On Miss America

A few days ago, I heard about the extremely negative reaction of some people regarding the coronation of Miss America.

All I can do is give a giant facepalm.

It is not just that these people have accused a person based on her name and skin tone as a terrorist. It's also the fact that they never bothered to learn that there are many different "races" which are non-caucasian in color and name.

Also, the fact that they have posted their misplaced ire over the internet when a quick search would have easily given them the truth.

I do not watch beauty pageants, but the furor over this event has shown me that people place a lot of importance on these, and that some are more ignorant than I thought possible.

Skin does not equal race - get a tan if you don't believe me.



A name is not a person. A person is not a group.

It's 2013. How long will it take us to learn this?

Have you gotten a Starbucks Card?

I went to a Starbucks in Makati recently and bought the Frap below. It's sad because Makati has this thing against plastic so even iced drinks are served in paper cups. While it might be better for the environment, it's hard to get used to. I like seeing how much I have left, thanks very much.

Anyway, for those who spend a lot on Starbucks's beverages, there's the Starbucks Card introduced just this month.

How to use:
1. Buy the card for P300 - it has P300 usable load.
2. Use the Starbucks card to earn stars.
3. Reload with P100 increments when desired.

12 stars = 1 free grande beverage

Decent, when you consider that CBTL swirl cards give you around half that value. Then again, internets!

There's a time and a place for either :)

If you're into the Starbucks thing, consider registering your card at their site, you can get:
1. 1 free beverage upon registration
2. 1 slice of cake on your birth month (upon purchase of a beverage)

Mind you, their network both online and in-store is still kind of buggy. Also, if you value your privacy, this might be more invasive than you'd like.

If you do get a card, remember to keep it in a safe place since it does have money inside!

Highlighters

How OC are you about highlighters?

I never thought that there would be a day when I would become so particular about the highlighters I used. A few years ago, I thought that pink was pink and it didn't matter what brand I used. Now I'm trying out different highlighter brands. I've realized that some of the things I like in a highlighter are:

1. Shape - how I hold my highlighter differs if it's fat or skinny, cylindrical or box-like, long or short. It also helps to identify the different brands. Some might find it better to have highlighters all of the same shape, so they'll all be held the same way. Plus they look nicer since they're more uniform. Some might prefer to have different brands because of the different properties of the fluid.

2. Color - including consistency (especially if the paper you use is thinner), it is important to use a color/colors that you feel comfortable with. You have to think about how the shade you choose will show up on the paper you use. Different brands have different shades, with color changes that will sometimes happen depending on if it's on the early or late part of it's life.

Below are 3 different brands of pink highlighters at different parts of their lifespan. You can see that aside from the shade, in general, the evenness and thickness can differ. Note also that the brush might fray easily :(

Highlighters. Left, Artline. Middle, Faber Castell. Right, MG.

Also note that if you use more than one shade, remember to find colors that you feel are most suited to your learning style.

3. Longevity - it sucks to buy a highlighter that dries out early if left for a few moments, or one that has little ink in the first place. You might want to try brands that last longer, or those that can be left out for longer periods of time.

4. Price - some highlighters are really nice, but are super expensive. You might end up spending a lot of money in the long run.

I do have my preferred brands, but I'm always on the lookout for new ones. I also like to experiment on different colors with my own preferences for different texts :)

Review: Giselle by Ballet Philippines

Watched Giselle, performed by Ballet Philippines on opening night (August 16, 2013). Giselle is the first ballet of the 44th season of Ballet Philippines. It was definitely an experience after a nice dinner with M. The First Act was a bust: ballerinas twitching all over the place, you could see the strain; danseur's failing to synch like a bad DL. While the Giselle wasn't bad, she wasn't spectacular. On the other hand, the Duke had a bit of trouble.

The Second Act was gorgeous: Very coordinated Willis! :) The Duke, Giselle, Hilarion and - especially- Myrtha performed wonderfully.

My advice: snooze through the first act (you're not missing anything) and see the second.



Extra: For those who are interested, CBTL is having another open house this Sunday (August 18, 2013). Happy weekend!

Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe

Warning: Picture Heavy

A few weeks ago, I went and ate in Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe, in Mall of Asia - near the IMAX Cinema - a couple of times.

Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe offers free Wifi, though I didn't use it. The place is cheery and there are a lot of tables. It's really cold though, and the menu is intimidating, so it's hard to decide what you want.

Steamed Spare Ribs With Black Bean (P100)

 This was the first time I've had this, actually. And it was pretty good, except it had bones (which I hate :)) ).

Udon P195

 I don't remember if this was pork of beef since it was a while back. The serving was big, for P195, and from what I remember, the noodles by itself was delicious, the meat was ok.

Lychee Ice Blended P70

 This drink tasted like lychee, as promised. It also had 3 pieces of fruit inside, which I liked. Very nice for the price.

Yin Yong Snow Ice P135

 While this serving of snow ice was huge (good for 3-4 people). It's basically ice, so I'm not impressed. It tasted like really cold milk tea, with red beans hiding at the bottom.

Macau Iced Coffee P75

 A bit too milky for my taste, but I liked the fact that the ice had flowers inside.

Cheese Baked Rice with Black Pepper Beef P245

 This was the best dish I've tasted there: because I love cheese and beef. This might be share-able but not for me! Best enjoyed by hungry self.

Chicken Bulgogi with Rice P195

The meat was a bit dry, so it wasn't that enjoyable.


Will I return? Most probably yes, if I'm in the area, since the servings are big and sometimes even good for sharing.

OKF Coffee

I've been trying out different types of coffee, since I'd like to leave some chilled in the fridge and those P99 Starbucks glass bottles really hurt the pocket. I recently spotted these in the grocery and bought one of each since they were P22.50 a pop

OKF COFFEE VARIANTS

Bought four variants:

1. Caffe Mocha
2. Cappuccino
3. Caffe Latte
4. Caramel Macchiato

I'm not quite sure which one I found totally unpalatable - either the caffe mocha or the cappuccino. There was something about it that tasted off - like alcohol - not the good kind... However, the last two were fine.... It's only the Caffe Latte that I think I'd like to buy again though. For some cheap coffee in a can, it ain't bad at all.

Disappointment

I've recently made a post regarding Shine Moist Henna Wax. Since I had some delayed concerns - should have thought about it before buying, actually - I wanted to contact the company so I went on their website to try and contact their HK email (both e-addresses): both bounced back.  Should I take that as a warning?

That was extremely disappointing, especially since I've already had a second purchase - a bottle, this time - and now have to think about whether to chuck it or not.

*sigh*

Review: Vitress Hair Polish (Sun Polish)

Vitress Hair Polish (Sun Protect)

Ever since my dye job, I've had drier hair than usual. So I looked into my stash and found this! It's an old bottle of Vitress, as you can see. It's a white cream that comes in a screw cap tube. Anyway, while this claims to protect your hair from the sun, I doubt it could be adequate protection, because you don't need to cover your hair that much unless you want your hair greasy (and sunscreens only really work if you're slathered in it).

You don't need a generous amount, but there's no need to scrimp either. This is small, cheap and travel friendly so it's nice to bring around. I might buy a new tube sometime in the future, but I'm looking into oils and other methods of correcting the dryness. Don't be fooled into buying this because of its "sun protect" label, but don't be afraid of trying it out either.

The white ideal: origins?

I've recently had a chat with some friends of mine where we ended up talking about the Filipina desire to have light skin; hence the ubiquity of whitening products. While I do admit that a large part of this desire to be fair probably came from the colonial mindset of Filipinos, I believe that this want has been a part of our culture, and others', for a long time.

For example, our East Asian neighbours also express an ideal of a woman with pale skin. This is probably because the white or pale skin indicated wealth as these women did not need to be out in the sun. Incidentally, current trends seem to promote an "Asian fairness" instead of a Caucasian type.

I believe that in the Philippine's past, further than the Spaniards, the fairer sex of the tribes of the Philippines probably aspired to be - well - fairer than the rest. I do think though, that during that time, they would have found Caucasian skin alien instead of appealing. I wonder if there is any proof that that is so, or otherwise?

Whatever the reason for this preference, I do not believe it will be going away soon.

Review: Pacific Rim

This movie came out yesterday (Thursday, July 11). Like the nerd I am, I watched it immediately. This movie, directed by G. del Torro, is actually the first mecha movie I've liked (sorry Transformers, you sucked). Giant robots controlled by humans and glowing aliens - my inner geek was pleased. In addition, hot guy (with pan de sal!) mollified my girl-perving.

However, my inner nerd actually cringed at this -because like most hollywood movies, the science was unsound.

My advice, suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride. While it's no Avengers, this is one movie to watch on the big screen. I wouldn't probably watch this again (or crave watching it) but it is a visual spectacle, especially for those who like mecha.

Rating: 8/10

Nescafe (Instant) Cappuccino

Have you tried the new Nescafe Cappuccino drink? It's only P8!

Nescafe Cappuccino sachet

 One of the things I like about this product is that it has choco sprinkles attached!

Nescafe Cappuccino sachet (back view)

 Anyway, it says on the sachet that it's 25.5g, but according to the Nescafe Philippines Website, a serving is only around 18g (+200 ml water). I don't know if would taste as good when diluted into the recommended dose, since i used around 8 oz. (240 ml). At this dose, I do like the taste of the Nescafe Cappuccino.

Nescafe Cappuccino with Sprinkles

Yes, the product does froth, and the choco sprinkles added to my enjoyment of the drink. You could probably use this and serve it to guests in a nicer cup :)) It is a sweet drink, with 12.5 g CHO (9.7g sugars) in a serving (and the sachet is good for 1 1/2!) and contains a lot of coffee creamer.

While I wouldn't recommend drinking this regularly, I will buy this again as an occasional cheap treat. Because I love coffee.

Review: Shine Moist Henna Wax Color Treatment in Cyclamen

 Hi Guys! Remember that a few weeks ago, I went and colored my hair? Well, red is a total b*tch to maintain. So, aside from special shampoo and conditioner, a great way to preserve your color is to give it a cellophane treatment! But I don't want to go to a salon, since - well - poorness after the original salon visit. So I bought this instead. This costs P215 for a 100ml container. I heard that you could get it at HBC stores for less than P200, but they weren't in stock and I needed it ASAP.

WARNING: PICTURE HEAVY!!!

Shine Moist Henna Wax Color Treatment in Cyclamen (100ml Box)

Now, red hair is really difficult to maintain. I'm not 100% sure why, but the color I came out of the salon with wasn't the color I had 1 week after after 2 washings. Here's how my hair looked pre-treatment:

Red Hair Pre-Treatment

Red Hair Pre-Treatment

This is how my hair looks when I use the webcam. you can see a lot of purple in there. My color is actually a bit more red in the sunlight, but looks like this without natural light. I went into the store and the saleslady recommended Cyclamen.

Shine Moist Henna Wax Color Treatment in Cyclamen (Container w/ Gloves)

A good thing about the small size product is that it comes with gloves. If you open the container, the wax-to-cream-like product is a bright purple color. I forgot to take pictures and didn't remember until I took the gloves on. Anyway, I used a tinting brush to apply it on my hair in sections. It was a bit messy, so I suggest you line your floor with newspaper, or take out anything you don't want getting stained. I then placed myself under a steamer for 20 minutes before rinsing it off.

Cyclamen and Pre-treatment Hair

Post-treatment Hair

It was difficult to rinse off; As you can see, I missed a spot. My hair turned out a bit darker than expected. :( Though it did still glowed rather nicely in the sun but less girl-on-fire and more girl-drank-wine. It still looked quite nice after a few washes. It looked like this after a few washings:

In some light

But I liked it so much I did it again!

It's definitely a bit darker and more purple than my original color, but it's brings out the best in the original color, I think. It's very flattering! When I wash it out, it ends up a bit darker at the ends for some reason. I'm going to try it in Ruby next, but I think Cyclamen works for me very well.

Sigh. I love my red hair, even if I hate maintenance. I have a lot of this to look forward to; Then I'll have to make the decision on whether to re-dye it once my roots grow out... 

Yays

• Inexpensive compared to a salon visit
• Makes my hair smooth and shiny
• Gives a nice glaze
• Smells nice

Nays

• Super messy, I mean really messy
• Rubs off when wet - yes, anytime it gets wet
• Irritates my skin - I break out if I don't rinse it out well (even after the initial wash)

Hays

• Sleep with a towel on your pillowcase if you don't want stains on your sheets
• Don't let anything touch your hair if it's wet unless you want it to get stained
• Wash your hair seperately
• Wash your hands everytime you touch your wet hair

Note: I did this even before the original treatment so the tips may only apply for dyed red hair only

Okays

• For people with red hair, or those with lighter hair who want red-ish purple hair. If you have black hair and want a red tint, I'm not sure how well this will show up.

Buy Again? Yes. Because I have made a commitment to red hair!!!

I may try adding this to my conditioner so I don't have to reapply every other week.

Review: Quizno's + Dakasi

As I am writing this right now, I am trying to drink a Dakasi Bubble Milk Tea. While the servers were cheerful and accomodating - plus points for using forceps to give me tissue - the waiting time was long and the milk tea was very disappointing. They used powdered milk, and boy, did it taste like it. Rather than milk tea, it tasted like a powdered milk drink with pearls. I don't think I'll be able to finish this drink, which is quite a shame as it costs P100. Wish I had bought from Serenitea instead.

On a longer note, I visited Quiznos in Shangri-la Mall!

Quiznos Storefront: Shangri-la

It's a bit small and located at the basement, near the food court, so it's easy to miss if you don't normally stop by that level.

Inside Quiznos: Shangri-la

We came at a slow hour, so it was mostly empty.

Quiznos Sub Sizes

Quiznos' subway sandwiches come in 5", 8", and 11". It's nice to have a visible guide as to how big your order is. Also, they show you their actual bread sizes if you ask. ^^

Ordering at Quiznos

 The menu they've mounted is hard to read. Better read the one on the table.

5" Classic Italian

I ordered a 5" classic Italian for P125- I think. It was much taller than I expected.

5" Classic Italian - Sideways 

And it was really yummy! Unfortunately, it didn't fill up this sloth >.< Wish I got a larger size. I think the 5" is still a snack size. the 8" would be perfect for a meal and 11" for super-hungry times.

Quiznos Trash

Their subs come in these speech bubble shaped trays (I like the fact that you have something to hold on to). You're supposed to drop the contents in the hole after eating and leave tray. Unfortunately, in the Philippines, most people just leave their trays on the tables.

Quiznos Snacks

While I didn't buy any sides, you can buy these as additions to your meal, like in the more familiar Subway. While my sub was delicious, it was a bit pricey - especially since Subway often has promos. I like the subs here more though and will probably eat here again if I have the chance.