Looking Forward to My Magical Christmas Treat!

It's been five years since I last watched a live magical show.  It was the Wanders of PAGCOR which up to this day, I could still recall how the child in me was so mesmerized with those amazing acrobatics being executed by the international and local performers alike.  If given the chance, I would want to watch it all over again.  But then, it is no longer possible.  Wanders had wandered off somewhere. :(

Well, here's the good news!  The internationally-acclaimed Circus Vargas troupe, one of the world's biggest travelling circuses, will be arriving in Manila!  This extravaganza of magical proportions will be held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City and will run from December 25, 2013 to January 1, 2014.

What to expect?  Well, I was told that, Circus Vargas will be showcasing a gravity-defying flights, flashy costumes, fun dance routines, and other deliriously delightful antics, among others!  Also, charismatic illusionist Patrick Gable will be performing his mystifying illusions that are guaranteed to impress, astound, and make everyone in the whole family a believer of MagiKaria.  Who is Patrick Gable and what is MagiKaria all about?  There's only one way to find out, that is, to watch the show!

Are you excited as I am?  So, what are you waiting for?  Tickets are now available at SM Tickets, SM Cinema, and Snack Time outlets.  For inquiries, call Tropical Productions, Inc. at telephone no. 519-8984, or email info@tpiguam.com, or visit www.circusvargas.com.

My First #Blogapalooza Experience

It has been almost a month now since I attended my first ever #Blogapalooza experience at SM Aura Convention Center.  Until now, I seem to have not gotten over it, not to mention the fact that I have been haunted with loads of information and freebies that I took home that night.  In fact, I am so much looking forward to attending the succeeding Blogapalooza events, if given the chance..

my passport to the world of opportunities

I could still remember that I started my day on November 16, 2013 with getting myself ready for the event.  I was running late already and I decided not to avail of the GrabTaxi promo as I was just less than 10 minutes from the venue then.  Too bad, I would have been able to experience this innovative way of taking damsel-in-distress (especially!) out from those too long taxi queues in the metro.  Good thing, I have their app installed in my smartphone as I might find the need to use it sometime soon.

my soft gel nail polish

I believe I was one of the first few bloggers who arrived early at the event as I was the second lucky gal to get pampered of a soft gel nail polish treatment from Lulu Nails and Dry Bar.  I swear, my pussy red-color nail polish lasted for almost three weeks!  And I must say, while I was having my nails done, Mikey Bustos passed by and gave me his sweetest smile.  Donning an angel costume, he said he just had a fight with Satan. Hehehe!

Food and drinks were practically overflowing that day.  While I was still drinking a cup of coffee from the famous Figaro coffee shop, I was offered to taste the slimming Nice Day coffee.  I got to taste two different coffee varieties in a day!  What more, I took home with me a Brownbag fresh hand crafted coffee, which by the way, is so aromatic that I got used to smelling it every now and then.

i should have filled up this plate to the brim. lol!

And as if that was not enough, I gulped on a wheatgrass juice which, surprisingly, tasted yummy.  I later learned that I drank the honey flavor.  I also got to munch on delectable foodies from Plato Wraps, Chef's Noodles, Hungry Juan,  Gavino's Donuts, Chooks to Go, and of course, lunch courtesy of Flavours of China.

I was fortunate also to try a machine from N.Y. Theraspine which vibrating motion stimulates healthy body.  Accordingly, only two of said machines can be found in the country - one in St. Lukes Hospital and the other, in N.Y. Theraspine.

The Mind Museum at the event also offered trivia games.  Although I was not able to give the right answer, still I was happy enough.  I will be visiting The Mind Museum soon, courtesy of The Mind Museum! ;)

I'm also excited to use the discount coupons and membership card distributed by enjoy philippines.  I just  wished I had won their trip to boracay giveaway. :(

Megaworld, Gurkka, Fujidenzo, PRC, Inc., Slenda, Lazerxtreme, RichPrime Global, Inc., among others, gave also their share of freebies.  Many thanks to them!

Lastly, embarrassing at it may seem, I admit, I learned to use Twitter because of Blogapalooza.  Thanks to the organizer, wheninmanila.com, for giving me the opportunity to get encouraged (special mention to the speakers) in honing more of my blogging skills.  Congratulations on your successful endeavor and more power! :)

kudos and thanks to you, Vince!

Secrets of Mona Lisa

Source: The Mind Museum

Mona Lisa has been a significant part of my childhood memories not because it is a work of art but because, for me, it was a familiar song, which my father usually hummed - whether to put me and my siblings to sleep or just to entertain everybody at home.  I later learned that the song stemmed from the mystery behind the portrait created by Leonardo da Vinci - an Italian painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer.

A number of scholars have been trying to uncover the controversy surrounding not just the famous smile of the subject but the entirety of the painting as well.  And that was enough to trigger my curiousity.  Since Mona Lisa was painted by a genius, could it be that there is a scientific explanation for every detail, e.g., for every brush stroke of that enigmatic piece of art?

If given the chance, I would have loved to visit the Louvre Museum in Paris and see the portrait myself.  But then, that would not be financially feasible at present.  Then I thought to myself, why would I just visit the Mind Museum in Taguig?  I was informed that there is an eye-opening, in-depth analysis of "The Secrets of Mona Lisa" that started its three-month run last September 1 and will end on November 30, 2013.

This is a mind-blowing experience that I will never miss for the world.  Wanna care to join me?  Then, perhaps we start our journey here.

And I'm Invited!!!

I could not believe it!  My blog was one of the first 150 blogs lucky enough to be invited to an exciting event!

Lots of surprises and entertainment await fellow bloggers and businesses who will be attending the Blogapalooza 2013 on November 16, 2013 at SMX Aura.  In fact, one of the early perks is that one can get a "cash back refund" on a cab ride to Blogapalooza just by properly following the step-by-step instructions provided.  Isn't that a treat?!

Blogapalooza is essentially a "B2B" - Business to Blogger networking event.  It's a link between big and small businesses who have something cool to share and the online community of people who love to share.

So, what are you waiting for?!  If interested, sign up on or before 5pm tomorrow, November 15, 2013.   For questions, tweet @Vince Golangco or email Vince@WhenInManila.com.

Source:  WhenInManila.com

Gear Up Your Note 3 Promo, a hoax?

I made a quick trip to SM North yesterday during lunch break and due to limited time, I proceeded directly to Samsung shop and immediately inquired on the Gear Up Your Note 3 promo which was posted on Facebook.

I was disappointed however when the salesgirl I talked to had no idea whatsoever on what I was inquiring about.  And when I checked Facebook post again this morning, there was one comment which also shared the same sentiment.  And going back to the mechanics of the promo quoted below:

2. This promo is available in all Samsung authorized stores nationwide.

something must have gone wrong somewhere, which prospective buyers like me are left confused and frustrated.I hope Samsung will do something to correct this inconsistency before October 28, 2013.

FYI, Samsung  is also offering free 6-month accidental phone damage coverage for those who are going to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on or before October 28, 2013.  Thus, buyers who are interested to avail both promos should get their credit cards ready on or before such date.

And by the way, speaking of credit cards, BPI and BDO are offering their credit card holders a "buy now, pay next year" scheme.  That means, payment will be deferred next year yet.  Isn't that, great?

But then, Samsung must fix the Gear Up Your Note 3 promo first. :(

And I'm Getting Tempted...

Source

While still pondering on whether or not to buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, I came across a Facebook post of the recent promo on the product.  Check out below the full promo mechanics:

1. Samsung's Gear Up Your Note 3 Promo will run from October 25 to November 10, 2013
2. This promo is available in all Samsung authorized stores nationwide.
3. For every purchase of a Galaxy Note 3, you are entitled to any or all of the following discounts:
4. To avail of the discounts, you must purchase the discounted items with the
GALAXY Note 3 in a single transaction

Promo period is from October 25 to November 10, 2013.  That only means one thing, I have to think fast.. :(

I'm Falling In Love With N3..

At first, I got hooked up with Samsung Galaxy S4.  Then suddenly, my eyes shifted to Sony Xperia Z1.  And now, I'm beginning to fall in love for Samsung Galaxy Note 3...

(For brevity, I'll be referring to Samsung Galaxy Note 3 as N3 in this post)

I can't help it.  I  admit, I got tired waiting for Sony Xperia Z1.  And to make matters worse, all I see were advertisements screaming for N3. :(

Just last month, I was not totally sold out for this product.  I'm not actually impressed with its stylus pen considering that I had one attached to my old phone before and due to the inconvenience of taking the time to take it out, I rarely, if not never, bothered to use it at all.  And I've also read reviews that there are complaints of the stylus pen's delayed response which is a big turn off for me as I am a certified impatient freak.

But then, reviews also disclosed that N3 is an improved version of Samsung Galaxy S4 (e.g., battery life, speed, etc).  And accordingly, N3 is the best phablet so far, even surpassing most of the features and specifications of Iphone 5S.

What holds me back however from buying N3 is that, it is too expensive.  Even review authors acknowledged that sad fact, too.  Because of that, I am forced to think on it a hundred times over.  And I'm wondering if it is still practical for me to invest on N3 considering that I am always on the go and might not have enough time to explore and enjoy it at all.

To whom it may concern, please help me decide by leaving your comments below.. ;)

Speaking of the... Z1!

Finally, Z1 is coming!

According to Sony Mobile Philippines' Facebook post (3 hours ago as of this writing), Sony Xperia Z1 will be available in stores nine days from now.  I'm getting excited!  Sad to say, I'm not as excited as I was before..

Z1 turns out to be cheaper than Samsung Galaxy Note 3 by P2,000 (USD46.51 at USD43 exchange rate).  To make the phone appealing, freebies and discounts might probably be offered on its launching day.  I guess I better decide now whether to grab the phone or learn again the lesson that I got from not taking the chance of purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 upon its launching, which by the way, could have saved me by as much as P4,000 (USD93.02).

Nonetheless, I have nine days to think about it.. 

The Waiting Game..

Photo Credit

Finally, I was able to visit SM Aura for the very 1st time.  The mall, by the way, is just a few minutes away from where I live.   If not for their 3-day sale which started last October 4 and ended today, October 6, I would have deferred my trip to some other weekend.  I was disappointed however when only a few of the high-end shops in there participated in what I term as "over 50% off" sale.  Nonetheless, my visit was not put in vain when I learned that Sony has a branch at the 4th floor of the mall.  I thought to myself, maybe this would be my chance to buy my most long-awaited phone...

I somehow expected to find a display of Sony Xperia Z1 at their store.  But then I already know that, that possibility would be remote considering that I heard nothing of any news of the recent launching of the latest product of Sony Xperia here in Metro Manila.  True enough, the salesman told me that the phone is not yet available.  To my dismay, I would have to wait for 1st week of November or perhaps on the 2nd week or who knows when.

I admit I'm getting tired of waiting.  I read from an internet article that Sony Xperia Z1 would be available here in the Philippines within the month of October.  It was already launched in Singapore last October 4 and earlier in Malaysia.  If Sony would have to postpone its launching here in the country, I'm afraid I might lose my appetite for the phone and probably shift my attention somewhere..

And Z2 is coming, too..

In less than two weeks' time, Sony Xperia Z1 will be launched in Singapore, and eventually here in the Philippines.  But even before this unit could make its grand entrance, rumors has it that Sony Xperia Z2 is on its way and is scheduled to share the limelight three to six months after the launch of its predecessor.

Will it affect the sales of Sony Xperia Z1?  Certainly, as prospective buyers like me would think twice whether to grab the Z1 once it hits the market or just hold the patience and wait for a few more months for its successor.

This means another decision-making mode for me.  I'm getting tired of this decide-and-dismiss game.. :(

And then there's Z1...

A day after I finally had my eyes fixed (and pockets, too) on the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Sony Xperia Z1 was launched.  Curious on what this new phone has to offer that would make Samsung's sales tremble, I browsed through its features and was totally blown away by its 20.7 megapixel camera.  Whoaa!

It can be recalled in one of my previous posts that I got interested in having a new mobile phone only because I simply wanted to buy a high-resolution camera.  And I thought the 13 megapixel camera of Samsung Galaxy S4 was good enough.. until Sony Xperia Z1 came along..

Gotta have this phone!  Sad to say, I have to wait for it not earlier than next month.  I just read from asia.cnet.com that the Sony Xperia Z1 will be available in Singapore starting October 4 this year.  If only I were in Singapore.. :( 

Video Credit

Globe, No Longer An Option

Photo Credit

Just when I already decided to get myself a Globe Plan P1,799, I found out that my residential address is not among those covered by Globe's long-term evolution (LTE) service.  I will be transferring to a new residence soon and my inquiry disclosed that even my future location is not covered too.  Too bad, Globe's plan package would have had suited my budget and lifestyle as compared with that of Smart.

It is disappointing to know that Globe is not yet that competitive especially when it comes to internet service.  It does not even offer LTE connection yet for those on prepaid plans and/or light internet users like me who, at times, depend on free wifi signal every time there is a chance to be connected free of charge.

No wonder Smart still dominates the telecommunication industry.  That only means one thing, I have no other choice but to get a Smart plan.  Whether it is a postpaid or a prepaid, that is the question.. :(

Why Not An Iphone?

Photo Credit

A year ago, when a colleague bought herself an Iphone 4s, my other colleague remarked that iphone is dubbed as the best mobile phone in the world.  I was not a bit interested.  For me, I agree with what others thought of buying a costly phone as, ridiculous!

But then, things have changed.  I have become a gadget-techie myself.  I blamed it to my HK travel.  And maybe also because of the fact that the phone I'm using right now is screaming for a replacement.  Its keyboards are now hard-headed, as if knowing that it will be passed on to its new owner soon.

Since I was on the mood for buying a new mobile phone, I was thinking, why not the latest phone, for a change?  I guess it is high time for me to splurge.  The brand-conscious freak in me thought of getting an Iphone 5.  But then, googling it helped me decide that I am better off with a Samsung Galaxy S4.

To know why, i suggest you make your own research.. :)  

Prepaid? Or Postpaid?

Photo Credit

I am now in dilemma., whether to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4, or bundle it with a postpaid plan.  Right now, I am maintaining two separate plans, one for my internet needs and the other for my mobile use.  Good thing, the lock-in periods of both plans have already expired.  Hence, I could terminate my subscriptions anytime I want to.

Now I am thinking, why not get two-in-one package for internet and mobile postpaid plans?  By doing so, I might get the phone I'm aiming for as a freebie.  But then, browsing through the plan builder of Globe and that of Smart, I realized I could not consume the free calls and texts that goes with the plan.  In fact, I have not maximized the unlimited texts that I am getting from current mobile plan.

With that, having a prepaid plan might be a better idea.  In that way, I only get to pay on  what I consume for.  But then, spending P30,000+ for a phone may not be practical for budget-conscious freaks like me.  Now, I'm more confused...

Next question, Globe or Smart? :)

Opting for an S4

Photo Credit

Now that I have set my mind into buying a new mobile phone which also coincided with the termination of my subscription contract with Smart Communications, Inc., my next step would be to find a new mobile phone.  When I was in HK, I almost bought a Samsung Galaxy which model and features I didn't bother to care about.  I was just too focused on getting a new phone, as a souvenir from HK.

One thing that held me back from buying that phone, aside from the price, of course, was knowing that someday I will regret shelling out a pretty penny without doing any research at all.  As much as I can, I do not want to buy anything on an impulse.  On the other hand however, I tried to justify that I did not have anymore the luxury of time doing my homework while we were in HK.  Good thing, I still listened to my senses.

I found out that the Samsung Galaxy model (I almost had) has features which specifications are lower than that of the S4, not to mention the poor resolution of its camera.  And that model was bigger than the S4!  I could not imagine myself trying to hold a humongous phone in one hand while taking a call. :(

I'm just thankful that I waited this long. :)

Craving for Mr. Chips!

Photo Credit

Now that office is suspended again, I am beginning to get bored as it's been four days that I just stayed home.  I was supposed to make a quick trip to Market! Market! last Saturday for my grocery needs.  And thereafter I planned to go to SM Mall of Asia and Arellano University School of Law for some errands.  However, when it started to rain, I scrapped the idea and decided instead to defer it to another day, and the next day.. and today.. :(

I should have pushed through with my marketing duties.  My vacation grande at home is not complete without munching on my favorite junk food, especially when I'm in the mood for a movie marathon, just like now.  :(

I don't know when my preference for Mr. Chips had started.  I remember few years ago, when my officemate and I went to Batangas for an official business, I brought with me Mr. Chips and shared it with her.  Few weeks thereafter, she admitted to me that Mr. Chips has become her favorite since then.  :)

Right now, I just want to eat Mr. Chips.  Rain, when are you going to stop? :(

Eyeing for a New Mobile Phone

I guess it all started when I yearned for a high-megapixel camera for myself.  I could not even equally reciprocate my colleague's generosity from taking pictures of me while we were having a grand time in Hong Kong.  Our HK memories were beautifully-documented in high-resolution images thanks to her 16-mp Olympus magnificent camera.

No, I was not lost.  I was just talking to a friend over the phone when my colleague took this shot in front of a map at the MTR central station in HK.

Although I had tried to do my share, but my lousy 8-mp camera would barely cooperate at all.  How embarrassing!  I vowed however to properly equip myself for my next travel.  And I mean it!

And not only that, when we took a taxi from the hotel to a friend's house, I let the driver use my phone to talk to my friend and ask for the directions to our destination. He looked at my phone as if it was a Nokia 5110.  I was so amused! Hahaha!

Also, while we were riding a bus going to Admiralty, everyone else was furiously tapping and sliding their fingers on their phones.  Suddenly, my colleague nudged me to take out my phone and compete with them.  And we both giggled in laughter! :)

You see, I am currently using a phone from a non-touchscreen era.  I could even call and text in the middle of a busy street and nobody would dare snatch the phone from me.  Or perhaps, the hold uppers at Cubao would even take pity on me, if not, get the phone and throw it back to me. Whew!

Since I had been planning to buy a new camera and a new mobile phone, I realized I could get the two units in one gadget.  That is, buy a new phone embedded with a high-mp camera.

I was almost at the brink of buying a Samsung Galaxy phone in HK had it not for the very, very limited time that we had.  And I was so haunted by the thought of it even when we were already at the airport to catch for our flight back to Manila, that when I saw the Fortress shop, I literally ran towards it and looked around. Unfortunately, the kuripot in me prevailed, as usual.. Tsk! Tsk!

And it's almost five months since then.  I thought my hunger for a new phone was already a history.  But I was wrong.. Huhuhu

Office Suspended, Indeed!

We just got the good news!  Office suspended effective one o'clock this afternoon.  I can't wait to go home! Since I slept for less than 5 hours last night, I guess I deserve to make up for what I lost. :)  

Office Suspended, Tomorrow?

While others may be sound asleep right now, thanks to the bed weather outside, I am, at present, furiously pounding on the keyboard of my laptop, as if there's no tomorrow.  Yeah, I just wish that there's no tomorrow. :(

I have, not only one, but multiple deadlines to beat tomorrow and I'll be dead if I won't be able to deliver what's kinda expected of me, chuva.  I also have a scheduled appointment to attend to.  Besides, I dread the idea of rushing to/fro work in the midst of a heavy rain.  Talking about nightmares!  Argggh!

I'm waiting for any announcements in connection with typhoon Labuyo.  I'm so exhausted already and all I want to do right now is to drift myself to dreamland.  Good news, where are you???