Coffee Bean's Newest Ice Blended Coffee

About a couple of days ago, I saw that Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf was going to have an open house on Sunday, May 29 to launch their newest Ice Blended Coffee drink.

Now being a lover of coffee and of CBTL, I just knew I had to try it. So yesterday, Ryan and I made plans to meet at CBTL Greenbelt to try their newest coffee drink. Espresso and Cream Ice Blended - espresso blended with ice, milk and powder and topped with rich whip cream. I wasn't disappointed with this drink. One sip and it was love!

Want to try it too? Good news for you. It's available at all CBTL branches now. Regular Espresso and Cream Ice Blended is P155 and Large Espresso and Cream Ice Blended is P175. Go on. Head on over to your nearest CBTL shop now. (",)

The Magical World of Kaos

My Dad is a member of Resorts World Manila and his birthday falls on the month of May. As part a membership perk, Resorts World offered him a free ticket to watch Kaos. Naturally because he's such a thoughtful father, he asked me to go with him. He got me a free ticket too by recruiting some of his acquaintances to become members also of Resorts World.

So off we went to watch The Magical Land of Kaos last Saturday. Vegas meets Broadway is how they promote Kaos. And rightly so!

Kaos is the story of a medieval prince played by Gian Magdangal who falls in love with the heroine from the future. I loved everything about this show. The magic was spectacular. The acrobats were amazing. The stunts were absolutely incredible. The musical numbers were also great. It was a truly entertaining 2 hour show. Ticket prices start at P988 for balcony up to P2, 888 for VIP.

Me with magical white lion, Kaos

I recommend you to watch this show which will only run until May 28. It'll be worth your money.  (",)

Museum Tour

May 18 was International Museum Day and as a way of celebrating it, I went with my Dad to Museum of the Filipino People - the second building of what is collectively known as the National Museum. I didn't get to visit this the last time I went. I also got in for free because there was an event that day although it normally has an entrance fee of P100 for adults and P30 for students with a valid ID.

Museum of the Filipino People

What's there to see inside the Museum of the Filipino People? Well... a lot! You can see some of the ancient tools our ancestors used and outfits they wore for one thing. Here are some things that totally caught my eyes:

Ceramic tea pot from San Diego galleon 

This cylindrical thing is a coffin! 

Look how big this recorder is! 

 

Stone ear plugs - one word: Ouch!

The San Diego Galleon model

A ceramic vase recovered from San Diego galleon

Like the National Arts Gallery, this museum is huge! Dad said you might be walking inside this museum without knowing there's an ax murderer waiting to spring on you in one of those deserted hallways. Guess I got my imagination from him! Haha. But well, even the kids who were there thought it could be haunted - they were making ghost like sounds actually.

I also went to Ayala Museum. Free entrance also because May 18 was International Museum Day. Now compared to National Museum, this museum is very modern. You'd be in awe with the various audio visual presentations they have. I know I was! 

This isn't my first time to visit Ayala Museum. I went there before - a few years back but that was before it was renovated. It's more hi-tech now. Loved viewing the gold artifacts which can be found on the fourth floor as well as the valuable ceramics which Chinese used to trade and sell. 

I specially loved the dioramas and the 1986 People Power history presentation which can be found on the second floor. The latter is my favorite part of our history. After all, it put the Philippines in the map! Up to this time, other countries try to achieve the same peaceful revolution we had but they haven't been able to. 

Museums are great places to visit. It's almost like traveling back to the past, seeing with your own two eyes how life was like in those days. I'm definitely visiting more museums in Manila because there's just so much to see and well because history is my favorite subject next to English. 

Oh and I wrote articles about National Museum and Ayala Museum for WheninManila.com. Try to read it too will you? I'm just really proud that I got published there. (",)

   

My Date with the City of Manila

Pahiyas Festival is tomorrow and I had planned on going. Unfortunately, my out of town plans fell through at the last minute but I still wanted an adventure. So I dated the city of Manila today! It was a great date I had too.

I've heard about Juan Luna's famous painting The Spolarium. I've always wanted to see it with my own two eyes so I went to the National Museum. So proud of myself for being able to get there all alone. I've never gone to Manila alone before... at least not as far as UN Avenue but I did it! The National Museum's so big, I thought I'd get lost there. It's also very old! Some parts were under renovation and some parts were dark and closed. Yes, I walked all alone there. It did scare me a bit especially when I was walking along the dark hallways. I actually kept looking back just to see if anyone was following me. Haha. Me and my imagination. 

Saw a lot of paintings there. I'd post photos of my favorite ones now except I actually submitted a story pitch about National Museum  and am waiting to hear from them. Anyhow, I finally got to see Juan Luna's Spolarium. The huge painting stood there in the center at the ground floor of the museum and it just made me go "Wow". It was a truly beautiful painting, almost life like.

Entrance fee for adults is P100 while students can get in for P30. Go on a Sunday if you don't want to pay. It's free entrance on Sundays. It's open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. 

After that, I decided to take a walk along Rizal Park. Went inside Chinese Garden. Entrance fee is only P5. 

   

That's the Walk of Wisdom. When you walk along this path, you'll notice various words of wisdom posted on the columns. This is inside the Chinese Garden. 

And as though my feet weren't tired enough from all the walking I did in National Museum and Rizal Park, I decided to do a bit of thrift shopping. Was in search of Archie comics but I didn't find any. I got this though:

I love bargain books. This is a hard bound copy of Citizen Girl and I got it for only 50 bucks. Aside from the yellow pages, this book is in great shape. This will keep me company for awhile while he's still not around. I really miss him already... 

I Heart Dashing Diva

My nails are so dashingly pink!

I treated myself to a basic diva pedicure today at Dashing Diva, Mall of Asia. My nails were badly in need of some TLC. So yes, it's a bit expensive, P450, but it was worth it. Absolutely worth every cent I paid. I didn't always go for these expensive nail salons. I always thought "Why should I pay that much for a pedicure when I can get one somewhere else at a fraction of the cost?" But that was the old me. The smarter Liz, me, no longer thinks about scrimping on pedicure.

You see, back then when I used to go to lesser priced salons, whenever my cuticles are pushed down and cut with the cuticle cutter and cuticle pusher, my big toes normally end up bleeding. There was even a time my big toe really swelled up so bad (yes, I'm talking pus here people) I could not wear closed shoes for like two weeks! Needless to say, those experiences were bad! And it's because my feet have been murdered before that I've been afraid of getting pedicures. To this date, I actually hold my breath whenever the nail technician is already pushing my big toes' ingrown until it's finally removed.

But that's why I love Dashing Diva. The nail technicians are well trained to handle your feet with tender loving care. What I like about their nail technicians is that they don't force it when your ingrown refuses to get cut up. They apply that softening liquid on it again and they wait for a bit before going back to pushing. As a result, no wounds! No blood! Just gorgeous footsies again.

James Morrison Sings About Unrequited Love

Music can really speak to us can't it? And since I have this unrequited crush on someone miles away from me, James Morrison's Undiscovered really hits close to home. This is for that special someone. 

This is my favorite line from the song: 

You think that I want to run and hide

That I keep it all locked up inside but I just want you to find me