Year 2009 was a wonderful, controversies and fruitful year for Style of Life for the fourth time Emma Williams, the managing editor of Schmap informed me that one of my photo has been selected for the Schmap Wellington Guide.

While the Gaza protest video from my video blog TheSidestrip was removed from Metcafe saying the video was found unsuitable to be published saying the item may contain pornographic, revolting, violent or  malicious content.

But I contested the review panel and the RePress was born.

I was very busy during the month of February as the 2009 Cuba Street Festival also kicked off, being a father, joined the Creative Freedom Foundation – Internet Blackout against upon Accusation laws and the coverage of NZ Sevens.

For more than three years, I've been living in southern part of Wellington City particularly suburban Newtown and every March, Newtown Festival is my favorite event during the summer season.

As kids I always fascinated with comic heroes I used to wear the Batman costume when I was four years old . Thanks to BIll ,the organizer of 2009 Armageddon comic expo Expo. for the double pass to check comic event of the year.

It's an honor for me when Ms. Lyndsey O'really , the marketing Manager of St James Theater Wellington invited me to watched the STOMP show with my son.

On the other hand, our  friends from Downstage Theater and Mr. Phil Reed also invited me check out the Adelaide Sax Pack.

The Positively Wellington Tourism invited me to cover the Wellington on Plate, an annual  festival of food.

Aside from featuring events around Wellington, The Style of Life also support  some community campaigns : raise the Stakes , The Breast cancer Awareness-Pink Ribbon Day, and the Blog Action Day among others.

I accidentally  also met  one of the famous radio announcer from Classic Hits FM Dave Smart  on my way to Newtown from Courtney Place.

Being a blogger you are role model to your readers and fellow blogger since Style of Life launched to the Cyberspace I make sure if their stories about environment issues such as Climate change. Style of Life, Thesidestrip ,Technogag and Repress are supporting this kind of events.

Like the Freezing in Wellington, the National E Day   and even my blog fight climate change.

This year is my first time to joined a  group of tourist  to tour the Wearable Arts Wander  around Wellington City.

On September , It's my son Birthday and he also received Kumon  awards and my wife and kids are creating a  little garden.

Every Labour Weekend, the Filipino communities in New Zealand come together to celebrates fiesta and this year Wellington CIty is the host venue for the annual Fiesta sa Wellington and the Style of Life witnessed festivities.

By the way ,Thank you to Wellingtonista.com, they nominated me for my video blog TheSidestrip  for Wellingtonian's contribution to the internet.

I also want to thank you to CNN Ireport for featuring my  Urban Knitter  story on their CNN Living site.

Of course, Thank you very much to all my readers and my fellow Bloggers for supporting me through the year.

I wish more sponsors to come and please support the blogging community particularly in Wellington City .

Thank you  Very Much.

2009 Bye… Hello 2010

Wellingtonian gathered yesterday night at the Mighty Mighty in Cuba St. to witness the Fourth Wellingtonista Awards and this is my second time to attend this event.

The T4WA is a annual event organized by Wellingtonista.com - a blog about Wellington – New Zealand's capital city to honours individuals or group who makes Wellington a lovely place to stay.

I arrived at the Mighty Mighty around 7:30pm and the  programme is going to kick off  so I have to set up my video camera for my videoblog  thesidestrip which I was nominated for Wellingtonian's contribution to the Internet.

The event is very successful and I want to say :" Congrats to All the winner".  

By the way , nice performance to Mr. Robbie Ellis  singing his song : Manners Mall Emo Song. You can check the T4WA images. or altenatively the T4WA Video

Here are the winners :

Best Apparel : 

Mandadory

Best Art Experience :

Yayoi Kusama at City Gallery Wellington

Best Cheap Eats:

Sweet Mother's Kitchen

Best Coffee :

Mojo Old Bank

Best Drink in Town:

Castlepoint at the Mighty Mighty

Best Event:

Cuba Carnival

Best Live Performance :

Question Time at the Parliament

Best Non-Drinking Destination:

Wellington City Library

Best Place to shake it:

Mighty Mighty

San Francisco Bath House 

Best Regular Entertainment: 

The Wellington Phoenix

Best Service:

Matt at Mojo Old Bank

Best Shop :

Slow Boat records

Best Suburban Destination:

Maranui Cafe

Late Night Hangout:

Mighty Mighty

Best Uncheap Eats:

Le Metropolitain

Most Needed :

Bike Lanes

Public Spaces :

The Water Front

Wellingtonian's contribution to the Internet :

Webstock

Wellingtonian of the Year :

Martin Bosley for the City Market

I was busy editing my Thorndon Fair video for my Video Blog TheSidestrip on Monday afternoon.

When my  four years old daughter tap me on my left shoulder and she said:

"Daddy I'm Beautiful?"

I was surprised with her outfit – sunglass, necklace, bracelet and a fairy costume.

I was laughing and I said to myself this is what happen when my child got bored.

Oh! know!

My daughter is a fashionista?

Her top is from the online shop "Trelise Cooper" and she loved it.

By the way if you need outfits for your kids ,you can check the KidsfashioNZ

Over the weekend, I'm very excited because my eldest son received a advance math skills Award  from Kumon New Zealand for his achievement in Kumon programme.

The awarding was held at Student Union Building  of the Victoria University in Kelburn with other Kumon Students from different Centres in Wellington region.

The event starts around 2:30 PM and finished about 3pm.

I never imagined that all the sacrifice I made with the help of my loving wife to give my kids  a better education are making the way.

I almost cry when my son received his award and I said to myself  I'm proud to be father.

I'm thankful to my parents specially to my grandfather and grandmother who though  me the values of good parenting and why is Family are important.

I've been blogging since 2003 during the hey day dot com   and the super slow Internet dial up connection that always disconnects.

During my college days, while studying Journalism I set up my first personal Website and I hand-coded my whole site and hosted by  now defunct Geocities.

I even study some computer languages such as database 3+,Foxpro and Pascal  to help me understand growing Internet Phenomenon.

Luckily, In 2003, the Wordpress ,a open source blog publishing application was born and my life  become easy.

While I enjoying writing for my Style of Life  blog I launched my own video blog "thesidestrip" in 2008 in Wellington,New Zealand after I realize  there are  no video bloggers in the City and as my tools for my creative outlet and someday to do a documentaries or short films.

I started shooting  videos using only my Canon  Powershot A710 digital Camera and eventually some of my videos are featured in Cable News Network(CNN) I Report, Check my Press Room Page.

The aim  of the blog is to encourage Video blogging to ordinary Kiwi  and promote Wellington City to the World.

TODAY, a friend of mine told me that thesidestrip was one of the Wellingtonista nominees for Wellingtonian's contribution to the Internet.

It's an honor to me to be part of the T4WA. Thank you !!!

Please check Wellingtonista.com for other nominees.

Voting in the Fourth Annual Wellingtonista Awards is open from December 1-15. Then come find out the results at our Awards Night at Mighty Mighty on December 17! So, Please vote for me, Thanks

Just a quick  post, here now my family little vegetable garden after three weeks. As you can see Spring Season is the best time to start to plant.

For a couple of weeks now, my wife and my kids are busy setting up their little garden in front of the house.

Last weekend, we went to The Warehouse in Lyall Bay and bought  4  sacks of  Just mix potting and and another four of  Just 40 L compost which cost us around $34.00 to finished the Garden.

Then, we went to California Garden in Miramar to check some assorted plants for the garden.

Since spring season is good for planting vegetables . My wife bought  two  eggplant, one chili,three  tomato and a lettuce for the garden.

The other day I was watching a Breakfast on TV one and talking about beauty products for Men.

Hmm!!

Sound interesting  I stop what I'm doing for while and I watched  this lady explaining the new products from Trilogy.

So I checked website of Trilogy. I found out that most of their products are "organic" and environmental friendly.

According to them, Safe, high quality, natural, and sustainable incredients are priority.

What I like with Trilogy , they are certified carbon neautral skincare company and they using maximum amount of natural and organic ingredients.

New Trilogy natural actives for men includes:

Face wash +  Scrub : –

 A daily cleanser and scrub to lift away dirt unclog pores and help control oil levels.Powered by the mechanical action of Jojoba wax beads and a blend of nutrient-rich Avocado, Marula, Olive and Wheat Germ oils.

Smooth Shave Cream:

A high-glide shave cream. Ensures a smooth, close shave whilst soothing and nourishing the skin.

After Shave Balm :

A soothing, post shave balm with a fragrant blend of natural essential oils to refresh the skin and help calm shaving irritations.

Moisturiser with SOF15 :

A lightweight, daily moisturiser to help maintain skin elasticity and moisture with a new generation, photo-stable SPF15 for broad spectrum UV protection. Protects hydrates and improves skin condition.

Check their other products at http://www.trilogyproducts.com and support  Trilogy Save Orangutans.

 
Eversince, I read the book Haka:living tradition by Wira Gardiner. I’ve been fascinated with the cultures and tradition of Maori People and I promised myself I gonna buy a fish hook.

The Haka has always been a vital part of Maori culture and It provides a powerful and dramatic vehicle for welcoming visitors, for challenging opponents ( as at international rugby matches), for rejoicing in victories, for protesting injustices, and for celebrating culture and a way of life.

A month ago, I went to Rotorua with my friends from Lower Hutt in Wellington and the first thing in my mind to go to a souvenir shop and buy a original fish hook hand made bone carving.

The necklace comes from the range designer jewellery from Louie the fish. Inspired by fishing cultures of the South Pacific, Louie follows the lines of the actual hooks used by native fishermen.

‘Louie the Fish’ is now recognised as the grandfather of contemporary South Pacific bone and pearl shell carving.

You can check "Louie the Fish" jewellery at Jade Factory in Rotorua and you’ll find a huge selection of exquisite jade pieces such as earrings and pendants, and other jewelry items made not only of jade but also of bone.

They have an online shop and gallery  and they ship national and international.

 I’ve been receiving a lot  of email  and ask which camera I use. Actually , I’m using Canon Powershot A700 for taking pictures for my blogs: Style of Life  and RePress.

Powershot A700 have been part of my blogging since 2006 and I temporary used this camera when I launched my video blogging: Thesidestrip in May of 2008.

The PowerShot A700 features six-megapixel resolution together with a retractable 6x optical zoom lens with a focal length of 35-210mm (35mm equivalent).

What I like with Poweshot are easy , fun ,compact size and image quality is amazing just like an EOS camera. Feel free check some of my photos using the Canon PoweShot A700. here 

Since I also launched my Video Blog in May 2008, I’m lucky enough to have the Sony HDRXR100E  to captures precious moments.

The Sony HDRXR100E Records stunning 1920×1080 high definition video and crystal clear still photos to a built-in 80GB HDD.

Features Face Detection technology – and Smile Shutter technology, which can automatically detect smiles and shoot still images, even while recording video. Click here for stunning video. 

Hope you like it ! Cheers!!