Crooked

Back to Blogging & Travelling

2015-03-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone it's been more than two years since my last blog post. What am I up to these days? I've been working for almost two years. I dove into to the corporate world in less than a month after graduation thus making it really hard to get back to blogging as I was adjusting to the new environment. Naturally months went by and I forgot (an understatement for "I dont care about this blog anymore") about this blog. I just rediscovered it today and decided to give blogging a try again.

Since I now am financially independent from my parents I have discovered a new hobby that back then was just a wishful thinking: TRAVELLING. I have traveled to a lot of place generally I have been to some places in Luzon,Visayas and Mindanao (It's more fun in the Philippines) though not all of my travels were for leisure since right now the nature of the work I'm in requires travelling.

I will share some photos of the places I've been to but don't expect a single post for each place because that would take years in my timeline (hahaha!) but feel free to comment any queries about itineraries and estimated budget.

Hot Air Balloon Festival (Lubao, Pampanga)

Hot Air Balloon Festival (Lubao Pampanga)

Ilocos-(Top of Bantay Church waiting for the Sunrise)

Ilocos-(Kapurpurawan Rock Formation)

Lacson House Ruins (Bacolod City)

Fortune Island (Nasugbu, Batangas)

Daranak Falls-Tanay, Rizal

Bagasbas Beach- (Bicol) The only beach where you can ride a karwahe

Before "That thing called tadhana" made Sagada famous

Fortune Island (Nasugbu, Batangas)

Toploadin!

Calaguas, Bicol

Bomod-Ok Falls (More than just shouting in Mt. Kiltepan)

Calaguas!

Calaguas

No watermarks on the pics but please don't use the pictures for publishing without permission.

Next stop: El Nido, Palawan!

Queen Inhyun's Man Korean Drama Review

2012-06-20T03:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a hobby of mine to watch korean dramas but as i grow up i also become busier and watching korean dramas was put on the sideline and eventually got out of my system but once in a while i still go on recap sites to look for dramas that might be worthy of my little spare time. And i found Queen Inhyun's Man after watching this drama it quickly claimed a spot on my top 5 all time favorite korean drama. All I can say for those who haven't watch this drama is, it has action,romance,drama,comedy and fantasy all weaved well in one amazing drama. This is Queen Inhyun's Man Official Facebook page!

I've heard people trying to compare this drama to Roof Top Prince i haven't really watch it but I have read recaps of each episode on Dramabeans and you know what the only thing the two dramas have in common is time travel and even that was used differently in the two shows and i know you know which one i think is better.

this is a picture collage i made because there were to many beautiful scenes to be shown i figured it would be more convenient for the readers, I also tried to incorporate the story through the collage! I'm really sorry for my poor editing skills =) Feel free to enlarge the picture for better view.

Plot

Kim Boong Do a top scholar back in the Joseon era whose goal in life was to reinstate the deposed Queen Inhyun back to her rightful position acquired in a magical twist of fate a talisman that enables him to travel to the future. Three hundred years ahead a no namer actress named Choi Hee Jin have finally gotten the best break in her career playing the role of Queen Inhyun in a historical drama series. As fate may have it their paths cross and undeniably attraction brought them closer but will their love transcend time or will the rules of the universe keep them apart.

Characters

The best thing about this drama is the seamless portrayal of time shifting that is made possible by top notch cinematography and editing that transports the audience from the past to the future. Note worthy characters are not only found in the future or the past but on both period of time.

The Present

Choi Hee Jin

Choi Hee jin is a struggling actress who was once dating a famous actor only to be dumped after a while. Often told by her friend to stop being stupid in love only reverting back to her old self after meeting a man from the past named Kim Boong Do.

I really enjoyed Yoo Inna portrayal of this character. She was bubbly but not annoying and when she wants something or someone she goes for it how many korean female character this days act like? She's too cute for words I never really payed attention to her back in her Secret Garden days but now i look forward to her next drama project.

Han Dong Min

Han Dong Min is Hee jin's top star ex-boyfriend who stars in the drama she was cast on. Being the who dumped Hee jin for another girl he seems to be taking interest in her again. With his good looks and persistence will he be able to win back Hee jin or will he loose to Kim Boong Do.

His character is closely tailored to leading mans in other drama worlds. Persistent,handsome,childish,famous actor and etc. He probably would have won the girl if this was a normal drama without the time travelling and all. but na ah not in this one! At last an other man who deserves to be the other man (did you get what i'm saying??) He gave enough comic relief in this show for me not to hate him for being a jerk sometimes.

Jo Soo Kyung

She is Hee jin's friend/manager who always look out for her professionally and personally. Her character is probably the most normal and consistent in this drama im not saying it as good thing but it's also not bad. Her character kicks back Hee jin to reality at times when she needs too. And you should watch out for her ever consistent talk over coffee with Kim Boong Do it's really funny.

The Past

Kim Boong Do

What can i say with Ji Hyun Woo's character you can't really find a perfect man this days might as well jump back to the past to meet a perfect man like Boong Do. As the drama writer said “So the real fantasy in this drama is not the talisman or the time-slip but the absolutely perfect man named Kim Boong-Do” and i do agree this character is perfect and would never exist in real life. So let's keep this memory of meeting/seeing a perfect man.

Yoon Wol

She is Yoon Wol a girl who is in love with Kim Boong Do. Even though she is entangled in a one sided love and a caste system that forbids her love to a noble man with all that said she still poured all her love for him thus paving way to the creation of the magical talisman. Her character is very vital in this story and i have to say that if not for her love and care for Kim Boong Do he would have never met Choi Hee Jin. I salute her character more than anyone else.

A lot of other note worthy characters are not included in this drama review so please click the link Soompi- QIM to know everyone in drama this story is driven by every individual's action and to say that the characters i talked about above are the only important ones is definitely an understatement.

Notes:

I highly recommend this drama to everyone! it was painful waiting for it every week since the story was really good that you just want to know what's next and i really want to thank Joonni for the very fast recaps of each episode i read her recaps while waiting for episodes with subtitles since i don't like watching things without subs and others don't recap it as fast because I heard that it's not aired on a major tv network. and i also heard that the lead characters Yoo Inna and Ji Hyun Woo are dating in real life I've already half guess that since their chemistry was oozing and the way they look at each other lovingly was surreal and I'm really happy for this couple i hope they last long!

I leave you with this Fanvid made by Joonni even the soundtrack

suites well with the drama! Same Sky, Different Time

Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil in 02 Review

2012-05-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hi guys i know it's been a while and all the things i've planned to write on my blog have gone to drain but still i'll try to make it up this coming days. So much for my long absence in the blogging world here's a review about etude house drawing eyebrow in gray brown or 02.

Recently i've been really obsessed with eyebrows yes you heard it right eyebrows because a good or bad eyebrows can make or break the way you look and after realizing that i started searching for an eyebrow pencil that works..

So first off is it has very simple packaging. It has a two caps on one end is the retractable pencil and other end is a spoolie brush

Next up is the swatch this shade is gray brown and i took a picture of the swatch in two different lighting.

This is how it looks like on my eye brow =) I'm really happy with the result it looks natural and the flat tip of the pencil really made it easier to cover my whole eye brow in one go. It retails for P128.00 in all etude house boutiques in the Philippines and you can just buy a refill for P78.00 instead of buying the whole thing again how convenient is that! =)

Close Up

So that's it!! i really hope i could keep on writing on my blog again! and really i just have to share this with all of you i'm a year away from graduating and i'm really nervous and excited about it and also it's gonna busy with every school stuffs i have to do this year so please wish me luck =)

Advance Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

Hello, It's been a while since I've post something useful here in my blog =) I have been very busy with school work especially research papers that i found it tiring to write in my blog. Since it's the Christmas vacation i'm trying to recharge myself for this coming busy year. I don't know, but i think i'll be able to post a new korean drama review before my Christmas break ends and i only have good things to say for that drama. I'm so excited to share it.

Advance Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

A little bit of everything Giveaway

2011-11-28T00:35:00.001-08:00

So Tanya of a little bit of everything is holding an awesome giveaway!

This are the prizes at stake!!!

FIRST PRIZE: Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette! I did a review on this back in August click HERE to read

SECOND PRIZE: NYX nude on nude palette (still wrapped--didn't want to open it up) along with some hello kitty goodies and a nail sticker. I also did a review on the NYX palette click HERE to read and see the swatches.

THIRD PRIZE: ELF 100 classic eyeshadow palette and ELF 5 shimmering glosses. (I opened up the palette to show you all the colors since you couldn't see it in the box)

FOURTH PRIZE: ELF beautybook with 48 dynamic eyeshadow colors

FIFTH PRIZE: ELFeyeshadow palette with 32 warm colors

So what are you waiting for join now and let's all try our luck for this very jolly season!!

Goodluck to us=)

Sophie Martin Lipstick Review

2011-11-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hi, before saying bye to beauty blogging i would like to leave you with a review of Sophie Martin Lipsticks. This will also serve as a teaser for the next kind of beauty reviews i'm gonna do.

As of now i own three shades of their affordable lipstick line that only cost P79.00 and i'm planning on purchasing more shades in the future.

The three shades i have are Red Wine, Mango Peach and Summer Pink.

Here are the swatches:

(From L-R) Red Wine,Mango Peach,Summer Pink

Close Up

On my Lips

Summer Pink

Red Wine

Mango Peach

My thoughts about the Lipsticks

First of all it's very affordable
This Lipstick line contains many different wearable shades.
Hard to take off and leaves stains.
Since it's a matte lipstick it's dries my lips easily so before putting this on make sure you put some lip balm first.
some say this product contains lead(Pb) which i'm not sure is true. But just to make sure put a barrier between your lips and the lipstick. Like lip balm, lip gloss or lip primer. etc.

So that's about it till next time =)

Human Heart Nature Hydrating Toner Review

2011-10-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

So last for this series of review is the Human Heart Nature Hydrating Toner Review.

So with no further ado here it is.

Here are the all Organic Ingredients

My thoughts about this product:

The smell again same as the facial wash citrusy but not quit. =)
It does it's job well in cleansing dirt not taken away by the facial wash.
Did not sting even on parts of my face that has pimples.
I can actually feel this toner's tightening effect.
Texture-wise nothing different from other toners available in the market.

I'm really contented with this toner and after I'm done with this bottle i'm surely repurchasing. Need i say more =)

So that's it for my Human Heart Nature Review Series. I hope this reviews will help you make wise choices in choosing the beauty products you use.

I'm not sure when my next beauty reviews are coming up but this will definitely not be the last one. Next time

i'll focus more on make up =)

Human Heart Nature Hydrating Facial Wash Review

2011-10-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

So next up is the Human Heart Nature Hydrating Facial Wash Review. To start off i'm very sensitive when it's about facial wash because after a long day out your face really gets dirty so for me a facial wash that cleans my face well is really a must.

The All Organic Ingredients

My thoughts about this product:

I didn't have any breakouts using this product.
First of it is a liquid facial wash and not the foam one I'm used to.
It doesn't dry my skin after washing my face.
As for the cleaning part it does it's job but as i said I am really sensitive when comes to facial wash so i'll give it's cleansing component a 3/5.
Just something personal i really prefer foam cleansers rather than the liquid one so i'm not really ecstatic upon seeing it's consistency
Weird smell not awful just weird. Smells citrusy but not quit! I can't explain it.
I almost forgot unlike commercially available cleanser this one doesn't produce bubbles which really takes time getting use to.

I guess organic cleanser are not for me since i really want that squeaky clean feeling other foam cleansers give but what i really appreciate about this that it's keep the skin moisturize despite the cleansing work it does.

Just to clear out my 3/5 cleansing component rating. I made an experiment. I tried using a foam cleanser that day then used a toner after, though i still got some dirt it was not as much as the dirt and makeup i get using a toner after washing my face with the Human Heart Nature Hydrating Facial Wash.

Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil Review

2011-10-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

My next review will be the most raved about product from Human Heart Nature. The Sunflower Seed Beauty Oil. Let's see if i was impressed or not.

I've used half of it already =b

The all Organic Ingredients:

My thoughts on this product:

I did'nt have any breakouts using this product.
Unlike other oils this doesn't feel too heavy on the skin.
The skin easily absorbs the Sunflower Beauty Oil by massaging it just a little.
After a few use you can already feel your skin getting softer.
After few use my under eye circles became smaller and less noticeable.
My underarms felt softer and i did see some lightening effect though not too drastic.
I also use it on my blemishes and they seem to appear lighter faster than before.
I don't use this product on my hair so i won't really know the effect. Because I don't like it when my hair feels sticky cause more dirt can stick to it.
I've tried it as a makeup remover and i can say it does take of all the makeup off in your face.

It's an okay product i can see good effects on me but not like how other people who attest to big changes because of the sunflower beauty oil or maybe i just use it sparingly that's why i only see little changes but anyhow i still like how this sunflower beauty oil is unlike other oils not to sticky and leaves the skin softer after multiple uses. I'll definitely purchase again.

Human Heart Nature Original Formula Lip Balm Review

2011-10-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Fourth review of the series. Human Heart Nature is selling different variants of Lip Balms but i chose this one because i was kinda curious on how a choco-vanilla lip balm would smell and taste. So here it is my Human Heart Nature Original Formula Lip Balm Review.

Again the all organic ingredients =)

Any reactions after using the product? No, my lips just felt soft and moisturize after putting it.

Before

After

First impression of the product? I can't stop smelling this lip balm and i'll never get tired of doing so because it smells exactly like choco-vanilla I really love it when I'm using products that smells like food. =)

What was it's effect on my lips? As I said my lips felt soft and moisturize. Gone were the days when people would notice my chapped lips. It really made my lips soft and even when i don't have it i on, my lips were not as chapped as before. I can say I really see good effects in the Human Heart Nature Original Formula Lip Balm.

I can only say good things about this product. I've always had problem with chapped lips but i avoided using lip balms or gloss because most of the time they are too sticky for my liking. And this one is really different not heavy at all and doesn't give you a sticky feeling. As a testament to liking this product i also use it before i sleep to keep my lips from chapping at night.

that's all wait for the next one =)

Human Heart Nature Super-Fruits & Black Rice Facial Scrub Review

2011-10-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

Third review of the Human Heart Nature Haul Series. By now i'm getting used to it. Endlessly uploading pictures and writing about my thoughts about the products have become easier. So without further ado here's my review of the Super-Fruits and Black Rice Facial Scrub. (as you can see i'm following the same pattern of questions for every review since this are the questions i always ask before getting a product)

Again i'm giving you a peak of the all organic ingredients that human heart nature use for this product.(just enlarge the pic for better view)

Did i have any skin reaction using this product? No, but as i have said in my two previous post skin type of people varies. It can be their genes,eating habits or lifestyle but some are really prone to having breakouts while others are blessed effortlessly clear skin.

What was my first impression of the product? It doesn't smell good and I don't think i'll ever get used to it's smell but for the sake of this facial product being all organic i'll let it go. Another thing is the rice grains i can see it with my naked eyes and feel it with my bare hands.

Okay I'll elaborate more on it's texture by showing pictures here they are

(the small brown dots you see are rice grains)

What does it feel like after applying it to the face? While applying it in my face i thought i was using a body scrub the grains are big and it can really hurt my skin if I scrub too hard. So Instead I scrub my face gently in circular motion so that it won't hurt my face. So here comes the after application part I think it did it's part because after washing of the scrub my face felt super soft and when i look in the mirror my face looked healthy and bright.

How long will it last with daily use? Since it's a facial scrub using it everyday will be too harsh for the skin so i only use it 3 times a week and a pea-size amount is enough for the whole face so i think it will last for 2-3 months.

I was starting out with whole exfoliating routine and I've already bought a body scrub and have been using it for months but I still didn't own any facial scrub so i haven't had much experience with using facial scrubs. Human Heart Nature Facial scrub is not a bad facial scrub to start with though the product definitely has a room for improvement. and despite the flaws of the Human Heart Nature Facial Scrub its still all organic and won't do any harm to your skin unlike other chemically made scrubs. =)

Hand and Body Goat's Milk and Cocoa Lotion Review

2011-10-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

First of all i wanna tell my readers why i decided to make some beauty reviews this semestral break. I love lurking around the Blogosphere and it was then i discovered the world of beauty blogging for more than a year now i have been following a lot of beauty blogs and reading reviews about different products but i never thought of making one my self until i saw my sister making reviews about beauty products and realize i could try it too since it won't hurt to try something new. =)

So again i'll use my Human Heart Nature Haul post as reference for this one. Now i'm gonna review the Hand and Body Goat's Milk and Cocoa Lotion

Here are the all organic ingredients of this Hand and Body Lotion.

Did I have any reactions using this product? No, i did'nt have any reactions to this product but then again our skin types are different from each other.

What was my first impression of the product? Well nothing really stood out in this product it looks and feels just like other lotions I've tried except that it's smells exactly like a real mango that I'm tempted to taste it. Texture wise the product was not too thick and spreads out easily.

before after applying the lotion

What was it's effect on my skin? Right after using the product my skin felt so soft and nice to touch. It smells like a real mango but i never had any problems with ants biting me while sleeping even though i smell sweet. The smell doesn't really last long but the softness in your skin last the whole day. I use it every morning before going to school and at night before going to bed.

How long will it last with daily use? I think it will only last for 1 month since I use my lotion daily( morning and night). Even though it will only last for a month i think it's still worth the price i payed since other lotions in the market have the same price or even more expensive and most of all they contain non-organic chemicals.

From the comments I've read from the human heart nature site they are phasing out the product soon. And i'm not really happy because i would love to purchase it again after i finish this bottle. I'm really a big fan of fruity smells especially if it's smells like one of my favorite fruits.

So that's about it!! Wait for my next reviews =)

Human Heart Nature Night Moisturizer Review

2011-10-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

So as i told before i had a Human Heart Nature Haul and this review is the first one for the series Human Heart Nature Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera Night Moisturizer Review.

Human Heart Nature Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera Night Moisturizer

So as promise Human Heart Nature use all organic ingredients to make their beauty products. Here it is:

Did i have any breakout using this? No, but you still can't be sure since we have different skin types. (FYI: I have a sensitive skin as reference to my past pimple breakout)

What was my first impression of the product? The smell was weird it wasn't awful smelling but it smells different but after some time i got used to the smell and I like it now.

What does it feel after applying it on my face? It was heavy and it felt sticky and warm. The skin absorbs the moisturizer slowly so a pea size amount of the moisturizer is enough to give you a moisturize face you don't have to put so much..

look at it's thick texture

What was it's effect on my skin? Well as it was a night moisturizer you observe it's effect in the morning. When i woke up my face wasn't oily at all I was kinda amaze because when i slept that night my face felt sticky but when i woke up it was different. My face was not oily and i immediately notice a certain glow in my face. I was very satisfied with it's effect. =)

How long will it last with daily use? I think it will last around 3-4 months since you only use it at night and you only need a pea-size amount of the Human Heart Nature Night Moisturizer every application. It is definitely worth the P124 or even more since you don't only get a good product but help Filipino people make a living.

So that's it for my first ever beauty product review.Wait for the next one!! =)

EDIT: This December my skin became flaky and dry and suddenly i became allergic to this product everytime i wake up my face no longer glows but becomes really red and itchy which made me go crazy because i can't go out eventhough its the holiday season.. the last time i check this product is already discontinued which is a really good news since i don't want others to suffer what i suffered.

which brought me to a conclusion that even organic products can harm the skin too. So beware of products with beeswax.. Good thing the sunflower oil i bought from their site helps in the healing process.

Human Heart Nature Haul

2011-10-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

Last month i realize i was running out of essential skin products and wanted to try something different and new. So what came to my mind was Human Heart Nature. It is an amazing company that sells all organic and chemical free beauty products in very reasonable prices. I also wanted to support it because it is a Filipino company and it aims to help Filipino farmers make a living. Sorry for the pictures I've been using the products for almost a week before I realize i should take pictures. =b

So what are the things I got??

Sunflower Seed Beauty Oil

Super Fruits and Black Rice Facial Scrub

Hand and Body Lotion Goat's Milk and Cocoa

Original Formula Lip Balm

Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera Night Moisturizer

Hydrating Facial Wash

Hydrating Toner

So there they are it cost me no more than P1000 for all this products including the shipping. The prices are very reasonable for a college student like me.

The shipping took less than 24 hours but again I'm living in metro manila so that's understandable.

Watch out i'll review each product this following days =)

How to prevent pimples

2011-10-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hi im back and as promise i would like to share the girly side of me.

I have really sensitive skin and i suffered from acne back at the peak of my puberty so i really do my best to take care of my skin. Suffering from acne was hard i've used a lot of products and none of them seemed to work until my skin started clearing up and that was the time i told myself that i'll never go back to the old me. Those were really rough times i don't even take pictures back then because i was so embarrassed with my skin. I didnt like going out cause I always feel like their staring at my full of pimples face.

So here are my tips on how to prevent pimples:

1. After that breakout i realized that you cannot get rid of pimples overnight or a short period of time. You should have patience.

2. Observe your daily routine to pin point what causes you to break out.

3. If you've already use all kinds harsh stuffs try going for the mild ones. Maybe your skin just is too sensitive for harsh skin products.

4. Don't touch your face or at least disinfect before observing/touching your pimples.

5. Don't prick! trust me when your pimples are all gone this scars made by pricking will become your major problem.

6. Pimples usually leave blemishes to our skin and all you have to do is find an effective whitening soap and use it daily. When going out use sunblock to prevent your blemishes from getting darker.

7. Drinks lots and lots of water because it keeps the skin moisturize and keeps bad stuff away from our body by eliminating them through urination.

8. Make healthy choices because if your body is healthy then it can heal itself faster.

9. Live your life the way it was before you got acne. Having acne doesn't make you less of a person it is just like any other disease that can be cured over time so why bother. Friends/Lovers etc are considered fake when they leave you behind because of your bad skin. I mean that's just lame right!

10. Most of all IN ORDER FOR CHANGE TO HAPPEN, YOU MUST WANT CHANGE!

I Hope this help people who are having pimples or acne problem.=)

Music Musings

2011-10-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Hi, It's been a while but i still can't sit down and right a decent post..

So to make it up i'll post a Filipino song with a different feel =)

It's Sitti Navarro's Bosa Nova version of Tattooed on My Mind she's one of my favorite OPM artist.

Enjoy!! My beauty reviews are coming up after i wrap up this semester!!

What's Up September!?!

2011-09-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well first of all i want to greet everyone an early Merry Christmas since it's customary in the Philippines to start preparing for Christmas as soon as BER months come. Yup it's quite early and my family doesn't follow it but some does and a while ago i was watching some news and boom they featured prices of different Christmas decorations like Christmas trees,Christmas lights etc.. So pretty much that Filipino tradition is still alive.

So what am i up to right now? Well as i'm typing here i can bravely admit that i'm procrastinating again because i still have to study for an exam and endlessly study for my Psychology subject since my Professor is demanding to make us all discuss something in class..it's not the reporting type it's more like an interactive one where you have to know something about every topic..This makes me really nervous..

Another thing is my class is currently preparing a play for Humanities. I was suppose to be an extra since i'm not really good in acting but somehow i found my way as a supporting character(with more than one line) which is already a big thing for me because if you know me personally i'm not the type who go up on stage and do my thing shamelessly. The presentation will be on the last week of September and our class is practicing a lot this play keeps me occupied including my weekends.

Another has something to with the Psychology department of our School but i'm still not sure of the details. It requires us to be in school even though we don't have classes as sort of some preparation and i think that means my free weekday Wednesday.

So as you see i'm pretty much busy this coming September and I still don't feel any Christmas spirit anywhere just stress. Despite that I'm still not taking my self for granted as soon as busy days are over i promise to share you the girly side of me which includes: makeup, skincare and my main struggle back at the height of my puberty and what i did to overcome it.

And after my busy days i promise to finish this korean drama i'm watching and post my review about it

So I guess the blogger me will only wake up when September Ends!!

Make-Phoebe-Over Birthday Giveaway!!

2011-09-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

So im joining this amazing birthday giveaway by: Phoebeann. She will be giving away such amazing prizes that sis and I decided to join. The best thing about this giveaway is that 3 people will get to win amazing prizes making my chance bigger(crossfingers)

So this are the prices at stake:

Stash 1

Stash 2

and

Team E choice award

Don't wanna spoil everything here so just go over to Phoebeann's Blog for the complete details on how to join the contest!!

Contest ends on September 19, 2011

Join now and let's all try our luck!! =)

Ariake Japanese Cuisine Restaurant Giveaway

2011-08-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

My sister is holding her first ever giveaway and I promised that i will help her promote. I've watch a couple of Japanese drama like The Liar Game and you know what gets me the most? It's their food, even their food is an art and it just makes it look yummier.

So for Filipinos who love Japanese food or just simply want to try it this is your chance. The most important thing is that the voucher is good for 4-6 people as they say food always taste better when you share it with your love ones.

So go to charlene-b's Ariake Japanese cuisine Restaurant giveaway!! and read the mechanics on how to join!!!

Ariake Japanese Restaurant is located in Tomas Morato Quezon City. If your near the place this is definitely the the perfect treat for you!!!

To all Filipino foodies out there let's help my sister's first giveaway be a success. :=)

and for my blog update i'm currently watching a new drama so that means my next review is on its way :)

2ne1

2011-07-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know but right now Kpop is starting to get really famous in the Philippines especially 2ne1 since one of their members Sandara Park was a former artist in the Philippines other members of the group includes CL, Park Bom and Minzy. Though i admit i enjoy watching korean dramas I only know some korean singers. I found 2ne1 okay and was not irritated by them because they were not acting all cutesy and they have some songs with very nice beat(cannot comment on the lyrics cause i can't understand it!) but recently they have been winning me over by their very cool, artistic and fresh music videos!

Here are my favorites:

Hate You

( i really love animated stuffs so this was an automatic win for me plus the song is so catchy and light groovy)

Ugly

(eccentric music video and somehow weird but a very nice song no doubt and has a rock feel to it and most of all i can understand something!! LOL!)

It Hurts

( I love their clothes! alice in wonderland esque!)

Lonely

(Again I love their fashion!)

I've read somewhere that they are planning to debut in America. Well anything is possible they might become successful and if they can take an advice from an ordinary music listener and frustrated singer(ME) then all I can tell them is continue being different just like how they are now! Different stands out, Different turn heads and most of all Different is unforgettable.

and I give them back the message I understood from their song Ugly

Don't let the standards change you, instead change the standards to fit you!

Goodluck!

The Greatest Love Korean Drama Review

2011-07-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Finishing this review have taken so long because of school works but i can make sure that it's worth the wait! :)

Knowing the one who wrote the drama was the same writer who wrote My Girlfriend is a Gumiho the Hong Sisters. I was expecting a light hearted drama that would make me laugh and forget about my school worries and guess what? it exceeded my expectations!

Let's start off with the Summary:

Gu Aejung was a member of a popular girl group The National Treasure Girls(sound's weird in English!) back in the nineties. Fast forward to today she has become a struggling artist with a negative/unlikable image. Meanwhile Dokko Jin is as they say in the drama a "top star" whom people love and adore because of his cool and likable image. As their worlds clash, love bloom thus becoming the start of proving the world that their love is indeed The Greatest Love of all.

Characters:

Gu Aejung was left to suffer scrutiny from the public because of the break up of their girl group many bad rumors were spread leaving people with bad impression about her. Despite being unlikable in the eyes of the public she continued her career in the entertainment world because she has to earn a living for her family. After meeting Dokko Jin by accident her world started to change.

This was the first drama of Gong Hyo-jin i watched she was okay in terms of acting and with extremely funny scenarios it made me like her character but she was not my favorite though.

Dokko Jin is an eccentric top star who thinks his the best of them all. He also maintains his cool and likable image by being nice to people especially when the camera is around but behind this camera the person who suffers most of his true bad personality is his manager. Being concerned of his image he only associate himself with other famous stars. This change when he get entangled with a lowly star Gu Aejung.

This was also the first drama of Cha Seung Won I've watched and he totally won me over. I never would have thought that this serious rugged looking man can pull off some comedy. One more thing that amazes me is how deep his voice was yet he effectively delivered his funny lines well. I so love his character in The Greatest Love that I found time to google him and discovered he has been married for a long time and has a child who's older than me. I was dumbstruck and to think i found him cute! some people are just so lucky to look younger than their age.

Yoon Pil Joo is the the perfect bachelor who stars the show "couple making" were Gu Aejung is a participant as one of the girls the bachelor would choose from. Unlike other people he doesn't know much of the entertainment industry and saw Gu Aejung in a different light, far from how other people saw her. Perfect in every way would Gu Aejung eventually fall for him?

Yoon Kye Sang was perfect for the role perfect man in the drama. His character was not annoying in anyway he was so cute that i thought it was such a waste if he will not get Gu Aejung. His character was so loyal and enduring without hurting anybody which made me love his character more.

Kang Seri was once member of Gu Aejung's girl group after the they disbanded she slowly climbed into the top star status. She once had a relationship with Dokko Jin but even though they already broke up they still pose as a couple to protect their image. Being the least popular back in the days she holds a grudge against Aejung for being the center of attention in their group. Now that the tables have turned how far will she go to make Aejung suffer?

I loved Yoo Inna's quirky character in Secret Garden and now she's back as a second lead. Her character was not really the evilest of them all. She was just childish that she wants to have everything and with a little misunderstanding on the side it made her the villain in this drama. Though i felt good that at last for once she have to try hard to win someone's affection in the end.

Overall comment about the drama:

The drama was funny and addicting just like the other dramas of the Hong sisters. What sets apart this drama was the metaphors used to substitute potential overly cheesy lines which we see in other Korean dramas. The script was written so well that even though they were using a lot of metaphors you can still catch up to what they were implying or trying to say. The story was near typical but they gave it a really good twist by making the love interest of a top star a star too which somehow added more conflict to the story. This drama is a feel good drama that would make you laugh at the most unexpected time trust me when i say unexpected. :)

Music Break: Best Thing I Never Had by Beyonce

2011-07-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

Almost used to my new schedule for this semester and I'm happy to say that i'll be reviewing a new Korean drama this following week so please check it out!!! :))

So as the title says it's Music Break!!

The song is entitled Best Thing I Never Had by Beyonce

I really love this song Ive been listening to it endlessly this past few days.

Enjoy the Music!!! :)

Unfortunately I'm not flooded with ideas right now!

2011-06-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

The Semester has already started and I've always promise myself that i'll do good in school so I'm taking things seriously and because of this my BLOG have suffered a lot! (Yes i'm guilty of it). So the title tells it all . the streets of Manila are flooded but ME UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT FLOODED WITH IDEAS RIGHT NOW! So instead of saying stuffs i'll just tell you my experience last Thursday when the Typhoon Maeri hit the Philippines and i was in school.

My class starts in the afternoon, it was a very rainy day but classes were not suspended since there's no signal(signal nos. refers to the strength of the typhoon) in Manila. The rain was still not that strong when i arrived in school so i was not worried at all cause I thought it was just a normal rainy day. Then halfway my first class the wind started to get stronger and the rain poured heavily and non stop.

All those time i was wondering if the classes will be suspended because when it's raining heavily it's really hard to commute all the way home. To my disappointment classes were not suspended our next Professor came and discuss, And at last all my classes for that day ended. Streets are starting to get flooded and the rain was so heavy that even if you are using an umbrella you will still get wet one way or another.

To my relief getting a ride home was not as horrible as i thought it would be. I've waited a little longer than usual but not long enough to eventually lose my patience. As i sat down the Jeepney (Jeepney is a common mode of transportation in the Philippines). I thought everything is gonna be okay now and i'll be home in less than an hour. But i was wrong i was on the road for more than 3 hours wondering if I'm gonna get stranded since our vehicle cannot pass through the knee high flood. I was getting so nervous because i've heard a lot of horror stories from the past super typhoon Ondoy.

Good thing we were able to pass by the flooded area without the vehicle's tire getting flat and at last i was just meters away from home. But due to the strong wind my umbrella turned inside out ( i don't know if any of you have experience that and i'm also not really sure how to explain it) and even with an umbrella i knock our door soaking wet but still I was vey thankful because at last i was home safe and sound.

This was the first time I experienced being out when a Typhoon hits the country. Guess i was lucky enough to experience it just now and still lucky enough not to get stranded like the others.

P.S In case your wondering streets in the Philippines just get flooded when it rains non stop and heavily. Not every time it rains. :)

I hope you enjoyed my little story :)

Racism and Stereotyping

2011-06-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

Reading the traumatic experience of one of my favorite travel blogger in the country Indonesia urge me to write something about it, Yes i don't feel good about it and i will bluntly say that they were racist to this two Filipino tourists and practically doesn't know anything about the Philippines that we are being stereotyped as drug traffickers.

Last night my sister and i were talking about racism and I proudly said that racism in our country Philippines is ALMOST none existent but then she blurted "but sadly other countries are the ones who are racist to us" and i cannot do anything but agree and be sad about it.

Once again it was proven Chyng Reyes's blog No spam, No Virus, No kidding is something i read once in a while because of her travels abroad and her independence to visit other countries alone and when i read about her traumatic experience as an alleged drug trafficker in Bali Indonesia i felt sad not only for her but for other Filipinos being prejudice by others.

Here's her picture for the post:

Traumatic Experience in Bali, Indonesia

For me the cruelest part in her experience is not being answered seriously by Immigration officers despite searching through their things and her friend going through a body search. That was an utter example of plain disrespect.

Please take time to read her experience because it may serve as a warning for avid Filipino travelers. The bold story of this blogger also shows another side of us Filipinos, we are not scared to take action and ask for justice when we know we are right. We endure but we strike back when needed.

This is also the reason why i don't want the Philippine Government intervening in other country's Justice System when Filipinos our involved especially when every single evidence is obviously pointing to them. It makes the issue bigger and becomes a headline every time that's why others think that only Filipinos are caught doing drug trafficking. I believe that if you are at fault, you should be punished because before being identified by your race or nationality, you are a human being capable of knowing the difference between right and wrong and the freewill to choose between the good and the bad.

Back to School June!!

2011-06-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

Start of a new semester this June so that means less time to blog and mess around. Exactly two years before i graduate and become part of the working force. Still not sure what will happen after that but I'm hoping good things will out number the bad ones. Summer is ending soon too, right now a typhoon is in our country and everyone's preparing for it to avoid major damages.

I'm actually looking forward to this semester because staying at home for a long period of time makes me think of a lot of things i don't wanna think about. Blog plans this coming June is unclear because i still have to check my class schedule. But surely I'll blog but this time around i'm going back to writing my thoughts about different things instead of making reviews. To my readers I hope you all will still support my blog even if for now i'll stop making Asian movie/drama reviews.

June is personally a special month for me cause this month I'll be celebrating my birthday :)

I think i've said it once in my blog that I'm a big fan of Sara Bareilles here's a new song and video of hers!!!

Enjoy the Music and the month of June!!