Ruby is a true-blooded media practitioner and a journalist by profession.
She served her early years as a lifestyle writer for a leading magazine and a couple of corporate engagements to which she learned the ropes of editorial work – and dealing with almost the brightest personalities and celebrities in tinsel town.
She had a very productive stint at the now-defunct AMPR Publicity and Communications, Inc. It was also during this period that she honed her skills in Marketing when she had the opportunity to serve as Committee Member at the prestigious Philippine Marketing Association.
For inquiries, invites, or to send relevant press content, email the author at rubyasoy@yahoo.com.
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Parokya Ni Edgar’s comeback music video for their latest single “Rosas” is exuding with romantic vibes as it showcases the captivating chemistry of real-life couple Ronnie Alonte and Loisa Andalio.
Staying true to the lyrics of “Rosas”, the official music video was shot entirely in the vicinity of Marikina, paying homage to its wonderful community, scenery, and people. The LoiNie loveteam was indeed pure of passion in shooting their scenes together in the picturesque Marikina landscape, evident in the compelling final cut of the four-minute music video. (WATCH HERE)
Hours before its release on the official YouTube channel of Universal Records Philippines, ROSAS MV FT LOINIE quickly became a hot trending topic on Twitter. And quickly after the music video premiere, fans shared overwhelmingly positive remarks about its heartwarming impact as well.
“Rosas” is the lead single from Parokya Ni Edgar’s first album in five years, Borbolen. Make sure to stream their new album now on your favorite digital streaming platforms!
Filipino food is, undeniably, rich in flavor, saucy, strong in seasoning, mostly sour rather than spicy.
Here are two appetizing recipes shared by Evelyn Wise, also known as Tia Belle, the owner of Tia Belle’s Tagaytay, a Filipino restaurant famous for its mouthwatering variety of home-cooked dishes.
Evelyn Wise shares her passion for Filipino food.
The ingredients are in season and procedures are easy to follow that you can even prepare at home for your loved ones. Good food is meant to be shared.
Kalabasa Okoy (Pumpkin Okoy)
Kalabasa Okoy
Ingredients:
2 cups grated kalabasa (pumpkin)
1 cup toasted alamang
1/4 kilo medium shrimps (peeled)
1 cup sliced ripe mango (cut thin, half-inch)
2 cups first-class flour
1/2 cup corn starch
2 cups water
2 tbsp. calumet
1/2 teaspoon fine black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoning
2 tbsp. beaten eggs
2 tablespoon finely grated turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dipping sauce:
1 cup vinegar with crash chili
1tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Procedure:
In a big bowl mix the flour, corn starch, eggs, calumet, turmeric, seasoning, and water. Mix well until smooth. (It should be sticky in texture, not runny).
Add the grated kalabasa and the toasted dry alamang. Mix all together.
Prepare frying pan pour 1/2 cup oil. Turn on the stove, heat the frying pan then lower the heat.
Scoop 1/8 measuring cup of mixture. Make it flat, then top it with 3 shrimps and 2 slices of mango. (You can put 2 scoops in one frying pan), then cover it, best is glass cover, you can monitor if it needs to turn it to the other side. (Covering makes it cook well inside and make it smaller.)
Halo-Halo Silang Sinigang
Halo-Halo Silang Sinigang
Ingredients:
1/4 Pork kasim
1/4 large hipon (shrimp)
Half tofu cut to one inch
2 medium-size gabe
8 pieces ube cut to one inch
6 slices labanos
6 pieces sitaw
5 cut pieces eggplants
5 strings of kangkong
5 pcs. sili green
Half cup calamansi juice
1 cup kamias cut into small pieces
6 pieces grilled calamansi skin
5 pieces ripe tomato
3 tbsp. patis
1 tbsp. seasoning
1 large onion
Procedure:
Ahead of time cook the ube. Set aside. Save the ube juice.
Boil 1-liter water with onions, tomatoes, grilled calamansi skin.
Halfway cooking the pork mix the gabe. When pork is tender enough, put together the shrimp, ube juice, ube, labanos, and other vegetables.
Lastly, put the tofu. Season to taste. Serve immediately
A global leader in innovative casual footwear for all, Crocs Philippines invited none other than the fast-rising dancefloor sweetheart AC Bonifacio to use Crocs as a canvas for self-expression with Jibbitz™ charms and hailing all to “Come As You Are.”
Artist AC Bonifacio will showcase her infinite freedom of expression with the classic collection and Jibbitz™ charms with her dance moves, “I’ve always loved Crocs, it allows me to express myself and to feature my creativity, and just be myself that matches with my uniqueness and personality,” AC enthuses. Her visuals and video content will be shared on Crocs Philippines Official Facebook and Instagram. Along with Artist AC Bonifacio, Crocs will unveil the latest addition to the Crocs Classic collection featuring the popular Unisex Classic Bleach Dye Clog, Women Classic Platform Clog, Unisex Classic Crocs Sandals, and Women Classic Crocs Slide.
Artist AC Bonifacio
For the Classic Collection – Bleach Dye, each shoe features 13 holes to allow stylish personalization with unique Jibbitz™ charms’, anywhere and anytime, allowing everyone the ability to be truly comfortable in their shoes.
For the Classic Collection – Classic Platform Clog, it features a heightened, contoured outsole that supports the upper you know and love with a slimmer, sleeker look with a customizable backstrap that also holds Jibbitz™ charms, so you can personalize your look even more. When you’re in the mood for a little extra boost, style it up with the Classic Platform.
For the Classic Collection – Classic Crocs Sandals, the look and feel of this comfortable Classic Clog and Crocs Slide, now in sandal form. Two upper straps offer even more comfort and foot security, and seven holes on each shoe allow you to personalize with Jibbitz™ charms.
After more than three decades of working in the show business (she started in 1983), Divine Diva Zsa Zsa Padilla is happy about her place in the industry and the kind of respect and recognition she gets from her colleagues. She has proven to herself that she’s not just a singer but an actress as well. She feels that the longer she stays in showbiz the more she gets better.
Photo courtesy of Zsa Zsa Padilla Facebook page
Zsa Zsa has admitted that she has become a veteran of sorts when it comes to love and relationships. “For a relationship to grow, there must be passion, love, and nurturing,” related the Kapamilya singer from a previous interview. “Because of what I’ve experienced in the past, I’ve learned to nurture more my present relationship. I’m happy with my present partner (fiancé architect Conrad Onglao).”
She said too much passion can also be dangerous in a relationship. There has to be balanced to achieve harmony. “With an overdose of passion you cannot distinguish anymore what’s right and what’s wrong,” she rationalized. “You don’t have to follow your heart’s dictates all the time. I’ve been there. I’ve been hurt. And I’ve hurt some people in the process. It taught me a lot. Eventually, when the passion fades, you need to have something to hold on to, the love has to be stronger. In my case, my children are there. They keep me going.”
Zsa Zsa is hoping that one day, she’ll be able to tie the knot with her present partner. “I’m just waiting for the right time. It might come, it will come,” said Zsa Zsa, now in her mid-50s, looking more gorgeous than ever.
She disclosed that like everyone else there are days when she feels very depressed over nothing. “But I’ve realized that happiness is what you make it,” she said. “If I decide to be happy today, it’s my doing. As much as possible I don’t allow negative thoughts to put me down.”
Her children are giving her much joy and contentment. The proud mom has three beautiful and talented daughters – Karylle, Nicole, and Zia. When at home, she can be so simple and plain, but when she’s in front of the spotlight performing, she can be glamorous. Since she’s not getting any younger, she tries to take care of her health even more, and eat healthier food.
Hello, 2022! After taking the time to reflect on the past year, it’s time to get ready for new beginnings. Not sure where to start? For a truly clean slate, your first step should be to clear and rewire your brain. And what better way to do that than with some decluttering and organizing? With a clean, put-together space (and mind!), you can stay focused on your new goals.
Check out five easy tips to help you stay organized throughout 2022. Below, you can also discover product recommendations from Shopee, your go-to source for organization items, essentials, and everything in between at the best prices:
Write down your to-do list
If you’ve got a lot on your plate, don’t attempt to keep your to-do list in your brain—this will only overwhelm and stress you out. Instead, stay on track with a planner. This Undated Planner from National Bookstore, perfect for fans of the hit TV show Friends, features undated pages and blank weekly pages on which you can jot down your checklists and more.
Set your priorities
Got a long to-do list? Don’t attempt to accomplish everything all at once. Set clear priorities by color-coding your planner. You can process each day’s tasks easily by just glancing at color-coded sticky notes. This set of Sticky Notes includes stationery in different colors and sizes.
Manage your workload
How often have you taken on extra deliverables or said yes to engagements, only to realize that your calendar is too full? This year, take care of your mental health and say no when you have to. Stay on top of your schedule with a handy pocket-sized Animal Desk Calendar. These colorful calendars, which come in pretty pastel colors, feature monthly views.
Keep your workspace tidy
It’s perfectly understandable if you don’t always have the time to keep your workspace spotless when you’re busy, but as much as possible, try to keep everything in its proper place. This Wooden Desk Organizer makes it easier to arrange your documents, notes, pens, and other supplies.
Track your finances consistently
Spent more than you intended during the holidays? It’s fine to treat yourself, but remember to set some savings aside as well. Get your finances back on track this year with a Budget Planner. Place your budget for each week inside the binder pockets and jot down your expenditures on the colored labels.
If you’re looking to buy these great finds to kick-start your 2022, check out with ShopeePay to avail of daily free shipping and cashback vouchers. With ShopeePay, Shopee’s all-in-one e-wallet, you can also buy load, pay bills, and scan to pay at thousands of merchants nationwide. Get up to 10% off on load across all networks and up to 25% cashback on your monthly bills from over 60 billers. If you need to stock up on groceries or go on a much-needed food-trip, get big savings when you avail of ₱1 Deals via “ShopeePay Near Me” and redeem your discounts when you pay via ShopeePay at their physical stores.
Enjoy free and real-time transfers with ShopeePay. Cash in and do bank transfers for free via InstaPay; get up to ₱25 cashback on your InstaPay fee when you cash in. You can also send money for free to any ShopeePay user. To enjoy these exclusive deals and more, activate your ShopeePay now for a rewarding cashless experience.
Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.
Araneta City opens to the public the “Ang Batang Hesus” exhibit in Ali Mall in partnership with Santo Niño devotees to honor the Child Jesus.
In time for the feast of Santo Niño, the faithful are invited to visit the solemn display of the different images of child Jesus near the Gen. MacArthur entrance of Ali Mall from January 7 to 15, 2022.
The “Ang Batang Hesus” exhibit features more than 50 images from Santo Niño devotees and benefactors. Among them are the famous replicas of the three oldest Santo Niño images in the Philippines: Santo Niño de Cebu, Santo Niño de Tondo, and Santo Niño de Arevalo.
Aileen Ibay, Ali Mall Property Manager, sees the exhibit as an opportunity to strengthen the faith of the public given the ongoing health crisis. “This exhibit aims to give hope to people by reminding them the symbolism of Santo Niño to our faith and culture,” she said.
In Philippine history, the original image of the Santo Niño was given as a baptismal gift to native Filipinos by Spanish explorers. The image was venerated and accepted by the locals but was lost in warfare. It was, later on, discovered intact and safe amidst burning debris, a miracle regarded to show that anyone can rise from any tribulation.
A formal opening and blessing of the exhibit on January 7 were led by Rev. Fr. John Thomas of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. The exhibit is open for public viewing for free during mall hours.
Under Alert Level 3, Ali Mall and other Araneta City malls (Gateway Mall and Farmers Plaza) are open from 10 am until 9 pm from Sunday to Thursday, and until 10 pm every Friday and Saturday.
Now that we are still in a pandemic and the threat of the Omicron variant is here, the more that we should take care of ourselves. Here are some important facts to guide you on how to quarantine properly.
The “Fashion Interiors” (2307 Chino Roces Extension, Makati 1232-Former Pasong Tamo, Magallanes ) exclusive furniture store had the honor to host the soft opening of “L’Art de Trois Femmes,” an exhibition of European artists featuring Swedish Jeanette Kamphuis, Polish Natalia Biegalska and Denise Hedera. The soft opening was broadcasted by the music group “Anything goes 101”.
Kamphuis exhibited her larger Suprematism Contemporary collection where she gives honor to the infinity in the Universe and the living basic elements on Earth. As you go for a visit you will also have the opportunity to view a few of her skyline series where she encourages the audience to take care of Mother Earth. For this series, she received an award 1 Dec 2019 in Manila Hotel from the “Noble Queen of the Universe” organization as “Ambassador Queen of the Environment.”
Kamphuis is a multi-talented artist. At the tender age of eight, she won an art competition and she never stopped painting since then. Many of you might know her as a musician or talent in many telenovela series but art has become second nature to her. One of her sayings is “Art is OXYGEN” and we all surely need that especially these days.
Kamphuis skyline series.
She is an artist, a musician, an actress. She is a citizen of the world with deep ecological sensibilities whose many iterations stem from her varied life experiences of traveling to more than 96 countries over seven continents. Ultimately, she is a constant evolution of talent, ideas, and beliefs. You can find her murals and art in Sweden, Germany, Austria, the USA, the Philippines, South Africa, and Mozambique.
Kamphuis has made a great impact on the Philippine art scene with three solo exhibits and 34 group exhibits with local artists. For more information, visit her website http://artisticeuro.com/.
“L’Art de Trois Femmes” group exhibition has been extended to January 8, 2022.
“Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.” – Lisa Weed
This Holiday Season is a great time to go to the Gingerbread House located at Barangay Palumlum in Alfonso, Cavite, Philippines (a few kilometers away from Tagaytay). Since its opening two years ago, GBH has become an all-year-round family destination. It’s a perfect tourist spot for kids and kids-at-heart. With a very affordable entrance fee of Ph150.00 pesos per head, it’s definitely an awesome treat for the entire family!
The Gingerbread House will give you that fairytale book setting. The jungle-like drive to Gingerbread House provides an actual feel of a Hansel and Gretel journey. In the story, two children, Hansel and Gretel get lost in the woods. They come upon a house made of gingerbread covered in frosting and candy. Unfortunately, it’s the house of the wicked witch. She befriends the kids, fattens them up, and tries to eat them.
As for us, how did we end up at The Gingerbread House? It was Christmas Day when we all decided to visit the place and to experience its snowfall. It was our family bonding moments, apart from being near Lebajo ArtFarm, where we spent our Christmas vacation.
What to see?
Upon paying the entrance fees, guests will be greeted by a dream board and Well of Dreams, where visitors (especially kids) can write down their goals and then make a wish.
The main attraction is the snow-like theme of Gingerbread house giving you a white Christmas feels! It has a kiddie theme background and colorful Christmas decorations that are good for photo-ops.
Inside the house is a snack place on the first floor. It serves mini cakes, brownies, muffins, chocolates, and a corner filled with confection. An actual Gingerbread House can be ordered and even rice meals. One of the attractive spots inside the resto is the reception area where you can find the giant Teddy Bear lying on the sofa. It looks so cute and huggable!
The play area for the kids is located on the second floor with a veranda overlooking the greenery surrounding the area.
There are other attractions to explore like the Gingerbread field, Christmas Kubo, Mini-Forest Trail that is similar to the path ventured by Hansel and Gretel going to the Gingerbread house, the colorful Candy Village, dining al fresco areas, quaint cottage-style rooms, swing area, inflatable Christmas corner, and other instagrammable spots.
The Christmas Kubo, offering Filipino delicacies like bibingka, etc.
There’s also a museum, where you’ll see a wonderful miniature of Christmas and Candy Village. And feel at home in their family living room area. It makes a good backdrop for your family photo souvenir.
One happy family – with Nikulas and Beatrice
There’s also a souvenir shop for your last-minute shopping before leaving the place. Just like in my previous travels, I always bring home some ref magnets as mementos of my sojourn.
The Gingerbread House was definitely worth creating fun and special moments with every member of the family.
What is unique about the resort is that you get to experience and stay at the traditional houses that serve as hotel accommodation for guests and tourists who are seeking meaningful staycation.
Taking part in a heritage tour one fine weekend gave me a glimpse of the past — reliving the age-old yet distinctive Filipino heritage while offering discerning visitors a unique experience.
The moment you enter the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan you are transported back to the 18th-century Philippines in the blink of an eye. The Filipino-Spanish influences are very evident in the architectural pieces from different parts of the country transferred and reconstructed in the resort to create a heritage community for everyone to experience and take inspiration from.
What is unique about the resort is that you get to experience and stay at the traditional houses that serve as hotel accommodation for guests and tourists who are seeking meaningful staycation.
Tramvia ride
Tramvia ride
One of the architectural attractions in the resort.
Walk down Tulay ni Lola Basyang.
A village of cobblestone streets.
Cultural performance
Impressive architectural piece.
Our group had the opportunity to stay in Casa San Miguel, the old home of an ilustrado family during the Spanish era. It is huge with its two big rooms and a very spacious sala where you can play games or relax during siesta with your loved ones.
There are so many things you can do at the resort from going on a heritage walk. You can ride a kalesa, or tramvia to admire up close the impressive noble-class mansions, wooden stilt houses, the main building made of stone which stands proudly in a village of cobblestone streets.
You can also promenade along La Playa beach, enjoy the Batis, its version of a swimming pool located next to Casa Cagayan, walk down Tulay ni Lola Basyang, and dine at Hotel de Oriente where we were served a sumptuous breakfast and dinner. The Hotel de Oriente, which originally stood in Binondo, Manila, is believed to be the first hotel built in the country.
Those who want a quiet moment alone, can pray and give thanks at Santuario de San Jose, located near Plaza Mayor de Tobias and Casa Biñan.
There’s so much more to discover at this rare heritage resort in Bataan. A second visit is a must to see how this fascinating place will develop in the future.
