Bag Organizer from Beabi

Been on the hunt for a new and bigger bag organizer since the start of the year ( ... hmmm, an attempt to start the year right, lol) and last week, I chanced upon Beabi, a store selling travel essentials such as bottles, kits, organizers, etc. while taking a stroll in Robinson's Galleria.

I found one that would suit me, but alas, the only color available was light blue. I asked the sales staff if they would have new stocks coming in, and she told me to come back after a week. So yesterday I was back, but they still didn't have what I wanted. I asked the staff which branch had it on stock and she called ... she called all but one of their branches to find out if they had that large black organizer on their shelves. Negative. 

I was frustrated and at the same time I laughed at myself silently for exhibiting an "OC" (obsessive compulsive) trait. So I decided to "settle" for their Caddy which was the right size and color but a tad heavier. I paid for my choice and thanked the staff profusely for her efforts.

Once I got home, I was very glad to have bought it. I was so happy with all the compartments! Now all my stuff fits! :) 

black caddy from Beabi, PhP 395

With this, I am hopeful that I would no longer spend much time rummaging around my bag. 

In addition, it fits perfectly inside my Longchamp! :)) 

perfect fit!

_____________

Beabi

Branches:

Level 1, Greenbelt 5

Ayala Center

(632) 298.5668

R2 Bridgeway 1

Power Plant Mall

Rockwell Center

(632) 399.1388

Level 2, East wing

Robinsons Galleria

(632) 399.5650

Lobby Level, Mindanao Level,

TriNoMa Mall

(632) 916.8008

Level 3, Main Building

SM City North Edsa

(632) 355.4651

Level 3, Eastwood Mall

Eastwood City

(632) 399.5868


Ground floor, The Annex
SM City Fairview
(632) 352.3905


Level 2, Entertainment Mall
SM Mall of Asia
(632) 556.0286


Level 1, Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place Manila
(632) 399.1368

Looks Like A Good Deal from MetroDeal

Got an email earlier with the subject as: 

70% off Shui Hilot Triple Combo Massage / 75% RF Slimming Sessions

.

Normally, I ignore such mails and treat it as spam. But for some reason, I decided to open it. 

I called up Shui Spa to verify if they had this promo/tie-up with MetroDeal and the guy at the other end confirmed. So I continued to click and chose a payment method which I felt was the "safest". (I am still not comfortable divulging credit card details over the internet specially for new deals.) 

Now all I have to do is pay over-the-counter and wait for the voucher in my email. And with this, HB and I will be off to another "spa date". :)

P.S. MetroDeal claims to have a referral program so if you would also like to "avail" of this deal, please click here. 

Seafood Galore

With the success of the original Dampa in Paranaque, various Dampa "outlets" have sprung up all over the Metro. This concept of buying fresh seafood from the market and having them cooked in one of the palutuan restaurants has been a hit with groups of families and friends and has led to more Dampa branches. Currently, I know of  Dampa in Libis, Farmers in Cubao, Metrowalk in Ortigas and Macapagal in Pasay.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to try out the Dampa experience in Macapagal Avenue with my co-workers. 

I was mostly impressed with the cleanliness of the market 

aisle of the seafood section

and the array of fresh seafood:

fish

shells

oysters

mussels

shrimps

lobsters

I think the prices were regulated as they were more or less the same for all the stalls. We bought 5 kilos of shrimps, 2 kilos of mussels, 2 kilos of kohol, a kilo of bamboo shells, 2 kilos of ulo ng maya-maya, and 3 kilos of liempo (pork belly) which we hoped would be good enough for the 25 of us :)

We opted to have our food cooked at 

G Squared Palutuan sign

Cooking charges were reasonable and there was a 10% service charge on top of our bill. The waiters were very attentive and anticipated all our needs, from the toothpicks for the kohol to the condiments for the sawsawan for the other dishes. 

We had the shrimps cooked in chili and garlic sauce, the mussels baked with garlic and topped with cheese, the kohol cooked in coconut milk (gata), the bamboo shells in chili garlic sauce, the maya-maya in sour broth (sinigang), and the pork belly grilled. We had a feast and we all pigged out on the fresh seafood fare.

bamboo shells and shrimp

baked tahong (mussels) and ginataang kohol

All that good food, coupled with good company (uhm, pun intended?) hopefully make for a good start for this year. May all that fresh seafood usher in abundance for all of us!

Photo credits: the last 4 pictures are courtesy of Ms. Majah Flores, downloaded from her FB album.

A Baby No More

Fifteen years ago today, I welcomed a tiny baby into this world for the first time. A few moments after I first heard her cry out loud, she was put into my bosom and she stared at me with those little almond-shaped eyes and I couldn't help but shed tears of joy ... for she is ours to love, cherish and care for.

Fifteen years later, all we still do is love, cherish and care for her as she grows and soars into her own. She sure can be hard-headed and obstinate and she sure does test our patience's limits, but we are mostly proud of how she is at school and with her younger sisters and her friends. 

To my firstborn baby who is fast becoming a lady, Happy Birthday! And remember that your Dad, sisters and I will always be around to love, cherish and care for you.