The year 2017 was remarkable for me. It was the year I started to join groups in blogging which paved the way for me to meet new friends and be introduced to local brands in the community. It opened doors of opportunity for me and likewise deepened my perspective about this passion through exposure to several projects. To celebrate this milestone, I joined the annual Thanksgiving Party of United Bloggers Philippines last January 7, 2018, together with fellow bloggers.

A Gatsby Afternoon

The men donned their debonaire suits, while the women were clad in their sophisticated dresses — to conform to the Great Gatsby theme. This year’s theme complemented the black and white motif of Cafe Romulo and its classy furnishings. Almost everyone dressed well to bag the coveted title of Male and Female Best Dressed, but Maiko Dungo and Ann Purificacion stood out amongst the crowd.

Gratitude to our Sponsors

As social media influencers and brand ambassadors, we uphold the integrity of supporting brands whose products are noteworthy of sharing to the consumers. We are privileged to be partners of credible and promising brands that are not difficult to promote. Thanks to the following:  Adae’s Kitchen, Restaurant Depot, Shakesdown Street Cafeteria, Lola Deling’s Tradition, Eggshell, Herbalife, and Tanduay Ph. In return, we commit to delivering positive yet truthful experiential reviews to our readers.

Pickled Papaya or Atchara is a favorite partner in any dish. Not only it's a perfect side dish, it has also many nutritional benefits! Get one now from @loladeling2017! #UnitedBloggersPh2018 #loladelingstraditions

A post shared by Danica Airelle Marasigan (@thediamondintheroughblog) on Jan 4, 2018 at 7:39pm PST

Want to add extra flavor or texture to your usual meals? Spike up any food experience with @adaes_kitchen Krispy Garlik! As they would say, you can't go wrong with garlic! For me, I would love to sprinkle some to my Arrozcaldo, or any fried food! It goes well with anything, actually. They also have Chili Garlik for spicy food lovers. #adaeskitchen #krispygarlik

A post shared by Danica Airelle Marasigan (@thediamondintheroughblog) on Jan 4, 2018 at 7:30pm PST

Shakedown Street Cafeteria Was built primarily for BPO Employees. Craving for affordable comfort food late at night? Check out Shakedown Street Cafeteria! G/F Startek Building, Silver City 3, Frontera Drive, Pasig City Contact Number: 025340273; ‭+63 917 142 0273‬ Business Hours: Mon to Friday – 24 hours Saturday – 12:00am to 9:00pm* Sunday – 9:00am to 9:00pm Comfort Food #shakedownstcafeteria #UnitedBloggersPh2018

A post shared by Danica Airelle Marasigan (@thediamondintheroughblog) on Jan 4, 2018 at 7:20pm PST

Personally, I’ve tried the Lola Deling’s Atchara and Adae’s Kitchen Krispy Garlik. I’ll be creating another blog post to review these products, but as a summary, they are the ones I deem worthy of bringing to every household.

The Great Food and Service at Romulo

Kudos to the great service and food at Romulo Cafe! Their guest service was commendable and we were treated VIPs as we dine. I loved the Filipino food that they served: something common on the table but surely excellent in taste. I particularly loved their Sinigang. The tamarind soup was made out of fresh ingredients, not artificial ones. I will bring my family here next time when we have special occasions.

Personal Takeaways

I really had a good time. As a newbie, I observed, but I also mingled and enjoyed the experience. More than the freebies and incentives, it’s the new relationships you discover that make it all worth it. It’s the realization of your social responsibility as a blogger, that you are not writing alone for yourself — but to connect and to make an impact to the society. These values are cultivated by United Bloggers of the Philippines where we are all united for a purpose.

 

 

 

Thanks to Ms. Adae Ang, founder of UBP for organizing this event.