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Now you would know how much we loved our Red Mango’s frozen yogurt. We didn’t even had time to take photos of it because it was too yummy, we finished it fast!

Our first try was at SM Megamall. Hubby and I were looking for a simple dessert that wouldn’t hurt our budget at the same time healthy. So after checking out barcode scanner in Cyberzone, we immediately went to Building A to try their frozen yogurt. It was our first time so we didn’t know what to expect. But after we finished it (Hubby finished it after 5 minutes), we both agreed that we will try it again some other time. We both loved it!

The sour and smooth consistency of the yogurt goes well with the blueberry sauce, almonds and crushed graham. It wasn’t too sweet for my taste, definitely a plus! This is a welcome alternative from the usual starbucks drink and cupcakes. Not to mention it’s healthy too. Surprisingly Hubby loves it and would want to get one very soon.

You can opt to get the original or green tea. I haven’t tried the green tea but hopefully soon.

RED MANGO Branches:
* Eastwood Mall Veranda
* Greenbelt 3
* SM Megamall
* TriNoma Mall

While I was at my hometown, my Dad forced me to try this soap…

He is currently selling it. It’s very different from msm glucosamine cream because it is natural and no chemicals added. It stings though when I try to leave the soap in my face for a few minutes but according to my Dad, it is very natural. So I’m trying it out for a few weeks and see if it would fit me and my skin. Here are more details in case you’re interested.

Kirei Na (Kojic Acid Soap)
Kojic Acid was discovered in Japan as a natural product derived from rice/grains. It has been successfully used to ligthen pigments spots, skin discoloration and is considered as a kind of melanin inhibitor. Kojic Acid a natural super skin whitener, can produce excellent “Even” toning effects on the skin, fighting age spots, pregnancy marks & freckles, as well as general pigmentation disorders of the face & body. Kirei Na Soap is a kojic acid solution soap, enhanced with Vitamin C, and has various nti-oxidants from different fruits. Kerei Na Soap is processed to become highly efficient Natural Skin Care & lighting Soap. For a younger looking complexion

Recently I went to Mindanao for a business trip. It was not planned so I wasn’t able to prepare that much. But I can say that I had fun in spite of my busy schedules. It was good to be home at least for 4 days. I didn’t bring my camera anymore since I knew that I would be working the whole time. I was tasked to study my Dad’s current business process by getting hands-on. I had experienced being a recorder, I saw the chickens hatch eggs, checked out some pond pumps, and had a few lectures about farming thanks to my Aunt. So I don’t consider this as a getaway since I wasn’t able to go to some tourist spots just like before. But at least, I got to eat the food that I missed for so long. Maybe next time, I could at least try that new Zip line that was recently installed in my place. We’ll see!

I love TGIF. Ever since College, I would love to eat here all the time but it’s expensive to dine here all the time so I just save this for special occassions.

Since January 30th was our anniversary and Hubby and I didn’t get to spend some time alone when we were in Hongkong, we decided to have dinner at TGIF. The food here is always good, plus, he would love to watch TV with their plasma tvs at the restaurant. Although I had to admit, it would hard to watch since you will be focused on the food and the conversation that usually happens only when the kids are not around.

I wanted to drink that night so I ordered a Classic Mojito.

Shake things up Cuban style! Bacardi rum, fresh mint, cane sugar and soda make the Mojito one of their coolest new cocktails

We had Fried Mozarella as appetizers. It was delicious!

Mozzarella cheese coated in their special Italian-styled breading then deep fried and served with a rich marinara sauce.

After having the fried mozarella, we had Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp

Sauteed garlic marinated chicken breast and plump shrimp tossed with zesty Roma tomato-basil salsa, served with onions and peppers and their cheddar cheese mashed potatoes on a sizzling platter of melted Colby and Jack cheeses.

AND, Jack Daniel’s Ribs and Shrimp.

Their full rack of Cajun spiced baby back pork ribs ia fried grilled and glazed with their Jack Daniel’s sauce, added with their handful butterflied shrimp, battered and fried until crisp and served with crispy fries.

The baby back ribs were a bit dry and bland according to Hubby. He didn’t like it that much.

The Jack Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp were to die for! It was served with cheddar cheese, which I loved so much!

We were too full to have dessert so we just finished our drinks then called it a night.

T.G.I. Friday’s definitely still one of my favorites!

T.G.I. Friday’s Bonifacio High Street
Quadrant B3, Bonifacio High Street Taguig City
Email – tgifhighst@bistro.com.ph
Contact No – 8562996 | Fax No – 8562997
http://www.fridays.com.ph/

After such a stressful trip last month, I wonder, is it really possible to travel without stress when you are with your little kids? I can’t say yes or even no. But I came across this nice article from SimpleMom which seems helpful in case we will travel again in the near future. Here are the tips and techniques…

1. Throw “normal” out the window.

Sounds like a great idea. I know many of us have rules at home and we need to follow it everyday but when we travel, things change. So it would be nice to at least not be “normal” just for this trip and enjoy the moment. But as the article stated, make sure the kids know that this is only because you are on a family trip and things will get back to normal when you get home.

2. Don’t worry about those around you.

I’m guilty about this. I tend to worry on what people might say especially if the kids would cry during a late night flight. This is what I like about what the article said,

“We can’t control how people react to us; We can only control our attitudes.”

I guess if we stop worrying about what people would say we would enjoy our trip inspite of kids whining and getting tired.

3. Bring snacks.

The best advice I’ve had so far and the one thing that I make sure I do every time we travel. I bring biscuits, a little bit of candy, sandwiches, milk and water for the kids. This also applies to us, parents.

4. Have special “traveling toys.”

Hmmm…I don’t bring toys too often but I guess bringing traveling toys would be a great idea.

There are a few items we break out only on long flights. For our five-year-old, journals with colored pencils, sticker books, and a book of games (connect the dotes, mazes, and the like) go over well. For our two-year-old, we reveal a loved Matchbox car or a gadget (like a calculator) after we’ve settled in for awhile. And family-friendly airlines such as Lufthansa also often have special toys for their little customers.

5. Sleep when they sleep.

The only downside that I can see here is that you won’t be able to follow your itinerary rigidly. And expect that kids’ nap time won’t be followed.

Since kids’ energy is regained after sleeping, you won’t definitely be able to sleep once they are awake.

These five tips are definitely useful when you are going to travel with your little ones. I wish they also have tips on how to shop while traveling with kids. I can’t forget those discount prescription glasses that I bought a couple of years ago. I was thorough then and I didn’t have kids so I was able to REALLY SHOP! Maybe in my next post, I will feature some tips on shopping while traveling with kids.

Yes, you read it right. It is possible to pack light when you travel with little kids. I know you would want to bring a LOT when you travel just to make sure that you brought everything. From their usual toys to some stuff like box cutter just in case you need to bring stuff packed in a box. And you would end up bringing the whole house!

So, how would you pack light when traveling with kids?

Here are some 13 tips written by SimpleMom.

1. Bring lots of ziploc-type baggies.

You will always need these especially with little kids. It’s light and can always be folded.

2. You need less toys than you think.

Not much toys though. One favorite toy or two would be enough and make sure you bring light toys!

3. Laundry soap.

This is perfect for washing soiled socks, milk bottles, used plates and utensils.

4. Unless you’re going into the Congo, just bring enough diapers for a few days.

You can easily buy more wherever you are. Point taken.

5. Save a special toy just for this trip.

6. Pack some small kid-friendly snacks.

Biscuits would be light and handy. Not so much water though because you can always buy anywhere.

7. Call ahead to your hotel to see if they have pack-n-plays available for your baby.

8. If you’re renting a car, find out if the rental company can provide a complimentary car seat.

9. Just pack an umbrella stroller.

Yes very convenient. It folds using only one hand and can be carried even if you walk long distances.

10. But if you’re wavering, do bring your stroller – especially if you’re flying.

I’m amazed how often the stroller comes in handy at airports, even if your little one wants to walk. It’s an instant luggage transporter, and you can push it all the way to the end of the jet way, where the airlines will store it underneath.

11. Research where you’re going ahead of time, and create a basic scavenger hunt or bingo game based on what you’ll see.

12. Pack basic, solid-colored clothing that mix and match – for your kids, and for yourself.

Make sure to bring cottony clothes and wrinkle free too!

13. Keep your expectations low.

It’s inevitable that at this stage of life, we will be packing more than we’d like. It often feels so – well, silly – that the smallest people in our lives “need” some of the biggest things. But it’s short lived. As kids grow, you need to bring less and less. So give yourself grace right now, and be okay with packing more than your ideal.

I was prepared to scrap off Ocean Park in our itinerary and willing to stay in the hotel on our last day but when I thought about it, this is the only time we will be in Hongkong and I don’t know when we are going to visit this country again. So I decided, inspite of being very, very tired, to push through for the sake of the kids.

Well, surprisingly we all had fun!

We checked out early in Kowloon Hotel in TST. We left at 10AM, left the baggages at the concierge and off we went to Ocean Park.

On Our Way to Ocean Park.

We took the MTR (good thing TST station is right beside the hotel!) and then we alighted at the MTR station to ride a bus on the way to Ocean Park. This trip was a breeze! Around 11AM we were at the entrance of Ocean Park taking photos!

We were glad that the bus took us to the main entrance where the kids’ area is located. The kids were so excited as soon as we are at the Park.

We immediately checked out the Amazing Asian Animals.

Giant Panda Adventure

Ocean Park is proud to welcome its latest residents from the temperate forest of Mainland China – the cuddly red pandas! This is the first time red pandas will be making an appearance in Hong Kong, and you can meet them at the Giant Panda Adventure! Visit these adorable pandas as well as see other Chinese wonders, like the critically endangered Chinese Giant Salamander. You might also spot some familiar faces in their new home! Say hello to Ying Ying and Le Le, the eternally cheerful giant pandas! Come to Ocean Park to explore the world of these protected creatures and the impact of humans on their fragile habitat.

After which, we checked out the Lowland Gardens and met the talking tree!

And had one ride at the Merry-Go-Round.

By the time we were at the Whiskers Harbour area, we were already hungry so we decided feed our baby girl their lunch while the “Ate” was having fun at the Whiskers Harbour playground.

In the age of videogames, we may forget that the best games children play are the ones they make themselves. The Whiskers Harbour Playground provides a safe, child-friendly heaven for kids to explore their imagination and interact with their environment. Swings and slides are wonderful places to try some good, old-fashioned fun, while tunnels and jungle gyms not only bring plenty of refreshing exercises, but also make great hideouts! Shaded seating areas nearby are welcome places for parents to rest and to let them keep an eye on their juniors too!

After our quick lunch of noodles, chicken wings and fries, we immediately went to Whiskers Theatre to watch the Sea Lion Show! I loved our timing so much. The show was about to start.

After the show, we then went to ride the famous Cable Car to check out the other park. The little girl had a blast here.

The Cable Cars are a great way to travel between the Lowland Gardens and Marine Land. With Ocean Park attractions located on two different sides of a mountain and wide swaths of sea in between, riding the Cable Car provides unprecedented views of the surrounding area, the sea, and the entire park. Plan which attraction you’d like to visit next while taking in the panoramic scenery below – the gorgeous vista all around you is also a wonderful opportunity to take some memorable snapshots with your family and friends!

We were just in time again for another show which is the Dolphin Show at the Ocean Theatre!

Ocean Theatre’s spectacular new show, “Sea Dreams”, is here to make a splash! “Sea Dreams” is an international world class production with sound editing provided by an Oscar winner, featuring delightful music, dazzling backdrops, and stunning performances by its animal stars on stage and up-close with the audience. The 6-scene show unfolds with a grandfather telling his granddaughter about his dream of how humans and animals can live harmoniously, with mutual love and respect.

This sensational presentation makes great educational entertainment for the whole family!

After the show, we then checked out Atoll Reef. A must see in Ocean Park! Never fail to miss this when you are there!

Step into the world beneath the ocean, without ever getting wet! Explore the Indo-Pacific marine ecosystem exactly as it looks under the water at the Atoll Reef. Designed as a panoramic coral island, the Atoll Reef spans four floors of aquariums and is home to around 2,000 fishes close to 250 species, including sharks, the Bowmouth Guitarfish (Rhina ancylostoma), Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari), Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera javanica) and Black Spotted Sting Ray (Taeniura melanospila), for which a second generation was successfully bred here at Ocean Park.

I must admit, we were hungry again after this but we didn’t have time to sit down and eat anymore since we needed to go back to the hotel. SO we just bought take out food to eat at the bus.

In order to go to the bus we rode the Ocean Park escalator.

Step on up for a ride on the second longest outdoor escalator in the world! This incredible feature stretches over 225 m, from the Marine Land down to the Adventure Land! Don’t worry about the weather either! Rain or shine, the escalator (and you) is protected from the elements by a clear tunnel, offering spectacular views of the surrounding park throughout your journey!

And then off we went to the bus for our trip back to the hotel. Good thing there were no lines at the bus so we were able to find great seats immediately. The trip was a breeze except for our MTR ride which was very challenging because the little girl was very much asleep. This actually made us think of not going to travel again for now while the kids are still small.

HA! We’ll see! (*grin*)

OCEAN PARK
Abeerdeen, Hong Kong Island
+852 2580 9092
Hours: 10am- 6pm, or 10am – 11pm in summer

NOTE:
Buses departing from Central Pier No. 7 and Admiralty MTR Station leave at 9am, 9:10am and 9:20am. They run to the Tai Shue Wan Entrance via the Main Entrance, while the buses departing after 9:20am from Admiralty MTR Station run directly to the Tai Shue Wan Entrance. Bus routes are subject to adjustments according to guest flow and traffic situations.

I know it’s hard to think of errands and daily routines while you are traveling and enjoying the place you visited but I think it is also wise to invest while you travel. Well that’s only my opinion. Especially now that it is a good time to buy gold bullion. I have read that investing in gold bullion won’t give you so much high risks and once you buy it, you don’t have to monitor it every now and then. When commodity market is on the rise, crude oil and gold prices rise so it would great to invest right now. USGoldBureau.com would give us tips and info on what to do and what to check before investing. This site would be of great help for people who want to invest in gold bullion.

We were fully recharged after sleeping soundly the night before and couldn’t feel the tiredness that we felt at the Park the day before. Probably it was the natural joint pain relief that we applied on our bodies too. The kids, well, as always, had lots of energy to spare after sleeping through the night.

We planned on having our breakfast buffet with the characters at Disneyland hotel on our third day. Hubby suggested that since on our last day at the resort, we won’t have a busy schedule, why not make it on our third day right before our check out time. It was a great idea so I agreed. True enough we weren’t rushing and we were able to take lots of photos before going back to Hollywood hotel.

Our breakfast was from 8AM to 9:30AM. There were only two schedules for breakfast – 8AM – 9:30AM and 10AM – 11:30AM. I chose the earliest to be able to shop afterwards.

The concept of this famous buffet is that the characters (Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Pluto) would hop from one table to another for the people to take photos with them. Such a great idea! It was so much fun that even Hubby and I had a blast!

I guess that this is what we paid for! (**HKD258 for adults and HKD 153 for kids**) Although I can say that it was not “sulit” with regards to food, especially to the little girl, because she didn’t eat that much! She was too excited to do that! HA! Me, on the other hand, tried to eat as much as I can and savor the buffet. I love buffets so much and I love the feeling that you can eat whatever you want. I just didn’t like the thought that we were limited ONLY for an hour and a half. Because of this, we weren’t able to enjoy the food.

I got the following for the kids for their breakfast…

- I got cereals, yoghurt, and oatmeal for the baby girl
- I got Mickey waffles, hotdog, sweetened ham, steamed veggies for the little girl

I got the following for myself:

- Coffee was refillable so I had two cups during the breakfast
- Different kinds of cheese, cold cuts, and walnuts
- Bread and butter
- Hotdog, sweetend ham, steamed vegetables
- Shrimp dumplings, gyoza, all kinds of dumplings, chicken noodle soup
- Fruits and orange juice

I’m sure I got more but I couldn’t remember exactly which one I got anymore. They offered different types of food which I like and could have tried but we just didn’t have time.

Maybe next time I could try their salad, more bread and desserts, Chinese cuisine and many, many more!

After breakfast, we took a few photos of Disneyland Hotel.

We went back to the hotel after buying a few stuff for the in laws. We prepared our stuff, prepared ourselves for checkout then went to the toy room for the kids to play for a few minutes.

Then we went to get a cab (which arrived in no time!) and then went to the city. More on that later.

Sometimes the disadvantage of traveling is that you can’t take care of your skin properly. As much as you want to, you would prioritize your trip and itinerary that you wouldn’t find time in putting acne scar removal treatment while on your trip. I for example brought two kids with us on our most recent trip and I can definitely say that I wasn’t able to take care of myself that much. Of course I had to take care of our babies first, make the most out of our trip, then myself. It was hard but surprisingly I would want to do it again. Not now of course but maybe in the next few months.

So with regards to having acne while traveling or getting acne after traveling, I suggest you ask your Derma about it. I think there are treatments that can be done even while you are on the plane.