Jewelmer Pearl Care Kit

Late last year, I got a text from Jewelmer that I have a pearl care kit waiting for me in their Eastwood branch. At first, I thought it was dubious. But then I was assured that I don't have to buy anything and that it's just a simple token to their customers. So, I went and got my kit! No hassle at all.

I was only able to use it this week to clean all my pearls ; ) It was so easy to use.

 pearl cleaning kit

Pearl Care Kit includes:

• 12 pearl sachets
• a luxury microfiber pearl polishing cloth

Weekend Organic Market in Eastwood Mall

My visit: March 27, 2011

Green Summer Passion presents

Weekend Organic Market

Eastwod Mall Open Park

I noticed that more and more supermarkets are selling organic food these days. What baffles me is how do we really know that the goods are really organically produced? Good thing I was introduced to an organization called Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) last Sunday. 

The OCCP is the only local certifying body in the country that ensures organic farming procedures are strictly met by a producer before they accept any product as certified organic. It is accredited by Department of Agriculture and is recognized by international organic partners as CERES (Certification of Environmental Standards) and ICEA (Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute). 

organic vegetables= expensive?

Well, if you think about it, when you buy organic produce, you value your health and in return you avoid getting sick. It is like an insurance on hand. Buying and eating organic food is cheaper than having to treat an ailment or condition in the future.

Reasons to go organic:

• It tastes better
• It helps protect future generations
• It has higher levels of nutrients
• The farming methods prevent soil erosion and build healthy soils
• Organic farming helps protect water quality
• It is free of artificial additives
• Chemical residues are missing or at a very low levels 
• Organic food production uses less energy than conventional food production
• Certified organic means Genetically Modified free
• Organic farming practices , maintain and enhance seed, crop and ecological diversity
• Supports small farmers
• It has low nitrate level
• It is not irradiated

Buon Giorno at Rockwell Business Center

My event: March 24, 2011

Buon Giorno Cafe & Bistro

G/F Tower 1 West

Rockwell Business Center

Ortigas Ave., Pasig City

7103515   5119092

I have eaten in Buon Giorno Tagaytay numerous times. I love the breezy fresh air while dining but I have to admit it's really far.  Well, I have a good news, you can now save on gas because you don't have to go to Tagaytay if you are craving for pizza, pasta and all good Italian food! It's good to know that they have a newly opened branch located in Rockwell Business Center in Ortigas. 

beef wagyu anyone?

Did the picture above entice you to read more? Beef Wagyu with Shitake Mushroom was the main entree on the buffet table that night. And I confessed, I had a couple of slices ; p It's so tender. If not for the fat attached to the meat, I could have eaten more. But I have a lot of self control and will power that night lol

Anlene giveaway!

What is osteoporosis?

A medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D.

Many of us don't know that osteoporosis is a silent killer. One or more members of your family maybe at risk. And you might be one of them. Prevention is the key. Drinking 2 glasses of Anlene milk a day means meeting the requirements of daily Calcium need.  Anlene contains 500 mg of calcium in a single glass while a glass of Anlene Gold has 600 mg of calcium. 2 glasses a day gives 1000 mg Calcium, 5 ug Vitamin D, 96 mg Magnesium and 2 mg of Zinc.

When Franco of Bridges contacted me about Anlene, I immediately thought of my mom. You see Anlene has always been a part of her grocery list. She has been drinking the milk for as long as I can remember. She started with Anlene and right now, Anlene Gold. 

mom and my sister

My mom was diagnosed with osteoarthritis- degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, most common from middle age onward. It causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints. The joints of her fingers are causing her so much pain. We had to go to Philippine Orthopedic to have custom braces for all her 10 fingers. She has been putting it on diligently every night. In the morning, when she wakes up, she dips her hands in warm water if ever she feels any pain. 

Yearly, she undergoes a bone density test (DEXA scan) to check on the condition of her osteoporosis. She knows that it's already too late when she started drinking Anlene. But nevertheless, she is religiously drinking milk to hinder the advancement of her osteoporosis. 

Knowing that my mom has osteoporosis, my younger sister, age 25, has started taking Anlene too! She wants to prevent osteoporosis from happening to her. She commented that it tastes like full cream milk even though it's a low fat powdered milk drink. She knows that the only solution is prevention. 

Afternoon Tea at Bizu

My visit: March 9, 2011

Bizu Patisserie

The Promenade

Greenhills Shopping Center

San Juan

7242498   7262496

March 9 is my dad's birthday. But until recently we don't celebrate it on March 9 anymore. He wanted to celebrate his birthday using the Chinese calendar which we all know falls on a different day when viewed on the western calendar. Anyway, my family have been talking and raving about how Bizu serves good food especially their lamb. I know it's a patisserie, a shop where French pastries and cakes are sold, but they have extended their menu and are now offering real good food aside from cakes. Since we went there in the afternoon, we decided to have our own private tea time!

Perusing the menu, I noticed that the price is not cheap. I guess diners have to take into consideration the ambiance this restaurant has to offer. 

For starters, we ordered a personal salad that can be shared by 2 persons. There is also a family sized salad which can be shared by 4 persons for PhP445. 

Waldorf salad personal PhP225

The presentation of the salad is quite nice. The salad includes mesclun, grilled chicken slices, apple, mango, orange and grapes, toasted walnuts topped with shaved parmesan. Nothing much to rave about but I like that it has a mix of veggies and fruits. I guess the difference lies in the honey orange yoghurt dressing that they use which was kind of citrusy and sweet at the same time.

Bath Time for Precious!

I admit I seldom bathe Precious these days. Why? because she gets angry every time! And you don't want to see her get angry hehe

 soaking wet

And even when wet, she still looks straight in the camera always ready for a pose!

The Spa Eastwood and a giveaway!

My visit: March 16, 2011

The Spa Eastwood
Level 2 Richmonde Hotel
Eastwood City Cyberpark
188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave.,
Bagumbayan, Quezon City
7096868   709878

March is officially the start of summer vacation! While some of you have already booked a trip out of the country or are heading to the beach, I, on the other hand, spent a day in a spa! And not just in any other spa, it has to be The Spa ; )

I was happy when I got a personal invitation from Ms. Drey Dumancas, Marketing and Communications Manager of The Spa, to try two of their newest treatments- The Purifying Back Treatment and The Express Facial. 


And so, one Wednesday afternoon, I booked an appointment and spent almost 2 hours inside a Premier suite.

picture taken right after shower

LIKE and win in Pond's Flawless White The Unbeaten Whitening Experience!

This is really nerve-wracking! I mean, each post that you see on Pond's microsite corresponds to a deadline. When I signed up for this, I didn't know that meeting deadlines can be this stressful or how hard it is to beg friends, relatives, readers to LIKE my team's entry.

If you are still out of the loop, you may want to check out Pond's Flawless White The Unbeaten Whitening Experience challenge where a blogger, that's me, and a friend team up to come up with a series of posts, 7 posts in all, leading to a flawless white skin in just three weeks! The blogger would document the changes the friend will experience using Pond's Flawless White range. 

my FOTD: barely there make up (no retouch)

Naturally, I have to try these new products! When Cats, my teammate, raved and talked about her favorite among the range, Flawless White Spots Blocking Serum, I was enticed to try and see the effect on my face.

Yoshinoya Century Bangus Kabayaki for Lent

My event: March 14, 2011

Yoshinoya Century Bangus Kabayaki

Century Culinary Circle

Unit 102 Food St.,

Ortigas Home Depot Complex

Dona Julia Vargas Ave., 

Pasig City

Yoshinoya has come out with its latest offering in time for the lenten season. But before I show you what it is,  I know a lot of you are having a hard time finding ways to create different dishes using fish as the main ingredient. I am glad to share with all of you that Century Pacific Group, the same group that brought Yoshinoya to the Philippines, unveiled its newest family member- Century Bangus!

And to prove that fish can be made into different dishes, Yoshinoya, invited bloggers to its test kitchen and made some yummy dishes- appetizer, salad and pasta- using Century Premium Boneless Bangus (Marinated). 

Century Bangus and Farfalle A La Genovese

This is nice! The ribbon pasta was cooked al dente. The pesto sauce was just right... creamy and tasty. And they included my favorite,  grated parmesan cheese they used for garnish!

Sarah Geronimo in Yes! Magazine March 2011

Showbiz chika muna!

The March issue of Yes! Magazine has been a trending topic for several days in my Twitter account last week. The tweets focused about the mother of Sarah Geronimo on how she treated and raised her children. I got curious and naturally, I scampered for a copy but apparently Yes! Mag was already sold out in the SM branch I have been to. Good thing, Unimart has plenty of copies on stand. So, go there if you must buy a copy. Also a few weeks back, I read an article about Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, written by Amy Chua, a tough love book about her own journey and transformation as a mother. Reading these stories make me want to thank my parents for giving me the liberty to follow my dreams and be myself. They are in fact saints compared to these two moms haha And I thought during my younger years that my parents were strict. I realized now that no, I am one of the lucky ones. What is wrong with mothers these days? 

Sarah Geronimo on the pages of Yes! Magazine 2011 issue

I like Sarah. She seemed so down to earth and would not hurt a fly. And yet after reading the entire article, it makes me want to think twice on my take on her.  I think the article didn't do justice on her family especially her mom and her attitude towards boys. 

Fashionista & Her Bag: Ella

March 9, 2011

Edsa Shangri- La Manila
1 Garden Way
Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City

I am so excited about this new feature post I am working on my blog. I have been thinking for such a long time to feature ordinary people and their fashion sense. I had actually done it before like my fashionista blog posts but right now I am upping the ante by adding their tote bag as well! Wouldn't it be nice to know what kikay girls these days are carrying with them as they explore the city?

May I present to you my DS as my guinea pig hehe

dress: Taiwan, shoes: Aerosoles

Golla G875 Sunny Laptop Sleeve and Gimme Golla Mechanics

I admit I am super duper OC. I want everything to be in their proper places and always in order. So, I was naturally ecstatic when Golla Bags sent me a turquoise sunny laptop sleeves. You see, I find it so hard to look for a carrying case for my HP Mini that I ended up using an oversized laptop sleeves, enough to fit my black MacBook, I got from another event. 

Golla Sunny 11.6" G875  laptop sleeve PhP1390

Wu Xiang House of Chicken

My visit: March 8, 2011

Sincerity's Wu Xiang House of Chicken 

213-A Ibanez St. cor J. Abad Santos

Little Baguo, San Juan

7225438   7271390

I used to travel to Binondo just to buy Sincerity's fried chicken. Not anymore! I am so happy to know that they opened a restaurant named Wu Xiang House of Chicken near my parent's house. 

Wu Xiang House of Chicken whole PhP300

DH and I would usually take out a whole box of chicken and eat chami with extra onion shavings on top and kikiam with pickled vegetables inside the restaurant. I even buy extra pickled vegetables because it's so good!

How about you? Have you tried Sincerity's chicken?

MakeUp for Asian Eyes

I am not a make up guru nor a make up artist but I know how to put make up on my own. I learned putting on make up from my numerous salon trip. I paid quite a few times for a professional make up artist to prettify my face during graduation, senior prom, debut to becoming a part of the wedding entourage but I see to it that I learn a couple of tips here and there. It's like a free make up tutorial haha

open eye make up

Having a monolid eyes sucks if you don't know how to enhance your God given feature. I learned how to love my almond eyes! You, too, can do your make up on your own. All it takes is practice, practice and more practice!

Red Riding Hood

My event: March 8, 2011

Red Riding Hood

Press Screening

Trinoma Cinema

Quezon City

Who is afraid of the big, bad wolf? Not Valerie (Amanda Seyfried), whose family lives in the village of Daggerhorn. The villagers offer a truce every full moon to the werewolf. But it was suddenly broken when her older sister was killed by the dreaded werewolf in the middle of the night. The whole village scampered. Valerie's plan of running away with the village's woodcutter, Peter (Shiloh Fernandez) suddenly came into a halt. A shocking revelation became known when famous wolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), came to the village to help kill the beast! Everybody is a suspect as Father Solomon warns the townspeople that the werewolf takes human form by day and hunts at night! Now, the answer to the question- Who is the big, bad wolf might come as a surprise!

Red Riding Hood showing in theaters on March 11, 2011

Beautynomics 5th Year Anniversary Contest

Sophie of Beautynomics is celebrating her 5th blog anniversary this month of March! 


Prizes up for grabs are the following:

1. 5 Pond’s Gift Packs ( full range of either Pond’s Gold Radiance, Flawless White, or Age Miracle )
2. 1 The Body Shop Shiso White Skin Care range
3. 5 L’Oreal Paris Gift Packs + Charm Luxe Kabuki Brush
4. 5 Avon Gift Packs mixed with Purederm Goodies
5. 5 Golla Bags with Pond’s Dual Action UV Therapy Eye Cream inside each bag!
6. 1 Obagi C-Rx Set ( Cleanser, Toner, Moisturizer )
7. 1 Kerastase Hair Care Set ( Basic Nutritive Set )
8. 1 Special Gift Pack from Goodskin Labs 


All 24 prizes will have an additional sample of Tri-aktiline!


Win prizes from Avon, Pond’s, L’Oreal Paris, The Body Shop, PureDerm, Obagi, Beauty & Minerals, Goodskin Labs and Golla! Visit Beautynomics’ 5th Year Anniversary Contest entry to know how.

Epiphany Global Cuisine Redefined

My visit: March 2, 2011

Epiphany Restaurant

26 N. Domingo St.,

Quezon City

in between Honeywell and Holland Hopia

4877211    09175384823

epiphanycuisine@yahoo.com

I saw Kris Aquino's tweet about a new restaurant in N. Domingo called Epiphany a few weeks back. I saved the address on my phone but was not able to check the place because I had a hard time looking for the exact location. When a friend invited me for a girl's night out, Epiphany was one of the restaurants suggested. I told my friend that we should bring our DHs along for the night. DH has to go with me because I have a hard time driving at night haha Plus, DH would surely like to try this new restaurant. So, what's supposed to be a girl's night out turned out to be a couples night out! 

Check out what we have ordered below. 

Top Blade Steak with Twice Baked Potato PhP475

The Australian steak was supposed to be my order. But since it was served medium rare, I was only able to eat a few slices and one of the baked potatoes. My bad because I didn't inform the waiter that I like my steak well done. When I asked for the steak to be cooked for the second time, sad to say, I still found some blood oozing out of the steak. I ended up eating only the sides of the steak. DH said that steaks are supposed to be cooked medium well. In the end, DH finished the whole order. Oh, the two baked potato were served at room temperature ; (

HSBC Red Hot Deals

My event: March 3, 2011

HSBC Red Mastercard

HSBC Favorite Things by Annette and Johanna

Manila A, Makati Shangri-la

It was my first ever event from HSBC and I am uber excited! Animetric and I went there in tandem. Skysenshi was already seated front and center when we arrived. I saw huge red gift boxes and paper bags with red ribbons scattered on stage. I said to myself "Wow!" The color theme of the day- RED. And guess what? I came dressed in red too! lol

Annette Tirol, HSBC's Deputy Head of Personal Financial Services and Johanna Garcia, HSBC SVP and Head of Group Communications Philippines with Tony Cripps, President and CEO of HSBC Philippines

The event launched the latest feature of HSBC Red Mastercard credit card. For every PhP2000 spent using HSBC Red Mastercard, you get PhP100 Gift Certificate or PhP100 off from select retailers. 

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Night Essence... a secret no more!

Hi everyone!

I hope all of you are doing great ; )

First, sorry because I have been delinquent in posting updates on my blog for the past couple of weeks. I know you are very eager for an update. Well, I just made a post about the 2nd Philippine International Pyromusical Competition, you might want to check it out.

Getting on with business, I have been receiving a lot of queries through email and on FaceBook about the secret in maintaining my curls that I decided to make a post about it. People often have a wrong connotation for curly hair. Most people think that it's very hard to maintain which I beg to disagree. I have super fine and limp hair all my life. Ever since I curled my hair back in 2008, my life has changed! I get a lot of compliment and my hair is never dull. I can pull it up in a bun for a sophisticated look, put a hairband ala B in Gossip Girl or just leave my curly locks hanging for sexy, sultry look. I don't even need to comb it so it's good to go every time!

So, what's my secret? It's actually a PhP355 worth of product that could last you for a long, long time... L'Oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Night Essence Leave-in! I know it's a leave in conditioner that's supposedly for night time use but I apply it immediately right after I towel dry my hair in the morning. The effect is gorgeous, bouncy curls!

me and my secret weapon... Total Repair 5 Night Essence- Leave In 150ml PhP355

A bottle goes a long, long way! The content dispenses through a pump. One or two pumps is enough for my bra line hair.