MANILA, Philippines - Home is where the heart is!

After traipsing through New York?s Central Park, it?s great to be back home. My wonderful Philippine Airlines flight was total pampering high in the sky. There is nothing like our PAL stewardesses? personal attention and the extensive food menu selection. Tasty dishes, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and on-time flights are now part of the PAL experience.

I arrived just in time to hit the Hat Momma Christmas Bazaar at the Rockwell Tent, ongoing until 8 p.m. today. Aside from unique bazaar finds and specials, the project aims to promote environmental awareness and the prevention of global warming. In the campaign for numerous global conservation groups and organizations, Hat Momma is inspiring all to save the planet, one bazaar shopper at a time.

And of course, in line with its conservation angle, no plastics are found inside!

Hat Momma organizer Marilou Laurena invited all concessionaires to go green or recycle. One interesting vendor is Jean Fernando, who is selling special egglings that have plants and herbs growing out of eggshells. She is also selling her delightfully fragrant candles and lotions.

Among the myriad finds are contemporary paintings from Gallery Big and accessories from Arnel Papa.

There has been greater awareness about saving the environment. The effects of global warming are becoming more alarming. If all join the crusade to make a difference, our planet has hope.

Eco-store

Three friends of like minds have gotten together and are doing just that. Idealistic trio Jeannie Javelosa, Reena Francisco and Chit Juan recently opened a shop inside Kape Isla at Serendra Piazza at the Fort, Taguig Global City.

Their one-stop shop, EchoStore (call 9013485, e-mail echolifestyle.info@gmail.com), is a social enterprise that offers choices for sustainable lifestyles. ECHO is the acronym for Environment & Community Hope Organization.

Marginalized groups, women prisoners, the urban poor and foundations that support abused children are all part of the list of suppliers for home décor, fashionable accessories, gift items and many more. They also have producers of organic, natural and nontoxic goods for personal-care and home-cleaning products. Organic rice, sugar and several food items are also available.

This Christmas, give gifts of hope and buy baskets with products that sustain community livelihood programs. Do support the EchoStore knowing that your purchase will not only help a less fortunate person but also nurture Mother Earth.

One of the foundations EchoStore supports is Rags 2 Riches, a social business enterprise in partnership with the women of Payatas. Fashion designer Rajo Laurel inspires over 100 women to create elegant fashion items that profitably earn for their families and communities.

On Nov. 22, R2R pieces will be designed and styled in collaboration with luminary figures such as National Artists BenCab and Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Inquirer?s Jenni Epperson and photographer Raymund Isaac. The masterpieces will be auctioned at Hotel InterCon at 7 p.m. Here is another chance to own collector?s items by giving to charity.

Parish concert

If music is your delight and charity your passion, then check out Francisfest 2008, a Jubilee Premiere Concert by the Santuario de San Antonio Parish on Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m., at the parish church in Forbes Park.

The concert features St. Paul?s Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy and is an annual parish celebration in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a man of peace and a lover of the poor.

Francisfest will feature guest conductor Dr. Ernest Hoetzl, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, baritone Ronaldo Abarquez, soprano Camille Lopez, tenor Ronan Ferrer, and the combined choirs of Coro de San Antonio, Coro Tomasino, Kammerchor Manila and St. Paul?s University Manila Chorale.

San Antonio parish priest Jerome Angulo and overall chairperson Menchu Concepcion are appealing to all music lovers to support this wonderful fundraiser, which supports charity programs including PGH and Prison Ministry.

Francisfest 2008 tickets are available at the parish office (call 8438830). It will surely be an evening of beautiful music for a beautiful cause.

At the other end of the musical spectrum, Abba is coming to town. ?Abba The Show? will be performing at the PICC Plenary Hall Nov. 21 and a Dance Party follows at the World Trade Center on Nov. 22.

Abba in town

Who couldn?t have grooved to these ?70s icons? ?Abba The Show? has had extraordinary success with sold-out performances all over the world. Both the show and the dance party will surely be an exciting mix of epic lighting, sound and vision explosion. For tickets, call Ticketnet at 9115555 or log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph. For VIP seats and group ticket sales, call 7037720.

At the Pink Kitchen II, amidst all the food and fanfare, Abba music was playing to entertain the generous crowd. Bituin Escalante, an ICanServe supporter, displayed her vocal prowess and dedicated her last number to all her ?sisters? in the cause and got everyone dancing.

Pink Kitchen II featured more than 50 chefs from both private and commercial establishments, including my sister-in-law Mona Valdes. All lent their passion and unique dishes for the benefit of ICanServe, a foundation promoting breast cancer awareness and, more importantly, providing support groups to patients, who all share love and experience through their common bond.

This year, Pink Kitchen founder Kara Alikpala and other foundation supporters like Bettina Osmeña and Beth Romualdez asked me to be Pink Kitchen?s poster girl. I was more than happy to serve, and I hope others will continue to be supportive in the coming years.

With Christmas just around the corner, I?m reminded that it?s time to stop being naughty and start being nice. Thank goodness there are so many charities to support. Go ahead and be nice. It will make you feel good inside and out.

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph