There are good people here. I am no expert on happiness or loving where you live but I do try really hard. For me, my roots have been able to grow deeper because I finally have local Filipino friends and it is a very different experience. I am learning a bit more about the culture and can finally pick up on some Tagalog. I am a firm believer that you will always find what you are looking for and I have! Sometimes you have to look really hard but I believe you can find it. I have been fortunate enough to find friends, mothers and women who are like minded and congregate to eat, chat and enjoy one another's company at Mother's Who Brunch. Super women mom chefs Sabrina and Michelle have been putting together Mothers Who Brunch for over a year now. Their aim is to get moms and families in the kitchen together. I find this refreshing here in a culture where it can be easy to not step in a kitchen because we have house help. Mothers Who Brunch allows moms to commune together, watch how simple recipes can be and find ways to beautify or uplift our life. I can get behind this movement whole heartedly. I love being a mom and I love creating. The kitchen is such a great place to let that creativity flow but also engage our little ones (or big ones). I didn't grow up with fancy table settings but I did grow up always congregating as a family for dinner. When I think of my childhood I think of us gathered around as a family eating dinner. My dad often complained, my brothers usually farted or burped but by golly my mother made sure we sat as a family and had that time together. (I can say this because I am pretty sure there is not one person in my family who reads this blog! Ha, suckers!) I have adapted this principle and made it my own but I also really enjoy setting a table. I like beautifying the area in which we host, it makes me happy. So, I am always impressed to see such a beautiful table scape for us mothers. The focus this month was Healthy Mommas Retreat and as you can see, the decor and setting nailed it.Since this was a Healthy Mommas Retreat our lovely hosts had us gather and share a healthy tip with the group in the Bali inspired conference room at Cintai Corito's Garden.Kombucha is the hippest drink around these days primarily though because of it's super probiotic elements. The general manager of Cintai gave us a lovely introductory lesson on kombucha. Yes, I totally want to start brewing my own. I draw the line at chickens though, I will never raise my own chickens. Mark my words. We had demos of easy but healthy go to snacks and lunches. My main tip I took away, ladies put your blenders to work. I was lucky enough to win a new Severin blender this day. Woot woot! Alright, beauty products are not my realm, like at all and I have never written about them BUT the Beautique spider cleanser and sponge is the bomb! When I attend events brands and hosts are really good about having swag and I usually don't write or post about them unless I feel strong enough to endorse a product, the spider is a winner. It is an all natural face soap from Korea. The soap is in the dispenser with a micro fiber sponge on top. It does wonders for pores and dead skin. My skin feels clean and smooth after. Along the theme of healthy mommas we were uplifted by the sisters of Plump Pinay who discussed and shared insight about loving yourself and positive body image. They really are starting a revolution in this culture, I hope it keeps taking flight. They are all about body empowerment and speaking positively about your body and others. Let us not forgot about the best part: THE FOOD! Behold, the glorious healthy feast which I felt zero guilt about. Gimme gimme. 

As I mentioned previously, I have found good like minded friends here and I am so grateful. I am grateful to be here at this time and dig my roots a little deeper wether it be in motherhood, culture or health.

***As always there are gracious sponsors who help put these events together. Thank you to the following for allowing us to gather in such a wholesome way.

• Mothers Who Brunch

• Cintai Corito's Garden

• Braun

• Up&Up Beautique

• Severin

• The Super Food Grocer

• The Little Whisk

• The Juice Barista

• Beyond Borders

• Ice Towel

• Green Mama- If you have a child that is highly sensitive to skin care products I recommend Green Mama. In an attempt to help ease my sons asthma a study recommended we stop using certain ingredients in sunscreen and Green Mama was the only company in Manila that carried it. Really safe and harm free ingredients.

• Saddle Row