Tupperware Kids Plus+ Is Your Kid’s Best Partner In Play Dates

One afternoon of September, Tupperware Brands invited Neo and I to their head office.  The invitation was very exciting as it says they have prepared a special activity especially for the kids.  As a mom, there is no better treat than for other people say they have prepared something special for your child, right?

So off to the Tupperware Brands head office we go.  We arrived quite early than the start of the program.  Together with other mommy bloggers’ kids, Neo decided to play around the reception area.  They were very active.

After waiting for quite a while we were ushered to the conference room where mommies were given a comfortable seat to listen to Tupperware Brands introduce their brands.  Tupperware Brands is divided into three categories: Tupperware, Beauty, and Kids/Babies.  That afternoon, we focused on the Kids and Babies brand.

Tupperware Brands’ Kids/Babies line’s main thrust is called “Alagang Plus+”.  This means that their Baby Care Plus and Kids Plus line has been specially formulated to give children extra care that solves specific problems.  Baby Care Plus line is composed of bath, cologne, lotion, shampoo, powder, and soap.  All these are formulated to make sure babies skin are protected, hydrated, and without allergic reactions.   And just in time for Christmas, Baby Care Plus will launch the Baby Care Plus Gift Sets perfect for gift giving.

Perfect for gift-giving this coming Christmas season.

While we, mommy bloggers, were seated comfortably and listening to the different Tupperware products, our little ones were busy as well.  They are busy being playful and active.  This is because they are enjoying Tupperware Brands’ special activity for them: Gymboree play date! J  

Gymboree, has set up a mini play area for our kids.  There they play, sing, and be very active.  And because they are very active, they become smelly.  So in the middle of playing, our kids were asked to come to us so we could apply to them the Kids Plus Baby Powder and Cologne.

Kids Plus is not new to me.  Last year, I was given a chance to try Kids Plus to Neo.  Now, Kids Plus has a new and improved packaging – but same product we love.  Kids Plus is sectioned into two areas: Bath Time which includes Shampoo, Soap, and Bath, and Play Time which includes Lotion, Cologne, and Powder.  The Bath Time line of Kids Plus is in yellow color packaging to stimulate creativity and energy, while the Play Time line is in green color packaging as green is associated with learning, growth, and harmony.  Kids Plus product is the same with Baby Care Plus.  It is formulated to make sure our kids’ skin is protected, hydrated, and without allergic reactions.

After applying Kids Plus Cologne and Powder to Neo, he smelled so nice even though he played a lot and is very active.  His hair smelled nice too as Neo is using Baby Care Plus Shampoo since we were introduced to it last year. 

Playing helps build our kids physical, mental, and social skills.  Mommies, we don’t need to stop our kids from playing a lot just because they become smelly afterwards.  Tupperware Brands Kids Plus is our kids’ best partner in play dates as it makes sure our kids smell nice and their skins are protected.

Japanese Dinner at Dohtonbori

After visiting Japan last March, the hubby and I have been inclined to eating Japanese cuisines.  Lucky for us because there are a lot of Japanese-themed restaurants are opening in the metro today.  One of those is Dohtonbori at SM Mall of Asia.

Dohtonbotri has one of the most unusual dining settings among all the Japanese-inspired restaurants in Manila.  Customers get to sit a dining area covered in tatami.  Cool right?  Each table has its own griddle that serves as a cooking area as most dishes are cooked in your table.

Upon entrance you will be asked to remove your shoes and place it in a shoe locker.  A locker key will be provided.

Dohtonbori’s specialty cuisine is not the usual ramen – but okonomiyaki.  Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake.  

When we visited, we ordered a Butatama (okonomiyaki) at Php199, Tonkotsu Ramen (because they serve ramen too) at Php290, Chicken Shio (not the usual karaage) at Php150, and rice sets (which includes miso soup) at Php90 each.  The chicken shio and butatama was cooked in front of us.

Creamy Tonkotsu Ramen.

Rice and Miso Soup.

Very well marinated Chicken Shio. 

Butatama (Okonomiyaki) topped with Japanese Mayo.

All dishes are savory and were affordably priced.  I love the ambience of the place.  However, I was not so fond of the scent of dishes being cooked in front of me – as well as the hot cooking oil that goes to my skin during the cooking time.  I think they need to put a small divider to so the cooking oil won’t go the customers or their clothes.  Nonetheless, I would definitely eat in this place again – but not with Neo in tow. J

McDonald’s Happy Studio App Makes Happy Meal Play Time Even Better

Every kid loves McDonald’s Happy Meal.  It comes not just with your favorite McDonald’s meal but also a range of collectible toys that little children love to play.  My little boy is no exception.  Neo takes delight in every McDonald’s Happy Meal he gets especially playing with the toy that comes with it.

McDonald’s knew how little kids love the Happy Meal and they also knew how modern children are engaged in learning through the digital platform.  As such, the McDonald’s Happy Studio App was launched. 

The McDonald’s Happy Studio App is an interactive learning and play app that makes the Happy Meal even more enjoyable.  It is filled with several character-themed games that kids can explore to develop their creativity and skills. 

We, parents, would love to try anything before we let our children try it themselves.  Be food, things, books, or even apps they play at.  Before giving Neo a chance to try the Happy Studio App, I tried it myself first. Now, let me share to you my review of the Happy Studio App.

The Happy Studio App features several activities for kids (and kids at heart to play at). There are three educational activities to try.  There’s also an entertainment activity in the app.  Also, the Happy Studio App offers offline activities that you can play with. 

The three educational activities to try are the: Be A Musician, Be An Inventor, and Be An Artist.  Be a musician helps your kids develop good memory skills.  It plays different tunes and little kids can try to memorize it to get a star.  Be an artist helps kids develop their creativity skills.  They draw and color on the app and these drawings with colors come to life in the app.  Be an inventor helps enhance your kids building and inventing capacity.  They will fly rockets the build, race cars they customized, finish mazes, and a lot more.  I find this part really difficult (as though it challenges my physics background haha).  All these activities, once completed, will give reward items (mostly for fashion) for Happy Meal.

The entertainment part of the Happy Studio App enhances eye hand coordination of our kids in the tap the ball game. It also enhances your kids’ creativity in dressing Happy Meal fashionably through the reward items they get in the educational activities.

The offline games activity suggests various activities kids can play at with their playmates and friends.  They can play charades and create science experiments.  This helps develop your kids’ social skills. 

The highlight of the Happy Studio App for me is the Scan Your Happy Meal toy.  You can buy a Happy Meal toy and scan it.  It makes collecting more fun.

This little boy loves playing 

the Happy Studio App. 

Mommies and Daddies, what are you waiting for?  Download the Happy Studio App and have an educational and interactive activity with your little kids.

Happy Studio App is available for download from the App Store and Google Play.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  However, all opinions are mine. 

Eating Healthily: Go, Glow, and Grow

The educational curriculum nowadays is so advanced.  I remember learning the food groups called Go, Glow, and Grow when I was in third grade.  It’s different now.  My little boy who’s a first grader is currently studying these food groups.  I honestly felt this is good since early introduction of eating healthily will affect every kid’s eating habits.  

Now, let’s review. 

Go foods are foods rich in carbohydrates.  Go foods help gives energy to the body.  For an active boy, Neo needs a lot of Go foods.  He can have his daily supply of Go foods by eating rice and breads. 

Glow foods are foods rich in vitamins and minerals.  Glow foods help regulate our body.  It makes our skin glow.  Neo can have his daily supply of Glow foods by eating vegetables and fruits.  Some kids find it a challenge to eat Glow foods.  My little boy is the same.  But it’s okay.  He’s learning to appreciate Glow foods.

Grow foods are foods rich in protein.  Grow foods help build our body cells and muscles.  As a growing kid, Neo needs a lot of Grow food.  He can get grow foods in milk, pork, and fish.   Grow food is something that Neo needs no persuasion in eating.  This is because chicken and eggs are part of Grow foods.

Apart from the need to make sure that a balanced meal will be given to my family, little Neo, as with other kids his age, loves eating chickens (especially the fried ones).  So my task as a mom is to make sure he still gets to eat what he wants and to ensure that the nutrition from chicken will not go missing in his weekly diet. 

As a mom, it is entrusted to me to make sure every food we take in our home are safe.  I ensure to source the safest and healthiest (and most practical, not just affordable) food we serve in our dining table.   This goes with all foods.

There are a lot of poultry providers in the country.  Magnolia Fresh Chicken is one of them.  What made me choose Magnolia Fresh Chicken apart from the other providers?  Magnolia Fresh Chickens are raised in environmentally controlled houses, no antibiotic residue, and no added hormones and steroids.  These chickens are stress-free!  No wonder it’s a trusted brand for moms like me. 

Look! Our freezer is full of our trusted Magnolia Fresh Chicken! J

For moms like me, it’s good to hear that the chickens we consume are safe and stress-free, right?  It is very important to teach our kids to eat healthily and have a well-balanced meal.  That is the reason why chicken will always be a staple in our dining table.  And Magnolia Fresh Chicken are safe to consume.  Kaya Magsiguro, Mag-Magnolia! Sigurado ka dito!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  However, all opinions are mine. 

Villa Excellance Resort at Tanza Cavite

We are a family who bonds mostly through eating and swimming.  If there’s an occasion, we either eat out or go on a swimming escapade or both.  Father’s Day this year was no exception.  So even though it was already the rainy season, we decided to go swimming to celebrate Father’s Day.  We initially planned to go to Pansol, a famous place in Laguna for hotspring resorts.  But due to some minor issues, we decided to just celebrate at a resort in Cavite.   We found ourselves at Villa Excellance Resort at Tanza.

Villa Excellance Resort is a big resort with several swimming pools and a beach area.  It has a lot of day tour cottages that can cater several guests.  Overnight accommodations are also available for night swimmers.   Prices vary depending on the size of cottage you will rent.

The wave pool is the highlight of Villa Excellance swimming area.  During our stay, the wave pool generates waves more than 3 times and as long as almost 30 minutes per wave batch.  The wave pool is enjoyable but there are areas in the flooring that is quite rough. 

There’s also a small kids’ water-park at the swimming area.  Neo had so much fun in this area.  I think we all had. J

There’s also a small Jacuzzi-like area, a small lazy-river, and a small pool that is 5 feet deep.

Entrance to the beach area is Php75 per person, while entrance to swimming pool area with access to the beach area is Php250.  

There is nothing to rave about the beach area.  Tanza beach is along the same shoreline as Manila Bay.  The sand is black, the water isn’t clear, and the beach area is not so clean.  So I suggest you pay for the swimming pool area with access to the beach. 

There are cooking and grilling areas (because grilled foods are the best during swimming outing).  The comfort rooms and shower areas are clean too.

Our experience at Villa Excellance is a nice one.  The swimming pools are all nice and clean.  The entrance fee is not too high.  Cottage fees are not too pricey as well. What makes this swimming outing nicer is that we went there during the start of the rainy season; therefore, the place was not too crowded.  So for your next outing, you may want to try Villa Excellance if you want to stay close to the metro.

PS:  This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions are mine.

Press Release: World Travel Expo 2017, Year 2

With the theme “Ride to the Dawn of Travel Revolution…Your Next Level of Destination”, World Travel Expo Year 2 aims to be the marketing platform for the travel industry.  World Travel Expo will serve as a channel between the international and national tour operators, airline companies, and travel authorities.

World Travel Expo Year 2 will showcase at least 245 booths of Inbound and Outbound Travel Operators, Travel Agencies, Cruise Lines, Hotels, Resorts, Serviced Apartments Accommodations, Themed Tours, Business Travel, Travel Gears and Accessories, and a lot more.

The 3-day expo, that will happen on October 8, 9, and 10 at SMX Convention Center Pasay City, will consists of workshops and activities related to travel and tourism which can provide useful and helpful information for both exhibitors and visitors.  Travelers, Entrepreneurs, and Individuals are encouraged to participate to score exclusive travel discounts and deals during the 3-day event. 

This event will bring together destinations, tourist attractions as well as organizations and business trade relations in the field of hotels, airlines, cruise, and other means of travel around the world.  It commits to provide effective platform that will help the Philippines for the global tourism and its development thru a one-stop solution by promoting sales and brand awareness.  

Entrance fee to World Travel Expo Year 2 is Php50 for walk –in and Php30 for online registration.  Register on the link here: http://www.worldtravelexpo.ph/registration-2/

Press Release: The Future City, An Interactive Digital Park

Last Saturday and Sunday, The Future Park together with Nestle Nankid Optipro Four launched Future City: An Interactive Digital Park.  All kids, and kids at heart, had an extraordinary learning experience at the Future City.  Future City was designed to help reshape our kids’ future today through one-of-a-kind interactive activities that will put kids (and parents too) mind and eyes in awe.

Future City is a pioneering digital park that aims to educate and empower children and their parents about how their decisions today can affect the future.  Future City used technologies from all around the globe.  The park contains six (6) unique and engaging stations that will give guests the chance to participate in activities that will help nurture the minds.

The first activity is the Future Dome.  It gives the guests a glimpse of the several technological advances that will soon define the future cities – interactive cityscapes, solar powered walls, autonomous vehicles, and towering skyscrapers.

Sketch Village is the second station.  Here, guests will choose and color different patterns and watch them in a digital screen after scanned.

Stomp-the-Scrap Floor and Block-the-Junk Wall are the third and fourth stations.  Here, guests will have to chance to learn to differentiate healthy versus unhealthy food choices.

The fifth station is the Health Screener.  This helps parents assess the possibilities of children inheriting traits and diseases.  Family history plays an important part in determining conditions and diseases that can be inherited.

Future City ends at the Nankid area.  Nestle Nankid Optipro Four is a milk designed specifically for your child’s growth and development. 

The interactive nature of Future City is focused to the entire exhibit’s message, not just in terms of technology and infrastructures, but for far more essential choices for your children’s health and development.  Never settle for anything less especially when it comes to your child.  Give your child optimum nutrition and reshape their future today.

Bijin Nabe at S Maison: The Japanese Beauty Hot Pot

Ever since we traveled to Japan, we are now partial into eating Japanese food when dining out (this applies just for the hubby and me, as our little boy still loves fried chicken).   Japan food taste so delicious that a lot of Pinoys are very fond of eating it.

So we have been visiting Japanese restaurants lately and one of them is Bijin Nabe by Tsukada Nojo at S Maison in Pasay.  What made us choose this restaurant is because they serve Japanese Beauty Hot Pot.

The interior of Bijin Nabe looks like any other Japanese restaurant.  It has wooden tables and chairs, and only few couches.  All tables have built-in induction cooker for cooking their specialty dish: the Golden Collagen Chicken Soup.

Bijin Nabe serves several Japanese dishes but you are required to order the Golden Collage Chicken Soup.  A portion of this cost Php750.  One portion is good for two people.  

The Golden Collagen Chicken Soup is served first and heated at the induction cooker in the table.  It looks like a tofu.  It has 2 cuts of chicken and the staff will serve it for you to taste the soup without any added ingredients yet.  The soup is thick and very tasty.

After which, the staff will put all ingredients in the remaining collagen soup.  The ingredients include prawn, lettuce, red radish, sunflower sprout, enoki mushroom, baby sweet potato leaves, baby corn, lady’s finger, deep fried tofu, zucchini, fresh black fungus, and tori tsukune (ground chicken meat).  You will choose the noodle you want to add in your soup.  We chose the Tsuru Noodle.

The Golden Collagen Chicken Soup with complete ingredients is still tasty but no longer thick.

We also ordered the Chicken Nanban Original.  It cost Php295.  This is also the chicken Karaage but with sweet and sour nanban sauce.  Of all the Chicken Karaage I tasted here in the Philippines, this is the closest taste to that of Japan’s.

To complete our meal, we order their Japanese rice.  A cup of Japanese rice cost Php60.  The Japanese rice they serve has thick and rounded grains.

Overall, the food the Bijin Nabe served is very tasty and delicious.  The restaurant’s ambience is very cozy and comfortable.  However, their staffs need to smile more – though all of them were very attentive to our needs.  We had an awesome dining experience and we will definitely go back to Bijin Nabe as we had an almost authentic Japanese restaurant experience here.