L’Oreal’s Rouge Signature line is the most underrated makeup release you should get your hands on

Having a handful of lipsticks has never stopped us from adding a few more shades to our current makeup arsenal before. But what if I told you I’ve found an essential gamechanger that’s bound to be part of your collection?

Enter L’Oreal’s newest Rouge Signature line. With the dual promise of being unbelievably lightweight while giving ultra-pigmented shades, it was only right to hold on to our reservations. But it was nothing short of a delightful experience for our skepticism to be proved wrong as I discovered that the brand’s newest lip innovation does deliver what it promises.

The Rouge Signature creations are a hybrid of the versatility of lip stains and the diversity of the liquid lipstick’s colors. It’s a long-wearing, nondrying, nonsticky, and pigmented formula. Because it is effortlessly buildable, you can go for a naturally blotted lip, trendy ombre lip, or a bold intense semi-matte one.

The truth about the Bo Gum magic

Park Bo Gum’s got range. It’s no secret that the Korean heartthrob’s biggest dream is to become a singer-songwriter, and there was nothing quite like the charisma he had shown on stage.

When he met his Filipino fans during the Good Day in Manila fanmeet, the crowd was prepared to be disarmed by his charms. What they didn’t expect, though, was a 2-hour concert. Bo Gum introduced another side to him, one that is perfectly comfortable being the center of attention—his usual timidity disappeared as he performed song after song.

We got used to Korean celebrities singing a handful of tracks when we meet them, but Bo Gum does things differently. This multihyphenate took no breaks, except for a few wardrobe changes. Every one of his numbers were adorably sensational. His notes had power. His moves were filled with energy. It certainly wasn’t like those cutesy performances on Music Bank.

Pancake House’s unlimited spaghetti is a real steal

Pancake House’s signature spaghetti is easily a hybrid of bolognese and the flavors of a children’s party staple. 

It’s what I enjoyed and loved as a kid, the plate of pasta that I looked forward to during weekend family meals and province-bound road trips. It’s still a favorite dish I crave from time to time, easily dreaming of its sweet and chunky meat sauce topped generously with cheese.

Now here’s the good news: You can enjoy as many plates of your favorite spaghetti this coming June 24 to 29. It’s the first time Pancake House offered this promo which actually costs less than one large serving of spaghetti (P309) on regular days. Honestly, it’s such a steal!

You only have to pay P299 for unlimited servings of Pancake House spaghetti. You’ll be given two full hours to eat to your heart’s content. When you finish two plates of pasta, you’ve already gotten your money’s worth, as these equal to the restaurant’s large serving.

This promo isn’t made for those trying to watch their carbs intake, but it does sound like a perfectly sinful cheat day option. I suggest you skip the garlic bread and order some ala carte chicken (P89 each) to make the most out of your meal instead. It’s simply a match made in (foodie) heaven.

Each serving will take 10 to 15 minutes before it gets to your table, which conveniently gives you short breaks in between the plates of spaghetti—it’s just enough to make you crave for more. For the cheese lovers, Pancake House’s staff will happily give you a bowl of extra cheddar if you ask for it.

The bang-for-the-buck promo also comes with a glass of iced tea. I only managed to order 3 spaghetti servings each, so I’m bound to challenge that personal record once again.

One thing’s for sure: I’m already marking my calendar for its next run.

Of all things, why be a writer?

My father isn’t the number one fan of Journalism as a profession—that I’ve been certain since he dropped me off in front the CAL in Diliman on the day I took the UPCAT.

After all these years, he doesn’t make me forget about his opinion on Journalism either, with his usual comments on the newspaper’s decline in sales, relevance, and even it’s credibility.

But he’s always been keen on reminding me to keep on writing my ideals, maybe in the hopes that I may not forget them.

Why do you even write? I ask myself whenever I had the courage to confront my motivations and goals.

The answer is never because I think I have the talent—because I am certain there are still endless lessons to be learned and countless ways to tell stories, and countless even more so are the stories that are left untold.

Writing has always just been something I was comfortable doing, but the more I do it, the more I realize the complexities of its delivering.

But why do you write, and why do you choose to keep writing? I ask myself whenever I feel stuck in my comfort zone, lacking a dose of ambition that propels most people to achieve greater things, pushing for greater stories.

I still don’t have definite answers, but each time I try to face questions of relevance and worth there are moments—conversations, specifically—that immediately flash before me.

“Now I need to have this article framed so my kids can read it when they learn to,” one of the best photographers in Asia told me after he has read my article.

To this day, nothing compares to the way these words warmed my heart, fanning desires to meet new people to get to know the stories each is well capable of sharing—and making sure that these are told.

“I do not write to win, a writer should never write to impress,” a National Artist told me as I sat across the dining table in his home. “I believe if you’re good enough, you’ll get them eventually.”

And man, I’m never winning an award but all I want to do is keep telling stories.

The X-Men hit self-destruct with ‘Dark Phoenix’

Well, Marvel had to screw up at one point.

Sure, it’s easy to dismiss it as another Fox superhero film that flopped, but such great injustice have been committed against the mutants (yet again). As the credits of “Dark Phoenix” took over the emptiness of the screen, my brows were knit in a tight furrow, wondering which element of the film’s convoluted plot I can tag as the culprit of its demise.

Perhaps the high expectations for the film were rooted in the fact that Simon Kinberg was in control, the so-called X-Men architect in the realm of films. However, his directorial debut was riddled with muddled motivations for each character, that is, if they weren’t tossed in the sidelines.

Jean Grey’s transmutation into the Dark Phoenix felt flat. In the simplest words of the English language: It was boring. But it certainly didn’t feel that way in the beginning—the first moments of the film showed promise, depicting the poignance of trauma and feeling of isolation embedded in the character’s origin story.

Except they cut that narrative short. They give us another emotive and moving Charles X. Xavier speech—in which he tells Jean: “You are not broken”—to close that chapter. The film jumps immediately to the mutants donning their iconic X-Men jumpsuits, putting their lives at risk as they go on a space mission.

Honesty is the best policy: The real deal on Sunnies Face’s newest Airblush

The first time you rub the smooth and flawless surface of a newly opened Airblush (P445), you’ll be obsessed with its creamy and powdery texture. I found myself swirling my index finger on the pot of pigment as much as needed, which proved to be such a satisfying and addicting motion.

Unlike most cream blushes, the product glides like liquid. It’s a marriage between the texture of cushion makeup and the form of balm. My current favorite in this category is the Innisfree My Palette cream blushes, but unlike that one, the Airblush doesn’t clump on your fingers nor dry easily on the pot. The color is even all throughout prior to blending.

Bok Bok, Baby: Birdbox is my newest BGC constant

It’s funny how at just the other end of Lane P’s unending queue for bobba remains BGC’s newest and best-kept secret: BirdBox’s creamy Thai Milk Tea and refreshing Calamansi Wintermelon Fruit Tea—probably the most affordable tea options in the area at just P70 each.

Yes, the price is unreal for drinks that pack a punch. But that’s not all this take-out stall has to offer. In fact, BirdBox wants to be known for the Asian flavors they have on the menu. Their food’s novelty lies in the countless combinations customers can come up with—all spiced up by the familiar tastes of Korean and Japanese cuisine that we love.

“There seems to be a limited options [in our menu], but we wanted to make sure that you can try out different flavors and combinations. You can come back everyday and come out with a different kind of meal,” BirdBox brand manager Nina Capistrano said. 

With BirdBox around, BGC folks are treated to generous servings of juicy boneless chicken bites without the hefty price tag and long wait. Getting a loaded, non-fast food meal under P200 in the area used to be plain wishful thinking, but now, one can look forward to lunches that only cost as low as P149.

Hilton’s Hua Ting is redefining Chinese food as we know it

You already have a bit of expectation going into a Chinese restaurant. It is, after all, one of the earliest international cuisines Filipinos have grown familiar with. We immediately imagine circular dining booths, the classic rotating centerpiece, and white porcelain placed all around the table—the traditional Chinese dining arrangement.

That’s the first thing Hilton’s Shanghainese restaurant takes out of the picture—the monotony and predictability of the Chinese cuisine dining experience. Yes, it still has the staple of round tables—but entering Hua Ting restaurant is like being transported to Shanghai’s 1940s nightlife. Calligraphic steel sculptures by Zheng Lu welcome the diners into the space, where one could already witness the restaurant’s playfulness in details.

“The authenticity of what we bring here at Hua Ting is definitely unsung. The main difference on the way we do things is we’re bringing in a modern approach to how we present Chinese cuisine—from our tableware to the way food is served,” Hilton executive chef Dennis Leslie said.

Penshoppe’s We Bare Bears collection makes a comeback with the Denimlab 2019 line

Two favorite collections made their comebacks, and, as the cliché goes, it’s always better the second time around. Penshoppe came out with more collaborative pieces with the equally animated and adorable characters of “We Bare Bears” that fans of the cartoon series will go crazy over once again. 

The collection has a total of 76 pieces, in fact. There are still some pastels here and there, but it goes for a more neutral palette this time around. The design details aren’t as subtle like those before either—there are bigger graphics and more all-over prints to choose from. 

The hoodies of this limited edition collection are the real deal breakers. It doesn’t matter if you already have enough hoodies to last you a lifetime. You gotta have ones with We Bare Bears’ faces—it’s cool, casual, and great geeky merchandise. Oh, and so are the oversized tees!