HOW TO COMMUTE TO U.P. TOWN CENTER

HOW TO COMMUTE TO U.P. TOWN CENTER

Hooray! There is a new mall in town! The problem in trying to visit a new mall is that even if you "google" how to go to the new mall named "U.P. Town Center" you'll get minimal search result.

As a public service, I decided to commute so I could share to you how to go to U.P. Town Center which is located along Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. 

It is named after U.P. because the land where it stands is being leased from the University of the Philippines (U.P.) by Ayala Land Inc., the developer of U.P. Town Center.

If you're coming from TriNoma or SM North Edsa in Quezon City:

• Look for and ride the jeepney with "U.P. Diliman" signage. Fare is only Php11.00.
• Alight at the first jeepney stop right after The Oblation at U.P. Diliman. 
• Ride another jeepney with the "Katipunan" signage. Fare is only Php8.00.
• Along Katipunan Avenue, alight in front of the pedestrian overpass which is just several meters away from U.P. Town Center. Cross the pedestrian overpass and walk towards U.P. Town Center.

I walked because you can never buy exercise. Ha ha ha! Enjoy! Take extra care when going up and down the stairs of the pedestrian overpass.

U.P. TOWN CENTER: A One-Stop Food Haven

U.P. TOWN CENTER: A One-Stop Food Haven

U.P. Town Center gives you great cuisine combined with cozy and fun ambiance. Strategically located within the 7.4-hectare U.P. Diliman East Campus property along Katipunan Avenue, the U.P. Town Center is Ayala Malls’ newest development that has both retail and office components, with emphasis on academic support facilities especially designed to promote a close collaboration with the academe.

U.P. Town Center is a haven for students, professors and young professionals who want to unwind after a stressful day at the campus. Experience a fresh take on dining concepts in a relaxing indoor-and-outdoor environment perfect for bonding and nurturing relationships.

Recently, I was invited to an exclusive press tour dubbed as “food crawl” at the U.P. Town Center, “a one-stop destination for exciting dining outlets." Of the 28 merchants in the first phase of this newly opened Ayala Mall along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, 26 are restaurants. 

We were supposed to sample the dishes and drinks offered by 11 of these food establishments with different concepts within one day. But due to time constraints and full stomach, we were not able to visit all of the 11 restaurants assigned to us that day.

American’s favorite food has never been this good with 8 Cuts Burger Blends. 8 Cuts brings a new level of fun to the art of handcrafted burgers, along with chef-prepared sides, starters and salads made in-house daily. Its name is a reference to the eight cuts of beef used in the blends— chuck, rib eye, short rib, sirloin, brisket, hanger, flank and ox tail. All patties are made in-house from 100% pure U.S. beef.

You’ll never go wrong dining in The Primary Kitchen Bar. It is a modern Mediterranean bar restaurant which serves food with predominant Spanish, Italian and Greek flavors, and an exquisite list of Latin and other standard cocktail mixes. The Primary Kitchen Bar also serves an eminent choice of local, premium, imported beers and spirits. Aside from the sumptuous array of foods they offer, you’ll also fall in love with the bar’s signature drinks combined with the fantastic customer service of their employees. Thumbs up indeed!

Conceptualized from New York and inspired by the TV series Mad Men is Liberty New York Steak House. Liberty makes different types of steaks such as the Flank steak, US Rib Eye, Porterhouse, and Swiss Steak. It also offers side dishes, from roasted summer vegetables to cheddar and bacon or spam potatoes. Also included in their menu are healthy and diet-ready salads with Calamari, other seafood, steak or chicken. To top that, they have other specialties, which vary from time to time such as wraps and sandwiches, small plates for people with small appetite, and pastries for desserts.

Have a taste of what Salu-Salo has in store for certified foodies. A step up from the ordinary, their dishes are utterly amazing. You’ll never think twice of coming back to this amazing restaurant who’s serving the best of Filipino food and many more.

Gratify yourself after a long day’s work with a good cup of tea at Tea Rock. Tea Rock is a local milk tea brand which is a combined New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo café concept. Aside from teas, they also have juices, frappes and smoothies. Included in their menu are the best sellers in Taiwan- the Lemon Green Tea and English Black Tea with ice cream. They are also serving tasty meals and snacks.

Welcome yourself to Manila’s cupcake wonderland at The Vanilla Cupcake Bakery. It offers a wide variety of cupcake flavors and an ambiance worthy of your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. It is truly a go-to haven of every sweet tooth. Definitely freshly baked every day, using only the finest ingredients put into every bite, it's no wonder people are on VCB cupcake craze.

Ayala Malls’ U.P. Town Center promises an everyday full of smiles, laughter and fond memories with the finest establishments to capture your greatest moments.

Photo Contest

Photo Contest

Be a Fashionista via the Electrolux #WearYourPassion OOTD

Are you dreaming to be a Fashionista? Dream no more and be a certified fashionista #Passionista via the Electrolux #WearYourPassion OOTD Photo Contest!

This is your chance to dress up and flaunt your passion as Electrolux brings you the #WearYourPassion Photo Contest.

Get a chance to win exciting Electrolux Small Appliances weekly when you share your different passions and interests with us on Twitter and Instagram. Here’s how you can join:

Please wait for the rafflecopter to load...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

If the rafflecopter is not loading you can do the following:

1. Follow the official Twitter and Instagram accounts of @electroluxph and @yummytales

2. Take a photo of yourself wearing an OOTD that best embodies your passion.

3. Tell about your passion and how your OOTD represents it.

4. Post your photo on Twitter and/or Instagram and tag at @electroluxph @yummytales

5. Don’t forget to use the hashtags c/o # ChaSy #WearYourPassion and #Passionista.

Pose and post now and be one of the lucky winners of the featured Electrolux small appliance of the week. Contest period is from October 21, 2013 to December 31, 2013.

Whether you are passionate about fashion, sports, dancing, or cooking, your passion is worth sharing.

For more information about the Electrolux Wear Your Passion Instagram Contest, follow @ElectroluxPH and @yummytales on Twitter. 

iACADEMY School of Continuing Education

Something's cooking at iACADEMY School of Continuing Education.....

DON'T WASTE FOOD: Join the Foodless Plate Campaign

DON'T WASTE FOOD: Join the Foodless Plate Campaign

Healthy Options' advocacy campaign of healthy living supports the love for food by making sure none of it goes to waste. The #foodlessplate campaign of Healthy Options truly encourages people to have a better version of themselves. Every Juan and Juana should respond positively to the call of Healthy Options to have a better outlook on food consumption. Eating all the edible food on your plate is cool. So, if you wanna be cool, then eat all the food you put on your plate.

Healthy Options advocacy is close to my heart because when I was small, my mama and papa would always gently remind me to finish off every bits and pieces of edible food on my plate. My loving papa and mama would say: "Don't put food on your plate that you cannot consume. A lot of people in other parts of the world hardly had enough food to eat, so don't waste your food." I hope you also realize the importance of this campaign. You must remember to eat all the food on your plate. It is never too late to start a habit for a good cause.

During my growing up years, my cousins and friends would tease me for being a human vacuum cleaner because I always ended up with a clean plate after each meal. I formed the habit when I was 7 years old. Mind you, I've never heard about the buffet rule of no leftover back then. But because my parents instilled in me to emphatize with those people without any means to eat three full meals a day, I became aware and hardly waste any food eversince. After all, I should feel truly thankful and blessed because I can eat three to five times a day, whereas, some people can't hardly make ends meet. So, why waste food? Imagine my happiness when I learned that the same training was applied to my cousins when they were growing up. They live comfortably yet they choose to emphatize and be cool. So, what gives you the right to waste food? Emphatize. Be cool. Don't waste food.

Healthy Options' advocacy campaign is truly very timely because in the Philippines alone, tons of food are gone to waste because some people just don't care. Start caring for others by having #foodlessplate.

The “Love Food, Don’t Waste” campaign calls on social media users to share their “foodless plate” photos on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The campaign gets everyone on board by taking “foodless plate” photos—empty plates photographed after your food has been consumed. For every photo posted and properly tagged, Healthy Options makes a donation to Hands on Manila, a charity group that organizes feeding programs for impoverished communities. 

You can participate by following these easy steps:

1. After eating, post a photo of your empty plate on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter*.

2. Include a caption and don't forget the #foodlessplate hashtag.

3. Share your #foodlessplate photo on your other social media accounts.

4. Tag the Healthy Options Facebook page, Twitter (@_HealthyOptions), and Instagram (@HealthyOptionsPH) accounts. A donation will be made to Hands On Manila Foundation, Inc’s EAT TO FEED** program once we reach 500 entries. So invite your friends to join the cause! 

*You can submit one photo per day.

**To volunteer for the EAT TO FEED program, e-mail marketing@healthyoptions.com.ph. Limited slots. Granted on a first come, first served basis. 

There are thousands of Filipinos who do not have the benefit of enjoying three full meals a day. Yet, 2,000 tons of food are thrown out by Filipinos everyday. Through this campaign, Healthy Options hopes to help the country combat both hunger and food wastage, and this can only be done with your support. 

Take those #foodlessplate photos now and share the cause with your friends! And remember that if you love food, don’t waste!

GABAY GURO: Be a Part of The Biggest Tribute For Teachers

GABAY GURO: Be a Part of The Biggest Tribute For Teachers

PLDT Executive volunteers (Left to Right) Jojo Alonzo, Rissa Golloso, Gil Garcia, Stateland Inc. First vice President Mr. Grant Orbeta, Gabay Guro Chairman Ms. Chaye Cabal-Revilla, Foton Vice President for Passenger vehicle Sales Mr. Jesus S. Tadena, Gabay Guro Marketing Head Gary Dujali and PLDT Executive volunteers Francis Bautista and Bong Padiz.

Attention: Teachers 

Sign up to be part of the biggest tribute event for teachers, happening on October 26, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena!

Manny V. Pangilinan, PLDT-Smart Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees

As a way of giving back to the teachers, PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gabay Guro program is holding the biggest event that pays tribute to teachers. The Grand Gathering brings the teachers together for an event featuring some of the biggest celebrities like:

• Edu Manzano
• Derek Ramsay
• Martin Nievera
• Pops Fernandez
• Judy Ann Santos
• Anne Curtis
• Marian Rivera
• Ryzza Mae
• Rocco Nacino
• plus a special tribute by Regine Velasquez.

Two lucky teachers will win a house and lot, a brand new van, cash, and livelihood packages. 

This is made possible with the help of these Grand Gathering partners: 

• PLDT Home
• myDSL
• Cyberya
• Cignal
• Sun Cellular
• Smart
• Megaclinic
• Asian Hospital
• Ayala Land, Inc.
• myPhone
• Coca-Cola
• Merck Sharp and Dohme
• Johnson & Johnson
• American Home.

Admission to the Gabay Guro Grand Gathering is free but pre-registration is required. 

Teachers can do this on Gabay Guro’s Facebook page. More details can be found on @GabayGuro on Twitter and on the website.

Stateland Inc. First Vice President Mr. Grant Orbeta, Gabay Guro Chairman Ms. Chaye Cabal-Revilla and Marketing Head Gary Dujali, Foton Vice President for Passenger Vehicle Sales Mr. Jesus S. Tadena

For the last six years, Gabay Guro has been “changing the lives of those who changed ours” by helping improve the lives of Filipino teachers. The Foundation sees this as its way of giving back to the teachers for the tireless work and sacrifice they put into bringing education to the youth for the sake of the country’s future. It is anchored on Scholarships for exceptional Education students, Teacher Training for the continuous improvement in teaching methods, and easier access to Housing and Educational Facilities, Livelihood Programs, and Broadbanding and Computerization. 

Gabay Guro Chairman Ms. Chaye Cabal-Revilla and Marketing Head Gary Dujali

The Teacher’s Tribute, a pillar of which the Grand Gathering is part, also gives teachers the chance to celebrate the fruits of their labor.

MRS. GLOBE 2014 WORLD: A Call for Votes

MRS. GLOBE 2014 WORLD: A Call for Votes

Mrs. Philippines, Ruby Jane Lehmann, a 39-year-old mother of two, restaurateur and former Supermodel of the Philippines (1990) finalist standing at 5’- 9” tall, stole the show when she was hailed as the winner of this year's Mrs. Philippines-Globe pageant 2013.

Mrs. Globe is one of the biggest international beauty pageants for married women. Mrs. Globe aims to empower the missus as a vital part of the society. The pageant also recognizes that the achievements, charitable acts and stories of these women can serve as inspiration to others.

Our representative to the Mrs. Globe 2014 pageant Ruby Jane Lehmann, would like to ask for your support for her bid to capture the crown for our country.

M E C H A N I C S :

1. Go to http://mrsglobe.com/pageants_mrsglobeparticipants.html
2. Locate Mrs. Philippines, Ruby Jane Lehmann
3. Vote

Please note that I saw from their site that you need to shell out $10 to vote. Hmmm...I wonder why the voters should pay? But I am not sure if they're going to remove the fee later because the pageant will occur beginning today, October 20, up to October 28, 2013 at Shenzhen, China.

Goodluck Mrs. Philippines! Bring home the crown!

CERVICAL CANCER: A Preventable Time Bomb

CERVICAL CANCER: A Preventable Time Bomb

Attention: Ladies of all ages and every real men who love and respect their mother, sister, girlfriend, wife, lady friend or lady cousins.

Cervical Cancer is the number two (2) cause of death in the Philippines next to breast cancer. It is labeled somewhat as a silent killer because there is no pain whatsoever in the early part of the disease. It kills 12 Filipinos, mostly women, every day. It is the most common malignancy that afflicts and kills women with conservative estimates between 35,000 and 70,000 cases with almost 7,000 new cases added every year, according to studies.

Good thing, this cancer is preventable.  In fact, there is now a vaccine for the disease and it can be cured, if detected early! If it goes undetected, cervical cancer is the deadliest form of cancer. 

Twenty percent of all cancers are caused by viruses. Cervical cancer is primarily caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide. HPV takes several forms, which are referred to by number. There are about 100 types of HPV that generally infect people in various parts of the body but there are only 13 types that can cause cancer in the cervix.

Cervical cancer results from the uncontrolled growth of severely abnormal cells in the cervix, the opening of the womb. Usually, it takes about ten years before cancer develops. 

According to the Merck manual, Cervical cancer begins on the surface of the cervix and can penetrate deep beneath the surface. The cancer can spread directly to nearby tissues, including the vagina. Or it can enter the rich network of small blood and lymphatic vessels inside the cervix, then spread to other parts of the body.

In the early stages, cervical cancer usually causes no symptoms but unlike some cancers, cervical cancer presents early signs like the following:

• It may cause spotting 
• or heavier bleeding between periods
• bleeding after intercourse
• or unusually heavy periods. 

In later stages, such abnormal bleeding is common," says The Merck Manual of Medical Information.

Other symptoms may include:

• a foul-smelling discharge from the vagina
• pain in the lower abdomen
• and swelling of the legs. 

The urinary tract may be blocked. Without treatment, kidney failure and death can result.

The younger a woman was the first time she had sexual intercourse and the more sex partners she has had, the higher her risk of cervical cancer. While women may contract HPV when they are young, cervical cancer is most likely to develop in women 35 years or older. Several other factors that may trigger cervical cancer among women include the following:

•  early age at first birth
•  having many births
•  tobacco use
•  prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives
•  and an impaired immune system, particularly related to HIV infection.

To prevent this type of cancer, please have a vaccine shot before your very first sexual intercourse or within three (3) years after your very first sexual contact. 

Ask your trusted doctor about the vaccines against HPV that are currently sold in the market. A woman must be injected three times to guarantee full protection against the specific types of HPV infection.

The World Health Organization recommends HPV vaccination as early as nine (9) to thirteen (13) years old, especially in liberal countries. But every woman is at risk so women aged 13 to 55 years old can still have the vaccine.