Chic.Sassy.Mommy Des

Red Grape Shake by Cibo

So far, love the taste, the look and the price (not bad around P120)! My hubby likes the Stawberry Latte (Milkshake) and Chase likes what!?! Iced Tea!!! (Sigh)

Chase has a new favorite, (besides Jollibee Burger Steak)…knowing how difficult to make him realize that meals are taken three times, not just when he feels like it, I’m pressing my luck on making sure that Macaroni and Cheese can make him eat at least 3 x a day! I have to be creative! It’s probably no secret to professionals, but for knowing how to make it creamier and homey and not seems right out of the box made me successful in loading up calories to my son (in my first attemp)!
Please note that for now, I’m still using the Kraft Mac and Cheese boxes, … After boiling the pasta/noodles (about 80% done),remove from the stove and drain the noodles (as if already done), and re-cook/boil them in evaporated milk,simmer, until done, then mix the Cheese Sauce. The effect is great–professional Mac & Cheese, more than anything else, Chase loves it!
If you know of any more dish that are your child’s favorite, please do let me know. Please note that Chase is really picky!!! We even have to engage in bribery or hard disciplining to make him take his meals seriously! Thank God for Pediasure!

Love Nestle. Love Nestea. Love JB :)

On our average malling activities in Ortigas area, for dining we normally would explore assorted resto’s then eventually go back to our favorites, but last February, visiting SM Food Courts was a must! Proudly, we have to support Nestea cause of my hubby is on the POSM’s (posters, streamers etc.) everywhere on the food court.Chase was so proud! Unusual about this is bacause JB is no print ad star, he is part of the Nestle Sales Team. Go Nestle! My hubby will not probably be too happy about this article though!
We love this stall in SM Mega Food Court, with “Wok” something (will get back on the specific name), the Stuffed Squid (Kangkong as stuffings), Fried Dumplings and Mixed Seafoods all at very affordable prices (less than P150 for the Squid and Mixed Seafoods) and could serve 3 to 4. Of course, Chase enjoys the amusement area in the mid area of the food court. Hmm…happiness!

Twilight Series

Yes, I’ve been meaning to share this, but just haven’t found the time to update my blogs…there is a legal way of getting free downloads of some of the popular novels (fiction and non-fiction), the likes of Sandra Brown, Jude Deveraux, and of course, the Twilight Series! =) Do visit www.scribd.com… and if you haven’t read Mignight Sun’s…do check-out stephenie meyer’s website or I can share  the copy with you. =)

The Bund- Nightlights with the TV Tower

SIGHTS (Oriental TV Tower, The Bund, Xintiandi) - Superb! Impressive! Extravagant! Wow!

 NIGHTLIFE - Party all night! In Xintiandi, mostly foreigners, price relatively higher! We went to Zapata’s, totally Party All The Time! I’m not an expert on this, so I leave it up to you to decide. =) You can check out this site: http://zapatas-shanghai.com/gallery/albums.php?set_albumListPage=2)

FOOD - so so, depends on what resto! of course typical chinese food! No comment on price since I had no idea coz all our meals were covered on the tour package. We didn’t know of the melamine scare until on our way back to Manila, I bought loads of chinese goodies =(

COMMUNICATION/TRANSPO - Oh no! English? huh? For directions to taxi (going to H&M), you have to ask someone (tour guide probably) to write down the place on Chinese, No Counterpart english signs! All greek to me! To buy something (eyelash curler) in the department store - we used sign language! Even at the resto, to ask for wooden chopsticks, you have to act it out –Charades!?

Only in Shanghai! With Arwen, DM of Philips assigned in VisMin

SHOPPING - From the review from the net, Shanghai would be described as the Shopper’s haven…oh well, it totally burst my bubble! The currency they used is RMB (around 1RMB = P1).  I tried looking for toys (Lego, Cars & Thomas), it’s more cheaper to buy here. There are sale signs, like ” xyz 350, xyz300″, we initially thought 50RMB less, only to find out after that it’s “Before 350RMB, Less 300RMB”, meaning pay only 50RMB…oh no! we missed the whole point! In Nanjing Road, it’s like the main shopping area, design like a shopping Street in Germany or our Bonifacio High Street (only x10), people will be showing you catalogue of imitations/fake Class A (supposedly) designer items, the likes of LV, Prada, Rolex…then they will bring you in an alley, better to know prices in greenhills or 168 just in case. The Yuan Garden Bazaar for souvenirs and chinese goodies (ala aji ichiban goodies), if you know the prices in divisoria/168/ghills, you can really do hard bargain. Take note, should be in chinese or the classic calculator!  We strived to go to H&M at least, was able to buy my son items not found here (Lightning Mcqueen Shirts ala Debenhams for Kids style) Not so much for me (except for one classic blouse, and some bling blings), since the fashion there is totally not so me.

THE TOUR- our tour guide talked about apartments, cost of living for hours and hours, but the other tour guide from the other group was better, so they say!

1. Traditional Chinese Medicine Center - Searched the internet about this place, didn’t find any while it’s supposed to be a government funded research center. They will bring you in an unmarked building, but will have pictures of government leaders from all over the world who supposedly visited the center. They will divide the group by three (the smallest would be group of 3)…they will let you try the foot bath using bamboo material, explain benefits of chinese meds vs. western, offers bentosa cupping using bamboo cups (which is supposed to be better than glass), then the “doctor” will feel your pulse, ask about your general health profile, then will prescribed you medicines (with prescription and standby credit card machine facility)…take note, I was prescribed  meds (for diet and women’s health) worth P14K. Good thing we were in a big group, so we were able to manage the intensive sales talk, but the other group (of 3) they were able to buy worth P77K of it! Take note, we didn’t have time limit on this center, the tour guide allowed us to stay as long as 2hrs or as long as there will be people buying! While in Nanjing and Bazaar, we were given max of one hour to shop! Talk about commissions!

2. JADE STORE - as expected, No time limit! Typical Chinese Jade Store Tour…explaining quality, authenticity, benefit of jade. Good thing we got a tip from the previous group, from 1000RMB, you can bargain to 100 RMB…talked about the challenge to bring it down to that amount! But true enough, after 2.5 hours of negotiation, 10 steps away from the exit, a 2200RMB jade necklace was sold to us at 110RMB  (same necklace is sold in Manila for P1300, so it was relatively a good buy)…and the tour guide left the store with a jade bracelet on her and a big smile on her face =)

3. The Green Tea Plantation in Hangzhou - 3 hours drive from the city …I’m a tea drinker and was one of the first to get convinced to buy. But overall, after a well-rehearsed selling story, you can bargain to get Buy one big can, take small can coming from the initial offer of buy 2 big cans, free 1 small cans…you can actually ask extra empty small cans if you want to give it away as pasalubong.

4. Hotel in Hangzhou- it’s supposed to be a popular, local hotel along the main road, but take note, laundry bags (in cloth) are not free, you have to pay for them! So this actually caused us delay as some brought them, but either have to return or to pay them.

Overall, communication is a key! There is Ikea, but we were uncomfortable to check it out on our own since we were afraid we will not be able to find our way back…knowing their language is a must! or at least to have someone who knows how to speak, so you can really enjoy Shanghai! It’s really developing very fast as an internation city, as they prepare for the World Expo in 2010, maybe more people will learn to speak in English or even communicate with the tourist (the likes of how they do it in Vietnam,Hongkong, and of course in Singapore). Well, the experience was all worth it! Some mishaps, charge to experience! =)

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)[?]

The Bottom Line

You need a few new dreams! Stop worrying about whether you will fall short or fail.

In Detail

You need a few new dreams! Today, you should switch mental gears and start spending more energy thinking about, well, positive thinking. Visualize the brightest future you can possibly imagine — the job you want, the person you want, and the life you want! And don’t you dare waste time worrying about whether you will fall short or fail. It’s important to keep your focus on the bright side. News is coming near the end of the day that might come as a pleasant shock.

I’m supposed to start to report to work on my new company this July 14… but instead, no harm in believing, as per my hubby’s feng shui assessment of what would be the best date of my official hiring date, July 9, 2008 tops the list!

How?

July = 7 + 9 = 16

2008 = 2+8 = 10

16+10=26

2+6=8 =)

Yup, my hubby could just have 1/4 Chinese blood/heritage, but we’ve worked with successful Chinese Families, no cost in believing that eight (8) is the most fortuitous of numbers… No cost in believing in good luck and good fortune that this number could bring. =)

Think Positive na talaga ito! All the affirmative things to reinforce success and happiness! Mindset!

P.S.

Friends, please remind me pag nag baback-slide na ako! =)

Hanging out with my CP NLW mare and sis got me into deliberately reading my horoscope for the day…as part of my dose of new age philosophy (a.k.a. The Secret), for me naman is to take everything with a grain of salt…then do the process of elimination nalang…internalize those that I think would all help me achieve my pursuit of happiness =)

Perfect Timing and Coincidence…today is my first day of work to a company, which is not only founded on "Sense and Simplicity" more so one that espouses work/life balance!

My Horoscope goes…

The Bottom Line

Today, two’s company and three’s a party! Follow your urge to connect with others.

In Detail

Today, two’s company and three’s a party! You’re feeling the urge to connect with other people, and should make a special extra effort to get back in the loop with a long distance friend. The main idea for you to follow today is that the more people there are, the merrier you will be! If you want to feel a part of the world around you, then today is the day to rub elbows with people from all walks of life. Put yourself in the middle of any crowd and you’ll start making friends in no time.

What are the chances today of all day?! So true and very applicable! Part of my orientation was to meet and greet everyone…=) So far, hmmm, I could say I had a good day. Thanks to my friend, it was an effortless run for Ms. Friendship as everyone equally and truly reciprocated it with warm hellos, welcome, firm handshakes and an invitation for a celebration lunch at Chili’s (not for me naman, I have yet to prove myself…timing lang talaga =), but it’s for four June Bday Celebrators including the GM).

Cheers! Hurray! Off to lala land =) HAPPINESS!

I have it in my bookmark (http://www.axaonline.com/rs/3p/sp/9010.html#6)…part of the article goes…

Obstacles Remain: Lower Pay Compounded by Fewer Working Years

 Women earn only about 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.*
Because they earn less, women often are unable to invest as much as
men. In order to make up for other discrepancies in retirement
benefits, women may actually need to invest more.

For example, because women often leave work to bring up children or
care for elderly relatives, they have fewer total working years. On
average, they spend seven years out of the workforce to care for family
members.**

This often means that women qualify for much lower pension benefits.
Fewer years in the workforce, fewer years with a single employer, and
lower pay are all factors that may contribute to a lower average
pension for female retirees. At the same time, women on average live
longer than men, so they must provide for more years in retirement than
their male counterparts.

Points to Remember

1. Women are not inherently "bad" money managers. In fact, they often manage family finances.
2. Women generally have longer life expectancies, so they need to save more for a longer retirement.
3. Many women generally spend fewer years in the workforce and
   earn less than men. These factors contribute to lower pension and
   Social Security benefits.
4. Lower benefits mean that many women may need to invest more
   aggressively depending on their risk tolerance and financial objectives
   and start contributing to their retirement savings as early as
   possible.
5. Because women tend to outlive their husbands, women should
   examine the household financial plan carefully to help ensure that
   joint assets will be sufficient should their spouse incur significant
   medical expenses.