Michi Photostory

Update: I've read from CNN Philippines article last July 22 that Kidzanila Manila is closing down by end of August 31, 2020 after months of shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since last year my son wanted to go back to Kidzania, if you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I give a reward if he did well in school. But I’m not fond of giving stuff, I rather pay for experience so Kidzania is a good prize for having a gold eagle seal and being part of the top 10 in school. But my son always changed his mind, he will choose “one week of gadget use” over Kidzania so nakatipid ako sa reward niya. Hehehe!


But when I learned that he will receive a Gold Eagle Certificate this school year, I already included Kidzania Manila in our itinerary this summer. He deserved this treat so after getting his school card last week, off we went to Kidzania. This is our third visit, so you can check my old posts about it.

16 Activities in One Day at Kidzania Manila
12 Activities in One Day at Kidzania Manila 

Buzzer Beater lang kami, magstart pa lang when we entered the theme park. They don’t give out maps na, you have to get it at Tourist Information Desk. Since we have Kidzos, we did not encash the check yet and fell in line at Fire Station. Kids will learn about fire safety and if you are lucky you will put out fire. This was the first activity that my son did during our first visit, but he wanted to repeat the 1. Fireman job for stamp. The staff informed us that we only need 5 stamps and we can already upgrade his Citizen Pazzport. Yey!

Tip: If this is your first time going to Kidzania, if you see long lines at the bank. Don’t waste your time falling in line, go immediately to different establishments and look for Census Plaque, you will know whether you are going to pay or earn kidzos. Encash your check once you run out of money or if no more long queues.


Second job is at the Healthy Options supermarket, I love visiting Kidzania on weekdays and as much as possible before opening pa lang nandun na kami so we can maximize our time. It is easy for me to take pictures and videos too, kasi wala ko kaagaw sa space. Anyway, I think his job is 2. Supermarket Supervisor, where he returned all the groceries to the correct shelves. He was having a hard time, looking and organizing the groceries.


Third job is at Mercury Drug, again he was alone so he did all the 3. Pharmacist tasks. He manages and stock inventory. The job is similar with his previous job at the supermarket. After this, we immediately went to City Tour Bus so he can work as a Tour Guide or Tour Bus Inspector but we were 2 minutes late, so they did not allow us. But we paid 1 kidzos each so we can ride the tour bus, 4. City Tour Bus Passenger. I recommend that you ride this bus because you will appreciate more the things that you see inside the theme park. Points of Interest: The League of RightZ, Kidzania Tiangge, Eternal Spirit and Entrance to Driving Streets


After our tour, my son went to the bank. He was supposed to encash the check, but a staff approached us and he was invited to work in the Courthouse and he said yes. I was surprised that he wants to work here. They really need 5 Kids for the Trial Case so we waited for few minutes bago nabuo. My son works as a 5. Judge and I was able to watch the trial case too.


We he went out, I suggested the Radio Station and he agreed. At that moment, I was happy because he was trying jobs that he didn’t like before. After few minutes, the staff went out and she asked me to join the 6. DJ job. She said, guardians can join so sayang naman, then she asked me to sign a waiver because they will record our experience. So you will get a free CD for your souvenir. Not bad di ba? After doing this job, I realized mahirap pala magDJ kahit may script pa ha.


I was convincing my son to try Hospital jobs but he was not interested so he ended up working at Dental Clinic. 7. Dentist for his 7th job. Then we went up so he can try jobs on the second floor. He worked at Cebu Pacific Air, this time as a 8. Cabin Crew. Now he realized that it is not easy to push the cart and serve passengers.


My son likes watching Home TV Shopping which I don’t understand why, hindi naman siya bumibili. So I told him, try mo kaya sa Home TV shopping which he did kaso he can’t work without companion. They need at least two persons, 9. one for host and one for demonstrator. And because we don’t want to waste any minute, I joined this Home TV Shopping job. I signed a waiver and I downloaded our video after 24 hours. This is not an easy job too, ang hirap magbasa ng script sa malayo.


Then itodo na natin ang mga video souvenir, my son worked at TV Station as a 10. Field Reporter. Since there are only two kids at that time, he became Ronda Patroller, Fun Patroller, and Weather Patroller. You can claim your CD after 30 minutes.


We went down to look for other jobs and we saw 11. Pit Crew Training Center. They will teach you how to replace tires of Super Formula Car, you have three chances to beat the Top 10. But my son did not make it because the tires are too heavy for him, so the fastest time that he finished the job was 21 seconds.


Beside the Pit Crew Training Center was the McDonald Burger Shop, though he already experience making a burger when he joined the McDonald’s Kiddie Crew, he still joined this 12. Burger Making Activity at sayang din naman ang free burger.


Then we move to the Climbing Building, my son wanted to try this activity and I was really surprised because as far as I know, ayaw niya ng mga physical activity na ganyan. Pero sabi niya e, so we fell in line. The staff checked his Pazzport and she said, over-over na daw kami sa stamps so magpa-upgrade na daw kami. My son said, after the activity na lang but the staff informed us na sayang daw ang stamps, hindi daw pwede itransfer yun. So we went to the Immigration to upgrade the Pazzport.


Tip: Don’t forget to count your stamps, once you reach 30 Stamps, you can upgrade your Citizen Pazzport to Distinguished Citizen for FREE. We lost count sa kakapila namin, sayang tuloy yung discounts and 7 stamps na sobra naming sa old Pazzport. So we need 60 stamps to level up.

Benefits:

10 Kidzo discount on redemption items at the Department Store
10% discount on National Store & PiKZ Station
4 extra Kidzos per activity
They get more activities or better roles in certain activities.
Get exclusive invites to Kidzania special events
Free parent beverage at the Parent’s Lounge

I forgot to claim my FREE beverage but I was able to get discount when I bought my son's picture during our last visit.

After getting the new Pazzport, we went back to Climbing Building but the line was long so I told my son to go to Art & Design Company. He doesn’t like my idea but I told him sayang ang 15 minutes mo na paghihintay, mag paint ka na lang, 15 minutes din. So he followed my suggestion and painted with the preschoolers 13. Making and Art Activity. Hehehe!


 After that, he went back to Climbing Building. Since he had the orange pazzport, he can do the activity twice, 14. Cableman. It is one of the benefits but he was not able to use it because he gave up, he was not able to reach the top, nalula na siya. Hehehe!


Lastly, we went back to City Tour Bus and finally, we were on time so he worked as 15. Tour Bus Inspector. This is also a nice job because you will sit beside the driver and you will tour the theme park. And dahil umikot pa sila sa Kidzania, na-late kami sa Marine Research Lab so next time na lang.


My son opened ATM and deposited all his money so Cashless na kami next time. Though may natira pa kami na hindi naisama sa deposit. They have a promo of Unlipazz starting April 1, I'm contemplating if we will grab the promo.

15 Activities in One Day at Kidzania Manila Watch the video here


Book your ticket here 
Klook.com


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I love taking pictures, isn’t it obvious with my blog name. Yes, I do have a lot of pictures, but I hardly ever print those pictures. I give you three reasons why.

1. It is so hard to choose pictures that I want to print. 
2. It is so expensive to print pictures 
3. I could not find a photo album that I like. I have old photo albums and some of my albums did not last. 

I’ve been seeing different photo books website online and one of them is Photobook Worldwide. I’ve been meaning to try these photobooks but for some reasons, hindi ko siya maumpisahan. After 10 years, I finally bought 2 vouchers for P100 and P120, and guess what, two vouchers are nearly expiring. Spell C-R-A-M! Yes, I bought these vouchers during their Black Friday Sale and I totally forgot about it. 

Just this month, I learned that Photobook Worldwide has an app where I can upload, edit, and order photo books, photo prints, home décor, and even calendars. After a week, I downloaded the Photobook Worldwide App in Apple Store and tried it. I love the app because it is so easy to use and I was done in few minutes. 

How to Use the Photobook Worldwide App 

1. Download the Photobook app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store 
2. Launch the app and select the projects you want to avail of. I chose Simple Books 6x6 

Simple Books 6"x6", 8”x8” or 12”x12” 
Hardcover Photobooks 8”x8” or 12”x12” (Lay Flat or Standard Binding)
Photo Prints 4R or 5R 
Home Décor: Canvas Air, Metal Prints, Wood Prints or Desktop Plaques 
Calendar: Wall Calendar 12”x12” Square and 11”x8” Landscape or Desk Calendar 11”x5 Lanscapre or 6”x8” Portrait 

3. Personalise your photobook by uploading at least 21 of your photos (additional photos = extra charges). I checked my Facebook Account and saved photos on my phone. 
4. Apply the voucher code if you have any and pay the shipping fee. You have two options, standard or express shipping. I paid P200 via Paypal for the standard shipping fee. 
5. Tap to upload your project and that's it! 

March 21 – I placed and paid my order 
March 26 – I received my package via DHL 

I was so happy because the package came all the way from Malaysia but it only took them few days to print and deliver my photobook. I received my package in good condition. The quality of the print and paper is also good. My first photobook is about our Easter Staycation at Roros Norway last year.


As I mentioned, I like the app because it is so easy to use but there are some limitations. 

1. I used the app again to redeem the voucher that I got last year but they are not accepting my code. So I guess, I have to use the online designer application or I need to download the Photobook software. I guess the app is only for hardbound. 
2. There are limited options for editing photos. I cannot put text so all I did is align my photos to the center. Good thing it turned out okay even the photos are from mobile phones. 
3. Photobook Worldwide has so many products but not all are available using the app just like my Insta Cards vouchers. 
4. I always check the status of my current order on the app but I only see “Processing” status, I was worried because after 5 days, ganun pa rin ang status. I even sent an email to ask for the real status of my order but few hours after I sent the email. DHL came and delivered my package. 

A growing number of people need reproductive assistance to conceive. Single mothers and fathers, same-sex couples, and those with ambitious career goals are all members of this hopeful parent-to-be group. Thankfully, there are more options for conception than many people realize. While some alternatives seem unusual, they offer suitable solutions for the multitude of lifestyles in today’s population. Approaches such as surrogacy, adoption, sperm donation, and egg donation through organizations like https://donoreggbankusa.com are all becoming more mainstream and accepted as time goes on. 



The Benefits of Donor Eggs 

IVF is an increasingly common practice thanks to later-life pregnancies. As more celebrities voice their infertility experiences, surrogacy and adoption are becoming more accepted avenues to parenthood. Even though donor eggs still remain a less-talked-about subject, the success rates don’t lie. A woman under the age of 35 has about a 40% chance of a successful pregnancy using traditional IVF. By the age of 42, her chances drop to just over 4%. Using a donor egg increases the chances of any childbearing-age woman having a successful pregnancy to nearly 50%. This is because donor eggs are acquired from young, healthy women with equally young, healthy eggs.

Fresh vs. Frozen 

Donor eggs are available as fresh or frozen, although frozen eggs have a few advantages over fresh. For a fresh donor egg cycle, the menstrual cycles of the donor and the recipient must be synchronized. More medications are used to achieve this, adding to the overall cost of the procedure and the eggs themselves. In addition, the donor and recipient must be in the same geographical area, potentially adding in travel costs. If any unforeseen circumstances affect the donor or the donor’s cycle, the entire procedure can be postponed for months. While fresh egg donors go through a pre-screening process, they frequently aren’t completely assessed until after they’ve been chosen by a recipient. The donation process has to wait until the full screening is complete before the process can begin. 

On the other hand, frozen egg donors are completely screened and have had their eggs retrieved. This makes it much easier to fit an IVF procedure into a busy schedule. There is no need to synchronize menstrual cycles, thus limiting hormonal medications needed to prepare the recipient’s uterus for implantation. Further, some egg banks offer several financing options, including money-back guarantees if pregnancy is not achieved. In the end, the overall cost of using frozen eggs is about half the cost of fresh eggs. 

Most importantly, whether choosing fresh eggs or frozen, the recipient gets the chance to carry her child to term and go through all the joys of pregnancy. 

The Donor Egg Process 

After registering with a donor egg bank, prospective parents search through full donor profiles and select the right one for them. Some parents look for traits similar to the future mother’s to ensure a family resemblance, while others simply look for qualities they feel are important. Once the donor is chosen, the eggs are expedited to the parents’ fertility clinic to wait in frozen storage until the mother is prepped for implantation. 



The recipient takes medication - usually estrogen and progesterone - for four weeks to prepare her uterus for implantation. The eggs are thawed and fertilized using her partner’s (or a donor’s) sperm. Then, the fertilized eggs are left to develop under the care of an embryologist who monitors their growth and development, ultimately choosing the best one or two embryos for implantation. Genetic testing can be done at this stage to minimize the chances of chromosomal abnormalities.

Using a long, thin catheter, one to two embryos are inserted into the uterus where they will hopefully implant into the lining and continue growing. A blood test is performed two weeks later to confirm pregnancy. 

Changing Realities 

Today’s families have a wonderful variety of structures and lifestyles. It’s fitting that reproductive technologies have given rise to new methods of conception, making the possibility of children a reality for many. Donor egg IVF is giving hope where there was none, and bringing joy into the lives of many who, not too long ago, could not have ever dreamed of having their own children.

Since it is already summer season, my husband wanted to have a summer getaway with my in-laws. We inquired in two different resorts but the rate is quite steep for just an overnight stay so I suggested to him to have a Day Trip instead. The most important thing is bonding and experience. That’s what we did last year when we went to Masamirey Cove in Sual Pangasinan. 


So last week, my husband called Acuaverde Beach Resort to reserve a day trip instead of an overnight stay. We deposited the 50% downpayment and emailed a copy of the deposit slip. We received the confirmation email the following day. Don’t forget to print the confirmation letter and attach the deposit slip because they will get that once you check-in. 


Fast forward to our trip, which is just yesterday. O di ba, bilis ko magblog, I know that you are looking for a summer getaway so siningit ko na ito sa mahabang listahan ko ng backlogs. You can check here the other resorts that we have tried in Batangas. 

Anyway, we left as early as 4:30AM so we can maximize our day trip. We arrived at the resort past 8AM, travel time is more or less 3 hours but we picked up our in-laws in Laguna and we had breakfast stopover kaya natagalan. 

If this would be your first trip to San Juan, Batangas, take note that there is P20 Ecological Fee for all tourists visiting the town. You will pay for this at the resort or Tourist Reception area. P20 per person, my son who is 9 yrs old is not exempted. Senior Citizen is P16 and PWD is FREE. Present the ticket upon check-in at the resort. 


When we reach the resort, the guard gave us a car pass ticket and the waiting staff immediately ushered us to the reception area which is just a few steps away from the parking space. Another staff gave us welcome drinks, I like their tamarind juice. Since we have Senior citizens and PWD companion, we showed them our IDs so we could get a discount. My husband paid the remaining balance and they gave us our meal stub, flyer, and wifi access. 

Acuaverde Beach Resort Day Trip Package 

P1300 for adults 
P900 for kids 
P2000 Cabana Rental

Inclusions:

Use of Venue from 8AM to 5PM 
Morning Snack, Lunch, and PM Snack 
Use of Resort Facilities (Shower Rooms, Beach and Wifi Access) 
Use of Water Sports Equipment (kayak & paddleboard)
Applicable Taxes and Service Charge.  

This is our Cabana which is just a few steps away from the reception, the cottage is very relaxing because of the trees. If may bed lang dun, makakatulog ka talaga. 



There are small cottages (Free) at the beach but it is on a first-come-first-serve basis, so we immediately reserved two spots since we are a group of six persons. We spent most of our time at the beach so parang sayang yung P2000 namin sa cabana, hehehe! We only go there for our morning snack and afternoon snack. The snacks will be delivered to your Cabana, 

Morning Snack: 10AM 
Lunch: 11:30AM to 2PM 
Afternoon Snack: 3PM 

Food 

We had pansit and juice in the morning. 


For lunch, we had a buffet at Cocina. The buffet spread is not that grand but it is enough to make you full. They served Pork Sinigang, Sauteed Vegetables, Chicken Curry, Relyenong Bangus, and Mechado. They have salad, fruits, fruit salad, and lychees. For drinks, you have juice, coffee and of course water. My personal favorites are Beef Mechado and Pork Sinigang because they really use tamarind and not instant mixes. 




We had a tuna sandwich with potato chips and juice in the afternoon. Nasad ako dito because I don’t eat tuna sandwich so wala ko merienda. Waah! My husband ate my share. 


Activities 

Beach 


They don’t have a swimming pool so we just kill our time at the beach. Don't expect powdery sand in San Juan, Batangas. So it is better if you have swimming shoes if you are not used to it. 

Free use of kayak and paddleboard. 


Just like Acuatico Resort, there is free use of kayak and paddle board but they did not allow us to use them yesterday because of the strong waves. Which is the same reason nung nagstay kami sa Acuatico. Now, I’m wondering if may nakakapagkayak ba sa San Juan Batangas because this is the fifth time that we’ve visited but never kami nakapagkayak. 



Playground 


If you have toddlers in tow, there is a small playground beside the reception. There is a fish feeding area but we arrived and left before and after the feeding time so we did not experience it. I have no idea if you need to pay for this activity. 

Note: 

1. For day-trippers, the shower room and toilet are located before the playground. There are six cubicles, 3 for toilets and 3 for shower rooms (Girls). 
2. Wifi connection is good, I have a connection even at the beachfront. 
3. Acuaverde Beach Resort is a pet-friendly resort, you can bring your pet for a fee. Actually, I’m nervous about this because I’m not fond of pets, good thing isa lang ang nagdala ng pet (dog). 
4. They are a pet-friendly resort but not PWD friendly, there is no ramp so it was really a challenge to bring my aunt-in-law to the beachfront. I just hope, hindi stairs yung isang side ng pababa sa beach. And because of this, nung uwian na lang nakabalik ng Cabana yung tita ni hubby. They just delivered the snacks and lunch to the beach. 

Despite our PWD concerns, we had a great time at Acuaverde Beach Resort. The service is good, and all staffs are kind, friendly, and approachable. They even helped us in bringing my aunt-in-law to the beachfront, apat din sila nagbuhat ng wheelchair with my aunt-in-law. Since the lunch is a buffet, we are not allowed to bring the food downstairs but because we have PWD in tow, they delivered the food to the cottage para hindi kami masita (baka sabihin nagtake-out sa buffet) hehehe! The place is relaxing, clean, and well-maintained. For more pictures and videos, check it here.  

Even we are not a hearty eater, we still eat at buffet restaurant because we love trying out a new restaurant. I saw All 4 U Unlimited Korean Restaurant when we dined at Tenya Tempura Tendon last January. Magkatabi lang sila and the restaurant is barely new, I think they just opened December 2017. I took note of this restaurant and I even shared it with my friends just in case they are interested. 


After few months, we finally tried this Korean restaurant. My husband called the restaurant day before our visit because I’ve read that we need a reservation during weekdays. After attending my son’s Recognition Day, off we went to Festival Mall. 


We arrived past 12NN and there are only two occupied tables. The restaurant is not that big, so it is important to make a reservation to avoid waiting time. The staff ushered us to our table and gave us the menu, he just asked what soup base we like and if we will eat rice. 


My husband just ordered 3 cups of rice. I wanted to order the organic soup but it is not available so we settled for Bulgogi Soup (sweet). All soups are based on organic ingredients such as kelp, Korean ginseng, graviola, moringa, garlic, ginger, and shitake. It took them 36 hours to make the organic soup base, kaya siguro not available, wala pa luto. Hehehe! 

Soup Choices 

Organic Shabu Shabu (mild taste) 
Kimchi Soup (Challenge Korean Traditional Spicy) 
Bulgogi Flavor Soup (sweet and salty) 
Pork Galbi Soup (sweet and a bit spicy) 
Fish Cake Soup (salty and a bit spicy) 

All 4 U is a grill and shabu shabu Korean restaurant so you can enjoy unlimited grill and soup. It is a buffet but you don’t choose/get your own food, the staff will serve everything for you. You don’t have any control over the quantity too. The regular rate is P699 but we paid only the promo rate which is P599, I have no idea how long is the promo rate but I hope it will be P599 forever.

You can enjoy unlimited fresh shrimp, chicken breast, beef brisket, fresh pork belly, Korean Fish Cake, Rice, Ice Tea, Lettuce, Korean soup, Korean style sauces, and Korean side dishes. They have an additional offer which is Instant Korean Noodle and Korean ice cream (Melona). I hope they can add garlic or onion. 


We are a group of 4 adults and 1 kid so this is the first serving. Each table has one grill, chopsticks, spoons, cups, small plates, tongs, scissors, and instant noodles. Watch the video here. 


When they served the soup, the ingredients are already inside the bowl. It is very different from other shabu-shabu restaurants that we have tried. I prefer putting my own ingredients in my soup. 


For the Korean side dishes, they served dilis with peanuts, achara and kimchi. For Korean-style sauces, they served the spicy special sauce, sesame oil with salt and pepper, and soy sauce. 


I love watching Korean Drama series and I noticed that they love dining at grilling restaurants. Parang sa dami ng napanood ko, lagi sila naggrill ng food. So even I dislike eating raw vegetables, I tried wrapping my meat on lettuce and masarap naman pala. I even tried their ramen too and it is similar to udon, medyo manipis lang.  


We reorder shrimp and beef belly. Among the choices, our least favorites are the fish cake and chicken. Make sure that you finish what you order because there is a P500 fine for leftovers. When we asked for the bill, they gave us ice cream. We enjoyed our buffet meal and I can definitely say that this won’t be the last. The service is good. I just hope they will improve their exhaust system, because we absorbed all the smell of the food that we cooked. 

Side Story: After our lunch, we went to Landmark because I will buy pillows. At the counter, the cashier said “Amoy pagkain, nakakagutom”. E bilihan yun ng mga gamit sa bahay, malayo sa restaurant so it only means, ako yung naaamoy niya. Waah! 

How to Eat 

Unlimited Grill

Grill your unlimited meats

1st Beef Brisket
2nd Pork Belly (Korean Special Cut)
3rd Korean Marinated Chicken
4th Fresh Shrimp

Soup 

Kimchi JJigae - Boil for 15-20 min
Bulgogi Soup - After tasting it, cook a Korean Noodle
Shabu-Shabu Soup - Enjoy with vegetables, shrimps and beefs

Check other Korean restaurants that we have tried. 

Baek Yuen Korean Restaurant
Bulgogi Brothers 

Update April 2018

We went back last April 9, it was a holiday and we did not make any reservation. Fortunately, there is an available table for 5 persons. They have Korean background music na and sa sobrang lakas, masakit na sa tenga. I prefer restaurant na walang music, para mas enjoy ang pagkain at pakikipag-usap. 

Update October 2019

October is my son's birthday month so since ayaw naman niya magparty or staycation, kumain na lang kami sa labas. All 4 U is my son's choice for his birthday celebration. Actually, nagsuggest pa ko ng iba para matry naman namin ang ibang eat-all-you-can restaurants pero ito talaga gusto niya. So off we went to Festival Mall.

We did not make any reservation and fortunately, meron pa available space. We arrived at 11:20AM and upon seated, the staff immediately served the side dishes, sauces, and beef and turned on the grill pan. She went back to serve other foods and she gave me the menu so I can choose the soup. I ordered Organic Soup. Wow, ang bilis na ng service ha, ready to eat na agad pagkaupo.




A few changes that I noticed, when the staff served the soup, I was surprised because the ingredients are on a separate plate. Dati kasi nasa bowl na agad. Wala na rin yung maingay na music. Manipis na yung sliced ng pork belly and maliit na rin ang sliced ng fish cake. They also changed the rate for the kids, dati kasi by age, ngayon by height na. Lugi na naman ang matatangkad na bata. Despite the changes, we all enjoyed our unlimited Korean food trip. We're done eating after an hour.

All 4 U Rates

Unlimited Promo (net price, no vat, no service charge) P599 
Senior/PWD/8-12 yrs old/Birthday celebrant – P350 
1-7 yrs old – FREE 

All 4 U Rates (2019)
Unlimited Promo (net price, no vat, no service charge) P599 
Senior/PWD/Birthday celebrant – P350 
below 4.5 ft - P350
below 3.5 ft  - FREE

Reservation is needed during Weekdays 

11AM-5:30PM, 
walk-in only after 5:30PM 

Weekend – walk-in only 

Leftover: P500 fine 
No Take-out policy 
Limited to two and half hour (Dining time 2hrs and 30 minutes) 
Discount with ID Only 
No smoking in the store. 

All 4 U Buffet, Grilled, Korean
G/F Water Garden, Festival Mall, 
Corporate Ave, Alabang, Muntinlupa 
11AM to 10PM (No Break Time) 
Mondays to Sundays