Beauty and the Bustle | Quick Tips For Busy Moms to Stay Looking Good

If you're feeling run down and barely have time to wash your face in the morning, the idea of a skin care regimen must sound exhausting. However, help is at hand for busy or working mothers who don’t have the time to worry about face cleanser, exfoliating, toning, night creams and any of that. There are some simple five minute tips you can follow to take care of your skin without investing too much time and money.

Natural remedies — olive oil
If you've run out of eye makeup remover and would like to avoid leaving the house looking like a panda, don't worry! Just pop some olive oil onto cotton wool and wipe away your makeup. It's also great as a DIY moisturizer too, as it contains vitamins A and E.

Photo credit: Boldsky.

Natural pampering - honey
If your skin is feeling run down and needs a bit of TLC, next time you find yourself with five minutes to spare, mix one tablespoon of honey with a couple of teaspoons of warm water and rub the paste into your face. Sit down for five minutes with a cup of tea and a good book, and then wash it off and moisturize as usual. Your skin will feel clean and fresh from the natural cleansing action of the honey mask.

Photo credit: AuFeminin.

Body brushing
Use an old hairbrush and start at your feet, brushing your skin gently in the direction of your heart. It'll increase your blood flow, brush away dead skin cells and make you feel that little bit brighter for some pre-shower attention for five minutes before you start your day.

Photo credit: Entrepreneur.

Take five
One of the reasons smokers find it difficult to quit is those three or four minutes of peace and quiet away from the world while they smoke their cigarette. There's no reason why a non-smoker can't allow him or herself a three minute break every once in a while, so turn off your phone, step out of the room and relax for five minutes. No chemicals, no calories, just a moment of stress free relaxation will really help your skin to improve over time.

Skin care and beauty attention doesn't have to cost the earth, take up all your time, or fill your life with chemicals. Sometimes everything you need for better skin health is sitting in your home waiting for you!

Fashion Pulse | Punk is a Way of Life.

The Punk Rock movement of the late 1970s was about much more than just music. The Ramones' look was as much a part of their appeal as their sound and matched their attitude. Some said they brought that 'sense of a gang or brotherhood' to the music scene and that was what made them so influential. Likewise, the Sex Pistols had a look and sense of style that set them apart from the mainstream acts of the time and that fashion lasts to this day.

The Ramones.

Punk clothing may look like just a bunch of ripped jeans and disheveled tee-shirts to some, but those close to the scene know that they are not that easy to come by. Angry Young and Poor has been selling punks clothes since 1995 and they are known for their wide selection of quality items. But they do not just sell clothes; Angry Young and Poor has a wide selection of all things punk-related, including music albums, studs and spikes, and band merchandise, as well as gift certificates.

Sex Pistols.

Angry Young and Poor also has a rewards program that gives purchasers points based on the amount they spend. AYP Punk Rock Points are given per dollar spent and are worth $0.05 toward your next purchase. That means that if you spend $100.00, you get $5.00 off your next order. Even better, AYP offers free shipping on orders of $100.00 or more. Note that wholesale orders do not accrue AYP Punk Rock Points.

Foodie Goodie | Le Manays.

You know how those hole-in-the-wall restaurants often turn out to serve surprisingly good food? That is exactly the case with Le Manays, a fairly new snack shop nicely tucked in the busy streets of San Pablo City.

I've been to this place several times before, and have called for delivery twice or thrice. (Yes, they do deliveries!) Guess that goes to show their food is worth coming back for, and merits a spot on my blog.

Last week, the little man and I came back to Le Manays, where we had lunch to celebrate his Dad's birthday. It was actually the little man who suggested dining at this place, saying that he wanted to eat their 'crazy spaghetti'.

Little man at Le Manays.

That's spaghetti threaded through hotdog bites, with a slightly sweet sauce that kids will surely love. It's written on the menu as 'Grasya's Crazy Spaghetti'.

Grasya's Crazy Spaghetti, Php 60.

It comes in a pretty generous serving, too.

Eating heartily!

As for me, I had their Dencio de Mare Tuna Pesto Spaghetti. Served with tuna, green pesto, herbs and spices, and Romano cheese, this dish is quite flavorful though it's not as 'green' as you'd expect a pesto pasta to be.

Dencio de Mare Tuna Pesto Spaghetti, Php 60.

We also ordered their Kajo's Beef Nacho Platter for sharing. This is one of my favorites in Le Manays menu. Crunchy nacho chips, a medley of fresh veggies, lots of cheese, plus ground beef that's seasoned just right - this dish is definitely a must-try.

Kajo's Beef Nacho Platter, Php 100.

Little man ready to pounce! :)

Aside from pasta and sandwiches, Le Manays also have an array of desserts on their menu. This includes Mer-Nel's Chocolate Cake (yes, that's the famous chocolate cake from UP Los Banos) which we ordered for take away.

Mer-Nel's Chocolate Cake, Php 190.

Other note-worthy dishes on Le Manay's menu are the Pancit Wrap (spring rolls filled with pancit bihon), Halo-Halo While Walking (creamy halo-halo served with a straw and tastes as good, if not better, than Razon's), and Brazo de Mercedes cupcakes (an original by Bake it Away, these are Brazo cakes conveniently served in to-go cups).

Brazo de Mercedes cupcakes, Php 40 each.

If ever you're in San Pablo City and don't mind worming your way through the traffic, then you should visit Le Manays and give their food a try. Their simple, straight-forward dishes, affordable price, as well as the quirky yet homey ambiance makes going out of your way worth it. Just don't visit on a Monday as it's their 'rest day'. :)

Le Manays 

Col. Lauro Dizon St.,

San Pablo City, Laguna

(049) 5211544

(0917) 3865669

Globe MyBusiness and Gawad Kalinga | Building the Nation Together.

Several months ago, leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom and poverty-alleviation movement Gawad Kalinga joined hands to rehabilitate the typhoon-stricken areas in the Visayas. This time around, they come together to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to residents of GK Villages. Not only will this initiative help the residents in making a living, but also make this underserved sector a significant partner in nation building.

“Globe continues to do its share in building a resilient Philippines with programs that move toward initiating sustainable efforts like providing livelihood opportunities. Together with our long-time partner Gawad Kalinga and their social enterprises, we are doing our best to create a wonderful world of possibilities by helping them discover and nurture their potentials,” said Martha Sazon, Sr. Vice President, Globe MyBusiness.

Globe myBusiness, which provides small and medium businesses with innovative, customizable products, services and solutions, helped leapfrog the implementation of the Gawad Kalinga Workers Association (GAWA), a program which aims to empower the underprivileged sector by helping them make a living. With GAWA, informal sector will be given a chance to earn a living either on their own or by serving the community through values formation and skills development programs. Founded in July 2013, GAWA has conducted 42 forums that produced 2,258 graduates, with more to follow.

Skilled workers of the GAWA Build Team.
Photo credit: GK GAWA.

One major accomplishment of the program was the formation of the GAWA Build Team.  These are GAWA graduates that help GK bring to completion projects that have demanding timelines or are in areas where support is much needed such as the housing projects in Zamboanga City; Tanay, Rizal; Rio Tuba, Palawan; and in different parts of Leyte.

Oscar Sibaya, GAWA graduate from Caloocan, busily sews uniforms for janitorial services.

Aside from training the GK residents, GAWA also assists in finding jobs for the graduates. A number of them are now employed as on-call housekeepers, drivers, sewers, spa/massage attendants, cable network installers, among others.

Teodoro Suaza of GAWA leads the Home Maintenance Team.

Globe actively supports social enterprises, micro-entrepreneurs, and local producers through its sustainable livelihood advocacy. By providing technology, training, and market access, the company hopes to promote inclusive growth in bottom-of-the-pyramid communities.

Wordless Wednesday #97 | Make A Wish!

My husband turned a year older last Friday,
and though he may be miles away from us, the little man and I
still celebrated his special day.
My son took the honorof blowing the candle in his Dad's behalf. :)

Best of Both Worlds | Korean Celebrities and Mixed Martial Arts.

The long weekend is about to come to an end, but I'm still on a high from the action that was UFC Macao. Although I must say, I was rather disappointed that Dong Hyun Kim lost that way. I had high hopes that he would stun Tyrone Woodley the way he did with John Hathaway; unfortunately his grinding, relentless fighting style took the best of him.

Next month, UFC will be bringing the action to Saitama, Japan, with three Korean mixed martial arts fighters included in the fight card. Kang Kyung Ho and Hyun Gyu Lim will be fighting against Japanese contenders in their respective Prelims matches, while Choo Sung Hoon (more popularly known as Yoshihiro Akiyama) will fight in the main card against Kyle Noke.

You might not know this (unless you're a Kdrama/variety show fan), but Choo Sung Hoon is also a TV star in Korea. He currently appears in 'Superman is Back', a reality show where celebrity dads are left to care for their kids alone for 48 hours without the help of anyone.

In fact, there are a few other Korean celebrities who are making a name for themselves in the mixed martial arts scene. Here are some of them:

1. Cheon Jung Myung.
The star of Cinderella's Sister, Fashion 70's, and Glory Jane, Cheon Jung Myung has more than just acting awards to his name. He also holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), and trains under Professor John Frankl - the founder of BJJ in Korea.

Photo credit: Cheon Jyung Mung.

 2. Lee Jae Yoon.

Also training under John Frankl, Lee Jae Yoon holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is famous for his roles in Queen of Ambition, Cruel City, and Golden Rainbow. Oh, and he was also in Macao to watch UFC Fight Night. :)

Photo credit: Lee Jae Yoon.

3. Lee Si Young. 

In 2010, Lee Si Young took up boxing to prepare for her role as a female boxer in a TV drama. While the drama ended up getting scrapped, Lee fell in love with the sport and continued with her training. At present, Lee is a member of the Incheon City boxing team, and is the first and only Hallyu star to become a national team athlete for any sport in Korea.

Lee Si Young at the National Amateur Boxing Championship.

4. Lee Seung Yoon.

Popular for his stint in 'Gag Concert' and his segments 'Fitness Girl' and 'Health Show', Lee Seung Yoon is also a mixed martial arts fighter. He made his debut on Road FC (Korea's number one MMA organization) in October 2010, going up against a professional MMA fighter ten years his junior.

Photo credit; Hancinema.

5. Yoon Hyung Bin.
Also a Gag Concert alumni, Yoon Hyung Bin made his debut as a professional mixed martial arts fighter in Road FC earlier this year. He competed against Japanese fighter Takaya Tsukuda in the lightweight category, and earned the victory by knocking out his opponent in the first round.

Photo credit: Road FC.

Mixed martial arts is growing in leaps in bounds in Korea and I'm sure Korean MMA fans are looking forward to a UFC event in their country. I for one, would love to have a UFC event here in the Philippines! Dana White, Fertita brothers, anyone from Zuffa? :)

Foodie Goodie | FunBites + a Giveaway!

My son isn't a picky eater. Well, at least now he no longer is. There was a time, however, when feeding time used to be a pain for both of us. Back in his toddler days, there were instances when he simply would not eat anything, all the more if the dish contained vegetables.

While I'm glad that he no longer has eccentric eating habits, I still look back to those days and think how nice it could have been had I discovered FunBites earlier in life. This fun tool would have been very useful during those trying times. Haha!

'Better late than never' so they say. I've been hearing a lot of good things about this product (especially from my mommy blogger friends in the US), and I finally had the chance to try it for myself after Bobbie Rhoads, founder and CEO of the brand, sent me my very own FunBites.

FunBites make food fun!

An award-winning product, FunBites cuts through food by creating cute and fun bite-sized shapes, making them more appealing even to the pickiest of eaters. FunBites has a super sturdy and durable curved blade cutter that works on kid-friendly food such as pancakes, sandwiches, fruits, cheese, ham, and the like.

Unboxing my FunBites.

Here's the popper top.

And here's the cutter.

Here's how the product works.

1) Separate the popper top from the cutter. Place the cutter on top of the food.

2) Hold cutter handles, press down firmly and rock back and forth to cut food.

3) Insert popper top. Lift the cutter up while pushing the popper down to pop out the food.

Fun shapes in just three steps.

Now here's my FunBites in action.

Plain white bread...

With FunBites, my little man's favorite peanut butter sandwich is now easier to pack in a small container. No more complaints of making him bring a big and bulky food container to school. Haha!

... turn into cute triangles!

Cleaning is also a breeze with FunBites. Wash with a bit of dishwashing soap, rinse it water, and that's it. There may be instances when food would stick in the little crevices, so I suggest soaking them in water for a few minutes then use a bottle brush or a small brush for cleaning. 

FunBites is available in six different colors, with three different shapes to choose from - Hearts, Squares, and Triangles. The one I have cuts triangles, and his name is Peter. Yes, they have names, too. :)

Meet Peter the Picky Eater.

FunBites sell for $12.99 each, or you can bundle two or three and save as much as 25% on your purchase. Buy two FunBites for only $22 or three FunBites for only $29. If you're purchasing from the FunBites website, you can use my coupon code BTSFun upon checkout to enjoy 20% off on all products.

The FunBites gang!

Now here's the fun part. One of my readers will have the chance to receive their own FunBites in the shape and color of his/her choice! Enter the giveaway for a chance to win! You know the drill! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway runs from August 23 to September 23, 2014. Open worldwide!

UFC Fight Night Macao | Le vs Bisping.

Macao will once again see some hard-hitting mixed martial arts action, as the UFC returns to the Cotai Arena for a showdown between two top 10 contenders in the middleweight division.

UFC Fight Night Macao.

Former Strikeforce champion Cung Le (9-2 in his professional mixed martial arts career, fighting out of San Jose, California), makes a comeback after a two-year hiatus that saw him serve as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter China, the organization’s long running reality series, as well as further his action movie career. In his return to the Cotai arena, Le will look to build on his reputation as one of the most exciting fighters in combat sports history when he meets Manchester, England’s Bisping (24-6, fighting out of Orange County, California) in the Octagon.

For Bisping, a win over Cung Le would mark his first victory over a former champion, which could possibly lead to another shot at the middleweight title.

Kim and Woodley stare down at the weigh-ins.

In the co-main event, 'Stun Gun' Dong Hyun Kim (ranked no.9 in the welterweight division) will go up against no.4-ranked Tyron 'The Chosen One' Woodley.

This fight has quite a divisional significance, as well as major world title implications. A well-rounded mixed martial arts fighter, Kim has a ton of momentum after crushing victories over John Hathaway and a knockout of the night performance against Erick Silva. Woodley, on the other hand, is potentially one huge win away from a shot at UFC gold. Both fighters will be looking to cement their place among the elites in the welterweight division.

Also included in the main card are Yang Jianping and Ning Guangyou - who will battle to become the featherweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter® China and win the coveted UFC contract.

UFC Fight Night Macao will be held on August 23, 6 in the evening at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Hotel.

Gadgets, Gizmos, and more at the Philippine Digital Lifestyle Expo.

Are you excited for the long weekend? I know I am! The little man and I can't wait to go out-of-town and enjoy some quality time with the rest of the family. We both deserve some R&R after last week's super busy schedule, with his quarterly exams and all.

How about you? Where are you guys off to for the long weekend?
If by chance you'll be at SM Megamall, why don't you swing by the digital lifestyle expo hosted by Globe Telecoms? Dubbed as "Wonderful World with Globe: Philippine Digital Lifestyle Expo", this event will bring together the latest digital trends, gadgets, and applications that can enrich today’s mobile experience.

Wonderful World with Globe.

As we all know, people nowadays are more drawn into living the digital lifestyle. The increased ubiquity of smartphones, tablets and similar gadgets, the birth of innovative data plans, and the abundance of various apps are shaping the way Filipinos live, communicate and connect with each other. What they download, explore, and share online define their identity and lifestyle as digital citizens.

Constantly being connected is now a must to stay abreast and be “in the know” of the latest events and trends. Whether for working or playing wherever and whenever, downloading the latest app that supports a passion for health, worthy advocacy or anything in between, streaming music and videos, playing online or as simple as making one’s presence felt or voice heard on social media through posts, likes and shares, no doubt the digital life is being embraced by each one member of the hyper-connected generation, making deeper and lasting connections through the power of the Internet.

Through this Digital Lifestyle Expo, which is the first of its kind, netizens can see for themselves the latest gadgets, the hottest innovations, together with the products and services offered by Globe and their technology partners.

The Wonderful World with Globe: Philippine Digital Lifestyle Expo will be held on August 22 and 23, 2014, at the Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall, in Ortigas, Pasig City from 11am to 9pm.

The event is open to the public where they can take part and enjoy the fun booths, interactive activities and games, exciting prizes and freebies and surprise celebrity guests. All these and more are lined-up for the netizens in attendance as they embrace a wonderful digital lifestyle powered by Globe.

Wordless Wednesday #96 | My Favorite Turtle.

Spotlight | Ever Bilena Extreme Lipstick.

"A girl can never have too many lipsticks."
This is what I always tell myself whenever the guilt of buying another lip product kicks in. Yes, I am one of those so-called 'lipstick bandits', and I guess there is no cure to this kind of addiction. All the more after receiving more than a dozen new lipsticks (nineteen, to be exact) over the weekend.

Thanks to our friends from Ever Bilena, I'll be busy for the rest of the week swatching, road testing, and playing with colors. I'll be featuring all the lipsticks that I received, starting with these two from the Extreme Lipstick line.

Ever Bilena Extreme Lipstick.

The Ever Bilena Extreme Lipstick is formulated with natural Vitamin E, which moisturizes the lips and makes the lips feel softer and look healthier.

Product description on the box.

I reckon there are fifteen shades in the Extreme Lipstick line, and the ones that I have are Pink Goddess and Hollywood Red.

Hollywood Red.

Hollywood Red.

Hollywood Red is the latest addition to the product line. It's a crimson red shade that does give off a glamorous vibe.

Pink Goddess.

Pink Goddess.

Pink Goddess, on the other hand, is one of the more popular shades in the Extreme Lipstick line. It's a frosted pink shade that's great for everyday wear.

Pink Goddess. One swipe on the left, two swipes on the right.

Hollywood Red. One swipe on the left, two swipes on the right.

Both shades have buildable colors, are quite pigmented, and have a nice, satin finish. They're easy to apply, and leave the lips with a soft, moisturized texture. 

Pink Goddess on my lips.

Hollywood Red on my lips.

These lippies are surprisingly good, I'm considering buying trying the other shades from the same line. Not now, but maybe after I've gone through all of the 19 lipsticks that I have just received. Haha!

What I love:

- Simple yet stylish packaging.

- Has a nice, fruity scent that's not overpowering.

- Moisturizes the lips.

- Easy to apply.

- Great color pay-off.

- Satin finish.

- Several shades to choose from.

- Widely available.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- Wear time is a bit so-so. Pink Goddess lasted on my lips for about three hours,

while Hollywood Red a little over four hours. Both without eating or drinking. 

Ever Bilena Extreme Lipstick sell for Php 165 each and are available at leading supermarkets and drugstores nationwide.