Human Nature’s Berry Bliss Lotion

Posted on by jane

I use lotion a lot. At this age, I have to make sure that my skin is always hydrated and protected from drying and shriveling up in this heat. My lotion was down to just a few more applications when I received a sample of Human Nature‘s Berry Bliss lotion to try. Speaking of good timing!

This newly launched lotion variant has a strong but pleasant berry scent the moment you pop open the lid, which I immediately did. I guess that made a first good impression because I really love berry scent anyway.

As with all other Human Nature products, this Berry Bliss lotion is what they call healthy lotion. Why? Because it is made without all the chemicals that go into other commercially made lotions. It’s free of parabens that could bring on all kinds of health disorders including cancer.

Reading the ingredients on the label, I noticed also that they had infused the lotion with their sunflower seed oil. I have the sunflower oil of Human Nature as well and it is very popular because it helps to moisturize hair, give shine under the eyes, and moisturize skin but I noticed that when used solely, it tended to be thick and gooey — and oily. Surprisingly, as I poured out the Berry Bliss lotion and rubbed it into my skin, there was no physical trace of the oily sunflower oil. Looks like Human Nature put in just enough of it to work without getting too oily. I could feel my skin feeling all smooth and moisturized and smelling berry, berry nice.

I’m going for the Berry Bliss next time I need to buy lotion. Just one thing, I hope their improved version of this down the road comes with some sunscreen protection.
Berry Bliss lotion comes in two sizes: the 50ml bottle costs PhP 65.75 while the 200ml bottle goes for PhP 199.75.

NSO certificates, passport appointments, OEC made convenient with Pilipinas Teleserv

Posted on by jane

Getting birth, marriage, and death certificates has become that much easier these days with service companies that allow you to order these online. One service which I have been using for years when getting these types of certificates has been Pilipinas Teleserv. I’ve used them to order up birth certificates for everyone in my family several times. With 4 kids, we’ve had to present birth certificates when enrolling them in schools, for travel abroad, and for passport application.

The best experience I had with Pilipinas Teleserv was some years back when my passport and that of my 2 boys had to be renewed. Teleserv processed our information, picked up our passports, and assisted us at the DFA so efficiently that we were in and out in just 15 minutes tops!

Pilipinas Teleserv recently hosted a brunch for some bloggers with someone from the National Statistics Office (NSO) as resource person. We got to learn more about the OTHER services of Teleserv as well as ask questions of the NSO person.

Current services of Pilipinas Teleserv

NSO Certificates

NSO issues various certificates on security paper: birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, and Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR). Their hotline is open 24/7, even on holidays. And their coverage is nationwide.

Birth certificate on NSO security paper

Process for getting an NSO certificate

There are more payment modes now, including BancNet ATMs, online banking facilities and credit cards via an online payment channel. Teleserv says the online payment facility is compliant with the PCI-DSS’ strict certifications to ensure it is safe and secure.

DFA Express Passport Delivery
Teleserv told me that because of the new ID process at the DFA, waiting time is longer than it used to be the last time I processed our passports. Nevertheless, they make the appointment process and delivery as convenient as possible for their clients. Here’s how:

POEA Overseas Exit Clearance (OEC)

Vacationing OFWs need an OEC to be able to return to their place of work. There’s no need now to travel all the way to POEA for this as it’s just a mouse click away. It’s processed and delivered to your doorstep. Just log on to www.oecdelivery.com.ph or call (02) 737-7777.

A few more things I learned from Pilipinas Teleserv

During the open forum, I learned a few more things from NSO and Teleserv:

* The official receipt that comes with the NSO certificate needs to be kept attached to the certificate. – Waah, I never knew that and always separated them from the certificates! This OR is proof that the certificate is authentic and is sometimes required for presentation by some foreign embassies.

* Their security paper changes color from time to time. NSO orders these in bulk in a certain color and pattern. When they change color/pattern, embassies are advised. So it’s possible that while my current NSO-certified certificates serve the purpose for schools and other requirements, I may need to order up for new ones in case the family travels and the embassy/ies require a more recent security paper.

You can find Pilipinas Teleserv on the following sites:

Websites:
www.teleserv.ph
www.citizenservices.com.ph

Telephone:
(02) 737-1111 (NSO inquiries)
(02) 737-1000 (DFA inquiries)
(02) 737-7777 (POEA inquiries)

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/citizenservices

Twitter:
www.twitter.com/teleserv_ph

Gus* Modern – furniture functionality and style wrapped in simplicity

Posted on by jane

Modern, simple, versatile, functional, classy….

That’s my type of furniture. Something visitors and family can sit on without my having to grit my teeth out of fear that they could soil and spoil a very expensive piece of furniture.

In my corner of Metro Manila, I recently discovered that a Toronto-based modern furniture company – Gus* Modern – had set up shop. The young couple that brought Gus* here said they come from a traditional Chinese family involved in the traditional businesses but they found themselves more interested in furniture and fell in love with the simplicity and functionality of Gus*. They are now the first international dealer of the brand outside the US and Canada.

The first Gus* shop was set up at the Ground Floor of the Residences in Greenbelt last December 2010. Riding on the success of that shop, the first branch called Design Pod was set up just last February 2012 in Greenhills.

What strikes you first about Gus* when you see it is how simple it looks. Maybe it won’t catch the eye of those who go for more ornate furniture but Gus* is perfect for minimalist and practical furniture lovers. 
Gone are the days of homes that had elaborate, expensive furniture that guests could not freely sit on anyway for fear of soiling them. I remember wondering why I’d visit homes and find sofas wrapped in plastic (do people still do that these days???).
Many modern homes now have occupants who are newlyweds on a tight budget as they start life together; young parents with very young babies, toddlers; or senior citizens who do not want to be bothered with high maintenance furniture. Space is a premium so furniture that convert (like sofa beds) are so practical too. Gus* addresses this market and just about anyone who wants practicality, functionality, simplicity and the classy-look all rolled up into one.
Here are a few pieces that demonstrate functionality.
Prairie nested tables are great modern pieces that look like a sculpted piece of art when placed beside each other but can function as 3 separate tables when there are guests.
3-piece Prairie Nested Tables (when joined to look like one)

The same Prairie Nested Tables taken apart

Prairie nested table legs are made of solid oak

The limited-edition Cohen Chair is a small-scaled vintage club chair which comes in distressed brown leather, top-stitched, full-grain leather upholstery with a stainless steel base. We were told this is only available in Gus* Studios such as Gus* Philippines and only for a limited time.

Magazine racks can now be replaced with furniture that can hold magazines without the pain of dust gathering.

The Stump Storage Box is great to hide magazines & newspapers from view

Lounging chairs? Take a second look.

What looks like ordinary lounge chairs…

…are actually rocking chairs! My kind of chair!

And on evenings, there’s no need to turn on full lights if you have this…

Nice warm ambience, right? Table and light in one.

But what really caught my eye in the entire Gus* collection was my dream sofa. I first saw a sofa just like it at a friend’s house. And every time we’d visit, I’d sit on that sofa dreaming of the day we’d have one of our own. My friend’s sofa was imported so I really did not expect to see one till this Gus* event. There it was, in off-white!

It must be meant for me. In the catalog, this sofa bears my name – “JANE BI-SECTIONAL”!!!

The owner told me this sofa is bi-directional. The longer section can be reversed (the reverse side looks exactly the same as the top side) and placed on the right side of the couch. That way, it is good for any home arrangement. When I have my dream house, this dream sofa will be part of it!

There are actually other furniture items at the Design Pod including solid wood tables, cushions made from sack cloth, and many more. Their Spring 2012 collection catalog is out now so try to get a copy for yourself or visit their website to check them out.

Thank you to the people behind Gus* who gave us a tour of the Design Pod. It was a truly enlightening afternoon.

Gus* Philippines
Makati: G/F The Residences, Greenbelt, Esperanza St., Makati. Tel (02) 621-8171
Greenhills Design Pod: Connecticut St., Greenhills (beside UCC Cafe). 

Human Nature now has a flagship store!

Posted on by jane

My family is slowly but surely moving out of a chemical-filled lifestyle into one that incorporates organic and natural products and this includes the consumer products we use. We’re not at 100%, maybe not even at 50%, but my kids and I are becoming more conscious about the choices we make.

One brand that is very much present at home is Human Nature. My daughters and I have been using Human Nature products in place of some of our usual cosmetics. Recently, my daughter and I got the chance to visit the Human Nature Flagship Store – their very first concept store – in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

Anna Meloto-Wilk, President of Human Nature, welcomed us and gave a brief background on how Human Nature came about.

Designed by two young and talented Filipina architects (Mau Adraneda and Joyce Angara), the interiors were made to look like an enchanted forest in the midst of a concrete jungle.

Forest ambience, beautiful layout, warm lights

Products laid out around the trunk of the “tree”
Nice idea! Products arranged in heart shapes!

A dedicated kiddie corner while Mom and Dad shop

What impressed me about the Human Nature Flagship Store was their willingness to support and host other world-class Filipino Social Enterprises to showcase the different ways our local materials can be transformed into world-class products.

In one corner of the store was a beautifully lighted wooden and bamboo display area that showcased non-Human Nature items. It allows people shopping at Human Nature to support these other 100% Filipino social enterprises as well.

This corner showcases non-Human Nature items. See those 2 cream chairs?
They are made of Kraft carton boards only!

Cafe de Sug: Gawad Kalinga’s famous coffee from Sulu

Jacinto & Lirio: recycling the lowly hyacinth (water lilies) into luxury leather bags

Rattan Man: Dumagat Niete plates
Rags2Riches: eco-ethical fashion and and home accessories
made from scrap cloth and organic materials
Enchantea: healthy iced tea from the GK Enchanted Farm
Golden Eggs: salted duck eggs without the toxic food color (they use turmeric!)

Theo & Philo: the only 100% bean-to-bar Filipino artisan chocolates

Bambrew: food that contains bamboo
Whoa, a Bambike (bamboo bike)!!!

After the main blogger event, my girl and I had a great time shopping and bonding, checking out new stuff, discussing the products, testing some of them. She actually ended up buying more than me (she said she might as well shop for her stuff while she was there).

The concept store is quite a-ways from where I live but I think we would love to come visit every so often and shop in comfort in this green, beautifully designed, cozy store. Now if only they could find an ideal spot where I live – that would be perfect!

Human Nature Flagship Store
460 Commonwealth Avenue
Quezon City
Tel (02) 931-5787

Magnum Ice Cream indulgence is in town!

Posted on by jane

I was about to start this post with a description of the ice cream being launched but last night, as I was typing away, my older son came into the room. He saw the press kit beside me with an M logo on the front and he immediately exclaimed, “Hey, Magnum!” That was when I remembered why this brand of ice cream sounded familiar.

Two years ago. My son and some of his schoolmates had just come home from several weeks in China on a school-sponsored overseas program. Over the next few days, as he continued regaling us with stories of their adventures, one thing stood out. He and his friends had discovered a favorite comfort food during those days away from family and school – Magnum Ice Cream.

Of course, it was natural for me to be excited when the recent event I was invited to turned out to be the launch of this very brand in the Philippines!

The newly launched Magnum Ice Cream is a smooth and creamy ice cream bar coated with a thick layer of Belgian chocolate. It comes in 3 variants – Classic, Almond and Truffle. Belgian chocolate is one of the best worldwide. All other chocolates are usually measured against this gourmet standard. When you hear of a Belgian chocolatier, you know that person adheres to traditional techniques and uses the best quality ingredients. Most expensive and luxurious chocolates in the market use Belgian chocolate.

What is an ice cream launch without a taste test? Of course, everyone got a chance to try out all the Magnum Ice Cream variants. I did not have room in my tummy for them all so I just chose Almond.

Here we go…
Lots of almonds! Yum, yum, yum…

You can tell when an ice cream bar’s chocolate layer is well made. When you bite into it, the chocolate covering does not crumble all over, dripping you with chocolate and vanilla goo all over. Instead, you hear what they call the signature crack. A piece of Belgian chocolate enters your mouth first, followed by a smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream filling. That’s exactly how I describe my first Magnum experience.

Maybe you’re thinking that because it has Belgian chocolate, it is expensive. Surprise, surprise. Each ice cream bar will only cost PhP 50! And it will be distributed in supermarkets and retail stores, including 7-Eleven.

The 3 Magnum variants being introduced

Magnum Ice Cream is a collaborative effort between Unilever (Magnum is its biggest global brand) and RFM, the company behind the Selecta ice cream brand. RFM and Unilever said that they really worked hard to make this brand available to everyone at an affordable price. I found out that it’s very popular in European and Asian countries where it has a presence. Known Hollywood celebrities have endorsed it such as Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Ivanka Trump and Rachel Bilson. At the launch, we were introduced to Magnum’s local brand ambassadors that include Liz Uy, Solenn Heusaff (endorser), Rajo Laurel, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Erwan Heusaff and Raymond Gutierrez.

Some of Magnum’s brand ambassadors

My son and his friends will probably be some of the happiest boys now that their favorite comfort food in China is available locally. And those of you have have tried Magnum during your trips abroad can now have it any time you want without having to go out of the country.

As for me, I am looking forward this weekend to trying the Classic and Truffle variants in my freezer before deciding which one is my favorite flavor.

Happy 5th Birthday, Nuffnang!

Posted on by jane

I am proud to say I am a Nuffnanger! It’s been a little over a year since I joined Nuffnang PH and I am now on my 2nd year and still going strong…

Nuffnang is Asia-Pacific’s first blog advertising community consisting of hundreds of bloggers who write about everything and anything under the sun (and under the sea). In the Philippines alone, they count several hundred bloggers under their wing.

Nuffnang will be celebrating its 5th birthday on Feb. 27. Wow, have they been here that long already? I do remember first encountering them at the very first Word Camp of WordPress here in Manila and wondering what Nuffnang was all about. In fact, I still have their Nuffnang mug here (it holds all my pens).
Celebrating one’s 5th birthday is a milestone indeed and Nuffnang will be celebrating at Borough, The Podium Mall. I hope to be able to attend this and get to meet not only my blogger friends who are also Nuffnangers but also get to meet those I have not met yet.
Happy, happy 5th birthday, my dear Nuffnang! Here’s one for you.
(greeting card courtesy of Photobucket)
And thanks to Nuffnang sponsors, without whom our celebration won’t be possible.

Seattle’s Best: Love in the Key of Teas and Cookies

Posted on by jane

When you hear the name Seattle’s Best, I bet you immediately think COFFEE, right? Guess what. They are doing something new for the first quarter of 2012. Can you guess?

You guessed it. They have a MILK TEA variant! But for a limited time only!

We got to taste both the hot and cold variants. At first, I thought I preferred the cold variant but the hot variant was also good, actually. Their milk tea is a blend of black and green tea infused with caramel for sweetness. The cold variant comes over-ice with red, chewy tapioca pearls.

The milk tea will only be available till early March 2012 so go and get yourself one already.

Cold variant 

Hot variant

For the season of hearts, Seattle’s Best is also offering 4 different heart cookies. Each one can be taken out in its own box if you are planning to give it as a gift to a special someone. There’s a chocolate flavored butter cookie while the three others are classic butter cookie. Each cookie is covered in fondant and has a different design. These cookies are available only until Feb. 21, 2012.

Catch these goodies at the nearest Seattle’s Best outlet near you.

Dolcelatte: More than the usual cafe

Posted on by jane

Their facade doesn’t tell you the whole story and maybe many, like me, who go there for the first time will think that Dolcelatte is yet another cafe in the metro. Well, it turns out that I was the one pleasantly surprised to find out that it was a lot more than just a cafe.

I cannot blog about what we ate the day a few of us gathered. We were taste testing some new dishes and for now it’s a shhhhhhhh….But do watch out for another post once they’ve finalized their offerings.

But let me tell you now what Dolcelatte is and what more it offers.

Dolcelatte’s facade

The interiors impressed me. They were tasteful, done in vibrant colors with subtle lighting touches. To one side was a tiny fountain area that provided the relaxing sounds of running water.

Their breads and cakes are made by their very own commissary that manages the restaurant’s supply chain and looking out for consistency and quality of their products.

View from the front 
View from the back

Bread and cookies pillar

Running water under the stairs leading to 2nd floor. Nice!

After our meal, we were given a tour of what was on the second floor and that was the surprise we got. Dolcelatte was so much more spacious than we thought! There were enough function rooms and conference rooms up there for people looking for a cheaper alternative to hotels! 

For a small group of about 20 that wants to meet without the ambience of a corporate room or a hotel, they have a room with a crystal chandelier, high-back chairs and wooden shutters to keep out some but not all of the light streaming in from the glass windows.
There are 3 boardrooms, with shiny and expensive looking boardroom tables and executive chairs. The smallest is Erico (minimum of 8 persons). Two other rooms are larger – Eugenio (minimum of 10 persons) and Emilio (minimum of 14 persons).
Lounge area near Eugenio Room
Eugenio Room
Emilio Room

The Candida function room is great for birthdays, debuts, christening and other such events as it is able to seat from 30-200 guests.

Candida function room. There are dividers that open up to 2 more spaces
like this to accommodate more guests.

We discovered a medical library with a huge research area and lots of computers as well as an out-of-the-way 3-level bookstore. Cool!

Medical books beautifully displayed on glass shelves

Research area of library

Top view of bookstore’s 2nd level

Bookstore’s ground level

Bookstore’s lower ground level

Dolcelatte was a surprising discovery in terms of so much more that it had to offer.

If your company is looking for a breath of fresh air and a location for meetings and planning sessions that do not have to take you out of town and is quite reasonable, check out Dolcelatte and ask for their packages.
Dolcelatte
1616 South Triangle
Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Tel (02) 425-0313 loc. 109
Email: inquiries@dolcelatte.ph
Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8am to 10pm

TEDx comes to Xavier School on Feb. 18, 2012

Posted on by jane

Xavier School is celebrating its 55 years in existence year-long. And one of the highlights of its celebration is the inaugural TEDxXavierSchool event which is happening this Saturday, Feb. 18, right in the Xavier School campus.

Just as a backgrounder, TEDx is an independently organized TED event which operates under license from TED. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. At TED talks, the world’s thinkers and doers are given 18 minutes to talk about their passion. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  These talks are provided free to the global audience at TED.com. In fact, there is a TED app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch that allows you to view the videos on these devices.

In TEDx events, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. Just recently, my friend Jay Jaboneta, was invited to France to share about his Yellow Boat Foundation at TEDxMontpellier. But this TEDx event is close and dear to my heart because it is happening in the heart of my boys’ school. I am so proud that Xavier School is leading the pack when it comes to the use of technology in academe as well as in other pioneering ideas like this one.

In the heat of preparations…
(taken from TedxXavierSchool Facebook page)

The TEDxXavierSchool theme, “Innovation built on tradition”, will be a half-day event to explore ways in which we innovate based on our history and our own experiences. 
Innovators scheduled to speak in person at TEDxXavierSchool include:

• Raynard Raphael Lao — a Xavier High School student, who is also a champion public speaker at both local and regional competitions 
• Brian Maraña — International Programs Coordinator of Xavier School who has transformed the way students learn from the world 
• Tony Meloto — Founder of Gawad Kalinga, providing countless homes to the homeless and building them into communities, and speaker at the World Economic Forum 
• Dodie Ng — Games and apps creator who also founded a robotics organization and team for the youth while also being a Xavier High School student 
• Mark Ruiz — Co-Founder of Hapinoy and Founder of Rags2Riches, providing social business enterprise and microenterprise development as a living means to some of the poorest people 
• Brian Tenorio — Internationally-acclaimed, New York-based designer who has altered the way development is done through Design

Here’s a teaser video for TEDxXavierSchool.

For more on TEDxXavierSchool, follow their Facebook page and on Twitter via the hashtag #TEDxXS.

Credits:

Co-chairs for the TEDxXavierSchool event are Galvin Radley Ngo, Coordinator of Xavier School’s Operation NExT (New Experiences with Technology), and Jessica Demegillo, Technology Integrator at Xavier School. Martin Gomez is the primary licensee for TEDxXavierSchool. This event is organized by Xavier School’s Operation NExT department, Club NExT student organization, and the Xavier School student Media Team. 

3D Vizion: 3D without the glasses

Posted on by jane

Do you love to watch 3D movies but hate having to don those red and blue glasses? Join the club!

My kids don’t particularly like 3D glasses either. We donned them when we watched Avatar and while the ones we got were the expensive, sunglasses type, they were heavy. Besides, if you already wear glasses, how can you put another pair of glasses over your glasses?

Now, think of what this company did. Imagine that instead of putting those 3D glasses over your eyes, they put a giant pair of those glasses over your TV screen? And now you can sit in the comfort of your home or watch similar screens in advertising walls, glasses-free? Well, if you already wear glasses, you need not take them off. How about that?

In a nutshell, that’s what 3D Vizion has done.

Taking a ground-breaking technology that uses the best of high-definition 2D technology and the latest in 3D technology, it came up with a platform that uses glasses-free 3D screens. While TV screens are flat, glasses-free 3D screens redefine one’s viewing experience. The screen is now transformed into a living playground that emphasizes colors and redefines the depth of field. Everything comes alive.

Over the years, the influence of TV has diminished as more people now turn to the internet and even YouTube for many things that used to be TV’s monopoly. By introducing 3D screens, interest can be drawn back to TV. Advertising can be that much more interesting.

According to Katrina Bantug, President and CEO of 3D Vizion, this product is so revolutionary as of now that 99.8% of the world has not yet seen these screens. Their company has caught the attention of advertisers, most of all, because of the audience-gathering potential that it shows. Katrina says “A US study discovered that when used in a mall, the sales of the brand featured in the glasses-free 3D screen went up at least 12% in addition to the store reporting a 34% increase in consumer traffic.”

Katrina Bantug

Bloggers were treated to a wall of 3D screens that played several commercials in a loop. I would have wanted to post here what it looked like but apparently, my videocam could not replicate the effect of the 3D screens. Suffice it to say that we were all awed at how commercials seemed to jump out of the screen. We watched an iPhone turn on its base, coins seemed to jump out of a treasure chest, a cartoon clip, a forest path, and many more come alive on 3D.

Another surprise was finding out that this company is a fully-operational Filipino firm. Why the Philippines and not some other more developed Southeast Asian country? Katrina answers back, why not the Philippines? Truly, why not!

Naturally, as of now, advertising costs on 3D screens are more expensive than regular advertising on LED screens. But Katrina says that it is not just a matter of comparing pesos with pesos; rather, the added attraction of watching a product commercial on 3D translates into more sales as their study shows. And economies of scale are sure to bring these costs down over time as more companies discover the drawing power of 3D screens.

3D Vizion is founded by Katrina Bantug, Mohan Kulkarni and backed by DEMIKK Holdings, Inc., represented by Ruben Tiu. For more information about the company, its products and services, contact Susana Eslava at (02) 695-1111 or (02) 706-7999 or visit their website, www.3dvscreens.com.