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June, 2010

  1. Ortigas skyline at night

    June 23, 2010 by ajay

    Ortigas skyline

    Am not a big fan of flying, or of heights and tall buildings but I just have to say the view from the 42nd floor of this hotel in Ortigas Center is quite breathtaking. This manic Tuesday happened to find me in the middle of Ortigas, first: to visit the 34th floor office of Robinsons Land, and then then the penthouse (42nd floor) of another. I didn’t quite realize the area is full of skyscrapers. I guess riding high-speed elevators would be like routine if you work here. It isn’t really the norm in the heart of Manila (where am based) with buildings there only ten to 20 storeys high at the most.
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    Category Blah-blahs, Road Adventures | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  2. The Dimples Romana 3 o’clock diet : only one full meal a day

    June 19, 2010 by ajay

    Dimples Romana

    The Cafe 5845 launch was hosted by local actress Dimples Romana who we found to be articulate and refreshing. Of course we see her in Agua Bendita where she plays the role of Criselda Barrameda. But believe me, she is lovelier in person.

    Anyway,my fellow bloggers were gushing about how Dimples lost so much weight from the last event they saw her. It’s not the kind of weight loss where one looks anorexic though. So I asked her about her diet secret and she said: ” I only eat one full meal a day and that happens at three o’clock in the afternoon.” By that she means one FULL meal, with nibbles in between. Whoa, such self-control.

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    Category Beauty | Tags: ,,,,, | 5 Comments

  3. Cafe 5845: Manila’s first cheese restaurant set to open

    June 18, 2010 by ajay

    Cafe 5845

    It’s time to literally “say cheese!”

    With the date to be announced, Manila is set to open the first cheese-themed restaurant at the SM Mall of Asia soon. It is inspired by the country’s recent feat of being in the Guinness Book of World Records for coming up with 5,845 cheese-based dishes in one day last December 14, 2009 – beating India’s previous record of 4,668 dishes made in 2007.

    The forthcoming cafe will thus be called Cafe 5845 and will be made possible by the same team who collaborated for the Guinness world record, namely Kraft Foods Philippines (in behalf of Eden Cheese) and the Magsaysay Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts.

    According to officials of the two institutions, the cafe is so called because it will showcase the 5,845 dishes that made it to the world records. Approximately ten recipes will be featured each day, with no duplication. The cafe will be open to the public for a limited time.

    In the same event we attended, Kraft representatives led by category manager Alex Dan Tacderas and officials of MIHCA, led by businesswoman Doris Magsaysay Ho also unveiled a golden commemorative marker which will be placed in MIHCA school grounds. It’s a replica of the Certificate given by the Guinness World Records for “The Most Different Dishes on Display (at) 5,845 and was achieved by Kraft Foods Philippines and MIHCA at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines on 14 December 2009.”

    P1010567
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    Category Munchin' | Tags: ,,,,,,,, | 2 Comments

  4. Campus Belle de Jour (Campus BDJ) planner giveaway

    June 16, 2010 by ajay

    Campus BDJ

    Update: will announce the winner before the end of the week. I am just SO busy… bear with me :P

    The kind folks of Viviamo Inc., publisher of the Belle de Jour power planner, and now the Campus Belle de Jour graciously sent me a copy of the Campus BDJ. Ahem, I wish they had something like this during my time. It’s a must-have for high school/college ladies out there and yes, it’s in pretty PINK! Too bad none of my kids are in the planner mode yet so am giving the Campus BDJ (P350 value) to one lucky reader who’d make better use of the planner and doodle in its pages.

    The Campus BDJ is beautifully compartmentalized so you’d be able to keep track of your grades, schedules, special events, birthdays and even your monthly cycle :P It has precious tips on studying, keeping a budget, time management, coping with stress and others – really motivational.
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    Category Blog Promotion | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,, | 37 Comments

  5. Weekend F & B: Serenitea + Sentosa food + buffalo wings

    June 15, 2010 by ajay

    The joys of living in southern Metro Manila, and I can very well say that after two years of relocating here. I still have to make my list of best dining places in Paranaque (where we live) but in the meantime, it’s good to discover little exciting places here and there. Let’s start with the usual suspect: the resto row in the long stretch of Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes, Paranaque.

    Serenitea

    After hearing gushing reviews from my netizen friends, trying out Serenitea with its wide variety of teas was inevitable. I certainly saw a steady stream of customers, enticed perhaps by the yumminess of their tea and the free wifi. After sampling the two house bestsellers, the Hokkaido & Okinawa milk tea, I am now a convert. I liked the subtle yet delectable flavor of their drinks and this might be the one to convince me to stop drinking coffee at last (at P75 for the regular cup, a bit expensive, and not so accessible to me though) ;)

    Serenitea adopts the English version of tea with milk in it. They’re thoughtful enough to ask your preference for the sweetness level of your tea, or even choose Splenda. The tea assortments can be taken hot or cold, and you can add “sinkers” like pearls, lime jelly, egg pudding and others. They also offer Yakult-based drinks and snacks like Taiwan-style chicken chop. Am not so aware of the competition, but Serenitea can certainly give major chains like CBTL a run for their money. :D

    Another hainanese chicken rice

    Food de Sentosa stands out because it is the only Singaporean eatery in the strip dominated by Japanese/ Korean/Filipino restos. I can only believe it’s authentic because the owner, Mr. Teo, is Singaporean. As with any new place, I tread with caution and order first the roti prata with curry (P85). It was good and spicy, though I wish there was more roti instead of a single piece. Then I try the Hainanese chicken rice (P150) which seemed to have more of the yellow color but definitely tasty and came with four (not three!) sauces. The place is promising and I vow to come back to try their laksa, chili crab and other specialties.
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    Category Munchin' | Tags: ,,,,,, | 5 Comments

  6. Xocolat : for all things chocolatey

    June 11, 2010 by ajay

    Sigh! Chocolate places are sprouting in Manila. This can only be bad for the diet but it’s also good since who can resist a heavenly thing like chocolate? There’s nothing like choco to tickle our taste buds, boost our energy and rescue us from the doldrums. Now that rainy days are here in this side of the globe, a cup of hot chocolate (or even coffee infused with cocoa) is the ultimate comfort drink.

    Xocolat

    Xocolat is one of the original places in Manila where you can get your chocolate fix. It must be five years old, and I just discovered it recently! Must be because their old and new locations were far away from me. But as the saying goes: better late than never! It’s never too late to get high… with chocolate!

    Branches are in Katipunan, Libis, Promenade Greenhills and Serendra. We chose to dine at Casita Xocolat in Libis, easier to find if you’re coming from C5. The location near the soon-to-be developed Nuvo City is secluded, almost qualifying as a hideaway. But the discovery all adds up to the thrill of the hunt ;)

    Xocolat Xoco latte

    I’ve been to a lot of chocolate places recently but nothing else has tickled my fancy than this Xoco latte drink (P145). Am happy to say it was love at first sip. First, the waiter brings in a transparent mug filled with callets (chips) of chocolate, then pours in espresso and tops it off with steamed milk. I liked the blending of flavors of this one, especially as it wasn’t too strong nor too sweet. Hubby, meanwhile, had the house bestseller Aztec Xocolat, described in the menu as a “dark brew bursting with spice.” It’s so good (and thick!) you can even dip your churros (crullers) in it.
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    Category Munchin' | Tags: ,,,,,,, | 6 Comments

  7. Cebu Pacific edges out PAL as the country’s No. 1 airline, celebrates with one peso seat sale

    June 9, 2010 by ajay

    Cebu Pacific ATR 72-500

    Update: Cebu Pacific one peso seat sale to all domestic destinations is on! This is from June 10 to June 11, 2010 only. Travel for (almost) free to these places: Manila, Cebu, Clark, Davao, Bacolod, Surigao, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, Boracay, Puerto Princesa, Legazpi, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Busuanga and other exciting places. Travel will be valid from January 1 to March 31, 2011.

    Philippine Airlines still has its loyalists ( and I still prefer it for the pleasure of having in-flight food) but if figures are to be believed, its rival Cebu Pacific is now officially the Philippines’ largest airline judging from the number of passengers flown on both domestic and international routes for the first quarter of 2010.

    The Cebu Pacific website cited statistics from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showing that CEB “flew 2,448,990 domestic and international passengers from January to March this year, almost 110,000 more than Philippine Airlines’ system-wide figures of 2,339,788.” It’s a close fight, but Cebu Pacific now claims to have a 51% share of the market, up 1% from last year’s 50% :D

    In 2009, CEB flew 8.8 million passengers and it expects the numbers to increase by the end of the year with a projected 10 million passengers flown for the whole of 2010.

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    Category Cebu Pacific | Tags: ,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  8. Jejomar Binay wins as VP; what went wrong, Mar Roxas?

    June 8, 2010 by ajay

    After a neck-and-neck election fight, former Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay is ready to be proclaimed Vice President of the Philippines, succeeding Noli de Castro. We’ve said before how Binay delivered the biggest upset in the elections, after all he was just a dark horse believed to be trailing the other candidates who had national standing. This news report examines the jejemon Jejomar phenomenon more closely.

    In the meantime, here’s our message to the VP-apparent: “go0d lucK P0 P0wH. Ang yamN-yaMn ng Mkt P0WH. SNa~ P0Wh~ MPYAMN Ny0 riN~ Ang Bu0NG pins p0wH. JEJEjEj ” Binay will be proclaimed, along with President-elect Noynoy Aquino today, June 9. Ironically, while Aquino won by landslide against his rivals, Binay’s lead over Mar Roxas is the slimmest in recent history _ a mere 727,000 or so votes.

    Followers of Mar Roxas are still stumped with what happened to their bet, to say the least. Although an election protest is believed to be forthcoming.

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    Category 2010 elections | Tags: ,,,,, | 2 Comments

  9. Floating Island resto @ Makati Med

    June 7, 2010 by ajay

    P1010396

    Funny as it may sound, but the prospect of eating at their in-house resto kept me excited about going to the hospital called Makati Med. Floating Island resto was what kept me primed up for my maternity check-ups (prolly also the reason for my ginormous weight gain, LOL). They serve Lavazza and I would have my coffee here (limited to one cup, at pregnancy). Then the cheap but delish chocolate cobbler at the bakeshop and finally, the house specialties which are really more like lutong bahay. Comfort food in a hospital setting.

    Do remember, Floating Island is an old resto ~ it was already existing when I visited here in the 80s. But I think their secret is keeping up with the times, and renovating. It will always have its place, even when Makati Medical is now home to neon-lit fastfood giants like Burger King, Seattle’s Best, Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen!

    Talking about comfort food, this is what I had when the doctor told me I can already depart from my bland liquid diet post-op. Nothing brings you back to earth after a bout with anesthetics than good ol’ pancakes with bacon and butter. All that oil = joy! :D

    P1010257
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    Category Munchin' | Tags: ,,,, | 3 Comments

  10. BB cream: make it Dr. Jart!

    June 3, 2010 by ajay

    DR.JART BB Cream

    You read it on the net and all beauty-conscious ladies are talking about it: the latest make-up bag must-have called BB cream (BB is short for blemish base/blemish balm). It’s the latest phenomenon from the country which brought us chap chae, Kim Bum, and Boys Over Flowers. Really now, there’s no stopping the Korean invasion – from the shows we watch, the food we eat, the clothes we dress up in and how to look good.

    The BB cream is hot because of its all-in-one benefits. You might not need separate tubes of concealer, sunblock, moisturizer, make-up base and anti-wrinkle agent again. One month of continuous use and the skin is supposed to be softer, clearer and smoother.

    I love the fact that BB creams are now available in the Philippine market and we don’t have to badger our friends or relatives in Korea to bring home one. Of the various labels, am most excited to try the leading Korean brand Dr. Jart+ which had its launch in Ayala Museum recently. Now that BB is all the rage, beware of wasting money on imitations. Dr. Jart+ is initially available at Mercury Drug.
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    Category Beauty | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,, | 8 Comments

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