I am a certified "probinsyana." I love the countryside and whenever possible, I would go back to the province to take a glimpse of the most wonderful memories of my childhood. But traveling back to my hometown regularly is not an easy thing to do as it would take 5 up to 7 long hours to reach our town. The fast paced world I am living in now is too demanding that it requires most of my time working and doing the tricks for my family that is why going back to my homeland has been so long stuck on my list...


So my first choice for a place to escape is Tagaytay City which is just few hours away from our home. Looking for TAGAYTAY HOTELS where our family can take a nice break, I came across this village offering a modern way of living in the province via the web and it's just 2 hours away from our place in Laguna. Traveling and having a "probinsya-feel" is a lot more hassle-free and stress-free. Nurture Welness Village is the best place to relax and to getaway from the busy world. It's a great place for anyone who simply wants to take a break from the busy city life without going to all the touristy destinations. Nurture is located in a rather hidden area which shields it from the hustle and bustle and traffic of weekends in Tagaytay.



The entrance is filled with flowering plants and big mango trees that were bearing lots of fruits because it happened to be in season during our visit. The staff were very warm and friendly. They would make you feel at home. The very helpful staff guide us to our Kalinga room which is near a creek that was surrounded with big bamboo plants that sways and makes noise whenever the wind blows. The view of tropical forest is really breathtaking and made me feel I am back to where my heart really belongs. That made me feel even more of the countryside. Kalinga room is air-conditioned with local and cable TV, private toilet and bath, bathroom amenities, four poster bed, coffee station and turn down service.


All over the place were the beautifully manicured and landscaped greens that are just breathtaking. The place is full of lush and foliage from the entrance and the entire place.There is a wishing well, restaurant, pool, bake shop, organic store and souvenir shop, bar and KALUSUGAN & LACTATING HOUSE. There is the famous GLAMPING (aka Glamorous Camping) site. The tent has the basic amenities of a hotel room like comfy bed and aircon. They also have an area for bonfire, common toilet and bath for the campers.


 

All the food they serve is organic and they came from their own farm which is just some few kilometers away from the village. The water is alkaline to promote better health for their guests. You will really feel natural healing inside the place with the eco-therapy experience. It is a truly holistic, relaxing and spiritual place.


Nurture also offers amazing wellness services, like massage and detox services. We were able to try one hour couples massage plus thirty minutes natural facial and foot massage. Everything they used was natural like the ground coffee for the foot massage and the herbal oils for the body. The therapists were really good.



They have a farm tour of organic veggies. They call it "visit to Nurture Farmacy." On the way to the farm was a plantation of coffee. Before the farm tour, they served TARRAGON tea extracted from the garden. The farm is filled with medicinal plants, fruit bearing trees and vegetables which are all organic. They even make orgqanic fertilizer for their farm. Vital organs like heart, liver, lungs, colon and even the reproductive organs are shaped in the form of bricks surrounded by plants beneficial for each internal body parts. Nurture Farmacy was designed to be a learning experience where guests get a chance to discover the impact of vegetables and herbs on the different organs of the body- with the hope that this awareness will convert into action in their daily life.

  
Wi-Fi was not that excellent but who needs Wi-Fi when you can simply enjoy being one with nature? Forget the stressful living in the metro even for a while, experience laid back lifestyle away from the noise and crowd.


Our 3 days, 2 nights stay was indeed a breath of fresh air and somehow lessened my longings of my hometown. Nurture has made me feel I am back home where I would always see the green surroundings and the blue skies when I wake up in the morning, the chirping of birds and sounds of the crickets were music to my ears, and the silence and calmness of the night is my lullaby...

A great smartphone for me should have both very good rear and front cams, a fast processor and at least one feature that is original. Cameras of great specs and a processor with great performance will always let me capture the moment with clarity whenever and wherever I want to so I can instantly share beauty for the world to see. Originality among a smartphone's features is important. It's a proof of creativity, it embodies power and strength of a product.



Oppo F1s being the flagship of the brand is boasting with features for showing your inner and outer beauty, for sharing your passions and creativity. The 16MP front cam and the 13MP rear cam, the customizable fingerprint-activated app launch and the 3GB RAM are the features that sets F1s apart from the other smartphones in the market today and are the best among its laudable features.

You can find a lot of smartphones in the market with great rear camera spec but very few smartphones offer a high front cam resolution like the 16MP cam of Oppo F1s. The Oppo F1s uses a front beauty camera with a 1/3.1 inch sensor and an F/2.0 aperture which allow for more light to enter the camera and enhance its sensitivity. With this feature, F1s is an excellent companion for taking natural looking selfies even in low light condition.




Selfies with superior quality for me is positive. Unlike how others see selfie as a sign of "narcissism," beautiful and clear selfies for me remind us to always admire beauty and to always keep ourselves beautiful. Those great shots of selfies would inspire others to always take good care of themselves, to love themselves more so they can confidently love others more.



The F1s's front cam is also essential for video calls to effectively communicate. You can see the person you're calling to more clearly and you can see his or her emotions better. You can understand and feel him or her much better because you can clearly see the reality in his or in her eyes. 
 
What about Oppo F1s's 13 MP rear camera? It is not just good at shooting distant or moving objects during the day. With its industry- imaging chip, a 1/3.06-inch sensor allows F1s to maximize light sensitivity making for wonderful nighttime performance. It is essential for me as a blogger who stays on the road from sun up to sun down so I never miss any happening even when the dawn starts to fell. I can shoot wonderful pictures at night and show the world how breath-taking nighttime can be and that there are a lot of positivity amidst darkness of the night. Great nighttime photos taken with F1s will make everyone appreciate more about life, it can make us realize that there is undying beauty on earth, it's always there during the day and even in the middle of the night.


Oppo F1s is not just a phone to show beautiful things around us. It is also a very innovative phone. The customizable fingerprint-activated app launch will let you find the app in one touch. You can set different applications to launch when you touch the sensor with different fingers. It's lightning fast and flexible with up to five customizable fingerprint commands. Now, that's a lot of comfort and convenience that you can operate your phone in just a touch. This feature shows how strong this brand is; that it is a state of the art and that it has a cutting-edge technology which will make any owner proud of it.



As a blogger and promo joiner at the same time, the F1s's 3GB RAM and octa-core 64-bit processor make it possible for me to multitask. I can seamlessly switch apps I need for my task as a blogger or as a promo joiner. Then, when everything starts to feel daunting, I can switch to a relaxing music or videos, to rest my weary mind. F1 is not just a property, it is like a friend you can count on when you want to take things slower and a lot lighter.



If those words are not convincing enough and you're looking for more about the Oppo F1s Selfie Expert, take a look:








Never miss a thing about Oppo's latest:

Oppo Youtube Channel

OppoPh on Facebook 

Oppo on Instagram

Oppo on Twitter 

Roland's original Octapad has the size of a briefcase and it offered drummers and percussionists the equivalent of an entire electronic rig in one self-contained unit.

Decades later comes the Roland Octapad SPD-30 which blends the world's most essential sounds with the latest percussion triggering technology with its exciting new features.


Sound Bank
The original Octapad PAD-8, was strictly a MIDI controller while the Roland Octapad SPD-30 is a controller that's packed with its own internal bank of sounds. Sounds are customisable with the onboard controls for tuning, muffling, attack, pitch sweep, and more.

Multi-Effects
The new Octopad has 30 types of internal multi-effects onboard, plus EQ, limiter, and seven ambiance types.

Phrase Loop Function
The onboard Phrase Loop function lets you record and store 50 phrases internally and later save your phrase data on your USB Memory.

Know more about Roland Octapad's features and specs by following the link above...

The Craft Central, a specialty store for hard-to-find arts and crafts stuff, has finally launched its own physical store in Greenbelt 5, Makati.


It was once a virtual shop that inspired thousands of dreamers to create beautiful crafts. A step that was 2 years in the making, The Craft Central store is now serving as a haven for goods made with passion by a number of talented craft partners and a space to hone skills through workshops.



It was in September 21, 2016 when they held the exclusive opening and PR/media party, a come and go event for bloggers, writers and special guests. The following wonderful and generous partners made the event possible and truly successful:

Musicians - pros and wanna-bes - dreamed of having a Fender. One of their most desired is the Fender Stratocaster because it is the most popular and the most iconic guitar ever produced. The Fender Stratocaster is well-loved not just because of its popularity but also because of the comfort it gives to the player and the sound quality it produces.

Here is a useful site if you are looking for used Fender Stratocaster.

This site will give you a lot of information and ideas about the stratocaster and will also guide you to finding the right one for your passion...

September marks the month-long commemoration of Alopecia Areata awareness worldwide. Alopecia areata is a condition when hair loss occur due to faults in the immune system attacking the hair follicles which results in partial or total loss of hair on the head and other parts of the body.

Leading this year’s celebration in the country is Alopecia Philippines, a group founded by singer and songwriter Abby Asistio in 2012. She has been championing the cause of empowering citizens with this condition.




Abby is no stranger to alopecia. She have been diagnosed with alopecia areata since she was four years old. It was a major turning point in her life when she decided to come out in public with her condition.
On September 2012, Abby started an online campaign in time with Alopecia Awareness Month by inviting family and friends to pose with the double “A” (inverted “V”) sign using their fingers on the photo sharing site, Instagram. It quickly caught on and Abby was overwhelmed by the response from netizens, with over a thousand photo contributions to date.

This paved the way for the beginnings of Alopecia Philippines. It aims to raise awareness about alopecia and correct common misconceptions and perceptions about it, provide encouragement to people afflicted with it, and create an online support community for them.

Inspired by Abby’s honesty and courage, men and women, kids and teens from different walks of life began sharing their own stories and struggles living with alopecia. What started out as a group of ten is now more than 300 members strong and its Facebook page – Alopecia Areata Awareness, draws followers from all over the world.



Novuhair has been supporting the cause for Alopecia Philippines through Abby Asistio. Abby have been using the brand continuously since March 2013 and she has only praises to share using the product.

Nature has provided a safe and effective answer to hair loss and scalp disorders. Novuhair is the only topical scalp lotion in the market that has the highest concentration of natural ingredients, FDA-certified and ACD-compliant. Novuhair is a homegrown, proudly Philippine-made product that is globally competitive.

Novuhair Topical Scalp Lotion, Shampoo and Conditioner are available in all Mercury Drug Stores and other leading drug stores nationwide. For more information visit www.novuhair.com, like the brand’s official Facebook Page at Novuhair Official, Instagram: @NovuhairOfficial and follow it on Twitter at @NovuhairNatural. You may also call the Novuhair hotlines at 4136570 and 09228830575 and order online at Lazada and regaloservice.com.

Please watch Abby Asistio Alopecia Awareness on Youtube

The Philippines is well-endowed with many beautiful tourist attractions, yet many Filipinos as well as foreign tourists have not yet discovered the beauty of Metro Manila. Zoomanity Group with an aim to promote education and environmental conservation of Pasig River launches Zooper Cruise, a zooper unique cruise experience under Zoomanity Foundation.

It was in August 25, 2016 when Zooper Cruise started. It will be a specially arranged tour in Pasig River every first Saturday of the month. For as slow as P699 to P1, 999, you will get a chance to rediscover the beauty of historical places in Manila like Intramuros and Fort Santiago, highlighting also the World’s 1st and biggest China Town. The tour is complete with good ambiance and music, snacks and drinks, photo souvenir and a lot more.

Zooper Cruise is the newest project under Zoomanity Foundation which is part of our company social responsibility. It caters the 4 pillars of our mission and vision which are Education, Entertainment, Environmental Conservation and Exhibit.

Briefly, Zoomanity Group is one of the leading companies in the theme park industry in the Philippines under the Yupangco Group of Companies. We have more than 30 years of experience in the field and at present, we have eight operating local and international parks namely Zoobic Safari in Subic, Zoocobia Fun Zoo in Clark, Clarkzilla in Clark, Residence Inn in Tagaytay, Paradizoo in Mendez, Cavite, Zoocolate Thrills in Bohol, Zootopia in Nagano, Japan and Animal Research and Development Park in Victoria Australia.

Rediscover the splendor of Manila historical landmarks. To know more about this Zooper Cruise experience, contact us at 899-9819/ 899-9824/0917-9521371 or visit www.zoomanity.com.ph.

TAG media and public relations is the marketing, branding and public relation company of Zoomanity Group. For our events and services, send inquiry to grace@tagmedia.asia or call 09166299381.

I am a big fan of anything Japanese, especially food. Whenever I would explore the metro, I search first for Japanese restos online where I can dine to before going out. I found out about Kimukatsu in Metrodeal while browsing for dining places somewhere in Bonifacio High Street. I am not into fried dishes but since it is Japanese, I availed one voucher which is discounted at 40% off.


What is Kimukatsu?
Kimukatsu is the most famous pork cutlet restaurant in Japan, with multiple locations in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Sendai, and now in the Philippines. Kimukatsu is one of the hottest restaurants to dine at due to its recent features to Japanese media including popular magazines and TV shows.

The secret to its popularity is the combination of a crispy, texture-rich batter surrounding a juicy flavorful 25-layered select pork cutlet. They select only the highest quality pork, which is sliced thin and stacked into 25 layers. This layered cutlet is covered with fresh breadcrumbs and fried slowly in low temperature for 8 minutes. It is then set vertically for two minutes to steam, allowing the heat to spread evenly inside. This is all a part of their original recipe and process, which helps to bring forth the maximum taste.

All the natural juices are kept inside between the layers and crispy batter – making Kimukatsu light and fluffy, yet extremely juicy and flavorful. Bite into 25 thin, juicy layers of tender pork wrapped in crisp panko breadcrumbs and cooked slowly to perfection. Kimukatsu's signature premium katsu comes in 7 varied flavors which include plain, garlic, black pepper, cheese, negi shio, yuzu kosho, and ume shiso.

Kimukatsu is definitely the most delicate Katsu in town!

Always in demand, this raved-about favorite from Japan has been in the Philippines offering a sensoral spectacle of Katsu for 4 years now. Not few people say Kimukatsu is reminiscent of their katsu experiences in Japan.


My dining experience
We arrived the place at around 11am, when there were just 2 to3 customers inside. The place is decked out in sleek black interiors, lighted by overhead lamps that bring about a modern and elegant ambiance. We were welcomed warmly by the staff and they patiently explained to me each of the dishes I inquired, since this is a new dining experience for me.





I requested for Menchi and Chicken Katsu ala carte and a Rice Set which includes unlimited miso soup, Japanese rice served in an insulated container, fresh shredded cabbage, and pickles.


Kimukatsu also has seafood katsu sets with choices such as salmon, cream dory, and scallops. You, too, can indulge with a subtly sweet matcha parfait, or a sesame-inspired dessert such as the sesame seed ice cream and kurogoma pudding. The restaurant also has refreshing drinks such as fruit shakes, juice, sodas, and more.


The dishes are simple yet sophisticated. This simplicity reflects in almost every aspect of Kimukatsu cuisine by highlighting every ingredient's unique flavor and using it in harmony with others.

Dip your katsu in your choice of sauce like the sweet Kimukatsu sauce, tangy ponzu, or Himalayan salt and savor the rich flavors as it lingers in your mouth.

Kimukatsu's signature katsu comes in 7 different flavors with the cheese, garlic, and black pepper flavors as bestsellers. More complex katsu flavors are also available such as the yuzu kosho, which packs a hot punch as it is filled with finely minced green chili; negi shio, which is filled with marinated spring onions; and the ume shiso, which combines the sweet and sour taste of plums with the savory taste of pork.





At around 12noon, the place is already crowded by customers mostly working around BHS. Kimukatsu is definitely one of the most loved Japanese fine dining, as customers patiently wait for their turn outside despite the of the long line.

Feedback:
Place - interior is nice and ambience is good but for parents like me who dine with kids, it is not a perfect one. I suggest they provide a separate place that is kid friendly, with more lightings.

Food - I am not actually impressed with the katsu but I am delighted with the sauces I paired with the dishes. I love the sesame seeds which went well with the steamed rice and shredded cabbage.

Price - Mid-range

Service - Good. Not all staff are excellent but there are around 3 or 4 staff who are very friendly.

Would I come back? Yes, because I want to try more of their dishes, like the seafood sets and I want more of their miso soup.

Who wants some freebies?

 PnG & EverydayMe is giving away lots of Olay bar soap to the members for free!


 If you are not yet registered, visit https://www.everydayme.com.ph/ then register your details to avail samples which will be delivered by a courier to your doorsteps.

Hurry! Grab one (or two) now!

NanKid Optipro Four and NanKid Optipro HW Four gives you a chance to win 1 out of 20 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadsters Electric Toy Car!

 For children, growing up means experiencing many exciting firsts like getting to know new playmates, tinkering with toys and gadgets or playing outdoor games. Preschool life is all about discovering a whole new world of fun! And what can be more exhilarating for your kid than being able to drive a 2-door luxury roadster from Mercedes-Benz?



Give your child his very first Mercedes-Benz Electric Toy Car - a child-sized, electric version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. It will surely make him squeal with delight!

His very first car will not only allow him to discover the joy of driving and being in control but also hone his coordination and gross-motor skills.

From September 15 until November 15, 2016, you get a chance to win one of these 20 luxury dream car for your child. Just buy any of the limited edition pack of NanKid Optipro Four and NanKid Optipro HW Four.


Running on a 6-volt electric motor, the child-safe Mercedes-Benz Electric ToyCar comes with a steel chassis, electric horn, genuine SLS AMGrear-view mirror, wheels and steering wheel. At a speed of 4 km per hour, this super car will transport your child to an amazing world of fun and learning!

Just like the advanced engineering technology that goes into every Mercedes-Benz roadster to ensure optimized performance, both ManKid Optipro Four and NanKid Optipro HW Four are products of the Nestle Research Center's advanced research and milk technology.

NanKid is the only preschool milk with optimized protein, a high quality, lower quantity milk protein that supports age appropriate weight gain and optimal development. Nestle's exclusive and state of the art manufacturing technology make NanKid Optipro Four and NanKid Optipro HW Four the very first in their class.
 

"Throughout the years, both Nestle and Mercedes-Benz have continuously invested in research and technology to provide consumers with the very first in class and state of the art products.

This 2016, Nestle launches the first in class NanKid My Kid's Frist Benz promotion for parents who want their preschoolers to get the very best of their exciting firsts!" says Jean Espino, Vice President for Nestle Premium Milks.

The limited edition packs of NanKid Optipro Four and NanKid Optipro HW Four come with a special code inside. Simply send the code to 2600 and your child could be on his way to driving his very own Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster electric toy car. Visit www.NankidOptipro.com.ph for more information about NanKid My First Benz promo.