Review - Gelato at Cafe Publico

What do you look for in gelato? Me, I expect more intense flavors.

A couple of days ago I went to Cafe Publico to try their gelato. I was hankering after strawberry (after being disappointed with Starbucks' jammy strawberries and cream frappucino) so when I saw that the "Sophia Loren" is a mix of strawberry and pistachio and there were no other strawberry flavors, I didn't even bother tasting it but ordered one cup immediately.

Verdict? Bleagh. Bland and could barely taste the pistachio, much less the strawberry. Huge disappointment.

I wanted another cup to make up for it. I'd already tasted the "Banana Nutella" -- too much banana, not enough hazelnut and very sweet; "Toblerone" - so-so, not very chocolatey; PBJ - could not taste the PBness nor the jellyness of it; and a few other flavors but none made an impression on me except for "Salted Butter Taffy" which was incredibly flavorful but also very salty and I knew I couldn't eat a whole cup of it, small though it may be.

Fortunately, as I was grumpily eating the "Sophia Loren", I noticed the sign that said I could combine 2 to 3 flavors in a cup! Isn't that marvellous?! I also noticed the "Dark and Bumpy" (with three kinds of nuts!) which I hadn't seen before.

I immediately asked for a cup of 2/3 "Dark and Bumpy" with 1/3 "Salted Butter Taffy" (which I called saltwater taffy, being more familiar with this term). Perfect combination and proportion! This is something I'm having again!

Too bad I didn't get to taste all the gelato flavors. Bashfulness got the better of me. Next time I won't mind looking like a pig.

My Lipbalms and Lipbalm Addiction(?!)

I just read that using lipbalm is one of the few things I do every day that's actually an addiction. There's even a self-evaluation to see if you are indeed an addict.

Can you believe that?

Well, Snopes says false, De-Fact-O says yes, "many lip balms contain ingredients that peel lips and promote habitual use".

I doubt anyone's gone through painful withdrawal without lipbalm but I'm glad I have a few choices. None of these contain menthol, phenol, camphor, or salicylic acid.

Born Lippy Watermelon Lip Balm I like the smell, feel and effect of this Body Shop lipbalm. I keep it on my nightstand for when my lips are dry at night since I don't like applying lipbalm with my finger when outside.

Human Nature Choco Vanilla 100% Natural Lip Balm This one isn't too chocolatey or vanilla-y but I like that it's locally made and I sometimes push my lips close to my nose to take a sniff. What I have here is the old packaging which is more colorful than the new one.

Human Nature Tutti Frutti 100% Natural Lip Balm This is my current everyday balm. I don't care for the smell frankly so I'll go back to Choco Vanilla when this tube is used up.

Maybelline Lip Smooth Color and Care Refreshing Tinted Lip Balm (Cranberry Jam) Well, that's a long name isn't it? No wonder it's not printed on the tube. This is my daytime balm since it's tinted and has SPF 16. I love this balm. It doesn't taste horrible, I like the tint it gives and I love that it has sun protection. I might try the other shades after this tube is used up.

"Ice Drops Lip Balm Kids Very Berry SPF 30" I don't know if this balm is still being made. Maybe not because it tastes horrible--very bitter. Maybe the ingredient/s that give it an SPF 30 makes it taste bad. I only use this when I'm out in the full sun without an umbrella, I put it on the outer portion of my lips and I make a conscious effort not to lick my lips.

-~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Wanna know what the other addictions are? Head to the article for the exposition but they're pop music, salty and spicy snacks, tanning, and chewing ice. I'd have thought coffee and chocolate/sweets would be among the list of everyday addictions--or maybe they're just mine.

Anyway, I looked up the ingredients just to make sure my lipbalms don't have any addictive ingredients:

Born Lippy Lip Balm

Ricinus communis, Lanolin, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Aroma, Cera Alba, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Benzyl Benzoate, Citrullus vulgaris, Tocopheryl Acetate, Limonene, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Linalool, Methyl 2-Octynoate, CI 77891, CI 19140, CI 15850.

Human Nature 100% Natural Lip Balm

Ricinus communis (Castor) seed oil, Beeswax, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) seed butter, Caprylic/Capric Trigylceride, Helianthus annus (Sunflower) seed oil, Calendula officinalis (Calendula) extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) extract, Tocopherol (+/-): Organic flavor oil, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa), Zinc oxide (CI 77947), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Iron Oxide (CI 77491)

Maybelline Tinted Lip Balm

Polybutyne, octyl dodacanol, isopropyl myristate, ethylhexyl, methoxycinnamate, ozokerite, petrolatum, disostearyl malate, hexadecane copolymer, ceresin, ethylhexyl salicilate, paraffin, trimethylolpropane trisostearate, candellila wax, silica, dimethyl silylate, polyethylene, polyglyceryl-2 trisostearate, tocopheryl acetate, jojoba esters, benzyl benzoate, BHT, biabolol, ethylhexyl palmitate, dipalmitoyl hydroxyproline, safflower seed oil, hexyl cinnamal, linalool, Irvingia gabonensis kernel butter, blueberry fruit extract, tribehenin, benzyl alcohol, hydrogenated coco glycerides, Luffa cylindrica seed oil, sorbitan isostearate, palmitoyl oligopeptide, parfum.

Review: Oreo Brownies

One word: AWFUL

I like brownies. I like them cakey, I like them chewy. This one I don't. The Oreo brownie is cakey but much, much too sweet. I thought I'd get a brownie with Oreo pieces but what I got was like a really sweet cake with Orea cream filling scattered around. For the price (P67.75), I'd much rather eat a Dunkin' Donut brownie or a Mister Donut brownie or one from Brownies Unlimited. Or I'd rather make a microwaved brownie in a mug.

Ayala Recyclables Fair - March 2012

Donuts, donuts, donuts

When it comes to plain glazed donuts, I go for Krispy Kreme. I think they have the biggest good-tasting plain donuts in the country. Dunkin has bigger ones but they taste awful.

I ate a Cello's cheese donut a few weeks ago. I was rather surprised to see it was their most expensive one. Is the cheese parmigiano reggiano or what? I would have preferred to order the P29 chocolate donut instead of the P35 cheese one. Or gotten a glazed donut and sprinkled my own parmesan cheese on top.

I bought a set of Go Nuts Donuts' buy six-take six with a friend and was reminded again of how very, very sweet their donuts are. I tried a new flavor, something called Kettle Pineapple and I rather liked the pineapple jelly in the middle. The slight tartness was a good antidote to the thick white glaze generously covered with thick confectioner's sugar. Mmm, now I miss Dunkin's Black Raspberry filled donuts.

Maybe in the next half of the year. Have had too much sugar and fat already.

Ayala Recyclables Fair - December 2011

For more information contact:
Maricar A. Dechavez
Development Associate- E&S
Ayala Foundation, Inc.
         dechavez.ma@ayalafoundation.org.
        (02)752-1084

Review: Clara International

Clara International is a Malaysian franchise "beauty center". I saw a
CashCashPinoy promo for electrocautery (or ECT as they call it) of
warts at 67% off or P500 instead of P1,500. I looked around online for
reviews but couldn't find any so I thought I'd write my own.

Appointment setting was hassle-free and the receptionist polite and
easy to talk to and ask questions of. I was glad that even with the
promo it didn't seem as if they were overbooked or overloaded.

I went to the QC branch at Sunshine Blvd Plaza along Quezon Avenue. It
was on the second floor up a rather dark staircase but the first sight
of the center is a reassuring one. The receiving area is large and
quiet and had magazines for those awaiting their appointments. I was
asked to fill out a form and although I was around 15 minutes earlier
than scheduled, the nurse Joanne was able to attend to me immediately.

I was led to room 8 but asked first if I could use the restroom. The
restroom was clean and dry and had the requisite toilet paper and soap
and hand dryer. I was glad clients get individual rooms. The
dermclinic that did my first ECT procedure on my neck had three of
those reclining chairs side by side without even a curtain between
them to provide privacy to clients. The aestheticians would talk to
one another while doing their thing---I guess one benefit of this if
you don't frequent such places is that you get to see how other
procedures are done. The room at Clara was small but not cramped. It
was carpeted (though the carpet had stains; I prefer a hard floor)
with a sink and a bed and piped in radio. The linens were acceptably
clean although not the best quality. A hospital robe is provided but I
didn't need it since I was having my face done.

I told Joanne I had low pain tolerance and after slathering on the
topical anesthesia, she left me for a good while. I couldn't check the
time since I had to keep my eyes closed with the plastic wrap on my
face but it felt like a good hour almost. Too bad I didn't get to
sleep. There was a button beside the bed on the wall that I could
press if I needed anything.

Then Joanne came back and took a good hour cauterizing my numerous
warts. I could smell flesh burning when she zapped warts close to my
nose. I was scared that those near my eyes would hurt but they didn't,
thankfully. There were a couple that hurt and she told me someone will
get them during my follow-up check-up in two weeks.

She told me I was not to wet my face for 24 hours nor expose my face
to the sun at all even with sunblock on and that I'd have to buy the
post ECT cream (whose ingredients neither she nor the receptionist
knew and cost P350) since I had so many and which I had to apply
thrice a day until the scabs fell off.

I now look like my lolo who had numerous dark warts. Two weeks later
most of them had fallen off leaving lighter colored spots which I
assiduously covered with sunblock daily before leaving the house. I
went for my follow up and another nurse took care of me. She
disappeared for 40 minutes and when she came back there was something
wrong with the machine and we had to wait for the other one to become
available. I think I waited almost two hours in total so I slept for a
good long while. She did the cautery so lightly that the scabs hardly
darkened. I hope there were no warts left and she was able to get them
all.

Overall I had a good experience at Clara and will not hesitate to buy
any other promos that I may have need of in the future.