Celebrate Chinese New Year with a Delicious Culinary Adventure at SM Supermalls.

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a gastronomic adventure at SM Supermalls from January 18 to January 31! Embark on a journey through flavors highlighting only the best Chinese restaurants and their must-try dishes to make your festivities even more special. Not sure where to eat out? Here are some delectable spots to celebrate the festivities:

Paradise Dynasty

SM Aura, SM Podium, S Maison

Known for the world’s first 8-flavored Xiao Long Bao, Paradise Dynasty is a must-visit for dumpling lovers. Each soup dumpling has a unique flavor, from black truffle to ginseng, szechuan to crab roe, making every bite a delightful surprise. Don’t miss their signature La Mian noodles and the mouthwatering Charcoal Custard Lava Bun for dessert!

Sichu Malatang

SM Mall of Asia, SM Podium

Dive into the numbing and deliciously fiery world of authentic Malatang hotpot, a Chinese classic perfect for chilly weather. Sichu Malatang lets you customize your bowl with your favorite ingredients and spice level. Tatler recognized it as one of the best hotpot spots in Metro Manila, so it’s a must-try for hotpot enthusiasts.

Honolulu Café

SM Aura

Step into Hong Kong’s vibrant food scene at Honolulu Café. Their signature egg tart is a flaky, creamy masterpiece you won’t forget. Pair it with their BBQ pork buns, curry fish balls, or a comforting bowl of Hong Kong style noodle soup with fried egg.

Lugang Café

SM Mall of Asia, SM Aura, SM Megamall, SM City Davao

Lugang Café offers the finest in traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Indulge in their Three-Cup Chicken, Beef Noodle Soup, and a variety of dumplings that burst with authentic Taiwanese flavors. The classic taste of their Cantonese Iced Milk Tea is the perfect sweet ending to your meal.

Tong Yang

Multiple SM Locations

For those who love variety, Tong Yang’s unlimited hotpot and grill is the place to be. With an extensive selection of fresh meats, seafood, and vegetables, you can create endless combinations to satisfy your cravings. Pair it with a selection of dipping sauces for a truly customized experience.

Tim Ho Wan

SM Seaside City Cebu, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia

Treat yourself to Tim Ho Wan’s iconic Baked BBQ Pork Buns. These sweet-savory buns are a crowd favorite and a must-try for any foodie. Other notable dishes include their flavorful Pork Dumplings with Shrimp and their lightly fried Beancurd Skin Roll.

Modern Shang

S Maison, SM BF Parañaque, SM City Clark, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Santa Rosa, SM City Sta. Mesa

Modern Shang delivers elevated Chinese classics with a twist. Their Crispy Fried Noodles and Deep-Fried Squid with Spicy Salt and Pepper are showstoppers that will have you coming back for more. Don’t forget to try their savory Deep-Fried Chicken, which pairs perfectly with their signature fried rice.

Din Tai Fung

SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall

Home to the world’s most famous Xiao Long Bao, Din Tai Fung is a must-visit destination for a Lucky Feast! Watch as these delicate soup dumplings are made fresh before your eyes and savor their signature pork Xiao Long Bao. Pair your meal with their Shrimp and Pork Wontons with House Special Spicy Sauce and Mango Sago with Pomelo for a complete dining experience.

Don’t miss this flavorful celebration of Chinese cuisine during the Year of the Snake festivities at SM Supermalls. Download the SM Malls Online app for dining deals galore!

From Modern Shanghai to Hap Chan, SM Malls Online will ensure that you enjoy the best meals and deals this Chinese New Year.

Solane Fuels Sinulog with Safety and Responsibility.

With the colorful costumes, vibrant floats, and energetic dance performances, the Sinulog Festival is one of the grandest and most anticipated events in the Philippines. This religious festival is held annually in Cebu City every third Sunday of January, and is widely participated not just by the Cebuanos, but also by tourists, both local and foreign. Even brands and companies from all over the country actively participate in the festivities, particularly the Grand Parade.

Solane, one of the country’s leading LPG provider, is once again igniting the vibrant atmosphere of Sinulog 2025. As the festival gears up for its grand celebration, Solane will actively join the celebration highlighting their participation with a colorful Solane float.

The Solane Float for Sinulog 2025.

"Sinulog is a time for celebration, and we at Solane want to ensure that everyone enjoys the festivities safely and responsibly", said Dennis Palomar, Public Affairs Officer, Isla Group Corporation. “As we join the exciting parade of Sinulog Festival 2025 with our official Solane float, our company together with our partner distributors, will ensure to provide access to safe LPG use for restaurant owners and stalls. Solane fueled this thru more active selling and promos prior the festivity” added Palomar.

For more than a decade, the company has been a consistent supporter of the festivities with a strong message of safety and responsibility. This year, organizers and the Cebu City government decided to hold the festival back at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC). The Grand Ritual Showdown, Street and Float Parade will take place on January 19, 2025.

The Solane mascot.

The Sinulog Festival is among the most vibrant and celebrated festivals in the Philippines, rich in cultural and historical significance. The festival pays homage to the Santo Niño, or the Child Jesus, who was once regarded as the patron of Cebu Province. Safe and Responsible LPG Use Solane, through its partner distributors, ensures to provide access to safe LPG use for restaurant owners and stalls. The company will fuel this this thru more active selling and promos prior the festivity.

"We are thrilled to be part of the Sinulog Festival 2025. This partnership allows us to not only support this vibrant cultural celebration, but also to reinforce our commitment to safety and community well-being. We believe that by promoting the proper use of LPG, we can contribute to a more secure and enjoyable experience for all. Lagi naming sinasabi lalo na sa mga katulad nitong fiesta at may masayang celebration, pagdating sa inyong pagluluto at paghahanda ng pagkain, Solane LPG na ang bahala sa cooking ninyo basta mag-enjoy lang kayo. Dahil sa Solane, sigurado kayong may peace of mind," said Palomar.

A Taste of Singapore at Hawker Chan.

SM City Sto. Tomas, the fourth SM Supermall in the province of Batangas, prides itself as the first "Singapore style" mall in the Philippines with its stunning, nature-inspired architectural design. With over 150 retail stores, restaurants, and specialty shops, SM City Sto. Tomas has easily become a favorite among Batangueños and those from nearby provinces. Personally, I like this mall because of Uniqlo and Digital Walker (which are not found in SM San Pablo), and the variety of dining options. Among the restaurant choices in this mall is Hawker Chan, where we had lunch last weekend. 

Hawker Chan at SM City Sto. Tomas.

Hawker Chan, which began as a humble hawker stall in Singapore, is a global franchise known for its high-quality yet affordable food. Originally known as "Chan Hon Meng Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle" (Chan Hon Meng being the chef and owner), the stall became popular for its signature dish, the soya sauce chicken rice - tender and flavorful chicken served with fragrant rice, drizzled with savory soy sauce. After earning a Michelin star in 2016*, this small hawker stall catapulted to fame and expanded beyond its original location in Singapore, opening branches in several countries including the Philippines. 

To date, Hawker Chan has nineteen branches all over the country. The new stores, including the SM Sto. Tomas branch, are now dubbed as Hawker Chan 2.0 with its stylish interiors and expanded menu. They've also somewhat evolved to a casual dining restaurant, with orders taken from and served to your table instead of lining up at the counter. 

Here's a quick look at what we ordered at Hawker Chan. 

Soya Sauce Chicken, Php 198.

Yue and Maggie had the signature Soya Sauce Chicken meal, which comes with some peanuts and prawn crackers on the side. Yue had never been to Singapore before so he's not very familiar with Singaporean food, and I was pleasantly surprised that he liked this dish. (Looks like he's ready enough to go on a trip to the Lion City, haha.) 

Roasted Duck, Php 338 + Buchi, Php 98 (4 pcs).

Mom had the Roasted Duck meal which comes with a marinated egg and some prawn crackers. She liked the flavor of the duck, although the meat was not as tender as she wanted it to be. The marinated egg was good, kinda like the mayak gyeran (Korean marinated egg) that I make at home.

Char Siew (BBQ) Pork, Php 218.

Morgan and my sister-in-law had the Char Siew Pork meal, which also comes with some peanuts and prawn crackers like the Soya Sauce Chicken meal.

Hawker BBQ Pork Platefull, Php 280.

My brother and I, on the other hand, ordered a BBQ Pork Platefull each which comes with a cup of rice, stir-fry noodles, prawn crackers, a piece of buchi, a bowl of wonton soup, and a glass of cola. The BBQ pork was tender and flavorful, which I loved, the stir-fry noodles were good, the wonton soup was so-so. The true star of this platter was the buchi with its yummy peanut filling. Yue loved it so much he ordered four pieces for himself.

Our first shopping/food trip of the year. :)

Overall, dining at Hawker Chan was a pleasant experience. Everything was good - the food, the price, the ambiance, and even the service. Will I consider dining here again? Of course! Next time I'll probably try their Hainanese Chicken and Char Kway Teow (Singaporean noodles), and maybe some Chendol too, for that complete "Singapore style" experience. 

*Sadly, Hawker Chan lost its Michelin star in 2021. I'm hoping they earn it back.

Hawker Chan

SM City Sto. Tomas

Pan-Philippine Highway, San Roque,

Sto. Tomas, Batangas

Hair Story | Liese Bubble Hair Color in Milk Tea Brown.

Hello everyone, and happy new year! I hope you're all off to a good start this 2025. 

As for me, well, I have not been blogging much for the past year or so. I'm still active on my social media pages, but I sort of had a prolonged blogger burnout and I just can't seem to write the way I did back in my heyday (haha, heyday?!). This year, I promise to update this blog more often with product reviews, food discoveries, and if possible, travel experiences. Hopefully, I can churn out at least one blog post per week (fingers crossed).

Anyway so, I was under the weather for the most part of the Christmas break. For about two weeks, I just stayed at home coughing, sneezing, and wheezing to the point that I had to take antibiotics. My fifteen-year-old nebulizer even conked out on me during this crucial time, so I had to order a new compressor nebulizer online (maybe I'll do a review about this too, who knows). And because I was sick and couldn't leave home, I resorted to DIY hair coloring just to make my hair look decent for the holidays. 

If you can remember, I used to color my hair very often with bubble hair color from Korean brands. This time, I tried a Japanese brand called Liese, which prides itself as the number one styling brand in Japan. I purchased my box of Liese Creamy Bubble Hair Color through their official Shopee page, and my order arrived after three days. 

Liese Creamy Bubble Hair Color in Milk Tea Brown.

Like most bubble hair coloring, Liese Creamy Bubble Hair Color is very easy to apply. It comes with two solutions that you have to combine in the pump bottle, a sachet of hair treatment, a pair of latex gloves, and an instruction pamphlet. Sadly, there's no plastic cape in the box so you have to use your own towel or some piece of cloth that you wouldn't mind getting dye on. 

How to apply the bubble hair color.

I love how mildly-scented this product is, and how it does not sting on the scalp. This hair color is also very easy and non-messy to work with, no liquid dripping because the foam becomes dense after application. However, I feel like I lost a lot of hair while shampooing - to think that my hair is already thin to begin with. Huhu. Well, at least, this colored nicely on my hair (I left the foam on for about 30 minutes) and I liked the end result nonetheless. 

Here's how my hair looked like 48 hours after coloring.

And here's how the color looks like after a month.

Liese Creamy Bubble Hair Color comes in 19 different shades. They have the 'Natural Series' which includes the shade that I got as well as other brown shades like Soft Brown and Rose Tea Brown. They also have the 'Design Series' which has more bold and daring colors such as Coral Orange and Deep Violet. Most of the shades are available in their official Shopee store. I got mine for only Php 383 (with vouchers plus free shipping), by the way. 

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on the link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I have tried and tested, and that I believe will be of value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

La Mesa Ecopark receives #GreenLove as Taiwan Excellence partners with Manila Water Foundation.

Taiwan Excellence is showing #GreenLove by partnering with Manila Water Foundation (MWF) to boost the promotion of La Mesa Ecopark (LME), the ‘last ecological frontier’ of Metro Manila.

As part of its efforts on environmental sustainability, Taiwan Excellence will engage in information, education, and communication support to Manila Water Foundation for the promotion of the 33 -hectare LME Park in Greater Lagro, Quezon City, which combines conservation and tourism.

Taiwan Excellence noted that LME is part of the La Mesa Watershed which is an important water source for Metro Manila and the Greater Manila Area.

"The vital aspect of our #GreenLove campaign is our sincere love for the environment by preserving and protecting our natural resources. This is our action in support of a healthier environment. We are giving future generations a greener and healthier Earth," says Dir. Alex Lai of Taiwan Trade Center, Manila.

Dir. Lai also said that their #GreenLove campaign with MWF underscores their appreciation for LME's rich biodiversity. The LME is where flora, fauna, and communities interact in ecological harmony.

"La Mesa Ecopark is considered one of the last lungs of Metro Manila because of its lush green forest that helps produce oxygen and aid in improving the city’s air quality, as well as preserve our water source. We are happy to work with Taiwan Excellence through their #GreenLove campaign. We hope that this will inspire others to do their part to help the environment," the MWF said.

For the #GreenLove campaign, Taiwan Excellence will be collaborating with actress, singer, and social media influencer Kim Molina. Kim will feature the LME in her upcoming vlog.

Taiwan Excellence has been committed to promoting green sustainability. Recently they held the "Go Green with Taiwan" project resulting in 17 semifinalists from 12 countries, including the Philippines. This global project encourages individuals, social institutions, and non-profit governmental organizations to submit ideas for a better world using Taiwanese green products and solutions.

The top three winners will be awarded a total of USD 20,000, with the results being announced on December 11, 2024.

To know more about #GreenLove campaign follow the Taiwan Excellence's social media accounts. Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taiwanexcellence_ph/