5 Reasons why the Zenfone Live L1 is a Working Mom's Dream come True

Sometimes, you just want something that works especially when you are tight for cash but still want to be able to give a nice graduation gift to your kiddo who has worked really hard to pass the school year and is asking with puppy eyes for a new phone.

Presenting, the Zenfone Live L1. 

So, why should you get this for your child? Here are 5 reasons why.

1. Design and Build 

The Zenfone Live L1 is nothing to scoff at. It looks sleek and easily fits the palm of your hand. It also has 18:9 HD+ display in a 5-inch body which is perferc for immersive viewing especially when your child wants to watch his shows on YouTube and other kid friendly sites.

2. 13MP rear camera.

This is more than enough for anyone who is not into heavy gaming nor into video editing. The 13 MP is more than enough for printing purposes as well as showcasing on different social media accounts. What I also love is that the beautification mode is not too much. As you can see below, first photo is auto mode and the second one is beautification mode.

It's also good enough for taking photos in not so stellar lighting.

3.  3,000 mAh

This phone can last 28 days on standby. If you use it with data, it can last more than half a day. At this price range, that is more than bang for buck. You don't need to pay extra for more battery life and when you are a Mom on a budget, you want to cram what you can as much as you can.

4. FaceUnlock 

How cool is it that your child gets to unlock their phone by simply raising it and looking at their phone? When kids or teens are young, cool things like this are a definite added bonus.

5. Price 

Now this is the best part. The Zenfone Live L1 is available in 2GB/16GB at PHP 5,995 while the ZenFone Live L1 Android Go (1GB/16GB) at PHP 4,995. If you still have anything to complain abot after this, nothing will ever satisfy you. It's a definite steal so make sure you head over to your nearest ASUS shop coz you have just found the perfect gift for your kid who is graduating this summer.


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Fall in love with #EveryShadeofYou with AVON True Color

Finally, a trend that actually suits the Filipina skin. 

Nudes. Definitely my kind of nude that is. 

The Korean glass skin, the Asian drunk blush, the return of glitter—2018 was filled with all sorts of beauty trends and though they were great creative outlets, they hardly felt natural for the Filipina skin if we're going to be honest here.

After all, we have a skin color that is always sun kissed and we need to celebrate that.

It’s time to go full circle with a fab palette that shows who we truly are. Luckily, the no. 1 makeup brand in the Philippines makes it easier to embrace #EveryShadeOfYou. Avon has just come up with a new line of nude lipsticks from Avon True Color, and it’s as gorgeous as it gets with our natural skin tone.

The new Avon True Color Perfectly Matte nude lipsticks come in 6 new matte shades, covering a full range of Filipina-friendly tones. Go light with Nude Suede, or deep brown with  Chocolate Crush. Explore the various creamy tans in between, including Marvelous Mocha, French Toast, and Lush Cocoa. You can even wear a hint of red with Divine Twig—glam it up while staying true to your tone!

Nude color lippies are best worn when you are just going about your day and want to look fresh but put together, on nights out when you have smoky eyes and want the focus on your eyes more than on your lips, and when you have those days where you can't be bothered so you just grab mascara, blush, and then put on some nude lippies.

Whatever your shade, you’re guaranteed fuss-free color that never cakes, cracks, nor compromises. It’s so easy to wear as Avon True Perfectly Matte Lipsticks give you intense color in just 1 swipe.

The new Avon True Color Perfectly Matte Nudes are available in February for a special price of just P349 (save P50!) or P399 for 2. Go to Avonshop.ph or get in touch with an Avon representative to learn more.

You can also watch my first impressions on my YouTube channel.

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Challenges of a No Buy Year and how to Overcome them

I am now on my 2nd month of a no buy year and the challenges have begun creeping up.

So what's a girl got to do when a product keeps calling out for your name and you promised yourself that you will go for a no buy year?

Fenty Beauty is one of the few makeup line that I actually obsess over. I have most of the products and the Stunna lip line is the one thing that I have almot 90% of. The two new shades that are coming out which is called UNLOCKED and UNATTACHED keep calling out my name.

The hot pink and coral pink would definitely look good on me, this I know which is why it's o hard for me to say no but I know that I must so I'm going to apply two rules.

ONE IN ONE OUT 

This rule states that when you buy something, you need to let go of something. If I buy these two new shades of lippies, then I need to let go of at least two other lippies to balance everything out.

3 MONTH RULE 

This rule states that if you want something, you need to wait three months and if you still want to buy it, then you can go ahead and do so. After all, the no buy year is being done to curtail unnecessary spending but it doesn't mean that you can't completely purchase anything anymore. It just helps you to lessen it as much as possible if you can't completely avoid it.

I know that there will be more challenges that I will be facing in the next 10 months but so far, it has been worth it. I've been ableto save more money than I have ever had in just 1.5 months and it just verifies that I am on the right track.

I just really, really like Fenty. GAH.

Starbucks new merch is Inspired by Nature

One of the things that I truly love about Starbucks is how they do baby steps in making things sustainable. They transitioned to paper cups, wood swivels, repurposed furniture, and still offer coffee cups when you have your coffee inside the store.

As they say, a little goes a long way.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s important to find ways to slow down. Some people recharge and re-center by spending some time immersed in nature - feeling the grass on their bare feet, taking in the earthy scents of a forest, and just seeing some lush greenery. Although this may sound like the perfect way to unwind, sneaking in moments of calm during our hectic day is actually easy and just as rewarding.

Now, Starbucks is helping coffee and nature lovers find Zen in their daily lives with its new merchandise collection inspired by a variety of wood finishes. The set features six different designs in classic and new shapes. Its minimalist design, chic wood finish, and warm neutral shades are an instantly calming sight that gives off the feel of nature.

Inspired by the charm of nature and beauty of wood, customers can choose from a wide selection of simple yet stunning designs which include the Gloria Wood Lid Glass (₱1,495), a sophisticated double wall glass with wooden lid. There’s also the Ceramic Wood Mug (₱1,195), an elegant mug with a wood inspired decal and unique handle shape.

For those who are always on-the-go, there are plenty of tumblers to choose from such as the the Wood Stainless Steel Tumbler (₱2,295) with an elegant wood finish, vacuum insulation, screw type lid, and brown leather strap. Starbucks fans who de-stress with art can also grab the Doodle It Wood Tumbler (₱1,095) with a customizable insert and spill-proof lid, made with acrylic and steel.

Also on offer are double-walled acrylic drinkware such as the Cold Cup Wood Tumbler (₱695), which is best for cold beverages, and the Slim Looky Lu Wood Tumbler (₱625), which comes with a spill-proof lid.

With the Starbucks Nature collection tumblers and mugs in hand, you can sip, slow down, and imagine the most relaxing sceneries. Visit your nearest Starbucks store and grab your own while supplies last!

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Mango Tree launches new Look and Menu

Any foodie lover would have noticed that for the past few months, Mango Tree in BGC. Thankfully, they've soon re-opened and have a really wonderful new look.

The look of Mango Tree Bistro gives you the feeling of al fresco dining minus the pollution as well as the mosquitoes. It's really fresh and it gives you a lot of good vibes.

Aside from revamping and making the restaurant feel rejuvenating, they also launched a new menu which I was more than excited to try so that I can tell you which ones are worth trying out.

Amongst the 10 new things that I was able to try, here are my favorites.

This Stir Fried Crab in Curry Sauce is literally to die for, I kid you not. The curry is just right and not too overpowering while the crab meat remains fresh. The combination of the two, along with the other spices is perfect especially when paired with a steaming bowl of rice. In fact, I ended up two bowls of rice with this dish.

The watermelon salad with dried shrimp floss was a pleasant surprise. The combination of the sweetness of the watermelon and the tanginess of the shrimp was amazing. Weird but amazing.

The grilled US pork belly was a favorite of M. He ate at least half a kilo of this because it was cooked just right. WhatI loved most was that there was almost no oil left on the pork unlike other pork belly that is simply drizzling with oil.

The Thai Style Mochi was another surprise. The insides were filled with peanut paste or what we call panutsa. Since I am a peanut lover, this was definitely a favorite.

Lastly, the shrimp cakes were THE BOMB. Don't tell anyone but I ended up eating 5 of these. Eeeekk. I know, it's too much but it was just so good.

When I eat at a place, I always gauge the ambiance and feel of the place. The newly renovated Mango Tree gives you a really good feeling which is important for me. The next one would be service and though Mango Tree is not super attentive, they give good service and I have no complaints. The third one would be the taste of the food and Mango Tree passed with flying colors.

If you are in the area, you should go and visit Mango Tree located in Bonifacio High Street. It's located at 7th Ave and is just waiting for you to take a seat and enjoy great Thai Food.

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YES! Samgyupsal

One of the things that my family and I love most is eating out. With us, it's become a bonding session and this is the best time for us to catch up on each other's lives. After all, nothing can be better than having great food and awesome company.

Last Friday night, my family and I trooped over too YES! Samgyupsal located along BF Aguirre. It's pretty easy to spot since you'll see this really cute mascot outside.

First thing I noticed about the place was how spacious it was. DEFINITE PLUS POINTS since a lot of Korean barbecue places tend to have limited space. You could literally hear the conversation of the people in the table beside you which I really dislike. At YES! Samgyupsal, this is not a problem at all. Just look at how spacious the place is.

I also like that there was absolutely no smoke inside even when the place became a full house later on in the night. When you have more than 10 tables and all of them are grilling meat but there is no smoke, that's a little impressive.

The best part of this place is the price. At PhP499, you get 8 side dishes including steamed egg, soup, iced tea, plain rice, and 8 kinds of meat. Dang, 8 KINDS OF MEAT. I think this is the only Korean Barbecue place that I have tried that has this price range with this many choices and I have tried over 20 Korean Barbecue place. 

As mentioned, you get 8 types of meat and if you add a bit more, you get 9 kinds of meat.

These are the side dishes. Not in photo are the steamed eggs, soup, and another dish that contains veggies.

This is the steamed egg. I love that it is served generously.

Here are the different meat selections. They're not the softest meat you'll ever have but heck, for the price point, it was more than enough. It tasted good and that is more than enough for me. For me, it's more than enough bang for buck. 

 With the spacious place, tasty food, affordable price point, and really friendly staff, YES! Samgyupsal has made it's way to being part of my Top 5 choices for whenever I crave Korean Barbecue. It's affordable, clean, and you definitely get more than what you paid for.

What's not to love?

FACT: My Mom was already planning on when we'll be going back even before we left the place.

PS. This is located right across Ralph's Wine.

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January 2019 Recap + update on no buy and savings

January saw me making a lot of choices. I had to choose between sentiments, love of things, mental space, and the need for physical space in my home office.

End of 2018, I saw that my efforts to declutter was finally yielding great results. The house was finally being rid of clutter slowly but surely and my home office finally had more space. In fact, it now has more than enough space for a carpet to be placed in the middle of it.

I've also chosen to do a no-buy year when it comes to cosmetics, skincare, and shoes. When I shopped my stash, I realized that I had too many shoes, too many cosmetics, and too many skincare. I need to stop accumulating more of these things because a lot of the cosmetics and skincare have expired and it's just wasteful.

I've also started my journey on zero-waste which I've come to realize is REALLY HARD. There's so many things that we use that has plastic on it and the fact is, I'm so used with how things are that it's been a struggle to go about things. I do worry about the state of the environment and I believe that we can all contribute even in small ways.

I've went to only 4 events this month. This was another choice that I made to put a balance in my life. I covered Smart Amazing, ONE, Crimson, and Inside Shape. It was a conscious decision on my end because going to a lot of events caused too many stress due to traffic and energy spent.

Now, my focus is mostly improving how the house looks like, the content of my blog, and finally  focusing on the content of my YouTube channel. I realized that my decision to attend less events and focus more on the things that I actually want to do has cost me some brands and PR but I am thankful. I know now who truly values me for my content and who just needed me as a warm body.

Onward to February and better things.

I was also able to upload one video on my YouTube channel so if you have time, feel free to watch it and if you like it, give it a thumbs up.

As for my no buy year, I was able to keep my spending on make up and skin care to a ZERO. YASSSSS! I did not buy any make up and skin care for January. Whoohoo!

I was also able to save up an extra 1000 from my food and transpo allowance so that's definitely a YAY ME moment.

As for family and my partner, things have been going great and I hope that it stays that way. :)

If you haven't subscribed to any of my social media, I hope you do. Links are below.

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3 Ways to be more Productive when you are a Mom

Becoming distracted can be so easy these days. We have our smart phones, Spotify, Netflix, along with so many ads at the tip of our hands that one has to wonder at times how anyone can get things done. To be honest, I have days like these.

I have days where I have so many things that needs to be done and yet, there I am, watching my 5th video on YouTube. Procrastination at it's finest if I may say so. So, how can we be more productive?

ME TIME

You may be saying "what? Isn't that what I have been doing when I procrastinate?"

When I say set aside time for yourself, I meant, wake up 15 minutes early so you can have time with just yourself. If you are a Mom like me, this is a rare moment and one that we need the most. You may think, I'd rather sleep 15 minutes more and if that works for you, then well and good but you can also try doing my recommendation and see how it benefits you.

15 minutes for yourself improves your mental health. A little peace and quiet that helps remind you of who you are helps your mind become more organized and adds a boost of productivity. When you set aside time for yourself, you are actually setting aside time for your mind to reset and get back on track.

DUMP EVERYTHING 

When I say dump everything, I mean that put everything that is in your head on a note or list. It can be in digital form (better so that we can save more trees) or paper form if you are old school. What matters is that you list down everything and then you start to sort things out.

You can categorize everything into things you need to accomplish ASAP, things that can be done tomorrow, then weekly, then bi-weekly, and finally monthly. This way, you can have a look and see how much time each task need and to clump together everything that you can accomplish together in one go.

As a Mom, this is very important because you can forecast your schedule as well as that of your kids. 

BLOCK EVERYTHING 

When I say block everything, I mean that you need to block time for things in your life and you need to honor that blocked time. When you set specific time for yourself, for the people around you, and then you enforce it, people will learn to respect your time which will leave you to be more productive because there will be less disruption especially when you are a Mom.

Block time for your kids and let them know that this blocked time for them is meant just for them. Work will not disrupt it. When you have blocked time for work, your kids also need to know that unless it's really important or an emergency, they need to respect that time for work and not disrupt you.

The same can be applied for time with family, your partner, friends, as well as yourself. When you learn to practice time blocking, you will increase your productivity tenfold. 

Do you have any productivity tips? Let me know. I'd love to hear about it.

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Anker Products you need in your Life

Now that I am all about using only quality products in my life, I have become more choosy of what I buy and what I use. I've been dabbling with gadget reviews for the past two years so by now, I have a fair idea of what is a good investment and what is just hype.

Anker Products, just like ASUS, is what I would call a good investment. Here are 5 items that I recommend you have to make your digital life easier.

ANKER SLIM HUB

This is important to have if you have multiple hard drives or USB that you use all at the same time which is the case with me. Sometimes, I need to transfer files between two hard drives and a USB as well as my phone.This saves a lot of time when transferring files between hard drives and phone.

POWER CORE LITE

This slim powerbank is made of dreams. It's powerful but light and can easily ng a huge fit into the back pocket without causing a huge bulge. It's fashionable and functional. It can also charge 4x which makes it really useful when I am out the whole day and can't charge my phone in wall sockets.

POWERDRIVE SPEED 2

This is one car charger that is a definite must. It's quick charge and can charge two phones at the same time. It can also be used to charge the dashcam and a phone when needed. It also looks very stylish which adds to the aesthetics of a car.

PowerPort+ 5 USB-C with Power Delivery

This is a definite must have especially when you travel abroad. You can't bring all of your plugs with you because of luggage limitations as well as the fact that if you are staying inside a hotel, there's a limited number of sockets. This allows you to charge several gadgets while using up only one socket. Compact, functional, and definitely a must have.

Soundcore Mini 2

This bluetooth speaker may be small but it can produce big sounds. It's also water resistant. IPX7-rated water resistance ensures that a splash, spray, shower, and even complete submersion are not a problem. Since most phones now are water resistant, your speaker should be too.

This is definitely something that you can bring when you go on vacation and when you hang out with friends or family on an awesome staycation.

I don't plan on buying things that do not add value to my life but these things definitely do so it's a definite yes for me. All of these are functional, durable, and stylish too. What more can I ask for?

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4 Simple Ways to try and Stay Healthy

Sometimes, it's just really hard to stay healthy. Too many temptations are around us and if you belong in the creative industry like I do, chances are, you also sleep late, drink too much coffee, and don't get to exercise often enough.

So, how can one stay healthy?

I've come up with some simple steps to help keep you healthy. Now following these steps does not guarantee that you will be healthy but it will help to keep you healthy and these "hacks" are simply based on my own experiences.

You see, everyone in my house got hit with fever, cough, and cold. For some reason (and thank God for that) I wasn't. I figured, I must be doing something right in the middle of so many wrong things. I figured, might as well share it here with you guys.

Drink water 

Trust me, I don't like drinking water but I've realized that the more I drink, the less I actually crave rice and sweets. Also, drinking 8 glasses of water has always been the most recommended. Now, I personally have a hard time drinking 8 glasses so now, my goal is to just drink as much as I can.

I no longer feel bad when I don't reach the 8 glasses. What I do instead is cheer myself on when I get to drink 5 glasses coz that's still 4 more than what I'm used to drinking. You need to celebrate the small wins so that eventually, you get to reach the goal.

Walk as much as you can 

I've had bad days. I've had really bad days where I barely made 100 steps. THAT BAD. So now, what I've learned to do is to go up and down the stairs as much as I can and then I clean my room as much as I can. Those little steps can add up to a lot and 1000 steps is better than 100.

You see, I work mostly from the house so I rarely go out. This means that the only movement I get is when I go down to get water or coffee, eat, or if I clean my room and house. Since I don't really have the chance to walk inside the village, I walk around the house and do the chores. Upside is I get to hit two birds with one stone.

Eat your greens

I cannot stress this enough. I know that a lot of people hate veggies but veggies really help you when fighting off a lot of sickness. If you eat veggies on a frequent basis, it helps your immune system and at the same time, it makes your skin brighter and smoother.

Drink your fruits 

For some people, eating healthy can be quite hard. I suggest drinking your fruits. It's easier and faster to consume Fruits provide great benefits to our body and helps us fight off sickness and diseases. Fruits like apples, avocado, and banana give us a lot of vitamins which is necessary to fight off colds and coughs.

There are so many tips given out there and a lot of them feel unattainable which can discourage people. This has been the case for me until I decided that I will do what I can and take the baby steps needed before I can do the plunge.

I'm not the healthiest person on Earth and I still need to work on a lot of things but at least I'm doing something about my state. It's better than nothing and as I would always say, it's better to do something no matter how small it is rather than to completely do nothing.

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VORASHE, Asian Dining and Coffee - INCONSISTENT SERVICE

We passed by this place a couple of times and have been curious about it. A nipa hut that boasts of coffee and Asian dining, my interest is definitely piqued.

It even has a parking lot which is impressive.

The interiors of Vorashe is a mixture of old and new. It is a nipa hut with pretty modern interiors. It is also air conditioned which is good because our city can be pretty hot especially at noon. 

This is the menu. The price point is reasonable especially because the serving is pretty good.

M took this photo of me while we were waiting for our food to be served.

I had the malunggay pesto pasta which was amazing. It was really, really good. I ate every last piece of the malunggay pesto.

This was M's order. He ordered a clubhouse and I had to say that it was also good. The sandwich was crispy and the lettuce was fresh as well as the tomatoes. This clubhouse sandwich can only be described as being FRESH to a T.

The coffee we ordered was the least impressive. Maybe because we ordered it cold but it just felt blah.

Overall, I'd still recommend Vorashe. It's a new concept, service was great, and the food was good too. Maybe I'll go and try the coffee hot next time then let you guys know if still blah or it's finally redeemed itself.

UPDATE:

I ate here last February 7, 2019 and IT WAS A COMPLETE FLOP.

Service was awful. There were 4 tables occupied including my friend and I but our food took 43 minutes to get to our table. We followed up 3x and it was only when we had the owner called that they told us they accidentally placed our food on another table.

The sisig was TASTELESS and the calamare was crispy to a fault. IT WAS DISAPPOINTING.

On this note, I AM NO LONGER RECOMMENDING this place. Ugh.

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