My Mind's Outburst

Men's Perfume for 2012

2012-01-30T01:34:00.000+08:00

The last perfume hubby had last year was a Bulgari which he bought from his balikbayan friend. Nothing followed after that not until today. He went straight to perfumery section at SM to look for new scent and he got these:

212 VIP MEN and Pacco Rabanne

Well, actually these are not new scents for him because he had the same brand before. However, he got good deal for these two. He got the 212 VIP Men at its regular price (Php4670) and had the Pacco Rabanne for only Php1500 (original cost is around Php4,000) plus a Gap Bag for me. Since CitiBank still had their 6mos. installment with 0% interest for Php5000 worth of purchase promo, hubby availed it. To close the amount of Php5000, hubby told me to buy anything from the different store. So I took one Maybelline foundation and two hand liquid soap to wrap up the amount. How he got huge discount for the Pacco Rabanne? He paid it in cash, and the sales rep labeled the perfume as FREE so it didn't passed the POS machine anymore. When we got home, we found out how we got it at huge discount aside from buying it in cash. Its box has no brand name in front, only at the back and it says Demonstration-Tester. Not bad anyway because it still has the same scent and ml content.

Send SMS For Free!

2012-01-29T00:55:00.001+08:00

I remember one late night, I asked my twitter contacts if there's someone out there who's into e-loading/auto-loading. I was in dire need of load that time because hubby wasn't home yet and I can't text him. I've finished a movie in DVD and no one replied, sad to say:(

Well, forget that unpleasant part because I'm here to share to you what I recently discovered. I rarely buy load for my cellphone because hubby and I could chat anyway in Facebook or YM, he's the only one I've been sending SMS anyway. He would often suggest to just throw away my cellphone because it's useless if I can't reply to him because I'm out of credits.

Ha! But now I can reply to him even without load! I just need to turn on my Wi-Fi at home or at work or at any place where there is a WI-Fi Zone. How? I bookmarked magTxt.com on my cellphone and tada! Free SMS anytime!

This is perfect if you are living abroad and you want to text your relatives here in the Philippines. magTXT.com is a Philippines Free SMS Messaging Service. It's the best way to send free SMS to mobile phones from your computer. You just input the phone number, type the message and click send!. Most importantly, there's no registration and no log in required.

I've been using their service for quite some time now and so far all my messages were sent without missed! So, go ahead and try it. Feel free to link this post so you can spread this good news to all your friends. Enjoy!

Claimed: SM Advantage Rewards Points

2012-01-23T06:08:00.000+08:00

I finally used my SM Advantage Reward Points! After three attempts during the holiday season last year, SM's system finally recognized my points. Actually, I used it not at SM Department Store but at Surplus. The sales rep was very nice to inform me that I could use my points instead of paying for what I had on my hands that time. I tsaid, sure why not! Then she swiped my card to check how many points I already have, asked if I am the one whose name appeared on the card and I said then she completed the transaction. She didn't even bothered to ask for an ID and that was a relief for me because I hate to fumble on my wallet aside from the fact that I am in a rush.

Sorry for hubby because the last time we attempted to use it was when he purchased our new dinnerware set. So glad that I got these two shirts in exchange of my points:)

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club: A Must for Those Living Abroad

2012-01-22T07:00:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I often hear from my relatives living abroad that it has never been easy to stay in a foreign land. Unlike here in our country, where anyone within the family could easily be at your beck and call in times of trouble and emergencies, such situation could never be the same if you are living abroad. Well, I guess what they mean is that when you are living alone, right?

And what could be the worst thing that could happen to anyone living alone in a distant land? It’s getting sick. Thankfully, my relatives know how important their health is and they make sure that they are always in good conditions, rest if they need to and take necessary medications if their doctors prescribed them.

We actually got to chat about the glitch that happened to Express Script and Walgreens. And fortunately, Walgreens did a quick decision to help their patients and customers in getting over that issue. They now offer a special discount on annual membership for their Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. They are actually about to avail the special discount because come to think of it, for $10 a year, a family membership covers everyone in their immediate family, including a spouse, dependents aged 22 and younger and even their pets. Oh and with $5 for individual applications, who would get worried of getting sick? Just imagine the savings they could get on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. They could also enjoy the discounts from flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies. And one more thing that my relatives keep on bragging me about Walgreens, they offer bonuses when they purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

Now they are more inclined in Social Networks not just to keep in touch with relatives and friends but also to keep their support to Walgreens. For those living abroad, like Walgreens on Facebook and Walgreens on Twitter to get the latest news and offers from them.

Kool-Aid.. Then And Now..

2012-01-13T04:00:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kool Aid for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s the second week of the year 2012 and yet many of us can’t believe that it is indeed another new year for all of us. How time flies quickly, right? For a moment, as I looked at my kids running around and hovering around our kitchen for a cool refreshing Kool-Aid, I see myself and my brothers during their age. We were five children in the house and yet we were not as wild and hyper as my three kids now. As soon as our mom told us that she’s preparing our favorite Kool-Aid, we will be still for couple of minutes and would patiently wait for our own glasses. Orange is my favorite flavor until now while my brothers love grape flavor. Oh yes, those were the days.

Kool-Aid is just one of the things that could make anybody go into a nostalgic mode. Lots of memories could run back into your mind like going to school with that juice on your lunch box, family picnics, kids’ party and other events with Kool-Aid on the side. How about you? What memories linger on your thoughts when you hear the brand Kool-Aid?

So for the year 2012, it is awesome to know that Kool-Aid has their own Facebook Page! What’s more exciting is that when you hit their “Noches de PeliKoola” tab you could see schedules of upcoming Sunday movie nights plus downloadable movie-specific bingo cards, just the perfect activities for a family bonding, right? Now go ahead and check out Kool-Aid on Facebook!

Starbucks Adheres to their Global Responsibities

2011-12-06T02:23:00.000+08:00

I am not a Starbucks coffee lover. I only had tastes of their products when somebody treats me. Although I have lots of friends whose day would never be complete without a sip of it. Last Saturday, I was lucky again to be treated by my college buds at Starbucks Eastwood Libis.

As she placed her orders for the three of us, I looked around their store and I was glad to see and know that Starbucks cares for the environment too. It shows at the kind of furniture, caps and even stirrers they had plus I got to browse their 2012 planner and it says that it was made from recycled paper. As of this writing, I searched for Starbucks' website and they are indeed eco-friendly! They say it’s their commitment to do things that are good to people, each other and the planet. From the way they buy their coffee, to minimizing our environmental impact and to being involved in local communities.

When we had our coffee, I couldn't help but to express how glad I was to see their table napkin which was also made of green resources. So I had to take out my camera and snap a photo of it. My college bud actually said to me that she noticed how "green" I am now compared during our college days.

How about you, how do you react when you see products/services that are made of green resources?

T.G.I. Friday's Eastwood Libis

2011-12-05T03:22:00.000+08:00

When me and my college buddies met last Saturday, we had our dinner at T.G.I. Fridays at Eastwood Libis Quezon City. That was my second time to dine at Fridays and the first one was at their Sta. Lucia Cainta's branch. As always, I loved the relaxing atmosphere it has plus its jolly and energetic service crew. As we sat on our table, our server for the night approached us and gave us their menus. However, when we placed our orders we called a different attendant since she was not around that time. The crew looked like Karen from the McDonalds' commercial (the Gina-Karen TV ads, remember?) She was bubbly enough to agree and said some says she also looked like Lumen (from Surf TV ads). That conversation created a more friendly atmosphere among four of us.

As we waited for our orders, we placed jokes about their stainless utensils which were huge and heavy. It actually looked like a serving spoon! And then here come the foods!

Fish Vera Cruz

Sauteed White Fish Fillet Simmered with White Wine,

Tomatoes, Capers and Olives served with Savory Rice

Php375

Tortilla Crusted Fish

Mild White Fish coated with a crisp Tortilla Crust atop Savory Rice with

Pico de Gallo and a side of Southwestern Sour Cream

Php425

Mushroom Chicken and Mushrooms

Deep fried and topped with mushrooms and Mozzarella Cheese.

Served with a corn on a cob and your choice of rice.

Php565

All three came in huge servings so we were all full by the time we finished eating. There were already plenty of people outside waiting to be seated but we took our time chatting and exchanging gifts. Before we asked for our bill, we had our photo opp with their Marilyn Monroe look alike manequin seated beside our table. Now, I'll be looking for more Friday's experience:)

Me with "Marilyn Monroe":)) @ T.G.I.Friday's

Review: Savory Classic at SM Taytay

2011-11-28T23:50:00.000+08:00

When we went out last Sunday for our family bonding time, we couldn't decide where to eat upon reaching SM Taytay. Hubby suggested that we could eat again at Red Palace Sea Food Restaurant but I declined. I said I want to eat somewhere else for a change. We thought of Max's and Pizza Hut and then I remembered we haven't try Savory yet. So after few hours of strolling, we went to Savory Classic at the ground floor of SM Taytay.

There were few people dining when we arrived and we got our table somewhere in the middle of the restaurant. Some of their crews were on the other table along the side and having their meals too. That was around 5pm so it could be their early dinner or late lunch. Anyway, as soon as I had my 2 year old daughter sat on my lap, the female crew immediately offered their high chair. That's a plus point for them because I hate it how you have to call attendant's attention just to ask for a high chair when it is quite obvious that you need one. It was a metal high chair with strap and a cushion.

We had these foods on our table after about 30 minutes:

Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli (Php225)

Shanghai Rolls (Php175)

Pancit Canton (Php195)

Savory Fried Rice (Php195) *not in the picture

and of course their specialty: Savory Whole Chicken (Php345)

All of those meals are good for two-three people and that was perfect for us since we only have 3 children with us. We ordered three cans of soda and requested it to be served when hubby notify them. If it were served together with the foods, for sure the kids would not mind eating but will finish off those sodas in an instant. Dinnerware were placed on our table with their stainless cutlery still hot from being dipped in hot water.

We didn't like their Savory Rice unlike those of with Red Palace where there are more ingredients on it and with larger servings. Their Pancit Canton tasted just fine and so was their Beef with broccoli though we all loved their Shanghai rolls. Their Savory Chicken of course, tasted superb (it's their specialty anyway).

For cheaper price than dining at Max's or Pizza Hut, I guess we could give this restaurant another visit in the future.

50 for 50 for CME Facebook Fans

2011-11-28T03:25:00.000+08:00

Club Manila East 50 for 50 Ballers

We celebrated my son's 6th birthday at Club Manila East in Taytay last November 03 and again, let me share to you our experience there. When we went to the reception area, their customer service told us about their ongoing promo. Their 50 for 50 for CME Facebook Fans. She explained to us the mechanics and here it is:

1. CME Facebook Fans with CME Privilege Ballers are entitled to 50% off on Entrance Fee.

2. CME Privilege Ballers can be purchased at Club Manila East at Php50 each.

3. CME Privilege Ballers can be used until December 21, 2011.

That was a great deal actually. So we bought their ballers for Php50 and had our entrance fee cut off in half the price. We didn't rent a room that time like we used to do because we intend to be back home in the late afternoon. Here comes my review part:

We rented a cabana instead but boy we were disappointed at how it looked like. It looked untidy with dirty looking walls and floors. There were several mono block chairs we could use and the round table in the middle of the room. We just placed our bags and other things on top of it because their cabinets doesn't look clean too. I even heard my kids say "yuck" and they just stayed on the pool almost the whole afternoon. What's worse was their rest/shower room. It looked like a public toilet actually with their not working shower. You could just use of their faucet and a pail if you intend to take a shower inside the cabana. (Pardon me but I lost interest on taking pictures of the said ugly amenities).

That's the same reason we all just prefer to stay on the pool rather than inside our rented cabana. Our things we're all inside and their door lock don't even looked secure so we had our cellphones, wallets and Digicam with us. When hubby roam around to look for food because it was almost lunch time (bringing in of foods are not allowed at CME), he couldn't find any open food stand like Jollibee, Shakeys, Chowkings and others that we knew were there. We asked one staff and he said they were close during weekdays and if the resort have only few guests. Darn!

So hubby looked for their canteen and asked if they could just bring our food to our cabana. Unfortunately, they don't do that as per the canteen staff. So it's either we eat from there or we bring our foods ourselves to our cabana. Hubby was almost furious that I had to pacify him and convinced him to just relax. So with our ordered foods in several take-out boxes, we went back to our cabana and ate.

This was actually a long over due post and just to warn you all.. never go to Club Manila East on ordinary days because you will starve and you won't enjoy your meal especially with their canteen's tiny serving and pricey meals. The only consolation you could get is that you could have the pools all by yourself just like what happened to us. We had the kiddie pool all by ourselves the whole afternoon and that's what my kids enjoyed, the water!

Jollibee Goes Eco-friendly!

2011-11-16T22:59:00.000+08:00

I've been to Ever Ortigas Pasig in the late afternoon to look for some gifts that I could give to my friends this Christmas. It's been a long time since I went inside this mall since SM Taytay is more accessible to me. As usual, I got hungry while doing some window shopping and so I went inside Jollibee to grab some snacks. I was looking at the other counter where in one customer was holding a brown paper bag. I figured out that she had her order for take out and instead of plastic bag, the crew placed her order inside of it. I smiled at myself since the "green" in me strikes again. I was glad that Jollibee had become one of those eco-friendly fast food restaurants after all. Not yet sure though if they are also using eco friendly disposable cutlery. Although upon surfing the net, I found out that it was one of Pasig City's ordinance, the "no to plastic bags" policy. That explains why Jollibee here in Cainta still uses plastic bags. Hopefully, my home town will also soon follow this kind of ordinance in favor of our Mother Earth and for the sake of our future generation.

photo credit from: Diary of a Super Girl

TracFone for All Ages

2011-10-18T01:02:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Traditionally, when we talk about basic needs of man this would include shelter, food and clothes. But in today’s era, living in a household without even a single cellular phone owner could greatly affect the family’s communication with each other. This is how important cellphones have become.

Keeping in touch with your love ones is important especially with your kids who go to school and who knows where else they go after class especially during summer where gimmicks and fun activities are such adventures for them. This is where TracFone comes in handy! You could get more with their very affordable monthly plans like their 200 minutes for under $30 and as low as $9.99 for 50 minutes. Wait, are you thinking about your kid’s taste for fashion? With low cost phone for them, they could get branded ones like Motorola, Kyocera, LG, Nokia and Samsung that they can brag to their friends. However, if you want your kids to have phones with only text and call capabilities, TracFone have them for under $10.

Get into Everywhereness as TracFone allows you to call over 60 International Destinations at no extra cost! So if you think that owning and using cellphones in America could be a pain in your pocket, you might just need to watch the following video and be convinced to get TracFone for your kids and yourself as well and get the Senior Value that everyone is talking about!

From Linoleum to Vinyl Tiles

2011-09-25T01:47:00.000+08:00

I have been long complaining about our ugly flooring at home. We've been living in an apartment for years now and we have no choice but to stick to our landlady's rules and regulations so we have no choice but to use linoleum for our floor instead of our initial plan of having it tiled. Unfortunately, linoleum only lasts for less than a year in our home as it easily wears out especially if it gets caught in doors or when our furniture accidentally scrapes it during re-arrangements.

Kent Glue @Php150+

Kent Vinyl Tiles @850+ (45pcs)

So hubby and I decided to try vinyl tiles. It was a little bit expensive compared to linoleum aside from the fact that we have to pay for the person who will glue it together on our floor. But at least it's much more durable and would last longer. Good thing hubby has a friend who offered his service for free and that saved our pockets! We choose these carpet-like design and it looked good after they were glued together.

With the fact that we can no longer peel this off once we decided to move out, hubby talked to our landlady and was able to convinced her to just deduct the amount we spent on making our floor tiled from our monthly rent. (After all, our landlady is also our second daughter's godmother, so what kumare's are for.) In return, I offered her my creative hands to do a digitally scrapped photos of their family like the one I did and framed which she saw hanging on our wall. Of course I asked her to just save their pictures on CD/DVD and I'll do the artwork for her. That sealed our agreement.

The Latest Trend in Saving Our Environment

2011-09-10T23:01:00.003+08:00

We are all responsible on how our Mother Nature is suffering because of our wrong and unfair actions. Therefore it is just about time that we open up our eyes and mind and think of what we can do to help save our environment for the sake of our children’s future.

It’s comforting for us to know that some organizations like Korea Environmental Technology and Institute (KEITI) push goals and objectives to protect the global leadership of the environment. Green technology and green products are just few steps towards the healthy growth of our environment. Most businessmen today do not just aim for profits when investing on new ventures but also intend to promote green and safe products that will not just safeguard consumers but Mother Earth as well. KEITI is one of them and as a matter of fact, they continue to promote projects for the development of green environment.

And as a very definite action, they come up with ECOTRADE which is an Introduction of Premier Environmental Industry B2B Trade e-Marketplace. Any eco-friendly related product trade solutions happen here with lots of benefits that both buyers and sellers can achieve.

Now who are we to deny support to this kind of organization when we are all living in one planet and breathing in the same air? Let’s back up their aim by visiting ECOTRADE Facebook Fan Page and ECOTRADE YouTube Channel. To learn more about them, feel free to visit their site here. Remember, this small acts can make a huge difference for our dear Mother Earth.

In Quest for the Best Mobile Phone and Post-Paid Plan con

2011-08-30T22:01:00.001+08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the swarm of mobile phone carriers around the globe, Straight Talk got the best deals they can offer to their customers. Who would not go crazy over the thought of cutting his/her cellphone bills in half? Feel richer with the amount of money you can save while getting everything you need when you go for Straight Talk. Buy that perfume you've been long wanting for or treat your better half on a fine dining restaurant with the savings you can get from them. We often hear that mom knows best and I can attest to that because I am a mom! Being frugal and money wise most of the time is one of our best ability. So allow me to dig deeper on what Straight Talk can give to us.

If you are the type of person who loves to call a friend, to have the best plan is imperative. Pay only $45 for an Unlimited Monthly service and along with that goes your unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web. How great is that huh? Another thing that can make you giddy and up is that Straight Talk guarantees their customer that there are no contracts, no surprise bills and no credit checks if you go for them.

In quest for a new phone? Perhaps you might want to consider reconditioned phones from Straight Talk. They are available for only $10 complete with camera, mp3 player, mobile web access and blue tooth capability. These are perfect if you want to reward your youngsters for a test well done at school.

Did I tickled your interest? Then hear testimonials from loyal Straight Talk customers here and be convinced after.

Mango is Made in Green

2011-08-26T02:07:00.000+08:00

Since I started working online for an environment-friendly company which manufactures and sells biodegradable plates and other eco-friendly food services, I became conscious at every products I buy. An item usually appeals to me whenever I see labels or logo suggesting that it was made out of natural resources and that Mother Earth was not harmed in the course of producing or distributing that product.

As hubby and I met up last Wednesday at Gateway Mall, he bought me a shirt from Mango as his post- birthday gift to me. I opted for a short sleeve shirt this time and not the racer back type that he usually bought for me as I look ~~outrageously~~ fat nowadays and one tube top-like blouse which I intend to wear over a jacket or blazer.

As we went home, I was excited to fit those garments again and then their tags caught my attention:

Mango is Made in Green

MANGO is the first big international clothing brand with seats in the five continents to obtain the “made in green” certificate for all its articles.

Made in Green (created in 2005) is the most severe certification in the field of health, ecology and social conduct that guarantees to the end-user that the certified articles don't contain any chemical components that may harm his/her health, and that they have been manufactured with respect of the environment and the human rights of the workers. Being a sustainability label focusing on health, environment and social equity, the made in green label visualizes this triple guarantee on behalf of the end-user.

After the certification, Mango made a further move in this field. The chemical components of all textile articles and accessories have been verified in laboratories and their suppliers have been certified by Auren consultancy, on the basis of the Code of Social Conduct of the MANGO Group.

At present, a lot of companies with made in green certified products are active in Europe. Next to Centexbel in Belgium, the technological textile centres, Aitex in Spain and Shirly-BTTG in the UK are accredited to certify according to the made in green criteria.

According to Vicente Aznar, president of AITEX and founder of the label “the made in green label was created in answer to the demand of the present society concerned with the health of the consumer, universal human rights and the environment. We want to know more and more whether our textile products are complying with these requirements. Products guaranteeing sustainability are a clear engagement in the future".

Interesting right? At least now being "fashionably in" could also mean you're "in" for green advocacy.

Papa John's Pizza Experience

2011-08-22T02:50:00.000+08:00

Last Friday was our 6th wedding anniversary and to celebrate it, we headed to Sta. Lucia East in Cainta to try the American Pizza house hubby and I saw few weeks ago. It was almost lunch time when we got to Papa John's Pizza located at the Brick Road Sta. Lucia. It was a two-storey establishment and as far as hub and I remembered, it's people upstairs that made us remembered the place. The night we passed by their store, there are plenty of customers both at the 1st and 2nd floor so we thought perhaps the food are great.

Papa John's Pizza @Brickroad Sta. Lucia East Grandmall

We also thought that maybe the view from the top is okay so we asked the attendant for a table upstairs. But she said the a/c was not working properly at that moment so we just settled from the first table we saw downstairs. As we checked on their menus, the kids got dismayed when we were told that they don't offer rice alone. They do have rice meals but it was something they would not want to eat together with chicken. They have Beef and Bacon which is actually a garlic pepper rice baked with a combination of ground beef, onions, green peppers, bacon bits and topped with mozzarella cheese and bolognaise sauce. Another one on their rice meal is their Mushroom and Chicken which is a garlic pepper rice baked with a combination of grilled chicken, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms topped with mozzarella cheese and carbonara sauce.

Our kiddos are not accustomed to these kind of rice meals so hubby decided to just order a large ("14) Hawaiian pizza and transferred to other food restaurant. Their Hawaiian Pizza was loaded with ham, sweet and juicy pineapple with an extra helping of Mozzarella cheese. We brought it home for our snacks. When we arrived, the kids wanted to eat their pizza the moment they changed their clothes. When we opened the take-out box, we were surprised to see it's appearance.

Papa John's "14 Hawaiian Pizza (Php530)

It looked dry and boring on the outside, different from Shakey's, Pizza Hut and Yellow Cab that we usually eat. And instead of hot sauce or ketchup inside the box, there were two cups of yellow sauce on top of it. When I opened it at first I thought it was margarine. But when I poured a little amount of it on my sliced pizza, it tasted good then I knew that it was their famous Special Garlic Dipping Sauce. Oh and can you see those two green little thingy on the side, they were green banana peppers (nobody dared to eat it though).

From the first up to my last bite, all I could say was "this is yummy!" It was very different from the pizza that I ate before. It was all juicy and tasty on the inside very opposite on the way it appeared on the outside. Even hubby and the rest of the family who tasted it agreed to my verdict. We will definitely going to try this one out again. I just don't know if they offer delivery on our area since they just recently opened their branch at Brickroad. Nevertheless, hubby and I agreed that we will go back to their store (just the two of us) and try their other meals and pizza.

DIY Tomato Costume for Kids

2011-07-30T02:55:00.000+08:00

DIY Tomato Costume for Kids

This is my first time to create a do-it-yourself costume for my daughter as they celebrate their Nutrition Month 2011. I came up with the idea of doing a tomato costume for her out of fabric and not out of disposable plates as my initial plan. You too can do this, here's how:

First, you'll need these:

Materials:

Thread, Red and Green Satin Fabric, Red Tulle, Garter and old Newspaper

Step 1: Make a pattern for the body from old newspaper. I measure my daughter's body first to make a perfect fit.

Step 2: Lay down the paper pattern over the fabric then do the cutting. It is best to use pins to secure your pattern over the fabric.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 to your red satin and red tulle fabric. Remember to do this by two's as you will need two sets, one for the front and another for the back.

Step 4: Make a pattern for the green leaves. Repeat Step 2 after this.

Step 5: After having four pieces of green leaves, sew two pieces together. And now you have one set for the front (see photo above). Repeat this step for the back.

Step 6: Now you have one red satin fabric for the body, one tulle fabric for the lining and a set of green leaves. Sew these three together with the red satin at the back, green leaves in the middle and the red tulle on the front. After sewing, turn the red tulle at the back then do the final stitching on the neck part. Do the same step for the back part.

Step 7: Sew the body together.

Step 8: Attached two strings for both parts so it could be easily worn and take off by the child instead of sewing the shoulder part permanently.

Step 9: I intend to place garter on it to give a balloon outskirt but since I am running out of time, I just made the final stitching on the bottom part of the body.

Step 10: I measured my daughter's head then cut a square shape on the red satin fabric for her cap. If you think that you have to make a circle to create a shower cap, there's no need. A square is perfect enough. Once you place the garter on its edge, it will result to a round shape. Now have a little cut on top of it then sew a green string-like fabric for the stem.

DIY Tomato Costume with Cap

DIY Tomato Costume in Action!

Disclaimer: This "how to" was based on my personal experience, however any comments, questions and suggestions are welcome but make sure you say it in a nice way:)

Red Palace Sea Food Restaurant SM City Taytay: Reviewed

2011-07-27T05:34:00.000+08:00

Dining at Red Palace for the second time was much better than the first one. The first time we dined in here was during their opening a year ago (I think) at SM Taytay and of course there are more people who wanted to try their food that time so we had to wait for our turn and it took longer than we expected.

Anyway, back to our current dining experience at Red Palace Seafood Restaurant. We were there around 11:30am and there were only few people dining considering that it is nearing lunch time. The waiter guided us to our table and since we have a two-year old baby, I asked if they have a high chair. The waiter said yes then he came back with one. It was made of wood and has no seat belt or anything that could protect the baby. It looked unsafe and uncomfortable to sit on so I just said never mind. I'll just have my daughter sit on my lap.

Hubby looked at their menu and placed our orders. He said to bring in our drinks later since the kids won't eat their meals the minute they saw those ice tea and soft drinks. And just few minutes, here comes those beverages. Perhaps the waiter didn't got what hubby said so he has to go back and returned where he got them.

Here's what we had:

Yang Chow Fried Rice Php200

Fish Fillet with Seasonal Vegetables Php240

Asado Pork BBQ Php240

2 sets of Siomai Php180 @80each

Beef with Brocolli Php300

Red Palace Birthday Noodles Php240

All of these meals are good for two to three people so the prices are affordable enough. The foods were all tasteful and we didn't regret dining here for the second time. Hubby asked for tea after we ate and they offer this for free. Actually you could ask for it before or after you eat.

We had left over so we decided to take them out. The waiter picked them all and brought inside their kitchen. He returned them in a take out box. One thing I've noticed was it was placed in a single take out box and the food were in separate small plastic bags. I considered it as economical but unsafe because they saved on take out boxes yet placing food in plastics is actually a no-no for me, you know what I mean.

Other than that it was another good dining experience for me and my family.

Discrepancy in EON Visa Debit Card Statement of Account via Online

2011-07-23T01:36:00.000+08:00

Eon Visa Debit Card

I'm not sure if it happens only to me or to other EON Visa Debit Card users. But , when I feel like checking my account through online banking especially when I am expecting to see my salary from my online gig, this would appear on the screen:

Statement of Account

My heart would beat faster when I saw the remaining balance especially when I knew very well that my account have more than that as of the current time. Instead of current transaction, the old transaction details way back 2010 would usually appear and it happened for couple of times now. Even when I logged out and tried it again the same details showed up. It will revert to its normal state after few hours. That made me think if EON Online Banking is still 100% safe for me.

I haven't tried sending ticket to Unionbank regarding this but I will do it soon before anything worse happen to my account.

Inasal Chicken Bacolod: Reviewed

2011-07-12T04:57:00.000+08:00

Inasal Chicken Bacolod located at Lower Ground Floor

of SM Taytay

I'm not sure if this was the third or fourth time that we dined here. Nevertheless, it's obvious that we liked it here because we come back once in a while. It's just now that I finally got the chance to tell you about our dining experience here.

It was a Sunday afternoon and both hubby and I had been long craving for any native vegetable dish. There's actually something with the weather why people (or is it just us?) love to eat during rainy days. So we ordered these:

Pork BBQ for the kids

My mom and me ordered the same Combo Dish

Boneless thigh with garlic rice and atchara

Hubby's order: Sisig na Pusit or is it Pusit na Sisig??

As I said earlier, we craved for veggies that time so here they are:

Ensaladang Talong

Crispy Kangkong

Mangga at Bagoong with Onions and Fresh Tomato

As expected, the last dish were just ignored by the kids but they do enjoyed their pork barbeque. While hubby and I feasted on these veggies. Their crispy kang kong was tasteful and I love the way they made their ensaladang talong. Just like some food stores nowadays, you could also enjoy unlimited rice here but only for their combo meals. My mom and I asked for an extra rice (for free) while hubby asked for additional extra garlic rice. I'm not quite sure though if free drinks were included to their combo meals. I just knew hubby ordered coke in cans for our drinks. All the foods on our table were washed out there's no need for take out boxes for left overs lol!

We were so full after that lunch but we still got extra space for desserts at Dairy Queen Ice Cream House.

Rustan's Goes Green

2011-07-09T22:38:00.000+08:00

When hubby went home today, he had with him a paper bag from Rustan's Department Store because he bought another set of drinking glasses. That was actually one of my hubby's fetish, buying new set of dinnerware two or three times a year. And since I already broke two pieces of drinking glasses from the current set that we are using, he decided to buy a new set.

Actually, I was not interested with the glasses when I saw him came in but with the kind of paper bag that Rustan's have. It was an eco-friendly one because it was made from recycled paper. I salute Rustan's for promoting this kind of paper bag just like what SM Department Store did to their plastic bags.

It's also amazing how the strength and durability of recycled materials can withstand those that are not, like this one. This recycled paper bag can carry up to maximum of 4kg. There's no reason why we should doubt recycled products, right?

Rustan's Department Store's Eco-friendly Paper Bag

Rustan's Going Green Slogans:

"We are committed to reduce our environmental impact one step at a time, please reuse and recycle."

"Stop Earth's Destruction, REDUCE.. REUSE..RECYCLE."

Refreshing New Look!

2011-07-05T03:17:00.000+08:00

New look at last! Since I bought two domains from GoDaddy yesterday, one for My Mind's Outburst and the other for my new upcoming blog, I browsed for a neat looking layout at this wee hour and I settled for this. But still, I've been contemplating if I could use my own domain for this one even though I have the slightest idea on how to do it. Actually I found some tutorials from fellow Girltalkers but my heart is pounding whenever I tried to do it. Oh well, no guts no glory right? I can do this.. I can do this.. Visit me back here and check if the URL above changed, if so.. then I did it! (crazy right?) waa! gotta go for now!

Advance Media Online: Top Provider of Media Solutions

2011-06-27T04:08:00.000+08:00

It is fascinating to know that the era of CDs and DVDs have come from simple means of data storage to movies, music, business presentations and others that any individual can think of. They even serve as souvenirs and promotional tools in most businesses today.

No wonder the competition is getting tough as most companies find various ways to take advantage of these outstanding products. In lieu with this, Advance Media Online got the edge with their affordable pricing for both of their products and services.

Advance Media Online has serviced ministries, businesses, schools and individuals with a wide variety of professional products including blank media, packaging, audio, pro tape, CD/DVD equipment, duplication services and on-disc printing. With their outstanding performance and the most affordable price among their competitors, their customers keep on coming back to avail of their services and even introduce them to most of their friends.

What’s more interesting when you visit Advance Media Online’s website is their Online Disc Printing System. Their Do It Yourself Online Disc Printing will give you the same high quality digital waterproof and smear proof digital print as if you are there personally. And since it’s a DIY, you have the authority to upload your own artwork or if you are not in the mood to create one, feel free to choose from their library of royal free images. Visit Advance Media Online and try it for yourself! Don’t forget to visit and LIKE their official Advance Media Online Facebook Page to receive daily updates of what’s up with them like their Monthly Special Deals and other freebies. For short and timely tweets, visit their Twitter account too!

Pancake House and Freebies from Citibank

2011-06-15T02:29:00.000+08:00

We celebrated my daughter's 2nd birthday at Robinson's Galleria last Sunday (June 12). At first, we planned to go back to Cajun since we were pleased by their food when we tried dining there before. But as hubby asked for our table, we all smelled something unpleasant so we walked away and looked for another place to eat. We landed at Pancake House.

We saw a number of families dining in during that time, two or three of them were Chinese and so we joked about our daughter on how she looked like a Chinese too. As we sat on our table, the waiter handed our kids their Kiddie Menu, a 5x5 square hardbound menu with a pop-up pictures of their meals. It was actually a hit to my kids as they enjoyed looking at them and made them stay on their seats. Adult's menu on the other hand is a long menu with glossy pages too.

My daughter ordered a breakfast meal because she loves egg. So she ordered a ham and egg with rice and a long with that meal was a glass of Minute Maid Orange Juice. My son ordered of course, a chicken meal and that goes with a glass of drink too.

Pancake House Kiddie Meals with Free Minute Maid Orange Juice

And here's what we ordered:

Pancake House Adult Meals

My mom ordered a fish fillet with sweet and sour sauce while I ordered Pork Viene. Pardon me but I forgot the name of hubby's order but I knew it was beef and it comes with a free Ice Tea. The food were delicious and we all got full. Even my kids finished their meals that time. Me, my mom and the kids went to the rest room while hubby waited for our chit. We came back but hubby was still inside the Pancake House. We could see him from the glass partition so we just waited for him outside while the kids played around.

When he went out, he had with him a box of Pancake House's Blueberry Pancake and we thought he bought it for our dessert when we get home. Hubby handed it to me along with the disposable utensils that came along with it. But no, he said he didn't bought because it was a freebie from Citibank. There was a promo that for every Php1000 food purchase at Pancake House, you get a free pancakes. Now isn't that wonderful? That's actually hubby's reason why he can't let go of his Citi Bank credit card while he disposed off his other cards. Citibank offers lots of promos and freebies that cardholders could truly enjoy.

Free Pancake from Pancake House Courtesy of Citibank

Shopping at SM Department Store

2011-06-03T02:23:00.000+08:00

The nearest SM branch from our home is at Taytay Rizal and given the fact that we often go here, I availed of their SM Advantage Card a year ago. When I went there two weeks ago to buy hubby a gift for his birthday, the cashier at Surplus store was courteous enough to asked me if I wanted to check how many points do I already have. I obliged and found out that I already have 300+ points. She asked me if I wanted to claim those points but without asking of what I could get, I refused. We will be shopping for our children's school stuff the following week and it could add up an additional points.

Yesterday, we went back to SM and bought school bags and shoes for our preschoolers. School bags at SM are cheaper than those of what we saw at Robinson's Metro East so we even bought one for our little Cien.

School Bags

For their shoes, hubby preferred to buy those that are made by Florsheim. It's a little expensive but the materials used were durable and in fact, their shoes last year are still in good condition. The only problem why we have to buy them new shoes is because our kids have outgrown it.

Florsheim Shoes for Kids

We were about to have our lunch when our kids saw these cute tumblers and even I couldn't resist to ask hubby to buy it for them.

Cute Cartoon Character Tumblers

One thing I've noticed after we shopped was the new SM plastic bag's appearance. Instead of blue sando bag, our stuff were placed in thin, glossy and white plastic bags. I don't know what's with the change but I do hope these bags are now made of eco friendly materials just like what most shopping malls and grocery stores in abroad use. If so, then SM could be one of the most influential shopping mall to promote packaging green.

SM's new plastic bag appearance

BVLGARI and Calvin Klein Perfume

2011-06-01T02:37:00.000+08:00

It was hubby's birthday last month and he had been long complaining that he haven't got any gift for himself yet. That's why I couldn't argue with him anymore when he bought these two perfumes a while ago when we had our dinner date at Robinsons Metro East.

BVLGARI Aqua Pour Homme and Euphoria Men from Calvin Klein

He already saw the BVLGARI perfume when he went to Duty Free weeks ago before his birthday. He couldn't decide yet whether to buy it or not during that time but he really liked its scent. So when he saw it today at Robinson, he pleaded to me to please allow him to buy it. I said, if you got the budget for it then go. He got it on its regular price of Php 5,150 with a free clutch bag and a shower gel but we still asked for additional freebies. The sales rep offered another perfume which was on sale at 20% off of its regular price of Php4,298. Hubby liked the scent of Euphoria for Men by CK so he got it too. As additional freebies, he got another 10% off so the price was slashed off by 30%, two Omnia Amethyste perfume sampler, two BVLGARI Bath Towel (from Italy according to the sales rep) and another lady's bag to follow (sales rep got hubby's number to inform him when the bag will be available).

with freebies

Smelling good is no trend. What better way to emphasize those pheromones than by splashing on a designer scent? Bulgari’s AQUA Pour Homme is a refreshing marine fragrance that’s subtle enough for any man to wear -- both during the day and at night. Since AQUA’s mandarin, posidonia and mineral amber undertones provide a light, fresh, clean scent, you won’t have a lack of places to wear it to. Subtle enough for the office and masculine enough for your night on the town, AQUA will instantly become the finishing touch to every outfit. Great-smelling cologne that doesn’t leave behind a strong, overbearing trail is hard to find. For this reason, you’ll definitely love the subtlety of this fragrance and make splashing it on a part of your daily routine. By using posidionia -- a plant only found in the depths of the ocean -- Bulgari has developed a signature marine scent that makes this eau de toilette distinctive. Beware: Its fresh yet masculine scent has been known to cause quite a stir with the ladies.

Unlike most traditional perfumes that are usually over-powering and tend to irritate the person beside you, Euphoria for Men has the right combination of non-offensive fragrances. Euphoria Men by Calvin Klein is a perfume known for its irresistible and sensual fragrance that is not overpowering but lasting at the same time. This is wearable at any time of the day and at any occasion. Experience wise, however, it is highly recommended for evening wear. Its lasting smell, which is built to stay on for around 6-10 hours, makes it a practical buy, since you don’t have to spray it on several times in a day. Also, the scent is musky rather than fruity or citrus and gives off a cool and refreshing feel.

As always, only freebies goes to the wifey and I am okay with that, I'm not into perfumes anyway. The CK Eternity he bought for me is still half empty considering that he bought it last June 2010 (would you believe that?lol!) I rather ask him to buy me a new 16gb flash drive to lessen my load of doing several cd burning just to back up all of my files in my laptop. (Lappy usually hang up whenever he plays poker and he blamed it to my ~~hundreds~~ thousands of photos and files.)

Steps on How You Can Salvage your Photos on Friendster

2011-05-30T01:20:00.000+08:00

As I did a post on How to Avoid Distraction from Facebook on my other blog, I remembered my Friendster Account! I bet your heard/read that Friendster is either closing or upgrading. Neither of the two, I bet what matters to you most about this rumors are your pictures! So here's a tutorial on how you can salvage them:

1. Log in to your Friendster Account.

2. At the upper right corner of your profile, look for the tab Fun, scroll it down then click Apps.

3. Look for the Friendster Exporter Widget and click Add to Profile. Friendster Exporter Apps will let you download and export your full profile, photos and blogs making it easy to move and save all your precious Friendster memories.

4. If you want to download your full Friendster Profile to your computer, you can download it as a zip file. You can view your profile data by opening 'index.html' once the file is downloaded. This includes the following: basic info (name, date of birth, gender, and 'About Me' info), photos, list of your friends or fans (for Fan Profiles), list of pages that you are 'a fan of', comments and testimonials, messages in your Inbox, shoutout history and comments to your shout outs,virtual gifts, treasure chest and list of groups you are a member of. There are two options:

a. Faster Download (Recommended) - Photos not included but you can still export them using the photo exporter

b. Slower Download - Photos included

5. You can also export all your photos directly to other online photo hosting/sharing sites. Here's how:

a. Select which site you’d want to export your photos to (Multiply or Flickr)

b. Select the photo album/s you’d want to export - All albums, whether public or private, can be exported.

c. Authorize the export - You’ll be asked to login to the site that you chose, so make sure that you’re ready for this.

6. If you have blogs on Friendster, you can download a zipped .xml copy of your blogs which you can export directly to other popular blog sites such as Blogger and Wordpress.

My photos are now saved on my Multiply account as well as those photos that I exported from hubby and our two children's Friendster Account. I didn't bothered to save our profile because what's important to me are those pictures. Now it also means I would have to visit any nearest CD-R King one of these days because they cater blank media such as CDs and DVDs at affordable prices and high quality too and I am sure I'll be needing a lot of those.

Looking for Someone? Try Free People Search Engines

2011-05-16T01:53:00.001+08:00

I was able to chat with my long lost classmate in Facebook the other day and now we are planning to meet after several years to catch up on each other. With the latest trend in technology today, things which are deemed impossible like finding people you have lost contact years ago can be just a click away. The power of Internet have reached millions of people and counting.

I am sure you have watched or read true to life stories where long lost people are found through different free people search engines together with the different social media that are becoming popular nowadays. You can just imagine how an adopted daughter would find her biological parents after years of living with people she thought were her real mom and dad. It was a happy reunion after all, upon knowing the reason behind the adopting process.

Albeit the use of these free people search engines has advantages there are also some disadvantages especially those people who are into illegal activities. Remember, what you put in the Internet would probably remain in the Internet. So, if someone registered himself to one of these sites then totally forgot about it and in the future committed something that is not favourable to the law he/she can be easily identified in just few clicks. I believe some law enforcer authorities have several lists of free people search engines which they can use to help them do their jobs more efficient especially when it comes to finding people.

I personally tried several of these free people search engines in finding some of our long lost other classmates who have neither Facebook nor Myspace (which is the most popular), and got lucky to find three! I will soon contact them and hopefully we could arrange for our batch reunion.

Hanleck Resort in Pansol Laguna: Reviewed

2011-05-11T22:43:00.000+08:00

Probably rainy season is here but does outdoor swimming now blocked off from your list of having fun? If you are the type of person who loves to swim so as your family, friends and relatives, then I would suggest you go to Pansol Laguna where hot spring pools are plenty. Hot spring pools are perfect even on a rainy season!

Hanleck Resort in Pansol Laguna

Now, let me share you this place where we went in to last Holy Week. The resort's name is Hanleck Resort. Of all the resort we inquired into, this was where we settled for an overnight stay. It was peak season so we expected that prices of private pools were over-priced. Indeed, we rented the place for Php12,000 for an over night stay (probably it would be way too cheap when it is off-peak season). We arrived there at 11pm and we were told that we should pack our things by 2pm. Well anyway, we have no other choice but to accept that offer since we've been on the road for very long hours and our kids were all tired.

Meanwhile, back to Hanleck Resort. It is a two-storey building and a parking space for just one car. On the lower ground is the lobby and a big size hot spring pool (starting from 3ft then 4ft and 6ft) together with the shower and rest rooms. You will be fascinated to be inside the lobby since there are life-sized cartoon character displays! For sure your kids are going to love them too! It also has a videoke where you can sing your lungs out! You will also see the kitchen in there where you can cook with their provided LPG, grill and gas stove plus a refrigerator too. You wouldn't want to spoil all the fun by doing endless dish washing so I suggest you bring plastic tableware with you.

Hot Spring Resort with Life-sized Cartoon Character Displays

Upstairs are three bedrooms with a/c and each room can accommodate not more than 10 people. The rooms were all comfy especially with their cartoon-themed beddings. Outside the rooms is a billiard table and one toilet and bath room.

1st room with a/c and 4 single beds

with Hello Kitty Beddings

2nd room with a/c and 3 single beds with Spongebob beddings

3rd room with a/c double-deck and single bed with Winnie the Pooh Beddings

Adults and children don't have the power anymore to dive in that night but not our teenager nephews and nieces. They enjoyed the hot water and didn't even bothered to sleep while some of them enjoyed singing all throughout the night. That's what they did because even though they brought their laptops, tablets and cellphones with Wi-fi they were no use because sad to say the place don't have Wi-Fi services.

My sister in law got the contact person's name and numbers so if ever you would want to have an inquiry, feel free to comment and I'll ask my SIL for you.

Island Cove in Cavite

2011-05-07T02:15:00.000+08:00

As an extended birthday celebration of my SIL's daughter, my family and the rest of hubby's siblings tagged along with them at Island Cove in Cavite. The resort was less than an hour away from their home and they are already a regular guest of the place. It was my family's first time though that's why my kids were all eager to get inside the resort.

Island Cove's Lobby and Front Desk

Their lobby is wide and spacious with elegant sofas where guests can wait while checking in. We rented two Hotel De Luxe rooms for Php2,600 each only with my SIL's influence since she and her family is a regular customer. (Regular price was Php4,100 on weekdays and Php5,000 on weekends) They even joked that she was actually a shareholder of Island Cove that's why we had a huge discount. (hehe..) The room's capacity was actually up to 4-5 persons only but we were 10 in each room including the kids! Each Hotel DeLuxe Room has two queen size bed so I guess you are wondering how did we fit in? We put down the two top beds then arrange them in a row and voila, we had four beds!

before (two queen size beds)

after (four beds in a row!)

A/C, Restroom and Bath Tub

Island Cove Amenities

If you are a hotel guest, you don't have to pay for an entrance fee to their resort and to the Oceania Water Park (one of their main attraction with inflatable slides and all). Hubby paid for our room while SIL with the other so we got the complimentary breakfast for two.

Top photo was the view from outside of our room. In front of our room is a big pool, a kiddie pool and a jacuzzi which we enjoyed only for few hours during the night since it needs to be vacated at 9pm or 10pm I think. We availed our complimentary breakfast around 9am and we were a bit dismayed because there were only few dish on their buffet table. There were only tinapa, corned beef, ham, fried rice, scrambled egg, fressh juice and fruits. My SIL called the person in charge in their canteen who happened to be close to her already and asked what happened to their breakfast menu. Immediately he apologized and ordered to cook additional meals for us. A beef dish was served for us only and another one to make up for that inconvenience.

Bringing of foods are not allowed inside the resort but SIL brought their two big rice cookers, disposable plates and cups and cooked rice and sinigang na baboy (silly me but that was the first time I knew that you could cook sinigang using a rice cooker). They do checked our things for stuff that are off limits inside the resort but they did not thoroughly checked it since they were inside our cars. Although we had free entrance to their Oceania Park, we didn't bother to go there since our kids were contended to the mini pool and jacuzzi. We went home after lunch but SIL and her family were left since her daughter will be having her friends to come over and celebrate her birthday there.

By the way, before we left our room, SIL said we should put back our beds in its original place and at least tidy the room first for it not to be obvious that it was occupied by more than 5 people. The staff counted how many towels were placed there and even counted the glasses used. Strict eh?

Over all, it was a cheap and fun experience because of the huge discount we had not to mention the special services we availed because of my sister in law. Too bad we didn't got to see their Oceania Park and their other main attractions but perhaps some other time.

From Boring to Dashing

2011-04-15T01:45:00.000+08:00

Don’t you hate going to hospitals? Personally speaking I do! Initially it gives me a bad feeling that something is wrong with me or my loved ones if confined in a hospital. Check ups are okay but still it bores me to be in that plain white establishment with serious looking doctors who seem to announce bad news anytime with regards to your health. Adding up to that dilemma are those people in nursing uniforms who would come in and out of hospital rooms asking questions to gather information on your health before the resident doctor comes in.

Somehow, I think people from the medical field sense this kind of predicament so they transform boring white nursing uniforms into custom made scrubs to lighten up and impose cheerful atmosphere inside hospitals and clinics. Now, bumping with nurses with their burnt orange scrubs does not give me the stiff and awkward feeling anymore especially for my kids. You can see from these nurses’ eyes too that they prefer these kinds of working outfit since they can move freely while assisting their patients and without sacrificing their own style when it comes to dressing up. Before you would rarely see nurses strolling inside malls after their duties but now you can see them flaunt their style even when they came out straight from work and without changing into civilian clothes.

True enough, scrubs suits turn their lives from boring to dashing!

Affordable and Effective Promotional Tools

2011-04-15T00:35:00.000+08:00

Most businesses scour for the most effective and efficient tool in promoting their products or services. Of course, not all that seem to be effective will be considered in an instant simply because of this one important factor, their budget. Especially in small businesses and those that are still on the immature stage, choosing the best advertisement platform need to pass through rigid test and conclusions if they are truly operational before actually plunging into one. After all, there will be money involved and it is imperative to know if there will be a return of investment or not.

In putting up a business, don’t expect that people will just come up to you and purchase your products or avail your services. You have to let it known to all that you are offering these or that by means of advertisement and promotion. Word of the mouth is free and is actually effective if the people operating the business are sociable and have lots of contacts. But of course, if you want to reach your maximum potential customers you would have to invest on it.

For example, promotional pens with your company’s name on it can be easily spread out as give away to your first batch of customers. From here, it will act like a spider web connecting one customer to another because of that promotional tool at a very affordable cost. When the business moved up to a higher level, be sure to make it look more professional by providing custom printed envelopes in your business correspondence and not just merely manually written or typed ones.

Want to try this suggestion? Then we recommend that you browse the Internet for another review of Amsterdam Printing which is now the talk of the town when it comes to product customization either for personal or business use.

Approved K-12 Education in the Philippines

2011-04-10T02:14:00.000+08:00

I wouldn't be aware of the K12 education if my son's principal didn't discussed it during their graduation ceremony. She said it was already approved by P-noy, our president. So what is K12 education anyway? Actually, I wasn't able to catch up with her talk about it simply because I'm busy with my son so I made my research to give me clearer view of it.

K12 is a part of P-noy's Education Program wherein the adiminstration believes that adding more years to basic education in the Philippines could actually help solve the problem of unemployment, keep up with global standards and help Filipino students to have more time to choose the career that best suits their skills.

Specifically it means adding two more years in the secondary level plus kindergarten in pre-school. Such plan is not that easy for it also concerns the financial capacity of parents, the number of schools and classrooms, the number of teachers, and even the availability of books and other school supplies.

If this ambitious multi-billion-peso plan becomes successful, then the Philippine education system can become more competitive among other countries around the world. It is worthy to note that only the Philippines and one country in Africa or in South Asia I believe have 10-year basic education cycle. Most countries have 12 years before their students take any college course. Some more progressive countries even have 14 years for pre-college education.

However, it won't work if the needed elements to make it work aren't present. Such elements, as stated above, include the adequate supply of schools, classrooms, chairs, manpower (teachers, administrators, and staff), books, laboratory equipment, instructional aids, utilities, community support, curriculum approaches, etc. If the government could allot a bigger budget to educational needs, then we could be one-step ahead towards the success of the K-12 program.

Furthermore, parents (especially those who belong in the poor sector) should be properly informed and motivated of the advantages of the K-12 Education Plan. This is very important since parents play a major role in providing the child's school allowances, supplies, and fees for other school projects and activities. Add to that the support of parents towards their children in terms of guidance and teaching.

Once this succeeds, it is best hoped that Filipino students would be more literate, skilled, and competitive to be able to find jobs more easily and contribute to the country's pride as well as the country's economy.

source: Journalism Online Training

This article cleared my thoughts on K12 however I would still love to recall what my son's principal talked about this because she gave a lot of motherly sense to this issue. I guess I would have wait to till my son's school released their Graduation CD Giveaways which I believe is taking a little more time. Perhaps they wasn't able to get the best cd duplicator in town hence the delay for its release.

Club Manila East Reviewed for the 2nd Time

2011-04-07T02:37:00.000+08:00

As promised to those who read my post about my family spending an overnight stay at Club Manila East , here is my review of the resort. It was actually our second time to be at Club Manila East in Taytay Rizal and that was a year ago when we celebrated my daughter's third birthday. So my review will actually be based on our first and second experience to be in this resort.

1. Multi-cabs are now available at the main gate for guests who have no personal vehicles. Fare is Php8.00 per head. All vehicles are welcome to pass through except tricycle. Guard will let it through if all of its passengers will be inside the resort to make sure it is not a service vehicle. So how come taxi cabs are allowed and not tricycles? (Discrimination?!)

before recently

2. Before, we transacted our business by the booth beside the main entrance of the resort. But last Saturday, we were redirected to their lobby and we checked-in there. We were actually clueless of that lobby because we didn't saw it last year. But in fairness, it was nice and comfy, with air-conditioned and big rattan-made sofas for their guests.

3. Before going to our room in Dona Luz Villa, we inflated my daughter's kiddie float. There's no one around to help and you have to inflate your stuff alone. That was actually fine but they could have at least provided working tools for it. Hubby took some time to finish because there was no handle with the thing he was using.

4. When we got inside our room, I immediately noticed the difference with their kitchen. Before we had a glass table and nice chairs but now it was replaced by this cheap-looking mono-block table. Aside from that, few hours since we got in there, the air-con was still not that cool despite of placing it in the coolest settings.

recently before

5. They lack of complimentary slippers and rags inside their hotel rooms considering we paid Php3,300 for their Dona Luz Villa room. We actually noticed that last year and just let it pass. But now, I couldn't help to blurt it out. We have no choice then but to use their provided towels as rags and placed it just outside their bathroom or else our kids will slip because of wet floor. Hubby just asked for another set of towels and comforters. Oh and speaking of bathroom, their bath tub was useless because it can't be filled because the cap was missing. We didn't bothered to call their service then because our children were much interested in swimming in the pool anyway.

6. My kids wanted to try their kayak but hubby didn't allowed them for one big reason: they don't provide life vest! And I believe it should be a "must" that they provide one for every person who will ride in there. (check out their website and you can see from their gallery that life vests are nowhere to be seen).

7. We brought our laptop since we knew CME is a Wi-Fi Free Zone. But unfortunately, when I called in the reception to ask for their password and got it, I got connected but couldn't surf at all. From my laptop I can see the "Local Only" when I checked the internet connectivity. I called again if their Wi-Fi is working and the girl on the other line said that signal is only strong within their lobby and asked where am I. I said I'm at Dona Luza Villa and she said unfortunately some guests actually can't access the net from that range. So, why don't they do something about that since it was a complain long before by other guests??!

8. Where's the place's name? CME should be a pride of Taytay Rizal so where was it?

before recently

Disclaimer: This post is not to degrade or give a bad reputation to Club Manila East. My family and I enjoyed our stay here and I think my opinion on everything I enumerated, if someone from CME could read it can actually help in improving their services more for the benefit of their guests and their business as well.

CD Giveaways

2011-03-31T04:21:00.000+08:00

My two preschoolers went to different school this year. My eldest son went to a private preschool while my daughter who just turned four today was enrolled in a daycare center. Actually there was a story behind it and you can just read it here.

Anyway, since my son went to a private school, hubby and I expected that we are going to pay a hefty amount of graduation fee compared to her sister. We were right then, we paid Php1500 for my son's graduation fee and according to his teachers that amount should cover their toga, annual album, graduation portraits and a CD where the entire graduation ceremony is recorded along with their other school activities. Now, that is another gimmick for schools eh?

photo source

CD giveaways are actually nice and much easy to view with others unlike photos. I remembered when I made a slideshow of my daughter's pictures from birth until she turned one. It was played during her 1st birthday celebration and most of our visitors asked how I did it. Maybe that's the main idea why CD Giveaways is becoming a trend nowadays, it's eye catching and interesting. Perhaps if I would think of making it as a business I would have to buy the best cd duplicator in the market for me to come up with high quality copies needed especially if intended for business use.

Two Things I Discovered in Hong Kong

2011-03-23T22:13:00.000+08:00

It's summer once again here in the Philippines and I am sure there are lots of people out there who are planning to go out of town or out of the country with the upcoming long vacation this Lenten Season. Well, for those who are planning to give Hong Kong a visit, let me share you two things that I found out when me and my family went there last year.

One: All hostels and almost all hotels use this kind of socket. Some hostels provide adaptors like in Disney Hollywood Hotel but its For Sale at Marco Polo Hotel @HK80! You probably have this kind of universal adaptor at home so it would be better if you would check first or you can buy them at any electronic store (I believe they are available at CD-R King too). It is advisable to bring your own because you might need it in charging your cellphone, digital camera batteries, laptops and other gadget instead of buying it in Hong Kong.

sockets in HK, adaptor, Internet Connection

Two: As I've noticed in Disney Hollywood Hotel, MP Hotel also don't have a free Wi-Fi so don't rely on your cellphone or other Wi-Fi capable gadgets alone if you want to stay connected online throughout your visit in Hong Kong. Why? Because to gain access to the Internet, you would have to connect your laptop to the adaptor and that is not free, mind you. At Marco Polo Hotel, their lowest charge for Internet connectivity starts at HK$70 per hour.

So there, I hope this post could help those people who have never been to Hong Kong yet and are planning to pay a visit one of these days. Happy Trip!

Looking Back at Marco Polo Hotel Gateway Hong Kong

2011-03-20T01:35:00.000+08:00

I just feel like looking back at the times when me and my family had a few days vacation in Hong Kong. We slept in two different hotels there, the first night was spent at Disney Hollywood Hotel and the following days were spent here at Marco Polo Gateway Hotel. Now, let me share some of our pictures here:

Our Room at Marco Polo Hotel Gateway

Amenities

Bring Your Business to the Next Level

2011-03-16T00:06:00.000+08:00

Are you planning to put up a business? Or perhaps you already have but the sales and revenues that you are receiving do not seem fair enough to justify all your efforts. What could be the problem then?

In every business venture it is imperative that you reach your target market in a precise and accurate manner. With the tough competition in the market, you would have to come up with outstanding marketing strategies. Giving promotional products is the most easy and convenient way in reaching out your target market. Have your company logo or product’s brand name imprinted on your chosen item and give it away to your loyal or even new customers. From there, your marketing campaign will work its way in reaching out a larger number of probable clients and customers like you never had before.

You will even be amazed at what personalized notepads can do to persuade and invite new customers to try your products or services. Indeed, you can gain a lot from this kind of advertising tool. You can find interesting fresh products and services that are usually showcases in exhibits, trade shows and events at TSNN.com so be sure to check them out if you plan to bring your business to the next level.

SMART Bro Contract Extension Program 2011

2011-03-09T01:10:00.000+08:00

I received two calls from SmartBro representatives this week telling me that I am qualified to avail of their Plan Rebate Bundle if I will renew my contract to them for another two years. I have no time to talk to them at that moment so I said I would have to ask my husband first. And just now, I remembered their offer so I checked SmartBro's website.

Indeed, SmartBro is promoting their Contract Extension Program open for their customers who had completed their Fixed Wireless Broadband Plan 999 subscription for two years and above with them.

All you have to do is to renew your SmartBro Fixed Wireless Broadband Plan 999 to get free cellphones, printer, etc. or a discount on your Monthly Service Fee!

As of now, I am contemplating on which one to choose. Would it be the HP F2840 printer or their Plan Rebate Bundle. Care to help me decide?

No Free Wi-Fi at Disney Hollywood Hotel Hong Kong

2011-03-04T22:54:00.000+08:00

I always take advantage of free Wi-Fi zone whenever I get out of the house. Luckily, there are many hot spots now here in the Philippines where you can avail of free Internet surfing either through cellular phones, laptops, PSP and other high tech gizmos that are supported by Wi-Fi capability. Malls and other business establishments are generous enough to share this privilege to their customers.

Now that reminded me of the time when we went to Hong Kong last June 2010. I intended to bring my laptop then but hesitated at the last minute since I have my cellphone with Wi-Fi capability and I told myself it would be enough to keep in touch virtually since I knew for sure that there are lots of free Wi-Fi zones there.

And to my dismay, upon reaching our first hotel which was at Disney Hollywood Hotel, this is what I saw:

You would have to pay for Internet connection and it cost HK$120 for 24 hours and provided you have your own laptop with you.

I was still lucky enough to update and check my Facebook account when we ate at Hollywood & Dine and saw this:

Hollywood & Dine customers can enjoy FREE Internet browsing

A Day at Lake Villa Resort

2011-03-01T17:06:00.001+08:00

Family day was spent at Lake Villa Resort last Sunday. This is very accessible to us since me and my relatives live in Cainta so we didn't took much of our time in travelling. We arrived there at around 9:00am and there were already few groups of people getting ready for a christening celebration and a birthday party.

Lake Villa Resort is located in National Road Tayuman Binangonan, Rizal just in front of Tayuman Elementary School. Its owner is actually my Dad's close friend and so we got some discount when his sister went out and talked to my Mom. Entrance fee was Php100 per head (either adult or child) and our open cottage cost Php700 only.

The resort has private, kiddie and big pools and they all come with a slide.

Lake Villa Resort's Private Pool

Lake Villa Resort's Kiddie Pool

Lake Villa Resort Big Pool

Last Sunday was a fine day, not too sunny and it didn't rain as well. However, we all got terrible sunburned bodies especially the kids who wouldn't get out of the pool no matter what we, parents do. My mom said that it is because of the kind of air we have in Rizal Province which they believe made us horribly tan.

The resort also caters venue for different occasions and gatherings.They have three big halls suited for celebrating big events:

Everlasting Hall (Semi-Pavilion) - Php5,00/day

Orchids Hall (Conference hall) - Php8,000/day
Sampaguita Hall (Big pavilion) - Php10,00/day
Garden Venue - 15,000/day

Prices and Photo Source: Lake Villa Resort

My family and other relatives enjoyed all through out the day it was just when we got home that our kids complained about scrapes on their feet and bodies. Turned out that the pebbles inside the pool are not that smooth and that caused their scrapes. They just didn't noticed it when they were in the pool because they are enjoying.

CD Rack, Badly Needed

2011-02-26T23:05:00.000+08:00

I always hate the scene above. Whenever I see these CD and DVD collections of my kids, scattered and unorganized, I blame hubby. I thought purchasing these products will end after we subscribed from Cignal almost a year ago, but I was wrong. Their collection just keep on increasing in numbers and I hate it whenever we look for the perfect CD/DVD rack and we can't find any that will suit hubby's taste.

As for these collections, I know it is imperative to have a CD/DVD rack to avoid the above scenario. Hubby and I were actually looking for the more common designs of cd rack which is the black wire rack. We both know that this is a more contemporary style and can accommodate anything from twenty CDs to over one hundred CDs. It can also be laid down horizontally on a surface or made to stand up vertically as a CD rack tower. We preferred this type as space is often at a premium particularly with our stereo in the living room along with our television and DVD player.

We always have less time in search for this kind of product so I decided to browse over the Internet since I am a frequent online shopper. I check out stores that sells CD racks and I found few interesting online shops that have the perfect rack on my mind that will best suit me and hubby's taste.

Hopefully I get to purchase one anytime this month.

My TP-Link Router and SmartBro Wired Internet Connection

2011-02-22T11:43:00.000+08:00

I've read from a friend's tweet that she is having problems with her router for few days now. Made me recall about the first time I had my very own TP Link Router. I had it as a birthday gift from hubby last August 2010 and until now, it's up and running and haven't encountered any problems at all (cross-finger).

I was even skeptic about installing it for the first time because I'm not a very technical person. So, I read very carefully the instruction manual and made sure I followed it correctly.

Package Contents

1. You would have to insert the resource CD into your CD-ROM and it would run automatically.

2. This image will prompt on your screen and you will have to choose which router model do you have.

3. After choosing which one, click the Easy Set Up Assistant Icon.

4. Just follow the rest of the instructions from here.

5. On this part, get this cable from the package and attach it to the computer and the router.

6. If you are a SmartBro subscriber.. this will appear on your screen after you successfully install your router. Your broadband service is then active and you can continue browsing the Internet on a wireless mode.

Actually I though I got all these steps wrong because after having smooth wireless connectivity for a week, my connection became intermittent. At first I never thought that it could be SmartBro's fault because I blame it all on the router. But even when I'm not using the router, my Internet's performance was still the same and it lasted for weeks. Until I couldn't take it anymore because my online gigs were already being put into jeopardy, I demand Smart to send me their technical team. To cut the long story short, the problem was not with my router but with my antenna placed at the rooftop of our apartment. Somehow, it couldn't get enough signal and Smart told me that they have to increase it's height. And they charged me more or less eight hundred (Php800) for a higher pole. I didn't argue with them about it as long as I'll have my Internet back and be able to work online again.

Cinemaworks: Providing Wedding Videos and Editing

2011-02-10T14:01:00.000+08:00

I remember seeing Oyo Sotto and Khristine Hermosa's Wedding in Youtube as well as the controversial Pre-nup video of Maggie Wilson and her husband to be. They were both perfectly made but of course with different concept and style. My brother actually is a part of a wedding videographer group and they are actually making their own name in their chosen industry. I couldn't believe that my brother and his peers can do such perfectly made wedding video presentations. They got clients from anywhere in the country and from abroad as well. Last year, if my memory served me right, they joined an event which could make them more known in the field of Videography. They had this simple promotional CD and gave them away to the event's guests.

Promotional CD (it contains few of their previous wedding video crafts)

I know, they could have made a better looking promotional CD than this one. It was so simple.. see? The CD jacket was only made of sturdy paper, die cut and pasted together with a simple layout for its front and back.

Promotional CD in Stick-on Label

And then check out their CD label. It was just a stick-on label with no print at all. What if the CD jacket was lost and their supposed to be clients couldn't determine what's the content of the CD they are holding? This is a very bad promotional idea. But actually there was a reasonable explanation to this: they ran out of time to have their CD's duplicated and have a presentable CD label. With their hectic schedule, they noticed the invitation only few days before the exhibit.

This year is more challenging for them. Why? It's only second month of 2011 but they have scheduled coverage already for the month of December. Now, their business is really in bloom huh!

Oh, you can check out their creations at Cinemaworks.

Citi Bank Promo: SM Cinema Complimentary Pass

2011-01-27T12:32:00.000+08:00

We got these complimentary pass last December when we bought stuff for our kids at SM Department Store Taytay. Citibank had a promo then of winning three complimentary movie pass for a minimum purchase of three thousand pesos using Citibank Credit card.

But since hubby wanted to watch movies with our three kids and my mom, we decided not to consume it yet and will just make another purchase in the next following weeks. Two weeks after, we did shopped again for a new set of dinnerware. Though I tried to looked for some biodegradable plates which I knew were best recommended by many environmentalist because of its safe and non toxic materials, I found none. Maybe if I try looking at online shops I will get few sets for our kitchen.

Anyway, with that purchased, we got another set of three movie complimentary pass but when we went to the customer service to claim them, the attendant said they ran out of tickets and they don't know yet when they will be available again. However, we can claim our freebies in any SM Department Store aside from them at any time we like since claiming of movie passes is up to February 2011.

My family and I had been busy since the start of Holiday season last year and just today, I remembered to check on those movie passes and here is a shocking revelation:

Citibank Promo: SM Complimentary Pass

Yikes! Our Movie Passes were all expired!

At the back of it were notes stating the validity date, some SM branch where it won't be honored and that it cannot be used on Metro Manila Film Festival. Too bad for us eh?! Hope with the other set of freebies which remain unclaimed by my husband, we'll finally find time to watch a movie with the kids and my mom.

From CD to DVD

2011-01-25T09:55:00.000+08:00

Yes, I mentioned before why hubby and I prefer buying CD’s for our three kids instead of DVD. Actually there’s another reason behind that and that is because of our DVD player. Yep, it is an unknown brand which was made from China ~~I think~~ and we’ve been using it for more than five years now. See, branded or not, it can still last for long as long as you handle and use it properly. There are some isolated cases though wherein DVDs won’t play. I guess it has something to do with the DVD format. Oh well, I’m not familiar with those technicalities, bottom line is, we stick to CD’s instead.

From CD to DVD

But when hubby saw that there was a huge sale of Barney shows in DVD, he took the risk of buying three copies. Our kids, especially Cien, our youngest, exclaimed “wow!” when she saw her favorite character. We then tried to put one DVD inside our player and with our crossed finger.. it worked! Then we also tried the other two and they both worked fine.

The next day hubby checked if Odyssey still has their DVD sale and luckily it was still ongoing. He bought several copies for our kids and few for the kids who invited us for their birthday parties. Children’s DVD movies are perfect gift for babies and kids especially the Barney shows.

With this switch, I noticed the big difference of CD to DVD. Movies in DVD’s are clearer both in audio and visual aspects. It also has a longer play time; it contains two Barney shows in one disc unlike in CD where it contains only one. In terms of price, well, DVDs cost a little bit expensive compared to CDs but the quality is much better too.

Moneybookers Fund to Eon Account

2011-01-18T16:02:00.001+08:00

First time I heard of this online payment processor is from my client who lives in UK. Instead of sending payment for the task I did for him through my Paypal account, he sent it through Moneybookers.com. You can refer to my other blog for the rest of the story, meanwhile let me share to you how I created my own account in Moneybookers.com and successfully withdrew my funds with them through my Eon Bank Account.

Moneybookers is an online payment processor that can be used to pay online, get paid, transfer money to your bank account here and abroad and send money back home to your relatives. This is more or less like Paypal (I'm sure most of you have become familiar with it or at least had heard of it.)

Actually creating an account with them is as easy as 1,2 and 3. You just have to fill up their form, enter your personal details and that's it! You already have a Moneybookers account. The problem that I encountered was I didn't know if I can actually withdraw my funds from them using my local bank account just like what I usually do with Paypal. And luckily, I found out that I can using the same debit card I used with my Paypal, my Eon Debit Card.

After creating an account with Moneybookers, you will have to do some verification of your Eon Account to Moneybookers.

Enter your complete name and the type of your card (Eon-Visa). Type in your card number and it's expiration date. Look at the back of your Eon card and copy the three digits for the last slot to be filled.
Moneybookers will charge your card for a random verification fee between USD 1.01 - 2.99.
You must then check your card statement for the exact transaction amount and enter it into the 'verify credit/debit card' section of your Moneybookers profile.
Upon completion, the verification fee will be refunded to your Moneybookers account and your card will be verified with an upload limit of 333.55 USD in any 60 day period.
Due to processing restrictions Moneybookers cannot refund this transaction back to your card.

After this verification, you can now withdraw your funds! You just have to add your bank account to your Moneybookers account. It will ask for your bank's SWIFT code which is UBPHPHMM (for Eon and Unionbank). Encode your account number then go to the withdrawal section.

And it was a success!

My Moneybookers fund reflected to my Eon Account four (4) days after the transfer. However, nothing can beat my loyalty to Paypal and I still prefer it over Moneybookers.com.

Wardrobe Alert!

2011-01-15T22:38:00.000+08:00

I have always been a home-body type of person. Parties and social gatherings are really not my cup of tea. However, working in a corporate world and having a husband who is into marketing and sales field, sometimes I have no choice but to attend some formal events. Whenever I knew that there is an upcoming formal celebration at the office or when hubby advised me ahead of time that he would want me to accompany him in one of his client’s formal party, I swear I dreaded that date to come.

The main problem that would initially pop inside my head is the required outfit. If somebody would peek inside my closet, all she could find inside are jeans, shirts and a couple of informal dresses which I seldom use. I know I should have at least invest in some formal get up like the *new*bcbg pumice silk sequin tunic top xs that I saw when I did some window shopping online. Those sequins will truly make any woman shine, literally, in an evening event. Maybe I should look for that item again and reward myself with that outfit. It will surely match my new stilettos I bought last Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, I saw my friend’s Christmas outfit last season and her 1 madison tab waist peacoat really caught my attention. Of course, I know how cold it is in Germany until now, and I salute her for being that fashionable she became unlike when we were younger. Her jackets and coats really look good on her aside from the fact that it hides all her belly fats she got after giving birth to her two kids.

Oh well, I guess for this New Year, I should do some random scanning of my closet and see if I could add important wardrobe in it.

Unique Gift Suggestion for your Old Folks

2011-01-14T16:22:00.000+08:00

With the advanced technology which we have today, listening to old radio program may seem very outdated. However, if you would ask your old folks what they loved about this kind of entertainment, they will definitely say that it was one great experience to listen to high quality dramas and other shows played in the radio during their times. What were played on old time radio program before was created by keen and scrutinized production crews, outstanding actors and actresses and of course well-known writers and story tellers. It’s not just a one-man show but a whole cast production, no wonder top calibre programs were usually heard over the radio in the past. On the other hand, to fully appreciate this kind of leisure, one should have an imaginative mind along with his keen listening ability. So if you are thinking of a unique gift for your grandma or grandpa, perhaps you can search for old time radio program and listen to it along with them.

Oldies But Goodies Kind of Diversion

2011-01-14T15:47:00.000+08:00

Ever heard of an old time radio program? I know it’s very weird and uncanny for some people to still long for this kind of entertainment especially from the young generations today but of course, not from our old folks. Traditionally, people were very fond of listening to different kinds of old time radio shows while doing their work or even house chores. Drama and love stories were often patronized by women while actions, sci-fi and adventures were sure hits to men. Personally speaking, I think if this kind of entertainment will come back at this modern time, people will still find this fascinating. Just imagine how you can do more tasks while your heart beats fast as you listen to a horror or mystery kind of old time radio program being played. Now that is much beneficial than sitting in front of the television where you could miss one important scene in just a blink.

Chit Chat with a Friend and Thoughts About Nursing

2011-01-13T12:40:00.000+08:00

I've got to chat with my long time college friend who now lives in Germany. We usually talked about anything under the sun since she is a stay at home mom. We talked about her youngest sister who is about to enter college. Her husband will sponsor her studies and I asked her what course will she take. She said her sister doesn't know yet but if she is to be asked, she wants her to take up Nursing.

My friend believes that there is a huge opportunity for her sister to go abroad if indeed she will take up Nursing. She said she can even imagine her sister wearing surgical scrubs uniforms just like what nurses wear in hospitals. However, I told her that though Nursing is a very promising course to pursue, lots of Nursing graduates here remained jobless. But of course, her sister's fate would depend on how eager she will be to succeed and eventually practice her finished course.

Her sister has an edge actually because she seems to be smart and witty and has a goal in life at her young age. Since my friend's husband works with some hospitals in Germany, being an Orthodontist, he guaranteed her that he will help her sister to go to Germany and practice Nursing there. Although it will take years before that to happen, my friend already asked me on where to buy uniforms for her sister. Now, that is an exaggeration I said, but she just laughed too.

I asked if she had been into her husband's work place and she said just a couple times. She finds it boring and not her cup of tea and she even hated it when one time, she was waiting for her husband outside his office within the hospital and a man approached her and asked why she is not in her white nursing scrub tops. She was caught off guarded, knowing that she was mistaken by the man as one of the hospital staff.

Well, it's just one of her many experiences living in a foreign land and she was glad to have friends she can share it with.

I'm Gonna Try Blairex Saline Solution

2011-01-10T01:29:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year everyone! How's your resolutions going on so far? Well, for me, I'm keeping it up little by little but my main goal to earn more online is what's actually keeping me busy. I extended my hours in working online to be able to meet deadlines from my various clients. Unfortunately, I've been having headaches since December last year and I guess staying in front of my laptop is the culprit. My mom told me I should have my eyes checked caused I may be advised to use eyeglasses.

But being four-eyed is not appealing to me because I don't look good with that. Some of my officemates have been using contact lenses and I asked them how does it feel to use one. They say I might feel uncomfortable at first especially when the eyes get dry because it can be terribly itchy. However, they say that it's not actually a problem because some contact lenses comes with a sterile saline solution for eyes. This will help in preventing the eyes from drying and for easing the pain of using contact lenses especially for first timers. Some contact lenses can last up to three months hence, the saline solution may ran out halfway before that three-month duration. My friends use Blairex Saline solution and so they also recommended it to me.Good thing this product is available online and I can easily buy one for myself if ever I'm going to need it.

Blairex Saline solution

My bad, I didn't noticed the time and now I almost forgot to check on 1-800-Contacts. Have to do some reviews about this as part of my tasks for this week. So, I guess I would have to say goodbye for now. See you in my next post. Ciao!

Seoul Garden Restaurant Experience

2010-12-21T16:32:00.001+08:00

Seoul Garden at SM North Edsa Annex

Seoul Garden serves authentic Korean-styled BBQ buffet restaurant that offers a unique self serving dining experience. I've been to Tong Yang Hot pot several times but what makes Seoul Garden different from it is their 2 in 1 dining concept. A do-it-yourself BBQ buffet combined with a Hotpot dining experience.

There were lots of stuff to choose from chicken, beef, pork and sea-foods. Some of them were marinated to suit the taste of their customers. At the far end of the buffet was some rice based dishes that are a staple to the Filipino people. You can also choose which kind of dessert you would like. From fresh fruits, sweets and different flavors of ice cream.

By the way, we availed their eat-all-you-can promo and I would say that Seoul Garden is really a must try for any gatherings, celebrations and just like what we had, informal meetings with colleagues.

One thing that just made me say hmm... was their rest room. It was placed at the far end of the restaurant, in between the two buffet table and it was a common rest room (there were two urinals inside, one for men and the other for women) and you will be bumping into their food attendants who were coming to and from their main kitchen.

Anyway, over-all experience at Seoul Garden is A-okay! I even recommended it to my husband since he and his officemates are loyal Tong Yang customers.

You might even want to try this one out. Visit Seoul Garden here!

Home-made Screwdriver Cocktail Drink

2010-12-15T12:53:00.001+08:00

I've been lurking around at FemaleNetwork and the topic "Which Party Cocktail Are You?" caught my attention. It reminded me of the cocktail drink my brother in law made when he visited us, it's called Screwdriver. It is usually a mixture of orange juice and vodka that's why it is sometimes referred to as Vodka and Orange.

How to Make Your Own Screwdriver Cocktail Drink at Home:

1. You have to prepare of course a glass, stirrer, cubed ice, Energy Drink (Red Bull), Clear Soda (Sprite), Cherries with Syrup and of course, your Vodka (Absolut). This Vodka cost around Php900-1,000 as far as I remember.

2. Fill your glass with cubed ice, then put an ample amount of Vodka on it together with cherries. (You might want to use a shot glass to measure the amount of alcohol you will place on your drink.)

3. Then just mixed everything on it.

Red Bull Energy drink

Clear Soda (Sprite)

4. To add color, you can put Cherry Syrup on your drink.

5. Mix all your ingredients using a stirrer and that's it! You can now serve your self-made Screwdriver Cocktail Drink this Holiday Season or in any kind of celebration you will have.

Ooops! But remember:

1. Mixed drinks contain alcohol, so drink responsibly.

2. Never drink and drive.

3. Juice often masks the flavor of cheap vodka. Feel free to use more inexpensive vodkas.

4. Drink quickly to ensure ice does not melt and water down your cocktail.

5. Don't drink alcohol if you are pregnant.

*** Refer to my Disclosure Policy for this post.

Mouse Stuff

2010-12-05T00:38:00.000+08:00

USB Mouse, Photo Paper and Blank CD's

My old USB mouse finally gave up on me yesterday. Actually I blamed my hubby when he told me that our mouse was no longer functioning. Why? Because every time he plays poker games on Facebook, I will hear him tapping that mouse hard whenever he wins or when he gets excited in playing. But of course, it's not the only reason why it crashed down totally. I've been using it for a year and so maybe it's really time to buy a new one.

When it comes to my lappy's accessories and other media solution needs, my first option is CD-R King. There are lots of items here that are cheaper than branded ones. Though the quality is not that superb it will last for quite some time anyway so it's not that bad at all.

I dropped by at their store branch in Big-R Cainta (there were less people in here than with their other branch) and bought a new USB Mouse for just Php150. I remember I have some pictures to print too so I bought 4R size photo paper as well for just Php50 (50 sheets). And of course, since I load lots of stuff in my lappy and I haven't got my extra-hard disk until now, I also bought blank CD's. I plan to back up my files later this week just in case something weird happen. Good thing my CD writer is still on the perfect condition as the first time I had this laptop. It still perform fast whenever I do my CD/DVD duplication at home.

Right now I am using this new mouse and have some photos already printed too while my blank CD's will be used tomorrow! Night everyone!

And Here's Another Two

2010-11-30T23:01:00.000+08:00

Hubby's additional perfume collection

Well, it's been a long time since I last post on this blog. I don't want to make hubby's perfume collection to be my come-back post so at I made it after my post below:)

He bought these at SM Taytay a month ago when we went there together with the kids. He's been complaining again that all his perfume were almost empty and he badly need a replacement. Good thing these stuff were on promotional sale and I think he got these two for just seven thousand, more or less. And as usual, the freebies goes to me:)

Freebies: Guess Sling Bag and 212 Men Perfume (7ml)

As a consolation for me and the kids, he treated us at Max's and shop some new clothes for us and for my mom too.:)

My Recent Fab Find: Eco-friendly Tableware

2010-11-30T11:44:00.000+08:00

Do you also have these kind of stuff inside your cupboards? My husband loves to buy big and heavy ceramic plates like these and I am the one who gets annoyed every time we use them on special occasions (aggh! the pain of washing them makes me sick!) I don't know about him but he really fancy these kind of plates. The last time he bought another dinnerware was about six months ago and I really have to drag him away from dinnerware section of any department store when we go shopping these past few weeks.

Actually, we just use these plates when we have guests to accommodate in our house. Sometimes they come in numbers (distant relatives from province or balikbayans) and that leaves me no choice but to pull out all those heavy and huge plates.

As an avid shopper online, I tried browsing for plates that are not made of heavy ceramics or fragile glass plates but are equally classy and sophisticated as them. I found out that there are lots of manufacturers of eco-friendly plates who offer their products both on line and in the market. Eco-friendly plates, meaning they are made out of safe raw materials such as pulp, reeds or sugar canes. Now isn't that interesting?

There are also disposable cutleries and tableware that are made of biodegradable resources that will not add up to our land fills when thrown away after use. They are way too different from plastics and other kinds that are made of harmful materials and will definitely harm our environment.

I guess I will have to show my husband this interesting finds I saw on the net. I might persuade him to try these products from now on because of the number of benefits we could get from using eco-friendly products.

Have you seen eco-friendly plates somewhere in the market? Care to share where can I buy them because if our local department stores don't have them, I might as well buy on line before hubby buys another annoying tableware again.:)

Celebrated Grandparent's Day at Cajun Red Rock

2010-09-13T13:55:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday was Grandparent's Day and we treated my mom for a lunch out date. We went to Robinson's Galleria and dined at Cajun Red Rock, it was located at the third floor of Robinson's Galleria near the moviehouse . It was our first time to try this restaurant though.

We actually had no idea about the type of foods they serve but one of the waiters said they were more into New Orleans theme, however, the restaurant's setting looked far from that theme. Anyway, we ordered these yesterday:

Ribs Sampler Platter Php565 ( good for 4 )

These were fantastic! Soft and tender yet the meat was still intact with the bone. The sauce was delicious too!

Seafood Platter Treat Php565 ( good for 4 )

A collaboration of Breaded Squid, Shrimp, Dory Fish and fries with three different kinds of dip. They were all tender too and my kids loved the fries. It was not crispy but soft and with a sweet taste.

(2) Sea Farer's Treat Php320

Rice with mixed sea foods. It was also yummy!

For the first time, hubby and I heard my mom said "these foods were all great!". Most of the time, when we go out, she will just eat what we ordered and when hubby asked her if she liked the food, she will just say "okay lang". But yesterday, she couldn't help herself from praising the foods we ate and she even said she will bring her friends there.

It's staff were all courteous and accommodating especially when one of the waiters referred us to another table when he noticed that the kids were having a hard time moving from the first table we occupied.

Our verdict for these restaurant: Two thumbs up and highly recommended. We will surely be going back to Cajun Red Rock.

What You Wear Is What You Are

2010-09-11T23:27:00.000+08:00

Custom t-shirts are now becoming the latest trend nowadays. People find it easier to express themselves by the clothes they wear. Statement tees are one great example of custom shirts today. You will see men and women wearing this kind of clothing stating how they feel or their own personal opinions and characters. Nevertheless, business establishments also use custom t-shirts as their advertising tool. They have their logo or brand name imprinted on their employees shirt or even give them as give away to their customers. Suppliers of these custom t-shirts are also into making funny posters and other memorabilia as their line of business venture.

Speaking of funny, I had stumbled upon Funny or Die and I was definitely entertained and almost “die” of laughing. The site contains personal and celebrity videos with some news and trivia on the side. Truly the Internet has a lot to offer like sites wherein you can forget even for a while some of your worries and just find time to relax and unwind watching funny stuff. Be sure to check out the site and see for yourself why it was named Funny or Die.

Wall Update

2010-08-03T00:11:00.000+08:00

I'm procrastinating again! Oh well, it is still a Monday night and I'm usually not in the zone during these days. So instead of doing my online gig, I wandered around the net in search of great and fascinating tips in home decoration especially for those with little spaces (like what we have now). No, we're not yet moving in to a new house (it's in our plan but not yet for now). Anyhoo, we still have to stay in our apartment ~~for a long time~~ and I want to make it different from its usual and boring look. And as I lurked in my Multiply account I stumbled upon this wall sticker product that made me say "wow, I have to order lots of these!" I think this is the answer to my prayers tee hee! Well, check them out and drool (like I did!)lol!

Photo Source: Nu Dekor Wall Stickers

There are plenty of designs you can choose from Nu Dekor Wall Stickers so go ahead and check 'em out!

Price Range:

Wall Stickers: P500 to P1,100 (prices vary by design)
Wall Sticker Clock: P1,250 to P1,500

Nu Dekor Wall Stickers Packaging

The Actual Product

It's been a long time since I last shopped at Multiply and just by seeing this product made me decide to go back to online shopping again.

Securing What You Have Put Up

2010-07-19T22:55:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, people tend to be pessimistic about certain in things in life. They tend to seek assurance from other people that in proper way of living, things will fall according to its place. However if your family or health is at stake, getting an insurance could be your number one option. Same goes for those who are into different kinds of business ventures. Establishing a business does not only require financial investments. To gain your market’s loyalty and trust, determination and hard work are needed. With all these investments, getting business insurance is just the right thing to do to ease out any negative vibes of what could happen if things get out of hand.

If you would just search over the Internet, you will get awed at how insurance for business in Kentucky attracts most business owners to plunge into this kind of trend in securing what they have put up. After all, it is where their livelihood lies. So why think twice when you can get Ohio business insurance with Netquote in just few simple steps. With the modern technology nowadays, where every transaction is just a click away, considering this option may lead you and your business in a more stable manner without any hassle.

2nd Time Around

2010-07-15T23:42:00.001+08:00

You can read here why and how we ended up checking in Hotel Sogo again.

For Hotel Sogo near Sta. Lucia Branch (the nearest hotel from our place), with 10 as my highest, I rate it with a big 5. Just enough to passed, after all we just went there to have a good night sleep in an air-conditioned room and for the kids to be able to watch TV. Their room were just fine (I didn't took pictures of it because its just the same with the one we checked in before) but the restroom, eww! They do have a bath tub unlike in their other branch but for crying out loud, it was busted. The water won't flow easily and so with the sink.

busted bath tub

busted sink with a leftover roll of tissue paper

On the other hand, we felt comfortable last night and we all fell asleep safe and sound. We woke up at 6am this morning and prepared for our check out. By the way, for 12 hours we paid Php1,050 and I enjoyed their free Wi-fi before I went to bed (spent a little time to check my mails and FB). I called the receptionist downstairs through phone to ask for their password, and guess what their password is..socleansogood, their tag line, a very obvious one lol! (so if you happen to be near one of their branches, try if they got the same password and surf your wi-fi phone to the max!)

With regards to our rants, we just sent an SMS to call the management's attention:

For comments and suggestions, Hotel Sogo has a Hotline (SMS only)

Hong Kong Disneyland Park Ticket

2010-07-08T09:00:00.001+08:00

Disneyland Park Ticket (front view)

Disneyland Park Ticket (back view)

We bought our tickets at the Guest Service Desk of Disney Hollywood Hotel in Hong Kong as we checked-in on the same day. Our travel agent asked how many children were with us so we told him we had three kids with us aged 4, 3 and 1 year old. He said that 2 years old below were free of charge so he advised us that if we want, we could tell the Desk officer that my kids' age were 4, 2 and 1 year old. Hubby and I were hesitant at first, what if they asked for our kids' passport and checked on their real age?We don't want to be in a compromising situation of course. But he assured us that no, they won't asked for it (100% sure he said).

Okay, in the long run, we did followed his advise. A bit nervous, we went to the Front Desk, checked in and bought 3 tickets for 3 adults and another ticket for my son. The officer asked how many children will be going with us to the park, so hubby said, three. He asked for their age and hub casually answered 3, 2 and 1 year old. And that's it! No more questions asked. He gave us four tickets. By the way, tickets for adults cost HK$350 and HK$250 for children at Disney Hollywood Hotel.(as far as I know there are available discounted Disney Tickets in some of the hotels around HK). When I asked if we can even get a discount for all the tickets we purchased, the attendant said there's no discount anymore because tickets bought in their hotel were already valid for 2 days. Meaning after we tour the park on that day, we can still go back the following day and spend another day inside Disneyland. We didn't know that actually. (Too bad we can't go back the following day as we're already booked to another hotel after Disney Hollywood Hotel).

When we went to Disneyland after lunch time, we showed our tickets upon entering the park, and when the park attendant saw our tickets, she asked for our thumbs to be scanned and gave back our tickets. The purpose of it was, since our tickets were valid for two days, our tickets were non-transferable. So, if there will be other people who will use our tickets, they can't come in unless their finger prints match what's on their records. (smart huh!)

Now since, we did not use our tickets on the second day, I just had these tickets with me as mementos of our Disneyland Hong Kong Trip.

Lunch at Chef Mickey in Disney Hollywood Hotel

2010-07-07T09:00:00.001+08:00

We were all starving when we arrived at Disney Hollywood Hotel, so when we learned that we have to wait till 2pm to get a room we decided to have lunch at Chef Mickey. Why it is named after Mickey? Because it is actually a Hollywood salute to the world's most famous mouse. It is a casual international buffet restaurant which features a series of show kitchens where Disney chefs can be seen working with their culinary magic. The restaurant features different kinds of Cantonese courses, specialties from Asia and the U.S., a European bakery and even pizza fresh from wood fired oven.

My mom and our kid inside Chef Mickey

My son tried to use chopsticks like his Dad (those Mickey Mouse plastic utensils were the cutest!)

Hubby's Lunch

Two Thumbs up for Chef Mickey!:)

Disney Hollywood Hotel

2010-07-06T23:20:00.000+08:00

We spent our first day in this hotel when we went to Hong Kong last June 2010 as our way of celebrating my youngest daughter's first birthday. To give you an overview of our room and its amenities inside Disney Hollywood Hotel (located in Lantau Island Hong Kong), let me share to you some of the photos I took:

eager to get inside our large comfortable room:)

Coffee Bar

*Flat Screen LCD TV

Safety Vault

Mickey Mouse designed Vanity Mirror and Lampshade Complimentary Slippers

(other Mickey designs were cleverly hidden in the decor throughout the room)

My kids toyed on everything they see inside our room

Lavatory and Bath Tub

Disney Themed amenities and towel animals folded by their talented

Cast members that truly made our stay memorable

Hair Dryer inside the bathroom

*Two double beds

*Garden View Room

I'll be posting pictures of Disney Hollywood Hotel on partial basis so please bear with me:)

Have You Been In Here?

2010-07-02T01:43:00.002+08:00

What comes to your mind when you pass by this hotel?

Well, maybe you're wondering why the heck am I blogging about this. To tell you the truth, I have been in here once! Yep! But not just me of course, with Hubby too!... and my Mom, my brother, a family friend, my kids age two and three and our 3 month old baby.. lol!

It's because Sogo Hotel became our shelter for 3 days and 2 nights when typhoon Ondoy hit the Philippines last September 26, 2009. We were on our way to my daughter's baptismal and we got stuck inside our rented car somewhere in Cubao. We can't go back to our house in Cainta as my brothers kept on texting us that Cainta was already drastically flooded by that time. We can't stay inside the car because the flood was slowly creeping up inside so hubby told our driver to try his best to at least get us in a nearest hotel to stay. (I'll tell the whole story on my other blog).

Sometimes mistakenly thought ~~by thin-minded people~~ that this hotel is for couples who want to spend private time together and usually associated with a negative impression. But of course it is not. Sogo Hotel is a popular lodging chain, especially to travelers, with hotels found in several major thoroughfares and transport hubs around the country. On the way to, or right at your destination, there is bound to be a Hotel Sogo that offers top comfort, cleanliness, privacy, parking and security at affordable room rates! And I also believe, based on our experience, when they say that their well trained staff offer top-class service that you think could only be expected at pricey class AA hotels. So let me show you what's the view inside this hotel:

Hotel Sogo's Interior

Safety vault beside the restroom, a dresser with hair dryer, Mounted TV with Cable channels, Coffee table for Two and of course a Bed

Mirror on the Ceiling

Another mirror on the side wall

Hotel Sogo offers an unforgettable experience not just for couples but for families too or to any person who would like to have some time to relax in a hotel at an affordable price.

Holy Cow Steak Ranch and American Grill

2010-06-18T13:01:00.000+08:00

I remembered when husband and I spent Valentine’s Day this year with our kids and my mom. We went to Robinson’s Galleria to have lunch and let the kids enjoy at Tom’s World. On our way to the mall, heavy traffic greeted us. It was past eleven in the morning when we finally lifted off the bus. We immediately looked for a great place to eat because the kids were already complaining that they were hungry. It’s Valentines Day so most of the restaurant are jam-packed and it was already lunchtime. We looked around and saw this Holly Cow American Grill at the third floor of Robinson’s Galleria in San Juan.

There were few people inside and since my husband was craving for steak the whole week, we decided to try it out. The place was nice, with its cowboy ambiance and the waiters were dressed in cowboy and cowgirl outfits. The kids enjoyed looking around since there were only few people eating that time. Upon sitting on our chairs, we could not place our orders if we have not called the waiter near our table. So upon giving us the menu, the waiter went off and the next thing we knew there was another one assisting us. She asked for our orders and since my eldest son loves barbecue, my husband asked if they have it. She said no, and instead offered their meals for kids. Their menu looked colorful and the food looked yummy. So we finally made our order and wait for them to be served. Minutes had passed and still there were no food on our table. My kids bluntly shouted that they were hungry and asked for their foods. If not with that, I think the waiters will not do something to speed up their service. So if you are starving, I really do not recommend this restaurant because of their turtle-like service.

Looking at our food, husband got dismayed especially on the kids' meal. The rice was so cold and the chicken strips do not look very appealing. It looks so plain and pale with its boring gravy. Though the food that we ordered for ourselves and for my mom was okay, Holly Cow Grill did not satisfy us.

Plus, their air conditioned room was not cool enough, our kids got all sweaty all through out our lunch. Lastly, when we looked for the bathroom we found out that it was just a small cubicle with a shared toilet bowl for men and women. Arrgh! So much for this restaurant! My rate, with 10 as my highest, I give them a flat 3.

Ad-on Perfume Collection

2010-04-20T11:44:00.000+08:00

I don't know how many Calvin Klein perfume hubby has, all I know is that it isn't the 2nd or 3rd on his collection. Anyway, at least I have a nice consolation when he bought this because as usual, the freebies goes to me! Yep, the salesman at Robinson's Metroeast was giving him a pouch bag and those perfume tester kit but hubby insisted that since he's getting the 100ml instead of the 50ml, he should have that CK mailer bag. When he said no, hubby turned around then the sales rep called us up and immediately hand out the bag laughing. Yes, that sales man was his "suki" and he knew very well how hubby will pursuade him to give up that freebie to him.

I love the fruity smell of amber when hubby used this. Even in his long day at work, when he goes home, I could still smell its lasting scent. Got me curious of its elements so I googled it then I got this:

Thailand star anise, jackfruit, absinthe, juniper berry, suede, tobacco leaves, coffee absolute, South African buchu, patchouli absolute, oakwood, Texan cedarwood, Costa Rican ironwood.

Hmm.. interesting.. But for me I can only remember its fruity amber scent on my husband. ( with that I try not to think of how much this thing is! )

An Earthquake Occured Today March 25, 2010 at about 1:30pm

2010-03-25T14:09:00.001+08:00

Yes, it's not just because you're dizzy or somebody was shaking your table or chair.. there was an EARTHQUAKE. We felt it here in Antipolo and hubby who is in Quezon City, called up and told me that they felt it too in their office and some of the people from upstairs all went down in panic. It took for about 5-10 seconds I think.

My first impulse of course was to text my mom who at home with my kids to check how are they. An officemate of mine even thought that someone was just shaking her chair.

Let's all hope and pray that this won't happen again. Let's be calm and think of the best thing to do instead of panicking.

Lacoste Perfume from Duty Free

2010-03-18T15:17:00.000+08:00

Lacoste Perfume

Yes, hubby strikes again! He got this perfume when a friend of him went home from Saudi and they dropped by the Duty Free to buy some “pasalubongs”. My husband is a certified perfume addict!

Save Up!

2010-03-18T15:01:00.000+08:00

My 3 Kids' BDO Junior Savings Account Passbooks

Do you save up for your kids? My hubby and I do! I opened up bank accounts for my kids’ right after their baptismal day. Filipinos are very generous in giving gifts whenever there are special occasions be it birthdays, Christmas or Baptismal/Christening. I have seen invitations wherein parents actually indicated in the invites that they prefer cash rather than tangible gifts for their babies. Some says it’s because they already got plenty of stuff for their baby or they just want it to be added up for the baby’s savings.

In my case, there is no such thing on my kids’ invitations. It just so happen that most of their godfathers and godmothers are busy people that they don’t have time to buy gifts. So, with all those “pakimkim” that each of my kids got, all went straight to their bank account. We add funds for them and when its Christmas or their birthdays, and they got monetary gifts, we go to the bank with them and show that their money are deposited in their own bank account. It’s good to teach kids as early as today to value money and save up for their future.

This Is What Keeps Me Awake

2010-03-18T14:46:00.002+08:00

Marty's Veggie Chicharon from Oishi

For those fellow bloggers out there who stay up late either because you're filling in your blogs or your doing some on line gigs like me, you could try this not-so-junk-food that I recently discovered through my officemates to keep you awake. Since hubby don't allow junk foods in our house because the kids might see it ( they are not allowed to eat those kind or else hub will scold me! ), I settle for grapes or any fruit that I can munch while I work at home. But then, I tasted this one and so glad that it is a healthy junk food! made with dehydrated green peas and other vegetables stuff, my kids may be allowed to eat this.Isn't it great! It has two flavors, plain and salt and vinegar. ( I prefer the latter one :)..

Go on and check this out in grocery stores and be addicted to it like me. Yummy and healthy!

Krissy's Reaction to the So-Called Ruffa's Walk-Out Issue

2010-03-08T11:26:00.000+08:00

Photo Source: Jolly Life

Why do I feel like it's been ages since I last post something in here? Hmm, well, it's because I've been busy with some of my online task and now that there is nothing coming out of my brain to finally finish them, might as well drop a few lines of what's happening around.

Okay, I know my post's title doesn't have a connection to me at all, but while I'm surfing the net, i stumbled upon this article. Hubby and I watched the Buzz yesterday simply because Kris is one of his client (their company made something for James and Baby James' bathroom) , and he was supposed to text her secretary to ask Kris to greet him and his staff ( feeling celebrity si hub lol! ). Unfortunately, we didn't watch the entire show because yesterday's weather was sooo hot that's why we went out of the house.

To cut the long story short, since I heard that there was an issue in yesterday's The Buzz edition, I searched of what had really happened. Of course, there are more about Ruffa and Annabelles rant, so I searched about Kris's reaction to this. Got this from Jolly Life and now let me share it to you:

Krissy's Reaction to the So-Called Ruffa's Walk-Out Issue

I had dinner with Noy tonight after his tv commercial shoot. He told me di raw ba pwede na may quiet Sunday kami? And he asked why sya nadamay when he’s not even part of the Buzz. I would like to extend a loving hug to Ruffa. I viewed the tape and although I still feel I gave my comment with affection. Maybe it made her feel even worse because she’s moving in a new direction. We had what I believed was a good working relationship in the almost 2 years we were together on the Buzz. I can also understand why Ruffa’s mom dislikes Noynoy and my family. Maybe because of association and our vocal proclamation of admiration for Dingdong. And his selfless contribution to help Noy’s presidential bid. It is with Ruffa that I enjoyed a healthy working relationship with. And I only have good words to say about her. To Ruffa, I sincerely apologize for causing you hurt. My brother Noynoy would like to add that we live in a democracy. One where we are very free to make our own choice for president. This text came from my sister Pinky : Tomorrow is Women’s day. And March is women’s month. Fyi, it was mom who passed laws making this possible. (Proclamation No. 224 and 227, both signed in March 1988). And RA 6949 (signed April 1990 – declares March 8 as National Women’s Day. We celebrate women who triumphed despite odds and need to look at ways to further improve. That’s why I want Ruffa to have a great career ahead of her because she is a woman. Raising two beautiful daughters, and I champion all women who triumph despite the odds. Just like my own mom. Noy told me in any election, we’ll have our share of supporters and harshest critics. And if you can’t take the heat, then politics isn’t for you. As a woman, and as Ruffa’s mom and the lola of Lorin and Venice, I respect you Tita Anabelle. And on behalf of our family, I apologize for the distress we caused yours. Hindi po ako mayabang, kaya ako nagpapakumbaba ngayon. On a last note, I promised Noy that if he does WIN, and I’m a cause of stress for him and his presidency. I will gladly take my two boys to live anywhere there’s TFC. So that I can continue to work but with our Overseas Filipino brothers and sisters.Of course Noy said – dinner daw yun – hindi teleserye ko. I love my family and I’m so grateful to have such a supportive and grounded brother and sisters, Who have learned to love me for what I am.

So which side are you? Kris or Ruffa?

Shop Tiny Tot's-My Source of Unique Finds for my Kids

2010-02-01T22:27:00.002+08:00

Just like most mommies I know, I also have my preferred "suki" shops when I go shopping online, in Multiply that is. Its because I am a certified fan of websites that sells super cool parenting products that's why I would like to share this store that is always on my list whenever I think of shopping on line for my kids since I got my third child. Shop Tiny Tot's have plenty of unique and very affordable products best for mommies, babies and even for daddies out there!. Some stuff that I bought from Vic-Vic ( the Owner ) are their version of Shocks ( a shoe-like socks ) that is a real eye catcher.

And my recent purchase was this:

Tiny Tot's Eezy Lift Baby Carrier

My Mom Loves The Eezy Lift Carrier Too!

The EEZY- LIFT BABY CARRIER is the easiest and the simplest baby carrier you will ever use!

FOR INFANTS: Just put it on like a sash, then put baby in the middle part of the pouch in a cradle position. The EEZY-LIFT can also be used as a breastfeeding cover too!! :)

FOR BABIES WHO CAN SIT UP: , open the fabric to accommodate baby's butt, make sure that he is sitting on the widest part, secure the fabric under his butt and around his back to make sure he is supported and you're done!! No fancy instructions.. no folding.. no adjusting needed. even the sizing is made simple!!

BEST used for infants and babies till three years old :)

The TINY TOTS EEZY-LIFT BABY CARRIER is REVERSIBLE, perfect for those days when you don't want your baby carrier to clash with your outfit :) Even busy moms still need to be hip and trendy! :)

The best thing was, I got this for only Php675 plus shipping fee, compared to other carriers that I saw from other stores in Multiply, her products are way cheaper! Plus you get a service de luxe from the owner herself, Ms. Marivic, who entertained me as soon as I inquire through SMS up to the time my order was already on my hand.

Check out her store and see for yourself what I have been rambling about:)

Lingering Thoughts about Valentine's Day

2010-02-01T13:22:00.001+08:00

First day of the month of February and here in our office you can already feel that love is in the air, lol! The songs coming from our PC's were all sentimental love songs and some of my officemates are humming along with the tune. And speaking of Valentine's Day, I came across this Valentine's 2010 site and i found it cute! You might want to take a peek in it to be inspired too in welcoming the Heart's Day.

A Site Your Kids Will Surely Love!

2010-02-01T12:45:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been disturb by your little ones, especially those who are at the age of 1-5 years old whenever your in front of a laptop or PC? I am! =) Well, fortunately, I stumbled upon Oochy's Site and now this has become my kids past time whenever I let them do their thing in front of our laptop. This is both an educational site and also a best way to keep the kids busy for a while, and in no time, they will be more than willing to leave you alone and let you do your stuff in front of the monitor.

There are different levels of games, depending on the child's age, and both child and parent will be entertained by the siblings ( I assumed they are brothers and sisters ), OOCHY and OOCHINA.

Go on and try it! Enjoy!

Baby Flo Breast Pump

2010-01-13T17:08:00.000+08:00

Bought a new breast pump yesterday.. after seven months in use, Im finally giving my old one a rest:)

here it is..

Mother's milk is still the best milk for our baby. Aside from being highly nutrious, it gives our baby immunity from lot of diseases. But with the schedules most mothers have, like me, being a full time working mom, breasfeeding may be quite impossible. Good thing there is this kind of pump. It helped me a lot to store milk so my baby can still be fed even when Im not around.

It also relieves me from heaviness when my baby is not ready for feeding or while Im away, it makes me comfortable as it ensures the continuity of my lactation.

I am a member of some forums for women and moms and whenever the topic is about breastfeeding I eagerly participate. My two kids were both breastfed and same goes with my youngest daughter who turned seven months yesterday. Seeing their posts about their preferred breast pump in the market made me think, I am lucky, because even though I only use this kind of pump I am able to express about 4oz to 5oz every session.

At least I don't have to go for expensive pumps be it manual or the electronic one. I am perfectly contented with this one, very useful most of all economical.

Its so easy to use, just clean it thoroughly with soap and water but don't sterilize. It will fit with any standard neck feeding bottle..It is also light and easy to carry, I practically bring it anywhere I go especially when my baby is not with me.

After all, its not the breast pump you use that is important but the amount of milk you got when you pump!:)

* This is not a paid advertisement

Cainta: from Town to City?

2010-01-07T14:30:00.000+08:00

Heard from the news that Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III is pushing for the conversion of Cainta and Taytay towns into cities within the year in the wake of a Supreme Court decision favoring the conversion of 16 municipalities into cities despite not meeting the income requirement.

But Ynares also said the application of the two towns would also depend on the outcome of the local elections, assuming that the elected representatives and executives would favor it. ( I bet no one will object to that )

Surely, this is good news for me and to my fellow Caintaños after we experienced the wrath of Ondoy last September 2009. At least, people from the upper government acknowledged the improvement of our town, made us to reach the annual income requirement of Php100 million. Hopefully, if Cainta turned into a city, it will be given a consequently more funds for local projects.

Bag-O-Rama

2010-01-06T15:03:00.000+08:00

Hubby teased me last Sunday night, that I was just excited to go to work because I have a new bag and yep! I am! LOL! Its like when I was in elementary, wherein after christmas, me and my brothers were eager to go to back to school because we had something new, like a new bag or new shoes, that we bought from the money we received during Christmas. My parents were like that when we were kids, they will count our “napamaskuhan”, then they will accompany us to the mall. We can buy what we want with our money then we will treat them. I missed those childhood memories.

Above was the bag I bought at Greenhills, its just a Coach Replica Bag, ( you know there were lots of those kinds at Greenhills depends on what class ). Actually Im not after the brand, the only expensive bag that I had so far was from Sophie Martin and Celine, well, let me include my Secosana :)! For me, any bag will do, it can cost from Php50 or a hundred bucks I won't mind, as long as it is a big, sturdy BAG! Being a Bag-O-holic, just like any other women out there, I like this bag because of its size. Im into BIG bags nowadays, because I have lots of stuff to bring with me whenever I go out, like I never leave without my umbrella, my breast pump together with a feeding bottle, a towel aside from my hanky, and my other “abubots” plus my big wallet.

Hubby told me, he don’t know what else is in there ( kung dala ko raw ba ang buong bahay sa loob nun hehe.. )

New ( blue?! ) Jeans

2009-12-31T02:22:00.000+08:00

Hubby bought new pairs of Levi's Jeans for me and himself when we went to Greenhills. Wee! It was my first time to own an orginal Levi's Jeans because its expensive ( as I always say, I'm kuripot ). I settle for cheap but fashionable jeans but since hubby paid for it, I super love it!

my financer =)

And speaking of jeans, as I've checked the tags I saw this note:

Ever heard that you should not wash your jeans so that it will last long? Its true then. Let me re-post this instructions on how to take care of your jeans from eHOW:

To retain the color of your jeans, try to mix vinegar and cold water when you rinse them. Then rinse them well after doing this. Most important on preserving the jeans to look good as new is to retain their color.
For ordinary jeans, get them dirty on a natural wear. This will make your jeans fit better. Maybe about 5 wears before washing will do. The longer you wear them before washing, the better they will look good on you. Jeans will also be softer and easier to wear when you do this. Some of them are just over starched, it so hard for you to put them on.
If you have stretch jeans, you have to do the opposite instruction on making them dirty before you wash. You have to wash them as often as after you wear them or maybe once a week. So they would go back to their original fit.
When you wash the jeans use a liquid detergent. Powdered detergent will have the tendency to leave splotches or hard spots. And when washing them, turn your jeans inside out.
When you dry the ordinary jeans, it's better to let them dry in the air. Hang them using the belt loops so to avoid creating folds. For stretch jeans, dry them using the drier this will let them recover to their original shape.

Maybe I'll try these on our new jeans=)

Swarovski Headband is IN!

2009-12-31T01:11:00.000+08:00

They’re such a doll aren't they? With those glittery & eye catching headbands. At first, I wondered what those headbands were made of. Then came this neighbor of ours, offering this shining, shimmering headband inspired from what these women were wearing but in a much cheaper price. ( heard those headbands worn by the artists cost about 30,000 ). She’s selling it for Php300 per set, a garterized headband, a bracelet and earrings. Not bad, as my officemate told me it usually costs Php200 for the headband alone.Neighbor also told me that they were made of real swarovski crystals, unlike those that you’ll see in the “tiangges”. And I think its true, because as I've noticed, everytime light touches the crystals, it bounces off, producing sparkles especially with sunlight. You can see it sparkled when I took a photo of it using the camera flash.

And here is a picture of me and Cien showing off the SHINING, SHIMMERING ( splendid? Hehe..just kidding ) headband... Wee! Hubby even told me I look like an “encantada” from Encantadia with it hahaha!

Bo's Coffee

2009-12-31T00:21:00.000+08:00

I won Bo's Coffee Gift Certificate worth 1,000 at our company's christmas party almost 2 weeks ago. And it was just today that hub and I went out to consume it, just when its about a day to go before its validity expires. The nearest branch to our place is located at LG-03 G/F Virra Mall Gardens Greenhills Shopping Center. So off we went there, we arrived around 11:00 am and customers were just lounging outside, smoking while chatting, funny though, because we didn't saw them eating or drinking coffee from the store, so hub and I thought, they were just by standers, then we both chuckled .We went inside without any idea about what products we can purchase with our GC ( except for coffee of course ),on their display area were just few pieces of pastries of about 5 kinds and two slices of chocolate cake.duh?! Hub asked the attendant if they have other stuffs aside from what we saw on their display, and she told us that those were the only available as of that time. Deliveries of new pastries and cakes will be tomorrow pa. Hayz..disappointed! We went there just for that GC ( well its worth 1k and you don't just see that amount just by doing nothing right? sayang naman if mag expire lang). Hubby said, so how long have been those pastries and cakes were being displayed? Thinking if those pastries will do for at least until tomorrow during Media Noche. We were both shocked when she said that they were there for four days now.. eww! not fresh! The attendant might have seen the looks on our faces, that's why she said, if we want, we can go back tomorrow, same time, because they will have new deliveries of their foods and beverages by then. Anyhoo, hubby agreed that he will squeezed in his time tomorrow to drop by there again. Will post here after, if their products are worth of hubby's effort.

Disney on Ice

2009-12-28T22:35:00.001+08:00

We’ve been to Araneta last Sunday to watch Disney on Ice. We had our tickets since December 01 and the kids got really excited upon seeing those passes. And finally, their long wait was over. We left our house around 1pm and took a cab to get to Araneta. Good thing there was no traffic yet since people were still on their vacation. Memorabillias were sprawled along the lobby that made the kids more excited and giddy to get inside. The usher led us to our seats at the Upper Box A, and just as we were taking our seats Ciren and Erin kept on babbling about the stage below, asking if it was made of ice, since they knew that the title of the show was Disney on Ice. Just a few minutes after,there was an announcement that the show was about to begin. The first character to appear was Pluto, Ciren mistaken him for Goofy. ( he sometimes get confused of these two characters, since they are both dogs LOL! ). Then came the real Goofy, followed by Donald Duck then Mickey and Minnie Mouse. I had no clear photo of them because whenever I tried to use the flash, the result was dim. So I recorded it in a video instead. But I dunno what's with my blog posting page, theres no icon for video attachments. Why oh why?!

Meanwhile, popcorn and other toys were being sold inside the theater, and these two expensive lighting toys were bought by their Dad. The Cinderella one costs Php700 while Mr. Incredibles costs Php650. Way too expensive for me!

Good thing Hubby was with us, if not, even though they cried to the top of their lungs, I wouldn’t buy them that expensive toys.LOL! The place was air-conditioned but it’s no use because as the seats were all taken, making the place hot, we can feel the sweat rolling over our body.

Other characters in the show were Stitch, he did some guitar playing while running around the stage. There goes, Paloo ( from Jungle Book ), the bear, who joined Goofy in beating those giant drums. There were also about a dozen? monkeys who danced with their booty.Lol! Buzz Lightyear did his stunts too, in a form of Ballet Dancing. Princesses Snow White and Cinderella were present so with Alice ( in Wonderland ) and her bunny and pigs? friends in giant coffee cups.

The plot of the story was, Mickey and her friends went in a jungle adventure then later on organized a parade. But, while Mickey, Goofy and Pluto went somewhere else, the Evil Queen Maleficent came just in time when Minnie, Donald and the rests of the casts were busy preparing for the parade. The Evil Queen told Minnie and Donald to touch the needle of the spinning wheel, that led them and the others to a long and un ending sleep.

Mickey and his friends seeked help from The Incredibles. The family’s participation in the show was I think the highlight ( in my opinion ). Each of them showed off their talent and capabilities as superheroes. Mr. Incredible’s sexy dance really got Ciren into an ending giggles. The youngest in their family, Jack-Jack was just a doll and not a real baby. Emma’s character also was with them ( Emma, in a black coat and big eye glasses was the one who makes clothes for superheroes, based on their power and character. )

In the end, the GOOD prevails and Minnie and Donald Duck who were in deep slumber, woke up after they were kissed by Mickey Mouse and Daisy Duck, since a TRUE LOVE’s KISS is the most powerful thing in the world. Then there came more dancing and singing.

We left Araneta even before the show officially close off, because Hubby don’t want to be squeezed in by others when all of them came out. Ciren posed at the souvenir stalls outside.

Erin fell asleep that’s why she didn’t got a picture. We went through Gateway Mall to reach the MRT Cubao Station.

We took the train going to Santolan. Ciren was excited to ride the train again, I think that was just his 4th time. Inside the train, we tried to wake up Erin, having second thoughts though, because she might just throw in her tantrums but no.. she smiled and peeped between the window to look at the view outside.

We took a cab again after that train ride then as we arrived, the two kids can’t helped themselves to tell their tito and mommy lola what they had just watched.

Christmas Outfits

2009-12-28T00:12:00.000+08:00

Hubby took the tasks of getting our kids' Christmas outfit for this year. Well, most of the time he's the one who chooses their clothes. Its because in our family, Im the "kuripot" while he's the brand conscious one. For him, the more it costs, the higher its quality. But as I opposed, I tell him that its not always the brand but on how you carry a product. As for me, I usually buy my clothes on line and it doesn't matter to me if its branded or not as long as I like it and It makes me comfortable wearing it.

Big & Small Co. Dress and Rompers for Cien

Barbie Dress for Erin

Polo RL for Ciren &

Mossimo Polo for Him

and for me?? I didn't took a picture of it because I only got it on-line..way too cheaper than theirs..=)

Perfume Addict!

2009-12-27T23:51:00.000+08:00

Hubby kept on complaining few days ago that he don't have a new perfume for the Holidays. What??!! I told him.. new perfume? Again?? How about these:

His Perfumes Collection

As he said, being in the Marketing field he makes it a point of using perfume every day. For him it is part of getting bathed, dressed and made up. Applying a perfume is his final act of making a signature statement for the day. However, I heard that when a person owns more than 10 he'll soon find that one is likely to go off from lack of more than occasional use.

You know what, the only consolation that I got whenever he purchase a new one for himself, some stores, like in Rustans, they include freebies be it a shower gel, to go with the perfume, a pouch bag or a tester( haha, dunno if that's what you call that tiny bottle )

So, before Christmas, he really couldn't resist the one that the salesman offered him at Robinson's Metroeast..

Armani Code An additional to his collections..

Second Home

2009-12-27T22:32:00.000+08:00

yep! this is my second home.. I decided to create this 2nd account to separate my digiscrapping and family posts from other things that comes to my mind.. for consistency purpose only.. but anyhoo.. hope you could all drop by on my two accounts.. see y'all!