Merry Month of May at the Century Park Hotel

Wouldn't you like to have new memorable moments this May!  How about rediscovering what Century Hotel offers that's sure to make every day special.

May is sounding off the coming of Mother's Day celebration so why not spoil the family matriarch and experience memorable bonding moments while savoring our special treats on her special day.

Show her that she matters by surprising her and the whole family with a lunch or dinner buffet at the Café in the Park for P 1,475+ for adults and half the price for children 7 to 12 years old and free for children 6 years old and below. Add merriment to this experience and enjoy a complimentary bottle of wine or a bucket of beer or soft drinks for every 10 diners in the mother’s day buffet.

Naci Comfort Food's Refreshing New Look

The best news came to my yahoo mail one day.  It was a news from Ms. Nadine Nocom herself, the owner of Naci Comfort Food letting me know that Naci moved from Greenhills to The Fort.  My oh my, what glee!

Well it was sad when I knew of the Naci Greenhills branch closing down.   I've actually visited the place only a couple of times and every time I remember the name, what initially comes to mind is comfort food (chocolates, richly blended rice dishes, home-spun dishes reinvented) and everything good about food.

I guess they perfected the essence of being laid-back, luxuriate with exquisite food and beverages- simply comfort.

See my old post about Naci Comfort Food at the link below.

Comfort of Dining at Naci Comfort Food

7-ELECTION: Every Gulp Counts

It's only eight more days before we see ourselves declaring freedom once more and giving our country more chances of developing political and social wise.

Summer heat can most of the time be synonymous with election days (which happens every three years).  Good thing 7-11, the largest convenient store in the country, had launched a program giving customers a way to quench their thirst away and represent the team candidates for this year's (2013) election.   I don't really know how this can be accurate- in a way to know how any one would probably vote for a certain election candidate or party.  But it's a good enough barometer to know who or what party majority of the people might be vouching for.
You can also make your vote count ahead of the election day by simply buying an 16oz Gulp® beverage of any choice from Coca Cola, Del Monte and Pepsi.

Yep, easy as 1, 2, 3...

There are only 3 paper cup varieties.  The choice of cup serves as your vote, But for it to be valid, the bar code on your cup should be scanned for the system to tally the vote.
The designs are colored according to the Teams as such:

Team PNoy : YELLOW

Team Una: ORANGE
All In-One-Cup/Independent: WHITE
 (Ang Kapatiran, Bangon Muna, Democratic, Makabayan and Social Justice)

After choosing your cup, Yey, time to get your favorite drink...no dear, your drink is not designated to any parties, just the cups, get it?

Heads up, the beauty of this  informal 7-Election polls is that, though partial, is transparent since all 7-Eleven stores will be able to track the sale of the 7-Election Gulp® cups.   A lowdown of  the Gulp® cups and online polls are posted in leader boards at all stores weekly.

Regular updates will be open to the public in the website, social media and via strategic LED billboards placements in key transit areas in Metro Manila. The final tally will be released on May 7, 2013.

Hurry!  The promo and voting per se (buying of Gulp®) is only until May 6, 2013.

So Gulp your support now!

Sunshine on my Lemongrass Lemonade

Liven up your humid day with glasses of lemonade with a punch and a sunny feel.   Aside from getting a good dose of health benefits from lemongrass and lemon juice, you also divert your family from getting too much Nestea Iced Tea or sodas.  This refreshing concoction of lemongrass tea, lemon juice and oranges is so easy to make.

 Let me first give you a bit of info about cymbopogon, another name for lemongrass.

In a study that was conducted it has shown that every 100g of edible lemon grass, when boiled can contain up to 24.205 micrograms of beta-carotene the powerful anti-oxidant that scientist believe can help prevent cancer. In another study it has shown that lemon grass oil has the potential as topical eye medication against keratomycosis, an inflammation of cornea often associated with burning or blurring of vision. Researchers note that lemongrass oil’s antioxidant qualities and ability to inhibit the enzyme that promotes the growth of cancer cells are promising.

Aside form making hearty soups and viand with stalks of these, it has a whole lot of uses.

The health benefit however are the ones listed below.

 Health Benefits of Lemon Grass:

• It contains an antibacterial and anti-fungal properties

• It helps to detoxify the liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract.

• Helps boost the immune system

• Helps reduce uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats

• It helps alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis.

• Helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples

• It helps tone the muscle and tissues

• Helps in menstrual troubles

• Helps reduce blood pressure and improve blood circulation

• Helps reduce cellulite

• Act as sedative for the central nervous system.

• May help prevent colon cancer

• Helps in reducing fevers

• Help in flatulence and colic

• Relieves arthritic pain and rheumatism

Source: http://wakeuphils.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/health-benefits-of-lemon-grass/

To make a liter of Lemongrass Lemonade follow this recipe.

Lemongrass Lemonade

1 bunch or half a cup of fresh lemongrass
2 cups of water
juice from 2 lemons
4 TBSP honey
2 oranges, any type, sliced in cubes

Procedure:
1. Boil 2 cups of water with the lemongrass.  Once boiled, remove the lemongrass. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the honey with the lemongrass water and pour over a pitcher half filled with ice cubes.
3.  Pour the lemon juice to the pitcher and then the oranges.
4. Enjoy your beverage!

The Charm of a Rustic Villa: Hacienda Isabella

Last Good Friday, we took a detour from our regular Tagaytay get-away.   The drive to Sampalok Lake in Laguna down to Tiaong, Quezon, for a Holy week day tour, a few years back was still fresh in my husband's memory.  We didn't plan a summer outing for the Holy week since we have booked our first week of June for a visit to Dumaguete and Negros.
So to cap off the month of March, we headed down Indang, Cavite to explore some hidden falls or lakes.   My uncle used to bring us to Indang when we were kids.  From time to time his then wife would bring us to the river to cool off and watch the neighboring ladies wash their clothes.  Also, far as I know, it is where he was able to amass a couple of real properties and some lands rich in trees for use as lumbers.   I remember him visiting us from Indang bringing with him sacks of santol and coconut.
It was all in proper timing, since a client of mine (from my wedding management job) asked if we knew of an event place that is not in Tagaytay but near it.  The first thing that came to my mind was Indang.
Then I came upon a wedding resource website with an entry from Hacienda Isabella.
So we took the kids and drove all the way to Indang, first on our list, of course is Hacienda Isabella.

I never imagined being in a place as beautiful as this.  As if Shakespeare himself was brought to life and got his inspiration in writing sonnets.   Well after all, Renaissance arts are all over the villa.  The Renaissance Woman of the Philippines happens to own the property and according to the staff have had her hands, mind and hearts in every single detail of Indang's haven.

What's in My Chuck's Deli Lunch Bag + Slay the Buffy Challenge

It 's one of those days when things aren't flying out right.   When you can not even sit down and mull over issues that had arise. What do you do?  

Breath, think about sandwiches, then get ready to raid the fridge.

That's how I lived and thrived on, gobbling up sandwiches at any given time.   My movie time partner, a Sub  sandwich; my coffee and tea companion, grilled wheaties filled with PB and J; meals can also be a stack of cheeses, cold cuts, fresh, crisp greens and more breads.   As far as I can remember in the past, the first thing that filled my lunch bag was a sandwich heartily prepared by my mom, I was in pre-school then.   

When news surfaced about Chuck's Deli's slabwich, I have been itching to try it.  However, it took me years to have that experience.    Thanks to a blogger friend who invited me to check out their offerings.  Chuck's Deli has two branches, Eastwood and Serendra.  I got to visit their Serendra branch.  The place was a wee small but enough sittings available.  I said small because customers easily fill it up.   I guess everyone had the experience already and have been coming back except me.  

The place is simply designed with just blackboards on the walls, on one side is the bragging wall for the hall of famers of slabwich eaters.  The lack in the dining place's appeal was made up with love for sandwiches and great comfort food.

Allured by Homeys Cafe's Ilocano Cuisine

Like any other children,  I used to hate vegetables, except French fries of course (yeah when I was four I considered it as a vegetable).   My parents were so determined to make us eat all the dishes, where more vegetables are visible than meat.   I even used to think that whoever invented Pinakbet must have really hated children because it had all the bitter and slimy vegetables I detested.  There would be times though that we'd have scrambled eggs for lunch, but lo ampalaya (bitter melon) is mixed in it.
However, I grew up making healthy choices specialty when I had a cholecystectomy (surgical removal of gall-bladder) in high school.   And that's when I learned how to appreciate vegetables and most of the dishes my Papa would cook for us.
More years have passed, until I became close to our Ilocano neighbors.  They would give me sample veggie dishes cooked the Ilocano style like Dinengdeng, Dinakdakan and few others.  Ilocano cuisine evokes a range of taste even in one dish.  But over all, it truly defines what a homey food for a Filipino is.

Speaking of homey, I just happened to chance upon a cafe in the not so busy part of Legazpi Village.  A fellow Marian (Jem Pamintuan) have been helping out her friend spread the word of their cafe.   When I saw her post on FB, heralding Homeys Cafe, what instantly came to my mind was that they might be serving comfort foods and I said to myself I should give it a try.

Eton Now Applies International Primary Curriculum (IPC)

Last April 13, I was introduced to an international curriculum, which is said to be a holistic approach to international education were every teacher, parent and student is in the network globally.   As a mom, it is important to me that my kids are not only motivated to learn but the love for it is evident in their day to day activities, at school and at home.

The rising interest for having kids in international school means that kids are ready for a global shift in learning styles as well.    Eton International School is an academic institution engaged in K-12 education and is a part of global network of more than 100 schools using the “Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles”. Branded as the “school of the future,” Eton provides a school where learning is more continuous, more relevant, and more adaptive. Its mission is to make International education accessible to all.

Now they have joined with other international schools all over the globe to let Filipino students get access to

this new teaching method, as Eton International School signed a partnership with International Primary Curriculum.  Eton's initiative makes education in the Philippines more valuable and more fun.

Fishing, Shipyard and the Road to Fisher Mall

   I have blogged about a new mall said to rise soon before the year ends- the Fisher Mall. It's a 1.5-hectare prime property formerly occupied by the Pantranco bus terminal in Quezon City.  Said to be a billion-peso development which, when completed, is expected to become a prime shopping destination in the metropolis.

Read about it at his post:  Find All, Be All at Fisher Mall

DEPED Created Election Task Force

PRESS RELEASE

It was publicly announced last Wednesday that the Department of Education has created an Election Task Force (ETF) Operation Center at its Central Office in Pasig.  This is  to ensure full support to teachers who will serve as members of the Board of Election Inspectors for the 2013 national and local elections.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC has designated Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Atty. Alberto Muyot as Chair of the Steering Committee.

Ensuring that teachers will be provided with adequate information as well as technical and legal assistance in their role as members of the BEIs, is ETF's main goal. The same protection is extended to principals, supervisors, schools division/city superintendents and other DepEd employees who will serve in the May 13, 2013 automated national and local elections.

“Our DedEd personnel deserve all the support they need to enable them to better perform this noble duty of overseeing the conduct of an honest and free elections,” said Luistro.
 The 2013 ETF Operation Center will be established at the DepEd Bulwagan ng Karunungan starting at 1:00 pm of May 12 until 12:00 noon of May 14.