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July 30, 2009 by ajay
There’s a search going on over at The Influential Blogger for the best newbie Filipino-owned blogs who’ve made made a splash in the past year. It’s called the The Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2009. I am submitting my vote before the contest closing today because I’d really like some friends to win and I hope that one little vote can contribute to the vibrancy that is Philippine blogging.
I’ve observed how this contest ran and noted that being chosen an “emerging influential blog” actually translates to being popular, SEO-savvy, and being able to tirelessly campaign among your peers, while having a good marketing pitch. Nothing wrong with that. I am actually reminded of the time when I was a child and crowned the Mayflower Queen of our barrio because my relatives raised the most money, hehehe. Anyway, my choices here include sure winners, two group blogs I am active in and some silent favorites. If only the number wasn’t limited to the Top 10, I’d definitely choose more. Here it goes: 
1. Barrio Siete
2. Litratong Pinoy
3. Dear Bloggery
4. Dare to Speak Out
5. Social Media Philippines
6. Patay Gutom
7. Cebu Bloggers Society
8. Millionaire Acts
9. Pinoy Cravings
10. Sumthin Blue
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Category Blogosphere | Tags: Barrio Siete,cebu bloggers society,dearbloggery,group blogs,influential blogger,Litratong Pinoy,patay gutom,pinoy cravings,social media philippines,Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2009 | 16 Comments
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July 30, 2009 by ajay
I’ve been meaning to do something to my two-year old hair which was almost reaching my waist. The last treatment it got was for this hair technology called Japanese straight, a thermal reconditioning treatment similar to hair rebonding. Prior to that, I had hair extensions done in China, if only because it was super-cheap there. It lasted me close to three months. I was almost certain my next hair phase would be digital perm in a Korean parlor , until I got an invitation for a pampering day at Ricky Reyes One-on-One salon. It was something I simply had to say “yes” to, even if I had to hitch a ride with Sasha to faraway Libis.
What made the whole session special? It was no other than “Hair Majesty” Mother Ricky Reyes who styled my hair. I felt thrilled to be primped by the Philippines’ most successful hairstylist whose rags-to-riches story has inspired many.What’s comforting is that she’s so down-to-earth in real life. I can still remember those funny words she uttered while layering my mane and putting on soft bangs : “Ano ba yan day, ba’t ang haba ng buhok mo? Hindi na uso si Dyesebel, si Darna na ngayon!”
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Category Health & Beauty | Tags: digital perm,hair detox,hair extensions,hair manicure,hair rebonding,hair reborn,hair spa,Mother Ricky,Ricky Reyes,Ricky Reyes beauty salon,Ricky Reyes branches,Ricky Reyes One on One,Ricky Reyes salon locations | 4 Comments
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July 26, 2009 by ajay
Why do I have a feeling that the new Nokia 6700 is a blogger’s best friend? Okay, make it food blogger!
Recently, we were invited to the launch of Philippine Tatler‘s Best Restaurants 2009 and one of the things on showcase was a life-size gallery featuring delicious photos taken by society photographer Alex van Hagen using the Nokia 6700. See the pics behind the lovely ladies.
Too bad I was too busy with my old Verzio cam (incidentally my favorite for portability) and failed to test shoot the Nokia 6700. A camphone that’s excellent for taking food photos certainly appeals to me. I would have wanted to take pictures of the yummy hors d’ oeuvres that was in full array that night.
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Category Technews | Tags: Alex Van Hagen,China Cojuangco,desserts,Korina Sanchez,Lori Baltazar,Margarita Fores,Nikka Abes,Nokia 6700,Philippine Tatler,Philippine Tatler Best Restaurants Guide 2009 | 1 Comment
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July 26, 2009 by ajay
One week to go and Globe Telecoms will be making available the iPhone 3G S to its postpaid and prepaid subscribers. Am making special mention of Globe because the last time I asked at the cellphone tiangge in Robinsons Manila, they gave no indication that they’ll have it handy before Globe’s July 31 release to the public.
Am certainly very interested in getting the new iPhone and studying my options at the moment. That is, do I subscribe to a Globe plan or just buy an unlocked unit? I’ve remained a prepaid subscriber all these years because I hate paying monthly bills and it enables us (rather, the husband) to budget cellphone bills effectively. The only downside I see in this is that I change my phone number every time I lose my cellphone which is OFTEN, hehehe.
Looking at the Globe site, it was kinda weird to see that the iPhone 8GB and 16GB will be a lot more expensive than the iPhone 3GS (both 16 and 32 GB) when the latter is made available. For example, cash out for the iPhone 16GB at Plan 2199 is at P15,350 while for the iPhone 3G S (32GB!), it’s only P13,150. At Plans 399 to 2199, cash out for the old iPhone is from 20-40 percent higher than the 3G S.
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Category Technews | Tags: Apple Store Hong Kong,Apple Store Hongkong free shipping,Globe iPhone plans,iPhone 3G,iPhone 3G S,iPhone 3GS prices,jailbroken iPhone | 6 Comments
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July 23, 2009 by ajay
Call me a paranoid traveller. It’s not just plane claustrophobia that gets to me when I fly. I also get to be very observant of fellow passengers. And I try hard to notice my surroundings closely, yes.:D
It helped that me and my officemates flew six times to three Philippine cities this month, which is quite a record for someone like me who prefers land trips. Okay, we flew Cebu Pacific and the time helped me get acquainted with operations at a few of the country’s airports, including the Cebu Pacific terminal in NAIA 3.
My rating: HG. Hoy Gising! (hey, wake up!)
The first time I was at NAIA 3 was before an early 4:55 a.m. flight to Bacolod. I couldn’t believe it. The two personnel who were supposed to man the x-ray machines of incoming luggages weren’t doing their work at all! Man on the right was reading a tabloid while the lady on the left end was talking to her fellow employee about what to have for breakfast. Both of them weren’t looking at their machines while the bags passed through.
Sure, there were uniformed security personnel as soon as we entered the terminal, but what can human eyes do compared to the work of metal detectors and x-ray machines?
This incident got me into a conversation with a friend who observed the same thing. He said he even went to the airport one night to buy a plane ticket (this time at the Centennial Terminal) and he was able to pass through an Off Limits area without anyone reprimanding him. I didn’t observe the same thing, but he noted that security is even more lax at the Mactan International Airport in Cebu where personnel would let you pass without checking you. How true?
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Category Philippine airports | Tags: airport safety,airport security,Cebu Pacific,Cebu Pacific terminal,davao bomb blast,Davao international airport,Mactan International Airport,metal detectors,NAIA 3,x-ray machines | 12 Comments
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July 22, 2009 by ajay
Perhaps, President Arroyo wants to leave a legacy of holiday economics. Malacanang has announced a complete list of Philippine holidays for 2010, even if her term expires in May of next year.
The whole listing follows:
January 1 – New Year’s Day
April 1 – Maundy Thursday
April 2- Good Friday
April 9- Araw ng Kagitingan
Labor Day -May 1
Independence Day – June 14
Ninoy Aquino Day – Aug. 23
National Heroes Day – August 30
All Saint’s Day – November 1
Bonifacio Day – November 29
Christmas Day- December 25
Rizal Day-December 27
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Category Philippine holidays | Tags: Eid'L Fitr,holiday economics,Holidays,list of Philippine holidays,Philippine holidays,Philippine holidays 2010,presidential proclamation holidays | 16 Comments
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July 21, 2009 by ajay
Travelling to Davao City is such a pain for me. I figure I can already go to either Hong Kong or Taipei with the one hour and forty five minutes it would take me to get there. But there was something during my last trip that made me excited to go to Davao again. And the reason is this cozy little new restaurant called Kusina Selera.
In a city filled with seafood and grilled (ihaw-ihaw) places, the new resto comes like a breath of fresh air. It was opened only last May and seeks to specialize in Filipino fusion dishes. It forms part of a compound which includes a newly-opened hotel, a spa, a coffeeshop and a boutique among others.
It helped that we were really hungry when we went to Selera. Heaven was in the form of this pomelo salad (P150) in a sweet tangy vinaigrette. Completing the equation were julienned crisp radish (labanos) and not-so-ripe papaya, and crushed nuts as topping. The salad was a perfect complement to my tall glass of pomelo juice – I could order five of those in one sitting. Hehe
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Category Munchin' | Tags: best restaurant in Davao City,crispy tadyang ng baka,Davao City,Davao City restaurant,Davao food,Filipino fusion,Kusina Selera,Paseo de Legaspi,twice-cooked adobo | 20 Comments
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July 18, 2009 by ajay
Heaven ‘n Eggs is the place to go to when one wants big stacks of pancakes or breakfast fare at 2 p.m. Honestly, I preferred its old look in Glorietta when it still had bright interiors, the wooden swing benches, white furniture and murals of clouds on the wall. It was more suited for the kids and the young-at-heart. I don’t know why the owners (Red Crab group of restaurants) decided to adopt the rock-star theme, at least for this branch where we go to. However, it sure clicks with some people like my music-loving husband. He does like the large posters of Jim Morrison, John Lennon and other rock stars on the wall, the music blaring from the stereo and also their food.
It didn’t come as a surprise, therefore, that HNE would be the first resto in the Philippines to come up with a special Michael Jackson menu in honor of the departed King of Pop. The food goes with names like….
Black or white – Double-stuffed oreo pancakes with white-chocolate vanilla sauce and cookies & cream ice cream (P235)
Beat It – three-egg sourcream scramble with chive and smoked salmon on multi-grain bread (P285)
Neverland – silver dollar pancakes with candy sprinkles, gummy bears, M & M’s and whipped cream (note:sounds great for the kids) – P245
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Category Munchin' | Tags: Beat It,Heaven & Eggs,Heaven n Eggs,Heaven n Eggs branches,HNE,Makati restaurant,MIchael Jackson,Michael Jackson menu,MJ food,Never Land,Thriller | 5 Comments
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July 16, 2009 by ajay
I’ve gotten a few bento stuff from the only full-fledged Saizen store in the Philippines in Robinson’s Galleria, where everything is P85 pesos. This somehow inspired me to make a Crab stick Omelette bento a few weeks back, even though am a Lazy Susan on most days and too busy to make a bento.
This omelette was easy to make, as it only entailed slicing carrots, peppers, onions and of course some crabstick, while mixing them in egg batter to form little round shapes. I added rice to the box, Chinese dumplings, a small apple and peanut butter puffs. My angel twins couldn’t help but smile at the sight of their happy bento which impersonates a bright sunny day (look at the cocktail umbrella.)
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Category Bento | Tags: aibento,Bento,bento Philippines,crab stick omelette,crabstick | 5 Comments
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July 16, 2009 by ajay
It has been a long time since I wrote for Litratong Pinoy (peace, Thess!) at para sa tema ngayong linggong ito, wala akong maisip na maisali sa temang tuyo (dry) kundi ang aking huling byahe sa Mount Pinatubo noong Mayo.
Karaniwan, pag sinabi mong dry o “tuyo,” walang appeal sa atin, pero na-enjoy ko talaga ang trip na ito dahil may halong adventure at communion with nature. Ito ang landscape bago namin narating ang bulkan na ultimong may emerald lake.
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Category Litratong Pinoy | Tags: Aetas in Mount Pinatubo,Give thanks to God poem,Litratong Pinoy,Mount Pinatubo | 18 Comments
