30 September 2013

Enjoy Unlimited Meals For Less at Success Lounge International!



If there was a restobar that makes you wealthier and more prosperous and abundant each time you’re there, wouldn’t you hang out in that place often? This is what John Calub, the country’s most sought after motivational speaker and life coach, envisioned when he recently opened his newest venture, Success Lounge International (SLI). It is positioned to become the country’s premiere business lounge and restobar, a place where positive people can meet, synergize on million peso ideas, do business, relax and have fun.


John Calub, the Number 1 Motivational Speaker in the County

22 September 2013

Flawless is Now Guaranteed Hygienic!



Think that all skin clinics are created equal? Think again.


If you’re a fan of treatments offered at skincare centers, chances are you've been to a few and thus know that—price points and interiors aside—they are far from being the same, especially so when we talk about the rituals done before, during and after treatments. The truth is creams, solutions, and other materials used, the training of the aestheticians, and the actual procedure of the treatment are most of the time different with various clinics. And these matters are something that Flawless have already mastered over years of experience. Nevertheless, there is always a room for improvement for the country’s preferred clinic for face, body and medical services.


Last Tuesday, I had the chance to experience Flawless' latest upgrade. Nope, it is not a new treatment but an emphasis to one of the factors that skincare fanatics usually consider, that is, hygiene and cleanliness. Hygiene is of course an issue that Flawless takes very seriously.

I visited their SM Megamall branch, though this upgrade is available at all Flawless branches. As usual, I had their refreshing Cell Booster Infusion Mask treatment. It's not the first time that I had my facial treatment done with Flawless so the changes they have incorporated to their usual routine are very significant to me.


Right before entering the treatment area, there is a hand sanitizer dispenser available for the use of both aestheticians and clients. Hygienic facial treatments indeed start with clean hands. I have also noticed that the materials (including sterilized tools) used for every patient are placed in individual pouches which are then signed by both aesthetician and client. These pouches are prepared right before the treatment so customers are assured that the materials are new and safe to use and not just kept in their cabinets for a long time. Aside from that, the towels they use are stored in cabinets with UV lamp sterilizers to maintain their cleanliness. Lastly, the headbands used for every individual are no longer washed and reused, but they switched to disposable ones. Flawless takes pride in employing the strictest sanitary protocols and keeping it at par with hospital standards to ensure that each client that walks into their doors get the best service they deserve, in the safest environment that the company can provide.


Facial treatments and medical peeling are among the flagship treatments of the famed skincare center. According to Rubby Sy, Flawless' CEO, Flawless boasts of its unique advantage of having a core of full-time doctors working as medical aesthetic professionals for the company. “Through them, we’re able to provide thorough consultation, personalized service, and top-notch treatment to our patients. The fact that our practitioners undergo continuous training and are experienced with the latest advancements in dermatological technologies further ensures that our patients get the care and treatment that they deserve.”


Facial treatments at Flawless have always been amazing. Have you seen my latest outfit post? The photos were shot after Ms. Cathy, my aesthetician, did my facial. No red marks left at all! Anyway, I even had the chance to meet with their resident dermatologist during my treatment. Hence, she was able to advise that I use their Acne Treatment Kit (which I have used before) to treat my whiteheads and pimples in my forehead. Aside from these treatments, Flawless also employs the latest and most advanced dermatological machines including Fractional Needling Therapy Guns, LightSheer Diode Laser Hair Removal, and Velasmooth program, among others.



Powered by Skin Professionals, Flawless is a well-loved brand that is known for introducing pioneering beauty solutions that continuously raise industry standards in the region. At its core is a celebrated roster of well-trained aestheticians and medical doctors stationed at each of its 37 clinics nationwide. To know more about Flawless’ products and services, you may visit www.flawless.com.ph or like Facebook.com/FlawlessFaceandBody. You may also follow Twitter.com/MyFlawless or visit Flawless’ online shop, shop.flawless.com.ph.


XO, Mish


20 September 2013

Authentic Japanese Cuisine at Izakaya Kenta Restaurant



Japanese restaurants are literally all over the Metro. Nowadays, you'd see one everywhere you go. However, it is hard to find a restaurant that offers authentic Japanese cuisine. Most of the time, Japanese restaurants tend to tweak their menu to satisfy Pinoys' taste. Hence, what they serve are no longer original Japanese dishes.

If you are in the Manila area (and even if you are not), you have to visit Izakaya Kenta Restaurant for that authentic Japanese experience. Izakaya, which literally means "bar" in Japanese, is a place that caters to Japanese people themselves here in the Philippines. Formerly located in Pedro Gil St., this restaurant can now be found at Malate Bayview Mansions in Adriatico St., Malate, Manila. :)


Entering the restaurant is an amazing experience itself. The interior, which was designed by owner, Erwin Medina, is very much like the Japanese bars we see in the movies. There's a sushi bar, individual tables for groups and exclusive dining area for meetings and similar events. Very cozy!


To start off the evening, we were welcomed by owners, Dr. Sakura Medina and Mr. Erwin Medina. They shared to us, bloggers, the beginnings of the Izakaya Kenta Restaurant in Adriatico. Being raised up in Japan, they were always on the search for the best Japanese restaurant until they discovered Izakaya Kenta (which was still in Pedro Gil). They frequented the place and when the previous one closed, they decided to move it to Adriatico just this year. They wanted to share to Filipinos what they have come to love for the past years.


Izakaya Kenta offers dishes like no other as some of their dishes are not served in other restaurants. Their food are also guaranteed fresh and of superb quality. Some ingredients are even shipped from abroad. During the blogger's dinner, we were offered some of their best dishes and here are some of the appetizers that we had:

Supagetti Sarada
Potato Salad

Supagetti Sarada is their version of Spaghetti. This one has a mayo-based dressing and has a very mild taste. The greens are my favorite. They are extremely fresh! As if they have just been harvested. I never really liked potato salads, but Izakaya Kenta's Potato Salad just got my vote! It is not your ordinary salad as it has a kick of wasabi that compliments the mildness of the potato. Don't worry, it is not spicy at all!

Frothy Iced Tea!

Japanese cuisine won't be complete without sushi and sashimi! Izakaya Kenta offers nothing but the best ingredients which were actually prepared right in front of you. Chef Michael even amazed us with his culinary skills by demonstrating how the Santenmori/Sashimi is prepared.

Various types of seafood used for making sushi and sashimi
Santenmori
Mixed Nigiri-jou

The Santenmori tastes very clean and fresh. Me and my seatmates, Ana and Eli, finished this in less than a minute. I have the exact same sentiments with the Mixed Nigiri-jou. I got surprised though that some of the maki have wasabi inside. I have to say though that this is the prettiest-looking sushi platter I have ever seen in my entire life!

Tako Potato

Another favorite is the Tako Potato. It is a version of the Takoyaki, but instead it was made of potato. It has a chunk of octopus inside which is chewy and yummy! The fish flakes on top, called Katsuboshi, are very tasty and they melt on your mouth!

For the main course, we were served various dishes which we had with delicious Japanese rice and Asari Miso Soup. These dishes were prepared differently as they would have done so in Japan: from Agemono or Fried, Itememomo or Sauteed, to Yakimono or Grilled. 

Tori Karaage (Agemono)
Gyu Suteki (Itememono)
Gindara Teriyaki (Yakimono)

Three main dishes were served for our main course. The Tori Karaage or Deep Fried Chicken was cooked with sake and fried until golden brown. The skin was crunchy and the meat was extremely juicy! I finished probably three pieces. :p The Gyu Suteki or Beef was equally delicious! It was marinated in Japanese wine called Mirin and Kikkoman Soy Sauce. The meat literally melts in your mouth. My favorite though would be the Gindara Teriyaki or Cod Fish. The sauce is heavenly and the fish tastes perfect with it. :)


After our appetizer and main course, we were offered sake or rice wine. One of the regular customers of Izakaya Kenta explained to us how Japanese drink sake. He told us that these are drinks for the gods. It can be consumed either hot or cold. But I think they prefer it hot in Japan because of the cold weather. I had a sip of sake and realized that I cannot finish one shot. :D I find it quite a strong drink. I though it was a mild liquor cause after all it is just a wine and it's made of rice!

Okonomiyaki

To conclude our meal, we were served this huge Japanese pizza called the Okonomiyaki. As soon as I tasted it, I realized that it is a huge Takoyaki but it has more filling and it has a richer taste. This pizza itself could definitely fill me up! As for the dessert, we were served Purin and Green Tea Mochi. The Purin or Pudding goes perfectly with the cherry on top. On the other hand, the Green Tea Mochi which was made by the chefs of Izakaya Kenta is not too sweet and has a generous size. 

Purin
Green Tea Mochi

This dining experience at Izakaya Kenta has definitely changed (or widen) my perception as to what Japanese cuisine really is. So if you are looking for that authentic Japanese experience, Izakaya Kenta is definitely the place to go. They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. for dinner. :)

Izakaya Kenta 居酒屋けん太
G/F Malate Bayview Mansion, 1781 M. Adriatico St. Malate, 1004 Manila, Philippines
02-523-1874
https://www.facebook.com/izakayakenta

XO, Mish



08 September 2013

Celeteque Multi Benefit BB Cream Review from Sample Room



Woohoo! It's been a while since I made a review on something. I find it quite time consuming to do a product review post as compared to the other things that I am posting on my blog. I salute beauty bloggers who always find time to enlighten us with the latest products in the market and give us their honest opinions. :)


I got this Celeteque Multi Benefit BB Cream from Sample Room. It was probably the third product that I got from them. Honestly, I am not a fan of makeups. I only put on some to make my self presentable, at least. I've also never tried many products so I cannot really say that this one is better than another, but here's what I think about this product.

07 September 2013

LifeProof Frē Case is now in the Philippines



With a very curious and unstoppable toddler, anything can literally happen to my phone. So far, Z have dropped my phone and made it spin on the floor. Luckily, I haven't submerged my phone in water yet, but I have accidentally spilled water over it. Sometimes I just wish I could have an immortal phone, something that I could throw without getting a dent. Unfortunately, they don't have that in the market yet. :p

However if you have an Iphone, then lucky you! LifeProof, the award-winning maker of all-protective, everyday cases for smartphones and tablets, announced the availability of the LifeProof frē Case, giving users unprecedented freedom to take their premium gadget everywhere without worry.


The new LifeProof frē Case offers full access to all key functions while the sleek, lightweight design provides all the protection consumers have come to expect from LifeProof, including against water, dirt, snow and shock. Every single case Lifeproof produces have been tested to ensure the quality of their products. You could swim with it or even drop it and your phone will still be as good and without a single dent. They come in various colors and with a detailed instruction guide so you could properly "Lifeproof" your phone.

Lifeproof cases are fully submergible to 6.6 ft/ 2m for 30 minutes, sealed from dust, dirt particles, snow, and ice, and can withstand drops from 6.6 ft/2 m.

“Our customers love the freedom that LifeProof frē Case gives them to take their device anywhere without concern. We’re pleased to introduce the slimmest fully protective LifeProof frē Case here in the Philippines,” says Evelyn Medina, Sales Manager of JCordon, the exclusive distributor of LifeProof in the Philippines. “As with all of our products, we carefully design, build and test the case to our company’s standards for high quality and exceptional reliability.”

With  host, Mr. Philip Abadicio, and Ms. Evelyn Medina of JCordon

LifeProof frē Case will also be showcasing the latest colors and accessories for iPhone 5 case, including a new LifeProof Car Mount for hands free driving; The LifeProof Lifejacket that keeps your iPhone buoyant and afloat; the popular Bike & Bar Mount; The Belt Clip and the Armband/Swimband. LifeProof frē for iPhone 5 is available at an SRP of P3,950.

Celebrity endorser, Marc Nelson, let the media test his Iphone. He even dropped his phone to prove Lifeproof's durability!

Wherever you go, whatever you do, LifeProof gives you the confidence and freedom to make your mobile device your constant companion. After all, it is our phones that keeps us going nowadays as it is the easiest means to maintain communication with the people around us.

Lifeproof have cases for iPhone 4 and 5, Ipad, Ipad Mini and Samsung Galaxy S III, among others.

LifeProof cases and accessories are available for sale at all ICON, PowerMac, Digital Hub, Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, Switch, iStudio, AShop, Astroplus and Technoholics outlets.

XO, Mish



02 September 2013

Yabu: House of Katsu is now open at SM North EDSA!



Last week (despite my crazy midterms schedule), I attended the inauguration of Yabu: House of Katsu's 6th and latest branch at the SM North EDSA. They've been around for probably a year or two, but they are already very popular among people. Have you seen the photos from their opening? People went crazy! As for regular days, lunch and dinner times are usually very busy. Yabu was actually introduced to me by a friend who loves their food. Since then, I cannot resist Yabu!

Awarding winning Katsu! 
Some highlights during the inauguration ceremonies