Gabay Guro's 9th year continues to give tribute to our dear teachers

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Watsons' Kiss Aging Goodbye campaign helps women fight aging signs

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Plan your vacation with Singapore Airlines and MasterCard during their Midyear Travel Fair this July 2016

You can now see the world on ridiculously affordable prices as Singapore Airlines and MasterCard, together with SilkAir, the airline's sister carrier, launch the largest nationwide Mid-Year Travel Fair from July 8-31, 2016. By availing of this promotional deal, you also get a chance to win a trip to Germany or South Africa. But I am getting ahead of myself....be sure to read till the end.

Masflex celebrates 25 years in the Philippines with a wide range of cookware and kitchenware

When a brand celebrates 25 years of existence in the Philippines, you know that not only are they here to stay but that they have grown and expanded throughout the years to provide even better options for their customers.

At a recent celebration of Masflex's 25 years of cookware and kitchenware innovation in the Philippines, I feasted on the wide variety of cookware that was laid out in a long table to showcase just how much Masflex cookware and kitchenware has already evolved since its humble beginnings in 1989 when it began with chrome organizers and nonstick fry pans with wooden handles.

That day, I arrived at the event quite early. Perfect! I had a lot of time to myself to check out the different cookware collections Masflex had developed over the years as well as personally meet Nancy Reyes-Lumen, Masflex's brand ambassadress, whose name and face is very well known in the culinary industry and who, as we all know, comes from the famous Reyes clan that owns The Aristocrat restaurant. She actually approached me to say hi just before the event formally started (see why the early bird catches the worm?). :-)

With THE Nancy Reyes-Lumen

Experiencing the Watsons challenge to take the Switch Test

Question: If you could save up to 80% on body lotion, 60% on body scrub, and 55% on a hair iron, would you switch brand? 

I would likely consider it strongly. After all, as a mother with a large family and a limited budget, little savings here and there mean I can use the savings for other things or just keep it for a rainy day.

Watsons also aimed to answer this question as they conducted switch tests in major cities around the country with unbranded booths and making customers try out two products per category -- a Watsons brand and a leading competitor. So we could experience the Switch Test ourselves, they also made us go through several brand tests at a recent event.

June-July 2016 Starbucks Card Collectibles: Vivienne Tam and Scales

Two awesome, must-have Starbucks cards are available: one was released this June and another is coming in July.

Vivienne Tam Starbucks Card

The Vivienne Tam Starbucks Card
Available July 1, 2016 with initial consumable load of PhP 1,000

My comfy, foldable Butterfly Twists were perfect for an artsy walking tour afternoon

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Awesome lighting solutions with Orbik

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

BlueWater Day Spa launches new brand ambassadors as well as their Balinese Four-Hand Massage

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

The Art of Flower Arrangement with School of Styling Philippines

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Meet Ariel Power Gel -- double the stain removal power for less

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Join my Mommy Mundo Mom 24/7 2016 Planner giveaway

Coming out of my holiday hiatus, I decided to set a positive and exciting tone for 2016 by doing a blog giveaway. Yes, I don't always do this for many reasons, but I feel like starting 2016 not by taking in but by giving away something.

This giveaway is special because it will be for MOMMIES! I'm giving away my good friend Janice's 2016 planner -- the Mommy Mundo Mom 24/7 2016 planner. Yay!

Watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Gateway's new Dolby AtmosCinema

I can't think of a more perfect way to watch Episode 7 -- Star Wars: The Force Awakens than in a Dolby Atmos cinema. I got that wish when I experienced the new Gateway Dolby Atmos Cinema for the Star Wars' press screening, ahead of the December 17 worldwide screening.

Araneta Center executives at the ribbon cutting

Star Wars characters grace the occasion

Meet the latest Nescafe Dolce Gusto masterpiece

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

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.

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star DC Comics sneakers are a comic fan's dream come true!

It finally happened - a dream come true!!! Some of my fave comic characters are now featured in Converse's Chuck Taylor All Star DC Comics sneaker line! Batman, Superman, Justice League and….for the ladies….Wonder Woman!!! Yay!

The Converse store at EDSA Shangri-la mall

Dunlopillo mattresses help Moms cope with lack of sleep

Moms can relate to this -- taking care of our children and our family is a 24/7 task and many times, we lose a lot of sleep. Whether it is the demands of a breastfeeding baby, caregiving a sick kid, helping schooling kids, and attending to a million and one other things that mothers do, we know that sleep becomes a very precious commodity.

And where do we spend at least 1/3 of our lives? IN BED!!!

That means our choice of mattress is not just important. It can be life-changing!!!

At an intimate gathering of mommy friends, we met some celebrity moms -- model-turned-Mom Kelly Misa, blogger Cat Arambulo, and host/emcee Patty Laurel -- who shared their experience with their young ones and how important a choice of mattress was to help them cope with lack of sleep. Top of mind for them - Dunlopillo.

(L-R): Kelly Misa, Cat Arambulo, and Patty Laurel

Sneak Peek of the Starbucks 2016 Planners and Starbucks Cards

It's that time of the year again when Starbucks collectors await the Christmas collection. So I won't delay any further and give you a sneak peek of the 2016 Starbucks Planner, Starbucks Cards (yes, there are more this year than ever before!), and Starbucks tumblers.

The first thing you need to know even before seeing the planners is that this is the first year that Starbucks is actually tying up with partners on the planners, cards and tumblers. Unlike previous years when Starbucks collectibles were exclusively Starbucks, this time the loved brand pairs up with exciting brands to make the collectibles even more, well, collectible!

The 2016 Starbucks Planners

For the first time in the history of Starbucks planners, Starbucks pairs up with Moleskine to bring the Moleskine look to all four of their planners. Moleskine is the heir and successor to legendary notebooks used by artists and thinkers like Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Bruce Chatwin. The well-known Moleskine design is brought to Starbucks planners in a straightforward manner with lots of space for notes.

The paper is acid-free. That means it can last for decades without turning yellow with age. At the same time, each planner allows you to contribute to the advocacies of non-profit organizations such as Teach For the Philippines (TFP) and Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

For Moleskine fans, this is definitely something exciting to look forward to and it is coming November 2, 2015.

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.

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!