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June 19, 2013 by ajay
We’ve been seeing a lot of multimedia personality Bianca Gonzalez as an endorser which is a good sign. This can only mean that the local beauty market is waking up and is ready to accept a beautiful brown-skinned Filipina (as opposed to the usual mestiza stereotype dominating the modelling industry).
For her latest venture, Bianca is being backed up by no less than leading toothpaste label Close Up which has chosen her to be the brand ambassador for their White Now instant whitening toothpaste.I’ve been using this product for months now and can attest to its positive effects. It also doesn’t cause breakouts on my face (particularly lower mouth) like the other whitening brands. So yes, we agree with Bianca that Close Up White now is indeed one good beauty fix.
Ever wonder what are Bianca’s other secrets for staying fashionable and beautiful? We got to corner her at The Conservatory of The Peninsula Manila to share her secrets. Read more after the jump -
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Category Shopping Etc. | Tags: , bianca gonzales, bianca gonzalez, bianca gonzalez instagram, bianca gonzalez twitter, close up white now, whitening toothpaste | No Comments
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June 18, 2013 by ajay
Lucky Chinatown in Binondo is one mall I like going because it gives me the comfort of organized shopping while at the same time being just next door to the bargain haven that is Divisoria. Thankfully, it is very easy to go here (and free at that!) If you are not underaged, just sign up as a Resorts World member and their shuttles will take you to Lucky Chinatown every 30 minutes or so, even until the wee hours of the morning!
Anyway, we went to Lucky Chinatown for the first anniversary of the mall’s bestselling Chinese resto, King Chef Seafood Restaurant which is located on the 2nd floor. I missed King Chef when it opened in Banawe, QC so I made sure to attend this one.
I’ve already heard a lot of positive feedback about the place, and indeed it was from the moment they laid down the first course: assorted cold cuts combination. Included in this platter were tasty slices of crispy suckling pig, barbecued roast pork, jellyfish with century egg and soyed chicken best paired with the variety of dipping sauces served on the table.
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Category Munchin' | Tags: , best chinese restaurant manila, binondo restaurants, how to go to lucky chinatown, king chef, king chef branches, king chef manila, king chef menu, king chef reservations, king chef restaurant, king chef seafood restaurant, lucky chinatown, lucky chinatown mall, seafood restaurant manila | No Comments
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June 13, 2013 by ajay
I really don’t like wearing flats but frankly, I will never look at sneakers in the same way again. These are so cool, soft and comfy. And I shall remember the name: Bensimon!
Bensimon is a well-reviewed French line of footwear echoing the ultimate in Parisian chic. Coming in an array of colors, both classic and bright, there is no limit to your fashion imagination when you want to step out in these sneaks. Wear this over a mini skirt, summer dress, denim shorts, jeans or gym sweats. Best of all, there’s a full-line-up for the men and kiddies too!
I adore these white Bensimons painted over with artistic designs for the launch event of the brand in the Philippines. Just goes to show how versatile the shoes are.
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Category Shopping Etc. | Tags: , anne gonzalez, bensimon, bensimon manila, bensimon philippines, bensimon philippines prices, bensimon review, Havaianas, terry s.a., where to buy bensimon in manila | No Comments
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June 13, 2013 by ajay
Are you one of those who think that online shopping will be the norm 8-10 years from now? I do. That’s why I view with great interest start-ups like galleon.ph. It is an e-commerce website specializing in products that are unique and still unavailable in the Philippines. The owners seem to say: believe it or not, in this age of Made in China, it’s possible!
I took an initial look at the site and found it to be well-curated. I also get the impression that it’s suited for the discerning, well-heeled shopper. How else can you classify it if a Breitling watch is on sale for P219,246? As always, it’s better to look around first and compare prices. Delivery for ordered Galleon items usually take 10-15 days and payment gateway is through Paypal.
Because am a woman (and mom!), I browsed around their categories related to Beauty, Home Kitchen, Baby Products, Grocery & Gourmet Food (but no Biscoff?) Here are some interesting items I spotted …. they’re only a few because the pages were loading slow (dunno if it’s their system or my SmartBro provider 
Ride-On Carry-on … a brilliant way to transport kids when travelling – P5,507
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Category Shopping Etc. | Tags: , e-commerce philippines, e-commerce website philippines, galleon.ph, online shopping Philippines, ride-on carry on, shopping website philippines | No Comments
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June 6, 2013 by ajay
God knows my party days are over. In Manila’s night scene, those in the know would readily point to URBN at the Fort strip as a hip place to hang out, especially if your idea is drinking till the morning sun rises.Though still relatively new in the bar scene, somehow it has earned a following not only because of its ambiance and heady mix of cocktails but also its devilishly good food!
Nothing beats quality, as they say. Here’s a toast to URBN for one of the best dinners I’ve had this year!
Start off the long list of sinful dishes on the menu with a healthy serving of URBN’s house salad (P220). What’s in here: mixed greens, sliced poached pears, and candied walnuts topped with shaved parmesan. But the one thing I like about this salad: the sweetish raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
Manchego souffle (P395) is one treat that dreams are made of. It’s named after that tasty Spanish cheese which the bar baked to perfection then drizzled on the side with equally luxurious truffle cream sauce. The dish is then crowned with crispy jamon serrano. Somehow, you just know it’s screaming to be savored and eaten once placed in front of you.
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Category Munchin' | Tags: , benjo tuason, urbn, urbn bar & kitchen, urbn the fort menu | No Comments
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June 5, 2013 by ajay
Most of my friends have their own horror stories about flying but most of it is about the plane being shaky and uncomfortable mid-flight. Once on a 5J trip to Coron, Palawan, turbulence was so bad for the whole stretch that my seatmates were retching to death on the barf bags and I was trying to humor myself by talking to the stewardess and asking her why the pilot has been quiet throughout
However, I’ve figured out that turbulence is not really the culprit for most air accidents, although this one doesn’t paint a pretty picture either.
Aftermath photo of the chaos onboard an SQ A380 plane after it hit clear air turbulence & dropped to 100 feet in a flight from Singapore to London last May 26, 2013. (via Facebook)
When things like this happen, it doesn’t matter whether you fly budget or Star Alliance, you see. But the records would show most incidents happen during takeoffs, landings and the state of the weather.
The pictures appearing on the web of the Cebu Pacific flight 5J 971 that closed down Davao International Airport for several days give one the goosebumps. Everyone is lucky and it seems that the heavens were really blessing everyone on board this flight because nothing worse happened (like an explosion).
Photo via The Aviation Herald (av.com):
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Category Travel | Tags: , 5J 971, 5J 971 pilot, Cebu Pacific, cebu pacific davao flight, cebu pacific safety record, closure of davao airport, Philippine Airlines, pilot error | Comments Off
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June 2, 2013 by ajay
The good news: Manila now boasts of the most happening restaurants that we don’t need to go out of the country to taste ‘global’ food. We are also eating out more and posting more foodporn photos on sites like Instagram.
The bad news: could it also be that the population is getting fatter & consuming more calories? Are we taking for granted eating healthy food in lieu of dining out and judging our intake based only on how delicious they are?
According to a 2011 survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), 25% of Filipino adults are overweight, and about 6% of these are obese. The problem is that obesity & being overweight put one at high risk for serious diseases such as heart attack, type 2 diabetes or even cancer. By 2015, experts predict that there will be more overweight Pinoys because of lifestyle choices. There will be more overweight females at 44% while for males, it’s at 24%.
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Category Health & Beauty | Tags: , causes of obesity, club new you, how to lose weight, roche philippines, rock the fat away, weight loss pill, weight loss solution, xenical | No Comments
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May 31, 2013 by ajay
Congratulations to mommy Leira and daughter Adrienne for winning P1,500 worth of SM gift checks in our recent giveaway for SM Kids Fashion. We will be coordinating with you on how to claim your prize at an address in Makati City.
Anyway, I’ve been quite busy that I’ve neglected to announce the giveaways that have been pending here for a long time.Among these are gift packs from Breeze, skin care sets from Nature Republic and some cool computer accessories from Logitech. Be sure to come back to this space from time to time for our announcement 
Let’s end this Friday by giving away Berocca loot bags to 5 lucky winners. Berocca is my vitamin of choice because it’s already packed with Vitamin B Complex, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium & Zinc. I just dissolve it in water and sometimes it’s already good enough to accompany my meal so that I don’t have to drink unhealthy beverages like Coke and iced tea. it tastes nice too.
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Category Life & Living | Tags: , berocca, beroccaPH, latest blog giveaway, manila giveaway | 18 Comments
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May 28, 2013 by ajay
Art Basel 2013 was the “it” event in Hong Kong last week but the majority remained crazy about industrial pc and the giant rubber duck that’s been positioned in Victoria Harbor since May 2. Towering at 54 feet, it is a travelling art installation by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman and is slated to visit the US next after previous visits to Osaka, France, Sydney, Auckland and Sao Paulo.
Was lucky enough to be in the territory and I admit it makes for a spectacular sight, especially when placed amidst a backdrop of HK’s famous skyline
I was imagining our Manila Bay can experience much-needed revival if we have something like this in the waters. Beautiful sunset and rubber duckie make a great pair. Paging corporate donors and Mr. Hofman
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Category Road Adventures, Travel | Tags: , florentijn hofman, harbour city, harbour city mall, star ferry terminal | No Comments
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May 28, 2013 by ajay
Fans of Asian mixed martial arts descend at the SM MOA Arena on Friday May 31 for the live staging of ONE Fighting Championship. Gear up for some bone-crunching, body-wrenching action as local fighters, world champions and MMA superstars gather together for a battle of the brawn like no other.
This event’s co-presentor is Casino Filipino. Book your tickets while they’re still available.
Contact CF Marketing at 854-4697 or 854-1605 local 2205, 2208 or 2444 for more details.
One highlight of the much-awaited fight night is Honorio “The Rock” Banario defending his One FC featherweight crown against Koji Oishi of Japan. Likewise, Filipino Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang is all set to face UFC veteran Kamal Shalorus in the biggest showdown of his career. View this poster for the whole fight card:
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Category Happenings & Events | Tags: , eduard the landslide folayang, edward the landslide folayang, honorio the rock banario, one fc, one fc may 31, one fc philippines, one fc rise to power fight card, one fighting championship | No Comments
