Bubble Tea in Tomas Morato, Quezon City

BubbleTea, located in Tomas Morato, Quezon City is a great hangout if you want to enjoy Japanese fusion dishes and great tasting milk tea. Armed with my new Nokia N8, I had dinner with other invited bloggers in this very colorful restaurant that has a wall that displays a collection of Japanese toys.

For starters, I ordered Bubble Tea's gyoza, a classic pan-fried Japanese pork and vegetable dumplings (PHP 125). The 5-piece order of gyoza was enough to get me ready for more taste of modern Japan.



We got to taste a lot of their dishes but what I liked best was their Beef Stew Curry (PHP 265). This one had Japanese style sweet and mild spicy (perfect for Filipinos) sauce topped on sliced beef stew and served with rice and egg. The curry is so tasty I sought for more rice as I finished the whole meal.




According to Bubble Tea's owner, they chose Japanese fusion dishes because they complement the real star of their restaurant - their milk tea drinks. I go for myself the Taro Milk Shake (PHP 135 - medium; PHP 145 - large) and chose the large size which is so worth it for only a ten peso difference with the medium sized milk shake. I was really never a fan of milk tea before, but after tasting the different flavors of milk tea which BubbleTea serves, I fell in love with the Taro and their newest flavor, Honeydew Milk Shake (which I will make sure to order on my next visit).



I was so full after trying those three orders that I did not getanything for dessert which is something I regret because the Taro Milk Shake was already dessert enough for me.

Visit Bubble Tea’s branches (SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, Tomas Morato, Wilson to open this November) and discover which mil tea flavor perfectly fits your taste and join Bubble Tea's Pichur Pichur contest while you're at it and like BubbleTea in Facebook.

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Latest Food Find: Big Daddy's Chicken

Our family loves great food and we recently added another one to our list – Big Daddy’s Chicken. It was our first time to check out their branch in Mall of Asia last week.
Big Daddy’s Chicken may look oh so ordinary, but wait until you try it for yourself to know how flavorful every bite is. We especially love that they offer huge servings. Customers also get to choose what kind of variant they want. They have Original, Chili, Lemon, Nori or Plum.

Chicken chops are said to be the “in thing” in Taiwan and Singapore and it is just great that the people behind Big Daddy’s Chicken brought it to Manila. They currently have two branches. The one at Greenhills Theatre Mall and the newly opened store at the G/F Entertainment Mall of SM MOA.

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Baptism at Church on November 12, 2010

We’re holding a baptism service on the second Friday of November, the 12th. Right now, we are setting up the baptistery of our church which is a metal box that fits one person. It is not as small as a steel drum container but quite larger that a bath tub and about 5 feet in height. We are excited to see the new believers who will be baptized.

Baptism, biblically, is a public profession of a person’s previously made decision to repent and make God first in his or her life. It is also done by immersion – in fact, the word baptism comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which means “to immerse or dip” in water.

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Sign of Aging

There was no other year in my life when I felt old besides this year when I turned 35 – so far. This was the year when I experienced two injuries from my martial arts trainings – one from ground fighting training and one from kick boxing. I am just thankful that the injuries have healed even though the healing process isn’t complete yet. At least I am not having problems with skin yet and won’t need to look for the best anti wrinkle cream. But I am aware that a few years from now, signs that I am getting older will be become more obvious.

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Enjoying Obagi Condition and Enhance Gentle Cleanser

I am enjoying using the Obagi products on my face. My face feels better than it used to every after washing with the Obagi Condition and Enhance Gentle Cleanser. It feels so differently good that I wish they have an anti acne body wash and facial wash that also protects from the sun – lika an all-in-one product. Oh, well. I guess that would make the product less effective.

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So Many Food Events Lately

There have been quite a lot of food events lately and I can’t seem to keep myself from eating a lot, just when I started becoming conscious about my body and more particularly my tummy. I will be posting some of the food places we went to these past few nights where I also used my new Nokia N8 as a camera to take photos of the dishes served.

Tomorrow, there is another food event but I am not sure if I will be able to go to that. Not because I am becoming too conscious of my tummy getting bigger or because I am preferring taking some fat burners but because I will be preparing with my wife for a medical procedure to be done on her for Saturday morning.

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We Are the Electrolux Wash-a-Palooza Amazing Race Champions!

Last weekend, I was at the Electrolux Wash-a-Palooza Amazing Race that was held at the Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City. I was teamed up with three other bloggers (Jonel, Jayson and Jeff S.) and so we called ourselves "Team Jacob" because our names all started with "J".



There were at least 20 teams of four who participated in the Electrolux Wash-a-Palooza Amazing Race composed of teams from the print, broadcast and online media and our team was fortunate enough to be crowned Champions of the race.

Below is the official press release of the event:

Fun, music and excitement await consumers at the Electrolux Wash-a-Palooza

Electrolux gave its customers, trade partners, and the public a fun-filled, action-packed afternoon as it continues its Wash-a-Palooza campaign, a fun-filled series of activities that celebrates Electrolux innovative washer and dryer lines through exciting promos and fun surprises and activities.

Teams had an amazing afternoon as they raced around Eastwood completing a variety of challenges, which required a combination of brains and brawn.

These included searching for stores around Eastwood with only cryptic clues, traversing through a clothesline, rappelling and answering trivia questions about Electrolux’s innovative washer and dryer lines and an exciting sprint to the finish line along the jogging paths of Eastwood.

The winning team was awarded gift certificates. Yet all the participants also emerged as winners as they received their choice of an Electrolux Pop-Up Toaster, Steam Iron, Rice Cooker and Coffee Maker.

And the fun wasn’t over after the race was won as teams relaxed at a concert party with hits from popular Filipino band True Faith.

“The Wash-a-Palooza campaign is like throwing our customers a party in the stores with freebies and discounts, and showing them how our washers and dryers have been designed to help them do their laundry more conveniently to give them time to celebrate more in life,” said Terry Sales, Marketing Manager of Electrolux Philippines.

Earlier in the campaign, Electrolux held a washing marathon in Cebu City where 5,000 kilograms of freshly laundered and ironed clothes were donated to the charity institution Tabang Patrol.

The event also showcased the Electrolux T-Drive Washers and the Electrolux Front Load Washers.

T-Drive technology promises a +35% Cleaner Washing Performance – it uses a paddle to replicate the thorough yet gentle action of hand-washing, giving you washing performance that’s 35% better than conventional pulsator topload washers.

It also comes with a uniform washing system, which delivers constant cleaning from the top to the bottom of the drum, regardless of the load size – so that all pieces of clothing are thoroughly washed.

The T-Drive technology also comes with an Anti-Tangle and Anti-Residue system. It cycles water uniformly throughout the drum and gently separates clothes for a tangle-free wash, while its unique agitating action delivers better detergent dilution than other top load washers to prevent unseemly detergent residues appearing on dried clothes.

Plus, it’s an eco-friendly appliance as it has an Eco Rinse Program that saves up to 50% of the water used on extra rinse cycles. It works by spraying water only in small pulses. After each pulse, the drum spins to remove the dirty water from the clothes.

The Electrolux T-Drive Top Load Washers come in two models – the EWT 705 with a 7 kg. loading capacity and the EWT 905 with 9 kg. loading capacity.

EWT 705

EWT 905

Electrolux’ Front Load Washers EWF 10741 and 1282 both have the Time Manager Function, which lets you choose how long your laundry should take.

For superior cleaning, they have the Jetspray feature, which showers water and detergent at a constant rate through your clothes and directly onto dirt for a more thorough wash, and special wash programs to clean different fabric times.

EWF 10741

Meanwhile, the EWF 85561 and EWF 85761 both have the Super Quick Wash function that reduces washing time by almost half.

The EWF 85561 has a 6.5 kg. loading capacity, a size ideal for singles and small families, while the larger EWF 85761 has a 7 kg. loading capacity perfect for growing families.

Both washers also have a wider drum for even better circulation and cleaning. They also work more quietly so you can relax in your room while doing the laundry – it has a Coin Trap feature that eliminates noise coming from coins and other objects left in clothes during the wash and Active Balance Control, which distributes the load evenly in the washing machine to lessen noise and vibration.

EWF 85661

EWF 85761

For more information on Electrolux’s Front Load Washers and Electrolux's T-Drive Washers, call Electrolux’s customer care trunk line at 845-CARE (2273) or domestic toll-free number 1-800-10-845-CARE (2273) or visit their website at www.electrolux.com.ph

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Mango Tree Bistro Now Open in Trinoma, Quezon City

Mango Tree Bistro is one of the newest restaurants to open in Manila. They feature high quality Thai cuisine in an atmosphere that is simple and lively but with modern interiors and decorations with service that continually "exceeds customers' expectations".

Mango Tree Bistro opening

Mango Tree has recently made debuts in Dubai, Macao, Tokyo, London, Kuching and Busan. Manila's Mango Tree Bistro is their newest location internationally. The first Mango Tree Restaurant opened in 1994 in the heart of Bangkok in a beautiful Thai house built during the reign King Rama VI almost 100 years ago. The name Mango Tree was used because of the mango tree planted in the courtyard area.

Mango Tree Bistro's menu includes authentic Thai salads, over four pages of delicious Thai entrees and flavorful curries, famous grilled items from Thailand with unique taste from marinate and dipping sauce, and vegetarian dishes.

Below are some of favorites from Mango Tree Bistro:

Lemon Grass Soup

Pomelo Salad

Phad Thai Goong

Mango Tree Bistro is located at the Third Level of Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

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Trying Skin Care Products

I have been reading some reviews about Obagi, a high-end brand that has skin care product systems and have rad good reviews. I am using three products from this company and I have been seeing good results on my face.

It was my wife who encouraged me to take care of my face that's why I started reading skin care and acne treatment reviews. And since Obagi's launch, I have tried their products (cleanser, toner and exfoliating products) and, so far, have been satisfied.

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Obagi Medical Product Systems are Now Available in the Philippines

Obagi Medical Products,a high-end brand and one of the most recognized names globally in skin health care and the preferred choice of Physicians around the world for prescription-strength product lines that transform skin, recently launched in the Philippines. Last week, together with other female bloggers, the company introduced their product for the Philippine market and I was fortunate enough to be one of the few to hear and learn about their company and products.



Obagi has its headquarters in Long Beach, California, and Obagi Medical Products is a pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, markets and sells proprietary prescription skin care Systems. The Systems are designed to prevent and improve the most common and visible skin disorders in adult skin and helps in acne skincare. The Obagi Nu-Derm System products were created in 1988 by Dr. Zein E. Obagi and other leading experts.



The most popular among the system products of Obagi is the Obagi Nu-Derm System which is a physician-prescribed skin care system launched in 1988. This product system accelerates the cellular turnover. This System penetrates deep to improve damage in layers of the skin and boosts functions of the skin at the cellular level to improve skin's cellular function to help it look and act younger and healthier.



The other product systems of Obagi are the C-Rx, Professional-C Serums, Condition and Enhance, ELASTIderm Eye Treatment, CLENZIderm M.D. Systems and the latest is the ELASTIderm Decolletage System. You can visit the Obagi Medical Clinic at Trinoma, Quezon City and their website at www.obagi.com.ph.

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6 Days Before My Christmas?: I Pre-Ordered a Nokia N8

Yaay, it's six days before Christmas! Well, at least in my mind it would be a celebration when I get the Nokia N8 I pre-ordered. I chose to wait for this touch-screen unit from Nokia which also has a 12 MP camera, an HDMI output for TV and shoots HD videos.


I did not bother to purchase a new unit like the iPhones, ipods or the Samsung Galaxy S which was my second choice but waited for this baby. The Nokia N8 I pre-ordered will be available on Saturday, October 23, 2010. You can still pre-order a Nokia N8 untilOctober 19, 2010 for PHP 23,699 or get it with a Smart Unlimited Data Plan for PHP 2,000 a month.

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No Regrets with the Great Wall Peri

Our Great Wall Peri car will be due for its scheduled maintenance at 10,000 km. I am really glad that we bought this 1.3-liter car, which has almost the same maximum power with the Toyota Vios, except that the Peri is lighter in weight.

Video of international stunt drivers taking the Great Wall Peri for a spin (no modifications were made to the GW Peri)

The GW Peri is truly very easy to handle and maneuver. My wife and I have no regrets that we chose to buy a brand new China-branded vehicle that came with 3 years LTO registration and the standard car insurance with comprehensive coverage and not just some cheap auto insurance, especially now that Great Wall Motors Philippines has established a factory somewhere South of Metro Manila.

We haven't had any problems with the Great Wall brand and the service they provide is really great! The Great Wall Peri is already EURO 4 compliant, by the way, so it is very environment-friendly.

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Training Young Men in the Church

In our young men’s weekly cell group, we have been going through some lessons on the different methods of bible study. We started with the most basic way which is the devotional study method and our goal is to be able to help each other establish the habit of doing personal bible study weekly.

We know that we can learn more from each other’s insights that’s why we encourage sharing the things we learned and discovered from our personal study. I how to eventually train the young men to share the lessons or principles they learned from their devotions among the youth during our youth services.

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One of My Sites was Hacked by Mega-Scorpion

Two nights ago, one of my sites was hacked by Mega-Scorpion, at least that's how he identified himself. He left a trail and a link to a forum (Alboraaq Hackers) where he is a part of - a forum of hackers.

If you have been hacked by Mega-Scorpion or Rat.Techie (this other name also showed up on my other site's homepage at one moment), you would have probably seen something like this image above.

It was quite scary that it prompted me to change my other passwords to a more difficult combination of alpha-numeric characters, case-sensitive and including other characters allowed for use. I would advise that you do the same thing so you could lessen the chance of getting hacked by someone like Mega-Scorpion because hackers do exist!

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Investments, Investing Money and Returns

When it comes on investing money, our options for ou family have broadened now that we're almost nine years into our marriage. We used to think only of a savings account when we thought about growing and/or keeping our money.

We have tried different investments some of them on a small business, buy and sell of a used car, mutual funds but we can't compare life insurance with pension to the other investments because it has the biggest amount of return. But going into trying to make money online we are now learning to invest money on profitable stuff online. We just hope and pray that returns will be high and be quicker that the other investments we've tried.

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