I’ve always liked the dishes in Kai restaurant @ Greenbelt 2. I love their lamb and duck dishes as well as their wasabi ice cream. This year, it’s a different Kai restaurant I have been frequenting. This one is in Serendra and it’s named Polu Kai, which from the outset looks like a Hawaiian/Polynesian resto. We always get the Baby Back Ribs and Grilled Chicken combo. And I like the fact that their dishes are served with grilled pineapple slice. I like grilled pineapples!!

We came from our Hospicio de San Jose outreach and when we got to Polu Kai, we were so famished that we forgot to take pictures of the food. The only thing I had any good picture of is this Fried Banana with Ice Cream and we actually got this for free by using the Citibank Femme rewards.

A time machine transported Sky Cable back to the period where big hairs looked smashing and tight leggings were the fashionable denim.  The time machine is branded Sky Cable Christmas Party 2007 and the top-secret location of this machine found at a laboratory in the Valle Verde Country Club.  Everyone was jet set to travel back in time with his or her big bangles, headbands, and vest-ridden outfits.  You can smell the party mood from the door and rightfully so because 2007 marks a beaming success for each person in the company.  Great food, comical entertainment from the hosts, an impressive center stage, boisterous laughter, a wonderful company and overall a well-organized show –don’t you just want to freeze the time, capture a moment like that and put it in a bottle? 

Every group put together a stellar performance.  Creativeness and hard work all weaved into a dashing production number.   Then all of a sudden, the lights went off!  Has the laboratory forgot to pay its bills?  Meralco is just a hop away, isn’t it?  All seems to be at a standstill.  Then there was light… 6 flashes of white light drawn to the 6 dark figures in front of our eyes.  They started moving slow.  Ticks.  Ticking motions like counting the seconds before the take-off.  Then the audience was suck out of their chairs and hurled into Madonna’s life… from her like-a-virgin days to not-so-virgin days.  

The team of scientists composed of the Executive Office, HR, Admin, and Program Packaging and Merchandising twilight-zoned everyone back to the popular music videos of Madonna.  Jason Gaffud, the boy-toy of the 6 Madonnas, made his presence felt onstage as girls (even men!) screamed their lungs out (Was anyone brought to the ER?) 

The smallest ensemble of 7-cast group bagged 2^nd place next to the unswerving all-time champion, the Operations group. 

 Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/311/07_1213-_Sky_Cable_Xmas  

APPETITE magazine is giving everyone a holiday treat with the Tasting Room event.  This event runs from October to December 2007 and participated by 9 elite restaurants in the favorite Ayala mall, Greenbelt.

Indulge your taste buds and pamper your gastronomical appetites with a sampling set of dishes.  Try several of the signature dishes in the restaurant of your choice.  Sampling portions only but the number of dishes are enough to make you full –and hopefully satisfied.  So make most of this opportunity to try out the different fares this culinary event has put together. 

 Kai Neo Japanese Cuisine

G/F Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, MakatiPhone (2) 757 5209 or (2) 757 5210

Watch out for Kai’s big move to Greenbelt 5 this November! 

PHP 1,000 + 10% SCDishes: Crispy Tofu, Wasabi Oyster Tempura, Marinated Tuna, Mixed Greens, Pan-seared Sea Bass, Scallops Tempura, Guyabano Sorbet, Udon Pasta, Braised Pork Belly, Miso Soup, Tofu Cheesecake 

 Mezze! Bistro and Bar

G/F Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, MakatiPhone (2) 7288895 look for Anicia 

PHP 1,220 nett

Dishes: 3 soups: Potato Cream, Tomato, and French Onion soup, Smoked Salmon with Blacked Caviar, Salad Peach, Chilean Sea Bass, Lamb Tangin and 5 desserts that include Panna Cotta, Apple Besti, Falling Cake (Vanilla), etc. 

Capricciosa Ristorante Italiano

3/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati

Phone (2) 757 7811 

Bubba Gump Restaurant and Market

2/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati

Phone (2) 757 5154Watch out for the opening of Bubba Gump at TriNoma Mall this October! 

PHP 550 nett

Dishes: Ping pong Chicken, Steak, Shrimp Pasta, Mini-mud pie (half of the actual size) 

PHP 500 nett

Dishes: The same as the steak set but instead of steak, it’s fish. 

 Max Brenner Chocolate Bar

G/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, MakatiPhone (2) 728 8810 

PHP 750 + 10% SC

Dishes: Mushroom Cappucino, Shitake Puree, Asian Style Crab Cake, Crispy Duck Salad, Potato Crusted Salmon, and a shot of Maranion (a combi of Irish Cream, Milk Chocolate and Espresso shot) 

 Bizu Patisserie

G/F Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati

Phone (2) 757 2498 or (2) 757 4749 

 Fuzion Smoothie Café

3/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati

Phone (2) 729 4498 

Bed Space

3/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati

For inquiries or reservations, phone (2) 728 8036 For events, phone (2) 9156007, (2) 9141096, or (2) 9150998. 

 Mr. Rockefeller

2/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati

Phone (2) 757 4802 

PHP 1,100 Dishes: Soup, Appetizer, Entrée (Sole Fillet) and Ice Cream 

Appetite, Citibank, Ayala Malls, Greenbelt and 2nd Avenue have made this event possible so grab a partner and saunter to any of the lucky 9 restaurants and enter the “Tasting Room.”  

Celebrate New Year with a Bang in these locations!   

Makati Shangri-la

PHP 5, 526 nettIncludes the show and dinner buffet at the lobby 

Edsa Shangri-la

At Edsa Shang, all parties will start at 8pm.   

Isla Ballroom -PHP 2,888 nett, includes buffet and a glass of wine.

Lobby Event -PHP 2,008 nett, includes New Year’s countdown, Serendipity band, cocktails and a glass of champagne

Poolside Party –PHP 1,046 nett, exclusive for the hotel guests.  This also includes cocktails.  Restaurant Reservations

Heat – PHP 2,800

Paparazzi –PHP 1,108 nett is the regular lunch buffet but they wont serve buffet on New Year’s eve.  Only ala carte.  I’ve experienced New Year in Makati Shangri-la with my whole family back in 2005 (or was it 2004?).  We checked in at Makati Shang, had dinner at Shang Palace with my lolo and celebrated the New Year with a smashing Black Tie event.  That was one of the best New Years I’ve had because I was able to bond with the rascals (a.k.a. my 2 sisters) uninterrupted.    Album:  (http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/25)  

Let’s all count down to 2008!  

I was so happy to see Fay after so many years!!!  She visited from California in December 2007 and stayed in Manila for a few weeks. 

I would have wanted more sauce but the taste was superb nonetheless. 

Pastel de Lengua PHP 330 

Lumpaing Ubod PHP 129

Paolo’s order!  How corny! 

Squid Tactics PHP 196

It was quite a bit dry with some sweet sauce. 

Mungo Bean Soup PHP 95

Paolo’s order again!  Corny again! 

3 Rice PHP 180 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/314/07_1219-_Abe_Restaurant_Serendra

I’ve always liked Conti’s for its food’s straightforwardness. The dishes are simplistic and the usual favorites. They serve callos, bacalaw, chicken cordon blue among others. What opened my heart to Conti’s is their Mango Brava. Little did I know that there’s more to Conti’s than this delectable dessert and I am glad that I don’t have to travel all the way to Parañaque to learn this.

One random dinner night, Bubba and I decided to eat at Conti’s Greenhills and luckily there was one table that was unoccupied. I ordered the Baked Butterflied Shrimps (PHP 250? I will check again…) with paella rice (additional PHP 35 to make it paella rice). The paella rice was not really Paella paella rice but more like rice with tomato sauce. Oh well, that’s the base of a paella anyway. You’re blue moon lucky if your paella has saffron in it. In any case, the paella rice did not really disappoint because the Baked Butterflied Shrimps really carried the weight in this dish. Bubba ordered Chicken Cordon Blue and even if he ate most of my order since he loves the cheese on top of the baked shrimps, he also enjoyed his dish.

To cap any Conti’s meal, we ordered a slice of Mango Brava to share.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/289/07_0921-_Contis

My face was a nudist back in college.  I was really a late bloomer when it came to make-up and beauty products because I felt it takes too much time and effort to do so… and being a tomboy that I was in high school, I was not able to utilize that period of my life to practice. 

In La Salle, the make-up that I only had in my bag were face powder and lip tint, which I rarely used.  I started putting make-up on when I started at Sabiclub Corp. Up until now, I am still an adolescent when it comes to putting make-up but I like experimenting.   My old Nine West make-up pouch (poochie) used to house a L’Oreal Foundation in Silk Ivory, Body Shop lip and cheek tint, Mac brown Mascara, Lancome Juicy Tube lip gloss, a cheap (from Yakuyen store haha) Japanese eye shadow, clip and toothbrush.  I actually only use the powder and the lip tint most of the time, but I had the rest just in case I need to be made up for some event/dinner that pops up. I was up in arms when I found out that L’Oreal is pulling out their Airwear line.  When I go buy, it’s always almost out, so why are they about to go extinct?  One of the beauty specialist explained to me that even if it’s sellable in the Philippines, if it’s not sellable overseas then they get rid of the line and put in a new one. Too bad.  I really liked Airwear and have been using it for 3-4 years.  It doesn’t feel like a foundation at all.  It’s so light and it makes your skin breathe through that layer of powder. I did not want to try out the new line because I tried another L’Oreal product, which was Ideal Balance and it wasn’t friendly on my skin.  That beauty specialist told me that the new line after Airwear is similar to Ideal Balance so I decided to go look at another brand. During an exclusive Rustan’s sale, I bought Estee Lauder powder foundation (which I got only for PHP1K something from its original price of 1,900.) and some other products.  I really liked the Estee Lauder powder until it fell from my bag and smashed on the floor during a Davao/Gen San trip. Last month, I finally decided to buy from Estee Lauder and spent 2,500 for the powder and 800 for the compact.  I really don’t get why I have to pay separate to get the compact with the mirror.  I guess because of the quality and the brand, I have to pay premium.  (Thanks Racq for helping me pick my skin tone/shade)

I got Hydra Complete face cream along with it, which is a multi-level moisture gel cream.  This is perfect for my dry skin.  The powder doesnt cake when I apply Hydrate before putting on the powder. 

On top of that, I got a new mascara from Lancome, which came in a promo pack with a Lancome eyeliner and mascara remover.  I found great use for the mascara remover since I used to only wash off my mascara and that doesn’t take out all the make-up.  My eyes are pretty sensitive but the Lancome mascara remover is gentle to the eyes and it somehow relaxes them. 

With all my new buys, I didn’t want to use my old worn-out Nine West cotton poochie.  When I got home that night, I was so happy to find in one of the boxes I have not used, a Tommy Hilfiger make-up pouch.  It was a freebie from a Tommy Hilfiger box that contained a perfume and a hand lotion.  Lucky me!  I remember when I first saw the pouch that I didn’t like it because it was yellow with red detail.  Now, I love it!  (Thanks Ninang Mary!) and it’s the perfect shelter for my new cosmetic items. 

The Philippine Advertising Congress, which happens every two years, was held in Subic for 2008.  It was my very first Ad Congress… and Bubba’s too!  I definitely gained about 5 lbs from all the food! Buffet breakfast, buffet lunch and buffet dinner!!!  I’m such a beast when it comes to eating…

 I was a delegate together with the account managers from the airtime department, which also falls under our division.  We rented a house in Subic that was newly renovated and I was bunked with Len and Kay, who I got to know better during the 4-day convention.

I loved the seminars (they weren’t boring at all) and learned a lot from it.  I was especially thrilled to see Neil Gaiman in the flesh, only a few meters away. 

11/22: Neil Gaiman

11/23: Marlboro Party

It was interesting to be part of the Ad Cong, which was pretty similar to the PCTA Cable Convention.  Ad Congress involves advertisers, media partners, etc. which is the same with PCTA but it’s more centric to Cable Channels and their shows.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/285

Discovery Travel and Living sent us a Christmas treat –a Chocolate fruitcake made by no less than Nigella Lawson. I wonder if she really made every single one of the fruitcakes they sent out. Nevertheless, I find Nigella Lawson pretty and sexy with the way she carries her self and that voice! I just love watching her show. The fruitcake was so sinfully think and rich. I can get tipsy in the amount of liquor that’s actually in the cake! A few teensy bites have made me feel liquorishly funny already.

Thanks to Discovery for sending out this fruitcake.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/309/07_1212-_Pasto_and_Random

The Photoholic group got together again for another day of fun shooting.  Subject this time: animals.  Leia planned the day’s activities, which started with a meet-up at Aveneto, Tiendesitas.  Schedule included a whole day tour of Avilon Zoo, a short stop at Wawa Dam and Baywalk.  Avilon is located in Montalban.  It is only about 1 hour and half drive to go there.  Entrance fee is PHP 200.  If you want a tour guide, it’s an additional PHP 350, which can be shouldered equally if you’re in a group.  In our case, since we will be taking too much time taking pictures, Leia decided not to have one anymore.  Francis has visited the zoo once anyway. 

Avilon Zoo is a 7-hectare land that houses a multitude of different species.  It is kept clean and very well maintained.  It’s the cleanest-smelling zoo I’ve ever stepped my Adidas on.  I even had the chance to play with a newly bathed monkey.  Unfortunately, Bubba and me were only able to spend 3 hours at the zoo and we had to flee (not flea –no pun intended). 

 Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/312/07_1216-_Avilon_Zoo_Montalban