Held at EDSA Shangrila Hotel last September 27, 2017, Blue Water Day Spa revealed to media and some bloggers its roster of ambassadors: Michelle Dee, Harry Morris, Fabio Ide, Ara Arida and Christian Bautista. 

If there is one thing that I see myself investing to once I have a new home, it would be with interior designers. Why? Because I believe that aesthetic should always go hand-in-hand with comfort. Everyone should understand that Interior designers are as integral as architects and engineers in making their houses a home. They are the one who thinks how enormous pieces of statues can fit a 6-foot tall door. They integrate your mood and attitude with designs and colors of your wall. They personalize everything to make it your own. That's why I was super excited when I got an invite to a graduation exhibit of PSID or Philippine School of Interior Design.

The season to be jolly is also a season to be healthy. Taking pride in having the longest Christmas celebration in the world, we start gearing up for the holiday season as early as November when Yuletide carols are played in malls and other public places. Unfortunately, frenzied holiday activities like shopping, reunions, partying, and traveling result in stress, which, in turn weakens our immune system and renders us prone to catching common ailments like cough. 

Heart-friendly is probably the last thing on your mind when you reach for the cooking oil in your kitchen shelf, with health buffs giving it a bad rap all these years. It’s time, then, to set things straight: while some cooking oils put your cardiovascular health at risk, others provide essential good fats that our bodies need. In fact, did you know that some cooking oils reduce your risk of having coronary

heart disease and other cardiovascular ailments?

If you have been reading my blog, you already know how Watsons become my daily go-to place for skin care. That is because they are the only store I know that caters to all my essentials. Before the launch of their collagen products, I have already been using and LOVING their collagen facial mask. I have already endorsed it to most of my friends due to its effectiveness. I can't think of anyone as happy as me now that they are announcing their new line of collagen products.

Filipinos love fried foods. They love the crispy-crunchy sound these make with every bite, but they like the delightful taste of fried food—whether it’s chicken, beef, pork or fish—even better. How can else can you explain why Filipino families are big fans of fast-food chains that serve fried chicken, fried tapa, fried pork liempo, etc.?

So you think you know it all about Korean BBQ? Well, think again! Gen Korean BBQ house originally from California has a massive 500 seater dining area that will let you experience top-of-the-line all-you-can-eat meat and seafood that are freshly hooked here. They also have a very modern black-lit ambiance that is Instagram friendly for millennials like me. 

It feels surreal to have witnessed something that is worthy of a world record. Along with some of my blogger friends, I was lucky enough to get invited to a celebration that defies the odds. 

HOOQ – the largest Video on Demand service in South-East Asia, joins hands with Disney to bring Marvel's latest series same day as the US.  HOOQ gets exclusive SVOD rights to bring three of Marvel’s latest series – Marvel’s Inhumans, Marvel’s Runaways and Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger – on the same day as the US telecast on their platform for the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, via a newly inked deal with The Walt Disney Company South-East Asia.

While the first chapter of Marvel’s Inhumans has been released last week worldwide in IMAX® theatres, the following episodes will then be available on HOOQ from the end of September with additional exclusive content, not seen in IMAX ® theatres. Next up will be Marvel’s Runaways which debuts on digital on November 21 st, 2017. Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger will be released later on in 2018. All these will have all episodes screened same day as the US telecast.

These 3 new series will join the collection of Marvel movies and series already on the HOOQ

platform – the recent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Agent Carter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,

Marvel’s the Avengers, Thor, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, and Captain America – The First

Avenger.

This exclusive deal comes shortly after HOOQ announced their collaboration with Disney,

earlier this year to bring their latest movies onto the platform via Transactional VOD (TVOD). “HOOQ is always looking for new ways and partnerships to bring exciting and quality content to our viewers. This tie-up with Disney, which now allows our viewers to catch their favourite series Inhumans, Runaways and Cloak and Dagger on the same day as the US telecast is something we are very proud of and brings the world of Marvel’s superheroes closer to Asia. Marvel’s series’ now available on HOOQ is the first of many things to come with this tie-up and we will continue to push boundaries, to evolve and stay committed to delivering unique, compelling and edgy stories to millions of our customers in the region,” said Chief Executive Officer of HOOQ, Peter Bithos.

“We are excited to extend our collaboration with HOOQ in bringing these iconic Marvel shows day and date with the US telecast to digital audiences across Southeast Asia. We are pleased to offer our Marvel fans yet another platform to enjoy their favorite TV shows" said Amit Malhotra, VP, and GM of Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

Marvel’s Inhumans is the latest series from Marvel Studios and its first chapter is shot completely in IMAX® cameras. After the Royal Family of Inhumans is splintered by a military coup, they barely escape to Hawaii where their surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them may prove to not only save them but Earth itself.

Marvel’s Runaways will be the first TV adaptation of the Marvel comic of the same name, where a group of teenagers find out not only do they have superpowers but that their parents are supervillains. Torn between filial piety and being heroes, they will face adversaries like never before.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger, also follows the characters of the Marvel comic of the same name. Heroes Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen share a symbiotic relationship as a crime-fighting duo since they are Light and Darkness incarnate.

These series are all set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

HOW TO GET HOOQ

It’s easy to get HOOQ’d.  Customers can simply download the HOOQ app from Apple Store

or Google Play, sign up or log in, to access HOOQ’s extensive library of Hollywood and local

hits.  Find out more and sign up today for a 30-day free trial at www.hooq.tv.  You can also

get HOOQ bundled with Globe At Home and Globe postpaid and prepaid plans.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) jointly unveiled recently a unified brand, Passion Made Possible, to celebrate Singapore and showcase it as a home to many places, people, and experiences that inspire. This new destination brand puts forth Singapore’s unique attitude and mindset: a passionate, never-settling spirit of determination and enterprise that constantly pursues possibilities and reinvention.

“With Passion Made Possible, STB is presenting a brand that can tell a fuller Singapore story beyond just tourism. This brand articulates what we stand for as a country and supports the telling of many stories about this destination and its people. It will allow us to build a deeper and more personal connection between Singapore and our fans and friends, even when they are not actively thinking about travel. This brand is in line with Quality Tourism as it will appeal to the more sophisticated tourists who are seeking more aspirational value propositions in their travel” said Mr Lionel Yeo, Chief Executive of STB.

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of EDB, added, “Singapore is making the shift from being primarily an investment-driven economy to one that will be led by innovation. In particular, local and international companies are seeking to create new products, services and solutions that will have a stronger impact in Asia. It is timely to send a strong and clear signal that companies can do this successfully from Singapore and turn possibilities into reality. Singapore and Singaporeans are where we are today because we pushed the limits of what’s possible, and did not allow constraints to hold us back.”

The Passion Made Possible Global Campaign Following its debut, Passion Made Possible will be unveiled worldwide in various cities throughout Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States of America through consumer launches, trade events, industry partnerships, and global marketing campaigns featuring campaign films and visuals to bring to life how Singapore is Passion Made Possible.

For the Philippines, a Singapore Travel Showcase will be held in Manila at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall from September 15 – 17. The showcase will feature collaborations between Singapore – Passion Made Possible brand personalities and Filipino key opinion leaders and personalities. It will also serve as a platform to share how Singapore can enable Filipino travelers and visitors to realize their passions and dreams. Aside from attractive airfare and travel deals for Singapore, visitors to the 3-day fair can also expect an exciting line up of activities, performances and programmes featuring some of Singapore’s best offerings, attractions and brands such as Irvin’s Salted Egg, Naiise, and Benjamin Barker.

It is quite common to parents-in-law playing active roles in a typical Filipino family,

especially in helping raise children. Despite the comfort and convenience this cultural norm may engender, it occasionally gives rise to conflict. Where do both parties draw the line between nurturing and spoiling them—and how can sensitive issues like this be peacefully resolved?

“Biyenan,” a short film directed by Chris Cahilig and presented by Ascof Lagundi, touches on this

commonplace subject involving the tricky relationship between two women (the young mother and her biyenan) who, notwithstanding the immense love they both have for the children, have vastly divergent views about raising them. The short film follows the story of Jenny (played by Dalin Sarmiento), a mother of two, who struggles to make her children, Dana (Yuriko Javier) and Kyle (Nathan Martinez), follow her own house rules—such as the proper time to watch TV and do school work. The children, having been accustomed to their grandmother Marita’s (played by veteran actress Lui Manansala) more laidback rules when they were still living in the same house, find it a challenge to comply with their mom’s restrictions. 

Jenny is likewise worried about her kids being frequently pampered by her biyenan with bags of goodies and occasional shopping sprees, and not even her husband Vince (Mon Paulo Martinez) can do anything about it. At one point in the story, the more willful and outspoken Dana throws a tantrum when Jenny tells them to turn off the TV and go to bed since it was nearing midnight. The girl, claiming it was a weekend, after all, is defiant. “Buti pa kay lola, walang rules-rules! She loves us so much! I want to live with lola again!”

There are a few other scenes in the film that depict how a young mother and her headstrong but well-

meaning biyenan could come to a head, but towards the end of the story, Jenny and Marita realize that

what they have in common—they are both mothers who love their youngsters unconditionally and want nothing but the best for them—will allow them to overcome their differences and find harmony in the process.

Director Cahilig, producer of renowned indie film Echorsis and a public relations and marketing expert, asserts that “Biyenan” is something that Filipino families can easily relate to because it presents scenarios that actually happen in real life—like resolving disagreements, as Jenny and her biyenan did in the short film, by trusting in a common good.

Cahilig affirms this, saying, “Our viewers will find themselves smiling and frowning and smiling again while watching ‘Biyenan’ because, whether they admit it or not, they will see a slice of their lives or a reflection of themselves in the characters of a story that is very simple yet will surely tug at the heartstrings of parents and their in-laws.” “Jenny and her biyenan Marita do not see eye to eye on assorted issues, and this is depicted throughout the film, but they are one in saying that it takes a trusted and natural cough remedy like Ascof Lagundi to ensure that the kids get effective and soothing relief from cough-related sore and itchy throat,” Cahilig adds.

Ascof Lagundi, the innovative and pioneering cough remedy in the Philippines, is made from 100

percent organically grown Lagundi leaves, making it a natural, safe, and effective relief for cough and

bronchial asthma. “Biyenan,” which can be watched online at the Ascof Lagundi Facebook page, was shot by cinematographer and producer Cesca Lee, known for T.P.O., Purgatoryo and Otso.