Mail from Powerbooks

I received a few goodies from Powerbooks. The other day, they sent me a complimentary pass for the 29th Manila International Book Fair. Attached is the announcement of their Warehouse Sale and Power Sale. Today, they e-mailed me my coupon so I can avail my 40% birthday discount this August. Thank you Powerbooks!

Special Book Sale Events!

'Tis the season for book sales! Different Book Sale Events are going to be held around August and September 2008, so book lovers better watch out for it!

Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street is having its first anniversary sale up to August 3, 2008. Discounts go as high as 90% off on selected items.

Powerbooks will be having two major sales. One is their Warehouse Sale which will be offering bargain books at a discounted price of up to 80% off. This is gonna be on August 1-3, 2008 from 10AM to 7PM at the Powerbooks Outlet Store located at 25 Brixton St., Capitol Subdivision, Pasig City. You can click the picture above to enlarge the location map.

Meanwhile, all Powerbooks branches will be having its annual Power Sale. There will be discounts on selected items for up to 70% off from August 1-31, 2008.



National Bookstore will also have their own sale event from August to September 2008. I called up their Super Branch but the exact dates of the event duration is not yet known.



The annual Manila International Book Fair usually held at the World Trade Center will now be in SMX Convention Center. Watch out for it on September 12-16, 2008 that's Friday to Tuesday, from 10AM to 8PM. Click here for the location map.

This is super great news for me. I just love books! I could spend hours inside Powerbooks or Fully Booked, browsing around and looking for additions to my book collection. I remember when I was in my early teens, whenever our family would go out for dinner and watch a movie after, I would frequently beg my parents to let me and my brother just stay in National Bookstore while they go ahead and watch a movie (of course, child kidnapping in malls was not as rampant then so it was pretty safe to do this at that era).

I better prepare myself for these sales. Make that, I better prepare my wallet for these sales. Must think of ways of fattening it before putting it up for the exercise better known as spending. Last year, I've gone to the Book Fair for at least three times. Obviously, a whole day of pouring over rows and rows of books simply would not suffice. Just imagining myself inside that book heaven makes me feel like a kid on the night before Christmas. I can't wait... must... exercise... self... restraint.

Mulling Over the Day's Events

I'm sitting in my favorite chair in the living room, curled up with a book, but with eyes glued to the TV. When the commercials had their run, I, in turn was running the entire day's events in my mind.

I've had a very frustrating and irritating encounter with a PLDT lineman today. Much as I wanted to rant about it here, I feel too tired. All the negativity must have weighed down upon me, I've no energy yet to recount the entire 10 month history of the problem. Knowing a lot of people also have complaints against their services, I feel compelled to write and share my grueling experience. Forgive me, though, for putting it off for another day.

On a lighter note, tomorrow will be the first showing day of Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd's movie, A Very Special Love. As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I very much like their tandem and I'm looking forward to witnessing once more, their surprising but very entertaining chemistry. I suspect that contrary to the once rumored possibility of the movie being boycotted by the John Lloyd-Bea fans, this movie will most likely be standing room only. Just think of Sarah's following which could easily fill up the whole of Araneta Coliseum, plus those who availed of her concert DVD albums, both of which remarkably attained a platinum record, which according to Gary V. makes her the first Filipino to be given such an award.

I'm now sitting in front of the computer having a debate with my bookworm self on whether to continue blogging and blog hopping or to stand up and go back to my favorite reading chair. I look at the pile of unread books sitting on my shelf for months now, I must have about 20 or more of them patiently waiting for an opening in my schedule so I can go take them out on a date in the living room. Ahhh... imagine sitting on a very comfy chair, a cup of hot choco on the side table, an open book before your eyes. Better snap out of it before I forget to publish this post.

I'm contemplating the thought of finishing my book, Rich Dad's The Business School For People Who Like Helping People, but I doubt I would be able to, sensing that my eyes are about to droop any minute now. I believe the energy-consuming PLDT encounter took a toll on me, and as much as I want to continue enriching my mind with Robert Kiyosaki's wisdom, I better give in to the magnetic power of my bed, lest I resemble the woman in the picture.

JabbaWockeeZ in America's Best Dance Crew

When I saw the JabbaWockeeZ in YouTube, I was amazed at their skills. It was so fun to watch this dance crew, their moves so original and captivating. They were first seen in America's Got Talent and they won the in the 1st season of Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew last March. I love watching street dance as it showcases very creative and complicated dance moves, sometimes mixed in with a story, and you really get engrossed watching dance groups perform it.

JabbaWockeeZ also appeared in the movie Step Up 2: The Streets, wearing their signature masks. They've become a phenomenon and they have a very large following. And did I mention that a few members of the group are Filipinos. Of course, learning about fellow Pinoys who are succeeding in their respective fields around the globe kind of gives you a sense of pride, even if you don't know them personally. Anyway, here's a couple of videos of JabbaWockeeZ' performances in America's Best Dance Crew. You'll surely enjoy them as I did.







JabbaWockeeZ dances in Randy Jackson Presents America's Got Talent
Challenge 1: Music Video Moves - "Ice Box"
Challenge 2: Dance Craze Challenge - "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It"
Challenge 3: Movie Characters - "Ayo Technology"
Challenge 4: Thriller - "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"
Challenge 5: Broadway Remixed - "All That Jazz"
Challenge 6: Evolution of Street Dance - "Funky Town", "It's Like That", "It's Just Begun", "Push It", "Bye Bye Bye", "Get Buck In Here"
Challenge 6: Encore Performance - "The Red Pill"
Challenge 7: The Live Finale - "Stronger"

ALVEO: An Ayala Land Company

When you think of buying a piece of land or a house and lot, the first real estate development company that comes to mind is Ayala Land. Ayala has already left a big imprint on Filipinos' minds that everything they touch turns to gold. Therefore, if money were not a problem, it would be very desirable to clinch a piece of their prime properties.

There's Ayala Land Premier for their high end properties, which offers exclusive and distinct living experiences for its homeowners. Alveo, formerly Community Innovations, for their mid range, family- and community-oriented properties, which focus on providing safe yet vibrant communities for families, whether they be starting or those with a large household. Alveo in Latin means "to be well", and they provide you with an environment conducive to a healthy, active and enjoyable lifestyle, thereby giving emphasis to their tag line "Live the life you deserve". Then there's also Avida for their affordable housing range, which boasts of well-located communities that would not leave a big dent on your pockets. They provide hardworking families the option to own comfortable homes in peaceful communities, living up to its tagline "Affordable living at its best".

Personally, I'm more interested in the properties of Alveo, which includes house and lot properties in Verdana Homes Mamplasan (Binan, Laguna), Treveia (Calamba, Laguna), Marquee Place (Angeles City, Pampanga), Celadon Residences (Sta. Cruz, Manila) and condominium units in Two Serendra (Bonifacio Global City), Senta (Legazpi Village, Makati), The Columns (Legazpi Village, Makati) and Celadon Park (Sta. Cruz, Manila). I love the concept of providing a balance of luxury and affordability in a private, but engaging community, well suited for young or growing families. They target mobile professionals and urban achievers with their centrally located subdivisions and condominium units that bring upscale living to its active and cosmopolitan clients.

Verdana Homes Mamplasan
Available for sale: Phase 1 and 2
Size of Lot: 181-499 sqm
Price Range: 2-6M (w/ VAT)








Treveia
Available for sale: Phase 1
Size of Lot: 239-576 sqm
Price Range: 2.5-7M








Celadon Residences
Available for sale: Phase 1 and 2
Size of Lot: 85-181 sqm
Size of Unit: 168-204 sqm
Price Range: 9.5-15M








Two Serendra
Available for sale: Section D and E
Size of Unit: 36-267 sqm
Price Range: 4.2-16M

The Aston at Two Serendra
Available for sale; Section F
Size of unit: 42-105 sqm
Price Range: 4-15M








Senta
Size Range of Unit: 32-81 sq.m.
(345-872 sq.ft.)
Price Range: Php 3.37-9.18M








The Columns
Available for sale: Towers 1 and 2
Size of Unit: 30-83 sqm
Price Range: 3-9.7M








Celadon Park
Available for sale: Tower 1
Size of Unit: 49-100sqm
Price Range: 3.4-9M








If you're interested in acquiring properties of Alveo, please let me know.

What's the Best Internet Service Provider?

I need help. I need to know what really is the best Internet Service Provider, or is it better to coin it as the least of all evils? As you may have read in a post I've made a few weeks back, regarding the intermittent connection problem we've been having with Globe broadband, it's been ongoing for several months already and until now, no solution has been made. Every now and then, I would call their customer service/technical support hotline and really, all I get is their overused lines, "Ma'am we do apologize for the inconvenience. I will be forwarding your concern to our technical field team." Oh jeez! It's so frustrating already, I am way beyond being inconvenienced, I'm feeling exasperated. Their lack of an efficient system plus their disservice to clients is really aggravating.
I need to know if it would be better for me to transfer to PLDT myDSL. I used to subscribe to SmartBro but then their connection went from ok to very slow, hence our decision to transfer to Globe, thinking that maybe theirs was better and faster. Apparently, it was a very unwise move because it turned out to be worse. I was hoping to get some more feedback about PLDT myDSL this time before we make a mistake of once more subscribing to a lousy ISP. What would you recommend?

Proper Location of the Entrecard Widget

I've seen and read many other bloggers who campaign about the location of Entrecard widgets. You'll notice the "Drop on Top" buttons on their websites, encouraging other bloggers to put their widgets on the upper portion of their sites, more favorably in the upper fold. This is to save them time in looking for the widget just to drop their EC cards. Doing this chain-dropping allows them to earn credits faster, but the initial intention of Entrecard in creating this tool is unrealized.

Others go as far as creating quick drop pages and provide incentives to drop on a blank page that shows only the EC widget, which also loads faster, by the way. Some bloggers may love this and they bookmark these pages as it saves them time and effort. But again, the ultimate purpose is not served.

I, personally, don't have a problem with scanning the entire page of a website looking for the EC widget because it allows me to skim through the posts and discover a good read or two. I don't mind the widget being placed in the lowest portion either. I can understand the reason of the bloggers in placing their widgets on locations other than the upper fold, because if I am to join the Entrecard community, my main reasons would be to expose my blog to others and to discover a few great websites along the way. The credits to be earned would just be a bonus.

If I am to place my widget at the top, the tendency for others who are more interested in earning credits or generating just plain traffic, is to drop their cards and go on to the next website, hence, the high bounce rate. I would prefer other bloggers or users to have the chance to view, if not all, at least a few of my posts which I have put in an effort to write. This creates more valuable traffic than the usual drop and hop, increasing the chances of generating a more engaging community of bloggers who provide feedbacks and comments on your published works.

Now, on the other hand, if the credits are that important to you and you also would very much like to earn through others who want to put ads on your EC widget, it's not a good idea to place your widget at the lowest portion of your website or the footer. You would be creating disservice to the advertiser as not all people scan the entire page. Ideally, if everyone views the entire web page every time, the location would not matter and you would have the option to place your widget where you deem fit. But, as many bloggers don't practice that, giving consideration to the exposure of your advertiser would be better appreciated.

I think placing the EC widget in line with your 2nd or 3rd post would be pretty appropriate. You can expose a couple of your posts to the droppers giving your blog a chance to hook up readers. That location is still very well above the mid portion of your blog, depending on the length of your posts, which avoids too much frustration for chain droppers. And because it's not way down the bottom, your advertisers will still have enough exposure as well. Everyone compromises to achieve a win-win situation for all.

Partnership of Entrecard and SezWho

Just recently, Entrecard has announced its partnership with SezWho. Personally, I joined Entrecard because it allowed me, as a new blogger to explore the sites of other bloggers, which I wouldn't have discovered on my own, and expose my blog as well. I felt that it was a great way to promote blogs and sites because it gives everyone a chance to be heard and seen.

Entrecard, more than other social networks for weblogs and websites, encourages you to reciprocate and take a look at those blogs that have visited you, moreover it has a campaign board where you can visit other blogs of interest. Other social networks may have widgets that show who visited you, but sometimes laziness can overcome most people therefore most don't reciprocate the visits. Entrecard on the other hand, gives you that little push, by giving out credits whenever you drop your card on other sites. Then during these visits, you get to discover other blogs or sites that you might have an interest in, making this tool effective for acquiring readers.

The good intention of Entrecard in generating traffic though, seems not enough to help blogs and sites be very successful in terms of viewership participation. Often times, bloggers just drop their card in other blogs without reading even the front page of the site. They would just move on to other sites, chain-dropping for short term benefits, and this is what causes the high bounce rate.

This is where SezWho comes in. SezWho increases the quality and frequency of interactions between blogs and sites. It encourages more comments, more interactions and more pageviews. Comments can also be rated to discourage the ones that are made just for the sake of saying something without giving or adding value to the post. In partnering up with Entrecard which awards those that leave comments, there is an even bigger push as people are motivated to contribute.

Some may not agree and believe that the comments made due to this partnership will just be because of the credits. Some will not like the idea of others rating the comments because they may perceive it to be inaccurate as those with an opposing view may rate a comment as low.

For me though, I don’t leave comments if I don’t have anything to say about the post even if they give me credits because it takes too much time and thought, much better spent on writing or reading other really interesting posts.

But sometimes I do feel like commenting, but then I would feel kinda lazy to type, and so sometimes I pass it up and I think this is where the credits come in, it gives you a little nudge because the fact is, you really want to do it, yet you're just a little lazy at the moment. No credits though can give you a big push to comment on something you’re not interested in at all.

For those who do comment for the credits, this is why they have to have ratings I guess, so that you would really think about your comments and just put comments on posts you like, since it would reflect on your ratings if you’re just after the credits.

The belief is that if you are given the encouragement to make that effort in actually leaving good, helpful, informative, valuable or entertaining comments, these in turn will earn you a reputation and a following across the blogosphere. After all, commenting, when done right, is one of the most powerful strategies in driving traffic to your blog and having your viewers come back more often than not.

Anyway, you're free to try it out for yourself to see if it works well for you.

Why Oh Why?

Why does it rain on the one day you forget to bring your umbrella?

Why do the cars stop moving on the lane you've just transferred to and you see your previous lane now suddenly moving without you?

Why is it that whenever you catch a movie rerun on cable, you always get to see the same part of the movie as when you last caught it?

Why is it that when you need to buy something at the last minute like a slacks for an important meeting or a yellow shirt for your kid's color coded field trip or a pair of black stilettos for a cocktail party or fairy wings for your daughter's costume party, you can't seem to find one, but when you don't need them anymore, you seem to see it available everywhere?

Why can you wake up in the morning at the exact time you told your brain the previous night to wake you up?

Why do you suddenly run into an old friend you've been thinking about lately?

Why is that when you keep on looking at a certain product in a certain store, which has been there for quite a while, the day you decide to purchase it, you go to the store and find it gone and has been sold just recently?

Why do the worse traffic jams happen when you're already late for something?

Why oh why?

NUTRILITE™ Nutrition Month Fest

In line with the celebration of the Nutrition Month this July, you can enjoy big savings on ALL NUTRILITE™ products until July 31, 2008. What's more, NUTRILITE™ will be holding several activities on July 26, 2008 at the Amway Experience Center in Makati.

This includes a nutrition consultation with licensed dietitian wherein you can also know your body age through their Body Fat Monitor equipment. There will also be a fitness class, the first 20 participants gets a free Positrim protein bar, proper exercise outfit should be worn. Also, sessions on fitness and nutrition will be held, as well as a talk on Positive Attitude, Winning Attitude by Paeng Nepomuceno, world class athlete and NUTRILITE™ Ambassador.

Paeng Nepomuceno made it to the Guinness World Records for the third time for having won the most number of bowling tournaments worldwide, clinching his 118th late last year. His 4 world cup championships have spanned 3 decades, the reason for his first inclusion Guinness World Records. His was honored the second time as the youngest bowler, 19 years old, to win the World Cup. He is now known by several titles, such as "Greatest Filipino Athlete of All time", "Athlete of the Century", and "International Bowling Athlete of the Millenium". Sweet... and he endorses NUTRILITE™... nice.

Neopets & Neopets Jr.: Online Gaming Sites for Kids and Kidlike Adults

I miss playing Neopets. I used to play it before whenever I have some free time, but then as I got more busy, I've forgotten all about my account. It's an online game site which is actually for big kids, but there's no one stopping the adults from playing too. And from what I observe, it seems that the members ratio is actually in favor of the adults.

It's like having your own pet, only make it a virtual pet. You get to pick a breed, and then you get to feed it, clothe it, educate it, play games with it, build and design a home for it. You can even get it its own pet. The money you will be needing to spend for food, clothes, and home, you can earn through playing in different online games included in the site. These games have several categories so you have a lot of choices basing on your game preference. There are word games, arcade games, adventure games, sporty ones and games based on pure luck.

It has a neighborhood where you can buy some stuff, and there's also a market place wherein other members trade and sell their items. You can have your own gallery to showcase your items and your own shop to sell them too. There's also a bank where you can deposit your money and it will earn interest for you everyday. Neopets features different worlds you can visit and explore, and some may hold a secret spot or two for you to discover. It's quite fun playing it actually, but too time consuming especially if you get engrossed playing it.

I think I kind of abandoned my pet during Christmas time, coz when I logged in a while ago, it was still wearing its Christmas costume. And poor Salmoncheek, his hunger level was already stating 'dying'. No surprise coz it's been months since I last fed him.

Now, they have Neopets Jr. designed for younger kids which have easier games and is pretty much a simpler version of the original.

It's quite amusing to submerge yourself in childrens' games once in a while, makes you feel like a kid before snapping back again to reality and finding yourself, yet again, amidst the piling work and household chores.

Jobstreet Career Fair 2008

JobStreet.com offers a Career Fair in Festival Mall Alabang, to be held at the 4th Floor Expo Trade Hall on August 29-30, 2008. You can visit all participating companies and check out the wide variety of job opportunities offered. This is a cost-effective way if you're on the look out for jobs or new career choices.

You can visit the JOBSolutely Cool Microsite for more information.

Riyo Mori's First & Final Walk as Miss Universe 2007

I loved Riyo Mori's gown when she was crowned Miss Universe 2007. It very much suited her, being Japanese and all. I like the style and the colors and the way she carried it while working the runway.

This year, she surprised many by going out on stage in no less than a tuxedo. For the first time in the history of the Miss Universe pageant as I believe, the reigning title holder took her final walk not in a gown, but in a suit. It was such a rare moment to behold, but one that portrays a powerful message about women. Even without her crown, she stood out. Make a statement she did, and a strong one at that. She proved worthy of her crown if merely for her capacity to shine without the jewels on her head.

Marks & Spencer End of Season Sale

Marks & Spencer is having an End of Season Sale starting July 15, 2008. There will be up to 50-60% off on selected items. For those who love shopping, better hurry and grab the opportunity. Who knows, the clothes like their blouses and slacks that you were just dreaming about, which goes for around P3,150, might be available in your size for only about P1,450. Aside from clothes, they also have underwear, skin care products and food items included in the sale.

Cakes by Kat

Kat is a Filipina mom of four boys, currently living in Bangkok, Thailand, who loves to bake, and boy, does she have the artistic talent and patience for it. She bakes cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cupcake cakes and cookie cakes (it's the first time I've heard of a cookie cake, cool idea, mess-free cake for kids! Smart mom!) for different family occasions and has turned her hobby into a home business, Cakes by Kat. She uses special premium ingredients for her cakes such as Belgium chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut butter mousse filling, vanilla orange, gummy bears, chocolate truffles, white chocolate, raspberry and a lot more. Here are some of my favorites among her creations.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Fish Cookies

Christmas Cookies
Brownies
Flower Cupcakes
Cartoon Cupcakes
Race Car Cupcake Cake
Groovy Chick
Make-up Pouch
Topsy Turvey
Flower Princess
Princess Castle
Easter Cake
Kevin's Basketball Cake
Classic Black Forest
Chocolate Truffle Cake

Cheesecake

She'll be transferring to Jakarta, Indonesia soon because her husband will be assigned there. For those in Jakarta, I'll be posting her contact details as soon as she's settled there so you know where to reach her for pastry orders. For now, you can view more of her delectable confections at http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakes_by_kat/

Look What I Found: Crocs Cellphone Holder

While browsing through the Havaianas stand in Rustan's last week, I noticed a new display of Crocs beside it. I thought it was something new for babies but when I took a closer look, it was a cellphone holder which used the same material, color and design as that of the Crocs shoe itself. It was so cute! You can also put different jibbitz (those little button designs you plug through the holes) to suit your taste. It costs P750 each, comes in a few colors for now, hopefully they add some more combinations. There's a little plastic inside for your credit card, atm card and license. There's also a strap if you want to hang it around your neck or over your shoulder, and a belt clip if you're in shorts or jeans.

ARTISTRY™ Pure White Line Revision Launch

I was at the ARTISTRY™ Pure White Line Revision Launch last night. The launch started at 6 p.m. at the Amway Brand Experience Center in Makati. As I entered the reception area, a sea of white greeted me as the invitation stated to come in your best white attire.

The event talked about the role of melanin in the skin. I'm not going to bore you with the educational details but basically, it explains how melanin is not an enemy because it actually helps diminish the damage caused by harmful rays of the sun and detoxifies the activated oxygen produced during exposure. But excess melanin produces dark spots in the skin so what we need is a balance of melanin levels, lest our skin gets easily damaged. Whitening products help achieve and maintain that balance.

Whitening is one of the most complex, technology oriented products in the skin care industry. Many brands are competing to provide advanced technology in their whitening products to appeal to customers. This is because most Asian women have longed for a whiter and lighter complexion, resulting in a strong demand for whitening products.

Pure White is more effective and more beautiful than ever before! The key technology incorporated into the new Pure White formulations has been carefully designed to provide natural white beauty achieved through a holistic, balanced approach to whitening - a revolutionary ARTISTRY™ approach that is patent-pending. The whitening regimen is holistic because all products work synergistically to prevent, treat and protect the skin from skin discolouration. As you use new Pure White to reduce the melanin within the skin, the products will prevent and protect your skin from the formulation of excess melanin. Balance will be restored within the skin.

The New Pure White will satisfy customers' expectations and will prove to be competitive in the market because of its overall improvement. The SPF factor of the Pure White Moisturizer has also increased from SPF15 to SPF20. The packaging has also improved, and now comes in subtle curves, with a pearl-like, glowing finish.

At first I thought that the prices were a bit expensive. The Pure White Cleanser costs P1,760, the Toner, Moisturizer, and Night Creme costs P2,240 each and the Pure White Essence costs P2,690. But when they showed the price comparison among the 5 top skin care brands which also includes Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique and Chanel, it was ARTISTRY™ that has the most affordable prices. The Pure White Essence priced at P2,690 was far cheaper compared to its similar product by Lancome which is priced at about P4,500 and Estee Lauder's which is priced at about P5,350. And yet, when comparing the formulations and the ingredients inlcuded in each product, ARTISTRY™ had more to offer than the rest of the 4 brands.

If you wish to order, you can visit http://amwayibo.multiply.com/

By the way, all products of Artistry has a 90 day money-back guarantee. I guess that's how certain and confident they are in their products' quality.

Kids Eat For Free in Crustasia

You can click the image to better see the phone numbers of the branches. You can also visit their website at www.redcrabonline.com

Conti's Pastry Shop & Restaurant

Conti's boasts a very wide selection of mouth watering food. Almost everything in their menu is scrumptious and so far, everything I've tried is really good. Since I'm a southern girl, I've pretty much grown up with Conti's.

As I remember, I'm not sure if they have the same owners or if they were co-owners, it started with Dates & Nuts. It was a small restaurant in BF Homes, Paranaque, right across Tropical Hut Supermarket. They had the best iced tea, it was frosted and had a distinct taste exclusive to the restaurant. I also remember always ordering their lasagna as a kid. I loved the taste, not too sweet, it was just right. I also loved their roast beef. Their food was the best!

One of the owners that I see there usually, I don't know her name, but since we were regular customers, she would always walk over to our table and ask how we like our food. That same woman I saw when Conti's opened just a few meters away from Dates & Nuts, which is now Dates Cafe. I don't know the history of ownership and management of the two restaurants, but it seems that the menu of Dates & Nuts was carried over to Conti's plus they added a whole lot more.

Anyway, we also transferred to Conti's because the ambience is much more nicer and roomier, also they still have the same, great food. They had their own building, with an office, function room, stock room, and a room big enough to accomodate people ordering for the holidays, on the upper floors. The left side of the ground floor is the restaurant itself while the right side is the take out counter. They have shelves and refs which showcase pastries, cakes, spreads, and frozen viands.

Since I don't cook and don't have a cook, I regularly visit this place. I usually get the tuna sandwich spread for sandwiches, frozen lasagna and baked macaroni for my pasta items, and for my meat items, I get frozen roast beef and caldereta. Even if its frozen, the food still tastes good after just heating it up in the microwave, so that works very well for me. When I'm in a frying mood, I also get their beef tapa, it's really tender so my teeth doesn't hurt after eating.

I love reading menus even after I've said my order to the waiter. While waiting for my food, I get a kick out of reading the tasteful descriptions of each dish, and my appetite level really goes up. Conti's menu leaves me wanting to order more and more, if only the food themselves would fit my little stomach.

Some of my favorites include Arroz Ala Cubana which is sweeter than the average meaty version of other restaurants, Shrimp Supreme, their shrimp-filled bun sandwich with a small side macaroni salad, and the Mango Royale Salad. Even though I don't usually like fruits in my salad, this is an exception, for the mangoes really go well with the chicken and their greens topped with their yummy salad sauce.

I also love their Baked Prawns with Japanese fried rice and Baked Salmon with Paella rice, both were absolutely heavenly. You really can't help but feel the sensation of every bite, definitely divine. The Beef Teppanyaki is also delicious, at first I thought it would be like any other teppanyakis of Japanese restaurants, but when I put my first bite inside my mouth, it was so tasty that I finished the whole thing in minutes.

For dessert, I usually go for the Mango Bravo Cake whose reputation has reached even the non-Southerners, especially now that Conti's has branches in Greenhills, Serendra and Trinoma.
I also like their Choco Almond Sansrival Cake, the almonds giving right balance to this sweet treat.


Their Frothy Iced Tea is very similar to my old time Dates & Nuts favorite drink, although the serving is not enough for me as I'm an iced tea lover and I always avail the bottomless or refillable option.

An Unusual Capture of Nature

While surfing the Net, I came across a very unusual picture. It shows a herd of zebras, but is presented in a different light. Instead of seeing primarily the zebras, what you'll first notice and may think of as the animals themselves, are their shadows.


Only when you look at it closely, would you come to the realization that these are not gray or black horses, but shadows of the zebras instead. I wonder the time of day this photo was taken to be able to produce shadows with a height just enough for one to perceive it to be actual horses.

ARTISTRY™ Skin Care & Cosmetics

ARTISTRY™ is one of the world's Top Five largest-selling prestige brands of facial skin care and colour cosmetics. It was independently classified by Euromonitor as a prestige brand based on high-quality formulas, elegant packaging, and technologically advanced product innovation. Also included in the Top Five are Lancôme, Estée Lauder, Clinique and Chanel.

ARTISTRY™ is the only direct-selling brand classified in the prestige brand category and it generates about $1 billion in annual retail sales worldwide. They oversee the development of products from start to finish as they are the ones who develop the product formulations, manufacture and package them, thereby ensuring quality. What I like about them is that all their products are dermatologically and allergy tested. They have a high tech approach used in testing for skin irritation and product performance wherein they really measure minute changes in skin temperature.

The ARTISTRY™ brand has several lines which include:


Artistry Essentials, a comprehensive product line for all skin types providing optimal skin health with maximum ease of use. This is for the practical side of a woman whose beauty routine is quick and efficient. I belong to this category of women because I really prefer low maintenance, fuss-free routines. I've seen Artistry Essentials ads in Oprah Magazines.

Artistry Time Defiance, which renews skin and restores it to ageless beauty. Their products preserve and restore the appearance of youthful skin and prevent the visible signs of aging. This is for the woman determined to seize control of every aspect of her being.

Artistry Pure White, which provides holistic solutions for skin whitening and brightening. Their products work to prevent, treat and protect against discolouration. This is for those who want fairer skin, like some Filipinos who are conscious of their skin tone, with us being a race of darker skin.

Artistry Colour, which are cosmetics that embrace and enhance your own natural beauty.





Artistry Creme L/X, wherein you can experience the benefits of rejuvinated skin, one that acts up to 15 years younger. It re-energizes skin for optimum performance and a revitalized appearance. This is for the woman who expects and demands the absolute best.



Sandra Bullock is the A-list celebrity endorser of Artist Creme LuXury.

Sweet Home Blogger Award

This “SWEET Home Blogger Award” for sharing, beauty, love and joy!

This Award is from C.A.! Thanks! Very much appreciated ;)

And I’ll pass this to these fab bloggers as well!

Mommy Ruby, Liza, Z'riz, Chinita , Cielo, and KCee

NUTRILITE™ Vitamins & Minerals for Kids

NUTRILITE™ is the world's leading brand of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements. They offer a complete range of supplements and other products designed to address the nutritional needs of anyone at any life stage. They also have available multi-vitamins and supplements for kids.

NUTRILITE™ Kids Chewable Vitamins and Minerals tablets come in fun soccer ball designs, are chewable and great-tasting. This supplement provides 11 vitamins, beta carotene and 4 minerals. Plus PHYTONUTRIENT™ from NUTRILITE™ Acerola Concentrate and Tropical Fruit Concentrates for additional nutritional benefits.

Before, my daughter used to take Flinstones Chewable Vitamins, because she hates drinking liquid vitamins. She didn't like all those Tiki-Tiki, Appebon, Nutroplex, etc. But when I was introduced to NUTRILITE™, I switched brands because first, I think natural supplements are better than the synthetic ones found in drugstores. Second, although it may seem more expensive, I'd rather expend on this than on medical bills I'd incur from sickness due to low resistance and lack of proper nutrients. Third, this brand has a proven track record worldwide so I know that my family is in good hands.

NUTRILITE™ Kids Chewable Concentrated Fruits & Vegetables is a delicious way to get good stuff in fruits and vegetables. These chewable tablets are so sweet and tangy, kids will never know they're getting something good for them. Just one chewable tablet delivers naturally sourced key phytonutrients in amount equivalent to those found in 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables. And they contain xylitol, a natural sweetener that won't promote tooth decay.

I give this to my daughter because she's a semi-picky eater. She doesn't eat vegetables much and is choosy with fruits. The only fruits she eats are grapes and mangoes. With this, I, at least, am assured that she can still get the nutrients she needs even when she refuses to eat vegetables. I let my daughter take this once a day right after eating breakfast or lunch.

If you wish to order, you can visit http://amwayibo.multiply.com/