Win a trip for two to South Korea, Gadget Giveaway from One Hyundai Club

Press release from One Hyundai Club
 

“Anyong Haseyo” from the One Hyundai Club
Get a chance to win a Trip for 2 to South Korea with the One Hyundai Club Life in Style Event

There is a saying that goes “Good shoes take you to good places”. This January, it won’t be just good shoes taking you to the best places in the world. With the One Hyundai Club Life in Style event, brace yourself for a wonderful vacation in one of the world’s top tourist destinations—South Korea! Imagine yourself roaming old palaces and stopping by nooks where you can feast in delectable bulgogi. Or relive romantic scenes from your favorite Koreanovela as you go around the town. With or without good shoes, your dream holiday might just come true.

Set out for an unforgettable vacation in 2012 with the chance to win a trip for two to South Korea! Join us at the One Hyundai Club Life in Style Event, the ultimate lifestyle affair to usher in the New Year, brought to you by Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), the exclusive distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the country. Happening at 12:00 NN to 9:00 PM on the 14th of January 2012 at the Glorietta Activity Center, Glorietta Mall, Makati, the event takes you on a tour of best-in-class lifestyle possibilities offered by some of the top brands in the metro, plus exciting prizes that will be given away through the raffle draws*!

With over a hundred partner merchants, the event is filled with lifestyle activities that will surely engage each and every member of the family. Participants can choose from a wide array of exciting workshops and sessions such as wardrobe consultation for men and women, cooking demos, indoor rock climbing and rappelling, wellness haven and skin consultations, to name a few. Bond with your family and friends through the various sections in the lifestyle event such as travel-themed photo booths, miniature golf, air hockey, foosball and more!

Making your dream vacation a reality is easy. Start the year with a three-day, two-night trip for two to South Korea. Experience a truly modern premium lifestyle only from Hyundai. Live the life. Live it in style.



* The “Win a Trip for Two to South Korea” promo is open to all One Hyundai Club (OHC) members who received their Loyalty Card Numbers by January 10, 2012. Non-OHC members who are Hyundai vehicle owners can also participate by becoming a One Hyundai Club member. Visit www.onehyundai.com.ph to become an OHC member. You may also register for the event at www.ohclifeinstyle.com.ph. Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 9861 Series of 2011.



Get Tech-Savvy with the One Hyundai Club
Gadget Giveaway at the One Hyundai Club Life in Style Event



Nothing beats that feeling when you’re ahead of the crowd with hot gadgets in your hands. Whether it’s a glossy tablet or a sleek do-it-all touchphone, you’ll surely be the center of envy! Friends won’t be able to resist taking a peek at your high-tech toy as you tinker through limitless apps right at your fingertips! Imagine having the gadget you’ve always wanted – FOR FREE!

This January 2012, make your dream come true without spending a peso through a downpour of the hottest gadgets and gizmos from the ultimate lifestyle affair of the year—the One Hyundai Club Life in Style Event, brought to you by Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the exclusive distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the country. Get the chance to win the latest gadgets – ranging from tablets to smartphones – at 12:00 NN to 9:00 PM on the 14th of January 2012 at the Glorietta Activity Center, Glorietta Mall, Makati. The event takes you on a tour of the best-in-class lifestyle possibilities offered by some of the top brands in the metro, plus exciting prizes that will be given away through the raffle draws*!

With over a hundred partner merchants, the event is filled with lifestyle activities that will surely engage each and every member of the family. Participants can choose from a wide array of exciting workshops and sessions such as wardrobe consultation for men and women, cooking demos, indoor rock climbing and rappelling, wellness haven and skin consultations, to name a few. Bond with your family and friends through the various sections in the lifestyle event such as travel-themed photo booths, miniature golf, air hockey, foosball and more!

Join us and get ahead of the crowd with the latest in technology!

Live the life. Live it in style.


*The “Gadget Giveaway” promo is open to all One Hyundai Club (OHC) members who will register at the event microsite on or before January 10, 2012 and complete the required event passport stamps on the day of the event. Non-OHC members who are Hyundai vehicle owners can also participate by becoming a One Hyundai Club member. Visit www.onehyundai.com.ph to become an OHC member, and register for the event at www.ohclifeinstyle.com.ph on or before January 10, 2012. Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 9861 Series of 2011.

Merry Christmas!

These earrings scream "food blogger". I fell in love with them at first sight. I have always been fond of offbeat accessories, although these past couple of years I haven't been wearing any. That's why it feels so good to get back to it a bit.

Anyway, C and I are making this quick post to greet all of you. THANK YOU for being great readers, and for supporting the blog the whole year. There were really great times, and we're glad that through it all, you're still checking up on us. We're looking forward to new and exciting stuff in the months ahead, and more meals and posts together.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Spread the love!

Yabu: The House of Katsu, The Atrium, SM Megamall

Yabu: The House of Katsu is the new restaurant at The Atrium, SM Megamall that is creating a buzz around Metro Manila. But that is not the only reason why I'm excited.

Dear readers, this is a very special blog entry. To commemorate our similar hairdos, you will not get one review but two. Yes, two! Two restaurant reviews in one post. The other review is coming from, you guessed it, C! This time, you get to read his side of the story straight from his keyboard. No more middle-woman me to relay his thoughts. As they say, there are always two sides to a story, so it's only fair to get both.

Side C

Hi. I'm Corn, and today I will be reviewing the Kurobuta Tonkatsu Set from Yabu.

I usually don't know what to order from the places we eat at, so when choosing what to get, I base my choices on the chef's recommendation, prices and the name of the food. In this case, I chose based on price and because it said on their menu, "Premium Tonkatsu Set".
Before our food arrived, our waiter brought us roasted sesame seeds. He showed us how to grind them with the wooden pestle they provided and put sauce in it. The sauce was a bit citrusy.
I have never eaten tonkatsu before, so I didn’t have any idea on how it will taste. On the first bite into the meat, I opted not to dip it in sauce. It tasted kindov bland. It tasted better when I dipped it in sauce. The meat was exactly what it said on their menu: soft and juicy.

The miso soup was surprisingly good. I've tried a couple of miso soups from other Japanese restaurants. Yabu's miso soup tops my list.

I also ordered Fukiage Shochu. Again, I didn't know anything about sake and shochu, I really just wanted to try it. And because we're going to see a movie after dinner, I didn't want to get drunk or smell like one. I was hoping that because it costs a hundred less from their sakes, it would be milder and even taste like beer. I was wrong. It’s a strong drink like scotch or whiskey. Our server brought it to us with a glass of water to dilute the strong alcohol just a bit. I did just that and I was able to enjoy it better.
The price (Php 515) was I little bit steep for me, especially for a ¾-inch slice of pork, but I guess it’s the price I had to pay to taste the "kobe beef" of pork. He he

Side Z

I’m not very fond of visiting restaurants on their soft opening, but the word on Yabu: The House of Katsu spread so fast and so loudly that we simply cannot ignore it. My curiosity got the better me. I wanted to find out for myself just how their katsu is, really. So, we did.

It was destiny. C and I had free SM Cinema tickets that were expiring soon, and Megamall was the most accessible at that time. We opted for an early dinner so we can catch the movie Immortals at 8pm.

We arrived at Yabu at around 5:30pm. It was almost empty so I took the opportunity to take pictures of the place. It turned out to be smaller than I expected, but the wooden tables were lovely. I knew right away that C would love them. He has a penchant for Japanese interior design.

I knew instantly what to order: Jumbo Prawn Set (Php 425), which includes four pieces of Japanese Black Tiger Prawns and, like all their other sets, a cup of Japanese rice, miso soup, fruit slices and unlimited shredded cabbage. I love ebi tempura, and I wanted to find out just how good their katsu cousins are.

When it was my turn to grind the sesame seeds, they kept jumping out of the saucer. I must’ve put too much pressure to make the seeds bounce off the ridges on the saucer, which were meant to make grinding easier.

I was impressed as soon as my set arrived. The size of the prawns and the cup of rice looked promising. I immediately took the necessary photos, mixed the Japanese mustard with the sesame seed-ridden katsu sauce and started dipping. They serve seafood sets with tartar sauce, but I couldn’t choose between the tartar sauce and the katsu sauce with a kick. The mustard really elevated the experience for me. Not a problem really. I just ended up alternating my sauces.

I tried the miso soup just for the sake of trying it. Like C, I didn’t expect to enjoy it because I usually don't. But I loved Yabu’s miso soup so much that I finished the whole bowl. I can’t believe it! There really is a first time for everything.

The shrimps were perfect. They were cooked just right. The breading was absolutely light and crunchy but not overwhelming. It didn’t overpower the shrimp, just nestling it like a doting mother careful not to hurt her delicate baby. I enjoyed the cabbage dressing as well, but we didn’t get to have our cabbage replenished. We were too full.

I got to try a slice of C's Premium Tonkatsu Set. If there really is a "kobe beef" of pork, it would be this. With how tender the meat is, you'd forget you're actually eating deep fried pork. There was no fighting back, no tug-of-war, and you wouldn't find the usual meat fibers. All it takes is one effortless bite to cut into the meat. He also insisted that I try the liquor he ordered. I was scared to at first, and as soon as I got a sip of it, my fears were justified.
As C pointed out, the katsu sets are a bit pricey, with the 90g Fish Set probably the cheapest at Php 275, but they are worth it if consumed from time to time. We were incredibly full that it was difficult to breathe! We had to walk around the mall afterward.

The flavors and the quality of the food were excellent. I wouldn't dare say that Yabu serves the best katsu in Manila because I haven't tried all, but for sure their offering is better than most. I also also have nothing to complain about the service. The whole staff was friendly, accommodating and competent. You can see that they were properly trained. I can't swear by how fast the kitchen really is, though, because there weren't other orders when I placed ours. It didn't stay so for long coz shortly after, place was packed. And when we left at around 7pm, there were more people waiting outside. I was so glad we ate early.

Yabu: The House of Katsu was a win!

No taking pictures of the kitchen

DIY Christmas gift ideas

Christmas is only a few days away, yet I haven't done any Christmas gift shopping!

The main reason is, I swore to make Christmas gifts this year, and not buy them. Although, to tell you the truth, I haven't finished making them as well. Never mind. I'm giving myself an extension. After all, this holiday season has no holidays in it. What a bummer!

C is helping me out, but I know we're so behind. I still believe we can finish everything. They're not 100% DIY because we still would need to avail of some services being offered by entrepreneurial individuals. I can't tell you yet what the gifts are 'coz I don't want to ruin the surprise, but here's a few last-minute DIY Christmas gift ideas for you.

1. Have a photo printed out and framed

I've done this several times before that my family has started teasing me about giving photos as gifts. Most of the time, these are photos I personally took. I remember gifting one that I didn't 'coz it was a photo of Father on his 1st birthday party. I happened to find it in my stash.

How to do this? Edit the photo on your computer to bring it to print quality. Resize it as you please. If you're not familiar with image editing software, for instance, Adobe Photoshop, have the real photo shop edit the image for you. It might cost you extra, though, and some of them aren't experts as well. If you have a friend who can help or teach you, that would be better. Have the photo printed out and buy a frame for it. A simple clear glass or acrylic, or black or brown wooden frame would be best.

2. Draw

Hello, artists! A simple sketch paints a thousand words just like a picture does. You don't have to be a modern-day Picasso. Just frame the paper you drew on and write a simple note.

If you're a parent, you can have your kids do this too. Only if they want to, of course. Their drawings can be great presents to grand parents, aunts and uncles, and ninongs and ninangs. Everybody loves children's drawings. They're cute no matter what!

3. Write a poem, song or short story

Obviously, these are for the creative writers and musicians. I can't tell you how to go about it. Just pour your heart out. Whoever you're giving the poem, song or short story to will appreciate all the thought and emotion. It doesn't even have to be that good.

4. Cook or bake

You don't need to be an iron chef or the cake boss to send edible love all around this Christmas. All you need is a simple recipe to follow. I've gifted chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies before. They're easy to bake, and you can find a lot of recipes in the Internet. Sadly, I lost the fudge brownie recipe that I used to follow, and I'm still looking for the soft-baked chocolate chip cookie recipe that I got from my Aunt.

If you don't have an oven, you can cook a pasta dish, which is quite easy. Go with a can of diced tomatoes as your sauce so you won't have to worry about it much. If cooking is not for you, just prepare a fruit salad and purchase small reusable containers. Tie a ribbon around each and stick a card on them. So fast and hassle-free! The personal touch and labor of love will make your friends and their stomachs truly happy.

5. Record a video or make an AVP

With technology, it is now very easy to record a video. Just look into your digital camera, webcam, laptop or mobile phone. Think of what you'll say beforehand so you don't take too many do-overs. If you want to sing a few tunes, go right ahead. The secret is to speak from the heart. And don't forget to smile!

Making an AVP or audio-visual presentation is pretty easy too. Put together your messages, quotes you love and memorable pictures. It's a digital scrapbook, which you can send to loved ones across continents and timezones. It's also great to share with the whole family over reunions. Some of the programs you can use are Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe After Effects.

Happy Holidays!

Toast Box, Trinoma

Toast Box promises to bring Singaporean breakfast to Manila. It's been at Trinoma for a while now, and if you frequent Conti's, Parvati, Bread Talk and, lately, Fully Booked in that obscure part of Trinoma, you would've seen Toast Box. If not, and if you just walk around the mall without exploring its deepest caverns, then chances are this unpopular side of Trinoma is unknown to you. Don't fret. It really isn't that easy to come across.

How to get to Toast Box in Trinoma

The easiest direction I can give you is coming from inside the mall. On the ground floor of Trinoma, go to where National Bookstore and Café Mary Grace are. You'll see a set of escalators connecting the ground floor to a lower floor. Take the escalator going down, and you'll immediately see Parvati and Bread Talk beside each other near the exit. Walk inside Bread Talk, where you'll find Toast Box. A hidden treasure!
C and I had breakfast sets. Each comes with two soft boiled eggs and a choice of kopi (coffee) or teh (tea). We both picked kopi, but the blend didn't agree with my taste buds. For some reason, it tasted as if it had rhum in it in a way that's really off-putting.
I got the French Toast Set, which was like signing my own disappointment contract. It's not that Toast Box's french toast is bad. In fact, it is good and thick. The problem is, I grew up with a particular way of preparing french toast. We usually just soak thick slices of loaf bread into a mix of eggs and condensed milk. Then we lightly fry the bread slices in butter, like pancakes. That's why I always look for a certain mushiness and sweetness in french toast, which is really addicting.
C ordered the Floss Thick Toast Set. It was no surprise because he loves Bread Talk's floss bread. And, it was unanimous. He got the better set. But my french toast pulled through in the end. It just needed a good dunk into the eggs, a couple of which I seasoned with some pepper and sweet soy sauce.
And who wouldn't want to dive into that heavenly gooeyness of aborted baby chickens? I would, if it didn't involve drowning or getting eaten.

I know I said in my Nasi Lemak blog post that I'm avoiding ordering laksa because I have a laksa mix at home, but I couldn't stop myself to try Toast Box's, so much so that it was the first thing I asked C to order for us.

The bowl looked a bit small at first, although I made a mental computation that it is also a bit cheaper than the average laksa at other restaurants.
It's less spicy and less milky than Banana Leaf Asian Café's laksa, which is still my favorite, but Toast Box's is good enough for a quick laksa fix. Its smaller serving also makes it more convenient to order by a single person, and that single person is entitled to a lone piece of shrimp. It's a pretty fat shrimp so it wasn't so sad to eat. The noodles Toast Box uses also aren't the noodles that I prefer, but it's not a deal breaker. The soup turned out to be a great toast companion.
Prices aren't so bad as well. A budget of Php 150 per set is good enough. The laksa goes over Php 200. They may be more expensive than your usual budget for breakfast but believe me, C and I had a difficult time finishing our food. We didn't expect it, actually, but the toast was very thick and dense. And, remember, we had two eggs each on top of the laksa bowl we shared.
I like Toast Box. It is comfort food served in a semi-secret place that is also comfortable to hide in. As I've mentioned earlier, Toast Box tucked in an obscure cove in Trinoma so you're kind of sheltered from the chaos ensuing everywhere else. There's also a taxi line right outside, and a loading and unloading bay for private vehicles. When you feel like burning a couple more hours, you can loiter inside Fully Booked and Gourdo's. And Parvati right next door can appeal to your sweet tooth after.

Hooray for yummy hideouts!

Toast Box has branches in Trinoma, Quezon City, E-Commerce Building, Taguig City, and Greenbelt 5, Makati City. Check out their Facebook page.

Omakase, Il Terrazo

Omakase is really one of the better and more accessible Japanese restaurants in Metro Manila. It is well-known for its sushi offering, and that's what C and I gorged on recently. We really stuffed ourselves that night. Bad, I know, but we had a shameful case of "takaw mata" that only dawned on us when we had to take a break from eating halfway through the meal.

It was our first time at the Omakase branch in Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato. Il Terrazo, as I've mentioned before, is becoming a great place to go to for dining, although to be honest not all restaurants are on top of their game.
The uni sashimi is a no-brainer. C has developed a love for it that equals mine. On the upside, we get to enjoy the raw sea urchin roe together. On the downside, we now share an order, which was previously all mine to feast on. Hehe

Omakase's uni is not the best uni, but it's still decently fresh. For a quick fix, it is good enough. Kimpura still tops our list, though.
We at first thought of getting Jurassic Maki, but we couldn't decide on what to pair it with. We ended up ordering the JSC Sushi Platter, which comprises Jurassic, Seabreeze and Crazy Maki. At Php 675, it is about Php 30 less expensive than ordering the three rolls separately.
The Jurassic Maki is always a favorite. I love the crunch that the crispy eel adds to the overall melange of flavors and textures. As for the other two, we enjoyed the Crazy Maki more than the mix of salmon and tuna in the Seabreeze Maki. Individually, however, I could down loads of salmon and tuna sashimi.
We already have several other types of maki lined up for our next visits. I'm sure we'll drop by more frequently now that Omakase has opened branches in other strategic parts of Manila, including Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati and Il Terrazo in Quezon City.

Easy recipes: Biryani rice

By now, it is no secret that I love Indian food and go gaga over biryani rice, which originally came from Persian cuisine. I have searched the Internet for simple Indian recipes but many of them require ingredients that I can probably only buy from the Indian grocery stores along U.N. Avenue. Some, they don't even have. Other Indian recipes are just too complicated for my pitiful command of cookery.
One of the best restaurants I've had biryani rice is in Kuala Lumpur, so when Mother went to Malaysia recently, I asked her to bring back biryani mix for me, and she did!

The Shan Bombay Biryani Rice & Spice Mix box includes the spice mix and the rice pilaf. It asks for other ingredients but we're too lazy to be bothered. That's why we decided to just go with the spice and mix.
First we had to cook the rice in the same way as we normally do. On a separate wok, we, or rather C, had to cook the meat and other ingredients. It looked scary at first, especially the oil, but it turned out really well. Much better than we expected.

Once done, everything was mixed together: the meat, the sauce and the rice. It would have been better if we had chicken fillet and not bone-in, but we had bought the chicken before we decided to cook the biryani.
No sweat. The labor of love we poured into what could be just a simple recipe to seasoned cooks of Indian food paid off big time. We ate chicken biryani rice for two days. C and I didn't anticipate the serving size to be that huge. No one's complaining, though. It was just a shame that I only had one box of this. It would have been great for potluck dinners or when having guests over, which we never do anyway, so we'll have everything to ourselves. My plan all along.

I would love to learn how to cook biryani rice without the help of a spice mix. Perhaps in time I will pull it off. For now, I guess my only recourse is to get spice mix from abroad or from one of the Indian grocery stores here in Manila no matter how out of the way they are for me.

Best. Oatmeal. Ever.

Oatmeal had no place in my diet. It's too healthy and boring for my taste. But when Grandmother sent me Instant Quaker Oatmeal in apples and cinnamon flavor, it instantly became an addiction.

Instant Quaker Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon is just one of the newer variants being offered in nontraditional flavors. I've tried Maple & Brown Sugar and Cinnamon & Spice, but nothing compares to Apples & Cinnamon. I prepare it hot and very, very thick. I can eat this every day!

As if the mix of apple and cinnamon flavors isn't enough, they put apple tidbits in the packet as well.
Father's tip: Put the instant oatmeal into a mug and pour a bit of milk into it. Heat in the microwave until you see the oats almost swelling out of the mug. Take out of the microwave for the oats contract. Add milk again and put in the microwave. Repeat. This will give you a very rich, creamy and porridgelike oatmeal  for breakfast. Yum!

The sad thing about this new healthy addiction is the unavailability of this line of Instant Quaker Oatmeal in the Philippines. Does anybody know where I can buy this here? It sucks to have to wait for someone to visit or send stuff from the US. I keep running out of precious stock!

I would also love to try the Peaches & Cream flavor. I go crazy over the real peaches and cream, and I feel that the instant oatmeal version wouldn't disappoint.

Nasi Lemak Authentic Singaporean Restaurant, Robinson's Galleria

Robinson's Galleria used to be my second home. Back in high school, this was our go-to mall. When Eastwood City opened, I would alternate going there and Robinson's Galleria. Lately, however, I haven't been frequenting either. So when C and I found ourselves in that part of Ortigas one weekend, we had to look for a new restaurant we haven't tried to eat lunch at. While walking through the restaurant strip on the ground floor, we saw Nasi Lemak Authentic Singaporean Restaurant and didn't think twice.


We of course had to try the Hainanese Chicken Rice. Sadly, the chicken wasn't cooked enough so the meat was tough. The flavor was a bit lacking as well. C and I ignored that plate.

According to their complicated menu, the Crispy Baby Squid is one of their best-sellers. We were convinced and ordered it. The squid was crispy indeed. That sticky sauce you see embracing the squid was sweet. If you like dilis, you'd like this appetizer.

For our main dish, I chose the Szechuan Prawns. I'm always a sucker for Szechuan flavors, and C and I love crustaceans, so it wasn't a surprise that we enjoyed this very much. I wish we were served more prawns though. I probably wanted more 'coz I ended up not eating the Hainanese Chicken.


Not a mind-blowing experience overall, but I would want to give it another shot and try their laksa next time. We skipped on the laksa because I was gifted laksa mix, which we have yet to cook at home.

Christmas Wish #3: A brown leather bag

A brown leather bag is a classic, always a beauty, one that I don't have. And I've wanted one for the longest time. And I confess, I don't just want a brown leather bag. I want a gray shoulder bag, too, and perhaps a black tote bag as well? Please?

I can't have enough bags, in the same way that I can't have enough shoes. But my relationship with my bags is different with the one I share with my shoes. I find shoes easier to let go of, because I wear the crap out of them in no time. I end up not having any choice. As for bags, sometimes they give up on me, showing wounds and bruises. Sometimes, they stay forever. And although there are a few I haven't used for at least a year, I still could not let go.

I have separation anxiety, can you tell? But let me go back to the purpose of this post.

Christmas Wish #3: A brown leather bag

I'm not very particular with brands, just aesthetics and quality. But with most bags, simple and genius design plus great quality can be found in leading, expensive brands. What to do?

I also don't go for small bags. Perhaps bloggers, writers and photography enthusiasts really do go for large bags, with the notebooks, books, pens, electronic gadgets and cameras we like to lug around all the time. As for me, I always have a small notebook, a black pen, my mobile phone and my Panasonic Lumix LX3 on regular days. Sometimes I add an analog toy camera into the mix. I also always have an umbrella, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, eye drops, an inhaler and my keys. Imagine how much space I need! And yes, that, my bad posture and being on the computer for unbelievable hours are to blame for my horrendous back and shoulder pain.

I perused the internet for lovely bags I would like to have. I like something that has a shoulder strap and a top handle so it can be carried either way. Check out my screen shots below.

Woven Brown Leather Bag by Jimmy Choo (Source)

Brown Leather Travel Bag by Proenza Schouler (Source)

Alexa Satchel Bag by Mulberry (Source)

Brown Leather Bag on Etsy (Source)

Marcie Nubuck Leather Bag by Chloe (Source)

Handstitched Leather Bag on Etsy (Source)

Here are a few gray ones.

Handpainted Gray Bag on Etsy (Source)