New Year, 2015

Before the month ends, here’s my post for the new year. Or, here's me trying to post more than I usually do!

Last year, I tried for at least 4 posts a month to keep me going... and more or less succeeded. I'm really happy because it’s so hard to achieve some of the goals I’ve set for myself (as seen by a review of posts of the past), and I'm glad I was able to do at least this. Because I believe that you should:

Set tangible goals for you to see how you’ve improved. It’s easy to say I’ll be a better person next year, but how will you actually show you’ve improved?

Celebrate reaching your goals, no matter how little. A little motivation goes a long way.

This year, I'll try to post a little more… and hopefully improve upon my writing. Looking back at previous posts, I can’t really find a voice in what I’m reading. It’s all just a jumble of words and thoughts to me. While I’m madly jelly of authors (published or otherwise) that can create universes in their own heads, and share this with others – I’m also a bit green about those that can express their thoughts in words… in a style so distinctive that they have their own voice (like when you hear Morgan Freeman in your head).

This year, I hope to find my own voice. And I’m not quite sure how to do that except by learning to be more comfortable with my own words on metaphorical paper.

A belated western new year to everyone, and an early happy chinese new year.

Lip Naturals Lip Balm

Gifts don't have to be expensive to be appreciated by the recipient. For example, this tiny little lip balm was something I really liked. Why?

Lip Naturals Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean

It's really tiny! Around the size of two thumbnails, this bullet shaped mini, weighing 3 grams, is perfect for those purses/pockets with valuable real estate space.

Lip Naturals Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean

 Made by OraLabs and smelling of Vanilla, this product packs Octinoxate and Oxybenzone for its SPF.  Some people may choose not to purchase this product because of worries of Octinoxate's potential as an endocrine disruptor. While I will keep my eyes out, I'm not too worried about it right now.

The product comes out by pressing the bottom of the bullet. Once it comes out, it doesn't really go back in so be careful!

Coffee: Starbucks, Black Canyon Coffee, Toby's Estate

With all the coffee I've been having at home, I've rarely gone to coffee shops this year. While it's been good to my wallet, I have missed the taste and vibe of coffee shop coffee. Thus, this week, I've abused my wallet for coffee at Starbucks, Black Canyon Coffee and Toby's Estate.

While I won't get into Starbucks much, I'll just say this - yes to the Raspberry and NO to the Chestnut. Starbucks this year has been a bit of a disappointment from both the sales side and the coffee (at least one of the drinks just tasted like Nescafe 3 in 1).

Black Canyon Coffee is a Thai coffee shop known for its latte art. While D got a cappuccino which came with biscuits and a shot of hot tea, I got the Mexican Iced Coffee.

Black Canyon Coffee

Cappuccino P120

The latte art for this wasn't that remarkable but I did like the fact that they gave biscuits and that they had a special plate for it. Minus points for powdered creamer. I believe in real cream!

My iced coffee was ok, not that remarkable and not that strong. The biggest selling point was the boot - because coffee in a boot. XD

Mexican Iced Coffee P150

Chilling at Black Canyon Coffee at night was quite fun since they had magazines, comfy couches and free wifi.

On the other hand, this branch of Toby's Estate just opened a week ago. Toby's Estate is a 3rd wave coffee shop from Australia. I got the Gibraltar, which is one of their signature drinks.

Toby's Estate

Gibraltar P130

I love this coffee - not to bitter or sweet and not too strong but not at all weak (the awesomeness of ristretto over espresso!). This drink wasn't made with the popular Woolloomooloo blend but with the Broadway (I think), with stronger berry notes that lingered long after I finished the drink.

I couldn't really chill at Toby's with how crowded it was (with no armchairs!), but I was quite chilled (it was quite cold). I had to finish my coffee quickly before it turned tepid. I liked that they did sell hard to find merchandise such as Chemex and their filters (which, being the Phil, is still quite expensive). This branch, being new, still has a little way to go. While they have a lot of staff, and they're very attentive (especially with water service), service isn't streamlined. I think I'd recommend going here sometime mid-February, but not now when their still so new.

Both Black Canyon Coffee and Toby's Estate have 5% service charge.

Black Canyon Coffee branch at Tuscany Building, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Toby's Estate at Cyberscape Beta, Ruby Road, Ortigas

Beauty and the Beast, Manila

I love Disney musicals - bar one - and Beauty and the Beast is one of the earliest ones I came into contact with. I was, therefore, quite excited to watch it here in Manila. Luckily, the show I got wasn't cancelled by the Papal visit, so I was successful in watching it this weekend. Yay!

This may have been due to the Papal visit, but the performance I went to started significantly late - around 20 minutes. Now this may not be a big deal in some venues, but for a CCP production, I was a bit disappointed. Since Beauty and the Beast is a relatively short production, and I was able to eat beforehand, it's not too bad, but it definitely set my mood down.

Now, for those who do plan to watch - I won't spoil it for you. I definitely enjoyed watching it. It's sufficiently different and equally diverting for those familiar with only the film. The Beast is better characterized in the musical - although I do have issues with how Prince Adam's whiny self translated to hypernasality while singing. The more adult themes are also more obvious. However, I was definitely disappointed at the library set (my favorite moment) and the backdrop for "Be Our Guest," (the crowd pleaser), and other little things at the first and last scenes. I also found the orchestra too small for the musical, which was obvious at the overture. It's definitely much simpler than its Broadway counterpart, which is understandable, but not enough for me to justify its price at price Zones 1 and 2 (on Ticketworld).

On the whole, I wouldn't say that I'd recommend it but it's not bad at all. I felt more joy with the audio recordings (some parts were shorter, and they did cut Maison des Lunes), but I enjoyed watching it nonetheless. If you're looking for some Disney entertainment for the family and for yourself (and you can afford it), then you might want this.

Beauty and the Beast at CCP will be performing until Feb 1, 2015.

Watsons Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Strips

You know how some people like to end the year with the best and worst products they've tried? This is one of them… the worst product I've tried this 2014. Found in the bowels of someone's closet early 2014,  this package of Watson's Nose Pore Strips was probably buried for a reason.

Each package consists of 10 individually wrapped packets.  Once opened, my first glance at the strip disappointed me since product was not as described in the packaging: there are no nifty slit things like the ones in the Biore strips to contour the strip to your nose. You can cut it individually, I suppose, but it doesn't hug the nose-cheeck interface as well, which is a blackhead prone area for me. 

Watson's Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Strips

I've tried it several times on myself and my siblings… but unlike the Biore strips where I was unsure if what the strip took out was actual blackheads or dirt, a lot of the surface area of the strip was plain white. The strip was able to pull out a few blackheads, mostly the superficial ones… but at half the price of Biore, it only had around 25% effectiveness.

Would I buy again? If I did buy it, definitely not. I am hoping that with different Japanese brands entering the system, I can get a hold of superior strips once again.

Tim Horton's Single Serve Specialty Beverage Cups

Someone gave me a box of Tim Horton's Single Serve Specialty Beverage Cups recently (thank you Christmas). A popular Canadian brand, Tim Horton was always something I'd wanted to try, especially their French Vanilla. At first, not having a capsule coffee machine, I despaired of being able to use it. However, I decided to look at the back to see if I could figure out a way to make it work.

Tim Horton's French Vanilla Single Serve Specialty Beverage Cups

Looking at the ingredients list to the right, it didn't seem like it had any actual ground coffee: it was more like their powdered version adapted for a capsule coffee maker. And the nutrition facts showed that while it was high in fat and sodium, it was surprisingly low in calories.

Tim Horton's French Vanilla Nutrition Facts and Ingredients List

So I opened one of the capsules and it really was a powder!

Tim Horton's French Vanilla Capsule

Just add water :)

Tim Horton's French Vanilla

Since I find it too sweet at the ideal serving size, I think each capsule makes around 1.5-2 cups of French Vanilla. At it's somewhat diluted state, it's one of the best tasting instant coffees I've ever tried. While I don't know how much this costs, I think that unless you have only a capsule coffee machine (which would probably present better with froth), the powder tin would probably a more cost effective option.

So while I haven't been able to optimize my use of those capsules, I've been able to finish 8 of them this way with no regrets.

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance!

Etude House: Perfect Fit BB Cream in Natural Beige

One of the few cosmetic purchases I've made this year is the Etude House Pefect Fit BB Cream in Natural Beige (W13). Bought at the 30% off sale, the price went from around P850 to around P600, it was a total steal.

Etude House BB Cream Perfect Fit Box

I was looking for something with a bit of coverage, but not too heavy. BB Creams, somewhere between moisturisers and foundations, hit the spot. Perfect Fit comes in a 60 gram plastic tube with a pump top. I got a lot of bang for my buck here XD.

Etude House BB Cream Perfect Fit Tube

 It claims to be whitening, anti-wrinkle and anti-darkening. After a month of use, I haven't seen any long term effects… but it is very brightening while you're using it: after water, pearl extract and titanium dioxide are highest on the ingredient list.

Etude House BB Cream Perfect Fit Pump Top

 It takes me around 2 pumps to cover the face, not including the neck and around 1.5 pumps if I'm using a primer. I usually use only a thin layer on my face, any more is too much: the cream leaves a pale cast that requires either time to set (30 minutes - 1 hour, thanks to oxidation), or a darker toned setting powder.

Etude House BB Cream Perfect Fit Unblended

The BB cream gives me a matte flawless finish while I'm using it and lasts for around 8 hours. While it doesn't start out as a powder, as time passes, it does become more powdery. It has excellent coverage for a BB cream, even with how little I put, but it won't hide major flaws (you need a foundation for that). In addition, it gives me few zits (none cystic) when I, inevitably, end up sleeping with it on. I'd prefer this go down to zero, but it never really claimed that so I can't really fault it.

Etude House BB Cream Perfect Fit Blended

While this product is very good for me, I wouldn't recommend it for those with dry skin and those with extremely problematic skin. I'd recommend it for those with normal to oily skin and those with slightly problematic skin. If you are a morena, or if you just have a lot of yellow tones in your skin, you might have problems finding a shade for you since it comes in only 3 shades, all with cooler tones. Of course, you should try it out for a few hours to see if it's right for you (especially those with sensitive skin types) - I probably wouldn't have bought it if it didn't settle properly.

I'm satisfied with this product, but wouldn't consider it as one of my HGs; I'll try to find something better in the future, but for now, this will do.

Manila Ocean Park: 5 Tips

I recently went to Manila Ocean Park for the first time in my life, and find myself wanting to share some tips that might make your (and maybe my) future visits better.

1. Avoid going on weekends: I went on a Sunday and there were a lot of people, most notably bus loads of children on school trips. Aside from the general ugh factor of having so many noisy, sweating people in one place, the attractions operate on a ticketing system that's 80% manual. Go when it's a bit less hectic and if unavoidable, inquire if there are any groups scheduled, and if so, how many.

2. Inquire for show schedules: I didn't see any show schedules explicitly put up (I didn't get a pocket guide, if there were any). The website only had a general guide and wasn't really that helpful. Ask for when each show is and how long it will last so you can watch all the shows. Note that you have to get a written time to be allowed in for the light and water show (called the "Symphony Evening Show"). A hassle since you have to make a stop in the reservation room, but understandable given the small seating and large crowd.

3. Buy a ticket based on what you have time for: Manila Ocean Park has many packages, including encounters and extra attractions. Because I came in the early afternoon and had the Liquid lunch buffet, I didn't have time to see the "Trails to Antartica" and the "Birds of Prey" attraction ( :( penguins ). You can finish all the attractions in one day… as long as you don't start mid-afternoon.

4. Skip the Liquid Pool and Lounge Buffet and eat somewhere else: It's seriously the worst buffet I've ever tried. While I did like their pork steak and fried fish fingers, as a buffet, it was seriously lacking: one soup served in the tiny "sabaw" bowls used in supermarkets, 2 unappetising looking pasta dishes (spaghetti and pancit), 3 viands (including those described previously) and a vegetable side dish of peas,carrots and corn. The desert had local fruits, bad buko pandan and fruit salad.

5. Bring a camera or a phone equivalent: not just to take selfies but to record your experiences at the park. Aside from the attraction, the bay offers some nice sunsets. Also, please don't use flash photography when there are signs telling you not to (even in darkened exhibits, it seemed like there was still light from all the heedless clicking - not cool).

On a side note, the park is not wheelchair friendly.

The park is small, but it's actually an enjoyable place to visit. Hong Kong's Ocean Park is a lot bigger, but if you can't go to Hong Kong, this is pretty good, even without the Pandas.

Victoria's Secret Midnight Dare Body Butter

Tis the season of cold weather, and the perfect time to use a body butter like this.

I love the scents of Victoria's Secret and Midnight Dare's raspberry and sandalwood combination is very addictive.  Because body butters are thicker than lotions, the scent lasts longer, and this is no exception. Since they're so thick, they usually come in a tub for easy scooping. It's not very hygienic, so make sure to have at least clean hands (best after a bath) when scooping it up. You get a bit less product with the butter than with the same scent as a lotion, and while you can get away with using the same amount as a lotion, you might end up using more since it doesn't spread as well. On the plus side, it's a bit more moisturising.

I end up using a lot of product because I love the smell so much. It's very fortunate since I'm trying to finish it asap since it comes in a tub.

Enjoy the weather while it's nice :)

Murray's New Orleans at SM MoA

The family ate at Murray's New Orleans Bourbon Street Ribs, Steak and Oysters a while back.  Ambience was nice, but a bit on the dim side. We came for dinner and there were few people.

Bar Area

The bar area looked cool, but the drinks were expensive with the service charge . I tried a Kiwi Margarita, and it tasted faintly of kiwi, but mostly of alcohol. I'd have liked a bit more kiwi to balance the alcohol. On the up side, the serving was pretty big.

Kiwi Margarita

The food was good, but nothing extraordinary: I liked the meatballs best in one of the dishes they served (can't remember the name) out of many, and for a place that's supposed to cater to a different set of taste buds, it was disappointing… I was expecting something on the spicier side. I also had to complain because of a service-menu issue, but they were very accommodating once it was pointed out.

Would I come back to this place? Probably not.

What would you buy in bars?

Note: If you're reading this and you're underage wherever you come from, I'd like to remind you to follow your home country/state's laws regarding drinking.

I normally drink at a house with my friends, and we tend to drink either beers or mixed drinks. It's why I had that post a long while back. For several reasons, I prefer drinking in a private location, but there are times when I end up outside with them. During these occasions, its either pitchers (to share) or beers for me. Why?

1. I'd rather not get drunk in public

Because it comes with a host of problems from the humiliating to the horrifying. Your Blood Alcohol Levels\ (BAC) increases depending on how much and how fast you drink, but the liver can only metabolise one drink an hour. There are charts available to calculate it, but you only need 1-2 drinks in an hour to get that buzz.

and

2. Liquor, especially hard liquor, is awfully expensive in bars

The mark-up is usually at least twice the store price. This is due to many factors, like why Starbucks is so expensive. It's another story if they're serving something special, but even those you can buy anywhere becomes insanely expensive in the right/wrong places.

For some people, either the former and/or the latter would be fine. But it's just not for me…

Qtea

Qtea is a milk tea place found in Jorge Bocobo St., Ermita Manila. It's a nice place to hang out since it's supposed to offer free wifi for a certain time (I think) for a drink purchased. I've never tried the Wifi here and I've only ordered a drink once. I asked a staff member and their tea all comes from Taiwan and it looks like tea leaves are actually used!

Qtea Bar area

 As seen below, the store occupies two stories. It's actually loft type and sunlight filters well through the front of the store. It's a bit darker and cozier near the back. The upper floor is significantly warmer than the ground floor and you'll be listening to chinese music while you chill or study. This place closes late.

Qtea

 The bar area is also pretty long and kept quite neatly. Unfortunately, I'd rather not buy from a place that charges extra for fresh milk, so I've only tried the earl grey tea once, and it was decent, though I'm not wowed by it (possibly too much ice).

Qtea Bar area 2

… But they make a pretty good waffle! For P95 (or is it 98), you get a drink sized waffle that's crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They, cool the whipped cream in an ice bath before serving, which is pretty nice. My only dislike was that couldn't really go crazy on the whipped cream: serving size was appropriate for light dipping…. you can't really slather it on :( I wonder if you can ask for extra cream XD

Qtea Waffle

I'll probably return here for the waffles :) It makes for a delicious light breakfast or heavy snack while studying.

Skin White Classic Whitening Deodorant

This Skin White Classic Whitening Deodorant (and antiperspirant?) is a roll-on with a "powder silk" scent. If you're one of those people that like the smell of powder, or like to use it, this might be for you. It's a bit on the strong side at first while wet, but becomes on the fainter - like powder ought to be - as soon as it dries off. Tip: Make sure it dries off first before adding clothes on top - this is a liquid roll-on! I haven't noticed any stains on clothes from this but I always make sure everything's dry.

Skin White Classic Whitening Deodorant

While this is marketed as a whitening deodorant and antiperspirant, it only does 2/3 claims: it's a pretty ok deodorant and antiperspirant (lasts 8-9 hours in non-strenuous conditions) especially for its price of around P30 and lasts a long time. It didn't really do much for whitening, though it didn't do any darkening other.

I probably won't buy this again because I'd like to find something with actual whitening capabilities, but for a basic antiperspirant and deodorant, this is pretty ok for me.


Edit: The smaller size is 30, this probably was around 60.