Japanese haircut at Shuji Kida Hair Salon!

Last October I scheduled myself for a haircut with a stylist who was flying in from Japan this November 2011. It's not my first time to get a haircut from a Japanese stylist. Back in 2008 I had my hair cut by Kaori, the resident Japanese stylist of Shuji Kida Hair Salon at the time. I paid a hefty P2,500 and it was my most expensive haircut ever.

I got a text saying that stylist Hideyuki Tochioka was going to be in Manila from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5, 2011 about a week ago and so I got a slot for Nov. 30 since it's a holiday. This was my hair when I went in the salon.

Hide took a look at my hair and commented that he would be retaining the length but the damaged ends would be cut off. He was also going to make it look softer all over. My hair was shampooed and conditioned prior to cutting.

Hide quickly got down to business. He said I had really thick hair, which I do. He speaks English fluently because he stayed for a year in the United States while training under Shuji Kida himself. Hide comes from a family of stylists and they have a salon in Japan. He cuts fast. At 1:30pm, I was already his 8th client. I gave him free reign on the style.

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John Lloyd Cruz makes a Greenwich pizza!

I saw, met, and talked to John Lloyd Cruz for the first time last Nov. 23, 2011 at Greenwich in SM Megamall.

John Lloyd was very game the entire time as the event hosts asked him questions about how he celebrates Christmas, his career, and his status as the brand ambassador of Greenwich. Can I just comment that he has really nice, flawless, and seemingly poreless skin? Unlike other male celebs I've encountered in events like this, he didn't look all powdered and made up.

The highlight of the day was John Lloyd actually making a Greenwich pizza. Greenwich R&D Head Suzanne Cruz demonstrated each step in the process. Don't you think JLC looks so serious?

JLC obviously had fun kneading the dough for the pizza crust. He admitted it's the first time he's making a Greenwich pizza despite being an endorser for quite some time now. Greenwich's crust has been reformulated so it's now crisp outside, soft and chewy inside. It's kind of like freshly baked bread and I love it!

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The Little Things She Needs (TLTSN) now in Manila, Philippines!

The Little Things She Needs (TLTSN), a popular Indonesian fashion chain, formally opened its first outlet in the Philippines last Nov. 17, 2011.

The store is located at Eastwood Citywalk 2. Its bright purple theme makes it stand out so it's pretty hard to miss. :)

Fashion blogger and actress Laureen Uy graced the event for the ribbon-cutting and opening ceremonies since she is the brand ambassador of The Little Things She Needs. Of course she was wearing accessories and shoes from TLTSN!

As its name suggests, The Little Things She Needs carries everything a girl will need to spruce up her look from head to toe. They don't have clothes, but they have accessories that range from eye wear...

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Soundfreaq for your iPhone, iPod, iPad and other gadgets!

Took Soundfreaq for a test drive last week. When I was told I was going to be sent a demo unit for review, I didn't quite know what to expect. I did have a faint idea that it was some sort of speaker system.

Soundfreaq is actually a multi-purpose dock for your iPhone / iPod and a wireless bluetooth speaker system rolled into one compact package. Hubby first tested it with his iPhone.

Soundfreaq even comes with these adapters so your gadget can sit comfortably on the space provided.

It's really sleek and stylish so it's easy to just put on top of one of your room's tables.

This is the back view. All you need is to plug in the power cord and you're good to go.

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Gift Suggestion: Charm Essentials Retractable Kabuki Brush

A girl can never have enough good make-up brushes. Having a lot is especially handy when you're too busy to clean your brushes and you need to do major make-up work for consecutive days... like this holiday season for example. Christmas parties are about to start popping up left and right, of course we need to look good for each and every one!

My latest favorite single brush is Charm Essentials Retractable Kabuki Brush (P580, pictured above). The super cute pink box alone is enough to make me grab it off the shelf because I have a hard time resisting nice packaging.

Charm Essentials Retractable Kabuki Brush comes in pink and gold. This is the pink one. It matches my Sony Cybershot TX-1 digicam, hehe. :D

It somehow reminds me of lipstick.

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I took the Del Monte Fit 'n Right Challenge!

I went to the launch of the new and improved Del Monte Fit 'n Right last Nov. 15, 2011 at One Rockwell. I honestly thought it was going to be just another event but well, it turned out to be something more.

First of all I finally had a taste of The Sexy Chef's food. The Sexy Chef is a food service run by sisters Rachel and Barni Alejandro. The Sexy Chef specializes in nutritious and delicious low calorie meals. Upon being seated I was asked if I wanted brown rice or white rice. I opted for brown, of course it was the healthy choice! I was also surprised because the improved Del Monte Fit 'n Right is a lot less sweet! :)

Before having lunch, we went to Rajo Laurel's makeshift atelier so we could have our measurements taken. Sorry but I can't share mine because it's too embarrassing but let's just say I'm too fat. I'm obese. I've actually known for quite some time because I can no longer fit into a lot of my clothes. We also had a weigh in afterwards. Let's just say I need to lose 35 lbs.

Chef Barni Alejandro, Fitness Expert Raul Banzon, and Fashion Designer Rajo Laurel were among the guests at the launch. They talked about the science of sexy, and it involves eating and exercising right.

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Cheese Steak Shop now in Manila, Philippines!

There are cheesesteak sandwiches and then there are Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. These ones I'm featuring here just happen to be the real deal. Why, even the bread is imported from the USA... but more on that later.

We were invited to the grand opening of The Cheese Steak Shop in Makati City last Nov. 21, 2011. Sandwiches galore were spread out on the tables. I had a hard time trying to decide which one to get because there were so many. Anyhow, The Cheese Steak Shop's sandwiches come in three satisfying sizes: 7", 10", and 15".

If you're not a beef eater, it's perfectly okay. I'm not fond of chicken but The Cheese Steak Shop serves up authentic Philly Cheese Steak that's filled with either beef or chicken.

I actually liked the Western Premium Cheese Steak which had chicken inside (P320 for 7", pictured above). They use 100% chicken breast meat, which works for me. The Western Cheese Steak has bacon, BBQ sauce, and onion rings aside from beef or chicken. It's slightly spicy. :)

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Learning Basic Photography at 50 Feasts!

I took a Basic Photography course at 50 Feasts over the weekend. I figured since I got a Sony NEX-5N I should learn how to shoot in manual mode. It's a hybrid after all, something between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR. I've always been the "Intelligent Auto" girl so pretty much all throughout my blogging career I've been shooting in that particular Sony mode. :p

Our teacher was professional photographer Mylene Chung. Mylene contributes to publications like Yummy Magazine and Reader's Digest. Thanks to her I now know what ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and white balance are plus I know how to adjust everything manually so I can customize my settings depending on the situation. I actually shot that photo up there in full manual mode. :p

So now I understand what all these numbers on my lens mean. XD

I also have an idea of what a good histogram looks like, hehe. :D

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Mister Donut Merrygalos for Christmas!

Mister Donut unveiled its holiday offerings over an intimate dinner at CAVA last Nov. 14, 2011. I think it's very good timing because November is usually the time hubby and I start planning what gifts to give out.

First off are Belgian Bites encased in limited edition tin cans. The tins come in two designs. There's a candy cane (pictured above).

Seven (7) Belgian Bites fit nicely into the candy cane tin can. It's available for P150. Belgian bites are rich chocolate rounds that are enrobed in Belgian chocolate. Some variants are filled with creamy and dreamy Belgian chocolate too. :)

Then there's the Christmas tree tin can which can house nine (9) Belgian Bites. It's available for P170.

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Tell me your favorite Aqiva Treats for Tots recipe and win a month's supply of Aqiva! (Round 2)

A couple of weeks ago I launched a simple contest for a whole month's supply of Aqiva for one lucky winner.

It entailed liking Aqiva's official Facebook page here - http://www.facebook.com/AqivaPH.

Then you click on the Photos tab and go to the Treats for Tots album where Aqiva has compiled a number of easy-to-make recipes which are nutritious and delicious. When I first launched this giveaway there were only six recipes to choose from. Now there are twelve! :D

Looking through the recipe album, I think my favorite for this round is Fruit Juice Ice Pops! It's so hot despite being so close to Christmas and instead of indulging in fatty, sugar-laden, and artificially flavored frozen desserts, I think it's so much better to give my kids frozen fresh fruit juices instead.

What about you? What's your favorite Aqiva Treats for Tots recipe from the Facebook Page? You have until Dec. 5, 2011 to tell me on the comments section below. One lucky winner with the best answer will win a whole month's supply of Aqiva! :D

Each entry should contain the following:

• Your answer (favorite recipe + reason why)
• Your real name (no aliases) and email address
• URL of your Facebook or Twitter share of this giveaway. Just click the share button above for FB. For Twitter, just tweet about this giveaway and include the url of this post.

That's it! This is just the second of a series of Aqiva giveaways. Contest is open to all Philippine residents with children as Aqiva will ship the prizes to the winner. One entry per person only, okay? Good luck!

Before I forget, I'd like to announce the winner for round 1... Freida Marie B. Garcia! Congratulations Frieda! Aqiva will ship one month's supply of milk for your child!

To those who joined round 1 and didn't win, you can join again now! :D

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The Body Shop 4 Step Smoky Eyes + TBS events for the holiday season!

I went in for a free makeover at The Body Shop SM Megamall last Nov. 12, 2011. It's especially exciting this time of year because they are launching their Winter Trend 2011 make-up collection. It varies per year. Last year the holiday make-up palettes were more on the pastel side.

This year, pastels are out and smoky eyes are in. The Body Shop's make-up artist had me choose between two variations of The Body Shop 4 Step Smoky Eyes palette -- Silver Black or Golden Brown. I chose Silver Black. Must be that fixation on Sucker Punch make-up, hahaha. XD

So she used the black palette on my eyes. I like the products used but honestly I think I can do a better job of applying make-up especially on the eyebrows (sssshhh!). :p

And so I got what I wanted, The Body Shop 4-Step Smoky Eyes in Silver Black. Love the packaging! It costs P1,495.

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Home-made for the Holidays by Chef Aileen Anastacio and Angelo Comsti

I attended the launch of Chef Aileen Anastacio and Angelo Comsti's new cookbook entitled Home-made for the Holidays last Nov. 9, 2011 at National Bookstore Glorietta 5.

Hot and fresh off the press, the holiday-themed cookbook features over 60 treats you can easily make and enjoy at home or give as gifts. The neat part is, all the ingredients are readily available and the recipes are pretty easy to follow. Everything can be boxed, bottled, or bagged so it's perfect for Christmas and other special occasions.

Home-made for the Holidays is available at National Book Store for P895. It's actually cheaper compared to buying it online from the publisher Marshall Cavendish's website where it's retailing for US$28. The book is also a great gift for cooking and baking enthusiasts. :)

Chef Aileen Anastacio gamely signed books during the launch. I met her back in 2009 when we got to work together as judges for the first ever Gold Spots Awards by Spot.ph. This is actually Chef Aileen's second book, Home Cafe being the first. She whips up the yummiest baked goodies and to date her Ube Cake at Goodies and Sweets is still the best ube cake I've ever had. Chef Aileen also contributes recipes monthly in Yummy Magazine.

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Happy 20th Anniversary Bobbi Brown!

I consider myself fortunate to have had the chance to join Bobbi Brown's 20th Anniversary party at The Establishment last Nov. 10, 2011. I learned of the brand when I was in my 20s since I read a lot of US-based magazines like Glamour. I actually use several Bobbi Brown make-up products.

Kai Vinson, Bobbi Brown's Regional Director for Artistry and Education, graced the event and treated us to a make-up demo using Bobbi Brown's holiday palettes. Kai is based in Hong Kong.

But before anything else he showed us just how good Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF15 is. He put some of the powder in a tall glass of water.

Check out how light the foundation is. The powder stays afloat on top of the water. I was actually able to avail of a small sample and I think it's the best mineral foundation I've used so far.

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H Cuisine by Chef Hannah Casual Dining Restaurant in Quezon City

The Club was invited by Chef Hannah Herrera-Bagatsing to sample some good old-fashioned homestyle cooking at her restaurant H Cuisine in the Tomas Morato area.

Chef Hannah demonstrated how she prepares her famous Angus Beef Belly. She starts with choice cut meat and then lays them on an oil-less pan.

Chef Hannah lets the Angus Beef Belly slices cook in their own fat. You see the fat melting and turning into oil just a few moments after. It smells so good!

Chef Hannah flips the beef around to toast the fat so it's more tasty.

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Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Natural Brown

After reading a lot of great reviews online for Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring, I finally decided to go to SM Megamall and get myself one.

I got Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in shade 3 Natural Brown. It costs only P378 per kit, which is dirt cheap when compared to the cost of going to the salon to have my hair colored. I bought it from the beauty section of SM Department Store in SM Megamall. There were only three shades to choose from: black, brown, and red.

An Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring kit contains the following items:

• Latex gloves
• Plastic cape
• Pump filled with clear liquid
• Bubble Hair Coloring solution in foil
• Silky Perfumed Treatment sachet

Oh, it comes with an instruction pamphlet too but it's entirely in Korean so it's pretty useless. Luckily I've had a fair amount of experience with DIY (Do-It-Yourself) hair color at home. So yeah, first step is to break off the plastic seal from the Bubble Hair Coloring foil. Pour the content into the pump.

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Art lessons at Global Art Philippines! Win a full course for your child worth over P10,000!

My kids started taking art lessons at Global Art Philippines last month. I wanted something that would take their mind off video games. All they ever do at home is tinker with their gadgets so I strongly felt they needed an alternative activity. Kids from 4 to 16 years old can enroll at Global Art Philippines.

Before your child starts lessons, he or she will be assessed to determine what the most suitable course for him/her. Assessment consists of asking the child to copy a drawing and then coloring it. Above is my 10-year old son's assessment paper. For some reason he is so not inclined to color that from the time he was a toddler up until the present he has amassed piles of coloring books all left untouched.

After the child's initial work is assessed, he will be taught the Global Art method of coloring and will be asked to color again. Above is my son's work after being taught. It all happened within the same hour, during assessment. Yes, you can see results instantly.

This is my 7-year old daughter's assessment paper. She drew and colored on her own on the lower part. She applied the Global Art technique on the top apple.

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Nivea KissMark launch + win loads of lip care and more!

Nivea products are truly the bomb. Whether it's sun care, skin care, or even baby care, there's a product for me, hubby, and even the kids.

And so I got an invite to the Nivea x Cosmo "Date the Hunk Game", wherein attendees get the chance to score a date with Cosmo November 2011 Online Hunk Mark Alejandro.

I was a bit late since I came from a book launch in Makati. The dating game had already started and event host LA Ferriols was already asking Mark Alejandro questions. Good thing because I really planned on just being a spectator. Hello... I'm too old for this strapping young lad. XD

Anyhow, the dating game contestants were: Martha Sta. Barbara (The Beauty Junkee), Bec San Diego, and a girl named Bella.

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