Live – Page 27 – Jellybeans in the City

Buyers’ guide for charcoal grills on a budget

If the sight of dancing flames giving way to glowing red charcoals, the smoky aroma of the barbecue tickling your nostrils and the satisfying sound of sizzling food as they cook on a gridiron make your mouth water, then grilling is for you!

There’s something so primal about creating and tending a fire in the great outdoors to cook your food. It seems to harken back to when our cavemen ancestors would gather around bonfires to cook the spoils of their hunt. That prehistoric experience is mirrored in backyard barbecues, with people gathering around in a festive atmosphere while most of the action takes place on top of the grill.

Charcoal grills comprise the most popular category of outdoor grills, dominating pop culture images of barbecues from movies to TV ads. While some cooks would cite the time it takes to stoke a fire up to the temperature required for cooking as a disadvantage, expert grillers would argue that the authentic smoky flavor it brings to grilled food as its strongest appeal.

Even if you’re considering to buy a grill on a low budget, you still need to consider other factors to help you choose the right one for your needs, such as:

How many people you plan to grill for. This will help you choose the size of charcoal grill to buy. A small one (26 inches at the widest point or less) is suitable for grilling for two or for a small family. Medium-sized grills (between 27 to 33 inches) are perfect for grilling for larger families, while large ones (34 inches or bigger) are appropriate for large clan gatherings or neighborhood cookout parties.

Where you plan to use it. If there is a designated area in your patio or backyard for it, you can choose free-standing grill that can stay in a fixed position. If you don’t have a fixed spot for it or you plan to bring it along when you travel, you would need one that’s more lightweight and portable.

Royal Gourmet CD1824E 24-inch Charcoal BBQ Grill Outdoor Picnic Patio Cooking Backyard Party Weber 40020 Smokey Joe Premium 14-Inch Portable Grill , Black

Char-Broil 12201570-A1 American Gourmet Offset Smoker, Black,Standard

Buying a charcoal grill may be your first step towards many tasty food adventures so be sure to take the time and the effort to weigh your options and choose carefully.

This post contains affiliate links.

WWF-Philippines holds webinar on Food Safety in The New Normal

As part of its celebration of June as the National Safety Month, WWF-Philippines, the local arm of the World Wide Fund, held the Panda Talk Food Safety: Everyone’s Business, a timely topic as the country transitions to The New Normal.

Panda Talks are WWF-Philippines’ free livestreaming educational events which aim to equip the public with information on conservation in line with the organization’s initiatives.

With many Filipinos going into buying foodstuffs online and home-based food selling, there is a need to establish food safety and food waste management practices.

Host Janine Gutierrez, WWF-Philippines’ National Youth Ambassador, and speaker Melody Melo-Rijk, WWF-Philippines’ Project Manager for the Sustainable Diner Project, discussed ways in which consumers and home-based food businesses can practice food safety in a COVID-19 world.

“Food safety is actually a shared responsibility between the food businesses and the dining public,” shares Melo-Rijk. “We all have a stake in making sure that our food is safe, nutritious and healthy to eat.”

Since COVID-19 is transmitted from human-to-human, physical distancing has become the norm. Although there is no evidence that food of animal origin can transmit the disease, preventing food contamination will reduce foodborne illness and the likelihood that novel diseases such as COVID-19 will emerge.

With these in mind, Melo-Rijk shared best practices to ensure food safety for both consumers and food businesses.

Food Safety at Home. The home has emerged as the safest place to be as it is an environment that can be easily controlled by the consumer. Steps to further safeguard household members from disease include:

Practice personal hygiene at all times. Washing hands from nails to elbows for twenty seconds will help to remove physical dirt and reduce microbes. Daily and thorough bathing of each household member will also prevent contamination and disease transfer. It is also important to be mindful of your water usage so turn off your faucet while still soaping your hands.
Clean and sanitize. Cleaning is the removal of visible physical dirt from surfaces while sanitizing involves the use of anti-bacterial agents to eliminate invisible micro-organisms. It is important to sanitize (between 60% to 85% FDA-approved sanitizing solutions are best) after cleaning to help reduce all possible contaminants.
Separate raw and cooked food. Raw food contains more micro-organisms than cooked food so these should be kept apart to avoid cross-contamination. This also involves the utensils use to handle food during preparation: ideally, a separate set of knives and chopping boards should be assigned for raw and cooked food; if this is too costly, food preparers can just make sure to clean and sanitize each tool prior to shifting from raw food to cooked food and vice versa.
Cook and store food properly. The key to cooking and storing food is temperature. Microorganisms grow best between the 5 deg and 60 deg Celsius (or 40 deg to 130 deg Fahrenheit). Food should be stored below 5 deg Celsius to slow the growth of microorganism and cooked above 60 deg Celsius to eliminate them.
Consume fresh food and clean water from safe sources. Avoid overstocking food to assure their freshness upon consumption. Be sure to check expiry dates of packaged food and the state of fresh produce regularly.

Food Safety in Businesses. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has already released guidelines for restaurants and food businesses to follow to ensure the safety of the dining public in accordance with the measures set by the US Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA). These include:

Employees must be clean and healthy. Food business employees must be free from COVID-19 and other diseases. Therefore, they must always practice stringent personal hygiene, wear appropriate personal protection equipment (PPEs) such as gloves, hairnets, face masks and shields, work clothes and protective covers for shoes. They should undergo regular temperature checks and immediately report any symptoms to their employers. Diners must also be required to wear face masks, undergo temperature checks, step onto sanitizing mats and provide contact details for contract tracing.
Clean and sanitize. All surfaces in the dining and food preparation area (including utensils and equipment) must always be cleaned and sanitized. Ingredients should, of course, be meticulously cleaned.
Maintain physical distancing at all times. The standard of 2 meters (6 feet) must be practiced by employees and diners alike, supported by floor markers or signs. Self-service setups (wherein diners will proceed to different areas) and displays of food items (which will encourage diners to gather in certain areas) must be avoided.
Ensure protocols for delivery and pickup. Measures to ensure minimal physical contact should be implemented. For example, the use of cash or credit cards that involves physical objects changing hands should be avoided, and instead be replaced by cashless payment options like G-Cash and Paymaya which allow consumers to pay for their orders remotely using their mobile phones. Food delivery apps like GrabFood and FoodPanda have also released guidelines for contactless delivery which include designating a surface outside the home for the rider to drop off the order and pick up payment.

With these measures in place, the spread of diseases can hopefully be controlled and curtailed.

Minimizing Food Waste

Even in The New Normal, sustainability should still be a priority concern with food waste comprising 80% of the country’s solid waste. The Sustainable Diner Project is WWF-Philippines’ initiative that aims to lessen food wastage and contribute to the improvement of the implementation of sustainable consumption and production processes in the food service sector. From studies and talks done by the organization with stakeholders in the food industry, the project has provided steps that consumers and food business can follow to minimize food waste. These include:

Plan ahead. Check your refrigerator, pantry and other food storage areas and plan your menu before going out to buy food.
Check labels and expiry dates.
Ensure proper storage and preparation of food. Ensure that food storage equipment such as refrigerators and chillers are functioning properly. The designated food storage area should be a cool and dry place, free from rodents and pests. Make sure that the food you store is properly sealed to avoid attracting rodents.
Only buy products you can reasonably consume. Avoid overbuying food, especially perishables. WWF-Philippines also encourages consumers to buy “ugly” fruits and vegetables which are impertfect-looking produce due to discolorations or shape but are perfectly fine when peeled.
Be creative with your next meal. Being stuck at home has unleashed the hidden talent in cooking that many of us have. Try to maximize the existing ingredients in your pantry and even leftovers when preparing your next meal.

The Panda Talk Food Safety: Everyone’s Business may be viewed on Facebook.

About WWF-Philippines

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF-Philippines has been successfully implementing various conservation projects to help protect some of the most biologically-significant ecosystems in Asia since its establishment as the 26th national organization of the WWF network in 1997.

Check out my other posts on conservation:

Header photo created by prostooleh – www.freepik.com

Food photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Three reasons to take up coloring books as your quarantine hobby

Stuck at home because of the quarantine and you’re itching for a way to break the monotony of the days passing by?

Why not do something creative? Drawing or painting from scratch or learning to play an instrument may seem daunting but you can always start with something relatively easy. Coloring books, for example.

For quite some time now, this erstwhile niche pastime has evolved into a trendy pursuit for many, who swear by its contributions to their mental well-being. In a 2016 CNN Report, certified art therapist and Clinical Assistant Professor and NYU’s Program Coordinator for its Graduate Art Therapy Program Marygrace Berberian posited that while coloring books is not the same as completing an art therapy session, it “definitely has therapeutic potential to reduce anxiety, create focus or bring about more mindfulness.”

Wondering how coloring books can bring about a more peaceful and productive state of being? Read on.

1) It can calm a busy mind.

The basic and repetitive motions you use to fill in the intricate designs with shades and hues can engage your mind but also quiet down your anxiety.

2) It can help you catch some zzzs.

With the increase in people’s anxiety levels over the COVID-19 pandemic, the forced isolation to maintain social distancing as well as the abrupt changes in daily routines have led to many reported cases of sleeplessness.

Engaging in an relaxing spate of coloring activity instead of staring at gadget screens, or worse, news reports (!) before bedtime may facilitate a more restful slumber.

3) It can unleash your creativity.

Filling in the blank shapes in coloring books is akin to collaborating with their artists in bringing their work to life. Choosing the colors and applying various strokes are also decisions driven by your own creative vision and executed within your control.

Keep this up and maybe soon, you’ll find yourself more confident in applying your re-developing creativity and decisiveness in other aspects of your life such as your home or career.

Ready to pick up your pencils, markers and crayons but have limited access to coloring books that catch your fancy? Worry no more.

E-commerce platform Shopee hosts Shopping on the Side’s online store filled with adult coloring books sourced from all over the world. Here, you can take your pick among a wide variety of books from meditative mandala patterns, whimsical drawings of fairies, intricate illustrations of travel destinations to humorous comic strips. Shopping on the Side is well-rated by Shopee users who praise the shop’s premium and high quality inventory, immediate shipping of ordered items and secure packaging.

Ready to start on your coloring journey while on quarantine? Let me know how it goes!

Header photo by J. Kelly Brito on Unsplash

Other photos provided by Shopping on the Side.

Snacking can actually be a good thing, here’s why

By Susan Bowerman, M.S., RD, CSSD, CSOWM, FAND, Senior Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training, Herbalife Nutrition

Most of us are making more trips to the kitchen these days. In addition to simply being home more, there are a few reasons we may be eating more often —boredom, in need of a distraction, or perhaps to deal with something a little deeper, like anxiety or depression. In any case, the temptations to eat while stuck at home are heightened for all of us, which can create the potential for unhealthy consequences if we stray too far from our usual diets.

One reason snacking has such a bad rap is because so many common ‘snack foods’ are high in fat, sugar, salt and calories. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, many health-conscious consumers already stayed away from these types of products; however, now people are stocking up on whatever is available at the grocery stores– changing the way we all eat. Even with these limitations, the important thing to remember is that choosing the right foods – even when we’re snacking – will allow us to maintain our health during these uncertain times.

While some people think all snacking is bad – probably because they equate ‘snacking’ with ‘snack foods’ – but I’ve always been solidly in the pro-snacking camp. For one thing, a small nutritious, balanced snack can help keep you energized between meals, and help control your hunger at mealtimes. When the foods you choose are appropriate, if you are truly hungry, and if you’re able to maintain healthy snacking habits, that’s one less thing to worry about during this pandemic. If you’re worried about how much you’re eating throughout the day, here are five tips to help you snack smartly:

You may actually be dehydrated
Many of us will mindlessly walk to the cupboard and find something to nosh on thinking we need to feed a food craving. The truth is that you may actually be mildly dehydrated, and your body is really just craving fluids. Before you reach for the snack pour yourself a glass of water, or a sports drink with electrolytes, to see if that will help tide you over a little longer, or try a light watery snack, like a piece of fruit.

Healthy snacking can help you to work more nutritious foods into your day
Think of it this way: the more often you eat, the easier it will be to work in your daily servings of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and calcium-rich dairy products. Use this opportunity to turn snacking into a healthy practice by preparing snacks that provide a mix of low-fat protein (like nuts, soy protein products or nonfat dairy foods) and healthy carbohydrates (like fruit, veggies, and whole grains). The carbs will get digested first and satisfy your hunger right away, and the protein will give your snack a bit more staying power.

Snacks can fuel your physical and mental energy
It’s actually normal to get hungry about every three to four hours. When you eat regular meals and snacks, it can help keep your blood sugar more stable throughout the day. That’s a good defense against between-meal dips in blood sugar that can sap your mental and physical energy.

Have that second lunch
A substantial afternoon snack can help control portions at dinner. Many people manage to control their eating pretty well during the day but, when the day’s over and it’s time to relax, end up eating a huge dinner. For those folks, a larger afternoon snack—almost a small second lunch—makes it much easier to cut back at the evening meal. The afternoon stretch between lunch and dinner can be a difficult time, so having something a little more substantial like a protein shake, a cup of cottage cheese with some fruit, or even a low-calorie frozen meal. Then you can do your cutting back at dinner time. And, if after-dinner snacking is a problem for you, try brushing your teeth after dinner. It works as a great signal to stop eating.

Re-think your snacking habits
If you’re eating unhealthy, high calorie foods like sweets, chips, and sodas keep in mind that these high calorie snack foods can contribute to weight gain and they offer little, if any, nutritional value. You also should think about the reasons you’re eating and identify whether it’s something other than hunger. If you tend to snack when you’re not hungry (maybe you’re bored, stressed, angry or tired), it’s a habit you might want to think about breaking. Think of other ways to deal with your emotions – take a walk, call a friend, write in a journal or spend a few minutes meditating. Taking a break for a few minutes will give you time to evaluate whether you’re truly hungry or not.

About Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
Herbalife Nutrition is a global company that has been changing people’s lives with great nutrition products and a proven business opportunity for its independent members since 1980. The Company offers high-quality, science-backed products, sold in over 90 countries by entrepreneurial members who provide one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that inspires their customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Through the Company’s global campaign to eradicate hunger, Herbalife Nutrition is also committed to bringing nutrition and education to communities around the world.

For more information, please visit IAmHerbalifeNutrition.com.

Herbalife Nutrition also encourages investors to visit its investor relations website at ir.herbalife.com as financial and other information is updated and new information is posted.

Header photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com

Pinoy Bloggers take on The New Normal

It has been more than three months since the pandemic has essentially turned our worlds upside down.

As we waited for quarantines to be lifted and restrictions to be loosened, many of us found ourselves willing time to hurry up so things can get back to normal.

But we can’t really go back to the way things used to be, right? Not when the threat of COVID-19 or any future communicable health risk still looms.

Hence, the emergence of The New Normal. While businesses re-open and people are more frequently moving about, the following principles still apply:

Increased importance of personal hygiene
Practice of physical distancing
Focus of all activities in the home
Transition of most interactions to digital

To help ease the way towards The New Normal, several Filipino bloggers have taken it upon themselves to broach topics relevant to the transition. They create content to guide, inspire or entertain as we all grapple with the changes to our way of life.

Keepin’ Fit and Healthy

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is the value of one’s health. We have seen how this viral infections has wreaked havoc, not only on one’s physical well-being, but also on one’s finances and social interactions. Also, keeping fit has become challenging for many with exercising outside the home and in the gym no longer among the options available. It is no wonder, then, that bloggers have chosen to dwell on how to maintain one’s health and fitness during this time.

Ces Dimalanta of Manila Millennial, for instance, guides her readers on how to conduct a COVID-19 self assessment using FightCOVID.app.

Prevention is better than cure so it’s good that we continue monitoring ourselves if we develop symptoms, but at the moment, there’s just so much strain on medical workers and doing a self-check is the least that we can do to help. – Manila Millennial

Dale Palisoc of The Little Binger, on the other hand, shares a list of free apps and websites on home workouts that can help his bingers to keep on track with their health goals.

We spent every single day at home because we are restricted and it is not safe… But you know what it is not healthy to stay stagnant. We still have to keep on moving. The big question, however, is how to do it? Especially now that gyms are closed and it is terrifying to jog outside… – The Little Binger

Home is the place to be… stuck in?

The home emerged as the safest place to be in, but, as most of us discovered, it is not always the most comfortable or the most entertaining. People who are used to going out and having a social life now find themselves isolated. Families who used to just see each other at dinnertime or on weekends now spend the whole day in each other’s company. The problem that arose from these scenarios is how to while away the time while “stuck” at home? These bloggers may have just the answer.

Nicole San Miguel of Living Beyond Style, Wendyflor Palomo of Wendyflor.com and Mikhaela Adarve of Youthsoloartsy.com, all give their own takes on how one can make the most of the time at home resulting from the quarantine.

Community quarantine may be a disorientating experience, especially for those of us who are used to spending most of our time outside the house. But, it’s also essential to look on the bright side, while channeling our energy into some productive activities. – Living Beyond Style

Beyond my motherhood duties to my two sons, I have come to appreciate the time I have: to do things I have always wanted to do but never got to, because I have always put them aside. – Wendyflor.com

Don’t forget to smile and be positive regardless of what situation you are in. One creative hobby helps us a lot to be more productive and manage our mental health to lessen the stress level. Despite the current situation, it always good to remember you got the passion to do things right and be the right person to deliver results to continue your undeniably creative hobby. – Youthsoloartsy

How can we get our hands on those food!

Anybody who knows me also knows that the enjoyment of good food is central to my happiness. When the community quarantine was implemented, my foodie friends and I worried about our favorite restos, and rightfully so. The restaurant industry was among the most badly hit by the pandemic and the resulting lockdown with the reduced clientele, lack of manpower and rising overhead costs putting a huge strain on their finances.

Those who were able to pivot their operations to be viable by making their food available for pickup or delivery stand a chance at surviving in The New Normal.

Plus, for those who are not used to cooking their own food, having tasty and easily accessible food options will make the quarantine restrictions seem not as harsh.

Since the start of the quarantine, I have featured noteworthy dishes from these establishments which can now be enjoyed at home. If you have time, do check out my posts on Fresh Takes on Filipino Food for Araw ng Kalayaan and Extraordinary Sushi for International Sushi Day.

So, what’s next?

Through all the difficulties we faced due to the pandemic, we are buoyed by the hope that someday it will end. When that day comes, we need to be prepared on what do do.

Ivan Jose of Ivan + Khris’ Travels gives advice to would-be travelers on how to travel safely and hassle-free.

Practice social distancing as much as you can. When exploring city centers and parks, take cycling tours instead of walking tours or bus tours. Cycling presents the least risk of coming into close contact with other tourists. Plus, cycling is great for your health at any time! – Ivan + Khris’ Travels

GV Caplas of Wandering Good Vibes presents a 30-day challenge to her readers to divert them from their worries and anxieties.

#30DayNewNormalChallenge aims to help citizens face this New Normal phenomenon. This will allow us to just live day-by-day unaware that we have adapted positively with this universal change. – Wandering Good Vibes

Karla Obispo of Travel with Karla, on the other hand, provides a playbook on how to be a decent person in the time of COVD-19 which I think still applies into The New Normal.

There are many ways on how to be a good citizen in the time of COVID-19. I hope you choose to be one. – Travel with Karla

Navigating the way into a new set of circumstances, norms and environments as a result of COVID-19 may seem daunting, but be assured, your blogger friends are with you ready to share what we can to guide, inspire or entertain you into The New Normal.

Many thanks to my fellow bloggers for contributing to this post!

Photo Credits:
Header photo by Sarah Killian on Unsplash
Health and Fitness photo by Cathy Pham on Unsplash
Home Life photo by Tanaphong Toochinda on Unsplash
Food photo by Victor He on Unsplash
Beyond photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

Z Hostel and Makati’s Tourism Office offer a different kind of walking tour to the public

The late artist, tour guide and cultural activist Carlos Celdran described Manila as “can be chaotic and spiritual, dirty and divine, gritty and gorgeous all at once.”

The same can be said about the area in Makati known as Poblacion.

Long saddled with the reputation of being the red-light district hiding in the shade of the soaring skyscrapers of Makati’s Central Business District, Poblacion has slowly but surely been shedding its seedier veneer to reveal a place with its own character. It may be crowded and wornout in some places, but it has its own vibrance and local flavor.

Z Hostel, known as “one of the hippest hostels in Makati,” itself stands on what used to be the site of a brothel. Today, it is the place where young travelers and backpackers stay for a few days of comfort and relative luxury.

Z Hostel recently partnered with Makati City’s International Relations Department in offering its Poblacion Walking Tour, not just to the hostel’s guests but also to locals who want to see another side of Poblacion, all for free.

Together with my daughter #ExhibitA, I took part in the tour to check out Poblacion’s happenin’ places.

An alternative to the usual walking tours wherein museums and heritage sites are the destinations of choice, this is essentially a pub crawl which takes its guests around the immediate radius of the hostel to check out some of the establishments they can hang out in (and have a drink or two) during their stay.

Tour guide Jian Miranda, himself a Makati resident for twenty-one years, shared his knowledge and love of the place by picking out spots worthy of note (such as the former drug den turned events venue, where to get the best barbecue in Poblacion and the names – and ingredients – of the streetfood being hawked on street corners) and the stories behind the various joints featured in the tour.

The first stop in the walking tour was Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen. With the branches of an old Balete tree serving as the shelves of the bar, Agimat serves up magic and mystery with every drink. Prior to presenting you with your concoction of choice inspired by the four elements apoy (fire), lupa (earth), tubig (water), hangin (air) and buhay (life), the crew would perform a ritual complete with ethnic masks, drums and chants. Being a foraging kitchen and bar, Agimat takes ingredients and culinary influences from various parts of the country to come up with unique and memorable dishes and drinks. It’s definitely worth a second visit.

The second stop of our walking tour was Julyan Coffee Spot, a newly opened coffee shop that also showcases artwork by the owners’ son, Julyan. More than a quiet place to sit and relax while enjoying artisanal coffee, Julyan Coffee Spot is also a social enterprise: it provides training and employment to persons with disability (PWDs). In fact the baristas serving coffee are deaf and communicate by sign language. I’d love to spend more time here with just my laptop and my cuppa joe, to work on my blog, or maybe get around to writing the Next Great Filipino Novel (yeah, I can dream, right?).

Kartel Roofdeck Bar, the next stop in the tour, offers a scenic view of the Makati skyline from the towering buildings in the CBD to the hotels and night spots in the surrounding the area. Here, we were given free shots to help us loosen our reserve and get to know our fellow tourists. I wouldn’t mind a return visit where I can leisurely enjoy a light mocktail along with the cool evening breeze.

The final stop in the walking tour is Kondwi. Set in a big, black, boxy type of building, it actually houses a vibrant cocktail lounge at the ground floor and an exhibit space for artwork on the second floor. The last time I was here was when the upper floor was occupied by the Johnnie Walker Highball Arcade earlier this month. I’d love to see the next exhibits, take part in the salsa dance lessons, as well as taste more of Kondwi’s artistic takes on food and drink.

After the tour, the group was treated to cocktails at the Z Roofdeck. Too bad I wasn’t able to join as #ExhibitA and I had the rush home for our dinner date. Oh well…

The walking tour is primarily geared towards tourists looking for places where they can tipple, but it can also be the springboard for a local foodie’s rediscovery of the gritty and gorgeous Poblacion area.

The Poblacion Walking Tour is offered to Z Hotel guests and, recently, to locals as well every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday T 4pm with Z Hostel as the meeting point. Want to take part in the next Poblacion Walking Tour? Sign up here.

Here are the locations of the places we visited today:

Z Hostel: 5660 Don Pedro St. Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 8898531 or +63 2 88560851)
Agimat Foraging Bar and Kitchen: Second Floor, 5972 Alfonso Corner Fermina Street, Poblacion, Makati City. (Tel: +63 917 8904039)
Julyan Coffee Spot: 5936 Gloria Street, Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 6860895)
Kartel Rooftop Bar: 5921 Algier Street, Poblacion, Makati City (Tel: +63 917 5638811)
Kondwi: 6109 Albert Street,Poblacion, Makati City(Tel: +63 917 7771633)

Clutter-free Christmas with Keepr Storage PH

After months of hearing all the popular holiday songs in the malls, Christmas is finally upon us. From securing the best gifts for our loved ones to digging up décor from storage, it can take a lot of work just to bring a touch of Christmas into the home. Luckily, Keepr Storage PH is here to declutter and make more space in your home!

The Hard Work Behind Christmas

There is no denying that a lot of hard work goes into each Christmas celebration. With so much to do on the days leading up to Noche Buena and Christmas Day, the only time to relax is usually at the end of the holiday itself. And this is something very familiar for the family-team behind Keepr Storage PH.

“Christmas is something we look forward to as a family,” shares Jay Buensuceso. “Anna decks out our home with lights and décor, and we’ll have Christmas Jazz and Classics playing through the entire house. We’re building fond memories for our children.”

“I really look at every detail when it comes to the holiday season- from how the house looks on the outside, to every garland we have inside, down to having that pine and mistletoe scent!” adds Keepr Founder, Anna Moncupa. “There are numerous challenges: from clearing out space to make room for decorations, then pulling stuff out of storage, and of course, putting it all together nicely and making it ‘Pinterest-worthy’. Some things stay and some things go, and I used to just stuff everything in a closet or our garage, which of course is basically kalat when not in use.”

Keepr: An Easy Solution to All Our Holiday Storage Needs

Keepr Storage PH is a full-service, storage solution that combines high-level security and strategic logistics into an easy-to-use mobile app. Simply download the Keepr Storage PH app, then schedule the pick-up and delivery of your items from the comfort of your own couch! This Christmas, allow Keepr to help you with all your storage needs. With Keepr’s multiple solutions, you have a safe space to keep time-honored Christmas décor before and after the holidays!

“We want families to have a clutter-free space and really enjoy their homes while making wonderful memories together,” adds Anna Moncupa. “Keepr allows them to safely store their items to create that warm Christmas environment. Even after the holidays, seasonal décor can be safely kept in our warehouse without worrying about deterioration, dust, and of course taking up unnecessary space at home.”

Why let something you use for a month or two take up space in your home all year long? Download Keepr Storage PH now on the App Store and Google Play! Keepr Storage PH provides you with a host of storage solutions combined with real-time and customizable storage management. Prices start at just ₱399.00 a month! Learn more here or call +63-917-KEEPRPH (0917-533-7774)!

Service images and details provided in a recent press release.

dōTERRA® Opens Corporate Office and Celebrates Grand Opening in The Philippines

dōTERRA®, the world leader in essential oils, is celebrating its global expansion with the grand opening of a new corporate office and locally registered product in the Philippines. The office provides a convenient location where thousands of local Wellness Advocates, together with a growing customer base, can come to learn about and purchase dōTERRA’s pure, potent, and sustainable essential oils.

“This is a great day for dōTERRA and the growing number of dōTERRA Wellness Advocates and customers whose demand for our products were critical in our expansion into the Philippines,” said Greg Cook, Founding Executive. “We are excited about the potential of our Southeast Asia business, and the opportunity to share our pure essential oils with more consumers and increase awareness of our sustainable sourcing with another global community. Our presence in the Philippines further solidifies our position as the largest essential oil company in the world.”

“Opening an office and building a support team in the Philippines is a small, yet significant way for us to support our Filipino Wellness Advocates and customers, and demonstrate our commitment to building a successful business in the region,” said Johnathan Kunz, dōTERRA Vice President of Asia Pacific Markets. “Serving the thousands of loyal dōTERRA customers just got easier, and we appreciate everyone that has had a hand in making this office possible.”

dōTERRA previously announced that Micheal Carson will serve as General Manager for the Philippines. Carson is an experienced industry leader who also helped open China for dōTERRA in 2014.

About dōTERRA®

dōTERRA® is an integrative health and wellness company and the world leader in the Global Aromatherapy and Essential Oils market. dōTERRA sources, tests, manufactures and distributes CPTG® essential oils and essential oil products to over eight million dōTERRA Wellness Advocates and customers. Through industry leading responsible sourcing practices, dōTERRA maintains the highest levels of quality, purity and sustainability in partnership with local growers around the world through Cō-Impact Sourcing. The dōTERRA Healing Hands™ offers resources and tools to global sourcing communities and charitable organizations for self-reliance, healthcare, education, sanitation, and the fight against human trafficking. Through the life-enhancing benefits of essential oils, dōTERRA is changing the world one drop, one person, one community at a time.

To learn more, visit its website.

Women empowerment with INEX Active

A new line of workout gear, INEX ACTIVE, was launched last October 23, 2019 at the Mindful Movement Asia Pilates Studio in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig through an invigorating Pilates session headed by Mindful Movement Asia Pilates Studio General Manager Ken Colubio and Pilates coach Regina Del Rosario with INEX ACTIVE Founder and daughter of Senator Pia Cayetano, Maxine Sebastian and Managing Partner Juancho Palacios.

“INEX is short for inexorable which means unstoppable and relentless as we want the name itself to be empowering. We wanted the logo to mean something, so we chose the wolf and the moon. The wolf symbolizes personal power and all that is INEXorable in every one of us; the moon is a symbol of female strength. They say when the moon is full, women are in their highest point energetically. So, we’re hoping that by wearing INEX, women will be able to bring that feeling with them,” – according to Maxine Sebastian.

The event was also graced by notable personalities like Sen. Pia Cayetano, beauty queen-turned image consultant Abbygale Arenas-De Leon, Ms. Earth 2015 Angela Ong, model TV-host Kelly Misa to name a few; and they had the privilege to try and enjoy the newest INEX activewear styles.

The seamless structure of INEX ACTIVE sportswear is mainly made up of nylon which is soft as silk. It is also breathable, durable and odor-inhibiting in which it wicks sweat from your skin to fabric’s surface where it can evaporate. They are available in the sweetest pastels to the most energizing neons.

INEX ACTIVE is passionate about finding fresh ways for women to express themselves through their activewear and ultimately sharing the joy of an active lifestyle. They are big believers in self-acceptance and self-expression. This is why they aim to provide a variety of styles that complement every body type and to encourage women expressing themselves and embrace what makes them unique.

Another core values INEX ACTIVE want to share to their customers is “It’s Cool 2 Care”. They are committed to slowly but surely shifting to a more sustainable business model starting with their packaging options in which their customer can choose between their reusable pouches and their 100% compostable packaging.

INEX activewear is available online at inexactive.com. You can also follow them on their Instagram and facebook account at @inexactive to keep up to date!

About One of A Kind

One of A Kind Marketing is the Southeast Asia’s leading Marketing arm of International Brands catering to Asia. The Company is primarily involved in Brand Marketing, brand building, PR, Events, Ambassadors Athletes Management and Brand Activations, and content creation, as well as in the production of International Event Licensing. Creating the next big brand in the Philippines and Asia.

The brands that they manage and build in the Philippines is Under Armour for the past 5 years, they also cater brands such as Unilab , Chevron, Balesin, Newton, Active Health , Tobys Sports, Lucerne Brands And even stage events like Trifactor Asia as SEA Games Qualifier.

One of a Kind Marketing produces a wide variety of engaging world-class events and programs in multiple sports fields such as Triathlon, Beach Volleyball, Running basketball and all active lifestyle and fitness related activities. The company is also one of the houses of multiple star athletes with different advocacies but w one goal of uplifting athletes’ sports development and strengthening support to our national sports tourism.

One of A Kind Marketing also provides platform and programming for athletes and coaches. Marking them as the top of mind partner for sports events. The Company also owns Trifactor Philippines and into content and event production. It brings its content to worldwide audiences via online and affiliate partner brands internationally. In addition, One of A Kind Marketing has business interests in merchandising and licensing, multimedia services, video production, talent identification, business consultancy all of which complement and enhance the Company’s strength in content production and distribution.

Product details and images provided in a recent press release.

Introducing Keepr: the first app-based full-service storage solution in the Philippines

Keepr Storage PH is the first full-service, highly-secure, app-based storage
provider in Metro Manila! Available now on the App Store and Google Play, Keepr’s mobile app allows you to securely store and monitor your most valuable possessions without having to leave the house! Prices start at just PHP 449.00 a month.

Keepr: An Extension of Your Home

Metro Manila is one of the most crowded cities in the world, with a population density of 20,785 persons per square kilometer. Combined with the rising costs of living, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find spacious housing in Metro Manila alone. Personal and storage space is fast becoming a valuable resource. Because of this, people regularly look for ways to free up space and bring out the beauty in their homes that are otherwise covered by too many objects.

Enter Keepr: a full-service solution to all your storage needs! Available on Apple and Android, Keepr allows you to clean up without having to give anything away. Keepr adapts to your personal needs by combining high-level security, strategic logistics, and modern technology into an easy-to-use app.

“Vertical living has been growing over the past few years – with an estimated 7,000 new units churned out by developers annually. This has mostly been due to rising real estate prices and scarcity of land within proximity of business districts. Office spaces and residential condo units have been getting smaller and smaller and prices get steeper as household consumption has been steadily increasing,” shares Keepr founder, Anna Moncupa. “We’ve been buying and putting stuff into our homes, and we’re running out of space. We’re basically consuming more but living smaller. Keepr was born out of this fundamental need for space within the city.”

How Does Keepr Work?

Create an Account. After downloading Keepr Storage PH, simply follow the format to create your account through e-mail, Facebook, or Google.
Schedule Your Free Assessment. Enter your mobile number and Keepr’s Storage Expert will get in touch with you right away. This initial assessment will provide our team with the necessary information to determine which monthly plan best suits your storage needs.
Schedule Your Pick-Up. Once you’ve subscribed to a plan, you can now schedule a pick-up by booking an appointment. A Storage Specialist will be on hand to guide you through the process, while Keepr’s team will expertly wrap and pack your valuables in the most efficient and space-saving way possible. Packing services start at just PHP 150.00 per hour, per personnel.
Manage Your Inventory. Keepr’s warehouse is equipped with 24-hour security and CCTV. The constant attention to your personal belongings extends to the access you have right from the app itself. Every item stored with Keeper is photographed, tagged with a QR code, and uploaded to your account. This provides you with constant access and a host of features that allows you to manage and
customize your storage.
Schedule Your Delivery. Want something back? Just select the item you need, set a location, and simply schedule the delivery date for a flat rate of just PHP 500.00! When you’re done, our team will return and pick-up the empty Keepr bins for free.

Keepr: The Only Storage Solution You Will Ever Need

“Most storage options cater to bigger corporations with the means and resources to manage their own inventory and logistics, whereas Keepr was really made for SMEs, growing families, and busy individuals,” adds Moncupa. “We’ve combined cutting edge technology and customer-centered ideologies to provide hassle-free storage to the everyday city dweller. Everything can be done online through our website or via app – convenience was one of our main goals when creating our system. It’s really about having a full life and creating more room for the things that truly matter.”

Download Keepr Storage PH now on the App Store and Google Play. Keepr provides you with a host of storage solutions combined with real-time and customizable storage management. Prices start at just PHP 449.00 a month! Learn more at https://keeprstorage.ph!

Product details and images provided in a recent press release.