Archive for April, 2008
food food food
I love getting invites to food events. I get to sample tasty new treats, photograph the dishes, eat more food, visit new places, chow on more grub. I’m sure you get the picture. I like tasting and eating food. And tomorrow is gonna be a real foodie adventure. Appetite Magazine and Greenbelt in association with 2nd Avenue have invited a few of us to the grand launching of The Tasting Room, “a gastronomic tour featuring specially designed tasting menus from restaurants, bars, and wine shops.” Tomorrow evening, I’ll get to satisfy my palate with tasty morsels from 15 different establishments, namely:
Kai, Tropezz, Bubba Gump, Solihiya, Max Brenner, Mr. Rockerfeller, La Maison, Haiku, Italianni’s, Cyma, Capricciosa, Mezze, Nuvo, Gaudí and Fish & Co.
But don’t fret, if you aren’t part of tomorrow’s grand launch. The The Tasting Room promo will last the whole month of May. So foodies, don’t worry. You can still go on the gastronomic adventure, and sample the best of food and drink that the participating restos have to offer.
If you wanna know more, grab a copy of Appetite Magazine’s April-May 2008 issue. Aside from the delicious articles, you’ll also find some Tasting Room coupons, a few discounts and even free parking privileges.
Stay tuned for a little review and a bunch of photos!
hmmm…looks familiar
They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. If this is so, then the people at Yehey! 9myself included) must be really pleased.
My friend Az recently posted in his Multiply site an announcement regarding an exclusive blogger’s tour.
Upon checking the site, I was amazed at the similarity of the Microsite that Yehey! did for the Trinoma Blogger Food Tour, held last January 9. Not only is the concept very similar, but so is the layout of the website, as well as the concept behind the said event.
Here are a couple of screenshots of the two microsites:
[click photo for larger view]
[click photo for larger view]Don’t get me wrong. I’m not complaining. Nor am I bashing the new event. I was just surprised to see the glaring similarities. But in the end, it’s the participants that get to benefit from these events. So, cheers to everyone involved.
starbucks cool coffee experience
Welcome, summer!
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If you haven’t noticed the rising temperature, then you’ve probably been stuck at home with your aircon blowing full blast, and all your shades have been pulled down. But for those of you that have been sweating it out in the scorching summer sun, here’s a bit of good news…
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Starbucksis initiating its Summer Oasis Mall invasion. Mall invasion, you ask? Get to chill out in beautiful, Brazilian inspired cabanas while enjoying a back rub or hand massage; relive those fun-filled beach days by getting a henna tattoo; or simply relax with Starbucks’s new Coffee Blend — the Dulce de Leche Frappuccino Blended Coffee (or Blended Cream). Here are the tentative dates for the mall tour:
- May 3-4: Bonifacio High Street
- May 9-10: Glorietta Mall
- May 17-18: Powerplant Mall
- May 24-25: Robinson’s Place Manila
- May31-June 1: SM Mall of Asia
- June 3-5: Glorietta Mall
- June 14-15: Shangri-La Mall
[click on image for larger view]Luckily, I don’t have to wait for those dates, as I was able to get an ‘advance preview’, along with a few other guests. Back rubs and hand massages, henna tattooing by Tanging Henna (from Puerto Galera), and some of the new products awaited the guests. The new Dulce de Leche Frappuccino Blended Coffee (or Cream based) was the main attraction. Also served, for our gastronomic pleasure: the Dulce de Leche Bars, Dulce de Leche Cheesecake, Passion Fruit Cake and to break away from the sweetness, a Shitake Mushroom with Farmers Ham sandwich (which was loaded with pesto and some other good stuff). Oh, there was also a salad…which I didn’t try as it just looked too healthy.
[click on image for larger view]So as the sun set in Harbour Square, I enjoyed my cool coffee blend, experiencing the beach, right in the middle of the city. Too bad I was in office attire. For your own cool coffee break, ask your local barista in your favorite Starbucks outlet for more info. But take note, not all outlets are offering this sizzling treat.
the new Chrysler Town & Country Touring Edition
Bannering the American heritage and standard of quality, luxury and comfort, Chrysler recently launched the latest Town & Country Touring Edition at the Manila Polo Club, in an entertaining afternoon of fine food, entertainment and a series of games to familiarize the media with the new automobile, as well as an opportunity to test drive the new machine.
True to its legacy of innovation and luxury, Chrysler’s new Town & Country Touring Edition brings the best of style, functionality and comfort in the latest edition of the “family room on wheels”. Designed to fit seven passengers comfortably, the Town & Country is actually a vehicle that can be altered to suit your needs, once again raising the bar for excellence and reinventing the ideal family friendly mobile. Armed with its unique Stow ‘n Go fold-flat-to-the-floor seating, seats can be hidden to make way for more storage capacity. So whether you’re a mom on the go, looking to find ways to add more space for your toddlers or a family man looking for a vehicle that will allow your whole brood to travel in heavenly comfort, this just may be the vehicle you’re looking for. Of course, the new Town & Country is also ideal for singles that enjoy traveling, as the spacious compartments, and adjustable storage make for great stow space for all your gear.
With innovations and upgrades to their line of vehicles, Chrysler, the inventor of the minivan has truly embraced the lifestyle of today’s modern family. With more than twelve million units sold since its introduction in 1983, the new Town & Country Touring Edition is sure to boost those numbers, with the convenience, comfort, luxury and flexibility of this new multipurpose family room on “wheels”.
first roll: crap
After waiting agonizingly for weeks, I finally got my Lomo LC-A+ camera pack and Colorsplash Flash. Excited as I was, I decided to shoot like crazy and take just about anything and everything. I was fooling around with colors, experimenting with the settings, and hitting that multiple exposure switch like I was running out of film. I was pretty confident that I would get some cool photos out of the roll, as I had tripped out on my five year old Holga 120N previously.
But when I got my prints back, I found that I had produced crap, pretty much. There was nothing lomographic about my photos and a lot of the shots came out blurred. Charge it to experience. I do, however, have my doubts about some of my photos. As I had my film developed in a Kodak center, a few of the shots were not printed — especially those double exposed and with strange colors…which leads me to believe that they actually color corrected some of the photos. But who knows. My first roll wasn’t a total waste though, as I think I was able to come up with a few shots that were worth saving. My pick of the bunch:
[click photo for larger view]My second roll is now with Digiprint, and I’m just waiting to see how this roll comes out. Hopefully, better.
skyfire
Good news for all you internet junkies out there: a new product that allows you to browse the web on your phone just came out. Yes, there are already a lot of other similar products in the market, but Skyfire claims to make browsing on your phone exactly like browsing on your PC. With that said, the browser boasts of support for Flash Videos, Rich Flash content, AJAX, Quicktime and Java.
Check out the demo video for more info.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mWUoxiLZFc&hl=en]
kid plays super mario theme with rc car and bottles
Got this link while watching Attack of the Show.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed4CHkN-Dkw&hl=en]
It’s amazing what you can come up with, with a lot of free time on your hands.
attack of the show
Ever since Sky Cable removed the Solar programs from their cable line up, I haven’t been watching much tv. No more Solar Sports, no more BTV, no more JackTV. But with every dark cloud comes a silver lining.
Over in the Maxx channel, there’s a great show called Attack of the Show with hilarious bits and a lot of tech talk…and not the hardcore technical stuff. More on features, new gadgets, new technology for the common folk. Think Daily Show with Jon Stewart, but for tech stuff.
While, I don’t consider myself a tech geek, this show just has so much interesting bits to enjoy. So if you find yourself with nothing to do at 10 in the evening, check out channel 51 on Sky Cale.
rampant plagiarism
As a photographer, you want to get your work out and share some of your favorite shots with fellow photogs, or even with admirers. Posting your photos online also serves as your ‘portfolio’ for future clients…
But one major risk still remains a reality. Photo stealing.
A couple of weeks ago, Enrico Dee, author of Byahilo reported that some of his photos were used without his knowledge by the morning talk show Boy and Kris. Dee’s photos were zoomed in to allow for the cropping of the watermarks. Patiently, he waited for the end of the segment to see if any credits or acknowledgment were given…but of course, none came.
Today, I read in the Digital Photographer Philippines forum that another talented photog has been victimized. Tricia Gosingtian aka Slumberdoll‘s photo (see below) of Aloida Gosiengfiao aka Blackmage9 was edited and used as the main artwork for the Earth Day Jam 2008. When the organizers were contacted, they apologized and offered the aggrieved parties invites as VIPs…and they were to be credited during the event. Great compensation.
[click photo for larger view]Internet laws have to be set up, in order to protect the intellectual property rights of photographers. But until then, just be careful whenever posting anything on the internet.
starbucks discount
Starbucks Coffee is supporting Earth Day 2008!
On April 22, 2008, Earth Day, Starbucks will be treating you to a Php 40 discount if you use your own tumbler/mug in purchasing any of your favorite beverage at any Starbucks store in the Philippines.
• We recommend customers participating in this campaign to bring tumblers that have the proper insulation for either warm or cold drinks.
• Bottled water and pre-packed juices are not included in this campaign.
• Transactions with Senior Citizen, VAT Exempt and Handicapped discounts are not qualified for this promotion.
tea appreciation workshop
After the dose of our favorite alcoholic beverage from one of my previous posts, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf hosted their own brand of beverage appreciation with the taste test of sorts of their various teas, in an effort to educate the public on a beverage that is gaining in popularity here in the Philippines.
Hosted by witty tea connoisseur and renowned Master Tea Blender David DeCandia, the event proved to be a lesson in the finer points of tea, as well as a crash course in the worlds second most popular brew.
After a quick introduction to Tea Appreciation 101 and a few questions thrown out, the practical exam or taste test began.
We started of with a Japanese blend with a toasty flavor and aroma, the Genmaicha Green. This tea is a mixture of the delicate taste of Sencha tea and partially toasted rice, which explains the flavor and smell.
After a quick sip of water to wash away the flavors of the previous tea, we were given our next sample — Fancy Formosa Dragon Oolong, a delicate tasting tea with a subtle hint of peach and the aroma of flowers.
Our third cup was the light bodied black tea, Apricot Ceylon, from Sri Lanka. As the name suggests, the blend was fruity, with the flavor of apricot.
As an added tread, David gave us a sample of his ‘new blend’, African Sunrise, which was specially concocted and first sampled today. The tea was naturally sweet and seemed to have a “creamy” taste to it. A great beverage if you’re looking for something saccharine, without feeling the guilt. The blend will be available in the market by June.
And to top the workshop off, we sampled the Chai tea, a blend of the finest black tea and 16 spices, including cinnamon, clove and cardamom. As you would expect, this blend was full bodied and had the taste of various spices.
To end the tea appreciation, we were served a few treats — Turkey and Melted Cheddar and the Chipotle Roast Chicken Sandwiches, as well as a few cookies and CBTL’s Rocky Road Fudge Bar.
My day was made…I got to sample a slew of tea variants, got to munch on some tasty treats, and I even learned a few new things. And to give a little back, I decided to share some of the little nuggets of info I picked up…
Some fun facts on tea:
- All teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant
- Tea has about 50% less caffeine than coffee which makes it great for those sensitive to caffeine.
- Caffeine is released in the first minute the tea in infused with water.
- Environmental and climatic conditions of a region (including soil and water) determine the unique taste of tea
- Green tea is claimed to help:
- prevent cancer
- lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels
- lower blood pressure
- regulate blood sugar levels
- raise metabloism and burn fat
- India is the world’s largets tea producer
- Tea is generally categorized into three types — black, green and oolong [but recently, other variants such as white, yellow and red have been added]
- Water quality will affect the taste of tea
orlina trophy named after Jun Bernardino
I read from Leng’s Multiply site that the PBA‘s Perpetual Trophy, designed by national artist Ramon Orlina, is to be named after the late, great Jun Bernardino, as tribute to his work and service as the longest serving PBA commissioner.
The award is given to a team that wins the All-Flipino conference three times in a row. Not an easily achievable feat. But this serves as a testament to Jun B.’s achievements in the PBA world, as he brought the country’s premiere basketball league to its glory days.
paramita chat event
Paramita came over to the Yehey office for their second chat event to promote their sophomore self titled album, ‘Paramita’.
ece licensure exam results
find the results from the 2007 ECE Licensure Exam at Yehey!
You can also download the file here
Here are the Top 10 Examinees:
- Timothy Chua [DLSU] — 92.9
- Zarina Bernabe [DLSU] — 88.7
- Roberto Galman [DLSU] — 88.15
- Janine Panganiban Recio [MAPUA] — 87.65
- Kristoffer Nicol So Lim [DLSU] — 87.55
- Ma. Deborah Vivas Baluran [Univ of South Phil] — 86.75
- Menandro dela Cruz Roxas [UP] — 86.3
- Jessica Elaine Pajela Ferrer [MAPUA] — 85.9
- John Michael Gotera Dy [DLSU] — 85.55
- Allan Joseph Perez Paule [MAPUA] — 85.35
- Michael Albert Madrid Romero [DLSU] — 85.35
beer appreciation night
Once in a while, you get to attend those events that are simply too good to put into words. Last night, Red Box [Greenbelt] hosted a Beer Appreciation Night to kick off their campaign to promote the best beers in the world.
We were given a few beers to taste…as well as the proper food pairing, to enhance the beer drinking experience.
On the menu:
- Heineken with German Gottingen Sausages
- Beck’s with Crispy Pata
- Stella Artois with BLT
- Hoegaarden with Baked Mussels
- Kirin with Fish Chips
- Budweiser with Buffalo Chicken Wings
Read the article for the full review
diamond hotel wedding packages
Getting married is serious business, so Diamond Hotel is offering some help for couples getting ready to tie the knot.
Last Friday, the Pasay hotel hosted a Wedding Package Tour at the spacious Restaurant Le Bellevue on the 27th floor, led by our tour guide, Issa Litton. For about an hour, we were taken through the various rooms in the area, and shown the various stages of the wedding process — from the Bridal Shower to the Pre Nuptial Spa pampering to Bridal coaching. There was even a session wherein Wesley Villarica (Wedding Photographer extraordinaire) took the participants’s photos ala pre-nup pictorial. And to top the event off, we were served lunch in the hotels Japanese restaurant Kohikan which was decorated to suit a Japanese Wedding motif.
