Up up and away!

I'm temporarily officially quitting The Sunday Currently cos I'm bad at scheduled posts, even my Food Phase Fridays is slowly being abandoned but I swear to get back on it cos I've lot to share pa! :)

So, what's up?

I'm scheduled to leave the country next week for a 3-month business trip at our client base in the US (Minnesota). This was something I've been holding back on sharing cos nothing was final yet until last week when I was emailed some booking confirmation. I didn't want to get ahead of my excitement so I kept it a secret from this space. Plus I have a feeling this blog likes to ruin my plans haha so yeah. Have you ever felt that way with your blog too, like every life plan you've published never found its way to fruition? Hahaha haaay.

But now that it's pretty final (well, I don't have the tickets yet!), let me pour out my excitement (aka thoughts) about this trip.

Snow! I'm guessing it'll be underwhelming since most people I asked told me it's just like ice from the freezer all over the place, plus I heard winter in MN can get really bad so there's not much to love where snow is concerned. But still, I know nothing about snow, right? <3 <3 <3

It'll be my first international flight! I've never been outside the country so this excites me like crazy. It's also such a blessing that the company is shouldering all that. Even my visa application. Grabe thank God! When I was applying for a visa I was super scared of failing cos that's some 7k the company could've wasted on me, and I didn't want to let them down haha. Anyway, will be sharing my US Visa application on a separate post. ;D

Shopping. LOL I'm borrowing money from my parents cos swelday is so far and I have a pretty long list of things to buy, mainly pullovers and boots and other articles of clothing that'll help me during winter which are cheaper when bought here. Haha I get sick easily in cold weather so I frkn have to wrap myself up properly.

Food. This is something I'm constantly worried about, unless I'll be stationed in a different house, the nearest place I can get some food would be Walmart, and that's 4kms away from the staff house (accdg. to google maps). Not a distance I can leisurely walk my way too, especially during hard winter days. But I haven't searched up about their mass transit options so I hope it gets better than what's in my head haha.

Should I take my friends out? 3 months isn't really long right, but I'll be missing my birthday, Christmas, and New Year here so I'm thinking of taking select people out. But I'm broke, so I'm writing this to alert this blog. You know what to do!

Let's not forget work. With all the excitement it's easy to forget what I'm really coming there for haha. I've been performing so bad at work lately, in fact I'm supposed to do some weekend work to compensate for the frkn delays I've caused, but I got sick yesterday and I can't possibly be productive this time at the office, plus no one has emailed me yet if I needed to come in (not that I will), so I'm just gonna take this day to rest and just come super early tomorrow. Hay. I don't want to say I'm loving my work just yet cos I'm still in the training period. And as with any discipline, it's usually hard at the start, and most of the time I get anxious about not getting things right. Somehow I'm thinking if I really deserve to be sent there, cos it sounds like such a reward to be sent overseas, and I'm not even ripe for the opportunity considering tenure and technical skills haha. But. Hay. Lord. Thank you parin. XD

I will miss a lot of people. Just thinking about it makes me cry. My parents, my sister, my boyfriend. Haaaaayy. T___T;

I'm feeling sick again and I'm coughing my brains out so I'm gonna have to end this post already and go to sleep haha Good night goys and have a blessed week ahead! <3

Check out QC’s newest foodie hotspot: Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot Cubao

Good news is in store for Quezon City—the newest foodie hotspot in town has opened its second branch at Manhattan Parkview, Araneta Center. The creators of Vikings Luxury Buffet and NIU by Vikings bring you Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot. A restaurant that provides a customizable, fresh and healthy dining experience for celebrating special occasions, or for when you simply want to enjoy a top-notch meal.

Kick back and take in the ambiance as you enjoy one of the Philippines’ best buffets. Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot has several impressive stations, and patrons can take their pick of their meat, seafood, vegetables, appetizers, desserts, Japanese and bar options. Indulge your imagination and make the dish of your dreams with their wide selection of broths, noodles, meat, toppings and sauces. The Cubao branch also offers a pasta station and a carving station.

For P688 for weekday lunches and P888 for weekday dinners, weekends and holidays, diners can choose from chicken, pork, fish, vegetable and crowd favorite sinigang as a soup base. Combined with their selection of noodles, decorate your soup with fresh or frozen dumplings, specialty balls, your favorite protein and choice of vegetables. Select from Sate, Szechuan, Tomato and Chinese Herbs. Amp up the flavor with the many dipping sauces available. Cook it in your personal hotpot, and experience being a chef for a day!

With so many components and combinations, the possibilities are truly endless.

Cubao’s dining scene just got a whole lot better with Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot!

Rates: Weekday lunches - Php 688; Weekday dinners, weekends, and holidays - Php 888
Location: G/F, Manhattan Parkview, General Roxas Avenue, Araneta Center, Quezon City.
Store hours: Lunch -11AM to 2:30PM; Dinner - 5:30PM to 10PM.

Learn more about hotpot dining here, or visit http://www.fourseasonshotpot.com.ph/ for more details.

See you at Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot!

How to use UBER on a desktop

No smartphone, no problem! You can still book a ride by using Uber's mobile site:  http://m.uber.com. It also works on your mobile browser in case you don't have the app. Yep! That's all you need. Just go to the site, log in, and book a ride!

How to use UBER on a desktop:

If you find yourself without a smartphone and need to book a ride, no worries cos you can actually access Uber using your desktop (with internet shempre).

• If you don't have an Uber account yet and want to try this piece of genius, sign up with your credit card at http://uber.com
• But if you don't have a credit card, you can still sign up using a Visa/Mastercard prepaid card, here's how I did it

Don't forget to sign up using promo codes to get free rides!

Here they are, take your pick!

• For new users, you can sign up with this promo code UBERNATICS to get free Uber credits.

• If you're registering using a BPI card, use promo code BPIRIDE to get 2 free rides worth Php 500 each (until October 17 only).

• If you're a Smart subscriber, go here to get vouchers that will give you 2 free rides worth Php 300 each! :D


Login, book, and enjoy your ride!

Open http://m.uber.com and allow location service
When your browser prompts you to enable location tracking, click Allow or Ok. This will make it easier for you select a location.

Now you may login and get a ride!
Login, select your pick-up and drop-off locations, and request for a ride! It's that easy. The interface is pretty much the same as the app so you won't get lost if you're already familiar with it. :)

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! :)

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

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!

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