Guess what?

... We'll be celebrating our 2nd anniversary in 16 days! Check back often for updates about this because we're planning something new for our first ever anniversary as non-anonymous bloggers!

Thanks for the continuous support PK girls!

Lots of love from us,
S and Nj :)
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Movie Review: My Life in Ruins

I am a big sucker for chick flicks. I had an "addiction" phase when I would go on chick flick marathons. The thing with chick flicks is that when you watch one, you suddenly get the urge to watch another... then another.... and yet another. It's just so addicting!-- and it's not because of the plot. I think it's more of the experience; that mushy feeling you get when watching sappy romantic films. Well, here goes the second installment of my chick flick weekend: My Life in Ruins.

Honestly, I did not expect much from the film-- err, well just a little co'z my good friend told me she even liked it more than 500 days of Summer. But the poster just didn't excite me at all:

I was expecting a romantic comedy, nothing deep, nothing out of the ordinary so boy was I pleasantly surprised to find myself loving the film!

The plot is simple really. It's the story about a tour of Greece as told from the eyes of the star, Georgia. Georgia doesn't like her job, thinks the tourists are stupid and just doesn't get the laidback Greek Life. But on this particular tour, her life changes as she meets different people with different backgrounds and from whom she learns a lot.

See how the plot can be so unremarkable? But boy oh boy don't be fooled! It isn't as shallow as you would expect! I think it's the script. It was well done and thought-provoking. It was simple but really deep! I find myself getting so into the movie that I feel like crying in some parts and getting those weird butterflies in my heart again (lol!)

I really can't say much about the film co'z the story doesn't give it justice! I say you have to watch it to fully appreciate everything! It's so simple and beautiful you'd want to watch it over and over. This one definitely goes in my list of good chick flicks ;)

PK rating: 9/10
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PK correspondent Trixie, signing in!

Hello PK readers! It's really a great pleasure to be PK's blogger correspondent, and I hope I'd do more entries here. *wink wink, hint hint*

A small introduction about me: I'm Trixie Cabilan, a struggling (harhar) college senior taking up Philippine Arts. No, don't call me 'Ate'; it's fine. The girls and I were schoolmates and orgmates in college and like them, I've been a blogger for quite some time already. I've maintained a couple of blogs but right now, I'm into photo and micro-blogging. :)

On with the entry, which was actually overdue. Haha...

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I was ecstatic when PK sent me an invitation from Bo's Coffee. Because I was already on sem break, I agreed to grace the invitation and instantly thought of bringing my sister along since we haven't bonded that much since school started this year (and because she's on sem break too). I'm not much of a coffee drinker (the only delicious coffee I know is the instant coffee mix) and never really hung out in coffee shops (because I'm kuripot like that), but we both love to eat and take photos of what we eat. Haha!

On a personal note, I'm happy that another local coffee company has entered the mainstream coffee industry. The shop name might not ring a bell, but Bo's Coffee has already gained a loyal following and is not really that new in the Philippine coffee scene. Named after the owner's Italian friend, Bo's started their very first business venture in Cebu 13 years ago. From then on, the company has grown and established 40 branches all over the country--majority of which are stationed in NCR.

Dearest sister, plus her friend, and I went to the newly-opened 40th branch of Bo's Coffee in Glorietta 5. It definitely looks like any other coffee shop from the outside but after what happened that day, I became a convert. This article is longer than you'd normally read from PK, so I suggest you prepare yourself for picspams and lots of kwento.

(Can you see that wall décor of triangles/diamonds on the bottom left photo? They're actually made from coffee beans!)

First, the interiors. Definitely very cozy (loooove the curtain—very very homey), but they could put in some more couches or seats though. The shop has free wi-fi, and everything inside are locally-made: the couches are shipped from Cebu; wall décors are handmade by Cebuano artists; wall photos are taken by the owner himself. I was blown away when the marketing manager told us that the ambient lights are designed by THE Kenneth Cobunpue, world-renowned furniture and interior designer. As an art student, I was grateful that this company actually supports local artists.

Okay dearies, on with the food adventure. To start, they served us this veryyyyy sinful (there-goes-my-diet) dessert sampler. And because it's a sampler, the size of each food is reduced (Haha whatever that means).

FROM L TO R:
THE COOKIES
* Oatmeal cookies (40php per piece): Think Quaker Oats oatmeal cookies, except that Bo's version is larger and a lot more chewy: actual size is 5-7 times larger than the size in this photo/sampler. :)

* Choco Chunk and Fudgynut cookies (35php per piece): They taste great, really chewy, and not overpoweringly sweet (compared to others), which earns them two thumbs up from us.

TRUFFLE CAKE (100php per slice): Personal favorite! Just seeing my spoon sinking into this is pure bliss. Haha. The taste: very sweet, chocolatey, and it literally melted in my mouth. Bo's Truffle Cake is the epitome of decadence. Not recommended for the weight-conscious peeps though. :-P Just kidding. A bit pricey, but worth every centavo and calorie.

REVEL BAR (55php per piece): Typical looking brownie, but a lot more chewy and tastier than the others.

CARROT BAR (60php per piece): My sister's friend was very partial to this one because he loves carrots. I never got to try this one, but my sister and her friend said that it was really really good.

MALLOW FUDGE (50php per piece): This was the first thing I tried from the sampler. I absolutely love the mallows on top, and I know you will too when you've tried this. The brownie itself is not too sweet, for I hate oversweetened brownies (like those bought in bakeshops). And as I type this in, I'm suddenly craving for one. Woo!

Bo's Coffee is also finding ways to cater to the weight- and/or health-conscious customers, thus they came up with a line of sugar-free drinks. Heaven knows how I love strawberries, so you'd probably imagine my excitement when they handed these Strawberry Sugar-Free blends samplers to us. It literally tasted like melted ice cream, minus the guilt.

Next: pasta dishes. The G5 branch serves 4 pasta dishes ("made from the freshest ingredients and not from the pack/can", they assured us), and we got to try 3 of them. Sana they'd have Pesto as well. ;)

My sister got Pasta Carrietere, which consists of chicken and tomato. Mine's Pasta Bolognese, and my sister's friend had Carbonara, which is the only non-tomato based pasta. The other one's Pasta Pomodoro, which costs the same as the Bolognese. If you're a fan of Italian-style pasta like myself, you will definitely enjoy their dishes. The Carbonara, on the other hand, didn't fail us as well because it is not as nakakaumay and "milky" as you'd imagine it. Serving size-wise, it's not bitin; in fact, nabusog ako kaagad.

If you're not a fan of desserts or pasta and you'd opt for a healthier meal, their sandwiches are a must-try. They serve 3 kinds that can be light lunches, because each sandwich serving is pretty hefty.

Of course, Bo's Coffee would not be a coffee shop without the brewed and blended coffees. To cap off everything, I tried the Caramel Blended Drink which is really tasty and not nakakaumay yung tamis unlike other caramel-based drinks. I was also surprised with the amount of whipped cream present in their blended drinks, and this looks like good news for the health-conscious folks. I think this is also good because it doesn't mask the "real" flavor of the drink.

Bo's Coffee also serves tea, and they have a wide variety of choices—from the regular English and green teas, to ginger tea and some weird-sounding names like Gunpowder Tea (Before you freak out, I assure you that it's not made from real gunpowder). My sister's friend chose Orange Tea; he even managed to have 3 rounds of the same drink because he liked the taste very much.

(Bottled water on your left; tumbler on the right. They look cool, don't they?)

We were also very fortunate to take home and be one of the firsts to own the Bo's Coffee tumblers and nifty bottled waters.

(The look on my face is epic!)

I love my tumbler so much that I always have it beside me when I sleep!

Just kidding. :-P

They have lots in store for the customers this year as they're going to launch their tumblers and other coffee products. If you're curious, visit a branch near you. ;-)

We have yet to try other coffee shops (Harhar. I forgot how Starbucks food tastes like. It's been years kasi. Okay, kill me now), but so far Bo's Coffee haven't failed us in terms of food, place, and price.

I don't know about you, but with the ambience, food, and a very friendly crew, my sister and I are definitely going back for more.

** So that has been PK correspondent Trixie! Thank you Trix! Hope you enjoyed your stint as a certified PK girl! Much love from us! **

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Clear Sticky Notes

I was browsing around National one day when I saw this:

Clear Note Sticky Pad

What is it exactly? It's a translucent sticky paper, very much like Post-its. The amazing thing about it though is that it's see through!

Check out these pics below as evidence:

Aren't these cool? I honestly can't tell you what it's good for so in the practicality level, it's down to zero but on the coolness factor, it's a perfect ten! lol! :P

Wallet damage: 42.25php

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Movie Review: 500 days of Summer

At first I thought it was just a hype Hollywood caused. 500 Days of Summer-- the film that most of friends have been quoting nonstop lately. But hey, when there's smoke, it only means one thing: fire. And I tell you, 500 Days of Summer is blazing hot!

I didn't really know what to expect about the film-- except that it's supposed to be good. Story-wise the short description confused me. Quoting the first few lines from the narrator:

This is the story of boy meets girl.
But before they do,
you should know up front-- this is not a love story.

Err? Whut? Haha, wonderful hook! Definitely made me feel excited to see what it's really about! Well, WHAT IS IT REALLY ABOUT?

To your delight/disappointment, it IS a love story-- but a different kind I say. For one, instead of the girl believing in fate and destiny, it's the boy who's a lot more superficial. The girl is... shall we say, more grounded on reality. But it doesn't mean she's stiff/serious. She's actually a little loony (think: My Sassy Girl crazy).

So the boy falls in love with the girl... but the girl doesn't. Ouch right? But that's what makes the film good! For once, we get insight about the "other side". We're given a chance to take a peak into the mind of a smitten, broken-hearted boy, instead of the usual broken-hearted girl. For once we find a man who's a believer in destiny. We find a rare man who I personally thought only exists in fantasy-- someone who believes in "the one"; someone who thinks "fate/destiny" exists; most importantly... someone mushy enough to admit he is head over heels in love. ♥_♥

Hooked already? Well, that's just the tip of the iceberg! The entire movie is so beautifully written that I'm sure you will find a lot of quotable quotes from it that would really make you sigh loudly. The worst/best part is, nothing's cheesy at all--everything hits the spot. Gaaaah.

In my opinion the movie is great because doesn't have that mainstream feel to it. I am reminded of Cinemalaya films where the script is great, the plot very original and the acting not over-the-top. The film is so whimsical, every move of the camera and everything it focuses on means something that's left unsaid. That's what I completely love about it! I mean, films shouldn't always explain everything. They don't have to. It's best if there are things left to the imagination; left to fantasy. 500 Days of Summer has this cinematic appeal to it. It's like reading a novel, each scene brings to life a fantasy; a figment of your imagination :)

I can't tell you why I love this film without sounding redundant. The plot is too simple to explain further so instead, let me leave you some of my favorite lines from the movie:

I kinda like what Nietzsche said, "there is always some madness in love, but there is also... always some reason in madness"
-Rachel

I wouldn't say "the girl of my dreams". No. The girl of my dreams would have a better rack. Probably different hair, could like sports a little more. But... truth is... Robyn's better than the girl of my dreams. You know why? Co'z she's real.
- Paul

I know you think she was the perfect girl for you... I don't. I think you're just remembering the good stuff. Next time you look back, I think you should look again.
- Rachel

PK rating: 9/10 (if this was a book, it'd get a perfect ten! I downloaded the script and it's amazing!)

pictures from filmofilia.com and 500days.com
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Is this for realz?

Found a shocker in my mail tonight:

Wow. Heidi Montag? Seriously? I'm not a fan of her... never was but I do follow her on Twitter because I like drama-- and she's the queen of drama. lol!

Wa-luh laaaang :P Just thought of sharing this unusual event. Heidi Montag. Who would have thought? hehe :P

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Restaurant Review: Maru

My mom and ninang are the biggest Koreanovela fans. Can you believe my ninang even has Bae yong jung's (from Winter Sonata) manager's number?-- and on top of that, she even contacted KBS and MBC on her trip to Korea just to get Jang Dong Gun's (Kenneth of All About Eve) number? lol!

Well, that addiction got them patrionizing a lot of Korean stuff-- especially their food. That means only one thing: eating sessions at Korean restaurants. lol!

Honestly, I don't think Korean Food is vegetarian-friendly so I'm not that excited to eat at Korean restos. Oftentimes, I have to "edit" out the meat from my meal which is something I try to avoid doing when we eat out. But then, what's one more "un-vegetarian-friendly" restaurant to add to the roster? So our stop? Maru.

Choosing what to eat was a task for me because there weren't a lot of vegetarian friendly stuff in their menu. But our server was very helpful in suggesting items that I could eat and he assured me that there are plenty of vegetables in Korean cuisine that could fill me.

I picked the Bibimbap co'z I was seriously craving for rice:

See how it's full of veggies?? I laveeet! :P I also think it's delightful that it was in a hot stone bowl. It kept the food warm--no, make that HOT even after a long while. The best thing about this type of Bibimbap is the fact that the meat part is so small and clumped together which makes it so easy to remove :)

Here's Maru's take on the traditional on-the-spot grilled meat:

Wrapping everything in lettuce was the fun part! Didn't matter if mine didn't have meat, it was really flavorful already! Yum, yum!I really enjoyed eating at Maru that I even brought my good friend P, who doesn't like Korean food there only to turn her into a convert! We love, love Maru!

Overall taste: Great with a capital G! Everything tasted authentic especially their Kimchi. A tip: you should ask for a little bit of sesame oil with salt and some soy bean paste, they are sooooo yummy and goes well with everything!

Ambience: The place was really nice and well- lighted. It also gives you options on where to sit (either on the floor in true Korean style, or on basic tables and chairs).

Value for Money: Excellent! For the pictures on this post, not including the grilled mackerel I forgot to add, everything cost us less than P1,000! That's three dishes total, and we didn't even get to finish them all!

PK advise: The servers are really nice that it's sad that they don't charge for service. I think it would be proper to leave them a good tip! Also, it's best to eat here if you're not going anywhere else after co'z they don't use smokeless grills and I tell you, the smoky smell has a way of sticking to your clothes!

So if you want to try authentic Korean cuisine without breaking the bank, check out Maru at HK Sun Plaza, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd, Pasay :)
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Leona Lewis defends her bf's job

I admire people who don't put pressure on themselves to live up to other people's expectations. To me, that's a sign that you've achieved the highest level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs already (lol!)

Well, in recent interviews, the press has been amused by the fact that Leona Lewis' boyfriend of seven years is an electrician. When asked about how the whispers and blatant remarks has affected her, the SUPER! girl answered:

"I find it very offensive. It's like, seriously? This is real life, it isn't make-believe. For people to think that you should leave someone because, all of a sudden, you're a singer and you have opportunities. I feel very sorry for them. It does make me angry. Because he's a great person. And it doesn't matter what you do in life, what your job is, where you come from. None of that matters to me, what matters is who you are as a person—nothing else."

All together now: Awwwwwww.... ♥

I can't say I'm a big Leona Lewis fan (although I absolutely loved Bleeding Love), but that answer she gave showed me another dimension of her that I didn't know existed! Amazing girl! Her boyfriend must be so proud :)

How about you girls, have you ever had to defend yourself for being acquainted with someone whose standards do not equal yours?
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Apologies

So sorry for the lack of updates guys. We have been very, very busy the past few weeks, hence the sporadic posting. I personally miss blogging but my schedule does not permit me to "research" on posts, much more write about them. We all hope you understand.

We can't promise regularized posts in the weeks to come but we will try to do our very best to keep the site as updated as possible. It's sad enough that we hardly have time anymore to attend event invites (one from Bo's coffee and another from Freeway), it's sadder that we can't write about all the really good stuff we're just bursting to share.

It's just a few weeks until our 2nd year anniversary and it's an event you all wouldn't want to miss! Thank you for understanding us and continually showing your support!

A big bear hug from us,

S & Nj :)
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You want a PISA me?

The new collection from David & Goliath is just so hilarious! Check out this flyer I got in the mail:

Click for a bigger version!

I think the "Pa Go Da Hell" is brilliant. Sooooo funny! hehe :) Can't wait to see the collection up close!
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