Jakie and the Beadstalk

It is said that real estate business is a good indicator of the economy.  If real estate investment is high, meaning more people buy real estate, then the economy is booming.  The logic behind this is that people have enough money to sustain their basic needs so they have some extra money to buy their own homes, or increase their investment in real estate.  photo credit: www.homesforsalefrisco.com In my case, I had a lot of reservations in buying a unit I can call my own.  I didn't want to live in a building and be "cloistered at the top of the tower".  So I did not even try "condo-shopping". I did not want to live in a subdivision that is too "sosyal" for my taste, although I don't even think I can afford  to buy in a "sosyal"  na subdivision.  So I chose to get a unit in a subdivision that is near our family home (original family meaning mams, pams, siblings), where the homeowners association does not charge outrageous fees, whe...

Twenty years ago, I fell in love with Robert Downey, Jr. He was my Prince Charming.  I drooled over him in Heart and Souls and After All...  Then he got into drugs and his appeal to me went down the drain...fast. When Robert did Ironman (hem, hem, we're on a first name basis), I admit, I was never interested in Ironman.  A normal person trying to be a superhero with his own gadgets? Puh-lease!!! And besides, it took a long time for me to get over him, why watch his movies at all! Then I joined Nuffnang's Ironman Movie Screening Contest and (clap hands) won tickets for two! Yey!!!! Now, I rekindled my super duper crush on my Robert. Hay...  The movie was funny, engaging, and to use the expression of Vice Ganda, "UNKABOGGABLE"!!!! It was THAT good, I had to watch it yesterday again with my sister, nephew and my baby. Thanks to Sun Cellular , the Good Choice in Postpaid (it's that good, and I blogged it here ) and Nuffnang .  If not for you, I wou...

My sister availed of a voucher from Ensogo giving a huge discount for an overnight stay in Casa de Carlo.  Located inside Las Brisas Subdivision, near crossing Mendez, Casa de Carlo boasts of an authentic Spanish feel when one walks inside the place.  Owned by Carlo Callejo, Casa de Carlo is a bed and breakfast refuge in Tagaytay. The grounds.- We had breakfast here. Antique belfry- It's like walking the streets of Spain. One is greeted through the main gate with wall murals depicting Spanish lifestyle.  At the guest's lounge/bar/dining area, various thing-a-ma-jigs are displayed like crossbows, copper pans, bows and arrows, knife collection, deer head, animal horns and a lot more.  This impressive collection, mostly of antiques, I think, is the collection of the father's owner. Dining Area, guest area, or Family Room. What's your order? The entrance to the guest rooms... The open door is the comfort room. While some tables ha...

Before my husband and I got married, he was assigned in a far-flung place, a good 15-hours' ride from Manila.  Cell signal was terrible, that he literally has to climb a water tank just to talk to me on the phone.     Good thing, I have been a Sun postpaid subscriber since 2002, we really maximized Sun's Unli call during that time.   In all honesty, if not for Sun's unlimited offerings, the first of its kind in the telcom business, I think my husband (then boyfriend) and I would have had great trouble and probably would not have been able to maintain our long-distance relationship for years.  Just last March, I renewed my Sun postpaid line and got an Alcatel One Touch Android Phone and Alcatel tablet. How's that for Plan 600!!!  Sun offers a wide flexibility in your plan.  Here are your options for Plan 600 I got from Sun's website. Plan 600   ...

I am not too fond of wearing sunglasses when I was younger.  I felt dizzy wearing them.  During one annual check -up for my eyes, my ophthalmologist told me that just because I have a 20/20 vision doesn't mean that I shouldn't protect my eyes from the harsh glare of the sun.  So, since then, I make it a point to wear sunglasses.   But buying sunglasses in a shop are taxing for me. I have to go to the optical shop, check out the stands, try on so many pairs only to get disappointed because I couldn't find the perfect pair for me. So when I came to learn about  Firmoo  ( www.firmoo.com ), I was sooo soooo happy! It's an online store that features loads of glasses, with a description of each item that allows you to really review the product and maximize your money's worth. I even made a post about  Firmoo  before. (Please click here .) When I got my own pair from  Firmoo , I blogged about it too  here for my actual  Firmoo ...

I grew up in a family that view dental hygiene as a must. Despite my parents' meager salaries when we were still kids, they made sure that our dentists and us are friends.  So one of the first things I notice in a person, aside from the nose, is his/her teeth. Yep, I hate bad teeth. And I hate bad breath (though sometimes one cannot avoid having terrible breath especially after eating garlic and onion-laden food). Now that I have a kid of my own, I make sure that the concept of a dentist for him (with an instrument to poke and probe his mouth) is something that is not scary. I'm glad he never ever got scared of the thought that he needs to have his teeth checked and cleaned regularly. Not once did he ever get scared of the word "DENTIST" unlike other kids who would scream and shake after just hearing that word.  I think it helped  too that my sister is one. So how does one prepare a little angel with a visit to the dentist? a. Even if you...

YouTube is shutting down. I first learned about YouTube when I worked at ACS in Makati in 2006. I discovered a lot of funny videos there.  This is where I saw Lea Salonga's wedding and how her groom literally shed bucket of tears while singing "Two Words".  This is where I saw that funny Japanese game where the guys played football or soccer (they look the same to me) and wore binoculars strapped to their eyes, with the big lens on the eye, and the supposed to be viewing lens was the one protruding. The effect was hilarious--- guys tried to kick the ball hard only to twist because the ball still far away. And now, it's saying goodbye... But it won't shut down without finding and awarding the best video. Who are the top bets? To quote Yahoo : "Gangnam Style has the same chance of winning as a video with 40 views of a man feeding bread to a duck," YouTube CEO Salar Kamangar pronounced, referring to the viral sensation from Koren pop artist PSY th...