Old > New ; Switching > Staying

In most cases, we have been taught that loyalty is a good thing. It is even rewarded. For example, a kid that goes to the same school from nursery until high school graduation is typically given a loyalty award. Some companies give incentives to employees on the anniversaries of their employment. But these days, that isn't always the case. 

Take the case of the telco industry. While I won't ever criticize their aggressive campaigns to bring in new subscribers, I would however like to ask why old subscribers, loyal subscribers aren't given the same treatment? Shouldn't companies be working as hard to keep their current subscribers happy as well? Of course I don't mean it in the literal sense, because that might not work all the time. But at least try to offer your loyal customers something close/applicable to what you're willing to offer someone new. 

Prepaid vs Postpaid:

Kind of the same thing. I'm not asking that promos for prepaid consumers be lessened, I am however wondering why postpaid consumers seem to get the shorter end of the stick? Most of the time, it's either a promotion is only applicable to prepaid consumers, OR it takes months before the same promotion is valid for postpaid users as well. Perhaps there is an explanation, and I'm all ears. No one wants to feel like they're not being valued by a service provider that they PAY for. Sadly, there is no real competition when it comes to this issue. They are all the same. So opting to change providers isn't really an answer.

While I've always been optimistic about many things in life, including the state of our country, this culture however has me thinking that it is sadly an aspect that won't be seeing change for a while. 

Antonio's Bibingka: And The Plot Thickens... Sort of?

Here's the update. Through the efforts of a friend who managed to get the number of the head office for Antonio's Bibingka, I finally got to talk to someone. Why she was given the number and I wasn't is probably obvious. Since it's immaterial, I won't talk about that anymore. But can I just say that it was a smart plan. Haha

She was given a mobile number and the name Lalaine. I called the number and asked if the one who answered was indeed Lalaine. Next thing I did was ask about their procedure for claiming or using vouchers purchased from Ensogo. She told me the same thing Arvin told me. You have to make a reservation prior to date of use. I asked her why when it isn't indicated in the voucher. She told me it's written in the voucher, the part about the merchant suggests to make a reservation 3 days prior to use. At this point, my thinking was, this line again?! Naturally, I told her the same thing I told Arvin. Suggested and required do not mean the same thing! (My goodness, even a grade schooler can differentiate the two!) What she answered next kind of surprised me. Apparently, she claims that they (the company) told Ensogo about their terms including the required reservation prior to use. That it was Ensogo's fault why that detail was left out from the terms and conditions of their deal. So I told her, if that's the case then the customers shouldn't be the one that get hassled because of the confusion. 

She then asked me when I plan to use my voucher. I told her, actually I have already used mine. But I'd just like to "report" an incident with their supervisor. I told her my story. To my disappointment, she did not seem to sympathize. All I got was an insincere apology. I also told her that I called the other number in the voucher to ask how I could get in touch with the head office about this issue. The name of the person that I got to talk to was Rhea. But she told me that they were not allowed to give customers any contact information. So I just asked her (Rhea) if it was possible to just relay to their office about what happened and could they contact me instead since she already has my mobile number. Judging from her reaction, or lack thereof, I concluded that no such thing happened. And she didn't say anything about that either. I clarified that I was not after anything. She just told me that she will call his attention and reprimand him.

In conclusion: I did not think that it was possible for me to get more disappointed than I already was. Silly of me to be so presumptuous! I don't think I was asking for too much either. A simple sincere apology would've sufficed. But I should've known from the start of the conversation with her that it wasn't going to happen. I also found doubtful her claim that it was Ensogo's fault for missing the important detail of the reservation. This isn't the first time that a deal similar to theirs was offered. I've seen that detail of requiring reservations on plenty of other deals. So perhaps the mistake was on their end and not on Ensogo's? 

I am somewhat familiar with the typical courtesies that someone from the service industry should be extending. And as a customer, I have my rights. Neither Arvin, nor Lalaine managed to convey that courtesy to me. While I can commend Rhea for she was the only one who seemed truly apologetic for what happened, I don't know if she really did what she said she'd do. At this point, I don't care anymore. In my opinion, I have done my part.

PS: If it weren't obvious enough, it would be a while (as in a long long time) before I patronize them again. Deal or no deal. :P

Antonio's Bibingka: Love the Bibingka; Hate the Service

As I have previously mentioned, I am one of the many who have benefited from the recent rise of the online groupon economy. Sometime in July, my sister purchased a deal from Ensogo for Antonio's Bibingka with branches in Fairview, Megamall and North Edsa. We've never tried it but we figured how bad could it be right? The deal was for 400 worth of GC applicable for food and drinks from your chosen branch. 

Fast forward to Sept. 17, 2012:

On our way home from the airport, we decided to pass by Megamall to use the voucher. We re-read the terms of the deal and found nothing indicating that a reservation was REQUIRED prior to using the voucher. As soon as we got there, we were told by the staff that we were not allowed to use the voucher because we had to reserve 3 days before we were to use it. I re-read the voucher for the 2nd time and found no such instruction. So I told the employee that it wasn't written in the voucher. She told us that, that was the advise given to them by their supervisor. Of course I checked the voucher for the 3rd time, part of the standard ensogo terms included this: Merchant suggests voucher holders to make reservations at least 3 days prior to redemption (boxed in red below). Now, I'm no English major, but in my understanding, suggested and required do not mean the same thing. 

So next thing we did was call the supervisor using the number that appeared on the voucher. It was answered immediately by a guy who I later found out was named Arvin. I asked him about the policy regarding the vouchers. He told me the same thing, we were required to make a reservation. So I told him that there was no such instruction or detail in the voucher about it. He kept on insisting it was the policy. He even told me "binago na nga po". I asked him then where they announced the said change, he couldn't answer me. I told him that it would be a hassle to have to come back when there was no clear instruction. His next retort is what started to get me going. 

A: Kasi po yung iba naman marunong umintindi. 

Now, I am known to sometimes have a short fuse. But in this instance, I doubt that I was being unreasonable when I felt insulted. So I answered: 

Me: So ibig mong sabihin hindi ako marunong umintindi? Eh wala nga sa voucher nyong nakalagay na REQUIRED magpa reserve, bakit ayaw mo ipa claim sa akin? Gusto mo pakita ko pa sa iyo yung voucher?!" 

A: Pano ko po makikita eh nasa cellphone tayo nag-uusap?

At this point, I was boiling mad. I wanted to hurl expletives at the guy. 

Me: So pilosopo ka pa ngayon?

A:  Kasi po naninigaw kayo.

Me: Pano ako di magagalit? Eh pabalang kang sumagot?! Ano bang pangalan mo? 

A: Sige po pwde nyo na gamitin yung voucher. Kausapin ko nalang yung tao.

Me: Anong pangalan mo? 

A: Arvin

I passed the phone to the girl and I'm assuming he told her to let us use our voucher. The girl then proceeded to take our order. My sister and I decided to split up as we both had other things to buy. She (my sister) told me later that the staff apologized to her and even told her there have been other complaints as well. But she had to follow orders. My goodness, buti pa sya marunong mag-sorry! 

As soon as we got home, I got to work. I wanted to make sure that such disrespect will not go unnoticed. I had asked the girl from the store for contact information for their head office, but she told me that she didn't  have it, they only had Arvin's number. I tried to find Antonio's Bibingka online but no such luck. No facebook account and no other information was offered in their voucher. All I could do was call the other number on the voucher. So I did. A girl answered this time, I relayed to her my experience and told her I want to get in touch with their boss about this matter. She offered an apology and told me she wasn't allowed to give out information. We talked for about more than 10 minutes with me telling her about my experience, and her telling me that it was wrong for Arvin to be so rude about it all. All she could do for me was supposedly relay it to their boss and also reprimand Arvin for his behavior, although in my opinion, I'm doubtful that will happen since she addressed him as Sir. I also requested her to pass on my number to their boss or whoever it is that I can talk to because I want to talk to them. I clarified that I am not after anything, not a freebie or for him to be fired. All I'm after is to make sure that such a thing doesn't happen again and that he be disciplined in some way. It's been almost a month since that conversation and I have not received a call or a text. 

Here's what I don't understand, they had available stock. It wasn't like in other types of establishments where they only keep a few on stock. They actually had plenty on stock and it was apparent that they could just make more should they run low. Another thing: in the first place, they should have stated clearly that they REQUIRED a 3-day reservation prior to using the voucher. One last thing: he is in the food/service business! Even if a customer has become irrational, he cannot make rude comments! I was on the right on this and I refuse to back down. If he cannot handle such matters, then he is obviously working for the wrong industry.

Oh, on a side note: The bibingkas were actually good. They were way better than Ferino's which for me used to be the best bibingka in town. But sadly, their quality has slowly deteriorated these past few years. :( It's just too bad that I had been met with such rudeness. 

PS: If anyone knows how I could contact Antonio's Bibingka, please let me know. Thanks!

i don't mean to be mean... (teeheehee)

a few years back i saw this tarp along quirino. i couldn't help but take a snapshot just for fun. :D months later, the sign was removed.

 

fast forward to last week: they have a new sign! :D

and since i'm on the topic, here's one more: (i forgot where this was posted, i only remember that it was in Megamall)

PS: as of last month, the word "KITHCHEN" has been edited.

Foodie at Work: Zubuchon

I have been to Cebu countless of times, but it's always for work. So all I've ever seen are the malls and the airport. I know it's a beautiful city and there's a lot to be seen, so I've been meaning to actually go on a leisure trip.

I've actually been to Cebu twice this year now, first in February and again last June. I've heard about Zubuchon from my sister. We've actually tried it once, bought frozen zubuchon from Cebu then brought it home for dinner. It was definitely yummy. But I wanted to be able to try it fresh, meaning to eat it in one of the Zubuchon branches in Cebu. I finally got that chance in February. We stayed at Island Stay in Mactan and as luck would have it, that's the exact location of a Zubuchon branch! Because we (my dad and I) already had dinner plans, breakfast was our only option. I had the zubuchon flakes and my dad ordered the adobong zubuchon. They did not disappoint. My order was flavorful and crunchy and adding a bit of white vinegar made it a perfect breakfast meal. 

Zubuchon Flakes

But what we were not able to try was the infamous zubuchon itself. We once again settled for a pack of frozen zubuchon to bring back home. 

I finally got my chance last June. I had to do some last minute research and even sought assistance from my sister who was in Manila that time, because I couldn't find information on where was the nearest Zubuchon branch that we could go to for lunch. We went to the Escario branch and proceeded to order. My dad's reaction was: "basta sa pagkain ang galing mo talaga maghanap!" I didn't mind, I'm a foodie, it's part of what I do! 

Zubuchon

We ordered the following: 1/2 kg zubuchon, sinigang na ribs and adobong zubuchon. I also ordered a glass of calamansi shake (i think, haha). Needless to say, we ordered a bit too much. There were only 3 of us! We almost finished everything. If I remember correctly, only a little of the adobo was left. Everything was so good! My dad kept complaining until dinner that he ate too much during lunch! Here are the pictures of the yummy lunch that we had.

Adobo

Sinigang

 Btw, another thing worth noting was how great the service was. Food was served almost immediately after we ordered and all members of the staff were very polite and accommodating. That sort of treatment makes your meal extra special. I will definitely be going back on my next trip!

Calamansi Shake

Cooking Chronicles: 2nd try at Parker's Beef Stew

Last year, I tried one of Barefoot Contessa's recipe (aka Ina Garten), Parker's Beef Stew. It was a simple enough recipe, marinate the beef in wine (1 whole bottle) overnight, brown it in olive oil then saute some veggies (potatoes, carrots and onions). Set aside veggies and beef. Pour marinade in pan where beef was cooked. Add in chicken stock then season with worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add beef and veggies to the sauce, simmer in medium heat then continue cooking in the oven for 2 hours. Since I didn't have cookware for that, I improvised by using a crockpot. Cooked it overnight. The result wasn't great, actually it was bad. The sauce smelled great, but it tasted bitter because of too much wine. So needless to say, I was very disappointed. I had high expectations for the dish. The ingredients and my effort all gone to waste. 

Fast track to last week: I had been contemplating on taking up cooking duties at least once a week at home for some time now. I had noticed that the maids and my mom seem to keep on running out of ideas on what to make for lunch/dinner. One sign of it is we keep having the same ulam every week. It's not the same for literally every day of the week. More like, we'd have fried pork chop this week and then fried pork chop again next week. And my mom has complained a few times already: hindi ko na alam anong lulutuin! So last week, I told her, how about I cook a meal once a week? That's at least one day less for them to plan. (Haha) Of course she agreed. 

Because I have always been a little competitive. I was never one to accept defeat easily. And to me, the failed try at Parker's Beef Stew was something that I wouldn't accept. I wanted to have a go at it again. This time, I won't make the same mistakes. I will use sun-dried tomatoes, instead of fresh ones, real chicken stock and not one made from boiling 1 liter of water and adding beef cubes. 

So as I went about prepping my ingredients, I had to substitute. I didn't want to. But I had to. I used dried rosemary instead of fresh and canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones. I figured it would be ok since it's not like those two ingredients make up a large chunk of the flavor. I also tweaked the recipe a little. The biggest tweak was, instead of using 2 1/2 cups of the marinade, I only used 1 cup and then added more chicken stock to make up for the liquid part of the sauce. 

I started last night with marinating the beef. Woke up early this morning to cook the beef and the veggies then left them in the slow cooker all day. I had been anxious to try it all day, partly worried that I might not like the outcome yet again. The moment I got home, the first thing I did was head to the kitchen and take a look at my creation. It looked and smelled great, same as last time. But I knew that those can be deceiving. So I got a spoon and had a taste. It was good. I had people taste it as well. Ok naman was the answer I got from everybody. But OK was not good enough for me. I had to wait patiently for dinner time for the final verdict. Come dinner time, I was on the edge of my seat as I watched them spoon the stew onto their plates. The verdict is in: it was delicious! My dad couldn't help getting more rice (he was trying to cut back) and he kept saying: sarap ah! I couldnt' help but feel proud. My brother also said the same thing. Finally! I have been redeemed! (Haha) 

This victory is certainly a good start for my new-found duty at home. Hopefully it will be the start of many good results, if not all. :D


PS: I forgot to take a picture! Will try to remember to take a picture of my next "challenge". :)

is it a deal or no deal?

unless you've been living in a cave or some remote island with no internet access for the past year or so, you would know that deal sites or groupon sites have been popping everywhere. you can say that i'm a fan and for good reasons. deal sites/groupon sites give you a chance to try new places to eat for usually a cheaper price. a lot of sites have also offered deals for travel. and of course i've also managed to take advantage of a few deals myself. but caveat emptor (buyer beware), do your due diligence. not all sites are created equal. some are scams while some take advantage of unaware buyers. 

some tips before you click buy and finalize payment:

1. a little research won't hurt. try to find out if you're really getting a good deal or you're just being taken for a ride.

2. for travel deals, check the merchant and the schedule. make sure that the travel period  of the deal matches your plans. if possible, call ahead to check if bookings are possible. i've heard a lot of horror stories about deals going sour because of so many reasons. 

3. as i mentioned above, not all sites are created equal. what do i mean? make sure that the site will be able to deliver the goods, so to speak. sometimes, if it's too good to be true, it probably can't be trusted. a lot of sites have come under fire for not being able to deliver. don't be a victim. 

4. read the fine print. always always read the fine print. some of the typical details that people fail to check are block-out dates. most merchants also require reservations. make sure you call ahead to make your reservation. 

now for the good part. so as to not totally discourage you from checking out deal sites, here are some of the deals that i've bought in the past. i'll post the deal and from what site i bought it from.

1. bellaroca - deal grocer; 1 terraza for 4 people (3d2n) for only P 23,600.00

2. sheridan beach resort - deal grocer; 1 deluxe pool view room (3d2n) for 2 for only P10,600.00

3. spiral buffet - cashcashpinoy; P1,392.00 per person

4. xintiandi dimsum all-you-can - deal grocer; P788.00 per person

5. 1 month unlimited classes at planet infinity - ensogo; P699.00

6. 10 classes at gold's gym - metrodeal; P1,000.00 

of course i can't enumerate all the deals i've bought because for one, there's just too many of them and another, i can't remember all of them. (though i have kept all the vouchers, or at least the pdfs for future reference). hopefully this post has helped you in one way or another! happy safe buying! ;)

possibly the best ensaymada ever!

the picture does not look good enough. can i just say? underneath all that cheesy goodness is a fluffy, soft, not-too-sweet pastry that melts in your mouth even with the daintiest bite. 

i've always wanted to try one of these things. i actually also got the small ones. the cute bite-sized ones. and they were as good, believe me! the only reason why it took me a long time before trying was because they were not exactly cheap. the bite-sized ones are priced at 235 pesos if memory serves me right. there were about 8-10 pieces that were only a tad bigger than your munchkin. this huge ensaymada is 80 pesos! but i'm glad i finally tried it. i'd buy one again because it's that good, but not all the time. it is still 80 pesos and i could name a thing or two that i'd rather buy with my 80 pesos. (like milk tea perhaps? :D) haha

so the verdict is, definitely must-try and possibly worth it. but i won't buy it a lot because i'm kinda cheap like that. haha


so for those who want to try it out. these babies are sold in aristocrat. you read it right, the same restaurant with the best chicken barbecue (in my opinion) in town plus matching java sauce.

yum!

Top 10 tips for good posture

Yes it's another repost from Yahoo. But if you must know, I only repost stuff that I think are useful and/or funny. I, for one have had back problems in the past. So I can definitely relate and agree with the posts below. 


Here's the original link:
http://ph.she.yahoo.com/top-ten-tips-good-posture-110029035.html

1. Be ergonomically smart: At the workplace, use an ergonomic chair, support your lower back with a small cushion and ensure that your legs reach the floor or the foot rest comfortably. Knees should be at level or slightly higher than the hips, and the elbows must rest on the armrest.
2. Buy the right kind of sofa: Spend the maximum you can afford on a good sofa set when doing up the house. Buy sofas that support your back instead of the ones people sink into. Also, put a lot of cushions on them, which can be used to get comfortable and support the back.
3. Sit up. When working at the desk, don’t slouch or curve your back. Sitting up straight is important to keep muscles and ligaments in top form and prevent neck strain.
4. Stand tall. A good posture while standing is to keep the feet apart at shoulder distance with the body weight resting more on the balls of the feet rather than the heels. Arms should hang by the sides and the knees should not be locked.
5. Shift it. If you’re standing for long periods of time, shift your body weight from one leg to another or rock to and fro from heels to toes at regular intervals. If possible, use a small stool to rest each foot on the stool for a while and change over.
6. Look forward. While walking, look straight ahead with the head in a comfortable position, not leaning forward and shoulders upright but not too far back.
7. Get the right "sleep aids." When it comes to getting a good night’s rest, your mattress and pillow play an important role. Choose a firm but not hard mattress that supports your body but doesn’t sink in. Use a soft or small pillow for neck support. Beware: Using more than one pillow can strain your neck muscles.
8. Sleep well. A good sleeping posture to adopt is to sleep on the back or on your side. A cushion placed under the knees while sleeping on the back is recommended. If you’re sleeping on one side, place the cushion between your knees so that the knees do not touch. This helps balance the body’s weight, and prevents stress.
9. Hold it close. While lifting heavy weights, hold it close to the chest. While bending, keep your back straight and bend from the knees, and not from the waist. When carrying a handbag on one shoulder, keep it light and sling it on alternate shoulders to avoid strain on one shoulder
10. Mind your back. While driving, keep your back firmly on the back-rest of your seat. Also, remember to adjust the seat so that your legs can comfortably reach the pedals. Ensure that the back of the head touches the middle of the headrest.   

NBA Playoffs: Day1/2

So the Phoenix Suns have been eliminated from the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year now. This means I am yet again without a team to root for in the playoffs. The advantages are: 1. no heartbreaks (haha) 2. I can enjoy the playoffs from purely a basketball fan's POV. 

Most of the results have been expected. The ones that were surprising were Boston VS Atlanta & Clippers VS Grizzlies. 

Boston VS Atlanta

Yes I know, it is Atlanta's homecourt, and judging from recent history, they've been known to surprise us all. BUT this is the Celtics! I expected more from them! And the 2 Technicals slapped on Rondo will only serve to make things even worse for them (as of now, it's still unsure whether Rondo will be given a one-game suspension). I suppose Ray Allen sitting out cost them a lot more than I expected. 

Clippers VS Grizzlies

I didn't watch the game. I was just checking the scores from time to time. The game was initially a blowout. With Memphis leading by as much as more than 20 points. So imagine my surprise when I found out that Clippers actually won the game by 1 point! Talk about a comeback! They're calling it possibly the best playoff comeback ever. The Clips made a 28-3 run from the 9:13 mark of the 4th Quarter. With Nick Young nailing 3 treys cutting the Grizzlies' lead to 3 points with just 5 minutes left to play. 

The D-Rose Injury

How unlucky can you get? While the Bulls have managed to win without him in the regular season, this is different. They might win the series, but just how far can they go without Rose. I'm predicting a second-round exit at the most for the Rose-less Bulls.

Predictions
1st Round:
Spurs over Jazz in 5
Clippers over Grizzlies in 6
Lakers over Denver in 5
OKC over Mavs in 6 (sorry achi :P)
Sixers over Bulls in 6
Boston over Hawks in 6
Indiana over Magic in 6
Miami over New York in 5

2nd Round:
West
Spurs VS Clippers (Spurs in 6)
Lakers VS OKC (Lakers in 6)

East
76ers VS Boston (Boston in 6)
Indiana VS Miami (Miami in 5)

Conference Finals
Spurs over LA in 7
Miami over Boston in 5

I therefore conclude or more like predict that the NBA Finals will be between San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. These predictions are all based on the current line-ups of the team. (I'm assuming Ray Allen will suit up for game 2). Should any more injuries surface (hopefully not), depending on how serious the injury is plus depending on who will be injured, some of the predictions might change.

9 quick hangover cures that actually work

Not that I'm an alcoholic, but I'm sure this can come in handy. I've been a victim of a hangover a few times and IT IS NO JOKE. I don't know how effective these are though, so perhaps you can try them for yourselves. :D

Source: Yahoo (The link to the original post)

http://ph.she.yahoo.com/photos/9-quick-hangover-cures-that-actually-work-slideshow/curing-hangover-with-orange-juice-eggs-common-eatables-photo-1327896574.html

1. Orange juice is among the commonest of home remedies for hangovers. It performs the function of rehydration with great intensity and the Vitamin C acts as a counter to that nauseating feeling. You can combine this with a few boiled eggs and slightly toasted bread. This might sound strange but the protein from eggs helps the liver to filter the toxins of alcohol faster while toasted slices have a charcoal-like effect, preventing bloating or vomiting caused by alcohol.

2. Your mother might have repeatedly told you about the benefits of ginger tea for relieving nausea, cold and cough. However, what she didn’t tell you was that it is an excellent aid for hangover headaches. It can alleviate that typical head-splitting feeling induced by hangovers apart from helping the stomach digest the alcohol better without suffering cramps.

3. Get hold of any granulated antacid that you can easily consume by just pouring it in a glass. This eases the body ache caused by hangover. Most antacids contain some form of sodium bicarbonate that helps to neutralize the excessive acidity caused by consuming too much alcohol.

4. Vitamin drinks are easily available in most super-marts today. Just ensure that there are always a few bottles in the fridge. Vitamin drinks are loaded with water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B and C that get absorbed and work towards eradicating the hangover. Just ensure that your vitamin drink doesn’t contain too much sugar. If you already know when the next bar binging trip is scheduled, try to take a few over-the-counter multi-vitamins on a daily basis. This will ensure that your body has a better degree of preparedness against the hangover. You can dilute the vitamin drink with some water for better rehydration.

5. Another world-famous hangover cure is a strong cup of coffee. However, not many people realize that you need a cocoa-rich variant of coffee for neutralizing the hangover. Rather than having a huge serving at one go, have many smaller cups of coffee throughout the day. Caffeine raises the blood pressure that helps the body to metabolize the alcohol faster apart from providing some relief from the drowsy feeling and headaches.

6. There are a number of rehydration solutions and powders that are sold at your local chemist. These are excellent rehydration sources, usually prescribed for children who are suffering from an intense case of cellular dehydration due to illnesses. These are packed with a high concentration of electrolytes that instantly replenish the vital minerals that have been wasted due to drinking. Just dilute the solution more and drink it slowly throughout the day.

7. This hangover cure requires the greatest degree of determination. However, exercising here doesn’t refer to hitting the gym hard. Something simple as running on the treadmill combined with a few push-ups can help. The sweating induced by exercising followed by rehydrating yourself with a low-sugar sports drink helps to cure hangovers.

8. Every household is bound to have some sort of over-the-counter analgesic or painkiller. These are excellent for relieving the pain and discomfort induced by a hangover. When back home, just pop an aspirin or Aspirin or Ibuprofen but don’t overdose yourself. It is better to start with just one pill and wait to feel its relieving affects.

9. More than a hangover cure, this is a hangover prevention aid. Here, you need to be a bit quirky and eat a few bananas before you hit the bar. The potassium in the banana and its complex carbohydrates has a rehydrating and coating effect on the intestines respectively, helping you recover faster from the alcohol excess.didn’t tell you was that it is an excellent aid for hangover headaches. It can alleviate that typical head-splitting feeling induced by hangovers apart from helping the stomach digest the alcohol better without suffering cramps.Vitamin drinks are easily available in most super-marts today. Just ensure that there are always a few bottles in the fridge. Vitamin drinks are loaded with water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B and C that get absorbed and work towards eradicating the hangover. Just ensure that your vitamin drink doesn’t contain too much sugar. If you already know when the next bar binging trip is scheduled, try to take a few over-the-counter multi-vitamins on a daily basis. This will ensure that your body has a better degree of preparedness against the hangover. You can dilute the vitamin drink with some water for better rehydration.

My Newest Addiction :D

40+ days of no milk tea. It's been one of my "sacrifices" for Lent for the past few years. In case you missed a previous post, I am a milk tea addict.

It used to be that we had to make sure we would be able to get our milk tea fix for the week. Our (me and my sister) favorite has always been Happy Lemon's Pearl Milk Tea. Though comparatively speaking, the PMTs here (as we fondly call it) are no match for the ones we had in Hongkong. The local version seems "watered down" and lacks the richness that the Hongkong version has. Since it's the closest to what we've been looking for, we have to settle for it.

These days, it's like we're being taunted. It's almost ironic that we've been going to places where there is a Happy Lemon, when we can't have our milk tea fix! *sigh*

Anyway, since I haven't been able to get my usual fix, I needed to find a suitable substitute. It would be for the days when I need a pick-me-up. I've tried many drinks, from Gluteany's Lemon Yakult, to different types of teas in different places. As of my last count, there are now 11 tea places in and around the Banawe area alone. There's only 1 place so far that we haven't tried. So you could say that I've done my research.

One drink that I've come to like is Gluteany's RSC (Rock Salt & Cheese) with Black Tea. My first taste of RSC is from Happy Lemon, but I find that the RSC Cocoa Mix is just too rich and a bit too sinful as well. Plus, the last two times I had them, I wasn't happy with the drinks. Consistency has always been Happy Lemon's problem for me, and this time, it's the same thing. Their other options (Green Tea & Coffee) don't sound to appealing to me either. Gluteany's RSC, on the other hand, lacks the sweetness that Happy Lemon's RSC had. It's like they forgot to add in the sweetener to the mix. The 3rd time I tried an RSC-type of drink was in Gong Cha. I've tried Gong Cha before, but I only tried their milk teas. I didn't really know they had that type of drink. But theirs is called Milk Cream instead of RSC. So one time, I finally got to try their version. Gong Cha Milk Black Tea. I liked it immediately. But Gong Cha isn't as near. So the chance to get my fix wasn't as often as I would like. When needed, I settled for Gluteany, but it became clearer to me how much more I wanted Gong Cha's than theirs.

So in the past two weeks, I've been craving for Gong Cha. I had one two times last week. And once, so far, this week. I'm assuming the craving would die down as soon as Lent is over. When I could have milk teas again. I wonder, if given the choice, which would I pick?

at first glance

i'm not a fashionista. but i do appreciate fashion. 

the moment i stepped into the latest sensation that is forever 21, i felt like i was in a different country! i actually felt like i was back in the states! 

first: the size

can i just say, i was absolutely surprised at how big the whole store was. and it felt like there were racks upon racks of clothing left and right. and just when you thought you've managed to see everything, of course you'd be wrong. you missed something, a lot of somethings!

assortment

a basic line, loads of accessories, socks, wallets, fashion line which consisted of fashion forward items, dressier ones, some even bordering on punk, shoes, sandals and of course bags. it seems like a one-stop shop for every girl! and if a girl happens to bring along a date, specifically a guy, then he should be happy to know that there is a small section for them too!

price

one more surprise. i was actually expecting their items to be a lot more expensive. so imagine my reaction when i was browsing through some items and found out that they were actually quite reasonable. i wouldn't say they're cheap. but they aren't pricey either! i was eyeing a pair of flat gladiator sandals, the pair only costs 600 bucks! too bad it was a size too small! and i was told that it was the last pair. better luck next time i suppose?

all in all, i'd say forever 21 is definitely what the modern pinay needs. a fashion forward haven that won't break your bank! 

PS: they currently have three (3) branches now; SM Megamall, SM Makati and SM Cebu

PPS: thisentry was supposed to be posted more than a year and a half ago. it was supposed to be edited but then i forgot about it altogether! haha