Monday, May 30, 2011

We Walked/Ran for Food During Walk the World Pilipinas!

I am not a runner but my hubby is. He enjoys pounding the pavement every night for several kilometers as long as it doesn't rain heavily. Fortunately, there's a good area in Filinvest Alabang where runners can exercise without fear of getting hit by reckless drivers.

When I attended the press con of Walk the World Pilipinas early this month, I immediately decided there and then that my family will get involved in this worthwhile advocacy. The kids and I could join the 2km walk while hubby would run the 5k race. He was enthusiastic about the idea when I told him and supported me in convincing the kids that it would be a great activity for the whole family. 


We arrived at SM MOA bright and early last Sunday. It was awesome to see so many people wearing the same shirts and feeling the same enthusiasm as we do. Although the activities started past 6am instead of 5am, participants lined up cheerfully in the respective walk/run categories. The kids and I spent the next hour strolling around MOA together with hundreds of other walkers. 


It was my hubby's first official race and he said it felt great. Check him out at the video uploaded by orangemagazinetv.com :)



I'd say one of the best things about this activity is seeing my son with special needs enjoy the morning thoroughly. He was very attentive the whole time, observing everything he sees. He only cried when we got in the car to leave. As for my other boys, who were very reluctant to join initially, all three conceded that they also enjoyed themselves. 

I am just thankful that we had that day to remember as a time we did something special as a family.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Philips Chooses Karylle to be the Face of its New International Campaign

Karylle is a young woman with many hats. She is not only a singer, actress, and TV host, she's also an athlete and a writer cum blogger. These characteristics were what made Philips choose her to star in the second installment of Nigel and Victoria, the international hit viral campaign which will premier this June.

The show has become a runaway success in Europe, UK and Russia last year. It is a comedy series that features an off-screen romance between Victoria, a sexy, gadget-crazy Philips products reviewer, and Nigel, who just can't stop interfering. The show's success can be measured by the 850,000+ views on Facebook and more than a million hits on other platforms.

The second series will feature Nigel searching the world for Victoria's replacement. The show will be actively launched in 10 countries including the Philippines. As part of her involvement in the series, Karylle recently shot episodes in London and Amsterdam where she reviewed Philip's new range of headphones and notebook accessories. We saw a clip of her adventures and she seemed to have a lot of fun while doing a great job of making her fellow Filipinos proud.

Watch out for the new series at Philips.com and across the internet soon. To get more information on Philip's products from the 'On the Go' range, please visit www.onthego.philips.com. If you want to watch the first series of Nigel and Victoria, simply head on to http://www.facebook.com/NigelandVictoria.

Aside from Karylle's involvement in the Philips campaign, she will be starring in the first Pan-Asian television musical set in a restaurant. The show, called The Kitchen Musical, will be aired in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia and across 17 other countries. And since the project is to be shot in Singapore, Karylle has to temporarily leave all her commitments in the Philippines for the next four months.

Nevertheless, her fans won't have to miss her so much as she has a new album out called Road Trip, which she has produced herself, and a new music video for her very catchy song entitled OMG.


Saturday, May 28, 2011

Hot Wheels' Ultimate Grand Prix Experience Launch

Hot Wheels launched the Ultimate Grand Prix Experience promo last May 22 at Enchanted Kingdom and treated members of the media to a fun and adventure-filled afternoon. Gracing the karting event were Formula, Rallye and Karting champions Popong Andolong and Edgen Dy-Liacco and 2010 Minirok Karting Champion and Cadet Karter of the Year Basti Escalante.

Mr. Mario O. Mamon, president and CEO of Enchanted Kingdom and Ms. Myrna Yao, president and CEO of Richwell Trading Corporation, exclusive Philippine Distributor of Hot Wheels were present to welcome all the participants to the exclusive media launch.   


My 15-year-old son, who covered the event for Manila Bulletin Funpage, and his 12-year-old brother, joined the more than 50 contestants from the print, TV, radio and online media in a friendly race at the Kart Trak. Unfortunately, some seemed so determined to win that one of them, who was among the batch of drivers where my sons were included, spun around and crashed twice on the tire walls! I could feel my heart pumping hard for fear that my kids might get into an accident with the reckless driver. 

I was shaking by the time everyone was flagged down to return to the pit stop. My kids, who got down from their karts and smiling from ear to ear, didn't even know what happened.


The top seven drivers with the fastest record time in one lap made it to the final race. KZone Magazine, Business Mirror, NBN Channel 4, Laguna Cable Channel 6, Pilipino Times, the Journal Group of Publications and the Manila Times, all got their own representatives to compete for the racing title.

Lalaine Castro from NBN Channel 4 came in third, followed by David Manuel, a reporter from the Journal Group of Publications, while Rodel Dizon from the Business Mirror Group – Health and Fitness magazine bagged first place. Ms. Nina Dandan, Hot Wheels’ Head for Marketing and Promotions, awarded all the Top 7 winners of the Ultimate Grand Prix Experience Media Karting Race.


Mr. Dondie Justiniano, Brand Manager for Hot Wheels, also introduced us to their latest toy innovation – the Hot Wheels Wall Tracks where kids can now build tracks for Hot Wheels up and along the wall mess free with 3M Command adhesives to keep paint or wallpapers from being damaged. With this, children can literally drive their Hot Wheels cars up the wall and parents will no longer have to repeatedly arrange the tracks on the floor.

Experience the real thrill yourself by joining Hot Wheels Experience the Ultimate Grand Prix promo and win tickets to witness live the Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore! Please visit my other blog for more details.

Friday, May 27, 2011

A Southern Festival Experience in NUVALI

After being introduced to the very interesting evo-living concept in Nuvali recently during the opening of I Love Earth weekends, several blogger friends and I were invited to visit again to, this time, experience celebrating the vibrant life in the south.

Alveo Land held a weekend festivity dubbed "Walk on the Southside: The Alveo Southside Street Fair" at Nuvali's Evo Living Center. This is to celebrate the distinct Southern Living experience in its three Southside developments -- Verdana Homes Mamplasan, Treveia NUVALI, and Venare NUVALI.


The inspiration for the event came from the list of grand and colorful festivities in the South such as San Pablo City's Coconut Festival and Mayflower Festival, Pagsanjan's Bangkero Festival, Liliw's Gat Tayaw Tsinelas Festival, Calauan's Pinya Festival, and Sta. Cruz's Keso Festival.



Thursday, May 26, 2011

Tomato Launches Two "Delicious" Fragrances

Tomato, a store that carries chic and trendy collections of clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories, just launched two new eau de toilette scents with playful names called Oohlalicious and Vavalicious.


The fragrances launch was held at Tomato’s Trinoma branch last May 20. I took a sniff or each scent and decided I like Oolalicious more because it has a light and citrusy aroma that I usually prefer when buying colognes and perfumes. Vavalicious has a heavier scent that the saleslady told me was formulated for nighttime wear. Both scents come in nicely shaped bottles with silver and gold charms. Read more about the descriptions of each fragrance in the press release I posted in my other blog to see which scent would fit you best.


At the Tomato store, I also got to browse racks of very nice clothes and accessories that I was sorely tempted to buy. Ms. Earth (in the photo above with two members of the Azkals team) was there and she was wearing a lovely top that was also displayed on one of the mannequins.

Having visited the store for the first time, I was really surprised at many of the items’ affordable prices.

The funny thing is, since all the clothes and accessories were designed for women, the male bloggers who attended the event flocked to the glass shelves containing watches with lovely designs for both men and women. As we watched the guys try, choose, and buy watches for themselves, we gals were drawn to join the bandwagon and ended up buying watches too!


And because the watches are really reasonably priced at P500-700 each, I bought one for myself and for hubby :p

Tomato has certainly captured my attention with their very nice items. I think I’ll be dropping by their stores more often in the coming days :)


*Photos without watermark borrowed with permission from orangemagazinetv.com

Cereals Galore and More at the Cerealicious Cafe!

After a long time of hearing about, and passing by, several Cerealicious branches, I finally got to eat there! I've been wanting to for so long, actually, but was waiting for a good time when my kids are with me because they're the ones really crazy about cereals.


Then I found out that, aside from cereal bowls with cool-sounding names, Cerealicious Cafe has started offering rice and pasta meals for customers who want more filling fare. Last week, I got to try out several dishes at the Megamall branch and the food are all yummy! What's more, the prices are very affordable!

I love their pasta with pesto sauce. It's not too strong and is just right for my taste buds. I also found the seafood pasta superb because the shrimps are soft but firm while the sauce is very delicious. It's hard to decide what's the best pasta because the other one with the white sauce also vied for my taste-buds' attention. Is it getting obvious yet that I'm a pasta lover? :)


And then there were the dishes with rice. The shrimps covered in crushed corn flakes are crunchy and yummy. I also like the chicken (?) and veggie dish mixed with a creamy sauce topped with rice crispies and a sprinkling of paprika powder. I didn't think that such a combination could be so delicious but it was! I was too full by then to try the chicken cordon bleu and the burger patties with sauce so I wasn't able to try those. I was saving some tummy space for dessert :p


Of course, a visit to Cerealicious wouldn't be complete without having one of their famous cereal bowls. It was difficult to pick one because there are so many variants that all look scrumptious. But since I am fond of corn flakes, graham crackers, and peaches, I finally settled on having Erin Brocko-peach. I can't remember their exact orders but I think some of my eating buddies chose Hurt Loacker, Nutting Hill, I-rone Man, and Pirates of the Cadbury-ean


It's really amazing how the owners continuously come up with creative names for their blockbuster products. I enjoyed browsing the menu and spotting what else have very interesting-sounding names. Now, I'm more excited to visit one of the Cerealicious branches with my boys because it would probably be very funny watching them think hard about what cereal bowl to order.

30 types of cereals + 50 kinds of toppings + Snow Milk = Cerealicious Fun!

At the moment, Cerealicious Cafe offers the complete line of meals in four branches: Megamall, Katipunan, Taft, and BF Las Pinas. But you can still indulge in the comforting goodness of a Cerealicious bowl in all their other branches. Like them on Facebook to be updated of upcoming promos and to find out where's the Cerealicious branch nearest you.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

UNICEF’s Auction for Action Invites Bids for a Good Cause


Last week, UNICEF announced the launching of its first fundraising online auction entitled Auction for Action. Unlike other fundraising events such as celebrity ukay-ukays, this unique online auction will feature brand new works of reputable artists in art, design, furniture, fashion, jewelry, and photography along with exciting experiential packages. This is not only a first for UNICEF but also a first in any auction locally.

Daphne wearing the Janina Dizon necklace
Daphne Oseña Paez, UNICEF Special Advocate for Children and founder of the event, describes the auction as a coming together of “rock stars” of the design world. She has been working closely with the UNICEF team in conceptualizing, planning, and putting the auction together.

Daphne, who is the host of the TV show Urban Zone and a supporter of Philippine design, was able to ask artists and designers from all over the country and some abroad to contribute artworks for the auction. “The response from artists has been very encouraging, to say the least. It feels incredible to be able to work with such prominent artists for a worthwhile cause. I’m a great fan of their work, but now I’m in even greater awe of their kindness and generosity. They put a lot of love and devote a lot of time into everything they create, so I know that beyond the beautiful art piece, the artists are really sharing a part of themselves with UNICEF.“

Most of the following are donating their best works:

Manny Baldemor, Michael Cacnio, Celestina, Seb Chua, Kenneth Cobonpue, Araceli Limcaco Dans, Kristine Dee, Janina Dizon, Mich Dulce, Tom Epperson, Accessory Lab, Ito Kish, E. Billy Mondoñedo, Ramon Orlina, Debbie Palao, Ling Quisumbing Ramilo, Benji Reyes, Popo San Pascual, Joey Samson, Vito Selma, Victor Sollorano, Paul Syjuco, Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre of FIRMA/Felicity, Reg Yuson, and Daphne Oseña Paez.

Galerie Joaquin artists such Jovan Benito, Jomar Delluba, Hamzah Marbella, Dominic Rubio and Juvenal Sanso are also participating.

Experiential packages include dinner by Chef Tonyboy Escalante of Antonio’s and dugout experience with the Philippine Football Team or Azkals on July 3 at the World Cup qualifier in Manila.

According to UNICEF Country Representative Vanessa Tobin, their partnership with acclaimed artists via online auction will help them engage the public in a new and interesting way. “As well as raising important funds for our work, we will be able to raise awareness of important issues affecting children in the most disadvantaged communities of the Philippines and worldwide.”


Although a lot of people recognize UNICEF’s valuable work in children’s rights, Daphne says few realize that the organization relies entirely on voluntary contributions to support its work on the ground. “I’ve helped them educate moms all over the country on maternal health, mortality and breastfeeding,” she illustrates. “This time, I want to help UNICEF raise awareness and funds for all their other goals: providing children with health care, access to safe water and sanitation, education, and protection from violence, abuse and exploitation.”

Celebrity host and also a UNICEF Special Advocate for Children Bianca Gonzalez adds, “I’ve been working with UNICEF since 2007 and I’m very excited to be a part of this unique fundraising auction. Whilst online auctions are quite new to the Philippines, it’s very secure and the best thing is you can participate from anywhere in the country.”

One of my favorite pieces: Billy Mondonedo's Framed Photograph
Auction for Action: A UNICEF Fundraising Online Auction on www.ebay.ph/unicef goes live today, May 25, 2011. Watch out for exciting items up for bidding and help make a difference for children.

About UNICEF

UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. 

In the Philippines for over sixty years, UNICEF works through partners to reach disadvantaged children and communities to ensure children are healthy, educated and protected from harm. UNICEF is quick to respond in emergencies to ensure affected communities are reached and provided with services from local governments and other service providers.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Pampers Pays Tribute to Moms

Last May 17, Pampers delighted moms with an event filled with treats and useful information on how to keep themselves and their babies happy and healthy at the Crowne Plaza Galleria. It was also where Pampers launched the Pampers Salutes Moms campaign where moms can get discounts and freebies from partner establishments like Hobbes & Landes, Gymboree, The Picture Company, The Spa and The Medical City.


Dr. Jacqueline Navarro, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician, talked about sleep and play for baby’s healthy development. She reminds moms that optimal sleep is needed by babies to foster normal growth and development as well as improve emotional health and immune function. Moreover, sleep plays a role in the growth and healing of body tissues, learning and memory processing, and central nervous system repair.

When it comes to skin care for newborns, Dr. Ma. Lourdes Palmero, a pediatric dermatologist consultant, described the most common skin care problems in infants such as cradle cap and diaper dermatitis. She gave moms tips on how to better care for baby’s skin to prevent these conditions from developing or getting worse.

Andrea Dumangcas, Marketing Manager of The Spa, discussed about post-pregnancy pampering and why it is essential for moms to also take care of themselves. She affirms that babies respond to their mom’s emotions, happiness and well-being such that everything a mom does for herself to look and feel good will benefit not only herself but her baby as well.


The event’s celebrity guest was Vina Morales, mom to a two-year-old. She revealed the challenges and joys she’s also experiencing as a parent as well as gave away some of parenting tips with the mommy guests.

Teacher Kat from Gymboree demonstrated some techniques on making playtime fun for baby while Tes Gangcuangco from Hobbes & Lands introduced innovative and educational toys that babies would really love. The Picture Company also shared information on their services and packages that members can enjoy to capture all the fun family moments that parents and their children can cherish for a lifetime.


Pampers gave away goody bags and raffled off some very nice prizes from the different partners to the delight of the guests. Find out more about the Pampers Salutes Moms campaign by checking out my other blog post or by logging on to www.facebook.com/Pampersph.

* Special thanks to CAPRI for the photos

Sunday, May 22, 2011

ANC KINSE: 15 Stories That Defend Human Rights

ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, celebrates its 15th year in telling the nation's stories by producing a powerful collection of 15 short films that tackle the issue of human rights. The four to six-minute clips are directed by some of the Philippines' finest filmmakers.

Joining the crusade for human rights are directors Erik Matti, Carlon Siguion Reyna, Mark Meily, Auraeus Solito, Raymond Red, Jim Libiran, Jon Red, Richard Somes, Ato Bautista, Kiri Dalena, Ray Gibraltar, Raymund Amonoy, Kidlat de Guia, Nico Puertoliano, and Paolo Villaluna. All of them offered their time and talents pro bono for the project.

Mainstream performers such as Gina Alajar and Anne Curtis will also be acting in some of the films.


According to Patricia Evangelista, executive producer, the films in KINSE will tackle a wide array of issues that include domestic violence, media harassment, extrajudicial killings, children and women's rights, indigenous rights, and justice.

Each filmmaker is said to be given creative freedom and funding by ANC and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the support of the Commission on Human Rights, so they could pursue and fulfill their visions for the advocacy.

Evangelista hopes that for every film in the series, "there will be one less victim whose story ANC will tell." I hope so, too.

In partnership with the Springfilm Foundation and The Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, ANC will also be releasing a full-length film on human rights later this year which is directed by Dutch filmmaker, Jacco Groen.

ANC will be airing a six-part TV special on KINSE hosted by actress and women's rights advocate Angel Aquino beginning today, Monday, May 23, 9:30pm on SkyCable ch. 27.

To get to know more about the films and the directors, please log on to www.kinse.tv. Here's a sample trailer:

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2011 -- Go Team Philippines!

We all complain about the rising costs of fuel. Unfortunately, we can't control oil prices. Thankfully, inventors are continuously coming up with innovations and designs for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

This year, engineering students from six of the Philippines' top universities will be taking up a longstanding challenge from Shell: to design, build, and drive a vehicle that can travel the farthest distance on the least amount of fuel and lowest possible CO2 emissions. Team Philippines will be competing in the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2011 (SEM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia soon.


Roberto Kanapi, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation Vice President for Communications, explains, "The Shell Eco-marathon is an annual platform that seeks to inspire innovation and environmental responsibility in today’s youth. Now on its second Asian leg, the SEM will once again encourage young, talented and creative Filipinos to take part in helping develop more sustainable and efficient energy sources, and bring pride to the country.”

This year’s seven teams are composed of some of the most promising engineering students and professors in the country from De La Salle University (DLSU) , Don Bosco Technical Institute, Mapua Institute of Technology, Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP), University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Santo Tomas (UST).


Team UP is headed by Tito Eusebio, Jr., TIP’s Team Symmetry is headed by Mark Joseph Balares, UST’s Team 2011 UST Engineering Eco-marathon Team is led by Marco Antonio Fernandez and DLSU’s Team DLSU 100 is headed by Jeffrey Yu. At the helm of Don Bosco’s Team Grigio is Erica Vicera, and heading Mapua’s two teams are Johndelon Mendoza for Team Habagat, and Cyril Radovan for Team Amihan. Together, the teams combine their passion and expertise in system programming, chassis fabrication, engine design and driving to create solutions to today’s growing energy challenges.

The teams will be entering vehicle blueprints in either of two categories: Futuristic Prototypes that yield more streamlined and aerodynamic designs and Urban Concept that focuses on more practical, four-wheeled designs. DLSU is fielding an electric car, UP’s entry is a diesel hybrid, while vehicle designs from other teams will use gasoline.


Set in the famed Sepang International Circuit, the four-day competition seeks to create the most energy-efficient vehicle that will chalk up the furthest distance using the least amount of fuel. It will be the second time that the Philippines will be participating in the international competition. Last year, Team Philippines took home two special off-track awards, with Mapua’s Team Atlanta copping the 2nd place Safety Award and Don Bosco garnering a Special Recognition for demonstrating safety compliance.

With trailblazing automotive technology built on the platform of energy efficiency, the different teams are poised to set a new efficiency record in this year’s SEM. Team Philippines will be competing against over 100 teams from all over Asia come July 6 to 10, and is raring to make a mark in the global race towards developing technology for greater energy efficiency.

For the complete photos of the prototypes, please find them here.

Nuffamily Day!

Nice events, exciting promos, and cool prizes! Those are just some of the things I love about Nuffnang Philippines

I've been a member of this website since October 2009 and I've already been to several of their events. Those were occasions where I constantly meet a lot of nice people such as fellow bloggers and very accommodating Nuffnang staff like Anne, Trixie, and Rendhl. 


I appreciate how Nuffnang caters to both male and female bloggers. They hold events and promos for moms but they also offer exciting prizes for single people and men. Next week, they'll be having a Nuffamily Day and I'd really love to be part of that. See, my family and I haven't had the chance yet to go out of town and fully enjoy the summer break. There always seemed to be a lot of stuff to attend to at home and at work that hubby and I hadn't the time, nor the energy, to make solid plans. 

But when I read that Nuffnang will be holding a family day that involves floating lanterns, a special scene from the movie Tangled came to mind. I'd love to experience that with my hubby and our four boys! I can just imagine our eyes lighting up at an awesome sight such as dozens of lights flying upwards. My son with special needs, most especially, would definitely find that amazing.


If we do get to go, we'll just be meeting up with the group in Tagaytay. It would be hard to travel by bus with all the paraphernalia that I always need to bring when traveling with my special child. I really look forward to having fun with fellow Nuffies and their families. The Nuffamily Day promises to be a special chance to create wonderful memories for everyone.

Thanks in advance to Nuffnang's sponsors for making the event possible :)

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Pirates of the Caribean Goodies at Cerealicious!

Cute polvoron cupcakes and POC hankies up for grabs at Cerealicious branches for buying a Pirates of the Cadbury-ean bowl :)

See poster below and add Cerealicious on Facebook for more details!

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides

I bet that many who will happen to pass by this blog post intends to watch or have already watched (during the press preview) Johnny Depp's latest movie. After all, Pirates of the Caribbean's fourth installment has been much anticipated by viewers since the first trailer came out months ago.


In case you'd like to read a review with no spoilers, do check out mine at HerWord.com :)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opens today in all Philippine cinemas. Enjoy yourself at the movies!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Are You a Chic Mom Yet? :)

Early this year, I blogged about Bounty Fresh's new site for moms where members get to access e-recipes from famous chefs, raffles and freebies, information on nutrition, health, wellness, etc.

That time, they were having this contest where moms with the most referrals would get to win signature bags. I regret not being more active in referring members because five moms got to bring home these beauties during the Bounty Fresh event held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel yesterday!


The event formally launched the Chic Moms Club, a one-stop website/online club for busy, tech-savvy, and chic moms. Lea Salonga, Bounty Fresh ambassador and a chic mom herself, graced the event and treated guests to a beautiful song number. She revealed how she enjoys being updated with interesting bits of information that are relevant for moms such as travel, home, and health tips by surfing the net while she travels or while in between takes.


Kathlene Gomez, assistant brand manager of Bounty Fresh, affirms that the event is a celebration of all moms. "We understand how moms are generally busy and we know that a one-stop venues such as the www.chicmomsclub.com website helps in their time management, while providing entertainment and information as well."

Gomez added, “through the website, we communicate our latest promos such as our Php 10 discount on Bounty Fresh chicken bought at Chooks-to-Go outlets, E-recipes from well-known chefs and of course, exclusive invites to Bounty Fresh events.” 

 
Well-known chefs Bruce Lim, Sau Del Rosario, Melissa Sison, David Pardo de Ayala, and Jessie Sinscioco joined the launch and answered why they prefer Bounty Fresh chicken. According to Chef Sau, they are impressed at Bounty Fresh's vacuum-sealed packaging because it keeps the freshness of the chicken. "The chicken comes out plumpier and juicier, making our dishes tastier and more delicious. I consider this vacuum-packed chicken the Angus of Dressed Chicken.”  

Also highlighted during the event was Bounty Fresh’s partnership with Rags to Riches, an organization, headed by Reese Fernandez, that helps conserve the environment while providing a source of income for the makers of RIIR bags. 

Since its initial public introduction some months ago, the Chic Moms Club is said to have already generated more than 20,000 members.

*photos courtesy of orangemagazinetv.com

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Book Sale Alert: Let's R.O.B. OMF Lit! :)

OMF Literature, one of my favorite bookstores, is having another awesome R.O.B. (Raid Our Bookshop) Ultimate Sale!


Over 200 books will be sold at 40% off! Click here to see the list of titles you can get at great prices Get "forty-fied" until May 31, 2011.

My highly recommended choices: Gifts of Grace books 1, 2, 3 by Ms. Grace Chong. I love all three books! The stories are very inspiring and you'll really have a lot of food for thought after reading each story.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Phiten Relaunch

Last Saturday, Phiten reintroduced and reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to health and fitness to members of the media in Hyphy’s Ortigas. 

Phiten is an innovative Japanese brand of aquametal-infused wearable technology made into various accessories and apparel. It is worn by professional athletes and sports enthusiasts. 


During the press conference, we were shown some demonstrations how the products benefit the body’s balanced energy flow and blood circulation. We also heard a very interesting talk by international sports training consultant Coach Jim Saret. He gave us tips on how to start and maintain an active lifestyle while sustaining a fit mind and body by teaching us a 4-minute exercise we can do everyday and which will already burn 600 calories!


We were all encouraged to try the exercises and I found myself already out of breath even before we hit the 2-minute mark. Ngar, and I thought I am just slightly below the fit category. The next day, I woke up with very sore thighs from that 4-minute exercise! More on that in a separate writeup I plan to pitch to one of my editors :)

Back to Phiten, the company was founded in 1982 by its president, Yoshihiro Hirata, an alternative medicine practitioner who believes in “helping people enhance their quality of life aroud the globe, building on our Phiten philosophy of health, energy, and well-being.”

The products are now availble in Asia, Europe, and the USA and continue to create waves in the scientific community.


“Nano-technology is the breaking down of titanium, silver, and gold minerals to nano particles which are then infused in the materials used to make Phiten products,” said Ronaldo Colmenar, general manager of Sports, Entertainment and Events Management, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Phiten in the country.

He explained that the technology restores, if not maintains, the optimum balance of the body. Phiten, together with a healthy diet and good exercise and sports programs like biking and running, can also help fight chronic stress brought about by a busy lifestyle.

Colmenar added, “Phiten is not a craze or trend. It is a lifestyle brand that promotes health, style and comfort for people-on-the-go and sports enthusiasts who want to be in their best state always.”

To learn more about Phiten’s health benefits and to see its wide array of products, log on to www.phitenphil.com or visit any Phiten shop kiosk and consigned stores nationwide. Also be updated about Phiten’s promos and sale on Facebook www.facebook.com/phitenphilippines

Sunday, May 15, 2011

I Love Earth Weekends at NUVALI

We celebrated Earth Day last April 22 but it should not end there. Every day should actually be a reason to continue celebrating this planet we call home. After all, having a sustainable world to live in is vital to everything we do including other factors such as the economy, energy, environment, and peoples’ general wellbeing. As many environmental advocates believe, we should all think globally but also know how to act locally.


Given this principle, Nuvali, the Philippines’ biggest eco-community, has come up with a month-long event called I Love Earth which aims to boost environmental awareness and help people better understand why we need to protect, preserve, and conserve our planet.


My fellow writers and bloggers attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening of activities last May 14. There were a lot of booths showcasing various ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle trash aside from creating useful products made of eco-friendly materials.


Here are the other upcoming activities coming up in the last two weekends of May:

On May 21 and 22, guests will have a chance to explore the beauty of going green. The event will feature talks and exhibits on green technology, and arts and crafts activities such as landscaping, bonsai, and flower arrangement by the Philippine Bonsai Society and Blue Barn Flowers.


May 28 and 29 will be a photography weekend that will showcase a photo contest and exhibit with environmental awareness and protection as theme. Other activities will include a public art corner (people can create their own masterpieces with recyclable materials), tree planting (guests can pledge a tree in their name and have it planted on their behalf), and an arts and crafts section. All these are intended to encourage people to have a renewed sense of appreciation for the environment.


A photo workshop and exhibit will be held on May 28 and an on-the-spot photo competition will be held on May 29. Winners will be announced on the same day.

If you’re looking for a place to go to with the whole family while summer is still here, head on to Nuvali in the next two weekends and take a stand for the environment. Get your kids involved so that they’d also know that every little green thing counts. 


Let’s celebrate Earth Day every day. Together, we can all make a difference.

For more info, please log on to www.nuvali.ph or call 0917-5.ASK.NUV (275.688)


Free Entrance to the Ayala Museum on May 18!

Now's our chance to visit the Ayala Museum for FREE this coming Wednesday from 10a.m. to 7p.m.!


 For more info, "Like" the Ayala Museum page on Facebook.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Cisco Supercharges Home Networking

I like wireless connections. At home, I can print documents on the printer located in another area of the house. I can also do household chores while chatting on the phone using a Bluetooth headset and a landline sim. I can also copy files from the PC to my laptop just by accessing the network folder in Window’s My Computer. No wonder I’m always interested to know more about what things we can do with wireless technology.

Sleek and streamlined. Those were the words that came to mind when I first saw Cisco’s new line of Linksys E-series Wireless-N routers. The product lineup was designed so that consumers can take their home networking experience to the next level.

photo courtesy of orangemagazinetv.com

According to the speakers during the Cisco event held last May 12, consumers can now find the right technology to fit their needs. For instance, the E4200 can work seamlessly with the latest entertainment devices such as internet TVs, game consoles, table mobile devices, e-readers, smart phones, and VoIP devices. This new router is said not only to boost performance and range inside the home; it also provides an amazing speed of up to 450 Mbps for smooth streaming of music, video, and uninterrupted gaming.


Now, consumers can control their wireless network settings that match their preferences. The accompanying software auto-assigns the WPA security passkey and SSID and is quick and easy to setup. Once configured, Cisco Connect will allow a user to manage their wireless home network by:

• Adding multiple Internet-capable devices to the network
• Setting parental controls for each computer or device
• Giving visitors password-protected Internet access on a separate guest network
• Customising advanced settings and changing the network SSID and password 

Aside from the advanced functionality, this maximum performance router comes with an eye-catching design that will not look out of place in any living room. No wonder the Linksys E4200 won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award 2011 for its next-generation industrial design that combines advanced functionality with sleek contours.


Here are the pricing and availability of the Linksys E-series wireless routers:

• Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Wireless-N Router - MSRP PHP 9,288
• Linksys E3000 High Performance Wireless-N Router - MSRP PHP 8,288
• Linksys E2000 Advanced Wireless-N Router - MSRP PHP 5,288
• Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router MSRP - PHP 3,288

They are commercially available at the following retailers: Accent Micro, Asianic, Complink, Gigahertz, Electroworld, Octagon Computer Superstores, PC Corner, PC Express, PC Gilmore, PC Options, PC Worx, Silicon Valley, TCA, Villman Computers.

For more information about Linksys and the E-series, please visit: http://www.linksysbycisco.com/APAC/en/promo/Promotion-E-Series.