Glich's Life

14 Interesting Things I Learned from Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 12:19:00 +0000

Are you like me who loves to travel? I was deprived of traveling when I was still a student not because there wasn't ample budget, but because my parents didn't believe in the value of going out of the country. This became one of my greatest motivators to working hard, so I can save up to go abroad from time to time.

I just recently came from Gold Coast and Sydney in Australia, and learned a couple of things I'd like to share with you. This is the essence of traveling for me—to learn and to share.

Sydney Opera House (shot by Glenn Ong)

1. You can drink water from the tap

When visiting most parts of Australia, you can save by not having to buy bottled water from the grocery or supermarket. This is because of the high standards set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, which the water passes through before reaching the tap.

Their drinking water is carefully selected from natural resources, then filtered and monitored 24/7 to ensure that it's safe for drinking. It's mixed with some fluoride to protect the teeth, and a bit of chlorine to make it even safer. An Australian friend actually told me that older generations in their country didn't have to visit the dentist, because of the fluoride that's in the water.

2. Cheapest bottled water can be found in Woolworths

Despite the fact that you can drink water from the tap, some people may still prefer to buy water bottles from the supermarket. This is just a fun-fact that I saw the cheapest 1.5L water bottle at Woolworths for AUD0.70 each. Most other stores would sell even smaller bottled water for AUD2.50 and up.

3. Start by greeting "How are you?"

I find Australians really friendly! They always start by asking 'how are you?' with a smile before saying anything else. I remember a former Australian boss who would never miss asking 'how are you?' before proceeding to ask for updates or follow ups. Apparently, it's their thing.

For Asians like me who's not used to this, it's a bit awkward to start with. However, by the fifth or sixth day, I was hit by this bug and also started asking the same question to others that I met along the trip. It's just a bit odd for me to transition from the 'how are you?' to what I really wanted to say. Oh, don't forget to answer their question, say 'thank you', and ask the same question back.

Inside the Central Station in Sydney

4. Everyone is your "mate" in Australia

Another thing that you'd hear a lot from Australians is them calling you their 'mate'. A friend told me that they treat everyone equally in Australia; hence, they consider everyone their mate, which means a friend or a brother.

Throughout my stay though, I never heard someone calling a girl a 'mate', which appears to me that this is masculine in nature and is applicable only for men. However, I've read in some other blogs that this is also applicable to girls when 'mate' is used as a greeting.

5. Sydney Immigration is the most tech-savvy yet for regular tourists

Whenever I travel to some Asian countries, I'd see fast lanes for locals and special ID cardholders. It always leaves a 'what-if' thought in my mind, hoping that I'd be able to experience those machines one day. A'las, the time has come! Sydney Immigration's innovative machine for regular tourists wowed me.

You would still fill out an immigration card, but it only serves as a back-up. As you fall in line, you'd have to insert your passport to the machine, then stand straight for picture taking. Once you're all clear, you just have to drop off the manually filled out card onto the dropbox. It's fast and very efficient! It only took me less than three minutes.

6. Honesty policy is Gold Coast train's name of the game

Riding the Gold Coast train is so much liberating and empowering! There are no gates nor barriers when riding or exiting the train. All you are asked to do is to ensure that you tap your train card in and out in the stations where you ride and alight, respectively. It's all based on the tourist's honesty.

For tourists like me, I just had to purchase a Go Card for AUD10.00/day for unlimited rides to the trains and buses. If not only for my integrity, I could easily just get away with not buying a new one every day. But of course, there's always a risk of being randomly audited, so always practice honesty.

7. Most stores close early, except Thursdays

When I first heard about Australian establishments' closing hours, it surprised me! I have never experienced malls and shops closing at 5PM-6PM or even 4PM sometimes. However, this is Australia's culture. They value family time very much, so not only do corporate employees get to go home early to spend time with family, but even those who are working in big establishments too. After all, I mentioned that Australia is all about equality.

In most cases though, establishments close later on Thursdays. Like in our case in the Philippines, Friday evening is the start of the weekend. As such, nobody wants to be left working late. Therefore, it's been a culture in Australia to make closing hours longer on Thursdays instead. I presume this is also partly because of the higher labor costs on weekends (Friday-Sunday).

Dim sum at Mr. Wong Sydney (shot by Glenn Ong)

8. Food is quite expensive everywhere

Australia has quite a diverse set of cuisines almost everywhere. In fact, I couldn't pinpoint any dish that I can all truly Australian. In my 10 days of stay in both Gold Coast and Sydney, we ate a lot of Asian cuisines and some American as well. But one thing that echoes from all establishments we ate at is that food can be expensive there.

The average price of each dish is about Php700 (equivalent to ~AUD17 or ~USD13). So if you're ordering more than one dish, your bill could go up higher! I remember spending AUD108.00 (~Php4,300) at Mr. Wong, a Chinese restaurant that served very good dim sum and Cantonese fare. That price is normal when dining in most hotels in the Philippines, but this is not even a hotel nor a buffet meal.

9. Use 'rubbish' instead of 'trash'

For whatever it's worth, I'd like to share that Australians use the term rubbish to describe their trash, garbage, litter or junk. Some people didn't understand me, or they had to correct me, when I was asking where the trash bin is. Just another culture thing.

View of the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains (shot by Glenn Ong)

10. Gold Coast is for theme parks, Hunter Valley for wines, and Blue Mountains for nature

While Gold Coast is popularly known for surfing due to big waves lying in its long coastline, it's also popular for theme parks, specifically Movie World and Dreamworld. The rides are mostly meant for adults, while character parades are for kids. I love scary rides, so I enjoyed both theme parks despite the rain.

Meanwhile, if you're an avid wine drinker or just curious to learn more about wines (like me), be sure to visit Hunter Valley for a day of wine lessons and tasting. This is where I discovered that I like Moscato wines the most.

For those who love nature as much as I do, don't miss visiting the Blue Mountains and be amazed at God's marvelous creations. There's a hop on, hop off bus that can take you around the entire area. Be ready to hike up and down in some areas.

As an added tip, you can book all of these tours at my favorite site, Klook.com.

Me looking at the Vivid Sydney Video Mapping

11. Vivid Sydney happens every June

We didn't intend to time our visit to Sydney to see the annual lights festivities called Vivid, but we're glad to have had a glimpse of it. We were told that Vivid happens every June. This is where Sydney buildings and establishments turn into wonderful pieces of art through lights and video mapping.

The entire festival is spread in most parts of Sydney like the Darling Harbour, Opera House, Museums, etc., and is entirely free for everyone to enjoy. Even the Sydney Harbour Bridge and train stations are outlined with colorful lights at night.

Me skydiving in Wollongong.

12. Skydiving in Wollongong is awesome!

I realized I like thrilling activities that happen in the air rather than those in the water. As such, I like roller coasters and rides that throw me upside down up in the air. Skydiving is not any different, especially since this has been in my bucket list for so long.

I finally hit that button on the Klook app and booked my skydiving adventure alone. It was one heck of an experience, and a memorable adventure for a lifetime! I did my skydiving in Wollongong, a 1.5-hour bus ride away from Sydney. Just look at how happy I am on my picture—that says it all!

The Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra (shot by Glenn Ong).

13. Embassies line up in Canberra

Not familiar to many, Sydney is actually not the capital of Australia but Canberra. According to the history, different states wanted to be called the capital, so they just crowned Canberra as one in order to prevent any further arguments. There are not much people there, and the weather is colder than in Sydney.

It's interesting to note that there is an entire "village" (if I may call it that) with different nations' embassies, which are line up one beside another. Each embassy looks different from each brought by the architectural designs that show the uniqueness of each country. Pictured above is the Thai Embassy.

14. Make sure to double check your flight details

And just as an added learning, always make sure to double check your flight details. Cebu Pacific combined two flights, so our flight was moved from Saturday to Tuesday. This is okay, since they alerted us way early. However, we forgot to check our seat assignment.

Despite having several touch points with the airline, Cebu Pacific still missed informing us that our pre-paid exit row seats are gone. We were surprised that we had to endure sitting in the cramped space for 8-hours only when we got to the airplane. I couldn't believe this is the first time Cebu Pacific had an issue like this, since combining flights is normal. I'm sure Cebu Pacific could easily run away with our money had we not complain. Although they refunded our pre-paid fees, no one can ever compensate the comfort and time we spent.

So there you go, fourteen (14) interesting facts I learned during my visit to Australia. I hope it becomes useful for you as you plan your visit going there. Have fun!

What makes Cafe Shibuya click apart from desserts?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 20 May 2017 06:31:00 +0000

Isn't it ironic that I don't usually go to restaurants and malls in the North, even if I'm from Quezon City? This came as a recent realization when my friends and I were deciding on where to meet for dinner. A'las, SM City North EDSA won. I told myself, "it's time to meet my neighborhood up north."

Work ended at 6PM; soon enough, I found myself selecting a restaurant to dine in at the Ground Floor of The Block in SM North EDSA. Because I am very fond of Japan, Cafe Shibuya piqued my curiosity. As soon as I entered, I immediately asked the staff if the restaurant is a franchise from, well, Shibuya in Japan, and was told it isn't. I figured I'll try it out anyway, since the ambiance is good and it wasn't too noisy for my friends and I to effortlessly chitchat.

We asked for what's new and what's best-selling in the menu, and gladly ordered them even if some sounded admittedly 'risky.' Dishes came in one by one, surprisingly with fast and efficient service. It's time to dig in!

For starters, we got the Beef Bulgogi Nachos (Php295). It comes with good amount of Bulgogi sirloin beef cubes, combined with tomatoes, onions and jalapenos, then topped with cheese plus wasabi mayo sauce. We really enjoyed this one as the different flavors of sweet, salty, and a bit of spicy all made up one great appetizer!

Although this restaurant's name got its origins from Japan, they're offering a lot of food items from other cuisines as well. One of which is the Kimchi Pasta (Php275 single, Php495 sharing), which we decided to explore. It's made up of spaghetti pasta cooked al dente, flavored with homemade kimchi, Gochujang paste, and bacon strips. All of us liked it and commented that the kimchi flavor tasted legit.

For my main dish, I got the Honey Lemongrass Chops (Php310). It came with two pieces of pork chops that were grilled and marinated in honey lemongrass concoction, and served with a side of tomato-corn salsa and java rice. No other dips or sauces needed, as the meat already has its own flavor in it.

My friend A had the Fireside Grilled Chicken (Php275), which is a quarter-cut chicken that's baked then grilled, served with guacamole and java rice. We consider this dish healthy from the manner it was cooked--it wasn't oily as well, so eating the skin was guiltless. Its taste was born from herbs and spices, which gave it a bold flavor.

The best entree for the night was ordered by my friend L, called Crispy Pork Belly with Kimchi Rice (Php315). It sounded so usual that it gave us much of a surprise. The deep-fried, succulent pork belly came with its sweet and salty flavor, which greatly complemented the spicy kimchi rice. We would gladly order this again next time.

Onto desserts to cleanse our palettes, we indulged ourselves with the Strawberries and Cream Molten Cake (Php185). The warm strawberry cake was very moist, and when sliced had its molten core oozing with strawberry decadence. Eating the cake with vanilla ice cream was such a delight!

And because Cafe Shibuya specializes in dessert toasts, we couldn't leave without trying the Sans Rival Toast (Php215 small, Php275 regular). It had butter cream, cashew meringue, and pistachio ganache layered delicately over toast, finished with vanilla ice cream. We unanimously voted that this is great for snacks or as a standalone dessert, since it's very filling and quite heavy to have after eating our entrees.

These are the drinks that we had throughout dinner—Pink Passion (Php85) and Mango Coconut with Aloe (Php155). The former has a tangy and sweet taste brought by the combination of pineapple, orange, and cranberry juices altogether, while the latter is more on sweet and creamy. I'd order the Mango Coconut drink again and again!

Cafe Shibuya currently has four branches in Metro Manila—TriNoma Mall, SM North EDSA The Block, SM Megamall, and Glorietta 2. It's a great place to dine and meet with family and friends. Choosing this restaurant as our meet-up place didn't disappoint.

Cafe Shibuya

Ground Floor, The Block, SM City North EDSA, Quezon City

Open daily from 10AM to 10PM

+632 512 0527

Different flavors of Meat Skewers in one Eat City

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Apr 2017 15:07:00 +0000

Business diversification is now the "in" thing not only for big conglomerates like Ayala and San Miguel, but also for mid to high-scale entrepreneurs. Such is the case for Anthem Group's Eat City restaurant. This is their first venture into the food business, after being in the retail industry for quite some time.

Eat City is a casual restaurant tucked at the corner of Two Serendra, facing McKinley Parkway Street just before you cross over to Market! Market! It opened last October 2016, and has since expanded to SM North EDSA's The Block for its second branch. Eat City's food concept brings several flavors of meat skewers into one restaurant, at a very affordable price.

Apart from meat skewers, Eat City's menu also has soups, salads, sandwiches, all-time favorites (lechon kawali, beef tapa, pork tonkatsu, and spicy pork sisig), add-ons (onion rings, potato wedges, rice), and drinks. Their dishes are straight-forward, simple to eat food, which is why they're big on online food delivery site Food Panda.

For our first time at Eat City, we decided to get all flavors of their Skewers by the Stick, which consists of two sticks per order. Each flavor has its partner sauce, which adds to the taste of the meat. They have the following flavors to choose from:

Bangkok beef satay with peanut sauce (Php170)
Manileno chicken inasal with spicy vinegar sauce (Php160)
Mediterranean chicken with garlic mayo sauce (Php160)
Mexican pepper chicken with garlic mayo sauce (Php170)
Texas pork bbq with barbecue sauce (Php180)
Tokyo chicken yakitori with yakitori sauce (Php175)
Korean beef kalbi with Korean sauce (Php175)

These skewers were all tender and juicy. I didn't have a hard time removing the meat out from the sticks, which signifies that it wasn't overcooked. If I were to rank all seven, Korean, Manileno, and Bangkok skewers would be my top three, while Mexican and Mediterranean would be my bottom two. Sauce or no sauce, most of the skewers are tasty on its own.

We also got a Kimchi Rice (Php50) and Japanese Fried Rice (Php50) to go with the meat skewers. I had the Japanese rice, which had veggies and seafoods in it. It tasted so good, albeit it can use lesser salt to be perfect. The Kimchi rice, on the other hand, wasn't bad as well.

For drinks, we had the House Blend Iced Tea (Php80) and Lemon Mint (Php110), which were great refreshments after the very filling meal.

Overall, I can say that I'll surely be back at Eat City if I want my share of comfort food and inexpensive meal. Although the restaurant is a bit small, I think the interiors were nicely done. I would recommend this for those living in condos, as it's easy to eat and clean up. It's great for potluck parties as well, or simply just food for pasalubong to your family. Go, check it out!

Eat City - Serendra

Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Open daily, 11am-10pm

Eat City - SM North EDSA

Basement, The Block, SM City North EDSA, Quezon City

Open daily, 10am-10pm

Travel spontaneously without breaking the bank — here's a travel hack for you

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 11:26:00 +0000

Travel junkies, rejoice! I'm here to share a cool travel hack for spontaneous travelers like me. You see, I was able to book a MNL-HKG-MNL roundtrip airfare via Philippine Airlines for less than Php7,000 (originally Php17,000++), just three days before the departure date, and for travel on peak days of Holy Week. Read further to find out more.

STANDBY PASSENGERS

By now, most of us would already know that airlines intentionally overbook their flights for maximum revenues (thanks to the recent United Airlines issue), because they know that not everyone who has a confirmed booking will show up. Naturally, it's not always rainbows and butterflies for them. There would be flights that are not fully booked. So what do airlines do? Unknown to the general public, available seats are offered to standby passengers who are mostly airline employees and their relatives. Wouldn't it be great if these last minute available seats are offered to all of us?

CAPE APP IS BORN

Here's why Filipino Founder and CEO Lyle Jover created the Cape app together with his team of Pinoys and foreigners. His goal is to make traveling fun and inexpensive, and standby seats to be reachable by more people. The Cape app is now available for free download on iOS, but will soon make its debut on Android as well. Among the destinations it currently offers are flights to/from Manila, South Korea, Tokyo, Singapore, Kalibo, Cebu, Ho Chi Minh, and Hong Kong -- all flown via Philippine Airlines. They're also preparing to launch flights in Europe and Latin America, as well as new features in a few weeks/months.

In a gist, Cape app shows you available flights for the next seven days, and be on the waitlist until standby seats are either confirmed or cancelled 12-24 hours before the departure time. Confirmation of your booking will depend on the number of last-minute seat availability of a flight. You will only be charged via credit card once the flight is confirmed. Depending on how many people have booked the same flight, Cape allows to bid for a fixed price to get you on top of the waitlist, ahead of everybody else. On the average, prices are cheaper by about 50%, but still depends on seasonality.

ARE YOU READY TO STANDBY FOR A FLIGHT?

Step 1. Download the Cape app and register for an account. It's currently by invite only, but don't worry here's a link you can use -- this is limited only, so hurry!

Step 2. Select your destination and whether you'd like to see One Way or Round Trip schedules, then hit Search. Note that your booking will still be per way even if you select Round Trip.

Step 3. Select your preferred schedule on the next screen. It will show you how many percentage chance you have to successfully get into the flight.

Step 4. Review the flight details and agree with the terms and conditions, then click Reserve. You will see that the flight status is Pending. You can still cancel the reservation for free up to three hours after reserving, but with a small fee of $5 if you're on top of the waitlist.

Step 5. Some people may also book the same flight as yours at a higher price. In that case, you will be demoted to the second or third in line. When this happens, you can either stay put to wait and see if you'll still get in, or you can bid for a higher amount to jump up the waitlist. You will see that the Bid button is enabled.

Step 6. Within 12-24 hours before the flight, your booking status will change to either Confirmed or Bumped Off. Once confirmed, just go to the airport and check-in using the electronic pass on your phone.

IS CAPE FOR YOU?

Cape is best for passengers who have a free-hand in managing their schedules. Your mindset should be open to the possibility of either making it or not to the flight, and even staying longer in the country you're going to, just in case a flight back is not immediately available. Cape is still on beta and has 20,000 registered users. Are you ready to have a chance to fly?

Tasteless Food Group's Kushikatsu Daruma Brings Osaka Closer to Home

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 13:45:00 +0000

Kushikatsu Daruma ("kushi" meaning skewers and "katsu" meaning deep-fried cutlet of meat) draws its origin from Osaka, Japan. It has been successfully brought into Manila by the Tasteless Food Group, one of the fastest-rising food experts in the country, with Hey Handsome, Le Petit Souffle, Hanamaruken Ramen, Freezer Burn, and Ping Pong Diplomacy under its helm.

Located at the second floor, al fresco area of Uptown Place Mall BGC, Kushikatsu Daruma can easily stimulate one's curiosity with its seemingly naughty character holding skewers, and its multitude of interior signages that shout "no double dipping!"

Kushikatsu Daruma's menu isn't complicated at all. Around 80% of its food items are varieties of meat, vegetables, and seafoods -- deep-fried, battered, and in skewers, of course -- and the rest are side dishes and beverages. Prices are very affordable with each stick going as low as Php39 each.

The ambiance of this restaurant is cool and relaxing, and not intimidating at all. Its interiors are simple, yet classier and more comfortable feel than that of its originating country. I like that it has dividers that give a bit of privacy when dining.

Whether eating in groups or alone, you can find your perfect spot inside. One can either choose to sit on regular wooden chairs or watch the cooks dish off your orders at the bar counter. Another thing that I like about this restaurant is the availability of power sockets lying around different parts of the restaurant, giving you a hint that this is a good meeting place. Its acoustics are not the best, but you can discuss and talk clearly without having to shout.

I dined in with a friend for a quick catch up and mentoring session on a Friday night. Lucky were we that we got in ahead of others and found a well-lit and cold spot to chitchat about career and life updates. We were given this complimentary bowl of radish and carrots -- you may choose to make this as an appetizer or a palette cleanser later on as in-betweens while eating katsu.

On the table is a container of light tonkatsu sauce, which is basically the universal sauce for both the appetizer and kushikatsu. This is what's being pertained to by the "no double dipping" reminders posted around the restaurant, since one would easily be tempted to re-dip an already-bitten katsu. Of course, this is prohibited due to hygienic measures, and other Japanese traditions that the restaurant wants to preserve.

For a meal for two, we ordered the Beginner Level (Php480), which is composed of a total of nine sticks of the following:

Classic Kushikatsu (beef) - the best for me
Prawn - good, too!
Chicken with Garlic
Chikuwa (Fish Cake) - I could taste the fish cake, but not much
Tsukene (Chicken Meat Balls) - good, but can be more tender
Tonkatsu (Pork Loin)
Leeks
Potato
Camembert Cheese

An Advanced Level (Php480) is also available with a total of eleven sticks, a combination of beef, chicken heart, chicken and pork intestines, chicken gizzard, garlic, gyoza, lady finger, white onion, leeks, and pork loin.

Since the set only had one stick of each, we got an extra stick of Classic Kushikatsu (Php39) and Prawn (Php39), so each of us can have our own share of those. We also got one stick each of Japanese Oyster (Php129), which is from the Specials list that also includes Foie Gras (Php199). What makes the meat, vegetables, and seafood tasty with or without the sauce is the fact that they're deep-fried in beef oil.

As Pinoys, there's no complete meal without rice. We got one bowl each of Chahan Rice (Php150), which is a Japanese fried rice with myriads of other ingredients like scrambled eggs, garlic, onion, etc. It tastes so good, I can eat it even without anything else.

On the side, we ordered an ala carte of Yakiniku Beef (Php190), which is a perfect complementary dish to the dry katsu that we had. This one was stir-fried and seasoned well, leaving the beef perfectly cooked without appearing to be rubbery.

And since my friend had a challenging week, he also ordered an ice cold Beer No. 1 (Php120). There are lots of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks available, with price points as low as Php55 for sodas and as high as Php340 for cocktails.

When all the sticks have been consumed, there's a cylinder container where you can put those in. In the end, our total bill for two summed up to around Php1,500, which is not bad for the quantity and quality of food that we ate.

When dining at Kushikatsu Daruma, one must remember that this is a 'kushikatsu' restaurant; hence, the food items are mostly battered and deep-fried, cooked the same way. Please don't demand for too much food variety, as it may lose focus on its main concept. I must admit that existing food selection will eventually become passe. The challenge is for them to continuously think of new items to add to the menu, as is with any restaurant.

Kushikatsu Daruma is open from lunch time to wee hours (2AM) to cater to office workers, shoppers, and partyholics who needs drown out the alcohol in their bodies with fried food.

Can't Stop the Feeling with Magnum Red Velvet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 09:09:00 +0000

"Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance; Feeling good, good, creeping up on you so just dance, dance, dance; I can't stop the feeling!" -- is this song familiar to you? You're right, it's by Justin Timberlake, and this is how Magnum Red Velvet makes me feel. All because it aids the summer heat!

As many people would know, red velvet is usually made of cocoa mixed with red food flavoring -- and by cocoa, it's essentially very similar to chocolates. I'm honestly not fond of chocolates. But I don't know why, red velvet desserts never fail to make me salivate. Is it because of the color? Or is it the cream cheese that makes the difference? Whatever that may be, Magnum has definitely done a good job with their all-new flavor inspired by the red velvet cake.

The new Magnum Red Velvet is one of two flavors under the Magnum White Range. It is crafted with decadent red velvet ice cream, a rich cream cheese flavored swirl, and wrapped in an exclusive white Belgian chocolate with cream cheese flavor. The other variant from this range is the Magnum White Almond, which is the same decadent white chocolate ice cream bar we all know and love, in a fresh new look.

Both Magnum White Range flavors are in line with Magnum's #NeverStopPlaying campaign, a sophisticated homage to the life less complicated, a reminder to find fun in everyday life, and a delicious invitation to take a break to enjoy life’s little indulgences.

Magnum's way of embodying the #NeverStopPlaying attitude is through fashion and lifestyle. They have partnered with world-renowned bag-maker Aránaz, eyewear curator Sunnies Studios, and noted clothing designer to Manila’s most fashionable set Boom Sason.

What better way to jump into the bandwagon than through an online activity, which will allow all of us to win exclusive pieces from the #NeverStopPlaying Fashion Collection starting April 16. Simply head on to www.magnumfliptoplay.com to flip to play using your smartphone. Play as much as you can daily and increase your chances to take home one of 25 Sunnies his and hers #NeverStopPlaying kits, 6 one-of- a-kind Arānaz pieces, and 6 custom-fit Boom Sason designer pieces from the Magnum collection.

Magnum White Almond and Magnum Red Velvet are available in all leading supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.

3 Reasons to Watch Citipointe Live in Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 May 2016 14:10:00 +0000

Since I became a born again Christian, praise and worship through songs has been one of my favorite parts of church service, and my personal past time too. One of the bands that impacted me is Citipointe Live, especially when I first heard their song "You Reign" - it has become my LSS for several weeks!

I'm very glad to hear that they are coming to Manila, brought to us by Becca Music. And it's very soon... on June 3, 2016 (Friday)!

Here are three reasons why I encourage you to join the worship concert::

1 - Singing for God pleases Him

God loves to hear His people praise and worship Him. Citipointe Live will surely lead all attendees to an awesome night of uplifting music and life-inspiring worship! Their songs are contemporary worship music, so it sounds young, fun, and full of God's power in its lyrics.

2 - Venue is nice, tickets are not too expensive

The concert is happening at the CCF Center in Tiendesitas, which is a great venue almost at the center of Makati and QC. I bet everybody's too used to going to the usual concert places, so this is a breath of fresh air.

As for tickets, it's very affordable starting at P300 for upper balcony, P500 for lower balcony, P800 for Patron, and P1,000 for VIP. Each section is free seating, except for the VIP section. Be there early, as gates open by 5PM.

3 - We never know when they'll be coming back again

It took them seven years before coming back to Manila this year, and who knows when they're coming back again after this June 3rd?! Isn't that enough reason to get your tickets as soon as possible, before it runs out?

So on June 3, 2016, Join Aaron and Becky Lucas,. Joey Ramsey and the rest of the Citipointe Live band, as all roads lead to the CCF Center in Tiendesitas to praise and worship God at 8PM.

For inquiries and more information, contact Becca Music at (02)9105524. To get tickets, visit www.ticketnet.com.ph or call (02)9115555.

6 Reasons Why You Should Get a Robinsons Malls VIP Card

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 09:13:00 +0000

Robinsons Malls has recently re-branded its now defunct Privilege Card, and calls it the VIP Card -- a name very apt for its very important customers. I've been a regular goer of Robinsons Malls to attend Victory church service and process my government-related transactions. Getting my own Robinsons Malls VIP Card just recently couldn't be any happier. Here are six reasons why.

1. More discounts at shopping and dining establishments. I can't remember as much brands that participated in the old privilege card. Now, it's good to know that some of the brands I frequent like KFC, Max’s, Pizza Hut, Italiannis, Adidas, Converse, Lacoste, Nike Forum, etc. have joined in the program. Aside from that, the likes of Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Handyman and True Value are also participating in the program.

2. Free jumbo popcorn at Robinsons Movieworld. Who doesn't love eating popcorn when watching a movie? I'm glad that Robinsons Movieworld will be sponsoring my jumbo popcorn every time I buy two cinema tickets and present my VIP Card. That's a savings of Php150 or more! And, since I frequent Robinsons Galleria, I also get to use the Express Lane when purchasing my tickets. Yay!

3. Free use of Pay Toilet. Are you like me who's stingy, not wanting to shell out Php10 to use a pay CR lounge? Haha. This is such a blessing to us! Now, I can do my number one or two in clean, comfortable pay lounges for free, thanks to the Robinsons Malls VIP Card.

4. Free use of mobile phone charging stations. Mobile phone battery is now a necessity to live by while we're out in the mall. I'm sure you'll agree with me, especially when emergency strikes, or when, uhh, you're about to meet someone you've met on Tinder and your battery suddenly runs out. When this happens, simply go to the mall's customer service counter and charge your mobile phone for free!

5. Simple joys on your birthday. Robinsons Malls knows that delighting the customers, no matter how simple it may be, is key to keeping them loyal. With the VIP Card, we'd get a personalized birthday greeting via text, and redeem free giant sundae cone from Ministop.

6. Notifications for special deals and perks for sale events. By being a VIP cardholder, Robinsons Malls will alert us about special deals and sale events of participating brands and malls. What's more, we'd get reserved seats to mall concerts and activities as well.

Ready to get your very own Robinsons Malls VIP Card? Just visit any nearby Robinsons Malls and get your FREE card with a minimum accumulated purchase. To see the list of participating brands and their corresponding perks and privileges, click here.

This Can Be Your 6D/5N Seoul Itinerary!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 14:51:00 +0000

So are you about to hop on the plane to Seoul, South Korea, but you still don't have an organized itinerary? Don't fret! I'm sharing my itinerary with you, hoping that you'd find it helpful. Depending on your preference, you can opt to follow it as it is or mix and match them.

Before I continue, please note that the schedule below took the following conditions into play:

This isn't my first time to go to Seoul. I already had my taste of the Korean village and temples, so I'm skipping those this time around.
I had to consider the Seollal holiday. It's Korea's biggest holiday, a la New Year, so several establishments were announced to be closed. Therefore, I planned my out-of-Seoul tours on those days.
I want it to be chillax. Chill. Relax. I don't like very tight schedules, so I can relax and enjoy the beauty of Korea.

And so let's jump right to my itinerary...

February 04, 2016 (Thursday)

03:00 PM - Flight from Manila to Incheon International Airport via Cebu Pacific

09:00 PM - Arrival at Incheon Internationa Airport, South Korea

10:00 PM - Withdraw money from ATM (read this) and dinner at Bong Ju inside the airport. They are known for their congee and bibimbap. Note that most restaurants close at 10PM, but this one's until 11PM)

11:00 PM - Travel to Myeongdong via subway, bus or taxi

12:00 AM - Check-in at Metro Hotel Myeongdong

February 05, 2016 (Friday)

08:00 AM - Breakfast

09:00 AM - Trickeye Museum and Love Museum at Hongdae (Board at Euljiro 1-ga station, get off at Line #2 Hongik Univ. Station Exit 9, walk straight about 151m. Cross the first traffic light towards SPAO and walk towards Hongik University on the left. Make a right turn at Tony Moly corner and walk into the alley straight 105m until you reach the museum.)

12:00 PM - Lunch at Myeongdong Kyoja back in the Myeongdong area. They are famous for their Kalguksu (handmade noodles)

02:00 PM - Watch the NANTA Cooking Show at the NANTA Myeongdong Theater

04:00 PM - Free time to roam around Myeongdong

06:00 PM - Drop by Lotte Plaza and Lotte Young Plaza, which are walking distance from Myeongdong street

07:00 PM - Dinner

February 06, 2016 (Saturday)

09:00 AM - Breakfast

10:00 AM - Visit the Kyobo Bookstore Jongno, Korea's largest chain of bookstore to check out international books

12:00 PM - Walk towards Insadong from Kyobo Bookstore for lunch, then stroll around the alley to see traditional goods, paintings, and other art-related items.

06:00 PM - Go to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza to see the cutting-edge modern multicultural facilities. The DDP is like a huge donut-shaped architecture with different sections. Visit the Design Lab for artsy-fartsy items for sale.

07:00 PM - Dinner (option to eat street foods from Myeongdong)

08:00 PM - Stroll around Myeongdong for skin care products, food, and apparels

February 07, 2016 (Sunday)

07:00 AM - Breakfast

08:00 AM - Pick-up from hotel en route to Yongpyong Ski Resort, around 3 hours away from Seoul. Tour was booked from Klook.com (read more)

10:30 AM - Arrival at the ski rental place to get footwear, clothes, and head gears

11:00 AM - Arrival at the Yongpyong Ski Resort, the resort with the highest slope. Once settled, learn basic ski lessons from tour guide, included in the package. Ski on your own.

12:00 PM - Lunch

01:00 PM - Take the Ski Lift to go to the top of the mountain, which is more than 1,250m above sea level. Get tons of photos and enjoy the snow. One way takes about 30-minutes each.

03:00 PM - Depart Yongpyong Ski Resort to go back to the city.

06:00 PM - Dinner, then rest

February 08, 2016 (Monday)

07:00 AM - Breakfast

08:00 AM - Pick-up from hotel en route to Nami Island, which is about 2 hours away from Seoul. Tour was booked from Klook.com (read more)

10:00 AM - Arrival at the Nami Island port to ride a 5-minutes long ferry to the other side. Take a lot of photos. Find the right locations and angles to avoid noise in your background

12:00 PM - Lunch

01:00 PM - Travel to Petit France, a French-inspired tourist spot with lots of photo opp areas and interesting locations where Koreanovelas were shot

02:30 PM - Depart Petit France to go back to the city.

04:30 PM - Drop by the Ginseng Center or Duty Free or COEX Mall, the largest mall in Seoul for tea tasting or shopping

07:00 PM - Dinner, then rest

February 09, 2016 (Tuesday)

11:00 AM - Wake up late and check out from the the hotel, then leave your luggage in the hotel lobby.

12:00 PM - Lunch

01:30 PM - Visit the N Seoul Tower (Board at Euljiro 1-ga station, transfer to Line#1 at City Hall station, get off at Seoul Station exit 9, then ride the Namsan Sunhwan Shuttle Bus No. 3)

04:00 PM - Ride back to Metro Hotel Myeongdong to get the luggage

05:00 PM - Walk a meters away to look for Ibis Hotel to ride the Airport Limousine Bus 015 worth KRW10,000 (~Php390) going to Incheon International Airport

07:00 PM - Claim tax refund and have dinner inside the airport

10:00 PM - Depart from South Korea to Manila, Philippines via Cebu Pacific

There you have it - a very chillax itinerary for non-first timers. For the free days, you can also opt to try the strawberry picking tour or visit the popular theme parks, such as Lotte World and Everland. They do have cheaper entrance fees starting 4PM onwards.

Enjoy your trip!

10 Tips For An Enjoyable Trip To Seoul, South Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 10:28:00 +0000

Traveling to Seoul, South Korea anytime soon? I just recently came from there and had a great time experiencing new stuff! If you're like me who's OC during the prep time prior to your trip, here are some of my tips and recommendations for you.

1. Book your flights early for cheaper airfares.

They say the early bird catches the good worms. More often than not, Cebu Pacific puts up the cheapest prices when they first open slots for certain destinations. I was able to book my trip to Seoul for less than P5,500 last year when they had a sale. Some people won't agree with this, since they get to find good deals as the travel dates get nearer, but for me, this always works -- most of my trips are booked a year before.

2. Similarly, book your hotel accommodation early, online, and preferably around the Myeongdong area.

Several online hotel booking aggregate websites (i.e., Agoda, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Asiatravel, etc.) offer early bird discounts of 20%-40% when you book early. What I do is to look for hotels via TripAdvisor.com, then navigate to the site with the cheapest price from there. Mostly though, I get good deals from either Agoda or Booking.com. For this trip, I got to book our 6D/5N stay at Metro Hotel Myeongdong for Php26,550 (Php2,600/pax/night), which I will tackle in another post.

3. Print discount vouchers online to save a little.

There are some sites that offer discounts to tourist spots and cosmetics or apparels. Simply look for them online and print them before your trip. Some sites that I recommend are Visit Korea and Visit Korea Committee. With myriads of cosmetics stores scattered around South Korea, be sure to know the exact store location on where to use the voucher.

4. No Korean Won? Use your ATM card to withdraw money.

Check with your bank if your ATM card will be accepted in international automated teller machines. If yes, you can conveniently withdraw money from there when you arrive at the Incheon International Airport -- ATM's are easy to follow and usually has English options. As for me, I made use of my BPI ATM. I compared Google's exchange rate vs the ATM rate after I withdrew, and found out they're almost the same. When withdrawing, you will get the money straight as Korean Won, so compute your expected amount prior to your transaction.

5. Buy a T-money Card for convenience and discounted fares.

This card is similar to Hong Kong's Octopus card, which is widely accepted in convenience stores, transportation systems like subways and buses, as well as some restaurants across Seoul. T-money card comes in different cute designs, and can be bought from convenience stores like 7-Eleven, GS 25, etc. for KRW2,500 (~Php96), which is non-refundable. Reloading the card can also be done in convenience stores or via kiosks placed inside the subway station. As an added bonus to convenience, having a T-money Card gives you KRW100 (~Php4) discount on train and bus fares (not all), and free/discounted transfers.

6. Book your tours and mobile wi-fi device ahead of time, online.

I recently discovered Klook.com, a site that offers discounted tours for several countries across Asia. We got to book our Yongpyong ski tour package for KRW110,000 (~Php4,300), Nami Island + Petit France tour package for KRW103,040 (~Php3,960), and 6-day unlimited mobile pocket wi-fi rental for KRW45,474 (~Php,800) from there. Don't be hesitant to book your tours early, since you can still cancel it without a penalty fee up to a day or two prior to the tour date.

7. Satisfy your hunger with street foods at Myeongdong.

Stroll around the Myeongdong Street during late afternoon to evening and get to try several street foods (e.g., meatballs, chicken barbecue, corn on the cob, strawberry with red beans, beef stew japchae, sweet crepes, etc.). Apart from those, you can also see clothes, socks, fruits, drinks, cosmetics, and more around the area.

8. Download offline apps for subway, buses, and maps.

Since South Korea has a ton of subway lines, it'll be very helpful to download apps that can show the list of stations, number of and where to transfer, schedule, price, and distance. I downloaded the app called Subway Korea, which is just free. For an offline map and list of buses, I used the Korea Tour app, which is also free.

9. Get the free facial masks or any freebies from cosmetic stores.

Don't be surprised if you see several beauty shops lined up almost beside each other in every block. Some of them will offer you facial masks as you pass by their store. Get it. It's free. Just exchange it with the courtesy of going into their store to look around and inquire politely. You don't have to buy anything at all. In one night, I was able to get at least three facial masks.

10. Try out something different.

Most tourists go for the usual temples and shopping. If it's your first time, spare some time to research and also try out skiing (if visiting between December to March), strawberry picking, checking out books/arts stuff, watching shows, visiting attractions outside the city, and more. If you don't have much time to read up, I'll try to help you by posting our itinerary in another entry.

Apart from these ten tips, I'd like to suggest that you prepare your mind and body to experience and learn something new from traveling. Have fun and enjoy in the process, whether you get lost or don't get to do all the items in your itinerary. Try to find time resting at night as well, so you'd feel refreshed and ready for what's to come the next day.

Lastly, please bring appropriate clothes for the weather, depending on the time of your visit. When I was there in early February, the temperature would range from 3 to -11 degrees Celsius. I would always check the weather forecast and dress up accordingly before going out. It helped that I had several pairs of leggings, jackets, scarves, and of course earmuffs to battle the very cold weather. Enjoy your trip!

Got other tips? Feel free to share it to others by commenting below.

7 Valuable Lessons About Leadership

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 10:11:00 +0000

Leadership is a journey of continuous improvement. In fact, it's a lifelong process filled with lots of learning on a daily basis. Therefore, I believe there's really no one-best-person who can embody the perfect meaning of what a leader is. However, we can all strive to be the best that we can be, day by day.

In my three years of being a leader in my organization, handling a total of ten awesome individuals, I've learned several lessons that I'd like to share with you. Whether you're just starting to lead your own team, or you dream to lead a team in the future, I hope these seven points will serve as thought-starters for you.

1. A Leader is more than just a Manager

Spelling aside, a "leader" and a "manager" are two management terms often mixed up by many. While a Manager is meant to plan, organize, and coordinate the tasks of his team members, a Leader inspires and motivates them. As such, a Leader therefore shouldn't be making his team members work for him, but follow him in the path to success.

In my first few years of being the Head of the team, I delegated tasks and ensured that all deliverables were completed on time. While each member was able to deliver their respective outputs, I realized they needed to understand the bigger picture and deeper sense as to why those tasks were assigned to them, and what those are for. By knowing how their role and outputs impact the business, it made more sense for them to accomplish their tasks with quality, rather than just simply finishing them for the sake of doing so.

2. A Leader is self-less

Humans are naturally selfish. That's why becoming a Leader challenges one to be a man for others. Being a self-less Leader means spending the most precious thing in the world -- our time -- to hear others, to mentor them, and to disciple them.

I'm not afraid to admit that I'm also selfish. There were times I wanted to hide in a room to concentrate on my own tasks, and be able to go home earlier. However, my conscience often slaps me in the face and tells me that I must ensure my team members get to approach me when they need anything from me.

I remember one time when my team members wanted to spend time with their families during the Yuletide season. As I was thinking about my situation, I knew that I didn't have any planned family events. I then decided to take their place and work in behalf of them during the holidays -- that is of course after aligning expectations moving forward and telling them about the evolving business needs.

Image from Purpose Driven Life

3. A Leader must have a purpose

Knowing your purpose in life is key. Ask yourself: what is that one thing that I want to keep doing in my lifetime? What and why do I have to do it? What's the first step in doing it? How do I want others to remember me? As you step back and answer these questions, you'll get to your very core, your foundation.

As a young leader, I have so many aspirations for and expectations about myself. It sometimes leads me to become frustrated at myself and others. Thankfully, having known and believed my real purpose in life always brings me back to what I should be doing, and how I should do it. Once I am reminded about that life purpose, it helps renew my perspective about things.

4. A Leader needs to be self-aware

Self-awareness drives change. It's important that we take a step-back and ponder on the situations we've experienced, the reactions we've gotten from others, and the state of emotion we've influenced others to feel. From those, we are able to realize what behaviors and traits we need to stop, continue or start, so that we can become a more inspiring leader.

It wasn't easy for me when I realized I was just acting as a Manager, and not a Leader. At first, there was in denial, which made me think it was others who should adjust and not me. But when I learned to accept the fact that I needed to be adaptive to others, situations changed and reactions became more positive - slowly, but surely.

5. A Leader isn't afraid of feedback

People always say that feedback is a gift. It is, indeed. When we learn how to accept good or negative feedback from others, we grow and become better. When we are always hungry to get honest feedback from others, we learn how to be more understanding of how others feel about us.

I'm very fortunate that I was born to be very open to constructive criticisms, and that I act on it quickly. I always believe that I am not any better than others if I only rely on how I feel about myself. Feedback for me is my source of learning and growth. More than just the things I learn about the business, what's more important to me are the soft skills (i.e., behaviors and character) that I can nurture and bring even as I go out of my current company.

Image from Huffington Post

6. A Leader facilitates open communication

If your team members are fearful of you as their leader, you better be alarmed. Having fear in you is far different than just respecting you. Many team members who fear their leaders would often hide things from them, or shy away from them the moment they see their boss' shadow. However, this is easily resolved by having an open communication.

As much as I can, I make time for bi-weekly 1on1s with each of my direct reports. In this session, we don't exactly talk about the statuses of their tasks, but instead use this time to open up to each other through exchanges of thoughts and stories. These sessions help both me and my team member to learn and understand our motivations to work, our external issues that may affect work behavior, our life/career expectations and aspirations, or simply remind us of our wins as a team. It is also a good avenue for both parties to reveal each other's vulnerabilities, so we both realize that we're just humans after all.

7. A Leader is God-centered

The makings of a great Leader is hinged on a higher being, who is God. As humans, we cannot solely rely on ourselves. There will always be people who won't like us; there will always be challenges that will come our way. But the Bible says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

There have been many times in the past three years that I've wanted to give up due to several reasons -- too much workload, unaligned expectations, bad behaviors, rejection and persecution, etc., but when I'm reminded that there is a God looking after me, I know I can ask God for discernment; I believe that God will not allow anything to happen to me without His permission. The Scripture teaches, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

To date, I'm still working on many aspects of my leadership skills. As I continue to strive to be better every day, I'm confident that I can be the best that God wants me to be, in His time. It's not easy, but I'm definitely up for the roller coaster ride!

What lessons have you learned as a Leader? Feel free to share in the comments section below.

8Cuts Burger Blends Never Fails to Satisfy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 12:08:00 +0000

It was a year ago when I first tried 8Cuts Burger Blends in their first branch at UP Town Center with my friends Annie and Lizelle. We immediately became fans of this restaurant as its food items are superb. Fast forward to 2014, they have now opened 5 branches, and the newest one is located at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig - it just proves their growing supporters in different parts of the metro.

One weeknight, I tagged along my best bud and chef friend Migz to check out the newly opened branch. We both decided to try menu items that we still haven't ordered in the past visits we've had at 8Cuts Burger Blends.

For drinks, I ordered the house blended brewed iced tea (₱95, bottomless), while Migz had the Arnold Palmer (₱95, bottomless) - a surprising twist of green tea with a tang of lemon, which adds a different dimension to a classic favorite. Both drinks had the right sweetness and were refreshingly good.

Our first appetizer was Nachos with a warm dip of Artichoke and Spinach (₱285). This is actually perfect since I love spinach, while Migz likes artichoke. The dip was very tasteful as it had different kinds of cheeses cooked in it. The chips seemed like they were served out of the box, but nevertheless were crunchy.

The food trip continues with the Chinatown Shrimp Poppers (₱260) as the second appetizer. Pieces of shrimp were covered and fried with batter, glazed with kung pao sauce, then topped with crushed nuts. It came with a dip of kung pao-mayo mix as well, which gave a hint of spiciness enough to add kick to the dish.

While waiting for our burgers, I couldn't resist ordering one of my 8Cuts favorites, the onion rings (₱65). I just love how crunchy and huge the rings are, and the flavor used to give it a different taste.

For my main dish, I opted to select one from the list of classic burgers rather than creating my own - it's called Q-Daddy (₱295), a quarter-pounder ox blend patty of flank, oxtail and rib eye with yellow cheddar, onion tanglers, crisp bacon strips, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno ranch and sweetly spiced barbecue sauce.

A video posted by Glenn Ong (@theglennong) on Oct 10, 2014 at 5:24am PDT

This tri-cut, juicy burger is so palatable, but can be messy to eat. What I did was to try flattening the burger, before cutting it into pieces using the knife. Each bite was an explosive taste of flavors rumbling in my mouth. Its meat was tender, never a tiring piece to chew and finish.

Migz, on the other hand, got the Piggy (₱245), a quarter-pounder beef bomb blend patty of the chuck and short rib with mozzarella, fried bacon strips, house-made bacon jam, tomatoes, and garlic aioli. As with the one I ate, this burger is also very juicy. He can really taste the beef in every bite, with full flavors in it. The bacon strips added a nice touch of slight sweetness while the mozzarella cheese neutralized each bite.

Of course, we didn't end the degustacion without having dessert! We chose the Molten Chocolate Bottoms (₱135), which tasted like heaven! Compared to before where there's obviously a separation of moist cake and chocolate, this around both are combined and just melts in the mount. Add to it the vanilla ice cream, it surely is a great way to seal the deal!

8Cuts Burger Blends is part of the Moment Group, alongside Phat Pho, Cue Modern Barbecue, Manam Express, Q-Daddy, Namnam, Burger Bar, and Mecha Uma. Having tasted most of these restaurants, I can really attest to how this group has never failed to satisfy the tummy each time.

Sofrito Puerto Rican Restaurant... Cooking with Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:04:00 +0000

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant and found yourself lost in another world, or even time in your life? Food can be nostalgic, like my dining experience at Sofrito, a homey Puerto Rican restaurant in Salcedo Village, Makati.

Dining at Sofrito one Sunday lunch felt like I was in 1997 at the home of Carla, my Puerto Rican friend from college. As soon as I walked into the restaurant, the bright colored walls, terra cotta-like floors, the Spanish music, and the smell of savory home cooking with cumin, garlic, plantains all added to the feeling like I was in their home in Miami.

Carla and I met when we were in culinary school. It was when a few friends and I visited her in the summer of 1997 that we all truly learned the art of her family's and most Puerto Rican cuisine – the sofrito. The "sofrito" is a blend of herbs and spices that is used in their cuisine. Historically, sofrito was brought over to Caribbean by the Spaniards who settled there in the 1400's. Sofritos can range in color, and flavor due to the ingredients used. Many consider this to be the base or the heart of all their recipes. A key ingredient to their sofrito are the aji - chili like pepper and culantro similar to cilantro, only it has a richer and more potent flavor. You'll know the aroma of a sofrito once you've smelled it; it awakens the senses and heightens the flavor you are about to experience.

It’s been a long time since I’ve visited Carla, let alone spoke to her. But I remembered her family throughout my entire lunch at Sofrito. The Chef and Co-Owner of Sofrito, Millie is 100% Puerto Rican and from Miami. Her husband and business partner is Jay. Both retired from the US to Manila to spend time with family.

When I asked them what made them want to open this restaurant, they said that it was because their nieces enjoyed her baking and cooking. Seeing their happiness in every bite coupled with missing Puerto Rican food led to the opening of Sofrito. No wonder it is one of the best yet simplest dining experiences I've had in Manila. It was built from the heart!

Softito's menu is as colorful as the food they serve, as with its friendly and attentive staff. When placed in front of us, it took me quite some time to decide on what to order. Luckily, I had my best friend with me so we were able to try a bunch of things to truly sample some of what the menu has to offer.

Everything we ordered was a true winner. For starters, we had Beef Empanada, Rellenos de Papas and the Asopao de Pollo.

The Beef Empanada (Php100 for 3 pieces) had that perfect blend of flakiness, crispness at the initial bite, with softness just before you get to the filling of seasoned ground sirloin. Paired with spicy banana ketchup, each bite was one step closer to Miami.

The Rellonos de Papa (Php150 for 2 pieces) is a bit heartier. Picture a round ball made of savory mashed potatoes with a ground meat filling in the center and fried golden crisp.

Their Asopao de Pollo (Php150 for small order or Php300 for big order) was for me most amazing culinary blend of genius! It is a chicken based soup, with real chicken chunks (not bites), rice, and includes a Mofungo ball. A Mofungo ball is ground up plantain and chicharon – when combined it created the texture, depth and a flavor that explodes in your mouth. From crisp to soft it's truly a mélange of flavors dancing in your mouth. When you couple this with the music in the background, it won't be far off to be dancing to the beat in your mouth.

My friend ordered the Arroz con Frijoles - Platanos Manduros y Pernil (Php400) as his entree, which he liked. It was a full meal of lechon asado (pernil) with rice (arroz) and beans (frijoles), as well as sweet bananas (platano manduros). The Pernil had all the flavors and textures of authenticity; garlic, spices, tenderness and crispness. Paired with the rice and beans that had the right amount of cumin, this is a dish that could withstand any culinary competition and come out a champion. Millie told me she lets the meat sit in the marinade for 2 days – and it shows.

Because of my love of food and having just watched the movie Chef, I had the Cuban sandwich (Php250). Man! It was just what the movie Chef portrayed so well… crisp golden grilled bread, roast pork asado, ham, Swiss cheese, pickle and mustard. Cuban sandwiches became popular in places like Miami; areas where Cubans migrated to during the Communist Revolution in Cuba. They were considered the lunch food for many Cuban workers. Eating this sandwich was by far the bite that triggered my memory and reminded me most of my Miami trip, for it was on that trip that I learned about the Cuban sandwich as part of many late night/early morning eating after a few nights out on the town. I could almost feel myself dancing the Salsa – reminiscing the first time I had this sandwich where I was literally dancing to no music on the sidewalk with my friends.

The dining experience was so filling; I didn't have time for my own dessert. My friend and I shared the Tres Leches Cake (Php200) - and true to its name it is – soaked in milk and moist and creamy.

Since then, I've been back twice and each time with friends who've now been converted into Sofrito lovers! And each time I come back not only do I enjoy the food, but more so the time I spend talking with Jay and Millie. The similarities of both living in the United States for most of our lives and coming back to Manila have definitely helped build rapport, but it's the love of food that keeps us connected. We do things because we enjoy it, we share our passion and our hearts. Or in Millie's case it's Sofrito - the heart behind her cuisine.

Sofrito Authentic Puerto Rican Restaurant is located at the Ground Floor, LPL Mansion, 122 San Agustin St., Makati. It is open Mondays to Saturdays from 11:00AM to 10:00PM, and on Sundays from 12:00PM to 8:00PM. They accept reservations via mobile at +639178009570 or email at sofritocafe@gmail.com. For more info, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sofritocafe.

Editor's Note: This article was written by Migz David, a special writer and contributor of Glich's Life. Migz is a food enthusiast who grew up in his mom's kitchen. He is a great cook and an awesome food critic on top of his high-ranking position in the corporate world. Revisions to this article were done by yours truly prior to posting. - Glenn / Glich

My Awesome Sale Finds at Robinsons Galleria

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 14:43:00 +0000

Ask around on what people think of Chinese folks and you'd probably hear a lot of them saying the words "kuripot" or "matipid". I'd say the second adjective applies to me. This goes especially when I shop for clothes and shoes - I usually buy things when on sale (unless I know the brand doesn't go on sale at all).

Lucky that I am, Robinsons Malls actually started their annual Red Hot Sale last August 1, running until the end of the month. What that means is great finds of up to 70% off on selected items! Yay! I did my rounds of the shops at Robinsons Galleria and was able to get awesome items for myself. Check out my sale finds below.

My first stop was Collezione C2 offering sale items from 20% to 50% off. I first knew about this brand during the national elections, and since then started supporting their products for its quality and designs.

Looking through the racks of sale items, I discovered that the original prices range from Php700 to Php1,120, and when discounted could go as low as Php500 or less. I was actually able to buy myself a new navy blue polo shirt with red and white patches on the side for that price.

The second shop I visited was Sanuk, which had half a wall of sale items. What got me into the store is their banner that had big words "smile", "destress", "sale", and "invest".

The first two rows were being sold at 30% off - from Php2,790 down to Php1953 and from Php3,490 down to Php2,443. On the other hand, the last two rows were at 50% discount - from Php2,490 down to Php1,200 and from Php3,490 down to Php1,745.

Onto my third stop to look at bags at Bratpack, I was thrilled to see that they also have some items on sale, ranging from 10% to 30% off the original price.

Pictured above is one of my favorite bag brands, High Sierra. At 30% off, I was able to get it for only Php1,883 instead of its original price tag of Php2,690! Apart from High Sierra, other on sale items are Timbuktu, Jansport, North Face, and Hegren bags, as well as DC caps.

My ultimate love, G2000 has never failed to make me happy whether in Hong Kong or here in Manila. Practically almost everything in their store is on sale for 50% to 70% off!!! Most of the items also has an additional 10% off after the initial price slash. It's indeed a red hot sale!

These short sleeved polos were originally priced at Php1,680, but was being sold at only Php449.10. Moving on to the colored chinos, the original price tags were Php2,380, but because of the sale, it's now down to Php899.10! Wow!

There were tons of long-sleeved polos also being sold at 50% off + 10% more discount after initial computation. And oh, the formal coats were also on sale! It blew my mind when I saw that the price has gone down from Php10,180 to only Php4,581. Wow! And you know what, I wasn't able to help myself so I actually bought a blazer for only Php2,339.10 (from Php7,880)! I'm sooooo happy!

By the end of almost two hours of roaming around the mall and trying out clothes and shoes, my feet gave up and decided to just go back another time. Though the sale is until the end of the month, I think it's best to go early on so as to still get good stocks.

What are you waiting for? Go to the nearest Robinsons mall and experience their Red Hot Sale while supplies last. Before I forget, the sale is not just limited to Robinsons branches in Manila, but in provinces (e.g. Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Palawan, Laguna, Gensan, Cabanatuan, etc).

I highly encourage you also to participate in their Instagram contest via @robinsonsmallsofficial where you can win Php1,000 Robinsons GCs just by reposting the sale poster and tagging five friends with the hashtag #RobinsonsRedHotSale.

For more information, like Robinsons Malls on Facebook and follow @RobinsonsMalls on Twitter.

Cadbury Sweet Endings

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:03:00 +0000

July was a roller coaster of emotions for me, but I'm glad it had a sweet ending. For a time, I felt very pressured and stressed to complete the things needed to be done, but then because of two surprising moments that happened to me, the month ended feeling exceedingly joyful and grateful.

I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that we always look forward to sweet endings. It can be a promotion at work after working so hard, desserts for post-lunch or post-dinner meal, or maybe a great chitchat night-cap session with friends after a long day. Whatever that may be, sweet endings are moments or things we look forward to, so we can enjoy and savor the greatness of the things around us.

For me, one of my sweet endings for July is to be able to watch Guardians of the Galaxy on its first day with Eldridge and Jerome while enjoying the creamy goodness of Cadbury Dairy Milk. This chocolate bar's taste alone is a sweet ending on its own. Eating it can actually be more enjoyable by following some few steps:

RIP the elegant Cadbury packaging and see the perfectly shaped mounds of chocolate.
BITE into the chocolate bar slowly and hear that satisfying snap.
MMM-Melt the creamy chocolate in your mouth without even chewing or swallowing it immediately.
ENJOY by repeating the ritual: Bite and MMM-Melt, Bite and MMM-Melt. Until the world MMM-Melts around you and you remember that all good things in life must really be savored.

So remember: when life throws you lemons, make lemonade and enjoy it with a Cadbury Dairy Milk to keep you optimistic amidst adversity or misfortune.

Manam Express and Q-Daddy Food On-the-Go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Jun 2014 05:01:00 +0000

When I look for barbecue, steak or good Filipino food, I usually end up in restaurants with above average prices. Being the matipid me, I thought of doing something different this time around - that is, satisfy my cravings in the food court as a cheaper alternative. I tagged along my friend MD and went to Glorietta's Food Choices to sample what Manam Express and Q-Daddy have to offer.

I found out that these two food on-the-go concepts actually came from the same owners of 'Cue Modern Barbecue, 8Cuts Burger Blends, and more, which aims to also serve the appetites of those on a budget and those looking for quick-to-order food items during short office breaks.

Manam Express offers Filipino comfort food that are truly malinamnam for just Php149/meal. You can mix and match your orders by choosing from four different groups to form one set of your yummy meal.

As a first step, you will have to choose what flavor of rice you want. There's white/plain rice, garlic rice, tinapa rice or bagoong rice. Second step is to select your viand from the choices of beef, chicken, pork and fish. Next comes the selection of veggies from six options, then finally choose from four sawsawan of either garlic suka, spicy suka, toyo barako (soy sauce with coffee) or sweet chili patis.

After much deciding, I came up with my own meal of Inasal-style grilled chicken, bagoong rice, kare-kareng gulay, and toyo barako. They also threw in a complementary lemongrass sinigang soup.

For its price, I can say that it's a filling meal, not to mention that it tastes great! The chicken was grilled to perfection with the meat tender, juicy, and flavorful. The bagoong rice that came with it had the right mix of bagoong, without being overly salty. Unlike the usual kare-kare that's color orange-ish, this one was brown-ish since they already mixed the bagoong in it. And oh, who would ever think that coffee and soy sauce would actually mix well? It did!

For my dessert and drink, Manam Express' Kape't Sago Gulaman (Php40) has piqued my curiosity. It was surprisingly good, since the coffee actually balanced the taste of the drink and made it not too sweet. Refreshing!

Q-Daddy, on the other hand, offers delicious barbecue plates with choices of pork and beef belly, chopped chicken, steak slab, and ribs. The meat is topped off with one of five signature home-made sauces – maple pepper BBQ, Q-Daddy House BBQ, rootbeer & whiskey BBQ, chili BBQ, and mushroom gravy. To make the meal complete, you can select from choices of special rice, potato or pasta.

MD got the Grilled Steak Slab with mushroom gravy (Php245) and corn, carrots on the side. Instead of its default partner, Chori-Q rice, we chose to replace it with the Bacon-Q rice.

When I sampled the dish, the steak tasted with full of robust flavor. Its unique spices came alive in my mouth, none overpowering the other, which is good. Coupled with the grilled taste, the steak was fantastic on its own even without the gravy. We were also delighted by the serving size of the meat given its price.

As for the Bacon-Q rice that had lots of bacon bits and flavor, I thought it may have been better if I have just stuck with the Chori-Q rice for better combination.

MD also added a side dish of Mac and Cheese (Php45) to complete the meal. Overall it was tasty. It was a bit dry on top, but great underneath since the sauce already fell to the bottom of the bowl. I could taste the cheese flavor, unlike other macaroni and cheeses where there's a lot of sauce but no taste.

Having tasted Manam Express and Q-Daddy, my praises for the owners went over and beyond expectations once again. The two food brands are true testaments that taste and quality of food need not suffer even at a budget price.

Manam Express and Q-Daddy have been standing strong since November 2013. Apart from Glorietta's Food Choices, the two budget-friendly brands can also be found in the TriNoma Food Court.

Need a strong case? Go Ballistic!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 May 2014 10:21:00 +0000

For the first time, I attended a media event in a venue that took its product's unique selling proposition into action - no fancy decorations or venue props, just simply straight to the point. That night was the launch of Ballistic Cases in the Philippines courtesy of Digits Trading, the distributor of popular gadget brands in the country.

Ballistic Case - Urbanite for Samsung Galaxy S4

Ballistic Case Co. is the pioneer of the HexTec technology which provides protective solution for smartphones and tablets. They have a whole range of protective cases from the very simple back cases called Ballistic Jewel Series to the more sophisticated water-resistant cases called the Ballistic Hydra Series.

During the event, we were wow-ed by the strength and quality of Ballistic Cases as we saw a smartphone get tossed up and down - even from above ground of 12 feet in distance. The result? Perfectly protected smartphone! This is thanks to the HexTec Six-Sided Drop Protection technology that safeguards a smartphone from all sides and corners.

What I really like about this case is its feature of "Ballistic Corners" that can be seen from its raised lips and corners. This feature is tried and tested to protect the corners of the smartphones that in turn protect the screen from cracking.

Apart from that, Ballistic cases have perforated holes inside called "beads" that allow the battery to breathe, preventing the phone from heating up quickly. What's more, it has an anti-scratch coating that helps the case stay nice-looking all the time.

Ballistic cases come in seven product series - Jewel, Urbanite, Tough Jacket, Tough Jacket Maxx, Every1, Hard Core, and Hydra - and in different colors to match your style and needs. These cases are made with polycarbonate hard shell, which is the same material as bike helmets. Prices range from as cheap as Php990 to Php3,650. Cases are available for most of the latest Samsung and Apple smartphones, as well as Apple tablets.

Ballistic Case - Hydra for iPhone 5s

In the Philippines, Ballistic cases are available at the following stores: Digital Hub, Beyond the Box, Quick Sound, Celplus, Datalink Technologies, District 32, Ecentral Cellphone Electronics, iGig, iStore, iCenter, iStudio, Switch, iBook, JMB Albay, Lenin Computer System, Mobile 1, Seatec, Wellworth, Sync, Technopop, Urbanize, and Vertex.

Awesome Food, Drinks at Tokyo Bubble Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 09:43:00 +0000

When I pass by a Tokyo Bubble Tea branch anywhere in the metro, I've always perceived it as a place that's just for afternoon drinks and desserts. Is it just me or is it how you think of it as well? That perception totally changed one afternoon when I finally got to try not just their new special drinks, but also their excellent food items.

I visited the largest branch yet in Katipunan and instantly felt the Sakura season in the air. Japanese cherries or sakura make up a tree with cherry blossoms, which is one of the most photographed scenery in Japan. Teaming up with the season, Tokyo Bubble Tea offers the newest variant of milk tea and milk shake to its fans - the Sakura Milk Tea and Sakura Milk Shake.

The Sakura Milk Shake (Php175) is light, tasty, and very refreshing. Its base is made of green tea combined with milk, vanilla essence and cherry flavor. It comes with bubbles (pearls in brown sugar syrup) by default, but can be customized by changing the sugar level (0%-100% in increments of 25%) and adding or selecting a different topping of taro cubes, mango bits, vanilla ice cream, coffee jelly, red beans or egg pudding for an additional Php25 per topping.

Tokyo Bubble Tea isn't all about milk teas and milk shakes. Whether you like appetizers, dessert or full meal, they have a wide variety of food items to choose from. It's a "restaurant" after all. Let me share them with you as you read on.

First up - Bulgogi Nachos (Php245) that can be shared by 2-3 people. A good order as snack or appetizer, this is a mixed of spicy mayo, onion, tomato, and carrot strips together with bulgogi (ground meat with Korean sauce) thrown on top of crunchy nachos. Really good!

Fan of maki? Try the Nippon Ebi Maki (Php285) composed of breaded prawns rolled in sushi rice, topped with mango, all laying on mentored mozzarella cheese base.

Samurai Burger (Php248) is also a great snack or meal for the hungry. This is a far cry from the usual burgers available elsewhere. In between the sesame seed bun are lettuce and potato frits on top of a juicy pork patty, flavored by a mix of apple sauce and honey mustard. It is also served with crunchy fries, which Tokyo Bubble Tea makes locally in their commissary kitchen.

On to the entrees, I was able to try the Omurice with Steak Mushroom Sauce and Hamburg Steak (Php238), one of the crowd favorites. It's flavorful fried rice is covered with omelet and special mushroom steak sauce, served with a tenderly cooked beef hamburg on the side.

This next dish, the Korean Bibimbop (Php285) was specially requested by the resto's frequent visitors to be restored to the new menu when they tried to remove it. Well, it came with a reason. It's really, really delicious! What do I get with it? Rice mixed with ground beef, white onion, garlic, Korean sauce, zucchini, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, mushroom, egg, and chili paste.

For the last entree, here comes my favorite - Grilled Porkchop on Roasted Tomato Sauce (Php248). I was like a kid thrilled to find a treasure of grilled pork cutlet marinated in special tomato sauce underneath a rice-covered melted mozzarella cheese mixed with caramelized onions. Yum!

All of those delectable food orders were capped off by Honey Bee Patisserie's Sakura Mango Roll (Php120/slice), a strawberry chiffon roll with mango in cream at the center. It's not overly sweet - just enough to balance the palette from the meal earlier.

My experience trying out Tokyo Bubble Tea's food and drinks was excellent! I will surely come back the next time I crave for a full meal, drink and dessert combo. I highly recommend their food!

--
Tokyo Bubble Tea Milk Tea Place and Restaurant
Honey Bee Patisserie
209 Katipunan Avenue, Brgy. Milagrosa, Project 4, Quezon City
(02)961-8904

Samsung Galaxy S5 Now Available in 125 Countries including the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 05:26:00 +0000

From one powerful smartphone to another, Samsung has officially launched their newest flagship phone - the Samsung Galaxy S5 - here in the Philippines together with other 125 countries around the world. This proves that our country is considered to be a priority by the said smartphone manufacturer. In addition, they have also launched smart watches called Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit.

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Samsung Galaxy S5 has very similar dimensions as with its predecessor Galaxy S4, but is packed with more mention-worthy capabilities and features running on Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS:

Selective focus taken from a 16-megapixel rear camera - one picture, multiple after-pic editing focused on different areas of the photo
Faster shutter speed - taking pics of children and moving objects is now easier with a quicker shutter speed
2-megapixel front camera - taking selfie's is no problem!
Dust and water resistant - accidental water splashes and dirt won't matter at all
Finger scanner - check your heart rate with this feature
Download Booster - combine the power of LTE and WiFi to accelerate your downloads
Ultra power saving mode - just what we need to save up the juice
Safety assistance - call for emergency when something bad happens

Display

The new Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, slightly larger compared to its predecessor that had a 5-inch display. The screen’s resolution is at 1920 x 1080 with a 432 ppi, which means more vivid colors on screen. It also has an intelligent Adaptive Display that allows the screen disply to auto adjust depending on your surrounding lighting conditions (e.g. indoors or outdoors) and an extra low dimming mode which can come in handy if you’re in a dark room.

Cameras

Galaxy S5 has a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera with a larger image sensor, allowing the camera to capture more light. Meanwhile, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera is an improvement from before. Auto-focus speed has been increased to instantly capture moving moments which is three times (3x) faster than the auto-focus found on the Galaxy S4. In addition, DSLR camera-like features were also added: “selective focus” feature, allowing shooting of photos with different depth of field; HDR (Rich Tone) mode creating HDR-enhanced photos or videos.

Battery

In addition to the 2800 mAh removable battery, Samsung also added a new “ultra power saving” mode to help conserve the phone’s battery life by shutting down all unnecessary features to dramatically minimize battery consumption.

Design

A far difference from the Galaxy S4 is the leather-like cover of the Galaxy S5. It comes in four different color options: shimmery WHITE, charcoal BLACK, copper GOLD, and electric BLUE. The phone is also IP67-certified dust and water resistant, covering all ports for added protection.

The S Health app is also now integrated with a heart-rate monitor right under the camera sensor at the back of the phone.

The Galaxy S5’s download booster technology enables the pairing of WiFi with the LTE cellular connection simultaneously to maximize overall download speeds if necessary.

Security

There’s an integrated fingerprint reader above the home button. This allows a user to unlock the phone for more security and also pay for services through PayPal with the swipe of a finger.

Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo

This is the new Gear 2, an upgrade from the first Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch launched last year. It is now slimmer without the protruding camera. Its 2-megapixel camera is now built-in on to the watch as compared to before where it's on the strap.

The Gear 2 Neo, on the other hand, is the cheaper version compared to Gear 2. It has a plastic frame as compared to the Gear 2 with steel. It doesn't have a camera, but other than that works very similar as Gear 2.

Both the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo come with 1GHz dual-core processor, which is tad faster than last year's release. It features a 4GB internal storage and comes with a built-in heart rate sensor, pedometer, gyroscope and accelerometer for tracking of stats while walking, cycling, running, hiking, etc.

What's cool about the two watches is that their bands can be interchanged with any 22-mm strap in the market. By the default, the Gear 2 comes in either charcoal black, gold brown or wild orange. Meanwhile, the Gear 2 Neo ships in charcoal black, mocha grey, and wild orange.

Gear Fit

Sports-enthusiasts will have a new friend in Gear Fit. It's very useful in tracking sports-related activities like steps, heart-rate, etc. Unlike the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, though, storage of music files into the Gear Fit is not possible.

Viewing on the Gear Fit can be portrait or otherwise. It also has asks the user whether the watch is worn on the left or right wrist, so it can adjust automatically to fit the need. Brightness can also be adjusted as necessary.

Finding Love in Villa del Conte Chocolates

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 14:09:00 +0000

From as far back as I can remember, I've always loved chocolates and colors – M&M's and Smarties were definitely my favorites. I think it ran in the family, because today, all of my siblings love chocolates. Of course my palette for chocolate developed as I grew older. Color however, still strikes me the same as it did as a child. I'm still wowed by the appearance of colors, most especially the bright, vibrant ones.

Now that Valentine's Day is upon us, you can imagine how my mind must be working with all the chocolates and bright color displays set up all around town. It seems everywhere you look, it's all about chocolates, color and love.

A few days ago I was surprised with a box of Villa del Conte chocolates. I was immediately captured by the red box, with gold heart that says amore.

I opened it up and found myself in love. All these beautifully colored, wrapped chocolates in various sizes were more than just a delight to my eyes. I didn't know where to start. Being the OC type of person I am, I separated each by color and size, and thought this is something I cannot do alone.

Luckily the chocolates came with a catalog, and I was able to narrow the chocolates down to the flavor of the Praline Balls and Praline Sticks I was given.

Now onto the chocolates, or shall I say cioccolato. As always in an assortment of chocolates, there are a few that may not be the most pleasing. Let's face it we've all had a box of chocolate where we've taken a bite and in our dislike either threw it out, put it back on the box for someone else to try. With Villa del Conte, there was no such thing. Coming from a family of chocolate lovers, I would know.

It certainly was not hard to entice my family to help me enjoy the chocolates. It also helped to have my family from the U.S. visiting. We sat around my dining table, like scientists in a lab station… minus the lab coats of course. A mix of male and female with ages in the twenties, thirties and sixties; we were ready to dig in. And did we ever. Unwrap. Touch. Smell. Taste. Repeat. In the end, the contents of the box all became favorites.

And let me tell you about these favorites. The praline balls were the true champion! They had the right texture, sweetness and whether milk or dark, the cocoa taste was just PERFECT. The combination of caramel, coffee and hazelnut creams each coupled well with the praline ball mirroring a perfect marriage of consistency and quality. But it was the crunch of the cereal that sealed the deal. It added a certain je ne sais quoi that our group agreed on wholeheartedly. It's almost as if the smoothness of the chocolate was complimented more by the crisp cereal giving it that extra AMORE.

This does not, however, mean that the ones without cereal were not equally as good, in fact it was a hard decision to come up with any favorite. Hence, why they all became favorites.

In addition, there is uniqueness in the fruit-flavored praline chocolates that make each stick a standout in the box of colorfully wrapped treats. Each one contained a different fruit which included strawberry, banana, watermelon and orange. Each fruit elevated the sensation of the chocolate by adding a refreshing element to each bite. It's like that first kiss on an awesome date. More than satisfied, but wouldn't mind having more kind-of-feeling. And since it's fruit, it definitely has a healthier ring to it.

Villa del Conte captures my love for both chocolate and color. Heightening each sense from sight, scent, touch and taste; this chocolate proves to be the perfect diamond in a world full of rhinestones. A perfect gift for any occasion with unique packaging all on its own, these chocolates certainly air a feeling of love. One can truly taste the love in every bite.

Since it's that time of the year, there is no better time than now to grab a box of Villa del Conte and fall in love even without getting it from Padova, Italy where it all began.

Visit Villa del Conte stores at Greenbelt 5, Shangri-la Mall, Resorts World, Alabang Town Center, and Robinsons Magnolia. For bulk orders of Villa del Conte chocolates, please contact 893-2575 or 621-6101.

Editor's Note: This article was written by Migz David, a special writer and contributor of Glich's Life. Migz is a food enthusiast who grew up in his mom's kitchen. He is a great cook and an awesome food critic on top of his high-ranking position in the corporate world. Revisions to this article were done by yours truly prior to posting. - Glenn / Glich

NudeAudio Move S Wired Portable Speaker Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:17:00 +0000

"Small but terrible" is a usual saying that we hear every now and then. Truth is, that statement is valid since our Creator has made all things equal. The same statement applies to the NudeAudio Move S Wired Portable Wired Speaker, which I had the chance to try out with my BlackBerry Q10 and Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones.

Unboxing the NudeAudio Move S Wired reveals a very simplistic packaging with the following contents: charcoal/coral portable wired speaker, a micro USB to standard USB cable, and a quick start guide manual. The Move S Wired looks very similar to the Move S, which is a Bluetooth speaker. Its silicon sleeve is thick enough to protect the speaker against bumps and knocks. Meanwhile, the size is very portable, and in fact, fits in the palm of my hands and pocket.

The design of Move S Wired is very simplistic. In fact, it looks a bit boring, not until I switched it on and tried the sound of the speakers. It is powered by a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery that can last for 8 hours.

Fronting the NudeAudio Move S Wired is the actual speaker. On top is the power button with a green light that illuminates once it's pressed and turned on. At the left side is the micro USB port used when charging the speaker, while at the lower left is the 3.5mm port used for connecting one speaker to another speaker for a louder music.

As the speaker is a portable wired speaker, it has a built in 3.5mm cable that is capable of connecting to smartphones and tablets alike. This is great for beach trips and those times you're just beside the pool reading your book.

This speaker isn't a small, loser, piece of crap gadget. In fact, it does very well with what it's supposed to do. Though small in size, the music that comes out of it is very clear, with enough balances of treble and bass. Depending on the quality of the music file you're playing, at times it may sound a bit dispersed if the volume is too high.

The NudeAudio Move S Wired portable speaker retails for Php1,290.00 and is available in Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, and Digital Hub branches nationwide.

Osaka's Hanamaruken Ramen now in Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 14:47:00 +0000

Ramen, oh, ramen... you are taking the Philippines by storm! Ha! It's ramen here, there, and everywhere. Each noodle place is trying to capture the hearts of Filipinos by offering something new, unique. Hanamaruken Ramen, a popular restaurant in Osaka has opened its doors to the public since November 25, 2013.

Having 40 branches in Japan, the local owners of Hanamaruken Ramen definitely loved what they've eaten for them to bring it here in Manila. This new ramen plance is located at the alfresco side of TriNoma and has a sign board that you definitely won't miss.

Inside the restaurant is a minor resemblance of the look and feel of some Osaka dining places. The lighting gives the place a warm ambiance, with wooden-polished tables and chairs to match the look. On one side is a glass window pane with displays of Japanese ornaments, and another side with Japanese words painted on the wall.

Depending on how many you are in a group, Hanamaruken Ramen has different sizes and types of tables and chairs. What's good about this restaurant is that it has plugs and sockets on the wall. I guess the owners brought their techie side on that seemingly minor (but major) restaurant feature.

The menu is pretty straight forward with just four sections: Ramen (6 choices ranging from Php280-Php480), Rice Bowls (5 choices ranging from Php140-Php250), Sides (4 choices ranging from Php120-Php220), and Drinks (2 choices at Php80). I like the fact that you don't have to think too much before being able to order.

As a starter, JR and I ordered a Hot Green Tea (Php80). It's actually written as "Iced" on the menu, but you can request it to be otherwise. The matcha green tea came in a half-filled transparent glass - it'll look full glass when served with ice. As mentioned in my previous posts, I'm not a green tea fan, but I never say "never". Guess what, I liked it! It's actually really good with just the right sweetness. Don't forget to stir it before drinking.

Since the Karaage (Php220) is not available, we opted to call for the Gyoza (Php150) instead. Our order came with 8 pieces of pan-fried dumplings with gyoza sauce and chili oil. It's best to mix both sauces for a bit of spice. Hanamaruken's gyoza reminds me of Osaka's version that's chewy and with just the right size.

Hanamaruken is known in Osaka for its Signature Happiness Ramen (Php480). What sets it apart from all other ramen places is its huge slab of slow-cooked pork ribs that's flavorful, tender and soft - a sign that it took hours of preparation to bring it to its texture and taste.

We also got to try the Pot Belly Ramen (Php380) that had big pieces of roasted pork belly. I love the fact that this restaurant appears to be generous in meat sizes if compared to other ramen establishments.

Both orders used shoyu tonkontsu broth soup base. As such, it was light and very classic with a bit of fatty taste. Good thing the meat was flavorful, which blended well with the soup. Every single sip of the soup gives warmth to the body, which is just great for a cool weather that we have now.

I'm the type of guy who likes my ramen rich with a lot of garlic. What Hanamaruken Ramen offers is not exactly that, but nevertheless a must-try for its tasty slow-cooked pork ribs and roasted pork belly.

For more information, visit their Facebook page or Twitter and Instagram @Hanamaruken_PH.

Hanamaruken Ramen Philippines

2/F TriNoma Mall, North Ave. corner EDSA

(02) 720 9283 / (02) 628 1603

New Year. New Beginnings. New Experiences.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 10:51:00 +0000

Two weeks into the year of the horse, I've managed to clean up my desk, post new blog entries coming back from hiatus, work out more frequently, and leave the office earlier than usual. What I like about each new year is the hope that it gives to people like me to learn from my mistakes, acquire new experiences, and be a better person overall.

So sorry for the pic! I was so engrossed listening and looking at her, I didn't notice there's someone's head down there! Haha!

Last Saturday, I got the chance to attend PJ and Alessandra Lanot's Visioneering and Chalk Typography Workshop hosted by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. PJ started the session by allowing us to think of the current achievements and future goals in life. Allow me to share some of the tips and realizations from him.

1. Recall your achievements in life. Think of what you have achieved, no matter how small it is, from the time you were born until today. This helps you realize how good you are and what blessings God has blessed you with.

2. Plan your life two years from now. Each year, we have 12 months to strive hard and reach for our dreams - may it be for personal, relational or professional. Try listing down what your goals are two years from now. Putting your plans on paper makes you hold on to something and reminds you to keep on persevering.

3. List the things you need to do to achieve the goals. Our future plans are all nothing without acting upon it. We need to work hard for it, so we can reach our dreams. Write down what steps you need to take in order to achieve each of the goals you've written in number 2.

4. Set a deadline for yourself. Deadlines are there for a reason. Doing things without a deadline may not push you to achieve your goals, because you'd think that there's forever to get what you want. Remember, each second in our life is precious. It's better to achieve more things while you're young and able, rather than be regretful when you become old and sickly.

5. Enjoy life, still. Having goals in life doesn't mean becoming too serious all the time. Have a balance of still having fun while maintaining hard work and perseverance. We always see YOLO, which stands for You Only Live Once. Yes, we do. So do you want to live it by being foolish or you want to live it with meaning and purpose?

The second part of the workshop was led by Alessandra, PJ's wife. She taught us the basic concepts of typography and how each of us can actually do it using chalk - think coffee shop boards with written menu.

We had a cheat sheet of different fonts and styles, as well as banner designs. We used a compass, ruler, pencil, and colored chalks to write our own "signage" with quotes taken from our visoneering workshop earlier.

We were able to try it out ourselves and this is how mine ended up (pictured above) - very simple, looks like a work of art by an elementary student! I suck at art! Even stick people. LOL.

This entire workshop was inspired by Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's Giving Journal, which was actually illustrated by Alessandra herself. I don't usually use journals, but this one is really really nice! It's all about myself and how I can brew my life one day at a time.

The Giving Journal is the first journal I appreciate the most. Apart from giving missions per month, it also has free coupons that I can use monthly for my CBTL orders. It does not only allow me to take notes on a daily basis, but also helps me think of how I can improve life for the better, one step at a time. Love it!!!

This 2014, let's all hope for a better life for you and me! Start writing down your achievements, goals, and deadlines today, so you can have the rest of the year simply crossing out items you've already reached.

New Serenitea Snacks and Low Sugar Pearls this 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 13:41:00 +0000

I love Serenitea not just for its milk teas, but also for its yummy snacks that greatly complement each other. This 2014, Serenitea kicks off the new year by offering new snacks – an added variation to its well-loved chicken chops, corn on the cob, and more.

Who loves Serenitea’s Peppered Corn (Php60 for three sticks)? I do! It’s a great partner to my usual Hokkaido Milk Tea – sweet plus peppery equals happy tummy. But wait, check out the next pictures!

Serenitea decided to give the corn an upgrade with four new flavors at Php75 for three sticks per order. This time around, the roasted corn has been lightly battered and sprinkled with cheese and curry flavors, as pictured above. I like the cheese better, since the curry was quite strong for me.

They also have the seaweed flavor. I’m not fond of seaweeds, so I wasn’t able to taste this.

And finally, the wasabi flavored corn. While this flavored corn tastes delicious, be ready to wipe your nose and forehead as you start perspiring – like I did.

I’m sure you also like Serenitea’s Peppered Chicken Chops with basil leaves on the side (Php70). I usually match it with my favorite Taro Milk Tea. But hey, it has been upgraded too with three new variants at Php120 per order! Look!

This one’s called Formosa Chicken Chops (Php120), where it is topped with diced tomatoes and basil. The taste is very light, and is very much refreshing to the palette.

The second variant is called the Western Chicken Chops (Php120). With onion and mustard as its main toppings, the flavor turns out to be a bit sweet.

Want it hot? Try the third variant called the Thai Pepper Chicken Chops (Php120). It has tons of chili and garlic. Each piece of chicken chops gives a kick, but is surprisingly very yummy. I like this the best among the three, but I would still get the peppered one depending on my mood.

This may look a bit odd, but Serenitea’s Chix-on-Stix priced at Php85 for two pieces per order, is actually a good afternoon snack coupled with Okinawa Milk Tea or Wintermelon Milk Tea. Pictured above is the Italian flavored Chix-on-Stix with rosemary and herbs.

This next variant is deep fried chicken wings with Mexican spices. It’s actually skewered like that for easy eating. It makes sense, if you ask me. They also have the Oriental-flavored Chix-on-Stix, which is seasoned with cumin and spices.

Serenitea is also introducing a line of cakes available in Congressional and Shangri-la branches priced at Php100-135 per slice – these are Rainbow Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Chocolate Nutella Cake, Almond Matcha Cake, and a variety of Cheesecakes as well.

I got to try the Mango Cheesecake that has mango bits and syrup atop the creamy cheesecake. It wasn’t too sweet – a perfect cap after eating the snacks.

Though not a fan of matcha, I still tried the Almond Matcha Cake that combines the taste of almonds and green tea on a layered chiffon cake.

What’s more, Serenitea is also now offering Low Sugar Pearls as sinkers to our favorite Serenitea drink. Many people don’t know that standard pearl sinkers are usually cooked in sugar before they are added to a drink. With the new low sugar pearls, the texture and delight is still the same, but will lesser sweetness and lesser guilt!

Searenitea’s new snacks will be available in most branches in Metro this January 2014, and will be labeled as Captain Pepper, Serenitea’s food snack outlet located in Little Baguio, San Juan.

Meanwhile, Low Sugar Pearl sinkers are already available in all branches without any additional cost – just inform the staff when you order.

Meat the Blends at 8cuts Burger Blends in Katipunan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 13:06:00 +0000

Are you familiar with Burger Bar and Cue Modern Barbecue? You probably love their food like I do! The same owners of the said establishments have opened a new food brand that you should try – it’s called 8cuts Burger Blends located at the second floor of the rather new foodie/shopping place known as the UP Town Center in Katipunan.

One fine day, I went there with my friends LAg to check out the scene and try their food.

8cuts Burger Blends is brightly lit in the morning till afternoon thanks to the sunlight that naturally shines through the transparent window panes. The interiors are nothing fancy – on my right as I enter is the open kitchen that shows the on-the-spot preparation of orders as they come, and on my left are simple signs and symbols about the restaurant. The tables and chairs were mostly blue and orange, which are refreshing to the eyes.

You may ask, “What makes 8cuts Burger Blends unique from other burger brands?” Well, their patties are made from either 100% pure US beef, fresh NZ lamb or the happiest mushrooms out there. Patties are custom-blended and hand-pressed daily without any artificial additives.

The restaurant’s name, 8cuts Burger Blends, signifies the eight different cuts of a cow, namely Chuck, Rib Eye, Short Rib, Sirloin, Brisket, Hanger, Flank and Ox Tail. It also boasts of the five different custom patty blends such as House Blend, Beef Bomb, Steak Cut, Big Game, and Ox Blend.

We ordered a Boss Burger, which gave us the freedom to choose the type of bun, meat, sauce, and add-ons. Depending on the beef you choose, a burger will cost either Php190 or Php255. You can add cheeses, sauces, and other toppings for Php25 to Php50 each. There’s also an upgrade option to Go Lunch Box, which allows you to add Skinny Fries and Beer/Soda/Classic Shake for an additional Php90 to Php255.

For us, we got the Kaiser Bun (flower design) with Ox Blend (Flank and Ox Tail), added fresh red tomatoes, ketchup, and mayonnaise, barbecue aioli, crisp bacon strips and fried oyster mushroom tempura – a total of Php330.

From the first bite, we already knew that it was made from genuine beef. It was very tasty and juicy. In addition, the combination of the sauces we chose tasted great! I find the oyster tempura tasteless though, so the burger could’ve been a bit cheaper without it.

If customization is not your thing, 8cuts Burger Blends also has Classic and Tribute Burgers, which offers a wide variety of burger choices. Like the Boss Burger, it can also be upgraded to Go Lunch Box. You may also opt to get double patty, which comes with a minimal fee.

We ordered the Four Cheese burger (Php245). It’s a parmesan-crusted quarter-pounder with Beef Bomb (Chuck and Short Rib) patty, yellow cheddar, aged gruyere, mozzarella, arugula, and garlic aioli on a Sesame Seed Bun.

I liked how this burger tasted. The blend of chuck and short rib beef was awesome – not dry, very chewy, no fats. The mix of cheese on top of the patty gave the burger a hint of saltiness, but not too much.

Their Skinny Fries (Php45) can also be customized with toppings and sauces. For us, we added Sub-atomic Bacon and Cheese for Php70 and ordered a separate barbecue jalapeno & mozzarella for Php90. There’s nothing spectacular about it, but it was okay.

Draft Beer Battered Fish & Chips (Php190) came in three big pieces with a good portion of fries. We could taste the beer flavor of the fish, which was complemented by the green lemon mayo dip. It can be improve though, since the fish can taste a bit bland without the dip.

The Golden Cheddar Mozzarella Sticks (Php225) with five pieces of sticks filled with yellow cheddar and mozzarella cheeses are best eaten with the marinara sauce. Eat it while it’s hot!

We super love the Onion Rings (Php65), which was topped with barbecue flavor. As compared to others that had small onion wrapped on huge batter, 8cuts’ version was the opposite. It really tasted very good as it is, the garlic aioli dip that came with it also have it a different twist.

Another big hit for us was the Good ‘ol Hot Fried Wings (Php285) that came with 8-glazed pieces of chicken wings. Unlike others, the great taste doesn’t end in the skin, but also in the meat itself. You don’t have to worry, because it isn’t too spicy that will make you sweat. Matched with the ranch sauce, the taste is perfect! Our favorite!

For drinks, we got a Salted Caramel Classic Shake (Php150 for 120oz. and Php180 for 16oz.), a combination of Nutella and Speculoos Cookie Butter called Nutelloos Leveled-up Shake (Php220 for 120oz. and Php295 for 16oz.), and a Red Velvet Caked Shake (Php220 for 120oz. and Php295 for 16oz.). We found the shakes really delicious and creamy, but not too sweet - just perfect!

Finally, we had the Molten Chocolate Bottoms (Php135) and the Blueberry Cheesecake (Php135) for dessert. It came in a jar with moist hot chocolate cake, chocolate bits, ice cream, whipped cream, crushed cookies, cheesecake, and syrups. These desserts were a great cap after a filling lunch of burgers, fries, and wings.

If burgers are your thing, I highly recommend you try 8cuts Burger Blends at the UP Town Center in Katipunan. You can easily see it from the parking lot beside it. Each meal may cost an average of Php300 per person.

For more information, you can visit their Facebook page here. You can also tweet them @8cutsburger or post your pictures on Instagram @8cutsBurgerBlends with #MeatOurBlends

8cuts Burger Blends

2F UP Town Center, Katipunan

Mondays to Sundays 11AM-11PM

(0917)8182139 / (02)9552264

Images were taken by my friend AGC.