Jellybeans in the City

Amazon unveils Prime Early Access Sale—A new holiday shopping event for members to save big from October 11 to 12

Amazon recently unveiled Prime Early Access Sale, a new two-day global shopping event exclusive to Prime members. The event begins October 11 at 12 a.m. PDT and runs through October 12 in 15 countries: Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK, and the U.S.

Prime Early Access Sale gives members a chance to kick off the holiday shopping season early with hundreds of thousands of deals. As part of the new deals event, Amazon is introducing a Top 100 list of some of the season’s most popular and giftable items. New deals from the list will drop throughout the event, offering deep savings across all top categories, including electronics, fashion, home, kitchen, pets, toys, and Amazon devices. Holiday gift guides and Amazon’s Toys We Love list will also make it easier for Prime members to discover, shop, and save on deals this holiday season.

“We are so excited to help Prime members kick off the holiday season with Amazon’s new Prime Early Access Sale—an exclusive opportunity for members to get deep discounts on top brands we know they are looking for this time of year,” said Jamil Ghani, vice president of Amazon Prime. “And members can start enjoying exclusive Prime benefits and offers now, plus find gift ideas for the family with our holiday gift guides and this year’s Toys We Love list.”

Start Saving Now

Members don’t have to wait to take advantage of holiday gift guides, as well as Prime benefits and offers. They can also learn more by visiting amazon.com/earlyaccess. Customers can join Prime or start a free 30-day trial at amazon.com/prime to participate.

Explore Holiday Gift Guides: Prime members can find gifting inspiration for the holiday season with gift guides, featuring top items from the toys and home categories. The toys gift guide features the most popular toys and games of the holiday season. It also includes the Toys We Love list of more than 60 items only available at Amazon from top brands, including Hasbro, Disney, Fisher-Price, Bluey, and National Geographic. For more information, visit amazon.com/toyswelove. The home gift guide includes must-have products from brands like Amazon Basics, Christopher Knight, De’Longhi, iRobot, Shark, simplehuman, and ZINUS.
Try Amazon Music Unlimited: Prime members who haven’t yet tried Amazon Music Unlimited can get four months free—with 90 million songs ad-free and in HD, plus millions of podcast episodes—and non-Prime members are eligible for three months free. Or, Prime members can get an Echo Dot (3^rd gen) for $0.99 with a one-month subscription of Amazon Music Unlimited. Both offers are available starting September 26 and ending October 12.
Get a Grubhub+ Membership, Free For a Year: Prime members in the U.S. can get even more delivered to their door with a free, one-year Grubhub+ membership trial valued at $9.99 per month—at no additional cost to their Prime membership for the first 12 months. This offer includes unlimited, $0 delivery fees on orders over $12, along with exclusive offers and rewards for Grubhub+ members, like free food and order discounts from hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country. To activate this deal, members can visit amazon.com/grubhub.
Score Deals on Prime Video: Prime Video is just one of many benefits included with a Prime membership. In addition to a vast collection of movies, series, and sports included with Prime Video, from September 30 through October 7, Prime members can enjoy a selection of new and popular titles to rent or buy at up to 50% off.

Plan Ahead for Prime Early Access Sale

Amazon makes it easy to prepare for Prime Early Access Sale, setting up personalized deal notifications and creating shopping lists.

Set up Personalized Deal Notifications: Prime members can subscribe to receive deal alert notifications related to their recent Amazon searches and recently viewed items. All they have to do is visit the Prime Early Access Sale event page on the Amazon app between now and the event to create deal alerts. Once Prime Early Access Sale begins, members will receive push notifications on any available deals.
Create Deal Lists with Alexa: Busy Prime members who don’t want to miss a deal can add products to their Wish List, Cart, or Save for Later list. Alexa can notify members up to 24 hours before eligible deals go live on items they’ve added to their lists—and even offer to purchase the deal once it’s available.

Deliveries Backed by Amazon’s Operations Network

Fast, free delivery of Prime Early Access Sale orders is made possible thanks to Amazon’s global transportation network, which is powered by innovative technology, transportation services, dedicated associates, and partners. Amazon continues to build, innovate, and scale this network around the world—from rail and trucks to planes, vans, and more—while focusing on the safety, well-being, and career advancement of the people and partners who work across the Journey of an Amazon Package. From a veteran loading cargo into the belly of an Amazon Air aircraft to the driver delivering that familiar Amazon box, it’s the people and partners across the operations network who make it all possible.

More Opportunities to Join Prime

Amazon offers two discounted Prime memberships with the same unparalleled value of all benefits to make everyday selection and savings more accessible.

Qualifying recipients of government assistance, including SNAP EBT and Medicaid, can enjoy all of Prime for just $6.99 per month. To learn more or to sign up for a free trial, visit amazon.com/qualifynow.
Designed specifically for higher education students, Prime Student is just $7.49 per month or $69 per year. Members also enjoy exclusive perks for college life, like up to 10% off flights and hotels through StudentUniverse. College students who haven’t yet tried Prime Student can sign up for a six-month trial at amazon.com/joinstudent.

Every Day Made Better with Prime

Prime delivers value for members through world-class customer service, exclusive savings, expansive selection, convenience, and quality digital entertainment for just $14.99 per month or $139 per year.In the U.S. that includes free, fast delivery—including on groceries and prescription medication, unlimited streaming of movies and series like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and live sports like Thursday Night Football with Prime Video, ad-free listening of 2 million songs, thousands of stations and playlists, and thousands of podcasts with Amazon Music, free games with Prime Gaming, more than 3,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading, unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos, and incredible savings with Prime Day. Members can also enjoy a free, one-year Grubhub+ membership trial valued at $9.99 per month—at no added cost to their Prime membership. Anyone can join Prime or start a free 30-day trial at amazon.com/prime.

Shop With Confidence

Customers can shop with peace of mind knowing that we stand behind the products sold in Amazon’s stores with the A-to-z Guarantee. Amazon’s protection applies to products purchased in our stores worldwide, and in the unlikely event that customers experience issues with timely delivery or condition of their purchase, Amazon will make it right by refunding or replacing it. Amazon is committed to a trustworthy shopping experience and backs the products offered in Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale, as well as the hundreds of millions of products offered every day in our stores. Learn more here.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Photo Credit: Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

Sustainability redefined with Vine Residences, SMDC’s master-planned development in Novaliches

Sustainability has taken a whole new shape in today’s world. The recent health crisis has put health, safety, and well-being in the center of the discussion, and climate change has placed disaster risk reduction and resilience front and center.

SM Development Corporation (SMDC), “Developer of the Year” at the DOT Property Philippines Awards 2022, remains resolute in building sustainable communities across the country that address the safety, security, and evolving needs of Filipino homebuyers.

Vine Residences - Central Park_Night shot — A sprawling oasis in the heart of the city, Vine Residences demonstrates SMDC’s unique ability to create holistic ecosystems of sustainable communities. The development sits right within the SM City Novaliches complex, offering a premium integrated lifestyle.

It’s more than just being green

Now more than ever, developers are being assessed against Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards — how they’re able to provide safe and secure environments, improve health, well-being, and overall quality of life, all while addressing the environmental impacts of real estate development.

One of the master-planned communities that encapsulates this trifecta is SMDC’s Vine Residences. This gated vertical community has dedicated 52 percent of its total land area to open spaces, which has rightfully earned Vine Residences the title, “Best Landscape Architectural Design,” from PropertyGuru Philippines in 2021. Its expansive amenity area brings the joys of the outdoors right to your very own backyard.

A slew of resort-style amenities await residents at the Central Park — intricately-designed swimming pools, an engaging children’s play zone, and lush sunken gardens that flaunt an exquisite use of space and foliage. If adventure is what you’re after, discover the beauty of nature at the Camp Hill Site. Go searching for treasure as you trek along the Eco Trail, or enjoy a competitive game of basketball or volleyball at the covered court.

What truly rounds up SMDC’s commitment to sustainability, however, are their upgrades or practices that, all in all, enhance each development’s resilience and overall efficiency while promoting environmental stewardship. For instance, Vine Residences has been raised from the ground by approximately three meters, not only to preserve the trees and vegetation in the area, but also to strengthen the community’s defense against flooding. It’s also equipped with a detention tank that controls and mitigates water discharge in cases of heavy rains. A rainwater collection system, on the other hand, enables rainwater to be recycled and used to water its landscape.

Vine Residences - Vine Nature Park_Night Shot — *Sustainability is ingrained in each SMDC community. With its Nature Park, Vine Residences, a ready-for-occupancy (RFO) development, promotes green and healthy living in all aspects.*

Couple these with the way the hotel-like lobbies and right-sized units at Vine Residences are designed to maximize the use of natural light and ventilation, and the walkability that a home right within the SM City Novaliches complex provides, and you are granted a sustainable lifestyle in a disaster-resilient property.

Novaliches as a hyper-connected economic corridor

Shaping today’s property sector along with sustainability is infrastructure. Given real estate’s confounding implications on both the economy and the environment, these two go hand in hand in uplifting quality of life — sustainability practices future-proofing homes and prioritizing health and wellness, and infrastructure developments triggering economic opportunities and paving the way for hyper-connectedness inter- and intra-cities.

Novaliches, in particular, is in a particularly exciting position when it comes to reaping the benefits of sustainable infrastructure. The soon-to-be-completed MRT Line 7 will connect the area to the planned North Triangle Common Station, where transfers can be made to other train lines. The west of the metro will soon be easily reachable via LRT Line 1, and the MRT Line 3, together with the future Mega Manila Subway, will enable ease of travel down south.

This not only signifies utmost convenience in getting in and around Metro Manila. It also solidifies Novaliches as a key economic corridor, and marks it as a real estate investment hotbed to look out for.

Real estate as the golden ticket to sustainable investments

When it comes to sustainable investments, financial experts agree that real estate is the safest, most practical choice. Real estate assets are not only income-generating, but inflation-hedging as well.

It is a must-have in one’s investment portfolio, primarily because real estate is bound to appreciate in value over time. It stays ahead of inflation, protecting your hard-earned money and even growing it in leaps and bounds in a 10 to 20-year horizon. For immediate yet steady returns, you can always choose to rent out your unit.

Vine Residences - Lobby — As part of their continued push towards making the luxurious attainable, SMDC curates an affluent lifestyle for their residents. Opulently-designed lobbies and a dedicated front desk team not only make sure you get treated to a VIP experience every day, but are given more time and energy for the things that truly matter.

The secret lies in choosing the right developer. SMDC’s distinct formula of sustainable developments in progressive locations has, time and time, proven itself rewarding for both end-users and investors. Add to that the integrated mall lifestyle they’ve pioneered, and the human-centric approach to property management and leasing services they carry.

Steadfast in building an affluent nation of homeowners, the trailblazing developer has recently launched their Move In Now Campaign, which essentially enables more Filipinos to own and immediately move into luxurious and masterfully-designed, sustainable homes. The program allows prospective buyers to enjoy as much as 10 percent discount upon reservation on select SMDC RFO developments nationwide. It also lets them in on the opportunity to move in right away with a five percent spot cash payment. On top of that, SMDC gives prospective buyers a housewarming present with a premium furniture item from Our Home.

More than just an after-thought, sustainable homes are a necessity, and they are now made attainable to many, thanks to SMDC. Start living sustainably and holistically with SMDC, and move in now to Vine Residences.

To know more about the promotions you can avail of under the Move In Now Campaign, follow SMDC on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Tiktok, or visit the SMDC website.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

Drag Playhouse PH honors Beyonce’s Renaissance with culture-defining themed show

Drag Playhouse Philippines recently celebrated the music of Beyoncé through a thematic show that further highlights the megastar’s enormous contribution to queer pop culture.

Aptly titled HOUSE 628 LIVE: THE RENAISSANCE BALL, the event provided an outlet for the queens of Drag Playhouse Philippines to express themselves freely without judgment, while sashaying to Beyoncé’s club-thumping 2022 album, Renaissance, and classic hits.

Aside from high-profile Drag Performances of OV Cunt, Marina Summers, Prince, and Eva Le Queen—three of them currently getting valuable airtime at Drag Race Philippines, the drag show also hosted friendly battles in several categories namely Drag Face, where contestants showcase exceptional makeup skills by serving mug on the runway; Drag Runway, where contestants exhibit head-to-toe fierceness during their runway walk; and Lip Sync Challenge, where they pull their most creative tricks in synchronizing their lips to a prerecorded track.

A special drag performance featuring Viñas DeLuxe added more star power to an already eventful night as she performed a medley of Beyoncé’s hits, with House OfMizrahi Philippines, a local chapter of the Voguing community, joining in some of the performances. A purely Beyoncé-themed DJ set tucked in between the program segments also hyped the crowd, prompting them to sing and dance along to the Homecoming Queen’s iconic bops from the late ‘90s to the present.

Marina Summers, a fan-favorite and frontrunner at this year’s Drag Race Philippines, expressed how Beyoncé shaped her youth. “Her work has been an inspiration for a lot of queer artists, and personally, I’ve always loved performing to her songs. And ever since the Renaissancealbum came out, just like Queen B herself, my creative path has been challenged to be more innovative and unique.”

Another Drag Race Philippines favorite and drag icon, Eva Le Queen, spoke adoration for Beyonce, pointing out how her music is a gift to the world. “Beyonce has always been an icon and inspiration to the community. Her strong and alpha energy resonated so much to a lot of us Drag Queens who are essentially the face and frontliners of the equality movement for the community. Her music, her soul, her POWER has allowed me to live my life in my own terms and take Eva Le Queen to greater heights. Being a female, POC and be THE QUEEN B is a permission for all of us to be the best that we can be.”

Like Summers and Eva Le Queen, fellow Drag Race Philippines contestant and queen extraordinaire PRINCE, considers Beyoncé as an important figure in influencing her drag persona. She also considers Renaissance as an envelope-pushing record that deserves its place in the pantheon of pop music greats. “It’s totally different from her past records. Most songs were sampled from classic disco hits but somehow Beyoncé made it sound fresh and that’s what makes it great.”

OV CUNT, another royalty in the contemporary drag scene, also showered Beyonce praises, particularly her new album Renaissance, for empowering listeners to be unapologetically, themselves. “It has awoken parts of the colorful history of our community, whether it’s intentional or not. It gave the world possibly new names of icons that may or might not be forgotten by the past. The mention of houses from ball culture, the use of Moi Renee’s Miss Honey in the Pure/Honey—it gives you every opportunity to reference every icon that contributed to our community today.”

Watch the video for the roundup of HOUSE 628 LIVE: THE RENAISSANCE BALL, Category is: A Night of a Thousand Beyoncé.

Listen to This Is Beyoncé playlist here.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

Delicious MEAT-up at Meat Depot, UP Town Center

Are you a certified carnivore like me?

Then, I’m sure you’re always on the lookout for juicy, flavorful and succulent morsels that you can sink your teeth into.

And where to find meats galore that you’re craving for?

Meat Depot, of course!

Meat Depot is both a butcher shop that carries a wide variety of meats, poultry and seafood, and a steakhouse. It is a place for meat enthusiasts to indulge their love for meat and meat products.

Whether locally raised or internationally sourced, its meat products are professionally handled from farm to plate as Meat Depot takes utmost care to comply with industry-certified procedures and employ industrial-grade facilities for meat handling, storage and cutting.

Socially conscious buyers can rest easy knowing that Meat Depot also champions conscientious butchery and helps to raise awareness for ethical slaughtering processes and food safety.

Over the years, the fam (and our extended family) have developed a liking for Meat Depot due to the quality of its meat products and the masterful grilling of its steaks.

After taking a break from dining in at our favorite steak place for over two years due to the pandemic, the fam was able to try out another one of Meat Depot’s branches, this time at UP Town Center in Quezon City.

Its chillers house various steak options to suit the tastes of all kinds of steak lovers, from the most basic to the most discerning:

Black Mountain: Ribeye, Striploin, Tenderloin, T-bone, Porterhouse, Tomahawk
Star: Ribeye
Clear River: Ribeye, Striploin
Lamb: Lamb Chop and Lamb Steak
Local: Ribeye, Striploin, Tenderloin, T-bone, Porterhouse

After selecting our steaks, the steakhouse’s expert griller set about grilling them to come out all juicy and flavorful and marked by those gorgeous grill marks, of course!

Newbie steak fans can take some pointers from Meat Depot’s cooking guide on various stages of doneness:

Blue: grilled for 30 seconds on each side.
Rare: grilled for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side, resulting to a steak that’s seared on the outside while the inside is mostly red. This meat is soft and tender.
Medium Rare: grilled for 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds on each side, resulting to a steak that’s seared on the outside while the inside is half-red. This is the recommended doneness of most chefs as it has the perfect texture.
Medium: grilled for 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes on each side, resulting to a steak with a rosy pink interior and slightly firmer texture. This is the preferred doneness of most steak lovers, my fam included.
Medium Well: grilled for 3 to 5 minutes on each side resulting to a steak with a mostly brown center and firm texture. This level of doneness is well-suited to people who may be squeamish and prefer not to see color in their meat.
Well Done: grilled for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, resulting to a steak a brown center with a very firm texture. Surprisingly, a lot of people prefer their steaks this way.

To make our steak meal complete, we opted to pair our steaks with mushroom sauce and side dishes that include steamed rice, mashed potatoes and marbled potatoes in balsamic dressing.

Wouldn’t you love to also MEAT up with your family and friends for a flavorful and filling steak meal at Meat Depot?

Then hie yourselves over to any of these Meat Depot branches located at:

2/F Ayala Malls Vertis North, North Avenue, Quezon City
815 Banawe Street, Brgy. St. Peter, Quezon City
283 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
G/F Paseo de Magallanes, Magallanes, Makati City
2/F O Square 2, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City
Corner Market, 2/F The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
3/F Robinsons Galleria, EDSA, Quezon City
G/F U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

You can also shop for your steaks and other meat products online through Meat Depot’s website and enjoy free shipping for orders exceeding Php2,500.

Stay updated on Meat Depot’s products and offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Meat Depot:

Meat Depot, Greenhills — Steakin’ it easy at Meat Depot

Olivia’s Touch: Skincare for a Touch of Confidence

I used to pride myself on being extremely low maintenance; in fact, I considered myself a koboy long before it became trendy.

I was not one to spend hours on a skincare routine, nor one who is constantly on the lookout for new skincare products to try.

Being koboy about skincare was a lot easier back in my teens and twenties when I still had the gift of youth to back me up by forgiving the sins I commit against my skin (oh, those times when I refused to wear sunblock!), as well as the sheer luck of escaping my adolescent years mostly unscathed by teenage acne.

However, as I near the more challenging period of my forties, I do realize that I owe it to myself to give nature a helping hand by taking better care of myself.

Self-care is becoming even more important as I age, so I’m glad that Olivia’s Touch makes this easy.

Olivia’s Touch is a line of beauty products which are locally made and produced using the finest ingredients. These are dermatologically tested to be perfect for all skin types and were manufactured in cruelty-free conditions to bring about the fuss-free yet luxurious kind of skincare that’s right for me.

These include:

Signature Minute-White Lotion 250 ml

Now I can welcome the brightest days with much brighter skin, thanks to Olivia’s Touch Signature Minute-White Lotion.

It is enriched with anti-aging and antioxidant ingredients – SPF60 Sun Protect to shield your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays; Arbutin that evens out your skin tone by lightening dark spots, acne marks and scars; Licorice Extract to reduce wrinkles and fine lines; and Niacinamide to reduce pores and treat hyperpigmentation.

After my morning shower and evening bath, I massage this lotion all over my body to enjoy its moisturizing and brightening effects for up 12 hours, giving my skin round-the-clock care.

Niacinamide Serum 20ml

The neglect I subjected my skin to back in my youth does haunt me from time to time in the form of breakouts, hyperpigmentation and (ack!) the beginnings of fine lines.

Olivia’s Touch Niacinamide Serum is formulated to counter these ill effects, thanks to its active ingredient Niacinamide which shields my skin from sun damage, encourages keratin growth to keep my skin firm and healthy and reduces oil production and pore size.

As part of my morning skincare routine, I massage this serum on my face and neck using my fingertips.

Sun Gel SPF 50 100ml

I have known for some time now that the sun, though vital to our survival and day-to-day life, does bring with it some harm in the form UV rays.

Olivia’s Touch Sun Gel SPF 50 helps shield my skin from the sun’s ill effects while minimizing pore blockage and other acne-causing substances. It is also infused with Aloe Vera Extract to keep my skin cool and moisturized, even when exposed to direct sunlight.

Before going out, I spread a small amount on my face and neck using my fingertips to afford me my much-needed sun protection. Reapplying every two hours is not a problem as it feels lightweight and is non-greasy.

Whipped Scrub 200ml

An integral part of any skincare routine is cleansing but how do I gently scrub away the day’s dirt and grime, as well as dead skin cells to reveal the radiant skin that I know (or hope!) is just waiting to come out?

Well, Olivia’s Touch Whipped Scrub is formulated exactly for this: it contains Dimethicone that softens and moisturizes; Carica Papaya Extract which has anti-aging and antioxidant properties; Aloe Vera Extract which soothes dry, damaged and sensitive skin; Arbutin to help with uneven skin tone; Niacinamide which protects skin from the harmful effects of sunlight, toxins and pollution; and Shea Butter to moisturize skin and also prevent aging.

During my evening bath, I gently massage this whipped scrub on my face and neck using circular motions, then leave it on for two minutes (fifteen to twenty minutes for the rest of my body) then rinse off and pat dry before proceeding to my moisturizing routine.

With these initial products, Olivia’s Touch has certainly equipped me with a simple and fuss-free skin care routine – in keeping with my koboy tendencies – but one that that’s all set to protect and maintain my skin so I face growing older with a healthy touch of confidence.

Want to include Olivia’s Touch beauty products into your skin care routine to help out your skin’s radiance? Simply shop at oliviastouch.com and enjoy 10% off your purchase when you use my code “IGINFRAJ10.”

Be sure to take good care of your Olivia’s Touch products so they can also take good care of you by storing them in a cool, clean and dry area, away from direct sunlight and heat.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature.

MetroMart launches tandem Handyman and True Value PISO SALE with FREE Delivery from Sep 24-26

Power up your pre-holiday shopping spree with the True Value-Handyman PISO SALE, exclusively available via MetroMart app and website. From September 24-26, 2022, select items can be purchased for only ₱1.00 when you order and get it delivered via MetroMart across select branches of True Value and Handyman.

The tandem PISO SALE of True Value and Handyman will have various items available within a scheduled time per day, and the promo can be availed until supplies last. The selections include kitchen tools, different food storage containers, storage solutions, and more. The first 200 orders from True Value and Handyman will also get FREE Delivery when they meet the minimum order spend.

*Products are subject to availability from different True Value and Handyman branches.

“As all Filipino families gear up for the holiday season, our MetroMart family wants to provide these amazing deals and discounts, working together with our merchants and partners. In our own way, we help bring the Christmas celebrations, plus the spirit of giving and family togetherness, to fruition.” Stefano Fazzini, CEO and co-founder of MetroMart, said.

The True Value-Handyman PISO SALE promo is applicable to New and Existing Users of MetroMart. A min. spend of ₱2,000 is required in order to avail the 1-peso sale items. Only completed checkout of orders within the sale period can avail the discounted items.

New to MetroMart? Get a ₱200 discount for a minimum order of ₱2k. Use the promo code “MMNEW” on the MetroMart app or website upon checkout. This is applicable across all stores and supermarkets for New customers, valid for one-time use until October 16, 2022.

Sign up for a MetroMart account here and enjoy Php200 grocery credit.

MetroMart is the #1 online grocery delivery service in the Philippines. Our grocery partners include S&R (with or no membership card required), Robinsons Supermarket, Landmark, The Marketplace, Shopwise, All Day Supermarket, Merrymart, Super8 Grocery Warehouse, Ever Supermarket, UltraMega Supermarket, and over 500+ specialty store retailers like Pet Express, Baby Company, Toy Kingdom, Toys”R”Us, National Book Store, Office Warehouse, Southstar Drug and AllDay Rx. Customers can order from their favorite stores on the MetroMart app and have it delivered to their door in 2 hours! For more updates on MetroMart, like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @metromartph.

Sawsaw-sarap ng Pinoy food, thanks to all-natural vinegars from Casa Lontoc

One significant feature of Filipino cuisine is the abundance of condiments.

We don’t consider a viand complete when it leaves the kitchen and is served on our dining tables. Nope, we still keep the option of further enhance its flavor or add some spice, zing or texture to it, through the use of condiments.

In his article The Psychology of Condiments: A Review, food scholar Charles Pence posits that “the existence of condiments is probably also an acknowledgement of the very different worlds of taste in which we all live.^”

After all, condiments allow us to personalize our food, adjusting its taste according to our individual preferences.

There’s little wonder then, that we Pinoys developed a wealth of condiments and dipping sauces that make our dining experiences all the richer.

Husband-and-wife team Juan Carlos Lontoc and Louwina Ann Balboa Lontoc grew their small enterprise of making and bottling sinamak into a fast-growing business they called Casa Lontoc.

Sinamak is the spiced vinegar which is aged with spices and aromatics, making it very flavorful. It is a perfect complement for the Ilonggo delicacy chicken inasal, as well as grilled and fried dishes such as liempo and seafood. Plus, it can also be used as a marinade for various dishes or as the acid in the local version of ceviche, such as the tuna kinilaw.

Casa Lontoc’s Mild Sinamak is the best bet for those who want a distinct Ilonggo flair for their grilled dishes. It is made from all-natural distilled cane vinegar and spices, inspired by a Lontoc heirloom recipe.

Similarly, the Spicy Sinamak, is made from the same recipe but has more heat to it, not only enhancing the flavor of the dishes it accompanies, but also bringing a lot more spice to them.

Casa Lontoc’s Sweet and Spicy Cane Vinegar, on the other hand, is quite distinctive thanks to its sweetness. This makes it quite a match to the Filipino penchant for sweetness and is a great salad dressing or vinaigrette for ensaladas, or a dipping sauce for finger foods.

Other Casa Lontoc products include:

Spiced Tuba Vinegar
Spiced Iloco Vinegar
Chili Garlic
Habanero Chili Garlic

Casa Lontoc’s all-natural vinegars and sauces certainly help to bring new dimensions of flavor to many Pinoy dishes.

Who knows? Maybe they can also introduce new sawsaw-sarap possibilities to foreign dishes as well!

Try them as dipping sauces for your everyday meals or as dressings or marinades for special dishes during your weekend family barbecues.

To know more about Casa Lontoc and its products, visit its website and follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature.

Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express, SM Megamall

If you think that treating your fam to a delicious shabu-shabu meal would be a costly and difficult endeavor, think again.

Especially as we are now in the midst of rainy season, a steaming bowl of soup can be quite a source of comfort.

The good news is that y’all can enjoy a tasty hotpot meal, quick and easy at Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express at SM Megamall’s Eatogether Food Hall.

Choosing from these tasty selections, family members can build their own shabu-shabu experience:

Meats (120g): chicken fillet (Php140), pork belly (Php150), beef karubi (Php150), beef chuck eye (Php180), Australian lamb (Php250), striploin (Php250), Angus beef (Php420), Wagyu Beef (Php520)
Seafood (100g): squidflower (Php60), half-shell mussel (Php60), shrimp (Php120), cream dory (Php60)
Shabu-shabu balls: fish ball (Php80), fish cake (Php80), squid ball (Php80), crabsticks (Php80), mushroom ball (Php85), lobster ball (Php110), cheese ball (Php120)
Vegetables (50g): native pechay (Php25), Taiwan pechay (Php50), cabbage (Php25), corn (Php40), enoki mushroom (Php120)
Soup bases: chicken and pork (Php50), spicy mala (Php60), sinigang (Php55), laksa (Php60)m sate (Php60), pickled vegetable (Php50), Chinese herb (Php60)

Or they can select from the affordably priced individual sets the one that best suits their shabu-shabu preference:

dumpling set (Php200 solo | Php320 regular)
vegetarian set (Php190 solo | Php300 regular)
pork set (Php200 solo | Php340 regular)
chicken set (Php220 solo | Php350 regular)
beef karubi set (Php230 solo | Php350 regular)
seafood set (Php250 solo | Php590 regular)
beef chuck eye set (Php420)
lamb set (Php480)
beef striploin set (Php480)
Angus beef set (Php650)
Wagyu set (Php800)

But for a hassle-free group meal, a hotpot for sharing option would be the fam’s best bet:

Couple Sets:

mixed seafood and beef (Php350 solo| Php750 regular)
mixed seafood and pork (Php350 solo| Php750 regular)
premium meats (Php1,390)

Family Sets:

seafood feast (Php1,590)
premium meats for 4 (Php1,620)
combination set (Php2,150)

We opted for a premium meats for 4 set where each family member got a personal soup pot (with our individual choice of soup base – mine was laksa, Hubby’s was spicy mala and the kids opted for chicken and pork), a sizeable selection of premium meats, seafood, vegetables and shabu-shabu balls, as well as a conduction stove in which to cook their own hotpot, we each basically had full control of our delicious and very filling shabu-shabu experience.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced shabu-shabu meal for the fam, Tong Yang Express is a great choice.

This Tong Yang Shabu Shabu Express branch is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor, SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Other branches are located at:

SM Center Pasig, Frontera Drive, Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue corner Doña Julia Vargas Ave, Ortigas Center, Pasig
SM Light Mall, EDSA corner Madison Street, Mandaluyong
SM Cherry Shaw, 514 Shaw Blvd, Pleasant Hills, Mandaluyong
The Rise Makati, 7248 Malugay Street, Makati
Eatogether Food Hall, 2/F Unimart at Capitol Commons, Meralco Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard, Pasig

Check out my previous posts about Eatogether Food Hall in SM Megamall:

3 Reasons to enjoy the creamiest halo-halo in the solar system from Bebang Halo-Halo

Just because we’ve entered the BER months, it doesn’t mean that it’s no longer the time to have halo-halo.

This shaved ice confection is considered the unofficial national dessert of the Philippines.

Its beginnings is said to be traced back to the pre-war Japanese-Filipinos in Quiapo who introduced a version of the Japanese kakigori called mongo-ya. It was made with minatamis na munggo (boiled and sweetened mung beans) served on top of crushed ice with milk and sugar. Over time, more native ingredients such as ube jam, sweetened kidney beans, rice crispies and leche flan were added, resulting in the development of the modern halo-halo.

The halo-halo got its name from the action needed to bring about its best qualities: it needs to be mixed (“halo“) again and again (‘halo-halo”) to bring various ingredients together with the sweetened and milky shaved ice in every spoonful.

Being an icy dessert, one would think that it is most popular during the hot summer months. However, I would beg to differ: any time is a great time to enjoy halo-halo, especially if its a Bebang Halo-halo.

Here are three reasons why:

1. “Ang iniiiiiit pa rin dito!” (It’s still hot in here!)

The hot summer season actually lasts year round in this country. We just get to experience a few bouts of rainy and windy weather in between sweltering heat spells. With the heightened temperature comes heightened tempers, don’t they?

We definitely need something cold to refresh us and take our minds of the heat, as well as something sweet to sweeten our mood.

A couple of Bebang Halo-halo can surely cool down our temperaments despite the hot weather!

2. “Maiba naman!” (It’s time for a change!)

If we want a break from the usual dayuhan desserts that abound in so many eateries and go back to our roots, why not do it in a yummy way with a icy cup of Bebang Halo-halo?

Given the Pinoy penchant for sweets, it’s no wonder that many versions of halo-halo exist. We keep on finding ways to make a good thing even greater, don’t we?

Just like Bebang Halo-halo: it has a menu of fifteen halo-halo variants so that every one can always go back to a halo-halo fave or switch to a new flavor, anytime!

You can also pair your icy dessert with one of Bebang Halo-halo’s hotdogs and fries. You can even switch it up again by trying one of its Taho (silken tofu with tapioca pearls and sugar syrup) series.

So many delicious possibilities, so little time. Sigh!

3. “Dasurb ko ito e!” (I deserve this!)

We have been through a lot, haven’t we?

With all the worries, anxiety and frustration that we have lived through in the past two years, we have certainly earned ourselves a respite.

Let’s make it a delicious one with the creamiest halo-halo in the solar system from Bebang’s Halo-halo.

So don’t worry if it’s a good time for halo-halo, because any time is a good time for it. Go ahead and treat yourself and your loved ones with a Bebang Halo-halo, just like I did.

Bebang Halo-halo is a homegrown brand which offers leveled-up versions of the classic Pinoy dessert: the halo-halo. It recently trended on social media, thanks to its news-making Limited Edition Royal Halo-halo.

You can enjoy your Bebang Halo-halo right in the comforts of your home, or wherever you are in the metro (especially if you’re RTO – returning to the office – you would need one to cool down after a long commute or a heated meeting). It delivers to most Metro Manila areas through its in-house delivery service or via GrabFood and Lalamove. To make sure your orders will arrive as fresh and icy as you like them, opt to get an insulated bag packed with ice for an additional Php60.

You may also opt to pick up your halo-halo from the Bebang Halo-halo store at the Wack-Wack Royal Mansion, 574 Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City in front of PCSO.

Message your orders to Bebang Halo-halo today. To stay updated on its offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature.

AirAsia B1G Sale drums up 2023 travel with Php 1 fare Promo

AirAsia Philippines rolls out the second leg of its B1G Sale – headlined by the highly anticipated Php 1 fare promo. Guests planning to travel internationally from 01 January 2023 – or domestically from 01 June 2023 – until 28 October 2023 may book their flights while availing of the B1G Sale discount from September 19 to 25.

Passengers originating from Manila may enjoy a Php 1 base fare for top domestic destinations such as Boracay, Bohol, and Tacloban. With the AirAsia Cebu hub having been reactivated in August, flyers from Cebu can also avail of the Piso fare for routes like Cebu-Puerto Princesa and Cebu-Davao. International destinations will also be available with marked-down ticket prices – among which are Kuala Lumpur and Seoul with discounted base fares of Php 691 and Php 1,491, respectively.

AirAsia Philippines Head of Communications and Public Affairs Steve Dailisan shares:

“The travel industry is all hands on deck in ensuring that the demand continues to pick up until corporate stakeholders attain their respective pre-pandemic numbers, and eventually achieve growth post the global health crisis. As a transport enterprise, our commitment to the public is making world-class service available sans the need to hurt their wallets. Our presently-affordable fares are made even more attainable by our regular sale events, which we are optimistic will rebuild the necessary travel confidence and enthusiasm needed by people thinking of being back on the road – in our case, the skies.”

Big-ticket sale events such as the AirAsia B1G sale are expected to buoy up the revenge travel demand into 2023, hence driving the full recovery of travel enterprises from the pandemic. AirAsia Philippines is currently set to end Q3 2022 with a strong average domestic load factor of 93.5 percent. This number is foreseen to grow significantly as the holidays arrive.

AirAsia Philippines is expecting the 100 percent return of its 2019 fleet by end-year, consequently allowing the airline to increase its flight frequency and capacity to pre-March 2020 level. The airline currently flies more than 90 times a day to 16 domestic destinations and seven international.

Guests are encouraged to leverage Php 1 base fare promos as these are effective in lowering ticket pricing which is computed with other factors such as fuel surcharge, passenger service charges, aviation security fees, value-added tax, processing fees or additional fees like baggage allowance or in-flight meals. The airasia Super App also features the Snap Bundles of flight tickets plus hotel accommodation, enabling guests to optimize their travel budgeting.

About AirAsia Philippines

Philippines AirAsia, Inc. (PAA) doing business as (dba) AirAsia Philippines (with flight code Z2) is one of the country’s top low-cost airlines. It flies to a total of 15 domestic destinations and 15 international destinations as of April 2022. It was officially launched as the fourth Airline Operations Center (AOC) of the AirAsia group in 2012. Under the AirAsia Aviation Group Limited, it offers all its flight and ancillary products on the fully-integrated platform airasia Super App. Through this, guests can enjoy seamless booking of flights and hotels, and other features such as delivery, ride hailing, and online shopping.

Photo Credit: Header via photos from manusama and Dimitris Vetsikas of Pixabay