The Week that Was

I’ve in a hiatus for almost a week, life has been a roller coaster ride these past few days. I’ve been feeling low and I was not in the mood to blog. 

1. Flare up again - if you’ve been regular reader of this blog, you are aware that I have psoriasis. Last April, I told my doctor that I want to stop my medication because I don’t want to depend on it. It’s been years that I relied on this medication just to control my psoriasis. I tried to stop the medication two years ago and I experienced severe psoriasis, from head to toes. Read the story here. 

I was afraid to stop taking medication because I know it might happen again but there are things that I need to consider. First, I’m not allowed to get pregnant while on medication because it will lead to miscarriage. Second, the medicine is not good for the liver so I always have regular labtest to monitor my liver. Third, I feel that it is reason why I always have UTI because my immune system is weak.

Now that my psoriasis is all over my body again, I’m back to phototherapy, I’m hoping that I can see improvement after 12 sessions (3x per week) because UVB is so expensive. It is P914 per session, as in every year nag increase ang rate. Waah!

2. Loose Bowel Movement - I had LBM for 5 days and it was the worst case that I’ve experienced. As in, I went to the bathroom more than 15 times a day and I can’t sleep through the night because I need to go to bathroom. 

I felt so weak and dehydrated. My husband wanted me to bring to the hospital because it’s been days already but I rejected it. I dislike going to the hospital, I’ve been going there already 3x  a week because of UVB and ayaw ko na magpacheck-up ulit. 

I even attended my brother-in-law’s wedding last Saturday even though I have LBM. Imagine my feeling, it was the longest wedding that I’ve attended because I really want to go home and stay in the house because I’m not feeling well. 

But I’m glad I’m ok now, I ate a lot of bananas and drank bottles of gatorade.

3. Divided by Technology - I have severe psoriasis and LBM so I’m experiencing emotional stress and last Sunday I felt so alone. It seems that my family is divided by technology. 

I just stayed in the room to rest while my husband was in the living room because there’s no cable in our room. I think it is not really a good idea to have two televisions at home. It was Sunday so my son was busy with his Ipad because he can only use it every weekend. 


4. Father’s Day - we did not celebrate Father’s day because I want to rest. It was my husband’s day but he was so busy taking care of me and doing chores in the house. Thank you! 

Anyway, I want to believe that this too shall pass and it won’t always be this way. 

Haircial Treatment at Dermclinic

I admit that I have very little knowledge when it comes to beauty products and services. I’m not really updated on what’s new so it was only last month that I’ve learned about haircial treatment. I joined a blog giveaway and I was lucky to win 2 gift certificate to try haircial treatment at Dermclinic. 

We took advantage the holiday last Friday and went to Alabang Town Center. We’re supposed to watch Jurassic World first but no more seats available at 1:15PM so we went to Dermclinic to use our gift certificate.

I did not make any reservation but I was glad that they accommodated us. The only problem is, they only have one equipment for haircial treatment so I went in first. 

According to the flyer, medical haircial treatment is a specialized treatment created to thicken and nourish hair and scalp from the roots, strengthen the root system and hair structure, improve blood circulation to the scalp and promote a healthy environment for hair growth. 

The staff will ask what is your concern, they have treatment for anti-dandruff, anti-hairfall, and anti-white hair. I have scalp psoriasis so I chose anti-dandruff. 

The room is quite small and very little space to move, I’m glad that I don’t have claustrophobia. Since it was my first time, I was asking the staff the step by step and what she’s doing. Sharing to you my experience. 

1.First she washed my hair. 
2.Then she applied scalp cleanser and hair treatment.
3.After the application, my hair was steamed for 5 minutes only. The time is very limited because from what I’ve read, it should be 20 minutes to release toxins and stimulate sweating. 
4.After the steam, she hand massaged my hair. I was waiting for the hair massage machine but there was no machine. 
5.Next she washed my hair and blowered just to make sure that my scalp is dry. Then I went inside the PDT (photodynamic therapy) for 5 minutes to kill fungi or bacteria in my scalp. I’m used to this because I always experienced phototherapy for my psoriasis.
5.Lastly, the staff applied Fluoderm in the affected area. 

The haircial treatment lasted for less than an hour. I don’t feel anything during and after the treatment. I was expecting that my scalp will be massaged for blood circulation but the stafff was so hinhin na wala kami naramdaman. Lol

My experience was a little bit different compared to the blog that I’ve read or maybe it depends on the branch. Anyway, their service is good. They are kind, soft spoken and willing to answer all my questions. My husband availed the anti-hairfall and I don’t know step by step. 

Dermclinic 
Basement Level, Alabang Town Center 
Alabang Zapote Rd, Las Pinas City 
8072169/7721170

Lunch at BonChon Chicken

We had our first taste of BonChon Chicken three years ago and since then, it became one of our favorite chicken meal. Though we are the only group of 3 persons, we always order a group meal which is good for 4 persons. My last visit was January 20, 2015 after my KUB IVP test. 

The restaurant is known for its famous crispy and flavorful chicken but they also serve other dishes like chops and fish. Last Friday, we revisited BonChon Chicken because we saw the poster of Seafood Platter Group Meal at P655.

We always order their chicken group meal, so for a change, seafood naman. The group meal includes seafood platter, (calamari + crispy shrimp +crispy fish) 4 rice, 4 drinks, 2 side dishes, and 1 chapchae. 

Iced Tea and Pineapple

As always, we’re satisfied with our meal and off we went to the movie house to watch Jurassic World. 

Jurassic World Movie

I don’t understand why my son loves watching dinosaurs and he never gets tired of watching the Jurassic Park series. He watched Jurassic Park 1, 2, and 3 over and over again for the last two years.

And because he loves dinosaurs, we were supposed to go to Dinosaurs Island last summer but there was a sudden change of plan. It is still on my bucket list because my son loves to go there but I just don’t know when since Pampanga and Baguio are miles away.

Last summer, my son watched the Jurassic World trailer on YouTube and I was not surprised when he told me that he wanted to watch the movie. I thought he will forget about the movie after a few weeks. 

But I was wrong, this time he really wanted to see the movie on the big screen. Knowing us, we don’t really watch a movie on the big screen because it is so expensive, movie ticket + food. 

Since my son is already 6 yrs old, he is so aware of dates so since Monday, he kept on telling me, “Mommy, lapit na June 10, Jurassic World na”. “Mommy, no classes on June 12” 

So we spent Independence Day in the cinema. We went to ATC to watch Jurassic World, we ate lunch first but it was a bad idea because when we fell in line to buy the ticket, no more seats available for 1:15PM so waited until 3:30PM just to watch the movie. 

But it was worth the wait because we enjoyed the movie, it was fun and exciting. Imagine, the Dinosaur Amusement Park that John Hammond planned 20 years ago has been realized. 

My son loves theme park so he really enjoyed the movie, it would be nice if our Dinosaur Island is like that. There are trains, boats, and other rides that you can use to tour the amusement park. The theme park is really good if there are no genetically engineered hybrids. 

Though nothing beats the original that I watched when I was still in elementary days. I would consider Jurassic World as the second favorite in the series.

4 Tips For Smarter Travel

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you need to be a smart traveler to ensure you have a good time and stay safe. Being a smart traveler doesn’t mean you have to have every minute of your itinerary planned and every activity booked in advance. However, some planning and research ahead of time will make your trip run smoothly. These four tips will help you become a smarter traveler on your next adventure abroad.

1. Be Organised

To be a smart traveler, you must first be organized in the lead up to your trip and while you are away. Before you board the flight, make sure you have your passport, foreign currency, visa applications and any accommodation booked and paid for, and keep all of your reservation documents in your carry-on luggage. It is also important to ensure you have purchased everything you need for your trip at least one week before you depart. Essential items include power adapters, weather-appropriate clothing, toiletries, and guidebooks. This is especially important if you are heading to a region that has limited access to these supplies.

2. Be Flexible

When you are on the road, everything that can possibly go wrong possibly will. Build some adaptability into your travel plans, and don’t set everything on a strict schedule with little room for movement. A smart traveler is flexible when things go wrong and can easily adapt their plans to suit changing circumstances. Being flexible will also help you ensure you get to do and see everything you plan to. This way you can spend more time on an activity you find you enjoy more than expected and then only move on when you have seen enough. There is nothing worse than missing out on an unexpected highlight because your sightseeing schedule was too inflexible.

3. Use Good Luggage

Smart travelers will tell you that the key to a successful trip lies in the luggage they take with them. Decide in advance whether a backpack or suitcase is best for your destination and travel plans, and then find the best you can for your budget. If you’re after a good quality suitcase, look for luggage specialists such as Luggage Direct for a range of suitcases and carry-on bags in various colors, shapes, and sizes. Make sure your luggage is suitable for your type of travel and that it will hold your belongings without exceeding the luggage weight allowances for all of your flights. It is also important to check that you can manoeuver your luggage on your own with ease.

4. Do Your Research

Finally, to ensure your trip runs smoothly, it is vital that you do your research before you leave. Familiarise yourself with your destination and its lifestyle, culture, language, people and traditions. Research sites and attractions, restaurants, tour companies and hotel hubs before you book your trip so that you have realistic expectations of what you will do at each stop. It is also wise to look into restrictions, health and safety issues and other tourist information to ensure you are dressed appropriately, have the right currency, acknowledge local customs and behave in a manner that is respectful to the local community.

If you are organised and flexible, you have done your research ahead of time and plan to travel with the right luggage, your trip will run smoothly. Be a smart traveller who makes plans before their trip and also thinks quickly while away. What are your tips for smarter travel? Tell us in the comments below.

Paper Clay Art

I bought this Paper Clay Art last December but it was only last Sunday that we were able to use it. 

The kit contains paper clay, stick and board.

Since it’s been 6 months that I did not use it, the paperclays were dried. According to the package, if the paperpclay dries up and doesn’t stick to the board, just add few drops of water and mix. But in our case, I have to add a lot of water just to soften the clay. It worked except for the white color because it is hard as stone. 

My son and I finished this artwork using the available colors. 

The result doesn’t look good pero pwede na. #motherandsoneffort Next time if ever I will buy paper clay art, I will use it immediately.

Birthday Staycation at Crosswinds Resort Suites

Two years ago we went to Crosswinds Resort Suites, this resort is known as Swiss Luxury Resort and you can see some flags of “Welcome to Switzerland” inside the 100-hectare property. I don’t know why because I’ve never been to Switzerland but one thing is for sure, once you enter the Crosswinds community, you will feel that you are in a different place. 

Some people thought that I was in Baguio when I posted the pictures on Facebook but Crosswinds is situated in Tagaytay City. The 20,000 pine trees will welcome you so don’t forget to pull down your car windows to enjoy the crisp scent of the pine trees. 

I checked the rates of Crosswinds Resort Suites and it is on the pricey side so when I saw their promo in Deal Grocer last month, I called my husband and asked if he wanted to celebrate his birthday in Crosswinds. He said yes so he called the resort to check if there was still an available room. Then I purchased the voucher and emailed Crosswinds to reserve. I received my confirmation the following day. 

I bought the voucher at P2850 and the package includes 

- Overnight stay in a studio room for 2 
- Room and amenities good for 2 
- use of a fully-equipped kitchen inside the room 
- free use of view deck, swimming pool, and car service within Crosswinds. 

Klook.com

Last Friday, off we went to Crosswinds to celebrate my husband’s birthday + our last hurrah for summer before the resume of classes. There are few changes that I’ve seen like the Cafe Voila and CBTL. 

We reached the Grand Quartier 2 at 1:30pm, I gave my deal grocer voucher, confirmation voucher, and ID. Filled-up the form and gave P1000 for incidental deposit. I was advised to wait until 2PM for check-in. 

I went back at 2PM to get my key but the room wasn’t ready yet and I need to wait for another 10 to 20 minutes. Ending, we were the last guests to check-in, the lobby was too small so you had no choice but to wait outside.

Moving on, we were satisfied with the room. Ang bango niya talaga pagpasok mo. natanggal na init ng ulo namin sa late check-in. The room has two double sized bed, fully equipped kitchen, TV and DVD player, small table and balcony. 

Since the package is room only, we brought our own food. You can bring your own food and cook it, no corkage fee. I bought palabok, pichi-pichi and cake for our merienda. 

We had dinner at Leslie’s Restaurants Sky Ranch branch. 

The following morning, I push myself to run, oops morning walk pala. I joined my hubby and we walked for 30 minutes. It is hard to jog or walk on top of the hill, parang gusto ko na lang gumulong sa pagod. Hehehe! Jack and Jill lang ang peg.

For breakfast, you can order set breakfast at P420/adult and P210/kid less 5% for DG coupon holder. But we had leftover so I just cooked rice. We had palabok, cake and pinakbet (from Leslie’s) for breakfast. 

We went to Pool Area at 8AM, good thing that we were the first guests so we got this mini cottage, nag-iisa lang yan dun. Hehehe! 

There is a playground beside the pool area. 

We dropped by Santa’s house and Yule Shop at past 10AM but it was closed. So we went back to our room and prepare for check-out. I reheat the Delimondo Corned Beef in the microwave for our quick lunch. 

Photo taken during our morning jog

We checked-out at 11:30AM because we needed to go to my husband’s office for our flu vaccine schedule. 

We checked the Christmas Store but most of the items are souvenirs. Two years ago, there was a lot of Christmas decors in that store. 

That was a short staycation at Tagaytay, the resort is far away from the main road so you will have the relaxation that you need. 

Like 

1. The resort is really nice because it is not the usual staycation in a hotel or beach resort. I do recommend this for holiday vacation. 
2. We were able to save because we brought our own food. You can cook your own food. 
3. My husband called them and asked if we could bring one extra adult. They said yes and no extra charge. 
4. Service is good, they will smile and greet you except for the attendant in the pool. He is not that approachable. 
5. The bathroom has a hair blower and bidet. 
6. Free wifi

Dislike

1. I reserved the room one month before our trip, check-in time is 2PM so I was expecting that the room would be ready by 2PM. 
2. There is no towel in the pool area so bring your own. 
3. No bathtub. 
4. Santa’s house and Yule Shop were closed, it was supposed to be open every Saturday and Sunday. 

Note:

1. I brought paper plates, spoons, forks, and plastic cups but plates, bowls, cups and glasses are provided.
2. I brought a sponge and dishwashing soap and to my surprise, it is already available in their kitchen. 
3. If you don’t want to cook or eat outside. You can just order food from Jollibee, McDonalds, Max’s, Yellow Cab, Shakey’s, Carlo’s Pizza, Classic Savory, and Cafe Voila. Just ask the staff for the contact numbers. 

Crosswinds
Brgy. Iruhin Central Calamba Road
Tagaytay City, Cavite, Philippines

Read: Food Trip in Tagaytay
          Staycation in Tagaytay

Dinner at Leslie’s Restaurants

If you are in Tagaytay, most of the time you will crave for bulalo and Leslie’s Restaurants is one of our choices if we want bulalo. It started when we went to Caleruega for the very first time in year 2008. 

We went back when we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary in Tagaytay and we kept on coming back after our visit in Caleruega (every Holy Week). It lasted for few years, then we decided to try other restaurants in Tagaytay. The restaurant is always packed and sometimes you really have to wait long just to get a table. 

We were in Tagaytay last Friday and we can’t decide where to eat when we saw Leslie’s Restaurants at Sky Ranch. It was our first time in this branch. 

Since we always order bulalo, we decided to try other dishes so my husband ordered Sinigang na Maya Maya P399, Pinakbet Con Lechon P275 and steamed rice is P49 per cup. Leslie’s Restaurants is known for huge servings so it is really good for family food trip. 

When the food came, we were so disappointed because the taste is so bland. I can’t taste the tamarind and I think they forgot to put salt in Sinigang na Maya Maya. The dish has few ingredients too, I can really count the vegetables. Lol. The Pinakbet Con Lechon is just ok for us. 

And because of that experience, if ever we will go back to Leslie’s, we will just order bulalo again. 

Leslie’s Restaurants 
Les and Ries Garden Ranch and Restaurant 
KM 60 Kaybagal South, Tagaytay City 
Cavite City 4120

The Importance of Cleaning Your Air Conditioner

Air Conditioner is one of the most abuse appliances in our homes every summer. Sometimes we don’t mind our electricity bill as long as we are comfortable and we could avoid heatstroke. But like any other stuff, air conditioner needs regular maintenance too. It is very important to make our aircon runs efficiently so we can save on electricity bill. 

One important task is to clean the filter every month. Do you know that by cleaning the dirty filter you can lower your energy consumption by 5 to 15%? For the last several years, I’ve been using 3M Filtrete. It is a microparticle aircon filter that you attach on the screen filter. 

According to the packaging, it is made of electrostatically-charged fibers that work like magnets to attract and trap microparticles. So you breathe fresher and cleaner air. It works like an air purifier because it reduces the number of dust, mold, pollen and smoke particles. 

One thing I like about this product is, it so easy to install and remove. I just remove the filtrete and use wipes to clean my screen filter. Attach new 3M Filtrete and reinstall the screen filter. The filtrete will last 1-2 months. 

Cleaning the dirty filter is an easy task for me but cleaning condenser is my husband’s job. I’m fortunate because my husband knows how to clean our aircon but if he is busy, we also hire a professional to do the job. 

Have you cleaned your air conditioner?

Mang Inasal

Mang Inasal is a fastfood chain that was established since December 12, 2003. It is one of the affordable fastfood chains in the country that offers chicken bbq +unlimited rice and soup. 

So if you have big appetite and doesn’t want to pay for extra rice, Mang Inasal is the answer. But my son loves fried chicken so we seldom dine here but for a change sa nakakasawang fried chicken, we will eat here. 

While scrolling my pictures in my phone, I saw food photos when we dined in Mang Inasal last March (twice). Sharing to you the food that we have tried such as Chicken BBQ, Pork, BBQ, Dinuguan, Bangus Sisig and Halo-Halo.

What I like in their menu is, they offer regular meal and meal that has unlimited rice. My son and I always order regular meal while my husband go for unlimited rice. 

What’s your favorite meal in Mang Inasal?

How to Travel and Pay Less

There are millions of people who would love to travel but do not have endless amounts of cash to spend while they are doing it. Because of their limited finances, these people need to be more creative when they are planning their vacations. If you know the right tips and tricks, you can have a very nice vacation for a fraction of what most people would pay for the same trip. It is important to know these things if you are planning on visiting San Francisco. Here is how to travel and pay less to do it.

1. Choose cheap airlines to fly on

The airline you choose to fly on will play a huge role in determining how much you spend to travel on your trip. The fares that airlines charge can vary greatly. There is no sense in paying one airline hundreds of dollars more than another airline to take you to the same destination. This is why researching airfares before your trip is vital to helping you save money. Unbeknownst to many people, there are many airlines offering dirt cheap prices to fly abroad. For example, Air Asia offers one-way flights to many Asian destinations for only $20. This is ideal if you are visiting multiple cities in Asia. Norwegian Air has flights costing only $150 from both coasts of the United States to Europe in one direction. It is important to understand that these airlines have no frills, so if you are expecting the same type of service and features that you get when you fly on British Airways or Virgin Air, you will be disappointed. However, if you only care about getting to your destination for a cheap price, these airlines will do nicely.

2. Choose less expensive places to visit

There are some cities that are much more expensive to visit than others. This is just a fact of life. Therefore, if you are traveling on a limited budget, you need to be realistic about the places you can afford to visit. For example, cities such as Paris and London are very expensive. If you visit these cities, you will not be able to stay as long or see as much as you could in other places. You should consider countries like India, Australia, Russia, and Japan. All four of these countries have experienced a decline in the value of their currencies. This will make them more affordable for Americans. The economy of Greece is still in turmoil, also making it a destination where you can enjoy a very nice vacation without going broke in the process.

3. Use cards that do not charge any fees

If you use your ATM or credit cards a lot during your overseas excursion, you will most likely be paying a large amount of money in fees. These fees are charged by your bank or Credit Card Company every time you use your card in a foreign country. However, these fees can be completely avoided if you are using the right card. There are certain ATMs and credit cards that do not charge any fees for foreign transactions, or they will reimburse you for any fees that are charged. See if your bank offers one of these no foreign fee cards. If not, find one online and get it before you leave.

This article was written and provided by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, the ultimate platform for all your travel needs.

Hershey’s Spread

My son likes eating sandwiches, if I remember it right, he was eating bread + Nutella almost every single day when he was three years old and it was also his baon when he was in Nursery. 

But time came na nagsawa din siya so I have to look and try different spreads that he likes. We tried the Lotus Biscoff before, he loves it but not really his favorite so I thought he prefers chocolate spread. I bought Ovomaltine but he didn’t like it, maybe because the texture is not fine.  Since imported spreads are not cheap, I stopped buying at sayang pagdi niya type. Good thing my son loves peanut butter spread too.

Last April, I saw this Hershey’s Spreads Chocolate with Almond at S&R P200. I was glad that my son loves it and he was eating bread + Hershey's spreads during weekdays for his breakfast. 

And because it is his favorite, I went back to S&R again to buy this spread. The available spread is Hershey’s Spread Chocolate at P220, waah! Nagtaas na. 

I don’t know how long he will like this spread but I’m hoping that the price will not increase anymore.