T On Things

Scent Mukbang | Reaction Video To Bea Alonzo Scent Collection

2023-05-15T04:24:00.000+08:00

30 Stunning Pictures of EDSA in Noir

2015-02-25T09:00:00.000+08:00

Edsa Shrine, Our Lady of Peace (Photo from wikitravel)

EDSA, one of the busiest and most congested thoroughfare in Metro Manila, is a 23.8km highway and the longest one inside Metro Manila. It traverses the major cities of Caloocan, Quezon, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasay. It is also named as C4 or Circumferential Road 4, a network of bridges and roads and the fourth beltway for Metro Manila, connecting south and north Luzon express ways.

It's economic and industrial impact can be seen with the industrial centers in the metropolis connected directly to it. Hence, it is also the most congested with an average of a million vehicles plying its route daily.

In the middle of EDSA is the MRT-3, a transport system aimed to provide alternative public transport to buses along this road and is connected to two more train lines in Metro Manila.

EDSA is named after Epifanio Delos Santos, a Rizalist, group of Jose Rizal advocates. Its name used to be Avenida 19 de Junio shortly after WW2 in 1946, after the birthdate of Jose Rizal, the country's national hero. It was renamed Highway 54, as it was thought to be 54kms long during that time. President Ramon Magsaysay named after Rizal but Rizal province resident wanted it after a Rizalista. In 1959, it was named as Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue, on his birthday April 7.

It's historical relevance is the staging of two peaceful people power revolution. One was in 1986 as a revolution against the dictator President Ferdinand Marcos and his 20-year rule. More story on this peaceful revolution can be found here and here. On February 25, 1986, the revolution ended with Corazon Aquino, the mother of the current president, was put in power. This marked the return of the Philippines to democracy and the Philippine constitution was revised.

Hence, the February 25th holiday in the country, in celebration of this popular and peaceful revolt.

The second peaceful revolution was during President Joseph Estrada's short-lived reign, in 2001. The convicted plunderer, which was granted clemency by then President Glorai Macapagal Arroyo was kicked out of office through the peaceful revolution because of corruption and plunder charges during the height of his impeachment case in the Senate. More information on this can be found here and here.

In celebration of the 29th Anniversary of Edsa 1 Revolution, here are photos taken while driving along EDSA using Noir filter of an iPhone

...

A Fragrance for An Ideal Man

2015-02-23T14:47:00.002+08:00

One would always consider simplicity as a great expression of true beauty, devoid of the frou-frou and the tackiness that goes with it. A rare kind of real opulence that transcends time and joins the league of timeless classics.

Far from its supposed image, L'Homme Ideal depicts the ideal man

That simplicity and opulence are bottled in the latest fragrance from Guerlain. The idealism that comes from this fragrance is its woody base mixed with the sweet vanilla-ish notes from tonka bean. The top note reminds you of a fresh citrus-spicy impact that is pulled down back to earth with the heavy woody notes. Freshness impact is boosted by the soft white floral orange blossom. Its distinctive opulent note is coming from the leather and tonka bean mixture.

It is very modern in construction, in terms of how the woods-citrus-flowers are flirting with each other. The sweet tonka bean made the fragrance soft and yet very warm. Even with a seemingly heavy approach, the fragrance achieved a natural fresh and light impact that turns softly heavy and long lasting at the bottom.

Ideal? It is! I am not sure though if the company tested it to be true among women, as depicted in this video.

OLFACTIVE RATING : SCENTSATIONAL (5)
RECOMMENDATION : perfect for those looking for something different and non mainstream and get some attention because of the hook it gives to those who'll smell it
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: afternoon to night
IDEAL SEASON : any

Fun & Effective Travel Tips for Couples

2015-02-21T09:00:00.000+08:00

Embarking on a journey with your partner? Here are some tips to save money, time and energy without straining your relationship.

Our very recent travel to Seoul, February 2015

Plan Your Itinerary

AIRPLANE & HOTEL BOOKING

As both of you may have to take vacation leaves from work, scheduling ahead gives you enough time to free up task list at work days before the trip. Significant savings on plane fare and hotel booking is also a huge advantage scheduling ahead.

BUILD YOUR TO-DO/MUST-DO LIST

Agree on your to do list. Identify the areas, tourist destinations, shopping areas and restaurants you want to visit. You can set aside half a day or more for solo wandering. This way you can be more efficient covering more areas and doing what you like without boring your partner or worse, annoy him or her. It’s not as romantic but you get to do and see more.

El Nido, September 2014

ORGANIZE YOUR TO-DO/MUST-DO LIST

Now that you have a to-do list you may organize them on a per area basis. Daily schedule may be organized based on the different activities that can be done in a specific area or location. This way you can truly savor what the area can offer in terms of culture, heritage, history, food, souvenirs and goodies without wasting time, energy and money in the process. And from this, you can now pack accordingly.

Sydney, Australia, August 2013

TRANSPORTATION OPTION

Know how to get to the different points of interest. Download all the necessary apps to your phone to understand the wisest transportation mode. In most advanced cities, the train system is the best choice, if you don’t mind the walking distance. Since you identified your daily itinerary on a per area basis, it is a lot easier now to track how to go to that area from your hotel and back. It is also recommended to get a train card and top-up/reload on a daily basis to save money.

Other transportation modes include the more expensive taxi or uber services. However, the more rural you go, the more challenging the transportation becomes, especially in developing countries. The best source of information is the locals. Ask from hotel concierge, co-travelers, neighbors, store owners, waiters, etc. on the best and easiest way to your destination. Have them translate in their native language and write in a card that you can show to the driver where you intend to go.

PRINT EVERYTHING

Print all that can be printed – itinerary, hotel reservation, daily activities, maps, and list of food to eat. Have a picture. Don’t forget to screenshot everything and organize them in your phone’s photo app. Attach together all the items needed for that day’s activities. Include the envelope that contains your pocket money.

Tokyo, April 2014

BE FLEXIBLE

Be flexible with your itinerary. Sometimes, due to unforeseen events or your mood, there are places that you can opt to skip. If you have scheduled a trip to temples or museums located in the areas you plan to visit, chances are you will skip all the other temples after seeing a couple on your first two days. This is especially true for those who are not really after the heritage and history.

SET A BUDGET

Especially if you are a backpacker type, sticking to a budget is crucial. Always have money for the daily basic needs – transportation, meals and drinks. Also, prepare for other expenses such as souvenir shopping, entrance fees to tourist spots and tips. Buy the destination currency from your friendly neighbourhood moneychanger to get the best rates. Always bring cash. You can also opt to withdraw money using your local ATM card in the destination. Credit card is also advised but only for emergency expenses or if you plan to buy an expensive item. But these may entail additional bank charges and foreign currency adjustments.

When buying with a credit card, ask the merchant to charge you in their currency. Normally, there is now an option to charge you in your country’s currency. But this is more expensive than having the bank convert it to your local currency on your cutoff.

Hongkong, November 2014

Set Roles & Responsibilities

Here are some of the roles that you need to identify:

Finance Manager – the one in-charge of making sure that the daily itinerary is within the allocated budget and keeping an inventory of all the bills and coins. You don’t want to be stuck with so many coins after the trip unless you plan on going back.
Transportation Manager – the one who will manage the daily commute – what mode to take, stations to go to, and directions. He/she will be in charge of printing the maps, downloading the apps on their phones and making sure that you can go back to the hotel every night. He/she can also be in-charge of the itinerary scheduling.
Diet Manager – the one in-charge of deciding what food to eat on lunch, snack and dinner. When you go to the different areas, you will be flooded with a lot of choices. One must be able to decide what to eat, unless the other one has a suggestion or a particular craving. This is very important especially if the area you will visit does not have a must-eat list. He/she will also be responsible for making sure that you have water, snacks, and vitamin supplements.
Documentation Manager – most likely both of you will have individual camera phones or camera to take pictures. Whilst this can be done by both of you, it is highly recommended that one takes a picture of all the weird stuff, while the other one takes a picture of the scenes and destinations and coufies (couple selfies). This way, you get to have fun and artistic freedom on the photos and save time in the process.
Document Holder – the one who will always carry the important items – passport, plane ticket, calling card of the hotel, hotel codes, in case of emergency cards, etc.

Singapore, February 2013

Having clear roles and responsibilities allow you to have fun and collaborate on making the trip really memorable and meaningful, in a good way. As this is totally out of your daily routines, it is best to set expectation.

These are some of the tips I can share. For more tips on travel dating, please checkout www.ourtraveldates.com.

Puerto Prinsesa, September 2014

I Miss That Davao's Durian Frappuccino

2015-02-06T17:49:00.001+08:00

This has got to be the best frappuccino I've ever had. Durian Frappuccino.

I have been to Davao several times already but all those trips were business related. Hence, I never get to see any parts of it, especially the beaches.

Gen. Douglas McArthur Highway, in front of Matina Town Square, Davao, 2009.

DOT has posted in their YouTube this video.

What do you think? Will Davao be in your itinerary this year? Our company outing this August will be here. Shall I join? I certainly miss the durian frappuccino!!!

#VisitPH2015

Fragrance Must-Have for Valentine's

2015-02-06T17:27:00.002+08:00

Lovers and singles out there, heart's day is fast approaching. You may be wondering what fragrances you can use or give as gift this time of the year.

As the color of this celebration is red, not to mention that it is also the color of the Chinese New Year, here are some love-themed, red-colored fragrances for you.

HUGO BOSS HUGO RED
Every bit Hugo Boss that we've loved all these years in a sweet, fruity rendition - romantically sweet that is! The fragrance starts with metallic-citrusy-spicy fragrance that screams Hugo Boss signature scent.

The fragrance continues with fruity pineapple and fruity rhubarb on a bed of sweet amber and woody tonka beans. The fragrance exudes sensuality and intensity.

And who wouldn't be in love with Mr. Jared Leto?

Ain't he hot for you to be not sensually romantic? Sige nga?!

RALPH LAUREN POLO RED
A fragrance that make you last until the early hours of the following day, this red edition fragrance from RL Polo line evokes sophisticated macho sexiness - truly alpha male of the night!

The fragrance's energy comes from the warm citrus made bolder and heavier with sweet amber and spicy coffee notes at the bottom. There is certainly an olfactive hook here. Perfect for catching ladies (or men) out there. Great for singles who are in a prowl for the next victim of seduction and sexual escapade.

Are you in for the sexual drive of your lives?

KENZO AMOUR MY LOVE
Flirty floral fruity fresh fragrance, this sheer and light fragrance, launched in 2013, is an embodiment of a woman in love! Its light sweetness is coming from cherry blossom, passionfruit, red currant mixed with fresh floral bouquet of rose and lilac for that soft flirty impact.

The fragrance is made more romantic with white musk at the bottom. It tells of true love and euphoria of being in love. Romantically sheer and transparent. It feels like a woman in love, wobbly on her knees and ready to fall for that man she calls her soul mate.

Maarte ba siya?

DIESEL LOVERDOSE TATTOO
Significantly on the opposite end of Amour In Love, this oriental floral fragrance is wild and wicked with its overtly sweet vanilla and creamy milk! It is made more hedonically interesting by mixing citrus mandarin and bergamot, as was done with Manifesto L' Elixir. But this one is darker, heavier, sexier.

The fragrance is made more interesting with white floral bouquet of orange blossom, rose, and jasmine. What's interesting is the use of rice in the entire ensemble making it so addicting to smell.

Perfect for single women who want to party the Valentine's night away with her girl friends, minus the pressure of catching a prey for the night. It speaks power and excess and that it provides true indulgence without the guilt!

Ladies, let's party the night away.

Images not mine. Credits to the sources of the photos.

The Charm of The Fifth

2015-02-04T09:00:00.000+08:00

Photo from Fragrantica.Com

In celebration of the 5th birthday of Viktor & Rolf's very successful fragrance Flowerbomb, they launched in 2013 the La Vie En Rose flanker variant. This fragrance is truly a charm as it adds a citrusy-peppery top note to the usual ambery-candy--fruity-sweet Flowerbomb.

The citrus is boosted by green tea and mandarin and paired with spicy pink pepper. This adds a very youthful summer energy to the already very young and fancy Flowerbomb bed of red berries, sweet candy and oriental amber heart-bottom notes.

I like how it starts with a funky energetic spicy-citrus top and continues to a sweet-ambery Flowerbomb that we know and love. Although I am a bit worried with the green leafy mossy direction that intrudes in the overall pleasantness of the fragrance. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of Flowerbomb, then this is a worthy addition to your collection.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Bleh (2)
RECOMMENDATION : for young ladies who need energy and funk on a summer night party
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: afternoon to night
IDEAL SEASON : summer

A Celebration of Vanilla And Citrus

2015-02-03T17:20:00.001+08:00

Photo courtesy of parfumemall.com

Manifesto L' Elixir YSL, from the Manifesto line, is truly a celebration of citrus and vanilla mixture - freshly sweet, daring but subdued, soft and yet strong enough to be enjoyed.

The fragrance starts with a citrus explosion but you feel the vanilla pulling back its impact, making it very sophisticated but accessible. The white floral notes in the heart provides restraint to both woods and vanilla's heaviness. There's a slight spicy note in the base but maybe from the cashmere.

Overall, I admire the way how opposite notes in terms of heavy and fresh impacts are mixed together and how they allow the floral and woody notes flirt with the overall fragrance impact.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Sensorial Overload (5)
RECOMMENDATION : for ladies who want something more from their fragrance without veering away from the familiar citrus and floral notes that they have loved
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: any
IDEAL SEASON : any

Fragrance 101: The Fragrance Pyramid (Part 3)

2015-01-28T21:42:00.000+08:00

In the previous Fragrance 101 post, the different ingredients used in fragrance design and creation were discussed. These ingredients will have different evaporation rates that are crucial in creating a perfectly performing fragrance.

The evaporation rate is also key in creating the olfactive pyramid or a fragrance triangle. The fragrance pyramid is the structure of the fragrance very much similar to a house’s structure – walls, roof, foundation and pillars. Fragrance structure progresses into three parts – the top, the middle or heart and the base or bottom notes. Fragrance ingredients are placed from the top to bottom in descending order of evaporation rates.

Fragrance Pyramid

The TOP NOTE gives the initial impression of the fragrance. Top note ingredients are volatile and diffuse quickly. This part of a fragrance provides the impact and appeal. The hedonics hook is very important at this stage as it promotes product trial.

Citrus considered as part of top note (image from Pinterest)

However, you have to sample the fragrance first before making any final decision. There are instances that the fragrance changes in direction as the less volatile compounds become more pronounced. This brings us to the next part.

The BODY or MIDDLE of a fragrance is a complex blend of less volatile ingredients. This is normally when you and the people around you enjoy the fragrance the most. It establishes what the fragrance really smells like. It more or less represents the entire fragrance and helps consumer loyalty to the product.

Versace Yellow Diamond Pyramid from sunshinekelly.com

However, we want our fragrances to last long. And this is when the next part of the pyramid is important. The DRY DOWN or BASE notes of a fragrance include fixatives and other notes that diffuse very slowly. These notes support the more volatile notes of the body and top, and balance the fragrance.

Cedarwood, an ingredient in base note

You can rebalance the fragrance to contain more of the top and less of the base in order to create more impact and freshness. But it will not last long. This type of fragrance is perfect for tropical countries, like the Philippines, where we want our fragrance to be strong in terms of appeal and impact.

On the other hand, you can also create a heavier base and make it last very long, but it will not be as fresh and strong. This type of fragrance perfectly addresses the preferences of the Middle Eastern market.

What's Next in Fragrance 101...
In the next Fragrance 101 post, we will be tackling fragrance description and families.

Previous Post

Fragrance 101: What Is A Fragrance (Part 1)

Fragrance 101: Ingredients Used In Making Fragrances (Part 2)

_________________________________________________________________________________
Fragrance 101 is a series of posts that will introduce the readers and fragrance fans into the magical world of fragrances. The author will impart his knowledge on what a fragrance is, how to understand fragrance descriptions and the different fragrance families used in describing the fragrances in this blog.

Fragrance 101: Ingredients Used In Making Fragrances (Part 2)

2015-01-28T20:58:00.001+08:00

Image from prevention.com

Continuing with our Fragrance 101 series, fragrance is made up of different ingredients much like a lotion or a shampoo. These ingredients are categorized according to sources and these are naturals – from plants and animals, and aroma chemicals.

Animal sourced ingredients are ingredients that come from specialized glands of animals. You had to kill animals just to get those ingredients and make into perfume. Samples of ingredients sourced from animals are musks (from an abdominal gland of a male deer), civet (from civet cats), castoreum (from beavers) and amber gris (from whales).

Musk Deer (image from wikipedia)

Today, due to ethical and pricing reasons, animal products are a rarity in modern perfumery as they have been replaced by synthetic versions. But their history, usage and contribution to the industry have been very valuable. Originally they were used as fixatives in fragrances, bringing warmth, depth and complexity to a fragrance.

Plants, the most common source of fragrance ingredients, are extracted for their natural aroma oils. Flowers, fruits and even barks and roots are just some of the plants that we use to get our aroma oils from. So, imagine the palette of ingredients we can already use for fragrance designs. Not to mention, that for any alteration in the extraction process – temperature, solvent, time to name a few – you get different essential oils.

Image from mnh20.wordpress.com

For example, 4 different extraction of bitter orange blossom yields 4 different types of essential oils – orange flower concrete, orange flower water, neroli oils and orange blossom absolute.

Sample extraction processes for bitter orange

The aroma chemicals or synthetic chemicals are molecules that were created in the laboratory for fragrance purposes. This is the most commonly used ingredient as they are relatively more economical, sustainable, and quality assured as compared to plant extraction. Due to advances in technologies, aroma chemicals not only represent the synthetic counterpart of natural-sourced fragrances but also advances in molecules allowing more complex and consumer-preferred fragrances.

Benzaldehyde was the first aroma molecule created in the mid 19^th century. This was naturally present in bitter almond oils. Then coumarin (tonka bean) came in 1868 and vanillin appeared in 1874 among others.

Vanillin Molecuke

As highlighted in the previous post, fragrance ingredients MUST evaporate in order for you to smell it. Without the molecules converted into gas, then the olfactive bulb (epithelium) in your nose will not be able to smell anything, as highlighted in this post. Different ingredients have different evaporation rates. Perfumers know all these in order to create a perfectly performing fragrance.

What's Next in Fragrance 101...
In the next Fragrance 101 post, the fragrance pyramid will be introduced.

Previous Post

Fragrance 101: What Is A Fragrance (Part 1)

What Could Have Been Ms. Philippines' Answer to the Miss Universe #FinalQuestion

2015-01-27T20:33:00.003+08:00

Image from Miss Universe Facebook page

This year, in a not-so-surprising twist to the Miss Universe beauty pageant, a second round of Q&A was done. This is one of the first in the history of Miss Universe. The question came from a Facebook user from the #FinalQuestion hashtag: "What is the greatest contribution of your country to the entire world?".

Here are some of the answers that are quite entertaining, you should have instead waited for the personal feeds of the fans for more entertainment and less the "what was the question again?":

We need a translator for this.

Anita Linda, this is your cue... Then gunshots... Dead.

Ayan. Nagalit tuloy. Kasi naman hindi pinasok si Mj sa Top 5 e.

I would have probably started the answer with this. And ended with this. *I don't feel any pressure right now*

Sorry, Ms. Jamaica, we have more names to drop for you - 20 million OFW names to be exact.

If there is Chicken Joy, then why the hell don't we have Chicken Adobo in Jollibee?

Ewan ko na lang kung hindi ka manalo kapag nasagot mo ito... Sa chemistry quiz bee.

A blog entry from professionalheckler.wordpress.com.

And that includes, selfie stick.

And for the serious answers, here are those who could have edged out Ms. Jamaica for fourth runner up.

And as tribute to the lives lost and work done for the victims of the greatest natural tragedy in history, this would have won the title for the Miss United Nation:

Is Madam Stella Araneta still going back to the country? Maraming nag-aabang sa kanya pakisabi. Choz.

This one takes the cake, Mj's National Cake Costume.

And WORLD PEACE! I thank you!

(Inspiration for this post from www.ourtraveldates.com).

(posts were screenshots from FB, Twitter, Wordpress, Google. I do not own any of these posts. Requesting permission to all post owners.)

Fragrance 101: What Is A Fragrance (Part 1)

2015-01-25T17:42:00.001+08:00

What is a fragrance?

Photo from caramellafashionbg.wordpress.com

FRAGRANCE AS AN ART

I would always compare fragrance to a painting or a sculpture - an art. Whilst paintings and sculptures are described based on what you see and feel - colours, strokes, angles that evoke certain emotions, a fragrance is something that you feel and remember based on what your nose smells.

Image from kalundinha.com

In my earlier entry regarding the olfactive sense, fragrance evokes certain memories and emotions linked to that memory. And this is where fragrance becomes an art, similar to paintings, sculptures and architectures. The only caveat is that you have to see and be with it for you to smell it, as opposed to visual arts, wherein a simple Google search will give you an image to cherish.

FRAGRANCE AS A SCIENCE

Fragrance is also a science. It involves a lot of chemistry and physics, and recently, also involves biotechnology and botany. A fragrance consists of different organic volatile ingredients. And these ingredients need to evaporate in order for you to smell it. These ingredients (more on these in a separate post) when mixed together must create a harmonious balance for that hedonically pleasant scent. Without the understanding of science, it will be difficult to create a stable mixture that will smell good and will perform according to specifications.

Image from rbnainfo.com

Therefore, a fragrance is a harmonious combination of different ingredients that results in a hedonically pleasant smell evoking different emotions and memories. It is both art and science.

What's Next in Fragrance 101...
In the next Fragrance 101 post, different ingredients used in fragrance design will be discussed.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Fragrance 101 is a series of posts that will introduce the readers and fragrance fans into the magical world of fragrances. The author will impart his knowledge on what a fragrance is, how to understand fragrance descriptions and the different fragrance families used in describing the fragrances in this blog.

This Fragrance May Just Make You Miss Universe

2015-01-25T13:41:00.000+08:00

From Laverdadnoticias.com

She is a popular actress in Colombia and with that comes a fragrance named after her. And why not?

The fragrance starts with a very juicy sweet berries and cassis fruits. Too much of sweetness, imagine an over-the-top, vibrant, colorful fiesta and you get what I mean with this fragrance. The rest of the fragrance is violet flowers (a bit green), roses and orchids. The entire composition is held on a base of vanilla and sandalwood.

I see this being loved by the Filipinas. This sort of validates my claim that Latin American scent preference is close to Filipino taste, the way we are big Miss Universe fans like them. This scent perfectly matches our festive mood, happy disposition and that "diva" vibe (in a good, charming way).

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Neutral (3)
RECOMMENDATION: Perfect for women who wants to have fun, alluring, sexy and who wants to make their presence felt
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: any
IDEAL SEASON: any

Dear Mj,

Since you wore a Colombian-designed ensemble during the preliminary, why not wear a Colombian-inspired fragrance? This fragrance smells like you - A WINNER! #MJalltheway

Good luck,
The World I Nose

Good luck Miss Universe Philippines - Mary Jean Lastimosa. MJAllTheWay

Top 3 Reasons Why Fragrance Is A Must During Sinulog Celebration

2015-01-25T09:00:00.001+08:00

Image of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Nino during its Solemn Procession

The World I Nose celebrated Sinulog in Cebu City! In my previous post, on what fragrance to wear during Sinulog celebration, I have highlighted fragrance themes one can wear. Post Sinulog, it makes perfect sense to wear fragrance during Sinulog and here are the top reasons why:

1. The Sun, The City and The Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Nino

Sinulog is a religious celebration first and foremost. They say cleanliness is next to godliness. And one cannot be completely clean if they smell like last night’s party, especially that the night before, Friday, most likely you were wasted partying.

It also makes sense to be fresh all-day long as the procession lasts the entire morning until a little after lunch. Please also note that there will be a lot of waving and dancing along the way. It’s quite practical to really smell good especially with hands-up-in-the-air moments.

Route of the Solemn Procession

2. The Sinulog Grand Parade

Another important activity, which always falls on a Sunday, the Sinulog Grand Parade is the grandest parade during Sinulog. It is also the most colorful and the loudest with the drum beating everywhere, as if asking people to dance to the beat. The parade consists of those who participated - 44 dancing contingents, 40 floats, and 33 higantes - in the Sinulog Grand Parade contest. The complete list of winners is in this website.

First Placer Kulturang Placereno from Placer, Masbate (Picture from Sunstar Cebu website)

The parade starts at 9:00AM, takes a break at 12:00NN and continues at 1:00PM up to 3:00PM. Imagine the sweat that you'll incur from this time of the day with all the dancing and jumping and walking!

And with this route, for sure, you'll be drenched in sweat. Fragrance to the rescue!

Route for the Grand Parade (Photo from Sun Star Cebu website)

3. Parties, Booze and Paint

Sinulog will not be complete without the crazy fun part. Every night, starting on Friday, there will surely be parties around Cebu City - Globe's NextAct, etc's Paintensity, Life Dance, Elektromundo to name a few. But the craziest of them all was the street party at Juan Osmena st. that started at around 1:00PM and lasted around 5:00AM the following day. And this one is for free! Let these photos and videos tell my story. Words cannot express how fun, crazy and memorable these parties are.

With these activities, one must smell perfect all the time, especially with the sweat, water, alcohol, dancing and grinding with other party mates - you know what I mean here. You surely don't want to smell like your after-party look.

Thanks Zherwin for the photo. Globe's NextAct: Sinulog

Globe's NextAct: Sinulog Party. One Mango Square, Friday. with DJs Callum David, Bad Kiss, Mars Miranda & Eric Capili

etc's Paintensity, Ayala Center Cebu, Saturday

etc Paintensity, Ayala Center Cebu, Saturday

What was left after the Paintensity party

Sunday Street Party at Juan Osmena st.

Sunday Street Party @ Juan Osmena St.

Thanks Zherwin for this video!

First time to attend Sinulog and, definitely, not the last! See you next year!

Special thanks to John & Jeff of OurTravelDates for arranging almost everything - from the hotel, to the ferry ride from Tagbilaran to Cebu, and the trip itinerary.

Cool Water Night Dive Davidoff for Men

2015-01-24T12:00:00.000+08:00

from carapharmacy.com

The fragrance opens with the typical aquatic-watery-aromatic impact of the Cool Water for Men in the 90s. What makes this distinct is the green minty sensation that breezes continuously finally mixing with heavy cashmere and tobacco notes.

The minty sensation continues as it mixes well with the tobacco and black pepper notes. This is a very interesting combination as this separates itself from the rest of the Cool Water franchise. Interestingly, the minty sensation is made warmly sweet with amber and suede note - think of a red toothpaste made sweeter. What's striking is the way the mint flirts with all the notes of this fragrance - minty-watery and then minty-woody and then minty-sweet-ambery. It's very sexy.

If you are a big Cool Water fan, then you might consider including this in your collection of fragrances. I am pretty sure that this can make people stop and be curious to the familiarity and yet the uniqueness of it.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Neutral (3)
RECOMMENDATION : perfect for Cool Water fans, males who just want a safe fragrance that can be used daily
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: any
IDEAL SEASON : any

Nuit d’Issey Issey Miyake For Men

2015-01-24T09:00:00.000+08:00

from Escentual website

The fragrance reminds me strongly of Jo Malone Lime & Cedar. But this one is much more woody and heavy than Jo Malone's. There is still the L'Eau d'Issey Pour Home signature scent with a very strong woody-spicy twist.

It solidifies further with a strong leather-incense-woody notes as it dries down - a testament to the fact that most fragrances right now will always have an ode to ouds or woods. This is to fuel the strong growth momentum of fine fragrances in the Middle East region.

Smell it further and the citruses playfully flirt with the strong woody notes making the fragrance a little bit vibrant, perfect for a party night.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Bleh (2)
RECOMMENDATION : not for Philippine market but can be for men looking for something unique and woody or something classic
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR: night (obviously)
IDEAL SEASON : autumn, winter

Calvin Klein Reveal for Men

2015-01-23T17:00:00.000+08:00

from NSTPerfume.Com

The fragrance starts with a warm and heavy note of brandy with juicy fruits. Even with the fruity notes, the fragrance retains its very masculine direction. The fragrance continues with aromatic notes of herbal ingredients like sage. But what I like the most is the dry down that is very much similar to Polo Double Black. The thing that set it aside is the slightly sharp vetiver, green-woody direction but still sits down very intensely masculine on the skin.

Staying true to the CK fragrances of yore, I see this fragrance worn by any men, especially those who want to be seductively sexy or hunky.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Neutral (3)
RECOMMENDATION : for adult men of any age looking for seduction and sexy appeal, should be compatible with 20s - 50s age range
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : any
IDEAL SEASON: any

DKNY My NY

2015-01-23T12:00:00.000+08:00

From wwd.com

Staying true to its DKNY nature, My NY is a sweet fruity, endearing and charming fragrance. The fruity raspberry notes bursts with a heavy patchouli and vanilla fragrance, which gives it a distinction from Be Delicious collection. My only issue is the use of too strong patchouli and Egyptian jasmine notes. Although, most likely they are trying to reach those young females looking for something more fashionable and edgy as that of NYC.

Using Rita Ora as the model, it obviously targets the market of DKNY - young, edgy, fashionable females. And the use of vanilla and raspberry notes is a dead giveaway that, indeed, DKNY is staying true to its fragrance line target market.

I am still bothered by the patchouli. :-) I am not sure if the sweet fruity notes are mixing well with something heavy and warm like patchouli and vanilla. Nonetheless, I still think this is a wonderful fragrance, especially to the fans of DKNY fragrances - a considerable level up.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Neutral (3)
RECOMMENDATION : perfect for young females looking for something heavy, edgy and fashionable
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : night
IDEAL SEASON : any

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau My Gold

2015-01-23T09:00:00.000+08:00

Image from Paco Rabanne website

The fourth variant under the Lady Million collection of Paco Rabanne, Eau My Gold deviates a little bit from the very opulent and heavy Lady Millions as it opens with a festive combination of tropical fruits and citrus notes and yet not very sweet and cloying. Don't get me wrong, as it is still very sophisticated and luxurious, but I see younger women wearing this fragrance. I had the impression that the Lady Million targets women in their late 30s to early 40s, that is why this fragrance seems to be a deviation from the rest.

I particularly liked how the amber is pushing the sweetness to a restricted level and yet not feel restricted. I also liked how the fresh impact changed in the dry down with something warm and a little bit heavy - and this is where the opulence is pushed to the Lady Million mark.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scentsational (4)
RECOMMENDATION : Perfect for younger women who wants something more from their usual floral fruity fragrance, women looking for not-over-the-top, understated opulence
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : day & night
IDEAL SEASON : winter, autumn, spring

Chloe Love Story

2015-01-22T20:02:00.002+08:00

Photo Source: Moodiereport.Com

The fragrance opening reminds me of Chanel's Chance Eau Tendre with its fresh floral impact. But the top notes, according to its official description, are neroli and orange blossom, hence, a bit citrus. The citrus impact is carrying the white orange blossom and the freshness. The white floral note is somewhat jasmine in direction. This combined with the citrus notes allows for a very light, fresh execution, but has a long lasting impression.

It turns, somehow, a bit creamy and coconut on the base as it dries down. Or maybe the woody and white musky notes are giving me that impression? Either way, these provide a solid base to hold the lightness in place and provide a long lasting effect even with its apparent lightness.

The creation of this fragrance was inspired by Parisian romance and the love padlocks on the bridge of the Pont des Arts as can be seen from its packaging.

Pont Des Artes, France. From Wikipedia

The white-light-gold-sheer-romantic execution also shows what's in store for us in the next couple of months. The fragrance direction is evolving from the heavily floriental-gourmand-fruity direction to something transparent, sheer and light - the makings of a new classic.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scent Neutral (3)
RECOMMENDATION : For women in the 30s and up range, sweet, caring, motherly like, a bit on the romantic side with its sheer direction
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : any
IDEAL SEASON : any

Fresh Cannabis Santal

2015-01-14T09:00:00.000+08:00

Image from sephora.com

The fragrance starts with a sweet impact coming from chocolate and vanilla lifted by a nice and light citrus note. The chocolate and vanilla remind me of Axe's Dark Temptation that is not overly sweet and heavy but refreshingly light and more addicting.

What sets it apart from Dark Temptation is its soft rose and musk notes that contribute to its sheer sweetness. This oriental woody fragrance continues with the soft woody and floral notes especially at the dry down.

I certainly don't know what cannabis smells like but if you are looking for a green note then there should be some boosted by the patchouli that mixes well with its entirety. It is actually more dominant at the dry down.

Women will also like this fragrance. The good thing about this fragrance is that people will surely like it. It is not an in-your-face type of fragrance but you will definitely be asked about it.

OLFACTIVE RATING : Scentsational (4)

RECOMMENDATION : For male of certain stature. Not for young people
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : night
IDEAL SEASON : spring, autumn, winter

YSL L' Homme Sport

2015-01-12T12:55:00.001+08:00

From magazin.flaconi.de

Launched as a flanker variant to the L'Homme series, YSL is threading the waters of mainstream fragrances for men. This woody-citrus fragrance sparkles with sweet green apple and light citrusy verbena. What I like about this fragrance is the seemingly youthfulness of the fragrance impact and its light woody notes - perfect for spring/summer seasons!

The fragrance can even be a unisex type because of the strong green apple and the amber flirtations. If not for its bottle, you would even think that this is your typical male fragrance - perfect for every gentleman's freshness needs. It significantly deviates from the original L' Homme, except for that signature woody dry down.

If you love D&G Light Blue, Cool Water, Polo Blue, Polo Sports and Bleu De Chanel, then this is a great level-up for your fragrance collection. However, if you are looking for something heavy and/or oriental then this fragrance is not for you.

OLFACTIVE RATING : SCENT NEUTRAL (3)
RECOMMENDATION : Perfect for any type of male, aged 18 and up, can be trickled down to deo body spray and men's personal care products
IDEAL TIME OF WEAR : day and night
IDEAL SEASON : spring, summer

Versace Man Eau Fraiche

2015-01-08T21:52:00.001+08:00

From Versace.com

Launched in 2006, this woody citrus fragrance smells like subtle confidence and yet has a strong sophisticated stance that any man would want to portray. On impact, the fragrance is very fresh citrus and as the fragrance progresses, the sweet fruity and soft woody notes come out to play. There's also a tinge of pepper that plays well with the sweet and citrus notes. On dry down, I can detect a very herbal woody note.

What I like about this fragrance is the refreshing citrus impact that is reminiscent of summer - wild beach party, warm sand, turquoise blue water and the beat of a faint pop music in the background while sipping a frozen mojito. It's very aquatic appeal refreshes that flirts well with the sweet woody notes. And with this, it gives an after shower feel all throughout the day.

Olfactive Rating: Scentsational (4)
Recommendation: can be for both old or young, sporty or not. may even be unisex to a certain extent
Ideal Time of Wear: day or night
Ideal Season: summer

Fragrance Themes You Can Wear During The 35th Sinulog Festival

2015-01-08T12:01:00.000+08:00

Sinulog, one of the grandest festival in the Philippines held in Cebu island as a tribute to the Sto. Nino de Cebu, is happening this whole month of January with the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 19.

Photo from www.sinulog.ph

And for the first time, #THEWORLDINOSE2015 is excited to be part of this celebration. Now, what kind of fragrance can one wear during this fiesta?

Since, the parties and parades will be all-day and all-night long and most activities happening under the sun, the following are important in the fragrances that can be used:

Long lasting - from dusk till dawn, from noon till night, the fragrance must be able to withstand sweat, heat and paints surely encountered during the entire festivities. Hence, the fragrance must be long lasting enough with minimal reapplication. It will also be difficult to carry a glass bottle of perfume, unless, you transfer it to a more portable, smaller atomized bottle.
Flexible - it should appeal regardless of the time of the day. One must opt for a light scent that can highlight your sensorial styling under the sun and still be enjoyable when reapplied at night.
Exhilarating - since this is a festival, the emotions that can be evoked by the fragrance must be lively, vibrant and most of all HAPPY coherent with the festival. At the same time, it would be great if your fragrance presence adds up to the happiness of the event.
Refreshing - the fragrance must provide a sense of freshness. As most of the fun activities will be physically challenging, spraying that wonderful fragrance should allow you to feel and stay fresh anytime, anywhere.

Fragrances for men will be very easy. Opt for a woody-citrus/aromatic fragrances that provide a sense of sporty freshness like Chanel Allure, Bleu De Chanel, or Bvlgari Aqua Amara. Bench's Cary Santiago EDT for men is a good alternative if you want to buy something within budget.

Citrus direction will be the safest bet as this provides nice flexibility and freshness when worn. CK One and any of its iterations, except for CK One Shock, will be great. Another classic example will be Clinique Happy and D&G Light Blue. But if you want to smell more contemporary, Azarro Chrome Limited Edition and Givenchy Play Sport are good candidates to consider.

Woody-aromatic fragrances exude additional exhilarating sophistication when worn. Examples include CK Free Sport, Christian Dior Homme, Cool Water, Terre De Hermes.

For women, floral fruity fragrance will be great. Any Ralph, Escada or Incanto fragrances will be safe. If you want a simple mist, any floral fruity themed fragrances from Victoria's Secret or Bath and Body Works will be just fine. If you want to be more modern, you can opt for D&G Rose The One, Acqua Di Gioia EDT, or Anna Sui Dreams In Pink.

You can also look for water themed fragrances mixed with something floral. Roberto Cavalli Acqua, CK Eternity Aqua, Cool Water, or L' Eau Kenzo Pour Femme. The watery/aquatic notes give the fragrance flexibility and good sensorial appeal especially in a hot and humid weather.

Citrus fragrances, similarly, will provide that wonderful fragrance ambience. Opt for fragrances with green tea, verbena, neroli or bergamot. You can check out fragrances from L'Occitane, Jo Malone and Santa Maria Novella.

Just stay away from those with vanilla or are in very dark coloured packaging. Most likely, these are ideal for night use. Hence, they will be too heavy for a day use or when mixed with sweat and paint. Stay away also from fragrances with the words night, noir, oud, nuit, black, gold, diamond as they represent very heavy fragrances that are not applicable for the event.

Hopefully, these help in selecting the best fragrance that can be used during Sinulog. Smell great while having fun! See you there.

Here are some fragrance reviews that you can also consider to use during Sinulog:

FOR MEN
Bleu De Chanel
YSL L' Homme Sport
Versace Man Eau Fraiche

FOR WOMEN
DKNY My NY
Chloe Love Story
Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream

UNISEX

Francis Cologne

6th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition

2015-01-08T09:00:00.000+08:00

Don't forget this year's 6th International Pyromusical Competition happening every Saturday, starting on February 7 to March 14, 2015 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds.

Countries Participating

Last year, Royal Pyrotechnie from Canada won the grand prize. This year, who will it be?

Relieve the moments of last year's competition through this website.

For more information, you may visit PIPC Website, Ticket Net and SM Tickets outlets.

I'll give my money to the one who can make fireworks with fragrance exploding in the air. That would be very nice!