Real Leaf Paparazzi

As a working mom, I oftentimes have to stop by the convenience store to refresh myself. My drink of choice is usually not the usual soda but something healthier, like Real Leaf Green Tea. This drink is not only refreshing, but because it's made from whole tea leaves, it contains Theanine which helps reduce mental and physical stress and improves cognition and mood in a synergistic manner with caffeine (from wikipedia). Thus a great pick-me-upper especially when I'm tired.


My little boy is at the age where he wants what the adults are having. So one day, while browsing through the offerings of the convenience store...

Hey, this is what mom usually buys. I wonder why?

Let me try it out myself...

Hey, this tastes great! No wonder mommy likes it so much!

Uh, Little Boy, we'll have to pay for it first before you drink it!

I can't blame him. Real Leaf Green Tea tastes good and really refreshes. It is certainly a much better choice than soda, health wise.

Now my Baby Girl wants a taste of it too!


No baby, not now. Too early for you. For now, it's just mommy's milk for you. Maybe in about 3 years time, you can join us in tasting the goodness of Real Leaf Green Tea!

Philippine High School For The Arts is looking for scholars

Got this from the n@w yahoogroups. You might know somebody who's interested.

We are looking for our 2010-2011 artists-scholars: grade 6 or grade 7 students graduating this March, 2010, with exceptional talents in any of the fields of dance (ballet or folk dance), music (instrumentalist or vocalist), theater, visual arts, and creative writing.

Since PHSA spends a huge amount of public funds for each of the PHSA scholars, and since each year only 40 incoming freshmen can be admitted into the program, we are exerting so much effort to ensure that the 40 young people that we will take in are the best young artists of their generation. Likewise, since the funds for the 4-year special training in the arts come from the taxpayers of the entire country, we would like to ensure that the young artists even from the most remote areas are informed about the search and auditions and are given equal chances of vying for the scholarship.

I am appealing to all of you to disseminate the info to as many of your contacts as possible, in any which way you can-internet, phones, print and broadcast media, etc.

Maraming salamat po.

Nanding Josef
PHSA Executive Director

Contact:
Mr. Fernando Josef ("Tata Nanding")
Executive Director
Philippine High School for the Arts
EMAIL: nandingjosef@yahoo.com
Telefax: (049)-5365972; (049) 536-2862
------------------------------------

For more details, visit: http://www.pinoytumblr.com/post/310586614/objective-the-philippine-high-school-for-the-arts

And please note that all applications, documents, and requirements must be received on or before the following dates:

Luzon applicants - 08 February 2010
Visayas applicants - 22 February 2010
Mindanao applicants - 08 March 2010

-----------------------------------

PHSA is a public school for talented adolescents. It combines a general secondary education program with an arts curriculum. This means that the students go through the required high school subjects but they also major in an art.

PHSA students enjoy free tuition, board and lodging. These scholars spend school days at the National Arts Center in Mt. Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna. They stay in cement cottages with hot and cold water. The forest cover keeps the air cool. The beautiful school site not only provides inspiration but also allows the students to practice their craft. It is usual to see paintings and sculptures on the street and hear trumpets, pianos, violins or other instruments being played not only in the music rooms but also in the dorm areas. Ballet and theater performances are regularly held in the open-air theater, the ballet studio, and in any corner of the 13.5 hectare site. Works of art are constantly displayed in public areas.

After breakfast, students walk to their classrooms for their high school subjects. After lunch, they are tutored in the arts. Evenings are spent on academic homework and art practice.

The experience of living away from home and being with mentors and fellow artists teaches students to be independent but at the same time makes them realize the importance of getting along with their peers. Living at the NAC builds a close community of students,faculty members, and administrative staff. Every one knows each other. Each student in the higher batches is an ate or kuya to the younger batches. Teachers and administrative staff act as secondary parents to the students. But this does not mean that the school is isolated from the rest of the world as students take part in various outreach projects. They perform and even give workshops all over the country. Some of them participate in international festivals and competitions.

PHSA has nurtured artists since 1977. It really is a good place to study in and most (if not all) of the alumni always have good memories of their life in Mt. Makiling.

The Century Bangus Event

An iphone is something I'd really, really like, but I'd prefer to WIN it rather than buy it! LOL

So when Nuffnang announced the contest for Century Bangus, I was all set to join!

It's quite simple really, just take pictures of you and somebody else enjoying Century Bangus, make a blog post with the opening line "I Enjoyed My Century Bangus At ____". My entry here.

Unfortunately, I didn't win any of the 5 iphones up for grabs. But I did get to be invited to the Blogger's Thanksgiving Lunch. This happened last January 23, 2009, a Saturday, at West Side Grill, Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

After registering my name and blog URL, I proceeded to this table:

We had to guess the ingredients by either looking, smelling, touching or tasting the different spices/powders/condiments that were on the table. I THINK I got pepper, coffee, mayonnaise, but I'm not so sure about the others. Sigh. (The eventual winner guessed 7 out of the 13, so I got less than that, definitely. LOL)

After submitting my answers (guesses actually) to the above game, I proceeded to the dining area. Met a few other bloggers -- Kate, Alvin, Vina. I'm quite shy so I'm not really very sociable--yet. Gimme a break, it's only the 2nd blog event I've ever attended!

Next up, the host (I didn't catch her name but she's really good. Her looks are a cross between Agot Isidro and Iza Calzado) introduced Century Bangus. The Chef Guy (gaaaahhh, I'm really bad with names) announced that Century will be coming out with new variants of their canned bangus, as well as their line of frozen bangus.

There was another game, wherein the contestants were supposed to make salads out of the various ingredients present, including Century Bangus, of course! The concoction called the "Happy Salad" won for this contest.


This was our menu for lunch:


All bangus! Well, not quite. The only things on the buffet table that was not bangus was the rice and the desserts! LOL


The appetizer and entrees, all with Century Bangus as the main ingredient:

The food was surprisingly good! Even if they all contained Bangus. Chef Heart assured us that we could ask for recipes. We'll surely look for them!

The winners were announced. They had truly awesome entries and rightfully deserved the prizes. Although I wouldn't mind being one of them (who wouldn't want to win an almost 40 grand cellphone?)

Even if I didn't get any prizes, I did get acquainted with interesting people who I'm looking forward to see in future events. I had a great meal, and took home a gift pack.

Thank you, Century Bangus!

Wish They Had This 5 Years Ago

More than 5 years ago, my uncle and cousins died in a tsunami. It was supposed to be a bright sunny day in a resort with no warnings whatsoever that disaster was striking. Imagine if there were adequate warning systems then and a structure like this to run to when people were forewarned:


More people would probably be saved. Maybe including my relatives.

Maybe.

Source of pic: http://news.discovery.com/tech/tsunami-proof-buildings-gaining-ground.html