Synz Memoir

Maya Mexican Restaurant

2013-08-31T18:40:00.000+08:00

Photo credit: TripAdvisor

Our 'Sunday habit' seems to be in full gear. This time, we went to have dinner at Maya, a Mexican restaurant located in Crossroad Banilad, Cebu.

Photo credit: LifestyleInquirer.net

We were greeted by smiling waitress when we arrived, and escorted us to our seats. I was a bit overwhelmed by the prices of their food when they handed out the menu. Not to mention all those Mexican terms they used to name their food. I'm glad they put descriptions underneath those names, or else we'll still be wondering what food to order an hour later.

Camarones Recado Verde (Php495)

I love seafood, most especially prawns and shrimps, but the prawns we ordered seems to lack of something. Although the prawns were juicy, it could have been great if the spices and herbs was absorbed by the prawn's meat.

Pollo Achiote (Php415)

This chicken seems a bit dry for me. I'm not really a big fan of chicken. Maybe that's a reason why I don't appreciate it that much.

Pescado Frito al Coco (Php395)

From all the food we ordered, I like this the most. The fish was tender and not overcooked. I don't like the sauce, but my sister's partner seems to love it.

Costillas en Salsa Chipotle (Php425)

I love how they cook the baby back ribs. The meat was so tender that I don't even need to use my knife to cut it.

While we were dining, we saw a couple of celebrities (Kuya Kim and Coline) go out from Maya. I assume they also had their dinner at the restaurant. One thing I also observed was that their waitress and waiters speak English fluently.

Photo Credit: Tripadvisor

I must say, this is the most expensive dinner I've ever paid so far. I can't say it was worth it, but base on the service they provide, and the elegant place they have... maybe.

MAYA Mexican Restaurant
Crossroads Banilad, Cebu
Telephone: +632 238-9552, 238-9618
Delivery Hotline: +632 416-2442
Website: www.MayaCebu.com
Email: Service@MayaCebu.com
Mobile: +63 917 624-9185

The Suite Room

2013-08-24T06:00:00.000+08:00

If there is one place best to splurge your money on food, it's The Suite Room. The restaurant gives you a fair value of your money. The food is excellent with service to match and the ambiance is terrific.

It was Sunday, time for another 'Sunday habit' (visit mom in the cemetery, hear mass, and dine out). This time, we went to try The Suite Room. The Suite Room is a hotel suite-styled boutique restaurant by Casa Verde. This magnificent place is located just beside Casa Verde, Ramos branch. Although it is part of Casa Verde, this restaurant offers a different set of menu.

I've been looking forward to dining in this gorgeous place. Ever since I read an article about it, it never leaves my mind. Whenever I think about food and great ambiance, I always thought of it. And finally, that moment came.

I can't help to be amazed by this luxurious place when I enter the room. We excitedly sit in our chair and ordered our meal.

Australian Meltique beef rib eye steak

We ordered their bestseller, the Australian beef ribeye steak. It was the best steak I ever tried so far. The meat was tender and juicy. You can appreciate the flavor at each bite. If there is one thing I will recommend to those planning to dine in this restaurant, it would be this. It is a bit pricey, but I can assure you, it's worth your dime.

Pan-fried Salmon in citrus butter sauce with mushroom risotto

Pan-fried Salmon is another of my favorites on their menu. I love the sauce that comes with it. The salmon was tender, not overly cooked nor under cooked.

Skewered surf and turf with Cajun butter

My sister's boyfriend ordered skewered surf and turf, and had it done medium well. I had a few bites, but I can't say I like it.

1/2 Citrus herb roasted chicken

To be honest, there is nothing so great about it. Aside from the huge serving, I feel like there is some ingredient missing. The chicken tastes bland and dry. I have to give them credit for the gravy though. It was great.

Other things we ordered along with our food is...

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Shake

Strawberry Shake

Menu

Hope you'll enjoy their food as much as we do. :D

The Suite Room by Casa Verde
69 Lim Tian Teng Street
( Right beside CASA Verde )
Ramos, Cebu, Philippines 6000
Operating Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Contact:

For reservation 032 254 0508
Email: thesuiteroom@casaverdecebu.com

Pino! Inasal and Filipino Cuisine

2013-08-13T16:26:00.000+08:00

Lately, dinner after mass has become our Sunday habit. These past few weeks we had this habit of going to the cemetery to visit our mom, hear mass, and go out for dinner. We had this kind of tradition before when we were kids, minus the cemetery, but it suddenly stop. I guess we suddenly grew old of that tradition. You know how it is with teenagers. They love to spend more time with their friends. Anyway, I'm glad we're having this Sunday habit again. It gives me a reason to spend some quality time with my family, and eat delicious food.

We went to Pino restaurant for dinner one evening. The nearest branch of Pino from us is located in Gaisano Tabunok. So we decided to dine there instead of going to their main branch in Lahug.

I've been to this restaurant before with my father, so I know what food I want to order again. In this case, I ordered Letchon Kawali [Php180]. Although they have a small serving of this, it is still my favorite on their menu.

We love seafood so we ordered Camaron Rebosado [Php195].

My sister is a big fan of Calamares [Php180] so we also had a serving of those.

We had Sinigang na hipon [Php180] as our soup. This is my sister's all time favorite.

We also ordered one of their bestseller, Sizzling Tenderloin [Php280]. Wasn't the best for me though.

For our desserts and drinks, we ordered..... Fruit Salad [Php65]

Watermelon Shake [Php75]

Buko Juice [Php70]

Halo-halo [Php145]

If you want to try one dish in this restaurant, I suggest you try their letchon kawali. ",

PINO! Inasal and Filipino Cuisine
Gaisano Fiesta Mall Tabunok

(Sanghi Road)
Talisay City, Cebu
Contact: 520-1641
Operating Hours: 9:00AM-9:00PM

Dong Juan

2013-07-09T16:12:00.000+08:00

Every father's day, we always buy our father a cake to tell him how blessed and thankful we are that he is our father. But this year, we want it to be different. Instead of buying a cake and celebrate father's day at home, we brought him to a Family KTV bar to spend a quality time together. We still bought him a cake though. :)

After singing our heart out, we went to Dong Juan for dinner. Since it is father's day, my siblings and I agreed to pay the bill for this one.

I love the glasses they use for their drinks. So cute! We order a couple of their best seller drink---the Kalamansi Blush (Php89). We also had a Tsokolatte for Php79, Lemon Iced tea at Php39, a couple of 7up (Php29) and a San Miguel Beer (Php69) for my dad.

This one is interesting. Gambas Al Alijo Pasta (Php229). I was so amazed by this pasta. See that brown toppings? Those things move with the flow of steam emitted by the pasta. So cool! The pasta was a bit bland though. I will pass ordering this if I happen to visit the place again.

This is one of my favorites. All Meat Pochero for only Php249. Pochero is my father's favorite that is why I ordered this. I was actually imagining the usual pochero with soup. I never expected to get this instead. I wasn't disappointed though. The meat was tender and the gravy.. So perfect. And the potato chips topping was a plus.

Dong Juan Fried Rice (Php349). I wanted to order a platter of plain rice but they don't have it on their menu, so I just ordered this instead. Rice mixed with pork, onions, carrots, and topped with scrambled eggs and green onions. I totally love it!

Baby Back Ribs in Barbecue Sauce (Php279). To be honest, I forgot how this one taste. But I'm pretty sure this isn't one of my favorites. And also not the kind of Baby back ribs my family adores, because we had few leftover of this.

We also had Burger Steak (Php119), which everyone loves. A mozzarella sticks (Php239), which made me realize that I don't like mozzarella cheese. And we also had Chicken Drumsticks (Php219), which my brother consumed all 3 drumstick and left us with nothing. I guess it was great.

DONG JUAN

2nd Floor 2 Mango Bldg. Mango Ave. Cebu City
Contact: 520-JUAN (5826)

Bizarre Food | Kinilaw na Tamilok (Woodworm/Shipworm)

2013-05-11T20:45:00.000+08:00

Palawan has always been my dream destination. I been looking forward for that day to come. And finally that day came. I bought the ticket three months before our scheduled trip, which means I had a lot of time to research. One thing that caught my interest was their famous tamilok. Like my father, I always wanted to try exotic food, even just a bite.

In Palawan and Aklan in the Philippines, the shipworm is called tamilok and is eaten as a delicacy there. Shipworms are not worms at all, but rather a group of unusual saltwater clams with long, soft, naked bodies; they are marine bivalve molluscs in the family Teredinidae. They are notorious for boring into (and commonly eventually destroying) wood that is immersed in sea water, including such structures as wooden piers, docks and ships; they drill passages by means of a pair of very small shells borne at one end, with which they rasp their way through. Sometimes called "termites of the sea", they also are known by the common name "Teredo worms" or simply "teredo", from the Greek language "τερηδων", via Latin. Eventually biologists adopted the common name Teredo as the name for the best-known genus.---WIKIPEDIA

I saw someone selling Tamilok at Baker's Hill during our City Tour, but I want to try the fresh one. Fresh from the mangrove. They said I could buy one in Sabang, and since Sabang is part of our itinerary, it wouldn't be a problem.

Underground river tour, as well as the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour is in Sabang. Some tourist went to experience the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour while waiting for their turn for the URT, or they do it after. Well, since we're not lucky enough to get a permit for the URT, we just enjoyed ourselves with the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour.

When our tour guide knew that I wanted to try the tamilok, she then went looking for dead mangrove branch which she thinks houses the tamilok. When she found a couple of big mangroves, she brought it with us to the receiving area. They cut open the mangrove, and there it was. The slimy and shiny tamilok.

I was so sure that I wanted to eat one, but when I saw it inside the mangrove, I had second thoughts. Why was it different from the picture?, I thought. Our guide reassured me that it's safe to eat it, and there were a lot of people did it before me. I then asked how the taste was. She said it tasted like an oyster. Ahh.. Oyster.

I love seafood, so this tamilok wouldn't make me back out especially when it tastes like an oyster. After our guide cleaned the Tamilok, it started to look exactly like the one I saw in the picture. She put it in a sauce pan and put some salt and vinegar. Parang kinilaw lang. And then serve it in front of me.

I trust what the guide told me about the tamilok and pick one from the sauce pan. Indeed it tastes like raw Oyster. I can't believe I love it, and actually go for a second round. Yup! I ate two tamilok. One is twice longer than a Mongol pencil.

I was really proud of myself for being able to do it. I convince my brother and cousin to try one. But they chickened out. Well, not my lost. They just missed one exciting exotic food in the Philippines.

CMYK Dessert House

2013-02-08T23:12:00.000+08:00

Last month we went to this newly opened cute dessert house, just near Waterfront Cebu, to celebrate my cousin's birthday. The place was as pretty as I imagined it to be. I'm a big fan of pink. So when I saw CMYK with my own eyes, I just fall in love with the place. So girly and cute.

Carla was the first to discover the place. She told me about it and then came our plans of visiting the dessert house. That time, her birthday was fast approaching, so we planned to celebrate it at CMYK.

I was looking for Lasagna, unfortunately they don't have it, so I order Cannelloni instead. I didn't regret doing so because it's so creamy, and you could definitely taste the meat and cheese inside. For Php 120, you can enjoy this Cannelloni. A good substitute for pasta, I think.

I paired my Cannelloni with Cookie Crumble Mallows which cost Php 130. For those who are a big fan of frappe, they have a variety of flavors to choose from.

I considered ordering this Special Ramen at first, but when I learned that it's spicy hot, I change my mind. I don't like spicy food, but I'm still hoping one day, I could appreciate it. Caitlin, my cousin who loves spicy food, ordered a bowl of Special Ramen for Php 120.

Caitlin also ordered CYMK's one of a kind cake-- Mug Cake. For Php 120, you can enjoy this unique cake in a mug. This mug cake was served on our table while the cake is hot, and topped with cold Ice cream. I love how the hot and cold was combined in this mug.

Caitlin also ordered Coco Mocha Frappe for Php 130. Although it looks like Cookie Crumble Mallows except for the mallows on top and the stick-O, both definitely taste different.

Our birthday girl on the other hand, ordered Honey Glazed Chicken for Php 188. She wanted to eat something with rice, and since this looks delicious, she goes for this one.

A birthday wouldn't be complete without a cake. So we ordered Letour which cost Php 120, and ask the staff to put a Happy Birthday on it. Letour is a delectable layer of chocolate mousse, coco milk and chocolate sponge. The birthday girl really loves it.

I love what they do with the place. It's very cozy and it gives you that warm feeling. This place is perfect for love birds who wants to dine out, or anyone who just love to spend some time alone, read a book perhaps.

I heard they have something in store for the month of hearts. If you still don't have any idea where to bring your date, consider going to CMYK. I'm pretty sure, not only you, but also your date will love it.

Here's a map for those who are planning to dine at CMYK.

CMYK Dessert House

Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Waterfront Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
Operating hours: Mon-Sun 10AM-12AM
Parking lot available
Contact: cmykmgmt@yahoo.com

FOOD ★★★★★

VENUE ★★★★★

SERVICE ★★★★★

Cohen's Lifestyle Centre now in Cebu

2013-02-07T19:15:00.000+08:00

Last January 2013, Cohen's Lifestyle Centre opens their Cebu Branch. With the Cohen Program available in Cebu, Cebuanos will now have the opportunity to take advantage of a safe way to get rid of extra fats.

Here’s a press release from Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre Philippines Cebu:

Cebuanos can now enjoy the benefits of a slimmer and healthier body with the opening of the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre in the Queen City of the South. Conveniently located at Suite 105 Business Center A, 880 A.S. Fortuna Street, Oakridge Business Park, Banilad Mandaue City, the Cebu branch of the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre offers the same rapid weight-loss and wellness program through nutrition.

Scientifically proven to allow individuals to safely and effectively lose 8-10 lbs. in one month, the Cohen Program is based on internationally-accepted medical research and has been available for over 25 years with thousands of success stories worldwide. Available exclusively at the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre Philippines, the program was formulated by Dr. Rami Cohen, MD, an international specialist renowned for his research on the hormones involved in obesity and weight loss.

Dr. Cohen’s research isolated the hormones responsible for obesity. These are the human growth hormones (HGH) which preserves muscle tissue and breaks down fat, insulin which regulates blood sugar levels and therefore stops hunger pangs and serotonin which tells the body when it is full or satisfied. In people who suffer from the “obesity syndrome,” there is an imbalance in these hormones – the HGH level is low; unnaturally high levels of insulin are released and serotonin is not discharged correctly. As a result, obese people constantly crave food and despite how little or how much they eat, they still gain weight.

With the Cohen Program, Dr. Cohen personally develops an individually tailored Eating Plan by analyzing a person’s unique body chemistry from his/her specific blood test results. The personalized eating plan is designed to use food to trigger the body’s natural ability to shed off fat rapidly and safely and to bring the hormones back in balance, thus ‘food becomes your medicine’.

The Eating Plan consists of three meals a day taken in specific quantities from the basic food groups of proteins, vegetables, fruits and carbohydrates. No exotic or expensive foods need to be purchased. The essential formula is the specific quantity and combination unique to each person.

The specialized Eating Plan is followed by a short, stabilizing Refeeding Program to reintroduce richer foods without upsetting the balance created by the Eating Plan. This ensures that the weigh will not be regained once the individual resumes normal eating, provided that management guidelines are faithfully followed.

“The Cohen Program is not a diet, it is a lifestyle,” says Barbara Young, CEO of Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre. “Following the program precisely will allow the body to correct the hormonal imbalance naturally. The Cohen Program is also safer, healthier and cheaper alternative to invasive procedures,” says Barbara, herself a beneficiary of the program.

Before she gave the Cohen Program a try, Barbara weighed 172 lbs. Caught up in the frenetic pace of the corporate world, she would eat whatever she wanted in order to cope with stress; or for no good reason at all. But after adopting the Cohen Program, Barbara says she now “eats only when I know my body needs it and I also watch what I eat. I’ve also influenced my family to eat healthily by eliminating many of the processed foods we used to eat or use for cooking. We’re now conscious of what types of food are beneficial for our bodies. Now I’m healthier and slimmer.” Barbara lost 46 lbs. in just four and a half months.

Barbara found it hard to keep the good news to herself so she shared her positive experience to her friend Regina Rodriguez-Chuavon. Regina then convinced her sister Dr. Angela Rodriguez-Bandola to also undergo the program.

“The greatest lesson I derived from the Cohen Program is being conscious of the types of food that I put in my mouth. Before the program, I always went for fatty foods and junk food. In a fast food restaurant, I had a hard time ordering because I wanted everything on the menu. After the program, to my surprise, I would find myself in a fast food restaurant and again have a hard time ordering because this time, there was nothing on the menu that I wanted to eat,” says Regina.

For Dr. Bandola, her weight of 240 lbs. made life difficult for her. She also found it very difficult to find clothes that fit her. Wanting to lose the extra pounds, she tried everything from jogging, boxing, medications to all the other diets that were in vogue. These did not result in any substantial weight loss. And when she stopped, she would regain the weight “with interest." Says Dr. Bandola: “With the Cohen Program, I saw and felt the results immediately.” Just one month into the program and she was already unearthing her old clothes because she could fit into some of them again. When she finished the program, Dr. Bandola lost 110 lbs. Now, she remains mindful of what she eats and she feels so much better.

The life-changing benefits that Barbara, Regina and Dr. Bandola gained from the Cohen Program inspired them to set up the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre in the Philippines. Together, the three women actively serve as senior consultants to their clients.

Barbara says that the center’s mission is to save and transform Filipinos to live better lives. “With 3 out of 10 people being obese, we knew that this program will be able to help a lot of people. We want to give Filipinos an effective, safe and natural alternative to weight loss and a lifestyle that can help them remain healthy for the rest of their lives,” says Barbara

To know more about the Cohen Program, visit the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre Philippines Cebu branch at Suite 105 Business Center A, 880 A.S. Fortuna Street, Oakridge Business Park, Banilad Mandaue City, Cebu. You may also log on to www.cohenlifestyle.com.ph, email info@cohenlifestyle.com.ph or call (632) 236-2334 or (0917) 308-0580.

Below are photos of successful graduates of Cohen Program:

Name: Jeffrey Tan

Age: 35
Profession: Businessman
Starting weight: 291 lbs.
Current weight: 171 lbs.
Weight lost: 120 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 8 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Obesity/ health reasons

Name: Richele Hilario
Age: 34
Profession: Businesswoman
Starting weight: 210 lbs.
Current weight: 110 lbs.
Weight lost: 100 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 11 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Obesity/ health reasons

Name: Karen Gayle Sison
Age:  20
Profession:Fresh Graduate
Starting weight: 220 lbs
Current weight: 120 lbs
Months on the Cohen Program:7-8 mos.
Reason for enrolling:Risk of infertility, diabetes, cancer and other fat-related diseases (she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS)

Name: Rescina Bhagwani
Age:  55
Profession: Consultant
Starting weight:  210 lbs.
Current weight: 124 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 10 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Health reasons

Name:  Olga Caballero
Age:  33
Profession:Businesswoman
Starting weight:  177 lbs.
Current weight:123 lbs.
Weight lost:  54 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program:5 mos.
Reason for enrolling:To be able to conceive after 8 yrs. of marriage

Name:  Rona Baes
Age:  31
Profession:Housewife
Starting weight:  178.6 lbs.
Current weight:118 lbs.
Weight lost: 60.6 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 6 mos.
Reason for enrolling: To be able to conceive

Name: Arturo Selim
Age:  43
Profession: Lawyer
Starting weight: 268 lbs
Current weight: 197 lbs.
Weight lost: 71 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 5 mos.
Reason for enrolling: Health reasons, sedentary lifestyle

Name:  Margarita Lacsamana
Age:  47
Profession: Sr. IT Project Manager
Starting weight:  225 lbs
Current weight:123 lbs.
Weight lost: 102 lbs.
Months on the Cohen Program: 12 mos.
Reason for enrolling:Health reasons

Molave Milk Station

2012-12-15T19:53:00.000+08:00

A couple of weeks ago, my brother brought me to Barili's Molave Milk Station. We are on our way to Moalboal to meet with his office mates Since we hadn't had our dinner yet, we decided to stop at the Molave Milk Station to eat.

My brother order a serving of Pork Atay [Php 30], Pinakbet [Php 15], Langonisa [Php 3/each] and a couple of rice for both of us. Between these three, I prefer the Pinakbet. Although I'm not a big fan of vegetable, I manage to eat half of the serving.

For dessert, my brother ordered their famous ice cream [Php 25]. He ordered chocolate for me, and vanilla for him. I'm a big fan of chocolate ice cream but I was disappointed with this one. The flavor is way different than the chocolate ice cream I imagined. I love the vanilla though. I manage to swap desserts with my brother. Lucky me, he loves me that much to give up his vanilla ice cream to me. :)

I love the vibrant color of this place. We had a few minutes to check out the place after dinner. We wanted to visit the Ostrich, but it was already late. So we just keep ourselves busy exploring the place while waiting a bus for Moalboal.

How to get there:

If you own a private car, you can drive towards south and turn right towards Barili when you arrive in Carcar's Rotonda. Molave Milk Station has a big sign just beside the road so I'm pretty sure you'll never going to miss it. Be mindful of the sign on the right side of the road when you are heading to Barili.

If you're going there by bus, a lot of Ceres bus is available in Cebu South Bus Terminal which leaves every hour. You can ask the bus conductor to drop you off at the Molave Milk Station. Bus fare from Cebu City to Barili would be Php 70 .

Personalize Holiday Gift Guide

2012-12-02T17:29:00.000+08:00

Looking for an extra special gift to impress your loved ones this holiday season, but don't know where to start? Think about personalized gifts. There's nothing more special than gifts personalized to fit your loved one's needs or want.

Create a personalize gift from your own photos! I hand picked 5 gifts that will surely please even your most persnickety friend.

For the Photographer, there's nothing more personalized than making a book of photos out of his/her photo collections. You can pick out the most valuable photo of your friend or loved one and compile it to be printed into a book. I first heard about this on one of my favorite bloggers, Young House Love. They have one every year. And I'm glad to know that it is available at Jessops Photo.

For the techie, I suggest a customized mouse pad. Most tech people are always in front of their computers, if you give one of these, they will think of you (the person that gave the gift to them) every time they see this.

For the youngster or young at heart, these cute snow globe is perfect. Doesn't these fancy snow globe make you think of Christmas? That's right, I always think of Christmas when I see one.

Give the office babe or dude in your life with these customized mugs. Your special someone will surely admire this. I have a couple of these, all customized, which always make me think of the person who gave it to me whenever I use it. I really love it.

For a busy friend, I love this customized calendar. They will definitely need one of these for their busy schedules. This will help them keep organized and on-time for all their appointments. I have one like this on my desk, but I would pretty much appreciate if its customize. I hope someone sends me a customized one. Especially now that 2013 is fast approaching.

There you go. I hope you don't have a hard time finding a personalized gift for your special someone. Let me know if you have other personalized gift ideas. They might come in handy.

Cebu Blog Camp 3

2012-11-26T16:31:00.000+08:00

Theme: Building Blogging Communities

Cebu Blog Camp is here! This year, blog camp will focus on Social Media Communities and other related topics. The CBC is one of the blog event I'm looking forward to attend. Cebu Blog Camp is a whole day event where bloggers and aspiring bloggers, come together, learn, and make new friends.

CBC has been a success for the last 2 years. I wasn't able to attend any of it but I made a promise to attend the event this year. I was able to join the CBC Season launch 3, last May. I had so much fun, and I got to meet several amazing bloggers. I was able to interact with them through a game prepared by the organizers. I'm really looking forward to the CBC main event this year. I'm excited to learn new things, meet fellow bloggers, and have fun!

If you're still not convince to join this amazing event, try to watch this video. I'm pretty sure you'll be more excited than I am.

This video was taken after the CBC Season 3 launch last May, which I was able to attend.

Cebu Blog Camp 3 will be held on November 30, 2012 (Friday 8AM-5PM) at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), Mandaue City, Cebu Philippines.

What to bring for this event?

Camera (digital/DSLR, any would do)
Notebook and Pen
Official ID
Calling cards
Mobile Internet
MOST IMPORTANTLY: YOURSELF!!

For those of you who are interested to join this event, register online for FREE. What are you waiting for? Click here to register.

Let's thank the following sponsors for making this event possible.

Co-Presentors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Media and Institution Partners

See you there blog campers!

Digital Influencers Marketing Summit Cebu

2012-11-21T07:00:00.000+08:00

Time to get involve. This coming 24th of November, DigitalFilipino.com is conducting a marketing summit here in Cebu. Digital Influencers Marketing Summit will be held at Conference Room A & B, SM City Cebu. Summit will start at 9:30AM and will last until 5PM.

The Digital Influencers Marketing Summit Cebu #dim2012 aims to empower entrepreneurs, marketers, and advertisers with insights on working with influencers and brand advocates.

As a blogger, I want to join this event to learn how SEO work. I want to know how SEO can affect my blog, how it can help rank my content on search engines, and how I can use it to gain more visitors to my site.

AGENDA:
9:30 – 10:00 Registration

10:15 – 11:15 Bloggers as Influencers and Brand Advocates

(Speaker: Fleire Castro and to be joined by panelists: Kevin Ray Chua and Rabsin De La Cruz)
With the growth of social media, bloggers have become a force for generating brand awareness, advocacy support, mobilizing help, and rally people online to stop a legislation. Fleire will share her experience and observation on this space. She will also provide tips on how can newbie bloggers build their influence.

11:15- 11:45 Keynote Talk: Elance.com Case Study

(Speaker: Orville H. Tadle)

11:45 – Raffle

12:00 – 1:00 BREAK

1:15 – 2:00 Hitting Page 1: How Influencers and Brand Advocates are Shaping Search Engine Results

(Speaker: Ruben Licera Jr. and panelist: Tof Salcedo)
Peers, personalities, brands, and media are playing a big part in influencing what an Internet user sees on their search engine results. This session will tackle local examples and techniques to hit that coveted page 1.

2:00 – 2:30 Blogging and Social Media Influence in the 2013 Elections

(Speaker: Janette Toral)
With social media and Internet use gaining popularity in the Philippines, it is expected that more 2013 election candidates shall use it to promote their agenda, campaign, and advocacies to their target voting public. With Internet users often comprising the undecided voters, Janette shall share her observations on how the campaigns are being conducted this early online. She will also share results of her social media experiment in this space.

2:30 – 2:45 OPEN MIC: INFLUENCER’s PITCH SESSION
We are giving participants the opportunity to give a 3-minute pitch for a project or advocacy that they are into.

2:45 – 3:30 Building Relationship with Influencers and Brand Advocates
(Speakers / Panel: Elisa Escobar, Azalea Residences and Richard Eldridge, Lenddo)
Whether Filipinos are celebrating, debating, or helping each other, social media is a powerful social media outlet to bring like-minded people exchanging insights with each other. In this session, we will share local industry observations, experience, and insight on how the platform is used for commercial, trend setting, political discussion, and helping others during time of crisis. There will also be a panel discussion sharing personal experience on becoming influencers, doing marketing campaign roll-out, and using social media for customer relationship management.

3:30 – 4:30 The Influencer Transformation
(Speakers / Panel: Ben Francia, Khoa Bui, and Alan Choachuy)
From traditional entrepreneurs and marketing professionals, a few brave the path of becoming an influencer themselves online. This session features their transformation story and share practical advice on how to go about it.

4: 30 Introducing the Digital Influencers Community / RAFFLE.

FEE: Php 1,000

To register click here.

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5 Great Travel Ideas

2012-11-20T18:54:00.000+08:00

Who wouldn't love travelling? Most of the people I know right now are travelling. So why sit there and keep dreaming of your great travel experience? Let me give you 5 great travel ideas to start with.

Photo Credits: Google

1. Caribbean Cruise

Who wouldn't love an ultimate Caribbean Cruise? I've been dreaming to go on a cruise vacation since I saw a travel series about it. I have always thought that this kind of vacation is only for the rich and famous. I was wrong. When I read a couple of blogs about their Cruise Vacation, I realize I can possibly go on a trip like this. So this one made it to my bucket list. If you're just like me who love to go on a Caribbean Cruise, visit CruiseKings. They are offering a variety of options for all budgets.

2. Adventure Travel

Now this is my kind of thing. I love adventure and outdoors. I crave for it. If you’re an adventure junkie like me, you'll going to love camping, hiking trips, road trips (that counts as an adventure right?), surfing trip, caving, etc. Those are just some examples of Adventure travel. I have actually been to one lately. We went on a surf trip with my friends. I had so much fun. I'm still on a hype of all the experience we had. It's hard to forget especially when it's your first time.

3. Beach Vacation

Another thing that I love. Sun, sand, sun block, and flip flops. These are just some of the things you need on this kind of trip. For the beach bums, this is your best getaway. Your stress reliever. You can practically do this with your family.

4. Romantic Getaways

Perfect for a pair, but also great for solo. Who said romantic getaways need you to have a partner? You can still be romantic even you're on a solo trip. For both single and taken, you can experience a romantic getaway by staying at a luxury hotel or any honeymoon spots. I know you get the picture.

5. City Break

I'm not really into a nightlife scene, but there are people who like to travel because of the party. So if you're this kind of person, Miami, Monte Carlo and Las Vagas are some of the places you'll love to visit.

So there. I hope I have given you great travel ideas to choose from. The important thing is, going solo or in pack, be sure to enjoy every travel like its your last.

Surfer Girl in the Making

2012-11-19T22:12:00.000+08:00

Lanuza surf trip. My first... and certainly not the last.

It's always been my dream to learn how to surf. So when the opportunity knocks, I grab it with both hands. When a friend of mine invited me to join her on a surf trip, and offer to pay for my plane ticket, accommodation and food, I didn't hesitate. I grab it at once.

I have talked into details about this trip on my adventure blog. You can check out our first two days here, and our last two days here.

I had so much fun. I was able to meet new friends, and learned a new sport [surfing]. And I know this is not my last surf trip. I want to be better at this sport. I want to master it. So that one day, I could ride big waves smoothly like those local surfers in Lanuza.

Check out this video I made about our trip. Enjoy!

Jessops | Your One-Stop Photo Shop

2012-11-12T07:00:00.000+08:00

I've been in love with photography ever since I had my first point and shoot camera. I learn the features of that camera by heart. People around me notice how I love to take pictures, and it flatters me when they appreciate the photos I take. I'm actually planning to buy my own DSLR, hopefully next year. And if I have the time, I would like to enroll myself to a nice photography course. It seems almost all of my friends are into photography. I don't want to be left out.

photo from Jessops website

Recently, I have stumbled on this site which offers a lot of services to their customers, giving them a lot of options to choose from. Jessops, your one-stop photo shop.

photo from Jessops website

Jessops is UK's premiere photographic retailer which offers a broad range of photographic products. They offer the best value and low prices of digital SLRs like Sony, Nikon, Canon to camera lenses and accessories. You name it, they have it in store for you.

Did I mention they have a lot of services to offer to their customers? You bet they do. For one, Jessops has the Jessops Training Academy which offers photography courses for learning the basic skills of using Digital SLRs, to mastering wildlife photography. Isn't it great? After choosing the right camera that suits your need, you can enroll yourself in a photography course that can further help you take great photos.

Excited to buy your own camera? Shopping with Jessops is easy. Jessops is operating over 200 stores. You can go to one of those stores and buy your camera, or you can just visit their website which is www.jessops.com and order it from there. If you have some inquiries, you can call their UK sales order line at 0844 453 7000.

Simply J's Cafe/Restaurant

2012-09-25T17:27:00.000+08:00

photo from www.EYP.ph

Last weekend, I ask my cousin to dine out with me in this very cozy place. I've been wanting to dine here ever since I saw this place. Looking from the outside of the restaurant, you can see how elegant it is. I love how the light radiate all over the place, and give a warmth feeling to the dinners eating inside. It's just perfect.

photo from The Fiction I Live

I never got the chance to ask the history about this restaurant, but from what I can see, it's an old house turned into a dinning place. It was actually cute thought. It gives you that homey feeling, making you enjoy your food like you are eating at home.

I'm falling in love with pasta lately. So without second thoughts, I ordered their mouthwatering Lasagna. It is made of layered lasagna pasta with white cream and tomato meat sauce. Cost me 180Php. I paired it with Mango Ice Cream Shake, which cost me 70Php.

My cousin on the other hand, ordered Grilled Chicken in Citrus Marinade. It was a big piece, so she ordered an additional rice.

My cousin brought with her a couple of friends to dine with us. Elaine ordered Chicken Stir Fry, made of chicken strips stir fried with selected veggies in oriental sauce. She also ordered Fresh Calamsi Juice for her drinks.

As for Jemar, he ordered Simply J's signature dish--- Baby Back Ribs, grilled baby back brushed with honey mustard sauce. Cost him 190Php.

A quick tip to those who are planning to dine here, have a reservation especially on weekends. It was one thing we didn't do. We didn't expect a lot of people that night, or was it we forgot that it was weekend. :) There was even a children's party being held, and almost occupied the entire restaurant. We waited for an hour to get a table, and it was all worth it. We leave the restaurant with a satisfied tummy, and a vow to go back in this place.

Simply J's Cafe/Restaurant

10 Apitong St. Cor. N. Escario, Cebu City

(beside Diamond Suites)

Operating Hours: Mon-Sun (11AM-2PM) & (6PM-10PM)

Contact #: (032) 505 8315

Peso Exchanger | The Easiest Way to Convert Paypal Funds to Cash

2012-09-06T13:12:00.000+08:00

It's been an issue for some people on how to withdraw their Paypal funds. I for once don't like the hassle of waiting for days just to withdraw those funds and convert it to cash. But guess what? I just discover a convenient way to withdraw your Paypal funds without waiting for days. It just takes 3 easy steps.

Send an exchange request using your Paypal account. (How to request an exchange? click here)
Peso Exchanger will verify and process your request.
You/your recipient will receive the next exchange amount

NOTE: If this is your first time to use this service, you need to go through a one-time verification process. Click here to apply for verification.

The great thing about this service is you can withdraw your funds anytime, even on holidays and weekends. No more waiting for days. Isn't that convenient?

If you're having doubts about the legality of this service, don't be. They are DTI registered. I can bet my life that this service is legit. I'll let you in on a little secret. The creator of this amazing service is a cousin of mine. He has been in this business for 4 years, since 2008. Curious what other people are saying about this service? Click here.

Now I know you have a lot of questions about this service I'm talking here, no worries. All you need to know is in their FAQs section, click here. If you can't seem to find the answer on the page I provided you, again no need to worry, the site has someone assigned to answer your every question through chat. Just go to Peso Exchanger Website, in the lower right corner you can see a chat support box. Just click it and your good to go. If for some reason you're still confused on what to do, just contact them via mobile .

365 Grateful | Week 2

2012-08-12T10:56:00.000+08:00

I'm pretty sure you think I forgot about this. Not really. I had a bit busy days this past few weeks and I can't find the time to update my blog even if I want to. Since I got the entire day for myself. I will dedicate it to my beloved blog. :)

Aug. 6-12, 2012

It was a great week. Everyday, I walk my way to work. Which is my favorite part of the day, because I get to see the sunrise and appreciate it. I was also assigned in a graveyard shift a couple of days that week. Which means less calls and less stress. When I get home from my graveyard shift, I tend to sleep in our backyard. My grandmother put a hammock under a coconut tree, which gives you the feeling that your on a beach. But of course there is no beach. That same week I got to beat my team leader in a Google game. He's hard to beat but I beat him. I also got the chance to have a lot of time playing with my nephew, which I rarely do lately because of my work. Lastly, my week ended with a great cause. I spent time with orphan children and join in organizing a mini adventure race. The charity event was a success. We can see how happy those children were. It definitely reflects on their faces.

365 Grateful Project | Day 11

2012-08-11T13:00:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 11 : Super long avail time at work.

365 Grateful Project | Day 10

2012-08-10T21:50:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 10 : Making funny faces for everyone.

365 Grateful Project | Day 9

2012-08-09T05:30:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 9 : The sight of Mr. Sun in the morning and the smell of fresh air.

365 Grateful Project | Day 8

2012-08-08T09:30:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 8 : Who says you can’t beat your Team Leader? Well, I can! ^_^

365 Grateful Project | Day 7

2012-08-07T21:45:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 7 : Unexpected chocolates from my cousin Fhely. Thanx!

365 Grateful Project | Day 6

2012-08-06T11:00:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 6 : Time for myself. Chilling’ out in our backyard.

365 Grateful | Week 1

2012-08-05T21:59:00.000+08:00

Okay. I know I've been gone for quite a while, but it doesn't mean that I forgot what I promise to myself, and the vow I made on this blog---to post one photo a day of what I'm grateful for. I have been religiously taking pictures each day, but because of my current job, I kind of set aside the uploading of photos behind. I do apologize for that. :) So I'm thinking of posting it here weekly. Like what I'm doing right now. Actually, I'm trying to upload one photo a day on my Tumblr blog. You can visit it here--- Synz.

Aug. 1-5, 2012

These photos were taken on the first week of August. It was a week full of celebration. From my nephew's birthday to my cousin's homecoming. There were a lot of things I'm grateful for that week. These photos can't even compare how grateful I am. But it'll give you an idea how my week turns out. It was perfect! :)

PS. I'll be posting more later. It seems I have a lot of catching up to do. :)

365 Grateful Project | Day 5

2012-08-05T08:00:00.000+08:00

365 Grateful Project | Day 5 : Making buko salad to wear off a hangover.:)