Send me one line

No, this ins't a Spyro Gyra post. But it feels like I'll have one of their songs as a Friday Magic Madness song soon.

This is about Toni's bazaar at One Ayala today.

Dropped by after school, and got there around 11am. And as early as that time, they already had this long line of folks wanting to try Sweet Tones cakes.

It's actually like this in a lot of the bazaars that she joins. And it's not surprising since the cakes are really good. Especially the Ube Bibingka Cheesecake.

Way to go, Toni!

How sweet it is

Nope, this isn't a James Taylor post.

It's about Toni's latest creation.

I'm amazed at the creativity and work ethic of my niece. Since she introduced her Sweet Tones brand, she's been working non-stop, taking orders, making cakes and chocolates, all while continuing her content creation.

Her latest product - her chewy cookies - are a hit. Heard that it sells out quite fast, so I'm lucky to have gotten a few pieces for the house and to give to a student.

After trying it, I'm not surprised why it's popular. It's really, really good!

Here's to more sweet, successful products like this!

Fun with fusion

With no bias whatsoever, Toni's latest creation - the Bibingka Cheesecake - has to be one of the best cheesecakes I've tried.

Ever!

Amazing how a little bit of fusion - adding a Pinoy twist to a Basque Cheesecake - can make a world of difference.

I'm going to make a bee line at Toni's next bazaar just for this.

Setting the Tones

Despite the heavy rains, we made it to SM Megamall to check out and support Toni's Sweet Tones booth at the United Bloggers bazaar.

It was such a joy to see her small business gain so much support. People were patiently lining up to get a taste of her cakes and chocolates. And having had tasted her products, it's worth the wait.

I'm sure this is just the start of many more successful bazaars for Toni.

Tones in Tokyo

With Toni's talents, it's easy to see that she'll go far in whatever endeavour she puts her mind and energy into.

Even in her newest venture - Sweet Tones!

Yup, she's finally venturing into a food business! It's a natural progression considering that she graduated from a culinary course and even went to the US for her internship.

And her first product - her version of the viral Dubai chocolate - is so good!

It's so good that it's now in Tokyo!

See! It's already gone that far.

Noah's Arc

When Noah left the Philippines, he was just a 1 year old baby.

We had this big family portrait, and he was the newest addition and the youngest one in that shot. Biboy and Liz also had him baptised before they flew to the US.

That felt like it just happened yesterday, but in reality, it's been more than 2 decades.

Now, Noah is all-grown up, and just graduated from college.

Our Noah is not a Respiratory Therapist!

It's so mice to have seen Noah's story arc progress through the decades. And it's exciting to see where his story will take him next.

Hello Doll-y

And the Toni supremacy continues.

My niece is in another beauty campaign! 

Having her endorse a product like Cathy Doll is so apt for her. She’s really into all things girly and fab, so this is such a strategic fit.

Proud Tito here.

More Piso Power

You know you're a Tito when things like P1 grocery promos make you feel excited.

Landers had it again, and this is my haul:

Two Mlika Chocolates and Italian cookies. All for P3!

Cheap thrills indeed.

Toni Award

It would be an understatement to say that my heart was swelling with pride after seeing this poster online.

My niece, Toni, is an advertisement! And as an advertising practitioner, this is such a thrill to see a family member in an allied field in advertising.

Toni has actually been making waves for years now on Tiktok. We knew she was popular, but it was further cemented by these 2 instances:

One, a number of my officemates are followers and are pretty much updated about the goings-on in Toni's life. Sometimes, they know more than I do! (Mainly because I'm not on Tiktok.)

Two, some of the sales people at Forever 21 in SM Megamall know her. Last October, when I was buying a gift for her at the store, I showed them Toni's photo to confirm her size. One of the sales people said: "Si Toni Rose po yan, di ba? Bakit niyo siya ibibili ng gift?" It was odd to have to explain to a stranger why I'm buying a gift for a family member.

Then again, even as a kid, she had a personality that you know would really thrive and make it big. And her many projects, including this recent one, is just proof of that.

Eat’s Inspirational!

On last Thursday’s episode of “Eat Bulaga,” they featured young cancer survivors in one of their segments.

According to the hosts, through the collective stories of these different survivors - all under 25 years old - they’ll create awareness and inspiration for young people.

And among those who shared their inspiring stories is my niece, Toni!

She’s actually been actively campaigning about wellness and awareness for years now. I’ve sat in one of the webinars she was invited to, and proudly watched as she shared her story with so many people. That’s exactly what she did in Eat Bulaga, albeit for millions of people now.

Awesome job on this guesting, Toni! You truly are an inspiration!

Good Influence

One of my nieces - Toni - has been on TikTok for a few years. Although I know she has a lot of followers, and that she's been getting deals as an influencer, I wasn't aware of how wide her influence was until I saw this:

 

She's officially a Social Media Influencer, and it's so gratifying to see that she's using her influence for good. In particular, she was one of the speakers on the topic that's close to her heart - Cancer Awareness.

Watching her talk, it's easy to see why she has a lot of followers. She's very engaging and approachable, and she really resonates with young people, and they're majority of the audience members yesterday afternoon.

Good job, Toni! Keep on doing what you do!

Dreams of Dancing

Almost 8 years ago, my nephew Miggy was so interested in dancing that he and Kurt signed up for a summer session with G Force. We attended their recital, and they did great.

This weekend, Miggy is in California to represent the Philippines in a dance competition! They're going up with some of the best in the world, and I'm confident they'll do great.

Amazing how far your dreams can take you.

The Sweetest kid

There were packs of pastillas de leche on our dinner table when I came home. These pastillas turned out to be not any ordinary pastillas. They were the handiwork of my adorable nephew, Javier!

They handmade these candies as part of their schoolwork, and they were supposed to sell it. The proceeds will go to their piggy bank, which will be their savings for the school year.

One pack of pastillas - P15.00
Knowing that this is the product of Javier's hard work - Priceless.

(Thank you, Mastercard. Just for the tagline. I bought this using cash.)

Newsy nephew

We were in the brainstorming room discussing some work. While leafing through an issue of Inquirer Libre during the break, something on the page made me spring up from my seat and run into the creative area.

Kevin was in the papers!

Not only is he a pilot now, he's a pilot who makes public appearances! Harhar.

He's really taking flight these days.

Flying high!

My nephew is officially a pilot!

(And now I officially feel old!)