One of the best highlights of my blogging career, ones in a lifetime opportunity of having an interview with Senator Gringo Honasan. I would love to have it framed and place it in my room. Greatest achievement i must say. Thank you Sir! 😃Gregorio Ballesteros Honasann
Experience Breville® Philippines takes coffee grinding to the next level with Smart Grinder™ Pro
How do you like your coffee? Do you want it pressed or poured-over? Perhaps, do you like preparing it hand-dripped or brewed to perfection?
Coffee, for most, is the morning wake-up call that pulls them out of the bed, and they have different ways to enjoy it. Some people on the go would never missed their old reliable French press in their morning routine while hurrying off to their work. For those who have time to enjoy the morning calm, pressed coffee is the best way to start their day. Adventurous spirits go for aeropress for that strong cup of morning java. An espresso-based coffee is that reward after a grueling meeting, or for just when you want to catch up with friends.
However you want your coffee, nothing beats preparing a cup (or two) using quality, freshly-roasted coffee beans that is ground right using Breville® Smart Grinder™ Pro. The Breville® conical burr grinder uses Dosing IQ technology, which allows for automatic adjustment on the dose whenever you change the grind. It has 60 different settings — from the coarsest to the finest grind — that allows coffee enthusiasts to maximize the flavors of their favorite brew. Whether you need cups for French press or shots for espresso, the Smart Grinder Pro gives you the right dose for your coffee needs.
“The type of grinder is very important because of the blades, the settings. The thing I like about this Breville Smart Grinder, it’s very easy to set. It’s digital, it shows you with the icon for espresso all the way to a plunger,” shares Michael Asuncion of Silca Coffee Roasting Company, a homegrown coffee company.
During the Silca Tour at Cavite
Founded by Enrile M. Asuncion in 1996, the coffee company was initially named Jamica, an acronym based on the names of his three children, Jackie, Michael and Carolyn. The founder’s coffee journey can be traced back in 1970s when Enrile and his wife Evelyn began exporting Philippine coffee worldwide, under the Evrile Enterprises. Soon, the company became one of the largest coffee exporters in the Philippines. In 1983, the couple founded Silca Trading in Bellevue, Washington to import the finest coffees from all over the world.
Today, Silca has several products under its belt, including Silcafe (with its seven popular blends of Farmer’s Brew, House Blend, Breakfast Blend, Blend No. 3, Espresso Blend, Mountain Fresh and Silca Reserve), and Kickstart, the premium blends made from locally-sourced coffee beans from coffee farms throughout the Philippines.
While coffee lovers have different preference to heighten their drinking experience and appreciation, Asuncion strongly believes that a good experience boils down to using the best coffee that have been naturally grown and harvested.
“The important factors for the coffee experience are: first, the coffee. There are many origins, many blends out there, and many types. Choose the coffee that you love. Make sure that you have good equipment that can extract the coffee well, that can grind the coffee well. Second, make sure to use clean water. Coffee is made of 90 percent water. Lastly, get the right proportion of the ingredients to have a good coffee,” he shared.
Believing that a good-quality grinder needs to have the best coffee beans for that deliciously memorable coffee experience, Breville® Philippines and SilCa Coffee Roasting Company have been partners to educate people on coffee and give the best coffee experience. This month, Breville® and Silca take the love of coffee to every Filipino homes.
For every purchase of the Breville® Smart Grinder Pro, paired with the Breville Compact Kettle, lucky buyers will receive a special discount and a gift set of 400g Kick-Start Coffee Beans and a one-cup French Press if they purchased the items from select Rustan’s stores, or two packs of 250g Kick-Start Coffee Beans if they purchased from select True Value stores. The promo runs until July 31, 2017.
Breville® is exclusively distributed by IAJ Wellness Corporation and available in all leading appliance and specialty stores nationwide. To know more about Breville® products, visit www.breville.com.ph or Facebook.com/brevillephilippines.
Before modern-day beauties there were royalties. Nefertiti and Cleopatra, the ancient epitomes of beauty, have served as inspirations to women of all generations. While Nefertiti was adored for her religious revolution, Cleopatra used her charm and intellect to turn beauty into power. Their significant contributions to history kept their names retroactive until today but their timeless beauty included a secret. They have reportedly used black seed oil to keep their skins glowing and their hairs shiny.
Enter the technological era, producers of beauty products have gone head-to-head in a battle of the supreme. Among the best is South Korea, highly known for its competence when it comes to beauty and cosmetics. This is no surprise, as a lot of Koreans are notable personalities in the show business and music industry. They are also very fond of using natural alternatives like the seed oil for skin care routine, despite South Korea being one of the leading distributors of chemical-based beauty products. Prominent Hollywood celebrities like Megan Fox, Miranda Kerr, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Emma Stone are some of the modern epitomes of beauty who are also known users of seed oil extracts.
In this modern age of technology and medicine, the rapid increase in demand for beauty products is inevitable and women are more motivated than ever to try a new beauty regimen. Most of these beauty products, however, may contain hazardous chemicals which can be harmful if regularly taken in substantial amounts and can possibly be causes of diarrhea, nausea, skin irritations, and other relevant side effects. Beauty enhancement should not put one’s health at risk, but instead it should encourage a healthy life style. Loving one’s self is not limited to maintaining a figure or achieving a smoother skin. It is also essential to stay healthy. Thankfully, nature answers this dilemma by providing a beauty regimen without the need to compromise well-being.
The use of natural alternatives had become important and relevant today, especially to those who are very conscious of their health, as it opposes the negative effects of chemical-based products.
Research has found that seed oils are more th an just natural alternatives to beauty products. White sesame seeds, for example, are proven to be helpful in reducing wrinkles, whitening underarms, and relieving eczema and psoriasis. Aside from that, it also has the potential to lower blood cholesterol, cure sleeping disorders, and aid digestion. Flaxseeds can reduce cellulites and tighten the skin while also being able to help in menopausal symptoms and menstrual cramps. Black sesame seeds give a youthful glow and has the power to prevent cancer and relieve arthritis. Chia seeds are ideal natural moisturizers which helps oily skin and clogged pores. It is also high in omega-3, which can help improve brain function.
Seed oil extracts may also be used as a cooking element. It may be used as alternatives to the usual cooking oils, as extenders in baking, or as flavors in condiments and sauces. This makes the seed oil versatile and very useful an essential that strikes beauty, wellness, and flavor.
Commercially produced seed oil extracts are far from affordable. This fact makes personal seed oil extractors a home essential. Some brands from countries around the globe have produced their own extractors the new MISSO® s2o Seed-to-Oil Wonder Extractor, a Korean electronic brand, promises an efficient oil extractor which can extract up to 50% of oil from any small seed. The brand also introduces the concept of “superseeds,” where consumers may experiment with their own mix of seeds to produce various mixtures of seed oil extracts not available in any market today. As the winner of the Korean Superb Brand Award for 2017, MISSO® s2o Seed-to-Oil Wonder Extractor guarantees an oil extractor that’s safe, durable, and easy to use.
The MISSO® s2o Seed-to-Oil Wonder Extractor will be launched and available for orders starting end of June this year. Visit or you may check MISSO® s2o Seed-to-Oil Wonder Extractor in selected appliance and specialty stores nationwide.
MISSO® s2o Seed-to-Oil Wonder Extractor is exclusively distributed by IAJ Wellness Corporation. IAJ Wellness Corporation is also the distributor of premium brands like Australian appliance brand- Breville, Goodsphere, the air-revitalizer and a proud member of the WOW Group. To know more about Misso s2O, visit www.misso.com.phor find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram @MissoPH.
1st photo, Tatler Publisher Irene Martell-Francisco, Breville Ambassador Chef Chele Gonzalez of Gallery Vask and food enthusiast Carlo Fong Luy.
Cross Cultures by Cheryl Tiu organized a dinner featuring 5 top chefs in Asia and took its guests to gastronomic delights without having to take a plane ticket and get a taste of the region’s best dishes. The dinne to remember exquisitely served on a table in one event.
The dinner like no other featured Chef Josean Alija of the Michelin starred Nerua-Guggenhiem in Bilbao, Chefs Ray Adriansyah and Elke Plasmeijier of Lovacore in Ubud, Chef Julien Royer of Odette in Singapore—another Michelin starred restaurant, and the country’s very own Chef Chele Gonzalez of Gallery Vask in Manila, where the 10 Hands Dinner was held.
A premier brand of kitchen products designed and engineered in Australia, Breville®, took part in making the event possible as one of its major sponsors. Breville® adheres to what Cross Cultures by Cheryl Tiu stands for, a dining experience where people can an understanding of different cultures by sharing excellent meals infused with the passion to make every ingredient stand out.
2nd photo from left to right, Marco Bongon, Inaki Bolumburu & one of the 5 featured Chefs Josean Alija of the Michelin starred Nerua-Guggenhiem in Bilba.
Breville® has a lineup of kitchen solutions that could make any food preparations fast and easy. Professional chefs could have this in their kitchens to aid them in whipping up their signature dishes. At the same time, Breville®’s hot kitchen items are sure to make the culinary passion beating in every chef’s heart aflame. And with Breville®’s elegant design on its items, every kitchen can be sight to behold.
Breville® believes that with gastronomic events like these, that the process of creating delightful meals could be as enjoyable as digging forks into these meals and then into the mouths of lucky guests. Home chefs and aspiring professional chefs too could get some enjoyment in creating dishes with Breville® in their kitchens.
Experience the difference in food preparation and cooking with Breville® and enjoy the fun in creating the most exciting dishes and mixes.
Breville® is exclusively distributed by IAJ Wellness Corporation and available in all leading appliance and specialty stores nationwide. To know more about Breville® products, visit http://www.breville.com.ph or Facebook.com/brevillephilippines.
TEFAL, a world leader in small domestic appliances, brings together family as well as its passion for healthy living in its newest campaign, “Live Healthy, Stay Happy.” As a partner of every cook, foodie and homemaker, TEFAL sees the importance of equipping the Filipinos with innovative home and kitchen appliances which give them more reasons to embrace their daily tasks and perform them with ease.
A special launch called “Experience Tefal” was held last May 12, 2017 at Abenson , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. TEFAL, along with its brand ambassador for domestic appliances and TV’s Chef Next Door Chef Jonas Ng, kicked off the “Live Healthy, Stay Happy” campaign by introducing its newest cookbook for happy and healthy eating – “TEFAL: Bringing Joy in Cooking.”
Tefal brand ambassador, Chef Jonas Ng
Through his recipes and with the help of TEFAL appliances, Chef Jonas inspires all to choose healthier lifestyle by creating flavorful and nutritious dishes. “Even for pros, cooking at home can be a chore since we usually face the same limitations in our home kitchens such as lack of space, time and budget. I wanted to put together simple and quick recipes that are made for busy mothers and professionals who would rather spend their time enjoying, than preparing food. With the unique leverage that TEFAL appliances offer, you’re assured that you’ll be able to whip up amazing meals in half the time. Thus, TEFAL gives its users more time to spend with the family and other important things,” shares Chef Jonas.
From left to right: Tefal Corporate Chef, Ms. Sonia Astudillo, Tefal Brand Marketing Manager, Ms. Tobi Corciega, Tefal Commercial Manager for the Philippines, Mr. Ryan Borines, Tefal brand ambassador, Chef Jonas Ng and Business Development Vice President of Collins International Trading Corporation, Miss Julie Lim
The event was also graced by TEFAL’s Corporate Chef, Maria Sonia Astudillo. A proponent of healthy eating, she is the author behind TEFAL’s 2017 Summer Recipe book, Fruity Summer Fest – a collection of fruit smoothies, juices, skewers and dips recipes. “Just like in life, there are super, ordinary and awful fruit combinations. Some fruits click so well that aside from tasting good, they become easier to digest and friendlier to the stomach than others”, she emphasizes.
Understanding the limitations of the regular kitchen and the constraints that most individuals encounter on a daily basis, TEFAL has developed appliances that are innovative, efficient, and practical. From Electrical Cooking, Food & Drink Preparation, to Linen Care and Home Care, TEFAL’s innovations will be redefining the Filipino home experience and bringing it to a new level.
Cook your rice to perfection with the TEFAL Microcomputer Rice Cooker. TEFAL’s innovative 4-layer ceramic coated pot has a unique diamond-shaped pattern that contributes to even heat diffusion and better cooking, resulting in tasty and fluffy rice. It is very durable, resistant to scratches, and cleans very easily (no need to soak!). Enjoy its versatility with 10 automatic cooking programs like a fun Cake function to make meal times more enjoyable.
For health-conscious individuals, TEFAL offers various Blenders and Juicers. TEFAL Blenders’ innovative Tripl’Ax Technology maximizes the action of 6 blades with three combined actions — Cyclone Booster, Extreme Mixing and Chunks Killer – to make a perfectly smooth blend. TEFAL’s Infiny Press Slow Juicer on the other hand, offers 35% more juice, 30% more Vitamin C and 75% more antioxidants than using traditional juice extractors to provide naturally genuine vitamin-packed and nutrient-filled juices.
When you can’t get enough of your deep-fried picks such as French fries, sausages or fried chicken, TEFAL Fry Delight serves up the same fried taste and texture that you love, but with less oil. This low-fat fryer with Air Pulse Technology keeps food crisp on the outside and cooked tender on the inside, all while making usage and post-cooking cleanup fast and easy.
Since smartly-pressed, crease-free clothes always create a good impression, TEFAL Irons and Garment Steamers are home essentials. TEFAL innovations like its Durilium Soleplate Technology makes ironing less of a chore due to its smooth glide, so clothes can be ironed in half the time compared to other irons without it.
As a proud domestic appliance brand, TEFAL places emphasis on leading a healthy and happy lifestyle, not just with cooking, but in your everyday home tasks. Whether you’re independently single, part of a young, growing family or have an extended brood, TEFAL offers ingenious solutions to help lead a better and more balanced life. Discover confidence, convenience and a pleasurable life experience with TEFAL. Together, let us live healthy, stay happy.
To help kick off a healthier, happier lifestyle at home, all TEFAL small domestic electrical appliances will be 20% off, from May 10-31, 2017. TEFAL Small Domestic Appliances are exclusively distributed by Collins International Trading Corporation in the Philippines. For more information about TEFAL promos and the “Live Healthy, Stay Happy” campaign, visit its Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/tefalappliancephilippines.
Midea, the world’s leading manufacturer of consumer appliances, participated recently in an LPG forum that brought together stakeholders from the government, refineries, LPG plants, LPG distribution companies, technology providers, and investors in the industry. With Midea’s partnership with Solane, a household name that has provided Filipinos with quality LPG, the latter highlighted the different uses of LPG in a household which showcased Midea’s lineup of gas ranges.
Midea has been providing Filipino households with friendly home solutions, including new products to their lineup of kitchen appliances that could make any home a center for feasts and many other gatherings. They have 3 new models of gas range and oven that are meant to bring out the chef in every family member.
Midea has a 50-centimeter gas range with 4 gas burners and a 58-liter oven, and the other has 3 gas burners, a hot plate, and a 58-liter oven. The last one is a 60-centimeter gas range with 4 gas burners and a 65-liter oven. Anyone in the family who enjoys cooking will surely have a treat with these gas ranges, as they are gas efficient, easy to use, and at the same time, has stylish and an elegant look— something that would definitely look good in the kitchen.
With Midea’s line of quality and durable gas ranges and Solane’s continuous service in providing quality LPG in households, their participation in the LPG forum may bring the industry forward and provide solutions for the future. For more information on Midea’s products check out their website at http://midea.com.ph and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MideaPhilippines.
About Midea
Midea, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of appliances, covers a complete range of products from electric kettles, washing machines, microwaves to large commercial air-conditioning systems. Thriving in over 150 countries, Midea has now arrived in the Philippines!
In partnership with Concepcion Industrial Corporation (CIC), Midea’s global strength in the appliance industry infused with CIC’s Integrity, Excellence and Total Customer Satisfaction give the world class brand a better understanding of the Filipino’s needs.
Grand Videoke, the Philippines’ leading videoke brand, has renewed its partnership with TJ Media, a South Korean company that specializes in manufacturing karaoke systems. The two companies have been partners for more than a decade and they seek to strengthen their partnership in the years to come. (In photo L-R: EVP for Professional Division of AVSC, Mr. Michael T. Sanchez; Chairman, Andres V. Sanchez; TJ Media Managing Director, Mr. Narra Yoon; TJ Media Country Manager, Mr. Nick Jeong)
Filipinos are known for their love for signing, and it has always been present whenever there is a videoke machine. They would just sing their hearts out on every occasion, whether it is a party, just a simple get-together, or a night out in the city. Grand Videoke, the leading videoke brand in the Philippines, has been providing Filipinos quality videoke systems with better sound quality and constant update on their song list. All of these were possible with its more than 10 years long partnership with TJ Media.
TJ Media Co. Ltd. is a publicly listed South Korean company that specializes in manufacturing karaoke systems, as well as production and distribution of karaoke song contents. TJ Media has been Grand Videoke’s manufacturer since 2005 and this partnership has led to advancements in videoke entertainment here in the Philippines. One of which is the Dream Sound Module that produces high definition sound for over 6,000 high-quality built-in songs in their systems and most recently, Grand Videoke’s GeeVee™ Voice Command Technology that allows people to search, play, and reserve songs by speaking commands.
For more than a decade of partnership, the two companies have renewed their contract for another 5 years, as they seek to strengthen the market for videoke systems by constantly innovating their products depending on the needs of videoke-loving Filipinos. With Grand Videoke and TJ Media’s partnership getting stronger and with more new products coming in, consumers could only expect the best quality videoke systems, along with the best of times singing along in a party or any other celebrations.
Grand Videoke is available at SM Appliance, Gadgets Hub at The SM Store, Astroplus, Odyssey, Robinsons Appliance, and other leading appliance and music store nationwide. It could also be purchase online via Lazada (www.lazada.com) and The WOW Store (www.thewowstore.com.ph).
Instant gratification is defined as “the desire to experience pleasure or fulfillment without delay or deferment”. In other words, it’s the midset which dictates that if you want something, you must have it now.
Undeniably, this approach is most often displayed among millennials. This manifests itself most palpably on social media, with people posting their entire lives online and immediately receiving “likes” and comments. Sadly, this also bleeds into the youth’s spending habits. It is not uncommon to see young people spending big bucks on material things and consumable items. Whether it’s shopping the current designer fashion trends, hitting different bars and clubs every weekend, blowing every other paycheck to travel with their friends, or spending way too much at bi-weekly brunches for overpriced avocado toast, millennials are frequently very cavalier when it comes to spending.
Some may argue that it is okay – even admirable – to spend for irreplaceable experiences with friends or treating yourself to, say, a nice pair of shoes. After all, they worked hard for that money and should be able to do with it as they please.
While it is perfectly okay to have fun with friends and treat yourself every so often, this mentality should be balanced out with some semblance of forethought and life planning. After all, your hard earned money should be going towards something bigger and more long-term than expensive brunches and spontaneous trips to Bali, right?
If this short term spending mentality continues down the line, millennials are in for a rude awakening when it comes time to retire. I know it seems like too far-off a concept to be worrying about, especially for a generation that is more or less new to the working world. However, it is highly advisable and encouraged that people start investing in and planning for their future, including (and especially) retirement. For people to ensure a better and brighter future for themselves, it’s time to start taking financial planning more seriously.This starts with being smart with your money.
Believe it or not, most people don’t know the first thing when it comes to financial literacy or planning. The public must be educated on the proper methods and techniques to handle their finances, since this would be very helpful to the generation of millennials who are just starting to make a dent in the work force. Small efforts now will pay off big time later.
There are literally countless ways for millennials to learn more about financial planning, covering a variety of materials and resources. One of the most engaging and informative campaigns that is currently making a huge impact among young professionals is Philam Life’s “Live Ready” campaign. Unlike other efforts that are overwhelmingly technical or too textbook-like, Live Ready leverages on real life experiences, situations, and solutions delivered in digestible servings. From what I know, Philam Life has taken this campaign across key cities in the Philippines.
The thing is, even the best campaigns will not have any effect unless the message is applied. As such, millennials should start by shifting their short-term mindset towards the long-term, and understand that today’s spending habits will have implications tomorrow. Moreover, always bear in mind that “instant gratification” usually leads to “prolonged perspiration”. Indeed, while it is true to say that you only live once, you’ll spend the rest of your life in the future
