Brew of The Day

Casmara Cosmetics Philippines Relaxing Spa Party

2012-02-17T00:01:00.000+08:00

A relaxing pampering treat - this was what I was looking forward to have when I was invited to a SPA PARTY by Casmara Cosmetics Philippines for several bloggers here in Manila. I'm really glad that I was invited. I mean who doesn't want to have some special "me" time and a way to escape from all the stress during the week? Well, as for me, I was really happy to be invited. Not only as an escape but also because I badly needed the "skin care" part. I'm turning 30 next month and it has only been a recent realization for me that with this big "three-oh" looming ahead, I should be more aware of my skin and take good care of it. So spending a day for a facial treatment and facial mask by Casmara Cosmetics Philippines was something that I was really excited about!

I arrived at the main branch of Diana Stalder (aka Dermaline) boutique in Makati. I was the first one there! Which surprised me as well. Haha. Maybe I was really excited. Anyway, I had a nice chat with Miss Ruth from Casmara who explained to me that Casmara Cosmetics Philippines is being carried by Diana Stalder Boutiques. This was good to know coz that would mean that I can go to any of their boutiques to have another Casmara mask treatment if I choose to do so.

Casmara is a Spanish professional cosmetics company, located in the city of Valencia, Spain. Casmara Cosmetics backs the choice of the professionals with ways that reinvent the passion for skin care, adding glamour to each and act dedicated to the well-being. Casmara has always been a pioneer in incorporating the most efficient ingredients known nowadays in the cosmetics field. As the inventor of the "Original Algae Peel Off Mask", their unique and tested application method on eyes and lips, acts directly where it is mostly needed.

The description of the "Original Algae Peel Off Mask" really caught my interest! I've tried facial masks before but the masks that I've tried were the ones that you can buy at the local bath and beauty shops. The only peel off m,ask that I've tried dried hard and its purpose was to remove the blackheads or whiteheads. So after finding out about this, I decided that I want to try the full "treatment" - cleaning, pricking, and facial mask. The works! I have tried a facial before (a painful experience) and well I admit it has been years since that time. So I thought if I'm going to have it done again, I might as well have it done here. So check out the price list for the Casmara facial mask or facial treatment.

Casmara Cosmetic Philippines care of Diana Stalder
Facial Mask price list

Facials Price List for a Casmara session.
Disclaimer: Prices might be different in other branches.

Casmara has a complete collection of face and body treatments. It is the first to introduce the "monodose system" in the international cosmetic field. The monodose system offers a convenient and practical format that provides the ideal amount of product for each treatment aimed at a certain skin type. (yay for me!) Also, a hygienic system, these are unisex formulas at any age, at any time of the year. (so yes, guys -- you can avail this too!)

Casmara Cosmetics Philippines Premium Quality Professional Facial Treatment
this was used on me for the "Selective Dermopurifying Shinestop Treatment"

Casmara Nature Ampoules - Equilibrium
used for Mixed, Oily, Acneic Skin to enhance skin hydration and balance

So before I started my treatment, there were certain things that had to be clarified first to get the best treatment possible for my face. First off was determining my skin type. Haha. There's no doubt about it that I'm one "very oily" girl so they gave me the treatment that was recommended for my skin type which was - the Casmara Shinestop (Acne Clear) treatment with the Reaffirming Mask 2020 (Black).

Casmara Shinestop Treatment

The Casmara Shinestop or the "Selective Dermopurifying Shinestop Treatment" is described as the latest technology created to treat, regulate, normalize, and improve the appearance and the texture of mixed and oily skins in a "selective way". It also guarantees a shine-free, mattified skin, free from imperfections.

Accompanying this facial treatment was the Reaffirming Mask 2020 (Black). It is described as a mask especially indicated for mixed and oily skins, with dilated pores or acne. Unisex formula for all ages, at any time of year provides excellent toning and muscular stimulation due to its spectacular cold effect. Detoxifying, purifying, and hydrating. The Reaffirming Mask 2020 is a mask that absorbs impurities, fat, and catabolic substances from cellular functioning. It is made of active vegetal charcoal. And yes, its a BLACK mask just like the picture above!

Diana Stadler Booth with Casmara Cosmetics Products

As soon as another blogger arrived, Miss Ruth of Casmara Cosmetics invited us to start our treatment. My fellow blogger Gracee and I had a "booth" all to ourselves. Ms. Moondy was the one who gave me the facial treatment. She was super nice and answered all my questions! I was very pleased with how clean and sterilized the place looked. It really gave off a professional feel that I was going to be in good hands.

That's my fellow blogger Gracee and me on our special beds!

The above photos were taken just before the treatment started. Of course since I was by myself, I couldn't get decent photos of me during the whole process. I tried but its either blurry or too shocking enough (haha.. what I mean is I find it too shockingly ick!) to be shown here on my blog so I'm not going to post it. I'll just share to you what happened instead.

Yes dears, NO MAKEUP! I knew I was going to get a facial so why bother... lol!

STEP 1: Preparation of the skin - wash face thoroughly.

Which is what Miss Moondy did. She wore a mask and gloves to take proper hygienic measures and started to do wonders on my face. She washed and cleansed my face thoroughly. This is A MUST for a good facial treatment.

haha found a decent pic of myself during the pricking process thanks Casmara!

Since I asked for a complete treatment, I also had a facial "cleaning" or "pricking" process. Something that I was sort of dreading. Like I've mentioned before, I already experienced a facial treatment several years back. I remember specifically the PAIN and the PIMPLE breakout after. With my low tolerance to pain, I did end up crying and tearing up about it coz it was really painful for me. I felt sore, raw, and sensitive after that facial. So I was kind of hoping that this won't be the case with Casmara. So with much apprehension, I let myself to some facial pricking. Yes I will be honest and say that it hurt and yes I did shed a few tears. But hey, I wanted a pimple clean face and I had to suck it in and bear it just like in the saying.. "No Pain, No Gain" and I really wanted to gain a pimple free and less oily face!

STEP 2: Application of Casmara Nature Ampoules for the ShineStop Treatment.

After the cleaning, a whole new story unfolded! Miss Moondy started applying the Casmara Equilibrium Nature Ampoules for the Shine Stop Treatment. Apparently is a six step process (including the mask). In each step, one had to use the Nature Ampoules designed especially to target my oily skin andenhance it and balance out the oiliness. It can be applied through manual stimulating massage which is what Miss Moondy did to my face. I found it very relaxing and soothing the redness and rawness that I was feeling from the facial pricking. The smell of the ampoules on my face was not overpowering. That's a good thing coz as an asthmatic, sometimes I get an allergic reaction and start coughing when it comes to strong smells. Anyway, I really loved the massage and the whole six step application process. I felt very pampered and was enjoying every minute of it.

STEP 3: Facial Algae Peel-Off Mask - in my case, using the REAFFIRMING MASK 2020

After finishing those steps, the Reaffirming mask was then briskly and thoroughly applied on my face. I was kind of shocked when the mask was applied to my eyes and lips! This was a first for me to have my eyes and even my lips covered by a mask. It felt weird coz I could feel a weight on my eyes and lips (don't worry, your nostrils will be intact! No product was applied in that area). But it was bothering me coz while the mask was being applied to my face, I could already feel the "minty" flavor of the Reaffirming mask. It was cool and very much soothing to my freshly "pricked" face. Miss Moondy left the mask to "harden" and do its wonders on my face for 20 minutes. The super coolness on my face was so relaxing that I think I fell asleep during that time! hehe. Yes the mask was black and I probably looked scary having it on my face but wow, the effect on me was instant! I felt super refreshed! It was as if the Reaffirming Mask 2020 Black was absorbing all the stress and tiredness I felt during the week. It was my most favorite part of the whole procedure. Then after 20 minutes, Miss Moondy removed the mask in a single downward motion.

With Miss Moondy.. Yes this was immediately after the facial treatment which is why my hair is like that! haha!

The minty cool feeling stayed even after the last application of the Nature Ampoules was applied. I swear I will come back and do this again. Yes, its that good, relaxing, and effective! Even after the procedure, I noticed my skin was LESS OILY and yes LESS PIMPLES as well. Plus, I noticed that my face felt super soft and "pampered" even though I had a facial pricking! If it were like before, I would be too bothered and in pain to go out and do activities afterwards. But here, it was as if I had NO facial pricking!

All in all, the entire treatment lasted almost 1 1/2 hour. And I can very much attest that I really had a relaxing treat that is worth repeating. Since I will be celebrating my 30th birthday this March, I am definitely planning on having a Casmara Treatment or just experience the Reaffirming Facial Mask again. According to Miss Moondy, to have my face truly oil free and clear, it is advised to come back and have the whole procedure done again up to 3 times. Also, a person can have a treatment again after two weeks! Hmmm this could be addicting.. haha! Especially for stressed people.

Daryll, Me, Gracee, fellow blogger, and Ms. Ia.

Since me and Gracee were the first to arrive, we were also the first to eat some of the food at this special Casmara Cosmetics Philippines Spa Party. I was able to talk with some other bloggers and met Miss Daryll, Miss Ruth, and Miss Ia. I really enjoyed the whole experience and even the small chit-chat I had with Miss Ia and Miss Ruth. Indeed its a relaxing event to remember thanks to Casmara Cosmetics Philippines!

Many thanks to Miss Ruth for giving us bloggers a "take home" kit of the Casmara Facial Treatment experience to be able to maintain our "brand new" skin. And thank you to Miss Daryll for the invite!

So dear Coffeeholics, if you are already envious by now.. don't feel bad! Coz Casmara has an ongoing facebook promo giving you a chance to try out the Casmara Cosmetics Philippines Experience. Or better yet, get a chance to win a Spa Party for yourself and some friends! Three lucky winners will be chosen WEEKLY with the MOST Number of Likes, MOST number of shared Post, and the Most Number of Comment's Post. So hurry, check out Casmara Cosmetics Philippines Facebook fanpage for more details. Or better yet, go to the nearest Diana Stadler/Dermaline boutique near you and experience the fantastic coolness of the Casmara facial masks. Have an awesome week dears!

Mwah mwah,

Tea and Fashion with Dita Sandico Ong

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000+08:00

Indulge in the art of drinking TEA with Dita Sandico Ong

Its not everyday I get invited to a Tea Party! And not only that, one hosted by Ms. Dita Sandico Ong herself. Fashion with a cup of Tea.. An intriguing combination difficult to resist! So when Jen asked me to go with her to the event last February 1, I immediately jumped at the chance despite the shocking fact that its NOT about Coffee but about TEA (haha.. the coffeeholic side of me cannot believe I just did this!).

As a coffee lover, I must admit that drinking Tea was difficult in the beginning. I kept on comparing it to coffee which you really shouldn't do. Trust me, I ended up eating every single negative word about Tea coz well.. I got hooked! LOL. It took a lot of convincing but Tea did ended up romancing me over to its side (naks chos.. ganun kalakas ang tama sa coffee sensibilities ko! hahaha!). This must also have been the case for Ms. Dita Sandico Ong. Tea that touches us on a "soulful level" has brought this talented fashion designer to share a different kind of art -- the art of drinking tea.

The Tea Party was held at the DSO Boutique in San Juan, Greenhills. It was my first time to see her fashionable craftsmanship and I'm just simply amazed by her pieces. As far as I know, what makes Dita Sandico Ong unique is due to the special hand-woven cloth that was made by weavers in Catanduanes and the innovative designs that is well-loved by women all over the world. Here are some samples of her amazing work that would make any Filipino or Filipina PROUD!

Unique wraps!

One of my favorite picks that were displayed in the boutique!
And yes, partly because its violet! lol.

Love this! The eye catching colors really stand out.

I like the top of the one in the middle!

Besides the wraps, she also makes adorable and elegant accessories to match her creations!

So during the tea party, the first thing that we did was to sit back, relax, and take a sip of Tea, her new line of floral tea leaves which is the designer's advocacy for educating the youth on healthy living. Miss Dita went on to explain that she would like more Filipinos to take pleasure in drinking tea. I think I can say that drinking coffee is more natural for Filipinos than drinking tea (haller! agree ba agree?). So it was fitting that she even took the time to explain to us the art of drinking and appreciating tea. Haha I needed that! Well after all having tea as an alternative is just a recent trend here in our country. Her experience of tea drinking abroad has inspired and encouraged her to take this practice here at home and hopefully make it a healthy lifestyle choice for many of us here.

Real dried flowers in the tea!

I was delighted that I could actually taste for myself this wonderful aromatic teas for myself. They let us choose which flavor we wanted to try out and they prepared it right in front of us. Preparing tea is not as difficult as it may seem. And how you want your tea done - whether strong or light is dependent on how you prepare it yourself. Anyway, I'm glad someone else did it for me during this time coz I really wanted to enjoy drinking it and I was kinda afraid that if left to my own devices, I might just mess it up.

HOW TO BREW YOUR OWN POT OF TEA by DSO

Step 1 - Take a pinch of your favorite "loose leaf" TEA by DSO and put in Tea Pot
Step 2 - Pour water in tea pot and let the leaves settle. The temperature of the water is dependent on what kind of tea you are brewing. For more info on this click here.
Step 3 - Pour tea to cup. Number of minutes before pouring is dependent on the type of tea that was brewed. Use a tea strainer so that your cup of tea won't have loose leaves floating about.

Step 4 - Add sugar to taste! Or for some, don't add sugar at all!

Step 5 - Now this step is totally optional. But if you are a MILK TEA FAN (like me!) , this would definitely work for you! Pour milk to your tea. Yum yum. This particular concoction worked for the "Rejuvenating Blend" by DSO. Please do read on if you want to find out what I meant exactly.

So as you can see, the tea party was on full force the moment you entered the boutique. Miss Dita shared to us her designer floral tea concoctions. Made by real tea leaves from the most aromatic flowers, Jasmine, Rose, Michelia Champaca, Lavender, and Chrysanthemum were made available in unique designer blends of floral teas inspired by famous historical women:

AUDREY HEPBURN - Elating Blend

TEA by DSO

Inspired by the film and fashion icon of the 20th Centur, this unique blend of Jasmine, Green Tea, Cinnamon, and Michelia Champaca is designed to uplift one's spirit. With the delightful flavor and aroma, this blend is recommended for anyone who wishes to live blissfully and stay young at heart.

I personally liked this tea. Did the Audrey Hepburn design swayed my choice? Yeah definitely! Audrey Hepburn is one fashion icon that really left an indelible mark on me when I was young. Sipping the tea, I could just imagine myself drinking this while having "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Hehe. It did have a strong floral scent but it wasn't overpowering. You can definitely sense the Jasmine in it but I didn't find it overwhelming (unlike some other floral teas that I've tasted) and I did enjoy it.

EVA PERON - Rejunevating Blend

TEA by DSO

Inspired by the Argentinian actress turned first lady, this unique blend of Oolong Black Tea, Orange, and Lavender is designed to rejuvenate the senses. Fondly called as Evita, the spiritual leader of the nation, she was able to enliven the people to take action. Much like how these powerful flavors can energize anyone who aspires to take on the world. Try it with MILK and enjoy a superb chai tea blend.

Now this was my personal favorite! Yes, the Eva Peron Rejuvenating Blend TEA by DSO was the one being demo'd in the "How to Brew Your Own Pot of Tea" above. I absolutely loved the flavor of this especially since it did give off a "chai tea" taste to it. So if you are a Milk Tea Lover like me, this would be your best bet!

GRACE KELLY - Soothing Blend

TEA by DSO

Inspired by one of America's classic movie star turned Princess of Monaco. This premium blend of Chrysanthemum, lavender, and ginger is designed to calm and soothe the senses. Her serene highness makes rest and relaxation a royal endeavor.

For me, this was a pretty mild tea but you could immediately distinguish the floral scent of it. I saw the actual Chrysanthemum dried flowers and am amazed that I'm actually drinking flowers and liking it! Yes, it is soothing and I think this would be perfect if you want to de-stress and relax. Perfect drink just before you sleep kind of tea.

MARIE ANTOINETTE - Invigorating Blend

TEA by DSO

Inspired by the decadent princess of France, this unique blend of michelia champaca, green tea, and star anise is designed to invigorate the senses with the battling of the strong and mild flavors. This is recommended for anyone who wants to indulge on frivolous escapades.

I'm afraid this is one tea that I cannot make a lot of comment on. I wasn't able to fully taste this one and only had a sip from either Jen or Bec. I only smelled the leaves and the scent that I remembered was the star anise!

FRIDA KAHLO - Exhilarating Blend

TEA by DSO

Inspired by the eccentric Mexican painter, this premium and unique blend of Jasmine, cloves, star anise, cardamom and rose is designed to exhilarate and enliven the senses. The exotic flavors and aroma fuse together to transport anyone to one of Frida's surreal works of art.

I remember this tea as one of the teas with the strongest scents and blends. I can't say I'm a big fan but I know some of the other bloggers liked it (hehe.. again I'm partial to milk tea so please forgive me.. lol).

The night ended with a mini fashion show that kicked off DSO's Leapin' Dragon season. The bright oranges and deep purples of her spring/summer collection, the fragrances of floral tea leaves, the stories of the women behind each blend, and the invigorating power of Tea all inspire and stir the depths of your soul.

The following outfits were inspired by these women and the TEA designed by Miss DSO herself.

Thank you so much for inviting us to the Tea Party! I learned a lot that day.

Dita Sandico Ong with her latest collection

A Tea won't be a TEA PARTY without FRIENDS!
Thanks Jen for inviting me along.

with BEC the makeup guru!

With REG the Hey Rocket Girl!

Savoring a cup of TEA by DSO
TRY IT!

Tea is now available in the DSO Boutique on Wilson Ave., Greenhills, San Juan at P250 special introductory price. You may also place your orders at teabydso.tumblr.com or text +63917 579 0809 / +63915 189 1279.

So Coffeeholics, do indulge yourself to a cup of TEA every once and a while and avail its beneficial medicinal or herbal benefits it has in store for you. CHOOSE to have a healthy, chic, and cultured lifestyle this 2012!

Food Diary - Moulinex You Cook Year 2 Grand Winner

2012-02-04T06:14:00.000+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics, yep the second event that I went to this year is another food event - The Grand Finals of the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2! The event was held last Saturday, January 28, 2012. It was quite a challenge for me coz I just came from a Parent-Teacher Conference that time. As a teacher mind you, not a parent noh! haha! Being a commuter (mostly by train!) and a blogger is quite challenging I have to figure out the best routes and modes of transpo available for me to arrive at my destination on time and not get lost in the process. That's why I was quite happy to find out that the "Last ~~Battle~~ Cook Off" was at SM Makati! Since its connected to the MRT, it made my life easier (just like MOULINEX!).

Anyway, as I arrived and immediately signed up to register, I pleasantly bumped into Marj and Jonel, the blogger buddies that I met during the Semi Finals of this event. So glad to see familiar faces!

MEET THE FINALISTS!

The Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2 Grand Finalists finally battle it out last Saturday! This time to prove to the judges and to the rest of us who has the RIGHT to be called the GRAND WINNER! I'm pretty much excited to find out who brings home the "bacon". Like I said in my previous post about this, my "bets" were Leonelia De Castro and Karen Grace Santiago. So read on to find out if I pegged this correctly!

You can definitely feel the electricity in the air as the contestants were all fired up coz this time, they weren't just going to replicate the recipe of the video that they submitted to Moulinex.
This time, they were going to prove themselves to the esteemed judges that they can indeed cook.

Each finalist was assigned a "secret" ingredient (secret coz they only found out on the contest itself what it was!) that they will showcase to the judges.
Photo credit - Moulinex FB

Then they were all given 20 minutes to shop at SM Grocery for the items that they need to create a fantastic concoction for the judges. Limited to a budget of Php 1000 was probably tough! I probably would have gone crazy thinking what recipe to use, how much or how many ingredients to buy, and how fantastic the meal should be to impress the panel of judges. Fortunately for Miss Leonelia, she seemed to be cool and prepared to battle. She was one of the first who was able to return to her station and prep her stuff before the official countdown began.

One of the judges, Ms. Rory, scoring one of the finalists during the preparation period.

I must admit that I really admire the judges for their active involvement for this event. Some of them even went to the grocery just to check out how the finalists chose their products etc. Also after the grocery shopping, the judges also noted the preparation details that each finalists did before they actually cooked. Yes its part of the judging criteria!

TRIVIA: Do you know that you should have INDIVIDUAL chopping boards for different types of food to avoid cross-contamination? Hehe. I DIDN'T! I was surprised and fascinated by that piece of info! Plus its all COLOR CODED pa! Hehehe. Meticulous judging indeed!

Thank you Chef Nino for enlightening us!
(hehe.. but seriously, this is just an excuse to post his cute pic here! hahaha.)

Juno Sedigo, getting all serious with his secret ingredient - SALMON!

Then the official clock started ticking! Given only 1 1/2 hours to finish their final product, each finalist indeed gave their best to make the most delicious meal out of the secret ingredient that was assigned to them.

James Bicaldo explaining his "SQUID" dish to the judges.

Finally, when the final product is done -- each finalist started to present their dishes to the judges while it was hot and fresh. Each finalist was given the chance to present their dish and explain to the judges what they did and at the same time be "grilled" in return or "complimented" with their final work.

Here are the Finalists with their creations! Check it out!

LEONELIA DE CASTRO
from MOST Institute with her CRAB dish

"Chili Crab & Saba Tower with Mango Puree"
She was the first to finish and present her dish to the judges. After she finished, I was able to chat with her for a bit and was pleasantly surprised by this humble yet very talented lady! With only a few months studying culinary arts under her belt, I really couldn't help but be impressed with her cooking abilities.

POCHOLO SEDIGO

First Gourmet Academy

with his secret ingredient dish - SALMON.

"Salmon Burger"

NINO CARLO ROSALI

Asian Institute of Culinary Arts

with his secret ingredient dish - Catfish (Hito).

It looks like a soft taco! I wasn't able to catch its name but it's most probably Catfish Taco.

KAREN GRACE SANTIAGO

La Consalacion College-Manila

with her secret ingredient dish - Pork Liver.

The Pork Liver is in the sauce! I like how she designed it with the cute hearts. Had a small talk with this girl coz I really liked her previous work during the semi's and I ha high hopes for her as well. It was amazing to have met you!

ROSANA RAMEL

MICARS

with her secret ingredient dish - Milkfish (Bangus).

She cooked the traditional Sinigang na Bangus and added a twist by having Pasta on the side.

ROMEO APOSTOL JR.

His secret ingredient was originally OYSTER. But since during that time, it wasn't available in the grocery, the judges agreed to change it into Blue Marlin instead. So this was his Blue Marlin dish.

HALSON LAPUZ

First Gourmet Academy

He had shrimp as his secret ingredient that made quite an impact to the judges.

JAMES ANDRIAN BICALDO

Center for Culinary Arts - Manila

He had squid as his secret ingredient and partnered it with pasta.

All these dishes were made by each finalists and I salute them with their effort. Di ko kaya mga ginawa nila kaya saludo talaga ako! hihi! But like in any competition, there can be only ONE GRAND WINNER of the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2!

Besides the grand prize, a winner in the "BEST IN PLATING" category courtesy of CORELLE was awarded to none other than Leonelia De Castro. If you take a good look at all those dishes and you would definitely agree with me that she deserves it!

Also, Joemary Grace Balza of MICARS was acknowledged as the People's Choice Awardee! If you wanna know why, then you should watch her video entry that is really fun and enjoyable to watch. It will definitely not bore you. I'm really pleased with this choice as well!

FINALLY, the runner up was chosen!

This year's Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Runner-up goes to Halson Lapuz from First Gourmet Academy. CONGRATULATIONS!

AND OF COURSE, the GRAND WINNER of this Year 2012 Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge goes to none other than Ms. Leonelia De Castro from MOST Institute!

I think she is very much deserving of being the Grand Winner! Her talent and skill was very much evident. Haha. Tama ang hula ko! CONGRATULATIONS Leonelia!

Congratulations as well to Moulinex, Hotel Intercon, and all the other sponsors who started this kind of contest and event that aims to encourage and inspire future chefs here in the Philippines!

With Joemary, the People's Choice Awardee!

with Leonelia, the Grand Winner! Yay you go girl!

Check It Out - The Great Northern Sale February Freebies

2012-01-30T23:59:00.000+08:00

HEY COFFEEHOLICS!

Check this out... The SALE made for SHOPAHOLICS returns.. it's..

THE GREAT
NORTHERN
SALE!!!

Up to 70% Off on selected items starting February 2, Thursday up to February 5, Sunday! Don't miss out on this awesome and rare FOUR (yes my dears that's 4!!!) days of sale. So be a wise shopper and buy your VALENTINES GIFT during this special sale season here at SM City North Edsa! Don't forget to check out the SM Accessories that will be on sale at that time. That will definitely be a perfect gift for your special someone this Valentines day!

Oh and great news guys! Wanna get a hold on some freebies?
Its just easy as 1-2-3!

1.Simply LIKE on SM City North Edsa Fanpage

2. Then click LIKE on the exact same photo shown below.

Photo credits go to SM North Edsa FB

(I made it easier for you.. just click the word LIKE above and it will let you go directly to the photo on the SM North Edsa fanpage!)

3. Then SHARE the photo to all your friends and on your facebook wall!
See I told you it's easy!

TEN (10) Winners will be chosen to receive a Php 1,000 Gift Certificate from Zerona Laser Slimming and Aesthetics and FIVE (5) winners will also get Php 1,000 worth of services from Face and Figure Center. Winners will be announced on February 6!

So what are you waiting for? Share the news and spread the love my dear Coffeeholics!

Happy Shopping! Mwah mwah!

Food Diary - A Tearrific Treat

2012-01-29T19:15:00.000+08:00

Tea~rrific!

Hey Coffeeholics! Yes I know the title of this post sounds so anti-coffee.. haha. But I must confess, ever since milk teas became a hit here in the Philippines, I have slowly found myself falling in love with tea as well. After all, tea also has caffeine in it right?! (haha excuses excuses..) Well I just want to share to you one of my recent "milk tea" discoveries!

Tea~rrific - an extremely good, healthy, and yummy tea beverage, created with passion!

So I was at SM City Annex the other day and had my laptop cord and plug fixed at SM Cyberzone. Has anyone been there already? Its really REALLY big! The Cyberzone occupies the 4th and 5th floor of SM City Annex. So in order to get the best deal possible for my laptop dilemma, I checked out and inquired at a lot of stores until finally I found the 24th Avenue at the corner of the 5th floor! I only had to pay Php 300 as compared to the others who wanted 100 deposit plus 500 for the repair fee and an additional 200 for any parts that needs to be changed. Anyway while waiting for it to be repaired, I checked out the food stalls at the Cyberzone area coz I was getting hungry and stumbled upon THIS!

Tearrific! is actually part of the company behind Fruitas. When I found out about that, I immediately want to try it out. Fruitas is actually one of my favorite fruit shake stalls so I knew that Tearrific would probably taste as good as well.

Milk Tea at an affordable price!

Affordable Prices of Tearrific!
Starts at Php 39!

Looking at the prices, I was pretty happy to see the very much affordable price range compared to other Milk Tea brands! I had no idea what to try out first though so I asked the sales clerk what was their best seller.

Wintermelon Milk Tea at Tearrific!

Bestseller = Wintermelon Milk Tea! Oh yeah! Since I already tasted it from other brands, I figured I might as well try this one out. The grande size was only Php 65! (I ended up buying the grande size coz there wasn't any other sizes available that day.. hmmm.. strategy? Hahaha!) I immediately bought one and crossed my fingers and hoped that I just didn't flush that down the drain.

And here's my TEA~RRIFIC! Wintermelon Milk Tea drink!

Hmmm so what can I say about the drink? Well first of all, it DID taste like Wintermelon Milk Tea. Haha. I did kinda wondered about the taste because of the low price. It tasted actually nice after it became quite chilled. The drink automatically had black pearls (sago) so I was happy that I was able to eat that while drinking my milk tea. It may not be the best of the best (please don't kill me here.. I'm just being honest! haha) but I think its a great alternative Milk Tea drink if you are on a budget. It didn't wow me but then again it did made my taste buds somewhat happy so I'm ok with that! hehe.

Disclaimer: I had no one else with me this time and just took a photo of myself!
Hence the blurry photo.. sowwwweeeee.. XP

So Coffeeholics and Tea~holics, have you tried out Tea~rrific already? If not, then why not try it out especially if you happen to drop by at SM Annex (I don't know where the other stalls are...). Its easy on the pocket and who knows.. it might just suit your taste palette! Hope you all had a Tea~rrific weekend!

Mwah mwah,

OOTD - DIY Crocheted Creations

2012-01-25T23:56:00.001+08:00

Black and White Top - Terranova
Denim Skirt - Forever 21
Gray Boots - Random Store (bought during US Trip 2010)
Bag - SM
Geek Glasses - My Sister's

I miss my gray boots..
I bought that when I was in L.A. around May 2010.
Its kinda broken now.. the heel is already separating from the bootie..
I feel sooooo sad. I miss it tons!

Yes this post for my outfit diary is super duper old! I had originally posted this on Chictopia around November 2010. I wasn't quite active on my blog back then so I hadn't thought of posting it here. But the main reason why I'm posting this now is not because I absolutely loved this black white and gray outfit but because of the Gray Beret I'm wearing. AND YES, I MADE THAT.. and I'm quite proud of my accomplishment!

MY CROCHETED CREATION - A Gray Beret!

I don't think I have been able to share this on my blog yet that one of my favorite (and random) hobby is doing CROCHET. Hahaha. I know right! I have heard all the cliches there are about single people and crochet.. which is why I don't blab much about it. But since the cat is out of the bag now (what with Jen wearing one of my crochet accessory creations - the slouchy RED beanie that she wore in her outfit post here), I guess I might as well let all the hidden threads unravel and show off some of the stuff that I have made.

My Crocheted BERET (Hat) Creations!

Same design as my gray one at the top.. except its in turquoise blue!
I think I gave this one to Jordy, Jen's sister.

Again, same design as the gray one.
I gave this Brown Crochet Beret to my bff Naomi!

Would you believe that I've been crocheting since elementary? I really enjoyed crocheting and took it up to the next level and competed in national competitions. I won 2nd place in a national competition in the "Needles and Threads - Crochet" category. What did I make? A bunch of crocheted flowers in a vase! I also made a white crocheted "pinya" designed parasol on the following year and got 3rd place. I haven't made huge crocheted projects ever since I graduated from high school but just enjoyed creating or making small crocheted stuff as a personal hobby. I started making berets again around 2010 and have enjoyed making them ever since!

Wearing my Blue Track Stitch Beret

Track Stitch Blue Beret - what it looks like at the back!

Red Beanie Slouchie
I made that as a birthday gift for Jen!

Brown Beanie Slouchie
Yes, its the same as the Red one that I gave to Jen.
And I also gave this one to Jen (or was it Jordy?) as a Christmas present.

This is one of the most recent Beret Creations that I've done.
I made this during the Christmas break (Dec. 2011).
Its a new design that I tried out. It was quite difficult and tiring to make..
just coz it took me longer to finish it! hehe.
I probably won't be doing this kind of pattern anytime soon.

I ended up giving it as a gift AGAIN!
haha.. yeah... it was Alpha's birthday and we just recently celebrated her birthday in a unique way
(will blog about that soon) and well, I did promise to give her a Beret LAST YEAR.. so yeah, it ended up with her. Honestly, I only have ONE beret that belongs to just me. Most of the berets that I've made were either sold or given as gifts! haha. I should really make a black one for myself soon.

I love making crocheted hats or berets! I personally think its a cool accessory although I guess its not that appropriate in our country though with us being a tropical one at that. But then.. since when has weather dictated our sense of style and fashion? hehehe.. I also made other accessories besides the hats/berets.

This shawl or shrug (whatever you'd like it) was made specifically for my mom. For my Crocheted Creations, I usually follow a pattern but sometimes I end up tweaking it a little to suit the taste or adjust the size of the one who is going to use it. This was my Christmas Gift to my Mom last December 2010. I was able to FINISH this in like 3 days straight! No net, no lakwatsa, and well just crochet crochet crochet (and watch tv, eat, and sleep) for three days. It was a good thing the pattern was very simple. What took me so long was that because of the length and width of that piece. hihi. So yeah, I had to work really fast coz it was nearly Christmas. I had no other time to do this! I had also made a similar one like that (except in green) for my Lola.

I've also made and sold crocheted friendship bracelets!

A very simple friendship bracelet that was a hit among my students.
I wasn't able to take a photo of it but I also made bookmarks.

Check it out - Kai Crocheted Creations in the works!

Yes this is darling SOFI, Jen's daughter, getting all kikay and excited about my most recent Crocheted Creations - HAIR ACCESSORIES!

This is just a prototype of my Crocheted Creations Hair Flower Accessories.
I'm still working on it and trying to get the correct size and do some modifications from the original pattern that I have. YES, I have big plans for the Hair Accessories. Several people have already been trying to convince me to sell some of my creations. I'm still thinking on the long term basis if it is worth it in the end and if people will like it and order from me. As for now, I'm happy to make em and give it away as gift to my loved ones and friends.

One of my dreams is that this form of art will continue to go on despite the distractions of the advancement of technology and disinterest in doing Crochet among the succeeding generations. I feel like its a dying art form coz I rarely hear of people still actually do it (well here in the Philippines anyway). Especially as a hobby and not just a school project. Some have probably shunned crocheting coz people have stereotyped crochet as an "old maid's" hobby. That "old-fashioned" statement just doesn't set well with me and it saddens me coz I know crocheted accessories can be cool, pretty, and fashion forward! Haha.. I'm a bit surprised by my "passionate" take on this topic. Seems like crocheting is indeed a hobby that is close to my heart!

ANYWAY my dear coffeeholics, what I wanna know is what do YOU think? Do you think crochet is so out of place and so outdated? (I promise I won't bite your head off! haha!) Will you wear a crocheted hat or beret here in the Philippines? Or do you own one? And what do you think about the hair accessories? PLEASE let me know your thoughts!

mwah mwah,

OOTD - Hotel Mirrors and Restrooms

2012-01-22T12:00:00.000+08:00

Top - Thrifted
Dark Brown Sleeveless Shirt - Bazaar
Denim Jeans - Forever 21
Black Flats - Greenhills

Hmmm.. making sure I get a good shot of my reflection..
which is why I seem to not be looking at the camera in this photo.

Yes.. I am taking pa-cute photos of myself.. hahaha! pwede?

Necklace - My sister's!
Black Ring - SM Accessories
Watch - Timex

Hey dears! After viewing my outfit photos, can you now guess why my outfit post is titled like that? Hehehe. Yep, I took a photo of a reflection of myself in the floor length mirror at one of the restrooms in Hotel Intercontinental. This is what I wore during the Moulinex Semi-Finals event which I just blogged about in my food diary section. I was by my lonesome self that day... I missed my blogger twin JEN! So yeah, in other words.. there was no one else who could take my outfit photo for me. So I resorted to this! hahaha! Oh c'mon.. I bet you have had your famous CR photos as well.. diba? Lucky me, I had the restroom all to myself for a couple of minutes so I took the time to be vain and well.. voila! Self OOTD photos.

Now by this time you must be wondering, who takes my OOTD photos then huh.. well, most of the time its Jen who takes my photos. When she isn't available, I ask my sister or a friend who is with me at that particular time. :) So yeah, I really appreciate Jen, my sis, and friends who indulge in my requests and kikay moments. hihi.

Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful week ahead. Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year.. so YAY NO CLASSES! Where you Coffeeholics going to hang out? I have an awesome "birthday" party that I will be attending on Monday. I will definitely share to you all about that soon!

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI everyone!

FOOD DIARY - Moulinex You Cook Semi Finals Part 2

2012-01-21T23:59:00.000+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! Sorry I had to cut my previous post a bit short. I was experiencing some laptop problems but thank goodness its working now! So let's continue what I was sharing to you guys on the previous post about the Moulinex You Cook Semi Finals Event last Saturday. Anyway, as I was saying, I was able to taste one of the dishes made by the contestants! I really enjoyed that. And if you are wondering what the other dishes looked like, here are some photos of some of the contestants for this Moulinex You Cook Video Challenge 2.

Cottage Pie

by Juno Pocholo Sedigo

Halo-Halo Mousse
by James Adrian Bicaldo

Blackened Pasayan Inasal with Annato oil, Balsamic Vinegar Reduction, Adobo mousse, fried Sotanghon, Bringhe and Pechay Towerby Leonelia De Castro

Papaya Gazpacho with Spiced Veggie Skewers
by Joemary Grace Balza

White Chocolate Moringa Mousse
by Rosanna Ramel

Crab and Kesong Puti Ravioli with Malunggay Pesto Sauce
by Halson Lapuz

Poncan glazed Pork Medallions in Black Rice and Asian Slaw on the side
by Hilario Gamaliel Manikan

Filipino-Style Bread Salad
John Ryan Trani

Sinful Sans Rival
by Karen Grace Santiago

Caldobo (Calderata Adobo)
by Nino Carlo Rosali

I don't know about you but looking at these photos has made my mouth water again! Hehe. If you want to see all the dishes and how all of these was made, do check out their video entries at the Moulinex You Cook website.

Each Semi-Finalist were awarded with their very own Moulinex Blender.

After several hours of hard work, finally the judges were able to choose the Top 8 Finalists for this challenge.

CONGRATULATIONS to Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2
Halson Lapuz, Romeo Apostol Jr., Juno Pocholo Sedigo, James Bicaldo, Nino Carlo Rosali, Rosana Ramel, Karen Grace Santiago, and Leonila de Castro!

with the judges!

Now that the Grand Finalists have been chosen, its now time for us to look forward to the Grand Finals to be held on January 28, 2012. The aspiring chefs will go head to head in their last showdown, where they will have to use their acquired culinary skills, creativity, and passion in order to cook the most delicious recipe they can produce, given a set of random ingredients. The contestant with the highest score will be declared the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge Year 2 Grand Winner! Grand Finalist will get a Php 40,000 cash prize, Stay and Learn Program inclusive of an overnight stay, Moulinex Demo Tour, and a whole lot more. Not only do the contestants get something but their mentors and respective schools as well.

Anyway, I really enjoyed watching this and I wish all the Grand Finalists all the best. Who will I be rooting for this challenge? My bet would either be Leonila De Castro or Karen Grace Santiago. Yeah, I'm rooting for the girls! LOL. I'm pretty much sure all the Grand Finalists will be working and preparing hard for this cooking showdown which will be in just a few days. Still, its really anyone's game and it will depend on their performance during the Grand Finals.

Thank you Moulinex for inviting me to this event! I felt really privileged and enjoyed it a lot. Also wanna thank the company of my fellow bloggers who were there. Events like these are always awesome coz I get to meet new people and make new friends.

with Miss Norma

with Marj

with Marj and Jonel

Thank you Miss Yovilyn Valenzuela, Brand Marketing Head - Moulinex & Krups!

Event Sponsor - KRUPS

MOULINEX products

So Coffeeholics, aspiring chefs and food enthusiasts -- don't forget to drop by Moulinex Facebook to be updated or do check out the Moulinex website and vote for your favorite video entry!

Food Diary - Moulinex You Cook Video Challenge Semi-Finals Part 1

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! I don't know about you but one of the things I love to watch on TV are the cook off type of shows where professionals or aspiring chefs go all out and cook and compete against each other to get to that most coveted NUMBER ONE spot! Well last Saturday, January 14, at the Hotel Intercontinental in Makati, I was able to attend my very first live cook-off courtesy of the Moulinex You Cook Video Recipe Challenge 2.

Moulinex You Cook is a culinary competition where entries are submitted in video clips showing the ingredients and procedure through a cooking demo using Moulinex food preparation products. Currently enrolled Culinary Arts and Hotel and Restaurant Management students in Metro Manila aged 18 years old and above are the participants for this competition. Wonderful prizes await for the contestant, the mentor, and the school of the winner!

So I was invited to be a witness of this event and of course I jumped at the chance of being able to watch young and aspiring Celebrity Chefs or Restaurant Owners strut their stuff LIVE for everyone to see. Since it was the Semi-Finals already, only sixteen out of the numerous entries were chosen to battle it out for all of us there.

In this round, the contestants was given 1 1/2 hours to cook their submitted recipe and will be judged according to the following criteria:

Taste (30%)
Mise En Place/Ease of Preparation (20%)
Creativity/Originality (15%)
Visual Appeal (15%)
Optimazation of Moulinex products (15%)
Personality (5%)

Photo credit - MoulinexPh Facebook

Of course with this kind of event, Moulinex invited Chef Bruce Lim, Chef Nino Laus, Rory Subida, Nina Daza-Puyat, and Laurent Casteret as the esteemed panel of judges. With their knowledge, skill, and expertise in this area, it was enough to even fluster some of the contestants!

Moulinex You Cook Semi-Finalists battling it out at InterContinental Hotel Makati

Cooking and Baking Area

So the Hotel Intercon function room was arranged in such a way to accommodate a set of 8 contestants at a time to prep, cook, bake, and do whatever they need to do to be able to "re-make" the dish that they submitted for the Moulinex You Cook Video Challenge 2. The theme chosen for this year is an original recipe of a Filipino International Fusion Cuisine. I must say that some if not most of the contestants really had interesting fusion dishes. A number of the "recipes" that got in the semi-finals had Malunggay in it! It was really cool how they were able to come up with this dishes! If you would like to see what our semi-finalists came up with for this contest, kindly drop by the Moulinex You Cook website and check out their video tutorials! AND not only that, why not vote for your favorite video as well? There is still an ongoing contest on which video recipe gets the "People's Choice Award".

Rochee Ann Rivera starting to make her Quiche TInapa with Veggies

Leonelia de Castro using a Moulinex Product
AND YES, this is included in the criteria for judging!
She used several Cooking and Food Preparation Moulinex Products for her recipe.
That's the Moulinex Minuto Deep Fryer at the back of the grill.

Aldin Sinda being judged by Chef Bruce.

Aldin Sinda cooking his Risotto alla Melanise on an ELBA stove/

Anyway, the contestants were given 1 1/2 hours to finish their dish. And during the whole time, from preparing the equipment and ingredients that they were going to use up to the time that they were plating, each contestant was observed closely by each judge! The judges were free to talk and question them while they were cooking. It must have been really terrifying for some of them coz they not only had to concentrate on their dishes but had to explain and answer the judges' questions and inquiries. Not only that, but they really had to budget their time wisely!

2nd Batch of contestants about to start making their dishes with our emcee-
Miss Yovilyn Valenzuela, Brand Marketing Head of Moulinex and Krups.

Of course Ms. Yovilyn kept us (the audience) on track by keeping the contestants on their toes as she asked the contestants questions so to explain to us about the dish that they were making. Part of the criteria of judging for the semi-finalists was that they should have a pleasing personality. Definitely several contestants stood out as they handled the questions like a pro as they gamely interacted with us while cooking. Hmmm smells like potential celebrity chefs in the making!


Rosanna Ramel just finished plating her pretty White Chocolate Moringa Mousse

Leonelia De Castro about to finish plating her
Blackened Pasayan Inasal with Annato oil, Balsamic Vinegar Reduction,Adobo mousse,
fried Sotanghon, Bringhe and Pechay Tower
yeah, the recipe name is already a MOUTHFUL!
No pun intended!

Once done with the plating, each contestant can now present to the panel of judges their creations. Unfortunately due to the time limit, some were not able to finish their dish on time and had to present to the judges their unfinished or uncooked food. Sayang!

The panel of judges then tasted the dish presented by each contestant.
Then the judges would give their "verdict."

Personally, I think the judges were very kind as compared to the judges that you can see on TV Cooking shows. They were gracious with their words but did doled out some constructive criticism when necessary. Sometimes they were even given a word of advice on how to improve themselves or their dish!
BUT of course, there were also a rare few who had a special dose of Chef Bruce's "tough love" as he bluntly said his piece about their dish.

Yay was finally able to taste one of the entries of the contestants!
This is COTTAGE PIE by Juno Pocholo Sedigo. Yes I liked it a lot! Loved the mashed potato!

To be continued...
Check out PART 2 of this Food Diary - Moulinex You Cook Video Challenge 2

OOTD - Plaid and Sherlock Holmes 2

2012-01-15T18:43:00.000+08:00

This is what I wore when I was at Yabu:
Plaid Top - Bazaar
Black Tank Top - Random bazaar
Denim Shorts - Greenhills
Black Boots - Vintage

Accessories on right hand - SM Accessories
Watch - Timex
Necklace - belongs to my Sis

Hey Coffeeholics! How was your week? Lately the weather has been quite bipolar! The erratic changes of weather has been affecting my health but Thank You God I'm ok now and coping with the weather. Anyway, I've recently been enjoying wearing denim shorts. Haha. I'm not used to wearing shorts a lot but its really more practical during hot humid days. Especially when I'm commuting. The dark pink plaid top has been with me for ~~years~~ a while and I'm glad finally that I was able to wear it again. Plaid is definitely one fashion statement that has been around for centuries. Think Mel Gibson in Braveheart.. yes, that infamous piece of cloth they wrap around their lower bodies (aka skirts.. hehehe). Plaid fashion was originally more categorized as part of men's fashion but has made its crossover to us gals. Lucky us! Some say that plaid is out or that its sooo over. Guess again dearies.. I just checked out some department stores and its still in abundance!

Sherlock Holmes
A Game of Shadows
Photo Credit - Here

Speaking of plaid reminds me of Scotland Yard.. and SHERLOCK HOLMES! Oh yeah! I finally was able to watch Sherlock Holmes 2 - A Game of Shadows with my bff Naomi. We watched it last Friday after work. She was my movie partner when Sherlock Holmes 1 came out. Super Kilig!!! Haha.. I have a huge crush on Robert Downey Jr. and Naomi has a huge crush on Jude Law. Hahaha so magkasundo kami - walang away! Oh diba.. Eye Candy!

Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr
Photo Credit - Here

And yes, Sherlock Holmes 2 is definitely worth watching! I swear, this movie is one of the rare movies where the 2nd Movie is even sooooo much better than the first. Promise! It has more action, more funny moments, and more mind boggling Sherlock Holmes' eccentricities and awesome powers of observation which I absolutely adore. I don't watch movies often (coz honestly I really can't stomach the movie prices nowadays..) but this movie was absolutely worth every cent. There were times where me and Naomi were laughing so hard and then to only find out later that we were the only ones laughing.. haha. I think maybe its coz there were only a number of people in the cinema (less than 50).

Photo Credit - Here
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson
In this particular scene, I find Jude Law as Watson super duper hot!
This particular evening attire looks really smart and handsome on him.
Particularly the scenes when he was playing cards!
Agree?

Three things you should watch out for in the movie are the Sherlock Holmes epic disguises, Sherlock Holmes' brother, and the wedding of Dr.Watson. Anyway I don't want to spoil the movie too much. Its so much better if you watch it instead. Naomi has already completed the whole Sherlock Holmes series in print and she explained to me that several of the scenes in the movie were taken from various books (much like Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief!). So it might be confusing for those who have read it already. I think they did it like that so that the movie would be more interesting and more action packed then ever. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to watching part 3 of this movie (hopefully there will be a part 3).

So Coffeeholics, if you haven't been able to watch Sherlock Holmes yet, I strongly suggest you do! Its one of the must watch movies for January! Let me know what you think!

Mwah mwah,

Food Diary - Yummy YABU The House of Katsu

2012-01-11T23:59:00.000+08:00

YABU - The House of Katsu
can be found at
2nd Floor ATRIUM SM MEGA MALL

Hey Coffeeholics! Who loves Japanese food? Raise your hand... and hail that taxi cab or jump on the MRT to go to YABU The House of Katsu at the 2nd Floor Atrium of SM Mega Mall! I've heard about Yabu but really had no idea what to expect. Of course, upon arriving in front of the restaurant you will definitely feel that you will have an awesome Katsu experience. Just looking at their posters makes your mouth water! After all, Yabu claims to be the first and only aunthentic Japanese katsu restaurant in the Philippines.

Yabu - The House of Katsu
Love the interior look of the place!

MANGA on the walls! How cool is that!
I also really really like the comfy chairs and sofa.
Photo credit - YabuPh Facebook

[Sorry if the photos are blurred. I was only using my cell phone camera. I totally forgot to bring my cam!]

And of course, the star of the show -- the Chicken Katsu (at 90 grams) set!
In the menu, Chicken Katsu is offered in three different servings - 90 grams, 120 grams, and (I forgot haha.. 200 plus ba yun?)
For the set that I got, it has a bowl of rice, 90 grams of crispy yet delectable and delicious Chicken Katsu, Miso Soup, a few slices of fruit, and unlimited cabbage salad.

90 grams of Chicken Katsu
and the white stuff is the Cabbage Salad!

Yummy Rice which I finished.
I really shouldn't have but the food was sooooo good I couldn't stop!

The special katsu sauce which I absolutely LOVED!
They even had special instructions on how to make the special blend of the sauce.

Some of these are the "ingredients" that you just had to mix it all up in a bowl with Sesame seeds
This is where I dipped my Katsu by the way. SUPER YUMMY!

Me and Jordy (imishu) just about to eat!
We ordered the same thing. Hehe.

Such a pity that I wasn't able to have a photo with Rache, Tin, Jen and the rest of the group that I was with at Yabu that night. I'm so glad that as the last barkada "food trip" for 2011, we ended up here at Yabu. Unforgettable talaga! The food was superb, the ambiance was just simply amazing, and the service was impeccable. As for the price, well to be honest it was a bit more than my usual fare. But I promise its all worth it! So if you haven't had your Yabu experience yet, I will definitely recommend that you do the next time that you are at SM Megamall.

Happy Eating! Mwah mwah,

My Hair Loss Treatment - Minoxidil Regroe

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000+08:00

To accomplish one of my goals for this year, I went out and bought Regroe Minoxidil hair regrowth treatment. Yes, its been one of my wishes since last year which is to stop my hair fall and get hair regrowth treatment. I'm turning 30 this year (and you bet your gonna hear a lot about that from me in my blog this 2012) and well it got me seriously thinking that I should really get to take care of myself which definitely includes my hair! My hair has been my pride and joy for a long time now. I haven't had it professionally cut last year because I've been growing it out and I want it to be long. Yes, I cut my own hair which actually just means that I only trim it so that there won't be any split ends. Anyway, the split ends is not my main problem. Hair fall and thinning hair has really concerned me recently.

Lil Kai Sensei
Better and Thicker Hair
And no, that's not a wig that I'm wearing!

I used to have awesome thick hair. Seriously. Yes that's me in the photo above. I think I was 8 at that time. And look at my glorious thick hair. Mukang wig. Haha! But ever since 2008-2009, I have noticed a drastic increase in hair fall. I know that this is mainly due to stress. I was at an "emo/depressed" state at that period of my life PLUS I was balancing work AND my grad studies which really took its toll on me (6 case studies = stress to the highest max). I ended up doing bad things to my hair to remove stress. Like having a haircut. SHORT. Like real short.

Emo Moment Days = Haircut. This was one of the better pictures. haha!

Once upon a Christmas.. hehe. This was 2008 or 2009
No hair loss yet, but I kept my hair short to relieve me from some stress..

It was kinda cool at the beginning but since I had low self-esteem at that time, I ended up hating my hair and myself. Not good vibes definitely coz my hair started to fall more than it used to be. Whenever I take a shower, I see a lot of my hair on the floor. The most horrifying moment for me was after I squeezed the water out of my hair and the next thing I knew there was a bunch of hair strands on my hand. It really freaked me out! I knew then I really had to do something about it. I've tried changing shampoos and even switched to herbal shampoos last year.

Recently I've been using this Marietha's GUGO Tropical Herbal Extract for Thicker Fuller Hair. In fairness, the hair fall has lessened a lot. Which is good news for me. But I just don't need thicker and fuller hair. I need my hair to regrow. I've checked out the advertised hair growers out there and finally I was able to stumble upon REGROE Hair Regrowth Treatment.

Regroe has Minoxidil which works to stimulate the hair follicles into growth. I've read up on it and I'm glad to know that it is US and Philippines' FDA approved. Regroe claims that Hair Growth will start on the third week and visible hair growth on the second month. PLUS, with a price of almost Php 600 for a 60 ml bottle of 3% concentration of Minoxidil, it isn't as expensive as the other hair loss treatments out there. Believe me I've asked and looked around!

Minoxidil Regroe at 3% (for women) and 5% (for men)

Does it work? Well hopefully it will live up to its testimonials and reviews. I just bought it last Friday so I've been using it for four days already. I bought Regroe 3% Topical Lotion which is advised for first time users and for women. I'm supposed to use it 2x a day. The 60ml Regroe at 3% is supposed to last me for a month. When I bought it, I was able to get a promo! They gave me two small sampler bottles of the 5% one which I will use once I've used up the 3% one. Hopefully by this time, I will be able to see improvement. I'm excited to see the results and I will definitely give a more updated review about this product around February.

Right now all I can share to you is that I've been following the instructions on how to apply it. One thing that was constantly advised by the saleslady, the instruction manual, and the other websites about Minoxidil is that one must wash one's hair before application, make sure the scalp is dry before spraying, and rub it in the scalp in circular motions. If you are interested in trying this out, well you should make sure though that you read up on it. I'm not promoting this product yet coz I have yet to see the results. One definite warning that I can give to you right now though is that it ITCHES. But it goes away after a while. I'd just like to think that its working. hehe.

My "BEFORE" picture. hehe.
According to research, hair loss usually starts at the crown area.
As you can see, my hair is thinning at the crown area especially where I parted my hair.
So I'm praying real hard that this will work!

So has any of you coffeeholics experiencing these hair loss problems as well? What hair loss treatments have you used and which have found effective? Do please share and let me know!

OOTD - Secret Garden and Holiday Family Reunions

2012-01-05T12:00:00.000+08:00

Dress - Thrifted
Top - borrowed from my sister

Capiz Earrings - random souvenir shop at Roxas City
Belt - Landmark

Watch - TIMEX c/o SM Accessories
Bangles and Black Ring- SM Accessories
Flower Ring - Girl Shoppe
Sandals - SM Parisian

I wore this dress the day before Christmas at one of our family reunions. I know, this doesn't look "Christmassy" at all. But the main reason why I wore this was first of all, its one of my favorite "dresses". I have a secret though. Its not actually a dress but a "peasant skirt"! I know I know, I think I broke an unspoken rule here somewhere by telling you this secret of mine but I just wanted to share to you one of my favorite thrifted finds and what I did with it.

I'm not ashamed to say that one of my favorite shopping hobbies is to check out the "ukay-ukay shops" (aka thrift shops!) and buy some stuff there. Not only do you get to SAVE money (as in trench coats at Php50!) but you get to own (sometimes) a "one-of-a-kind" outfit or clothing article. Wala kang kaparehas! You don't have to worry that you might bump into someone with the exact same shirt or skirt! Anyway, so yeah. I tried to wear this skirt as a "tube" dress with the help of a really nice cover-up and a belt. Plus its super comfy, hides any bulges (hahaha a must during the Holiday season), and I really really like the flowery print and fit of it on me. Feeling girly and pretty ako! hihi. Chos may ganun! Its one of the rare items of clothing that I own that is NOT BLACK and which I really really like.

Pinoy Henyo Android App

Anyway, so that's what I wore that day. Actually, the original title of this post should have been my Christmas day outfit but then I remembered that the family reunion was on the 24th of December and not on the 25th. Usually we have it on Christmas day itself but for this year we moved it to the 24th. Anyway, it was fun to meet up with our relatives and second cousins and catch up with whats happening among ourselves. Besides, eating -- one of the fun things that we did was that we played PINOY HENYO using the android app! If you have an android phone, you seriously need to download this game. Its super duper FUN and HANDY.

with SOFI

with my sis LAURA

with my cousin - JEN

After the games, singing of Christmas carols, and retelling of the Christmas story, one other thing that we do during this time is PRAY. Yes, we take the time to thank God for the year, for His special gift to us which is why we celebrate Christmas, and we also pray for His blessing for the following year. Of course before we all parted, we had our "photo sessions" at our Aunt's garden. Yes, JEN was there since we are cousins after all. And of course, had to have some photo sessions with SOFI as well. hehe. Anyway, so that's some of the things we do during family reunions. What about you dear coffeeholics? Did you enjoy your Christmas vacation? What do you do during family reunions? Do you have any special activities or traditions that you do as well? Please do share!

Hope you all have a wonderful 2012!

Mwah mwah,

OOTD - Christmas Greetings x Posing with Sofi

2011-12-30T16:53:00.000+08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS photo with Sofi!

Gray Top - Thrifted
Denim Jeans - Forever21
Shoes - Greenhills
Bag - Christmas Gift
Accessories - c/o SM Accessories

Just wanted to make a quick post to show this cool photos me and Sofi had taken at SM City Sky Garden. We (me and some friends including Jen of course and Sofi!) just came from shopping at Health & Beauty and then went to the Sky Garden to have some dessert/drink. Anyway, we were on our way back in to go to the parking lot and we saw this propped up just before the entrance. Me and Sofi just had to have a photo together! Me and Sofi have LOTS of photos and poses together. She really is growing up fast!

Yeah anyway so that's all right now. Its been a busy week and I will be going to SM Megamall later for a dinner "party" with friends from church. YES, sulitin ang break! haha! So dear coffeeholics, what are your NEW YEAR PLANS this weekend? Will share more about what our family will be doing later on. See you guys around.. and just in case I don't get time to post again.. I want to greet you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mwah mwah,

OOTD - Year End Positive Reflections

2011-12-29T13:54:00.000+08:00

Dress - Vintage
Bag - Tomato
Boots - H&M
Necklace - Girl Shoppe

Hi Coffeeholics! How was your week so far? I hope you are all enjoying the last few days of the year. Usually its the time for most of us to spend time with the family, have family reunions, or meet up with old friends.. Right? Sometimes, its also the time for personal reflection. Things that you have accomplished this year, things that you didn't... Things that you wish that you did. Well maybe its just me. LOL. Thats what I end up doing at the end of the year. I look back and see if I was able to accomplish the goals I set for myself. Not to beat myself up if I wasn't able to do it but to be able to analyze what went wrong and what should I do next year to improve and attain it. I'm not going to share to you all my goals but I will share three things that I'm really happy about that I have accomplished or attained this year.

What Matters Most is How You See Yourself
Photo Credit - Here

One of the things that I know I have improved in this area is my Self- Esteem. Its true, how you see yourself matters. Though one of the regrets this year is that I wasn't able to lose weight. In fact I gained! Wahahaha. (kaiyak noh? haha) But still even though I'm pretty happy about myself and my self-esteem is intact. That is what I have resolved to myself this year. That whatever happens, I will be happy about myself and my self-image. I'm glad that I followed the advice in the picture. I saw myself this year as happy and I can say that I really was this year! Yay for less emo/senti moments. hahaha.

Boracay!

Another thing that I'm grateful about this year is that I was finally able to go to BORACAY! Its been one of my dreams to go there and finally I did.

So that's one of the few things I'm grateful for this year. I have lots more to share but maybe on another post. But just before I publish this post, I of course must not forget to share one major thing that I'm grateful for this year. Which is my "launching" as a blogger! I've been blogging since 2010 but not as active since last Summer. Thank you na rin kay Jen for encouraging me and being my blogger twin.

My cousin Jen and I

ShopgirlJen with Brew of The Day!

She really helped me to become an active blogger! Active in a sense that I was able to attend events, meet new people, and make new friends through blogging! I think I've shared before how much of an introvert I was before. So this for me is a big accomplishment! I know I would never have gotten this far if it weren't for my improved self-esteem. Hehe. So I'm really grateful for all of this.

So dear coffeeholics, what are the things are you grateful for this year? Things that you have accomplished? I bet you have good stories as well! Do please share. And hope you enjoy the rest of the holidays! MWAH!

Fashion and Coffee with CBTL

2011-12-26T17:30:00.000+08:00

TRENDS Spring/Summer 2012 by Eunice Lucero

Fashion and Coffee - my kind of brew! And I'm happy to end my eventful year with this as the last event that I attended as a blogger. So glad that I was able to go to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf event. Many thanks to JEN who invited me to join her at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's latest brunch series - Small Talks for Big Changes which featured Preview Magazine's Associate Editor, Eunice Lucero for its last leg and brought everyone up-to-speed with the latest from the Philippine fashion scene.

"It's great that the Philippines is now being seen as a viable fashion capital,"shares Lucero. "The local fashion scene is growing, blooming - it's going global and trends are now becoming more concrete. Filipinos are now looking for comfortable clothes, more streamlined and very much stylish. In addition to this, many local designers are also making their mark in the international fashion scene like Michael Cinco and Kermit Tesoro."

Then she went on to share the possible trends this Spring/Summer 2012.

Two-Toned Hair

I know some people (especially bloggers!) have already started doing this trend and according to predictions, we will see more of that next year. As much as I would love to try out this trend, I can't coz of my day job. Hehe. So if you can sport this, kudos to you! As for hairstyles, how you part your hair matters! So its also predicted that parting your hair in the center and slicked-back hair will be in next season.

Stained cheeks will be in!

As for makeup, stained cheeks for spring and summer will be in! No more bronzers then huh?

Flat Bright Lips anyone?

Flat bright lips will be in next summer! Don't forget to check out your favorite makeup brands to get your hands on one. And while you're at it, grab some white eye shadow as well just in case if you don't have one. I already just bought mine from NYX at Greenhills last week. Also mentioned in the talk, one of the trends that will definitely be in next year is the emphasis on clear beautiful skin -- especially the pores. So expect people to be more conscious to have pore-less skin.

Laduree pastels

As for fashion trends, expect Laduree Pastels to be in. Hmmmm what do you think about color blocking in pastel? I became so engrossed in the talk that I forgot to take photos. LOL. Sorry. But the other fashion trends mentioned was sporty everyday wear, retro, and floral printed fabrics. After all, it is summer! After the talk, we were all given a chance to to ask for personal tips or ask about personal fashion dilemmas with Miss Eunice. I remember asking what will be the shoe trend next year and she mentioned BOOTS. Haha. That definitely curled my toes in glee!

Of course throughout the course of the talk, we also enjoyed a cup of tea or coffee and some dainty treats and snacks courtesy of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Check out The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's new single-serve system, the CBTL!

We all got to try out a drink from CBTL. The series is a part of the brand's Great Exchange program, an on-going trade-in event that highlights The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's new single-serve system, CBTL.

CBTL's Viennese Brew

Dubbed as the future for coffee and tea aficionados to enjoy more than 70 varieties of their favorite The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf drink at the comfort of their own home, and with just a touch of a button. To have my very own CBTL without leaving home sounds pretty amazing! I tried out the Viennese Brew (mild) and it was lovely. And the fun part of the whole thing is that its so easy to use. *sigh* Can't afford to take one home but I wouldn't mind if Santa would drop me one on his way back to the North Pole! hehe!

Brew of The Day with CBTL! Me likey please! hehe

Also it was so nice to see and talk with other bloggers there!

with Krissy

with Mommy Larissa

And of course with Miss Eunice and Jen

And that's a wrap with the last event I attended for 2011. I'm definitely looking forward to what's in store for us this 2012. I already have ideas on which trends I might be following next year. What about you dear coffeeholics? Think you'll be going for the two-toned hair next year? Let me know your picks!

Hope you all having a wonderful holiday!

MWAH MWAH!

Perfect Christmas Gifts - Starbucks and CBTL Planners

2011-12-25T00:09:00.001+08:00

First of all, I just wanna greet everyone a MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS! Yay! I don't know if you keep Christmas traditions and open your presents on the 25th but for me, I sometimes don't. Haha. Yeah, sometimes I can't resist the allure of a shiny wrapped gift with your name on it and I end up ripping it open just to see whats inside. Well in this case, these gifts weren't wrapped in the first place coz I had to claim it from Starbucks and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

What I actually got from Tin and her H was a Starbucks Christmas Card that gives the bearer a "free" drink.

AND also the almost filled up Starbucks Sticker Card.

So yeah, I finally got my Starbucks Planner! It was one of the FIRST Christmas gifts that I got since I was able to claim it December 12. I would like to say THANK YOU to my sister-in-law Tin and her darling H (my brother!) for this awesome gift! Yay! I didn't have to collect the stamps at all. I've been a Starbucks Planner collector since it came out. Well I try anyway. Haha. Still thank you so much brother dear and Tin! LOVE LOVE LOVE this gift!

Also just this week, I was finally able to complete the stamps for my CBTL Planner!

So I'm one happy coffeeholic this Christmas! Hehe. So, thats all for tonight folks. Enjoy unwrapping your gifts. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

OOTD - Peaches and Cream & Christmas Wrapping Tips

2011-12-22T23:59:00.000+08:00

Top - Vintage
Skirt - Forever 21
Flats - Capelli (bought from states)

Colored Bangles - c/o SM ACCESSORIES
Bag - c/o TOMATO

Hey Coffeeholics! This OOTD is way overdue. I think I should rename my OOTD to outfit diary.. LOL. Anyway, I wore this during a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf event (which I will blog about later on). Yeah so the Peaches are for my top (thanks Laura! hehe) and the Cream is a reference to the CBTL event.

ANYWAY, Gah.. I know its been a while since I've blogged and been super active online. I've been pretty busy with the last week of school, shopping, and attending all these Christmas parties! I'm pretty much sure you all had a hectic week too. So now that I'm officially on Christmas Vacation mode (until January 4! oh yeah!) I kinda went on vacay mode as well online. But now I'm back and will be blogging again (crosses fingers) despite being the hectic holidays.

Photo Credit - Recycled Wrapping Paper Ideas

So Coffeeholics, how is your Christmas so far? Have you stuffed yourself full, shopped for all your gifts, and wrapped all the presents just in time for Christmas already? Me? I'm happy to say that I've got 95% of my Christmas shopping done. Phew! And ALL the wrapping too! Have no time to wrap? Well here's what I did. I found time by wrapping my gifts after I arrive home late from a party.(Coz I bet you've attended more than one Christmas party right? hehe) And well since I can't sleep with a full stomach (yes dears, YOU SHOULDN'T really!), I use the "waiting" time to wrap presents. Oh diba! haha. Also here's another Christmas wrapping tip, if you run out of wrapping paper -- grab an old magazine, tear out the colorful pages and help save the environment by using the glossy pages as wrapping paper! I did that too and had tons of fun. So there. Hope that helps you in this last few days before Christmas. Enjoy enjoy!

love love,

Araneta Center x Coca-Cola Event x Coca-Cola OFW Project Video

2011-12-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! One of the wonderful things that I love about Christmas is that you can see it, feel it, and taste it in the air here in the Philippines. Especially during the night. If you go around Metro Manila, you can see all these bright, cheery, twinkling lights that just sings.. "Its Christmas Time!" So I was quite privileged when I was able to attend the Coca-Cola Caravan and Araneta Center Giant Tree Lighting event last November 12, 2011. Yes, CHRISTMAS here in the Philippines begins in November! Once the "-ber" months kick in, you can sense Christmas coming. But it all goes full blast and Coca-Cola definitely kicked it off by transforming the Araneta Coliseum parking lot into a magically transformed Christmasville.

The "Christmasville" at Araneta Center Parking Lot

Of course the star of the show was the Giant Christmas Tree which was made grander and even more sparkling this year. In fact, it's the 30^th year this custom was celebrated.

Standing at almost 100ft. this year’s tree is bedecked with more than 10,000 lights and hundreds of stars and Coca-Cola Christmas balls, with huge ribbons and colorful gift boxes as accents.

Through the years, it has been a beacon of hope among the Filipinos; a most cherished icon that signals the beginning of the holiday season and reminds us to always believe in the magic and happiness it brings, the same way Coca-Cola inspires. A special toast and an awe-inspiring fireworks display followed once the tree has been fully lit and glowing.

So yeah, Christmas ain't Christmas here in the Philippines without all that lovely lights and Christmas decors! Of course the Christmas tree wasn't just the focus. The Coca-Cola Music Bus spread Yuletide cheer as well with gifts and free COKE of course! Food stalls were abundant and the food disappeared fast. Still the caravan area looked interesting especially since there were areas where people could have their photos taken with a lot of Coca-cola related props and items.

Of course Coca-cola definitely knows how to throw a party at the parking lot of Araneta Coliseum with its song and dance numbers by celebrities of different stations. It was awesome seeing all of them join together as one big happy family -- Coca-Cola ambassadors Kathryn Bernardo, Joseph Marco, Julia Montes and Enchong Dee; with ABS-CBN young idols Empress Schuck, Jessy Mendiola and Arron Villaflor along with GMA stars Kris Bernal, Rocco Nacino, Steven Silva, Sef Cadayona, Diva Montelaba, Barbie Forteza and Joshua Dionisio.

And yes, that’s not all! The food party and tree lighting extravaganza were followed by a jam-packed dance concert featuring the young stars and the hottest Pinoy bands of today, the Aspog Band and Spongecola. It was a musical showdown like no other, leaving everyone who joined the party on high spirits.

Me and Sofi enjoying a bottle of FREE Coke and watching the concert during the event!

Throughout the night, Coca-Cola ambassadors also gave away special raffle prizes. What did these lucky guests get? Big red boxes filled with surprising Christmas treats, perfect for sharing and spreading the love this Christmastime! Well, you could get one for yourself or the whole family when you join the Coca-Cola Christmas Box Surprize Promo. In this easy-win promo, you not only get the chance to win Noche Buena gift baskets, Coca-Cola products, Bench gift certificates, cool gadgets like iPads, digital cameras, PS3s, Wii and others, you might also take home a whopping Php 1M pesos!

Open holiday happiness now for people you cherished most with a Coca-Cola Christmas Box! Just follow these simple steps: (1) Drink Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite or Royal Tru Orange in any 400ml, 500mL, 750mL, 1Liter, 1.25L, 1.5Liter or 2Liter packs; (2) Collect 2 caps in exchange for 1 raffle coupon which may be claimed at participating sari-sari stores, public market stalls, Coke sales offices and Coke Dealers redemption centers from November 1 to December 30, 2011 only; (3) Text in the code in the coupon to join the electronic raffle. It’s that easy! Winners will be selected per area nationwide, daily. The Coca-Cola Christmas Boxes will be delivered right to the winners’ doorsteps! See posters and visit coca-cola.com.ph for more details.

The annual celebration of food, music and happiness surely took to a whole new high with fun and heartwarming moments shared only in the best of ways. The season of true joy is now officially opened and refreshed! Now, don’t you just wish it’s Christmas day, everyday?

For more updates and highlights of the caravan, visit the Coca-Cola fan page on Facebook or go to coca-cola.com.ph. Para sa Pagsasamang Hahanap-hanapin. Open Coca-Cola, Open Happiness.

Oh and by the way, have you watched the latest video from Coca-cola? Its their latest campaign and a sure tear-jerker. The first time I watched this was on the smartphone of one of my friends and the next thing we knew, we were all tearing up, sniffing, and agreeing that this was definitely one of the coolest and most touching campaign Coca-cola has done here in the Philippines. You should watch this and let me know what you think! Agree ba agree? Hehe!

Have a Happy Christmas!

SM Accessories Holiday Collection for December

2011-12-09T15:49:00.001+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! SM Accessories Holiday Collection for December is out already. Don't forget to check it out when you buy your gifts this Christmas! I already listed SM Accessories on my wishlist for my classroom's Kris Kringle this Christmas. All my students know my love for accessories so I'm pretty sure whoever is my "mommy or daddy" in our Kris Kringle will find it really easy to choose from SM Accessories for me coz SM Accessories is always chic and affordable! Love it!

Hope you all have a happy Christmas shopping this weekend! Mwah!

OOTD A Blue Christmas

2011-12-08T23:30:00.000+08:00

Black Tank Top - Landmark
Blue Top - Thrifted
Denim Shorts - Greenhills
Bag -Tomato
Flats - SM Parisian
Necklace - Girl Shoppe

Ring - SM Accessories
Bracelet - gift from New Zealand

Ring - Girl Shoppe
Bangles - SM Accessories

Its a BLUE Christmas without you... Yeah the title for this outfit post is "A Blue Christmas" coz I'm practically wearing all blue here. Its the outfit I wore during the SMART Spot Shopping event and later on to the Araneta x Coca-Cola Tree Lighting event.

So how has the Holidays been for you lately? Its been raining again and they say that we should expect a or rainy Christmas this year. I don't mind. At least its not hot and humid! Last Monday we had a "smoggy" day. While I was commuting to work, I felt that I just stepped in to a movie set (parang twilight lang ang peg! hehe) with the foggy/smoggy and dreamy-like mist in the air. It kind of gave you an illusion that you were in Baguio or felt that you weren't quite awake at that time.

Anyway, there are a lot of things to look forward to. I've been having loads of fun with my students and the staff as we celebrate Christmas with Kris Kringle or Secret Santa Gift Giving every week. I swear, I will really dedicate a post on the unusual things we came up with.

So Coffeeholics, other updates that I can't wait to share (through a proper post..) is that I FINALLY GOT MY STARBUCKS PLANNER!!!! (super happy with that!) Oh and that BON CHON has opened in TRINOMA Mall. Yay yay yay! I ate there during the first day of opening. So this is the latest from me so far. I hope that you enjoy the rest of the week!

Happy Holidays and here's wishing that YOUR Christmas won't be a blue one.

SM Accessories PRIVADO Haul

2011-12-03T21:52:00.001+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! How have you guys been? I know I still have backlogs of posts to do but this is just too awesome NOT to share ASAP. Yeah its payday weekend and I bet most of you have started their Christmas shopping. Well I'm pretty sure you've heard about SM Accessories' PRIVADO Sale Event already which started last Thursday, December 1. They are having a major sale on luxury brands at the SMDC Showroom. And when I say major -- I'm talking about up ALL items up to 50% off and an additional 20% off for SM Advantage Card Holders on selected items! I mean, with that kind of sale, who wouldn't want to check it out eh? So I dropped by last Thursday night and check out the awesome and luxurious accessories that is on SALE!

There were A LOT of Watches for SALE. Which is awesome coz I promised myself that I will buy one at the PRIVADO Event.

Juicy Couture Timepieces

Tommy Hilfiger Watches

Citizen Eco-Drive Watches

Gucci at 10% off!

YSL Glee watches that includes different colored straps!

TIMEX Watches at 10% off. You can still get an additional 20% off with your SM ADVANTAGE Card!

Of course there were a lot of sunglasses or "sunnies" as some of my Aussie friends would call em. Very chic and very classy! The discounted prices were amazing.

GUCCI

GUESS

Kenneth Cole Reaction

They were selling designer frames as well!

Also check out these cool gift items -- CROSS Pens and Journal

CROSS Pens

Cross Journal with Pen at Php 1K-ish

CROSS 3 in 1 Pen! This is really cool. It has 2 colored pens AND a mechanical pencil all rolled in one!

Of course what is an SM Accessories event without JEWELRY!

F & C Jewelry

Less 40% on jewelry items!

So what did I get? Yes, I really wanted a watch and TIMEX really had a lot of watches on sale.
Most of them were up to 70% off.

Stainless Steel Timex Watches

Leather Watches Timex

I had a dilemma, should I get a stainless steel strap or one with a leather strap?

I ended up getting the one with the black leather strap! Though the time piece itself isn't big, I like the size, color, and shape of the watch. I think its versatile enough to wear both on my day and night jobs dontcha think? (I'm a teacher by day, blogger by night remember?) And of course its BLACK. Its just so me noh? hehe.

Timex watch comes with a one year warranty!

Thank you SM ACCESSORIES and TIMEX!
FROM Php 3,000 plus to Php 1,349 at a 70% discount.
Can't believe I got it at such a good deal. Love it!

By the way, one of my dear blogger friends Diane, from www.mykissenmakeup.com, heard about the PRIVADO sale event and went there. We were supposed to meet up last Thursday but wasn't able to push through with the meetup. (wahhh sayang.. I really wanted to see you Di! kelan kaya noh?) Anyway she was able to get really good items at a really REALLY great discount. Check out her PRIVADO Haul. All I can say with her haul is.. BONGGA! Pang Mrs. Universe nga ang peg. Haha.

Animal Print Cover up - Vintage
Black Tank Top and Leggings - Bazaar
Shoes - c/o SM Parisian
Bag - c/o Tomato
Belt - Nafnaf

Yes I know, the animal print cover up is a repeat of what I wore during the Ipanema Show PFW. I did mention that you all would see me wear it again. Though styled differently than the first time I wore it. Hmmm I wonder how many outfits would I be able to "do" using that animal print?

Anyway, I really hope that you all will have an awesome Holiday! Its DECEMBER na. So don't forget to drop by PRIVADO SALE at the SMDC Grand Showroom, MOA. If you don't know where that is just look for a building with HUGE SMDC letters on it. I'm sure you won't miss it! Its nearly right in front of SM Hypermarket. Tomorrow is the last day of this huge luxury brands sale by SM Accessories. Do let me know if you checked it out or bought an item at PRIVADO.

So coffeeholics, happy Christmas shopping!

Shop Spotting with SMART MONEY

2011-12-01T13:00:00.000+08:00

I had the coolest day with my "blog twin" JEN who invited me to go with her to the SMART Money Gathering Event. It was held at SM Megamall, Cyberzone at the SMART Jump Experience Center.

I had no idea that there was such a place like this -- a techie "playground." I'm pretty much sure most of the guys out there will have fun checking JUMP out while their sisters, girlfriends, moms, or wives are doing some serious shopping at the mall. LOL.

Anyway I really enjoyed the time I had at the event coz I learned a lot! PinoyExchange owner Mike Palacios gave a small talk on Creating Rich Customer Engagement for the online shop owners and bloggers who attended the event.

The advent of technology and the evolution of social media has indeed shaped and defined the unique world that we currently "shop" in. Social online media also played a role in influencing shoppers. With the power of "word of mouth" advertising through twitter, facebook, and blogs -- companies can reach out to their consumers faster!

I for one appreciate the word of mouth recommendations which helped me overcome my fear of shopping online and getting scammed from online shops. I was really skeptic and reluctant to buy at online shops before coz I was afraid to be scammed. But now thanks to social networking and social media, I can now buy online with no fear coz I now can gauge who or what shop I can trust based on their customer comments and testimonials.

But I learned something more awesome! With SMART Money, I don't have to worry about any online transactions.

The trend nowadays is not only online payments but mobile payments as well! As the "texting" capital of the world, it is only natural that mobile payments will grow due to the increase of mobile phones here in our country. The same can be said worldwide. In the Asia Pacific Mobile Trend, the Philippines is now becoming a model for mobile money. And SMART Money has anticipated the needs of Filipinos and so created this awesome way of easier mobile and online transactions.

So what is SMART Money? Well its an easy and safe way to do bank account transactions with your SMART Mobile Phone and with this you can also get your very own SMART MONEY Card which is a Mastercard, letting you do ATM and debit card transactions, both in-store and online!

Using your SMART MONEY CARD is very easy! Adding funds is easy breezy with these four options.

Consumers and online shops will both benefit from the SMART Money program. With SMART Money's 2.5 Million Cardholders, online shop's can have their customer base expand.

So don't miss out the benefits you can enjoy with SMART Money card. I already have one and it was sent to me through mail this week. Get yours as well! Kindly visit their SMART Money website online.

Of course the event would not have been complete without a raffle. I didn't win but JEN did! Congrats Jen for winning 1 Thousand Pesos to be sent to your SMART Money Card. They also gave away 2 SMART Netphones. I would have loved to share to all of you the awesome news that I won a netphone -- but I didn't. hehe. Congrats to the winners of the new Smart Netphones.


Of course what is an event without meeting up with blogger friends Bec and Kei.

I can't wait to use my new SMART Money Card! Its useful and definitely help me by leaps and bounds whenever I shop online or even use it as a debit card. Thanks SMART for giving me my own SMART Money card! You guys should get yours too. I plan to use mine when I buy at Asian Vogue soon. Hehe. By the way congrats to them for winning in the Shop Spotting Contest for Online Shops.

So Coffeeholics! Hope you have a happy Christmas shopping soon with your own Smart Money Card!!!

Get This - Get Laud 2012 Calendar

2011-11-29T05:45:00.000+08:00

Hey Coffeeholics! As Christmas approaches, I suggest you get ready with your Christmas gift shopping as soon as you can. I can't even emphasize how much important it is to grab the opportunity with all these sales ongoing! You not only save money but you get a chance to grab the best deals being offered out there. So coffeeholics and shopaholics, check out GET LAUD's special treat to all their loyal customers. With this special treat, you not only get to enjoy shopping during sale season only but every month of 2012 coz Get Laud will be giving away this chic Get Laud 2012 tabletop calendars for FREE! And I'm not excited just because of the calendar but because of what's inside - a special treat of GET LAUD coupons every month of 2012. Hmm this intrigues me. I wonder what Get Laud has in store for us?

Well my dears, if you really wanna know, all you have to do to claim your free Get Laud 2012 Calendar is to shop at any participating Get Laud branches nationwide (check out store locations here). Then purchase regular Get Laud items for a minimum of Php 800 on a single receipt. For purchases, cash or credit card may be accepted. Get Laud Privilege Cardholders are more than obliged to join. This promo is not valid with any other promotions and discounts except the Get Laud Privilege Card.

So don't forget to drop by at the nearest Get Laud branch nearest to you and avail of the GET LAUD 2012 Calendar on or before January 15, 2012 to enjoy a whole new year of special treats! Also do kindly check out their website, add their facebook, or follow their twitter for the latest promos, sales, and updates.

Happy Christmas Shopping!

Get Laud Website | Get Laud Facebook | Get Laud PLUS | Get Laud Twitter
--------------------------

GET LAUD, the quality ladies' apparel, makes use of the finest imported and trendy fabrics throughout all their creations. Stylishly cut and locally sewn, GET LAUD clothing not only gives superb comfort but makes its customers instant fashionistas as well. GET LAUD also won the "Marketing Excellence" Award for 2010 and the "Most Promising Retailer" Award for 2007 from the Ayala Malls. Consecutively, in 2005 and in 2006, GET LAUD received the "Seal of Excellence" Award as the "Best Spandex Apparel Retail Store" given by the National Shopper's Association of the Philippines and the National Shopper's Choice Awards.

KRUPS Latte Love - Coffee Art Workshop

2011-11-27T06:00:00.000+08:00

Just before I left for Roxas City and Boracay last October, I received an invite to attend LATTE LOVE - A Coffee Art Workshop sponsored by KRUPS. I was really saddened though coz the date of the event was scheduled during the time I was out of town. So I was really happy when I found out that there was another workshop that was going to be held at TRINOMA Landmark. I jumped at the chance and immediately signed up for it. I had a feeling that Brew of The Day at LATTE LOVE A Coffee Art of Workshop = Perfection!!!

So COFFEE ART. Have any of you coffeeholics have ever heard about it? I LOVE COFFEE. I think its absolutely divine! Though most of my coffee experience has been more on then popular commercial side, the only time I encountered coffee art was when one of my favorite baristas put KAI on my coffee drink using chocolate syrup. I thought it was the coolest thing ever coz I felt real special! And basically, that's what coffee art is all about! The Coffee is used as a canvass, while the milk and chocolate syrup served as the paint.

Christmas tree at Trinoma Mall Landmark Activity Center

So our venue was in front of this HUGE Christmas tree in Landmark Activity Center. It was the background of the whole workshop making everyone feeling the Christmas spirit in the air. The smell of coffee brewing stimulated our senses. I couldn't wait to see what this Latte Love Coffee Art Workshop had in store for us!

KRUPS Espresso Machine

Of course the main star of this event was this KRUPS Espresso Machine. With this machine at home, you can your very own barista! Ahhh if only I could take one home.. hehe.

The workshop was facilitated by Chef "Mike" -- Michael Ross Canlas. He is a Barista Instructor/Trainer at the Philippine Barista and Coffee Academy (wow I had no idea that there's such a thing.. A COFFEE ACADEMY sounds super cool!). He is also a part-time owner and F&B Manager at Route 196 and Marjj. He then proceeded to show us his masterpieces with the help of two champion Baristas - Adlher Miko Simangan and Kevin Israel Fortu, both from Lyceum of the Philippines.

Chef Mike Canlas, Adlher Simangan, and Kevin Fortu

So how to make good coffee that's just perfect for Coffee Art? First you must have the right ingredients!

Espresso Coffe thanks to Krups and Folgers,
Can't make Coffee Art without its most essential ingredient right!

Meadow Fresh New Zealand Pure Milk
Chef Mike couldn't express how important FRESH MILK must be used to make this work.

And some Chocolate Syrup to make his wonderful Coffee Art Creations!

Chef Mike demonstrates how one should pour the milk or "crema" to create this canvass.
Frothing or steaming the milk is very important to get the latte look frothy and fluffy like that!

And here are some of his creations using just the milk and strategic pouring of the crema to create this awesome works of art. I would find it difficult to drink my cup of coffee with those designs on it coz its too pretty!

My favorite - the Snowman! Perfect for the Christmas season.. plus all that chocolate -- Yummy!

Yes they made a lot of art in a very short amount of time! Amazing!

Members of the audience were also given a chance to try making some Coffee Art. Just watching them made it look easy. I felt that I could probably make some of the designs on the coffee as well. But after watching the participants try their hand at it, di pala ganun kadali! It looks easy but it takes patience, a steady hand, and precision! Here are some of their works.

Their designs and attempts weren't as perfect as the Chef and his assistants but they still did an amazing job!

Here are some of the participants attempting to make coffee art.
I think they did a pretty good job! The coffee art flowers look lovely!

Each participant got a gift from Krups and additional extra special gift for the participant who made the best coffee art design! Here is the winning piece!

After the workshop, Chef Mike then proceeded to demonstrate how to make homemade crushed iced drinks that could rival the commercial ones out there! I really had a fun time at the workshop. There was also an ongoing raffle and I won a gift pack from Meadow Lea Fresh Milk. Thank you Krups and Meadow Lea! My sister drank it all up. Anyway, I had wanted to show you all a photo with me in it, but since I was just by myself when I went to this workshop so no pictures with me in it. Anyway, I still enjoyed my time there and learned a lot. Thank you once again Krups for inviting me to this event! Now don't forget to drop by KRUPS and check out their latest promos. I don't know about you guys but a Krups Coffee Maker or Espresso Machine would be a great Christmas gift! You can also get a FREE COFFEE GRINDER upon purchase of KRUPS FMD3 Coffee Maker or FMD1 Coffee Maker.

Don't Forget to drop by KRUPS FACEBOOK to check out their latest promos and updates!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!