Balik Bukid Year 4

Inviting you all again to the BEST outdoor bazaar in the Philippines- Balik Bukid Year 4! Please bring your family and friends as this event is made for all ages to enjoy!

I will be manning my Crepes booth selling my ultimate dessert - Nutella fruits crepes and some other goodies for your tummies! 

The FLOW Shop will have a pop up booth selling our beach must-haves ad gift items for the Christmas season. We will be sharing booth space with dear friend, Marina Bulaong of Luntian Bags.

Get your babies, nephews, nieces and babies in utero all-natural bath and body products and more from the INDIGOBaby shop!

Celebrate summer all year long with awesome finds from Brown Belly by Noelle Hilario :)

And fill your spiritual tank with books from Kabbalah Philippines!



Look at the line up of activities!

As a mother, I love how the children can roam freely and enjoy the outdoors in their HUGE playgrounds truly meant to exercise their limbs, Waldorf-style :)

Kids Yoga too!

See you all this Sunday!

For more photos of previous Balik Bukid country fairs, please go to https://www.facebook.com/balikbukid

Healing Salves and Balms

One thing that I collect (more like hoard, really) other than organic lip balms are all-natural healing balms and salves. 

I've been using the INDIGOBaby Jar of Love peppermint balm for my son since he was a baby and for myself too whenever we catch a cold, fever, flu. I'm a huge fan of peppermint pure essential oil because it helps me breathe deeply (good for pranayama) and perks me up whenever I need an energy boost. So, the Jar of Love is definitely one of my essentials in my natural apothecary at home.

Ingredients: Peppermint Pure Essential Oil, Apricot Kernel, Jojoba Oil, Pure Beeswax, Vitamin E, Triple Distilled Water 1.0 oz

To Use: Rub onto temples, chest or back body.

P415 for 1.0 oz pot, available at www.indigobabyshop.com

Not too long ago, I blogged about the Merry Hempsters muscle rubs here which I use almost on a daily basis now for body soreness. I am certain all my other colleagues and students at Beyond Yoga and FLOW will follow suit. Really, what's not to love? They got me at hemp!

Made from hemp with other natural and organic ingredients.

Ranges from P400-P500 available at www.cutieverse.com or Beyond Yoga Bonifacio High Street branch

These assorted mini pots from Sani Bear are cute, affordable and so handy! Only 5 grams each, they are lightweight and so easy to slip into your purse for travels. These are ideal for gift stuffers! Of course, I am drawn to the Peppermint Balm which reminds me of Giga's No Pain Peppermint-Ginger massage balm.

Herbal Rub ingredients: Eucalyptus essential oil in a beeswax base
Peppermint Balm ingredients: Peppermint essential oil in beeswax
Citrus All Around Salve: Lemon essential oil in beeswax

Only P65 each available at www.cutieverse.com

A friend recently sent me different glass pots of salves from MJ's Herbals to try out.

I am pleased to know that these are certified organic and handmade with love by the creator, MJ herself, a botanist/herbalist/healer from Brooklyn. And to me, that single fact makes all the difference because I know she has infused her energy into these products.

MJ is hands on! Photo from MJ's Herbal facebook page

Lavender E Salve: Since my family trip to Australia many years ago (where I was introduced to the Lavender plant by my aunt who keeps it in her home), I've been hooked on Lavender- it's aroma and healing benefits for the skin and nerves are enough to put it on top of my must have list! Because fresh lavender is not available in our country, I'll do with natural products infused with it instead. MJ's Herbal Lavender E Salve is used for healing burns and relieving headaches, stress and anxiety (very important for days when you feel like you are burning out! I use this for my restorative yoga practice). It also helps heal cuts, scrapes, rashes, irritations and blemishes while Vitamin E aids in tissue repair and helps reduce scarring.

Ingredients: Lavender flowers, vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), Lavender essential oil in a base of olive oil and unrefined propolis beeswax.

To Use: Apply lavender E salve freely to affected area. For headaches, stress and anxiety massage into head and temples. 

Arnica is famous within the homeopathy circles. Santi's pediatrician, Dr. Cricket Palanca-Chen highly recommends Arnica in the home since children always get into mini accidents (eg. falling off the bed or bumping their head on counters). Arnica is considered a super herb for bruises, overworked, sore muscles, tendon injuries and sprains. MJ's Herbals Arnica Salve quickly brings relief, promotes circulation and hastens the disappearance of discoloration from bruising while the potent clove oil helps relieve pain. Good thing Santi is a gentle little one, or else I'd probably stock up on this! Best for me to keep this at the yoga studio for over exertion of muscles like during Beyond Sculpt by Pau or Flying Fitness class by Niknok!

To Use: Massage the salve gently into sore areas.  Caution: Do not use on broken skin.

Ingredients: Arnica Flowers and essential oil of clove in a base of olive oil and unrefined propolis beeswax.

Calendula or Marigold flowers is something I used to grow in Palawan. Just outside my kitchen window, we scattered dried buds to grow for bug repellent purposes. I knew that you could make a healing salve out of the flowers but just never had the chance to. MJ's Herbals Calendula Salve is an effective remedy for inflamed skin, slow healing wounds, dry skin, and irritations. Safe to use for pregnant mamas or baby skin care needs. I love it's versatility: gentle moisturizer for the face, lips, under eye area, nails, etc. They say that a small dab on cotton is a non irritating, soothing and safe eye makeup remover which moisturizes the delicate under eye area and eyelids. Will do this when I travel or I run out of VCO (virgin coconut oil)

Ingredients: Calendula Blossoms, vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) in a base of olive oil and unrefined propolis beeswax.

To Use: Apply calendula salve freely to affected area.

MJ’s Herbals First Aid Salve is a potent and powerful blend of antiseptic, antibacterial and wound healing herbs that help speed healing and prevent infection in cuts, scrapes, cuticles, cracked lips, cracked heels, blemishes and rashes, eczema and psoriasis. Been using this to combat all the bites I've been getting and yes, it seems to be working quite well!

Ingredients: Comfrey root, Oregon grape root, calendula blossoms, white oak bark, marshmallow root, vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) and tea tree oil in a base of olive oil and unrefined propolis beeswax.

Directions: Apply freely to affected area. Clean wound first if possible. Caution: not for deep or puncture wounds.

MJ's Herbals Salves are P650 and available at Beyond Yoga Bonifacio High Street. 

A Samba-Zumba Baby Shower Party!

My yummymummy soul sister and super Sambista, Denise is 8 months pregnant. What do awesome friends do at this time - throw her a SURPRISE baby shower!

Captured in FLOW Boracay by Maika

Artist extraordinaire, Noelle Hilario gave the idea of using Samba/Brazil colors for the theme of the party. I suggested that we do a Zumba party so that everyone can have fun while working a sweat (always a good thing!) with everyone.

So the fabulous plan was to invite Dee to a (fake) prenatal yoga class at Beyond Yoga. I even got another preggy mum to help me make her believe there really was a free trail session by a new foreign teacher that we are trying out (Thanks for playing along, Pam!)! Dee was so excited about the hoax, that I didn't have to worry until we were ALL running late. I had to let her know to come 30 minutes later than scheduled because the "fake prenatal yoga teacher" isn't ready yet.

This was the chaos minutes before Denise arrived! Crafternoon at Beyond Yoga studio!

I asked guests to bring their own vegetarian snack for the party. Noelle brought the Green Tea cake and cupcakes from Pipino, I brought my own green olive tapenade and cheese, Clarisse brought her own white bean dip and crackers, Devaki brought puto and Joyce brought donuts- this came in late so it isn't in the photo. (did you know Dunkin Donuts in Powerplant Mall does not use eggs...so it's actually vegetarian but not vegan since they use milk)

Look at the color coordinated Vegetarian spread: White, Yellow and Green Hues!

Yes, it was a success! Denise was genuinely surprised and fell for our plan :)

Happy Dee in Brasil color.

I have to thank the early birds...or at least those who came early enough for the SURPRISE!

Event styling by Noelle Hilario

Here we go! Zumba partttyyyyy time!

Florence Fling sponsored a prize for best Zumba dancer! Pau, our super fun Zumba-star teacher awarded Toni Bernardo for her groovy moves - she didn't miss a single beat!

Look at the stylish dress Toni won for herself (errr for her special someone?)

Visit Florence Fling at Crossings Shangri-la, Trinoma, Glorietta 

Zumba after glow with the whole group who came to celebrate Denise and her baby-in-tummy. We don't know the gender yet, that's another SURPRISE!!! :)

For Zumba or Yoga party inquiries at Beyond Yoga, please email inquire@igobeyondyoga.com and cc monica@igobeyondyoga.com. For event styling inquiries, you may contact Noelle Hilario at noellehilario@gmail.com Let's make your party, baby shower, wedding shower, any special event healthy and fun!