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:

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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...;-)

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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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! ;-)