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Wednesday, November 30, 2016

My OA Farm Tour 2: Visiting Mike Pedroso's Farm



When I started blogging 3 years ago, I didn’t think it would take me to places I never heard of, learn new things and discover the real stories beyond the magazine articles and TV shows.

Last July, I was fortunate enough to be included in the Organic Agriculture Farm tour to visit several farms in Cagayan De Oro Mindanao.  It was an unforgettable experience-- informative, helpful and fun and we the “OA bloggers” toured five farms learning about their farming methods, their different products and more importantly experienced how it is to live in a farm.



I never expected that I would be joining another farm tour just after 5 months, as my friend,  Ruth Floresca again gathered our group of OA bloggers. This time, the farms in Samar and Leyte were our destination.  The tour was again made possible through the efforts of ATI's “KITS (Knowledge, Inputs, Technology Sharing) Journey: 8th Bloggers Event for Organic Agriculture".



Mike Pedroso 
The tour, held Nov 10-13, 2016, was my 2nd OA farm tour and would be my first time to visit the provinces. What made it even more interesting was that we were also going to visit Tacloban, which as heavily damaged by typhoon Yolanda, and I was quite curious to see if the people there had somehow recovered from the devastation.





On our first day, we landed at Romualdez Airport at 3pm.  We hopped in to our vans that would take us on a four hour trip to Calbayog City. We passed by the iconic San Juanico bridge and we couldn’t resist taking photos of the beautiful bridge. I have a fear of heights but that didnt prevent me from taking our #OOTDs. Even if you can feel the bridge actually shaking a bit, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, that we just couldn’t  miss. We would later learn that taking photos on the bridge was actually prohibited. The view was awesome from where we stood overlooking the ocean. The plus side is the fresh air.


We got to Calbayog at around 8pm and decided to call it a night at a nearby convent, to get some rest for the next day’s activities.



On our 2nd day, November 11, we woke to the chorus of church bells, which beats any kind of alarm clock—even if it was only 5am. We got dressed and left for our first destination The Mike Pedroso Farms located in Calbayog City.

We arrived at his farm 7am in the morning and met up with Sir Mike Pedroso and a group of farmers and its organization OMRO (Organikong Magsasaka ng Rehiyong Otso

We introduced ourselves as the OA Bloggers to the farmers and exchanged stories, where we learned about life at the farm their hardships and how they need more support from the government.

OMRO President, Olegario “Jun” Paredes introduced officials and members and  shared their vision and wishing that the government would help them with the problems that they are having at the moment such as the lack of fertilizers for their crops and irrigation facilities for their fields.




After OMRO familiarization, we had our brunch with the farmers. They served us dried fish (tuyo) smoked fish (tinapa), fresh tomatoes and onions and salad and fresh fruit juices all sourced from the farm.  We also had guavas and bananas as dessert.


The OMRO farmers then helped us with our tree growing activity for their Lakbay Alay advocacy. Hopefully someday I could come back and check on the tree I planted and see if it survived and bore fruit.




Engr. Mike Pedroso was originally born in Baguio and discovered his love for farming soon after he left the corporate world. The trees that are abundant at The Mike Pedroso Farm besides the guava trees were the Jackfruit "langka"  trees. Unfortunately, November was not Langka season, so we weren’t able to taste the fruits.



Mr Mike is proud to have planted the "langka" trees after basically experimenting on several ways before successfully making his trees bear fruit.  He says there was a lot of "trial and error" involved as he planted trees around his farm and he says he learned a lot from it. He told us growing an organic fruit tree isn’t as easy as raising organic vegetables. Because you have to have a healthy soil which is the component to healthy trees, gardens and lawns as well.





Langka's origin is from the Western Ghats in India. It has become naturalized in many tropical countries, mostly in Southeast Asia where it is considered a major fruit.









Goldilocks celebrates 50th anniversary with National Cake Day!



Goldilocks recently celebrate National Cake Day in part of Goldilocks’ 50th Birthday Celebration with a buffet of Goldilocks all time favorite cakes! at Goldilocks SM Manila last Nov 26. We feasted on our favorite cakes like Black Forest, Chocolate Chiffon, Classic brownies, Chunky Choco Cake, Choco Cherry Torte, Triple Delight Cake, Choco Caramel Decadence, Mocca Chiffon and a lot more were presented and offered to the media.

I enjoyed all the cakes offered  and partnered it with a hot tea in the corner. I wish I could eat more I have to control my diet though. So Goldilocks let us enjoy their celebration cake with a take out cake!

I love Goldilocks eversince my parents introduced us kids to their cakes. From our birthdays, to graduation, to Christmas and New Year, christening and town fiestas. Goldilocks has been there for us. Now, Im passing the deed to my children and grandchildren by gifting them with their favorite Goldilocks Black Forest Cake and celebration cakes when there's anything to celebrate. It truly became a part of the family tradition.



It's no secret that everyone loves dessert, and cake is always at the top of that list. From the classic favorites like Chocolate and Butter cakes to the more special Black Forest and Brazo de Mercedes, Goldilocks has been on top of their cake game. With 50 years of cake experience and expertise under their belt, Goldilocks has given delight to children, adults, and every cake enthusiast all over the country with their classic flavors, premium cakes, and even their snack-sized cake slices.




Goldilocks celebrated the enduring charm and taste for their cakes at the recently concluded National Cake day in SM City Manila.



National Cake Day is part of Goldilocks’ 50th Birthday Celebration. Guests were treated to all the classic and premium Goldilocks cakes that they could eat at the National Cake Day buffet. All the guest were able to have their fill of classic Black Forest, Ube, and Mocha cakes; and premium flavors such as Chocolate Velvet, Rainbow, and Caramel Banana. Of course, snack cakes like the Double Dutch, Chiffon, and Marbled slices also made an appearance at the buffet, which everyone enjoyed.






Even if it isn’t National Cake Day anymore, go ahead and indulge yourself! Grab a Goldilocks cake slice, cake roll, or any of Goldilocks’ famous round cakes and share a slice with family and friends!




Can’t decide what flavor of cake to get? Visit the Goldilocks website to learn about all of their cake flavors at www.goldilocks.com.ph!

Monday, November 28, 2016

Promate Technologies: Holiday gift ideas for the techies





Those giant festive trees around the city have been lit, the Holiday mall exhibits have been unveiled, and the cool weather is probably the last hint you’ll ever need. As that popular song goes, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!”




In fact, we’re just several weeks away from the most wonderful time of the year, so now's the perfect time to start thinking about the best gifts to give to your loved ones. Deciding on the perfect gift however can be quite tricky and even stressful; Food can go stale or expire (or maybe they even changed their diet), wrong clothes sizes can be an indication of how you perceive them (too fat, too thin, too long or too short) and don’t get me started about those office accessories and daily items which you think they could use (and probably already have).

So what’s the best gift item to give out this holiday season?

You can never go wrong with something tech-related.

It's not just geeks who love tech anymore- even your parents who are becoming active on social media, your partner, kids, best friends and even your grandparents who’ve discovered those slot machine games, would definitely appreciate these tech related gifts for Christmas.

It’s a good thing that with the drop in temperature, Promate Technologies is also dropping the prices of several gadgets that are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of any receiver.

For the audio junkies and the music lovers, take their sound experience to the next level with the Conex Bluetooth Speakers. Get your feet tapping to the groove and play your favorite tracks via cable wirelessly on the go with this powerful dual speaker.  It features a soft touch control panel that lets you easily navigate through your playlist. And play your favorite tracks for up to 2.5 hours with Conex’s 550mAh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery. Plus it also has a call function with noise cancellation technology for clear wireless hands-free calling.

Conex Bluetooth Speakers



For those who prefer a more private listening experience, Promate Technologies offers a lot of choices such as the Encore Dynamic Over-Ear Stereo Wired Headset. Turn up the music and turn up the fun with this ultra-portable, foldable headset with passive noise cancellation technology. The Promate Encore headphones feature a high-end open circumaural design for outstanding bass and vocal projection. The foldable headband and sweat resistant ear cups are lightweight yet built tough enough to last and keep their shape, providing premium comfort without the bulkiness. The passive noise cancellation ensures you are able to enjoy your favorite music with minimal disturbance throughout your adventure trips.

Encore Blue Headset


Designed exclusively for children, the Soul Lightweight Supra-Aural Stereo wired headset combines style, sound and safety for children. The headphones come with soft padded ear cushions for premium comfort and an “always on” 80 dB volume limiter to help prevent damage to those young ears.

Vogue Wearable Wristband Leather Earphones


For the fashionable techie, the Vogue Wearable Wristband Leather Earphones is the perfect gift. Combining style, sound and functionality, the Vogue leather braided cable easily converts from earphones to wristband in a few loops.  The unique design of Vogue means you can wear your headphones on your wrist when you’re not using them. This eliminates the frustration of losing your earphones, finding them tangled in your pocket or damaged at the bottom of your bag. Whether your earphones are on your wrist as a stylish and comfortable bracelet, or in your ears as a great sounding headphone, this is a must have accessory for that perfect BOTD (bracelet of the day!)

Bolt QC Black


Got a loved one who just can’t put down their gadgets? Help empower their digital lives to the max with Promate’s Power Solutions. On top of the list is the Promate Provolta-21, a 20800mAH powerbank that guarantees their multiple gadgets will never run out of juice throughout the day!


Promate ReliefMate 2

For those who want the fastest charging, there’s the Promate BoltQC, which charges your devices up to 80% faster than traditional chargers. Utilizing Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, the backup battery minimizes your time plugged in to the wall or your device and gives you the power you need. The BoltQC also features an ultra-fast 2.4A USB Port to charge your other smartphones and tablets and provides the optimum output based on the device connected with Automatic Voltage Regulation.

Lastly, there’s the Promate ReliefMate-2 that can give you that emergency power boost while watching your movies. It features a 2200mAH Ultra-Small Power bank that also doubles as a phone stand.

Get all these devices at discounted prices with Promate’s ongoing Christmas promo which lasts until January 5, 2017.   The ReliefMate-2 2200mAH Ultra-Small Power Bank is now available for only P245. Get P500 off the regular price of the BoltQC 9000mAH Quick Charge, now at just Php1,495.

The Conex Dual Stereo Bluetooth Speaker is now available for only Php2495, while the Soul Headphones for kids is now more affordably priced at just PhP495. Get the Vogue Wearable wristband stereo earphones at almost 50% off for just P395. 

Visit the Promate stores at SM North EDSA Annex, SM Clark, Ayala Cebu, soon-to-open kiosks at Robinsons Place Ermita and Robinsons Place Las Pinas and all Silicon Valley Stores Nationwide. Promate is also available through www.lazada.com.ph/promate-store.

Bonappetea opens flagship store in Kasa Luntian Tagaytay



When I started my blog 3 years ago, I had a hard time settling for a name that would fit my niche.  I went from my name to stylewatcher to Lou Vents. Then after months of deliberation I decided to go Lemongreentea.

I am a self confessed tea addict. I have been drinking teas from way back 2007,  I got myself addicted that I could easily distinguish taste and aroma from white to green to red to black to blue to yellow teas. From English Earl Grey to Japanese Sencha, Taiwan Green teas to fruit teas. I also have sachets/collection from the countries and hotels I have been through. I bought the extraordinary ones. Luckily, the hotel waitstaff from the hotels I have dined in were kind enough to let me have some extra sachets to keep.   I order online when I crave for Yellow Gold Tea Buds that is when I have the budget.



When Im outside and is craving for a concocted teas. I drop by  at a favorite MilkTea stand alone in Makati. I have tried other branch but I had taste issues with their finished product. Its either too sweet, bitter or  too strong for my liking. That's why I customized my tea whenever I order. It should be brewed, no sugar, less ice, with pearls on a large cup. Its always like that. I seldom order milk teas. When I do, its either Im craving for sugar or I am too hungry to begin with.





Until I got an invite to try Bonappetea in Kasa Luntian Tagaytay.  Bonappetea,  the Philippines’ fastest-growing milk tea café franchise, held its grand opening of its 35th  branch at The Lanai at Kasa Luntian in Tagaytay, Cavite.

We had our first stop at Bonappetea Paseo in Laguna for our breakfast. I ordered a large Lemon Yakult no sugar with pearls and partner that with Spam, Cheese and Egg waffles. After picture taking of the store,  teas served and waffles we proceeded to Bonappetea Kasa Luntian in Batangas. 




Their Bestseller: Wintermelon Milk Tea with Pearls





The ribbon cutting ceremony brought together key executives from Bonappetea’s mother company, Goldenjoy Franchising, Inc.’s Chief Operating Officer Mr. Antenor “Tenny” Taguba, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Francis  Chung, and  Chief Executive Officer Ms. Marjorie Reyes.   Also gracing the grand opening were esteemed guests starting with Hon.Vice Mayor Raymond A. Ambion of the Tagaytay city mayor’s office, King Labarda of Alveo Land, and  members of the media and  blogger community. Guests who were fans of GMA-7’s “Encantadia” were given an extra treat as Kapuso actor Rocco  Nacino, who plays Aquil in the highly rated telefantasya, joined the opening.



Located in an idyllic leisure condo neighborhood, Bonappeatea  at The Lanai at Kasa Luntian is a milk tea lover’s haven offering a slew of mouthwatering yet affordable beverages from its statement milk teas and  fruit juices to salt and  cheese foam  blends and  frappes, as well as food choices ranging from waffle sandwiches and  waffle sundaes to breakfast ramen and  rice bowls.




The new branch sports the  brand’s signature modern minimalist interiors featuring a soft mint green and  warm orange color  palette with touches of brick and  wood, thus  complementing the crisp and cool,  nature-inspired Kasa Luntian  complex. With a relaxing atmosphere and  a beverage and  food menu bursting with flavor, Bonappetea at The Lanai at Kasa Luntian makes for an ideal respite for families, couples, students, and  anyone who’s looking to indulge in a moment of peace and  quiet with a delicious cup  of tea.






Bonappetea ’s grand opening of its newest Kasa Luntian branch in Tagaytay on November 20, 2016 also marks  the launch of its Christmas Drinks selection and  2017:  Bonappetea All-Year Planner.




Starting on the launch date is Bonappetea serving its Christmas Drinks selection of five (5) special beverages, each offering health benefits to balance out  the major  holiday bingeing everyone will be getting into this season. The selection features:



Berry Christmas Punch  milk tea is a a concoction of Indian flavors mixed with wild berries.
It uses  assam tea, which contains antioxidants that  can decrease the risk of heart attack and  strokes, as well as improve blood circulation. The strawberry and  vanilla flavors give this drink sweet, tarty notes that  blend well with assam tea’s floral and  sweetly dry flavor. (Php90/large cup)

Honey Winter Solstice milk tea is a mix of sweet comb honey with a slight tang of
fruitiness. The assam tea packs a punch of caffeine that  makes this drink a perfect morning pick-me-upper to brighten (and sweeten!) up your day. (Php90/large cup)





Royal Tropical  Plush is a blend of tropical fruits and classic Jasmine tea with a tinge of
citrus flavor. Not  only does Jasmine tea impart a relaxing fragrance, but  it also helps to reduce stress, improve the body’digestive system, and  lower cholesterol. The mango syrup  and  lime syrup  add (Php90/large cup)

Jack Frost  Frappe is a cream-based drink fused with green apple and topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. Green apples are, in fact, well known  for reducing cholesterol and  preventing liver and digestive tract  issues. (Php110  for large)

Mango Graham Frappe is an ode to one of our favorite Filipino refrigerated, no-bake desserts. It is made with fresh milk, mango syrup,  crushed graham, vanilla syrup,  and sweetener, and  then topped with whipped cream and  crushed graham. And as we know, fresh  milk is one of the best sources of vitamin  D which can help the body to better absorb calcium. (Php110  for large)



What I liked from the 5 Christmas drinks offered above is the Berry Christmas Punch, it has that not so sweet floral dry flavor that compliments the indian flavors mixed with berries.

Starting on November 20, 2016, customers can start  collecting special holiday stickers to avail the 2017: Bonappetea All-Year Planner for free. Every purchase of one (1)  Bonappetea
Christmas or classic  drink is equivalent to one (1) holiday sticker;  customers must  collect and
affix 18 stickers, comprised of 9 Christmas Drinks and  9 classic drinks,  on a promo card  to get a
planner.


“With  Christmas  fast  approaching,  as  it is the time of giving  and  sharing,  we  decided  to  offer our valued customers something for them to always remember their experience with us, a gift in return for  their continuous patronage. Something they would use daily and help them organize their daily goings-on, and  which would allow us to be a part of  every turning page of  their busy lives  and serve  as a memory  keeper  for  events  that matter,”  says  Ms. Marjorie  Reyes, CEO  of Goldenjoy Franchising, Inc.


By acquiring the 2017: bon appeTEA All-Year Planner, customers also  take part  in sharing their blessings since part  of the Christmas Drink proceeds will help  less  fortunate families to  have a happy  celebration  this  Christmas.  “We  will be donating  Noche Buena packages to  families  in the communities surrounding b on  ap p e T E A branches nationwide,” Ms. Reyes adds.



Bonappetea Christmas Drinks and  the 2017: Bonappetea All-Year Planner are available at all Bonappetea branches nationwide

Bonappetea is open daily at The Lanai at Kasa Luntian  is located in Calamba St., San Jose, Tagaytay



"Under a Piaya Moon" and "Last Shift" Triumph at First-Ever Puregold CinePanalo Awards Night

“ Under a Piaya Moon” and “Last Shift” bagged the coveted Pinakapanalong Pelikula awards in the full-length and short film categories respe...