Uniqlo Westgate Alabang OPENS TODAY

Uniqlo Westgate Alabang will officially open to the public tomorrow, August 16 and we were able to have a peek a day before it opens to the public.

Uniqlo caters to a wide range of shoppers from kids to seniors. When taken cared of, items can last for years which is a good thing as we all need to be more sustainable and conscious of what we wear.

Here's what you can expect. We have photos of everything from ladies, men's, kids, and special collection.

They also have exclusive opening offers on some of their items that will be valid until August 22.

Store officially opens at 9am tomorrow, August 16, 2019.

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Ways Taiwan commits to a green Future

In today's pressing climate crisis, sustainability has now become a top priority for countries aiming to balance bullish economic development with its inevitable environmental impact.

Developing countries should look at the playbook of a once-garbage-ridden island republic in Asia, which is now one of the world's leading recycling countries.

More than a couple of decades ago, Taiwan grappled with a widespread waste disposal problem. Inaction pushed the residents of Taipei to protest, thus enacting change through laws and other government measures.

From then on, Taiwan has become a leader in many aspects, including green initiatives. Its success has been a result of effective public and private efforts.

Leading in green innovation

To better arm itself in its bid for sustainable development, Taiwan has also adapted the Circular Economy model, which focuses on maximizing the resources while minimizing waste.

According to President Tsai Ing-Wen, Taiwan's development and push for the Circular Economy demonstrate that economic growth can go hand in hand with environmental protection and sustainability.

With the model used as a guiding principle, the green mindset has flourished in many other facets of Taiwanese life.

Aside from strict garbage disposal laws, the Taiwanese government has recently passed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, as well as amended its Air Pollution Control Act, with stronger measures to curtail air pollution and accelerate Taiwan's energy transition.

Also, Taiwan has created the National Climate Change Action Guidelines, which set emission caps and promote green finance initiatives.

Even in architecture, environmental consciousness permeates. For one, there's the iconic Taipei 101, which is considered one of the world's most innovative green structures. Another architectural marvel is the EcoARK Pavilion, a three-story exhibition hall built with 1.5 million interlocked plastic bottles instead of conventional bricks.

Taiwanese corporations have also found innovative ways to harness renewable energy and promote environmentally-friendly products and policies.

Recently, Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has lauded green efforts of several companies including Fuji Xerox Taiwan and Taiwan High Speed Rail.

Additionally, many products have been developed to help achieve Taiwan's green dream. To further promote recycling, Taipei residents are now using vending machines like iTrash booths to recycle cans and bottles in exchange for credit on their transportation smart cards.

Taiwan Excellence awardee Kymco Motors is also leading the electronic motorbike revolution. The company has developed all-electric scooters powered by swappable batteries, effectively improving air quality.

Fellow awardee PaperShoot Camera offers a compact digital camera with a case made out of eco-friendly paper.

Meanwhile, Deya makes waves with its backpack line made from recycled materials including the Ocean Recycling Roll Function Backpack, whose fibers are spun from recycled ocean waste.

As a testament to its successful green innovations, the EPA says that around 11,000 environmentally-conscious stores throughout Taiwan sold NT$44.4 billion (Php74.88 billion) worth of green products in 2017.

Future sustainability

In terms of propelling the economy forward while balancing environmental interests, Taiwan is a leading global force. With much of the world burdened by issues linked to fragile environmental issues, developing countries are best to emulate Taiwan's boldness when it comes to ensuring sustainability.

Sustainability has become a priority in Taiwan. While other countries continue to debate adopting a greener approach to development, Taiwan is already thinking years into the future. As Taiwan continues to develop and sharpen its green ambition, it's making leaps and bounds to ensure future generations live their best lives.

To witness the future of Taiwan’s technologies, check out the following events: The Taiwan Excellence E-Sports Cup, October 4-6 in Metro Manila, and; the Taiwan Expo, November 8-9 at SMX Convention Center Davao.

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5 Ways to Stay Healthy

We wrote an article on how you can stay healthy back in January. This is a follow up to that article.

Since August is Nutrition Month, I felt that it would be appropriate to do a follow up post to the one I made back in January. While the previous article talked about more holistic approaches, this one would round up everything and make it more well rounded especially for those who have teenagers at home. 

1. Drink Milk 

Teenagers still need to drink milk. Contrary to popular belief that it is only kids who need to drink milk, teenagers also need to drink milk. Adults too!

In our household, we all still drink milk on a daily basis because it aids our bones and teeth. It also helps you to stay strong and fight diseases.

2. Sleep 

Yes, sleep really matters. When people say sleep is for the weak, it is exactly what will happen to you when you don't sleep. You will become weak and sluggish.Then you will get sick and that's never a good thing.

Ideally, you are supposed to sleep between 6 to 8 hours a day but if you can't, make sure that you are able to make up for it on weekends or days off.

3. Multivitamins

Admittedly, we can never get all of the nutrients that we need from the food we eat. This is where multivitamins come into play.

Financial constraints and busy lifestyles have caused nearlny 54% of Filipino households to experience food insecurity, data from the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) showed.

These households experience limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, which hinders them from consuming the ideal serving of fruits and vegetables needed for a proper diet and lifestyle. These ultimately lead to poor nutrition and health problems.

Since we can't buy all the veggies and fruits that we need to consume daily without breaking the bank, we can instead get multivitamins that are priced fairly and that works to truly improve our body.

Nutrilite™ highlights its 9-step traceability process, or “Behind the Label” approach. This contains information not just about traceability but gives information on its heritage and the key ingredient for its supplements – phytonutrients, each with a unique phytonutrient fingerprint or signature that contains a broad spectrum of nutrients closer to a natural spectrum found in whole fruits and vegetables.


4. Exercise 

It doesn't have to be anything crazy. You just need to sweat for 20 - 30 minutes a day to get your system going and staying healthy.

Choose something that you enjoy doing whether it be dancing, walking, running, or mix martial arts. When you do something that you enjoy, it won't feel like exercising.

5. Down Time 


This is probably one of most overlooked ways to stay healthy. When you are too stressed, you become restless. You don't get enough sleep. You overeat or don't eat at all. Choosing to have down time to relax and free your mind from everything matters as much as what you eat, drink, how much sleep, and exercise you get.


If you are able to combine all these tips, you will be able to strike a balance on your life and stay healthy. Of course these aren't guaranteed but it does give you an advantage over those who don't practice these things.

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Mother Nurture 7 in 1 Coffee Mix

Since I became pregnant, coffee has become a distant memory. Before, I would drink at least 4 cups a day. Now, I've resigned myself to once a week or once every two weeks.

My productivity has definitely gone down.

Imagine my surprise when a Facebook friend messaged me and told me about a coffee that is actually meant for pregnant Moms and breastfeeding Moms. I was like, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

My first question was where can I buy this miracle drink? I've been out of caffeine for so long that I just had to have it asap. Much to my surprise, my friend offered to send me the coffee.

Bless you child.

So they sent me this Mother Nurture 7 in 1 coffee mix. I am so happy that I got introduced to this. It  is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mommas.

It also has Malunggay and Ashitaba as well as Gotu Kola. It's a lifesaver for working pregnant moms like me who needs caffeine in her system.
 

They also sent me this chocolate mix which I have yet to try because my sole focus was the coffee mix. I will be trying this out soon and will post a short review as well.

First impression: this will solve your caffeine fix. The coffee taste is strong in this one. It smells like coffee too! I loved it.

My Mom says that the malunggay taste is present but for me, it wasn't. It really felt like real coffee for me so my caffeine induced heart is really happy.

You can buy you own pack here.

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Gwon Korean Grill in Capitoline Hills, BFRV

GWON is located near Baliwag, across Vorashe which makes it fairly easy to spot. This is found along Capitoline Hills inside BFRV, Las Pinas.

M was the one who saw this and pointed it out to me. Being a Korean samgyusal lover, my curiousity was piqued.

I became even more curious because when we went inside, we were greeted by the staff who seemed confident that their Korean beef was authentic and truly different. The moment you hear the staff say things like this and with much gusto, your expectations will definitely rise.

I was initially going for the plain beef and pork at Php399 but they convinced me to get the Php499 package which included marinated beef, pork, and chicken. Now I think I'm pretty reasonable when I say that I expected my food served the way it looks like in the poster. After all, it's not like it's artistically styled. 

Presentation for me was a fail though. It just looked like the meat was plopped on the plate without a care. I felt like it was just dumped hurriedly to think that there were only two tables filled when we ate there. Perhaps I was just expecting more?

The meat was okay. It was good but it was nothing spectacular. I guess I expected it to be of higher quality by the way they were bragging about their Korean chef. I don't know. It was just underwhelming. 

I did like the soup that came with it and the steamed egg. Note on the soup: Request that they serve the one without spice if you are not fond of spicy soup because their soup is SUPER SPICY.

The side dishes were also good but nothing amazing. I wish that the potato balls were sweet or dripped in sweet syrup but it was more on the spicy side.

Was I impressed with the Korean BBQ grill? I'd have to say no. It was good but it wasn't great. It's not something that I would go back to again and again. Take into consideration though the fact that I have eaten at over 30+ Korean BBQ restaurants and that my standards are probably a bit higher than your average samgyupsal person.

Would I recommend this place? I'd say it's worth a try. Again, it's not a bad place to eat at. I just have other places that would come to mind before I would think of GWON.

I do plan on going back and trying out their a la carte dishes. Perhaps that would fare better than the BBQ grill. I truly hope so. 

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July Recap + Stepping Back

It's the 7th recap of the year. Time sure flies by.

To see the first half of the year, please click here.

July was pretty uneventful for me. I think it was a necessary respite from all the craziness that June brought in. 

On the blog side of things, I attended so few events so I'm really thankful for those who took time out to extend an invite and understood when I couldn't make it. Thankfully, I was still able to celebrate 7-11Day where I ended up hoarding Soy Milk, Blue, and other drinks coz they were at 50% off.

Yellow Cab also sent some cool stickers that I was able to exchange for XL slices of pizza! Yes, they have XL slices now up for grabs.

Crimson had the 100 Cookie Project where I got to eat at least 24 cookies out of 100. It was a truly enjoyable feat.

I was also tapped to review a skin care product which I ended up liking.

The biggest blog blessing for the month though would have to be getting invited to cover Aladdin the Musical which was held in Singapore. Since I couldn't fly out, my brothers who live there were the ones who watched it and gave me notes.

I also participated in National Lipstick Day because I love lipsticks and wanted to share with everyone what my top faves were.

On a more personal note, my son is now in 8th grade and I am so happy that his tuition has been paid in full so I won't worry about the rest of the year. He also turned 14.

The first trimester of my pregnancy is almost done now and it has been challenging. I've learned so many things about this pregnancy that I wasn't aware of the first time around.

Thankfully I have M and my entire family helping me navigate things as well as some truly supportive friends.

July was pretty uneventful and looking back, I think I did need that. I needed the quiet, the time to rest and sleep whenever I had to. I needed the quiet.

How was the 7th month of the year for you?

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Selfie Museum at Vista Mall Las Pinas

First of all, it's not really a museum. Let's just get that part out of the way. Rather, it's a small nook that they maximized and utilized (very smart move if I may say so) by turning it into an instagrammable nook.

For anyone visiting Vista Mall Las Pinas, just present a receipt for that day worth PHp300 and you can already go in and enjoy the really cute instagram pods available inside.

Is it worth a visit? Have a look at my photos taken by M below.

This is the light room. I loved it because it gives a soft glow which makes you appear ethereal.

This one reminds me a bit of high fashion. The lights, the words, and the "jungle" feels just make everything feel like you're in a fashion shoot.

This instagram pod reminds me of techno beats and rave parties. Though I am not a rave party girl, it's nice to be able to have this kind of photo.

As for this one, it's cute as cotton candy so it's just absolutely perfect.

This one is all about heaven. I loved it because it makes you feel like you're up in the clouds.

Make sure to drop by the Selfie Museum at Vista Mall if you're in the area and take those IG worthy shots.  

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Borderless by Indrajeet Dasgupta

I chanced upon Borderless by Indrajeet Dasgupta when a fellow blogger showed me an excerpt of his poem titled Power. 

Power

Once upon a time, your muscles defined power,
Then came the plants and machines, and then the cellphone tower.
Now, in the age of information, your muscles don't mean a thing,
The farmers now tend data farms, for data is the new king.

If you know a thing about others, you can sure leverage,
Think of knowing nations together, privacy no more a privilege.
So the powerful now are the ones that know both you and me,
More than our deepest friends and they admit that with glee!

Knowing my secrets makes you powerful, so be it, my social friend,
May my powers be joined with you, till the very end.
For the real power is in joining ranks, dreams and shared vision,
Heed this, not a preach, the world needs our unison. 

I read this and I felt an instant connection to the author. It felt like he spoke the words that I have been thinking but holding back from posting out of fear that people wouldn't understand. Indrajeet Dasgupta was able to convey his message clearly and with so few words used.

In the old days, it was all about hard work. If you do hard work, you will reap what you sow and you will have power over your life and destiny. People who worked hard yielded good results and lived the life they wanted. It was all so simple then. You work, you live a good life.

Alas, progress came.

With the onset of the internet and everything being mined by Big Data as well as the Internet of Things, it's no longer what you do but what you know about who you know. Privacy is no longer a thing and everyone freely shares information to others, even things that should be kept to themselves not realizing that they are giving potential enemies the very ammunition they need protection from.

This is the reason why the world is where it is right now; in a state of chaos and unrest. Countries that are at each others throat instead of helping each other out. People looking for what's in it for them instead of what they can do for others. The mindset that it's all about ME, ME, ME, and only ME.

Thankfully, there is still hope as long as there will be another tomorrow. If and when people realize that real power is in joining ranks, dreams and shared vision, the world can become a better place. When people finally acknowledges once more that UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL is not just a quote but a reality, we will be able to turn things around.

When this becomes a reality, only then will we truly have POWER.

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