I Blog, Therefore I Am.

The American Idol Tour will come to a close by September so the Idols of Season 7 are now booking left and right for their concerts, tours and albums. So it's no wonder that Filipina Idol, Ramiele Malubay, will be coming home in December for a Manila concert. Coming with her is one of her best buddies in the show, Danny Noriega.

Here's the interview where she mentioned the Philippine concert:



I don't know if I heard it right but she said that she might stay here for a long time. Is she going to be at the David Cook Manila Concert also? With David, Ramiele and Danny coming over, I wonder when we will see Carly Smithson, Jason Castro and Archey? Hopefully SOON!

My friend Jang told me one of the best news EVER! She found a thread at GirlTalk and a radio interview of David where HE said that he's going to the Philippines for a concert in January!

This will apparently be his first major booking after American Idol! No exact details yet but I am hoping against hope that this is a sure deal!

Listen to his interview and announcement at Toronto's Chum FM:



The full interview may be found at the Chum FM site where you'll also hear details about his album that will be coming out in November. The news of the Philippine concert first broke at the All Pinoy thread at David-Cook.org. Thanks, guys! :)

I. AM. DEFINITELY. WATCHING. THIS!
January 27, 2009 - Save the date for David Cook's Manila Concert!

[Thanks to Katheee001 for the YouTube video!]

I am so big on memories, celebrating life's journeys and how I preserve and keep them. I have this blog which have been a solid witness of my ups, downs and dramas for the last four and a half years, and I also have my Multiply where I usually connect and interact with friends and buddies.

Then came my Project 365 in Flickr.

I was introduced to the exciting Project 365 when I was browsing blogs a couple of months ago. Project 365 is a once-a-day photo blogging where you take random pictures each day which you will post in your blog or photo sharing sites like Flickr or Picasa. I chose Flickr because of it's dynamic picture resolution output, its steady interface and the cool people who are on it.

I am now on Day 56 and so far I am doing good. There were actually days when I don't have entries but that doesn't me for dropping the project altogether. Here are some of my favorite pictures and entries:






I was encouraged to do this project when I read a blog post that explains that "doing it will make you see your life in a whole new way". Talk about seeing your life flash before your eyes. I suggest that you also read it and start your own Project 365 as well! :)

Aging came upon me through my vanity mirror middle of this year. For the first time, I noticed that fine lines and crow's feet were already creeping under my eyes and forehead. I realized that age is catching up on me, and I should get some NEW help since the anti-aging creams I used then look like it's not working.

I was looking for a new brand of creams when I saw Aileen's invite to Pond's A Taste of Beauty Event. I had fun at the event and, at the same time, learned more about its anti-aging product line called Pond's Age Miracle. I was wildly convinced by what I heard, so I tried the Daily Resurfacing Cream.

Here are the notes of my wonderful 7-day experience with Pond's:

DAY 1 - PEA SIZE
The first thing I noticed was its pleasant smell and shade of light pink. I put on a pea-size of cream and realized it was light on my skin and not greasy, unlike the others. I was also thankful that it has SPF, which helped me protect myself from the sun.

They said that there's a power in writing down your thoughts, aspirations and dreams. So here I am writing down some things that I want to fulfill in the next 30 days. The list is a combination of random things, chores and even attempts to life changing experiences. I hope that I would be able to strike most of the things (if not all) on my list.

Countdown starts NOW.

1. Abstain from rice for 30 days or more (or drop it altogether). I'm doing well with this! A few more days to go!

2. Abstain from the Internet for three days (work stuff not included).

3. Aplogize to Amiel for a not so forgetten mistake four and a half years ago.

4. Book a ticket to Tacloban or Singapore (or both!).

5. Fix my desktop computer from its "problems". Start saving for an HP Mini Note PC and a Macbook. (the HP is not for me!). I already reserved for the HP! I'll be getting it a couple of weeks from now!

6. Buy my niece a new toy "just because..."

7. Clean my room.

8. Cook three pasta: Pesto, Pomodoro and Creamy Mushrooms & Ham

9. Change hairstyle and do something drastic with my hair.

10. Get my reimbursements and payback; file my liquidations.

11. Get something nice for the woman who carried me for 9 months.

12. Get unnecessary hair out of the way: wax, pluck, thread.

13. Go home before 7:00 pm from work for two weeks.

14. Go to mass every Sunday.

15. Go to my fitness program for at least 10 sessions in the next 30 days.

16. Have a good massage and get my nails done.

17. Have three FYA/proposal approval at work. Done with one, two more to go!

18. Join a blog contest and win.

19. Log-in at work before 9:30 am for two weeks.

20. Make peace with one of my on-line "frenemies".

21. Meet someone.

22. Meet with my Goodyear and Honda friends.

23. Organize my iPod playlist, add new songs and buy a new leather protector.

24. Pay ALL of my bills on time.

25. Print important and memorable digital pictures and files.

26. Renew my passport or at least submit the application for renewal.

27. Sleep for a total of 35 hours for one work week (Sunday - Thursday).

28. Go to Boracay with my highschool friends.

29. Upgrade my on-line account to premium either on Flickr or Multiply and buy a domain for my blog.

30. BE HAPPY!

Let's re-visit this entry 30 days from now and see what I achieved! :)

It was probably the delicious Pesto Pasta that was served last Friday by our Department Head that prompted me to prepare a Basil Pesto Pasta this evening. It's been years since the last time I cooked one. I am not really into cooking and can only prepare a handful of pasta dishes and desserts but it's always satisfying to eat what you made so I shopped for ingredients last night and prepared the dish today.


Pesto is not really a good photography subject (with all that green) but its taste
is truly beyond great! Love your own, of course!

I followed a recipe on-line but I tweaked it a bit to conform to the taste I want. Here's the recipe with some modifications:

Ingredients

2 Cups basil leaves, packed
1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 Cup pine nuts
2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Equipment needed: food processor or blender

Steps

1. Cook the pasta until it's al dente. I chose San Remo pasta linguine since it's thick and can easily counter the strong taste of the pesto.

2. Combine the basil with the pine nuts and pulse a few times in a blender. (If you are using walnuts and they are not chopped, pulse them a few times first before adding the basil.) Add the garlic and pulse a few times more.

3. Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Serving Size: 7 to 8

My Basil Pesto Pasta turned out creamy even if I was opting for the saucy-and-floating-in-olive-oil kind. Its creaminess was brought by the parmesan cheese which was blended together with the other ingredients as opposed to putting it as a topping. I will also be replacing the pine nuts with walnuts next time since I like a lighter taste.

All the ingredients are fortunately available at SM Supermarket and total cost is around Php 370.00 ($9.00). You may also add chicken, ham or bacon bits as toppings.

Next on my list? Pasta Pomodorro and my family's favorite, Pasta With Creamy Mushrooms and Ham. Watch out!

I am not too crazy about desserts and there are very few sweet goodies that I actually love. But among this short list of favorites is Estrel's Caramel Cake.



My first taste of Estrel's Caramel Cake was probably in the 80's in one of our family reunions at my aunt's house in Quezon City. It's been a while since the last time I had it so I was really happy when I had the chance to order and buy one yesterday.

We had our department's General Assembly and Birthday Celebration for July and our group was the host. One of the organizers asked me to order a delicious cake for the occasion and Estrel's was the first thing that came into mind. I ordered a huge 16 x 24 square Caramel Cake for all of us to share and I also bought a small 8" round one for my mom.



The Caramel Cake was a huge success in our department assembly. It was all cleared off 20 minutes after it was served. The taste is still a winner and I still cannot get enough of its soft butter icing flowers and it's old fashion intricate design. This is definitely one cake that the fondant cakes wouldn't be able to beat.

Estrel's Caramel Cakes are made to order especially if you are going to buy the huge one like we had. You have to give the shop at least a day's notice to reserve. They make the 8" round ones daily without reservations but you have to buy it early in the day. They also suggest that you consume it on the day of purchase to fully appreciate its taste. The round one is Php 550 ($12.00) and the 16 x 24 square cake is Php 2,220 ($49.00). It's not exactly cheap but it's truly worth every penny.

Estrel's Caramel Cake
54 Scout Tobias corner Scout Limbaga
Quezon City
Tel. No. (632) 372-2965 / 371-7938

How do we reward and recognize SMART loyal subscribers?
We date them! Read on.

Menandro Santos Rillon is not your ordinary SMART subscriber.

This marketing manager of Land Bank in Talavera, Nueva Ecija is “Kuya Mandy” to SMART Cabanatuan Wireless Center employees at the NE Pacific Mall. His voice has become so familiar that they know who’s on the line even if he does not identify himself. His face and that of his family has even graced The Suki Wall at the wireless center.

Rillon is a SMART “suki” and a very honest one at that. He is quick to praise and just as fast to criticize SMART products and services, which he has been using for more than nine years now. This is why he is the first guest of “It’s a Date”, a program of Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) to treat loyal subscribers of wireless centers nationwide to a special get-together in appreciation for their consistent patronage of SMART.

The occasion was a simple dinner at a leading restaurant in Cabanatuan City, where SMART officials led by Wireless Center Regional Manager for Central Luzon Hazel Amoyan got together with Rillon.

“’It’s a Date’ is not just about rewarding loyalty. It’s about taking time out to appreciate subscribers with whom we have developed a relationship through the years not just because they appreciate us, but also because they take the time to give us feedback and to challenge our products and services and the way we deliver service,” says Joy Y. Sanchez, head of SMART’s Customer Care.

Rillon attributes his lengthy relationship with SMART to loyalty and integrity, values that are prized at the bank where he has worked for some 14 years. He admits, though, that the warm reception from SMART employees in Cabanatuan City is also a major factor.

“It’s because of the people at the Smart Cabanatuan Wireless Center that I stay. They’re not just ‘smart’, they are Christians,” he says. Rillon is also an active member of the Jesus is Lord Church, where he serves as song leader.

Rising cost of goods and services have made him consider switching to the competition to avail of low-cost communication packages, but he remains loyal to SMART because of the good relationship that he has with Smart Customer Care employees, he adds.

Not that he hesitates to say what he thinks about SMART’s products and services, especially if he believes that there is room for improvement. But Rillon does not stop at complaints or queries. He also gives his comments and suggestions on how to improve the product or service.

Hence, Rillon is appreciative but amused that he was chosen for “It’s a Date”.

“Thanks. I sincerely believe that I don’t deserve such treatment. You are friendly and warm with your service so I stick to SMART. If all SMART centers have people like you, don’t be shocked if you end up treating millions of loyal subscribers,” he says in a text message he sent to SMART after the dinner.

How much of the Philippines have I visited?

I've already filled this up last year but my grade was not amazing so I decided not to post it. But I improved a bit this year with travels to some never-before-seen land so here I am proudly blogging about it.

My Lakbayan grade is C!
I intend to travel and do some more road trips this year and having this map would be a nice reminder and baseline for me. I've been to Vigan, Nueva Ecija and some parts of Rizal the first time this year and that contributed to my C grade.

Next on my travel wish list are Laoag, Pagudpod, Laiya, Sagada, Baler, Bohol, Palawan, Malapascua, Dumaguete, Tacloban, Camiguin and Gen. Santos. I am actually researching for travel fares and accommodations in Tacloban in the past days. I really want to go there and see the San Juanico Bridge and the MacArthur Landing Monument.

So how much of the Philippines have YOU visited? Find out your score at the Lakbayan site!

Cinemalaya is the country's biggest independent film festival. I was able to watch several indie films in the past but not in the actual festival itself. This year's run is from July 11 to 20 and it has the biggest entries so far. The screenings will all be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and I hope that I'll get to watch a couple of the films.

Here's the schedule of the special events:

Opening Night - Opening Ceremonies, World Premiere of "Adela" by Aldolf Alix, Jr. - July 11, Friday, 6:00 PM - CCP Main Theater

Awards Night - July 20, Sunday, 7:00 PM - CCP Main Theater

You may check the complete list of the screening schedule at the website of Philippine Star's Supreme. Previews and trailers may also be viewed at the Cinemalaya You Tube page.

I want to watch My Fake American Accent and 100. Here are the previews:


My Fake American Accent

My Fake American Accent is a slice-of-life workplace comedy following the lives of technical support call center agents in the span of six months. Speaking with a fake American accent is a prerequisite for the job. This ensemble comedy is an inside look into the maddening, sleep-deprived, caffeine-fuelled lives of those who ply their trade in the call center industry.



100

100 is about a stern, uptight and exacting woman with a terminal illness who tries to accomplish a list of 100 things to do before she dies. Her tasks vary from the simple to the complicated, from the practical to the mundane, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In the process, she accepts the truth that even if death is something personal, dying never is.

So, what do you want to watch?

My good friend, Tin, and I went to the Pond's Blogger Event dubbed as "A Taste of Beauty" at Taste Asia at SM Mall of Asia last night. Tin and I arrived 8ish just in time for the program. We were immediately given roses and a trial pack of Pond's newest breakthrough in anti-aging called Pond's Age Miracle after we registered ourselves.



I often dine at Taste Asia whenever I'm at MOA so I was really amazed by the transformation that Unilever did with it. Gone are the orange walls and tables and it was replaced by pink and white sheets, cocktail tables with nice centerpieces, a Pond's Beauty Booth and a red carpet with velvet ropes and rose overdose. It was really grand!



The program was simple but fun. There were some singing, cool games and a couple of Pond's endorser-friends like Apples Aberin and Risa Samson were also there to answer questions on "beauty". There were so many bloggers who attended the event. There were so many familiar faces but all we did was smile and nod because everybody seems to know everybody and we are kinda shy. :)



The highlight of the night for me was when I had my skin consultation and analysis at the Pond's Beauty Booth. The result showed that I don't have problems concerning wrinkles and fine lines (Thank God). But the thing that I should take care of are some spots and uneven skin tones. The beauty consultant also suggested some Pond's products which would be able to help me in maintaining my skin's moisture and solve the uneven tones.



The event was also an educational one for me. I've been using anti-aging creams and serums since early this year. I had an epiphany one March morning when I realized that I should invest and use anti-aging creams NOW that I am nearing my 30's (or regret at 35 years old when I see the traces of wrinkles). I'm currently using a different brand but I've noticed that it's not effectively doing its job in the last few weeks. There were also several times when it made my face itchy. I think I need a switch and good thing I was given several information flyers and a trial kit last night by Pond's. I'm really interested in their Daily Resurfacing Cream, Concentrated Resurfacing Serum, and Advanced Microdermabrasion Kit (it's just like DIY microdermabrasion) which are all under the Pond's Age Miracle line. For the meantime, I will try the cream they gave me and will see about its 7-day beauty promise! :)

Thanks to Aileen Apolo and Unilever for the invite! We had fun!

[EDIT: I tried Pond's Age Miracle Daily Resurfacing Cream for 7 days and it's effective! View my blog entry about it here.]