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Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

Review of ECHOcafé (Serendra, Bonifacio Global City)

Last Sunday, Louie and I went to SM Aura (Skypark) and Serendra to practice taking shots using my new DSLR. He brought his flash kit along and we experimented on ISO, aperture and shutter speed. As a newbie photographer, I set the camera on Manual mode and tried adjusting these settings to achieve the right exposure.

Basically, as my subject, he posed on different backgrounds under different lighting with the same smile plastered on his face, so it was very difficult for me to see if he was enjoying or just faking a happy countenance. (Thank You, God, for giving me a supportive boyfriend.) 😀

After our two-hour photography session, we visited the ECHOstore at Serendra, BGC where we amusingly found eco-friendly items on display.

Some of the products I’ve been searching for such a long time now are found there: coconut flour, cocoa powder from Malagos Resort, wild honey, vegetable chips, organic detergent, shampoo and conditioner, lotion and everything else made from plants.

What’s even greater was that there’s a café inside serving delicious and healthy food from pastas and sandwiches to soups and desserts made from fresh and organic ingredients. Wow! This is what I call my ideal place: store, deli and café in one! Dinner, here we go.

Review of ECHOcafé (Serendra, Bonifacio Global City)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

ECHO stands for “Environment & Community Hope Organization.” As described in their website, “It’s about conscious and caring consumerism that chooses fair trade and green products to help drive livelihood to the marginalized while helping our planet (ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle), eating and drinking healthy (ECHOcafé: Culture, Coffee, Community) supporting locavorism or buying food grown locally (ECHOmarket Sustainable Farms).”

Organic local delicatessen products, teas and bags from recycled materials are placed on shelves of this store-deli-café. In the limited space, a counter for ordering is placed at the back and dining sets are arranged neatly for customer accommodation. The walls are painted light-celery green, a backdrop which perfectly complemented the theme and concept of the establishment.

Service: ★★★★★

Service was fine. The gentleman who served our table was attentive and dedicated in his efforts to explain and introduce the dishes on the menu. Enough said.

Food: ★★★★★

Following the server’s recommendation, we ordered the Pasta a la Trio (PHp 250) which is ECHOcafé’s signature pasta. The pasta was cooked al dente, making it chewy and bouncy. I could taste the beautifully synchronized flavors in one mouthful; it was “party in your mouth” kind of dish — spicy, sweet, salty and sour. This could be one of the most delectable pastas I’ve ever eaten. Even if finishing a plate would mean exceeding my caloric allotment for a week, there’s no way I’d let this Pasta a la Trio pass by uneaten next time. 🙂

Satisfying and straightforward, the Chicken Longganisa (PHp 225) was agreeably cooked but didn’t score as high as the former in my palate. Small slices of longganisa were overpowered by the taste of the cream sauce that wrapped itself around the fettuccine pasta.

If you like spinach, then you’ll like the purity of the Spinach and Cheese Tortilla-wich (PHp 175, four pie slices). It consisted of crepe-like outer covering with spinach as stuffing, layered with three kinds of cheese: cheddar, white and cream cheese.

The delicate balance of sweetness and sourness struck rightly without missing the point of the dish—the spinach leaves themselves. The Spinach and Cheese Tortilla-wiches tasted clean and fresh and would be perfect for ladies and gents alike in need of detoxification. It would have been better though, if there was a more generous serving of walnuts as toppings.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

ECHOcafé’s relaxed setting, gentle prices, gracious service and wholesome, “sustainable” food offerings sound like a recipe for long-lasting success in these recessionary times. Theirs is a menu that’s not about wowing customers with big flavors and over-complicated presentation; it is about providing simple, comforting food. Mission accomplished. 😛

[schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/echostore” name=”ECHOcafé” description=”Ground Floor, Serendra Piazza Driveway (beside Chuck’s Deli), McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City” rev_name=”For inquiries, contact (02)5763703 and 901-3485″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-11-20″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

Operating hours: 9AM-9PM

Other Branch:
First Floor, Eton Centris Walk, EDSA Corner Quezon Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Contact number: 02 7097800
Operating hours: 10AM-10:45PM

November 20, 2013
Review of Balducci Ristorante and Deli (Serendra, Bonifacio Global City)

I felt honored and excited to be in for this very special treat, when I accepted an invitation from Zomato for a “Foodies Meetup” last week. We were supposedly dining at L’Opera Ristorante in The Fort Strip but later the venue has been moved to Balducci Ristorante in Serendra which is also owned and managed by the same group: The L’Opera Group.

Balducci reflects the passionate, humble and sociable attitude of Italians towards food. Food are cooked and delivered in traditional style through fresh, locally sourced ingredients and bold and simple flavors in a relaxed setting. Thus if you’re craving for authentic Italian (in particular, Tuscan) food right now, Balducci Ristorante makes an excellent bet. It has to be; to survive through the competition of restaurants piling in Bonifacio Global City is no easy task!

Review of Balducci Ristorante and Deli (Serendra, BGC)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

True to the owners’ description, Balducci Ristorante & Deli is a more laid-back version of L’Opera Ristorante. While interior design in both restaurants have exquisite touches, Balducci is far more catered to casual dining. The first floor is occupied by a small deli counter fitted with a wide refrigerated display of cold cuts, salamis, parma hams and cheeses; a wine section; and the seats which I thought were really good and appropriate for family and friends reunion.

The second floor area has ample spaces for customers to be seated, and the ambiance here is more apt for privacy.

The place was packed on a Friday night but not in an overwhelming, can’t-hear-myself-think kind of way. The scene was in controlled chaos, thanks to the staff members who appeared to handle the stress of a full restaurant very well. I could imagine that getting a table on a weekend evening would be hard. So to anyone who’s planning to visit, I suggest calling ahead for a reservation and then booking your next one on your way out. 😛

Service: ★★★★★

Composed of staff who are eager to please, Balducci’s service team is first rate. In our experience, service level was excellent as they were very attentive to our needs. They managed to refill glasses of water fast and serve dishes without intruding our personal spaces.

Food: ★★★★★

Balducci treated us to a series of earthy Tuscan food seasoned with fresh vegetables and perfumed with herbs and spices. Overall, tastes were elaborate and distinct, and plating was clean and creative.

Right off the bat, the appetizer won bonus points from the olive oil mix, richness of the tomatoes and lettuce that went so well with the crisp, home made bread.

It was quickly followed by the Zuppa di Pomodoro con Sformatino de Ricotta, a classic Italian light tomato soup with ricotta cheesecake. The texture was rich and full. I liked it especially when eaten together with the real sliced tomatoes on the sides of the soup bowl.

For the main courses, we had three types of raviolis. And I dare say ravioli lovers will be in heaven with these freshly made ravioli options on the menu. I was worried that they would all taste the same, but my fears were unfounded. There’s a reason they had different fillings and all were so good. Each served on an understated plate and a piece good for one person, these pastas left us off the charts pleasantly full:

The Agnellotti al Salmone – Mezzaluna consisted of half moon raviolis in light cream sauce filled with salmon. I almost did not recognize that it was salmon because it was not fishy at all. These raviolis could not have been better.

The Cannelloni Della Casa, Ricotta e Spinaci consisted of cannelloni with ricotta cheese in bechamel sauce. Each pocket of spinach and cheese was nothing short of spectacular, nothing like an “average Italian food.”

The Tortelli d’ Anatra al Profumo di Tartufo consisted of duck-filled raviolis which were light and soft. Balducci did a good job of balancing the creamy base of the truffle sauce that complemented the filling rather than overpower. Same dish can be found in L’Opera Ristorante.

The main star arrived next, featuring a fit-for-a-king platter with French-cut rack of lamb, roasted pork chop, chicken, sausage and vegetables. Everything looked scrumptious, but I opted only to taste a tiny bit of the sausage and the vegetables. This ensemble of meat cannot be found on the menu as it is; each constitutes to one dish on the list and I’m not sure which one is which because I’m not familiar with Italian name dishes. Tip: It’s best to ask the knowledgeable staff when ordering.

For dessert, we split the Panettone con gelato, which was gelato on sweet bread loaf topped with walnuts and honey. It was sweet, delicate and gone all too soon! This sort of dessert doesn’t weigh you down. Perfect for the coming holiday season. 😀

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

It was a great night with a price tag to match. Balducci is an upscale restaurant so expect to pay high prices for quality food. Since most of the entrees are good for sharing, it’s best to come with a large group so you can get to try several dishes in one seating and share the bill fairly. Also, you won’t feel so bad and so alone in paying up entirely for the cost.

I recommend Balducci Ristorante & Deli, especially to people who are entertaining guests who have not been to BGC. To make room for budget, you can skip the movies and give this place your money. For sure, you won’t be disappointed. 😀

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Operating hours: 11:30am – 11pm daily

November 18, 2013
Transition from iPhone 4 Camera and Point-and-Shoot Camera to DSLR
As a blogger and an “explorer like Dora,” I take pictures of almost everything that interests me (e.g. food, building structure, street signs, interior design of rooms, animals, plants, etc.) wherever I go using my iPhone 4 camera (with 5 MP) or sometimes my digicam—Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP3 (with 12 MP).

While I’m mostly satisfied with the sharpness and the vibrancy of the colors of the photos, picture quality in dark areas is dismal. Image noise can particularly be seen when I use the zoom function or when I shoot at night.

Both the camera-phone and the digicam have terrible low-light pictures. Even with flash turned on, pictures turn out to look harsh, full of red-eye and have too much contrast. It upsets me when I’m discouraged to capture great moments because I know the photos would result to be overly grainy anyway.

So as soon as the iPhone 5s was released this September 2013, my excitement has been up really high. I wished to buy the gold one! I felt that it was the right time again to get an upgrade, yet the only feature I wanted from the iPhone 5s was its camera.

Raves on iPhone 5s Camera

The iPhone 5s’ iSight camera is able to display photos accurately and it has improvements in low-light settings. It’s equipped with a larger sensor and aperture and it calibrates white balance and exposure well. What’s more, it has this new tonal mapping technique called “True Tone Flash,” which utilizes two different-colored LED lights while independently enhancing the contrast between various portions of it. As a result, dark subjects with bright backgrounds would not be washed out or difficult to see.

When prices of the latest iPhone were released in the Philippine market, frugality and practicality won me over. Prices surge from PHp 35,000 to PHp 50,000 in the initial weeks.

Trying to find other convincing motivations, I’ve watched the videos posted on the Apple website featuring the specifications and updates available in the new phones several times. I’ve also read several articles showing differences between shots taken by iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s cameras. After weeks and weeks of deliberation, I finally ended up with a decision. And that was to forgo the iPhone 5s and instead buy a more ideal option: DSLR!

An entry-level DSLR, at least. 😉

Transition from iPhone 4 Camera, Point-and-Shoot to DSLR

Hopping from one online forum and blog to another, I read reviews and recommendations on entry-level DSLRs and learned the things to consider before buying a DSLR. I found these two as the bottom-line best contenders: Nikon D3100 and Canon EOS 1100D. SnapSort.com shared a good comparison and rated the Nikon D3100 as the winner and the Canon EOS 1100D as the runner-up. I asked physical stores in SM Mall of Asia for suggestions and they also gave the same answer. So I dropped the Canon one and began asking around for the best buying price of the Nikon D3100 Kit (with 18-55mm lens).

My Findings
- Gadget stores in malls sell the Nikon D3100 at PHp 19,990 (cash) – PHp 22,990 (credit).
- Sulit.com.ph sellers offer brand new Nikon D3100 at prices ranging from PHp 18,000 to PHp 20,000, while second-hand handsets’ prices range from PHp 14,000 to PHp 16,000. Freebies differ.
- Henry’s Professional, a reputable camera store in Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, sells the Nikon D3100, free bag and 8GB SD Card at PHp 17,399 with one-year store warranty. When my mom went to their physical store, the seller gave a discounted price of PHp 17,200 (cash).
- Amazon.com‘s prices are much more expensive at PHp 20,640 not including shipping fee from US to PH.
- eBay.com offers varying prices (auction and buy-it-now) from over PHp 12,000 (problem is that item cannot be shipped to the Philippines) to about PHp 19,000.
- Lastly and luckily, I performed a quick search on google with keywords “where to buy best cheap Nikon D3100 kit in the philippines” and landed at kim.com.ph. Kim Store (online gadget store) sells the same camera for PHp 17,150 with the lens, free bag, 4GB SD Card, screen protector, cable, Nikon F mount and one-year store warranty.
Meet-up and Purchase Transaction with Kim Store

Hurriedly, I booked a meet-up and confirmation of purchase via SMS and e-mail and immediately received a reply. Kim.com.ph has been operating for seven years now and I see that they have a lot of followers on Twitter and on Facebook. They also are responsive in interacting with users online—a point which makes them seem legit.

Our meet-up date was supposedly on November 10, 2013, last Sunday, at 1PM in Lucky Chinatown Mall – food court. I even exchanged confirmation with the Kim Store shipping guy the night before. The deal-breaker was when the guy did not show up on the agreed date, time and place, leaving me waiting for over an hour while calling their contact numbers (2 mobile phones and 1 landline, all of which were either “out of service” or “cannot be reached”) more than 10 times.

I was dismayed and disappointed, of course. After an hour, when I was already back home and had thoughts of buying from Henry’s instead, Kim Store called me up and arranged another meet-up. He asked if I can go to Vito Cruz, Taft Avenue, Manila at 4PM. The excuse he gave was that there was an event happening at the mall and the shipping guy may not be able to answer my phone calls because of the noise and the guard who was telling him to move.

I did not understand his defense as it was quite irrelevant. Going to Vito Cruz for another meet-up was negative because I had other things to do that day. The guy managed to negotiate and he asked if they can just deliver the item to my office the next day with no shipping cost since they were at fault. Being considerate, I said okay. He then took note of my free time so I can have a close look at the camera before cashing out.

Kim Store has been able to clear its name and restore its reputation in my view. (Trust me, it’s not a scam business.) The guy arrived on time during my lunch break and showed me the basic buttons and parts of the camera. He also answered my questions without a problem and without seeming rushed. I therefore conclude that I had a fair experience buying the Nikon D3100 at an affordable price from Kim Store, but that’s just the beginning. I may have to continue contacting them for any service/s covered by the warranty within the one-year time frame.

Meanwhile, I’ll still be using both my iPhone 4 camera and digital camera but maybe less in travels, blogger events and special occasions. I’m happy with the purchase transaction with kim.com.ph and enthusiastic to learn photography and take my first shots using this DLSR soon. Any tips and comments from my readers who are into photography will be appreciated! 😀

P.S. If anyone would be so kind to sponsor or give me an iPhone 5S-Gold as a gift, I will be super thankful! Hahaha. Although I know that’s highly improbable, I’m not losing my hope here.
November 12, 2013
Review of Nozumi Japanese Casual Dining and Red Pastries (Ortigas, Pasig City)
In collaboration with Nozumi Japanese Casual Dining Restaurant, Red Pastries had its sweet launch where it showcased sweet treats plus special surprises for everyone who attended the event last Saturday. That included me, my awesome blogger friends and other guests. 🙂

About Nozumi and Red Pastries

Having its unique spin on what Japanese casual dining can be, Nozumi Japanese Casual Dining owned by Eunice Desiree Choa has started its operations since June 1, 2012. This spot sits on the sixth floor of One Corporate Center at the heart of the Ortigas Business District and it mostly caters to employees working in the offices in the building. Recently, it also has begun welcoming other walk-in diners who fancy eating variations of sukiyaki, ramen, and many more.

Trivia: “Nozumi” or “Nozomi” is a Japanese word which translates to “great expectations” in English. So guests can expect to be satisfied with their dishes!

On the other hand, Red Pastries is a new food venture by Joyce Siy (in black dress) and her partner Erika Ongtauco (in white dress). They started selling baked goodies like cupcakes, muffins and cakes in September 2013. For now, ordered items are available for pick-up from Joyce’s house (address at the bottom of this post), while those reaching at least PHp 2500 may be delivered to the customer’s location. Thanks to Nozumi’s venue, Red Pastries had a successful official launch of its goodies. ♥

Review of Nozumi Japanese Casual Dining and Red Pastries (Ortigas, Pasig City)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

Nozumi’s entrance leads to a dining room with plenty of space which can accommodate up to about 100 people. This casual dining restaurant is decently organized with comfy white couches paired with white tables and black tables and chairs featuring a modern vibe; counter at a corner; wide window that completely illuminates the area with natural light and gives a view of the streets extending to the sky; and a private room at the back.

Red Pastries assembled two tables to display the cupcakes and sponsors’ items alluringly. Everything was very visually impressive and picture-perfect! 🙂

Service: ★★★★★

Erika welcomed everyone and started the program by introducing Nozumi and Red Pastries individually. Then, she randomly drew out three names from a fish bowl and asked the selected people to go to the front table. They had to decorate cupcakes with frosting and toppings after watching Joyce demonstrate the basic procedure.

The first surprise came when Erika said that it would be a mini cupcake decorating contest, so everyone was thrilled to design the best cupcake given the same set of materials. Secondly, the first two to arrive at the event proper were awarded with a shirt and gift certificates. Aww, if I had known, I would have gone the earliest. 😆 Anyway, the third shocking announcement was that everyone of us would have to try designing one cupcake.

I was apprehensive as I haven’t tried it before. For the sake of fun and experience, I held the piping bag and slowly squeezed the icing out with my shaky hands. I worked my way from the edge of the cupcake inwards in a spiral pattern toward the center, unsure if what I was doing the swirls right. In the end, I did not manage to create a pointed tip so I hid the flaw by sprinkling assorted toppings (multicolored flowers, marshmallows and pink and silvery dots that looked like Swarovski crystals) over.

Because winning was far from my expectation, when the three winning cupcake designs were put out, I did not even bother to take a look. The other winners already got their prizes, and the host and guests were still wondering whose cupcake design was “the unclaimed.” Finally, I decided to capture the three cupcakes in photo for documentation’s sake. I moved to the front, stared at the pieces for a couple of seconds and was so shocked to recognize that one of them was mine! Happily, I received the prize as well and enjoyed the food served.
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美不美？？？ :D
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Customer service was immaculate and it was one of those rare occasions where I felt that the restaurant deserved to be tipped for service charge. The servers were quick on their feet and accommodating to our requests. This approach is crucial to new customers, especially.

Food: ★★★★★

Red Pastries had presented these wonderful cupcakes even before the Japanese food arrived. There were 13 different flavors of cupcakes in each plate, and I sampled the Salted Caramel, Red Velvet and Carrot Cupcake. Other exciting and equally sinfully delicious cupcakes were: Strawberry n Cream, Ultimate Chocolate, Mochalicious, Vanilla Creme, Choco-mint, Cookies n Cream, Calamansi Muffin, Banana Walnut Muffin and Double Chocolate Chip Muffin.

Topped with a generous amount of cream on top with soft sugary icing, Red Pastries’ cupcakes were not too sweet, not overly moist or dense and the texture of the cupcake was just fluffy enough for my liking. Each cupcake and muffin was a mouthful of happiness that kick-started our meal already. (Note that the actual size of these cupcakes when you order is bigger than the one we had.)

Next time, I wish to try the Calamansi Muffin which was reportedly their best-seller! I’m looking forward to tasting that slight citrus twist to it that gives a refreshing change to merely sweetness. 😛 Meanwhile, here’s the list of prices for your reference:

Moving on, we were served with the next four dishes c/o Nozumi:

The Beef Teriyaki (PHp 220) was so flavorful that even if I don’t favor eating beef because of diet and my braces, I liked it. The dish did not disappoint as it was both tender and moistly marinated in the sweet sauce.

The Green Maki (PHp 195) was stuffed with traditional black seaweed wrap, sliced raw tuna and salmon, and the Japanese sticky rice was covered with green-colored tobiko fish eggs. Best eaten as a whole, the Green Maki tasted salty, tad sweet and lightly acidic with a floral aroma of fish that hits the nose. Bite in and your teeth will sink effortlessly through the tenderized flesh of the meaty tuna and salmon.

For the Sweet Crazy Maki (PHp 225), I thought ingredients used were simple but those that make you reflect on the power of simplicity and balance. You’ll feel a bit more zen about life as you reflect back on the bites that preceded the spicy fish and cheesy toppings on Japanese sticky rice and fish roe.

The Tofu Steak (PHp 175) was revelatory. Quivering like a nearly-cooked custard, the silken tofu was so soft that it can almost melt over your tongue as soon as you put it in your mouth. The outer skin of the tofu was nicely done and although there’s ground meat and sauce all over, the taste of soy was still much evident.

Other palate-provoking dishes were: Ebi Tempura (PHp 190, 4 pieces; PHp 280, 6 pieces), Hiyashi Ramen (PHp 220), Gyoza and Ebi Mango Salad (PHp 215).

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

For both Nozumi and Red Pastries, food prices were passable and proportionate to the quality received (transcendentally good). We left with a memorable dining experience and I will certainly return to try the other signatures!

Japanese food for the main course and cupcakes for desserts, or in our case—appetizer, was quite an odd pairing initially as I had a taste of the sweetness then suddenly greeted by the salty and spicy bits of the sushi, tofu and beef strips. But after a few mouthfuls, I realized it was smart to have the contrast of flavors with different levels of sweet and savory combined.

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Operating hours: Mondays to Fridays, 10AM-8PM

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November 11, 2013
Review of Biokos Eye Shield Treatment and Intensive Brightening Creams

Most people are guilty (or unashamed) of “retouching” their profile photos to achieve pore-less and sparkling skin. Removal of eye bags, whitening of the face, removal of dark circles and applying bronzer to the face and nose are some of the popular edits that we are all well aware of. The same is being done with photographs we pine over magazine covers, brochures, editorials and ad pages, especially those promoting fashion and beauty.

I don’t know if these tricks and tweaks are necessary when we become users of really great products in the market that promise to deliver grand results. Can frequent or regular use of these “seemingly magical” products be the key in eliminating the practice of airbrushing or photo-editing? Probably, yes? Or slightly?

There’s nobody I know so far who can prove a positive answer. Despite not having any proof, I still make it a point to keep my skin hydrated and protected. Seeing real life coming back at us in the form of premature wrinkles, post–high school zits, surprise flab, blemishes and other imperfections made me a bit of a maniac about taking good care of my skin. Let me share with you how much I appreciate Biokos products.

Review of Biokos Eye Shield Treatment and Intensive Brightening Creams

I have been applying the Biokos eye shield treatment on my under-eyes and above the lash line nightly since the day I met Professional Artist Cosmetics (PAC). Like PAC, Biokos is an Indonesian line / brand by Martha Tilaar. The Biokos eye shield treatment with bio-aloe vera extract boasts a patented formula that combines the anti-aging properties of Immortelle flowers with plant-derived active ingredients that help fight signs of aging.

Biokos offers a complete skin care treatment for the age 20s (Pure Balance: with bio-hazel extract for oily skin), 30s (Vital Nutrition: with bio aloe vera extract for dry skin) and 40s (Age Repair: with bio-seaweed extract). The store staff recommended me to get the one for 30s although I’m only 24, when I told her that I have normal skin (not too oily and not too dry). I thought, whatever lor, I just wanted to try it to see if my eye bags and dark under-eyes will disappear.

It has been a month now, and the eye bags (for once were a source of low self-esteem) are now flat and gone, and so were the puffiness and dark under-eyes. Well, surprise surprise! 😛

Another good thing is that I just consumed a super tiny bit of the cream so I think that this product can last for the next three months. How do I apply the Biokos eye shield treatment? As advised, I pat it evenly and gently around the eye contour area until it gets absorbed by the skin. The brand rep said that it can also be applied before putting on foundation / primer of make-up in the morning.

Along with the Biokos eye shield treatment, I have also started to use Biokos Derma Bright Intensive Brightening Day Cream SPF 25 and Intensive Brightening Night Cream — both of which also slow down the appearance of aging. Application area includes the face, bottom-up, to the neck towards the jaws. The consistency of the creams is rich and smooth, watery and not sticky. It does not leave a greasy feeling or make the skin look shiny.

Wrap Up

It’s not every day that beauty products excite me in such a way that I feel possessed to tell everyone about it. That’s precisely what’s happening now. I love Biokos products because aside from the fact that they are effective (in my case), all ingredients are organic. They are plant-based (not obtained from chemicals), dermatologically safe (not tested on animals) and they smell great and go on lightweight!

I use Biokos not to attain “computer-generated perfection” because it’s not “Photoshop in can” that I have here — but to feel excited about the thought of waking each day knowing that I’m doing my part in taking care of my skin without feeling guilty. 😀

To know more, you can check out Biokos website or visit the Biokos Philippines Facebook Page and Bioko Philippines Twitter Account.

November 9, 2013
Review of The Old Spaghetti House (SM Manila)

SM Manila houses a lot of eateries that look great, and it continues to attract a growing pride of restaurants — both at the high-end and low-end, from mediocre to expensive. One of the restaurants that impress me is The Old Spaghetti House (TOSH), located on the fourth floor of the building.

The name pretty much is a dead giveaway, so you have the initial impression that TOSH specializes in spaghetti. But the Old Spaghetti House is well known for many sorts of pastas other than spaghetti; this restaurant also has a bunch of other great food on the menu. Dining in is decidedly civilized. Let’s go! 😛

Review of The Old Spaghetti House (SM Manila)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

The Old Spaghetti Shop feels enchanting, rustic and homey. Considering that it’s inside a busy mall, it’s tad surprising how the ambiance can be very quiet and secluded with cozy couches. The space is contained with dark floors, dimly-lit lights setting off a romantic vibe and vintage furniture. The walls are designed with decorations reminiscent of the colonial revival style, all of it something you don’t see in modern interiors anymore. What I also liked was the background music — all worship songs played by Hillsong United, which happens to be one of the most favorite Christian bands of all times.

Service: ★★★☆☆

When everyone was seated, immediately the staff arrived, took all orders and served food on the table after around 10 minutes on the clock. However, she was not attentive enough to see me raise my hand for additional requests. I had to shout out “Miss” and stand up to really get noticeable. I thought that the waitstaff had to be reminded that just because there were only a handful of customers does not mean that she can go easy and relaxed on a chair.

Food: ★★★★☆

I would describe TOSH’s menu to be “contemporary post-classic,” as I found that they offer dishes that use classic references as launchpad to create new dishes. One example is the Thai Bagoong Pizza (PHp 260) which I think can only be found in TOSH. It’s a modern version of pizza far from the regular tomato-based pizza with all sorts of usual toppings like pepperoni, ham, cheese, pineapple. In contrast, it’s an innovative dish that has both the foundation of “bagoong” and “pizza,” with slices of semi-ripe sour mango, bacon bits, tomatoes and cheese over a thin crust.

I was satisfied with the burst of different basic but strong tastes (sweet, sour, salty and spicy) all incorporated in one bite. A familiar flavor that’s skidded into a whole new other realm, the Thai Bagoong Pizza is a gutbomb of the finest order, and it deserves to be heralded as such. 😛

Another entrée that pleased us last Sunday was the Mushroom Jack Chicken (PHp 180) which consisted of fresh chicken breast with sauteed mushrooms and melted jack cheese. The zesty honey-lemon taste on the lettuce elevated my dining senses with a tang that left me double thumbs up for this simple yet beautifully cooked dish.

Mom had the Beef Burger Steak in Pepper Gravy Sauce and Vietnamese Garlic Pasta with Rice (PHp 150) from viands offered in the Mix ‘Em Match ‘Em Treasure Deal (available every day from 11AM-6PM) which she happily shared to us as well. The pasta was oddly sweet, a good rendition of Italian pasta but not so much wow-impressive.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

The Old Spaghetti House is a top pasta parlor with dishes worthy of fireworks. It can be your usual hot date spot where you are guaranteed to be fed with reliably tasty comfort food, something to appeal to any diner. Portions are enough for sharing and prices are affordable. My heart sank for two minutes because of slow service but everything else was fine. 😀

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Click here for a listing of their branches’ locations and respective contact numbers.

November 3, 2013
Review of Kenji Tei Ramen House (Greenbelt 5, Makati City)

Last week, my college friends and I planned to meet in the weekend for a quick catch-up. We’re all running busy lives now and it has been like a year since we gathered together. Finding a restaurant to dine in still posed as a challenge, but using the Zomato app helped me to choose one that we have not tried before and that’s pretty accessible for us all. Thus the choice: Kenji Tei Ramen House in Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

Kenji Tei Ramen House is a Japanese restaurant which aspires to broaden the Filipinos’ palate through a space where true Japanese flavors are brought in. I haven’t heard a lot about this establishment; there’s not much reviews posted online about its food quality, customer service and the like. So I came with an open mind, filled with enthusiasm and without expectations, just ready to be served with a bowl of Japanese ramen. 😉

Review of Kenji Tei Ramen House (Greenbelt 5, Makati City)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

With its high class and modern ambiance, Kenji Tei Ramen House did a good sporting chance at taking a top spot for lunch-outs. It’s got the simple wood styling and straight lines of typical Japanese bistros, minus the loud music and “the attitude (those staff who usually shout the Japanese greetings).” I find it nice to be able to sit in a well-lit space without yelling and trying too hard to hear my dining companions. I especially liked the design of the ceiling matching with the counter. Overall, I’d say the place is refined, clean and well…date-worthy.

Service: ★★★★★

When I arrived, the waitstaff immediately handed me the menu and she was calm enough to spend a bit of time talking about ramen suggestions, noting that those with meat are out of my options. Serving time was quite quick. Another remarkable thing was that the waiters refilled our glasses with the house barley tea (mogi cha).

Food: ★★★☆☆

Kenji Tei Ramen House’s menu is straightforward, with only two pages listing Japanese food staples from appetizers to desserts. There was no whacked-out modern version of Japanese dishes so I guess their focus is on executing good versions of the classics. Or I could be wrong.

I ordered the Gomoku Shio Ramen (PHp 264, Regular), one of their best-selling signature dishes, composed of ramen noodles with vegetables, mixed seafood (small prawns and squid), egg and pork. I requested that the cutlets of pork be placed on a separate plate, for me to give away and share to my friends.

Slippery with a tender bounce, the quality of noodles used in Gomoku Shio Ramen was good. I thought the soup broth was supposed to taste crazy salty because of the “shio” word in its name, but it was not salty at all. Rather, in distinct milky color, the soup was characterless and bland. Aw. Other not very admirable comments on top of my head while slurping the bowlful were that the soup lacked in aromatics and the squids were too chewy. In short, I was left there wondering how this became a best-seller ramen. As highly praised as it may be, there is no way this ramen is going to my list of laudable food.

Moving on, I also had a few spoonfuls of their Wakame Ramen (PHp 248, Regular) — soy-based ramen which had a glimmering sheen of fat on top, with seaweed sheets that brought much of the soup’s flavor. The Wakame Ramen was clean-tasting and somewhat richer than the former. Although it hit the spot in a pinch, it’s not the ramen that’s worth traveling for.

Another soy-based ramen we tried was the Curry Ramen (PHp 258, Regular) topped with a mildly spicy curry sauce. It was good that the curry flavor was not super intense, and the spiciness of the soup can be clearly felt. However, I still feel it was neither mind-blowing nor life-changing. The spice was noticeable though, especially if you decide to go above “mild” and put chili powder to dominate the spicy choice on the zero to three alarm spice scale.

We’re done so far with the ramen taste-testing. Next to the “grilling session” was the Crispy Chicken Teriyaki (PHp 228, 8 pieces) — grilled chicken glazed in Teriyaki sauce, which passed our test. The chicken teriyaki was a revelation. You’ll be prompted to grab a bowl of rice (gohan) to balance out and complement the overwhelming, deeply satisfying sweet taste. In addition, the side salad with mayo dressing was refreshing.

Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

If you’re looking for the best ramen in the city, I don’t recommend going to Kenji Tei Ramen House. Sure, the noodles were not limp and I could sense that they were boiled to perfection. But the taste of the broth with the ingredients and the garnish were not enough to win awards for this house to be the next exciting ramen place to visit.

For the food alone, I wanted to give Kenji Tei two stars for “Price for Value.” Then again, aiming to be more considerate here, I give one extra credit for the friendly service and the cozy ambiance that enhanced the dining experience.

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Other Branch:
Ground Floor, Alabang Town Centre, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa City
For inquiries, contact (02) 5118980

October 31, 2013
Joining the Dreambook Project, I Chase My Dreams Now!

The Beauty of Keeping Dreams

About three years ago, I became a witness on how tracking one’s aspirations via a dreambook can propel changes and turn them to reality. This was when Louie, my boyfriend, was taken aback when he turned to his dreambook and found that the dreams (consisted of cut-out pictures of specific things he wanted) on the pages were the same ones which came true to life.

Because of that, I was also encouraged to create my own dreambook. But the problem was I didn’t know how to start. I thought the main driver was fear; I was afraid to dream because of the dread of them not happening. The disappointment of not attaining my dreams might just be too much to bear. Nobody wants to hear others laugh at a goal or worse—tell them that it’s not feasible. On second thought, I also did not want to live aimlessly. So I just kept my dreams to myself, in my mind, where I’m sure nobody could have access to unveil them. If nobody tells you it’s impossible, then it’s not, right?

Through time, all my dreams then came true as well anyway. Need examples? I dreamed of working abroad for opportunities to gain a higher income I deserve. I dreamed of buying my own car before I reach the age of 25. I dreamed of traveling around the Philippines (or at least to one destination every year) with my family. I dreamed of starting a business, however small, and reaching a wider audience through this blog. I also dreamed of becoming an IT Manager. (Yup, I remember I told my manager that clearly as a fresh grad in one of our monthly one-on-one talks in IBM.) And fast forward to the present, in three years, *not to brag though*, I was able to achieve everything.

Now I invite you to do the same: Dream it. Dream big. Dream lots.

Even if it’s a dream you know isn’t exactly realizable, like, say, winning an Olympic medal or becoming the country’s president, it’s good for you to imagine the experience. When you’re pushed, you push back. Rise to the occasion because success might be waiting around the corner for you.

Right now, I am building another set of dreams. The difference is that instead of just keeping the dreams in folders stuck in my mind alone, I have this physical Dreambook where I can monitor to-do lists and commitments in differing magnitudes. Can we say that the effect ergo would be more substantial? Maybe.

Maybe this Dreambook can further ignite my imaginations and give me with an unquenchable hope, as it’s filled with colorful pages with question and answer fields, time plan, and all the essential elements to make me want to really follow and chase my dreams.

Why You Should Get Your Own Dreambook

1. Practice Inspired Journaling

Unlike a regular planner, the Dreambook asks you to make a list of things you can do in a span of time to advance yourself toward your goals. Not having goals or having fuzzy pictures of your dreams is not a problem. This book has samples to guide you to practice “inspired journaling.” You can assess their applicability or write your own following the same format. 😀 In addition, it is equipped with inspiring quotes on each page with different values as themes, making pursuing of dreams more meaningful.

2. Be Reminded

The Dreambook is not one that solely allows you to write plans on specified dates; rather, it’s a book that makes you review milestones and acts like a buddy who constantly reminds you to finish what you have started. So you will also stay motivated to captivate your thoughts and fuel your excitement and passion.

3. Know Your Inner Self More

Sometimes when life gets busy, you become so caged up in the situations and routines you spend most of the time in that you forget to evaluate yourself. This Dreambook comes in handy, asking challenging questions about your personality and limitations which I think are useful to objectively know yourself more. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Know what the obstacles are related to the problem. Determine what you have control over and what you don’t.

4. Publish Your “Own” Book

“Dreambook” is a great name for this extraordinary journal/planner. Why? Simply because it has “-book” attached to it. No, you don’t have to go through an editor or publications company to get your book reviewed and published. You are the writer of your own life, and every single moment in every day is your chance to deliver that script and make your dreams happen. Amen?

5. Believe in Your Dream

This Dreambook serves to reinforce your daily affirmations and keep your attention on your intentions. It helps provide clarity on your dreams. Dreaming to get a better life is totally fine. But you have to narrow it down. Picture how “a better life” looks like. In doing so, the Dreambook can be a tremendous help and it does not end there.

The next step is to believe it. 😉

Wrap Up

Starlight Starbright Enterprises Co. describes the Dreambook as a portable “LIFE COACH” which you can carry anywhere, a workbook for dreamers who want to take the first steps in turning their dreams into reality. It lets you identify your gifts before diving into dream-making, then express your dreams to quantifiable goals with deadlines. Towards the end of the journal, the Dreambook invites you to repeat your keys to success and grasp where your dreams have taken you to your life journey.

With all these great stuff integrated into one, I am very much convinced to join the Dreambook Project. What say you? 🙂

The Dreambook is now available at selected National Book Store branches and PowerBooks branches. You can also get a hold of your own dreambook via courier to your home or office by sending an email to dreambookproject@gmail.com or contacting Clarissa at 0920-9086576 or 646-1080. For more information, you can visit their Facebook page here.

Addendum: Giveaway
Good news! You now have a chance to win your own Dreambook. Follow the Rafflecopter mechanics here: a Rafflecopter giveaway to join. The giveaway raffle will run from today until November 3, 2013. Result will be drawn the next day, and the winner will be contacted within that week. Good luck! 😛

October 26, 2013