ADPTV Halloween Week

 

Staying at the office for 9 hours each day, talking to the same people, and doing the same thing can get boooooring! That's why I love being part of engagement teams. For at least one day each month, we get to have fun, and do crazy things other than work related stuff. And I get to be part of the planning stage!

I  had been a part of the Global Engagement Team for two years now. I think that's why my supervisor Ron asked me to be part of the local engagement group that we started last month. The first month was a success but my team didn't win so I'm not sure I want to post it. Haha. We won overall for the second run and got P5,000 team funds! Woohoo!

This month, we had our Halloween week. We started with TeamDub. 7 teams participated. Each team had to upload their own dubsmash daily, based on the day's assigned clip. To make it more challenging, different requirements had to be incorporated in the video. Headset for Monday; Subtitle for Tuesday; Elevator for Wednesday; and a Stranger for Thursday. Different guest judges gave each video a score of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest. We came in 3rd with 31 points. The top team got 35. Not everyone got our joke but we had so much fun, scores did not matter!

My team's 4 10-second dubsmash for TeamDub. 

The winning team's dubsmash for TeamDub. 
posted with permission from Terrence D'Arby

#HerbalifeHealthPoll: Health Concerns and Perceptions in the Philippines

{press release}

Nine in 10 Filipino consumers surveyed by global nutrition company Herbalife are “highly concerned” about the potential diseases that an unhealthy lifestyle can cause them, with the same number believing that simple lifestyle changes can help improve their overall well-being.

A good number of the respondents expressed willingness to adopt a healthy lifestyle; 79 percent said that they would cut down on unhealthy foods, 78 percent expressed their willingness to exercise more regularly, and 72 percent said they would make better nutrition choices.

“We welcome the results of the survey. It gives an understanding of Filipinos becoming even more health concious and self-aware that they need to make some lifestyle changes to improve their overall well-being. It also gives Herbalife an idea where we are needed, because as the survey revealed only four out of 10 would spend 10 to 30 minutes a day to make simple lifestyle changes,” said Rosalio Valenzuela, Herbalife Philippines General Manager.

The respondents, however, cited the following as the top obstacles to achieving a healthy lifestyle: lack of time for exercise (75 percent), lack of time to make proper nutrition choices (64 percent), and high cost of healthy food (62 percent).

The same health poll likewise showed that the top three aging-related concerns in the country were heart, brain, and eye health.

Better knowledge and understanding

“The findings from the Herbalife survey clearly show that the majority of people in Asia Pacific that we questioned believe in the value of good nutrition and exercise as contributing to their overall well-being. We aim to play a greater role in providing practical tips and information to people to help them understand that the journey to a healthier, more active lifestyle is not difficult to achieve. With as little as 10 minutes a day, consumers can take positive steps to improve their nutrition and be more active, which will improve their overall well-being,” said William M. Rahn, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Herbalife Asia Pacific.

Herbalife conducted the survey in September 2015 in the lead-up to its Asia-Pacific Wellness Tour. It surveyed 1,200 respondents across six countries, including the Philippines, on perceptions towards their health and current lifestyle. Respondents from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Thailand were likewise included in the survey.

Herbalife Asia-Pacific Wellness Tour

Now on its fourth year, the Herbalife Asia-Pacific Wellness Tour aims to deepen people’s practical understanding of the various aspects of living a healthy active lifestyle. Its previous tours in the past three years saw close to 60,000 participants across the region.
This year’s Wellness Tour will feature five members of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board (NAB) visiting 14 markets and 21 cities across the Asia-Pacific in the month of October. They will share their expert views on how people can make use of the little time they have to make simple lifestyle changes that will enhance their well-being.

Herbalife’s NAB experts will likewise share their views on a wide range of health-related topics, including weight management, brain health and aging; heart health; immunology; and skin care at the medical symposia being held in Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnamn.

The Herbalife NAB experts participating in this year’s Wellness Tour include Dr. David Heber, who incidentally will be coming to Manila, is a leading expert in the field of nutrition and named as one of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds” by Thomson Reuters in 2014 and considered one of “The Best Doctors in America”; Dr. Lou Ignarro, a Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine in 1998 for his discovery of nitric oxide’s health benefits; Dr. Gary Small, a specialist in brain health and aging who has authored over 500 scientific works and has received numerous awards and honors, including the “Senior Investigator Award” from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry; Dr. Marion Fltechner-Mors, a health nutrition specialist who is currently heading the nutrition and obesity research group at Ulm University, Germany; and Dr. Wang Jae Lee, a physician and academic specializing in immunology and a professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine.

Dr. Heber, who is the founding Director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles, will be conducting a symposium for free to Filipino medical practitioners on October 23, 9am, at the Manila Hotel. The symposium will gather a group of 100 doctors, nurses, physical therapists and medical practitioners. The title of the symposium is “Obesity: More Than Just Being Overweight and Nutrition Forecast for 2020.” Seminars of Dr. Heber are recognized by US hospitals as part of Continuing Education Studies, which are often required of applicants. The following day, Oct. 24, Dr. Heber will be holding seminars for thousands of Herbalife Independent Members in the same hotel.
This is the first time Dr. Heber, who is also the Chairman of the NAB and the Herbalife Nutrition Institute, to conduct a seminar in Manila since the company was founded in the Philippines 22 years ago.

###

Herbalife is a 35-year-old global nutrition company that sells weight-management, nutrition and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in more than 90 countries to and through a network of independent members. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. To learn more visit Herbalife.com.

 

#milaOOTD: Rainy Day Fun

I hope everyone is safe and sound. I enjoy this cool, refreshing weather, but I can't help feeling worried too about other parts of the country who's having a hard time with storm Lando. I really pray everyone stays dry and comfortable inside their home.

Remember how Mondays are my happy days? It's so true today. Our new yaya starts work with us. She seems nice and easy to live with. I think she is kind and genuinely cares for Mila. I pray firsts impressions last and she stays with us for a lone time. 

Now that we have someone to help with house chores, we finally got time to do our errands without having to rush rush rush. Since we have a little spare time, we decided to finally pick it up the socks I ordered online. The timing could not be any more perfect. 

Just look at those socks! Perfection! It's the same dress she was wearing earlier when we went out driving. We just added the socks and changed to a waterproof shoes and voila! We got our #milaOOTD. 

Mila had been stuck inside the house because of the rain. We needed to stretch those legs so the garage is now our playground. I'm glad we thought of this. I got the exercise I need too. She was running all around, kicking ball like a pro soccer player. It got me all sweaty and warm.

#milaOOTD: October 19, 2015
Headband: SM Department Store
Dress: Babypalooza Bazaar
Socks: AliExpress
Shoes: Zara

The sun is shining a little now. Hopefully, the rain stops soon, but I'd like to keep the cold breeze please.  

Color Pop Fair at National Book Store

The Adult-Coloring craze had taken everyone by storm! Even my 2 year old daughter Mila knows how to use the Colorfy app and often uses it when she needs to stay still at church service. 

Even before adult coloring became so trendy, one of my officemates had been completing sheets after sheets of beautiful, intricate work of art with her colored pens. I initially thought that she draws the outline of these detailed photos from scratch and then colors it in at work. When I asked her, she said she just downloads and prints them from online. It's a hobby she picked up from doodling. The repetitive hand movement of coloring keeps her sane and calm, she said. 

I wanted to do the same thing and color a sheet myself. I started one but could not finish it. My work was not beautiful at all. The colors looked weird and strokes are uneven.  Instead of tranquility, it gave me frustrations. Until I learned to let go of any judgement and just enjoy the controller carefree motions of filling in the white gaps with color pops. There are no rules. Roses can be black. Lions are blue. The fun of coloring is on doing it. Mila and I even practice coloring together.

As much as I now appreciate my "work of art", I still think I can be better. Learning from experts will be a big help. On October 24, National Book Store, in partnership with Lifestyle Channel and SM Mall of Asia, will hold its first ever “Color Pop Fair" from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Main Mall Atrium, SM Mall of Asia. Admission is free for all events and workshops. Registration starts at 10 a.m and I'd definitely be there. 

Enjoy a Saturday of free, fun-filled coloring activities especially designed for adults who are artists-at-heart.  Learn basic adult coloring, shade selection, blending techniques, choosing the right coloring materials and other great coloring tips. Participate in the day-long art workshops. Choose from Zig Kuretake adult coloring demo by Iris Babao Uy, The Secret Techniques in Making your Coloring Look Professional by Alex M. Roxas, Mapedize your Bookmark – DIY Adult Coloring Bookmark, Creating Gradients with Chameleon Pens by June Digan, Sharpiefied Coloring with Carlo Arezza, Stabilo Adult Coloring Demo by Mark Dean Lim, The Art of Doodling and Stuff – A Create and Collaboration Workshop by Nelz Yumul, Coloring Tips from the Googly Gooeys by Tippy Go, Tips on Doodling and Adult Coloring by Kerby Rosanes, Marvy Uchida Basic Coloring Demonstration by Tepai Pascual, and many more.

All coloring sheets and materials will be provided. Plus! Get 20% off on all imported adult coloring books at the event only. Color your world and join the fun at National Book Store’s Color Pop Fair. 

The event is made possible in partnership with Artline Stix, Colleen, Dong-A, Faber Castell, Marvy Uchida, Stabilo, Sharpie, and Zig Kuretake. 

See posters or follow National Book Store on Facebook for more details. Shop online and buy eBooks at nationalbookstore.com. For reservations, call 8888-NBS (627) for calls within Metro Manila, 1-800-10-8888-NBS for calls outside Metro Manila, or text 0998-8888-NBS and 0917-8747-269. The National Book Store hotlines are open Mondays to Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Follow National Book Store on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@nbsalert). Tag #NBSColorPopFair to join the discussion. 

The Great Brazilian Madness 2015

  

Popular footwear brands Ipanema, Grendha, and Rider are on sale in The Great Brazilian Madness from Oct 15 to 17 at the Trinoma Mall Activity Center. Everything is priced from P500 below.

As soon as I saw the posters around EDSA about a month ago, I marked my calendar to join the madness. Ipanema and Grendha are brands that I always try out when I go to shoe stores, but it's always beyond my budget. Getting a pair or two is just a wish.

On day 1 of the sale, I went to Trinoma around 1pm just to be disappointed because the queue is impossible. I estimate that it will take me an hour to get inside to fenced area of the sale, another hour to fight for space to get a pair or two, and the rest of the day to get to the cashier. I decided to leave.

Earlier today, faith had it that I get my wish. I was about to go home after a long day at work. This was at 9:45am and I get off the MRT North Edsa station. The line of people waiting to get inside Trinoma is building up. I was near the entrance so I decided to stay and keep my place to get firsts dibs on today's stocks in the Great Brazillian Madness. Suddenly, people started rushing as the mall opened it's doors. At exactly 10am, I'm one of the hundreds lined up to get their Brazilian.

 

Even before I got in, I already have an idea what I'll get - a pair of shoes for me, slippers for Hubs and me, a couple of sandals or slippers for Mila. All footwear are grouped by category (Men's Women's, Babies and Kids) and by size. My first stop was Kids' section, of course. Did not take long to get a couple for Mila. I think these will be Mila's first slippers. She's always wearing shoes or socks. Then I made a beeline for size 7 Women's area. Those shelves were almost empty except for a few slippers and boots. I tried one and they are too big. Size 6 fits better and they have more shoes and sandals still available. Tucked a few in the shopping bag without trying them out. I need to move fast!

The men's area is more forgiving. Less people and more pieces are on display. There's a display of Gola shoes and accessories near that corner too. They offer less discount but the price is still great. i was not interested in those shoes and I really just want to use the space they have to sit down and try the pairs I got for myself. Out of the eight shoes in my bag, I decided to keep two that are most irresistible. I would have kept all if my wallet would allow it. 

There's about a dozen cashiers available and no line yet when I checked out so that was a breeze. Took me 30 minutes to complete my shopping and paid P3,600 for 8 Brazilian pairs.That would have been just a pair of flats and slippers on regular prize. Amazing!

Here's my loot from The Great Brazilian Madness!

Bonding at Res|Toe|Run Kids Rumble Yard

Having quality time with my daughter is getting rare. Last week, she had to stay with my mom since we don't have a new helper yet. It's a 30-minute drive from our house so we try to drop by either before or after work. We stay for a couple of hours just so we don't miss her much. During those short visits, she's either sleeping because it's her nap time, or we just watch TV in bed because mom & dad are too tired to play. I feel so guilty, I promised myself weekends will be spent bonding with her.

On Saturday, it was mom-and-daughter time. Because I just got off from work, I wanted a relaxed but still fun bonding time. We went to Robinson's Magnolia for the Res|Toe|Run Kids Rumble Yard. The Rumble Yard is a two-day long playground-themed event for kids and kids at heart. Res|Toe|Run’s kids brands set up fun and exciting booths for boys and girls to explore, create, and enjoy at the Rumble Yard.

We were one of the first few who tried out the booths. I think they just finished setting up when we got there. Our first stop was Print on Tips by Flossy. Mila got her nails painted glittery pink. The ladies were amazed because she knew the drill. Sanay na sanay daw. Since Mila does not want to play yet and risk ruining her polish, I got her a big pink flower headband from Faux Pas' Fancy Toppers booth. A few minutes after, Mila is ready to explore more. We got Body Doodle by Nike. Flowers on one arm, and the blog's logo on the other. It was inspired by the Rumble Yard logo being painted on the the hand of the girl beside us. DC Shoes had thrilling X-Box racing games and People Footwear had the exciting Buzz game that older kids and families enjoyed too. We wanted to make our own photo-worthy DIY Krispy Kreme donuts from Native's booth but the line was long and we skipped it.

I could not resists the amazing kids shoes displayed at the Rumble Yard, I wanted to get a pair for Mila. We were invited to check out the different matching pairs available in store. Since we had time before the program and games start, we went up to the 2nd floor to visit the Res|Toe|Run store. As part of the campaign to promote the kids line, Res|Toe|Run is running a #minime special: For every purchase of kids shoes, get 20% off on adult shoes. What a good excuse to get myself a new pair of shoes too. 

It took us a while to pick our terno shoes but Mila was gung ho on trying out everything. There was a corner setup with toys and Mila played with other kids while I shop around. We may have tried a dozen different styles and colors. My first choice was Faux Pas flats because it's more my style but they don't carry Mila's size (smallest was 28 and Mila wears 23). I would have loved to collect all the cute Jams. We eventually narrowed it down to four choice.

#minime pair 1: DC Shoes

Mila: Toddler Rebound SE UniLite in Lilac/Black/Cupcake. 
Mommy: Youth Spartan High Shoe in Black/Turquoise. 

I love the hi-cut design and sporty look of these DC Shoes. Mila particularly liked the cupcake print on hers. It's super light weight and Mila had no trouble running around even if it's a little big for her. The pair I tried was the last hi-cut style that fits adult feet. Well, it's actually teen size but I got small feet.

#minime pair 2: People Footwear
Mila: The Senna Kids in Peachy Pink
Mommy; Senna in Peachy Pink

These are molded shoes that features an extra cushy Skylite™ EVA upper with vent channels and removable laces. I am in love with the color and it's simplicity. 

#minime pair 3: Flossy
Mila: Kids Plimsolls Pumps in Funkdeluxe 
Mommy: Women Plimsolls Pumps in Baby Pink

Flossy shoes do not only give soft comfort but also its signature bubble gum scent. The classic design can be paired with most of our outfits. Flossy Plimsolls are simple and sweet just like my daughter!

#minime pair 4: Native
Mila: Verona in Glass Green and Popstar Orange
Mommy: Jeferson in Yucca Blue/Pigeon Grey

It's lightweight and waterproof. Perfect for the beach, or even in the city where rain and flood can happen any minute. Native shoes are shock absorbent and odour resistant too. I've always loved Native because they seem to mold on my feet. Mila had fun choosing all the different designs too. We would have gotten the glow in the dark version but we saw it too late. The cool blue green shade of these pair though, irresistible!

More than just a go-to shoe store for the latest hard-to-find footwear selections, Res|Toe|Run seeks to offer the widest array of shoes for each member of the family. With its Kids collection in tow, Res|Toe|Run plates up a delectable footwear menu for just about everyone. We got our pair and had a quick 'little chef' pictorial in the 'restaurant' as per Mila's request. Really, it was her. She loved the chef hat I showed her and she insisted on me getting the 'big spoons' before I take her photo. 

Mila was still pumped up as we go back to the Rumble Yard activity area. We were just in time for the games. Dozens of little girls and boys eagerly lined up to participate. Even Mila was jumping, raising her hand, shouting "Yey! Me!" She may be small but her voice is big enough to join in on the fun! Everyone clearly had a great time.

We left with tired body, low energy, and happy hearts. Mila had a blast and I finally got to spend quality time with her. We even got matching shoes to use on our next bonding!

Oh, wondering which pair we got? I'll post our full #ootd on the blog soon. In the meantime, you can go to our Instagram page Mila Stole My Heart to find out what's the winning pair. Or comment below which one you wish we got. *wink*

Be Prepared Against Dengue

The resent weeks had seen an alarming number of dengue cases in the Philippine. Hospitals are in White Code alert. Cavite had to declare a State of Calamity after 16 residents died from the virus. 

Dengue cases usually peaks during the rainy season, around July and August. Consider also the recent water interruptions in Metro Manila. People are storing water in containers that when left stagnant, can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

A friend recently shared a story of a pregnant mother who died from dengue. There were no symptoms she said. Not until she noticed some blood from her nose. They immediately brought her to the hospital but it was too late. The baby did not survive either. Both were diagnosed with Dengue. Both wonderful lives lost. 

It's scary that even if we are vigilant, symptoms may not be as obvious as we expect it to be. With dengue hemorrhagic fever being one of the leading causes of serious illness and death among children in Asian countries including the Philippines, we cannot be too careful. Children 12 years old and below are most vulnerable. Younger children may not be able to express or identify their symptoms. Our role as parents is to ensure that we protect our children and prevent them from having the virus in the first place.

As of now, there is no vaccine yet available to make us immune from this virus. The Department of Health previously reported that a vaccine may be available as of July 2015 but it had not come to fruition. The Sanofi Pasteur Dengue Vaccine is still under clinical study and may not be completed until 2017¹. The key to prevention is address the root cause: avoid and kill the deadly virus-carrying mosquitoes. Below is one of the most complete infographic I found about Dengue.

inforgraphic from Regenestem Asia

Dengue can be fatal but early diagnosis can prevent this from happening. As soon as you see any sign, even if it's a slight fever, consult your physician immediately. Some of the victims died because it was not diagnosed early on. I know some cases when the victim's family could not bring the patient to the hospital because they did not have the money to spend. Please know that DOH and PhilHealth will cover the expenses for dengue patients admitted to government hospitals. Money should not be a reason why anyone will dies from dengue.

A few months ago, we won P10,000 worth of Pioneer MediCash Dengue Insurance. I just signed up on the Pioneer booth's guests lists during the Mommy Mundo Expo Mom Bazaar last May. A few weeks after, I received a message that I won. Pioneer Medicash Dengue Insurance provides 1 year of coverage for ages 1 to 70 years old. When diagnosed with dengue, an insured can claim P10,000 lump sum medical cash assistance, even if the condition does not require hospital confinement. It can be purchased for only P350. Small amount compared to the life that could be saved.

I planned on including a Pioneer MediCash Dengue Insurance during my 1st year blog anniversary giveaway but I had to pause the blog then. Now is the perfect time to share this blessing. This is not a sponsored giveaway. I just believe that there are other families out there that can benefit from this dengue insurance.

To get the chance to get your own Pioneer Medicash Dengue Insurance, just follow the rafflecopter below. Giveaway will run until November 15. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WINNER!!!

Winner had been emailed. Another winner may be picked if I do not get a response within the week.

Thanks everyone for reading this post, joining the raffle, and most importantly, for sharing your tips on how to avoid dengue!

PRESS RELEASE: Agora Awards

Stories make us assimilate learning easier. Stories coming from the Icons and Beacons of Marketing is an opportunity to learn and a privilege to actually have a tete-a-tete with these speakers during the learning session! 

Join the inaugural offer of Philippine Marketing Association's Agora BEST Talks.

Learn from the BEST of the best in the Marketing Industry. From 50 Shades of Marketing to 50 Shades of Marketing- Darker, the Philippine Marketing Association brings together 22 past AGORA Awardees to share their experience, learning, passion, triumphs and tests on Branding. Entrepreneurship. Social Responsibility. Technology.

Join us on OCTOBER 21, 2015 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom from 8AM to 5PM. 

Check the website: theagora.ph. REGISTER now. Limited Slots only.

AjiPanda™: Your Best Friend in the Kitchen

{press release} 

AjiPanda™ is a cute panda icon that conveys someone shy, caring, happy and loyal. It personifies how a humble pack or bottle of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning fills the role of “Your Best Friend in the Kitchen” by offering an ever-reliable way of bringing out the natural goodness of food.

Ajinomoto’s new campaign, which also features teen queen Kathryn Bernardo, presents the benefits of its dependable brand of seasoning to a new generation of cooks and food lovers.

AJI-NO-MOTO® comes from sugar cane, corn or cassava and is manufactured through the natural process of fermentation. This product is safe, convenient and effective in making food taste delicious.

This is because it is simply free glutamate, the most common among amino acids (the building blocks of protein). It provides the taste of umami to food in the same way that sugar adds sweet taste or salt adds salty taste to food.

But what is umami? Umami, is the fifth basic taste alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. It is the savory, rich and full taste we often experience in meat, seafood, cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Consider the delightful composition of chicken, green papaya and malunggay in tinola or the medley of cheese, ham, pepperoni, tomatoes, green and red bell peppers on top of a pizza. The combinations and layers of these glutamate-rich ingredients make dishes very delicious and enjoyable.

Remember that AjiPanda™, your best friend in the kitchen, will help work wonders in your cooking so that you can share many happy meals with your family. Visit http://www.ajinomoto.com.ph/AjiPanda for healthy and delicious recipes.

Earn While Shopping with ShopBack

Raise your hand if you had been browsing online shops or had bookmarked an item you want to get on payday. Raise both hands if you just spent some money on an online purchase and gave in on that great deal you just can't resist. Raise your hands and feet if you had been doing this regularly.

I used to shop online sparingly, until I got pregnant and became a mom. Going to the mall, department stores, and groceries can be a humongous task that I prefer to stay home and shop on my phone. Not to mention the heavy traffic that had been the norm in the Metro. I've noticed most people, friends and family, are now also buying their stuff online. Even purchasing from stores in the US or China and having it shipped here. It's the convenience and accessibility of everything that drives the growth of online retail businesses. 

Mila's First Hair Cut

 

A couple of days after her second birthday, we decided it was time for Mila to get her first hair cut. My mom said it was 1 year over due but I say, better late than never.

Mila has very fine hair. I always tease her that for 1 year, she was stuck with the hair she was born with. Her head was growing bigger but her hair stayed the same. As with the older generation, our aunts suggested that I shave all of Mila's hair. They said it will help make it grow thicker and healthier. The thought of Mila being bald upsets me so much. I can't imagine her #milaOOTDs working with no hair. Hubs and I agreed that we will wait until she turns two before we decide again what to do with her hair.

Then she turned two. We knew it was time to chop off those hair. The little lady needs to have a more stylish cut. Time to cut off the few longer strands that were her newborn hair. So off we go to Cuts 4 Tots in Trinoma.

What's the Newest Foodie Hotspot in Quezon City?

As a newbie Quezon City resident, I must admit I'm behind on trying out great restaurants in the area. Not for the lack of it, because there are dozens out there. If anything, the latest and best places to eat are here in the north and new ones are opening often. 

Good news is in store for Quezon City—the newest foodie hotspot in town has opened its second branch at Manhattan Parkview, Araneta Center. The creators of Vikings Luxury Buffet and NIU by Vikings bring you Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot. A restaurant that provides a customizable, fresh and healthy dining experience for celebrating special occasions, or for when you simply want to enjoy a top-notch meal. 

Kick back and take in the ambiance as you enjoy one of the Philippines’ best buffets. Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot has several impressive stations, and patrons can take their pick of their meat, seafood, vegetables, appetizers, desserts, Japanese and bar options. Indulge your imagination and make the dish of your dreams with their wide selection of broths, noodles, meat, toppings and sauces. The Cubao branch also offers a pasta station and a carving station.

For P688 for weekday lunches and P888 for weekday dinners, weekends and holidays, diners can choose from chicken, pork, fish, vegetable and crowd favorite sinigang as a soup base. Combined with their selection of noodles, decorate your soup with fresh or frozen dumplings, specialty balls, your favorite protein and choice of vegetables. Select from Sate, Szechuan, Tomato and Chinese Herbs. Amp up the flavor with the many dipping sauces available. Cook it in your personal hotpot, and experience being a chef for a day!

With so many components and combinations, the possibilities are truly endless. 

Cubao’s dining scene just got a whole lot better with Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot! Visit them at the G/F, Manhattan Parkview, General Roxas Avenue, Araneta Center, Quezon City. Open every day for lunch from 11AM to 2:30PM, and for dinner from 5:30PM to 10PM. Learn more about hotpot dining here, or visit http://www.fourseasonshotpot.com.ph/ for more details.

See you at Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot!

{this is a press release} 

Recipe: Pineapple Chicken

Looks like October will be a busy month for us. We started the month with a trip to Bicol. We just got back home and we're again without a yaya. Hopefully by next week another angel be sent our way. For now, Mila will have to stay with my mom. We still don't have an idea how we will manage the household chores, my blogging events, Hubs' extra work load, and all the other things we're suppose to do, but we will. In between driving Mila to and from her lola's place. 

One of the things I have to start doing again is to cook our meal. Our last yaya was a good cook and she took care our our foid. It's either I re learn how to cook quick and easy meals, or we have to rely again on buying from the carinderia. Problem with that is the menu can get old. Nakakasawa. 

Thanks to Facebook Memories, I got an addition to my menu. Facebook posted my Pineapple Chicken recipe I shared four years ago. Those were the times when I get to cook when I'm bored. The times when the market was just a few steps away from our place. So it's easy to buy ingredients when I feel like playing in the kitchen. 

I already forgot the story behind this recipe. Since I noted that the recipe was not copied from any recipe source, it may be one of my experiments. From the comments though, lookd like Hubs gave it a thumbs up so I will be cooking it again. Here's the recipe as per the Facebook post. 

"Marinated chicken in pineapple juice. Fried carrots. Sautéed garlic and onion. Add chicken. Add milk. Add rosemary, pepper, salt. Add pineapple juice and chunks. Simmer. Add carrots. Serve..." 

Marinated chicken in pineapple juice. Fried Carrots. Sauteed Garlic and Onion. Add chicken. Add milk. Add rosemary,...
Posted by Paulline Joy Flores on Sunday, 2 October 2011

Now that I know how to cook more dishes, I'd honestly say this looks just like the common pininyahang manok recipe, right? Maybe the rosemary was the twist that made me say it's mine? I really don't know. Keep in mind that this was from a post back in 2011. If you think this is just the tried and tested pininyahang manok from our grandparents' recipe books, or have found the recipe somewhere else, don't hesitate to call my attention so I can give proper credits. For those who would try cooking this Pineapple Chicken Recipe, share them to me by tagging @milastolemyheart in IG and Facebook. Enjoy!