Baskin-Robbins brings scooping happiness to Bonifacio High Street

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Tea lovers, get ready for Starbucks Teavana!

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Authentic Vietnamese casual dining at Annam Noodle Bar

The portal to a Vietnamese casual dining experience is in Metro Manila. Located in the Eastwood area, Annam Noodle Bar (Annam, for short) is right in the hustle and bustle of the residential and commercial area.

McCormick introduces its noodle and seasoning mixes

Every time I hear the word "McCormick", what comes to my mind are the rows upon rows of green spice bottles in the supermarket and in our kitchen. We grew up with McCormick's different spices which my Mom always bought. So.....being invited to a McCormick event got me excited....

Yes!!! McCormick launched a new product (and it wasn't a new spice!). Can you guess what?

An intimate lunch with Mega Creations Premium Sardines

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Starbucks' 2016 Summer Offerings are Here!

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Cebu's Choobi Choobi comes to Manila!

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The Starbucks Art of Macchiato + new Starbucks cards

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Meet the latest Nescafe Dolce Gusto masterpiece

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Homemade layered coffee is now easy with Nescafe Red Mug Machine

Most of the time, when I'm in a cafe, I order cappuccino or a latte. I love the froth and the creamy mix of the coffee. At home, however, I almost always have to make do with 3-in-1 coffee because I do not know how to replicate the cappuccino or latte.

Not anymore!!!

I have my very own Nescafe Red Mug Machine that now allows me to prepare my very own, homemade foamy cappuccino, layered Latte, and more!!! I can make myself a Mocha, an Americano, and create other coffee creations using soluble coffee and Nescafe's Coffee-Mate, of course.

Wellness goodness from Mott's Apple Juice

In an attempt to keep making healthy choices, I consciously try to stay away from artificial beverages. This means ordering fresh fruit juices most of the time instead of powdered drinks or carbonated beverages.

And yet, when it came to fresh fruit juices, I always had this image of fresh fruits being blended right there and then. I never really thought of real fruit as coming from a bottle. But then, I got invited to the Mott's Apple Juice event and my good friend, Janice Villanueva, founder of Mommy Mundo, happened to be its brand ambassador. Of course, I know and trust Janice's good judgment and know that all she wants for her family is the best by making her own healthy choices.

My mommy blogger friends with Janice Villanueva (in yellow)

Knorr's Lutong Nanay Nutrition Program helps moms prepare more nutritious food for their families

There are at least 5 million malnourished children in the Philippines. 

That was a statistic from the Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the DOST. Considering we are a population of about 100 million people, that is a scary 5% of the population that is not getting enough of the right nutrition. With children, malnutrition is especially critical because their brains and bodies are still developing and to lack the proper nutrients at this stage means they miss a very crucial window in their lives to develop to their full potential.

So it was quite inspiring to find out that Knorr was launching a Lutong Nanay Nutrition Program that aimed to make nutritious meals accessible for every child. The program is a 3-step model of Feed Teach and Make It Last.

Arla: Natural Dairy Goodness for Filipino Homes

Arla Foods from Denmark recently brought their Arla dairy products to Asia, specifically to the Philippines.  So…you may think…what's different about these dairy products? After talking to some of Arla's executives, learning about the unique way they process their dairy products, and finding out how they care for the farmers (and even the cows!!!), discriminating buyers like you and me will probably want to check them out. Read on...

Starbucks' Autumn Dash of Adventure brings new beverages, food items and an awesome Starbucks Card

Autumn is a time of change as leaves start falling in preparation for winter and eventual rebirth in spring. This is also the time when Starbucks comes out with its autumn offerings and hold your breath because here are their adventurous offerings for beverages, food items and a really awesome Starbucks Card that you should collect.

The Starbucks Anniversary Collection

The very first Starbucks opened in 1971, 44 years ago. In celebration of its anniversary, Starbucks launched several items as an anniversary celebration.

Below is the Starbucks Anniversary Blend created in 1996 to commemorate Starbucks' 25th anniversary. Paired nicely with it is the bronze and silver Starbucks tumbler.

The Earth Kitchen is now in Bonifacio Global City!!!

After two fruitful years in the White Plains area, Earth Kitchen is opening its second branch in Bonifacio Global City! Located at the Bonifacio High Street area, a vibrant and busy district, surrounded by yoga and fitness studios and teeming with office employees and BGC residents, Earth Kitchen offers farm-to-table delicious and healthy menu items.

Among the restaurants in that area that I had tried, Earth Kitchen was different in that it readily brought the rural into the urban setting with such perfect blending.

Enjoying the Art of Taking Time with Swift Premium Corned Beef and Hand Lettering

The company of friends. A sumptuous, specially-designed Spanish dinner menu by Chef Chin Gallegos of Pio's Kitchen. Intimate, hand lettering session with popular hand-letterer Abbey Sy. All these were served up to us in one evening by Swift Premium.

Pio's Kitchen, located at Sct. Reyes corner Sct. Fuentabella (in front of Piagetian Learning Center) looks like one of the residential houses in the vicinity. But unknown to many of us, it had been turned into a private restaurant by the Gallegos couple, with Chef Chin holding intimate events here by arrangement.

What it was like to make a Yellow Cab Dear Darla pizza + an extended promo from Citi Credit Cards

I can now say that I have prepared my very own Yellow Cab Dear Darla pizza!!!

It's true! One of our family's favorite pizza brands, Yellow Cab, gave me this chance. They made me don an apron, wear a hair net, put on gloves, and make my own healthy Dear Darla pizza!

Introducing…a rebranded My Starbucks Rewards, new Starbucks cards, and lots of promos!

The second half of 2015 is starting off with a lot of new and exciting stuff from Starbucks. Hold your breath because July 28, 2015 is when they introduce a whole range of new items - a rebranded My Starbucks Rewards program, 4 new Starbucks cards (including the second Pilipinas commemorative card, and a slew of promos that go with the launch.

Whew! Let's get to them one at a time. Read all the way down to see all the promos waiting for you!

UK's Costa Coffee is here in the Philippines!

Dispel the myth. Londoners do not just drink tea. They love coffee as well.

Last week, I got a chance to experience what UK's #1 coffee is all about as Costa Coffee made us experience it firsthand during their soft launch for bloggers.

The first ever Costa Coffee store is at Eastwood Citywalk 1, near the Activity Center. That's not too far from me. They will be opening up 4 more stores very soon -- Robinsons Ermita, Tera Towers, Bonifacio Global City, and Robinsons Antipolo.

Magnum Manila's pop-up store says goodbye with a brand new menu

You know that feeling when something you know is bound to come to an end actually comes to an end?

It was a day of mixed emotions for all of us at the media event. We recalled how, just over a year ago, we were in this same place celebrating the opening of Magnum Manila's pop-up store, enjoying the menu prepared for us by Chef Him Uy de Baron as well as the chocolate creations by award-winning pastry chef Miko Aspiras. And now this same group gathered once more to bid goodbye to Magnum Manila as it prepares to close its doors on July 26, 2015.

Magnum logo made from pop sticks

Read my post last year on Magnum Manila's opening.