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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

EatLikeaViking All Weekends this October with Vikings’ Oktoberfest Celebration!

Unlimited pulutan? Why not! Vikings reveals new and exciting dishes perfect for Oktoberfest!


This Oktoberfest, eat and drink like a Viking! Get unlimited draft beer and Japanese sake this October at Vikings Luxury Buffet, the Philippines’ largest and fastest growing chain of buffet restaurants. Only P688 for the regular weekday lunch buffet and P888 for the regular dinner and weekend & holiday lunch/dinner buffet.

Vikings Train

Round up your barkada and loved ones to play the Vikings Train game, Vikings’ very own drink hack where beers are lined up with shots of sake placed on top. To a chorus of “sake bomb!” the player tips the first shot into the beer, which creates a domino effect. Diners can enjoy this game at half hour intervals, or create their own drink hacks such as mixing 7Up with their beer (YOU MUST TRY THIS), turning it into shandy. Hurry, there are some menu items that will only be offered during Oktoberfest. Each branch will feature special menus for the occasion, so call ahead to inquire!

Prito Trio
Patrons can look forward to pairings that go perfectly with their beer, like tequila-battered fish fillet with garlic aioli, cream cheese pretzels, crispy salmon skin, and beer battered onion rings.

For appetizers to start off the Oktoberfest mood, there will be beer scallop cream soup with caramelized onions, sausage stuffed peppers, and authentic German wiener schnitzel.

Binusog na Lechon
Balut
Go big or go home with carving entrées like sauerkraut and sausage paprikash, root beer-braised country style pork ribs, and German spaetzle.

Inihaw
For those who are looking for a more Pinoy flair for their Oktoberfest festivities, dishes like bagnet, grilled tuna jaw, dinakdakan, tuna salpicao and the classic Pinoy sisig.

Sisig
Kinilaw
Finish off your meal with a dessert like pumpkin cheesecake or black forest gateaux with cherry brandy liquor.

Visit Vikings Luxury Buffet at SM Jazz Mall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM Marikina, SM North EDSA, and SM City BF in Metro Manila; as well as at SM Lanang Premiere in Davao City.

Visit Vikings.ph for details, special rates and promos and make a reservation today!


About Vikings Luxury Buffet:
Vikings Luxury Buffet (Vikings.ph) is the Philippines' fasting growing chain of buffet restaurants offering quality international cuisine. Branches include SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City; SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City; SM City Marikina, Marikina City; SM Jazz Mall, Makati City; SM City North, Quezon City; SM City BF, Parañaque City; and SM Lanang Premier, Davao City.

NIU by Vikings (Niu.ph) is at SM Aura, Taguig City. Four Seasons Hotpot City (FourSeasonsHotPot.com.ph) is at Bldg. E, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

Thanks for having us Vikings! :)

Monday, September 28, 2015

What's up?

Aside from missing another Sunday Currently and a couple of Food Phase Fridays, here's what:

RIP Lola

My grandmother from my father's side just died so it was a very busy week for the family. We had to take turns watching over the wake and were expected to be there almost daily. I used to wonder why people would take a week's leave to bereave a loved one but that's because I haven't experienced being involved in the process this close. Now I know. It can be pretty exhausting.

My lola Mamang lived to be 89 years old and I'm proud that she managed to hold on for so long. She was in a comatose state for 3 years and when she regained consciousness she lived bedridden for another 12 years. I will never forget how she would look into our hands and never let go whenever we go to her side to pay respect. Often times we had to lull her with stories just so she would let loose. Now I somehow feel guilty of wanting to part hands. :(

I pray that God would take care of her soul and the hearts of the people who mourn for her. We will miss her dearly. <3 T__T

Freedom Run 2015

I signed up for 10k and woke up largely regretful after the run. HAHA Juicecolored my legs are in so much pain right now. I therefore conclude I'm not quite a runner yet, I'll just call myself a running enthusiast 'cos I still get excited about runs and regularly check out Pinoy Fitness for schedules but damn my fitness level is just so low I was only able to run some 1.5km before deciding to walk what's remaining of 10k. My time: 1 hr and 46 mins.

As for the event, I'll give it a 6/10. Here are the cons:
- No time chip
- Singlet sizes are small
- No race map provided
- They started 1 hour late which is so unforgivable. I hope they understand that running events are not something people usually go late to.
- There are no kilometer markers! Sure there were turn left/right and roundabout signs but none indicating how far we are in the race. :(

Also, this isn't really a con but it's disturbing how there's a tent labeled Bureau of Customs in the sponsors ground. So much for an anti-corruption run no? haha

Anyway, it's not all that bad, here are the good stuff:
- Ran into MARS9 friends Pastor Ruel and Tita Elena <3
- Discovered POCARI SWEAT. Ansarap pala neto?! And I thought it was just another overpriced ionized drink!
- Discovered Gardenia Wheat Bread with Raisins. I didn't know there was one! Where do I buy a loaf of thee?!
- Ran with Pointwest people, and got left behind eventually HAHA. The company paid for us so yeyy for a free run! :D

My Z1C still under repair huhu

It's been almost a week since I left my phone at a repair shop at SM North EDSA. Buti na lang I had it checked by a specialist and didn't go with my feeling-technician instincts. It's not just about the LED screen now. There are parts of the motherboard corroded with chlorinated water, and after cleaning, the screen still won't budge. They ordered a new screen and tried hooking it up, but the touchscreen still won't work! Now I don't know what the problem is. I think the worst that could happen is to have the motherboard repaired, which would be very expensive. I do hope the parts can be sourced locally, or that Sony is still producing spares for Z1C. Otherwise I'd have to chop the phone and sell by parts. Huhu T__T

I'm hating Sony a lot for this. Advertising a waterproof phone that dies underwater? Just great. And reading the forums hasn't helped a bit, most of the users with the same problem had to shoulder the parts and repair costs cos their warranty doesn't cover underwater 'misuse'. Sony reps have all brought back the blame to users for not securing the ports enough. Super BS customer service and false advertising, I say.

And here I am, anticipating the Z5 Compact like I haven't learned enough. Nakakainis!!!

Good thing

I just finished downloading Talk Back and You're Dead! Yeyy! And I'm in the process of redownloading City Hunter cos I suddenly miss Lee Min Ho. hoho

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Pie Face now open at Eastwood! :D


Australia's famous oven-fresh gourmet pies has reached the Philippines and is up with their second branch! Come over at Eastwood Techno Plaza 2 if you're game for high quality handcrafted pies and more! They're open 24 hours a day, seven days and week, so there's no reason to miss it. :D


I couldn't be happier when I was invited to try Pie Face! My sister and I have been planning to open our own food business, and pies just happen to be on our top list! Oyeaaah, and so my Pie Face visit turned out to be quite a study on the current state of pies in the metro haha! We were even joking about naming our future pie shop "Mukang Pie" para corny haha ;P

It's definitely a new favorite! Their pies are made from all the best and high quality ingredients, their crust is fresh, tasty, and greatly complement the fillings. It helped a lot that we got to sit and chat with their COO Alfred Lay, who told us stories about how they started to build the brand in the Philippines, the difficulties they experienced having to source most of their raw materials abroad, and their commitment to lay out only the freshest pies to their customers. You could really feel the passion.


Pie Face offers not only savory pies but also dessert pies and award winning coffee blends. They also serve sandwiches, pastries, and a lot more! Each pie is dressed with a unique smile that tells you its flavor, here's cheat sheet:


Here's the Menu:


And the price?

Their mini pies are priced at Php 49 each and the large pies range from Php115 - 130. The small pies are surprisingly heavy, in fairness. Pair it with a cup of coffee or eat it with tomato ketchup (yes you can!), they all go well! On special days they offer certain flavors at Php 99 pesos only so I advice you to check out their Facebook page regularly to learn more about it! :D

My favorites?

Spicy Chilli Con Carne, Chunky Steak, and Chicken and Mushroom! It's packed with real meat and overflowing with flavor. Their chocolate dessert pie also got me, the density of the belgian chocolate mousse filling is freakin tasty, I had to hold off taking a second slice cos it's being shared haha.


I bought a box of these so I could share it with the family and man were they so delighted! It's the perfect pasalubong! A box of assorted mini pies costs Php 490 :)


Right now, Pie Face has two branches in the Philippines -- one at SM Mall of Asia and another at Eastwood Techno Plaza Two. They're currently expanding so expect more branches to pop up near you! This year, they're scheduled to open up in other areas like SM Megamall, SM Fairview (YEYY!), and BGC Taguig so make sure to watch out for it!

Follow them on Facebook to learn more about the brand and their current promos: https://www.facebook.com/PieFacePH/

Thanks for having us Pie Face!

Monday, September 21, 2015

The Sunday Currently (vol. 17)

Another late update!


Currently
Reading
I recently bought an interesting title yesterday at BookSale, it's called "Damn Good Advice (for people with talent)" by George Lois. Flipping through a few pages and I think it's more for people in the advertising industry but his tips are very encouraging and somehow I feel energized and inspired with it haha, it must be the writing too. >XD

Watching
Catching up on Akagami no Shirayukihime and getting frustrated with framed Youtube videos. You know when the actual video is just a fourth of the video screen? WHY? Is that a way to compensate for quality? Why don't they just effin declare they max out at 140p! Grrrr

Listening
To Daniela Andrade's cover of Creep by Radiohead. She was on the related videos panel while I was listening to Sassa Dagdag's La Vie En Rose cover. What soothing voices they have <3

Thinking
About where to get my phone repaired. I inquired over at Sony and the technician said the screen has to be replaced because the touchscreen sensor could be damaged. huhu. I didn't want to have it replaced cos the screen isn't even cracked. :( I figured if I could only open the device, I could somehow clean it or whatever cos there may have been chlorine deposits on it? I was even thinking of submerging it in faucet water to kindof rinse it, or saltwater cos it worked the last time I took photos under the sea haha! Sounds stupid but I'm seriously considering it. T__T

I watched repair videos on Youtube and I could only cry. I wanted to try cleaning the insides first, but to be able to get to the LCD connector I have to disassemble through the front panel which is superglued to the body, and doing that would break the screen in the process. Now I finally understand why it really needs to be replaced. What a bummer.

Price check: If I order through Sony I'll be charged some 6,000 *cries*. Other repair shops have estimated some 3,800 huhu . I searched ebay for spare parts so I could DIY and I saw an entire display module for 1,500 but I have to wait for one month cos it will come from HK pa. I can wait but I can only hope I'm still in the country by then. Hay. It's so frustrating!

Smelling
Nothing

Wishing
I had a lot of discipline when it comes to eating! I just earned 2lbs over the week! Huhu

Wearing
Jersey + shorts

Loving
The soup we made earlier using Soupmate Pro. Yikes! We just fell into an infomercial trap! Anyway, I love the soup and the recipe book but I can't say the same for the product (yet). It looks really fragile in its all-plastic glory, and they never mentioned it was a pain to clean (duh) cos you're not allowed to wet the base! Craaap! 

But really, the squash soup we made was delicious: 3 cups water, 3 cups chopped squash, 1 small carrot, 1 onion, 1 medium apple, 1 can Campbells cream of mushroom soup, 1 tbsp butter, and finally salt and pepper to taste. Super yummy!

Wanting
To have my phone repaired asap but where are you funds.

Needing
To start doing something with my health. I'm pretty aware I haven't been eating that much greens and fruits, I can feel it in my breathing oh no. Sucks to be sick. Maybe I'll try the 7 day soup diet. Maybe. Depends on the soup! But that squash soup?! I can eat that all day!

Feeling
Generally okay despite being worried about not being connected to social media that much because of my phone. I'm using a basic Nokia phone right now that allows me to call, text, and set alarms and holy moley did I not feel any discontent. What a surprise.

It's sad though cos I don't have a camera and I can't post to Instagram but thank God I remembered I still have a digicam! Yeyy! I feel bad not being able to post anything live during the two foodie meets I attended last week though. :(

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Hope you had a better week haha

Friday, September 18, 2015

Join Taiwan Excellence's Made To Enjoy Singing contest and win lots of prizes!

Made To Enjoy Singing
Taiwan Excellence brings you the newest online singing contest!


Singing contests have always been popular with Filipinos so in case you haven't heard of this, you're most welcome!

Now is that chance to show off your vocal prowess and sing your way to win 50,000 pesos cash prize and tons of other prizes from our friends from Taiwan Excellence!

Taiwan Excellence's Made to Enjoy Singing contest is the perfect avenue for you to explore your brewing singing career! Joining is simple -- just register and upload your best singing video performance, then get your friends and family to vote for your entry! That's it! Winners will be judged based on a set list of criteria and will be notified accordingly.

The contest will have three monthly qualifying legs starting from August until October, and a final leg on November. If you missed the first two legs, don't worry because you can still join the third leg this October. That's a lot of time for you to prepare so you better nail it! Also, do check out the entries to see who you're up against!

To get you excited, here are the prizes:

First leg (August)




Second leg (September)


Third leg (October)


Final leg (November)


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[PRESS RELEASE] Show off your singing ability, broadcast your musical talent, and wow audiences all over the world in the Made to Enjoy Singing Contest, a new and innovative contest brought to you by Taiwan Excellence. With so many exciting prizes to be awarded, Made to Enjoy Singing will surely captivate the Philippines by discovering your hidden musical talents.

The Taiwan Excellence - Made to Enjoy Singing Contest aims to showcase the musical genius of Filipinos. Adding to the fun, it allows the public to vote for the best musical video submissions, which will then be judged by a panel of experts. The winners will take home superb Taiwan Excellence products, as well as cash prizes.

Taiwan Excellence lined up some of these innovative products, which are among the 78 brands it aims to bring to the Philippines, as prizes for the winners.

The August winners brought home a Transcend Drive Pro 200 and a Tatung Rice Cooker 100 plus 10,000.00 pesos cash prize, they will also sing with Sam Concepcion on September 05, 2015 at the 2nd Taiwan Excellence Experiencing Zone in SM City North EDSA The Block Atrium.

The September winners can take home an Acer Liquid Jade Z or a Kingcom Sigma Evo smartphone; while the October winners will be the proud owners of Asus Zenfone 2 or an Acer Iconia Tab. In addition, each finalist will get P10,000.

The grand winners will be gifted with a KYMCO Agility 125” Motorcycle and Php 50,000 cash prize! The grand winner will receive the prize from Taiwan Excellence endorser Maja Salvador <3

"We have always been amazed at the musicality of Filipinos, and we hope to give them a fun platform to showcase their talents, while at the same time giving the best ones an opportunity to win Taiwan Excellence products,"  said Yu-Wei Hsiao, Deputy Executive Director of TAITRA. "The high quality of our products is reflected in the high quality of Filipino singers."

Whether you’re just starting out as a singer or you’ve been performing for your friends for a long time, the Made to Enjoy Singing contest is a perfect opportunity for you and all aspiring singers to show their excellence in their field, just like the brands under Taiwan Excellence, which are noted all over the world for their great and innovative designs and workmanship. Aspiring singers will discover that this is a good opportunity to let the world know about their talents, and to connect with other music lovers. This may even be a way for your talents to be discovered! Most of all, the contest is guaranteed to be a fun and memorable experience for you and your loved ones, with great prizes that you will definitely enjoy.

To join, register at the Taiwan Excellence Made to Enjoy Singing official website at http://www.madetoenjoysinging.ph.

The qualifying legs will be held on August, September and October while the finals leg will be held on November 2015.

For more information on the contest, visit http://madetoenjoysinging.ph/index.php/page/view/taiwan-excellence-made-to-enjoy-singing



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Rooting for someone? Share their links on the comment section below so I can vote for them! 

See you on Satchmi's Birthday Bash!

“IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY!” Satchmi Store Turns 1


It's been a year since the Satchmi Store opened its doors and they’re celebrating it the best way they know how: the ultimate birthday party happening! I’m so excited for September 26, but while we wait, here are a couple of things we hear you can expect at Satchmi’s Birthday Bash:

Free flowing drinks
The Satchmi Store as most people know, is not just your ordinary record store. They also have a coffee bar situated right in the middle. Their third wave coffee has been praised and raved on by many, getting their beans straight from the local supplier - EDSA Beverage Design Group. This time though, not only will we get free flowing coffee for the night, but free flowing craft beer from their friends over at CraftPoint Brewery! Coffee + Beer = the perfect way to cap off the night

Party giveaways and prizes
For those who attend the party, they get a chance to win Satchmi’s Motorino Mk II - Customized Limited Edition. A staple in almost all of Satchmi’s events. Not only that, they’ve also added in more giveaways from their favourite curated local brands like Sunday Paper Co, The Lost Nomad, Gouache Bags, Leather Fellow, The Green House Project, and more!

Record sales
We also hear that there might be a sale on their records (plus a special announcement about the Motorino Mk II we are absolutely dying to know!)

Lots of music and laughs
The Satchmi Store has been known for hosting intimate and fun events for music and the performing arts. You can expect some of their staples on stage: Reese & Vica, BP Valenzuela, CRWN, and up and coming artist Coeli (all we can say is you have to see her to experience her music). Adding to the birthday fun, Satchmi will also be getting Comedy Cartel’s Chip Balbuena - JackTV’s Kamikaze Best Comedy Act Competition winner & Laugh and Stack Standup Comedy Competition Champion to end the night right.

Secrets and plans revealed
We also hear that there’s going to be a special part of the program where Satchmi will be disclosing to everyone there what their plans are for next year. It’s kind of ironic how this time the birthday celebrant will be doing the surprising and we just gotta know what it is! They’ve been dropping a few hints here and there but I guess we’ll have to wait for the actual event to find out what Satchmi is planning for 2016.

Until then, we are inviting everyone to go to one of the most exciting birthday parties this year. Advanced Happy Birthday to the Satchmi Store and see you on September 26, 7PM!

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To RSVP go to tinyurl.com/happybirthdaySatchmi
The Satchmi Store is located at the 4F, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall
For more details contact Satchmi at experience@satchmi.com or call them at 401 6905
Visit their website at www.satchmi.com

Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Sunday Currently (vol .16)

Last week at Nuvali :)
Currently

Reading
Nothing. Aw. I'm so behind my GoodReads 2015 Reading Challenge haha

Writing Watching
I'm changing it to watching cos writing isn't really that relevant for me unless I tell you about my backlogs lol.

Right now I'm busy watching and downloading OTWOL (On the Wings of Love). I never thought I'd ship JaDine this much since James Reid isn't really my type plus I'm still laughing over the title of one of his albums, Reid Alert. WAHAHA. But you know, the series is really good. It has the charm of a typical koreanovela romcom. It's funny but not corny and it's succeeding in its attempt to koreanovela-ize a primetime bida. Yess! Hope for Philippine TV at last! I mean, hope in a sense that we're graduating from Mexican soap inspired series. Nako, Jadaone please don't fail us hahaha.

So yes please. Learn from Koreanovelas. PLEASE.

Listening
Would you believe it... METAL. I copied a ton of Megadeth and Metallica albums from Jeckie cos I kindof liked one song. In fairness I appreciate the complexity of producing such loud music. Plus the lyrics are usually deep and may substance! Kaso I hardly understand the lyrics when I'm listening to it haha.

Thinking
About changing the current voting system. Wow may power kasi ako diba. haha Instead of casting votes on paper why don't we cast votes in terms of community service or volunteer work. It will be long and it will require a lot of organization but in my head it'll go like this: 1 week will be allotted for each candidate to pool volunteers who will work for different activities -- tree planting, road cleanup, feeding program, etc. Then the presidentiable who gets the most number of volunteers win.

So it's like if Mar Roxas was given a week for Metro Manila, then everyone who wants to vote for him must participate in any of the open community services so they can have their votes counted.

Haha wala lang I was thinking kasi at least even if my candidate lost, I got to plant a tree for the country, or cleanup the roads! Charr. Effort ba? I think so too but isn't the idea of a nationwide cleanup compelling enough??? Hahaha

Smelling
Petrichor. Naaaaks! Never thought I'd use the term. It's the smell of rain. May tagalog yun eh. Di ko maalala haha

Wishing
For better traffic management in the country. It's already taking first place in the list of reasons I want to live in another country, neck and neck with poor internet service. Hay Pilipinas, how do I love you.

Wearing
Singlet and shorts --- I might replace this category too cos I can't expound my regular sunday fashion statement lol any suggestions? haha

Loving
That my phone can finally read the sim card for 30 minutes (and counting). It broke down when I used it in the water last week. It was supposed to be waterproof, I don't know what happened huhu. It's not the first time I used it in the water to take pictures soooooo. Huhu

Wanting
To have my phone repaired cos aside for the sim card problem, the touch screen isn't responding anymore. Good thing it has OTG so I was able to navigate through it by using a mouse. I didn't want to leave it in the repair shop with all my photos in it HAHA so I deleted a few, specifically yung may picture ng kilikili ko kasi it's a frkn black hole now haha.

Needing
A camera cos I have three events to attend to this week. Hala na.

Feeling
Excited for the recent episodes of OTWOL I'm downloading! Waaaaaahh!!!

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How was your weeeek? :D

Love your heart with ATC Coenzyme Q10



Winning streak no more.

We can’t always be on a winning streak, sometimes we’re faced in situations where it’s just not our day, and worse it can be a week, or a month but one thing is for sure, tough times never last but tough people do.

Sometimes, just so we cope up on days like these we resort to stress eating which is totally understandable, but when it becomes a habit, it can be a dangerous cycle, it can harm our body, especially the functions of your heart.

ATC Coenzyme Q10 is great for the heart, it improves the hearts ability to pump more blood and lowers the viscosity of blood, making it even easier for the heart to function normally. Don’t wait for a heart attack, always keep in mind that you are what you eat, take ATC Coenzyme Q10 for a healthier heart!


#ATCCoenzymeQ10 #YoureInGoodHeart #ATChealthcare

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Make a sweet life with BitterGo Food Supplement


Food is the number one stress reliever for most of us. So, how sweet would it be if we are able to eat anything we want without worrying about our blood sugar? Being in control of your blood sugar without depriving yourself from food is a struggle for some, but that shouldn’t be a problem with BitterGo. 

BitterGo is a dietary food supplement that is a combination of Ampalaya powder, Luyang Dilaw Powder, and Bawang Powder. The combination of these helps manage your insulin levels and assist in lowering your blood sugar levels.

Living a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to be a punishment, satisfy your sweet tooth in moderation with the help of BitterGo.

BitterGo is available at Mercury Drug and leading drugstores nationwide for P 7.50 per piece.

For inquiries, you may contact ATC Healthcare at these numbers: 516-8888, 0909-3333333, or 0917-5623333.

Every company should have these in their pantries

Coffee vending machine - this is a product I would love to invest on cos it's extremely low cost and I frkn love coffee. Moreso, this is something I wish all companies would consider putting in their pantries for free cos they're losing money every day they decide to put off with the idea. Why? Read this interesting answer from Quora, someone asked how much a medium sized business could save by not providing free coffee to employees. And he was answered by someone who tackled the opposite -- how much money is a company losing by not providing free coffee to its employees? Go ahead and read, you'll learn a lot. XD

Okaaaay dear companies, just put the frkn thing on. It doesn't have to be free. Just put it there cos everybody loves coffee. ;)




Start a Coffee Business with Fully Automatic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machines

Are you thinking of starting a new business or adding additional income to your existing business?Why not try venturing into coffee business or a coffee shop?  You can easily start the business with the latest innovative fully automatic “Bean-to-Cup” coffee machines by I Luv Coffee Express.

Perhaps most of you are already familiar with coffee vending machines that is almost present in convenience stores, sari-sari stores and even the transport terminal in your area.  These coffee machines are technically producing 3-in-1 coffee which is far from the real quality coffee which is served on restaurants and even on Starbucks.  What if you can sell quality brewed coffee at a lesser price?

This is where I Luv Coffee Express by Essential Brands Group South East Asia (EBG SEA) comes into play. These coffee machines are called “bean-to-cup” machines since they process real coffee beans, mix them with either milk or chocolate or serve them as pure coffee to your clients all with just the press of a selection button.  You can serve 100 cups per hour to your customers using these machines plus since they are high in quality it can last for years.

I Luv Coffee Express coffee machines are in fact deployed in various convenience stores including Mini Stop, 7-11 and even San Miguel Food Avenue. If you are travelling at NAIA 3 you can experience great coffee from this coffee machine at the Delta Airlines lounge.

Coffee is a well-loved addition to a store or even a restaurant.  Most frequently those who are exhausted or wanted to pass by time will drink coffee and relax.  So if you are looking for quality coffee machines in the Philippines then try I Luv Coffee Express from Essential Brands Group SEA.

These exciting coffee machines will be part of the exhibition of Mustard Seed Systems at the Asia Food Expo (AFEX) 2015 at the World Trade Center Manila from September 9-12, 2015.

For more information you can visit their website at www.mseedsystems.com, contact them at +63(2)535-SEED / 63(2)535-7333 or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mseedsys

Watch this video to learn more about the product!


Friday, September 11, 2015

[Food Phase Fridays] Potato Corner

Potato Corner has been around since 1992 and has since opened over 300 branches worldwide. They were one of the first to introduce flavored french fries in the country after getting the idea from flavored popcorn which was quite a hit that time. Also, they're one of the pioneering food cart businesses in the Philippines, garnering rows of awards from the Philippine Franchise Association and the Department of Trade and Industry. In 2006 they started expanding to other countries and opened up 10 outlets in Indonesia! Now, they have presence in Malaysia, Panama, and the US. :)

Did you know that their official mascot is named Spudster? :D

There was an entire week I got addicted to Potato Corner's Mega Fries (barbecue + sour cream) because it was so delicious and accessible (conveniently located at our building's canteen plus it's basically everywhere) I just couldn't miss it every time I'm craving for something salty, which, during that time was pretty much daily.


I had to be reminded to quit this food phase cos I was gaining pounds by the day. Seriously. It was hard, but then I moved on to my next food phase sooooo yeah. Haha watch out for it on the next Food Phase Fridays!

You know when you're stressed everyday and you have no one to turn to but food? Those were the days (or months). This was my comfort food cos it was literally comforting to eat! Their barbecue flavor is my favorite cos it has a great balance of sweetness, saltiness, and spiciness! <3

Here are their current prices:

Large Fries - Php 48
Jumbo Fries - Php 79
Mega Fries - Php 99
Giga Fries - Php 169
Tera Fries - Php 199

They also offer other food products like hashbrown, lollipops, loopy fries, etc. But really, just go for the regular fries haha.
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Food Phase Fridays is a blog series featuring the different foods I've grown addicted to for some time! Learn more about them here or join in the fun by making your own Food Phase series! 

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Go Manila: get real-time access to Manila's CCTVs



Envisioned for both local residents and tourists, Go Manila seeks to make life easy in an otherwise complicated Urban Jungle.

In a click of a button, you can have full access to real time Traffic Livestream, locate and contact Emergency Locations and Hotlines and discover the historic capital of the Philippines at the tip of your finger with easy access to popular tourist destinations, restaurants and nightspots.

Features :

  • TRAFFIC LIVESTREAM - Get instant and real time access to Manila's major thoroughfares. Livestream will provide a link to the hundreds of high def CCTV's installed in various parts of the Metro. Never get stuck in traffic again as these live feeds will provide you ample time to look for alternative route.
  • EMERGENCY LOCATIONS - No GPS and MAPS? No problem. Get the exact locations of Police Stations/Precincts, Hospitals/Clinics, Fire departments and other concerned agencies at the tip of your finger.
  • EMERGENCY HOTLINES - No need for complicated and outdated directories. One click and you get to access and call various police precincts, hospitals, fire departments and all other emergency/disaster related concerns.

It’s a virtual tourist guide and a handy companion for commuters and travelers alike. With Go Manila, everything comes easy!

This app is spearheaded by Manila City Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

NOTE: All of the CCTV has a limit range only in the Philippines

Download This App Now!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hs.app.gomanila

Website 
https://gomanila.ph

Follow on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/gomanila

And on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/gomanilaph

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

SL = sobrang traffic leave

Traffic last night was terrible I literally cried on the way home. Wait, I was on the way to work around 8:30pm after waiting for the rain to friggin stop. I waited for the tricycle service for 15 mins because no one would get into our subdivision. Hay. Then when I was finally out of our village I was greeted by a depressing buildup of cars claiming every possible inch of pavement they could squeeze into just to move on. It was terrible since it doesn't usually get this bad right outside our place. But it did, so it only meant the worse is yet to come.

Indeed, after 15 mins of toiling through the streets, I finally caught sight of our last hurdle; the street leading to the highway. On normal days it's completely dim and deserted but holy moley not 300 meters into it and 3 raging lanes of brake lights welcomed my sight. I told the tricycle driver I'll just walk from there so he wouldn't be stuck on the way back, so he moved to counter-flow just to get me nearer to the end of the road (thank you!), but deeeeeym the motor hasn't even revved fully when we had to give up. There's another buildup of cars so this time we're occupying 4 lanes na. It was sooooo bad.

I thought it'll get better when I reach the highway BUT NO. Apparently, everyone on that street needed to cross the intersection and turn left SM Fairview bound. Problem is, the avenue they're turning into is at a complete standstill so there's no way they could squeeze in. The intersection was completely blocked. The PUVs I was waiting for from the other side couldn't get to me. And even if they did, I'd be damned on the way to the office because it'll be hell tryna get out of Fairview in just two lanes (the rest were for counterflowing vehicles).

I checked my watch and was saddened that it's already an hour since I left home and I wasn't even halfway on my journey huhu. Right then I decided to just go home and file for a leave to at least catch OTWOL (On the Wings of Love) HAHA. Nakakaloka.

Pero grabe lang talaga, THERE WERE NO TRICYCLES at the terminal so I had to fall in line and wait. When it's finally my turn the tricycle wouldn't take me cos pauwi na raw sya and can only accommodate passengers going to the village where he lives! ANO BAAAAA! Biglang naging choosy?! After a while thank God somebody agreed to take me home... but we had to pass through the same hell I went through on the way out. I started to tear up cos wala nanaman akong maaabutan sa OTWOL and everything is just so frustrating at that moment. Grabe lang.

But well, God loves me so I was able to catch two segments on OTWOL pa. Sumaya tuloy ako bigla. haha I seriously would be pissed off like crazy if I wasn't able to catch even a glimpse of Clark and Leah hihi

Not from the latest episodes but haaayy <3
Ang sweet nyo ano ba.
Anyway, will leave early today so I wouldn't have to put up with unexpected rain and the consequential traffic. T__T

Sunday, September 6, 2015

The Sunday Currently (vol. 15)


Currently

Reading
Nothing... but I plan to continue on The Graveyard Book tonight. I need to lull myself for a 5am call time tomorrow. XD

Writing
Nothing! XD

Listening
The faaaan

Thinking
About my weight. HAHA Haynako sobrang ewan ko ba. Sarap kumain. Katamad mag exercise. I was only able to attend zumba once last week and it was such a struggle having to convince my lazy ass to work out. The thought of walking back to the terminal to get home just dreads me so. It's so far eh. Katamad?! I'm thinking about following diet plans AGAIN but haynako is there any cure for katamaran and poverty? char. I want to try slimming pills ulit like LIPO6 cos that truly worked for me but idk my boyfriend won't approve. >XD Hirap magpa-payat no?

Smelling
Nothing, but thanks for reminding me! Spritzing on my citrus sanitizer from Human Nature because hmmmmmmm I love the citronella-lemongrass combo XD

Wishing
I had a lot of money as usual. Like 5 million, that should be enough for a new car, my parent's retirement house, and apartment building costs. Hay life.

Wearing
Sando and shorts

Loving
I don't really know. I love what I've been eating recently but they're all too unhealthy for me haha
Oh wait let's not be so nega here... I LOVE  LIKE THIS RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SMART:


Finally, a legit reason to switch! I've always wanted to switch to Smart cos it has the best signal here in our area and I figured I could always subscribe to their TRINET--- Oh wait... I haven't confirmed if it's only for UNLI call & text promos and not TRINET. Huhu sayang. :( I hope they push the same promo for TRINET naman! How hard could it be? Charrr. Not one to say haha

When I was working for them, I recalled thinking "bakit kasi may prefix prefix pa" --- cos we had to create modules to handle them, extracting the actual dialed numbers, removing the prefix and all so we can make us of the data for development. At least now they would have fewer numbers to normalize! Yeyy devs, rejoice! Okay, that was a flashback. I'm not missing dev work. LOL.

So yeah, that's good news but until I confirm it stretches to TRINET promos as well, I can't officially love this announcement haha.

Wanting
The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact IF IT IS INDEED coming out with a dual sim variant. I could probably work with it being 4.6" inches, it's still frkn too big for me, but....argh.. high end dual sim!

Needing
To download new Just Dance videos just so I could excite myself to do some workout. OA talaga yung pagka-tamad ko magworkout, I swear. T__T I want to join a sport but I hate making effort if it's too far or too early for my own liking.

Feeling
HUNGRY. Oh no haha.

Friday, September 4, 2015

[Food Phase Fridays] Project Pie at Fairview Terraces


I've been meaning to try this place out ever since it opened at FT but I was either not in the mood for pizza or afraid I wouldn't have the budget for it. Turns out it's in exactly the same price range as Mad for Pizza (Php285 per head)! So one afternoon with Jeckie, ayon we tried it out! And since then, it kindof became a weekly thing... at least for a month. First time with Jeckie, second with my sister, third with the whole family. You gotta spread the love dibaaaa?


Related: [Review] Mad for Pizza: Toppings all you want!

Project Pie claims to serve artisan pizza at 285 pesos. What the hell is artisanal pizza anyway? Their doughs aren't even hand-stretched, they're balled and contained in a large tub, then mechanically pressed to fill a 9 inch pan on demand. Nothing "artsy" about the process, but it's so cool to watch haha. The crust may even come out too thin. Anyway, I'm not here to argue about whatever labels they want to describe their food chain. I'm here to share about my experience having eaten there for three times already!


Design. Build. Eat.

At Project Pie, you can either choose to order pre-designed pizza or build your own. In the three times I ate there, I always built my own, and I always almost put ALL OF THE TOPPINGS, avoiding the smelly cheeses. hehe

Herbs and veggies
Cheeses and meats
In fairness to the FT branch, they don't scrimp on toppings. They may advise to put certain toppings against each other, but all in your best interest (at least it seems). They may advise to save your succeeding cheese servings for the topmost part (cos I like my moz sandwiched) cos the crust may not cook well, but the way they tell you sounds all so professional you just gotta trust them. And we did!

Here's the outcome of our super yummy pizza indulgence! :D


I especially like my pizza topped with a loooooot of cheese, tomatoes, and herbs. The outcome is super delicious and it smells wonderful too with the oreganos, rosemary, and thyme kicking off when heated. <3

It pretty much tasted the same as my Mad for Pizza version but heyyy Project Pie is nearer to our place! haha :D

Here's a wrap up:

Pros:
- Unlimited toppings
- Drinks are affordable and come with 2 extra refills
- Great ambiance
- Efficient for CLAYGO (Clean as you go). Just throw out the paper mat and put your pizza tray above the trash bin!

Cons:
- They only serve 9" thin crust pizza
- Not a lot of selections aside from pizza


Aaaaah now I'm craving T__T

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Food Phase Fridays is a blog series featuring the different foods I've grown addicted to for some time! Learn more about them here or join in the fun by making your own Food Phase series! 

A couple of logos

Tilde's Peanut Butter
For my auntie's small peanut butter business. Supposed to be turned to stickers but never got the time to seek suppliers out. IT'S THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER EVER. I swear it's my favorite peanut butter to date, I'm not even trying to sell it okay haha


You should try it :D You can order from me btw but it won't have a logo hehe

Glacial Fire Samoyeds
One of my friends commissioned me to create a logo for his kennel. When it was finished he shared it on facebook and I got commissioned to do another by a common friend! Yeyy! Here's the 'another' haha Referrals are heaven sent!

Final

Variations

Because of this project I learned how to 1) do the text wrap thingy effect where you get the text to fill the spaces inside a shape whatever. I used it to arrange the letters on the first three variations. Sucks I didn't bookmark the tutorial, I already forgot how do to it. I think it's type > convert to smart object > warp? Okay. 

Another technical learning is 2) arranging text on a circle. The 'Samoyed' text on the 4th image is quite a bummer to place! The tutorial I got was so confusing and I didn't know how to describe my problem to google.. uhm how to arrange text on a circle? Whatever, I got it to work but... hm let me remember how. Circle > type > select type layer > select direct selection tool > hover on the text path until the pointer shows a left-right arrow > arrange. Haha hope it's right.

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On another note, I'm starting on a coloring book project! It's kindof a sequel to my last children's book project but this time it's gonna be just lines. duh. It may sound easy to just remove the colors and add strokes but sadly it's not. Since I'm bad at layering and preserving outlines, I have to retrace the entire thing and add a couple more elements to match the client's preferred theme. :) I'm excited cos I've never done a coloring book. I've managed to figure out a process in my head, but I'm sure google has more efficient ways to teach me. :) 

I seriously need more design jobs, it's the only thing keeping my creativity from rusting out haha.

By the way, Super Labandera is turning into a plushie! Yeyy!