Wazzup Pilipinas!
It’s that time of the year again; it’s the peak of summer, and everyone’s out and about… or at the very least, wants to be. Usually what comes to mind around this time are scorching hot sunrays, white sand, blue bikinis, and red convertibles getting set up for spontaneous roadtrips, just like the commercials. Pastels aren’t the usual summer motif but they seemed to work for West Palm, UP JMA’s publicity event for this semester.
West Palm took place in New World Hotel by Manila Bay last May 9. The event gave guests an afternoon to sit back, relax and be pampered by the JMA event planners. At around 1:00pm, guests started trickling in in sandals, colorful outfits and floppy hats and/or shades. Upon entry, one would be met with a wooden photo wall where guests could have their photo taken either by a photographer, with their own phone, or by the JMAer that was going around taking Instaxes. After having their photo taken, the guests could enter the rooftop poolside proper.
The venue was quaintly decorated. The poolside was filled with baby pink hot air balloons hanging on tables, along with DIY centerpieces decorated with photos from past JMA events – a bit of a getting-to-know-you display for the organization, if you will. A small stage was set up for the musical performance that kickstarted the event.
The New World dessert buffet was set up at the poolside bar, as well as a make-your-own-waffle station. Huge light blue wooden letters spelling out “JMA” were propped by the bar, a big sign to complement all the finger food that was being served – from grape poppers to fruit tarts, the buffet had guests making several trips back and forth for the sweet treats. Bloggers also got free Sophie’s Mom cupcakes, which fit right into the picturesque setup.
There were a variety of stations that the guests could enjoy. Pampered indeed, bloggers were treated to a free Inglot mani and makeover. There was also a freebie station where bloggers could claim their “goodie bags” filled with freebies from JMA’s sponsors for the event: Tripda tote bags, Fly Art Shades, and a cute West Palm watermelon pouch. Contests, mostly on Instagram, were also held throughout the afternoon so the guests could get even more perks like getting a makeup kit from Inglot or getting an all-expense paid road trip from Tripda. The whole time, a customized playlist rolled out upbeat songs to keep the mood going.
Everyone, from the bloggers to the JMA guests, was relaxing, making small talk (and new friends as well!), eating and enjoying the light breeze. In the middle of the metro, UP JMA gave these bloggers a bit of rest from their busy schedules, even just for the day. West Palm ended a bit before dinnertime, just as it started to drizzle. It was a perfect end to the event, and it to show that nothing can rain on the parade of a perfect summer day.
Written By: Bea Dazo
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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