A 'Socially Responsible' Gift Idea For You!

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? Or are you one of those people who prefer to do things last minute? Either way, I found another excellent gift idea for you. Because if you think you're done with your Christmas shopping list, think again. Did you happen to forget to add a few 'emergency gifts' on that list? From experience, I know for a fact that every year, I have "long-lost" friends and relatives that just show up out of nowhere. ;-) It's good to have at least 5 generic emergency gifts that's already wrapped, tied in a bow, and with a gift tag hanging off of it already so you can just easily write the recipient's name and pretend that you really haven't forgotten them and they were on your list all along! ;-) Hahaha! No one will ever know...;-)

Now what would make a great emergency gift? I already talked about the "Manila by Day" book on a previous entry HERE. That would make an excellent gift, actually. But then again, not everyone is fond of reading. So here's another alternative for you. What about getting the Messy Bessy sampler pack? ;-)

I saw (and bought!) this Messy Bessy sampler pack at the Mercato Weekend Market a few days ago. If you've been to the Mercato Market over at BGC, you know that Messy Bessy has a lot of competition there. There's a whole handful of other stalls that sell organic soaps, mists, environmentally-friendly cleaners, and the like. But among all these, it's this Messy Bessy sampler pack that immediately caught my eye. It's not only because it's very cheap at 300 pesos, but also because of the very neat and cute packaging of the bottles and the whole set! To boot, I love the fact that it has everything that you'll need while you're on the go. In fact, I think this would be perfect for a jet-setter friend or relative. The sampler pack comes with the following: a lavender linen spray, insect repellent, Aloe and Green Tea handwash, Green Tea hand sanitizer, and Vanilla hand cream! I LOVE it! ;-)

I got one set for myself and so far, I only got to use the hand sanitizer and hand cream. The hand sanitizer absorbs quickly and I like how it's gentle and doesn't dry your hands. It actually moisturizes it too since one of the ingredients is green tea essential oil! The neatest thing about it is that it's really not just a hand sanitizer, it can also be used as a disinfectant or surface cleaner. It's strong enough to do the job but gentle on your hands as well! Neat! ;-)

As for the scent, the green tea is not overpowering. The smell is faint but lasting. The scent stays awhile but it's not one to overpower your perfume. You'll have to put your hand close to your nose to smell the green tea. This could be a plus or minus for you. But in my opinion, I think it's a plus. Although the green tea smells nice, I'd rather that people smell my own perfume than the scent of the hand sanitizer. ;-)

As for the Vanilla hand cream, I tell ya, it certainly does the job. It moisturizes the skin so well without being greasy on the hands. Just like the hand sanitizer, the scent is faint too. Put your hands close to your nose though and you'll smell that vanilla-bordering-on-gingerbread-cookie smell. ;-) It's very nice.

So why is this Messy Bessy sampler pack a socially responsible gift? Well, for one, it's good for the environment. The bottles that these come in are all biodegradable. The ingredients used are all natural and organic too. So that makes it good for your health as well. No parabens and all that bad stuff. Most of all, did you know that Messy Bessy (the company), is part of a project called HOUSE? That stands for Helping Ourselves through Sustainable Enterprises. They're also in partnership with the Virlanie Foundation and the International Justice Mission. They help the poor and marginalized by hiring them and giving them a means for income, I assume. I think they also fund charities and help NGOs as well.

So there you go. The Mercato Market only runs Saturdays and Sundays. So the best place to go if you want to purchase would probably be their website HERE, or head on to the Echo Store at Serendra, or any Sesou stores at Glorietta, Market, Market, and other malls.

A Gift Idea for Anyone and Everyone!

Lately, I've become fond of joining online contests. I'm not usually lucky when it comes to things like that. You name it, I've never been lucky in lotteries and contests in all forms and sizes. In my life, I've never gotten more than 2 numbers right in the lottery (though I don't really play that much!), I lose all of my money in slot machines to casinos without winning a single round, and heck, I never even find more than 5 eggs during an Easter egg hunt! Jojo's little nephews and nieces have a bag full of eggs (that goes with a prize each!) and there I am with five that fit comfortably in my two hands! Like I said, I've never really been lucky with stuff like that.

But now, there seems to be a wind of change! ;-) I joined an online contest HERE and guess what -- I was the 11th person that won! There were only supposed to be 10 but yes, as luck would have it, they made it 11 and I was the 11th! ;-) It's not a huge prize but really, there's nothing better than getting free stuff! ESPECIALLY when the free gift that you're getting is as informative and useful as the one that I got.

I'm talking about a book -- a local publication called "Insider Picks: Manila by Day." I've seen it at bookstores before but even with the bright orange color, the book just wasn't as inviting. I didn't really pay much attention to it, especially when the copies I found at Fully Booked or Powerbooks were all sealed. I couldn't even take a peek! Anyway, it retails for 495 pesos. After having skimmed through it, frankly, I think the book should cost more! ;-)

My prize (the book!) was couriered to me last Saturday. I haven't read it page by page but I was able to skim through it. And let me tell you, this is one book that every household should have. It's perfect for those who:

- are spendthrifts and would like to get value for their money (isn't that everyone?)

- often have 'emergency' parties and get togethers at their places

- are sick of malls as shopping destinations

- don't have a directory of reliable shops and service providers and would like to find 'sukis'

- are in need of ideas of exciting places to go and activities to do with a significant other or the whole family

- would like to take classes (be it dance classes or photography or those centered on outdoor activities) to develop themselves but don't know where and how to start

- have a sweet tooth and would like to be introduced to great finds from unknown home bakers in the city

- enjoy online shopping and bargain/outlet store shopping and would like to be informed of hole-in-the-wall places to go for unique finds.

Well, frankly, the list just goes on and on. These are some of the things that made my heart skip a beat when I browsed through the book. Did you know that there's a Schu Factory outlet store that sells their shoes at 50-70% off right in the heart of Makati??!?? Who knew that there's a place in the netro that provides sabre fencing lessons? And for only 1,700 pesos per month at that! Ooooh, and did you know that there are four shops all over Manila that sell Ikea items? As for restaurants, are you aware that an Italian-Filipino fusion restaurant exists here in Manila? Yes, believe it, there's one over at BF Homes called Chi's Oven Baked Kitchen. And from the blurb on the restaurant, it says that they serve, prepare for this: pizzas topped with balut! For non-Filipino readers, 'balut' is a fertilized duck egg (embryo) that's a delicacy here in Southeast Asia. There's a ton more of these type of interesting places listed in the book. I think it's the only Manila guide/directory that I'll ever need. Each entry has the name of the place, a description and examples of services/items that they provide, an idea of price range, the address, phone number, email, and in most cases, the website too. Forget online research. It's all here. ;-)

Interested? Copies of "Manila By Day" are sold everywhere. But I found a whole table display and piles and piles of this book over at Fully Booked at Rockwell. That's if you're interested in buying in bulk. ;-) Otherwise, single copies should be available at any National Bookstore, Powerbooks, A Different Bookstore, and of course, Fully Booked branches.

PHOTO SOURCE:

http://dessertcomesfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Manila-By-Day.jpg

Finding the Puto Bumbong of my Dreams! ;-)

As you can probably already tell from the title of this post, puto bumbong is my most favorite Filipino dessert ever! I don't think it's because of the fact that it's a dessert associated with Christmas and therefore, have to wait in anticipation all year before I can have it. It's not that. It's because it's just soooo damn good! I like how the butter/margarine, muscovado sugar, and grated fresh coconut go so well with the soft and gooey sweetness of the puto bumbong itself. It's just heavenly! ;-)

Being a big fan of puto bumbong, naturally, I've had them in so many different places. I've tasted the food court-type puto bumbong, from a stall near the churches I went to after Christmas mass, to the fancy type in restaurants, and finally, even the ones that you can find in public markets. Out of all these, the one that impressed me the most is one that Jojo's sister, Del, buys us from Sta. Clara de Montefalco after Sunday masses during the Christmas season. This church is in Pasay City -- near the intersection of Pasay Road and Burgos Street. She gets them for the outstanding price of....20 pesos!!! And that comes with two long pieces of puto bumbong and all the accompaniment that goes with it.

I didn't think the puto bumbong there could possibly be outdone since it's really already very very good! It's smooth and with just with the right amount of gooey sweetness as it is. Well, you know what? It has been outdone and I'll tell you exactly where I found THE best puto bumbong in Metro Manila!

The answer? It's at Benny's at Rustan's Makati. It's across Glorietta 5 and right in front of Rustan's grocery store. One order comes with fine muscovado sugar, freshly grated coconut, and 2 pieces of the smoothest, chewiest, and yummiest puto bumbong ever!!! Most puto bumbong sellers use margarine as a topping but the puto bumbong at Benny's is a little more sinful and 'decadent.' They use butter! Woohoo! ;-) Combine all of these perfect little details and there you have it -- a perfect Puto Bumbong by my standards! ;-)

The price is a little steep in comparison to those sold near churches or inside public markets. One order at Benny's costs 60 pesos. Yes, that's 200% more than the usual but trust me when I say it's oh-so-worth it! ;-)

If you order it for take-out, it only costs 60 pesos. But if you choose to sit down and eat the puto bumbong inside Benny's, you'll have to pay additional for service charge. It's not a lot. For one order, you'll end up having to pay 66 pesos just like I did. It's still not bad.

I'm not sure if they'll be offering puto bumbong all year or it's only available for the holiday season. Either way, hurry on in and try out my most favorite puto bumbong in the metro. And if still, you find one that can outdo this one, PLEASE leave me a note and let me know where. Frankly, I don't think the puto bumbong at Benny's can be outdone. But this is one time when I would really like to be proven wrong...;-)

Cool Bazaar Finds

We did our bazaar rounds yesterday. I checked Clickthecity and Spot.ph and found out that there's at least 10 bazaar events going on in the city! My husband and I didn't leave the house until noon. After having lunch at Salcedo Market, we only had time to go to 4 bazaars. And at around 7 pm, we were just so tired that we called it a day and went back home. Namely, we went to the Marche Bazaar at Makati Sports Club, Esprit de Noel at A. Venue, the Brown Bag Market at The Collective, and the Karl Edwards Bazaar at the BGC (Bonifacio Global City). Esprit de Noel mostly sold clothes, branded overruns, toys, and perfumes. The Brown Bag Market sold bag organizers, books, a few dessert items, and clothes as well. These two bazaars were nice too but most of our cool finds were really from the Marche Bazaar and Karl Edwards. Here's a small list of my awesome finds from one afternoon of bazaar-hopping: ;-)

1.) Customized Jewellery Boxes

Every year, it always seems to be a challenge to find the most perfect gift for my in-laws. My mother-in-law, in particular, already has a large and varied collection of perfumes, bags, and shoes. Jojo's sisters (ie: my sister-in-laws) always give her watches and jewellery so that's out of the question too. She's got all the cooking supplies that she needs and she's not much of a techie person so gadgets might not be appreciated. What else is there to give?!?? ;-) Well, I had a big lightbulb moment when I passed through this particular stall at the Marche bazaar. The nice red texture of the jewellery boxes caught my eye. Heyyyyyy, why not give her a jewellery box?!?? ;-) I looked through the set and found them in many different sizes and uses. There's one for watches that come with small pillows inside already. There's another particularly for bracelets and bangles. And there's another where you can specifically store rings and earrings. And the best part of it all? They customize!

I spoke with the nice lady that manned the booth. I'm pretty sure she's the owner. She's so pleasant to talk to and she even gave us a discount! I told her I wanted a whole jewellery box set. One would be a really large one with a window and compartments inside -- 2/3 of the box with large compartments for bangles and bracelets and the other third, with much smaller compartments for necklaces. I wanted two smaller jewellery boxes too. Each of these will be half the size of the larger jewellery box so you can pile them all up perfectly. Anyway, one of the smaller jewellery boxes will be for watches -- 3 compartments with pillows. The other would just be for rings and earrings. To store them, you'll just have to stick them in these slots. All of the jewellery boxes will match, of course. They'll be in this bright red color --- my mother in law's favorite! Your jaw will drop after hearing how much everything is. They're all only 1,000 pesos ($40 USD roughly). She asked for a 50% deposit and she'll have them delivered for free too. That is, as long as you're in the Makati area. I got her to have them delivered at Jojo's office. The lady promised that by Friday (6 days later), Jojo should have the jewellery box sets already. Super cool! ;-) I regretted not having a whole set customized for myself too. Well, the good news is that although they don't have a physical store (except at these bazaars), you can order from them anytime. Here's her contact info if you want to order some for yourself or as gifts too! ;-)

Name: Kath Bautista

Website: santafactory.multiply.com

Email: kathbautista888@gmail.com

Phone: (632) 506-2523

Mobile: (0917) 587-5250

2.) Notepad Sets, Notebook Sets, Recipe Organizer, Calling Card Organizers, etc.

This is another stall that we found at the Marche Bazaar. It was one of the first that we saw, actually. Being a sucker for everything cute and pretty (of course!), it was the polka-dotted and damask boxes that caught my eye. They came in different colors too. The stall also sold box sets with pad paper in them. There's this cute green and pink box that had 6 small pads of paper with the heading "Things to Do." There's also another set that came in a different box with the heading "To do," "To Buy," and "To Call" right at the top. You can circle one of the three and there you have it -- a multi-purpose pad paper. I guess any pad paper can have multiple purposes. But isn't it neat to have it come with the heading already? ;-) Just one of those things...;-)

There's a bunch of other stuff there. I took a minute to browse through the stall and within that time, 2 ladies came by and bought in bulk! Between the two of them, I think they bought about 20 or 30 of these notebook sets that they had. A set came with three notebooks in a box for only 100 pesos! What a deal! I think they also bought a set of 10 handcrafted any-occasion cards that also came in a box. I didn't buy any of those so I don't have pictures. Although it was tempting to get them, frankly, I didn't have anyone to buy it for. I'm done with the girls on my Christmas list and I had to practice restraint. Boy stuff is what I needed to get. Anyway, you can order from them year round. Just give them a call, send an email, or purchase online! Interested? Check out their contact info below:

Name: Lilit Almendral

Website: boxesandprints.multiply.com

Email: lilitalmendral@yahoo.com

Phone: (632) 890-6954

Address: 3300 Zapote Street, Makati City

3.) Sugar Plum Bath Sets, Lotion, and other Toiletries

We found this stall over at Karl Edwards. Karl Edwards run their bazaars every weekend, I think. So if you want to, I'm sure you can still catch them and purchase straight from this stall. Anyway, it's really impossible to miss this stall. Not only will your nose lead you there (the stall smells very fruity and fragrant!) but the decor will catch your eye because it's really as girly as girly can be! ;-) Out of a better adjective or comparison, let me say that it was very 'Crabtree and Evelyn' but in a more girly and whimsical sort of way. I literally hyperventilated when I saw the stall and my husband can attest to that. ;-) You see, I'm also a sucker when it comes to bath sets, lotions, and anything that smells nice. And this stall had all of that. To top it all off (which is the reason why I hyperventilated a second time!), the stall was on sale too!!! Oh my! ;-) Let me just give you a rundown of the prices from memory. Their lotions were only 80 pesos each, bath sets (soap, lotion, and bath gel in a metal case or this small porcelain tub) were only 120 pesos, sprays and mists were only 150 pesos, and larger bath sets started at 200 pesos, I think. Everything was presented nicely with ribbons and all. Best of all, I found out that Sugarplum does not test on animals as it said at the back of the bottle. The scents range from Strawberry cream (my favorite among the lot!), Raspberry Vanilla, Sweet Pea, Cherry Blossom, and many others. I've had the chance to try their lotion and I like how the scent is not too overpowering. It smells very nice and it does stay, but it's not one to overpower your perfume. It absorbs fine and isn't greasy at all. I like it! ;-) By the way, they also sell scent diffusers for only 200 pesos. From our visit there, it seems that this is their most popular item. I'll just have to remember to come back and buy this next time. ;-)

4.) Inexpensive Perfumes, Lip Balms, Mists, Make up, and Gift Sets

You'll have to forgive me because I didn't get the name of the stall and we weren't able to take pictures as well. We were in a rush to go because we were trying to reach the credit card payment booth which closed at 7 pm over at the Karl Edwards bazaar. So how can you find this booth? If I remember correctly, it's near the middle part of the bazaar. You won't miss it because it's the stall that sells Burt's Bees lip balm, lotion, and other Mary Kate and Ashley make up at 3 for 120 pesos!!! They sell Victoria's Secret mist and lotion at 2 for 550 pesos! I also bought these mini-travel sets from Victoria's Secret and Jessica Mclintock (for the reason that this scent reminds me of my Mom!) for only 450 pesos each or 3 for 1,000 pesos!!! It was just crazy!!!! Sorry for all the exclamation marks, by the way. ;-) Oh, another way to find this booth? It's the one with a lot of people crowding around it. I really wanted to browse some more but I was peeved with all these girls crowding around the table like they're the only people in the world. Like, seriously! Don't they know that there's a hyperventillating shopaholic behind them??!?? ;-) Hahaha! ;-) I browsed through their stuff quickly and decided to come back to wait until everybody's gone. But when I came back, there was another group of people crowding around it! Well, as any crazy shopaholic would do, I squeezed in or at least tried to stick my arm between all these people and grabbed at all the items that I could. ;-) I ended up buying 6 things from the 3 for 120 pesos box and 3 of the travel sets. Apart from the 2 Victoria's Secret and 1 Jessica Mclintock travel sets, I mostly stocked up on the Burt's Bees products and this eye serum for eye bags. Check out the rest of my loot below. Sadly, I didn't get a business card either. I'm pretty sure this stall is a mainstay at the Karl Edwards bazaar. So check it out before the sale is over! ;-)

Happy shopping, everyone! In the spirit of the Christmas season (well, the 'commercial' gift-giving part of it, that is), my coming entries will revolve around gift ideas and themes that could help you in finally completing that list! Merry Christmas! ;-)

Time to change the songs on your iPod/MP3!

Last year, close to around this same time, I wrote an entry about some of my Christmas album discoveries. You can find it HERE. This year, I want to add to that list with a few more new Christmas album favorites. As my Christmas gift to you, I've also placed a link underneath to let you know where to download them. Enjoy! Maligayang Pasko! (That's "Merry Christmas!" in Filipino for your language lesson for the day!) ;-)

1.) Take 6 (The Most Wonderful Time of the Year)

Are you peeved with the Christmas rush? There's the traffic, crowded malls, long line-ups, and in most cases, a bunch of grumpy people! ;-) It's a very good idea to have this album playing in the car or your personal iPod because its arrangement of classic Christmas favorites are sure to get anyone back in the holiday spirit. Their songs are just soooo cheerful! They're all sung acapella with all of the "instrumentation" and back up sounds done by the members of the Take 6 group. The vocals and harmony are amazing! Their voices are so cool, crisp, and smooth!

There are 10 tracks in the album. I love them all but if I were to pick my favorites, it would include "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," (this is where they really show off the group's excellent and perfect harmony!), "White Christmas," (because they've made it into a great head-bopping song -- you'll know what I mean when you hear it ;-), and "Sleigh Ride" (because it's such a happy song -- perfect background song while doing your Christmas shopping!). ;-)

Click HERE to download this album.

2.) Jadon Lavik (Christmas)

This album is not your typical Christmas one with the classic arrangements. Yes, it has the same classic Christmas favorites like "Have Yourself a Merry Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Silent Night," and 7 others. But out of a better term, Jadon Lavik has 'Jason Castro'-fied his songs. You're probably scratching your head about now. ;-) Let me explain. Well, first off, Jadon Lavik does sound like Jason Castro. Kinda similar to John Mayer too. It's the same type. As for the songs, Jadon Lavik's album has that acoustic vibe. They're mellow and very 'chill.' ;-) It's a good album to play when you have guests over for a quiet dinner during the holiday season. ;-) It's the perfect background music during conversation and when you're just about to wind it down. As you probably noticed, I do try to match a music album to a particular activity. ;-) My favorite songs in Jadon Lavik's Christmas album are: "O Come All Ye Faithful" (The arrangement is unique. I haven't heard this song arranged to sound so hip! ;-), "Christmas Time is Here" (Jadon Lavik's voice suits this song. It was sung in such a heartfelt way and his voice just makes me gush! ;-), and "Mele Kalekimaka" (It's the first time that I've heard this song. It's a Hawaiian Christmas song and it's just fun to listen to. Really catchy. The song might get stuck in your head for days and I don't think you'll mind...). ;-)

Click HERE to download this album.

3.) Jay R (Christmas Away From Home)

If you're Filipino, you know that this album has been around for a while now. But it's only recently that I really took notice of it and in particular, took notice of the artist named Jay R. Jay R is a really talented singer! I love his sweet and suave vocals. He's got a lot of soul and I love how he sings the high notes. Very smooth. I enjoy listening to him sing because it seems so effortless.

I know Jay R has another Christmas album aside from this. But as for the reason why I picked this one in particular for my list, I chose it because of his rendition of my favorite Christmas song ever --aptly titled nothing but "The Christmas Song." ;-) His voice suits the song really well. There's a hint of nostalgia, mixed with a bit of R&B vibe, and most of all, that sexy and smooth 'he makes me really gush' voice of his. ;-)
This album is a whole assortment of stuff. Admittedly, the selection just seems a bit random. Of the 11 tracks, 4 are instrumental, there's a couple that are R & B and pop-sounding, there's one that has Jazz music undertones, there's an upbeat version of "Drummer Boy," one personal ballad, and of course, classic arrangements of some Christmas favorites. But mainly, this album stays on the list because of one song: "The Christmas Song." ;-) Oh and I also like his version of "Winter Wonderland." ;-) It's good stuff. Hear some homegrown (Filipino) talent and download the album by clicking below. ;-)

Click HERE to download this album.

4.) Katharine McPhee (Christmas is the Time...To Say I Love You)

Frankly, I didn't really take notice of her when she was on American Idol. Although she sounded good, I didn't think Katharine McPhee was a standout. But when I heard her Christmas album, I began to appreciate her more. Katharine McPhee especially sounds good when she sings more somber and heartfelt ballads. The songs are very touching. My favorites include "Who Would Imagine a King" (great restraint and excellent expression! The crescendos and fortes are done in the most perfect spots and her voice just sounds amazing!), "O Little Town of Bethlehem/Away in a Manger Medley" (it's very heartfelt and I think the song is in the perfect pitch and note range that truly showcases Katharine McPhee's voice), and "Have Yourself a Merry Christmas" (she goes a bit 'jazz-y" in this song and I think it really suits her. I see her more of a jazz artist than a pop artist anyway). There's really something for everyone in this album. Katharine McPhee goes a bit gospel in "Jingle Bells," full on classic Christmas in "White Christmas," pop ballad on "It's Not Christmas Without You," and jazz as well on a couple of songs. Since she pretty much has all tastes covered, this album is perfect to lug around with you during the Christmas season as background music for whatever activity or occasion. She didn't have rock and heavy metal covered but I think that this album should please everyone. ;-)

Click HERE to download this album.

5.) Straight No Chaser (Christmas Cheers)

This would have to be the funnest Christmas album ever! Most of the 15 tracks are just plain goofy! ;-) Take "We Three Kings" with the Mission Impossible-sounding intro. Oh and there's also the "Christmas Can-Can" -- the perfect holiday chaos song! Have you also heard "The 12 Days of Christmas" to the tune of "Africa"? ;-) Hahaha! And the most amazing thing of all? It's all done acapella! They all have such excellent voices. They've got chorale-type songs here too like "Christmas Time Is Here" where they show off their excellent vocal harmony. There's also something here for everyone in this album. It can be any occasion, or for any group with different musical tastes. For instance, I imagine their song "Who Spiked the Egg Nog" would be the perfect song for an office Christmas party! They also have "I'll Be Home for Christmas" which is very boy-band sounding for friends and family who are fans of NKOTB, Backstreet, and N'Sync. ;-)

Click HERE to download this album.

IMAGE SOURCES:

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http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_u_WHcABgwlg/TN2Ivz34W1I/AAAAAAAAAhw/-UqJ9X9WzhI/s1600/Jadon+Lavik+Christmas.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_w6ia53sNrqQ/Sum20XaHDGI/AAAAAAAABtg/fUZ9BLt7Ovs/s400/25171123256l.jpg

http://images.idolbloglive.com/75596ae86fe92abf02c8cfe4567781db-300x300.jpg

http://www.vasiliska.com/uploads/posts/2010-10/1287327743_straight-no-chaser-christmas-cheers-2010.jpg

My Current Addiction

If you know me or are a follower of this blog, you're probably thinking that this is another shopping entry. ;-) Yes, I AM addicted to shopping too. But no, this is not a shopping entry. It revolves around my second love, actually. And that is: eating! ;-)

In particular, I'll be talking about some of my favorite grocery store-bought snacks. When my husband and I watch a movie at home, our go-to snack is Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream. The chips are not only very crunchy but the combination of the sour cream and cheddar (lots of it!) is just perfect! We don't even need a dip to go with it. Actually, eating it with dip is not a very good idea since the chips alone seem "sinful" as it is. The dip will just be piling the calories some more.

When we have a hankering for chips with dip, we go for the cheese or sour cream-flavored Piattos. It's a local brand and it tastes very light. It goes really well with a homemade dip. Just buy some sour cream (we go for Nestle), chop some garlic, mix it together, and let it cool. Take it out of the fridge after a few minutes and there you have it! Just remember to gargle with mouthwash or at least, pop in some breath mints after eating this. Pity the people around you who will have to stand your dragon breath if you don't! ;-)

Here in Asia, seafood-flavored chips is a big deal. Give it a chance. They're really not bad. Our favorite is Okeji Tempura Chips. The chips are light and airy with a mild crunch. There are bursts of flavor everywhere and because it seems like a light snack, it would be easy to eat it mindlessly. You're watching a movie, you have a large bag in front of you and before you know it, you've actually finished more than half of it on your own! ;-) That's probably why they only sell large bags of Okeji. I haven't seen any grocery store sell them in small bags...

Although I don't get to have it very often, another favorite of mine are Ikea's Dill-flavored chips. I only get to buy these when we're out of the country since it's not available here. The flavor of the chips certainly wakes up your taste buds. It's a unique taste, actually. I imagine not everyone will like it. But if you enjoy eating salt n' vinegar-flavored chips, this should become a favorite. It's sour and salty combined really well. I love it!

Just recently, Jojo and I found two new faves. That's actually an understatement. More aptly, they should be called our current addiction! ;-) One of them is called Red Rock Deli Chips. We discovered it by chance. We were at Rustan's grocery and there was a stall that offered us a free taste of the different variants. The flavors that are available here are Honey Soy Chicken,
Sea Salt, Lime and Black Pepper, and the one that we liked the most -- Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream. We got to try the others and none of them were bad. In fact, a close second favorite would be Lime and Black Pepper. ;-) We only needed to buy one bag though so we chose to get Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream -- the flavor that the the two of us unanimously voted as our number one choice! ;-) I found out that Red Rock Deli also makes chips with the Tzatziki flavor. Wow! This might potentially bump off Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream as my number one! It's too bad that it's not available here yet. Just gotta wait! In the meantime, we'll be stocking up on our new favorite chips which brags that they have "authentic seasonings, no artificial flavors, and colours or preservatives." How great is that! ;-)

Another healthy snack that I discovered was actually introduced to me by a co-worker. My friend Yazmin, being a mother of five, always has a bag full of snacks wherever she goes. ;-) She's one who likes to try new things at the grocery too. One time, she shared with me a new find. They're rice crackers so at first, I wasn't interested. I'm not really fond of rice crackers. When she offered it again and convinced me that I would like it, I decided to give it a chance. They're called One One Hot Chilli-Flavor Rice Crackers by Monde. It says in the package that it has no cholesterol and that it's baked which translates to a healthier snack. One bag comes with 10 small packs of rice crackers with two pieces in each bag. I wondered why they had to be wrapped individually like that. I was thinking what a waste it was of plastic. But when I took the first bite, I understood why. Man, these rice crackers are VERY crunchy! Oooooh and the flavor, wow! There's a burst of flavor from the first bite to the last! I absolutely loved it! Now to be honest with you, of course it does not compare with Ruffles chips. But for a much healthier alternative, it will do. It has the flavor, it has the crunch, what else do you need? ;-) I imagine that in the future, they'll have variants of this in other flavors. Hopefully they come up with a cheese-flavored one! ;-)

Planning for a movie night at home? You might want to try one of my favorites above. You might end up liking it. In the mean time, 3 more days till the weekend! ;-)

SOURCES:

http://www.fritolay.com/assets/images/blue/RUFFLES_Cheddar_Sour_Cream.gif

http://www.philamfood.com/images/P/4800016671500.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55sw01pgJfHUqdLjcdVcRgx5IR3mvaoRRZh7KJORG8p1jSGpHByqIYeQz0xwqymnZLuLaC2Q7K7mb9tXkuhSd_yS08nQHTnuWZBRE7-F6r-V1FkT5wX_vDtuCYAC_i7dMTsfP3LczaTL3/s400/21062008394.jpg

http://www.pinoygoods.net/img/p/121-167-large.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPukBbb-OdQswi4PZnZkWABE3fPZblz5KFNaL9iBhXhVoIMjSoUZoCCXy4mgOleFqcKnmuN4NN0mLWWujT538DXSjJuZEftJbSfAL24zvrq2yCk7MenXoFBI4aLQyKSyGUE7KiWkYbs8/s400/IMG_0650s.jpg

http://www.mondenissin.com/images/products/large/monde/monde_products/one_one_rice_crackers.jpg

Giving the House Some Love....

I'm on the latter part of my 10-day semester break at work and I had a lot of time to organize at home. In fact, I've put up our Christmas tree and decor too. I was able to get rid of some of the things that we don't need anymore. And as for the things that I decided to keep, they've been put in their proper places together with similar items and labeled. Wow, I felt like a complete Martha Stewart! ;-) I consider it a great accomplishment and as you can probably tell, I'm very proud of myself. ;-) So let me share with you what I did and some great finds that helped me do the job!

There are four magazines that I subscribe to. That's Real Living, Good Housekeeping, Yummy, and Travel Life magazine. So over the years, you can imagine how fast they accumulate! But it's just so hard for me to let go of them. That's especially when I use them as resources for deciding what to cook, where to travel next, and a trove of ideas and inspiration on fashion and decorating. With this dilemma, what is there to do? Well, for one, I did not let go of any of my magazines. ;-) I just decided to be smarter when it comes to storage. I bought these colourful magazine file folders from National Bookstore for 19 pesos each! Not all National Bookstores have these as they quickly run out of them. I actually bought half of them from the National Bookstore at Cash & Carry. As for the other half, I got them from the Metro department store at Market!Market! Just go to the third floor near the Kids' section.

See the labels on the magazine folders? Aren't they cute? ;-) Well, I found these from the Kids' section as well. But this time -- at Landmark! I found it quite odd that they didn't have these on the main floor of Landmark. You know, where they have all the paper and gift wrapping supplies. You'll have to go on the third floor as well. As I said, it's in the Kids' section -- by the toys and near where they display pencil cases and the like. I got these for P54.75. One set has 12 pieces and they come in three different sizes. What a find, hey? ;-)

Aside from hoarding magazines, I also hoard writing utensils, pretty binder clips, greeting cards for all occasions, notebooks, gift tags, and many others. Heyyyy, you never know when you'll need these! It's good to be prepared right? ;-) Admittedly, before getting them organized, I just kept on accumulating them without having the chance to use them. It's not because I never needed them. It was because I couldn't find them! They were all over the place. It was high time for me to put them all together and organize them for easy access. My solution to this? Put them together in pretty boxes, label them, and place them in the guest's bedroom! ;-) The boxes had to be cute and pretty so that they would complement the decor. Although it's not being used in the mean time, I didn't want to turn the guest's room into a storage room. Essentially, it is that but the pretty boxes surely mask it. ;-) So where did I get my pretty boxes? The colorful striped ones were from Ikea. It's a set of 3 and they cost 80 HKD. That's about 480 pesos. As for the other one, it also came in a set of 3 but I got them at Glorietta. I can't remember the name of the store. But it looked like a Gourdo outlet store. It's beside Burger King on the second floor. You'll find it on your way to SM from Glorietta 4. The set only cost me 200 pesos.

Along with magazine folders, I placed the box sets in the guest's room too. Since the furniture and chandelier in the guest's room are all white, the boxes and the magazine folders surely added the much-needed color in the room. Everything's looking good together! ;-)

For even more color, my husband and I also bought this retro radio from Dimensione. I fell in love with it when I saw it! They were selling it for 10% off so the radio only cost 986 pesos! It has an AM/FM radio and you can also plug your MP3 or iPod in it. You can choose to plug it to an outlet although you have to buy the power adaptor because the radio doesn't come with it. Or during blackouts, you can put 4 AA batteries instead. We're really loving it! I was teasing Jojo, my husband, that the guest's room looks so nice now that I plan to sleep there instead of the master's bedroom! ;-) Hahaha! ;-)

Not only is my stuff all over the place, my husband's too. He's got all these home improvement supplies like nuts and bolts, tape (tons of them!), rope, tools, and so many other "guy" stuff that I don't know what to call. ;-) All these were just plopped inside our two ottoman chairs. We got those with storage inside. To organize Jojo's 'guy' stuff, I put them in these Ikea zip lock bags that we got in HK. These bags come in two sizes and in a box, there are about 50 bags in all. We got these for only 20 HKD. That's roughly 120 pesos, I think. What a steal huh! You might be able to find these at Mobler here in Manila.

Here in the Philippines, the Christmas season (the longest one in the world!) -- officially started last September 1st. With that standard, I feel like I'm running behind! My in-laws had their tree up more than a month ago and finished most of their shopping too! Wow. I'm nowhere near that. But I have decided on our color motif this year. The previous year was apple green and gold. This year is a bit more colorful. We, or rather, I decided on pink, apple green, and silver. ;-) My husband wasn't too sold on the pink part. But when he saw the tree, he loved it! I was so hung up on pink that I literally toured the major malls in the metro to find my pink balls. ;-) I normally buy our Christmas decor at the Metro department store. I find that they have the best selection and they're the cheapest too. In fact, that's where I got the silver decor for our motif. One set of silver balls cost under 200 pesos and the leaf decor (?), I got in SM for around 30 pesos. This year though, where's the pink? I had to scour Makati, Taguig, and Pasay to find them. Thankfully, I found them at my last stop -- over at Landmark. I bought the pink ribbons there. They cost around 300 pesos, I think for one roll. To get the six ribbons, I needed two rolls. As for the Christmas balls, the pink ones came in a large set. Around 24 pieces? I don't know the exact price but they were definitely under 300 pesos. I just recycled the apple green decor from last year and it all worked out perfectly. I LOVE our tree! ;-)

I was able to start buying a few Christmas presents too. And in true Martha Stewart fashion, of course, the gift wrapper and ribbons have to match the tree! ;-) I opted for pink and silver-striped wrappers which we got at Divisoria. As you know, you have to buy everything in bulk there. At least 25 pieces of the same type of wrapper. Not only did the wrappers have to match the tree, but I had to find ones that I could use for other occasions too. Clearly, 50 wrappers would be too many! So, the solution to that was to get these type of wrappers. I decided to make them more festive through the ribbons. The gift wrappers were only 3 pesos each, by the way.

After seeing the collection of ribbons at Morning Glory in Divisoria, I literally went crazy and bought tons! The ribbons were sooo beautiful! So many possibilities! With all these ribbons in stock, I thought, why stick with one or two types of ribbons? I can still follow our Christmas motif with an assortment of ribbons right? As long as the wrappers were the same. Anyway, I went for a bit of the polka-dotted theme too. There's the white ribbon with black dots and the pink ribbon with white dots. I also went for plaid. There's the apple green and white kind and also the black and white one. The ribbons ranged between 180 and 250 pesos. Our Christmas wrapping this year isn't too loud when it comes to the colors. But altogether like that, don't you think they look pretty? ;-) Sorry...you just gotta love your own right? I'm very happy with how everything turned out. Now if only I can finish my Christmas shopping already! ;-)

There you go. It's been a productive week by my standards! ;-) I hope you enjoyed hearing about my great finds! ;-)

My Book Finds (aka as my Christmas Wish List!)

Those that know me are probably aware of the fact that I have a short attention span when it comes to reading. It's a real shame to admit it. But don't get me wrong. I LOVE to read. Just don't expect me to be reading Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' anytime soon. ;-) When it comes to prose or fiction, I get really impatient and can't, for the life of me, resist the urge to peek at the ending. I think that the longest that I've ever resisted was when I read Murakami's 'Bird Chronicles.' I read it up to Page 196 before finally giving in to read the ending. Mind you, that's not a huge 'accomplishment' considering the fact that the novel has 607 pages!

I've just learned to accept this about myself. So when I visit Fully Booked or Powerbooks, off I go to the non-fiction area. I have my choice of purchasing Uncle John's Bathroom Reader, craft books, or those inspirational books with a short story in equally short chapters! ;-) In my recent visit to the book store, I found that there's a LOT of interesting new reads for people like me. I haven't purchased any of these books yet so I haven't read any of them from beginning to end. But I did get a chance to browse them all -- enough to be convinced that the book is indeed, a great find! Let me share my list with you. Books always make excellent gifts and maybe you have a friend or relative who will appreciate these too. Here you go, Nina's Top 5 Book Finds: ;-)

God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours / Regina Brett

Genre: Inspirational

Price: 560 pesos

My take on it: The book has 50 little chapters where each chapter details the lesson learned and accompanies it with heartwarming stories and anecdotes. The author -- Regina Brett, is a woman who has gone through so much in life. She was an alcoholic at age 16, was a single mother at 21, single and unhappy for 19 years, and finally, battled Cancer when she was 41. For so many years, she felt like God overlooked her and 'blinked' as she experienced all these hardships in her life. Gaining wisdom from all these challenges and experiences, with this book, she attests how God NEVER blinks and is always there. It's our attitude and outlook that needs to be changed. It's really serious stuff. But Regina Brett excellently shares her experiences with complete honesty, wisdom, and lots of humour. Here are some of the chapter titles that caught my eye:

- "Frame every so-called disasters with these words: 'In five years, will all these matter?' "

- "Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now"

- "Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple"

- "Don't take yourself seriously. No one else does"

- "Life isn't tied in a bow. But it's still a gift"

Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts / Martha Stewart

Genre: Arts and Crafts

Price: 1,375 pesos

My take on it: Inspired. That's the best adjective there is to describe how I felt after browsing this book. The pictures were amazing and everything was just so pretty! When I did a quick stop at BGC's Fully Booked, my intention was just to take a break from Christmas shopping. But after I came across that book, so many ideas just came to me! Now, I've decided to create half of the presents that I'll be giving this year! Not only will I save a few pesos on the gifts, but making them will be so much fun too!

Sure, you might be saying how you don't have that creative streak. But Martha here (we're on a first name basis now! ;-), makes everything so easy! From learning how to write calligraphy to painting glass, creating scrapbooks, etch glass, make greeting cards -- the topics cover everything 'crafts-y!' It's the true bible of crafts. Now the question would be: If you were to only buy one copy of this book, would you really give it as a present or keep it for yourself?!?? ;-)

The Little Black Book of Style / Nina Garcia

Genre: Fashion

Price: 640 pesos

My take on it: Nina Garcia has other books on fashion. They all seem very informative and straightforward. But if I were to only get one of her books, "The Little Black Book of Style" would be the one. First off, I really like the fact that this book is not like a rule book of any sort. In fact, there's a chapter devoted to figuring out your style and style icon. The book seems to encourage you to find who you are first before refining your style choices. Nina Garcia will talk you through editing your wardrobe, simplifying, and dressing with class and confidence. I like that. The other books that she published follow a similar thread but I found them a bit 'rigid' in topic. One is about the 100 pieces that every girl should own and another called Look Book -- a guide to dressing for every occasion. I think The Little Black Book of Style is more comprehensive. Not only do I want this book, but I NEED it for when I do my annual closet editing for the new year. This book ought to guide me on figuring out which clothes to get rid of and give away...

The Eco Lifestyle Handbook: Over 2000 Tips for the Home and Garden / Sarah Callard

Genre: Health and Well Being

Price: Shouldn't be more than 800 pesos (Sorry, I forgot the exact price!)

My take on it: There are so many books on eco living that fill bookstores right now. I guess it just emphasizes the need for all of us to go green NOW. I've always wanted to get a book on eco living that shows a number of practical tips that I can apply in my life. I've browsed a lot of these books but sadly, not a lot of them give new information. The tips they have in those books are tips that I already know about and have been implementing. What else is there that I can do?

After browsing through "The Eco Lifestyle Handbook," I came across a lot of information that made me go "Ohhhhh...I didn't know that!" Like for instance, the book lists the ingredients in toiletries and cleaning supplies that you can do without. Which ones are bad for your health and which ones take longer to process and manufacture -- therefore are harmful for the environment? The tips are indeed practical and the changes they talk about there are not so major that it will make it hard to commit to them. The actions are small-scale but when done repeatedly and over a number of years, will really make a huge difference. Honestly, I think every household should have this book. If you have the budget, why not give this book to everyone you know?

The Woodrose Family Cookbook / Various

Genre: Cooking

Price: 400 pesos

My take on it: A lot of other schools have come up with their own recipe books. It's mostly the alumnis' way of commemorating their alma mater's 25th, 40th, 50th or whatever length of time their school has been around. Out of the other recipe books out there, this one really caught my eye. First off, the recipes seem very simple. They don't use fancy ingredients that will be hard to find in any random grocery store here in Manila. Apart from that, you can tell from the combination of ingredients and flavors that the recipes will truly suit the Filipino palate. The recipes seem tried and tested. In fact, most of them were recipes passed on from their mothers or grandparents or aunt, etc. There are some recipes too from the school cafeteria. Like for instance, their "mass produced" spaghetti or what-have-you. Just from browsing the book, I can sense that there's a certain value in all of the recipes. It seemed that if you went to Woodrose, making a certain recipe and eating it would conjure pleasant memories of childhood, friends, and family. Now, I didn't go to Woodrose School. But I'm intrigued and would really love to try some of the recipes. I'll let you know once I get my hands on that recipe book! ;-)

*Note: The image above is not the actual book cover for the Woodrose Family Recipe Book. I couldn't find a picture of it so I just put in the Woodrose school logo instead.

Well, I hope this list gave you a few ideas. If you plan to get the book for yourself, enjoy reading! And if you plan to buy it for someone else, happy shopping!!! ;-) Just a reminder. We have 58 more days to go before Christmas! ;-)

SOURCES:

http://cocoandlowe.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/123.jpg

http://www.kdl.org/image_attachments/0001/2852/51svtnzoqkl.jpg?1235746677

http://www.allaboutthepretty.net/photos/uncategorized/2007/08/23/the_little_black_book_of_style.jpg

https://www.bibdsl.co.uk/imagegallery2/bds/201023/9781847325198.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Woodroselogo.JPG

Mark Your Calendars!

The 'ber months officially start tomorrow. And of course, as we give way to Christmas, along with it comes the bazaar season! It's definitely my favorite time of the year. All four MONTHS of the year, that is! ;-)

Mark your calendars now as there's a lot to look forward to in the month of September alone! And we're not only talking about shopping here. Have a look at the list below and sing with me: "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." ;-)

FOOD AND DRINKS ASIA 2010

WHAT: According to ClicktheCity, it's an "international exposition on Specialty Foods, Delicatessen, Confectionery, Beverages, Beers, Wines & Spirits in conjunction with Food Franchising 2010." It's open to all -- whether you already have a food business, or are interested in having one, or is just simply interested in food. ;-) That means it's open to everyone. Who isn't interested in food anyway? ;-)

WHEN: September 2-5, 2010

HOURS: Thurs 11 am-7 pm, Fri/Sat 10 am-7 pm, Sun 10 am-8 pm

WHERE: World Trade Center, Pasay City

FOR MORE INFO: Click the City site

ASIA FOOD EXPO 2010

WHAT: According to the Clickthecity site, it's an "international exposition on Food Processing, Packaging and Handling Machinery Equipment and Technology in conjunction with Food Serv Asia 2010 and Bakery Asia 2010." I remember going to one of these a few years back. Please note that they might require visitors to wear closed shoes because of the fact that there are baking, cooking, and assembly-line type machineries at the expo.

WHEN: September 8-11, 2010

HOURS: Open to everyone on Saturday, Sept 11 from 10 am-6 pm; Open to trade business operators on the other days -- Wed, Sept 8 from 11 am-7 pm and Thurs/Fri, Sept 9 and 10 from 10 am-7 pm

WHERE: World Trade Center, Pasay City

FOR MORE INFO: Click the City site

13TH CINE EUROPA

WHAT: The schedule and movie line-up are not posted yet. But from the poster, it says that the Shangrila Cineplex will feature movies from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, UK, Denmark, Finland, Greece, and many others. Admission is free but it's on a first-come, first-served basis.

WHEN: September 10-19, 2010

WHERE: Cinema 2, Shangrila Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City

FOR MORE INFO: Shangrila Website, DELPHL Website

MANILA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR 2010

WHAT: It's a trade fair that brings all publishers and book suppliers in one place. You can also find suppliers of school materials, educational supplies, and facilities here. Along with that, there are a number of launches, seminars, talks, contests, and storytelling for children, teachers, librarians and all book lovers.

WHEN: September 15-19, 2010 from 10 am-8 pm

WHERE: SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

FOR MORE INFO: MIBF site

ROSEWOOD WELLNESS FAIR AND BAZAAR

WHAT: We are having a wellness-themed bazaar at our community. There will be sugar-free goodies, healthy treats, organic fare, natural beauty products, free massages and treatments, and any other product or services related to promoting your general well-being.

WHEN: September 18, 2010 from 9 am-10 pm

WHERE: Rosewood Pointe Clubhouse, Brgy. Ususan, Taguig City

FOR MORE INFO: This is actually a shameless plug since I might be one of the bazaaristas. ;-) If you have other questions, just leave a comment on this entry.

THE 9th SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL

WHAT: If I were to list the top 5 things that I look forward to each year, I would have to include the annual Spanish Film Festival as one. I think I look forward to it more than my actual birthday! ;-) Anyway, I see Spanish directors and writers as the most talented in the world. They showcase their best and most popular movies in this film festival. See the best for only 65 pesos per movie! ;-)

WHEN: September 30-October 10, 2010

WHERE: Greenbelt 3, Makati City

FOR MORE INFO: Pelicula Website, Instituto Cervantes Site

Photo Sources:

http://www.clickthecity.com

http://wellness.ucsd.edu/images/wellness2.jpg

Let's watch a movie at Resorts World??!??

That was my very first reaction, actually. I signed up at THIS site to be included as one of the thirty bloggers to watch the premiere movie showing at Newport Cinema at Resorts World. My husband, Jojo, has his own blog too. You can find it HERE so I also signed him up.

Coming back from Malaysia, I immediately see the semblance between Resorts World Manila and Genting Highlands. Sure, we don't have the cable car, the huge indoor and outdoor amusement park but it definitely has the same feel. It's no wonder. Resorts World Manila is a joint venture between Genting and Megaworld! ;-) Needless to say, they also have condos put up here. It's right behind the St. Lourdes Church.

Resorts World is strategically located across NAIA 3. This place holds a lot of promise if and when (I hope!), all of the international flights at NAIA 1 is transferred to Terminal 3. Add to that a path or underground walkway from the airport to the Resorts World area and we're all set! There's still a lot of construction going on and this area is really nowhere near done. But for now, you can find the Marriott Hotel, our only 6-star hotel in Manila: Maxims, and Newport Plaza. On the other end of Marriott -- the third building, is where all the casinos, shops, restaurants, and now, cinemas, are located.

From a recent trip in Macau, I could immediately see the Newport Plaza's similarity to the Venetian Macao Hotel. I kid you not. For real! The establishment has potential. Once it's done, you'll see designer shops lining the first floor. There's only about two shops open on the first floor, I think. One is a watch shop, and the other, a jewellery store? It's really exciting though. The same owner of Rustans -- The Store Specialists, will be tasked to open a number of high-end shops here. I imagine all the other stores will be up and running in 6 months? Maybe just in time for Christmas or sooner.

There's one casino on the first floor too. Although Newport Plaza, altogether, seems empty, there were a lot of people at the casino though. The place was bustling with sounds of slot machines, people, and a live band right in the middle. We didn't go in the casino but we could see all of these from the hallway.

The second floor has about four restaurants that are open already. One is UCC, Red Crab Resto, a New Orleans restaurant that serves ribs and steaks, and another one right beside it -- Republiq. The third floor has two shops open: Bench and The Face Shop. When I asked them how late they close, the saleslady told me that Sundays to Thursdays they're open until 10 pm. Fridays and Saturdays they're open an hour later than that. Cool! ;-)

On the topmost floor -- the fourth floor, are the cinemas. I think only two are open and running right now. We watched "Salt" at Cinema 2. It being a premiere, representatives of Resorts World talked about future projects. One that got me and Jojo really excited is their plan for Cinema 1. How wonderful! It's the first time I've heard of something like this. It definitely beats the Director's Cut cinema of Mall of Asia. They were saying that for Cinema 1, they will only have 80 seats inside. And get this: each seat can be fully reclined and will have a sort of cubicle for utmost privacy. With the ticket comes bottomless drinks and unlimited popcorn too. But that's not all! (Gee, I sound like an infomercial!) ;-) Each seat has a button. Press that button and along comes a 'butler' that's personally assigned to you! Wow! ;-) Talk about spoiling yourself. ;-) Although I wonder why you'll need a butler for a 2-hour movie. I joked to Jojo that maybe the butler can be called on if maybe you need someone to scratch your back or something...;-) Hahaha! No word yet on how much this whole thing will cost per person. I'm very interested though. I'll keep you posted once I find this out.

For now, I checked on the prices and Cinema 2 showings cost 200 pesos per person. Cinema 2 shows "Salt" and Cinema 4 shows "The Last Airbender." Cinema 4 showings cost 300 pesos because they're in 3D. I believe movies are running now between noon to 11 pm.

As for our whole movie experience, we really did enjoy it! You can't recline the seats in Cinema 2 but the back of the seat adjusts a wee bit based on the weight you put in front of it. Does that make sense? What I'm trying to say is that they're not too sturdy so they're much more comfortable. There's a lot of leg room and it won't be too much of a bother for the people sitting beside you if in any case, you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the movie. There's enough room to pass through there without fear of stepping on their feet. There's enough room too so none of them will have to get up to let you through.

The screen though, I think, is taller than it is wide. As a consequence to this, you won't have that great of a view if you sit in the first five or six rows. We were sitting in the fourth row but I think our view would be much better if we had moved back. As for the sound system, everything was loud and crisp. You can really tune into the movie and drown out any rustling or any annoying side conversations.

I can't comment on the popcorn because we didn't get to try it. We were already full from the cocktails and hors d'oevres that were provided at the premiere. If the popcorn tastes like the one at Powerplant, I'll be one very happy camper though. ;-)

As I said, Resorts World is very promising. I can't wait until all the shops and restos are open. For now, I guess you should visit this place while you can still have privacy. Everytime you want to avoid the lines at Greenbelt 3 or PowerPlant, why not just hie over to Newport's cinemas? After the movie, you can have coffee and dessert at UCC or go to Velocity --Marriott Hotel's sports bar or play casino or hey, shop at Bench or The Face Shop. ;-) I imagine this place will get crowded someday. Enjoy it now while you can still walk around freely without all the crowds. ;-)