Thursday, May 30, 2013

River Safari

There's a new "safari" in Singapore.  Let me present to you the "River Safari".  I went to Singapore last week and visitd the newly opened River Safari.  This attraction is between the famous Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo.  The 12-ha attraction is the newest addition to Singapore's Wildlife Reserves.  It opened last April 3, 2013 and the river cruise attraction is yet to open (late June 2013).  In here you will find lots of aquatic and terrestrial creatures that are found in the different famous rivers of the world.  Each part of the River Safari features a different iconic river and its creatures.  These are: Mississippi, Congo, Mekong, Nile, Ganges, Murray and Yangtze.  Here are some photos I took using my trusty old iphone 4S.
 
 
Inside the River Safari there are lots of aquariums where all the aquatic creatures are housed.
 
 
In the middle of the attraction, this expansive space awaits you...
 
 
 
This area is where they will hold the river crusies which will start by late June 2013.
 
There are lots of other spaces that I wasn't able to take pictures of.  The attraction even boasts a Panda Forest.  But this is worth blogging...
 
"The world’s largest freshwater aquarium at the Amazon Flooded Forest showcases a surreal world of manatees, fishes and other creatures swimming amongst giant trees, created every year during the rainy season when the river rises 30 to 40 feet." - taken from their website
 
Sleeping manatees
Swimming manatees
 I love these manatees.  They are so graceful and can be very mesmerizing.
 
All in all, I loved my experience at the River Safari.  Next time you are in Singapore, drop by the Wildlife Reserves and visit the River Safari, Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo.
 
That's it for now.  Thanks for dropping by!
 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Andre Piasso

I was on a trip a few days back and during that trip, I wasn't able to buy anything nice for me.  And so, on the plane ride going home, I flipped through the in-flight shopping guide and chanced upon these...
Andre Piasso bracelets


This set contains 2 rhodium-plated bracelets and was priced at $ 25.  I wasn't sure what rhodium was but the picture in the catalog was really nice, hence I bought it.  When I opened the package, I was in love with both the bracelets.  They look and feel really expensive (it definitely felt and looked more than the $ 25 I paid for them).
First bracelet, the gems are not real diamonds.
Second bracelet with charms
I have been wearing the bracelets ever since I got back.  I really really like them.  By the way, a quick search in Wikipedia revealed that...
"Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard, and chemically inerttransition metal and a member of the platinum groupIt is one of the rarest and most valuable precious metals.
Rhodium is a so-called noble metal, resistant to corrosion, found in platinum- or nickel ores together with the other members of the platinum group metals."

Wow!  Good thing I chanced upon these bracelets.  I <3 these!
If you are flying with Philippine Airlines in one of their international flights, get your hands on the Andre Piasso 2-set bracelets.  I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Zalora update

Hi everyone!  I'm sorry about the long absence.  I just got back from a trip.  More on that in the next blog posts.  Anyways, here's the update on my last Zalora on-line shopping experience (read about it here) which was not very pleasant.  I returned a few items from my last order (sandals, mustard blouse and the white shorts) and asked Zalora to give me store credits in return.  Returning stuff from Zalora was easy.  You contact them thru e-mail and they will send an e-mail with details on the date of pick-up.  Their courier got the items from my house on the said date.  A few days later (less than 5 days), I got an e-mail that they have gotten and checked the items.  They gave me a code to input in their on-line shopping platform so I can use my credits.  Easy peasy.  So, I chose the following...
 
These are the items that I got in exchange of my returned purchases.
Printed blouse (dark green and blush)

Bayo dark blue shorts
I was satisfied with the items I picked.  I wasn't able to take a picture of the belt, but it was of fair quality.  The printed blouse had tucks in them, hence creating a shape, sort of cinching in the waist.  It had a weird shape when worn tucked into bottoms though because it's tapered at the waist.  But aside from that, I still like it.  As for the shorts, haaay...the measurements at Zalora is not entirely correct.  I got the medium size for the shorts since the measurement said that it was for waist that is 27".  But boy was it big!  I have a waistline of 28" and this shorts was around 1" bigger.  The style doesn't allow for belt loops, hence I had to pull up the shorts every so often when I wore it.  Another haaaay...I'll try to sew 1 side of the shorts (the other side has a zipper) to make it smaller.  It will not look even but I think it will work.  I hope it does because I really like the material of the shorts and the over-all fit (minus the big waist).  The belt is okay.  Not too striking, just okay.

My final verdict on Zalora?  I don't think I'll ever shop in this site again.  I'll be sticking with Mango.com because the quality of their clothes are better and more constant.  Also, their website gives you a description of the clothes (materials used and correct measurements).

That's it for now.  Thanks for dropping by!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Zalora 4

I have ordered at zalora.com.ph thrice already.  I have gotten a few items that were reasonably priced and of good quality.  Although some of the items I've ordered were of average quality but overpriced.  You may read my reviews here, here, and here.  My overall opinion of Zalora is that it has a good number of items that you can choose from but the style and quality of the items are not that good.  Finding something really nice at a reasonable price on Zalora is a little like finding a needle in a haystack.  But I guess that's the joy of online shopping.  Looking for that speical piece amongst many other items.  Hence, here's my fourth foray into Zalora.  These were the peices that I got...
 

These sandals from Ylla looked really nice in the site but looked really awful in "person".  The band across the feet was too tight as well as the bands across the legs.  Tsk, tsk, tsk...it made my feet and legs look like longganisa.  At PhP 995, I expected more from these sandals.

Audrina Flat Sandals
The sole doesn't even have grooves...you will definitely slip and slide when you wear these indoors.
And here are the shorts that I abhor.  Again, it looked nice on the picture (model wearing the shorts) but not nice when I got it.  The material was flimsy (very thin cloth).  At PhP 549, I expected so much more from these shorts.
Picture from www.zalora.com.ph

Chictees Joanna Garterized Shorts

The third item that I don't like was the mustard colored blouse.  I wasn't able to take a picture of it because the moment I saw how mustardy the color of the blouse was, I decided to return it.  I can't download the picture from www.zalora.com.ph since it comes out too small.

The redeeming items in these order are the following:

COLLECTIVE.COM Structured color-blocked blouse
COLLECTIVE.COM Kyla Sleeveless plain crepe blouse


I wore the color-block blouse already and it was easy-breezy-comfy.  I have yet to wear the violet blouse.  But I tried it on and it looks nice.  The violet blouse is PhP 495, which is a good deal.  The color-block blouse is PhP 695, not really dirt-cheap but decently priced.

All in all, I was disappointed in the quality of items I bought from zalora (well, the first 3 pieces).  I plan to return the sandals, the shorts and the mustard blouse.  I'll blog about it next time.

I don't think I'll buy from Zalora anymore.  The quality of their products are not consistent.  The website does not give you actual measurements of the garments and the materials used.  It's very hard to determine if a certain piece is of good quality or if it's nice based on the photo.  My suggestion to Zalora is to put in actual measurements of the garments and put in the composition of the items (ala Mango.com).

Thank you very much for dropping by!


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Miranda Clothing

Hello again!  Welcome to another review of an on-line store.  I chanced upon Miranda Clothing thru the blog of Patty Laurel (www.pattylaurel.com).  She wore a white skirt with floral design from Miranda Clothing.  You can find the online store of Miranda Clothing at Facebook.  So, anyway, I really liked the design so I went over to Facebook and searched Miranda Clothing.  The selection of clothes from Miranda Clothing were limited and not all agree wtih my style and taste.  But among the clothes I saw, here are the 3 things I liked...
This the black version of the white skirt that I saw Patty Laurel wear.  The white version was already sold out when I checked.  The back part of this skirt has the same design as this front part.

I really wanted a white skirt, so I settled for this one.  The back part has the same print with a small midline slit.

This is an asymmetrical dress.  I couldn't hang it because it didn't have those little things on the side that let you hang clothes with.
Let me rate my purchases.  The material of the black skirt is of good quality and the design is nice.  The price of P800 is not bad considering that I could get a good mileage out of this piece.  As for the white skirt, the material is also good.  I liked that it had the same print as the one in front so it minimizes the appearance of being see-through.  Also, the skirt has lining, which also minimized the appearance of being sheer.  At P800, I think the price is just-right.  Now let's go to the asymmetric green dress.  This dress, I don't like.  I paid P800 for it but the material and quality of the dress is not really good.  It even came with these ghastly spots/marks.  Yikes!  And the fact that you can't hang this dress (it doesn't come with a strip on the side that let's you hang the side without the shoulder strap) makes it even more depressing.  The only way to keep this dress is to either fold it or hang it from the waist.

I don't know what the material of this dress is called but it's stretchy and cheap-looking.  I don't agree with the price of P800 for this dress.  There's no return policy so I can't return this dress. I'll just have to make it work.  Haaay...

I don't think I'll ever shop at Miranda Clothing again.  The quality of their products are just too unpredictable.

Thank you very much for reading!  Drop by again for another review.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Yabu


What's for dinner tonight (well, a few nights ago)?  It's dinner at Yabu restaurant.  Yabu is the house of Katsu (their tag line).  The restaurant serves meals with breaded stuff.  You can have breaded pork, chicken, and seafoods.  They also have other yummy selections in their menu.

These where the condiments atop our table...
The 3 tall bottles were salad dressings (Wasabi, vinaigrette, and sesame dressing).  The 3 smaller containers were an assortment of condiments which I think were black pepper, red pepper and an oil-like thing that is also spicy.  Lastly, the content of the white jar is the katsu sauce (which tastes a bit like barbecue and terriyaki sauce combined).

Before they serve the katsu set, they give you a bowl with sesame seeds and a pestle.  You grind the sesame seeds with the pestle and put in your katsu sauce.



And this little guy looks like a pig head, it contains salt for seasoning.  So cute!


And here comes the order.  I ordered the Rosu - Porkloin set.  It's 3/4-inch thick juicy cutlet with fat.  You can also order porkloin set without the fat...but I prefer the taste of pork with fat.  I'm indulging for now while I'm not-that-old yet.  Hihihi.  It comes with rice (you can ask for more servings), salad made up of shredded cabbage (unlimited cabbage) and a small bowl of fruits.


The serving size of the pork was just right.  The servings for the rice and cabbage were a little bit small, so I had to ask for a second serving.  And the fruits?  Well, I filled myself with rice and cabbage, so I guess the size of the small fruit bowl was just right for me.


The taste of the food was good.  It wasn't really that great that you would crave for it, but definitely tasty.  I tried all the salad dressings and the one that I liked the most was the sesame dressing.  The wasabi dressing was not that spicy and the vinaigrette had the right sourness to it.  The rice was oh so soft and sticky and the pork was cooked right and the breading was just the way I want it (it was crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside).

All in all, I had a good time at Yabu.  I would definitely come back and try their other offerings.

That's it for now.  Thanks for reading!








Friday, May 10, 2013

BC Fragrance 2

Hi guys!  Bernardette from BC Fragrance wrote to me regarding their services for customized fragrance.  Here's what she said...

We read your blog about our brand and we would like to apologize for not including our custom-blending services readily available on our website.

It is actually under our FAQ section but we will just modify the site and put it on the main menu for those, like you, who wish to avail of these services.


If you are still interested in having your own custom-blended fragrance, please read the payment information below:

Blending Information

Kindly fill up and send back the attached questionnaire for the initial evaluation of our perfumers in France.

ALL SAMPLES ARE BLENDED IN FRANCE, not in the Philippines. This takes 3-4 weeks (for sampling) and another 2 weeks for your perfume. However, due to existing development projects with major cosmetics companies here in the Philippines, waiting time may take 6-8 weeks. You will be notified once your profile is being worked on. We will send you 3 samples for your approval within 14-21 working days upon notification.

Payment Information

The minimum charge for Custom-blended fragrance is Php4,500. This includes a 60 minute personal consultation (optional), 60mL perfume and 1 FREE refill. All custom-blended perfumes require a 50% advanced payment. The remaining 50% should be paid in full prior to receipt of your Bespoke Perfume. If you are not satisfied with the samples, you do not need to pay for the remaining 50% if you do not wish to proceed with the project.
Should you decide to pursue the project, you can choose which among the samples you wish to have made. Once you have decided on a fragrance,a final pricing for your fragrance, usually ranging from Php4,500-12,500 per fragrance, will be provided. Your initial down payment will be deducted from this and the remaining balance should be paid prior to delivery. If this is okay with you, we can proceed with this project and we can send you a list of viable notes that we think will fit your fragrance preferences.

To continue and pay for the downpayment, please click on this link or copy and paste the following to your browser’s address bar:

http://ww5.aitsafe.com/cf/add.cfm?userid=79283181&product=Custom-blending%20fee%20%28DP-50%25%29&price=2250

I'm excited to try their customized fragrance services.  I currently have 4 perfumes on rotation right now.  Maybe I'll try to order their customized fragrance after I finish my current scents.

Thanks Bernadette for the e-mail!  Thank you for reading!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Thera-touch

It's convention week this week, hence I decided to do some grooming a few days ago.  But alas, my manicure was chipped only 2 days after it was put in.  I'm really clumsy like that.  Anyways, I would like to share with you my experience with Thera-touch home spa service.  Thera-touch services clients in and around South Manila (Paranaque, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa and I think in nearby Bacoor areas).  Their services include Mani-Pedi, Foot spa, body scrubs and massages.  The price for a mani-pedi is P 250.  I like Thera-touch since they use quality nail polishes.  They have Revlon, some Opi and L'Oreal.  Unlike other home service spas that I have tried, they use imported nail polishes.  But for me, I use my own nail implements and my own nail polish.  What I have on in this picture is Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base and Top Coat and Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in #160 Cherry Red.  As for the therapist/manicurist, she has a light hand and was very meticulous in cleaning and putting on the polish.


All in all, I had a good mani-pedi experience with Thera-touch.  Thera-touch is actually my go-to home service spa.  If you live in the South, try Thera-touch.  I recommend their mani-pedi services.  You may contact them at 8075438 / 5157528 / 09278937459.

Thanks for dropping by!  Until next time!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Hossein's

Hi i guys!  Here's another what's for dinner post.  A few days back, I went out for dinner and a movie.  I decided to try Hossein's.  It's a Persian Kebab restaurant.  The interiors really takes you to another place (I haven't been to the mediterranean area...maybe this is how it looks like?).


There were only 2 of us, so we decided to order the Chelou beef shish kebab and the Chicken Masala.  The service was quick, although the food that came out of the kitchen was not hot.  It was not even warm, come to think of it.  Here are the dishes as they were served to us.

Chicken Masala
Chelou Beef Shish Kebab

The presentation was lacking.  Each dish was around P400-500 and I expected to be served a more appetizing dish. 


The beef kebab was tasty but the beef was tough.  Yikes!  I expected more from Hossein's, but sadly, I was disappointed.  The saffron rice was good though.


The saving grace of this whole meal is the Chicken Masala.  This curry is good.  It was a little bit spicy which I really liked.

All in all, I would have wanted my first dining experience at Hossein's to be more pleasurable.  But alas, their specialty (the beef kebab) did not cut it for me.  I don't know if I'll give this restaurant another shot.  Maybe order another of their specialties...maybe redeem their stand in my book?  I don't know if it's just me, but the next day that I passed by the restaurant, it was packed with foreigners.  Maybe I'll give it another try next time.

That's it for today.  Hope to give you more reviews on real products and real experiences next time.  Thanks for reading!