Julie’s Biscuits – Baked With Love, From Malaysia to the Philippines

While walking at the grocery last weekend, at the biscuits aisle, I recognized a brand that has been there for quite some time and it was only now that I paid attention to it. I guess I was used to picking the more familiar brands in this aisle. Now that I know more about Julie’s Biscuits – the history of the brand, how they make them, the culture and the people behind the company – it’ll be pretty hard to resist grabbing packs of it to take home whenever I go grocery-shopping. 😀

Contrary to what most Filipinos know, Julie’s Biscuits is not in any way connected to the local bakeshop that bears the same name. Julie’s is a Malaysian brand that has been around since 1981, and they are available globally, in 75 countries to be exact. They have 3 factories in Malaysia where all their products come from. They don’t have factories outside Malaysia because they want to ensure the consistency and quality of their products, starting from the ingredients down to how their biscuits and cookies are made. They have been available here in the Philippines for 4 years now, and so you might already be seeing them at the grocery. Trust me, if you havenâ€™t tried any of their biscuits or cookies yet, youâ€™ve got to!

I was one of the lucky bloggers who were invited to visit Julie’s factory in Melaka, and to experience the culture and the food in Malaysia. I’ll tell you more about our whole Malaysian trip on a separate post, but you can read the highlights as you read on. 🙂

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Sambo Kojin in SM Megamall: Authentic Japanese and Korean Food Heaven

A few weeks ago, we were invited by Sambo Kojin to try their authentic Japanese and Korean dishes at their newest (also the biggest) branch in SM Megamall. Unfortunately, Mhel was unavailable that day because of work, so I asked my longtime foodie friend, Innah, who just came back from Dubai, to join me instead.

Sambo Kojin at SM Megamall

The faÃ§ade of Sambo Kojinâ€™s branch in SM Megamall leaves little clue how spacious and well-lighted it is inside. Once you come in, youâ€™ll be pleasantly surprised at how many tables and seats there are. I honestly got lost a few times, trying to get back to our table. Thatâ€™s how big the place is!

All tables are also equipped with smokeless yakiniku grills. How are they smokeless? These grills have special exhausts located at the sides of the grills, which suck the smoke out before its smell sticks to your clothes.

Itâ€™s also important to note that Sambo Kojin is open the whole day from Friday to Sunday and during Holidays. This means there will be NO breaks in between their lunch and dinner services, making it the perfect venue to celebrate a birthday, a graduation, or an anniversary (or any occasion, really) with your friends and family.

Here you can see the chefs busy at work to make sure all the food on display are replenished in real time.

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Finally, the McRib! We’re Loving It!

Seeing all the hype online about McDo’s McRib sandwich only made Ken and I salivate with anticipation to finally taste it. Only select stores had them available when we first heard that it’s finally here in the Philippines, so we had to control our craving for it. 😀

Fast forward to over a week ago, McDo sent us McRib sandwiches, and I invited my office friends after work to taste it with me. We had a McRib party! 😀

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Discover Adventure at Farmers Market Day Tour

For over 40 years, Farmers Market, a landmark at the Araneta Center, has been distinguished as an unparalleled source of fresh meat, seafood, and produce in Metro Manila. Â Now theyâ€™re setting the bar even higher as they officially launch the Farmers Market Day Tour, a major first in the history of the Philippine market.

Farmers Market Day TourÂ

Farmers Market holds its first Farmers Market Day Tour, in participation to the gastronomic feast, â€œFlavors of the Philippines,â€ by the Department of Tourism for the whole month of April. This project aims to transform our old and boring market day into a fun and interactive adventure, where you get to discover new things and experience Farmers Market anew.

Farmers Market for Madrid Fusion

On April 23, Farmers Market will be welcoming the elite chefs featured on Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 -Â the most anticipated event of the year that will bring together renowned chefs from Spain and the Philippines in a single culinary stage.

I consider myself fortunate for being invited, together with some select local bloggers, to be the very first people to experience the Farmers Market Day Tour before the arrival of the participating chefs and international press for Madrid Fusion. And as an avid fan of local beauty pageants, I was even more delighted to find out that our tour guides will be none other than Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2015) and Hannah Ruth Sison (Binibining Pilipinas First Runner-Up).

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Juiceria Cleanse : Detox Your Way to a Healthier Lifestyle

When Ken and I decided to move out of our home in Malabon and live on our own, we both agreed it’s the perfect time to kick-start a healthier lifestyle by eating better at home. So when a high school batchmate asked me if we wanted to try their juice cleansing programs at Juiceria Cleanse, Ken and I immediately said yes.

Okay, we didn’t exactly say yes right away. 😀 I’ve been hearing so much about juice cleansing that I had all these doubts in my head. I am very much aware of the benefits and the nutrients you can get from juicing, but I wasn’t prepared for fasting or not eating anything at all. I might go HANGRY (y’know, all the mood swings or you get easily angry because you’re hungry 😀 ) during the 3-day program, and I might not be able to concentrate while working. Sure, I was working from home then, but it was quite an intense week since I was transitioning from online work to office girl again. Can I handle not eating anything when I’m used to eating the stress away?! 😀

Junlyn, the woman behind Juiceria Cleanse, assured me that I wouldn’t have any issues during the 3-day period. She said that they have many clients who go through their programs during workdays. To play it safe, I chose Juiceria Cleanse’s Reboot program since this allows me to eat at least one healthy meal a day. Ken, who went on a strict diet a few years ago and was determined he can take it, went for their 3-day Bootcamp program so it was all juice for him.

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KFC Breakfast Buffet : Unlimited Favorites this July!

We know many of you would agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A hearty breakfast can kick-start your day. And this is exactly why KFC decided to bring back their breakfast offering. It’s all UNLIMITED! Hurry because KFC’s Breakfast Buffet is only offered all weekends of July (hopefully, they’ll extend it). 😀

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Tokyo Tokyo’s Maki and Shrimp Katsu Donburi + GIVEAWAY!

We’ve talked about Tokyo Tokyo before, but it was mainly because of their Chicken Karaage, which we LOVE! It’s one of our guilty pleasures. We have other favorite dishes on their menu, but we’re here to talk about the new Maki and Shrimp Katsu Donburi that we’re sure many already tried and enjoyed.

We’ve also mentioned about how much we’re into Japanese food. It even tops Ken’s favorite cuisines. What we like about Tokyo Tokyo is that we can have our tasty Japanese food fix at affordable prices. So if you’re craving for Donburi, you might want to try these 2 new delicious options.

The Maki Donburi bowl is Tokyo Tokyoâ€™s play on their popular California Maki, which includes a combination of crunchy Kani and crisp onion rings drizzled with zesty Japanese Mayo and a savory sauce.

The Shrimp Katsu Donburi, on the other hand, is a variation of Tokyo Tokyoâ€™s Katsudon. Crunchy shrimp patty smothered in rich sauce on top of hot rice. I think this will be Ken’s pick, and I’ll go with their Maki Donburi.

You can order these Donburi bowls for Php 85 a la carte, and Php 99 if you want the meal with your choice of soft drink.

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Magnum Gold : Grab The Gold at SM Supermarkets – 2 for Php 100!

The sexiest ice cream bar is at it again, with a new luscious flavor to tickle our senses: Magnum Gold. Have you tried it yet? 😉

As you rip the wrapper open, the brightly colored Magnum Gold ice cream bar inside is revealed. It’s coated with thick Belgian chocolate – 2 layers to be exact. The outer layer is in this luxurious color of yellowish gold.

A nice crunch welcomes you as you take your first bite off the ice cream bar, the Belgian chocolate coating gently crumbling in your mouth. The lusciously creamy vanilla ice cream inside, with swirls of salted caramel to boot, will melt your heart. Mmmmmm so good. It’s definitely one indulgence you need to take time to enjoy. 🙂

If you haven’t tasted the delectable goodness of the all-new Magnum Gold, you are in luck! SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket and SaveMore Markets nationwide are offering an exclusive promo – you get TWO (2) Magnum Gold ice cream bars for Php 100!

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Spending Valentine’s Day + WeChat Valentine’s Day Promo!

In case you don’t know yet, Ken and I are siblings. We are almost always mistaken as husband and wife, barkada or boyfriend-girlfriend. That’s a compliment to me since I’m 7 years older. Can you believe it?! 😛 I guess it’s because of how close we are and how we joke around when we’re together which give people the impression that we’re not siblings, or that I’m not his ate. We also like taking vanity photos together, so we fully understand why people would think I’m not his older sister.

Anyway, the point of telling you that is I wanted to get it out there that we’re both single. We chose to be and we strongly believe that we don’t need to have a special someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day. What we usually do is celebrate this day with our nanay who means the WORLD to us. I guess that’s why we never really make a big deal out of being single on Valentine’s Day because we get to spend it with people we truly love and care about.

So if you’re single too, don’t fret. There are many ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day. Spend the day with your family and friends who have no plans for tomorrow. I bet you’ll have just as much fun as everyone else. 🙂

And speaking of having fun this Heart’s day, how would you like to win an awesome prize by simply professing your love to your significant other, or by showing the world who or what makes you happy this Valentine’s day? We found this Valentine’s Day giveaway from WeChat, the hottest mobile social communications app to-date.

WeChat is giving away an iPad Air (woot!) this Valentine’s Day in their Facebook promo, “A Photo with My Valentine“. Whether you’re in a romantic relationship or not, you can still join since your entry can be about your significant other, a family member or even your pet! Check out the details below and good luck! 🙂

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Fall in Love with Chocolates from CMBV Confectionaires

If there’s one thing Ken and I have in common, it’s our deep love for chocolates. We’re more into dark chocolate, he likes milk chocolate more than I do and I think we have the same amount of liking for white chocolate. So when a common friend offered to let us taste the chocolates he makes, how can chocolate lovers refuse? Let us introduce you toÂ CMBV Confectionaires Co.

CMBV Confectionaires is a chocolate shop owned by 2 friends – Christian, the general manager, and Marvin, the head chocolatier. They’re a fairly new business which started in November 2012 out of their passion for chocolates, skills in chocolate-making and business savvy. Fast forward to 2013, you can now find CMBV Confectionaires’ hand-crafted gourmet chocolates at Manila Polo Club (Manila’s Best), VASK Modern Tapas & Gastronomic Cuisine Restaurant and soon at KYO Patisserie (the last 2 are located at BGC). They also have a shop at Fort Bonifacio. You can find their complete address and contact info near the bottom of this post. 🙂

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