[Review] Big Skinny Panther Clutch Red

Reviewing my second Big Skinny! After just 10 months of usage, my Monte Cougar Red's coin compartment zipper broke and while it can be repaired, the repair guys suggested against it because it will ruin the fabric. So I decided to just get a new one. Of course, still with Big Skinny because I can't do without their magic anymore hehe.

Not gonna do a side by side comparison of my old and new wallet because they're both Big Skinnies (??) naman. So I'll just go ahead and do pros and cons. If you want a side by side comparison with a non-Big Skinny wallet, My Monte Cougar Red review will show you that!

I ordered my Panther Clutch during the height of 11-11 sale. They offered discounts on the website plus free shipping so instead of paying the regular ₱2350, I only paid ₱1998. Not bad!

Pros:

• Fits my 6.1inch phone (though it's bulky)
• Has 2 separate bill compartments
• Has a zippered coin compartment
• Pretty lipstick red color
• No Big Skinny logo outside hehe
• Made from washable nylon microfiber fabric

Cons:

• Only has 8 card slots unlike the Monte Cougar which has 10 (you can stack 3 cards per slot but it would be a hassle to fish out if all the slots are full!)
• Doesn't fit a check (unless you fold it)

That's it'! There's a lot to love about this wallet. And if I may add, it was a delight transacting with Big Skinny Philippines. They were very responsive and patient in answering all my concerns like what's the size difference between the Monte Cougar and and Panther clutch, how different are the two reds, can you send pictures blah blah blah. They even accommodated my request to get side by side pictures of the two red wallets I was comparing.

Seeeee? ♡

If you want to update your wallet to something more basic and functional, go for Big Skinny. 

Order from Big Skinny Philippines

www.facebook.com/bigskinnyphilippines
www.bigskinny.ph

Is Food Medicine?

Nutrition science is an incredibly young discipline. The idea that we could tackle some of our most dangerous modern diseases, like heart disease, stroke, and cancer, only really began to gain traction in the 1970s, and even then, people didn’t take the idea particularly seriously. Sure, eating right was good for overall health, but it couldn’t make THAT much of a difference. As the years wore on and the science developed, a clear pattern emerged. The more people ate a certain kind of diet high in nutrients and low in junk, the longer and healthier they lived. What’s more, they had an uncanny knack to avoid the diseases of aging - conditions that the modern medical establishment still can’t really do much about.

Photo from Pixabay

Food is a kind of medicine if you use it right. There are all kinds of cancer-fighting foods that research reveals helps to improve symptoms in vivo and in vitro. In some cases, the effect of lifestyle change is so profound that it can REVERSE conditions like prostate cancer. Researcher Dean Ornish, for instance, found that when he fed men with prostate cancer a diet high in fruits and vegetables, their tumors actually shrank over the twelve months of the study. Some patients went into full remission. 

The Long-Term Effects Of Food

The medical community is fighting back against Hippocrates’ notion that food is a kind of medicine. The common retort is “food is just food,” and anyone who says that you can heal our biggest killers is a quack. 

Photo from Pixabay

The problem with this view is that we now have a mountain of evidence from a large number of researchers that food really can heal the body over the long-term.

What’s more, the epidemiological studies from the places where people live the longest all seem to point to a healthy diet as a significant contributing factor. None of these areas eat a diet high in animal products. Most live on simple plant foods grown in local soil. When you eat lots of beans, greens, fruits, and seeds over the long term, it appears to change the body in fundamental ways, making it more resistant to the ravages of aging over time.

Don’t Rely On Food For All Ailments

There are situations, however, when food is not enough to protect you against illness, and you need medical intervention.

Antibiotics are a good example. While what you eat will help make you more robust against bacterial infection, it can’t protect you entirely. Occasionally, some nasty pathogens will overwhelm your defenses, giving you no choice but to go along to the doctors.

The same applies to autoimmune conditions. While changing your diet can help, the only proven effective intervention are conventional pharmaceutical drugs.

Food has its limits, but it has also been neglected terribly. There are now numerous studies that show that changing your overall dietary pattern to eat more whole plant foods can help enormously in reducing the chances that you’ll fall seriously ill. Use food as a powerful intervention and concentrate on eating the healthiest varieties out there.

[Review] Dibea D18 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

I've been gushing over Dyson stick vacuums for so long but I don't think I'll ever be in a state where I could indulge myself with a ₱40k vacuum cleaner. So I took it to the internet to look for good alternatives and chanced upon the brand Dibea. They offer a couple of stick vacuum models that looks almost the same with Dyson, but for a much lower price point.

I got myself a Dibea D18 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner from Lazada for roughly ₱7,000. The basic kit retails for around ₱6,000 only but this particular package included a Dust Mites Suction Head attachment which is used for cleaning mattresses and sofas. Apart from its price point, it's also fueled with good reviews both on Lazada and Amazon. And for those reasons I went ahead with the purchase!

I'm not sure what the best format would be for this kind of review so I'll just try to explain things FAQ style.

How much does it cost and where did you buy it?

Again, Lazada Philippines for ₱7,000. The item came from China and it arrived in 7 days. Here's a link to the Lazada listing: https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/dibea-d18-lightweight-cordless-handheld-stick-vacuum-cleaner-with-motorized-brush-intl-i234515741-s316948496.html

Specs and important features?

Specs:
✦ Machine wattage: 120W
✦ Battery: 2200mAH built-in Li-ion battery
✦ Charging time: 4-5hours
✦ Dust tank capacity: 550ml
✦ Suction: 4000 Pa (low mode), 9000 Pa (high mode)
✦ Run time: 45 mins (low mode), 25 mins (high mode)
✦ Noise: 75dB

Features:
✔ Cordless
✔ Rechargeable
✔ Two-speed control (low mode and high mode)
✔ Motorized floor brush with LED lights
✔ Can be used on hard flooring and short hair carpet
✔ Washable filters
✔ Hanging rack included
✔ One-push dust disposal

So what's in the box?

The basic set consists of those in yellow labels. I just bought a dust mites suction brush head and an additional round mesh cotton filter (in pink). 

All the items were wrapped in plastic and are enclosed in protective styrofoam. None of the parts arrived damaged. Yehey! It's my first time ordering a household appliance online and from China pa so I was afraid I'd have to ship it back for broken parts or complain about missing components. Thank God the package arrived safe and sound! 

What I love so far

Fast delivery
I placed an order on August 6, 2019 and it arrived exactly seven days after, August 13. I thought I'd give it a few weeks before writing a review but I guess I'm close to forgetting about it so three months later is just about the right time to properly review it, right?

Hassle free cleaning

The first few weeks with the vacuum have been a delight. I was using it almost daily, amazed at how easy it made cleaning the floor for me. I just have to grab it from the wall and and start vacuuming!

The switch allows you to alternate between two suction speeds, low and high. Another press turns off the vacuum.

No need to set up the power cord and assemble everything, like I used to with my old vacuum. My Dibea sits idly when not in use, and I didn't need to dismantle it when I'm done. I just prop it against the wall. Love it!

One push dust disposal

Well, yeah. With one push the bottom of the dust bin opens up, allowing all the dust to fall off. But it doesn't empty completely. I find that there's still some dust left sticking on the side of the filter. But no worries because it can be easily removed by tapping the filter or reaching into it with something like a brush.

Washable filter components

The dust cup can be completely disassembled and you can wash the filter, filter case, and the round cotton mesh (encircled in red) with soap and water. 

Don't wash the electric machinery, of course, for obvious reasons hehe. 

And for the dust bin? I just wipe it with a wet cloth and let it dry. I'm careful to not soak it because the nose that attaches to the metal tube has some wiring in it.

Easy charging

Once connected to the charging port, it will blink to indicate that it's charging. 3 bars and it's fully charged, and it takes about 4-4.5 hours to complete charging. 

The attachments lock in place

No need to worry about the accessories becoming loose over time because Dibea employs joint locks (the red buttons on each joint) that uhm, locks the parts together with a click haha yeyy.

The electric dust mites suction brush head

Or the fine dust brush head... that's the shortest it can get haha. This was the first attachment I tried after unboxing because I wanted to see how much dust it can get while the dust bin is still empty.

And my, was I impressed! This is how the attachment looks.

It's meant to be used on sofa or bed cushions and it's supposed to lift off fine dust and even mites from the surface. I tried it on a sofa cushion and here's what I got.

Fine dust indeed!

What I don't like...

The LED lights on the motorized floor brush isn't that bright

But it's fine, considering it's just a bonus and it's not like I vacuum in complete darkness lol. And if I do get under the bed or the couch, I make sure to cover everything anyway.

Navigating it around takes some getting used to

Oh yes it does. With the motorized brush head, it's difficult to lift the vacuum and place it elsewhere, like I usually do with my corded vacuum. I had to learn to really push it to places and avoid lifting it haha. But at this point I can say it's not an issue anymore. It's just a phase maybe when you're transitioning from corded to cordless vacuum hahaha (may transition phase?!). Most cordless vacuums have motorized brush heads to compensate for the low suction power, and it does help get more dirt without relying on suction alone.

No local supplier

Which means you have to purchase spare parts from China through Lazada or Shopee. The good thing is, for this particular model (the Dibea D18), spare parts abound online.

Non-removable battery

So in case you've used up the entire charging cycle of this thing, you'd have to purchase the whole hand grip attachment because the battery is inside.

Lower suction power

Which is totally expected. I still keep my old corded vacuum because it's way stronger and I might need it someday, but I haven't used it since I bought this soooo.

Anyway.

Not for big spaces

Obviously 'cos you can only clean so much in the ~20 minutes it's up (low mode). Luckily, we live in a small one bedroom unit and it doesn't even take me 5 minutes to sweep the floor with this one! :)


That's it! Overall I'm very happy with my purchase! 9/10 would recommend! What do you think of this vacuum?

Airbnb stay: Our Forbeswood Parklane BGC staycation

Before this gets buried too deep in my drafts, here's an account of our latest AirBnb stay! We spent 2 nights at this cozy one-bedroom unit in BGC Forbeswood Parklane in celebration of our second wedding anniversary, and I'm here about to spam ya'll with pictures. But first, here's the link to the property: CozyPad in ❤️ of BGC near St.Luke High Speed WiFi

Looking for a well-decorated BGC unit is easy, but when you factor in parking provision, you're not left with much. Luckily we spotted this unit that ticked off all our Airbnb checklist: Nice interiors, free parking, self check-in, and Superhost!

It's newly renovated, which probably explains the smell. It can be a bit stuffy, but nothing opening the windows can fix. My favorite space would be the living room because it's so spacious and I just love how natural light pours into the wide windows. I liked the open living and dining layout, and also the semi-enclosed kitchen.

The bedroom is just right, there's not much space to walk around but since there's a king sized bed in it, can't complain! Bathroom is small though!

I really admire how the place was decorated. The colors are warm and earthy, there's a lot of light, the decor is lovely, and they didn't scrimp on storage space.

So love the palette in this unit!

Thoughtful touches that we appreciated: Big bottles of water, umbrellas we can borrow if it's raining, and slippers!

The unit is centrally located and is walking distance to High Street, Mind Museum, and Forbes Town. There's also a 7-Eleven at the ground floor of the building. Not much in terms of view, unless you enjoy being surrounded by tall buildings, but it's definitely not gloomy, you still get a lot of sunshine coming in, and you can even watch the sunset being reflected by the tall glass building in front haha.

That's it! We definitely enjoyed our stay!

That's my husband looking dapper in the living ❤️

Today

I'm so freaking tired I would've loved to call in sick today but I can't afford to lose anymore sick leaves and I have something important to do at work that I really want to get over with as soon as possible.

Today I attended Activity Builder 1, a three-hour morning session I'm required to fulfill in order to complete my training requirements for Philam Life. Bit of a background, if you may. My parents are both financial advisers, with my dad holding a Unit Manager position. And right now they badly need additional recruits or else they'd be demoted, or something to that effect. Anyway, it's bad. So they convinced me to reinstate my underwriting license so that I could become part of their headcount. The only catch is that I have to attend two full days of training. So okay, two full days alright. They told me I could take the weekend sessions, so fine. I agreed. As a favor.

But now, as it turns, I'm not only required to fulfill two days of mandatory training, but frkn four!!!! PLUS, three more halfday trainings. And the worst part?! There are no weekend sessions (I was only lucky to score one Saturday session). The fck right?!

I wouldn't have cared so much if all I had to do was sit during classes and pretend to listen. But this frkn Activity Builder thingy forced us to really engage, and even make actual calls to prospective clients. Wth. Of course, while my classmates were busy scrolling through their contacts, I was calling all the people I know who are still asleep. So I'd get the excuse that they didn't pick up. Heh.

But you know, the trainings are actually good. They're valuable, and they make it a point to really equip you into making that sale. But it's me eh, my heart's not in it. I'm only in for the attendance. I just want to get over it. I'm not interested in making a sale at all. I'm just doing all this as a favor to my parents.

And earlier this morning I felt really ashamed of myself. Here I am surrounded with people who are passionate about turning underwriting into a sustainable source of income for their families, and I'm taking it all for granted.

But well, I may be half-assed about this whole thing but heck I did pick up some bits of wisdom and rhetoric, in random:

• I learned the importance of goal setting: If you don't know what you want, does it matter what you get?
• It often takes something painful to awaken us
• If you don't have to work for money, what would you really like to do?
• A person without a goal is like a bulb, its light scattered. On the other hand, a person with a goal is like a laser beam, its light focused.

Rrright. 

Life Lately and September highlights

Heya. Haven't been blogging recently I know. So many things have happened last month and as much as I want to blog about them already, I'm still super swamped at work and I can't spare a moment to blog. Hay.

There are a couple of things sitting in my drafts right now that I can't bring myself to start because I'm just so frkn busy with other things. LOL I've never been this busy in my whole two years here hahaha. Bakit ganito Lord huhu ayoko ng masyadong busy hahahahuhuhu

So, what's in my drafts? Haha this could be a new blog series you know. Just to remind myself of the so many pending things I have to write about because their photos are clogging up my phone already. Hehe

• My iWantSeats booking experience (Manila to Baguio)
• [Review] Dibea D18 Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner - the perfect Dyson alternative
• How we spent our 2nd year anniversary: a gastronomic diary
• Airbnb stay: Our Forbeswood Parklane BGC staycation

So what's up lately?

Taytay Tiangge

My sister and I went to Taytay tiangge last weekend to buy... hulaan nyo hahaha.

I wasn't really game about the whole idea because I don't need anymore clothes really, but I didn't want my sister go alone so I tugged along. Sobrang traffic driving there on a Saturday afternoon, grabeee it took us one and a half hours to reach the frkn place coming from Mandaluyong. We left at 2pm ah mygulayyyy

Anyway. At first I was kindof mehhh about the whole thing. There were tons of tiangge and most of them actually sell the same thing. We came around 5-ish in the afternoon and a lot of stalls were packing up already. No biggie though cos we were still able to find very good items. I had a pretty small haul. Two shorts, a pajama, and 3 tops. That's it! And I only spent less than 500 pesos for all of those. Bonggaaa. I was careful not to splurge 'cos I was too scared it won't fit nice when I get home hahaha.

But well, when we're back home Terai and I tried on all our purchases and man I regretted not buying more tops, and not buying any pants at all! They all fit well haha sayang.

May next time pa naman so okay lang hehe.

Angkas virgin no more

I had an early Makati appointment last week (9am) so I had no choice but to grab an Angkas ride (pun intended lol) because there weren't any Ayala buses passing by where I could sit lol. Nakaka-adik pala mag-angkas pag ma-traffic. Sobrang na-appreciate ko sya pag rush hour. I booked an Angkas twice that day and I really enjoyed it haha. But of course I'll only go for this option if it's an impossible rush-hour.

Got into a minor car incident

Our first time with a private vehicle lol. This happened two weeks ago, October 5. We were on the way to my parent's house at Farview when we got bumped by a Toyota Fortuner while turning on an intersection. Our bumper sustained some scratches, and the other car I think lost a clip in their fender liner? Damn, good thing our car is already due for a bumper repair (and so many others haha) so it's not the first scar.

Anyway. It wasn't too stressful, sure we caused some traffic hehe, we were beside a church where so many cars were double parked so we did kinda block half the remaining street... but we moved away quickly naman since we decided to just settle it uhm, peacefully? We both have comprehensive insurance anyway. And as much as I want to blame the other driver for the damage, it's not worth the stress confronting them, right when they even called backup. I just thank God that we're all so nice to each other as in wala namang galit lol.

PS, I wasn't driving ah. Hahaha.

Obsessing over luggage type backpacks

I learned of this type of bag from one of my officemates. It's basically a backpack that opens luggage style, like this Pacsafe Vibe 28L Commuter Backpack.

Pacsafe Vibe 28L Commuter Backpack

I wanted one for myself because it's the perfect carry-on bag and it looks cool. It can be carried two ways, can slip through your luggage handle, and it fits a laptop too. Perfect for frequent travelers (that I'm not haha).

But of course I'm just being envious and materialistic. I don't think I'd buy myself one because it's super expensive and I still have my trusty old big backpack haha. So I just went to satisfy my envy by trying them out at the malls. If I can't have one at least I can try one! Hehe

Here's the Pacsafe Vibe on me! I love it already! It's around ₱7-8k though so lol nevermind.

I also found something similar from Hedgren, but it's heavier. Here I asked the sales lady from Landmark to wear it for me so I could take a picture hehe. This one naman is ₱10k lol.

This model is called STEP 3-Way Duffle Backpack

Thule also has something similar but it's super duper big lol. Check out their Subterra Duffle Mineral 40L. I'm good with the Pacsafe Vibe 28L already, but yeah that's just me dreaming haha!

Done obsessing over the Moka pot

Been curious about percolators/moka pots for a while now, but after reading several Amazon reviews I'm finally letting the thought of it go. I just wanted to try it to taste the difference but if it means being at the mercy of a poorly assembled pot made of thin sheets of fake stainless steel that's an explosion hazard, nevermind then. My 800-peso single cup electric coffee brewer will do. It's safer too.

By the way, percolators are stove top coffee makers that uses boiling water to brew coffee in a continuous cycle. It's a cool concept but the pots are quite high maintenance lol, I mean compared to your regular coffee maker haha. So yeah, bye Bialleti! It was nice obsessing about you but I can't be bothered with more dishes on the sink!

Team building 2019

Oh yeah, before I forget, September was one memorable month. We celebrated our wedding anniversary, one of our friends got married, and you guessed it duh, we had our annual team building hahaha.

We rented a resort at Tali Beach, Nasugbu, Batangas and just enjoyed the day. We brought groceries, ate lunch at Kainan sa Dalampasigan, waded at Tali beach, watched the sunset together, cooked dinner and enjoyed ourselves. Definitely happy to be part of this team. Okay so pic spam na lang tayo goys haha

Kainan sa Dalampasigan is such a beautiful restaurant!

After lunch we finally drove to the house we're staying at. The resort we booked was super nice, wide and maaliwalas. Definitely something I want for myself one day. This layout is perfect. It's a bungalow too, just my dream!

The wooden pieces of furniture in his house is soooo lovely!

During the afternoon we went to the beach and watched the sunset. Ang ganda gandaaaaaaaa! ♡

This was at Sunset Beach

We cooked dinner and prepared a frkn lot of food! Aylabettt!

Look at our beautiful breakfast! 

Jeh-ar and Jen's wedding!

So yeah, I'm pouring out all my September highlights in this post, except for our anniv because it deserves a separate entry hahahahaha. Here are snaps from our friend's wedding!

Lovely Jen walking down the aisle! ♡

Pinoy nga naman lol

Soooo thaaaat's iiiit!

Ang haba haba nitong post but I'm glad it's finally out of the way. Off to declutter photos on my phone!

5 Ways To Lose Weight Fast Before Levelling Out At A Healthy Weight

Photo from Pixabay

The harsh reality of life is that there is no magic cheat to gain the perfect body forever. If you truly wish to maintain your look and health, it’ll be necessary to adopt a sustainable strategy. Nonetheless, failure to see positive results in the first few weeks of a health kick can seriously damage your hopes of staying on track. Starting your transformation in style to gain quick weight loss before settling into a more sustainable long-term plan is key. Here are five simple solutions.

Opt For HIIT 

High-Intensity Interval Training is a great way to lose weight quickly. In truth, you’ll probably keep it in your workout schedule for the long haul too. For the immediate challenge, though, focusing solely on HIIT cardio is a great way to lose weight. Wearing a fitness band to track calorie burns and gain the right frame of mind is useful too. The competitive nature will inspire results.

The fun factor is a key ingredient in the recipe for success, and enjoying a range of activities is vital for the long-term situation. For now, shedding the pounds is where your fun starts.

Choose An Extreme Diet

Nutrition is a hugely influential part of any healthy living strategy. If you’re eager to lose weight fast, there are several options at your disposal. Meal replacements can work but may leave you feeling hungry. The carnivore diet, or an alternative low-carb plan, can work wonders. You’ll drop the pounds rapidly and can significantly aid your metabolism for the long haul.

Opting for this type of diet rather than meal replacements can allow you to maintain it for longer. Just be sure to replace any lost vitamins and nutrients.

Change Your Life Habits

Physical activity shouldn’t be limited to the gym. Increasing your exercise throughout the day can have a seriously positive influence. Cycling to work or walking to the gym can burn a few extra calories and keep your metabolism on its toes. Turning housework and other chores into a workout can also aid the cause. It may also increase your enjoyment.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be ready to keep this up for the long haul due to time constraints and the need for balance. Nonetheless, it can give you a serious short-term boost.

Target Water Weight

Water retention will increase your weight and size. While it’s not a huge problem, losing this can be a great way to promote quick transformations. Avoiding your food intolerances is a crucial step to consider while a morning coffee can support water loss too. Dandelion extract is another ingredient that’ll help you lose water weight at a rapid rate.

You could easily lose a few pounds and an inch or two from the stomach in this way. It’s arguably the easiest solution at your disposal.

Get Surgery

Finally, you could choose surgery or medical procedures. CoolSculpting, liposuction, and gastric bands are three of many options. If this is the route you wish to take, additional research is required.