Maroon 5 Moves Like Jagger in Manila 2012

Manila, brace yourself for  the return of immensely popular band Maroon 5, especially its charismatic frontman Adam Levine. Their hit single, "Moves Like Jagger" went on as a really popular anthem filling every radio station. Their videos played on and on featuring the shirtless, tattooed vocalist, his unique voice stands apart from every band as of late. Their latest song, "One More Night" is destined to be another hit, watch out for it. (Be warned though, the lack of Adam in the video is upsetting!) I especially love the single "Payphone" and the video is so action-packed!

Maroon5 LIVE IN MANILA happens on September 18, 2012 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. With special guest, The Cab. Tickets will start selling on June 25, 2012 at www.ticketnet.com.ph or any outlet. The event is presented by Midas Promotions in cooperation with Dayly Entertainment.

Candid with Balloons

The days are long, but the years are short

I still can't believe three little people came out of me. Yes, from 3 microscopic sperm cells and 3 unsuspecting eggs borne these three little creatures who terrorize and torture me everyday. I still can't believe it. Even if next year I'll have grade schoolers and 6 years has passed since we found out we're pregnant. It's not so long ago that I was breastfeeding, making baby food in a blender, changing diapers, teaching them how to walk and talk. 6 years feel like a dream. Now they actually talk, walk and operate on very different agendas, and I'm left to keep up with it. They grow so fast. The years have slipped by like it's just yesterday that I have little toddlers and now I have little men who know how to reason and argue. So if you have infants and small babies treasure each moment, while you can. By tomorrow, they'll have grown up,  yearning to seek their own worlds.

Guess who's the new proud owner of a MacBook Pro?

And I'm beyond thrilled! I've been smiling myself silly all day. 

Unboxing photos to follow! 

It's Like Magic! Crocs Chameleons Change Color in the Sun

Because we love Crocs, we take it everywhere we go! I cannot express enough how Crocs does a great job outdoors. You'll never trip nor slide in these babies. You can get them wet and not worry about safety. And I'm all for safety. The best time I've seen Crocs at work is at the beach!

 



Another brilliant beach idea from Crocs. Kids will love it!



It’s like magic! The new Crocs Chameleons™ Translucent Clog changes colors in the sun. Using exclusive breakthrough patent-pending technology, these kids’ clogs transform from one color to another almost instantly when exposed to sunlight. So kids can watch them change right before their eyes!

Color Change Details:
* Oyster (white) clog changes to pink lemonade in the sun.
* Yellow clog changes to lime green in the sun.
* Celery clog changes to sea blue in the sun.
* Light grey clog changes to navy in the sun. * Bubblegum clog changes to pink lemonade in the sun.
* Each Crocs Chameleons™ product is unique. Colors may vary from item to item based on the individual nature of each specific product and weather conditions.

Crocs Chameleons™ Translucent Clog Details:
* Innovative color-changing technology kids will love.
* Ventilation holes provide breathability and help water drain away.
* Strap swings back for a snug fit or forward for wear as a slip-on.
* Circulation nubs on the foot bed provide a massage-like feel.
* Holes on top and on strap accommodate Jibbitz™ shoe charms.
* Croslite™ material foot bed responds to body heat to create a form-to-foot fit.
* Soft, supportive translucent TPU material upper.
Lifted from Crocs

Spicy Pork Binagoongan

Spicy Pork Binagoongan on a bed of fried eggplants. Simple, quick and sinfully delicious.

Fry pork and eggplants then set aside. Using the same oil, saute garlic, onions, tomatoes. Add bagoong alamang until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chilies. Add in the pork, toss. Add the eggsplants and give it a nice coat of the sauce. Arrange the eggplant on a plate, then pour the whole thing in. 

 Dig in!

Work Hard

Party Harder

Pacquiao Loses to Bradley

It's a day of shock, disbelief and mourning for all of the small island nation of the Philippine. Modern-day boxing hero, Manny Pacquiao, loses to Timothy Bradley in a shocking split decision that gave the latter the World Welterweight title. For the longest time, the invincible Pacquiao, suddenly became human.

Mommy Dionisia, the poster child for anxiety attacks, just passed out on her fashionable Victorian furniture. Like any mommy out there who has protected her son from mosquito bites, I'm sure news of Manny's loss will stop all oxygen from reaching her brain. Somebody please put the poor woman out of her misery and retire Manny Pacquiao right here, right now.

Compubox showed Pacquiao connected 253 punches to Bradley's 159, with a 63-51 advantage in jabs and 190-108 in power punches. (Rappler)

I've been having a bad feeling about this fight since it was announced. Manny, ever so distracted by his interests on the side (nothing major, really, it's just Congress. And oh, let's talk about how he's also a billionaire, businessman, basketball player, model, endorser, actor, philantrophist, preacher, tv show host,  major cockfight player, in-demand celebrity in the Philippines and in the USA, father, husband and fully-pledged Karaoke enthusiast. Oh and I forgot, he's also an ARMY GENERAL)

Tell me how that's not in any way going to affect his fights, from hereon and up to the next fight. We might as well predict the demise of his career then. That's my biggest fear for Pacquiao, he's gotta quit while ahead, retire an undefeated boxing great. Than suffer the fate of those he "retired" from boxing like Dela Hoya and Morales. Is he going to retire past his prime when there's not much left to fight for?

Manny is a Hollywood favorite (except for Justin Bieber because he likes convict Mayweather more) and twitter is flooded with retweets from disappointed celebrities

Taken from Mondo Di Musica

Meanwhile, the internet is ablaze with memes.

And to the unlucky ones who bet on Manny, like LUCKY Manzano, who apparently bet 3M on Pacman: Boy, you're UNLUCKY! I'm smelling over a billion dollars on failed bets today.

Electrolux No Fuss Laundry!

Our old washing machine has given up on us after just 3 or 4 years of service (boo!). It was a digital topload washing machine, after some time the buttons has turned to a crisp and broke down. And I'm glad it did break down because we have a new baby that made laundry sooooo easy-breezy for moi!

 

This is the Electrolux Front-Load EWF85661. Capacity is 6.5 kilograms and retails at around P26,000 at most appliance shops. Electrolux Washing Machines have a 1 year free parts and services warranty, as well as a 10-year motor warranty. It was installed for free, but delivery costs separately. I would rate it a very satisfactory over-all performance. It gives a terrific cleaning job, it makes a quiet tumble during rinsing, a tolerable whirring noise when it's spinning and plus points for antibacterial. Laundry time for a while cycle is about 45 minutes while handwash is 30 minutes. It comes out 90 percent dry and will only require a little airdrying, especially if you hate that "kulob" smell of clothes when they're not dried under the sun. Capacity is 6.5 kilograms of DRY clothes, unlike other front-loaders whose capacity is 6.5 of wet clothes. I can fit a whole batch of 1 week's laundry of five people in one cycle. So even if you paid a little more for this baby, it's certainly worth it considering you don't need to lift a finger to do your laundry. Just sit back, watch a movie and wait for that "end' beeping sound.

The blue filter inside the stainless drum will gather loose threads inside the washing machine, so it requires to be cleaned periodically.

We had the water discharge tube attached to the drain underneath our floor.

What I love about this Electrolux washing machine is that it only uses 3-4 spoonfuls of detergent and it uses very little water, unlike traditional top loads. A whole 1kilo bag of tide can last me up to two months, and there's 5 of us in the house so that's a whole lot of washing!

I use Tide as detergent. There's little residual chalk in Tide, and that chalk usually causes clothes to be smelly and yellow. For my fabric conditioner, I'm particularly drawn to Downy Passion Innocence because I believe I'm innocent! Haha!

These buttons control the motor speed, settings, options as well as time delays if you wish to soak heavily-soiled clothes in detergent first before starting the machine. 

 

Another great feature is the antibacterial and stain removal function-- you can determine how hot you want the water temperature will be, whether it's underwear, baby clothes or linen you want to wash. Putting the knob on "cold" will save you more energy than using heated water, though. You may also select to do just one function like spin only, or drain only. I use the hand wash button pretty often for my husband's office clothes since he nitpicks my laundry skills and wants to bite my head off whenever he finds a hole or missing button in his shirts.

I love doing laundry because of this mean machine, so you might want to consider buying a front-load the next time your old washing machine breaks down. :)

Thank God, It's Friday!

Like any other regular folk, I know you fabulous city mommies out there are absolutely glad the week is almost over. You know you're stressed when you go to work on a Monday and wish tomorrow was Friday! I know, I've been on that same spot as you are--- joyful not to see your office workstation again, or glad to not drag your kid another day to school, or just catch up on sleep because your baby decided to go on night shift. Come Sunday, you beg the heavens for one more day of rest because instead of some relaxing spa or alone time with a book, you get down on knees and scrub the freaking bathroom, run errands, visit relatives and do a hundred things on your unfinished list of things to do!

Alas, Friday is an illusion. But it's a good feeling to have at the end of each week.

Swoon-worthy Bachelor Pad

I've recently met another unit owner at the condominium we live in. He's a major network executive and a very much single bachelor-- and the proud owner of a super nifty pad that it actually warranted a post in Real Living. Can you imagine that this space is only 22 sq meters, but it's practically a full house-- with a fully-functional kitchen, an office and a bar?

He managed to convert this narrow hall into a small receiving area and his built-in closet opens to the right.


I love how utility incorporates into the design just like the wall clock shown here--- no space wasted!

He had a lot of knick-knacks which came from his travels abroad.


The customized cabinets solved storage problems. There's a lot of stuff behind those cabinets--- pantry, cleaning materials, food prep goodies, etc--- all stored neat and organized.

He opted to have a bar counter installed (with more storage underneath) instead of a little sitting-room. He says it's more important for him to have a large table given the documents he likes to spread around while working.



Here and I with Glenda, a senior bank manager at UCPB Galleria.


This DVD controls everything in the pad!

Now enter the bedroom


A little cute office with--- guess what--- more storage!

You can see how working on such a small space can actually be done.

His adorable little sleeping nook, filled with books, dvds, photographs and his collection of masks.

I can live in an apartment as small as this-- except for the bed, because I'm positive to find myself on the floor the next morning.

The bath was kept as it is, since it's already a nice, spartan quality of tilework. Mirrors were added to enlarge the space, and a little glass cabinet hides all the implements.


I should be working on a mood board for our future house now!