Whatever happened to my supposed pic spam?

ah these pictures were taken eons ago (exagge, 2 weeks ago tops haha) but i still wanted to share them with you! here's how i would like to summarize my week from now on ... assuming i'll be religiously updating this weekly pic spam i decided to take on. bwaha

Domino's Pizza @ Fairview Terraces

i took a picture of the box because look, DESIGN! <3 i don't even know how their old pizza boxes looked like but this is now my favorite pizza box (not that i keep tabs on other boxes)! witty lines all over the carton too, if you'd gladly zoom in hehe. oh, they have FUTURE ORDERING how cool is that? 

jeckie and i tried this buy 1 take 1 promo they have, that's pepperoni and american bacon cheese burger (now, droooool) on the photo. yes, we finished them all, 70-30 (i'm the 30, okay?! no hatin')! 

in fairness, it's really good! the crust is pendesal-ish, very Angel's and (the new) Greenwich. the service is also fast, you're not waiting 30 mins for your food otherwise it's on them. oh yes. 

Curves Gym

a women-only gym w/ the motto "No men, no makeup, no mirrors" read about my experience here!

Leveling up my beauty regimen

ANO RAW?! since when did i have beauty regimen? haha nope i don't really have a regular skin care routine because i never really worry about my face. but then one day, while i was fondly looking at my recent pictures, i noticed that shooocks ang tanda ko na pala tingnan (#mejoExagge). all the laughter life has given me has accumulated into fine lines around my eyes! crows feet alert! AAAARGH!

so this is how it feels to wage war against the signs of skin ageing. homaygas. it doesn't help that anti-ageing skin products cost so muuuuuch (like Php 1,000+++++ for an effective brand), so since i'm still in my 20s i decided to moisturize first. it's not anti-ageing per se but it keeps the skin from getting dry and that's kind of a step forward for trying to hide fine lines. bwahaha. plus it's summer na, so there's this need to hydrate more!

i decided to try Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Moisturizer because the reviews are good, it's available everywhere, it's fragrance free (read: allergies), and the packaging looks legit -- parang Cetaphil ang arrive haha.

Celeteque DermoScience Hydration Facial Moisturizer

so yeaahh, let's try that! plus girly points to me for taking care of my skin! will probably review this someday. haha

Sofitel

my mom was awarded her 14th year as a MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) awardee (plus some other awards) so yeheyyyy for ma! we stayed overnight at Sofitel and ate breakfast at Spiral (NOT Spirals) and took pictures everywhere cos 5 star hotels are almost always picturesque, yeah?

Here's a pic spam:

terai <3

me!

Currently Reading

I think i'm putting the Harry Potter series as one of my favorite books, with special regard to The Prisoner of Azkaban cos i believe it's where the series took an emotional turn, with Harry being introduced to more truths and more people involved around the killing of his parents.

i'm on the fourth installment and i'm still as excited as ever to read it!!!

Currently Watching

Harry Potter din! i'm re-watching the series for the nth time and this is by far the most fascinating because i get to cross-inspect it from the book. there's this urge to list down scenes which were not included in the movie and all but well. #katamad

Work and all that

again, i want to resign. maybe i'll bring this up to my manager next time we talk. i always get this feeling that no matter how hard i try in this industry, it's always going to end up frustrating for me. i have totally 0 passion for software development.

it's a scary thing to shift careers because, where am i gonna work? who's gonna take me? how do i pay my bills? but then the possibility of a happier life excites me to no end. whew. what does it feel like to freelance? to build your own portfolio and sell yourself to clients? to work at the comfort of your home and wake up to a job that makes you happy?

oh my, i am so ready for this, but nonetheless scared... because i'm probably not big enough support myself financially. but.. haaaay Lord! grant me wisdom!

Get a Summer Ready Body with Skin Philosophie's Summer Sale Promo!

Guess what! Skin Philosophie Medical Aesthetic and Lifestyle Center, your one-stop center for immaculate correction, holistic wellness, and lifestyle solutions is launching new promos for us this summer! 

Take a look at and see what services you could get for less, and get ready to achieve that summer body you've been waiting for!

1. Fat-Burning Radio Frequency (RF) Treatment
2. Underarm Laser Hair Removal
3. Underarm Whitening
4. Bikini Line Laser Hair Removal

Details below!

Fat-burning Radio Frequency (RF) Treatment

Source

Promo rate: Php 560 per session per body part
Regular rate: Php Php 2,800 per session per body part
Savings: 80% off!
With visible result after first treatment
For best results: 6-10 sessions
No lumpsum payment - pay only Php 560 per visit

Underarm Laser Hair Removal

Source

Promo rate: Php 2,700 per session

Regular rate: Php 4,500 per session
Savings: 40% off!
With visible result after first treatment
For best results: 4-6 sessions
No lumpsum payment - pay only Php 2,700 per visit

Underarm Whitening

Source

Promo rate: Php 960 per session
Regular rate: Php 1,600 per session
Savings: 40% off!
Number of sessions required depends on skin condition
No lumpsum payment - pay only Php 960 per visit

Bikini Line Laser Hair Removal

Source

Promo rate: Php 3,430per session
Regular rate: Php 4,500 per session
Savings: 23% off!
With visible result after first treatment
For best results: 4-6 sessions
No lumpsum payment - pay only Php 2,700 per visit


Amazing deals right? And if you don't know yet, Skin Philophie prides in being a leader in the field as they utilize advanced technology, equipment, and skin care products to ensure customer satisfaction. The center is headed by UK-trained doctor Dr. Kyla Talens, who considers safety and efficacy paramount to delivering their services. They offer customized patient-centered skin care programs, and always takes into account the client's resources and preferences before prescribing anything. You're in the best hands!

More treats for you!

If you want to avail of any of the summer promo services above, go on and contact them for a reservation, but since we're feeling extra generous we're extending an additional 5% discount to readers of this blog! Yup! i want to help you get that bikini ready body you've been dreaming of at a lesser cost!

What you have to do is just take a SCREENSHOT OF THIS BLOG and show it on your appointment to get that extra discount. :)

Here are other treats just for you <3

• 10% off on Skin Philosophie Regular Services
• Free Skin Consulation with Dr. Kyla Talens

Location and Contact

Skin Philosophie Medical Aesthetic and Lifestyle Solutions
Address: 3rd level, The Fort Strip, 28th corner 7th Avenue,
Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig.
Contact numbers: 0917-8860646 | 0917-8906800 | 02-2118662 | 02-21580780 | 02-8567451
Website: http://skinphilosophie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skin.philosophie

[Disclosure: I am an accredited online lead generator for Skin Philosophie Skin Care Programs.]

Curves Gym: No men, no makeup, no mirrors

WHAAAT?! 

Depends on your reason for going to the gym, you might find their motto quite a bit of a letdown, seeing that it doesn't conform to what most gyms look like. it probably even goes against some people's subconscious notions of the gym as some sort of a dating club, or a VIP lounge, or both. hehe

But Curves gym, focusing on a more specific demographic (you know, us girls!) knew how well their tagline speaks for women who are more concerned with improving their fitness levels, and who simply wanted to work out without being conscious about themselves. And to this extent, Curves serves its purpose by providing a facility that is for women only, has no mirrors at the workout area, and doesn't allow you to wear make-up. ang strict diba?!

PERO JOKE LANG. i have yet to confirm the no make-up part HAHA

Anywaaaay, here's how my first visit went:

Workout area

Curves gym offers circuit workouts using a set of 12 machines that target different parts of the body. They're placed in a circle and in between each of them are recovery pads where you do some light active movements to break the last machine workout you just did. You spend 30 secs. on the machine, then some 45 secs. on the recovery pad... until you've circled around the entire circuit. There's a background music and audio guide naman, plus there's always a coach to help you with the workouts!

When i came in i was welcomed by Coach Tessa, who showed me around the place, introduced me to the machines (and some of the members too!), and interviewed then measured me (homagyasss) for a fitness assessment. haha

Goal setting. naks.

i love how every member gets this sort of initial goal setting interview where the coach assesses your current fitness level, your measurements, your desired weight, health considerations, etc. and helps you come up w/ realistic figures to lose (or gain, depends on your goal) in a month.

The workout

the first circuit was kindof light but i could already feel some sweat. the second circuit though was what made me sweat even more as i had to increase the reps i do on each machine, shempre, to sweat and burn more! ang sarap sa feeling!

the entire workout only took 30 minutes but it was intense enough to cover all parts of my body. very ideal for those on-the-go who didn't want to spend too much time on the gym. 

after that, i stayed longer to try their zumba class! it's a zumba circuit where you dance in between machine workouts. i suck at dancing but i'm always trying haha i had a hard time following the steps though cos we were in a circle and i was in front of the instructor, and i suck at mirror imaging, i kept on circling on the wrong path! haha

Facilities

Members' Lounge

Across the lounge is where the comfort rooms and shower area is. There are mirrors here already, don't worry! See those cards below the Curves signage? That's their "Women on Top" for the month of January!

Women on Top

Only goes to show how this gym is serious about helping you achieve your fitness goals!

Locker area

On the other side of the lounge is where the locker area is. Also a place you'd see more inspiration!

Testimonials from members

There's a very warm feeling about the gym that makes me want to come back, also because i'm interested w/ the type of workout they offer! The coaches are very friendly and nice and always ready to help, and it seems like it's home to a community of women who share a common goal and are out to help each other in their quest for fitter a lifestyle! Reading the inspiring stories from the locker doors also encouraged me with my goals of shedding pounds of fat! haha

So, if you're working near (or at) Eastwood City, this is going to be worth your visit! 

Location and Contact

Curves

4F Eastwood City Walk 2, Eastwood City Cyberpark, Quezon City

curves.eastwood@gmail.com

584-9841 | 09177377835 | 09212093322

Opening hours:

Mondays - Fridays

7:00AM - 12:30PM

3:30PM - 8:30PM

Saturdays

8:00AM - 1:00PM

CCWZF

Mon/Tues - 6:30PM

Wed/Thurs - 8:30AM

Sat - 9:30AM

How to get there?

I came from Commonwealth Area so I rode a jeep labeled "Cubao - Kalayaan - Ali Mall" and went down at Ali Mall. From there, I rode another jeep labeled "Ever - Rosario - Citibank" and got off across CitiBank. I crossed the bridge and walked from Citibank to Cyberwalk. Curves is located at the mall beside Bigoli (i don't know what it's called though hehe) and is at the 4th floor. If the mall is still closed, there's an elevator at the parking area, or you can use the stairs! :)

Take a look at TLC's latest TV offerings this April!

TLC April 2015 Highlights

TLC brings us an awesome summer by airing these spectacular shows on food, fashion, and travel! Take a look at this lot:

THE TASTE UK 

Premieres every Tuesday at 10:00 p.m., starting April 7. 
Encores every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. 

Flavour is the only thing that matters in this high-stakes cooking competition as Nigella Lawson, Anthony Bourdain, and critically-acclaimed chef Ludo Lefebvre search for the first winner of THE TASTE UK. During the blind auditions, the judges will pick their respective teams based on just a single spoonful from a dish prepared by each contestant. Then, each week – mentored by Nigella,  Anthony and Ludo – the contestants must tantalise the tastebuds of a guest judge and win their vote with a single spoonful in order to stay on in the competition.

JAMIE’S COMFORT FOOD 

Premieres every Monday at 8:00 p.m., starting April 13. 
Encores every Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. 

Celebrate nostalgic memories, traditions and childhood favourites in JAMIE’S COMFORT FOOD.  It's about recipes that really hit the spot – from the perfect burger to the ultimate toasted cheese sandwich, to reinvented old-school classics such as shepherd's pie and crispy duck lasagne – it's food that can wrap its arms around you and raise your spirits. Filmed at Jamie's Essex home with friends and family, this brand new series is brimming with inspirational dishes, epic flavour combinations and some seriously clever cooking.

TRINNY & SUSANNAH’S MAKEOVER MISSION INDIA 

Premieres every Thursday at 8:30 p.m., starting April 16. 
Encores every Monday at 8:30 a.m. 

World-renowned style experts Trinny and Susannah are about to face their most exciting challenge ever – this time, the duo head to India in search of men and women of various shapes, sizes and backgrounds, all in need of a major style intervention. With the help of a team of hair and makeup artists, see how the contestants look like a million bucks in the hands of these fashionistas in TRINNY & SUSANNAH’S MAKEOVER MISSION INDIA! Each episode, the straight-talking style gurus strive to bring a renewed confidence to the selected men and women, transforming their fashion faux pas to fashion fabulous within the span of 12 hours.

SAY YES TO THE DRESS: BRIDESMAIDS 3 

Premieres every Friday at 10:00 p.m., starting April 24. 
Encores every Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and Monday at 4:00 p.m. 

SAY YES TO THE DRESS: BRIDESMAIDS returns for a third season with even more taffeta, trains and tantrums. Get ready for cheers, jeers – and sometimes, tears – at Atlanta’s Bridals By Lori, as brides and their entourage of bridesmaids search for the perfect bridesmaid’s dress that will please them all. One bride’s BFF hates every dress she sees while another stalks off the runway and refuses to be seen at the wedding in a strapless dress. It’s up to Lori Allen and her team of consultants to make sure that the bride’s fantasy wedding doesn’t turn into her worst nightmare!

---

About TLC 

TLC is a global lifestyle and entertainment destination, presenting non-scripted and scripted programming featuring real life stories and universal themes that resonate with viewers around the world. TLC’s programming is told through the lens of larger than life characters and adaptable formats, celebrating everything from relationships and life stages, to makeover and transformation to food and travel. Launched in Asia Pacific on September 1, 2010, TLC is currently distributed to over 148 million subscribers in the region. For more information, visit TLC at www.tlcasia.com.

About Discovery Communications 

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content on worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery and Science, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery also controls Eurosport International, a premier sports entertainment group, including six pay-TV network brands across Europe and Asia. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award- winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. In Asia Pacific, 15 Discovery brands reach 652 million cumulative subscribers in 38 countries and territories with programming customized in 15 languages and dialects. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.

the nightshift struggle

this is so frkn hard. i was on midshift and dayshift the past 2 days respectively and now i'm on nightshift. what a way to go around three different schedules!

i'm writing because i've been trying so frakking hard to keep myself awake. at this very moment, my eyes are drooping, my head hurts, and i'm battling the urge to sleep on my desk and just forget about all the work. chos. the latter is proving to be very tempting though.

i wasn't able to get enough sleep before i headed to this shift, that's why. my stomach is also full, which probably contributes to the sleepiness. i don't know how to go about this time. i just want the clock to tick past 4 hours so i could go home and sleep and properly prepare for my next nightshift (that, and test out my new vacuum cleaner! random, sorry)

i'm not going to be on this shift for long, i just kindof volunteered to because i didn't want to be left alone in midshift. T___T but this is really proving to be pain in the ass. i seriously want to just grab a pillow and sleep head on. aaaargghh.

it's 2am would you believe it?! if i was on midshift i'm probably already sleeping or lulling myself to sleep with a book. but what am i doooing, so actively engaging my brain in words... aggravating my headache.

this is sooooo craaaaazzyyyy i wanna sleeeep badllyyyyyyy. my eyebags are twitching awkwardly, begging for my lids to close. should i give in?

heck.

#WhereToNext: 5 reasons I would love to stay in this apartment in Thailand

Not a very specific title no? haha

Here's a fancy 5 star apartment villa i found over at Airbnb which only rents for Php 2,868 per night (say whuuut). I've been scouting for potential overseas staycation spots and was recently reminded of Airbnb (via 2 Broke Girls: that ep when Max and Caroline had their place rented for Victoria Secret models!) a booking site where you get to choose from tons of unique places to stay in from local hosts in over 190 countries. awesome! you don't need to stay at an uber expensive hotel to get a posh space that's well maintained and looks pretty in pictures haha. you can just head on over to Airbnb and ogle over the many houses, lofts, and apartment units offered for rent by the locals (hm. as an IT person, "local host" sounds weird to me haha) and book away!

so here's the place i've been eyeing: an apartment space at  Intercontinental Resort, Koh Samui Thailand.

just by looking at the pictures and the reviews of the many travelers who has booked the place, i've gathered 5 things that made me fall in love with the idea of staying at this beautiful apartment

1. it's very affordable

cos you're not booking from the resort per se, but with the private owner of the villa. i was actually taken aback by the price, and looked everywhere at the page for hidden charges, extra fees and all, but found nothing that would bill shock me... just a 6-12% guest service fee, and a Php 7,291.00 security deposit (varies per place) which you can refund after your stay if you didn't mess with anything in the house.

so for a 5 star resort, Php 2,868 a night is a frkn great deal. just look at this beauty...

kumpleto kusina!

presko!

ang bongga ng bed!

2. the beach and the view is awesome 

Actual photo of the sunset coming into place <3

which is what an ideal getaway should have, right? the villa is located at Baan Taling Ngam, the quieter part of the island where luxury resorts are situated, plus you get an awesome sunset view to boot!

the apartment is atop a hill with a direct view of the sea from all of the rooms! <3

perfection!

haaaaay life

3. access to all areas of the resort 

the amenities are to die forrrr. even if i'm just gonna be renting out a single room, i get free access to their 5 pools (oo kelangan ganun kadami), private beach with sports equipment, tennis court, fitness center, etc!

okay let me spam you a bit:

that's a crazy lot of water facilities! why so pretty?! T____T

4. no negative reviews! 

as per the people who has booked with the owner, nothing bad came out about their entire stay! the place is perfect, it's near the beach, the amenities are complete, you can hire a maid for daily cleaning, avail of hotel services, and communication with the contact people is a breeze.

but what really got me promising to myself that i'd book this place one day is this review...

the pictures don't even do it justice, he says! can you imagine what kind of paradise this is? i was already sold with the price, now the reviews just made me want to book sooner!

and last but not the least of the reasons i would definitely book this place...

5. it's in Thailand! 

one of my dream vacation places mainly because it's near, and the currency exchange is 1:1, so i don't have to mess my head with conversions and stuff cos i'm budget OC like that and hates math.

so singing along with Annie... "Yes! Yes! I think i'm gonna like it here!"

So whether an apartment for a month, a castle for a week, a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries!

in fairness to Airbnb, they offer a really unique travel solution for those who are wary of expensive lodging. i'm definitely going to scout at their website on my next travel plans!

Join Me!

Click photo to register

If you want to make Airbnb your next travel buddy, let me refer you so you could enjoy some travel credits and more! You may sign up here: http://www.airbnb.com/c/ybirog

#WhereToNext #Airbnb #AirbnbPH

Where are you headed next? Let me know and let Airbnb guide you! <3

Note: all photos used in this blog post were taken from the Airbnb listing. :)

GlobalTestMarket Proof of Payment

AT LAST!!! After all the fuss about their cheques bouncing and being in a different denomination, i was finally able to get my CASH. as in CAAAAASH. How?

Twice I returned their check to their PO Box at Canada because the first time they sent me, the account has closed. and on the second time, it was printed in dollars and i had no way of withdrawing it. i had my doubts and i was so furious so i ranted about it on this post haha

When I got my points back (after 3 months!), i decided to just wait until they are able to print checks in my local currency, PhP.

But recently though, GTM has rolled out a couple of good rewards conversion alternatives, one of which is PAYPAL (there's also Lazada and Amazon!) so... REJOICE REJOICE!!! Once the feature was up and active I instantly requested for a cash out.

Here's the points conversion:

816 points = Php 1,500
543 points = Php 1,000

Note that in order to claim your Paypal rewards you must have a minimum of 1000 points. :)

So on March 6, i claimed my Paypal rewards, and exactly 7 days after, i was credited with the amount I requested on Paypal! Yeheyyy!

Now I just had to withdraw it to my local bank account. Here's how I did it, if you're wondering! And finally, after a total of 10 days (7 days from GTM to Paypal, and 3 days from Paypal to my bank account)... caaaaash! yeyy! <3

In fairness to GTM, they responded to all my inquiries. They may respond slow, but at least they're working on it.

The support channel I used to inquire to would be this email address: 

support-en@globaltestmarket.com

So if you have any concerns about your points or anything, you may want to email them there. :)

Finally finally, all my doubts about GTM have been lifted and I can now proudly promote it to all you. So in case you're looking for a profitable past time answering surveys (it's not much but it pays!), just leave your email address and i'll refer you asap! :)

Thanks GTM! :)