Ever tried one of those detoxing diets that's all the rage in Hollywood and becoming popular here in the Philippines, as well?

I tried the first one that became popular -- the Master Cleanse -- which is said to reboot your body and reverse the effects of an unhealthy diet. Plus, it will help you lose weight and has only 3 ingredients (lemon juice, cayenne, and maple syrup). Then add the health benefits it supposed to have, such as:

• eliminates toxins and pollutants that have accumulated in the body
• cleans the kidneys and digestive system
• relieves pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels
• allows the body to better absorb nutrients

Aaaannnnd, it's what Beyonce did to lose weight. Wow, ticks all the boxes, right?

What I didn't know was how hungry you'll get from just drinking the lemonade mix all day! Or just non-caffeinated tea in between. That's why I only lasted about 3 days (which is the least amount of days you can do the cleanse) although I was gunning for a week. I felt my body needed that long to reboot and become healthy again.

So, basically, for 3 days, I did feel a bit energized, less bloated, and was having regular bowel movement. But I don't think it's enough to reap the full benefits of the cleanse. It's a start though.


Anyway, it is recommended that you do the cleanse at least once a year. Some do it every 6 months. I might do this again soon. Maybe I'll try for 3 days, but if I can still take it, stretch it to 5 days. Baby steps.

A more authoritative site with all the info about the Master Cleanse, and the recipe, can be found here.

Personally, I would go for a more filling detoxing diet. Like a combination of detoxing food and juicing.

While searching for information about Blue Mountain coffee, I found this article written by Tom Clynes for National Geographic. As a writer, I look for different ways to translate into words what I'm thinking of. The last 3 sentences of the article left a good impression on me, not only because of the writing style but the emotion that it evoked.

"Soon after my visit, he would succumb to his wheeze—leaving his grandson with the coffee business and leaving me with an enduring image of the old roaster shuffling across the courtyard toward his kitchen door. There, he turned and offered a final goodbye. "Walk good," he said."

Whaddayaknow, buhay pa sya!

Can't believe I was really able to find this...this...emo blog, where I wrote a couple of poems, and a few entries. It's like a snapshot of what I was like back in 2006, which seems like a lifetime ago, really. I feel so old now. Back then, I had spunk. I think. Or I just watch too much TV.

Now, give me the chance to reminisce and post my LJ link here (so I wouldn't forget the URL again). Enjoy your old self, Wordsmith-not.

http://melian08.livejournal.com/

So, yeah, I bought yet another shower gel. But it's summer and taking a bath or half bath is sooooo refreshing. I take to the shower every so often in a day that this bottle won't last that long.

What's so special about this shower gel, anyway? Well, for one it's peppermint, which is perfect for summer because it leaves you with that cool feeling like when you eat mint candy, but with your body. And when you're sporting a cold like yours truly, that cool, minty scent is kind of a relief to your stuffy nose. Ahhhh...makes me want to take a bath again.

PHP395 at Healthy Options

Another thing to note about this shower gel--very important to the health conscious, animal lover, and environmentalist--is that it's 70% made of organic ingredients and is not tested on animals. This means, no chemicals that can be absorbed in the body, no harsh preservatives, and no parabens, among other things. The shower gel is also hypo-allergenic, so even those with sensitive skin can use this.

Organic, hypo-allergenic, and no parabens

It's kind of pricey for a 355-ml bottle, but I really like the refreshing feeling it leaves after you shower. My only comment is that, I wish this cool feeling you get from the peppermint lasts longer.

Ok, so I haven't been blogging as much as I want to, and yet, there are so many things I want to write about. There's my anime, k-pop, TV series, and book addiction. There's also my interest in discovering new places to eat or new snacks to try. There's an insane amount of material I can write about. And it should be easy enough because, heck, I'm a writer. I mean, I work as a writer. You know, the 8-5 job.


After much contemplation (yeeesss, contemplation daw), I realized that the reason I can't just go and type away is that I tend to overthink things. Instead of just simply telling it like it is. Instead of just going straight to the point, I have this penchant for being too detailed. I guess that really comes with working as an editor, as well. I have to be critical of every word, punctuation, and sentence construction. Just as I would when I edit a copy.

Now, is that a good or bad thing?

It has been a while since I was in the Ermita-Malate area in Manila. Last I remember, I was in a bar ordering Mule and Subzero (drinks that were soooo popular back when I was...nevermind).

Anyway, thanks to a complimentary overnight stay at Lotus Garden Hotel Manila, I was able to go back to one of the destination spots in Manila. And the experience was a pleasant surprise. Enhanced, perhaps, by a delightful stay at the Lotus Garden.

The Marilo Wing

Check-in was easy and fairly quick. A few necessities, such as signing a form, showing an ID, and waiting for your keycard, were in order. You'll also get your access to the hotel-wide Wi-Fi Internet here. As we--Me and Dompy--were completing all these things, the receptionist told us we've been upgraded from a Deluxe to the Grand Deluxe Room at no extra cost. Wow! Even the foreign family who checked in at the same time as us were upgraded. Talk about service.

Our room was at the new wing, Marilo Wing, which was an old establishment called the Marilou Apartment that was used by the Americans in the 1950s, according to sources online. Sadly, when we asked the staff about the building, no one knew about it.

The new wing felt old and looked "newly" old. It still had that Manila-of-yore vibe with its wooden floors and staircases, narrow hallways filled with black-and-white pictures of old Manila, and accessories that looked liked it time warped into 2014.



Anyway, our room was on the 3rd floor and was large and very nicely decorated. I love the wooden floors even though it creaks. The mini-bar was well-stocked and they had slippers and umbrellas in the closet, but these were priced to buy, so you'd need to have your own slippers. The floors are clean, though, so you can go barefoot. The bathroom was really nice, too. Very clean. The bed is firm and the pillows looked new and clean, as well. Everything is CLEAN!

Our room for the night, Grand Deluxe

The staff were friendly and greeted us whenever they saw us. The complimentary buffet breakfast was filling and there was enough variety to choose from. You can even have made-to-order eggs and pancakes. We were served coffee and asked if we wanted a refill when we finished our first cup.


After breakfast, Dompy and I explored the first floor of the Marilo Wing and discovered that this is where the spa and jacuzzi were. No one was there that morning we went investigating, so we took a lot of photos. A shame though, as my photography skills left little to be desired.


I also like the location of the hotel. It was near where I wanted to go. Turn a corner and you'll find a Jollibee, Chowking, 7-11, a Korean Mart, and a bar.

You can walk everywhere. From the LRT U.N. Avenue Station to the hotel and from the hotel to Remedios Circle. It was very accessible and there were jeeps going to as far as Monumento and Munoz passing by the hotel! I was actually amazed by that and thought about how long the travel time will be.

Bottomline, I would recommend the hotel to friends and family who will be visiting the area. The rooms were large and very clean and the rates are really affordable.

If you'd like to know more about the hotel you can visit their website, http://www.citygardenhotels.com/lotus/index.php.

 

Lately, I've been finding myself giving up on a book halfway through. One of the main reasons is that I keep thinking I will be able to guess what will happen next--and I do most of the time. And that kind of wanes my enthusiasm a bit. Ok, by a lot.

Then I realized that maybe I need to change genres. I've been reading contemporary romance novels for the last 2 months and I think I'm getting a little critical of the way the characters act. Talk about taking things too seriously. Hello.

Let's see...according to my Goodreads track, here's what I have been reading lately:

• Can't Stand The Heat (Recipe for Love #1) by Louisa Edwards
• Love Unscripted (Love, #1) by Tina Reber
• The Alien King and I by Lizzie Lynn Lee
• Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz
• Sex Snob by Elizabeth Hayley
• His Brother's Bride (Banks Brothers Bride, #4) by Rose Gordon
• Her Best Friend's Brother by T.J. Dell
• Propositioning Her Brother’s Best Friend by Sam Crescent

Now, I'm reading another romance novel, Falling For the Ghost of You by Nicole Christie. Where my mystery, adventure, Indiana-Jones-type novels? I need to get some James Rollins into my system again. Or Maybe an Andy McDermott. Or a Matthew Reilly. Anything, just not another love story.

Working as a copywriter and editor for a service company who provides online support for accommodation providers (hotels, resorts, B&Bs, condotels, etc.) all over the world has me on the constant lookout for travel-related information and industry news.

In this infographic, we see an easily digestible history of the hotel services--considered innovations way back when they were first offered--that we now come to expect as standard. However, as one commenter from the original source site noted, there hasn't been a standard service since 1974 when the first mini-bar was introduced in a Hong Kong hotel.

Source: CNN

I haven't experienced the tablet control thing here in Manila, but I've read InterContinental and Sheraton Hotels are already offering some form of tablet service. Meanwhile, I'm not sure I'd go for tweeting my hotel reservations, as there's not much room to write whatever you need/ want the hotel to know. I would guess this would take a lot of back-and-forth conversations via Twitter.

This infographic forgot one more thing, though, even before the tablet control--which I can safely classify as a non-standard still--iPod docks in rooms. Well, maybe they didn't want to promote any brand names that's why they left it out. But I do believe this is an "innovation" service, so to speak.

In preparation for my sojourn to the land of Kpop and Kdrama, I find myself browsing through countless blogs, travel sites, and OTAs (online travel agencies). Though I've yet to look for must-visit attractions and must-buy items, there are certain things I want to do when I'm in South Korea, particularly in Seoul.

1. Eat bibimbap and samgyeopsal

Bibimbap @ Bibimbob

I've had the pleasure of tasting bibimbap here in Manila at a fast food joint called, Bibimbob, which is located at the food court of SM North EDSA in Quezon City. This signature Korean dish literally means mixed rice, and that's really what you do with it, mix the rice with vegetables and beef (usually it's beef, but at Bibimbob they also have pork and chicken). It's surprisingly delicious and tasty, and I'm all for having as many vegetables in my rice as possible, well, except kimchi as it is spicy. Not a fan of spicy anything. Needless to say, I fell in like with it and now must have this when I visit Seoul soon.

Samgyeopsal, on the other had, I have been curious to try ever since I saw it in a Kdrama. Savory grilled meat with garlic, bean paste, bean sprouts--even rice--wrapped in crisp lettuce and dipped in sauce. I'd be willing to forgo my hate relationship with anything spicy for this, and still try to enjoy it.

2. Stay in a Hanok guesthouse

image from kimchicrew

Even for just a night, I would like to experience a stay in a hanok, a traditional Korean house with wooden floors, columns, doors, and sometimes tiled, sometimes straw roofing. If you watch Korean dramas, I'm sure you'd have seen one. Most would have an ondol, or floor heating to keep you warm during the winter months. Sure, I might have to endure a trip outside to the bathroom if I feel to urge to pee in the middle of the night, as hanoks will commonly have a shared bathroom that's located in a separate structure. But all this will just add to the whole South Korean experience that I'm planning to savor on my trip. On the plus side, most hanok guesthouses are affordable and located within city limits.

3. Watch a Korean pop music show

SBS Inkigayo

Yeah, I'd queue up for this one, maybe even get up early. I don't actually mind who will perform (it would be great though if SHINee, Infinite, SuJu, FTIsland, or SNSD will be there), I just want to experience watching a live show instead of on cable or on YouTube. Plus, I'm really all for Kpop.

Mnet Countdown

There are different ways of getting in, one is by joining a Daum or a fan club, and you'd have to show you are a fan by producing a copy of the band/ singer's album to the fan club president/ representative. But you can also take a chance by signing up as a studio audience in any of the 4 music show's website: SBS Ingkigayo (Sundays), KBS Music Bank (Fridays), Mnet Countdown (Thursdays), and MBC Music Core (Saturdays). The audience would be selected randomly from those who signed up at the site.

4. Eat in a Pojangmacha

Again, as seen from countless Korean dramas, I'm curious about trying a meal in a Pojangmacha. These tented street stalls are a common sight in South Korea and, I'm thinking, might be a great place to sample Korean street food and see how the locals are like. Basically, people watch. it's not something I do very often, as I think it's rude, but then I'm a tourist so, maybe, certain liberties could be granted and taken. :D

5. Try the Jjimjilbang

South Korea's public bathhouse cum sauna. As a first-time tourist in SK and a regular spa visitor, I would like to try this very Korean form or relaxation. I believe it has become some sort of tourist attraction, if not for the unique experience you'll get. For a few thousand wons you can spend hours inside the jimjilbang lounging by the common area while watching on a big-ass TV or having a meal. You can even head to the saunas and start your jimjilbang adventure (but you have to be butt naked in these areas. Not to worry, it's separated by gender.) Some budget travelers even bunk for the night in jimjilbangs, saving them thousands of wons in the process. It's a fantastic idea, if you're not too picky about where you sleep. I would do this for the experience, but only when I'm not traveling alone.

I'm quite excited about this trip that hopefully will come into fruition as scheduled. However, there are so many things to do first before this happens...and that's my cue to start moving my ass and get started.

PS

Thanks to SHINee, EXO, Infinite, Spica, Super Junior, and Henry for getting me in the mood to write this long post.

Just watched a replay of the Top 13 results show of American Idol, and I'm glad that my faves in the boys got through, Philip Philips, Heejun Han, and Colton Dixon. Very happy that Jessica Sanchez made it. Yey! Another Filipino-American this season. I hope she makes it to the very end. I also like Erika Van Pelt for the girls.

However, I think one of the boys will win this season - AGAIN. C'mon girls! Represent!

Couldn't say much about the judges, since as of today, they'll have no say on who stays or goes. But they did great in bringing in an eclectic mix of super talented people to the show.

Yun lang. Bow.

I've always wanted a tree house. But here in the Philippines, it's not really a common thing to have, especially when you live in the city. The closest I've come to a tree house is in our province in Pangasinan. The old house of my uncle was a typical bahay kubo where the first floor was open space where you can keep your chickens and other stuff.

A typical Bahay Kubo in the Philippines

I loved that house. It was cool, airy, and it was shaded with trees. The floors were made of bamboo slats from which you can see the open first floor. I remember many days with my cousins when we used to scrounge for pukak (for the life of me, I don't know what this fruit seed really is called, I just know this is what we call it) seeds and my auntie would roast them while we wait on the dining table. Good times. Happy good times.

Anyway, going back to tree houses. This one I found on the Internet takes the cake. It's not just a tree house you play in with friends. It can totally be a real house - just up in the trees. It's really idyllic and I can see myself reading a gazillion books and writing novels and drinking coffee and doing crafts and baking...yeah, all those homey things I like to do but don't have the time for.

This makes me wish we had a big tree and space in our yard...

From Apartment Therapy

Last year, though I had less time to read books, I was able to peruse my way through at least 20. I used to read more than that, but then last year I traveled more and got busy being a mom and a career woman. This year, I'm planning to get back on track and finish at least 30 books. Well, if my list is anything to go by, it'll be a suspense-filled, action-packed year for me.

My Book List

1. Ice Station - Matthew Reilly - done
2. Area 7 - Matthew Reilly - done
3. Heist Society - Ally Carter - currently reading
4. Temple - Matthew Reilly
5. The Inner Circle - Brad Meltzer
6. Lost Temple - Tom Harper
7. The Lazarus Vault - Tom Harper
8. The Book of Secrets - Tom Harper
9. The Templar Legacy - Steve Berry (book 1 in the Cotton Malone series - planning to read all)
10. The Hunt for Atlantis - Andy McDermott (book 1 in the Nina Wilde series - again, planning to read all)
11. The Millionaires - Brad Meltzer
12. Artemis Fowl: The Atlantic Complex - Eoin Colfer
13. The Tapestry Series: The Fiend and the Forge - Henry H. Neff
14. Uncommon Criminals - Ally Carter
15. Witch and Wizard - James Patterson
16. With and Wizard: The Gift - James Patterson
17. Witch and Wizard: The Fire - James Patterson
18. City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
19. The Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare
20. The Confession - John Grisham
21. The Associate - John Grisham

Whew! That's a long list! But I have more than 11 months to go. This should be, uh, easy. =D

If you're planning an intimate party with a few friends, and you want to spice it up with a simple theme, then this blog from Martha's Craft Department just might give you the boost you need. It's simple and it's relatively cheap! I love it, since I'm a wishful traveler myself. Maybe, it can even spark a travel adventure for you and your buddies.

Party in Paris

La Tour Effiel *sigh*

Yeah, and the first month of the year is almost over (how time flies!). I've been on a blog slump last year and you can tell as my last entry is half-a-year old. I don't know how many times I've tried to restart my blogging pursuit, but here I am starting - AGAIN. Maybe, I'm just not a blogger kind of person. Or maybe I just want to do a lot of things that I can't really fit into my days no matter how hard I try (could be I wasn't trying hard enough, or I'm a hopeless case in time management).

Anyhoo, I'm planning to at least post 2-3 short blogs of anything and everything a week. I'm starting slow, really slow. I think it's more realistic.

With that, I'm ending my first short post for the year with a "Kung Hei Fat Choi!" or "Gong Xi Fa Cai!"

Happy Chinese New Year! May we all have good luck this year of the water dragon.

It's really not a surprise that the traveler in me is lusting over these brightly colored Moleskine luggage tags even if I know I won't be able to put them on any of my travel luggage (no way!). They're way too chic! Plus, they look like mini-notebooks that every time I see them I just want to write something.

Last Friday, I had a movie date with my college friends Errol and Mercie. We watched the much talked about movie - Inception. But this post is not about the movie (but I will have an entry about that in a while). It is about this Japanese burger I accidentally came across while waiting for my dates at the Shang.

That burger is Sango. Now, I am a fan of another Japanese burger called Mos Burger. I first came across this culinary delight during my hiatus in Singapore in the early 2000's. Ever since then, whenever I visit Singapore I'd have my fill of the most heavenly tasting (and most probably fattening) burger I have ever had the fortune of discovering. I even had the good luck to eat one in Hong Kong last January. Sadly, this burger is still an unknown in the Philippines.

So, when I saw this Sango burger at the Shang, I just had to try it. It looked A LOT like Mos Burger. It even had the same structure, and even the same packaging. When I finally got my hands on it, the smell that wafted through my nostrils told me that this was a promising venture. It smelled exactly like a Mos Burger. I was excited to taste it.


When I finally did, it wasn't a disappointment. It wasn't a hooray moment either. But it was a revelation. It tasted a bit like Mos Burger. The sauce was a little on the salty corned-beefy taste side, whereas Mos' sauce was tomatoey. It's almost a Mos Burger, but not quite. Still, i liked it. In fact, I might have that burger once in a while especially when a Sango store is so near my office in Makati. At Php145 for a Master Burger and Php 155 for a Master Cheeseburger, it's worth the little trip and splurge.

I really, really hate it when I stumble on links that feature items like these:


It's a travel bag that is small enough to be a school bag. You can even sit on it while waiting for your flight or for the school bus. The double back wheels make it easy to carry up a flight of stairs. It's customizable as well. It's very convenient and covetable (especially when I can think of an everyday use for it - as an MRT chair).

Too bad, it's really a luxe item for me at US$145 or about Php6,000+. Maybe when I win the lotto...

www.zuca.com

...you wake up one morning and find your pot-holed national road freshly paved with asphalt

...every lamppost in your neighborhood is tacked with a poster saying, "Merry Christmas", "Congratulations Graduates", "Happy Valentines", or every occasion known to man, and accompanied by a big picture of the aspiring candidate and his/ her name in bright bold letters

...you watch TV and all the commercials are of the candidates showing what they think should be done to help the country and its people

...you find stickers of the candidates on buses, jeepneys, tricycles, and cars

...you enter the church or line up for public transportation and find yourself staring at cardboard pamaypays (fan) of candidates

...surveys are in

...you hear and see debates on the radio and television

...smear campaigns become as rampant as mosquitoes in your house

...photos of candidates are splashed on newspapers

...you are engaged in a discussion at work, at home, and in school about who to vote for

...campaign caravans come into your barangay and a variety show ensues

...politicians who are convicted and in jail can still run for a position in the government

can you add more?

For those into Lomography, or what I'd like to describe as lo-tech artistic photography, this new addition to the well-loved Holga plastic camera is a welcome treat. Especially for someone who loves the color green like me. And it uses 35mm film! That's really important because other Holga models use 120 film which is more expensive and harder to find. Wish I had this instead of my standard black Holga 135 BC.