Animetric's World: May 2012

Thursday, May 31, 2012

L'oreal Professionnel X-tenso Straight Care for rebonded hair!

I probably have the most over-processed hair this side of the blogosphere. I have it rebonded on a regular basis since I can't manage it in its natural coarse and wavy form. Then I have a lot of white hairs, so that entails a lot of coloring. The result? Dry and fried hair.

Recently I held a giveaway for a L'oreal Professionnel Chroma Straight hair makeover. I could not try the service myself because I just had my hair rebonded first week of April. Instead, L'oreal Professionnel sent me some products to help me care for my hair. I got L'oreal Professionnel X-Tenso Care Nutri-Reconstructor Shampoo and L'oreal Professionnel X-Tenso Care Nutri-Reconstructor Masque.

L'oreal Professionnel X-tenso Straight Care Shampoo

The shampoo is just like regular shampoo, it comes out a white creamy liquid. I like the light and pleasant scent. I noticed that my hair doesn't tangle while I'm lathering up.

L'oreal Professionnel X-tenso Straight Care Masque

The masque comes in a big jar. It's very thick and firm. It's not porous at all so you really have to scoop it out to get the product.

It's quite pasty in terms of texture. After shampooing you cover your hair (concentrating on the tips which are usually more dry) with this masque and then leave on for ten minutes.

Shell FuelSave Mommy Bloggers Driving Challenge!

I won't mince words. If there's one thing I'm very confident about it's my driving. I consider myself quite skilled in this department and I'm pretty sure I can go head to head with male drivers any day.

Thus when I received an invitation to participate in the Shell FuelSave Mommy Bloggers Driving Challenge, I immediately said yes. We assembled at the UCC branch located by Burgos Circle and we were oriented as to what the challenge entailed. Everyone would be driving a Ford Fiesta and filling up with Shell FuelSave Unleaded. If it were simply a race I was certain I'd win but it wasn't. The winner would have to be both fast and fuel-efficient... so you needed to finish first while going the longest distance with the least amount of gas.

There were four teams consisting of two mommy bloggers each. Each team got a handbook and a BlackBerry.

I was on Team B and my partner was mymomfriday. We were assigned to a white Ford Fiesta. I was the designated driver because I knew the routes to our destinations best.

The Ford Fiesta was so high-tech that when we first got in we couldn't quite figure out how to lock the door and turn on the headlights. I got it all halfway through the race though.

UCC Cafe's Pearl Milk Coffee and other new offerings!

What do you get when you combine the best coffee (haha, is it so obvious that I adore UCC coffee?) and the current cult favorite pearl milk drink?

You get UCC Pearl Milk Coffee (pictured above, left). Smooth and aromatic UCC coffee layered with milk, syrup, and chewy black tapioca pearls... it's simply divine. Not a coffee person? You can always opt for Pearl Milk Tea (pictured above, right). Both cost P119 each. I always order mine with syrup on the side so I can control the level of sweetness.

Although it was dinner time, I decided to try UCC's Buttermilk Pancake (P90, pictured above). It's one of the new menu offerings and it's currently only available at the One Rockwell and Fort branches. Made of fresh buttermilk from scratch, the pancake is soft, fluffy, chewy, and everything I ever dreamed a pancake would be. It's soooo good.

If you don't like having just plain pancakes you can add either Egg (P25), Banana, Blueberry, Apple (P45) or Frankfurter, Corned Beef, Spam (P145). I had a Frankfurter and it was yummy!

Hubby decided to try Char Siu Curry Soup Spaghetti (P389, pictured above). Sweet barbecued pork, mushroom, sweet corn kernels, and a hard-boiled egg tops al dente spaghetti noodles simmered in light and milky curry soup. It's a very unique yet incredibly soothing and flavorful dish.

Hawk bags for school!

I've been buying Hawk stroller bags for my kids for the last six years. The first was when my son started first grade. The second one was for second grade -- and it wasn't because the first bag was unusable. He simply had too many books after one year and they couldn't fit anymore. It was a lesson learned so I told myself that when my daughter started elementary school, I'd get her the biggest Hawk stroller bag available.

Last year, I bought my son his third Hawk stroller bag. I got him the biggest and most expensive Hawk Spinner Trolley only to find out that the school wanted another kind of Hawk bag. I got to exchange it thanks to Hawk's superb customer service and I found out they had a standalone store in Market! Market!. That particular store was moved to the new wing on the ground floor and is now known as Hawk's concept store (pictured above). I was invited to check it out last May 17. I confirmed immediately as I'm a loyal customer of the brand.

The Hawk concept store in Market! Market! carries every conceivable Hawk bag model. Backpacks, stroller bags, lunch boxes... you name it, they have it.

Backpacks come in all shapes and sizes.

Hawk bags are very sturdy so they can withstand the rigors of land, air, and water travel. My son used his last stroller bag for three years before the handle gave out. Hawk can actually service and repair bags but I thought it was time to retire it so I just bought him a new one.

End of summer giveaway... win Korean Beauty Loot!

Summer is ending and as promised, I'm giving away some Korean beauty loot! I got these from my recent Korea trip. I stayed at Myeongdong which is like the beauty district, hehe!

Who wants these goodies? :D

Anyhow, one lucky reader will win over a dozen items:

A small tube of Nature Republic Collagen BB Cream
Samples of my current Laneige skin care regimen (toner, emulsion, sleeping pack)
The Saem Moisturizing Olive Mask Sheet x 2
Tony Moly Floria Mask Sheet
The Saem Dr. Beauty samples (toner, emulsion, cream)
Tony Moly Oriental Glyeol Cream sample sachet x 2
Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream sample sachet x3
Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer sample sachet
Etude House Be Clear Moisturizer sample sachet

So how do we got about it?

Like Animetric's World on Facebook and follow @animetric on Twitter.

Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter.

Click on the Share button on top of this post. On the blank box above the title of the blog post, tag Animetric's World and post "Win some Korean beauty loot from Animetric's World! Join now!".
To tag, type in the “@” symbol then follow it with the word “Animetric” This will prompt a drop-down menu box which will present you “Animetric's World”. Click that and you should see “Animetric's World” become a blue link. After completing the sentence, click Share. Make sure your profile is set to everyone or else your entry won't appear on my FB page.

Twitter entries must use this format: Win some Korean beauty loot from @animetric -- join now! (+ contest url)

Answer this question: "What is your favorite summer blog post and why?" (any post in April and May 2012). Post your answer on the comments section below along with your name, email address, and url of your Facebook or Twitter share. You have until June 15, 2012 to post your entries. Only one entry per person please. Duplicate entries will be disqualified.

One (1) winner will be chosen by me based on the answer I like best.

This contest is open to residents of the Philippines. I will ship the prize to the winner.

Congratulations Marvi Buncaras! You've won some Korean beauty loot!

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Massimo's Farm in Tagaytay

We were invited to check out Massimo's Farm last April 29, 2012. I remember having lunch at Massimo's Ristorante a few years back so I thought it was going to be at the same place. Since it was officially family day I went with my hubby and kids.

Turns out Massimo's Ristorante was already closed and the farm, although owned by the same person, was located elsewhere in Tagaytay. We parked our car and then followed the trail to the farm.

There's an indoor dining area but at the moment if you want to dine at Massimo's Farm, you will have to pre-order from Chef Hazel Lu-Galvez.

We were welcomed by rows of fresh Dalandan juice.

Homemade Focaccia Bread with Pate de Foie and Queso Fresca with Sundried Tomatoes at Massimo's Farm

There was also homemade Focaccia bread accompanied by Pate de Foie (chicken liver pate) and Queso Fresca (fresh cheese) with Sundried Tomatoes for spreading. Delicious as expected, as the spreads were also made from scratch by Chef Hazel.

BonChon Chicken's seafood and other offerings!

When you say Bonchon, chicken is what usually follows next. So when I received an invitation from Bonchon Chicken with the word seafood in it, my curiosity was piqued.

True enough, we were served Fish & Chips (P125, pictured above). Cream dory fillet cooked the way you want it -- with soy garlic or hot and spicy glaze. Like the chicken, it's crispy outside and tender inside. :D

Then we had Crispy Squid Rice (P125, pictured above). The trademark crunch of Bonchon Chicken now applies to squid rings. We had it in soy garlic and it's soooo good that it's addictive.

Did you know that Bonchon Chicken serves salads too? There's zesty and creamy Caesar Salad (P125, pictured above).

Personally though I prefer the lighter Ginger Tofu Salad, garnished with crisp wanton strips, fried tofu cubes, and served with vinaigrette dressing.

Maxims Hotel at Resorts World Manila

I got to stay overnight with my family at Maxims Hotel in Resorts World last month when Samsung Philippines asked me to review the Samsung Smart TV ES8000. Maxims Hotel is an all-suite luxury hotel by the Genting Group. It's supposedly rated 6 stars.

Anyway, this is the hallway leading to our room.

We stayed at a Maxims Suite. It costs P15,800 a night and it's the most basic room you can get in this hotel. If you're a Resorts World Gold or Platinum cardholder, you get a big discount. I was surprised by the welcome note which greeted me when I went into the room.

There was even a welcome bowl of fruits.

Our suite was equipped with two double beds which is perfect for a family of two adults and two kids. Alternatively, you can opt for one king-sized bed.

Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells BB Creme SPF 35 PA+++

I promised that I will review two more BB creams and then finally upload my own guide to finding the right BB cream for you. This is the first of those two, Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells BB Creme SPF 35 PA+++.

Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells BB Cream SPF 35 PA+++

I won't beat around the bush, this is the most expensive BB cream I've used to date at P2,500 a tube. I would like to thank Estee Lauder Philippines for entrusting me with a sample for review.

The color from straight out of the tube is light peachy pink which is understandable since I think caucasians are the main target market for this. More yellow tones usually match Asian skin better.

Rubbing and patting in the BB cream on one side of my hand makes the skin lighter in color. I was immediately impressed at how smoothly Estee Lauder CyberWhite Brilliant Cells BB Creme spreads out on the skin. It's very easy to apply.

Ralph Lauren The Big Pony Fragrance Collection for Women

When I was in high school, I would tote around bottles of perfume in my school bag. Not a good idea as it turned out because I had a whole bottle of Eternity by Calvin Klein stolen. After that I would just spritz myself with a scent at home and then leave the bottle there.

With the sweet scent of perfume in mind, check out these colorful bottles from Ralph Lauren's The Big Pony Fragrance Collection for women. Each variant embodies a specific personality:

#1 Sporty (Big Pony Blue) - A floral citrus scent featuring grapefruit and blue lotus for the energetic and confident woman.
#2 Sensual (Big Pony Pink) - With key ingredients cranberry and tonka mousse, it's described as floriental fruity for the hopeless romantic.
#3 Free-Spirited (Big Pony Yellow) - A floral green fragrance which highlights pear and mimosa, it's perfect for the strong and independent woman of today.
#4 Stylish (Big Pony Purple) - Oriental floral infused with wild cherry and purple amber, it's the exotic scent of the edgy and refined woman.

I smelled each and every scent from #1 through #4. When asked to choose, I had to go for #1 or Big Pony Blue. I've always preferred citrusy scents and this time was no exception.

Blue is my favorite color too.

The number one actually describes the fragrance perfectly. It's bright, fresh, and vibrant so it makes you feel like you're on top of your game and ready to take on the world. I find that it's actually perfect for summer because it's quite light.

Bonifacio High Street Central Food Tour (Part 2 - Nanbantei, Sutra, The Cake Club, and Stella Rocket Room)

Continuing the BHS Central Food Trip from my previous post, the next food items up for grabs were these bestselling yakitori from Nanbantei of Tokyo.

Pork Garlic Yaki and Tebasaki from Nanbantei of Tokyo

We had Pork Garlic Yaki (left) and Tebasaki (right). I really enjoyed the Pork Garlic Yaki as the pork was lean, garlicky, and not oily. Tebasaki is chicken wings yakitori. I don't particularly like chicken with bones so I have to take my companions' word for it when they said it was very tasty.

Nanbantei of Tokyo at Bonifacio High Street Central

Here's a peek at Nanbantei of Tokyo's interiors. It gets really jam-packed during weekends... I know because I had lunch with my family there last Sunday. Watch out for a dedicated Nanbantei of Tokyo post soon. :)

Sutra then brought out an assortment of dumplings for us to try. The names are very interesting: Earth (spinach and shitake mushrooms), Field (chicken and pork), Fire (spicy shrimp and black mushroom), and Water (shrimp and bamboo shoots). You get four pieces per order and each order costs P170. I noticed that their dumpling wrappers are very chewy, which is good.

Bonifacio High Street Central Food Tour (Part 1 - Village Tavern, Elias, Sariwon, and Aria)

I got to join a food tour conducted by the folks over at Bonifacio Global City last May 7, 2012. The tour highlighted several high-end restaurants located along Bonifacio High Street Central, namely Village Tavern, Elias, Sariwon, Aria, Nanbantei, The Cake Club, Sutra, and Stella Rocket Room. Since there's just soooo much food for show and tell, I will divide this post into two parts.

We stayed at the Village Tavern located on this side of BHS Central.

Barbecue Pork Sliders from Village Tavern

We began our gastronomic adventure with some Barbecue Pork Sliders (P425, pictured above) from Village Tavern. You get three sliders per order.

These mini sandwiches are filled with slow-roasted hand-pulled pork glazed with hickory barbecue sauce and then topped with coleslaw. Yum!

Then we had Village Tavern's signature Tavern Flatbread (P450, pictured above). It looks like pizza but it's not. Village Tavern makes their flatbreads from scratch using whole wheat flour. These are then baked in a coal-fired oven. I had a slice and it was crisp, tasty, and not at all greasy. Delicious!

Fashion Roadtrip with VNC, The Little Things She Needs, and The Flat Shop!

I was part of a very unique event last May 10, 2012. We were whisked off to a fun fashion roadtrip by top fashion brands VNC, The Little Things She Needs, and The Flat Shop!

The invitation looked like a map which detailed places we would be visiting. It all started with a lovely lunch at Cookbook Kitchen in Eastwood Mall.

There were ten of us bloggers who went on the trip. Our plates had cards which we were told to keep.

Our first stop was the VNC boutique in Eastwood Mall. It was then revealed that the card I was holding meant I could pick out any shoe I wanted from VNC's May 2012 collection! I considered the wedges above...

J.CO Donuts now open at SM Mall of Asia!

Good news to all you south-based folks! Yummy J.Co donuts are now available at the SM Mall of Asia!

J.Co Donuts and Coffee at SM Mall of Asia

What's more you get a FREE Glazzy donut for every purchase of J.Coffee (any kind, any size) from May 1-31, 2012! This offer applies to both the SM Megamall and the SM Mall of Asia branches.

If you haven't tried J.Co Donuts yet, I highly recommend the Al Capone... incredibly soft and chewy donuts covered in rich white Belgian chocolate and almond slivers.

Can't make up your mind which donut to try? Get a box of J.Pops Baby Donuts for bite-sized portions of the most popular variants! :D

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Friday, May 18, 2012

Kuppa Roastery and Cafe is now in Manila!

I spent the entire afternoon at Kuppa Roastery & Cafe last May 5, 2012. I was invited for coffee and a bit of food tasting but little did I know that a feast fit for a king awaited.

Kuppa Roastery and Cafe is a household name in Bacolod where it originates from. Kuppa has officially landed in Manila -- at Fort Bonifacio Global City to be exact. What sets it apart from other coffee shops is that large contraption which is the roaster.