Stockedia Philippines

Every person has their own unique love story.  It might sound cliche, but I knew Hubby was the one for me after a few months of dating.  Apparently, he felt the same because he proposed 9 months after we got together.  Talk about whirlwind romance!  But hey, as I always tell my single/heartbroken friends, if a person really is meant for you, then the whole universe will conspire to make it work, no matter what happens.  

From the moment you know you've find "the one", what's the next step?  Get married, of course!  But of course, there's no getting married without a proposal right?  A proposal that will knock the socks off your girl and make her say "yes, yes yes!" am I right, guys?  In order for that to happen, the very first step is to find the right ring.  But what's a guy to do when you've found your girl but the money is a bit tight?  That's where Stockedia comes in.

Who or what is Stockedia?  Stockedia Philippines is the country's most liked online jewelry store which sells affordable yet fabulous titanium and tungsten carbide engegement rings and wedding bands.  Whereas most of us are familiar with gold, titanium and tungsten carbide is new.  So I did the liberty of researching and here's what I came up with: 
 

Titanium, (according to Wikipedia) is a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density and high strength. It is highly resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia and chlorine. The two most useful properties of the metal are corrosion resistance and the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element.  In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but less dense.

Tungsten Carbide, on the other hand, (according to Wikipedia), is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into shapes for use in industrial machinery, cutting tools, abrasives, armor-piercing rounds, other tools and instruments, and jewelry. Tungsten carbide is approximately two times stiffer than steel, and is much denser than steel or titanium. 

As strong and stronger than steel?  Whoa.  This just means that these Titanium and Tungsten Carbide rings will last you a lifetime.  And if it's love we're talking about, then a lifetime is definitely what we are going for, right? (wink, wink)

Here are some of my favorites from their collection:

Engagement rings:

Flared heart titanium engagement ring with swarovski

Swirl titanium engagement ring with swarovski crystals

Ribbon cut halo swarovski titanium engagement ring

 Wedding Rings:

Smooth two tone gold plated titanium wedding bands

Black titanium wedding ring

Heartbeat in silver titanium wedding rings

Multi-faceted tungsten ring in rose gold wedding bands

These are some amazing looking rings huh?  Not only that, Stockedia Philippines offers lifetime warranty, free shipping worldwide and they also do meet ups if you want to see the ring in person!  If you think that's great, then you'd want to hear the best part:  Stockedia Philippines is on sale now and  most of these are less than Php 5000!  YES, Php 5000!  And no, I did not forget to put the additional zero. :)

Tis the season to be jolly!  With Christmas only a few days away, have you gotten all your gifts sorted out?  If you're the last minute shopper like I am, then the answer would probably be "still working on it!".  These rings are so affordable that you can also give them out as gifts for loved ones and friends.  So stop whatever you're doing right now, go over to the Stockedia website and shop, shop, shop!

For more information about Stockedia Philippines, visit their website here.

Like their Facebook Page and also follow them on Instagram (@stockedia.philippines) for more of these great jewelry finds!

Hong Kong Eats: Gough 40

If you think my past two food posts about Hong Kong Eats were good, then prepare to get your mind blown with this one.  Yes, I saved the best for last!

Gough 70, tucked in the quiet part of Central, is not actually part of my food itinerary.  It just so happens that Mom's good friend Auntie EL and her husband Uncle PL knew of it, loved it, and wanted to share this gem of a restaurant with  us.  I can only be too happy when you tell me we're eating steak.  Yup, this girl loves her meat!

The outside of Gough 70

I loved how the place, with their outside seating and all, reminds me the nice, quaint restaurants in Paris.  

Garlic Bread

First up, was the garlic bread.  Auntie EL was telling us how delicious it was, and from the moment it gave me that cruuuuch sound, I knew she was right.

Oysters

Sadly, raw oysters aren't my thing.  But judging from the slurps of everyone else in the table and the words "fresh" and "delicious" coming from them, I'd say they loved it.

Seared Scallops with Lemon Coriander Vinaigrette Salad

Being the vegetable-hater that I am, I ate the salad then saved the scallops for last.  The salad did nothing for me, but the scallops?  Oh.  Dear.  Possibly one of the best scallops I've had!

Blue Dungeness Crab Pasta

The Boston lobster linguine in Cafe Landmark might be the pasta love of my life, but this one comes at a close second.  So rich and so flavorful!

Panfried Fish 

The fish was cooked perfectly; it was very very moist and tender, with just the right amount of saltiness to it.

And of course, the highlight of the night:

Steak (raw)

Steak (cooked)

...and more steak!

Drooling yet?  I know I am.  How I wish I could transport myself back to the night we had these and savor that moment over and over again.  This piece of steak was huge.  Might not look much from the photos, but I think it's close to 2 kilos.  And did you notice how the insides are just the right pink without all the blood?  Perfection.  Gough 70 really know their steaks.  I don't really know how, but the steak was really, really tender, yet it wasn't oily at all!  

Sides

Apple Pie

Uncle PL loved the apple pie in Gough 70.  I got to take a forkful of it, and it's not bad.  I guess the steak somehow overshadowed everything else.

Molten Chocolate Cake

I was stuffed to the brim by the time the meal was over, but the server mentioned molten cake and I just could not pass it up!  So here it is.  'Twas good, but I've had even better ones.

So the verdict?  Do I even need to say it?  Auntie EL and Uncle PL are foodies themselves, and when they say something is good, then you bet it's good.  Everyone had a great time that night, even Dad who is not a huge fan of anything else but Chinese cuisine.  LOL.  5 out of 5 stars!  Thank you Auntie EL and Uncle PL!

Gough 40 is at G/F, 40 Gough Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Eats: Cafe Landmark

During a late night group chat while I was in Hong Kong, I mentioned to two of my friends that I was running out of new places to try in Hong Kong.  Sure, there are about a billion restaurants out there, but I don't want to risk trying something that doesn't come highly recommended.  After all, a few days is all I've got and some meals were already blocked off by my dad's Chinese food cravings!  My friend SL then suggested that I try Cafe Landmark.  They have pretty good lobster pasta, she said.  And that was all it took for me to march to Cafe Landmark and try it for myself.

View from Cafe Landmark

Check out the view!  If you love people watching, then it's a must that you get the tables on the sides.  It gives an amazing view of the entire Landmark Mall.

Complimentary Bread

I don't think I've enjoyed complimentary bread this good in a long, long time.  Cafe Landmark serves three kinds of complimentary bread.  One's fruity, one's herb-y and the other one... Shoot I actually forgot.  (sorry!) 

Boston Lobster Linguine

Grilled half lobster and lobster cream sauce

I actually arrived during tea time.  They had a number of yummy sounding dishes on their tea time menu, but since I went there for the lobster pasta and the lobster pasta only, I went ahead and ordered it.  Good thing their lunch and dinner menu is available all day long.

A closer view of the lobster pasta

I don't think the photo does enough justice as to how good the lobster pasta actually is...

The verdict?  My friend SL is absolutely right!  The lobster pasta is really delicious!  The lobster was succulent, and the sauce was creamy without going over-the-top creamy.  Crazy good.  Shame I wasn't able to order more dishes since I was all alone, but I'm definitely going back for more on my next trip to Hong Kong!  5 out of 5 stars!

Cafe Landmark is at 107-108, 1/F, Landmark Atrium, 16 Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Eats: la vache!

la vache!  The mere mention of the name already sounds so posh.  And what made it more intriguing was seeing two of my friends' drool-worthy posts on two separate occasions.  So I made it a point to schedule a la vache! visit on my trip to Hong Kong this time.  Alone.  Yup, time for some me-time.  

Trekking (yes, trekking!) to la vache! is no easy task.  If not for my ever-so-reliable mobile data connection, I don't think I'll ever find this place.  It's not located in any of my usual familiar territory, so halfway through, a sweaty and grumpy 'ol me was already cursing my gluttonous self for venturing into the unknown.  But hey, life is nothing but an adventure, right?  Might as well make the most of it!   

la vache! Finally!

...and finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, this sign greeted me.

  

Menu

See the "menu" above?  This is actually the ONLY thing they serve.  I was hoping for more options but was mildly surprised when the server told me that they don't really have anything else.  Vegetarians, beware!

Got a bit bored while waiting for my food, so I did a bit of utensil photography.  LOL.

Bread

Nothing special.  Zzzzz....

Salad

If you must know, vegetables are my absolute enemy.  So it takes a really good salad for me to actually eat it.  And this, is definitely not one of them.

Steak!

Finally, the main entree.  Looks pretty good huh?

Steak and fries

More steak!!!

Would you take a look at that!  Oooh... take me back!!!

Warmer

Loved the fact that they served the steak on this plate complete with the warmer at the bottom to keep the steak hot.  Because the last thing you'd want is a cold steak.

Dessert

Nope, didn't even bother to finish the dessert.  It's not as good as it looks.

So what was my impression of la vache?  It was the bomb!  Forget everything else, the steak is everything you need.  Next to wagyu, this is the juiciest piece of steak I've ever tasted.  Sooooo good!  And for HK$258, I'd stay this is such a steal!  On my next trip, I'll make sure to bring the whole clan here.  LOL.  5 out of 5 stars! (at least, for the steak)

la vache! is at 48 Peel Street, Central, Hong Kong

JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong

Yup, another trip to Hong Kong!  Two weeks ago, on a spontaneous trip to Hong Kong with the parents, I had the opportunity to stay at the JW Marriott Hotel.  I'm actually no stranger to this hotel, since we've stayed here quite often when I was younger.  It's been quite a while since I've been back there, so when I heard that my parents were planning on staying here, I pleaded to join them on their trip.  LOL.  Why all the fuss?  First things first, JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong happens to be just above the Pacific Place and Queensway Plaza shopping mall.  And just below these malls is the MTR Station.  That means everything is accessible by just going downstairs!  Second reason?  The rooms are huge!  We're talking two queen size beds AND you still get room to move around.  And third:  Who on earth would pass up a chance to stay at a 5-star hotel?  Right?  'Nuff said! 

First glance from the door

Two Queen Sized Beds.  One is all mine!

Working area with a view

Closet

Another angle of the closet

Bedside table

Bathroom

Another view of the bathroom

Sooooo...  NOW you know why I love this hotel.  From the rooms to the service, everything is definitely 5-star!  They even provide fresh fruits every single day!  JW Marriott will always be a favorite place to stay in when in Hong Kong.  Now if I could only solve the solution on where to get unlimited funds...  LOL!  5 out of 5 stars!

JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong is at the Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Why you should NOT go to the PAL travel fair this weekend

I'm a travel junkie.  Besides food and shopping, traveling is my next hobby.  But before you go and think that I have unlimited funds, I assure you, I do not.  What I usually do is book early and make the best out of those piso-fare and travel fairs happening whole year round.  Hey, the less money you spend on fares, the more you have for shopping, right?  So when I read that our country's own flag carrier is having a travel fair, I immediately scheduled it on my calendar.  That day was today. 

See the ad above?  That was all it took for me to drag my butt out of bed early, skip work and venture to Macapagal on a Friday morning.  Thanks to Friday traffic, we arrived at 10am.  By then the line was already outside - they had stopped people from going inside for crowd control.  We patiently lined up for about 15 minutes, wondering how long it's going to take before we can actually step foot inside the Banking Hall.  You see, after the line outside, you'll proceed inside to line up again.  And after the line inside, you'll be directed upstairs, where there is (guess what?)  yup, another line.  Luckily, Mom had to go to the bathroom.  Why lucky?  Because of the way back from the bathroom, she got hold of the flyer with all the "promo rates" for the ongoing travel fair.  This is what it looks like:

International Flight Rates During Lean Season

International Flight Rates During Peak Season

We were supposed to get the tickets to London, and the dates we picked out happens to be part of the peak season.  1 "discounted fare" round trip ticket to London will cost you $1053.  I crossed check this with the current rates on the Philippine Airlines website (without the discount) and it comes out at $1228.  What was supposed to be a 50% discount on fares has just become 15%, according to calculations.  And there is no way I'm going to brave those lines for such a small discount.  Read the ad copy again (first photo) and tell me what's wrong.  Spot it yet?  It says "get 50% off on our domestic and international destination".  GET 50% OFF, not GET UP TO 50% OFF.  Those two words make all the difference.  Why stoop so low, Philippine Airlines?  Do you really have to go that low to dupe all your loyal customers?  Seriously, even if you're not going to give an all-out 50% off, you could at least give something more than 15%.  It's simply not worth it.  So yes, I am therefore boycotting ALL PAL-sponsored travel fairs from now on.  Please, count me out.  I'm better off in one of those legit travel fairs with REAL discounts.

TaiOne

Earlier today (yup, just today!), Mom and Brother wanted to go out for lunch.  Mom has been mentioning about trying out a new restaurant at the new Promenade mall called TaiOne for some time now, and curiosity got the best of her.  I've grown a bit tired of the food choices in Greenhills too, so trying out something new is music to my ears.

TaiOne, a play of words for Taiwan, is (obviously) a Taiwanese restaurant.  LOL.  From the outside, the signage says "TaiOne Beef Noodles A Taste of Taiwan" so an easy guess would be that the specialty is indeed beef noodles.  You bet I was going to get some beef noodles! 

Oyster Omelette

One of the best oyster omelettes.  I'm a huge egg person, and trust me when I say the egg was good.  It was cooked perfectly; extra fluffy and a tiny bit undercooked - just the way I like it!  Wish that the oyster pieces were more though...  

Braised Beef Brisket & Tendon Noodle

Another winner!  Didn't I tell you I was going to try the beef noodles?  And I loved it!  The broth was heavenly, the noodles chewy and the beef was very tender.

Beef Burritos

Ever tried a Chinese burrito?  Well here it is!  And it's pretty tasty!  Except maybe next time I'll ask them to take out the cucumbers.

Panfried Pork Dumplings

TaiOne's panfried pork dumplings are crunchy on the outside and juicy on the insides. 

Sauteed Cabbage with XO Sauce

Sadly, did not get to try this one.  Someone (ahem, brother) wolfed it down before I could even get a spoonful!

Chicken Nuggets

If you're familiar with the chicken chops that are available in different milk tea shops, then you'd know what this one tastes like.  

Satay Beef with Water Spinach

Again, I only got one piece of beef before someone attacked it and left nothing at all!  But happy to report that the one and only piece I got was very flavorful.

Oh and by the way, TaiOne takes pride that their dishes has no MSG on it.  I can tell you it's true because all three of us who dined there didn't get that thirsty feeling afterwards - the usual MSG consequence.  Plus points for TaiOne for coming out with really tasty yet MSG-free food! 

The verdict?  TaiOne is one of the better restaurants we've tried in a long, long time.  One of the best among the Greehills restaurants, I daresay.  Will definitely be back to try out the other dishes.  4.5 out of 5 stars! 

TaiOne is at G/F, Promenade New Wing, Greenhills, San Juan