With Christmas just around the corner, many people are thinking of ways to earn extra cash, and bazaars can be a way to make a killing, so to speak, even if you are only selling one product. Take it from Janice de Belen, a seasoned bazaarista.
The actress and entrepreneur recalled in an email interview with SmartParenting.com.ph that her first time to join a bazaar was “just an experiment.” She and her sister, fellow actress Gelli de Belen, were invited by ABS-CBN business unit head Deo Endrinal to the bazaar that he organized back in 2016 at the U.P. Town Center in Quezon City.
“We tried it out, and it was a success,” she said. “I only had cheese cupcakes to sell then.”
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The working mom of five then never stopped joining more bazaars. These past three months alone, she was in two, selling her home-cooked treats, like pork buns, gambas with sausage, chocolate caramel cream cake, cheese pimiento, rum pound cake with caramel pecans, and cheese cupcakes.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAt the Spectrum Fair, held last September 2019 at the Rockwell Center, Janice had what she called “special visitors” at her booth, including her sister Gelli and Gelli’s husband Ariel Rivera; her son Luigi Muhlach and Luigi’s wife Patty; her daughters Moira Estrada and Kaila Estrada; and her colleagues Ayun Munji-Laurel, Ryza Cenon, and Bret Jackson.
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowAyen gave this rave review on Janice’s Instagram post: “Woohoo! Your cheese pimiento is so addicting.”
Bret commented with delighted emotions: “I’m eating the cheesecake cupcakes right now.”
Ryza, who costarred with Janice in The General’s Daughter, and Ariel shared the bazaarista’s happiness in having sold out her goods. “Yey,” wrote Ryza, while Ariel commented, “Awesome.”
Janice told us via email, “I try to make it a family affair, but my kids are only interested in going to my bazaars to eat.” Janice kids are Luigi (her son with Aga Muhlach), Inah, Kaila, Moirah, and Yuan.
Janice loves to join bazaars because she gets to have fun. “Knowing that people like to eat the food you make is really euphoric,” she explained. “It’s like you have a restaurant, hahaha!”
Janice added, “I have learned that mahirap siya, nakakapagod, but when your goods are sold out, ang saya.”
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWShe then gave these tips for would-be bazaaristas: “Figure out what your best product is and try it out” and “be patient.”
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If she’s not at bazaars, Janice accepts orders for some of her specialties, like these chocolate caramel cream cakes.
She also likes to experiment in her kitchen, grabbing whatever is in her fridge or pantry to concoct a meal. One time she paired seared foie gras with berry vinaigrette salad, Portobello mushrooms, and crusty bread.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWNext, when she didn’t have orange food coloring for her kwek-kwek, she used pink instead because that’s the only food coloring she had.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAside from cooking, Janice, now a doting grandmother to Luigi's four kids (Alejandro, Adriana, Anya, and Ariella) is into arts and crafts.
Recently, she tried watercolor painting and soap-making. She said she’s able to accomplish all these things with time management and the assistance of her helpers at home. “And I am one who doesn’t like wasting time,” she pointed out.
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