Teppanya

One of the places that I've wanted to eat at in Evia is Teppanya. It took a couple of years but I finally got to try it out last week with M.

Teppanya has been in Evia since it opened a couple of years ago. This proves that Teppanya has a strong following who patronizes them. For me, that is always a good indication that a restaurant is good.

Now we were lucky enough to have the chef cook us something that was off the menu such as this sushi that was made of black rice with cuttlefish. What surprised me the most about this was that it actually had wasabi in the middle which actually complemented the entire thing.

I normally hate wasabi but with this dish, it was heaven!

This was the wagyu roll. I'm not sure if I got the name right because I was too busy savoring the taste of the meat and the tenderness of it. Even my Mom will approve of this dish and that's high praise when it comes from her.

Their fried rice was also really good ... good in a way that I could have eaten 2 big bowls all by myself.

Now this dish was definitely something that I have not seen presented this way. This Boston Lobster Tail with Dashi was actually quite a surprise. I think that it may be the dashi sauce but it definitely delivered a kick.

As for the Brazilian Tenderloin, I had mine medium well and I just loved every single one of it. It was tender, tasty, and had absolutely no blood.

M and I enjoyed this lunch. Initially I thought that I wouldn't be full but I went home with a smile on my face because I was so full. It is definitely worth a visit. 

The thing that I loved most was the price was not outrageous. It's not cheap but you are also not being held at gunpoint when it comes to paying the bill. Overall, I'd definitely recommend Teppanya for families celebrating something and couples who may want to splurge from time to time.

Four Tips for Finding the Perfect Pair of Sneakers

With hundreds of different options to choose from, getting a new pair of sneakers can be a daunting experience if you are not sure what you are looking for. Whether you’re looking for sneakers with a purpose, such as for running, hiking, or playing a team sport, or simply want some stylish sneakers to wear for casual occasions and everyday wear, there are certainly a lot of selections to think about when it comes to finding the pair that not only suit your needs aesthetically, but also when it comes to style, shape, comfort, and much more. We’ve put together some top tips to help you pick the perfect pair of sneakers for your feet.

Consider Your Current Wardrobe
Bear in mind that the right pair of sneakers will look like they were made for the outfit that you’re wearing them with, so keep this in mind before you buy a pair of Gucci sneakers. The last thing that you want is to go for a style that’s too unique to go well with just about anything, especially if you are planning on spending a lot of money on a designer pair of trainers from SSENSE. Consider neutral colors and classic, timeless styles that you can be sure are going to be your perfect choice for thousands of future outfits.

Consider the Activities You’re Wearing Them For
Sneakers are certainly becoming more and more of a fashion purchase, but they are still definitely used for physical activity and sport on a daily basis. If you’re in the market for a new pair of sneakers to wear for activities, exercise and sports, it’s hugely important to consider the particular activity that you want to wear them for. Bear in mind that there are different styles and types of sneakers made for different sports and activities, so it’s always worth getting ones that are designed for the purpose that you need.

Make Sure That They’re Fitted Properly
It might be worth asking the store assistant to measure your feet before you invest in a new pair of trainers – never assume that, just because you have been the same shoe size all your life so far, this will stay the same. There are a lot of factors that can change your shoe size including weight loss or gain, pregnancy, or lower body injuries. In addition, you may find that your feet are different shoe sizes – if there is up to one shoe size difference, then buy a pair to accommodate the larger size, while any larger differences will probably need two different shoes sizes – there are plenty of options to consider so that you don’t have to buy two pairs of shoes.

Craftsmanship
Lastly, take a good look at your sneakers and study the craftsmanship to see how well made they are. The stitching, for example, is particularly important and will need to be sturdy enough to hold all the components of the shoe together, especially if you’re going to be using them for high-impact exercise.

With so many sneakers to choose from, it can take time to find the right pair for you.

Sun Life Kaakbay

Everyone longs to have a lifetime partner. Someone they can count on, someone they can rely on, someone to help them push forward with life and pursue their dreams. Sadly, very few actually get to meet this kind of person.

If you're thinking that it has to be romantic, you're wrong. A lifetime partner or "kaakbay" is someone who will cheer you on, reign you in when needed, tell you you're doing great when you are, remind you to be more humble should your feet get off the ground. A lifetime partner is someone who grounds you but at the same time lifts you up to the skies.

A lifetime partner can be a significant other, a best friend, your Mom, coach, child, sibling, or even a company. After all, a lifetime partner has to be someone that is there for you through thick or thin.

I'm lucky that I have more than one lifetime partner. I have more than one person who continues to cheer me on, who stands by me through thick and thin, who has my back no matter what. I have more than one person who sees the beauty in me and the ugliness inside but still chooses to love me anyway.

There is acceptance. There is growth. There is support. There is love.

I know that I can count on them no matter what. For everything else, in times of trouble and financial aid, there is Sun Life.

I used to not believe in insurance and mutual funds. I didn't understand what it was about and why it mattered. Now that I am older and have a budding teenager, I realized that I should have gotten one when I was younger.

The good thing with Sun Life though is that it's never too late. I'm 38 and I just got my first policy. My policy may be small but it's much better than having nothing at all. Now, I feel a bit more at ease should an emergency happen.

This is what having a "kaakbay" means. It's knowing that in case the inevitable happens, there will be someone who will take care of things for you.

This is what the celebrities who shared their stories during the media launch of the Kaakbay Stories also had to say about their own Kaakbay.

Through the stories of lifetime partnerships shared by Piolo, inigo, Enchong. Matteo, and Charo, Sun Life hopes to encourage Filipinos to find that partner who will help them shine to their full potential. "Their stories exemplify the kind of partner Sun Life aims to be for every Filipino pursuing his financial journey," Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa said. ”We are committed to helping them make life brighter."

5 Reasons to Celebrate 7-11 Day

If you are like me and have made 7-11 your haven when you are on a budget or just want to indulge in sinful snacks, then you'd be happy to know that this coming July 11 aka 7-11 Day, there are many exciting deals for you.

1. They are opening the 2000th City Blends store and the 1000th Crunch Time Store.

2. 50% off 7-Eleven Philippines City Blends Coffee (12oz & 16oz)

3. 50% off Big Bite hotdogs, 22oz Slurpee and more for CLiQQ e-Wallet users

4. FREE Crunch Time Flavorites for every purchase of Crunch Time Chicken products

5. Discounts / promos on select products from July 3 to 16, July 7-11 and July 3-30!

Personally, I love going to 7-11 to try new things. They always seem to have new snacks, new chocolates, and even new noodles that you can try. I'm looking forward to dropping by 7-11 on July 11 to satisfy my cravings of trying out new chocolatey goodness.

What are you looking forward to?

Acer Launches Altos Servers

Acer Philippines continues to strengthen its commercial business segment with the latest developments in Altos Computing, as it launches its upgraded Altos Servers, which are seen to be the next generation enterprise solution.

The Altos Servers harness the power and reliability of Xeon processors to deliver the maximum performance in a form factor that is perfect for the needs of the most demanding users, such as designers, engineers, and research professionals.

The latest Altos Servers pride itself on having the state-of-the-art capabilities that will help reach various enterprises reach new heights. These include:

Altos T110 F4 and Altos T310 F4: These deliver true server-class features and expandability along with best price-performance technology to assure the success of one’s business. These single-socket tower servers feature an 80 PLUS® efficient power supply that runs smoothly and quietly for maximized productivity.

AT350 F3: A dual-socket, rack-mountable tower server that delivers exceptional performance, availability, expansion capability, and flexibility. This ultra-dense tower server is a power-efficient solution for medium-sized enterprises, departments, and branch offices.

Altos R360 F3: A robust two-socket 1U system that is ideal for almost any application. This dynamic system can function as a head node or used for virtualization purposes for one’s HPC (High-Performance Computing) and technical computing environments.

Extremely powerful and highly efficient, this system functions as the core for one’s most demanding data-center needs.

Altos R380 F3: A robust two-socket 2U system that is ideal for almost any application. This dynamic system can function as a head node, for virtualization purposes, or as a storage system for your HPC (High- Performance Computing) and technical computing environments.

Extremely expandable and highly efficient, this system is a powerful core for your most demanding data-center needs.

Altos W2000h-W370h F4: It provides first-class performance, innovative technology, high configurability, and comprehensive management features. The 2U rack-mountable form factor saves space and maximizes computing power while ensuring future-proof scale-out possibilities with four independent nodes and up to eight Intel® Xeon® Processor Scalable Family processors.

The Altos W2000h-W370h F4 is perfect for high-performance computing, clustered virtual environments, and cloud-use scenarios.

Altos W2200h-W670h F4: A high-density multi-node server, with 2U rack-mountable form factor supporting four independent nodes, which makes Altos W2200h-W670h F4 ideally for HPC computing node, in-memory database, EDA applications with CPU-intensive & memory-intensive workloads.

Of this, Acer Philippines’ Senior Product Manager for Commercial Cristian Caoagas said, “Altos boasts of world Class R&D team ranging from BIOS, FBGA, AI, and Software solution; best excellent product by offering rich product portfolio from servers, workstations, thin client, network, and storage; and integrated and end-to-end solution competency by providing customized and end-to-end solution to address customer’s need.”

“These are all in line with our promise to our loyal and growing customers that the ‘best is yet to come’,” he added.

It can be recalled that Acer acquired Altos Computer in 1990. Eight years after, it launched the Altos 4-way x86 server. In 2017, Acer spun off Altos Computing for Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Business.

The business model of Altos Computing Inc. is to provide the best streamlined and cost-effective integrated solutions through research and development (R&D) working with ODM/IHV/ISV on servers, workstations, thin client, network and storage. Solutions include but not limited to HPC (High Performance Computing), VDI (Virtual Desktop Interface), and cloud platform, among others.

Review of POP Studio Cosmetics

A few weeks ago, I got my hands on POP Studio cosmetics by Sarah Geronimo.

First, I loved the packaging. It's simple but comes with a "pop" of color. See what I did there.

When I opened it, I still loved how the cosmetics looked. I also liked that these ones were all dual purpose.

The brow shaper came with a mascara. The eyeliner came in thin and thick ends. The lip tint came with a cheek tint and the lippies came with it's own lip balm. This one is definitely aimed at college students to yuppies who may still be on a tighter budget.

I used it and here are my impressions.

Brow was great. It was easy to apply and stayed on longer than I expected it too. I sweat a lot lately and it didn't disappear. The mascara though was a disappointment for me. It wasn't thick enough to make a difference and I need something to really pile on because I have short and thin lashes.

The eyeliner, I LOVED! I'm not good with liquid liner but this one was easy to apply. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

The lip and cheek tint, in my opinion, may be more suitable for a younger age demographic. I'm in my late 30s and this one just didn't work for me.

The lipstick was okay. I didn't love it but I also didn't hate it. I wish it had more moisture. It reminded me of MAC lipsticks where you need to put on primer because if not, the lipstick will drag across your lips.

Overall I'd say that the POP Studio Cosmetics would be best for beginners in make up and those who are on a tight budget. You get good enough cosmetics that you can use for daily wear without breaking the bank.

POP Studio is available via Shopee.

Samgyupsalamat in Bicutan

Southies, fret no more because another branch of Samgyupsalamat has just opened and this time, it is located at the heart of Bicutan, on the 2nd floor of the PTC Building.

It's easy to spot since there's a huge sign but know that parking is quite limited. Luckily, we were able to secure the last spot when we got there.

The one thing I noticed was that unlike other samgyupsal places, this branch was actually spacious. You don't feel cramped because there's more than enough spacing which was a huge plus for me. The smoke ventilation is strong as well which was really good because smoke won't get in your eyes. Believe you me when I say that it really affects your dining experience when you get all teary eyed because the place is enveloped in smoke.

Now let's talk about the meat.

I liked that there was a vast amount of choices when it came to the pork and beef choices. Normally, there would be only 2-3 for the beef but with this one, there was more that that. I also liked the fact that saved for one meat that was too spicy for me, everything was really tasty and delicious.

Another huge plus for me and this is quite superficial is the fact that they have baby potatoes as part of their side dishes. I just like baby potatoes and when a Korean BBQ place doesn't have it, I feel a bit sad.

Would I recommend this place? I'd say yes. If you're in need of a Korean BBQ fill and you live in the Bicutan area, I would definitely recommend this place. It's bang for buck and you get exactly what you paid for. I'd take that any given day.

Erawan Thai Food in BFRV, Las Pinas

There's a Thai restaurant inside my village called Erawan Thai Food. I've eaten here before but wasn't able to blog it. Thankfully, M and I dropped by again and this time around, I fell in love with some of their dishes.

I loved their pineapple fried rice. It's placed on half of a pineapple and it has so many pineapple bits. I feel that they also drizzled this with pineapple juice because you can literally taste the juiciness of it which was what I preferred.

Because we loved our first time together there, M and I brought my family to eat there once again. This time we ordered a lot of the same thing but added a few more. I personally loved the fresh spring roll though my Mom didn't coz she hates cucumber. M had the Green Chicken Curry again and we ordered Pad Thai which my Mom also loved. 

Personal recommendation for me would be the pineapple fried rice, the pad thai, the chicken curry, and the Thai Milk Tea.

I'm glad that there's a Thai place that we can now go to whenever cravings hit me. The best part? It's also affordable as their pineapple fried rice and large pad thai is less than Php300 each.

June Recap + Life's Surprises

June 2019 hit me like a tornado. Life's surprises were crazy and it was the craziest time of my life since I found out that I was having B.

They say you have plans but if God has plans for you, your plans take a backseat or get scratched altogether. You learn to go with the flow and create a new masterplan.

For past recaps, January, February, March, April, and May.

June was all about family which is how I like to live my life nowadays. There's still a bit of events and what not but most of the moments that I cherish are about family.

The month started with a purchase of a second hand book shelf which made me really happy. This one cost less than Php500 and it serves it's purpose. As part of my sustainability campaign, this purchase made me really happy because it saved me money and helped the Earth because it's repurposed.

I was able to bring my Mom to the grand launch of Sheraton Hotel's Sunday Fiesta which she thoroughly enjoyed. Great food, great hotel, and wonderful company.

Finally, I was able to seal all of my diamond painting and now they are stored in a safe place waiting to be framed and put on display.

I also had my first collaboration with Zilingo and the luncheon with blogger was overall a success. I am grateful for the trust.

My little sister K also graduated from K12 and she's finally off to college! We couldn't be more proud.

This month as well marked the 2nd family vacation for us, this time, it was in Singapore. I'm so happy that this trip pushed through and truly thankful to my Mom for making this happen. My son had fun and we made a lot of memories.

June was also about friends being there and Kimi just proved that she will be there when needed. This is one of those nights where I cried and she came rushing.

These are the things that I bought from Ikea in Singapore. I'm such a Tita but it really makes me happy. 

We also celebrated M's 37th birthday and met his Mom and Aunt. It was a family gathering and on the same night, we announced to my Mom life's biggest suprise which is due to come out February of next year. Ack!

Lastly, we celebrated Mystic Brew's 7th anniversary and it was a fun night.

That was my June. How did you first half of the year go?

HOME IMPROVEMENT HACKS WITH AKEMI PH

Sometimes, knowing where to put your furniture, lights, and other home decor is enough to change the way a place looks. This also applies to the bedroom.

We spend most of our time in the bedroom and for most people, bedroom becomes a sanctuary of thoughts, thereby, making it appealing and conducive to the eye can be very useful. The perfect bedroom should help cheer you up as well as get you the right outlook.

These hacks can help alter the way you see and feel your bedroom in no time.

Let the light shine
By using appropriate lighting in your room, you get to create the proper scene you want to project. Be playful and explore your options.

Dress up your walls
This maybe one of the first thing you notice when you enter a room. Walls play a major part in the presentation of your room and can become a major mood-shifter. A new paint or wall paper can spell the difference.

Accentuate
Invest in color accents and stay away from monotonous hues to avoid gloomy feel in your room. Hanging up ornaments such as a beautiful painting is a good idea.

Brighten up with the perfect bedding
If changing the color of your wall is too tedious and other factors does not fit your budget, investing in a right bedding might just be the solution. Your bedding is probably the most important aspect in your bedroom anyway.

Your bedding can alter your mood. Complement with proper color hues of your pillow and duvet creates an aesthetical beauty which you can change every now and then.

AKEMI beddings has the most innovative features such as its comfortable fabric that are gentle on the skin. It also has a hypoallergenic feature for those with sensitive skin.

Visit AKEMI Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AkemiPH/ for more info and promos and get a chance to win exciting prizes.

Why you need the right Pillow

Ever heard someone snore bad enough that you can't sleep? I have. 

Ever tossed and turned the whole night because the pillow you have doesn't match what you like? I have. 

Ever woken up from a sleep only to find out you have a stiff neck? I have. 

This is why the right pillow matters. If you get the wrong one, so many things could go wrong. 

You may think that sleeping is just a way to relieve you off your tiredness and a reprieve for a long day. Research shows that people tend to overlook the way they sleep. Having a bed and using just any type of pillow might not get you the quality of sleep you need.

There’s a myriad of choices when it comes to selecting a pillow but how do you choose the right pillow for your body type? An expert went out of his way to learn and develop a specialty pillow to address this concern.

Mr. Chawakit Kaoien, founder of Mr. Big Pillow is a physical therapist who spent years working in the ICU of a hospital’s respiratory unit and was in-charge of bedridden critical care patients and see to it that they are kept comfortable and could breathe properly. This led him to develop a brand of pillows that would benefit every individual.

Over the years, Chawakit hacked the right density of pillows as well as its best position to address your sleeping concerns. Every individual is different, thus, we cannot conform to just one type of pillow.

Here are cause and effect of using the wrong pillow:

1. You might think that waking up in the wrong side of the bed caused you that neck pain, wrong! Using incorrect pillow puts a strain in your neck, thus, causing that stiff and painful neck in the mornig.

2. Can’t sleep? Is it really because of your caffeine intake or you might think you develop a condition called insomnia. Think again, improper positioning and height of your pillow might be causing uneasiness that causes you to toss and turn throughout the night.

3. If your partner complains about your snore, then it might be time to change your pillow. Snoring is usually caused by blockage of nasal passages. By improving your sleep position, you can also alleviate your snoring.

4. Consistent Headache. This is such a nasty way to start your day especially if you have that important meeting ahead. Your frequent headache might be caused by wrong elevation of your pillow, tension headaches happen when your neck muscles are strained.

5. Mental Block. Sleep deprivation causes forgetfulness and lack of creativity. Improve your brain function by using the right pillow that can get you a good night’s rest.

By using the appropriate pillow according to your height and weight as well as each individual’s condition, you can maintain a good quality of sleep and overall health. Use this test to assess which type of pillow is right for you: http://www.mrbigbestfit.com/phone/index.html

Incidentally, Mr. Big had a sale at the SM Home Fair that happened on June 28-30, 2019 at the SMX, Mall of Asia complex. Huge discount of up to 50% off were given.

Mr. Big pillows are available in selected SM Homes. Visit Mr. Big Pillow Philippines FB page https://www.facebook.com/MrBigPillowPhilippines/ for more updates and get a chance to win exciting prizes.

Avene Thermal Spring Water

Moms like me need to purchase items that provide bang for buck. This means that most of the time, it has to be used in multiple ways. This is one of the best ways to ensure that whatever it is I am buying, it is worth the hard earned money that I spend.

This is why Avene is fully approved on my end. I can use it in multiple ways and even M can use it. Our future baby will also be able to use it since it's good for diaper rash because the formula soothes it. 

Originating as pure rain mixed with sea spray rich in mineral salts, Avène Thermal Spring Water makes its 50-year journey through the Cévennes Mountains in Avène, France to do wonderful things to skin.

On its journey, the spring water gradually becomes infused with trace elements and silicates, and comes in contact with an ancient microorganism called Aqua Dolomiae, which was first identified by Avène in 2001. This remarkable biological property combined with the well-known mineral properties of Avène Thermal Spring Water ensures gentleness and tolerance, creating a unique skin healer that does not exist anywhere else in the world.

Avène Thermal Spring Water can be used as a fresher-upper, to heal or sooth sensitive or irritated skin or to set make-up. Spray it on the face after cleansing, during travel, after sports activities, after sun exposure, and to soothe allergic reactions and skin redness. Also spray it on diaper rash, or on scrapes and wounds to heal them fast. It makes a good after-shave spray for men as well.

With each spray, the Water is released completely intact, pure and clear, as if it is being drawn directly from the spring. Recommended for all types of skin, especially sensitive skin, it can fit neatly in a bag or purse and be used anytime, anywhere. The spring water has been effectively relieving skin conditions for more than two and a half centuries now.

Avène Thermal Spring Water is available nationwide at selected Watsons, Mercury DS, and our own kiosks located at Greenbelt 5, Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall and Conrad S Maison in 50 ml, 150 ml and 300 ml spray bottles.

SM Bacoor launches Nerf Nation

Summer is still not over for a some kids like mine. School year for him will start on July 22 which means I should still be able to find things for him to do.

Last Sunday, I found one that will surely excite not just my son but your kids too!

It was a NERF-tastic Day as SM Bacoor officially kicked-off the “It’s a NERF Nation: The Battle Wars” here at SM City Bacoor last June 23, 2019. Kids showed-off their shooting skills in the obstacle battle courses but only one emerged as the champion NERF Soldier!

Nerf Club Philippines were the marshals, monitoring the game and the official time of each kid. Kids won exciting prizes such as Nerf Blasters and SM Gift Certificates!

What made it more fun for the kids were the fact that kids had to complete challenges in the obstacle course before moving to the next area. Their target, shooting skills and endurance have been put to the test as the area resembles a mini boot camp. This allowed kids to spent all their energy by running, crawling, and hitting things in a healthy way.

Kids also had the chance to try the different NERF Blasters such as the Retaliator, Hyperfire, Disruptor and Surgefire!

It’s A Nerf Nation will happen around SM South Luzon Malls. Schedules are shown below.

To have a peek at what happened and will happen, see video below.