and answer a few questions via Twitter with the hashtag #MaxeneMillion! It's THAT simple!

I will be tweeting and blogging the other mechanics soon! Just stand by and spread the word.

Thank you once again for all the support and love! I couldn't be more blessed. I love you guys a million times! MWAH!

Gotta have a silhouette shot in Boracay! Haha :P

Marquis, Saab, Ana, Iya and Me. Boracay 2010!