chichacorn chronicles

Know Your VAIO

2009-11-09T17:01:00.001+08:00

Be the first to own the lightest laptop in the world!

2009-10-20T11:51:00.002+08:00

Typhoon Ondoy relief operations

2009-09-30T09:53:00.003+08:00

Here are more ways to help. Check out the ff. sites for the account numbers to which you can send your cash donations.

Kerygma
http://www.kerygmafamily.com/modules/subscriber/donationsondoy.php

Gawad Kalinga
http://www.gk1world.com/

ABS-CBN Foundation
http://www.sagipkapamilya.com/index.php?page=don

GMA Kapuso Foundation
http://www.kapusofoundation.com/donatecashcheque

Philippine Daily Inquirer
http://inquirer.net/specialreports/ondoyreliefdrive/

Philipine Star
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=509586&publicationSubCategoryId=208

DLSU
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/announcements/default.asp?id=737

ADMU
http://www.admu.edu.ph/index.php?p=120&type=2&sec=29&aid=7389

Typhoon Ondoy relief operations

2009-09-30T09:45:00.001+08:00

The Philippine National Red Cross needs donations for the evacuation centers, big cars to transfer the donations, and volunteers for sorting and repackaging. Relief goods like lugaw or champorado, canned goods, rice, noodles, bottled water, medicine, vitamins, diapers, blankets, mats, decent clothes, toiletries, cooking burners, pots, and utensils are needed for the evacuation centers. Pls call the following:

Pasay Chapter 8542748/4343751
Las Pinas Chapter 8734873/4689688
Pasig Chapter 6350922
Alabang Chapter 8097131/8506813
Bulacan 0446625388
Cavite 0464310562
NHQ Manila 5245787/5270864
Caritas Manila 5639298
DSWD 9318101

Alabang Red Cross drop-off sites are at National Bookstore ATC and St. James Parish.

More ways to help at http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/wtd.aspx.

2009-06-23T19:16:00.003+08:00

Virgin Labfest V starts today, June 23, and will run until July 5, 2009. Grab your tickets now at Ticketworld outlets or at CCP ticketing office. Enjoy watching new, unpublished, and unstaged works by our very own playwrights! See you there!

Isang Hakbang

2009-05-30T13:20:00.006+08:00

Let's End Hunger. Let's Walk!

Click on the image or go to http://www.isanghakbang.com/main.php to register online.

Truth about beer

2009-05-29T21:05:00.009+08:00

It's not true that beer makes you fat!

It actually makes you lean.

Lean on walls.

Lean on doors.

And lean on the one you love.

I love you Lloydie! *kilig*

Guess Archie is not as stupid as he seems

2009-05-27T22:05:00.002+08:00

Archie, that lovable klutz that we grew up with, is finally getting his balls back and proposing to one girl! The not-so-eternal question of Betty or Veronica is finally answered! Archie proposes, but to whom?

A no is still a no...

2009-05-27T15:25:00.003+08:00

...until the universe conspires to make it a yes.

As i was reading Tinki Talks' entry (which i found by happenstance while browsing nuffnang philippines),
i didn't realize that i was smiling all along until someone called my attention.
Funny that i can relate to her entry.
I never even thought that i would have said no nicely such that he will stay as a friend.
Even if there are times when i have to remind him that it's still a no,
he would just gladly affirm it and still be my friend.
Amazing!
I'm wondering if it will be a yes in the future(?).

haha
so greenwich!

SAGADA!!!

2009-05-20T16:45:00.002+08:00

Spelunking in Sumaging Cave in Sagada, Mountain Province, was fun, nothing really difficult or unbearable. Yes, there was bat poop all over the entrance and the descent. The rock formations are unique. And the tunnel presented a challenge. But passage through the tunnel was an extraordinary experience for me. It may not be the same for all, but I was there with the people dearest to my heart, my children. I realized then how much I am willing to give of myself just to make the passage through the tunnel easier for them. We all had our share of slipping, stumbling, crawling, groping, climbing, swimming, rappelling, squeezing through rocks, shivering from the cold, and swinging from rope to rope. But not all experienced the same bonding my small family had while in the cave. I whispered to my son, “don't be afraid, Mama is here,” every chance I get to let him know that everything will be alright in the end. I hugged my daughter so many times just to share the warmth of my body. My children did not complain even if they were afraid, tired, and cold. Not even once.

Pancake House update - a disappointing update

2009-05-19T14:02:00.003+08:00

have sent an e-mail to the address provided by jae, which happened to be the same e-address posted at the URL provided by anonymous. as you can see, i just got mailer daemon replies.

housekeeping, anyone?

2009-05-19T07:42:00.001+08:00

I saw this in Manila Bulletin’s classified ads display May 17, 2009 (Sunday), issue. This section of the newspaper is claimed to be “read by more people and produce(s) the best result!” This makes me rethink if my education has just been for naught… hmm…

This is it!

2009-05-15T14:17:00.005+08:00

Manny Pacquiao for President!

Aling Dionisia for Saranggani Governor!

Jinkee for Senator!

What can I say? Pacquiao family rules!!!!

Montauk Monster

2009-05-14T15:39:00.008+08:00

I've never believed creature stories, especially when it's from the internet. But when a friend shared a link about an unknown creature named "Montauk Monster" seen washed up along the shores of Southold, New York, I couldn't believe my eyes (and there were pictures, so). This seems too good to be true, but check out the gallery and see for yourself.

What's more amazing is that they already found one before this new one appeared.

Baluarte del Pozzino

2009-05-14T12:53:00.018+08:00

Last Saturday was the annual summer outing of the family. By family, I mean my Inang (grandmother), parents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. All in all, there were 16 of us. The one-day swimming galore was spent at Baluarte del Pozzino in San Rafael, Bulacan. It was my mom who chose the resort (much to my dismay, as you will find out later) as it was near my Inang's place; it was probably just 10 minutes away. It is quite difficult for my mom to travel long distances, so finding a resort that was within the vicinity of my Inang's house was the utmost goal.

On the way to the resort

Here are some pics of the place.

There were 3 adult pools and 2 kiddie pools,
but one of the adult pools was under maintenance when we were there.

The pools were ok. The cottages? They were ok too. But what really pissed me off was the terrible comfort rooms the resort has. There was just one ladies' room for the entire resort. It had only one sink with no mirror and two cubicles. The cubicle doors were chipping off and didn't have locks or knobs; you have to hang your clothes by the door so it won't just open and show you naked for all the world to see. Inside, there was a shower, an old plastic container used to store water (with an old empty cut plastic bottle for a dipper), and a toilet with no tank (thus, manual flushing is required, meaning you have go get water from the drum using the makeshift dipper). There were no trash bins, hangers, or hooks to hang your clothes with for when you're changing. Too bad I wasn't able to take pictures of the terrible ladies' room, but here are some pics to give you an idea.

The toilet looked much like this.

The makeshift dipper in the cubicle I used.

This reminded me of the much worse dipper in the other cubicle.

So you get an idea of just how disappointing it was? Anyway, despite the awful sight, I still enjoyed the day. Nothing beats spending an entire day frolicking in the pool, eating to my heart's content, and taking tons of pics with my family!

For more info on Baluarte del Pozzino, here are contact details:

Baluarte del Pozzino
F. Viola Hi-way, Caingin, San Rafael, Bulacan
0927-307-7543
Contact person: Lourdes del Poso

Did you know?

2009-05-13T17:30:00.001+08:00

Manny Pacquiao's reported gross earnings from his recent bout with British opponent Ricky Hatton was just $4 million shy of the $16 million foreign investments that the entire Philippines attracted in February. Pacquiao reportedly earned $12 million for winning the "Battle of East versus West: Pacquiao vs Hatton match" last May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I will fight iniwan. Iniwer. Initaym!"

MOA map

2009-05-13T17:15:00.001+08:00

I was looking for the contact number of Memo Express in SM MOA (a friend is planning to buy her kid a brand new cellphone) when I stumbled upon the official website of SM MOA. And I must say, the site is very good. It is very interactive, allowing you to search for a specific store and showing you exactly where in the mall the store/resto is located. The map looks like this.

Very nice huh? This is especially useful for those who don't really frequent the mall and just need to find a specific store/resto. So if you're going foodtripping and shopping in the huge SM MOA, better check out the site!

Pancake House - an isolated case of a not-so-good experience

2009-05-13T17:14:00.002+08:00

Hungry? Pancake House could be one of the options to satiate your tummy. Last Monday (May 11), my friend and I had our usual late-at-night catch-up over dinner. Because she was craving for pancakes, easy choice - Pancake House. It was around 9pm when we got in the resto. The Pancake House in the 4th level Robinsons Place Manila looked deserted except for its probably tired crews who were just killing time before going home. After we settled, we were given the menus, and the staff took our order. Before I even gave my choice, I asked him till what time will they be open. 10pm, he said. To our disappointment, they were no longer serving some dishes that my friend and i preferred at that time. So she just settled with her pancakes, and i with my pan chicken special set. She even went out to buy coffee at the nearby The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf because they did not even have coffee available at that time. And because i was sooooo hungry, i would have wanted garlic rice to add, but nada. I just went for a cup of plain rice instead. Comfort food indeed; it's just that i did not feel the "warm personalized service and homey dining atmosphere" that Pancake House's site says, and i quote:

Best known for delicious comfort food, warm personalized service and homey dining atmosphere, the brand Pancake House grew over the years to over 22 company-owned and franchised outlets situated in Metro Manila, Laguna and Tarlac. from Pancake House Group

We were just starting our meals when a crew started to mop the floor and kept the chairs atop the tables and the cushions against the couch. Homey, wasn't it? To add to our disappointment, i was only halfway through my meal when the crew asked if we could bill out already; out of courtesy, we did (shouldn't they be the ones who were supposed to be considerate enough to wait until i'm done with my food in that situation?). I tried my best to eat soooooo slow just to keep them waiting for my plates and utensils (the crew got my friend's already right after she's done eating). We were out of the resto even before 10pm and never looked back when they said their scripted thank yous. Yes, i was full, but it was a not-so-gratifying fullness. So sad because i like Pancake House's chicken, but at that moment, i did not taste it the way it should. This may be an isolated case only, but still, Pancake House should be responsible enough to train its staff (whether the staff be in a company-owned or franchised branch only) the way its site promotes its service. I have been browsing their site so I can send feedback through email, but i could not find the e-address; it only shows a snail mail address and contact numbers. Or, probably, i was not trying so hard to search for the e-address. Anyone who knows of Pancake House's customer service e-add? Let me know. Because Pancake House ought to know about this.

GLAZED all over!

2009-05-13T17:12:00.000+08:00

I have been GLAZED! Wanna be GLAZED too?? Then, click on the image and head on over to the nearest Krispy Kreme store to claim your Krispy Kreme Chocolate Glazed Doughnut and Signature Coffee. The ultimate chocolate indulgence is just a click away!

Saizen

2009-05-13T16:53:00.001+08:00

Hello world! Introduction and test posts are never cool. So why don't we just jump in and start with an entry! Everything you need to know about this blog will be posted in the About page anyway. So as the eternal cliche goes: sit back, relax, and enjoy the chichacorn!

** ** **

After reading an entry by Chuvaness about Saizen, I knew, right then and there, with all my cheap-buy by the bulk heart, that I have to be there. So last Saturday, after doing some recon work (running some errands), my friend and I trooped to Saizen over at the 3rd level of Robinson's Galleria to get my Wasteland Fix.

I expected to blow more money than expected, seeing that I brought my half a month's salary with me (baaaaaad idea!), but I was resilient. I gave myself a 500-peso limit so as not to end up with a handful of useless stuff and a dented savings. I successfully did that (with the help of said friend) and only ended up 650 pesos poorer.

My Saizen loot, let me show them to you.

A clear umbrella, several notebooks and kawaii notepads, and a set of cute piggy clips!
My friend says they give away clear umbrellas in Japan, but we're not in Japan, so I bought one.

Which little piggy went to market?

I wasn't supposed to get more paper products, but the giraffe notepad is so cute!

A very polite notebook.
It says "This B5 size notebook is useful and convenient. Please enjoy recording or creating with this notebook".

Whenever I hold onto the words I utter, I hear them bursting into seeds.

I hear a lot of people compare Japan Home with Saizen. I say Saizen has the edge because they allow credit cash purchases, which is very convenient. Saizen has a lot of cute little trinkets that I really did not care much about, while Japan Home is great if you want to go in and out of a place without really getting distracted.