Give your feet some lovin'

I didn't care about my feet before. How I managed my nails was a stark contrast to my feet. I didn't give it regular trims (I would only cut my toenails if it got too long, started to rub against my shoes and it would start to hurt). No foot spas and massages. Then I started to notice how bad my toenails looked and my feet felt painful.

It was just recently that I felt sorry for my feet and started to give it the TLC it deserved.

Your feet carries the weight of your body for countless steps for many hours and sometimes on unforgiving terrain. Pampering it will lessen the possible woes it might suffer later on in your years.

So how do you exactly take care of your feet?

photo by noblesvillefootspa.com

1. It's always a nice idea to go to a spa and have a luxurious foot massage and scrub. I do agree with that but sometimes it can get expensive if you do it so often. An affordable alternative would be to soak it 2-3x a week (just my personal preference- I wouldn't do it everyday. You know how the oldies threaten you with pasma and varicose veins). Just pour some soothing liquid soap or foot soak in warm water and let your feet bask in it.

2. Give yourself an easy and cheap foot scrub (exfoliate!). Grab a a half cup of salt, olive oil, and your favorite essential all. Mix it all together and gently scrub your feet. Trust me, your feet will thank you.

3. Before going to bed, wash your feet and give it a good massage using a lotion. Not only will you moisturize your feet, minimize calluses but also give your feet relaxing pressure.

4. A very quick and easy foot massage is to roll a tennis ball under your feet. This is great especially if you're sitting at your office for long hours.

I'll be sure that my feet get some relaxing time in my next pamper routine.

Shine Moist Henna Wax

I have always wanted to add a hint of color to my jet-black hair but I'm not that brave enough to change it to bold colors. I was considering buying those bubble coloring thingies from Palty or Etude House or go with Revlon or Loreal hair coloring boxes. However, those can damage the hair and I don't want it to destroy mine. I remembered a classmate back in college that always had her hair in a vibrant color but I would always see it as shiny, not damaged. So I asked her what she was using and the told me it was Shine Moist Henna Wax.

I looked for this in every Watsons store that I visited but I just can't seem to find it. I read from other blogs that you can buy this from Hbc. So Hbc in Gaisano Mall I went and finally found it. It costs Php 199. 00 :)

Shine Moist Henna Wax is a hair cellophane- type of coloring. It conditions your hair, giving it a hint of color without having it endure harmful and smelly chemicals.

I chose Dark Brown (they only had black and the violet one) because I was still a bit scared of going for light colors.

My hair story:

If there was such a thing as a Virgin Mary hair then that would be the perfect description for mine. I rarely have salon treatments (even hot oil or cellophane). I haven't tried rebonding or perming it. No harmful chemical have touched it. I sometimes have a love- hate relationship with my hair. Black and straight can get really boring, and for times when I'm feeling this I capriciously decide to do something (cut or color it). Anyway, having it colored is really a challenge for me because it seems that my hair doesn't absorb any type of coloring.

When I arrived home I immediately tried the product. Upon opening the box, I got the vial, gloves, and a showercap. After following the instructions (shampoo hair and dry it to 75% (?). I applied it like I was applying conditioner. 

For coloring my hair, this was the wrong product for me. However, this is a great cellophane treatment that can really make your hair soft and smooth, so kudos on that. I felt like I just stepped out of salon :)

Maybe if I chose a lighter color it would show on my hair. I noticed that when I washed my hair streams of brown would flow with the wash.

In summary:

Pro:

• It will make your hair smooth, I guarantee it.
• It does give your hair a hint of color, I just chose the wrong one this time around.
• It doesn't damage or make your hair dry.

Con:

• It can get messy when applying it, especially if you have long hair.
• The color that this product gives is short-lived. I'd give it 2-3 weeks tops.

Will I repurchase?

Maybe. I'll choose a lighter shade of brown next time.

This Christmas give the gift of hope

I always believe that Christmas is about selflessness and sharing the love- a commemoration of the epitome of those values which is Jesus. I just cannot fathom the idea that while we are busy with decorations and preparing for parties, that we lose the very essence of why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place.

If your conscience is nagging you to do something worthwhile and really want to grasp the essence of Christmas, you can share the love by becoming a ninong  or ninang to a cancer survivor from The Kids of Hope. Kids of Hope is a non- government organization that responds to the needs of young cancer victims in Davao City and the rest of the Mindanao Island. On December 8, they will be celebrating 'Survivor's Day'.

The kids have their wish list and all you have to do is make it come true!

I'll be shopping for my inaanak ;)

For more information on how you can give your gift, you can contact Kids of Hope through their Facebook page: Kids of Hope or you can visit their website http://www.kidsofhope.org/.

Bet you haven't heard of Blitz Torte

Or maybe you have, if you're an avid foodie. At cafes or pastry shops people usually order chocolate moist cake, blueberry cheesecake, sans rival etc. But seeing a Blitz Torte in their menu, for me, is actually quite rare (cafes should really start serving this amazing treat).  Blitz Torte is a German dessert made of soft cake and meringue. 

I remember the first time I savored this delicious dessert. My officemate invited us to have lunch at her house because it was fiesta time. After we devoured our lunch I noticed my officemate was missing. When she came back, she had in her hands a box of Blitz Torte. We were all oooohhing and aaahhhing as our eyes feasted on the pastry and our hands itching to take a piece. And since that time I was in love with Blitz Torte.

I only know of one place that sells that box of Blitz Torte, and it is in Aracels in Calinan (it's crazy far from the downtown area). So if ever you're in Calinan (perhaps a stopover before going to the Philippine Eagle Center? ;) , go to Aracels and grab a box of Blitz Torte. The price is awesome- Php 230. 00/ box! I know I'll be ordering a box or two for Christmas.

P.S. if you know bake shops that sell Blitz Torte, please let me know! :)

Review: Euro Cafe

For us Davaoenyos, the most common place to be is Gaisano Mall. It's where we pass our time walking aimlessly around its floors. If you're tired from walking and just want to have a break, or you find yourself in an unfortunate situation of waiting for somebody for an hour, try hanging out at Euro Cafe.

We all know that bakeshop right beside the stairs as you go down near National Bookstore. For pan lovers, this is the place in Gaisano Mall to get your fix of bread and other baked goods.

Honestly, me and my boyfriend were so tired from walking that I resolved to order anything just to sit in Euro Cafe. Lo and behold, they have affordable cakes! This Chocolate Ganache is Php 40. 00. For the price, it looks appetizing.

My boyfriend ordered the blueberry cake. This one is Php 45. 00. I like the taste and the blueberry-ness (we all know that taste when we eat blueberry cheesecake) I think they pretty much got it with this one.

However, when I tried slicing the Chocolate Ganache, the icing came off :( 

There are TVs placed near the tables if you sit inside. It's always playing 'Just for Laughs'- a good thing if you want something to distract yourself. Wi-fi was still under repair

My rating:

Ambience: 3.9 out of 5- if you want to hang out somewhere comfortable and affordable without having to choose to go to fastfood joints, this is the place

Food: 3.5 out of 5: The cakes were good and presentable, but the Chocolate Ganache icing was just sad.

Review: Saging Repablik

I don't know about you but I enjoyed my time at Saging Repablik (partly because it was a treat by my boyfriend's parents, -thanks!-). Initially, I thought it would be like Kasagingan along Torres Street (which is closed now by the way huhu).  

I love the modern- ish feel of the place. It's kind of like a mix of country and urban/modern/minimalist ambience.

monobloc chairs? I'm not sure about this.

When I scanned the place, the first thing that caught my eye is their souvenir shop. It's cool that they incorporated their merchandise in their cafe. They have shirts, bags, and mugs. The items' prices range Php 300. 00+

We found ourselves a table and the waiter handed us the menu. It was quite strange that we had to be seated, check the menu and go to the counter to place our orders. 

Here's their menu and prices:

I hope these are recycled because this will be a huge plus :)

I found their choice of utensils quirky and amusing. One thing's for sure: it's definitely something out of the box.

We ordered the banana cake, banana chips, turon, pasta ala cubana beef and chicken lollipops

The banana cake. It's light and fluffy, unlike the banana cake that's dense. Perhaps they can improve on the presentation? 

The banana chips. You would expect it to be sweet, like the ones you're used to. They are actually quite salty, like junk food. But the salty seasoning is not grainy. The texture of the salt is quite soft. I'd take this over junk food any day.

Pasta Ala Cubana Beef. First, the bread pieces are big so it makes you full. This has raisins so the last bite is a surprise of sweetness :)

Turon. You get three for Php 85. 00. Kind of pricey. The sauce thing is condensed milk and cheese.

Chicken lollipops. Here you have the chicken lollipops and bite- size banana pops. Quite an interesting combination.

More than anything else, I enjoyed the ambience of the place. The service was quite good, the waiter was quick and cheery.

My rating:

Ambience: 4 out 5. It's clean, spacious, quirky, and some of the stuff are upcycled (I hope)

Food: 3.8 out of 5: They can still improve more on their menu.

Price: 3 out 5: I have heard a lot of comments that this place is pricey. Maybe because for bananas they did not expect to pay Php 80. 00 +

You can find Saging Repablik at V. Mapa Street Davao City.

Review: Basic Kneads Massage and Wellness

After a long day of training and my boyfriend just had a rough time at school, we both scheduled a much needed massage treat. I opted to try a new massage salon but we found ourselves back in Basic Kneads.

My experience

It's our second time here and as always their services are good. 

Basic Kneads keeps track of their loyal patrons- what services they usually subscribe to or what other preference they usually choose (oils, massage pressure etc).


It was also here in Basic Kneads that I fell asleep because the massage was gooood :). The therapist was also quick to respond to my uncomfy reklamos.

After the massage, this little set of green tea awaited us. It's not just a tea set served on a tray but they also added little details like flowers and candles. These little details really make a difference, and add to a more pleasant experience.

These are some of the oils you can choose from that the therapist will use. I noticed that every time she finished massaging an area of my body she sprays it (with water, I think) and wipes it off to remove the sticky- icky feeling of the oil.

After the massage, the front desk lady asked us to rate our massage experience on a scale from 1-10. I gave a rating of 9 because I felt relaxed afterwards. My boyfriend gave a 7. He said that the male therapist was too rough. Haha! Anyway, I appreciated the effort that they constantly seek their customer's feedback so they can improve on their services. 

 

Thumbs up:

• Great service!
• Constant customer feedback
• Free tea! (and candy!- I'm a sucker for freebies)

Thumbs down:

• Maybe they can do something with the noise. You can hear the other therapists slapping their customer's bodies.

My rating:

Ambience: 4 out of 5- the place was clean. The rooms were also semi-private ward-ish (divided by a curtain) but I did not feel like I was waiting for a surgery. There are two beds in a small room but it is divided with a curtain (not like the type where all of the spaces are divided by curtains)

Relaxing factor: 4 out of 5- again, I fell asleep because the massage was good.

Price: 4 out of 5- Although they are the same with Happa's price, the freebies and good service make up for it.

Basic Kneads Massage and Wellness services price list:

Swedish Massage

(60 min full body massage) Php 250. 00

(90 min full body massage) Php 400. 00

Shiatsu Massage

(60 min full body massage) Php 300. 00

(90 min full body massage) Php 450. 00

Combination Massage (Swedish and Shiatsu)

(60 min full body massage) Php 300. 00

(90 min full body massage) Php 450. 00

Foot Massage:

(45 min) Php 180. 00

(60 min) Php 230. 00

Back Massage:

(45 min) Php 200. 00

(60 min) Php 250. 00

You can find them at 2nd Floor Gempesaw Bldg., Quimpo Blvd. Ecoland Phase 1, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines

Review: Happa Massage & Spa

Massage and a little pampering are two of my little vices in life. I usually treat myself to massages when I feel my PMS starting to brew up. I recently found out for myself that it can improve my mood when I'm in this crazy cycle every month.

Happa Massage & Spa is my 5th search of trying the different spas available in the city (I'll be doing the reviews for the others soon). This day was particularly rough for me at work so impulsively I decided to treat myself to a massage to avoid becoming a cranky monster.

I opted to try Solaz Massage & Spa but I was surprised to know that their prices increased. Since it was a spur of the moment decision, I thought of not spending more than Php 250. 00 for the massage. So a little walk further and I found myself in Happa Massage & Spa

My experience

As I entered, I expected that a receptionist would greet me. Lo and behold, no one was there! Good thing there was a bell so I gave it a ring. After filling out some information and paying the fee, I first came to the comfort room to relieve myself. While I was passing though to the comfort room, there was a lady sitting there (so why wasn't anybody at the front desk?)

Anyway, you get to choose the scent of oil that will be used (lavender, vanilla, sweet orange, grapefruit, eucalyptus, there were two more that I forgot) I chose the grapefruit scent because it smelled sweet. I also chose the 1 hour Swedish massage.

After the foot soak, I prepared myself for the pampering. The masseuse's routine involved fast strokes, which lessened the relaxing experience. There were many times I was tempted to tell her to slow down but I was just too darn tired. I have yet to discover if the same applies to other Swedish massages for other salons but I just don't find it remarkable in Happa's.

Thumbs up

• Their beds have lockers beneath them, so you can store your things without having to worry if someone will try to swipe your stuff.

Thumbs down

• I kept hearing 2 ladies whispering, which was really annoying. I hate it when masseuses or employees who are not attending to customers talk to each other. They're actually disturbing the customers. 
• I didn't feel the aroma of the massage oil. What was the point of letting me choose?
• No free tea :(

My rating

Ambience: 3.8 out of 5- the place started a bit humid because they just turned the AC on when I entered. I also felt like I was in a semi- private ward because of the curtains (you just know those types of massage parlors). The beds were pretty good and I really liked the locker beneath the bed.

Relaxing factor: 3 out of 5- like I said, it wasn't that remarkable and I had a better experience elsewhere (I'll only give a 5 if the masseuse was able to put me to sleep because the massage was soo good)

Price: 3.5 out of 5- a bit pricey compared to other massage salons. The Swedish massage was the cheapest one.

Here's the price list of their services:

You can find them at Dr. #1 CelPaul Bldg., #71 GSIS Heights, McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City

Learning to love sunblocks

Who's here with me hating the icky feeling of sunblock on your face? Every time I apply the thing on my face I feel that my skin can't breath, my pores get clogged and acne starts forming on my face. The worst that I usually experience is when my sweat and the sunblock starts to mix (eewwwww). That's a recipe for acne right there. Sunblock is supposed to be as fundamental as applying lotion on our arms and legs. However, I just can't get past the icky feeling. I usually get convinced applying sunblock when I watch beauty gurus explain how important it is as it is our protection from harmful UV rays from the sun. I sometimes scare myself by watching videos like this one:

A few months back I bought this sunblock from Healthy Options

I love it because it's formulated specially for the face and it has a good SPF 30. Plus point for less harmful chemicals, as I am very picky and sensitive with whatever I apply on my skin. The thing that I just hate about it is it's too thick and icky. You'll also have to apply it every 2 hours as the effect starts to wear off during that time. I hate that the product gets built up on my face. Sometimes I wear BB cream especially when I'm out strolling in the mall. I just hate the idea that they get mixed up on my face. I used it only for a few weeks then stopped. Now Im finding every opportunity to apply the cream. The sun here in the Philippine is very unforgiving and basically you are letting your face out to fry when you're out not wearing sunblock.

Do you have techniques that you do to get past the icky feeling of sunblock?

The 5 negative people you meet in work

If you could catch my drift, the title is a play on Mitch Albom's 'The five people you meet in heaven'. It doesn't matter where you work. You are bound to meet one of these unfortunate souls in your workplace. These people can induce so much negativity you can feel it in the air and even taste it. Their mere presence can upset your stomach. Days are so much better when they take the day off or take a leave. You are waiting for the day they will finally resign/retire/quit their job.

So here's a rundown on the 5 negative people you meet in work:

1. Chace and Cindy The chronic whiner: this person has always something bad to say about anything. The worst part is, this person doesn't even do anything to improve the situation. The printer's not working? This person complains why anybody hasn't fixed the damn thing. Paper's out? he/ she will complain why office supply stocks has not yet been refilled. He or she will complain about the boss, the cashier, the food, the chair, just. about. anything. This person just complains, complains, complains.

Offensive rating: 3.5/ 5

2. Bob and Betty the ticking time bomb: This person will unnecessarily react to anything. Try asking him/ her a question and he/she will unnecessarily complicate things, blow off their steam and starts scolding you instead. You feel you're on your toes every time you try talking with him/her.

Offensive rating: 4/5

3. George and Gina the gossip fountain: This person is better of with a megaphone in hand and start blurting out the latest office gossip. This person will relay a story 5-10 times to 5-10 employees, some of it mostly unsolicited. This person's mouth just won't keep shut. He/ she has an opinion on anything: how you do your work, your clothes etc. He/ she will talk about every little thing that every body does. This person basically does not know the word 'boundaries'.

Offensive rating: 4/5

4. Rina and Randy the rude: Even when you are at your most polite when talking to this person, he/ she will make snide remarks that make you want to smack the back of their heads. I don't know what this person's problem is, maybe its old age or he/ she hasn't had sex for a long time.  This person's parents may not have taught him/ her the concept of respect.

Offensive rating: 4/5

5. Quintin and Quinn the queen (and king) bee: This person thinks he/she is on a pedestal and expects you to be meek and a doormat before him/ her. Maybe he/ she thinks deserve this treatment because he/ she is the boss/supervisor/manager. If this is the case, then you can't really do anything. Another case this is totally unacceptable is he/she just has a longer tenure than you. We may have that kind of thinking sometimes, but it sucks if you're on the other end.

Offensive rating: 4/5

We may even sometimes find ourselves as one of the above. It's best if we try as much as we can not to add to the number of a-bags and just make our workplace a much better place.

Fab dogs at SM's PetExpo

I'm a huge animal lover. Animals can exude a different fluttering feeling once you come in contact with them. So when I saw that SM will hold a PetExpo, I just had to come over and see the fluffy furballs brimming with pedigree.

The PetExpo was from August 1-3, 2014. It was actually my first time to witness a dog show so it was also my chance to know how the whole shebang works. 

A little research (wikipedia) led me to find out that these kinds of dog shows are most known as conformation shows. Basically, the dog has to conform to the standards of what the judges' idea of the epitome beauty of its breed. Of course, the judges' ideas are subjective but I think they have seen more than great pedigree to pick out the best out of the rest.

When I saw this Shih Tzu I could only surmise that it's thinking"Bitch I'am fabulous".

The owner had to comb its hair every time it stops moving. 

These tiny pups are battling for the best toy dog category.

These furballs are fighting it out for the best show dog.

The dogs all were absolutely beautiful in their own ways. In my opinion, no one was greater than the next. Hmmmm, this got me thinking. Do human beauty pageants also have this in mind?

El viaje: a day in Sibulan

It's amazing when you take the time to explore new places. You never know that such places exist. It's also a good idea to take a break from breathing the pollution of the city and taking in the fresh cool air of the country side. For me, I had this chance when the team went to Sibulan.

Sibulan is in Santa Cruz, just a bit farther from Toril. The team went there to hand over the donation of sports equipment to Mt. Apo Elementary School. I tagged along to cover the event and to experience work on field.

When we got there, they were celebrating the culmination of the Nutrition Month and also the Indigenous Peoples' Day. Most of the kids are Bagobo Tagabawa and I was indeed blessed to spend a day to see their culture.

As expected in the highland countryside, the vegetables and fruits are so healthy and fresh. You just can't find that sort in the city.

Each grade level presented a number for the Nutrition Month's culmination program. These girls did a puppet show while their teacher narrated the story. I did not understand the story though, but I think it was along the lines of eating healthy.

I just adore their cultural outfit. The authenticity and also the wearer is something to be proud of. The girl was shy when I asked her for a photo with me (I had to chase her around until I cornered her hehe)

Since they were celebrating the Nutrition Month, the kids and their parents whipped up some dishes which was part of their mini- contest. Free Food! Some of the ingredients and dishes were planted and cooked by the kids themselves.

Linotlot- A Bagobo delicacy made of young coconut and chicken cooked inside a bamboo pole. It has an interesting mix of salty- sweet and coconut-y taste.

Later on, we went for a hike. I've always wanted to experience what it feels like to be in the middle of a fog. Sure enough, it was really cool and I couldn't look past through the mist.

I never thought I would be able to experience what I experienced today. I always thought that I would be stuck in the city's concrete jungle. Being in the midst of nature will always do you good.

I also have found my new love for hiking. Now, next stop- camping in the great outdoors.