Rochkirstin | com

Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

  • Review of 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken (SM City North EDSA, Quezon City)

    Review of 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken (SM City North EDSA, Quezon City)

    Hello, Friends. 🙂 After more hours spent at work than rest and recreation, you deserve a break. Sit back, pour yourself a glass and enjoy Korean-style fried chicken introduced by Singaporean folks and brought by Alfonso Hortaleza, President of Mindblowing Delicious Food Corporation, to the Philippines in January 2012.

    While you won’t use only four fingers to eat their crispy fried chicken, you should know that the name of the restaurant “4 Fingers” pertain to four friends who established this fast-food “phenomenon” taking inspiration from eateries in the NY, the Big Apple.

    Their first branch was situated in ION Orchard, Singapore lah, but I never have seen it before during my stay there. Now’s the perfect chance to dine in and give their food a review. Mom got us two vouchers from Ensogo (LivingSocial) which saved us 48% off the price. We availed of discounted food from 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken at its first branch in the Philippines: SM City North EDSA.

    What’s in the Deal?

    4 Fingers Crispy Chicken Meal: 6pcs. Wings/Drummettes (Soy Garlic/Hot/Mix), includes a small soda/iced tea and fries/rice originally priced at PHp 229

    Review of 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken (SM City North EDSA, Quezon City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    This smallish outlet can occupy 50 customers more or less. Giving chic and cozy ambiance, the interior style and decors are consistent with those in SG, featuring hanging bulbs and murals that look like a graffiti wall on the streets of New York. Regular movable chairs are made of white plastic, while stable high chairs near the entrance are made of wood. The placement of the seating, I would say, pretty much maximized the limited space of the restaurant.

    Red is the theme color, which according to psychology, makes people hungry as it attracts attention and excitement to diners. Maybe it’s another way to indicate that diners must go right after satisfying their hunger and finishing their food. Still, it’s a good place to sit down and enjoy a meal for long.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    Service was nothing to shout about since this is fairly a fast food type of restaurant where customers have to order and pay for their food first at the counter before they get served on the table. For drinks, customers have to go self-service — even for plain water. No special awards for friendly service here though food were quickly served by the crew wearing cool uniforms.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    I am not really a fan of fried chicken since it conjures up images of clogged arteries and heart attacks. Also, I tend to shy away from chicken wings because they are often known and paired for having messy and unhealthy affairs. Remember the urban legan saying that eating chicken wings can cause cancer? I have not gotten over it quite yet. Anyway, 缗äș†ć§ ! One-time eating may do the tiniest bit of harm in our bodies. 😛

    My office mates have tried 4 Fingers’ crispy chicken last time, and they said the taste and texture are almost the same as Bon Chon’s chicken, another famous Korean fried chicken that’s been a hit since last year. And yup, that’s agreeable. We’re not sure if the latter is just renamed or they are under the same management. We can’t tell the difference of the taste apart, but it’s obvious that their food differ in packaging and presentation. Bon Chon serves meals in regular plates, while 4 Fingers uses funky “tin” boxes as plates.

    4 Fingers offers three variations of special sauces that are hand-painted on the fried chicken: soy, garlic and spicy sauce. We’ve only tried the soy and garlic, but I dare say that the spicy one is worth a try. The chickens are twice fried thus are left with minimum amount of grease and moisture. Kudos to the fry cooks and the secret formula that 4 Fingers came up with. I like the crispiness and the salt-and-sweet taste. However, if you want meaty and juicy chickens, this place is not for you.

    Compared to Jollibee, McDonald’s, KFC, Kenny Rogers Roasters and other similar food chains selling chicken, 4 Fingers’ chickens are smaller, with skin that’s wafer thin and not full with flour. They are not suitable for those with a heavy appetite. This is probably the reason why they don’t sell only one piece or part of chicken in a meal (refer to the menu here).

    Additionally, we had two orders of Shrimp & Calamari combo (PHp 189 each) which were nicely fried as well. One platter is good for two people. Flavor and texture wise, the battered shrimp and calamari are above mediocre. Give a pinch of calamansi and you’ll get a slightly tangy taste. My mom and my boyfriend both feel that mayonnaise and thousand island dressing are more fitted as condiments here.

    For drinks, we had green tea and red tea. Both were too sweet so drinking water after is a must.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Price for individual orders ranges from PHp 150 to PHp 300, and this is okay for fast-food. Even at original price, an order of crispy chicken (wings & drumlets) is not so bad since it’s good for sharing. To sum up, the budget-conscious have nothing to worry. There are budget meals even for vegetarians and pescetarians. 🙂 4 Fingers pleases customers, especially chicken lovers, making them order another bunch and go back once more. This is stark contrast to the notice imprinted on the cup:

    So how? I have just told everyone their secret. 😛 Does that make me a tattletale?

    4 Fingers Crispy Chicken SM City North EDSA (beside National Bookstore)
    G/F SM City North EDSA, Main Building, North Avenue, Sto. Cristo, Quezon City
    For inquiries, call (02) 376-7543
    Facebook

    Other branches:
    SM Mall of Asia (Pasay City)
    Acqua Residences (Mandaluyong City)

  • How Inflation Affects the Lives of Filipinos

    In the Philippines, we are at no point in “chillax mode.” Right after the senatorial elections, a great number of the people’s nation has expressed dismay on the unofficial results. Unlike them though, I’m not moved – at least for now – when I don’t see the official and final tally and when time is not enough yet for those who won positions in the government to prove their worth.

    So how are they going to uplift the poor and reduce the percentage of poverty in the Philippines? I don’t know and I’m not sure if they would remain true to their words when they shared their propagandas. What I’m sure of is that Filipinos are consistently suffering from poverty because of inflation among many other things.

    In this article, let me discuss how inflation affects the lives of Filipinos, but first this:

    News Flash

    The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) released the latest statistics last month concerning poverty incidence in the country. When the percentages were compared in the last six years, they found out that poverty rates have remained unchanged. Please take a moment to process that statement. OK, the moment passed.

    To quote actual reported figures, “the recorded poverty incidence for the first half of 2012 was 27.9 percent, slightly less than the 28.8 percent recorded in the first half of 2006, and 28.6 percent in the first half of 2009 and 2011.” NSCB continued, “the 2012 first semester state of poverty in the Philippines showed that a family of five can be considered extremely poor if it is earning P5,458 a month or just enough to put food on the table. The same family has to earn at least P7,821 if it wants to satisfy other non-food needs such as clothing.”

    Counted as the poorest provinces are Apayao, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Eastern Samar, Ifugao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao and Masbate, while poverty incidence was highest in Mindanao and lowest in the National Capital Region as well as in Regions III and IV.

    The poorest are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 46.9 percent poverty incidence, Region XII (37.5 percent), Region VIII (37.2 percent), and Region IX (36.9 percent).

    How Inflation Affects the Lives of People in the Philippines at Large

    1. Money in the Bank Gets Undervalued

    Inflation would make these inhabitants of poor provinces, as much as the whole nation, poorer as savings are being devalued. I guess there are only two or three ways people can keep their savings. First is to store them in a vault in their homes or offices; second is to deposit money to a trusted bank or financial institution; and third is to invest them somewhere else.

    If a person does not have enough knowledge on investing in the money market or is afraid to take risks to invest his or her savings to real estate or other businesses, a large possibility is for their savings to resort to bank or personal safe-keeping. I’m not saying that this is a really bad idea. In fact, I do keep my money in savings accounts, too. However, note that a regular savings account has only about 0.25% interest generated.

    Maybe your bank gives a larger interest or smaller. Either way, what I’m trying to say is that most average Filipinos’ savings entrusted to banks would have interest rates that will never cope with inflation. In each day that our money sits in the bank, it becomes more worthless. We’re losing money faster we could make it, and this makes the thought of retirement a sad, bitter end to a joke’s punch line.

    Time deposit interest rates do not post high hopes for depositors, in the same coin. Right now I have heard the largest interest rate for time deposit was raised up to 5.5% to 6% (promotion). Sure, these rates fare better than savings account rates. Even so, they still are not enough to cope with inflation.

    2. Increased Costs of Goods and Services

    Inflation thoroughly affects the prices of goods and properties. Both owned and rented real estates would demand higher repayments. Landlords would increase rent and property owners would also suffer from climbing real estate taxes (amilyar). Suppliers of any product and services would charge more to compensate the increasing costs to clients, because their overheads swallow the extra cash from price hikes. Since everyone is a customer, everyone would start to feel the squeeze.

    The recurring problem is that everything becomes more and more expensive, but salaries of people do not grow sufficient to pay for all dues.

    3. Lower Grade of Affordability

    In relation to the previous point, when prices go up high, people cannot afford to have luxuries and even some necessities like cars and houses. Unless the head or any member of the family wants to live under a rock to stay secured, everyone pretty much need a house. A private car is also needed nowadays especially during emergencies and there’s no public transportation available to move a dying child to the nearby hospital in nick of time.

    Thus a lower grade of affordability results to: crippling debts, series of life struggles, and even death (yes, it might be that brutal when prolonged).

    Wrap Up

    Life isn’t fair, for most people who are in and near the poverty line. Not everyone is fated to be rich, and nobody can ever tell when the Philippines will recover and finally become a second-world country or be at peace with other nations. After one unfortunate event and sad news to another (e.g. recent shot of a Taiwanese fisherman), all eyes are upon us, a country known to the world for our hospitality, smiles and resilience. All that was forgotten; now, in the world’s eyes, we are country of misery, inept at rescue.

    What’s important is inflation rates should be manageable this year, to boost economic growth and let people live with lighter hearts. Let’s see what happens tomorrow and the day after and the day after next…

  • Review of GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes (Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City)

    Review of GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes (Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City)

    Gigi Gaerlan’s The Custaroonery is already well known for excellent custaroons, matcha cookies and green tea. Building on that success, she started a new confectionery business, a patisserie named after herself, GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes, with partners Patrick Gaerlan, her husband; Joey Luna, Dondi Gaite; and Cynthia and Ivy Almario in July 2012.

    GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes takes pride in the moistness and taste of their specialty cupcakes. They also offer a variety of chill coffee concoctions and sweet-tooth-satisfying goodies — all contributing to a touch of viral hype now in Eastwood City.

    An invitation to bloggers came up last week, and I’m glad to be one of the selected few to taste as many GIGI cupcakes as we wanted with delight. 😛

    Review of GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes (Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    I’m impressed with the cutesie-wootsie style of the shop. The Almarios gave the interior design an outdoor feel (see the fake grass) but without the heat and the pollution. Once inside, I felt like just being in a park and at the same time a candy store with less candies and more colorful cupcakes displayed beautifully on the forefront. The list of drinks are listed at the backdrop, also taking attention.

    GIGI is located in the lobby area of an establishment where employees and other people go in and out. I’m surprised that the place is quite cozy, peaceful and welcoming in spite of this. All around, you can see the colors green, brown and white as motifs, soothing to the eyes. With simple but stylish avant-garde furnishings, the French-inspired modern setting gives the perfect ambiance where guests can unwind, relax and chat for over an hour.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The staff members were fantastic and friendly. They served coffee and cupcakes and allocated space for us very quickly. WiFi connection can be accessed for free by dine-in customers. Password was given immediately after we asked for it, thank goodness. I appreciate the kind gesture.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Patrick Gaerlan mentioned that they serve different flavors of cupcakes in a day. They are not yet ready with their printed menu so diners have to choose from what’s available in the counter.

    In our visit, we had the following listed below, while we missed Bacon Chocolate, Chili Chocolate, Cinnamon, Blueberry, Apple Crumble, Key Lime, Orange, White Mocha and Peanut Butter. (The latter two arrived later as part of the afternoon batch.)

    • Sea Salt Chocolate – Sweet and salty frosting plus the moist texture of the cake equate to a perfect cupcake. Yummy! Warning: The chocolate is so rich that it will make you feel heavy afterwards.
    • Chocolate Chip Overload – This chocolate-studded cupcake can be your ultimate indulgence. OMG, they are just delicious! You will be very satisfied with only one.
    • Raspberry – The cake was out of this world, but that frosting was even better….super good and heavy to the stomach. If you’re hungry and you don’t have time to eat a full meal, this one can quench your hunger in no time. And as you take it, may the Gods of Sugar bless you.
    • Red Velvet – I saw how customers just walk in, order the Red Velvet, pay to the cashier and move out. No doubt, this is the best-seller of all time. Trust me, it can really be one of the best cupcakes you will ever taste.
    • Peppermint – Among all those cupcakes I’ve sampled, this is by far my personal favorite. I love mint with chocolate, and this cupcake flavor hit me right on target.
    • Green Tea – Divine and unique, the green tea is another variant which I liked most. It tastes bitter and sweet, ridiculously flavorful, buttery and moist as well.

    I was super full after taking bits of these six cupcakes! All of them are worth to be hoarded into your belly, but make sure to follow through with physical exercises to shed off the fats and calories especially if you’re conscious of your weight and fitness like me. 😀

    As for the drinks, I had the white mocha frappe which is sweeter by about 50% than the mocha frappe. I was the only one who didn’t get to finish her drink. I probably had drank more plain water than the frappe to cleanse the sweetness in my mouth. 😀 Don’t fret as it might only be me; I’m not really a “frappe person” and I’m not much into drinks that can “damage” my waistline. I prefer subtle ones like milk teas which are concocted with little amount of sugar (if possible, 0-20%).

    In fairness though, GIGI’s Coffee and Cupcakes has done an excellent job with the coffee base and whipped cream. Their drinks can be your next alternatives to Starbucks’ ice blended coffee drink fixes.

    The third picture on the right is the lemongrass tea, which I look forward to order in my next visit.

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    With joints selling donuts, cakes, sandwiches, yogurt, ice cream, milk tea, macarons, other desserts and snacks almost everywhere now, apparently the market has become saturated. But GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes should not worry. The shop is strategically located in Eastwood City (between Citibank and IBM Plaza), where streams of potential customers from offices and malls continually pass by from morning till midnight.

    Each cupcake flavor is every bit as impressive as another. Gigi’s cupcakes are aesthetically pleasing enough that you can serve to guests at a party or at a client meeting. To sum up, their coffee and cupcakes are absolutely worth the price! There’s no shortening-based icing on the cakes but quality frosting which in Filipino terms can be put this way: “Walang daya.”

    Cupcakes are sold at PHp 40 individually yet you can save some when you buy them in bulk. (Note that other cupcake stores sell cupcakes at PHp 80-120 each.) Prices of drinks, on the other hand, range from PHp 50-95. èż˜ć„œć§ ! 😀

    So, listen up, Folks! For the upcoming celebration in your home or office, instead of baking your own goodies, treat your families and friends to affordable but elegantly prepared cupcakes by GIGI. Avoid the hectic queues and call their contact number below to reserve boxes for convenience. When you’re just walking around Eastwood, casually drop by their shop and find yourself craving for more cupcakes one after the other. 😀

    “A great cupcake starts with a great cake.”

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/GigiCoffeeAndCupcakes” name=”GIGI Coffee & Cupcakes” description=”5 Eastwood Avenue, Felina Corporate Plaza Lobby, Eastwood City, 1110 Quezon City, Philippines” rev_name=” For inquiries, contact (02) 234 2842″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-05-13″ user_review=”20″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating hours:
    Monday to Thursday – 7AM to 11PM
    Friday and Saturday – 7AM to 12MN
    Sunday – 11AM to 8PM

    – Gigi and Patrick Gaerlan with their cute daughter who was making faces 🙂 –

    – The Bloggers (Me, Hana, Ann, Florence and Ross)
    minus Mac, who took the shot, and Sef who came later 🙂 –

  • Top 100 Reasons Why I Love My Mother

    Top 100 Reasons Why I Love My Mother

    My mom asks many times in a day why we love her so. My sister often jokes, “because you tell us ‘I love you’.” I try to give the same answer. Unfortunately, my mom says it’s invalid as it was already given. So I have to think of unique replies only to quit her questions.

    I came up with a list of the top 100 reasons why I love my mother (and I better write this as if I’m speaking to her). As you read them, you can probably relate to some. Maybe pick one or a couple that struck you most and share your thoughts in the comment section below? (ïœĄâ—•â€żâ—•ïœĄ) Anyway, here goes…

     Top 100 Reasons Why I Love My Mom

    1. I love you because you prepare breakfast for us every day. This may sound simple to readers of plain text, but this means so much more when done. Included here is the act of waking up early at 6AM without fail only to make sure that everything is ready before I leave for work.
    2. I love you because you prepare lunch for us every day. Again, this may look like it’s easily done, but the thought is really what counts. Apart from cooking for breakfast, you have to think of creative recipes that are both eye-appealing and mouthwatering to serve for our meals. Thank you very much for this because then I can save my PHp 20 to buy lunch in our canteen.
    3. I love you because you prepare food for my afternoon snack. I am blessed to be born to you. #FrugalityPays
    4. I love you because you prepare dinner for us every day. After a long and tiring day’s work, I look forward to food. Know that I think of you as soon as I exit through our office building’s main door.
    5. I love you because you always think of buying food for us whenever you’re in a grocery store and you endure to carry groceries even if they weigh more than 10 kilograms. For someone who stands 5″3′ and medium-built, that’s tough.
    6. I love you because you slice fruits for our desserts.
    7. I love you because you cook something up very quickly when we suddenly crave for food at night. You never allowed us to go hungry.
    8. I love you because you research and watch YouTube videos of new food recipes to try and cook for us.
    9. I love you because you are not getting tired to take calls and messages from my anonymous buyers who are also not getting tired to haggle and ask for more discounts and for information that’s already posted on my ads.
    10. I love you because you tie my laces or fix the straps of the shoes or sandals I’m trying on in a store.
    11. I love you because you subscribed to my RSS feeds and are updated to each of my blog post. That’s what I call support from a mother who’s an avid reader and fan of my writing.
    12. I love you because you promote my blogs to our friends and relatives. Your words make me sound like I’m a big/celebrity blogger when I’m not.
    13. I love you because you cry with me and empathize with my sad feelings thus making me feel understood. You always comfort me or give me a shoulder to cry on when I need it.
    14. I love you because you buy me new variants of powdered milk tea and they’d magically appear in our kitchen cupboard.
    15. I love you because you pay the fees charged by customs and post office on my behalf and claim items I bought online.
    16. I love you because you spare a slice or two of pizzas for me when you order pizza for dinner and I was out somewhere during the day.
    17. I love you because you have pictures of me in your wallet.
    18. I love you because you still want me to be accompanied by wushu friends who can walk me home after training at night, and if they cannot, you would always fetch me from the place.
    19. I love you because you came to my first running event at Rizal Stadium and cheered for our team. #StageMom
    20. I love you because you speak praises of me in events and parties and introduce me in good faith to new people we meet.
    21. I love you because you bring life and light to our home. Seriously without your lively voice, we would only hear dead air (and probably the beep from the aliens).
    22. I love you because you always allow yourself to be pranked or made fun of.
    23. I love you because you arrange family trips and in addition plan for our budget for all our convenience.
    24. I love you because you follow my workout routines and enjoy the exercise even if this means looking weird especially when clad with your usual workout outfit. (Let’s keep the appearance of the outfit hush-hush.)
    25. I love you because you spend painstaking efforts in bidding for items on eBay just to win the “best buys” for our family’s use. Add to this are the nerve-racking moments and feelings when you open multiple tabs loading the same page to monitor the status of the winning bidder by the second.
    26. I love you because you follow my advice not to cut your hair because it’s long and nice as it is. This means respect and trust for my opinion.
    27. I love you because you rode the car when I first drove it and experienced my driving style as a beginner.
    28. I love you because you buy vouchers from online merchants to avail of items at a discounted price for us to try out different things we have not tried before when we could not afford them (e.g. food, services, products, and travel).
    29. I love you because you took persistence in collecting Globe reward points for bill rebates and for us to get movie tickets for free.
    30. I love you because you spent time finding me the car I want. This means walking in car selling centers through the long thoroughfares in QC and commuting to the BDO warehouse for foreclosed automobiles that was too hard to locate.
    31. I love you because you bargained for the parking space for me.
    32. I love you because you clean the toilet every time we get it messy.
    33. I love you because you take effort in calculating the prices of shampoos, conditioners and liquid detergents versus the volume and choose the winning items to save money. #WiseBuyer
    34. I love you because you entertain my curiosity when I ask how it’s wonderful that we can understand each other while speaking even when our eyes are closed, how it’s amazing that a baby is formed inside the mother’s womb, and who would have thought that we’ll grow and change appearances, like this for example: ◠‿◠ Ta-da!
    35. I love you because you understand my randomness.
    36. I love you because you wash my bedtime gal pals and keep them clean and nice-smelling.
    37. I love you because you stick with Daddy through the rough times, help him be a sane person during those hard days, and never back down from a challenge.
    38. I love you because you are not so much of a kiasu parent. You let me go and allow me to explore the world and learn about myself.
    39. I love you because you taught me to be independent and autonomous, two traits I hold to dearly today.
    40. I love you because you participate in role-playing with our dolls and imitate our little voices as well like kids under five years old just having fun.
    41. I love you because you encourage me to strive to get what I want and make me believe that I can have everything I deserve in due time.
    42. I love you because you have always come to support me in my hosting gigs, especially on the time when I was ill and still have to do the job.
    43. I love you because I feel very much appreciated whenever you thank me for finishing tasks to write mails, translate documents and explain letters.
    44. I love you because you have a great conviction that our incredible dreams and visions for our future will come true — one day. “We just have to help each other out,” is what’s instilled in my mind.
    45. I love you because you choose clothes that you think will fit me. This means that you think of me when you go window-shopping. I deem you now as a slight expert when it comes to judging designs which match my unique preference in style.
    46. I love you because you found a way to fix my broken epilator after going to several hubs and asking technicians what’s wrong with it.
    47. I love you because you’re like BDO. You find ways. And you’re Nido, because you’re my number one. 😛
    48. I love you because you process my papers and documents that are required for employment, for travel, for joining a corporation, for opening accounts for investments, for applying for credit cards, for registering my car and student driver’s permit, etc.
    49. I love you because you help me think of gifts to buy for my friends and wrap the presents because I can’t do it myself.
    50. I love you because you give me good advice, even when I don’t exactly think that it would work.
    51. I love you because you heartily donate reliefs to the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation to help other people. This means collecting “trashes,” arranging them in neat piles and waiting for the foundation’s representative to arrive at our door every month.
    52. I love you because you listen intently to my stories related to work and try to understand them no matter how complicated they are — and I hope this is not only to score high in the “graded” recitation that comes afterwards.
    53. I love you because you are never too busy to make yourself available for me and push the other million things you have to do aside.
    54. I love you because you pay for transportation fare when we’re out to adventures together.
    55. I love you because you make us laugh when you tell jokes that originally come from the person who shared it first. If laughter is medicine for the soul, then we in the house must be a few of the healthiest living people.
    56. I love you because you take my photo at least two to three times until you get it clear.
    57. I love you because you massage my back longer than I massage your back in return.
    58. I love you because you shave my eyebrows into good shape and insist to draw them before I go out.
    59. I love you because you water my ashitaba plants every day.
    60. I love you because you wait for me before you watch a movie or ask me first if I want to join you before starting on a new Koreanovela.
    61. I love you because you put our shoes and slippers back in the shoe cabinet in order.
    62. I love you because you kill the cockroaches that bother me in the bathroom and bedroom.
    63. I love you because you drink the water and eat the food I can’t finish.
    64. I love you because you can juggle everything you do at the same time and accomplish so much in a day.
    65. I love you because you get medicine when we’re sick and take care of us until we’re well — even if this means taking away some sleep time for you.
    66. I love you because you carry my things inside your “wonder zebra-print bag” which can fit almost anything.
    67. I love you because you think differently about your potential in the world and act in shaping outcomes in our spheres of influence.
    68. I love you because you have the heart that burgeons with inexpressible joy with every milestone we reach.
    69. I love you because you listen to the things I dream of no matter how weird they sound like. I really appreciate that.
    70. I love you because you are still tracking the scammer for me and hunting the person down with your incredible investigative skills.
    71. I love you because you push me to wear makeup for special occasions when I don’t want to — and I only realize later that indeed, it was appropriate.
    72. I love you because you know what’s best and what’s right — except in pronouncing some words such as “badminton” (patminton), “spinach” (spenaK), “fish” (fes), “change” (cheinz), “challenge” (challenz), and your favorite expression “buwisit” (boysit). Mistakes in pronunciation happen once in a while, but I admire you for correcting and changing lifestyles for the good as this matters more. You know how to live life. Thanks for seeing things now through optimistic lenses.
    73. I love you because your tongue finds it hard to differentiate between “L” and “R” and you can’t successfully speak out “ruler roller rural” more than once at regular speed — and you just laugh about it. “Girl” becomes “gir.” Likewise, you think that there is no difference between ㄓ (zhi) and ㄔ (chi), ㄕ (shi) and ㄙ (si), ㄗ (zi) and ㄘ (ci) and ㄐ (ji) and ㄑ (qi). Wa liao! You are hilarious. It’s a good thing that I didn’t turn out that way. 😛
    74. I love you because you queue up and save us free taste of food and drinks being offered in stores during promotions.
    75. I love you because you instantaneously hate those we hate.
    76. I love you because you would let me wear your new clothes, which I decline. Why? I know that being the first wearer of your own new clothes means so much to you, and I didn’t want to take that sentiment away because you rarely buy new clothes.
    77. I love you because you are efficient in being a full-time mom, a full-time wife, a full-time employee, and a part-time runner/delivery girl for our business. If you ever want to stop working, you might want to consider being a standup comedienne as an alternative.
    78. I love you because you can answer almost everything. This makes our house like a call center as people trust you with their problems and inquiries whether it be regarding real estate, loans, deposits, accounting, relationships, food recipes, housekeeping, raising a child, homework of primary to secondary school students, news and current affairs, etc. So who’s the real nerd? #NotMeThisTime
    79. I love you because you daringly tried anything that we find exciting. We will be surfing and playing frisbee soon!
    80. I love you because you are an epitome of dreams coming to life.
    81. I love you because you are selfless, especially for your family. You are always thinking about other people and how you can help someone else out. You live how 1st Corinthians 13 tells us how: by showing selfless love.
    82. I love you because you are fearless in confronting things and people head on. If something doesn’t work then you try to find a new way to make it happen right mostly by bringing out your tongue and speaking out  (e.g. complaints for intermittent Internet connection, errors in credit card transaction, wrong orders in a restaurant, etc.)
    83. I love you because you can piggy back ride me until now and hug me till you carry my whole weight.
    84. I love you because you always remind me to put on sunblock lotion and moisturizer before going out in the morning and before going to bed at night.
    85. I love you because you have your agenda set for every day. You serve as a living example of how we should manage our everyday life living with drive and purpose.
    86. I love you because you have raised us in a secure home. Yup, we don’t live in a mansion or in a luxurious home yet we always felt safe and at ease.
    87. I love you because you have the ability to make us smile and/or laugh in simple ways. The most recent one was showing us your “witch teeth.” WAAA 😛
    88. I love you because you wrap sushi, shrimps and cupcakes from a buffet restaurant while “no one is watching” to save them for another meal or to bring home for Daddy. That’s a thoughtful gesture, yes.
    89. I love you because you are willing to exchange shoes, slippers or sandals when ours are broken while walking in the streets. The time when you wrapped your feet with plastic bag to move to the nearest mall and buy new shoes is really unforgettable. That’s major humiliation yet one you didn’t mind because you’re okay to take it than your child. May we never forget it. Amen.
    90. I love you because you sweep the floor many times in a day for cleanliness. You know that my nose is allergic to dust.
    91. I love you because you know me. More than anyone else in the world, you know me and you accept me just as I am; flaws and all.
    92. I love you because you are “the hope that moves me to courage again.” Oh yeah. ♫
    93. I love you because you are bold to share your weaknesses and humble enough to find and learn how you can be better and stronger.
    94. I love you because you gave me something that cannot be bought and taken away: great memories.
    95. I love you because you have been very instrumental in all of my successes as you gave me the right foundation for a good future.
    96. I love you because you supported me in almost every BIG decision I made in life.
    97. I love you because you fill in the missing gaps and make me more complete.
    98. I love you because you are you, my mother. Thank you for being every bit of you that you are.
    99. I love you because you are the best.
    100. I love you because you first loved me.

    Happy Mother’s Day! I love you. ❀

  • Why I Started Wearing Contact Lenses

    Why I Started Wearing Contact Lenses

    I bought and wore contact lenses for the first time last March 26, 2013. Dr. Pajaro, the eye doctor from Ideal Vision (SM Mall of Asia), had patiently briefed me about the costs of different types of contact lenses including the solution to clean and maintain them. That day after work, I also visited the rest of the optical stores in MOA, namely George Optical, EO Executive Optical, Unique and Sarabia Optical, where I asked for suggestions from staff and compared prices to get the best buy.

    Since Ideal Vision offered me the best service and gave me the most valuable information I’ve been wanting to receive, it was hard to decline. I got the Air Optix Aqua Contact Lenses, thanks to Dr. Pajaro’s recommendation. He checked my eye grade and confirmed that it still hasn’t changed (I have 120/120 vision). He didn’t give up on his many attempts of putting contact lenses on my eyes.

    Whenever the contact lens touched my eye, the immediate effect was that my eye would start watering profusely. Then I had to pause and breathe, calm down and signal to resume. The doctor again would clean the lens with the liquid solution and try again.

    As the saying goes, “Hard work pays off.” We believe that and we were done after an hour. 😛

    When I reached home, I happily announced to my family that I got contacts on. I watched videos online to learn how to remove them, before going to sleep. The tutorials on YouTube showed simple procedures, yet I could do not them myself. Daddy quickly did it for me instead. And that went on for the next three weeks, until I learned how to wear and remove them on my own. 😀

    Why I Started Wearing Eyeglasses

    Flashback eight years ago, I was seated at the third row from the front of the classroom. Our high school math teacher was writing mathematical equations on the whiteboard for the day’s lecture. The distance was only about ten steps away, but I could hardly see clearly. I kept on squinting my eyes, wondering if his handwriting was just too small or if the whiteboard marker’s ink was just too light. So I would usually have to go nearer to copy notes for my review. My other classmates would do the same; I was not the only one. Maybe, then, my reasons were right. And I could have remained wondering forever.

    One day, I took the courage to have my eyes checked. My mom and I visited the optometrist nearest our place. According to the eye test, both of my eyes had 50-50 degree.

    Finally, an answer.

    So it was my nearsightedness. I had to wear eyeglasses — eyeglasses which I didn’t want to wear for a lot of reasons.

    Why I Hate Wearing Eyeglasses

    I could not wear glasses while dancing or doing other sports because they will fall off, causing deterrent and distraction on my focus.

    I could not wear glasses when it’s raining. They are not equipped with wipers to wipe away the raindrops on the lenses.

    I could not wear glasses when there’s a big change in temperature (the lenses tend to fog very easily).

    I could not wear glasses because I tend to constantly adjust the edge of the frame from the bridge of my nose upwards. They are super uncomfortable.

    I don’t want to wear glasses because I don’t feel confident with how I look when they’re on.

    The distance between my eyes and the lens creates distortion, adding only to my poor peripheral vision. This is why I prefer wearing large-frame glasses.

    Few instances led me to see in perfect vision through those lenses: when something is being projected from a computer and when the professor’s handwriting is tiny. I had to remove my glasses after class and proceed with seeing the world with my imperfect vision. That went on through college, even when my eye degree went up double,  to the time I had my first job when I only wore glasses during meetings and presentations.

    I did not consider wearing contact lenses then because I thought they’re high maintenance. Besides, I could not dare to deliberately place my finger to insert and remove the lenses onto and from my eyes. My eyelids would involuntarily close my eyes, like repelling automatically from some alien.

    Why I Started Wearing Contact Lenses

    So here’s the big question: “Why made me decide to wear contact lenses?”

    Apparently, my “hatred” to wearing eyeglasses had been raging for years – so much so that I felt that I’ve had enough reasons (as stated above) on why I need to try wearing contact lenses.

    I’ve read several blogs and websites say that contact lenses cater for more natural vision, as there’s no distractions, no weight and resulting discomfort. Also, there’s no frame constantly slipping down the nose, no annoying obstructions or reflections in view, and no collections of precipitation and fog that blur vision. Contact lenses, unlike framed eyeglasses, can match everything I wear. There’s also no glare and reflection that detract people from seeing my eyes.

    Review of Air Optix Aqua Contact Lenses

    After over a month of wearing contact lenses consistently, now is a good time to share my “Air Optix Aqua contact lenses” review.

    Comfort: Air Optix Aqua contact lenses, compared to regular contact lenses, have higher oxygen transmissibility, the eye doctor says. The Air Optix Aqua contacts are designed for extended wear. Produced out of patented lens material, these contacts help minimize the rate of lens dehydration. This is why they can be even worn while asleep and up to 18 hours in a day and still retaining moisture. (But of course, I still limit the number of hours that I wear them.)

    Its website claims that there’s “rich, nourishing oxygen flows continuously through the lenses – for white healthy looking eyes.” Oh, I was not aware that our eyes do “breathe” as well, so as far as that statement goes, I could probably relate to it to some extent. The contacts are pretty comfortable and I haven’t encountered any problem thus far.

    Price for Value: At PHp 1350, the package I bought consists of six clear disposable soft lenses (three pairs, one pair per month). A normal pair of monthly disposable contacts (not hydrated ones) costs about PHp 150 only. Next time, I have to try wearing them also just to feel the difference and have a more meaningful judgment on whether or not the Air Optix contacts are worth the expense in every way.

  • Our Fourth Year Anniversary! Find Out How We Celebrated It…

    Our Fourth Year Anniversary! Find Out How We Celebrated It…

    For as long as I can remember, I have always been searching for “the one.” I guess I’m not the only one who take inspiration from romance novels, Disney fairy tales and Hollywood chick flicks, putting images of white knights in the head and prince charmings that do not realistically exist. Alas, the hopeless romantic that I am keep her eyes peeled in case one magically walked through a magic mirror into this world…

    until I met this intimidating classroom seatmate six years ago. His name is Louie, my boyfriend for four years now.

    We celebrated our fourth-year anniversary last May 1 (Labor Day) in Greenhills Shopping Center. He can never be without food to feed the “little dinosaurs and cobras” in his stomach, so our first stop had to be a restaurant. He had snacks at Mexicali and we went window-shopping while waiting for the movie to start later that evening.

    Watched Trance (2013)

    All of Greenhills Promenade cinemas were showing Iron Man 3, except for two others which opened for Identity Theft and Trance. Since there was not much of a choice, we watched Trance without even knowing what the plot was about. I just read some Facebook status messages of friends saying that it’s like Inception, a psychological thriller/action movie. Surprisingly, we both liked the story. 🙂

    Dinner at Chili’s Greenhills Connecticut

    There’s aplenty of sumptuous dishes offered at Chili’s, but they are mostly and largely for meat lovers. Where’s the beef? It’s rightfully here, baby — stark opposite of my preference.

    On past occasions, I have tried their pasta and fish and chips. This time though I wanted to eat something quite out of the ordinary. Only one called my attention: Southwestern Eggrolls.

    This crispy flour tortilla was filled with smoked chicken, black beans, corn, and Jalapeno Jack cheese. The dough was at the right texture, appropriately crunchy and chewy where it needed to be. There was also the flavorful avocado ranch dressing which proved to be the ideal complement for the heartier red peppers and spinach. These Southwestern eggrolls made me get reacquainted with my liking of breads, as the taste of the put-together dressing and ingredients was fulfilling as it was interesting.

    I had about 3.5 pieces before my palates grew tired of it — and Louie had to take over with the rest. Nonetheless, it was a good choice for the night. 😀

    Louie ordered a set of Chili’s Big Mouth burger and fries for himself. The burger was, at heart, a humble creation. I got a mouthful of his food and I can tell it was cooked fine. I cannot describe further, but I’m happy to report that nothing about it disappointed.

    Gift Exchange

    Before food was served at the table, we relished a moment of exchanging gifts. He gave me a golden box that contained a necklace with a pendant sparkling with gold and silver. Accompanying it was a short manuscript couched in a language that I could not comprehend as it wasn’t in English. It must have come from Spain. THANK YOU, Louielove. ♄

    I, on the other hand, gave him a Polo Ralph Lauren leather belt that can be reversed to black and brown sides with a simple twist of the buckle. This present took me a long time to think about. Gifts for men are really the hardest to find. Forums and websites I’ve flipped over suggest the usual — trips and getaways, tickets to some concert or play, and other expensive stuff for an anniversary gift, but I still chose something for practical everyday wear.

    The belt might be clichéd or boring, yet it represents togetherness and while worn, it would make him remember me at any time of the day! 8)

    Wrap Up

    And so we have reached another anniversary. Sometimes it feels like it’s only been a few days and sometimes it feels like it’s been a lifetime! It’s amazing how we’ve grown and changed in the last four years. I feel like I know him most, as he’s someone I can talk to, share things with, confide in without fear of ridicule or disinterest. He just might be the best partner for adventures that we’ve yet to uncover. 😉

  • Review of Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Pugliese Pizza (Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila)

    Review of Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Pugliese Pizza (Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila)

    Louie and I watched Iron Man 3 with friends last Saturday night. It was the first time we experienced total electrical disruption (brownout) for almost an hour in the mall. Even the electrical generator was not able to push electricity back in immediately. People shouted “Aaaahh!” like they were riding a roller coaster, every time lights turn on and go off like disco in a split second. 😯

    We knew the schedules and timing of the movies in cinemas would be delayed. Anyhow, we were still able to catch the movie and have dinner comfortably.

    We hit up Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Pizza Pasta Resto, as a result of easy round of approvals and agreement among us nine. Like the LAB Gastropub OCEANA, Lombardi’s is also a product of center for Culinary Arts (CCA) Manila. The name of the restaurant originates from Chef Davide Lombardi’s last name. This guy came to the Philippines to share Italian cooking secrets to aspiring chefs. Talk about passion.

    To date, there’s only one branch of Lombardi’s in the country and it’s located right here at Robinsons Magnolia’s Al Fresco area.

    Review of Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Pugliese Pizza (Robinsons Magnolia, New Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Lombardi’s provides seating to customers inside and outside the restaurant. Seats are apt in number and the entire combined areas can accommodate about 80-100 people. There was a live band playing loud music outside, so this place is best recommended for those guys who just want to chill out, eat and not say a word (else hurt their voice box in trying to overcome the noise and make themselves be heard).

    Theme is consistent throughout the space, featuring light wood furniture, elegant light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, brick walls and attractive ornaments everywhere. At the far end of the air-conditioned interior room stands a wall where names of dishes are listed in multicolored chalk. Beside it is Lombardi’s kitchen that’s enclosed with glass — making the process of preparing and cooking pizzas through their large wood-burning oven attractive to guests.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    The pleasing vibe of the ambiance was enhanced with the nice appeal of Lombardi’s staff. We were offered to be seated first outside as guests were full inside. Orders were taken and starters were placed on our tables fast. The deal-breaker had to be the waiting time. Our pizza came really later than expected, so we began eating when our friends were almost done with their meal.

    Every restaurant has slow service at one time or another, so I can let this one pass.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    We received focaccia bread with balsamic vinegar olive oil dip as complimentary appetizer. The aroma of the bread plus the herbs were fresh. One bite and you can sense the crispiness on the edges and take delight on the fluffiness of the bread inside.

    There’s a ton of dishes on the menu but we decided to go for pizza, since an authentic Italian experience is said to be incomplete without it. To be exact, we had the Pugliese pizza, a thin-crusted pizza topped with tuna, onions, mozzarella cheese and green olives.

    The pizza was acceptable across the board, but it was no major star. The pizza surface with nicely melted cheese was nearly mercifully grease-less, but it was under-spiced. The stray bits of onion did not successfully help to add snap and flavor. Without the chili oil, salt and pepper we had to put on, the light taste was almost assertively void of the unassuming tuna flavor. The crust was dry and thin like reinforced cardboard, not chewy.

    Price for Value: ★★☆☆☆

    If you’re on a diet but strongly crave for a slice of pizza right now, the closest thing you can probably grab is this Pugliese pizza from Lombardi’s. It’s not addictive and it won’t make you feel guilty with its healthy toppings and super light taste. The price, on the other hand, is not for the faint of heart. The Pugliese pizza costs PHp 320 with PHp 28++ service charge.

    Here’s the menu of Lombardi’s, for folks who aren’t afraid of racking up a tab. ❀

    Lombardi’s Authentic Italian Restaurant
    2/F Robinsons Magnolia, Doña Hemady Avenue, Valencia, Quezon City

  • Review of Bayview Coffee Shop (Roxas Boulevard, United Nations Avenue, Manila)

    Review of Bayview Coffee Shop (Roxas Boulevard, United Nations Avenue, Manila)

    Last Saturday after being a checker, translator and runner, I was delighted to be treated with free dinner at the Bayview Park Hotel Manila’s Coffee Shop, thanks to the grace of Everbest. 🙂

    We have dined in here before but that goes far as back as two to three years. The look of the facade and interiors didn’t changed though. This 75-year-old hotel still stands strong and proud as an ideal temporary home for travelers, tourists and local visitors alike when in Manila.

    Review of Bayview Coffee Shop (Roxas Boulevard, United Nations Avenue, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The coffee shop area was dimly lit, just beside the lobby and across the reception halls. With modern vibe, it’s a comfortable place to sit in, read some newspaper or book and watch guests going in and out of the main entrance. The ambiance can pass for both business and leisure dining.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Bayview Coffee Shop offered Pinoy hospitality and fervent smiles in welcoming the guests into the hotel premises. From the guards, to the hotel staff and the coffee shop wait staff, everyone was hospitable, dependable, modest, respected and distinguished.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    To work up our appetite, we had soup of the day (mushroom soup) and freshly tossed salad. They were comforting without being heavy.

    For the main course, my choice was the Szechuan Squid Stir-fry. The name pretty much said it all. It was a dish cooked with stir-fried squid in oyster sauce, mushrooms and buttered veggies. Because I wear braces on my teeth, I found it hard to chew the squid. Tiring my jaws, I was like chewing a rubber band! But what can do? That was what I wished for. 😐 Anyway, the more I chewed, the more flavors came out. Yet again, the squid might be over-cooked. If cooked correctly, they can be soft but firm in texture.

    Mom savored the grilled fresh mackerel (Tanigue Steak), which was served with chopped onions, tomatoes, leeks and soy sauce. For a quick moment there, I regretted ordering the squid. 😯

    Striking the perfect balance between sumptuous and homely, the Chicken Adobo was an absolute treat. For those who don’t know, it’s one of the most favorite dishes of Filipinos. What’s not to like? With simple ingredients and preparation, the coffee shop was able to present it remarkably. It’s just chicken seasoned with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and native spices served with achara that I’m sure many overseas Filipino workers miss.

    Completing the power-meal menu, other culinary offerings which were conquered bravely by my friends and family were: Baked Chicken Eugene consisting of grilled boneless chicken with French brown sauce and the same buttered vegetables; Tonkatsu or deep fried breaded Japanese-style pork chop with sliced tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce; Inihaw na Liempo or Grilled Pork Belly in soy sauce, calamansi juice and garlic served with achara; and Beef Steak Tagalog—beef tenderloin marinated in soy sauce and fresh calamansi juice smothered with onions. I did not try these last dishes but my friends seemed to enjoy them a lot.

    For the drinks, three choices were available: pineapple juice, mango juice and iced tea. These were synthetic juices that just were made from powdered form. I expected them to be freshly squeezed from the real fruit so I was a bit disappointed. I drank more plain water to complement and wash down the overly sweet taste.

    For desserts, each of us had a slice of Ube Cake and Brazo de Mercedes (Creme-filled Log Cake). Yummy!

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    While not dirt cheap, food by Bayview Coffee Shop came out with huge portions enough to make our stomachs full for the night. The overall taste was not splendid yet it didn’t put out negative points either. Each power meal was priced at PHp 375, and I think it’s reasonable at that, considering that this is a hotel. It’s half of what you’ll find at some of the more high-profile spots in Manila. To conclude, Bayview Coffee Shop offers good but not great dishes without the nosebleed prices.

    Bayview Park Hotel Manila Coffee Shop
    1118 Roxas Boulevard cor. United Nations Avenue, Manila, Philippines
    (Opposite the American Embassy Building)

    Working Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm (GMT+08:00)

    For reservations, contact:
    Trunk Line Number: [+63 (country code) – 2 (area code) -2479000 (local number)] ext 1707 and 1759
    Direct Line: [+63 (country code) -2 (area code) -5210919 (local number)]
    Fax Number: +63-2-5212674
    Email Address: bookings@bayviewparkhotel.com