Sunday, November 10, 2024
When I'm in Manila, I usually drop by Pet Express for hard to find cat food brands or accessories. I've been hoping the store would open a branch in Iloilo City to cater to the needs of a growing furparent market. For people with pets that are fussy eaters or need special dietary regimen or pampering, Pet Express offers all kinds of local and mostly imported pet food and supplements as well as pet carriers and cute furniture.
Compared to your neighborhood veterinary supplies store, Pet Express offers an extensive array of vitamins, food toppers and pet food brands that you will only find online. Cheers to that kind of convenience!
Visit Pet Express at the 2nd level of SM City Department Store (near the cooking and bakeware section) to explore products your precious fur babies might enjoy.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
October was the rainiest month in recent memory. With La Nina fueled
weather patterns and back-to-back typhoons, it was hard to enjoy the rainy
season which I usually love. October usually marks a lovely transition to
cooler Amihan months but this year, it's an extension of the wet season which
normally ends in early September. It's hard to romanticize the rainy season when a 24-hour downpour is equivalent to a natural catastrophe, at least in this country. What's important is that we keep our spirits high and our hearts warm and cozy.
.HEIC)
Sometimes there's nothing we can do but just allow the rain to rain! Feel the rain, be one with the rain. Here's
my favorite short poem about rain from one of my favorite poets Robert Louis
Stevenson. When it rains, it falls on everything and there's no escaping. Put on that raincoat, get your biggest umbrella and jump on every puddle you see.
RAIN
The rain is raining all around,
It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.
-Robert Louis Stevenson
Sunday, October 27, 2024
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| Cats of WVSU on Instagram |
October 4 is Kindness to Animals Day by virtue of Proclamation Number 537. This month, let's think of the cats of West Visayas State University.
Just like any other university around the world, West Visayas State University is home to a dozen or so feral/stray cats. The cats make their presence felt the moment you enter the front gate. Lady Guard, a short legged female tabby is the designated leader of the security guard cats. She lets out a soft meow to alert you of her presence. Her sweet, munchkin kitten like appearance often delights visitors and the security guards alike. You would often find her sleeping near the entrance gate or lazing in a sunny spot near the WVSU Cultural Center. Then there's Bogart, a black and white cat that not so long ago got adopted but was promptly returned to the campus. Apparently he is more suited to be a campus cat rather than be a house cat given his love for people watching. You can find him loafing contently on the covered shed facing the cultural center. He loves the gentle pats that the students give him and the occasional treats. If you are lucky, you might spot the sassy, cheeky semi-orange cat Melo. When he sees a familiar face, he enthusiastically sidles up to ask for head pats or food. Of all the front gate cats, Melo is the devout eater and attention seeker.
Other buildings in the campus have their own cat colonies and are lovingly attended to by volunteers. Looking after the cats however is purely voluntary and often depends on the resources of people who have committed themselves to caring for these gentle yet helpless animals. Fortunately there's university based group Campus Stray Care that seeks to generate financial support for the care of the WVSU campus cats.
If you're a cat lover, student or alumni of the university and would love to support the the WVSU campus felines in your own way, Campus Stray Care is open to receiving donations in cash or in kind (cat food, medicines, vitamins and the like). Adoptions are also welcome.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
For good eats, quirky finds, bargain shopping and more, nothing beats Binondo--the world’s oldest Chinatown established in 1594. As one of the biggest epicenters of commerce, be prepared for the hustle and bustle and the merry cacophony of sights, sounds and flavors. The best, authentic Chinese food can also be savored in this district from fine dining restaurants such as President’s Grand Palace to hawker street stalls. Of course, a visit to Binondo would not be complete without taking home goodies such as Eng Bee Tin hopia, Lord Stow’s Portuguese egg tarts, HK/Taiwan/Japan gifts and confectionery as well as lucky charms and traditional Chinese medicine.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, there’s the mega shopping malls in nearby Divisioria such as 168 and 999 malls for pure retail and wholesale shopping pleasure. Binondo is best this time of year for seasonal offerings such as autumn fruits and pastries. For a definitive guide on Divisoria’s shopping streets, check out this article from Grid Magazine.
As we were pressed for time on a limited itinerary, we were not able to do a proper food crawl. I'm curious of the vegetarian kebabs and surgarcane juice that the Gen Z kids were lining up for. As any foodie would tell you, the food is good if there is a long line!
A few hours is definitely not enough to explore the vibrants streets of Binondo. Can't wait to be back soon!
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Yay! Flying Tiger Copenhagen has finally opened shop in Metro Manila. I first discovered this Danish Scandinavian store at Aqua City in Odaiba, Tokyo a decade ago. The shop is a treasure trove of fun, inexpensive, novelty items and knick knacks with charming Scandi design. For home, work or play, there is whimsical Flying Tiger item to bring a smile to everyone.
I'm happy that Flying Tiger Philippines opened its second branch in Alabang Town Center (the first branch opened at Glorietta 4, Makati City) and since I was in town for the weekend, I didn't miss the chance to visit the store for seasonal goods and decor. The Halloween and Christmas goodies are adorable as expected!
Sunday, October 13, 2024
The hustle and bustle that pervades the work week can take a toll on our health and well-being. It's hard to eat well when we barely have time to plan for meals, cook and rest during the week. Subsisting on to-go coffee, cafeteria meals and take-away food during the work week may not be the healthiest option but sometimes we just don't have the time and the energy to cook.
I welcome the rest and the respite that the weekend provides. Sleeping-in, listening to my favorite Spotify playlists and playing with my fur babies are the kind of recharge I need. The weekend is also the time to eat clean and whole. Thank God for vegetarian/vegan restaurants like Monkey Grounds Coffee, it's now easy to have a healthy, balanced meal delivered to your home.
My favorite weekend reset is the Buddha Bowl. Monkey Grounds has 3 types of vegan Buddha Bowls: Buddha Bowl Spicy Peanut, Avocado Lime and Garlic Tahini. This one-bowl wonder has typically 25% grains (i.e. quinoa, Adlai or brown rice), 50% vegetables (red/green bell peppers, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, greens), 20% protein (candied walnuts and chickpeas) and 5% herbs, spices and toppings (dressing of choice). A Buddha Bowl is filling and good for your body and soul.
For breakfast, I have my weekend oatmeal reset- a bowl of natural protein oats, paleo protein raw superfood mix and chia seeds. I either add hot water or soy milk depending on my mood. Of course, there's caffeine free drip coffee sans the sugar.
For more mindful meal planning you may want to check out Eating Well Meal Plans or the Eat This Much Automatic Meal Planner.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
If you haven't been paying attention to your art history classes in college, now is the time to get seriously reacquainted with the Masters the AI way! Go on art refresher course on Google Arts and Culture. While you're at it, download the Google Arts and Culture Filter on your phone for some out-of-this-world, art movement inspired portraitures inspired by you!
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