WEEKEND R&R AT S&R

This weekend, all roads lead to the Bonifacio Global City for one of the much-awaited sales in member shopping history...S & R, that classic all-American style warehouse club is kicking off a five-day bonanza of member prizes and surprises. Featuring high quality merchandise from your trusted international brand names, the S&R sale will run from April 1st to 5th, 2009, to cater to your varying personal and business needs.

Items ranging from electronics, gadgets, furniture, sports and casual wear, toys, pet and cattle supplies, and the freshest and finest produce will take centerstage as S&R cooks up a sale storm for the next five days, at all of its four outlets--Alabang, Aseana-Baclaran, Bonifacio Global City and Congressional.

As always, members will also have access to an expansive selection of imported and local value-packed items, incomparable fun and excitement, plus those oh-so-familiar sumptuous treats like the New York style pizzas, calzones, churros, cheeseburgers, Rotisserie chicken, Blue Bunny ice creams and a host of other deals and steals. By the way, for the uninformed, S&R recently unveiled its new pizza offering...
The Haligi and I are most interested in securing bargains on footwear as we have already made a pact to get started on running. Hopefully, this S & R sale will do the trick. We are looking forward to finally sealing those footwear deals so that road to wellness will finally become a reality.

This certainly gives a lot to look forward to this three-day weekend!

A BIRTHDAY MALCOLM WELCOME

I treated the Haligi to a birthday snack at Malcolm's Place.This casual bistro specializes American, Continental and Mediterranean dishes, with wagyu always taking centerstage.It was good timing to visit that Saturday (and I could imagine it would even be way better on a Sunday) as there weren't too many people and parking was free! Ambience was perfect (even bathroom safety standards were A-ok!), service was great and food was divine. Let these pictures do the talking... Our snack won't be enough basis for a review. Nonetheless, I would have to say that the Haligi and I truly enjoyed our short but sweet meal. See the satisfaction written all over the birthday boy's face? We'd really want to try their steaks and pasta dishes that it is the perfect excuse for another visit sometime soon.

Malcolm's Place, Salcedo Village
108 H.V. Dela Costa St.,
Salcedo Village Makati City
T: 632.8440000
W: http:///www.malcolmsplace.ph
Open daily 10:00 am - 12:00 mn
Minimum order of P300.00 for delivery

THE FINAL STRETCH

You've got 24 hours to go to book yourself a LITE FLIGHT!
P299 - Manila to Ho Chi Minh, Kota Kinabalu or Macau
P299 - Clark to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau or Singapore
P799 - Manila to Bangkok, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta or Kaohsiung
P799 - Manila to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Taipei
P799 - Cebu to Hong Kong or Singapore
P799 - Davao to Hong Kong or Singapore
P1,799 - Manila to Shanghai
P3,999 - Manila to Osaka

NOTE: Add P200 upon booking if travelling with check-in baggage

The fares quoted above are exclusive of applicable surcharges like baggage and shipping boxes fees, and government taxes.

LIFE, INSURED

My photo life, that is. Because finally, after months of brooding, contemplating and dilly-dallying (yes, I almost did a research paper on this!), I purchased this baby. Meet Ebony...
The Maxtor Basics Portable 320 GB which is ideal for the home and office, is easy to use. It is storage made simple, with a capacity to hold up to 102,400 digital photos (JPEG normal), or 5,330 hours of digital music (MP3), or 320 hours of digital video, and tons and tons of documents for that important for research paper. Now how fab is that?!?!

This plug-and-play beauty simply connects using a USB 2.0 cable to a PC or Mac and it immediately appears as another drive. It comes in three colors--black, cobalt, and ruby, allowing one to strut the soft files of that research paper in style!

Maxtor has been providing proven, reliable storage solutions for over 20 years, coming from the trusted makers of Seagate Technology. The industrial design of this generation of external hard drives includes shock protection, EMI protection and the SATA hard drive technology.

Now I need not to worry about my laptop and desktop crashing. Maxtor has given me the peace of mind that I need. Back to basics, indeed!

BREATHE EASY

Whenever asthma pays me a visit, like I did now, I usually turn to this for Treatment for Symptoms of the sniffles...
The Breathe Easy Tea from Traditional Medicinals Tea Blends does wonders to facilitate breathing. What seems to be a "magic potion," The Breathe Easy Tea is 100% herbal and all natural, and made on the basis of the rich and vast experience of the traditional Chinese medicine. It is caffeine-free and has no artificial coloring nor flavoring. It is made of the freshest selection of ingredients like Fennel, Licorice, Eucalyptus, Angelica root, Xanthium fruit, Siler root, Anemarrhena rhizome, Magnolia flower bud and Schizonepeta.

The Breathe Easy Tea promotes normal respiratory tract health by reducing mucus and helping to keep the nasal passages open. The effects of the tea's key ingredients are complemented by the addition of Bi Yan Pian, a traditional formula for the sinuses, widely recommended by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Now if your respiratory systoms persists and if your concern is regarding treatment for symptoms, check out the profile of Dan Neumeister. Get to know more about this top healthcare executive at Dan Neumeister's blog. Dan Neumeister may just be that health care resource you need.

CREATING BLUE OCEANS

Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) is all about creating uncontested market space in which a company an dominate the competition because there IS no competition! The book provided information and insights on how companies can out-pace rivals in existing markets. By moving out of established market boundaries, and chartering new, unknown, and unexplored market space, companies have greater opportunities for creativity and growth. This is what they call the BOS.

The BOS can apply to any and every corporation there is in the corporate landscape. Good complimentary reading is the blog of Jon M. Queen. Small business lending issues are discussed by financial expert Jon M Queen, an alternative energy businessman who helps clients in matters such as trading and credit enhancement. You can also find the blog of Jon Queen here.

So be ready to be challenged on everything you know about strategy. Read this book--not tomorrow, but TODAY. Turn off your television. Light your lamp and go for a sail on the blue ocean, where none of your competitors have ever been. And where the rules are unknown. That is where you will find all the possibilities. This is one of the greatest strategy books ever! Get your BOS book now.

FOR KIDS AND KIDS AT HEART

For the fourth and final pitstop of the Haligilet's field trip, our group visited Museo Pambata, the Philippines' first interactive museum located along Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

In Museo Pambata, children can use their total senses and learn various concepts at their own pace.
Young and old alike get a chance to experience the many facets of Philippine life...
as well as various socio-cultural, artistic, scientific and athletic concepts all in one go.
The museum also includes a gift shop, a changing exhibits hall, outdoor theater and playground area with interactive monitor and tv mount sets, where kids can explore to their hearts delight.
It was our family's first time and boy, was it (obviously) pure joy!!!
Museo Pambata
Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive
Manila, Philippines 1000
T: 632.5231797 to 98, 632.5360595
W: http://www.museopambata.org/
Entrance Fee: P100.00

CROCO LOCO

The third pit stop of our son's fieldtrip was the Crocodile Farm, Manila's version of the famous crocodile sanctuary in Davao City. Launched at Boomland (formerly Boom na Boom), Roxas Boluevard, Pasay City, the show became a hit with young and old alike, and was a certainly hit with the MSA students too!!!

Operated by Davao Crocodile Park Inc. (DCPI), the Davao Crocodile Park Road Show and Wildlife Encounter is an educational show which aims to educate the public on how endangered animals deserve to be treated humanely and correctly.
Kids and adults were treated to a truly “hands on” experience as they were able to touch, feel, and take photos of amazing animals that they would otherwise experience only by watching television. The park boasts of 200 crocodiles of various sizes and species ranging from 2 to 17 ft., some of which were just beneath this tightrope performer. Eeeekkk!Icing on the cake was a host of other exotic animals who became animal ambassadors and messengers of wildlife conservation.The DCPI is doing its fair share in educating people about endangered species by bringing the show to different places in the country, with Manila as one of its stops.

Our only complaint was that it was scorching hot at the park, sending us scampering towards those exit signs to access some shade as soon as the show was over. Perhaps it would be wise to add a bit of shade and greenery to benefit all visitors. Apparently this fella felt the same way...Davao Crocodile Park Roadshow and Wildlife Encounter
Boomland (formerly Boom na Boom Complex)

Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City

Entrance Fee: P200.00

JUST SHARE IT

From the institution who succeeded in bringing mobile phones into the hands of 35 million Filipinos comes this...Smart Communications Inc., through its subsidiary Smart Broadband Inc. (SBI), has launched the Smart Bro Share It, the country’s first broadband device built to enable multiple computers in a common area, such as a house, to have affordable and simultaneous but wireless, high-speed Internet access.

Smart Bro Share It allows up to five computers, each given the option to be secured by the main user, to connect simultaneously to Smart’s nationwide HSPA network.

HSPA is the latest evolution of the GSM technology and is likened to having the high-speed, cable broadband experience delivered right to a mobile device.

Smart Bro Share It is available with a Plan 999 monthly subscription, which comes with up to 90 hours of Internet access, at speeds of up to 2Mbps in key cities in the country. Usage in excess of 90 hours will be charged 35 centavos for every minute.

Installing Smart Bro Share It is quick and painless, and instructions are available in every kit. Application for a subscription is likewise hassle-free, and interested individuals just need to present a valid ID with a current address at any Smart Wireless Center nationwide.

With internet access available to up to 5 users per connection, it looks like net wires will be getting hotter by the second, with households logging on to the net, 24/7. At times like this, it would be handy to have standby electric assistance, like the all year electric services featured at allyearelectric.net. The site showcases friendly, reliable and expert services ranging from air conditioning services to electrical contractorship--truly handy this age of internet for all!

A BUCKETFUL OF "CROC"

I cannot believe the string of good luck that has benefited shoppers this weekend. We are on a roll here. Why go for those crocs knock-offs when you can have the real thing at just a fraction of the price? Makes perfect sense to me, and I'm sure it would for you too. By now, the receipt printer ensemble over at the Meralco Tent has probably been strutting it out like crazy.

It's certainly going to be a fab payday weekend!

LUCK ON THE 13TH

Who says Friday the 13th is always packed with bad luck? I think otherwise...Power Plant Mall kicks off summer with the very first Urban Bazaar of the year. The Rockwell Tent will play host to over 90 participating shops featuring this season's must-haves and finds (thermal wear and heated mattress pads are definitely out of the question!).

So head on over to the Power Plant and take that summer plunge!

MAKE YOUR "CAKE" AND EAT IT TOO

The second pitstop of our son's preschool field trip was a kitchen tour of the Pizza Hut Blue Wave Branch.

The kitchen tour came bundled with chef's outfits for the Haligilet and his classmates... as well as a complete set of ingredients for a personal-sized Hawaiian Pan Pizza...
This I truly enjoyed because we were given an overview of how simple disks of dough transform into those mouthwatering Italian masterpieces called PIZZA. And it seemed like my two boys had a ball too. From this...

our DIY pizzas turned into this...

Not bad eh? He though so too...

My only complaint was that we weren't allowed to take photos inside the kitchen. Dang!

Nonetheless, our Pizza Hut Kitchen Tour experience proved to be a worthy alternative to a weekend of malling (yes worthy enough to put your Mesothelioma intake on hold). You just might want to consider it too. Make an appointment with the nearest Pizza Hut, now.

THE CABBAGE SOUP DIET

The Cabbage Soup Diet is a radical weight loss diet designed around the seven-day consumption of low-calorie soup. Although not suitable on the long term, this low fat, high fiber diet is expected to jumpstart weight loss.

This diet calls for the following vegetables chopped and cleaned even just via faucets online Cabbage soup resource says:

6 large onions
2 green bell peppers
6 huge, ripe tomatoes or 1-2
large cans of tomatoes
1 bunch of celery with leaves
1/2 head white
cabbage 4 carrots
1/2 big can of tomato juice
Salt, Pepper to taste (+optional Lipton soup seasoning)

The recipe is expected to yield and 20 servings of the fat-burning soup but I decided to just make half a recipe.

From this...
the finished product looked like this...
And yielded this...
The more "rigid" Cabbage Diet calls for you to take as much as soup as you can for seven days, with additional food intake as follows:

Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 baked potato with a little butter
Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas
Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like
Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 20 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes
Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and fruit juice

I didn't follow this guide at all and just took as much soup as I could for 7 days and I lost 3 pounds. Not bad eh? In addition, the following tips will aid in achieving more impressive results:

1. Follow the diet religiously.
2. Drink at least 4 glasses of water per day
3. Keep in mind that it's only seven days
4. Complement the diet with a good multivitamin tablet
5. Print the food information so you can refer to it daily
6. Eat plenty of soup - as much as you want! Do not try to starve yourself or you'll probably cheat and break the diet
7. Try different spices to liven up the soup and add variety

Oh by the way, I gotta agree with plurkmates macaronigirl and iMom, the soup realllllyyy makes you gassy so it is best eaten at home--if you catch my drift. :)

Good luck!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Better take note of this and store it on that notebook computer memory calendar... March 19,2009

1- 2:30 pm
A General Overview: What is FOOD WRITING?
Ms. Anne Marie M. Ozaeta
Editor-in-Chief
F&B World/Baking Press
Hinge Inquirer Publications, Inc.

2:30-4 pm
How to Write a Recipe
Ms. Cris Abiva
Cookbook Author & Editor

4-5:30 pm
Food Feature & Travel Writing
Ms. Angelica Joy Subido
Writer
The Philippine Star

5:30-7 pm
Writing About Philippine Cuisine and Heritage
Ms. Nancy Reyes
Editor-in-Chief
Cook Magazine

March 20, 2009

11am-1pm
Food Styling & Food Photography
Ms. Linda Floro & Mr. Mark Floro

1-2:30 pm
The Art of the Restaurant Review
Ms. Margaux Salcedo
Columnist
Sunday Inquirer Magazine

2:30-4 pm
The DOREEN FERNANDEZ Awards: A Recipe for Excellence in Food Writing
Ms. Michaela Fenix
Editor-in-Chief
Food Magazine
ABS-CBN Publishing,Inc

4-5:30 pm
Food Writing for PR and Marketing
Ms. Jenny Peña
PR Director
Intercontinental Hotel Manila

5:30-7 pm
Blogging About Food
Ms. Lori Baltazar
Food Writer and Blogger
Dessert Comes First

For more information log on to the Dessert Comes First website!

PASIG'S PARADISE

Up until February 20th, the date of our son's field trip, I never realized that a rainforest could actually exist in the urban jungle called Metro Manila.

Established to give Pasig residents a wholesome and pollution-free park where they can stroll to their hearts’ delight, the Rainforest Park is a protected tropical ecotourist destination that aims to cater to the needs of busy city folk.

The 2.5-hectare property consists of lush botanical gardens and manicured picnic grounds...

a wonderful mix of flora and fauna at the butterfly sanctuary,

an aviary and a minizoo...and clusters of water parks, modern cottages, picnic tables and food outlets, sports courts, fitness gyms, and multi-purpose pavillions. There is also a train which one can conveniently ride to take a leisurely trip around the park. Indeed, the Pasig Rainforest is the closest thing one could get to experiencing nature and wildlife all in one go.

To my mind, this is one of the few remaining places where people, especially those living in Pasig, can enjoy a weekend respite from the hectic life (work, problems, even that proverbial to-do of having to compare life insurance quotes at the beginning of the year) in the metropolis. And the great thing about it is, a trip to this paradise is free!

Pasig City Rainforest

F. Legaspi Street

Barangay Maybunga

Pasig City

CHANNEL SURFING FIND

While winding down last night, I stumbled upon this...


Even if I think I'm way past my quarterlife, the script, plus the few myspace excerpts I saw, hit me at the core. Maybe I've gone way past midlife too, and am now at my second childhood. So weird but true.

Quarterlife employs that tired and overused plot of twenty-somethings engaged in a web of interlocking relationships, passion and unrequited love. It's interesting to note that the characters here are sans the glitz and glamor of investment banker jobs and other professions, and actually involve artsy-fartsy, living-for-a-cause profiles.

What gives novelty to the oh-so-familiar formula is the fact that the series has been diced in 36 nine-minute segments, and that it has been/is being aired over the net via myspace.

Raw yet truly insightful. This, to me, is a worthy alternative to my Gossip Girl fix.

Check it out!

A REUNION WITH A CHILDHOOD CHUM...

Finally, that long awaited reunion with Whistle Stop came last Tuesday.

It being close to midnight, we only had two dishes--an order of well-done tokwa't baboy and good ole hainanese chicken...
Total peso power? Just P260++ for a meal for two. Not bad eh?

While our nightcap was tasty and truly enjoyable, I feel that the measly two dishes we had would not justify a resto review for now. Nonetheless, one thing's for sure...coming back to Whistlestop brought back lots of great childhood memories. And I would be all too happy to mark many more childhood milestones and memories with our son this time.

Whistlestop
Jupiter Street, Makati City