32 years of existence...

February 25 is a very special day for me because this is the day that my other half was born. This day marks the 32nd year of my husband's existence here on earth (he may be old but he definitely doesn't look like it).

Marlon was born on February 25, 1981 and ever since then he has been special to everyone around him. I am so lucky and thankful that I found him and that he also found me. He really spoils me a lot and he takes good care of me and our family. Our son, Matteo, and daughter, Margarita, are very lucky to have him as their father because he is very thoughtful and responsible and I know that everyone around us knows that.

We decided to celebrate his birthday in a very simple way. We left our son, Matteo, at home so we can watch a movie.

First, we went to Adidas at Petron in Diego Silang and got the birthday boy a shirt. Too bad he wasn't able to buy any shoes.

Then, we went to SM Megamall in Mandaluyong to watch Hansel and Gretel. Before going inside the cinema, we both had Happy Lemon first. I got my dose of Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese while he got Grapefruit Green Tea with Aloe. Yummy as usual.

Now, it's time to watch a movie. Hansel and Gretel is a must-see. We both loved it. No regrets, at all. (see Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunter review)

After the movie, we went to J. Co for some doughnut hoarding. :) We decided to buy 3 dozens since we don't go often to Megamall. Although, I still like Krispy Kreme more than J. Co because it is sweeter (I have a sweet tooth). We left one box as "pasalalubong" for my sisters and brought home the other 2 boxes for ourselves. :)

After J. Co, we went to Odyssey to see if they have the new Franco CD because it isn't available yet in Astro. Luckily, Franco, himself, was there for some CD signing. I am his number 1 fan. Although, I've seen him a lot of times, it still felt like it was the first time! :)

Lastly, we went to Yoshinoya for dinner. As expected, Marlon only wanted to have siomai while I ordered their Gyudon + Ebi tempura Jumbo plate :). For dessert, we went to Gelatissimo for some ice-cream.

This has been a fun-filled day. Before going home, of course, we didn't forget to buy anything for Matteo. So we went to Toy Kingdom and got him his favorite, Hot Wheels.

Happy Birthday, bebe. I hope you enjoyed your day...

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

Finally, after more than a month that the movie has been released, we were able to watch it. Good thing that it is still being shown in SM Megamall. I've been wanting to watch this move but because we cannot go to the mall without our son, Matteo, we can't watch any movie at all.

I would love to watch this movie over and over again. I laughed and screamed a lot of times during the movie. It may be brutal and bloody but it didn't look cheap and scary. The effects and the story line were perfectly combined. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton, for me, were perfect for the lead roles. I can see that they have perfectly adapted themselves to their roles and that is the reason why the movie became very interesting. I will definitely recommend this to my friends and relatives while the movie is still shown in some cinemas. I feel that there is more to this movie. So I am hoping that the next sequel will be available soon and I will be the first one to watch it. :)

My husband's advanced birthday dinner...

Friday, February 22, 2013, we decided to treat my family out for dinner as an early birthday celebration for my husband Marlon. We made our reservation at Chef's Lab by Chef Bruce Lim at Burgos Circle in The Fort. The place was a bit small but has this cozy homey feel in it.

We had Tacos with Mango Salsa dip and Corn and Bacon Chowder as appetizers.

For our main course, we ordered his signature dish which is Crispy Pata with Ensaladang Talong, Kare-Kare and, as requested by the celebrant, we also had their Spicy Tuna Sashimi.

For me, their Kare-Kare is a must-try. It doesn't taste peanut-y at all and is a bit sweet (which I loved). Although, the serving is a bit small for its price of almost P500. Their Crispy Pata is also a winner. It can serve upto 4 people per order so we had 2 of them (P900 per order). It is tender and juicy so even kids will be able to enjoy it.

After dinner, we went to Serendra for some coffee. We went straight to Seattle's Best. I had hot choco while my parents got hot coffee. My sisters, on the other hand, went to Happy Lemon for some Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese.

It was such a tiring but fun night. I hope that Marlon enjoyed it as well. On the day of his birthday (25th), the 2 of us will be celebrating alone. Do you guys have any suggestions on what we can do on this day?...

Nuffnang, Nokia, & Abenson Bring you “OZ The Great and Powerful” Movie Screening”

"OZ The Great and Powerful" is a Great movie just like the Nokia Lumia devices which are now available at Abenson - your one stop shop which offers the latest deals and promos on latest electronics, gadgets, and furniture through affiliate companies like Nuffnang. Nokia and Abenson give Nuffnang bloggers a chance to win tickets to a special screening of Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful, plus raffle entries to win either Nokia Lumia 620 or a Nokia Lumia 820 smartphone.

Nokia just released their flagship devices - the Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820 and Nokia Lumia 620. Thesevibrant smart phones are designed for everyone. These devices run on Window Phone 8 OS, which gives you Instant Access to your favorite apps with LIVE TILES. It also features Nokia Smart Shoot, which will allow you take a series of photos with a single click. Othe features include Nokia City Lens feature, innovative design that allow for wireless charging and swappable shells, and come with full-versions of Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Internet Explorer 10.

If you're short on cash, you can purchase these via installment basis, and can pay as low as 500/month on 0 percent interest over at Abenson - Philippine's largest appliance network. It is the leading appliance retailer, having been consistently awarded Top Dealer of appliance top brands like Sony, Samsung, Philips, Carrier and Sharp. In 2005, Abenson is proud to have been ranked by Retail Asia Magazine as the Top 10 retailers in the Philippines.

Valentine's 2013

Celebrated V-day with my husband on a simple date. At first, we planned to watch a movie but because of the heavy traffic we missed the screening time before dinner. We made a reservation at Relik which is located in The Fort at 7pm.

The ambiance at Relik was soothing. There were not so many people so you can enjoy small talks over dinner. It was private and relaxing.

We had a full order of three enchanting food from Chef Benjo Tuason's menu:
- Salpicao. Beef so tender that it melts in your mouth; and its
rich, garlicky flavor transcends most beef dishes
- Gambas. A Spanish dish, the shrimps are cooked to a crunchy
perfection on the outside but remains soft on the inside. Sautéed in a divine
blend of garlic, paprika and chili, it gives just the right kick to make you crave for
more.
- Garlic Shrimp Quesadilla. Galic, shrimp and cheese that is wrapped in lightly toasted flour
tortilla.

Afterwards, we passed by a cafe named Kuppa and decided to have some dessert. Tiramisu, Sansrival and Strawberry Cheesecake. Gluttony! :)

To sum it all up, Relik is a real thumbs up. I will definitely go back and refer it to my friends. It is located at the 2nd Level of the Commercenter Bldg., 31st Ave. corner 4th St., The Fort (it is the building right next to Mercury drug just across St. Lukes). Kuppa on the other hand is also a winner. Their cakes are not too sweet and are very delicious (although a bit pricey).

I hope everybody enjoyed this day the way I did. I look forward to more days like this where me and my husband get to spend some quality time together.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with iFoods

Who has time to plan for Valentine’s Day? This year’s celebration falls in the middle of the workweek, and many of us will surely be on a budget since it is just a day before payday.

Never fear. i-Foods, the homegrown food conglomerate that offers you a taste of cuisines from all over the world, has a number of packages to make your month-long celebration of Valentines a memorable one.

If you want to have a fusion of European and Japanese, Tokyo Café has the perfect treat for you and your honey. Choose from two set meals that come complete with pasta, pizza and drinks. Set Meal No. 1 lets you choose two pasta dishes, a whole pizza and two drinks. At P685, it’s a steal on this special day. Set Meal No. 2, priced at P495, comes with a choice of pasta dish, a whole pizza and two drinks. Choices for pasta dishes include Carbonara, Bacon Tomato Cream and Napolitan. Pizza choices include the classic Margherita and the Tokyo White. For drinks, you can choose between Iced Café Au Lait and Tokyo Ice. What’s more, each set meal order comes with free dessert: three pieces of Tokyo Café’s Mochi. Tokyo Café serves Euro-Japanese cuisine in an ambience that’s warm, bright and modern. It offers a menu of European casual dining dishes that have been given a modern Japanese twist.

Kangaroo Jack Australian Cuisine

A small restaurant named Kangaroo Jack located at the 2nd floor of Robinson's Galleria caught our eyes when we went to the mall. We decided to give it a shot for lunch since we were almost starving after my regular check-up at The Medical City. I ordered their Sizzling Chicken Barbecue (P170+) while my husband got their Sizzling Pork Steak in Honey Bourbon Sauce (P150) wherein both meals are served with java rice or mashed potato, corn on the cob and steamed vegetables. We also got for ourselves their 24" 4 Cheese Pizza (P285) which I really enjoyed. Aside from the fact that it is a bit affordable, their fast service, quality and quantity of food deserves a thumbs up. They also serve desserts and pasta but since we were already full we weren't able to taste it but we will definitely try it when we come back soon. They have several branches within the Metro so you may try it at the one near you!

C3 to hire over a thousand customer service agents in Manila

Manila, PHIL (January 2, 2013) — C3/CustomerContactChannels (C3), a global provider of customer management solutions, announced that it is actively seeking to hire over a thousand new customer service agents for its Taguig City, Metro Manila customer contact center. C3’s hiring surge will support clients in the telecommunications, healthcare, and social commerce industries in preparation for increased call volume through 2013 and beyond. Although the majority of the positions are for customer service representatives, management positions are also available.

UNIQLO: Comfort at its finest

Last night, February 7, 2013, marks a successful day for officially launching a collection from a brand that guarantees comfort and style both at the same time. UNIQLO, is a Japanese brand that designs and manufactures their own clothing line. They are already available in more than 1,100 stores in 13 countries including the Philippines. I have come to witness the event yesterday and I was totally awed by their Spring/ Summer collection. This specific collection is very much appropriate here in our country because of the hot weather. It's unique and vibrant colors will definitely catch everyone's eye. Mr. JM Rodriguez hosted the event and was graced by the presence of the beautiful, Ms. Izza Calzado. Here are some of the pictures that I took during the event:

I really look forward to going to one of their branches located in SM Mall of Asia and SM City North EDSA The Block to get a hold of their clothes. I specifically love the color palettes and the styles of their pants! With a price range of P990 - P1990 you can never go out of style with their collection. The Summer collection will be available this coming March 2013 so there's still time for us to save up. Their range of clothing is not limited to pants and tees only. They have boxer shorts, camisoles and dresses that comes in all shapes and sizes. Pastels, stripes, polka dot, print and lace are your choices so where else will you go to to get your everyday clothing? Cheers to a brand that is good not just for teens but also to the teen at heart. <3 We look forward to more collections in the coming months. See you all in one of their stores...