RSS Feed

May, 2010

  1. Marriott Hotel offers Escape! Spa package

    May 16, 2010 by ajay

    Marriott Hotel Manila

    Marriott Hotel, Manila’s newest luxury enclave, gives the ultimate relaxation for tired city dwellers with its Escape! Spa package.For only $220 net single or $245 net double, indulge in a buffet breakfast at the Marriott Café and an hour of massage of choice at the Quan Spa. A must-try in this spa is the Filipino hilot, considered one of the best-loved local treatments where virgin coconut oil is applied to the body which reduces tension build up. One can also avail of the native dagdagay massage which is basically a deep tribal foot and leg massage using clay to enhance the kneading motions while cleansing and purifying the skin.

    Included in the package is a deluxe room accommodation, complete with practical amenities such as high-speed internet access, 40” full high-definition IPTV and the new remote jack pack plug-and-play system, luxurious bedding and facilities like an outdoor pool and health club, among others. Some rooms have a splendid view of the adjoining 18-hole Villamor Golf Course.
    (more…)


  2. PCOSmachine : the Pinoy Twitter sensation

    May 12, 2010 by ajay

    PCOSmachine

    Much to our relief, the PCOS (precinct count optical scan) machines didn’t fare badly as we thought during the May 10 2010 elections. I join the nation in praising the conduct of the polls and how the votes were promptly and easily counted, the automated way.

    Although doubts have been raised as to the influence of the online media in the outcome of the votes, this didn’t prevent people from exchanging post-election chit-chat and banter through the internetz. Three sites I was glued in all this time: Facebook, Twitter and the news.

    Who would have thought the post-election celebration would give rise to a Twitter star in the person of @PCOSmachine? His humor and wit have earned him 11,422 followers as of press time, and growing.
    (more…)


  3. Jejomar Binay and the revenge of the jejemons

    May 11, 2010 by ajay

    Photo via Tumblr.com

    Jejemon Binay

    If the partial unofficial election results are to be believed, Jejomar Binay might just deliver the biggest upset in the May 10 2010 elections. Of course this is something which depresses some of my friends no end, especially those who were rooting for Mar Roxas, till the last minute the leading contender in the vice-presidential race, according to pre-election surveys.

    Yet, even if Roxas edges him out in the end, Binay’s poll performance shows that he’s made of sterner stuff and that we should not underestimate the dark horse candidate ( dark, in reference to his skin color, LOL).

    Perhaps, Binay’s masa appeal brought the votes and word going around that he’s the jejemons’ official candidate (jejemon being a pun on his name, see fake poster above). Perhaps, it’s Sen. Chiz Escudero’s endorsement. All these despite allegations of corruption against Binay and a picture of him and a mistress spreading in the internet, a few weeks before the polls.
    (more…)


  4. PPCRV partial election results: Mar Roxas trailing Jejomar Binay in VP race

    May 10, 2010 by ajay

    QUOTE OF THE DAY on how the automated elections turned out, with people waiting an average of four to five hours in order to vote: “In the past, voting was quick and counting was slow. Today, voting was (super slow) and (hopefully), counting is quick!”

    Partial unofficial results for the May 10 2010 elections coming from the non-partisan group Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) showed Mar Roxas trailing erstwhile Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay by 33,369 votes in the initial counting as of 8:35 p.m. tonight. The figures come from 1,467 precincts so far.

    Results for the presidential race shows Noynoy Aquino leading with 179,020; Erap Estrada, 136,295; Manny Villar, 102,271; Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro, 53,686; Bro. Eddie Villanueva, 14,669; Acosta, 3,105; Dick Gordon, 2,531; Nick Perlas, 791; JC de los Reyes, 610; Jamby Madrigal, 608.
    (more…)


  5. May 10 2010 and the Philippines’ first automated elections

    May 10, 2010 by ajay

    2010 election

    (image via the group 2010 Philippine Election on Facebook)

    Some 50 million Filipinos are expected to go to polling precincts today (May 10 2010) for the Philippines’ first-ever automated elections. At stake are 17,999 positions from the municipal to the national level. Most important is the hotly-contested post of President who will succeed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now the second longest-serving Philippine President after Ferdinand Marcos.

    Like most civic-minded Filipinos, I pray that the elections will be generally peaceful and honest. I do have my doubts about these ‘high-tech’ elections, especially with earlier tests of PCOS machine malfunctions. Still, I hope that the final results will be reflective of the will of the majority of the voting Filipino people.

    I particularly doff my hat off to the tireless army of volunteers in today’s political exercise and to my media friends (both online and mainstream) who will do the hard work of reporting the voting/counting process every step of the way.

    Of particular concern to me is this particular confidential report I received which listed several problems in the automated elections. The problems are divided into 1) process 2) people and 3)technology. They include the following:

    - Lack of contingency plan in case of systems breakdown due to force majeure, civil disturbance and other factors

    - Lack of guidelines for conducting the Random Manual Audit, as required by law
    (more…)


  6. Baby Girl Z and our 4D ultrasound experience

    May 6, 2010 by ajay

    I can’t quite contain my excitement upon knowing that I was going to have a baby girl again. Maybe because am biased towards the fact that girls are generally easier to raise than boys? LOL. But hubby and I couldn’t really care what gender the baby is for as long as it came out normal and healthy. It just turned out that a girl is what God gave us for this, my last baby (yes, am not having any more)

    We’re counting the weeks when she appears ;) In the meantime, am coping with the occasional sluggishness, sleepiness and aches that a prego woman often encounters. Even though am still reporting to work, I haven’t really gone through this pregnancy in a breeze. What I really miss is malling and shopping as it seems I can’t even walk a decent distance without feeling my tummy tightening up.

    Part of the excitement of pregnancy is having ultrasounds: first to know the gender of the baby, and second to have an idea how the baby looks like through the magic of 3D/4D ultrasound. I’ve had several throughout this pregnancy, and it’s generally considered safe, thanks to modern technology. 3D produces a still image, while 4D enables one to view a live video of the fetus in the womb.

    Here’s a series of pictures of our baby girl. I don’t know about the skin color, but I think she resembles her daddy more :D During the sessions, we were able to see her yawn, smile and stick her tongue out. That was really thrilling!

    Baby z
    (more…)


  7. May giveaway: Veet gift packs + Yummy cookbooks

    May 3, 2010 by ajay

    Even after Barbara has transformed herself for the better, I still have five Veet gift packs to give away. I figure summer is the best time to have them for great-looking, hair-free skin. Don’t leave for the beach or the pool without it ;)

    VEET pack

    Kitchen-inclined readers can also get a hold of the latest portable cookbooks from Yummy: Weekend Cooking plus Quick and Good.. I heart <3 these and have already tested some of the recipes. Highly recommended.

    Yummy quick & good
    (more…)


  8. Mr. Jones, Greenbelt 5

    May 3, 2010 by ajay

    Mr. Jones, Greenbelt 5

    Just when I thought I was becoming tired of the Greenbelt restaurants comes now Mr. Jones. It was certainly nice to meet “him” that warm Thursday afternoon, looking every bit like the hip diner I can hang out for hours and hours in. Hmm, I wonder if they have free wifi ~ my attention seems to have been focused on all the food awaiting us.

    With two appetizer rounds, a sampling of three main courses, dessert and an ice-cream filled drink, the tasting that awaited us was particularly heavy. I should have skipped lunch :D

    We were in Mr. Jones coz it collaborated with Red Ribbon and my favorite food magazine Yummy for a special tasting menu composed of house favorites and some concoctions from the Yummy test kitchen. I can’t wait to bring my family to this diner as they like milkshakes, waffles and the whole lot of ‘em. And the decor is just so comfy-chic and welcoming.

    What was served on the table:

    Mr. Jones beef tapa

    The resto’s much-raved about US beef ribcap tapa and garlic overload (P295). I am mentioning this first, but this was actually served last :D Mr. Jones is an American-style diner, all right, but their fresh take on the local tapsilog is most recommended by those who’ve been here. The serving is generous, and the meat is tender because of the thin, sukiyaki-style cut. Pair this with garlic chips, atsara, vinegar and eggs, any style, and one is easily transported to the tapsilog heaven of our dreams.
    (more…)

    Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...