Reading: Kurt Vonnegut and Orson Scott Card

For Summer 2013, I've read two books apiece, recommended by friends, by Kurt Vonnegut and Orson Scott Card.


Kurt Vonnegut
 Though I dislike his writing style, I find slogging through the books worth it simply for the messages he is able to impart. Thankfully, the two books I've read aren't that long, even at the points where I have to stop and think about it! While I don't agree with all of his points, they are worth noting and thinking about. Of the two I've read, I'd recommend one: The Sirens of Titan. I will probably read more of this author in the future.


Orson Scott Card
I find this guy to be a bit of a douche - but that doesn't mean much as an author. I'd recommend reading Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, in that order. These books are easier to read, and I found them more engrossing. I don't think I'll read more of the series, and his later works due to the misogynism that becomes more and more apparent (as the target demography becomes older?). While I'm kind of curious about his earlier ones, I don't think I'm interested enough to actively search for them.

Anyway, I'm really glad that I was able to read these books. I probably won't be able to read non-academically related books when the school year starts, so it's nice to have time to go into a coffee or tea shop just to read without using highlighters and the like.



Look at the happy things in life. :)

Mega 3 Day Sale + Wildflour Cafe

It's the last day of the Mega 3-Day Sale (May 3-5, 2013). If you don't mind the crowds (and boy, is it crowded), then it's a great time to buy: a single receipt purchase of at least P2,000 (and every P2,000 thereafter) entitles you to a P100 discount coupon, in addition to any product discounts. While it doesn't seem like much, combining promos is very rare in the Philippines. SM Megamall has extended store hours until today.

Though I didn't buy much (crowds really aren't my thing), I did buy one VMV Hypoallergenics ID Anti-Acne Oil Free Lotion at 25% off. Though the Armada line was -as usual- not on sale, most of their products were at up to 25% off. I saw some hoarders over there, but decided not to hoard... let's see if I'll regret that decision in the future.

Also, Wildflour Cafe in Podium has recently had its soft opening. Still haven't eaten there, since there were a lot of people, I'm hoping to eat there some weekday in order to see if it could be a good pastry/breakfast place for me.

Highlands Coffee Eton

There's a new coffee shop in town! I've noticed that I've been caring more about food posts than beauty posts right now. Maybe because I don't have the funds for the latter? Also, I really have no Idea where my camera is so.... cellphone pictures all the way!

The first drink I've tried there is:

Cafe Sua Da

It costs P129 ($3) for a tall glass of vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. It takes a while for all the coffee to go down. Vietnamese coffee is a bit strong for me, so I wouldn't drink it without condensed milk.

Highlands Coffee

 The bar is well stocked with pastries, and some fresh fruits. They also have sandwiches. Unfortunately,  I doubt I'd be spending much on their food since they are a bit expensive.

Highlands Promo

I went on their soft opening so I was able to score some BOGO coupons and a loyalty card. You can only use one at a time. I'm hoping there's no expiration on each -there's no date stamped anywhere :)

Cafe Sua Da Done

This is how the drink looks after mixing! Their freezes are also yummy, but fattening.

A purchase comes with one hour free wifi. This makes me kind of sad since it doesn't encourage people loitering in the shop, and free wifi is one of the reasons I go to coffee shops in the first place. It also has few outlets, so charge before you enter. It does have some tablets on some tables, which I haven't used: maybe these have free wifi?

What's best about this place is that it's open 24/7 - one of the few places open in ortigas on Sundays!

Also, there's a Chatime opening beside it. Yay!

BurgerBar

Well, it's my summer vacation right now. That means a lot of bumming time, even if I did promise myself to be more productive... I'd really not rather know how much weight I've gained, or how many pimples I've gotten from sleeping early mornings.

To get a feel of how much weight I've gained....

The Rising Shroom

The best burger I've ever tasted. It costs P280 ($7) not including either VAT or service charge, but it's quite worth the price. As its name shows, it's contains mushrooms, better seen in the next pic and truffle cream cheese. This burger has made spot.ph's top gourmet burger list, with good reason. It's from the BurgerBar at Greenbelt 2.

The Rising Shroom 2

The bit below the top bun are battered oyster mushrooms. Though these were my least favorite part of the burger, it did provide a different texture, as compared to most burgers I've eaten. The best part for me was definitely the sauce... it's a burger your mouth doesn't get tired of.

Parmesan Truffle Fries

On the other hand, the fries -I'm not sure if this was the genuine name- at P145 ($3) were just blah. I'd prefer some NYFD fries to this for the price. Truffle fries really aren't my thing, but I did like the crunch of these. The serving size is big enough for two, so it really isn't that expensive if you think about it. Wish I tried the cookie batter milkshake instead.


This meal was eaten in the company of D. Thank you, D, for a wonderful time!

Let's Face It! I can't!

After n years of avoiding Let's Face It! I decided to go there as a family activity. We all got the basic, standard facial package at P245 (around $6 dollars), which was really cheap.... and we got what we paid for!

Basic Facial: Facial Cleaning with Laser and Vacuum - P 245

The mini-massage when they rubbed on the creams pre-pricking felt nice, and so did the steaming. However, there came the dreaded pricking! While it was fine for them, I was in serious pain the entire time those instruments of evil were on my face. I had to tell the aesthetician to leave off my cheeks because I couldn't take it.

My nose is now free from blackheads. But I will never return. Not even for the free check-ups that came with the package. At least for the next n years. I'd rather go to my derma instead and get peel happy!

Noriter

Noriter

Address: 2F Estrada St.

Near Taft Avenue, close to DLSU 

Apparently, this cafe has been in business for a while, but it's the first time I was able to go. Fortunately, I was able to catch the place before either the morning/afternoon/evening rush hours, if ever there was. It's a really cute korean place that you reach by climbing up a flight of stairs direct from the ground floor - very different from the usual mall-located coffee spots.

Noriter Counter

 As you can see, there's only one man manning the place, not including the guard. A blackboard at the top contains the menu done in white, pink and blue. There are two sizes available with prices comparable to Starbucks. They also sell pastries. You get your own serving utensils and water glasses are reusable.

Noriter table and cups

 You can see a paper cup construction, and some alternative tables to use: they are elevated from the floor and require kneeling. If you look closely at the wood, you can see that people have written messages on them.

Noriter table and wall

 Some glass topped tables have pictures on them. There are a lot of cup decorations around the place and you can see the mish mash of chairs. And fire extinguishers! Good to know that they have them somewhere easily accessible ^^

Norriter tree and table

There is a tree, don't know if it's real or not, but it's a nice touch to an indor place. You can see that the tables also come in many varieties. If you like privacy, there is a 2 storey semi-enclosed "treehouse"? located in the back.

Noriter view

I decided to take one of the small kneeling table things. You can see cars below.

I forgot to take a picture of my drink! Finished it before I remembered. Anyway, I'd like to go back to this place again, though it's a bit out of my way. I understand that it's a hang out spot for DLSU students.

Unit16sweets Peppermint Chocolate Bar

I love chocolate and peppermint. I especially love both of them together, hence my love affair with Starbucks' Peppermint Mocha every Christmas. However, now that Christmas season is over, I find myself craving mint chocolate. Luckily, I discovered this:

Peppermint Chocolate Bar

A Peppermint Chocolate Bar (Dark Chocolate with Mint) that doesn't break the bank! This little baby is from unit16sweets (you won't see this at their site) and costs P50 for 12 squares (3x4) of chocolate-y goodness. I found this little baby at a weekend food bazaar in podium. They also have other specialty flavors: chili, sea salt and ginger. While I am interested in trying those out, my diet constrains me...

Anyway, this is not the best chocolate I've ever tasted, but it's pretty sweet for its price! I liked the fact that it had an expiration date (around a year), but who are we kidding? Chocolate can last 1 week, tops, in my world.

What I didn't like about this? The wrapper! While it looked nice and neat, it felt disgusting on my fingers. Fortunately, the silver foil inside allowed me to unwrap it as soon as possible.

Buy Again?
Of course!

Garnier Self Heating Sauna Mask

Ingredients: Glycerin, Kaolin, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Dicaprylate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Montmorillonite, Aqua/Water, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates Copolymer, Allantoin, Benzyl Salicylate, Blue 1, Ultramarines, Limonine, Linalool, Propylene Carbonate, Salicylic Acid, Serine, Sodium Chloride Sorbitole, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Urea, Zinc Gluconate, Parfum

Thin application

Ok. I should actually use a better camera than my crap fone but... here's a light application. You can use this for 3-4 uses, depending on how heavy you apply it on your face. If you're super stingy, you might actually get 6 uses of it. Here's a light application, but I feel that it does the job well enough. I usually do 2 applications a week. One heavy and one light, as a touch-up. Since my cheeks are not as oily as my T-zone, it's thinner on this area.

The instructions tell you to put it on your face for 3 minutes and that's what I do before washing it off. 

Yays

• Keeps me oil free for days! Meaning less zit-y over time.
• Good for 3-4 uses if you're like me, 6 if you're super stingy and  2 if you're a generous applicator.
• Cheap! P49 (a bit over $1) for 2 to 4 to 6 applications, in 2 6 ml doses.
• Doesn't harden completely, so it's easy to wash off.
• Self-heating! So it feels nice on the face.

Nays

I have to apply it twice a week, not once to remain oil-free for the week. But this is a personal, not product failure.

Hays

• Keep away from hair, eyes and other mucous membrane-y areas.
• Try to figure out how much you need (you may not need a thick layer to keep yourself oil-free, or you may not need to put it on your entire face).

Okays

For oily people.

Buy Again?

Yes! I buy this a lot right now as part of my anti-acne regime.

February: Finished!

Things I’ve Recently Finished: *

1.     Avon Breathlessly Sunflower Lotion: This is a good option if you’re on a budget. It has a very nice scent (sunflowery? - very feminine) that lasts and hydrates the skin well enough. It’s actually a thin lotion so it's best to use it during summer, or use it as a quick hand lotion. I don't feel very guilty using a lot of this product since it's not that expensive.
2.     Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Foam (a real review here): It was nice while it lasted.
3.     Colgate Fresh Confidence with Strips of Whiteness: I like this toothpaste because it leaves my mouth with a minty feeling that's not as strong as some of the other toothpastes I've tried. I like the "strips" but they're more like little pieces of rock candy for me, the texture is nice but what does it do? I didn’t see a difference in the whiteness of my teeth; I’m not actually sure this is a whitening toothpaste, but it markets itself as if it were. Have you noticed that Colgate keeps saying that all its toothpastes whiten teeth, freshen breath and fight cavities? I did not see any effect on my teeth. As I am an avid coffee and tea drinker, I did not actually expect any whitening, but my teeth actually seem yellower now (so I wouldn’t count on it being whitening at all). This toothpaste has 1450 ppm and no triclosan.
4.     Pantene Pro-V Nature Care Conditioner: Another blah conditioner.  First three ingredients (because I’m lazy) are Water, Bis-Aminopropyl Dimethicone and Stereayl Alcohol. Nothing very natural to me; the “blend of naturally derived ingredients” are low on the list, though it doesn’t have any parabens. I think I didn’t like this conditioner very much because the color reminded me of mucus (when you have a slight infection). It’s a light green color… but at least it washes of easily enough (I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that most conditioners list water as the first ingredient).

On another note, have you tried Clara Ole’s dressings? I’m quite fond of the Vinaigrette Pesto. It’s 200 kCal per serving (2 tbsps) and is oil based, but I love pesto. J

-SS

*No pictures. Lack of decent camera woes, as usual. Plus I’m lazy (see my name).

Thoughts: Taxation of Association Dues (ToADs)

A Taxing Society

It’s not exactly a recent event, but for those who don’t know – the BIR has decided on taxation of association dues – we’ll call it ToADs for short. Now, I don’t know if this is a response to the weakening dollar, but this income generating project (for the government) seems ridiculous at best and terrifying at worst.

In case you’ve never lived in a condominium: association dues are a pooled fund used for the maintenance of the building, including the salaries of the staff. The amount given is based on a value set by the homeowners’ association multiplied by how much space you have. In short, it’s the combined resources of several families for upkeep of their homes.

Now, I’m no lawyer but I can see how unreasonable that is because if you think about it: Homeowners earn money via salaries which are taxed (income); this money is used to pay off utilities (which will now also taxed via e-vat) and personnel, who will also be taxed (income). The BIR will acquire a slice from all ends. So why is it that the government has decided on ToADs? There is nothing earned in the collection process (no work was done), it is simply a way to handle the expenses of a large amount of people at one time. As such, this tax seems to be an expression of greed - as a child eyes another’s dinner, knowing that he has his own. I don’t know if ToADs is legal, but I know that it’s not right. A government that allows – even encourages – such a thing is reprehensible because it both discourages its people’s comfort and disparages group organization.

There are two things in this world that are constant: the first occurs only once in one’s lifetime, while the other permeates nearly all aspects of today’s existence. Is it no wonder that I find the former less disturbing than the latter?

-SS

Student

Shi Lin

Just some more food porn for this weekend. Shi Lin is a taiwanese restaurant that has several branches, this one in Podium, Mandaluyong.  We had 3 different types of noodles:

 

The triangular bowls were actually the most interesting thing about the dishes. However, the beef tasted the best of the three. 

And a serving of pork siomai and xiao long bao. 

The siomai was actually better than the xiao long bao...

How was your weekend?

Art Circle Cafe

Have you guys tried Art Circle Cafe in the University of the Philippines, Diliman?

I had a few pictures but it seems my lappy and phone are incompatible (and I can't figure out how to send my files since the email is screwy). Anyway's it's a small cafe inside the Alumni Center in Magsaysay St. Quezon City.

Try their hazelnut coffee: P110 for 2 cups (comes in a french press or cafetiere). It's air conditioned inside so you can take a break from the heat (it's January and it still gets really hot here in the Philippines).

I tried their tablea cake as well but it did not really appeal to me.

Happy New Year!

To everyone around the world
Peace be to all on earth



I'm going back to school on the second (way too early) and am seriously not prepared for it. Good luck to future me and to future you.