Music Bits - Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and then some.

Here I go again.

Before I opened my blog I had a lot of things going in my head and I thought, "I should write this down now before I forget it." And what do you know, my mind's a blank.

I know I wanted to write something interesting about my record player. I just finished watching the film adaptation of The Perks of Being A Wallflower and looked up the song list when I saw that they used a different song for the tunnel scene. In the movie they used "Heroes" by David Bowie but in the book it was Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide". I remembered that I have a vinyl of Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours. I dusted it off and discovered "Landslide" wasn't in it. I played the record anyway. A quick search on Wikipedia and I find out it's the band's most successful album, and even won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978.

My copy has several scratches so I didn't get to enjoy some of the songs but it's good enough that I listened through the skips. There's one familiar song, "Dreams." You'd know it if you're a 90s kid and watched The Corrs on MTV.

I've always been partial to sad/slow songs so my favorites are "Never Going Back Again", "Songbird", and the last three songs: "I Don't Want to Know", "Oh Daddy", and "Gold Dust Woman."

I plan to listen to its remastered version which was released in 2004. During my morning commute I usually listen to The Morning Rush podcasts, but lately I've been mixing it up with my playlists. It's been a while since I got hooked on an album. I only have two on my phone, Beyonce's self-titled and Sarah Bareilles's The Blessed Unrest. I guess I'll be adding Rumours now.

Four years ago, when I didn't care about how much things cost, I bought this record player in Rockwell from a man who then sold me other stuff, including a stash of vinyls and an antique electric fan. I've gotten a lot of jabs from my family and friends for spending (they used the term wasting) money, but I'll never regret buying my player. They're making a come back and they're more expensive now, but when people ask me, I can tell them I was way ahead of the pack.

That's all. Good night world, hope you had a nice weekend! 

P.S. Listen to "Landslide" kids, seriously. 

Life Bits - 2013 in a Survey

I used to do this year-end survey in my old blog, and I thought it proper to continue with this little tradition. I didn't think I'd be able to dig this up because my old blog shut down last year. Or so I thought. When a friend mentioned on Twitter that she planned on answering the survey as well, I tried Googling for my blog archives. What do you know, my old blog is alive after all! I won't link it though, some things are best left in the past. :) Maybe someday.

Anyway, with this survey, you get an idea of how my 2013 went:

What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
- Successfully bake a banana cake.

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
- Don't make 'em. But I crossed off some of the items in my list of 2013 goals.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
- No, but both my nieces turned one this year!

Did anyone close to you die?
- Yes. My aunt, Nanay Juliet passed away in June.

What countries did you visit?
-Vietnam.

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
-More stamps in my passport. A more stable income, and a steady fitness routine.

What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
-June 3, 2013. My life took a detour I didn't expect.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
-My baking wasn't actually half-bad!

What was your biggest failure?
-Small stuff. like keeping my place neat. hahaha - This has been it for the last half-decade.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
-Nothing major. My good ol' reliable acid reflux.

What was the best thing you bought?
-My Rebelle flats, Joan & Klaire camou tote, MAC lipsticks. :) Oh, and my BB Dakota leather jacket I got on sale for only 2k. Score! And the shopping haul I got from Pam Quinones's closet sale. (Is it obvious I'm a shopaholic?)

Whose behavior merited celebration?
-Everyone who helped after Yolanda.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
-JANET NAPOLES.

Where did most of your money go?
-Food. Bills.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
-Vietnam with Jay and his family. Coron!

What song(s) will always remind you of 2013?
- Gravity, Daylight, Sad.

Compared to this time last year, are you:

i.happier or sadder? --Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? -- People say thinner. I have no idea.
iii. richer or poorer? --Break-even.

What do you wish you'd done more?
-Exercise is the permanent answer to this question.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
-Eat.

How many one-night stands?
-Zero.

What was your favorite TV program?
-Orphan Black, Scandal, House of Cards, Suits, The Blacklist, Revenge, 2 Broke Girls, Hart of Dixie, Top Chef, Master Chef, Person of Interest, and Mistresses.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
-Nope

What was the best book you read?
- Every Day by David Levithan and Falling Together by Marisa Delos Santos

What was your greatest musical discovery?
-None. I'm quite sad about this, actually. I didn't listen to new music that much this year. But I like Katy Perry's new album.

What did you want and get?
- Hmmm. Let me get back to you on that. But I was really lucky in promos and giveaways. Won three blog/online promos this year!

What was your favorite film/s of this year?
- Flight, The Great Gatsby, Ekstra, Transit, On the Job.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
-26, dinner with my mom.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
-A dive. One more trip abroad. Brady.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
-Went semi-corporate because of my new company's dress code. My feet hating me for it (no more sandals).

What kept you sane?
-My journals, books, TV series, and Jay.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
-Bianca King (her home) and Agoo Bengzon.

What political issue stirred you the most?
-PDAF Scam.

Who did you miss?
-Always, my dad.

Who was the best new person you met?
-The whole editorial team. :)

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
- Leave no room for regret, just acknowledge that sometimes, you make poor decisions. Be glad you have the power to change them (October 2013).

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
-"Lagi kang mukhang pleasant. Parang hindi ka nagagalit."
-"Continue being the poster girl for the editorial team! Achieve! *sparkles*"

The most touching experience you've had this year?
-My last visit to Nanay in the hospital.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
- I stuck to my responsibilities.That I didn't (well, haven't) crack under pressure.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
-Procrastinating, and not thinking about my decisions that much.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
- "Oh this road is long, this road is wide. It takes more than luck to last the ride. It takes strength and it takes courage to survive."

Was 2013 a good year for you?
- No.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
- Dinner at Castaway Island, Coron with Jay and Nins. Talking to my 96-year-old grand-aunt.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
-Leaving the office at 3am.

Where were you when 2013 began?
- At home, inhaling smoke and jumping like a jellybean.

Who were you with?
-Family.

Where will you be when 2013 ends?
-At Jay's home.

Who will you be with when 2013 ends?
-Jay and his family.

Do you have a new years resolution for 2014?
- Not really resolutions. More like goals.

What was your favorite month of 2013?
-May.

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2013?
-Yes.

Did you miss anybody in the past year?
-My Dad and Nanay.

What was your favorite record from 2013?
-Maroon 5's Overexposed and Katy Perry's Prism.

How many concerts did you see in 2013?
- Four: The Script, Bamboo, Carly Rae (don't judge, it was free), and Fall Out Boy. 

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2013?
- No.

Do a lot of drugs in 2013
- Do prescription drugs count?

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
-No.

How much money did you spend in 2013?
- A LOT.

What was your proudest moment of 2013?
- Baking class. :) Oh, I was surprised when glamour.com picked up one of my blog entries. Haha! And getting back to magazine writing after two years. :)

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2013?
- Hmmm. Wala naman.

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2013 and change something, what would it be?
- Signing my name on the dotted line. Hehe.

What are your plans for 2014?
- Be more educated financially, find a more stable job, bake more and cook more.

How are you different now that the year has ended?
- More focused on the future. More wary of user-friendly people.

What are your wishes for the new year?
- For my prayers to come true!

Life Bits - Martha Stewart Dreams

It's one of the rare times I was able to get out of the office early. I hitched a ride with my officemate and got home at around eight in the evening. I wanted to do something productive so I baked a batch of banana bread. It's now cooking in the oven. I've washed the dishes and I'm waiting for my download to finish so I decided to kill time by writing this post. It's been a while. I have tons of resto bites I should be writing, but that takes so much out of me. I actually missed making an entry, just talking about my day and my many musings.

Ever since I got into my new job, I've learned a lot of new things, especially about marketing. Most of them are confidential, of course, but let's just say it opened my eyes to the way things are offered and sold to consumers. And yeah, it's hard to look at bloggers the same way again. Right now, that's all I'll say about that, maybe one day I'll expand on it, but best not to make enemies today.

What I really want to talk about is how I am such a homebody. When people find out that I live alone, they often ask me if I get lonely. I don't. I've learned the art of solitude and actually look forward to coming home to no one. I don't have to take care of anybody else, or care what I wear inside my own house, whether I leave a mess in the kitchen and take care of it in the morning. I'm perfectly fine with my books, my TV series, and decent food. Going out to clubs or drinking all night has never really been my thing. I'd rather talk to friends over good food.

But sometimes I also love having people over. It's hard because my place is small, so when I invite people it's usually at the swimming pool where I create a mini-spread. Those are the things that make me happy. I even bought my own plastic table cloth with a nice pattern, and one time I picked up a small bouquet at the supermarket and placed it on the table. Yes, I'm a Martha Stewart/Nigella Lawson/Giada Di Laurentiis/Lemon Breeland wanna-be. One day I'm gonna have a nice house with a decent lawn (maybe even a pool), where I can hold intimate dinners with my friends and their families. I'll also have a kick-ass kitchen with a long wooden, rustic dining table and a shiny island counter for my baking and cooking stuff.

Some people thrive in the corporate setting. They get a kick out of acing presentations and pitching campaigns. But me? I'm perfectly fine with being at home. Right now I have to carve my little niche in the corporate world, but I can't wait to put that pink apron on years from now. I'll have a little home office for my writing projects and little business, but my real arena will be the kitchen. Yeah, that sounds good to me. :)


Did this post really make sense? Haha. Daydreaming over, my timer just went off. Hope my officemates enjoy what I bring to the office tomorrow!

Vanity Bits - Clarisonic Mia

I've read about Clarisonic Mia from various blogs and magazine features, but I was holding off on buying one because it's expensive. As far as I know, it's not yet sold locally, except for some shops that sell it on Instagram. Also, I have sensitive skin and I didn't want to waste money on something that will not be suitable for my skin type (oily and acne-prone). I read more reviews online and searched for products that can be used with the Mia. I was on the fence about it for so long, a Mia 2 has already come out!

Clarisonic Mia is an electronic brush that cleans and washes your face for you, so you don't have to rub your it using your fingers. It claims to clean it thoroughly so the creams and serums you apply at night can be absorbed better. When I inquired with an online seller, I was told that the only difference between Mia and Mia 2 aside from the price is the speed. Mia 2 rotates twice as fast. Shorter cleaning time I guess?

When my friend asked me if I wanted to share the shipping cost of a Balikbayan Box, I took that as an opportunity to treat myself to some online shopping. My box of goodies composed of three things: clothes, food (Trader Joe's goodies!), and my Clarisonic Mia which I bought from Amazon. My package contained the unit, a charger, and a small tube of facial cleanser. I also ordered two replacement brush heads since it's recommended to replace the brush head every three months.

Unfortunately, we had our box shipped during monsoon season, so it took about four months before we got our stuff. But no worries, we got them still in tiptop shape. I was so excited to try if the Mia works for me!

First, I charged the unit for 24 hours. It's my first time to use a charger that attaches to a gadget magnetically (except for my laptop). So cool! Haha. The Mia itself is fully waterproof so you can use it in the shower or in the tub, but be sure to keep your charger away from water! With a fully-charged battery, the Mia is good for twenty minutes of cleaning.

My Clarisonic Mia connected to its charger. 

The brochure has instructions on how to clean your face using the Mia. Basically, you need to spend around 20 seconds for each section of your face (forehead, cheeks, nose and chin). You can either put the cleanser on your face or on the brush head. Push the power button of the Mia, then it's brushing happiness time!

I am not kidding, it's kind of liberating to clean your face using this gadget. All you have to do is hold the Mia and it does all the cleaning for you. It automatically shuts off after one minute to be sure that you don't overscrub your face. And I don't know if it's the cleanser I used, but my face feels so clean after. There's a slight tingling sensation, but not the painful kind, the fresh kind.

I waited until I used it for a couple of weeks before I did this review so I can give honest and solid results. I can say that it's helped reduce the oiliness of my face, and it also reduced the appearance of my blackheads. I also haven't had major breakouts since I started using it. A couple of pimples before my period, but that't it. So I'm confident I can use this for a long time.

Seriously, cleaning my face with the Clarisonic Mia has been one of my daily highlights! :p

Life Bits: Dealing with compliments

I saw this video on Ms. Tina's blog. I so agree with this! Most women or people in general do not know how to deal with compliments. They shrug it off and then say something negative about themselves. For example, when you tell them they lost weight, they'd say something like "No, I actually gained weight!" I do that sometimes too, but we should really not make a habit of it. Watch the video and tell me if this isn't true!



There was a time someone complimented what I was wearing and I said, "Oo nga e [ang ganda]. Thank you!" And she laughed because my reaction wasn't the usual "Hindi naman..."

I love when people compliment me and I thank them for it because it means I made the right choice in buying something or choosing to wear that something (a dress, a pair of shoes, a shade of lipstick).

Guys and girls, there's nothing wrong with saying thank you when someone throws you a compliment. It builds self-esteem. :)

Music Bits: Bamboo

A little back story: I am a big music fan. I turn to music when I'm happy and even more when I'm sad. I've been a choir member since I was seven years old, and songs bring me back to certain moments of my life. I will always associate Avril Lavigne's album Let Go with our Tagaytay camping trip when I was a high school senior. Damien Rice's "Cannonball" was my 2006 theme song. Adele's album 21  helped get me through the last part of 2011 and the first quarter or 2012. "Butterfly Kisses" will always be for my Dad, and "Grow Old With You" for Jay.

Jay and I are avid music lovers. We love going to UP Fair and attending concerts when we can. One of my best memories of him is when we attended both of Eraserheads' reunion concerts: The Reunion and The Final Set.

Because he was working in Vietnam back in March, I had to take Niña to the Script's concert in Araneta Coliseum. Last month, my Mom asked me if I wanted to go to Bamboo's Musikat Jam concert with her at Resorts World Manila. I immediately said yes because 1) it's free, and 2) Jay wasn't here to accompany me.

I must admit I'm not a big Bamboo fan. Of course I know all the hit songs when he was still with Rivermaya, and I know the chorus of Bamboo's (the band) rock hits. I don't follow his music closely, it's just that he's everywhere so you can't really miss his songs.

But after watching him in an intimate indoor venue and hearing him sing live using a good sound system, I now understand his appeal. I've only heard him sing the rock songs in outdoor venues before, so I was more a fan of the electric vibe he brings to the stage.

I think the mark of a true artist is when his voice is as good live as it is recorded. I daresay, Bamboo sounds even better live. His voice is so smooth even when he's supposed to be screaming, and clear even if he's being squished by eager fans wanting to take a photo. In Filipino, the perfect word is swabe.

The first part of the concert concentrated on tracks from his solo album No Water, No Moon. But my heart skipped a beat when I heard the band play the opening chords of one of my all-time favorite songs, Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me."

Now, I have to point out that Bamboo's band (not to be confused with his former band with the same name) is very good. A girl provided back-up vocals, played the piano, and also the flute. The double bass (the giant violin) player also played the guitar (I'm assuming it was a bass guitar as well). And when Bamboo sang a wicked version of "Wonderwall," I was mentally floating on musical heaven while the strings were playing their solo part. Aaaaah, strings. Side note: The violin and cello were the cool kind, the ones that look like skeletons of the actual instruments.

The second part of the concert was the rock part, the one the audience was waiting for. Bamboo started the set with Rivermaya's "214," and followed it with the other hits. I can't remember the exact order, but it included: "Elesi," "Tatsulok," "Hallelujiah," and "NoyPi." And because Bamboo is the Globe Tattoo@Home Ambassador, he also sang the LSS-inducing "Carousel," which is the theme song used for Tattoo@Home. 

Until that point, the atmosphere was subdued, a bit stiff and formal since we were at RWM's Newport Performance Theater. Bamboo kept going down the stage to the audience, but because he was singing the slow songs, the people were contented taking his photos from afar.

Things changed once he started rocking. I couldn't see exactly what he was stepping on, but on two occasions he was surrounded by screaming fans while he towered over them and security personnel were trying very hard to control the crowd. The people then rushed to the stage, phones and tablets in hand, arms raised and jumping along. The technical crew had to protect the speakers from falling off the stage.

Bamboo was wired enough to grant an encore of several songs including "Adik Sa'yo," "Englishman in New York" and "Sunday Morning." I'm not sure if there were others, I was too busy smiling at him and reaching for his hand (which he shook twice! Haha). A concert-goer lives for moments like that. When you're so close to the stage you almost get a stiff neck, when you're so pumped and happy you try to make the bouncers smile and sing along.

Bamboo, you did not disappoint. I shall listen to your solo album and pick a favorite.

As I was searching for Bamboo's songs, I came across his latest video which made me smile. Listen to some good music and enjoy your Sunday dear reader! :)

Resto Bites: Kasbah

For my birthday, I treated my office friends Mariela and Ten to lunch at Kasbah, The Fort. I got a good deal from Groupon, which included a set lunch for four, for only P1600. It was our first time to eat there, and we weren't disappointed.

Kasbah is located at The Fort Strip, near Bonifacio High Street Central. It's the same building where Fitness First, Keg, and URBN are. The huge wooden doors open up to a loft-type space, with high ceilings and natural light coming in from the huge windows. The restaurant, which can probably accommodate up to 50 people,  also has a bar inside and outside seating where the shishas are smoked.

Just a disclaimer for all my restaurant "reviews": As a diner, I am pretty easy to please. I'm not a picky eater who would dissect each and every ingredient. I can be very particular about the service and the cleanliness, but I can eat at a carinderia or at a 5-star hotel restaurant. So when I say the food is bad, it must be really bad.

But no such thing at Kasbah, because we had flavorful Moroccan dishes. The set lunch was for four but since there were only the three of us, we were stuffed!

First we were served the Hummus Harisa, described on the menu as chickpea with tahini puree. The brown stripes you see on the photo are probably paprika, which added a kick to the appetizer. It came with warm sliced pita. The thing with Morrocan dishes is that they are really filling. You can order this and one kebab and you'll be good.

Also part of the set meal was the Tabbouleh salad. This is one of my favorite dishes! Whenever I eat at a restaurant that has it on the menu, I always order it. It's a simple dish of parsley, tomatoes and mint with a lemon dressing. It's so light and refreshing, I can eat this all day! Kasbah serves their Tabbouleh with couscous, which like I said, makes this dish filling. If you're on a diet, this can be your lunch.

Our meal also came with four glasses of iced tea. Kasbah's iced tea isn't your run-of-the-mill variety. It has a nice flavor that can be a tad sweet. But I'd rather have that than the watered-down kind.

Our main course was a platter of chicken, fish and eggplant topped with a mustard sauce. The chicken was stuffed with prunes, but the spices didn't make the dish taste too sweet. Everything was well-seasoned, and the portions were good for four diners.

We were planning to order Lamb Tagine which is one of their specialties, but we were so full from our lunch there was no more space in our tummies (we had too leave room for dessert though)! Service is also efficient and the waiting time between dishes was just right to allow conversations among our group.

On my next visit, maybe I'd get to try their tagine and their kebabs too!

Kasbah is definitely worth coming back to!

Kasbah, The Fort Strip
7th Avenue Corner Katipunan Circle
Fort Global City
Taguig City, Metro Manila
+6325534499
+639172058802

Book Bits: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

This year, I realized I've been reading a lot of Young Adult books and Why We Broke Up is one of the few I've read. This is the book I chose to do my first review on, because it's the first book on my 2013 Reading List (I am now on my 10th book) that generated a strong reaction from me.

And that reaction is that I didn't like it. I know, it's straightforward. But it's true.

Why We Broke Up is about Min Green, who writes an extremely long letter to her ex-boyfriend Ed, detailing the reasons why they broke up and revealing to the readers their love story in the process. The letter goes inside a box full of mementos collected throughout their relationship.

It's a good book. It has a good and relatable story, but what I didn't like was how it was written. Daniel Handler wrote it in the main character's stream of consciousness, and that's what made it problematic. The sentences were too long, the thoughts too crowded, the words losing their meaning. I had to skip several pages because I couldn't stand getting stuck inside Min's head. The characters also talk weird for some reason, like they were Yoda. Wrong, is what you did. Sorry, is what she said. Also, I'm not an expert on literature and writing styles, but it stressed me out whenever I saw the author use double adjectives.

Another thing that annoyed me was how Min kept referencing scenes from old movies. It was established from the get-go that she was a film buff, and not just an ordinary one, but an art film buff. You know, the kind who likes movies no one's ever heard of, let alone watched. Later on after finishing the novel, I find out it's because the movies and the stars were all made up. So, it wasn't me.

When I got to the end of the book, I learned that Daniel Handler is more popularly known as Lemony Snicket, best known for the A Series of Unfortunate Events books. I haven't read those books, or any other book he's written, so I don't know if this is really his writing style.

But here are the reasons why I gave the novel a chance and actually finished it: I could relate to Min. I am a sentimental person, and found it normal how she saved all those trinkets (bottle caps from when they first met, a container of sugar they stole, a basketball game pennant). I wouldn't have gone as far as giving them back to my ex, but that's the whole point of the novel so I will let that slide. Ed was her first love, and when you were in high school, didn't you save those little trinkets too, thinking it would make a conversation piece in the future? Hey, I save them until now!

I also understood how Min felt around Ed's jock friends, and how she wanted her friends to like Ed. I even related to her relationship with her guy best friend Al, who Ed thinks is gay.

Handler also created a strong character in Ed, the jock who was good in Math. Ed the romantic and ready to defy his friends, didn't care about their opinions, and was also weird in his own way. But also, the guy you wanted to hate because of what he did to Min.

Maira Kalman's animated illustrations appear at the start or the end of every chapter.

But if I will be honest, the reason you need to buy the book is because of Maira Kalman's wonderful illustrations.

Health Bits: Going Back to Yoga

I told you about the Urban Ashram Deal Grocer Coupon I bought last January, and now here's how my sessions went. 

I knew I had my work cut out for me because I haven't had proper exercise in years. Sure, I join fun runs, but I do it to be with friends and for the meal we share after the event. The last serious class I joined was Pilates with my former office maters. That was three years ago. I also did yoga when I was with the UP Pep Squad, but I wouldn't call myself a yogini. I just knew the basics. 

The hardest part for me was waking up before the sunrise. The comfort of my bed and the cool weather we had were real temptations to just skip the class. But I forced myself and thought that just showing up for the first day of class was already a big accomplishment. I warmed up by walking the two blocks from my building to the yoga studio. 

Entering the Urban Ashram studio, you'd know that they're one of the legit ones, and not one of those just riding on the hype. They have ample-sized rooms depending on the number of students, and they provide yoga mats, blocks, straps, and other materials which are sanitized after every class. The Kenneth Cobonpue-designed lobby is just a bonus.

The reception area at Urban Ashram Manila Brixton Branch

They offer different classes depending on your level/skill. I chose the Flexibility Not Required classes, which are great for beginners. But don't think that the class is easy. There are different teachers for each day of the week, but all of them are observant of the students' pace, and they make sure the beginners modify their poses to avoid injuries. They also encourage you to move at your own pace, and improve your poses to make you stronger. But they are also there to push you when they know you can still give more (especially when they see you resting during poses!). 

Even on my first day, I already noticed a difference. Sure, my body was sore, but my breathing improved and I became aware of my posture. I also made sure to drink more water throughout the day. 

I attended nine classes for the duration of my 15-day unlimited pass. I'd say it was a great deal. They only offer it to first time attendees though. After that, you have the option to get flexi pass cards which are good for 12 classes a month, or the monthly unlimited passes. You can also go big and get the annual pass which comes with additional perks. 

Budget permitting, I would've gotten the unlimited pass, because I know it would be good for me. But as much as I want to be fit for this year, one of my 2013 goals is to also manage my finances and curb my spending. And even if Urban Ashram offers great deals and quality experience, the amount is still way over my budget. If you have the budget and live near Kapitolyo or the Bonifacio Global City area, go visit their site and see the best option for you. 

 As if knowing my dilemma, Deal Grocer has another great offer from Urban Ashram! This time, it's a 40-Day Unlimited Pass for all their Daytime Classes (from 6:30-4:40pm). From it's original price of P5000, it's now P2500. What's great is this deal is applicable to first-time and previous practitioners of the Ashram. I'm still on the fence whether I'd get this deal or not. But like I said, if you have the budget, then grab this deal now!

Urban Ashram Manila

High Street Branch
Bonifacio Global City
3rd Floor, Active Fun Building
9th corner 28th Avenue
Bonifacio Global City
(02) 869 YOGA (9642)
(02) 856 0130

Brixton Branch
Suite 302, 3 Brixton Street,
Kapitolyo, Pasig City
(02) 661 YOGA (9642)
(02) 377 YOGA (9642)
0917 881 YOGA (9642)

P.S. Have you noticed the different fonts in my blog entries? Yeah I'm trying to figure it out. Blogger is kind of weird. What appears on my dashboard isn't the same as the one that's being published. If you know what I should do, please hit up the comments. Thanks!

Health Bits: Getting Fit

Every new year, most of us are excited with the prospect of a clean slate, a new start. Some people like making new year's resolutions. And almost always, one of the items on their list is to exercise/lose weight/go to the gym. So the fitness centers see an increase in enrollments. Gyms are packed during the first two weeks of the new year. But how many of these people actually follow through with their resolution?

I never make new year's resolutions. I believe that if you want to change something, you can do it anytime, not just at the start of the year. But I admit, I am also excited with the possibilities and changes a new year promises. So instead of NYR's, I make a list of goals. Things I want to accomplish, versus things I want to change.

And Top 2 on my 2013 list is to find an exercise regimen that works for me. I have gained a lot of weight and haven't had exercise in years. I noticed that I get exhausted easily, and I have to catch my breath after just climbing a flight of stairs. So I knew I really needed to do something about it. 

I was choosing between two options: Zumba and Yoga. I used to be a member of the UP Pep Squad, so it goes without saying that I love to dance. :) We also had yoga classes as part of our training then. 

There's a dance studio a couple of blocks from my place and late last year, they finally offered Zumba classes. I also found out that there's a yoga studio on the same street: Urban Ashram Manila. 

One of the studios at Urban Ashram Manila (Brixton Branch)

What sealed the deal for me was the promo I saw on Deal Grocer last January. They offered a 15-Day Unlimited Pass to their studios in Pasig and Bonifacio High Street, for only P1000.00! That is a steal, because their regular rate for the 15-Day Unli Pass is P1500, and that is only exclusive for one branch. Walk-in classes are P600. The catch is you have to use the pass in a span of 15 consecutive days. And the classes convenient for me were all early in the mornings. As in 6:30am early. Talk about commitment!

I decided to go for it, and bought the coupon. I'll tell you all about my yoga homecoming in one of my next entries! :)

Do you have a goal for 2013? How are you doing so far? :)