Summit Ridge’s Eat, Shriek, and Be Scary! Halloween Party

Last October 30, the Nunag Family attended Summit Ridge’s Eat, Shriek, and Be Scary! Halloween Party.  We don’t have any Halloween events to attend except MBP’s Mad Hatter Halloween Party, so we decided to go to Tagaytay and look for an event there.  I really want to bring Neo to a lot of events since 2 years from now I know he will no longer enjoy this type of events.

The time stated in Summit Ridge’s website was 11am to 3pm.  Since it’s a Sunday, we first went to Victory Tagaytay to attend the church service before going to Summit Ridge.  We arrived at Summit Ridge almost 12pm.  The registration area was a little bit chaotic.  Apparently, the event was a walk-in one.  The day before I called the hotel’s hotline to reserve for this event, and inform the registration about this.  They told me that it’s just for the tickets (I am not sure what it meant, but I can only assume that the reservation was nonsense as it was not required during the registration).  We paid Php599 for each adult (lunch buffet included), kids 0-6 are free of charge, while kids 7-12 pays half price.

Little Spidey’s at Summit Ridge. 

If the registration area was quite chaotic, this is nothing compared to the main function hall.  The guests who were admitted to the Halloween party was too much for the area to handle.  Some guests (we included) were not able to grab a table and chair because the seating capacity was already maximized.  We requested the hotel personnel to provide us a table, and they produced one, for sharing.  Our table, which was supposed to seat 4 people, was shared by 6. 

The program started almost 1pm.  There’s a costume contest, a puppet show, a magic show, and some games.  The kids enjoyed the program.  My little Neo did.

It was past 1pm when the buffet area was filled with food.  As if the chaos inside wasn’t enough, when the people started lining up and getting the food, it became worse.  Manners were forgotten, must be because it’s past mealtime and people were hungry already.  Some foods were not refilled ASAP.  Only the main course area has attendants.  The salad area, drinks area, and the desserts area were not manned.  So some guests forgot their proper conduct and just grab the food that they can.  Some even took hold of the whole tray of food.  It was really chaotic. 

Cute cupcakes. 

 We were able to eat past 2pm.  And please don’t even ask for the taste of the food.  L  Neo only ate two brownies and went back to playing with the other kids. 

The program concluded with a trick or treat.  Kids were given a loot bag consisting of three (3) small junk food pouches.  Neo was a happy kid to be able to get one. 

Then we proceeded to the hotel lobby again where the Volkswagen Junior Driving Course was located.  It was held at the same day as the Halloween party (one of the reasons we went to Summit Ridge).  Neo had so much fun on this and a blog post will be dedicated for this.

This is an honest recollection of what we experienced at Summit Ridge’s Eat, Shriek, and Be Scary! Halloween party.  It wasn’t a very nice one save for the Volkswagen Junior Driving Course.  The hotel staff in-charged was not able to estimate properly the number of guests they accommodated.  But to be fair, none of the staffs were rude to guests, they were all trying to assist as nicely as their patience could.  I hope their next Halloween event would be a more organized one.

Neo at Alaska’s Ultimate Mission Camp

Last Sunday, November 20, was an eventful day for Neo as he joined the Alaska Ultimate Mission Camp at SMX Mall of Asia.  It was an afternoon full of fun-filled activities for kids as they get to accomplish different Disney Marvel and Frozen missions.

Upon registration, kids together with their parents were given a wrist band and activity card.  The activity card shows the different missions that kids need to complete to get a loot bag as their prize.

To start their mission, all kids were given an Alaska Ultimate Mission Camp cap and shirt.   Only kids aged 5 years old or more than 3ft in height can join the mission zones.  Little kids who were short of the age/height requirement were not at all bored because Alaska set up a Kid’s Activity Zone.

The Kids Activity Zone is composed of the Coloring Corner, Mask Cut-Outs, Bricks and Blocks, Face Painting, Memory Game, and Alaska Tower Stacking.

The Mission Zone is composed of Safety Briefing, Marvel Zone, Frozen Zone, Ultimate Zone, and Alaska Zone.  These activities are very safe and it hones the kids' fine-motor skills.  For my little boy, it also helped him gain a new friend. 

Parents were also able to enjoy the event as there are several booths showcasing different Alaska products and cooking demonstration.   Kids also get to enjoy Alaska Yoghurt and Milk drinks in different activities.  VIP tickets to Disney on Ice were raffled off to lucky kids.

Alaska Ultimate Mission Camp was a fun-filled activity for the whole family.  Kids and parents alike enjoyed the event.  Our little boy was so happy to be part of this event.

Our Family Dinner Date at Café 8

One fine Saturday evening our family decided to have a dinner date at Café 8.  Café 8 is located at Crimson Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa.  We reserved a day prior to visiting.  My little boy was excited at the idea of a dinner date (he gets giddy at the idea of dates – dates that include him of course!)

We arrived at Café 8 past six in the evening, just in time for the opening of the buffet restaurant. 

He’s below 4ft and he gets to eat for free! J

We were seated promptly.  My little boy must be hungry that the moment he was seated he asked us, his Papa and Me, if they have kanin and sabaw (rice and soup).  We laughed so hard!  We went all the way from Cavite to Muntinlupa, at a hotel restaurant and Neo wants to eat rice and soup!  Ah… such a darling boy.

For a buffet restaurant, Café 8 serves minimal choices compared to others.  But since it is a buffet restaurant inside a hotel, they have complete selection of food and of quality taste.    

Gigantic plates! Hahaha

They have rice, soup, and viands of all types (fish, pork, beef, chicken, and even halal food).

Nido Protectus 3+ Mommy Carnival

Last Saturday, NIDO® 3+ held its Mommy Carnival at Century City Mall where they introduced to moms the new and improved NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+. 

Upon entrance, mommies were given an event passport to complete.  Several activities were lined up by Nido for moms and kids to enjoy the event.  

Mommies get to enjoy the games such as The Ring Toss, Shoot That Pong, and Wire Game.  While little kids enjoy the treats from the event passport: the Marshmallows, Popcorns, and Cotton Candies.

There is also a pledge wall for mommies (and parents) to put in their promises to always check the label.

During the program, NIDO® 3+ introduced NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+.  The new TVC of NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+ was also shown.  Brand ambassadors of Nido, Sarah Lahbati and Baby Zion Gutierrez were also present to show the new dance for the TVC.

NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+ is packed with higher level of essential nutrients such as DHA, ALA, LA, Folic Acid and Taurine together with Vitamins A, B, C, D, Iron, Zinc and Selenium.  These nutrients are vital for children in their growing up years as it helps support immunity and brain and body development.  NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+ is the only milk with PREBIO® 3 and Lactobacillus PROTECTUS® to help support child’s digestive defenses.

As a souvenir, Instagram photos of the attendees bearing the hashtag #NIDOPROTECTUSMommyCarnival were printed and made into magnets.

It was a fun-filled event.  Let me end this blog post by showing you the new TVC of NIDO® PROTECTUS® 3+ and reminding moms to always #CheckTheLabel.

Tips When Traveling As A Family

Traveling is one of the many things I am passionate about.  One of my life goals is to travel as much as my energy and finances can accommodate.  If you are a follower of this blog, you would know that I sometimes travel for work, but mostly I travel with my family.  I find so much joy in building memories with my family.  As a young kid, I was given a chance to travel but only in limited places like my mom’s province or a relative’s place.  So the moment I started working, and was introduced to booking hotels or flights online in the Philippines, like Traveloka, and outside the country, I began my travelling journey.  But I became more passionate about traveling when I became a mom. 

As a mom to a young child, I want to build as many travel memories as I can with my little boy.  I want to explore the world with him (and his dad too, of course), and make sure that he will remember that Mama and Papa was able to give him as much travel memories as we could.  I want to grab every opportunity I can to travel with my family as much as my body (because I won’t be as energetic as I am now), my time (because we have limited time in this world), and our finances (we need to save more) would allow us.

Traveling is something we all love however it comes with lots of preparations.  I am no expert in traveling but let me share to you some tips when you are traveling with your family.


BOOK IN ADVANCE.  One of my Tipid Tips topic before is about online booking particularly airfare.  Airfare takes a big chunk of the travel budget if you were not able to book in advance.  Saving on airfare (or any transport fare) can be a big help on your overall travel budget. 

SEARCH FOR THE BEST ACCOMMODATION.  There are a lot of travel websites offering discounted prices for hotel accommodation.  Make sure you check them.  But most importantly other than the price of the hotel you will stay, make sure you search for reviews (with s, meaning as much reviews as you can) on the place you will be staying.  Whenever I plan a vacation, I always search for the cheapest hotel or hostel bearing in mind that we will be out the whole day exploring the place, but I always end up booking a much better hotel.  This is after careful deliberation that traveling is a part of vacation.  After all, we don’t want to tire ourselves the whole day traveling, and then go back to our hotel and be stressed out because we chose the cheap one.  At the end of the day, cheap doesn’t equate to value for money.

PACK THE ESSENTIALS.  When traveling with my family, I don’t travel light.  I make sure to pack each and every little item that my little boy would need.  I pack a lot of extra clothes, I pack medicines, I pack a lot of snacks, I pack toys, I pack everything I can think of that we need.  I suggest you create a checklist of items you need during the travel.  This will aid in preparing your things and also to make sure you don’t forget to pack the essentials.  This can also help you avoid spending on items (such as toiletries) that you might forget.  Also, don’t forget to pack important documents such as birth certificates (if you’re travelling with kids without IDs) and health cards as they will come handy for emergency cases.

PLAN A RELAXED ITINERARY.  Traveling as a family means you will be with a lot of people.  A relaxed itinerary will help you enjoy your vacation more.  When we traveled abroad with Neo’s grandparents, our itinerary was one-tourist-attraction-a-day and good thing it was because if we squeezed in a lot of attractions in one day, we will not be able to go to all of them. This is because more people means more time in preparing, more time in waiting, and more time in discussing.  No disappointments will happen if you have a relaxed itinerary.

LET GO and ENJOY.  Finally, once you are travelling, please do enjoy every moment of it.  If itineraries and plans are not followed, let it go.  Don’t stress yourself on simple details.  Travelling with kids in tow can sometimes bring about some parenting issues as some children tend to be uncomfortable when they are not familiar with the place.  So as a parent, don’t forget to bring with you a lot of patience.  Don’t sweat the small stuff.

RECORD THE MEMORIES.  Not everyone is financially blessed to travel to same places twice.  So don’t forget to record all the memories.  Take lots of pictures.  Bring home souvenirs.  Create a journal of your travel memories.

And since you’ll be taking a vacation as a family…

ASSIGN SOMEONE TO LOOK AFTER YOUR HOME.  A lot of us forget this.  If you’re going away on a vacation, make sure to inform trusted relatives who live near you that you will be away.  This way they can check your house from time to time to ensure that no wrongdoers (thieves and the likes) will enter your home.  And if you have pets, you can assign someone, a neighbor perhaps, to feed them.  But of course, don’t forget to bring something for those people who helped took care of your house.

These are some of the tips I have when you are traveling as a family.  I may not be able to cover everything, so if you have other helpful tips, please be my guest and write it down in the comment section.  We may be able to help other traveling family to be prepared and enjoy their travel more.

A Winter Wonderland at SM Aura

SM Aura Premier, one of country’s upscale malls, also presented to the public their Christmas theme Winter Wonderland last November 5.  Beautifully adorned winter decorations are set up in the mall’s entrance hall that greets mall goers and guests upon arrival to SM Aura. 

The Winter Queen and her guards were present in the opening of SM Aura's Christmas decorations. 

And Santa Claus will not be absent too.  The little boy gladly went to this Santa Claus, when he was so shy to the Santa Claus at SM Mall of Asia.  The reason?  Santa Claus at SM Aura gave him a gift.  :) 

SM Supermalls will be opening more Christmas themes and decorations in all their malls nationwide.  Watch out for it at the SM Supermall nearest you. 

A Very MOA Wonderland at SM Mall of Asia

It’s the time of the year again when everything seems to be happy and jolly.  Yes, folks, it’s the Christmas season again.  In line with this, SM Supermalls have proactively decorated their malls so mall goers would feel a very jolly season.

SM Mall of Asia’s A Very MOA Wonderland theme was introduced to the public last November 5.  During the program, Cyrus Villanueva, winner of 2015 Australia X Factor serenaded the crowd.  SM Mall of Asia, one of the country’s biggest malls, has decorated the whole mall festively with Santa and his elves.  Also, last Saturday, SM Mall of Asia unveiled one of the largest indoor Christmas Tree at the mall atrium.  A Very MOA Wonderland indeed!

During the middle of the program, balloons and prizes in the form of confetti were showered to guests.  Prizes such as gift certificates, watches, and a trip for 2 to Hong Kong were given away to guests. 

Balloons and prizes from the ceiling of SM MOA.

Santa Claus was also present at the event together with his lovely assistants.  My little boy was a little afraid to have his picture taken with him though. 

Santa was so busy accommodating pictures.

Here's a video of the unveiling of one of biggest indoor Christmas Tree in Manila. 

Press Release: Ajinomoto is Liza and Kathryn’s Kitchen Best Friend

Before, the kitchen is a scary place for young people as cooking was a task used to be given to moms and household helps.  However, technology has played a major role in helping people in the kitchen.  Nowadays, everybody can cook by searching online different cooking videos and “food hacks” that can help them create any dish they want and show it off in social media.

Young celebrities Liza Soberano and Kathryn Bernardo are the newest tandem to endorse AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning.  Both of them enjoy cooking for their loved ones.  Apart from searching the internet, Liza and Kathryn are confident in their cooking because they can rely on a brand of seasoning to make delicious home-cooked dishes.  Kitchen newbies or experienced cooks can rely in AJI-NO-MOTO® to be their kitchen best friend – to help serve enjoyable and nourishing dishes for the whole family.

AJI-NO-MOTO® can be used in several dishes as it has no specific flavor of its own and has no smell and can therefore help enhance the original flavor of any dish.  AJI-NO-MOTO® is a quality product that is safe as it is made from natural crops such as sugar cane, cassava or corn and is manufactured through a natural process of fermentation.  It enriches the taste of any dish by providing the umami taste.  Umami is the fifth basic taste which is also described as the rich and savory (malinamnam). 

Here are simple and easy to follow recipe that young people can cook.

NILAGANG BAKA

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ liters of water

1 teaspoon of black peppercorns

2 pieces of onion, medium-size, chopped

½ kilo of beef shank, cut into serving pieces

2 pieces of corn, cut into five per serving pieces

2 pieces of potatoes, medium-size, peeled, quartered

½ piece of small cabbage, quartered

1 ½ teaspoons of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning

1 tablespoon of iodized salt

PROCEDURE

·         In a casserole, put 2 ½ liters of water, add onions, peppercorns, and beef.

·         Boil beef until tender.

·         Add potatoes and corn; boil for 2-3 minutes.

·         Add cabbage, mix well.

·         Sprinkle AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning and simmer for 30 minutes.

·         Add salt and mix well.

·         Serve hot.

OMURICE

INGREDIENTS

Rice Mixture:

1 ½ tbsps of vegetable oil

¼ cup of garlic, peeled, minced

¼ cup of onions, peeled, minced

½ cup of ground pork

½ cup of frozen carrots

¼ tsp of ground black pepper

2 cups of cooked rice, short grain

1 tsp of soy sauce

1 tsp of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning

Egg Mixture:

1 tbps of vegetable oil

3 pieces of eggs, small, beaten

1/8 tsp of pulverized black pepper

½ tsp of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning

1/8 tsp of iodized salt

PROCEDURE

Rice Mixture:

·         Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic and onions for one (1) minute over low heat.

·         Add ground pork and cook until brown.

·         Add carrots and black pepper.

·         Add rice and stir-fry for another minute over medium heat.

·         Add soy sauce, mix well.

·         Sprinkle AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning and mix well.

·         Remove from fire, mound the rice on plate then set aside.

Egg Mixture:

·         In a bowl, beat the eggs until the whites and yolks are well combined.

·         Add pulverized black pepper.

·         Sprinkle AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, mix well.

·         Heat oil in a pan and fry the egg mixture.

·         Remove fried eggs out of the pan and mold it well on top of the rice.

·         Serve with catsup.

ADOBONG PUTI

INGREDIENTS

½ kilo of chicken, adobo cut                                       ½ cup of vinegar                                                      

1/3 cup of garlic, peeled, crushed                               

1 piece of bayleaf, crushed

¼ teaspoon of peppercorn, cracked

½ cup of water

½ cup of cooking oil for deep frying

1 teaspoon of AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning

1 tbsp of refined sugar

1 tsp of iodized salt

PROCEDURE

·         Combine chicken, vinegar, garlic, bayleaf, peppercorn and water in a pot.

·         Let boil and lower heat. Simmer until tender.

·         Drain the chicken pieces from the broth.

·         Heat oil in another pan and deep fry chicken pieces. Return to the broth.

·         Simmer until liquid has been reduced to half.

·         Sprinkle AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami seasoning and sugar. Simmer for one (1) minute.

·         Add salt and mix well.

·         Serve hot.