GRUB!: A Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant

GRUB!: A Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant

Oozing with Food Appeal. Grub! will offer this yummy burger soon.

Grub! is a new hole-in-the-wall restaurant inside the ABS-CBN Compound. I saw it on my way out after a press conference at ABS-CBN. The first thing that caught my attention is the rustic and raw feel of the facade. 

Another factor is the eye-catching quotation on the restaurant wall like "Eat what you love. Love what you eat."

Grub's door has also a quotation in it. Hmmm... I can't read it from outside. So, I went inside. It reads: If you leave here hungry, it's your fault! Well, that makes sense!

I also noticed an empty display rack. I think they'll soon sell cool Grub! merchandise like shirts and mugs. 

The Grub's way to order:

Serve yourself and grab some condiments here:

The staff shirts are cute! 

Customers could leave their own quotations or comments on the blackboard at the right side of the restaurant.

So Cute!

I was surprised with the fashionable "rustic" interiors of Grub!. It's designer is very artistic.  No wonder, the place is almost full even if it is pretty new.

 Grub! is inside ABS-CBN compound.

For my food trip at grub! please click here: http://yummy-tales.blogspot.com/2013/08/grub-oozing-with-food-appeal.html

China Visa Requirements: For First Time China Tourist

China Visa Requirements: For First Time China Tourist 

Listed below are China Tourist Visa's Basic Requirements For Philippines Passport Holders who will pay for their own expenses:

1. Duly filled-up Application Form. Must be neat. Avoid erasures.

2. One piece recent 2 x 2 or passport size colored photo, with white background, front view full face and wearing no hat. Glued on the form. Do not stapled/clipped/taped.

3. Passport with blank pages and valid for at least 6 months before the tour.

4. Photocopy of passport's information page and emergency contact page.

5. Original NBI clearance valid for travel abroad.

6. For those working in NGO, religious organization, media, entertainment industry, seafarers, vessel crew, you need to execute and submit a personal Guarantee Letter plus another Guarantee Letter from your company/employer. Both letters must state that the applicant will not conduct any task related to his profession, that the trip is for tourism purpose only, and that he will fully abide by the law of the Chinese government.

7. For First Time Applicants and for those who have sponsors, submit additional requirements.

Note: First Time Applicants are those who have no China Visa Sticker and Immigration stamps. Applicants with China Visa but no immigration stamps are considered first-time applicants

8. Personal appearance for first-time applicants is required for applicants 16 years old to 21 years old.

9. Other documents required by the Visa Officer if necessary.

Additional Requirements for First-Time Applicants- If a company will sponsor the trip, provide the company's bank certificate, sponsorship letter from the company and the company's business registration. 

- If an individual will sponsor the trip, provide his bank certificate, sponsorship and invitation letter, copy of sponsor's valid residence visa and passport information page or Chinese national ID.

If applicant will pay for his own expenses:

1. Latest ITR with BIR-received stamp and issued for the last taxable year (Original and Photocopy)
2. Original Bank Certificate with Official Receipt / Debit Memo. Acceptable accounts are Savings and Current account from commercial or rural bank and should be opened at least 6 months prior to applying for visa. The account should have a Average Daily Balance(ADB) and Current Balance of at least PHP100,000 per applicant, 18 years old and above

Bank Certificate should include:
- with check write
- account opening date
- type of account
- average daily balance
- to-date current balance

In addition to the Bank Certificate:
- Statement of accounts detailing the transactions for 6 months or
- Passbook detailing the transactions for 6 months

3. Invitation letter from China
An invitation for Tourist should be issued by Authorized Travel Agency or from other institutions and individuals

Authorized Travel Agency:
a) Tourism Administration Bureau of Chinese Province, Autonomous Region or Municipality Directly under Central Government
b) CITS Group Corp, CITS Head Office, CTS Head Office, CYTS etc.

Note: For those who have an invitation letter for tourist issued by Authorized Travel Agency in China, you do not need to submit the following requirements:

1.  ITR with BIR received stamp
2.  Bank certificate and statement

4. If you cannot provide the invitation letter, submit round trip airline ticket and hotel reservation.

5. A.) For employed persons, also provide the following:

• employment certificate
• company ID
• SSS ID 
• SSS contributions
• TIN ID
• latest ITR

    B.) For businessmen, provide the following:

• business registration of company
• TIN ID 
• latest ITR

    C.) For students: Provide Valid school ID

CHINA VISA: Where to Apply

The Embassy in Manila	Address of Consular Office: 2nd & 3rd Floor, the World Center, 330 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City, Metro Manila
The Consulate in Cebu	Address: Cebu Fil-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade Building, Don Julio Llorente Street, Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City 6000  Consular Districts: 11 provinces on the Visayas islands of the Philippines including Siquijor, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Iloilo, Negros oriental, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu
The Consulate in Laoag	Address: No.216 National Highway, Brgy 1, San Francisco, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte 2901 Consular Districts: Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 1 and Region 2
Fees	Fee for Regular Service, Express Service, Rush Service

VIDEO: PNoy Agrees to Abolish Pork Barrel

VIDEO: PNoy Agrees to Abolish Pork Barrel

Source: Remate.ph

President Benigno Aquino III preempted the nationwide “Million People March" protest rally scheduled on Monday (August 26, 2013) against the graft-tainted pork barrel funds and yielded to public pressure and announced today, Friday, August 23, 2013,  that he now agrees to scrap the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), a 360-degree turnaround from his statement last Monday that pork barrel has its good uses and must not be abolished.

In his speech, Pnoy directed the Department of Justice and other agencies under the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council to investigate, prosecute and jail those who pocketed public funds and to seize their ill-gotten wealth.

Ben Affleck is the next Batman aka Bruce Wayne

Ben Affleck is the next Batman aka Bruce Wayne

Warner Bros Pictures announced Thursday, Aug 22 (Friday, Aug 23 in Manila) that Ben Affleck will replace Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in the upcoming untitled Batman-Superman feature for Warner Bros set to open worldwide on July 17, 2015.
Affleck will star alongside Henry Cavill, who will reprise his role as Superman/Clark Kent, in the still-unnamed sequel to 2013's "Man of Steel."

"Affleck and filmmaker Zack Snyder will create an entirely new incarnation of the character in Snyder’s as-yet-untitled project—bringing Batman and Superman together for the first time on the big screen and continuing the director’s vision of their universe, which he established in 'Man of Steel,'" 

"We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character," Greg Silverman, President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production for Warner Brothers, was quoted as saying.

Snyder also expressed his excitement about the casting of Affleck, noting, “Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

Kroll added, “We are so thrilled that Ben is continuing Warner Bros.’ remarkable legacy with the character of Batman. He is a tremendously gifted actor who will make this role his own in this already much-anticipated pairing of these two beloved heroes.”
The new Super Hero film is being scripted by David S. Goyer from a story he co-created with Zack Snyder. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan and Wesley Coller serving as executive producers. Production is expected to begin in 2014.

The film is based on Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and Batman characters created by Bob Kane, published by DC Entertainment. 

#BetterBatmanThanBenAffleck,  Ben Affleck as Batman

Is Ben Affleck the Right Choice for Batman?

DAIANA MENEZES: Uno Cover Girl September 2013

DAIANA MENEZES: Uno Cover Girl September 2013

Controversial Brazilian Model, actress,TV host Daiana Menezes posed naked on the September 2013 cover of UNO Magazine.

Menezes wears nothing but a black necktie to cover her left breast in the cover image shot by fashion photographer Xander Angeles. The cover line reads: “Brazilipina Bares Her Soul. Daiana Menezes in her sexiest pictorial ever!”

The person using Arianna Tiangco Twitter Account is a Poser!

The person using Arianna Tiangco Twitter Account is a Poser!

Yesterday, a certain Arianna Tiangco got the ire of the public amidst tropical storm Maring by tweeting nasty comments about the Philippines and its people.

In defense of the Filipino people and the Philippines, netizens tweeted back nasty things to the Twitter account of Arianna Tiangco, who turned out to be a poser. The true owner of the picture is Marnelle (xmarneyy) who happens to be a Filipina living in Dublin, Ireland. Her pictures appear to have been stolen by someone and is being used as a profile picture for the Twitter account of a certain Arianna Tiangco.

All this time, Pinoy netizens have been worrying about and cussing Arianna Tiangco who turned out to be just a fictional character. 

Let us all move on. Let us all help and pray for the Philippines. Stay safe and dry. God bless us all.

XIN TIAN DI MANILA: New Heaven on Earth Dimsum Buffet

XIN TIAN DI MANILA: New Heaven on Earth Dimsum Buffet 

Xin Tian Di Manila is Crowne Plaza Galleria Hotel's resident Chinese restaurant and it offers unlimited dimsum buffet. Located at the 4th level of Crowne Plaza Galleria Hotel.

It prides itself to being able to cater to the most discriminating and fastidious Asian palates in all of us. Oh, please don't get me wrong. Its dimsum buffet is not only confined to dimsum alone, it also has basic staples like everybody's favorite Yang Chow Fried Rice, wanton beef noodle soup, congee and a lot more. Well, correct me if I am wrong, I think the only missing parts are the fruits and salads.

Passing by the hallway of Crowne Plaza Galleria Hotel, we saw this wall advertisement labeled Tempting Tuesdays. 

This surely made me want to try its unlimited dimsum.  It got me and my brother really curious. Well, if I remember it right, the first time I encountered the word Xin Tian Di was when I was in Shanghai, China, where I proceeded to Xintiandi after visiting The Bund. In Shanghai, Xintiandi is a trendy car-free district, lined with bars, restaurants and world-class shops and boutiques, housed in renovated traditional Shanghai-style lane houses (shikumen) featuring a unique blend of European and Chinese design.

Xin Tian Di (Chinese: 新天地; pinyin: Xīntiāndì) literally means "New Heaven and Earth".

As I walk through the restaurant's front door, I got this feeling of nostalgia. It makes me think about my food adventures in China. The place is really nice and fancy as one would expect from a hotel’s restaurant. 

The staff are very courteous and accommodating. Plus, they're always smiling. That's truly a service with a smile.

Upon entering the restaurant, you will be ushered in to your table.

We walked past the restaurant's wine selections on the right side.

Here, guests could choose their favorite magazines and Chinese newspapers. They can read while waiting for their order.

The decors and figurines are really nice. 

The round tables have ample space between them. You won't feel crowded at all. 

The booths have high backs and almost feel private.

For our food photos and review please click here!

My Birthday celebration. Please click here.

2013 Miss World-Philippines Winner: Megan Lynne Young

2013 Miss World-Philippines Winner: Megan Lynne Young

Candidate #20, Actress Megan Young, 23, from Olongapo City, was named the 2013 Miss World-Philippines during the pageant coronation night on Sunday, August 18, 2013.

Congratulations Megan Young Miss World Philippines ‪#‎MWP2013‬ ‪#‎MeganMW2013‬ ‪#‎MissWorldPH2013‬

Megan Young will represent the country in the upcoming Ms. World 2013 pageant to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 28, 2013.

The heavy favorite, 23-year-old actress-turned-beauty queen, who bested 24 other contestants for the coveted title, also won special awards during the pageant such as:

1.  Best in Fashion Runway: Megan Young

2.  Miss Sports by FILA: Megan Young
3.  Miss Olay: Megan Young
4.  Miss Reducin: Megan Young
5.  Miss Laguna: Megan Young
6.  Miss Bold and Glamorous by Revlon: Megan Young
7.  Miss Bench Body: Megan Young
8.  Miss Figlia: Megan Young

Other Special and Sponsored Award Winners are:

1.  Best in Talent: Samantha Mae Bernardo
2.  Best in Gown: Bianca Paz
3.  Best in Swimwear: Janicel Lubina
4.  Miss Friendship: Zahra Bianca Saldua

5.  Miss Novu Hair: Patricia Ejercitado
6.  Miss Redux Fat: Bianca Paz
7.  Miss Pantene: Zahra Saldua
8.  Miss Photogenic: Janicel Lubina

1st princess-        Janicel Lubina
2nd princess-       Zahra Bianca Saldua
3rd princess -       Paula Bianca Paz 
4th princess -       Omarie Linn Osuna

Megan Young shared that she’s aiming to take the crown at the international Ms. World pageant.

“I wanna prove to them that well, of course, my goal there is to win it,” she said.

Since the franchise’s separation of the Ms. World-Philippines title from the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc., Megan is the third holder which handles the Philippine representation to the Ms. Universe pageant.

The actress will follow the footsteps of 2011 Ms. World first runner-up Gwendoline Ruais and 2012 Ms. World top 15 contender Queenierich Rehman.