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Saturday

Service Appartments - Makati

Looking for a cheaper hotel to stay in Makati? ... You now have several options ... There are Service Appartments or Condotels which are much cheaper than hotels - you can rent daily/weekly/monthly.

Normally, rooms are equipped with Kitchen (including utensils/appliances), aircon, hot/cold water, refrigerator, IDD/NDD phone facilities, Cable TV. A 24-hour security would make you feel safe.


  • BSA Tower

Near Greenbelt Malls.

108 Legaspi St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

Phone Number: (632) 886-3605 / 886-3602

Fax Number: (632) 887-0513

Email Address: sales@quantumsuites.com


  • Prince Plaza II

~ 200 meters to Ayala Shopping Center Area
~ 10 km to NAIA (Airport)

101 Dela Rosa St., Legaspi VillageMakati City, Metro Manila

Tel. Nos.: (632) 840-3215 ; (632) 894-2878

Fax No.: (632) 840-3215 ; (632) 894-2992

Email Address: reservations.condotels@asbgroup.com.ph


  • Perla Mansion

A short walk to Greenbelt 1.

117 C. Palanca St., Legaspi VillageMakati City, Metro Manila

Phone Number: (632) 840-1826

Fax Number: (632) 856-1678

Email Address: sales@quantumsuites.com


  • BSA Suites

A short walk to Greenbelt 1.

103 C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, Philippines

Phone Number: (632) 8841463

Fax Number: (632) 856-0400

Email Address: sales@quantumsuites.com


  • BSA Mansion

~ 200 meters to Ayala Shopping Center Area
~ 10 km to NAIA (Airport)

108 Benavidez Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City

Tel Nos.: (632) 812-2729 ; (632) 812-2671

Fax Nos.: (632) 812-2729 ; (632) 812-2671

Email Add: reservations.condotels@asbgroup.com.ph

Corporate Website: www.asbgroup.com.ph


  • Asian Mansion II

It is just across the Enterprise Center (HSBC) and near the corner of Dela Rosa St and Paseo de Roxas. It's just a short walk to Greenbelt 5 via Dela Rosa St and Greenbelt 1 via Paseo de Roxas.

107 Dela Rosa St., cor. Nieva St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

Tel. No.: (632) 844-9061

Fax No.: (632) 844-9061

Email Add: reservations.condotels@asbgroup.com.ph


  • A.Venue Hotel Suites

Situated in Makati Avenue. Can walk to Ayala Center if you are quite a keen walker. Otherwise, you have to take a taxi.

Antel Lifestyle City, 7829 Makati Ave, Makati City

Tel. Nos. (+632) 403 0865, (+632) 403 0888, (+632) 381 7888, (+632) 757 2615, (+632) 381 7887

Fax No. (+632) 403 0854


  • Salcedo Suites at LPL Manor

Near Makati Sports Club and Jaime Velasquez Park

LPL Manor Building, 116 L.P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City

International Phone: (632) 893-2654/ (632) 813-6331

Fax No.: (632) 892-5322

Email: salcedosuites@yahoo.com


  • Gilarmi Apartment

Just across Glorietta (Rustan's). It is probably the oldest among the mentioned Appartments but is also the cheapest. If you don't mind an old building which somebody can also describe as run-down, then this is place to get the best rate. A monthly rate for a studio room can be as low as ~ Php 26000.00

6749 Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Tel Nos. (632) 812-3307/ (632) 812-3308

http://www.mansiongroup.com.ph/



Wednesday

Lenovo Thinkpad X61s


This is my latest laptop --- Lenovo Thinkpad X61s!


What I like about it :
  • ultraportable ... it's so light - 3.1 lbs
  • fingerprint reader
  • battery lasts more than 2 hours on heavy usage

What I don't like about it :

  • not so stylish
  • no built-in CD/DVD drive
  • trackpoint is sometimes difficult to use, having a touchpad would make life easier
  • heats up pretty quick, especially on the right hand side


Overall verdict : It's light weight outshines the negatives ... I love that I can carry the laptop plus its power supply without any sweat at all!

Tuesday

umobile (CURE) - part 2


umobile : created with ϋ in mind

who is ϋmobile?
ϋmobile is the first ad funded 3G mobile network provider to hit Asia! ϋmobile opens a new world of privileges, that will provide a new experience to the mobile subscriber as well as pave the way for corporations to explore the use of mobile as a means to reach their target market.
Our strengths lie in the fact that ϋmobile is staffed with experts from the field of mobile network operations, marketing of consumer products as well as in sales. Our management team carries with them over 50 years of telco operations and management experience. We pride ourselves for being a part of the family of the leading telecommunications company in the country - SMART Communications & PLDT.
Our products and services run best on a 3G network, but voice calls, sending/receiving SMS, surf mobile internet sites and download personalized content are possible also on a 2G & 2.5G network, too!

What is an Ad-funded Mobile Network Operator?
ϋmobile partners with corporations who wish to advertise or create mobile-based campaigns for a particular brand. A portion of the revenues generated from a brand's advertising campaigns will be given back to the subscribers who then can purchase or make transactions for ϋmobile services or avail of a brand's product offer.


Why is ϋmobile speaking to you today?
  • ϋmobile services are focused on bringing brands closer to their consumers via the mobile phone

  • ϋmobile is ready to create mobile campaigns for and with brands based on their objectives

  • ϋmobile can provide you with advanced mobile ad targeting capabilities with our unique platform for subscriber profiling

  • Most of all, ϋmobile will help drive revenues for your company, enhance customer experience and build loyalty for your brand

  • We will only accept subscribers who meet the criteria we set, thus, not everyone who applies, becomes a subscriber
We can work on concepts which are unique and that will set brands apart from the competition. We will ensure that implementation of campaigns will be in accordance with our agreements with you, our partners.

Because our subscribers are required to provide us not just basic demographic-based personal information buty lifestyle behaviours as well, we can deliver you the target market you want, when you want it. Doubt that? We can even present you a face to the naem you want, just let us know.


With our focus on not just getting marketing messages across, but the ability of our subscribers to interact with your brand, we have devised means to which your company can immediately reap the benefits of being our partner.
  • Ease in Ad Creation and Campaign Management

  • Immediately see results and the ability to optimize results while your campaign is on-going

Mobile as a stand alone ad campaign medium works. But aside from this, we can always work on mobile as a medium to complement your marketing campaigns to make them even more effective and exciting. Aside from SMS, MMS, Voice and data, as a ϋmobile partner, we can share with you other mobile marketing technologies for you to explore for your brands.

Our cost packages are likewise very attractive. We will work with you on concepts, we will handle the implementation AND, you will be updated on results of your efforts even while your campaign is on-going.

What ϋmobile offers to mobile subscribers?

Our subscribers are carefully selected to fit the profile we want.

  • ϋmobile is by invitation only. We will only accept subscribers who meet the criteria we set, thus, not everyone who applies, becomes a subscriber

  • Our core market belongs to 15 to 35 years old and whose lifestyle promotes the latest trends

  • Upon launch, ϋmobile offers more than just voice, text, MMS, data and content downloading for phone personalization. We will offer our subscribers rewards that will make the use of ϋmobile services free to them

  • ϋmobile will be on nationwide coverage

You will see us where our target markets are. We will make our presence felt in places like school campuses, work places, the internet and of course, in mobile.



We will pamper our subscribers, you may ask how?

  • For every mobile marketing message our subscribers receive, ϋmobile will reward them with freebies and/or discounts just by viewing brand campaigns that will make their mobile experience truly unforgettable. These rewards will carry them through by using ϋmobile services almost at no cost to them

  • As a start, our subscribers will receive P100 worth or Pre-paid load per month for 6 months that can be used for any ϋmobile service

  • We will launch the ϋmobile VOIP service where subscribers can enjoy mobile phone to PC and PC to mobile phone calling

  • In the next few months, ϋmobile will also launch a virtual product that will enable our subscribers to make voice and SMS transactions using a personal computer. Now, that's what you call service!
Of course, ϋmobile will be on nationwide coverage at launch. This means, usage of services can be done anywhere, anytime around the country and roam in selected foreign countries.

ümobile (CURE)

CURE unveils ad-based mobile phone service
[text from : The Manila Times, Philippines]


May 20--ONE of four companies earlier awarded a license to operate 3G (third-generation) technology said it would focus on mobile advertising to compete in the hotly contested telecom market.

Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise Inc. (CURE), ownership in which recently passed from the Ongpin family to a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), on Monday unveiled the first advertising-funded mobile platform in Asia called umobile.

The service launch comes on the heels of PLDT unit Smart Communication Inc.'s acquisition of two Ongpin-led companies that own CURE for P419.54 million. PH Communications Holdings Corp. and Francom Holdings Inc. each hold a 96.57-percent and 3.43-percent stake, respectively, in CURE.




Introducing .... ümobile


Ardie Balderrama, CURE chief marketing officer said the ad-funded mobile phone service would mean that subscribers can avail of the company's services for FREE.

Balderrama said CURE will offer a subscriber free mobile calls, text messaging, Internet surfing, among others.

"The usage of our consumers will be subsidized by our advertisers," he said, adding that the company is in talks with five to 10 sponsoring firms.

Subscribers will earn load by watching commercials or clicking advertisements. The umobile will be rolled out to consumers by next month.

CURE's services include mobile broadband access to the Internet, the use of mobile voice over Internet protocol and live chat with Skype, MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, SIP, Twitter, Yahoo and AIM.






ümobile : Products & Services
(click picture to enlarge)

"We are not a traditional telecommunications company. We are a mobile marketing company that enhances the relationship between brands and consumers," Balderrama said.

"Through umobile, we offer advertisers the opportunity to tap into this emerging marketing medium where they can directly target the consumers they want to reach," he added.

The CURE executive said the company will focus on a niche market composed of men and women aged 15 to 35 years, who collectively comprise about 45 percent of the country's population.

"The power of advertising is now dominant. We believe that the mobile advertising market will grow further," Balderrama said.

In 2006, mobile advertising was a $871-million business worldwide.

According to ABI Research, mobile marketing and advertising is expected to reach $19 billion globally by 2011.

At present, most mobile advertising takes the form of text messages. But telecom companies have begun to offer ads to mobile phone handset owners through video clips, music and game downloads, among others.

CURE's move will put pressure on the traditional advertising platform such as television, radio, print and billboards.

Last year, the country's media spend amounted to P154.4 billion from the previous year's P143.54 billion.

Besides the corporate market, CURE may tap politicians who want to be advertised, Balderrama said.

"Umobile ensures advertisers will get a mobile campaign especially designed for the target market through its detailed subscriber database. Instead of a mass text to faceless subscribers, umobile will help develop customized mobile marketing campaigns with information from its customer profiles," he said.

The CURE executive said that umobile will run a 3G network and most of its products and services will harness the technology, but subscribers on a 2G and 2.5G network can still make use of basic model telephony services such as voice calls, sending and receiving SMS and MMS.

website : http://www.umobile.com.ph/


Monday

Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cakes


Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cakes are soooo divine. It's my favorite gift to my friends and family. It's just a pity that there are only a few shops in Metro Manila where you can get them.


Ice Cream Cakes available in:
  • Alabang Town Center (809 1996)
  • Glorietta 3 (752 7290)
  • Shangri-la Mall (634 8108)
  • Greenbelt 3 (757 7570)
  • Rockwell (889 3274)
  • Eastwood City Libis (687 1839)

I live in Antipolo. That means the nearest shop for me is Shangri-la Mall in Mandaluyong. I always have to buy extra dry ice packs so that the ice cream won't melt --- PhP 15 pesos per pack which would last approximately for an hour. Just to make sure, I always buy 3 packs. Better to pay a little extra. After all, those cakes are not cheap, it would be a pity if after paying thousands of pesos it would just melt on the way home.


Ice Cream Cakes sizes :
  • Petit
  • 500 g (PhP 1200 to 1400)
  • 1000g (PhP 2000++)

Flavors :

  • Serendipity - Macadamia Nut ice cream embedded in rich cream, layered with chocolate, topped with fresh strawberries & blueberries.


  • Mango Rosett - Fresh mango slices on Vanilla ice cream, wrapped in white chocolate sheets streaked with dark chocolate


  • Sweet Escape - Coffee ice cream with whipped mocha frosting, coated with chocolate cookie crunch and coffee beans.


  • Sweet Simplicity - Macademia Nut ice cream, delicately laced with pure cream.


  • Belgian Chocolate Seduction - Rich Belgian chocoalte ice cream coated with chocolate frostings.


  • Tutti Frutti - Strawberry ice cream covered with creamy whipped topping. Nestled with an assortment of fresh strawberries, kiwi and blueberries.


  • Simply Irresistible - Strawberry ice cream wrapped in scrumptious chocolate sheets, garnished with pistachio nuts and fresh strawberries.


  • Cacao Nib Roulette - Chocolate ice cream coated with rich chocolate frostings, surounded by pirouette cookies.


  • Grand Finale - Belgian chocolate ice cream topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and chocolate lace.


  • Strawberry Symphony - Strawberries nestled in Strawberry Ice Cream, with a wonderful embrace of white chocolate sheets streaked with dark chocolate.


  • Mi Amore - Vanilla ice cream glazed with strawberry sauce, topped with fresh strawberries and chocolate swirls.





What's my all-time favorite??? .... hmmmmm, definitely the Cacao Nib Roulette and the Strawberry Symphony! yummy!!!

By the way, don't forget to ask for a discount coupon after your purchase. This will entitle you to a 10% discount on your next purchase. Or if you can accumulate receipt for PhP 5000 in 6 months, you can apply for a loyalty card which you can also use in Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Hongkong, China, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand. With this loyalty card, you can always avail of 10% discount.

Tip for Cutting Ice Cream Cakes : Cut the cakes with a sharp knife that has been held under hot water.

Budget Airlines

Travelling to other countries has never been easier and cheaper ... Thank God for the budget airlines!

From the Philippines, we can choose from : Air Asia, Cebu Pacific, Tiger Airways, JetStar Airways, Asiana Airlines, Asian Spirit.


AIR ASIA

From Clark Airport (Pampanga)
Route : Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur
Airport Tax : PhP 500
Travel Tax : PhP 1620 has to be paid before departure


Flight Schedule :
  • Clark <-> Kuala Lumpur




( click to enlarge )



  • Kota Kinabalu <-> Kuala Lumpur




    ( click to enlarge )


    Xpress Boarding

    It allows you to board the aircraft ahead of others. For an affordable fee, a window or aisle seat, extra legroom or the chance to get off the aircraft first is just a click away.


    Fee : PhP 300 per person per way


    Travel Arrangement : Clark <-> Manila

    Air-conditioned bus service provided by Philtranco.

    Contact # : +632 851 8077 / 78 /79

    Fare :

    Pasay Terminal <-> Clark : PhP 350 one way per person

    Megamall <-> Clark : PhP 300 one way per person


    Bus Schedule :

    available daily, synchronized with Airasia schedule



    (click to enlarge)




    CEBU PACIFIC

    http://www.cebupacificair.com/

    From : NAIA 1 Airport
    Route : Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Jakarta, Macau, Shanghai, Singapore, Xiamen, Taipei

    Airport Fee : PhP 750

    Travel Tax : PhP 1620 has to be paid before departure


    Advantage compared to AirAsia :

    • Baggage limit is 20 kg compared to 15kg of AirAsia
    • Assigned seat number. In AirAsia, you have to pay if you want to choose your seat, else you have to queue on a first come first serve basis.
    • If you live in the South or East, having the Airport Terminal in NAIA instead of Clark is a big plus.

    TIGER AIRWAYS
    http://www.tigerairways.com/


    From : Clark Airport (Pampanga)
    Route : Singapore, Macau, Darwin, Perth
    Airport Tax : PhP 500
    Travel Tax : PhP 1620 has to be paid before departure

    Transportation Clark <-> Manila : check info above from Air Asia


    Upsize Check-in Luggage:

    In case you are sure that you will exceed the allowed baggage weight, you can pre-pay to upsize your check-in luggage during booking. This is much cheaper than paying excess baggage fees in the airport during check-in.

    • 5kg = USD 20
    • 10kg = USD 30
    • 15kg = USD 40


    Flight Schedule :


    (click to enlarge)


    Seat Selector :

    For a fee, you can already choose your seat number during booking.

    • Preferred Seat : USD 20
    • Standard Seat : USD 5

    Wednesday

    Food Delivery

    Staying alone in a condo, I seldom prepare my food. I just normally eat out or have my food delivered. I know this is not healthy living, but what other choice do I have? ... It's too tiring to prepare food for one person, not to mention expensive! ... It's still cheaper if you buy fast food ... Downside?! --- you can get tired of the same food served by the Fast Food chains.

    To at least have some variety, I have one folder of menus from Restaurants ... It's so funny, but only the Restaurants know my Landline #! hehehe ...

    Tel # : 702 8888

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 8 7000

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 8 6236 (8 MCDO)

    Minimum Order : PhP 165

    Tel # : 858 8272 / 816 7533 (Dela Rosa Makati)

    Minimum Order : Php 150 + 10% delivery charge

    Tel # : 387 2253 / 386 1625 / 0915 936 2073 (Dela Rosa Makati)

    Minimum Order : Php 300

    Tel # : 8163840 (Greenbelt 1)

    Minimum Order : Php 300

    Tel # : 895 1234 (Pasong Tamo Makati)

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 893 5700 (Dela Rosa)

    Minimum Order : Php 300

    Tel # : Greenbelt (818 1212) / Makati Ave (728 111100 / People Support (751 5555)

    Minimum Order : PhP 250

    Tel # : 8 77 77

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 888 1999

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 7 9000

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel #: 533 8888

    Minimum Order : Php 200

    Tel # : 751 8718

    Minimum Order : PhP 300

    You know other Resto that delivers??? ... kindly drop me a line ... will greatly appreciate it :)

    Facial ... anyone?

    What's the difference among microdermabrasion, diamond peel, power peel, crystal resurfacing, etc ... etc ... ?

    These were my questions when I entered the Facial Centers here in Manila ... I've undergone facials, IPL & LHE in KL ... but I have never done the abovementioned procedures ...
    So, I tried each and every of these services ... my verdict? ... they are all the same but different! ... it really depends on what your skin needs and can tolerate ...

    I have tried 3 facial centers so far :

    1. Belo Med in Rustan's (Tel # : 815 8970)

    • Power Peel - Php 2800.00 per sesssion
    • Glycopeel Cleaning - Php 1100.00 per session

    ..... These two services are recommended to be done together. These two would normally be a 1 hour procedure. In case you have a pimple, the injections are already part of the package. The facialists are not authorized to do the injections, a nurse would do it ... I was really satisfied with the condition of my skin with Belo care ... A lot of people noticed that my pores are finer. But my pocket is also noticably lighter! hahaha ... Doing these 2x a month really puts a dent on my savings ... After the Glorietta incident, I was afraid to go back to the Rustan's branch to do my "usual" facial ritual ... So I took this as a sign to try some other facial centers ...

    2. Dermstrata in Greenbelt 1 ((Tel # : 751 9520)

    • Diamond Peeling - Php 2700 for 3 session

    ..... Definitely a lot cheaper than Belo ... Plus the service normally comes with a facial. Honestly I feel more pampered compared to Belo. I have undergone 9 sessions already but unfortunately, no significant improvement on my skin ...

    • Pimple Injections - Php 100 per shot

    ..... Only the facialists do the pimple injections ... which is really scary!!!

    • Glycolic Micropeeling - PhP 5000 for 3 sessions

    ..... For this, you have to do it 3 consecutive days plus you have 1 session after a week for free .... The facialist said that I should expect peeling within a week or two ... After weeks & weeks & weeks, nothing still happened ... This was really a waste of money

    One thing which I don't like in Dermstrata, though their staffs are really super nice, is that they only have 3 machines for diamond peeling .... So everytime I do it, I would wait hours for my session to finish ... The staff would compensate the wait by massaging and constantly checking the condition of the mask on your face, but still lots of time wasted.

    And interestingly, they don't issue receipt ... unless you ask for one! ... (calling on the BIR!!!)

    Time to find another facial center ...

    3. Let's Face It in Greenbelt 1 (Tel # : 815 1201)

    • Power Peel - Php 2300 per session

    ..... Power Peel comes with Mask & Pricking. My skin is slightly better compared to when I was doing it with Dermstrata (of course, my skin with Belo is still the best ... if only they are cheaper)




    • Acne Injection - Php 120 per shot

    ..... The resident dermatologist will do the shot. Definitely better than Dermstrata which allows their facialist to do the shots.

    Interestingly, the procedures in these 3 Facial Centers are different.

    1) Belo : You get a room each. Facialist would Clean Face ... Steam ... Pricking ... Power Peel ... Toner Spray ... then, they'll give an ice ball to put in your skin in case you feel some discomfort ... for the price you pay, I expect free facial & more pampering (wishful thinking! hehehe)

    2) Dermstrata : You get a room each. Facialist would Clean Face ... Steam ... Pricking ... Facial ... Diamond Peel ... then they have machine which is cool on the skin (i guess the equivalent of ice in Belo)

    3) Let's face it : You have to wash your face outside ... enter the room, then they'd do Power Peel ... Pricking ... Mask ... that's it --- i was quite surprised that there was no steaming to open up the pores. the facialist said that the power peel opened up the pores. but i feel their pricking is more painful than the 2 facial centers

    .... I'm still searching for the "perfect" facial center suitable for my skin & pocket (!) ..... next on my list --- Godiva, Forever Flawless, Facial Care Centre

    Spa & Massages


    One thing which takes the stress off my work is a massage. And what's great living here in Makati, instead of my ever beloved Antipolo, is that you can get a massage even after midnight ...

    There are days when you simply want to stop what you're doing and have a nice loooong massage ... I guess, this is the reason why I look relaxed all the time --- despite the tons & tons of work I have to do ... I did my math and concluded that I'd rather spend a few hundred pesos now on a massage rather than spending more hundred pesos in the future for medicines ...

    I'm not joking ... most of my colleagues who are only a bit older than me are already on maintenance medicines ... they even have blood pressure monitor in their office desks ... i guess, the pressure of work could really get into you ...

    So, what do I do to ensure that I won't follow in their footsteps? --- massage!!! ... I've tried a few here in Legaspi Village, Makati and so far they're okay ... it not as pricey as the other spas but equally as relaxing ...




    1) Blue Water Day Spa : Tel # 817 3126

    Brazilian Crystal Massage Therapy
    Face & Body Crystal Massage - P 1500
    Body Crystal Massage - P 950
    Facial Massage - P 650

    Aromatherapy Massage
    Traditional Filipino Massage (hilot) - P 950
    Swedish Massage - P 650
    Japanese Shiatsu Massage - P 650

    Body Scrub
    Back Treatment - P 950
    Botanical Milk & Rice Scrub - P 850
    Kyoto Seaweed Body Polish - P 850
    Dead Sea Salt Body Glow - P 850
    Whitening Black Silt Mud Wrap - P 850

    Foot Treatment
    Luxurious Foot Spa - P 500
    Foot Reflexology & Back Massage - P 400
    Foot Smoother Scrub - P 300
    Foot Reflexology - P 280

    Hand Treatment
    Hand Restoration Treatment - P 700


    2) Anzen Massage Services : Tel # 886 3728

    They are open from 10am to 2am daily. Plus you get to have a privilege card after a single transaction of PhP 1000. The privilege card entitles you to discounts in succeeding services. That was great for a regular like me :)

    Massage :
    Quick Massage - P 100 / 10mins
    Shiatsu Massage - P 580 /hr
    Swedish Massage - P 580 /hr
    Combination Massage - P 600 /hr
    Aromatherapy Massage - P 680 /hr
    Thai Massage - P 800 /hr
    Twin Massage - P 800 /hr
    Foot Massage - P 380 /hr
    Foot Spa - P 380
    Hand Spa - P 380
    Anzen Massage - P 1000 /hr

    Body Scrub
    Akasuri - P 1000
    Dead Sea Salt - P 1180
    Whitening & Moisturizing - P 1280
    Fully body w/ body butter - P 1480
    Full body w/ mud wrap - P 1680
    Full body w/ seaweed wrap - P 1680
    Sauna - P 200 (20mins)
    Sauna (20mins) w/ Shower - P 250

    Kuala Lumpur ... my second home



    Just came from a trip in Kuala Lumpur ... my 3rd this year! ... we're not even in the 2nd half of the year and I've already been travelling like crazy to good ol' KL ...

    My job entails lots of travelling. Some would envy me, but believe me, it's not a picnic. It sure is tiring!!! ... You haven't unpacked your suitcase yet, and they have already lined-up your next trip ... I thought when I came back to the Philippines, I would travel less ... But with the new set-up of our company organization --- I'm travelling more!

    Anyway, before I rambled on and on (that's why my blog is called ramblings! haha) about the hassles of business trips, I'd better get back to my original subject --- KL, my second home ...

    When I left KL, I didn't know that I would miss KL that much. I thought after 4 years that I would have enough ... but surprisingly, I appreciated KL more after I've left ...





    • trees in the city : the city is still so green ... I mean, try to compare it to Makati and you'll know what I mean ... nothing would beat the sight after a rain in KL ... suddenly everything is soooo green ... the rains must have washed off the pollution hehehe ...


    • petronas twin towers : my office for 4 years ... and am so proud of it ... when people see it in my business card, they are so amazed ... and so was I when I found out about it when I took the job year 2003 ... only, I have taken it for granted ... i didn't even realize that after all those years, I don't have a single picture of the tower (and still do not have one!) ... even have to borrow one of my friend's photo for this post


    • call a cab/taxi : i don't have a car in makati (my new office is just a few steps away from my condo) ... so when i need a ride, gosh! I have to wait ages! Only few would respond when you call a taxi trunk line ... In KL (it's also not efficient as Singapore), but at least there are several taxi company that you can call ... the numbers seem to be etched on my mind as I often call them ... of course, you also have to be ready to be put on hold, & after a long wait - only to be told "no cab available" ... as I said, KL is not Singapore




    • the food : especially Indian food ... not much of these kind of food in the Philippines ... if you found one, it would be expensive ... i miss the tandoori chicken, the chicken tika, the naan (cheese & garlic), the bryani! yum-yum!!! ... I miss eating in Pelita, a few steps away from Petronas Tower where we normally go


    • my hairdresser from Beauty Extreme in the The Mall ... Wendy, I wish I can take you home with me! ... She already know what to do with my hair, I don't even have to say anything ... She would just look at my index card to check what my last treatment was, and she would already give me options ... I miss the special treatment (not surprising as I was a regular for 4 years) ... In fact, I went to their salon to do my digital perm re-touch on my 2nd trip to KL this year .. I didn't dare try David's Salon here in the Philippines --- I was scared and besides when I asked they said it was PhP 7000++ to do my hair ... Compared to Beauty Extreme in KL, this was way too much ...


    • the vast choices in electronics ... and it's a lot cheaper too compared here ... what I like most is that you can touch and explore the gadgets, and no sales person would be at your back checking what you're doing ... you're free to explore its functionality ... you'll have a good touch & feel of the gadget ... plus, they even have regular PC fair ... you can really get good bargains ... laptop can be as low as PhP 25000 (if you just need basic functions) ... and the bonus if you are a resident in Malaysia, you can deduct the RM500, around PhP 6500, from your tax --- yes, tax not taxable income! isn't that great?!


    • late sunset ... imagine, the sun is still up at 7:30pm in KL ... although, it is still dark at 7:00am ... I feel that I can do much more because of the late sunset ... When the sun is already down at 5:30pm in the Philippines, I feel tired already ... I guess psychologically, the sun can affect your mood ...


      I could go on & on ... but what or should I say who I really miss most is my bestfriend ... i know with the high tech world, there's no such thing as distance ... yes, we could sms & e-mail each other ... but it's still not the same ... i don't have a regular lunch buddy anymore ... no one to share the little non-sense as soon as it happens ... my, my, i miss you so much, bestfriend!!!

      Laptop Bags

      The strap of my Belkin Laptop Bag just gave in ... And here I thought Belkin bags are suppossed to be sturdy! I mean, with the price, I thought it would last longer than a year ... So here I was, on a quest to find a replacement ... So where do I start???

      In Kuala Lumpur where I was based for 4 years, it was so easy --- you just go to Low Yat, Midvalley, Ikano, Suria ... and voila, you'll surely find one which you will like --- something cute and something not common ...

      But here I was, back in Makati after 4 long years ... and I was totally clueless ... I really don't know where to find a nice laptop bag.

      My first stop - Landmark. Not so much choices! ... I saw some cheap ones but don't look like it will last long (you get what you pay for, right?! hehehe) ... Then I saw some promising ones from Samsonite --- but it's quite common ... Then I found the Elle bags --- one caught my eye, but it was Php 3999.00 ... Have to balance between price and practicality ... It's not thaaaaat pretty after all ...

      I decided to try SM Makati ... same stuff as what is in Landmark ... so where do I go from here???

      Next thing I did, I went home and see what's available in online shopping ... I tried to use google - search for "Laptop Bags" in google.com.ph ... And here I found some good sites :

      They have workday, chill & boardroom collection. Beautiful! (in the pictures). Price is around PhP 3000 to 4000.


      The Paso Doble & Jive are quite nice. Prices range from PhP 2000 to 3000.
      The bags have detachable straps and pouch. Cute but not really my taste. It's more for the youngsters ... Prices are PhP 500 to 600.

      If you are into vibrant colors, then this is it for you! Price is PhP 2300.00

      Wow! This site is amazing! So many bags to chose from. Very trendy!

      ... and now with all these options, I have to sleep it off to make a final decision .... tomorrow for sure, I'll have made my choice ...