TOPAZ HORIZON

I just got back, mamas, from a quick getaway at New World Makati! We stayed there for just one night. We needed a break but we didn't have the energy or the time to go somewhere far so we took advantage of New World Hotel's Yuletide Getaway promo and stayed in the city for a truly wonderful time. No kidding—we had so much fun!

There's New World towering behind my little boys. We got the Deluxe Room package. That's a room with two twin beds and it includes breakfast buffet at the Café 1228 for two adults and two kids below 7 years old. You also get a bottle of wine and two movie passes to Ayala cinemas. All that for just P6,700! That's so affordable considering New World is a 5-star hotel!

Okay, mamas, sit tight. Lotsa photos coming up!

Here are the kids and you can tell they're really happy about our room! It's a good-sized room. We've stayed at trendy boutique hotels which we found out soon enough is a bad idea for a family of 5. We need space! So we now like staying at big hotels. Traditional, yes, but hotels have centuries of knowing how to take care of people.

Staking their claim on the beds. Soft, fluffy everything! Look at them—they look like angels surrounded by heavenly clouds. Looks like only haha in reality they are little balls of naughty energy!

Exhibit A: Piero. Blurry because he's jumping up and down the extra cot we got even though they know little monkeys shouldn't be jumping on the bed because they might fall down and bump their heads. Since we have three kids, we needed an extra bed. It was just as comfy!

There's a small seating area which made the room feel cozy. We also got a platter of fresh fruits, which the kids snacked on while watching TV.

Oh, and very important info for bloggers, traveling businesspeople, and work-from-everywhere people like me: There's complimentary WiFi and it is fast! Hotel-wide, too, so even when I was booking an Uber at the lobby, posting Instagram photos by the pool, and checking my mail at the restaurant, I could do it using the hotel WiFi. Plus, I like the compact way they put all the universal sockets together by the desk. So convenient, whatever plug you happen to have!

Now let's check out the bathroom!

The bathroom is great! Big, clean. It doesn't have a TV, which is ubiquitous in many hotels these days. I like that there's no TV actually. I never understood that!

I like the separate shower stall. I also like that kid that squeezed himself beside the toilet.

The bathtub is a little low, which made it a bit hard to get out of. The kids, meanwhile, loved it and said it's built for kids so, "Mama and Papa, don't get in the bathtub!"

Here's the view outside our big window:

The pools are big and we love that there's a kiddie pool! Lots of hotels these days are just business hotels so they either have a lap pool, a jacuzzi and/or a deep pool. Some hotels say they have a kiddie pool but it's so small, it's ridiculous. If you're a family with small kids, you'd be happy to know that New World has a real kiddie pool. Big enough so that if other kids are there, your kids have space to wade or swim.

Now, if you're around the area and you want to buy festive pasalubong or gorgeous edible gifts, stop by The Shop at the lobby of New World and choose from yummy delights like fruit mince pies, rich fruit cake, yule logs, stollen bread, lotsa holiday cookies, and gingerbread confections like our Christmas tree! We gobbled that all up!

Oh, what a lovely time we had at New World Hotel! The holidays have been, as always, stressful not because I hate Christmas (it's my favorite time of the year!) but because of the kids' school stuff, the terrible traffic, and the difficulty of getting around whether it's in an Uber or on a bus or jeep. But because it's my favorite time of the year, I always enjoy the hustle and bustle because the streets are gaily decorated, the people are actually in a better mood than usual haha, everyone's giving gifts, and there's so much food!

Speaking of food, let me tell you about the amazing meals we had at New World's Jasmine and Café 1228 in my next post!

Meanwhile, if you want to book New World Hotel's Yuletide Getaway Package, click here. Highly recommended by me and my family!

There are some things you never want to need to review. These are usually medication, medical equipment, hospitals (unless you're there to give birth), and funeral homes. But the time has come for me to use our latest medical machine because every December, my family comes down with a bad cold and cough and this year is no different. Everyone, except Iñigo, came down with a nasty cough and cold. Vito, Piero and I had a really horrible time breathing.

Thankfully, our new machine is amazing and really helped ease the breathing of Vito, Piero and myself. Thanks so much to the OMRON Compair Nebulizer System NE-C801!

A couple of months ago, I went to the press launch of this nebulizer (I wrote about the event and details of the machine in this post). We already have a Devilbiss nebulizer at home so I wasn't really supposed to buy a new one.

But the more I thought about the new OMRON nebulizer, the more I wanted it. So we got one!

It's really the smallest thing. It fits in my hand. It's also so light so when Kuya Vito needed to nebulize, I can ask toddler Piero to get the OMRON nebulizer because it's so magaan.

It's also really quiet, so if you have kids who are scared of the loud noise nebulizers make, try the OMRON. Of course, may ingay pa rin yung compressor pero it's really more of a hum. You can even use it on one kid while their siblings are sleeping and the sound won't disturb the other kids.

It's also really easy to assemble. I also like how deep the cup is. My kids and I sometimes lean back on pillows kasi when we're nebulizing (see first photo). Dun sa dati naming nebulizer, because maliit yung cup, you tilt back a little and the medication spills out. With the OMRON one, my kids can rest on pillows while nebulizing na. Hooray!


And at just P3,280, the OMRON Compair Nebulizer System NE-C801 is not an expensive nebulizer at all. It's available at leading drugstores. Buy na, mommies! Sulit ito. I highly recommend it!


Mr P agrees!

P.S. Vito and Piero are feeling much better. Me na lang. Alam niyo naman, nanay kasi, laging pagod at walang pahinga. Please pray I find a kasambahay soon! Thanks so very much!

For many Filipino families, the holidays means loved ones visiting home from abroad. In my case, I’ve been seeing (or plan to see) a few friends based in the US or the UK, and it’s been wonderful. If you have family or friends coming over for get-togethers at your home or if some of them are actually staying for a weekend or for their whole vacation, here are a few ways to make their stay special.

Just a quick post today because I know you all are so busy shopping, mamas. But if you happen to be shopping at Glorietta, make sure you pass by Fatburger for their Chili Cheese Fries!

My family and I went to Glorietta last weekend to do some shopping and you know, because we have small kids and no one to leave them with, Vince and I haven't really gone out in years. If we want to eat food we didn't cook, we ordered in usually from McDonald's and KFC and Pizza Hut. That's basically our food repertoire for the past 7 years. So when we went to Glorietta last weekend, we went exploring for food. Because we've been eating light and healthy since summer (thanks, Harvest Family Comfort Meals!), Vince and I were hunting for a really big and beefy, greasy burger.

Hello, Fatburger!

Burger joints usually serve milkshakes so the kids had those. I think they're a bit pricey pero masarap naman so okay na rin.

Vito and Iñigo got the waffles. They're a huge fan of waffles. They always order waffles if they spot it on the menu. My bunso, Piero, is a rice guy. He'll always order chicken and rice or meat and rice or fish and rice. Basta rice!

Anyway, the boys said the waffles were great! Their only complaint was the butter. My kids are spoiled. They're used to whipped butter or softened butter—not frozen butter. Fatburger, you have to do something about your hard-as-ice butter, guys.

Anyway, Vince and I had a burger each. Vince got a huge burger, me just the regular one because it already looked big and heavy to me. Just look at it! Vince's burger was even bigger than mine. Quite a meal and we liked that the patties were very juicy and tasty.

But the real discovery for me was the Chili Cheese Fries. I love chili. So I always order it when I see it on the menu. I get disappointed sometimes kasi sometimes the chili people serve here is mostly spaghetti sauce.I think Pinoys don't like chili kasi real chili is medyo maanghit haha And gritty and heavy because of the beans (although I didn't taste any beans in the Chili Cheese Fries).


So anyway, I also love the fries because they're skinny and crunchy. Vey well fried! Hindi soggy and greasy. I also like that the fries are made from potatoes flown all the way from the US of A. Now you know I appreciate that because the United States is the only country required by USDA Grading Standards to ensure food safety by using state-of-the-art technology to instantly freeze potatoes to lock in the flavor and nutrients. You know why I know this? Because if you order the fries, you get to join a little pick-a-prize thing and I won a magnet (see pic) and now I know!

Fatburgers is in Glorietta 2, on Palm Drive. Kahilera siya ng Holiday Inn, Glorietta 2 entrance, right beside Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Drop by if you're shopping today!

*This post is brought to you by US Potatoes.

I'm back, mamas! I've been away because these days have been extra busy and extra traffic. Well, it's definitely the holiday season. I'm going to quickly share a fantabulous and super affordable find because if you're a working mama like me who has absolutely no time to go around the malls looking for budget-friendly gifts for co-workers, your kids' teachers and classmates, and your neighbors (and then wrapping them pa!), I have found it—the gift that is already packed in a festive box, has lots of goodies inside, and is super affordable!

Pasko na, mamas! I'm halfway done with my Christmas shopping and I even bought extra new things for me, Vince, and our little boys all because I couldn't pass up on the fantastic deals at Metro Market! Market! last Wednesday. And now I found out that tomorrow, December 2, is the annual storewide Crazy Sale of The Metro Retail Stores!!! All branches!!!

I shopped three days early! Huhuhu

But that's okay. I'm already happy with the goodies I got because even then, super mura na the prices. I can't imagine what the price tags will be tomorrow! The Crazy Sale will offer  up to 50% off on a wide variety of products! Mura na nga when I went last Wednesday tapos mas malaki pang discounts bukas! I heard that the crazy deals are on appliances, furniture and home improvement, apparel and footwear for men, women and kids, toys and accessories, and even athletics and travel gear!

May 13th month pay na ba kayo, mamas??? Shop na!

Okay, I took a few photos on my shopping trip. I do that when I shop alone kasi pinapakita ko sa husband ko and ask him what he wants me to go back and buy. Here's the goodies I liked:

Serve your holiday guests hot chocolate in these festive mugs! Only P499 for a set of 4!

Christmas villages! I'm sorry I didn't check the price tag kasi may umaaligid na guard. Natakot ako haha These are lovely! They not only light up and play music, they have moving parts, too!

Mamas, if you want a pink tree like mine, here's a 3-foot one that's only P249.75! Baka on sale pa yan bukas!

Kiddie bikes that are sturdy and well designed at just P2,700-P3,500. Hindi pa discounted yan! I think I'll go back tomorrow and buy a bike for Piero!

Toys toys toys! Ang dami-daming toys! These trucks are just P100!

These construction toys are super discounted na last Wednesday. P800 yung malaki, P300 yung maliit (about as big as my hand).

I bought my sons a lot of shirts because super mura pero super ganda! Yung P250 shirts, P199 na lang!!!

I got these. Look at how graphic and bold the shirts are. Designs are embossed, too. The shirts' material is super soft pa. Winner in every way!

Want bigger deals? These piles of shirts are just P99 each! Grabe!

Grabe rin yung shoes for the kiddies. P700 na nga lang yung iba, may 30% discount pa!

Aren't these pretty??? Plastic lang yan but they made me happy. And P200 lang ang set!!!

Traveling? How about getting new suitcases? These are light and easy to transport. I'm lusting after those pink ones.

I didn't go around the men's section much kasi my husband just needs running shorts and shirts. So super happy ako when I saw that these were 20% off. Athletic wear is expensive, you see, because they're made of different material. Hindi pwedeng ordinary t-shirt and shorts lang. So I snapped up three pairs of running shorts, three running shorts, and a pair swimming shorts for Vince!

Mamas, syempre I looked for deals for myself, too. The bags are crazy affordable! Either 50% off or buy-one-take-one!

Yung mga clothes when I went last Wednesday, hindi pa sila on sale but mura na rin I bought myself a soft T-shirt dress and two tops. Look at the dressing room at Metro Market! Market! Soooo large and roomy and pretty!

I also bought Christmas decor. These beautiful balls are just P224!

There's going to be a LOT of crazy discounts at Metro's Crazy Sale! Best of all, it's not just the Department Store that goes on sale, but The Metro Supermarket, too! You'll find the lowest prices for food and other grocery essentials.