Watch out for the New Sony Xperia Z3

Watch out for the New Sony Xperia Z3

As you all know, smartphones are now a necessity and no longer a luxury especially if you need to cover an event or let your subscribers or followers know what's happening in today's digital world. 

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Xperia Z3!

The Z3 has the highest level of waterproofing in a smartphone. Capture crystal-clear photos with a 20.7MP camera, play movies on a super bright 5.2” Full HD display and listen to incredible sound quality with digital noise-cancelling technology.

Official specs:

* 5.2" Display
* Quad-core 2.5 GHz Processor
* 20.7MP Primary Camera, 2.2MP Secondary Camera
* Android 4.4 KitKat
* 3GB RAM
* 16GB Memory Expandable
* 3100mAh Battery
* Colors: Black, White, Copper, Silver Green

Price: TBA
Estimated Price: 30-35k Introductory Price
Availability: October 2014

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SAMSUNG NOTE 4: Metallic-framed Phablet

SAMSUNG NOTE 4: Metallic framed-Phablet

 Photo Credit: \Sean O'Kane

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is plastic no more. I think that is a big improvement from its plastic phone predecessors.

Four Samsung Galaxy Note 4 colours will be available:

• black
• white
• gold
• and pink.

The new Note 4 allegedly has a quad HD Super AMOLED display. That would be stunning. Now, you could expect a phone with more vibrant colors. The new Samsung Note 4 is said to have an exceptionally wide viewing angles, and no visible pixels. The Note 4 has 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution. I am so excited to have this phone really soon. .

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LUNA J FILIPINO GASTROPUB: Sir Chief's Newest Delicious Venture

LUNA J FILIPINO GASTROPUB: Sir Chief's Newest Delicious Venture

Have you seen Sir Chief already in person? If not then try to eat at his latest restaurant along Tomas Morato called Luna J.  Upon arrival at the area, you would see this big very inviting signage. 

Spoliarium painter and national hero Juan Luna is the inspiration behind Luna J Filipino Gastropub's name. Luna J Filipino Gastropub is not about complex presentations or trendy food but simple, made-from-scratch preparations of Filipino dishes scoured from all over the archipelago. 

It is located at Il Terrazzo building in Quezon City, just a few steps away from Wang Fu Chinese Bistro owned and operated by Richard Yap, a.k.a. Sir Chief of "Be careful with my heart" fame, together with his business partners/ friends Ace Wang and  Lester Pimentel Ong ( who happened to be my cousin). Our family is very proud of Lester because he is not only a Wushu World Champion and movie and TV fight director but he is also a very kind person, doting father, loyal husband and a very good businessman, all rolled into one.

It can seat down comfortably 24 persons inside its air-conditioned dining area. They have both indoor and outdoor dining areas. Ambiance is great!

I highly recommend the adobong manok of Luna J. The chicken meat is so tender, sweet and very tasty. I simply love it.  Superrr sarapp!  

Bagnet with KBL - ( Kamatis, Bagoong, Lasona or in English Tomatoes, Fish Sauce & Onion Relish) is another of its bestseller. I think this dish is from Ilocos. Because when I went to Ilocos several years ago, the family of my friend's husband made sure we had this Ilocano meal everyday that I became addicted to it. Seeing and eating this dish at Luna J has brought back so much memories of my summer vacation in Ilocos. Eating it immediately sent me to pork heaven. Ha ha ha!

Kalderetang Baka  is one of the classic Filipino dishes served by many household during special occasions like birthdays and fiesta. Luna J's version is more like that of a beef mechado because it has a lot of tomato sauce.  Bakareta or Kalderetang Baka in Bicol is spicier.  But it tastes just as great and the meat is just as tender.  A must try!

Gising Gising is refreshingly delicious. This dish is unknown to me until Freda Co recommended this dish to us. Gising Gising,  it turned out, is a traditional Filipino dish blending minced meat with sigarilyas (winged beans), chilis and coconut sauce.   I think this dish is a distant cousin of laing. Ha ha ha!  It hit the high notes with the chili and from the sweet and fresh taste of its gata (coconut milk).  Oh, how I love its sweet and spicy taste!

Laing.  I am from Bicol and I could attest that Luna J's version is excellent. The "gata" used is kakang gata. It is sweet, fresh and very delicious. The laing has a rich savory flavor and a tingle of chile warmth on the finish.  It's really a must try.

Tinapa Rice is a yummy Filipino fried rice dish made up of tinapa (smoked fish) flakes, cooked rice and seasoning topped with tomato and salted eggs. 

Luna J's thirst quenchers Pandan juice and lemongrass juice.

Lemongrass is named as such but has no connection with lemons except that it has a strong lemon-like aroma and taste. 

I am telling you do not let this humble grass deceive you. It is packed with so much goodness that it can help improve so many chronic conditions. Nutrition-wise, it is a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and manganese plus it has minute traces of the B vitamins.

The health benefits of lemongrass is tremendous due to its superior anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties.

For dessert, you could not go wrong with the traditional Filipino dessert palitaw (Sticky rice dumplings with coconut and toasted sesame seeds). In Filipino, litaw (lee-tou) means to rise. To emerge. To appear. To be seen again. Palitaw (pah-lee-tou) is a sweet rice dumpling sprinkled with a generous amount of grated coconut, sugar sesame seeds and cheese. The cheese added a new twist. Intrigued, I  picked up one piece of palitaw with my fork and took a bite. I was immediately transported to dessert heaven because of its soft, chewy dumplings that has a delightful texture of coconut and the rich nutty flavor of toasted sesame seeds with a cheesy twist. I licked my fingers clean of the sugary grit and reached out for another. Truly one-of-a-kind. Truly tastes like home.

Buko pandan was invented by Aling Amor, a good friend and ex-officemate of my good friend Eva. I know how to make this dessert since I was young because Eva thought me how to do it long before it became a household name. And Luna J's version did not disappoint.

Luna J's staff are friendly and service is good and fast. I believe that's the normal day-to-day dining scenarios at Luna J.

We were really stuffed when we finished our meal. Luna J Filipino Gastropub is now included in my all-time favorite restaurant.

You might want to visit them for a good bonding with your friends and family. Its entrees ranges from over PHp 65 to PHp 325 on the average, the prices are so affordable. Its food portions are generous.

If you’re into drinking alcohol, its menu is perfectly set up as pulutan (appetizer taken with alcohol).  Luna J also serves zero degrees beer for only Php50.

Please forgive the low quality of my photos I lost my Canon DSLR and Lumix camera at the steel PAID parking of CASH AND CARRY in Makati. #GanitoKamiSaMakati #BulokNaParkingSaMakati #AngTutuoSaMakati #CashNCarryPugadNgSalisiGang

Luna J Filipino Gastropub

Il Terrazzo Branch
IL Terrazzo Mall
305 Tomas Morato Ave. cor. Scout Madriñan St., Brgy. South Triangle, Quezon City
Metro Manila, Philippines

Phone Number
(+63 2) 373-4668

Operating Hours
Mondays to Thursdays: 11:00am to 1:00am
Friday and Saturday: 11:00am to 2:00am
Sunday: 11:00am to 11:00pm

Travelonshoestring rating:

ABS-CBN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: Releases Decades of OPM Album

ABS-CBN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: Releases Decades of OPM Album

They say music heals. 

Tama?

In that connection, I'd like to call the attention of those people with broken hearts. Please listen to the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra's album. It can do wonders to your well-being. 

Several years ago, I wrote about the schedule of free public performances by the Philharmonic Orchestra. Boy, was I grateful when a mom reader told me that because of that free concert her son decided to take musical instrument lessons. That encounter made me #happy and sad at the same time. Weird eh? Yes, I wrote about their performances schedule but I was not able to watch the Philharmonic Orchestra's live performances at that time. Sigh, I thought I lost my chance forever.

Then the other night, after two long years,  I finally heard with my ears and saw with my own two-eyes the amazing 42-piece orchestra headed by musical director and conductor Gerard Salonga in a wonderful night of music at Dolphy theatre at ABS-CBN compound.  It was the official presscon for the orchestra's debut album: #DecadesofOPM!

Photo Credit Abs-cbn 

I was blown away by their OPM performances. My heart was filled with joy. It was fun. The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra even had a live interaction with some of the press in attendance that night. @ABSPhilharmonic's gamely played "Whoops Kiri" under the baton of Ms. Crispina Belen, Entertainment Editor of @manila_bulletin. Good job ma'am.

Our very lucky media friends @TempoPHL's Nestor Cuartero & @PEPalerts' Allan Sancon had an opportunity to sing #MagingSinoKaMan accompanied by ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra.  Bongga! How I wish I could also sing na ang nag-aacompany ay ang ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra! Weeeeeeeeee! 

It was a fun night. Thank you to the Lopez family for making the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra a reality. I hope Mr. Jonathan and @StarRecordsPH will produce a Christmas album for the orchestra too.

Let us support our very own all Filipino musicians at the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, peeps. 

Congrats @gerardsalonga
You can buy a copy of their album at all major record stores for only P350. A very nice Christmas gift for your loved ones.

DANIEL MATSUNAGA: Pinoy Big Brother Grand Winner 2014

DANIEL MATSUNAGA: Pinoy Big Brother Grand Winner 2014

Congratulations Daniel, the Pinoy Big Brother 2014 Grand Winner !

Daniel Matsunaga - Big Winner - gets Php1,000,000 cash plus business franchise from Mt. Albo worth Php1.5M and Buco Loco franchise worth Php300,000 plus Amaya condo in Novaliches, QC worth Php2 Million.

Maris Racal - First runner up - PhpP500,000 in cash



Jane-3rd big winner- Php300,000 in cash from Ace Hardware



Vickie- the lady mahinhin of Negros Occidental and Jason Abalos' girlfriend is the 4th Big winner. She gets Php200,000 in cash from Uratex.

All four will get a home entertainment package from Sony.

#PBBTHEBIGNIGHT

ROCKWELL TENT : Working Mom All About Kids Bazaar

ROCKWELL TENT : Working Mom All About Kids Bazaar

Working Mom Magazine wrapped up its All About Kids bazaar at The Rockwell Tent that happened from 11am to 7pm last August 9, 2014.

Working Mom magazine brought moms and kids a fun and magical weekend experience like no other.

The All About Kids bazaar program was hosted by actress Jackie Lou Blanco.  It offered that perfect dose of family fun, with big, big discounts to boot. Apart from games and demos for all kids to enjoy with their families, parents took advantage of their favorite kiddie brands as they were on sale.

Apart from all these, the All About Kids bazaar had an arts and crafts booth, magic shows, bubble tricks, balloon twisters, and other amazing performances. A mom and kid pampering booth was set up to give moms on the go that perfect chance to slow down with their loved ones. Celebrity mom Sarah Meier also shared valuable insights on enjoying life and motherhood with her daughter Kaya. One of the highlights of the event was the unique chance of meeting two favorite cartoon characters, Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star!

Grab a copy of Working Mom’s latest issue at leading bookstores and magazine stands nationwide.

#allaboutkids2014bazaar #bazaar #allaboutkids2014

Heroes’ Day Selfie Contest

Heroes’ Day Selfie Contest

Attention: Pinoys and Pinays who love taking #selfie this is it mga kasulit!

I am so happy to share with you an online contest entitled “Heroes’ Day Selfie” organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) will once again lead the nation in the observance of the 2014 National Heroes’ Day this August 25, 2014 with the theme Bayaning Pilipino: Lumalaban para sa Makatwiran at Makabuluhang Pagbabago.  

The “Heroes’ Day Selfie” contest aims to remind Filipinos of the significance not only of this National Holiday but also to commemorate our local heroes and also to promote the preservation of monuments and shrines of local heroes from the different parts of the Philippines.

GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA:

Guidelines for the contest:

1. The contest is open to Filipino citizens. Members of the NCCA Secretariat, Board of Commissioners, and Executive Councils of the National Committees are disqualified from participating.
2. The participant must take a selfie with a local hero’s monument on August 25, 2014.
3. Photos should be posted on the wall of the NCCA Facebook Page with the hashtag #HeroesDaySelfie on August 25, 2014, until 12MN.
4. The photo should include a brief caption (not more than 150 words) containing the hero’s name and an explanation of the hero’s life and its relevance to this year’s theme: Bayaning Pilipino: Lumalaban para sa Makatwiran at Makabuluhang Pagbabago.
5. The participant and the hero’s monument must be clearly visible in the photos.
6. All images submitted must be original works of the participants.
7. One winner will receive a set of NCCA publications. (Announcement will be on a later date)

Criteria for Judging:
40% Content and write-up
60% Originality and creativity

Photo enhance by moi taken from the fan page of NCCA.

Goodluck everyone! Pinoy may magagawa ka! Sali na at ipakita sa buong mundo kung sino ang hero mo!

LIVESTOCK RESTAURANT: Fresh Pork from Farm to Table

LIVESTOCK RESTAURANT: Fresh Pork from Farm to Table 

Livestock Crackling Pork Belly

What comes to your mind whenever you hear or read the word livestock? Pork, right?

It is not a secret that pork is the number one meat consumed in the whole wide world. Knowing where your food came from is a great advantage because it gives you an assurance of a high quality meat. 

Livestock Restaurant grows its own pig in Bulacan in order to have a better quality of meat than the products sold at the supermarket and by butchers. I think people who are concerned about sanitary issues and who want a high quality of meat will be happy to know this information. No wonder, Livestock will be celebrating its first year anniversary this coming September.  One of its bestsellers is the melts-in-your-mouth Crispy Pata that is so tender you can slice it using a popsicle stick. Its Crackling Pork Belly is also very delicious.

We had a feast when we dined at Livestock a few days ago upon the invitation of kuya Ted Claudio. We started off with fresh mango shake plus an appetizer called Adobo & Kesong Puti Pizza. 

Followed by the Bacon & Egg Pizza that has quail eggs with bacon, shitake plus button mushrooms. I was not able to taste the quail eggs though because it was gone from our table in sixty seconds.

My favorite is this! The yummylicious Seafood Laksa Soup, which happened to be the owner's own favorite. It tastes just right. 

Kangkong Sambal with Lechon.  Vegetable in creamy sauce.

I simply love this dish! I highly recommend the creamy and buttery goodness of Livestock's Salted Egg Prawns. 

Perfect Combination melts-in-your-mouth crispy pata and ripe mango shake  #livestockph

Livestock Restaurant can accommodate 70 persons at one time in its main dining area. 40 persons at its al fresco area located at the mezzanine and 80 persons at the second floor according to the very amiable and pretty owner Chef Ching Magdangal Uy. I forgot to ask her if she's in any way related to Jolina Magdangal.

By the way, Happy Birthday to the Queen of #livestockph Chef @chingkuy! Wishing you a lifetime of blessings, happiness and excellent health!

Travelonshoestring rating:


LIVESTOCK RESTAURANT
34 Sgt. Esguerra St. 
Brgy. South Triangle, QC