The Regular Consumer

TRC Recipe: Tortang Talong

2011-07-04T17:37:00.113+08:00

This recipe is one of my favourites. I can eat this everyday and I love eating this as a 'left over' with fried rice and banana catsup for breakfast the following day. Pretty simple to make and ingredients are all within reach although, I must say, it involves three steps of cooking: grilling/ boiling, sauteing, and deep frying.

Here's what you need:

Medium-sized eggplants (number depends on how many 'torta' you want to make but for 1/4 kilo of ground pork you'd be needing 2-4 medium-sized eggplants)
1/4 kilo ground pork
2-3 cloves of medium sized garlic, crushed
One medium onion, diced
One tomato, diced
2 medium eggs, beaten
Cooking oil for sauteing, 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce, salt & ground pepper to taste

Here's how:

Grill the eggplant until the skin detaches from its meat. Carefully peel the skin so as to leave the meat. (You can also boil the eggplants if you don't have time and means to grill them but of course grilled tastes better.) Set aside.
In a frying pan, saute onion, garlic, and tomato. (Put onion first before garlic because garlic burns faster than onion)

Add ground pork and saute until the meat is cooked. Season with soy sauce, salt & pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.

In a clean frying pan, heat the oil for deep frying while preparing the next step.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and add in the sauteed ground pork (make sure the sauteed ground pork is cool enough so as not to 'cook' the beaten eggs.

Press the grilled eggplant with the back of a fork to flatten it and top with the ground pork & beaten egg mixture.

Deep fry the eggplant with ground pork mixture. Make sure the top with the ground pork is cooked well by flipping it (face down).

Once cooked, place on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil before serving.

Serve with banana catsup. (I like mine toasted!)

Enjoy!

DIY: Home-made Ham & Cheese Mini-Pizza

2011-05-09T08:55:00.033+08:00

My 3-year-old kiddo loves pizza! Whenever I can't force her to eat rice, I'd make her a home-made ham & cheese mini-pizza. After all, my mini-pizza has carbs (the crust!), calcium (loaded with cheese which she loves!), and protein (the ham). I also let her help me prepare her mini-pizza so she can have fun too!

You don't need an oven nor elaborate ingredients to make this pizza. Even those living in a small condo unit with only an electric bread / oven toaster can make this wonderful snack for your little ones.

What you need:

Frozen mini-pizza crust (You can buy this at the frozen section of most supermarkets for less than P50)
Cheese and cheese grater
Small ready-to-use pizza sauce (in any flavour you like)
Breakfast ham (cut into small squares)
Small onion (red or white, your preference), diced
Sliced mushroom in can

How to prepare:
1. Pre-heat your oven. Spread ready-to-use pizza sauce in each of the mini-pizza crust

2. Top with ham, sliced mushroom, and diced onions as much as you or your kiddo wishes

3. Finish off with grated cheese on top (again, amount depends on your liking)

4. Line the mini-pizzas in a baking pan

5. Depending on your oven (or oven toaster), bake for 7-10 minutes. I baked this in an oven toaster for 7 minutes in medium heat setting.

6. Serve while still hot but make sure it's not too hot for your kiddo!

The finished product

Don't worry if you weren't able to consume all the ingredients. You can store the left over ingredients -- sliced mushroom (remove from can and store in an air tight container), breakfast ham, cheese, pizza sauce (remove from foil and store in an air tight container too), even the excess mini-pizza crust in the fridge so you can easily make your home-made ham & cheese mini pizza anytime your little one asks for some!

Ingredients' prices (from Shopwise Alabang):

Cocktails mini-pizza crust 300g, 18 pieces - P45.50
Kraft Eden filled cheese 180g - P39.95
Del Monte Sweet Style Pizza Sauce 115g - P17.00
Swift cooked ham 250g - P66.25
Jolly mushroom pieces and stem 198g - P28.25

Practical Home Tip: Always running out of Ice Cubes?

2011-04-05T16:22:00.025+08:00

Do you always run out of ice cubes whenever you need it most? I do! All the time.

I love drinking juice and making home-made drinks such as iced tea and sago't gulaman for me and my family. But since I have a small fridge (5-cu ft) since we live in a small condo, I can only afford to store one tray of ice cubes in my freezer at a time (I need the rest of the space to freeze our fish and meat). So even if I immediately replace the ice cubes I consume, I still find myself 'ice-less' most of the time!

I already thought of adding more ice cube trays but the freezer space wouldn't just allow it. Between the fish & meat to store and the ice, of course, the priority's the fish & meat. One time, I bought a bag of ice tubes from 7-11 to use in my home-made iced tea but I was left with the same dilemma -- no space to store the leftover ice! We have this ice chest at home but it melts the leftover ice tubes after 10 hours!

And then I realize there are these small spaces left in the fridge after I fill it with containers holding the fish & meat and my single tray of cubes which isn't big enough for another ice tray nor an ice bag but big enough for a few of these:

I have been making this 'ice' in ice candy bags ever since and I no longer run out of ice whenever I need it most! What's best is it adds fun to my glass of juice or iced tea by using it as 'spoon' to mix my drink. :)

Try it!

DIY Cupcake Tower in Action

2011-03-19T15:31:00.013+08:00

I posted here the 5-tier DIY cupcake tower my Mum & I got from Divisoria made by RM Boxes for my daughter's 3rd birthday party. After I assembled the cupcake tower, I lined each layer with wax paper so it will stay neat even after use as I planned to use it again since it's pretty sturdy. I adorned the sides with bright pink ribbons (the same colour as my little girl's dress) which I also bought in one of the 'bangketas' in Divisoria for P15 a roll. The finished product, by no means, does not look DIY!

DIY cupcake tower lined with wax paper and pink ribbon (Apologies for the dark photo)

Red Ribbon 'Balloons' cake for P1,000

I ordered the 10-inch cake on top at Red Ribbon for P1,000. The cake is themed 'balloons' and the colour matched the Disney Princess theme. The cake was originally topped with a ceramic bear sitting on a chair. I did not want the bear topper but Red Ribbon could not 'customise' it for me so I had to remove it and replace it with Disney Princesses ceramic cake toppers which we also bought at Best Way for P125 for a set of five. This is also where we put the 'Happy Birthday' candles (P35 at 168 Divisioria). We opted for this rather than the number '3' since my kiddo wants to blow as many candles as possible.

And as promised, my Mum made 80 yummy Mocha cupcakes in pink and purple which she topped with pink sugar flowers (also from Best Way) and individually placed in cupcake boxes for guests to take home.

DIY cupcake by my Mom topped with sugar flower in individual cupcake box also from Best Way

DIY Cupcake Tower (5-tier) from RM Boxes

2011-03-07T16:43:00.001+08:00

I chronicled my trip to Divisoria here to buy loot bags and loot contents for my toddler's 3rd birthday party. I initially planned to order cupcakes either from Brownies Unlimited or from a reliable cupcake supplier but Mum volunteered to bake for her granddaughter. She said it will be her gift to her. And so, we went back to Divisoria last Saturday to buy materials for the cupcakes including the cupcake paper cups, boxes (so guests can take them home) and cupcake tower. I've read about this DIY cupcake from online forums and so I decided to check it out.

The cupcake tower (5-tier) from RM boxes but bought from Best Way along Sto. Cristo in Divisoria costs P398 for white (also available in Silver and Gold but pricier by P50-P100 bucks). I decided to go for white since I wanted to adorn it with pink ribbons. As the box said, it's DIY and very easy to assemble. It comes with a step-by-step instruction. You can customise its look to match the theme of the party or occasion by adding ribbons or lace.

Cupcake Tower Kit from RM Boxes - P398 for 5-tier in white

Back packaging

Contents inside

It comes with a detailed assembly instruction


Easy to assemble cupcake tower kit, 5-tier

I must say it's good thinking for RM Boxes to come up with a DIY Cupcake Tower Kit. It's very practical and affordable especially for those who want to make baking cupcakes a business. And the packaging looks imported!

Product name: DIY Cupcake Tower Kit

Product Description: A do-it-yourself self-assembly cupcake towert kit made of corrugated box

Size: 5 tier, good for 80 cupcakes

Price: P398 fo white

Manufacturer: RM Boxes (bought at Best Way, Sto. Cristo, Divisoria)

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 5 stars! Great value-for-money and very convenient

Gain School Advance 1.7kg

2011-03-06T17:16:00.002+08:00

This is a follow-up of this entry entitled Growing up! Last February, I changed my 3-year-old's milk from Gain Advance Stage 3 to Gain School Advance Stage 4.

As with a new milk introduced to her, she didn't finish a 6oz. bottle of Gain School Advance I made for her. But that didn't stop me from trying. Eventually, she got used to the taste and, in fact, now loving it. She consumes more milk now than when she was taking Gain Advance Stage 3 prodding me to buy the bigger 1.7kg can on my next purchase.

I've been hearing it before that when you move your child's milk to a higher 'stage', the milk becomes cheaper. It may be true. The price of this Stage 4 Gain is at P1,031.50 compared to a big can of Stage 3 at P1,200+. However, I noticed that Stage 4's big can size is at 1.7kg, 100g less than Stage 3's 1.8kg. So have I really saved by moving my kid to Stage 4 milk? Barely. Computing the price per gram, Stage 4 costs P0.60 cents per gram while Stage 3 costs P0.66 cents per gram. Hmmm....

Gain School Advance Stage 4, 1.7kg, P1,031.50, SaveMore, Filinvest Mall

Product name: Gain School Advance Pre-school milk

Product Description: A growing up milk for 3-6 year old kids

Size: 1.7kg tin can

Price: P1,031.50 (at SaveMore Filinvest Mall Alabang)

Manufacturer: Abbott

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 4.5 stars (my daughter loves it!)

Hello Kitty Lunch Box @P180

2011-03-05T10:38:00.000+08:00

Look what I found at 168 Mall in Divisoria -- a Hello Kitty Lunch Box retailing for P180 but the seller gave it for P150 after haggling. This lunch box is microwaveable and spill-proof. Perfect for my little tot who's going to school this June!

Hello Kitty Lunch Box - spill-proof and microwaveable. P180 at 168 Mall, Divisoria

PNR Train Schedule & Fare

2011-03-05T08:18:00.000+08:00

For those who have been asking, here posted are the PNR train schedule from Alabang to Tutuban and Tutuban to Alabang as well as the fare guide.

Tutuban to Alabang PNR Tran Schedule

Alabang to Tutuban Schedule

Fare Guide - South bound costs the same

TRC's Friday Fab Find

2011-03-04T20:15:00.006+08:00

Since I'm a regular cosumer which means I love great deals and bargains, I'd like to share with you my Friday fab find ~ a sturdy aluminum trash can at 50% off!

I always wanted one but a similar trash can can easily cost more than P1,000 to P6,000 (believe me, I, too was shocked -- a trash can for P6,000?! Come on!) I saw this about two weeks ago but hesitated in buying it 'coz I just bought a P79 plastic trash bin but I came home and always thought of how I've always wanted one. And so I decided to look for it again at SM Homeworld in SM Makati. My heart sank when it wasn't there anymore where I first saw it and the customer service assistant told me it must have been bought already since the 'sale' items in that section are all in that area. I gave up with a heavy heart and looked around for other things I needed to buy for the household including a mini-trash bin for my car when, voila, it was there just beside the shelf where I got the trash bin for my car! And the best of all is it's still at 50% off! It was waiting for me all along!

Aluminum trash bin at 50% off - P625 from P1,250; SM Homeworld, SM Makati

So what's your fab find this week? Share it with us!

TRC's Fab Find Rating: 4.5 stars (it wouldn't have been a 5 if it was at 60-70% off! hahaha)

Price: P625 marked down from P1,250 -- 50% off

Where: SM Homeworld, SM Makati

To Tutuban on a (PNR) Train!

2011-03-03T21:07:00.001+08:00

I am re-acquainting myself to take the public transport again. Oh no, don't get me wrong. I didn't grow up like a princess being 'driven' around town in a horse carriage. Sure, I was shuttled to and from school by a private school bus but we didn't have a car when I was growing up and I was used to taking the public transportation in Manila until about a few years ago.

Now that the price of fuel is escalating non-stop, I had to cut back on fuel expenses (also one of my 'green-er efforts') somehow and spend on more important things so I've been taking the public transportation again. The last time I did, the fare was only P4 (P3.50 for students), now it's P8! Lately, I've been taking the bus, the jeep or the tricycle when I'm not in a hurry or when I don't have business meetings especially when I'm just going to the nearby mall or to the church alone.

A trip to Divi (Divisoria for the unacquainted) is something I dearly missed in my five years of 'absence' in the Philippines. Divi is a paradise for 'shoppingera-on-a-budget'. Every trip is a memorable one and brings joy and pride in every 'tawad' (no matter how small it is) you make. Best of all, everything you need under the sun is available in Divi!

I've been to Divi twice or thrice since we went back. Usually, I'd park my car in SM Manila and take a jeepney ride from there to Divi. Going back entails renting 'kuliglig' for P100 since taking the jeepney back to SM Manila would mean 'more walk' after shopping with our heavy 'shopping' bags.

Yesterday, I asked my Mom if she can accompany me to Divi to buy loot boxes / bags and loot contents for my daughter's upcoming birthday party. And since my car was on 'coding' yesterday, I informed her beforehand we'll be taking the public transport from Alabang. I gave my Mum instructions as to what time and where to meet in Alabang and asked which bus route we should take going to Manila. I was surprised when she texted back that we'll meet in front of Liana's Alabang where we'll be taking the train. I clarified if she meant LRT/MRT and reminded her that the station of buses that would take us to MRT/LRT is in Metropolis Mall and not in Liana's. Then I realised even before she replied back that she meant taking the TRAIN as in the PNR train!

I guess most of us have had bad memories of PNR trains. Not that I've been to one before this Divi trip but, in my mind, it was a picture of dingy, dirty, smelly, uncomfortable, super-crowded-to-the-roof coaches that take 'probinsyanos' (people from the province) from Bicol to Manila and run on rail tracks with the unsightly view of 'home-along-da-riles'.

So I was taken aback when Mum told me we'll take the PNR train that goes straight to Tutuban from Alabang. She knows I'm not 'maarte' but I wouldn't compromise safety and comfort for a cheap fare. She assured me the coaches are all new, airconditioned, and comfortable. I trusted her and good thing I was in for an adventure that day! I'm glad I did!

I arrived Liana's Alabang at 7.25am and I got a text from Mum saying the train's next trip is in 10 minutes and that I should go to Metropolis because the train station is at the back of Metropolis Mall. Though I can walk beside the rail track from Liana's Alabang to the train station, she discouraged me because the road going there was slippery. The trip is every 30 minutes so if we missed the 7.35am trip means waiting for another 30 minutes which I didn't want to waste so I braved the muddy, slippery, foul smelling road beside the train track to the station. I was walking carefully when suddenly I heard the train's honk and so I dashed, ran and held my breath for as long as I could not minding what I was stepping onto. A few meters later, I already saw my Mum waving at me. Believe it or not, the train didn't catch me! We hurriedly bought two tickets to Tutuban at P20 each, boarded the train, and hoped we get out in one piece!

View from my (train) window; Sucat Station

The trip isn't a one-stop trip to Tutuban. It stops on a few stations like Sucat, Bicutan, Nichols, FTI, Pasay Road, Laong Laan and a few more but the last stop is Tutuban. I'm used to taking the MRT in Singapore and the (PNR) train ride felt almost exactly like it -- less the crowd and smell (peace!). Most of the passengers are similar to what you'd encounter in Manila MRTs/LRTs -- mostly students (from PUP Bicutan & Manila as there are train stops almost in front of their campus) and working class, less of the yuppies though.


MRT? Nope, inside one of the coaches of PNR train

New, clean, comfortable -- the new PNR train coaches

The PNR train from the outside

This even looked like the old sign inside Singapore MRTs

Last station...ready for check-up before hitting the 'road' again

Train schedule - Tutuban to Alabang

The surprisingly clean and well-maintained Tutuban PNR Station

Old train coaches on display in front of the Tutuban park, er, station

Overall, it was a fun and exciting journey from Alabang to Tutuban that I am so glad I took. Not only did I save on time and effort in hopping from one mode of transport to another, I also saved on fare! It was a steal to go to Divi from Alabang for P20. Plus, the temperature inside the coaches was surprisingly a lot more comfortable than I expected. My Mum even had to put on her shawl on our trip back to Alabang even if the train was packed with commuters!

Now, I have more reasons to go to Divi even every week if I please! :)

(Kudos to PNR for a job well done and I hope they extend the trip to Pacita where a lot of Makati workers live. Isn't it good to sometimes think that at least we know where "some" of our taxes go? *wink*)

TRC on Twitter!

2011-03-02T18:16:00.001+08:00

Follow me on Twitter @regularconsumer

A twitter widget of my latest tweets are also displayed at the upper right hand corner of this website. Just above 'About Me'!

DIY Home Wall Decor

2011-03-01T11:44:00.004+08:00

Okay, I must admit, I'm stingy, frugal or call it whatever you like but if I can save even a peso on a product, I'd go for it. But more than finding little happiness in saving, I love doing things on my own, using my hands and a bit of creativity (or whatever's left of it!)

So, today, I'm going to share with you the home wall decor I did myself using things I have left unused at home. I've been wanting to use these materials on something else but I guess that didn't just work out so instead of letting them lay around the house useless, I made them into something useful and cute to look at!

Here are the materials:

Wall decor sticker
Japan Home Center, P200

Wall decor sticker bought at Japan Home Center (Festival Mall Alabang and Greenbelt 1 Makati) for P200
Two 8x10 cloth canvas (without frame but with board support) from National Bookstore, P32.75 each
2 packs of 4 pieces each metal rod you'd use to support wood or glass panels in cabinets from TrueValue, P48 per pack
Good ol' Mighty bond

Here's how I did it:

Glue metal rods using Mighty Bond at the back of the cloth canvas. Wait for a few minutes to dry.
Peel off flower, stem, and leaves of the wall decor sticker as directed and lay it out on the canvas.
Glue the finished artwork using Mighty Bond on your wall and be proud of your own artwork!

Finished Artwork

I originally wanted to do paint on the canvas I bought but I realised the oil paint costs more than a glass-framed wall decor I can just buy in malls so doing a painting would defeat my purpose of cost-saving. But I still plan to do it, for art's sake. The beauty of this wall decor using the wall decor sticker is that I can peel it off anytime I want should I want to change the look of it or should I decide to paint on it!

Will definitely update you should I decide to go ahead with the painting!

Hope you enjoyed my DIY Home Wall Decor. Share with us your own DIY Home Wall Decor!

The Face of TRC

2011-02-28T19:10:00.001+08:00

Blogging and Blogging Some More

2011-02-13T21:22:00.001+08:00

Long before the dotcom fever came into existence, I've already been keeping a journal -- as highschool students, we call it 'diary' -- where I chronicle my most mundane or sometimes most personal thoughts, in pen and paper!

My diary had been a witness to my heartaches and joys (mostly heartaches!). It was the only one who knew all of my secrets, a bestfriend who listened to me when I courageously declared "I don't want to be 16 when being 15 already felt this bad!" (I was nursing a broken heart back them). My diary was a two-inch notebook (definitely not the electronic type) my father gave me and I filled it with my thoughts from the first to the last page back-to-back in single space!

I was passionate about writing until my 4th year high school when my English teacher thought my words were nonsense. (She warned us against joining frats & soros in college for she said they are bad influence. I joined a sorority in college and it was one of the best decisions I've made. The sorority & its counterpart fraternity abhor hazing and were formed to serve the people and country. She, the English teacher who thought I wasn't any good, on the other hand got pregnant! By a student! She was teaching in a catholic school! 'nuf said!)

I only got back into writing mode when my professor (+) in Writing Children's Literature in my MA class thought I have the most imaginative pieces of writing while my prof in Social Education and another (+) in Language Teaching kept all of my writing assignments when they have returned my classmates' work. :) One said she's keeping my pieces because she never gets tired reading them over and over.

Anyway, I again stopped (creative) writing when I got into my current job five years ago. I did and am still doing a lot of writing but they aren't creative writing, all technical and report writing so I always have an excuse not to blog. I've tried twice or thrice to start blogging again but I always fail like this one. Notice that the last entry was a few months ago.

Then, later this afternoon while I'm hearing mass (yes, my mind was wandering during the homily but with good thoughts, I assure you), I thought of a way to fire me up to continue blogging.

I'm dedicating this blog to a cause!

You see, my hubby, who has a golden heart, advocates school feeding and he's suggesting to me that we adopt a school in Davao City where he's from which we will support through feeding the malnourished students of that school. So I thought, great idea! (I told you, my musings during the homily are for a good cause! I thought of another great one which I'll post later. I can post that today but who posts four different entries in her blog in one day?! *wink*) To encourage me to write and continue this blog, I will put all of the future proceeds of this blog from paid advertisements to my husband's feeding program!

Ahhh, good thinking! So readers, brace for more (and pardon the paid entries, you know it's for a good cause!) ;)

Plastic ban

2011-02-13T20:31:00.001+08:00

Kudos to Muntinlupa City's plastic ban (that's why I love this city more & more!) It's about time!

I hope the rest of the cities in NCR follow.

It's just a matter of discipline amongst consumers and strict implementation from the local government. It maybe hard at the beginning -- to remember bringing your own bag (bringing isn't the issue but 'remembering' is the problem) -- but you'll get used to it!

As a consumer, you can implement your very own plastic ban (like I did long before Los Banos, Laguna where I graduated from college and Muntinlupa where I live implemented this local ordinance). Just always make it a point to have a recyclable shopping bag in your handbag and say no to 'plastic' especially for small items.

Every small step to a greener world counts -- big time.

Growing Up!

2011-02-13T20:18:00.003+08:00

My daughter is turning 3 in a month's time and it is also time for her to move up -- in her growing-up milk, that is!

When my daughter's yaya told me that it's time to buy a new can of milk, I got excited and thought of moving my daughter up to Stage 4 of her milk, aptly named 'Pre-school milk' since she'll be going to school as a Nursery (or Casa) come June!

I've never been happier with Gain (except the last few months when I can't find a 1.8kg can, they must be changing the packaging!) When we went back to the Philippines two years ago and it was time to move her to 'regular milk' after being in hypoallergenic (HA) milk for one year, I only had one criterion in mind: that the milk brand and manufacturer didn't have any negatives (read: kapalpakan!). At that time, it was the height of 1) melamine scanda;l 2) a leading manufacturer's huge recall due to contamination; and 3) another leading manufacturer's huge recall of their milks too due to rusty cans!

At that time, only Gain and Abbott seemed to be doing the right thing. And so there goes my decision to give Gain to my daughter until now (she drinks UHT milk in single-serve tetra pack when out of the house).

Product name: Gain School Advance Pre-school milk

Product Description: A growing up milk for 3-6 year old kids

Size: 900g tin can

Price: P641.25 (at Makati Supermart Alabang)

Manufacturer: Abbott

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: Haven't tried yet but 4.5 for its price and the fact that I'm very satisfied with Gain Plus for 1-3 yo

RC Cola's Kim Bum and Maja Salvador's TVC

2010-11-03T11:56:00.000+08:00

I loved RC Cola first before Coke and I think I still love it more than Coke. It has the right sweetness and doesn't make me burp as much as when I drink Coke. Although Coke's TVCs are funny, familiar, and very local, this RC Cola TVC of Maja Salvador and Kim Bum is just irresistible!

Product name: RC Cola
Product Description: CSD (Carbonated Soft Drink)
Size: 1 liter, also comes in smaller bottles and 1.5L PET bottles
Price: P20 for 1 liter
Availability: Your neighborhood sari-sari store
Manufacturer: RC Cola
TRC Rating: 4 out of 5. Just love RC!

Flying Boutique! - Bangkok Airways

2010-11-01T21:09:00.001+08:00

Whew! Has it really been a year since I last posted? My, my, my bad. My sincere apologies. When I started this blog, I promised I'd be diligent in posting consumer reviews but obviously I had not kept that promise. So, here I am again, resurrecting this blog with a post on one of the (pleasant) surprises I've had recently (and with a promise that I'd write more often!).

Two months ago, I planned for a business trip to Phuket, Thailand where our annual company training was to be held. There was an air of excitement with this trip since the past three company trainings were held in not-so exciting locations. The first company training, five years ago, was a treat since it was held in a 4-star resort in Bali, no less! The next three locations were nothing compared to Bali and so when it was finally announced by the management that it's going to be Phuket this year, everyone went ballistic! After all, "Phuket as the next location" has been consistently coming up in post-training evaluation/survey of each year's event. Finally, the training organiser had listened to the vox populi and fought it over to the management!

The participants, as with each year's training, were coming from five to six countries since our company has office in seven different countries in Asia. This is my second training that I'd be coming in from Manila since I decided to come back home from Singapore. As with our quarterly meetings, I would be the person stationed the farthest and would always have to fly the first to get to the meetings on time (e.g. 4 hrs to our HQ in Singapore!). Last year, in Bangkok where the training was held, I had to leave in the middle of our '80s themed party to get to Manila in time for a fieldwork the following day!

And so, one drawback (for me!) of holding this year's training in Phuket is the longer travel time. Since there's no direct flight from Manila to Phuket, I had to either fly to Bangkok or Singapore to catch a connecting flight (my colleagues from Shanghai flew direct from their base to Phuket!) I chose to fly to Bangkok to Phuket due to the shorter flying time to Bangkok compared to Singapore from Manila. And my biggest consideration (aside from cost of course! The company gave me only USD300 budget for airfare!) in choosing the connecting airline that would bring me to Phuket is the departure and arrival time so I would have enough transit time to catch my international flight to and from Manila.

I took a Philippine Airlines' flight from Manila to Bangkok that left Manila at 10.35am to be able to catch the 2pm BKK-Phuket flight of AirAsia. Good thing, I alerted the PAL ground crew in Manila who checked me in that I'm catching a flight to Phuket since my worry was the "usual" very long immigration queue in Suvarnabhumi Airport. Alas, as soon as I deplaned, a ground crew carrying a placard with the names of the transist passengers was there to assist us and led us to a special immigration lane for transit passengers.

A lot of hours after (8 hours approximately!), I was in our Phuket hotel at 6pm.

There was a lot of fun in Phuket. I could've detailed the best places to go to for massage or the best bargains deals I made in Phuket (where a 7-11 store exists in every 300 meters!) but there's another time and space for that. This blog is really intended for the review of the lesser known airline (at least to me, a frequent traveller to Asia!) that took me from Phuket to Bangkok to catch my flight back home to Manila.

The author parasailing at Patong Beach, Phuket

I was due to leave the hotel at 5pm via a hired limo my company paid for (yehey! Despite tipping to our HR Director, who happens to be my roommate for the past 3 trainings, that there's a cheaper alternative to a hired limo to get to airport, a van that costs only THB150/head). I went back to the hotel at 3.30pm from our parasailing at the beach and shopping to get ready to leave. I had packed my things the morning before I left for parasailing so I had an hour and a half to take a bath and get dressed before the limo arrived. I finished dressing up in 30 minutes and because I can't be waiting for an hour, I decided to catch a quick full body massage! The massage was so good (and cheap at THB250) I was late for my limo for 15 minutes!

(Credit: http://www.bangkokair.com/)

The trip to the airport was a breeze. Checking-in at the Phuket International Airport was a breeze too. I booked Bangkok Airways for my flight from Phuket to Bangkok because the AirAsia flight would arrive to Bangkok an hour before my flight to Manila which is too tight. And since I know of Suvarnabhumi's notorious long immigration queues especially going out of Bangkok, I didn't take that risk. I first "heard" of Bangkok Airways from Zuji.com when I was looking for alternative flights to AirAsia. I was a bit hesitant to book it right there and then because it was the first time I heard of the airline. I "skyped" my Thai colleague to get a local's view of the airline and she just said "yeah it's ok...in fact, it's a boutique airline". I didn't understand then what she meant by "boutique airline". Sure, I know what a boutique hotel is but a 'boutique airline'? Anyways, I booked as I had no better choice.

Upon check-in, I noticed that there's a note saying that Bangkok Airways can check in passengers to the listed airlines for their connecting flight. Unfortunately, PAL (Philippine Airlines) was not one of them. This fact the ground crew who checked me in pointed out so I asked her if she could give me a seat in front near the exit so I can get out of the plane as fast as I can. She obliged. There was nothing extraordinary in the check-in apart from the connecting flight check-in service Bangkok Airways offers which I have not noticed even with SQ (Singapore Airlines). So I realised this isn't a budget airline. A banner at one side also announces online check-in which further affirms I wasn't flying budget this time.

I was seated at the second row of Bangkok Airways' Airbus A320 flight to Bangkok. I sat at an aisle seat as I usually request to be seated (for easier access to the toilet which I often frequent in a flight). Across me was a European couple, the woman being 6-7 months pregnant. Before the plane took off, the smiling flight attendant gave the pregnant lady a small pillow to put between the metal lock of the seatbelt and her fragile tummy. The preggy woman was impressed, so was I. It was indeed an 'extra service'.

As soon as the seatbelt sign was put off, the flight attendants started serving full meals despite the short flying time of 1hr and 30 mins. It was surprising as I had been flying budget airlines for short-haul flights and normally, I'd just grab a decent meal before or after a flight. The meal was the kind they'd serve in an SQ flight so the THB500 or so fare difference with an AirAsia flight I paid was all worth it.

The only thing that turned me off was the name of their inflight magazine -- Fah Thai -- which sounds like "dead" in Tagalog! It didn't help with the fact that it was raining that night and I was feeling a bit nervous (it really made me paranoid plus seeing the words DROP and FALL on the cover page!). It then made me think maybe this is the reason why I haven't heard about this airline before -- no Filipino would want to fly an airline that reminds them of death while air borne! :) hahaha Everything was perfect with that airline except for that magazine's name. I wish they did some research on that to ensure it is not offensive in any language!

Overall, my experience with Bangkok Airways was indeed very pleasant from the ground crew to the flight attendant, to the aircraft, to the inflight meal, to the contents of the inflight magazine (sans the name!) which were very informative for frequent travelers like me. I have discovered a lot of other tourist destinations in Thailand Pattaya, (Koh) Samui, Chiang Mai & Krabi. And since my hubby and I are planning to visit The Maldives very soon, to where Bangkok Airways flies 2-3x a week, we'll definitely consider flying Bangkok Airways to Male!

Product name: Bangkok Airways

Product Description: Asia's Boutique Airlines

Size: NA

Price: Varies
Manufacturer: NA

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 4.5 out of 5 ticks (great service, great value!)

Dove Baby fragrance-free soap

2009-11-05T21:21:00.002+08:00

My 19-month-old has an extra sensitive skin. Well, all babies have sensitive skin but normally most babies' skin gets 'tougher,' so to speak, as they get older. My toddler gets skin breakout regularly especially when she's perspiring. She's been using the same bath soap -- Johnson's Top to Toe wash since she was 6 months old but she gets flaky and dry skin every now and then.

When we consulted her pediatrician, the doctor recommended using Cetaphil as her bath soap. The doc said with my baby's skin type, she can't be using any soap or skin product with fragrance. So since then, I stopped using lotion scented soap and switched her to Cetaphil for her bath soap. It's been doing great for her skin and the dryness of her skin has since gone. The big bottle of Cetaphil (250 ml) costs P280 and this only lasts for a week or so. The Cetaphil soap bar would last longer but also costs more at P330. I was looking for an alternative to Cetaphil because it's not cost effective but most baby soap in the market (even the mildest ones) still have fragrance. I have checked several supermarket and grocery stores for an alternative until I came across Dove Baby tucked discreetly in the soap section of SM Molino Hypermarket.

It makes sense -- Dove soap is known for its 'moisturising' ability and is great for sensitive skin but I didn't know that it has a fragrance-free baby soap, just what I needed! A pack of two costs P149.50 and although each bar still costs more than other baby soaps, it still turns out cheaper than Cetaphil!

It's not easy to find Dove Baby. It's not available even in leading supermarkets so when I noticed that there are only a few packs left, I nearly bought them all! But, of course, I didn't. I have to make sure this soap is the right one for my baby before I hoard them!

So far, we've been using the fragrance-free Dove Baby to my toddler for a week now and it seems to suit her. I don't notice any flaky and dry skin and it doesn't have the 'sticky' feel I hate from Dove. And even better because it's not as heavy in the pocket as Cetaphil!

I am now a convert -- of Dove Baby!

Product name: Dove Baby

Product Description: Fragrance free / hypoallergenic baby bar soap from Dove

Size: 2 x 90g

Price: P149.50 (at SM Molino Hypermarket)

Manufacturer: Unilever Canada

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 4 out of 5 ticks(great product, great value!)

Painting the Town 'Green'

2009-10-30T20:30:00.004+08:00

I went to Los Banos, Laguna today for my enrolment. I enrolled in a post-graduate distance education course in UP Open University and although payment for the course fees can be done in any PNB branch nationwide, I opted to drive 2 hours to Los Banos (where the main office of UPOU is) to once again visit a place very close to my heart. After all, I spent 6 years of my life in this place having spent my college years and two of my professional years there.

Nothing much has changed although I noticed the traffic jam was a lot worse but, good thing, traffic officers were a lot more visible and the drivers are more disciplined. For instance, traffic officers help keep the pedestrian lanes open during traffic jams. The enrolment only took 20 minutes, you must say it's a waste of my time (and fuel!) since I spent a total of 4 hours driving to and from Los Banos. Maybe, but I'm just glad I made the visit.

My 14-yr-old niece accompanied me in this trip. We stopped by South supermarket for an 'emergency purchase' before going home. To my delight, our purchase was placed in a recyclable brown paper bag better known locally as 'supot'! This wasn't actually a total surprise since about two years ago when I accompanied my husband to visit an old friend in UP Los Banos (UPLB), I was also surprised that the snacks I bought from 'MiniStop' were placed in the same brown paper bag. I asked the cashier and he told me that it's in fact a town ordinance -- the business community in Los Banos is using recyclable paper bag to which I loudly applaud!

All along, I thought the use of the brown recyclable paper bag was just within the immediate vicinity of UPLB which is really known for its environmental conservation efforts being the 'caretaker' of Mt. Makiling -- not knowing that the practice goes beyond Bgy. Maahas and as far as in Bay (pronounced as Ba-e) where South Supermarket is. I am also glad that even big establishments such as South Supermarket and Mini Stop which have their own branded plastic bags participate in this 'green' effort!

A trip to Los Banos is not complete without buying its famous 'buko pie' (coconut pie) and shing-a-ling (I'm not sure how to describe it and what's it made of but it's just crunchy and yummy!). Of course, I had to bring one for my family. Again, to my pleasant surprise, the shing-a-ling was placed in a recyclable brown paper bag!

The townspeople of Los Banos isn't just showing their concern for the environment through the use of recyclable paper bag. It is deeply rooted in their hearts! A local tourist who just bought some buko pie threw some trash out of the window of his car before driving off and without hesitation, one of the hawkers selling 'meringue' reminded the tourist 'Boss, please 'wag po kayong magtapon dyan!" ('Boss, please don't throw your trash there'). To his embarrassment, the tourist opened the door of his car and picked up the trash he threw and drove off.

For this reason alone, Los Banos makes it to my list of ideal places to live in for somebody like me who takes 'green' efforts seriously. If Los Banos can do this, why can't other towns follow? I am not asking for a total shift to recyclable paper bag and banning plastic mineral water bottles in an instant but we very well know that small steps can lead to bigger accomplishments!

Go green!

Swakto! -- Stik-O Snack Pack

2009-10-26T19:07:00.000+08:00

When you think of wafer stick, you think of Stik-O, perhaps the 'common brand name' attached to wafer stick as one would say 'Colgate' to refer to toothpaste or 'Coke' to refer to cola.

Kids love Stik-O! My nephews and nieces (even the eldest at 15!) love Stik-O. Kids buy Stik-O at 1-peso each from their favorite sari-sari store (Ma & Pa store). They come in big jar of about 100 pieces and is being retailed for 1-peso each.

For a time, Stik-O was available to kids who only have a peso or two in hand through their neighborhood sari-sari until it became so much of a hit it started introducing different SKUs and flavours as well. The first SKU I noticed was half the size of the original one which was about 380 g and then the short ones in very small jars (ideal for traveling and quick, small treats) at around P17 each.

Last week, as I continue to hunt for good snack items for my kiddo, I came across my latest find -- Stik-O in snack pack! It costs less than P6 each and contains 4 wafer sticks. It's ideal for my little one who's allowed only 2-4 wafer sticks a day since she tends to finish the small jar in one sitting! No matter where we keep this small jar, she always finds it and finish it in one go! At least with the snack pack, we can easily control her Stik-O craving!

I'm just glad Ecco Foods Corp is coming up with different pack sizes to suit the needs of its consumers!

Now it's time to try the different flavours of Stik-O!

Product name: Stik-O Snack Pack

Product Description: Chocolate wafer stick

Size: 4 wafer sticks in one pack

Price: P6

Manufacturer: Ecco Food Corporation

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 4 out of 5 ticks (a personal favorite)

O, Cream-O!

2009-10-21T14:15:00.006+08:00

I have known Cream-O since high school which was more than 15 years ago! Way before Oreo became popular in the Philippines and dominated the local market in its category. My Dad would buy me Cream-O in a gift pack (its only available size or SKU then) of 10 individually-wrapped Cream-O-goodness.

(Credit goes to xiemaine of friendstertalk for this photo)

Cream-O is a chocolate-coated choco cream sandwich cookies. They are a treat for those with sweet-tooth like me and a very good (and cheap) alternative to imported chocolates or cream sandwiches out there. For a time, Cream-O only came in big packs (10 in a pack or was it 12?) and since I became more and more conscious of my sugar intake, I refused to buy them since having 10 pieces within easy reach can be really tempting.

Just this week, while I was shopping at Shopwise Alabang for biscuits and snacks for my 19-month-old toddler, I came across the smaller packs of Cream-O to my pleasant surprise (although I have no idea when it was introduced in the market, it was the first time I saw it in the supermarket)!

Each contains two pieces and retails for P7.25. I immediately compared the price of this 2-piece Cream-O to the bigger pack of 10 (or 12?) which retails for P54 and I could still save P10.50 or more by buying multiple packs of this 2-pc pack than the bigger one. Another advantage of the smaller pack is the fact that I can now have 'small treats' (I didn't buy them for my kiddo since it's too sweet for her) without the 10 piece choco cookie within easy reach! I ended up buying three small packs.

The reason for the bigger pack to cost more than the retail pack is obvious. With the nice packaging of the bigger pack, it can pass as a 'small gift' to a friend or to somebody you're courting (if you are a cash-strapped teenager!) and also because each choco cream sandwich cookie inside is individually foil-wrapped adding to the cost of production.

The product was also rebranded Cream-O Premium, the suffix 'Premium' aptly describes the positioning of this product over its sister product Cream-O choco cream sandwich which does not have the chocolate coating. This Cream-O (without 'Premium') was launched to directly compete with Nabisco's Oreo.

Overall, I still welcome this change from Cream-O. It is about time the manufacturer, Universal Robina Corporation makers of the mega brand Jack n' Jill line of products, introduce a smaller SKU of this well-loved product. Not only the product will have a wider market, it also is adding 'pogi' (good/handsome) points to its brand equity! More importantly, it is reaching out again to long-lost 'creamoholics' like me!

Product name: Cream-O Premium

Product Description: Chocolate-coated choco cream sandwich cookies

Size: 1.20 oz / 34 g per 2-piece pack

Price: P7.25 (at Shopwise Alabang)

Manufacturer: Universal Robina Corporation, Philippines

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 4 out of 5 ticks (a personal favorite)

Say No to Bottled Water!

2009-10-21T08:27:00.001+08:00

In the movie 'The Ugly Truth', Abby (Katherine Heigl's character in the movie) has a list of criteria she looks for in a guy. Criteria that according to Mike (Gerard Butler's character) describe the 'ideal woman' and not the 'ideal guy'. One of those criteria is a guy who is responsible enough to the environment that he doesn't mind drinking tap water instead of ordering bottled water in restaurants.

Alas, a film that advocates something close to my heart! I refused to drink bottled water for quite some time now due to the plastic bottle's bad effect on the environment. Apparently, these plastic bottles never decompose causing harm to the environment. I have bought for myself a steel reusable water bottle (picture on left) so I can carry it with me wherever I go. Be it in my car when I'm on the road or when I'm in the mall or in the gym (naturally!) or even in restaurants if I think the latter's tap water isn't safe enough to drink.

(By the way, if you're wondering why I bought 'steel' bottle instead of reusable plastic bottle which my toddler is using when we go out of the house, picture on right, it's because water tastes better or tastes more natural when stored in steel bottles than in plastic water bottles. I have a very sensitive taste buds. I can even detect if the brand of the delivered drinking water in our house changes. Why reusable plastic bottle for my kid? It's because steel bottles can be very heavy for her especially when filled up with liquid. The one on the right is from 'Familia' a local brand of plastic ware which guarantees durability and made up of non-toxic materials. It retails for P149.75 while the one on the left is made in Japan and retails for P169.)

In the movie, Abby and Mike both agree (independently though) that tap water is the same as bottled water which has a lot of truth in it. If you're in a place like Singapore or Davao City in the Philippines (Note: The tap water in Davao City was tested to be as clean as the waters in Switzerland, equivalent to the 'cleanliness' of mineral water not just regular bottled water. The only type of consumer water cleaner than Davao City's tap water is distilled), you don't need to buy bottled water especially now that I heard plastic bottled water is now banned in Singapore. To which I loudly applaud! Come to think of it, bringing your own bottle of water instead of buying bottled water will save you money and the benefit is far greater -- you're helping our Mother Earth!

The 'green revolution' is an advocacy very close to my heart. I may not yet be a 'green activist' but I contribute in my own little way. For instance, I refuse to take plastic bags whenever I go shopping especially if the item/s can fit my bag or I see to it to bring my own reusable shopping bag. I also ask the 'bag man' or the cashier clerk to lessen the use of plastic bags if I have no choice. Yesterday, I bought earphones for my Ipod from the MacCenter and the cashier looked at me with question marks all over her face when I refused to take the 'bag' for my earphone and the printed marketing collateral she was giving me. I did browse through the brochure so their efforts were not wasted but since any of the items did not interest me, I gave it back so others can still read it (read: paper conservation). The same happened when I bought a pair of sunglasses. The saleslady even asked me to just keep the 'plastic bag' but I refused. I have also stopped my monthly subscription to several magazines. Not only I saved money, I have made my own contribution to tree conservation.

Please don't think that your little efforts are futile or won't affect our environment. If millions of people collectively think their little efforts are useless, then it will really be the sad reality. But if these millions of people would do their little part to helping the environment, imagine what we could achieve!

Sweet Tooth

2009-10-19T12:54:00.000+08:00

Let's kick off this blog with a 'harmless' review of this unassuming sweet treat.

It's called 'bukayo' in Batangas or more widely known as 'matamis na mani' (literally sweet peanuts) in Tagalog, a Philippine delicacy. The label says 'peanut brittle' which pretty much what it is except that I refuse to call it that because the 'peanut brittle' I know comes from a place called Baguio with shredded peanuts and mostly comes in plastic jars.

My Dad got this in Batangas for I'm not sure how much. It's nothing extraordinary from the other similar products I have tasted before even the P1 ones the size of a 10-peso coin. This product is about 6 inches in diameter.

What I appreciate about this 'sweet peanuts' is the amount of peanuts it contains. Most of the 'bukayo' out there have more sugar in them than peanuts. Although I must say the peanuts are not well-selected since I can see and taste some off-tasting and burnt peanuts here and there. The 'sugar' coating may also be sweeter than usual but is not sticky and doesn't have the burnt taste and color. Although Mercy's (the product's brand name) could further improve the sweetness of this simple dessert as well as the packaging.

Overall, I'd give this simple sweet treat 3 ticks.

The Regular Consumer

2009-10-19T11:23:00.000+08:00

I am the regular consumer. I don't have any special set of skills to be an authority on consumer or product reviews but I believe any consumer has the right to voice out his/her opinions on products or services s/he buys or avail of or even encounter. After all, it is our hard-earned money that pays for these products and services.

This blog is all about giving a voice to the regular consumer. This isn't meant to attack products or services when I hate them or when they do something inexcusable nor this isn't about endorsing any of these products... This is about...

. . .just voicing out what I think.