Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge

We felt so lucky that we were one of the lucky ones that were chosen to dine in at the famous Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge at the Fort.

I first heard about Relik last year when Ping Lacsons' son Jeric posted a picture of Angel Locsin and Phil Younghusband attending a halloween party at Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge on his tweeter account.

The rustic feel is undeniable when you enter the door of Relik. An old "baul" is smack right there at the entrance.

Relik's brick walls and dim lights relaxes me.

 

This cool vintage fan adds character to the warm ambiance of the place.

I so love this wall light.

 

 
Antique pieces such as Antique pieces, such as old radios, old-school turntables and old manual typewriters, are strewn all over the place.

 

The place is very cozy.

 

 An old manual typewriter memorabilia.

Even the toilet's door has its own character.

 

My new found friends.

 

Baked Australian Brie  I so love  this! I swear you'll drool when you taste this!

This is one of the best Paella I've ever tasted. Relik don't use kasubha they use genuine ingredients only.

Yummy Beef Salpicao

Pork Sisig

 The food was sumptuous. A must try!

Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge

Bonifacio Global City

2nd Level, Commercenter Bldg.

31st Avenue corner 4th St., Bonifacio Global City

Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

Phone Number

(+63 917) 811-8472, (+63 917) 529-8333

Operating Hours

Monday to Friday - 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM | 5:00 PM onwards

Saturday to Sunday - 5:00 PM onwards

Weekend Food Adventure at Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill for only Php 600

The Weekend Food Adventure at Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill

Excited for the weekend? Well, you should be! 'Coz it's Food Adventure at Venice Piazza every Saturday and Sunday up to March 31, 2012! 

Taste the flavors of 14 restaurants for ONLY P600! Are you game?

Food Adventure Passports are available at the Venice Piazza atrium (G/f) and Eastwood Mall Concierge(G/f)

1. Food Adventure at Venice Piazza is open to all Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill customers.

2. Food Adventure at Venice Piazza will be on all Saturdays and Sundays starting January 7 to March 31, 2012 (January 7,8,14,15,21,22,28,29 --February 4,5,11,12,18,19,25,26 -- March 3,4,10,11,17,18,24,25 and 31 of 2012) from 4:00PM to 9:00PM only.

3. Food Adventure samplers can be availed strictly on one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) only. If the customer availed the passport on a Sunday, samplers can be availed on that day and the following Saturday only. No food adventurers will be accommodated once they've exceeded the one weekend free samplers.

4.For every Food Adventure passport worth Php 600, customers can sample the best sellers of Venice Piazza’s finest restaurants during the abovementioned time (strictly no refund).

5.Passport holders are entitled to pick 1 of the two from a participating restaurant’s dish. For example, choose one between KBOP’s Chapchae or Seafood and Vegetable Pancake dishes.

6. The Food Adventure passport is good for one person only. It can be transferred to another person but not on the same day. Sharing of the Food Adventure featured dish is not allowed.

7. The Food Adventure booth will provide wristbands for control purposes. Food Adventurers cannot avail the food samplers if they do not have wrist bands and / or passport.

8.The Food Adventure can only accommodate 300 passport holders every week.

9. Food Adventurers are encouraged to go to a restaurant that has an available seat for the passport holders. This is to avoid trafficking in each restaurant and to finish the food adventure swiftly.

10. This promo is valid for dine-in customers only. Take-out food is strictly prohibited.

11. Below are the participating restaurants:

a.      Blackwood Bistro

b.      Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

c.      Empire Deli & Restaurant

d.      Figaro

e.      KBOP

f.       Kuse

g.      Little Asia Symphony of Flavors

h.      Old Vine Grille

i.       Pinchos Restaurant & Bar

j.       Pho Hoa

k.      Ramen Bar

l.       Red Crab Alimango House

m.     Sol Gelato

n.      Yo Swirls by BTIC

12.  All Food Adventure participants will be seated on a first come first served basis, based on seating availability of the participating restaurant.

13.  Food Adventurers are free to try the samplers of all participating restaurants in no particular order.  (The Food Adventure passport is valid for a per restaurant basis.) No Food Adventure dish  can be availed in other restaurants while dining in another participating restaurant.

14. Passport holders can also avail of all the discounts and premiums offered by all participating restaurants only once per store on all weekends and weekdays of January 7 to March 31, 2012.

15. Customers must present their passport to the participating restaurants to avail of discounts and premiums and must be stamped or signed by the store’s authorized personnel in order to avoid re-usage.                                   

16. This promotion is not valid in conjunction with existing discounts and promos of the participating restaurants.

17. The Food Adventure passports will be available at the selling booth located at the ground floor of Venice Piazza and the Eastwood Mall Concierge from 11:00AM – 10:00 PM every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Per DTI-NCR Permit No. A2-0911. Series of 2011

Time Deposits vs. Regular Savings Account

Money doesn't grow on trees, so it's wise to know the best ways to make it earn.

One investment option to earn interest is through a time deposit also known as term deposits. Generally they have:

•   fixed term for several months or year/s
•   the minimum amount is dependent on your bank. 
•   Generally, the amount cannot be withdrawn until due date, but most banks allow for early termination with penalty. 
•   The longer the term the better the yield for your money.

Banks are generally the one who accepts time deposit. By leaving your money to the bank you are actually lending your money to the bank. When you lend to somebody, you want to make sure that you will be repaid. The safety of your deposit is dependent on the bank that you choose. Choose a reputable bank with a good operating history. The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation or PDIC insure up to Php 500,000 deposits per account. Make sure you keep your documents in a safe place.


A time deposit definitely earns higher than a savings deposit because a savings deposit hardly earns anything. If you are young, you can keep a part of your money in time deposit but you must also learn about the other options available that can give you a better yield than a time deposit. If you are senior and retired, it is best to keep your savings in a safe investment and a time deposit from a reputable bank.

The type of investment you should choose is dependent on your personal financial situation. You should make your Personal Statement of Assets and Liabilities, similar to the SALN that everybody is now talking about because of the Corona Impeachment Trial that is going on. When you have your Statement of Assets and Liabilities, you can have a better understanding of your objectives for your investment. 

Some questions you should answer are:

• How old are you? 
• How much do you have now? 
• What are your objectives for your investment? 
• What period of time do you think you have before you need the money? 

You should always prepare for your retirement with a specific plan. One formula you should remember is: The higher the interest, the higher the risk and vice versa.

Rogin-E Last Man/ Woman Running 2

Rogin-E Last Man Running 2 will be held on March 24, 2012. The event will be divided into 3 categories:

• 5+2K Race 
• 10+4K Race
• Rogin-E’s Last Man Running (LMR), a 7-hour marathon.

Rogin-E Last Man/ Woman Running 2  will be held in Bonifacio Global City on Saturday, March 24, 2012.

Category	Registration Fee	Inclusions
5+2K	₱600	Singlet, timing chip, race bib, and meal stub
10+4K	₱800
LMR	₱1,200

You may register online at www.roginelmr.com or at the following sites:

• Olympic Village
  • Trinoma
  • Alabang Town Center
  • Robinson’s Pioneer
  • Robinson’s Ermita
• R.O.X.
  • Bonifacio High Street

Notes:

• Walk-in participants are also welcome to register on the day of the event, provided they register at least one hour before gun start of their chosen race category.
• There will be water aid stations every 2k along the race route.
• Portalets will be stationed along the race course.

5+2K / 10+4K

• For the 5+2K and 10+4K legs, runners can stop at the 5K/10K mark, but they can also take on the challenge of a further 2K/4K.

 

5+2K / 10+4K Singlet

Last Man/ Woman Running

• LMR runners must maintain the nominated pace per hour, as guided by the Rogin- E pacers. Runners who fail to maintain the minimum pace will be swept off the course by roving or stationed race marshals.
• At no time during the run are LMR runners allowed to stop, except for the following cases: lavatory break, to hyrdrate at hydration stations, to eat at carboloading stations, sponge bath, or to fix running gear.  They MUST rejoin the RUNNING GROUP and maintain the current nominated pace.  Any other reason for stopping will subject the LMR contender to disqualification.
• LMR Runners may withdraw from the race at any time during the 7-hour period.  Upon withdrawal, all colored strings given during his/her participation in the run will be collected by the nearest race marshal.  Likewise, all runners who were swept off by race marshals must surrender their strings.
• The organizers of LMR and its appointed race officials reserve the right to declare any LMR contender unfit to continue with the run upon recommendation of the race medical team.
• Carboloading stations, located 5K apart will open after the third hour of the race.
• Cold sponge stations will be available after the fifth hour.
• At exactly 7 hours after gun start, all race marshals will simultaneously blow their whistles to signal the end of the endurance race.  All participants of LMR who are still in competition will be assisted right away by the most proximate race marshal.  His/her race bib number and exact location (from the nearest distance marker) will then be recorded and subsequently submitted to the chief race judge to determine LMR and LWR winners.

 

     

LMR Singlet

• Rogin- E’s Last Man Running will be capped at about 7 hours.  One lap is approximately 10K.
• Those who wish to register for LMR must submit (in addition to the other requirements) proof of participation in a full marathon (42.195km or longer) within 6 months prior to LMR, OR a medical certificate from a physician indicating participant’s fitness to participate in such a competition.
• Participants must check in 30 minutes before gun start.  Those who fail to check in will be disqualified.
• All LMR participants will be given two race bibs with identical numbers.  These must be pinned at the front and back of the runner’s singlet.
• The male and female runners who sustain the nominated pace throughout the marathon and run the furthest distance will be declared as the Last Man and Woman Running.
• In case there are no more runners during the 7th hour, the male and female runners who stopped running last will be declared as the LMR and LWR.  Runners should sustain the nominated pace throughout the race to be qualified.
• There will be markers every 100m along the perimeter of the route to help runners determine the distance they’ve ran.
• All LMR participants will be handed colored strings for every hour they successfully complete.
• ALL LMR participants must maintain the nominated pace:

Hour	Time	Pace/km	Distance
1st	2AM – 3AM	7:30	8K
2nd	3AM – 4AM	6:00	10K
3rd	4AM – 5AM	5:00	12K
4th	5AM – 6AM	4:30	13K
5th	6AM – 7AM	7:30	8K
6th	7AM – 8AM	6:00	10K
7th	8AM – 9AM	Runner’s own pace terminating at the finish line

The Last Man Running will be awarded a trip to Beijing, China and entry to the Great Wall Marathon worth ₱150,000.  

The Last Woman Running will receive a cash award of ₱20,000.

For more information about this event, visit roginelmr.com.

PIFBEX ACCIDENTAL BARTENDERS AT PIFBEX COCKTAIL MIXING COMPETITION

We all love trade shows! Trade shows are very educational and present opportunities for significant professional connections. Yes siree, whether you go as an individual or as a family, trade shows can be very entertaining as well as very educational both for you and your kids. Trade shows can be attended just for pleasure or for business reasons, or as a combination of business and pleasure. People of all ages enjoy the fair-like atmosphere, and getting free samples of various products. 

 

I especially like the free taste test portion of trade shows hi hi! Well, whether you admit it or not, you do too! right? :-p! Trade shows are also a great place to meet new people and exchange ideas.

When I went to the 5th edition of the PIFBEX in PICC on its last day last Sunday, March 4, 2012. I bumped into my blogger friend Lloyd and his other blogger friends Dan and Joshua. We decided to scout every nook and corner of the event together.

We were walking along the aisle when suddenly we were stopped by the organizers. They asked me if my companions were my students. Whew, ma'am na ako ay! Ehem, mga anak ko po sila. Toink. I told you Kuya, I really have to dye my hair so people would not mistaken me to be that old =)). Hu hu calling the attention of Dr. Vicky Belo pakita mo po sa kanila kaya mo ako e transform. Hmp! Porque mataba ako e napapagkamalan na nila ako:(

Anyway to make the story short, Dan and Joshua were enlisted as contestants to the Cocktail Mixing Competition upon my prodding (and Lloyd too). With barely two hours to prepare before the contest. They scampered off excitedly for ingredients and other beverage to be mix with the alcohol.

With no bartending background, no preparation, no glasses, no uniform, no everything. This two talented boy scouts "Laging Handa"Joshua and Dan finish the contest with flying colors! I salute you guys! Wooooooooooooot Galeng! Bloggers turned Accidental Bartenders! Always remember it is not winning the game that matters but being in the game!

The Pifbex accidental bartenders was totally adorable.

"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. ~Soren Kierkegaard"

Accidental Bartenders creates Accidental Deliciousness! O ha!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain quotes

Dan and Joshua during the PIFBEX Cocktail Mixing Competition.

Just Do It - Nike

Joshua preparing a tasty beverage. I think being an accidental bartender is what they do best. I admire this two! For me they have an outstanding performance. Imagine walang preparation saan ka pa!

Sometimes it is the little things that can make the difference between a great cocktail, a mediocre one and one that gets spit into the sink. 

The admirable Joshua and Dan place third in the PIFBEX Cocktail-mixing Competition.

 This year PIFBEX Cocktail Mixing competition has the theme “Freeze The Summer".

 Congratulations to Joshua and Dan!

 
The Accidental Bartenders Joshua and Dan with the bloggers.

HAPI EVENT

Last Saturday, March 10, 2012, I attended Expo Kid 4 at Rockwell Tent where HAPI (Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands) shared the wonderful benefits of homeschooling with parents.

You see, I grew up in a normal environment and went to a normal school that's why I was really curious about how they homeschool kids. 

What is homeschooling?  

According to HAPI (Homeschooling Association of the Philippine Islands), homeschooling is D.I.Y education at its best. Homeschooling brings a customized educational experience at home, one where the parents decide to fully take charge of teaching their children.

 HAPI shared to everyone the five TOOLS needed for a successful do-it-yourself education.

1. The RULER represents the learning context.  Homeschoolers can choose the homeschool provider that best fits their family or can opt to be independent of one.  Whatever they choose, there should be Dep Ed supervision.
2. The HAMMER represents the learning content or the curriculum.  This can be customized as there is a wide range of curricula and textbooks to choose from.
3. The SANDPAPER represents enrichment activities that hone the talent and skills of the homeschooler.  Homeschoolers can enrol their children in music, arts, or sports programs to best utilize their God-given talents.
4. The SHARPENING STEEL represents the support group where like-minded and helpful parents share parenting ideas and homeschool help.  The H.O.M.E. Library is one such group that provides encouragement to those who are homeschooling.
5. The PLUMB LINE represents the purpose which shall guide the family throughout their homeschooling journey. This is the most important tool for all and you, as a parent, must define a clear purpose before you embark on the homeschooling journey.

The PRODUCTS of successful homeschooling also shared their experiences and why they choose to homeschool as well. 

Louise Mabulo, a finalist in the first Junior Masterchef, shared how difficult it was for her to adjust to the local culture when her family moved to Camarines Sur.  The language barrier left her isolated from her classmates and caused her grades to drop. Things changed for the better when they started homeschooling through TMA.  Homeschooling has enabled her to pursue her dream of becoming a young chef and has allowed her to meet respected politicians and statesmen.

Paul Tan-Chi, the captain of the Ateneo Blue Eagles before graduating Cum Laude, is also an exceptional example of how successful homeschoolers turn out to be.  He credits his success to the values his parents inculcated in him at a very young age. He remembers being told to “Do your best in everything you do for God’s glory” and to this day, he always asks himself before making decisions, “What will bring glory and honor to God?”

 

In the Philippines, parents are considered the builders of a strong family foundation. So as parents you must lay the values system of your children. This is not an easy task, parents need all the support they can get. That is what HAPI D.I.Y. Homeschooling is trying to attain, to help parents bring out the best in their children. Yes siree to let their children achieve their full potential.

The kids who performed on stage that day are currently enrolled in the homeschooling program and I even saw a child who keeps on studying at the table where his mom is distributing pamphlet for the Home Schooling program. This can be a good alternative to regular school. They're not shy as opposed to the usual notion of parents that homeschooled kids are socially challenge individuals.

 

It is about time that parents takes this program into consideration.

You may be surprised at the list of famous personalities taught and schooled through homeschooling:

• Best-selling author Christopher Paolini
• NFL quarterback Tim Tebow
• Tennis Champ Serena Williams
• NASCAR racer Joey Logano
• George Washington
• Benjamin Franklin
• Thomas Edison
• Albert Einstein
• Gen. Douglas MacArthur
• C.S. Lewis
• Pearl S. Buck
• Florence Nightingale

If you’re interested about homeschooling, there’s an upcoming Philippine Homeschool Conference happening on May 19, 2012 with Bo Sanchez as one of the speakers.  It is a huge event and HAPI likes to invite everybody interested in homeschooling to come, discover, learn and be enlightened.

For more information, please visit  www.hapihomeschooler.com or get in touch with them via email @ hapihomeschooler@gmail.com.