It only took one letter to gather some of the most influential bloggers, vloggers and social media personalities in a night of glitz and glamour at the City of Dreams Grand Ballroom last September 18, 2017. This is the E! Bloggers Ball. 

Truth be told, I do not get excited over Red Carpet Events (I might even say yes to a backpacking trip! – I love traveling but I am not a backpacker) but I had to say Yes to this invitation when a “fairy godmother” (who cannot be named) told me that I just need to be there and I am all set. I felt like Cinderella. How can I say No to this event when all my closest friends were coming?  I also felt the need to be there to support my friend, Gus Villa who was nominated for the Breakthrough Blogger of the Year Award. 

Straight from the temples, I checked in at Belmont Hotel. We got 3 rooms booked (1 connecting room) and the other one adjacent to ours. The walls and doors of Belmont Hotel witnessed how we all glammed up.

Calm before the storm
Rodel and I shared this room

Belmont Hotel is just a 5-minute walk from NAIA Terminal 3. My travel buddy in Myanmar @anagon (read my Myanmar adventures here) was actually checked in at the same hotel before our flight to Yangon. There is a Runway Manila Bridge that guests can use to have access to the airport from the hotel. It is strategically located near casinos, shops, restaurants, and there is a convenience store at the ground level to get your essentials. Belmont Hotel rooms follow the hotel standards – a bit tight but modern and has all the guests’s needs – from complimentary bottled water, coffee & tea, toiletries, fresh towels and bathrobes, and even sewing kit.

Connecting Door to Rod & Eddie’s Room

We took our sweet time catching up and at around 4:00 PM, we started with the grooming and hair and make-up. It was my first time to fit my gown – a Leo Almodal creation. A gown that was chosen by my friends and I approved online. They wanted me to wear a silver one but I opted to wear a black gown (I felt that it was more me).

Hair and Makeup by Grynne and Makeup 
Check out her work at https://www.facebook.com/grynneandmakeup/

Hi Mj! 

Glam Team!
Makeup Artist Gyrnne Bejarin and Photographer Erik Esperat 
(thank you for making me pretty Grynne and thank you for all the glam tips Erik!!!)

We left the hotel around 7:30 and arrived at 8:00-ish. 

I had a funny moment in the parking lot where I tripped over because I missed the parking division (I was using my phone!). It was a miracle that I didn’t feel any pain or didn’t get any blister – whatsoever. I was laughing at myself. Thank God, my angels saved me.

When we arrived at the Grand Ballroom of City of Dreams Manila, everyone was housed at the main hall waiting for the doors to open. There were different booths set-up in the venue –  portrait booth with photographer Dookie Ducay,  a 360-degree photo hall and glam backdrops for everyone’s ‘gram!

For the ‘gram!

I love seeing everyone looked so glam and dashing – and acting so regal. I was more feminine that night because I need to keep my hairstyle and “it was the time of the month” (can you guys imagine how challenging it was to rock such a gown!). 

When you are with these good-looking men, you have to be as powerful
Edward Santos, MJ de Leon, Rod Magaru, Ruth dela Cruz, Gus Villa, Eric Flora, Rodel Flordeliz





with Twinnie Charlene Ajose. 
We were surprised to see each other’s gown! Totally twinning! 😀

We were treated to a nice fancy dinner and performances from Clara Benin, DJ Mars Miranda and DJ Carlo Atendido.

photo grabbed from NognogintheCity

E! Bloggers Ball winners are as follow:

Look Who’s Trending Male – Wil Dasovich

Look Who’s Trending Female – Jennica Sanchez

Breakthrough Blogger of the Year Male– Dee Gee Razon

Breakthrough Blogger of the Year Female –Nina Nuguid

Blogger Groupie – The Soshal Network (Vivian Tan, Faye Condez & Camille Buhain)

Blogger Icon of the Year for Travel – The Poor Traveler (Yosh Dimen & Vins Carlos)

Icon of the year for Food – The Fat Kid Inside (Erwan Heussaff)

Icon of the Year for Fashion – Janina Vela

The Best Dressed Award of the Night went to Kim Cruz (Female) and Daniel Marsh (Male)

The winners for each category were selected by an esteemed panel of judges comprising of social media icon and TV host Bianca Gonzalez-Intal, Nuffnang Country Manager and Yugatech founder Abe Olandres; Our Awesome Planet founder Anton Diaz; Marketing Director of Ever Bilena; Olive Padilla; Rex Atienza and Jay Sarmiento of the Stylelist Inc.

Rodel Flordeliz, Rod Magaru, Gus Villa, Eric Flora, Mikki Galang, Ruth Dela Cruz, Edward Santos, and MJ De Leon
These kids got to party after 🙉🙊🙈

Okay, taking back what I said before that I never really like going to Red Carpet events. The E! Bloggers Ball is an exception. It was a fun event to connect with the shakers and movers of the blogging and social media industry in the Philippines – and it was a good excuse to dress up in designer gown 😉

Jeffrey Ongteco, Sky Gavin, Rodel Flordeliz, Ruth Dela Cruz, Rod Magaru, Edward Santos, MJ De Leon, Gus Villa, Eric Flora

Thank you E! Philippines for having us, Belmont Hotel for the accommodation, Leo Almodal for my gown, Grynne Bejarin for my hair and makeup  and my lovely boys for always being sweethearts! 💓

Check out more VIP Events here.