The BTS Meal is coming to the Philippines on June 18!

Get ready, because the Golden Arches are about to shine even brighter thanks to a new collaboration with 21st century global pop icons, BTS.

Are you ready for this one-of-a-kind collaboration?

This one-of-a-kind menu “tour” will arrive in the Philippines on June 18, 2021, when customers can enjoy the band’s signature order at participating restaurants nationwide.

The BTS Meal includes a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets®, medium World Famous Fries®, medium Coca-Cola, and Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea.

Sneak peek of the BTS Meal!

“The band has great memories with McDonald’s. We’re excited about this collaboration and can’t wait to share the BTS Meal with the world,” says BIGHIT MUSIC, label of BTS.

Since 2013, BTS has topped music charts and brought people together from all over the world through their music and positive messages. Over the next few months, BTS fans everywhere will find themselves that much closer to their favorite artists... because for the first time since McDonald’s launched its celebrity signature orders program in the U.S. last year, the BTS Meal will be available globally in nearly 50 countries. You can find a full list of participating countries as well as dates for meal availability here.

“No matter who you are, everyone has a go-to order at McDonald’s - even international superstars like BTS.” said Oliver Rabatan, McDonald’s Philippines Marketing & Channels Head. “This band is truly a global phenomenon with a fanbase that knows no borders, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring the BTS Meal to our customers in the Philippines starting June.”

Waiting for you Anpanman! :)

So mark your calendars for June 18, and be sure to keep an eye out on McDonald’s social channels McDo.ph on Facebook and McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates on this exciting partnership!

Spotlight | Vice Cosmetics x BT21 Collection.

Local beauty brand Vice Cosmetics dropped a bomb a few days ago and the K-Pop community, most especially the ARMYs, went wild! I'm pertaining to the Vice Cosmetics x BT21 collaboration, which has been the talk of the town ever since Vice Cosmetics started posting teasers of the new collection in their social media pages.

Vice Cosmetics x BT21 collection at SM San Pablo.

The Vice Cosmetics x BT21 collection was launched at Vice Cosmetics stores and kiosks nationwide last October 5, but this buzz-worthy collaboration had an early launching at BeautyMNL on October 1. And just as the husband predicted (lol), I was among those BTS stans/K-Pop fans/beauty junkies who were up at midnight, frantically adding to cart and making a mad dash for the checkout page.

Ironically, my orders arrived the day after Vice Cosmetics x BT21 collection's nationwide launch. It took BeautyMNL almost 48 hours to verify my bank deposit, which should not have been the case had they accepted my credit card payment in the first place. Oddly enough, all four of my active credit cards (which are also in good credit standing, by the way) were rejected by their website. I've already raised this concern with the BeautyMNL customer service, and I'm still waiting for their response regarding the matter.

Moving on, here's my Vice Cosmetics x BT21 haul. The complete collection includes an eyeshadow palette (the first-ever from Vice Cosmetics), four blush and highlighter duos, four liquid lipsticks, and four lip tints. I skipped the eyeshadow palette because I hardly wear eyeshadow these days; instead, I purchased two blush and highlighter duos, two liquid lipsticks, and one lip tint.

My Vice Cosmetics x BT21 haul! :)

The BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo (Php 245) is a compact which contains a powder blush and a highlighter. I got the Universtar duo which features a peach blush and a peachy gold highlighter; and the Prankster duo which contains an orchid pink blush and a pink highlighter.

BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo - Universtar (left) and Prankster (right).

I love the smooth, buttery texture of both blushes, and how nicely pigmented they are. Prankster has a deeper shade which may seem intimidating from the pan, but it looks lovely when blended on the cheeks. The bright, orchid pink blush will work with most skin tones, while the lighter, peachy blush of Universtar will suit those with fair to light skin tones.

BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Universtar.

BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Prankster.

As for the highlighters, they're soft and finely-milled which leaves little to no room for fall-outs. Both shades give off a nice, luminous glow without looking too shimmery.

Swatched - BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Universtar.

Worn - BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Universtar.

Swatched - BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Prankster.

Worn - BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Prankster.

The BT21 Phenomenal Velvet Single (Php 225) is a 'modern liquid lip color' with a soft, matte finish. Like the Phenomenal Liquid Lipstick, the Velvet Single has a creamy, long-wearing formula, opaque texture, and flat matte finish. However, they don't have that subtle, chocolate scent that the Phenomenal Liquid Lipstick has. Still, I love the velvety, non-drying formula, and the intense color payoff of this product.

BT21 Phenomenal Velvet Single in Shooky.

Shooky - a natural, nude color that's perfect for everyday wear.

BT21 Phenomenal Velvet Single in Mang.

Mang - a perfect plum shade which gives major autumn vibes.

Finally, we have the BT21 Water Gel Lip & Cheek Tint (Php 175) an easy-to-blend, water-based tint for the lips and cheeks. Its formula is the same as the regular Vice Cosmetics Lip & Cheek Tint - not too runny, not too watery, nicely pigmented with buildable color. It also has the same fruity scent and long-wearing formula which I love.

BT21 Water Gel Lip & Cheek Tint in Chimmy.

Chimmy - a gorgeous old rose shade (more like berry to me)
that can be worn gradient or full lip.

Here are the swatches of all the lip products in the Vice Cosmetics x BT21 Collection. It's the reason why I visited the Vice Cosmetics kiosk here at SM San Pablo a few days after the nationwide launch. The lip tints and most of the liquid lipsticks (save for Koya and Mang) were already sold out by then. I hope they will restock soon for the benefit of those who were not able to buy online and had planned to buy them in-store.

Swatches (L-R top): Koya (Blushing Pink), Shooky (Natural Nude),
 RJ (Brick Red), Mang (Perfect Plum);
(L-R bottom): Chimmy (Old Rose), Kooky (Deep Red),
Van (Terracota), Tata (Red Orange).

If you're a fan of BTS, BT21, or simply a fan of affordable, good quality makeup, the Vice Cosmetics x BT21 collab is a great buy. Sure, they're a tad pricier than Vice Cosmetic's regular line, but I'm sure BTS/BT21 stans wouldn't mind shelling out a few extra bucks for this limited edition collection. On that note, Vice Ganda surely knows which market to tap and which demographic has purchasing power, lol.

Wearing BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Universtar on my cheeks +
BT21 Phenomenal Velvet Single in Shooky on my lips.

Wearing BT21 Aura Blush and Glow Duo in Prankster on my cheeks +
BT21 Phenomenal Velvet Single in Mang on my lips.

The Vice Cosmetics x BT21 Collection is available at Vice Cosmetics stores and kiosks nationwide, at the Vice Cosmetics official website, or at the Vice Cosmetics flagship stores in Lazada, Shopee, and BeautyMNL. They're selling like hotcakes so act fast! These limited edition babies might be gone before you can even sing 'oh my my my... for a boy with love!' :)

Seoul Searching | The Great Gangnam Adventure (Part 2).

On our second attempt to find the Namoo Actors building, Yue and I chose to take a different route - a subway ride to Apgujeong Rodeo Station, then a bus ride to Cine City, a posh movie theater and one of the more popular hangouts in Gangnam. Having been to Apgujeong Rodeo several times before, I was confident that we will no longer get lost and this time around, we will finally be able to get to the (elusive) Namoo Actors Building.

But first, a photo op with the BTS Gangnamdol at K-Star Road. We didn't take pictures with this bear when we first visited Apgujeong Rodeo two years ago, mostly because I did not have much interest with the group back in 2016.

Finally, a photo op with the BTS Gangnamdol!

And then Mic Drop came along. Released in 2017, this collaboration single with Steve Aoki had a beat so catchy and a music video so lit that the next thing I know, I have a BTS playlist on my Spotify. And a son who says he's also a BTS fan. Lol!

Oh the places we will go...
More of our Gangnam adventure after the jump! :)

Top 5 Sports to Accelerate the Weight Loss Process.

Other than healthy eating, increased physical activity is another great way to lose weight. While most people like going to the gym, it can often get repetitive and boring, causing you top lose morale. So, why not engage in something you'll actually enjoy doing like sports?

Sports provide a fat-shedding stimulus that will keep you fit and healthy as well. Since you'll like what you are doing, you are more likely to stick to it. And we all know how important consistency and patience is when looking to lose weight. Here are a few sports to help you accelerate your weight loss process:

Seo Ji Sub in Always (2011).

Boxing
Boxing utilizes most of your body muscles, offering a fully toned body. Workouts are so intense that you can burn up to 800 calories in an hour, which makes it among the most effective sport to accelerate your weight loss process. In addition, boxing improves your muscle endurance and cardiovascular fitness, which is essential for a long-term weight loss process.

Squash
Squash is a racquet sport that requires a lot of movement of your whole body to be able to hit the ball. The rallies in squash tend to be longer and the breaks between points are shorter compared to other racquet sports, making it the most cardio-demanding sport you can engage in. An hour of playing squash will melt over 700 calories. The constant running also builds up your muscle strength and endurance in the lower body.

Lee Soo Hyuk in Lucky Romance (2016).

Tennis
Whether as a sport or a recreational activity, playing tennis is another great way to lose weight. This sport combines several intense actions that help you to strengthen your muscles and improve your cardiovascular system. Tennis helps you achieve a fully toned body by working your legs, belly, arms, buttocks, and back. If you still need convincing, look at all the tennis players, they are mostly thin with toned bodies. To begin your weight loss journey with this sport, you need the best tennis shoes, a Racquet, tennis clothes, tennis balls, and useful accessories such as sunglasses and a sweatband.

Getting started with a new sport often feels intimidating if you have never picked up a racquet before. Many people find that working with a coach helps them learn the right form from the very first day. If you live in a busy area, finding a court and a teacher that fits your schedule is a big part of the process. Taking New York City NYC beginner tennis lessons is a practical way to build these skills while meeting your fitness goals. These sessions focus on basic movements like short-court rallying to help you get comfortable on the court quickly. Once you have the basics down, you can move to the baseline and start playing full games.

Swimming
Swimming is a great sport for weight loss for a number of reasons. First, it challenges your entire body, working both your lower and upper muscles. With the many swimming strokes available this sport provides different types of aerobic exercises, offering a new challenge to master each time. If you are looking for a fun activity during the summer that will help you continue your weight loss journey then start looking for a pool near you. You'll be amazed at the level of fitness you can achieve with a few daily laps in the pool.

BTS playing beach volleyball.

Volleyball
Playing volleyball involves physical activities like running and doing squats. These activities will require you to use most parts of your body, including the arms, legs, thighs, buttocks, and hands. It goes without saying that playing volleyball tones and shapes your entire body. An hour-long game of volleyball can help you burn over 300 calories, and this number goes up when you play on a much less stable ground of sand.

Seoul Searching | Art, Architecture, and All Things Hallyu at Digital Media City.

If you're a KDrama fan who enjoys visiting filming locations, or a KPop fan who wants to take part in music programs and take a chance at seeing your favorite KPop group perform live, then it is imperative that you include Digital Media City in your Seoul itinerary.

Located in Sangam-dong in the district of Mapo, Digital Media City is an industrial cluster of world-class digital media and entertainment companies. This area was constructed in 2006 across 140 acres of land, with aims of becoming the new epicenter for Korean wave (otherwise known as Hallyu) content and production.

On our most recent trip to Seoul, Yue and I got to experience Hallyu on a totally different level as we explored Digital Media City - its vicinity, the buildings located in the area, and the ultra-modern sculptures for which this place is also known for.

'Square M-Communication', sculpture by Young Ho Yoo.

Ji Sung and Hwang Jung Eum in Kill Me, Heal Me.

Case in point, the Square M-Communication - a gigantic sculpture smack dab in the middle of DMC's Sangam Cultural Square. An artwork that represents the symbolic meeting of people through the use of media, this sculpture made a special appearance in the 2015 movie Avengers: Age of Ultron. This landmark was also seen in Korean dramas such as I'm Not a Robot, Pinocchio,  and Kill Me, Heal Me - one of my favorite Kdramas of all time.

'They', sculpture by Lee Jin Joon.

Yoon Shi Yoon in The Best Hit.

More of Digital Media City after the jump!

Seoul Searching | BT21 at Line Friends Store.

While walking along the streets of Hongdae, Yue and I came across a group of girls holding cute character balloons in their hands. Recognizing the characters right away, Yue gasped, "Mommy, it's BT21!!!" BT21 is a line of animated characters created by Kpop group BTS, in collaboration with Line Friends.

Just then, another group of girls - mostly foreigners this time - showed up, also with BT21 balloons in tow. "Where did they get those balloons?" I wondered, almost on the verge of asking one of the girls that we ran into. Before I could even unravel the mystery, Yue already figured it out, pointing at the huge Line Friends Store across the street.

Line Friends Store in Hongdae.

Almost every individual that walked out of the store had a BT21 balloon, and Yue wanted one for himself. Well, I wanted one, too - never mind if I'm already an ahjumma who's already in her late 30's. Lol.

BT21, the brain child of BTS in collaboration with Line Friends.

As we entered the store, I asked one of the staff how can I avail of the balloon. "Just buy anything, and we'll give you a balloon," he said. "Anything? Even a small item like that?" I asked, pointing to a Brown hair tie worth 5000 won. "Yes, anything!" he said with a smile. And with that, we made our way to the second floor to check out the BT21 goods.

Cute and cuddly pillows.

The BT21 characters were officially introduced in September last year, but it wasn't until December when Line Friends started selling BT21 merchandise. They were such a huge hit among BTS fans, that not even freezing winter temperatures could stop them from lining up in front of the Line Friends store to get their hands on BT21 items.

Yue with the BT21 gang!

He's standing beside his favorite character, Chimmy.

Thankfully, there was no pandemonium of that sort when we visited, nor did we have to fall in line to enter the store. Sure, the place was still crowded with shoppers (and I reckon most of them are BTS fans) but Yue and I were able to look around and take photos without a hitch.

Yue wanted them all, but baggage allowance does not permit, lol.

Kooky, Chimmy, and Mang.

RJ the alpaca.

Plushies!

Prices for the BT21 merchandise range from 2500 won to 55000 won. Plastic folders printed with BT21 characters were the cheapest, while black hooded sweatshirts with patches of Tata, Cooky, and Shooky were the most expensive. As far as I'm concerned, these items are still within the affordable price range, and if you're a hardcore BTS fan, the price really wouldn't matter anyway. Haha.

Passport cases, 12000 won each.

Tata is my favorite, because this represents V. :)

Yue and I finally settled on getting a gel pen, because that's the only thing we had a need for at that moment. Surprisingly, the staff gave us two balloons even if the Cooky pen that I bought (Tata was out of stock) only costs 3000 won!

En route to Digital Media City. Yes, we went all the way to DMC with those balloons, lol.

A few weeks later, we visited the Line Friends Store and Cafe in Itaewon. We were in the neighborhood to pick up the husband's sneakers at the Under Armour store and I asked the boys if we could swing by Line Friends because I wanted to see the cafe, which the Hongdae store did not have.

Line Friends Store and Cafe in Itaewon.

The cafe is located in the third floor, and their menu now includes BT21 drinks and desserts such as Chimmy's Pineapple Smoothie and Tata's Berry Sundae. We didn't get to try them though, as the place was packed (we went on a Sunday) and we wanted to eat at Dairy Queen anyway.

BT21 drinks and desserts.

The stairs leading to the third floor.

If you're a BTS fan, you'll find the Itaewon flagship store a lot more interesting since they have BTS memorabilia on display. For instance, these sketches of Koya by his creator, RM.

Koya by RM (also known as Kim Nam Joon).

And the statue of Space Robot Van, signed by all BTS members.

Signed statue of Space Robot Van.

In addition, the Itaewon store has more photo zones and carries more BT21 merchandise than its Hongdae counterpart. Now if you're an ARMY, I'm sure you won't leave either store empty-handed. We left Itaewon with another BT21 gel pen, lol.

Still no luck with Tata, huhu.

To get to the Hongdae Line Friends Store, take Hongik University Station (Line 2), exit 2.
To get to the Itaewon Line Friends Store and Cafe, take Itaewon Station (Line 6), exit 3.

Seoul Searching | Highlights of my Spring/Summer 2018 Trip.

I've finally unpacked everything from my luggage, sorted out my K-beauty haul, and transferred more than a thousand photos from my phone to my hard drive. It's been two weeks since we returned to the Philippines and now I can finally say that we've settled back in!

That being said, it's back to the daily grind for me, and I'm just about ready to blog about all of the places that we've been to and all the food that we had in this year's Seoul Searching trip. But first, let me share with you some snippets of our Korean adventure:

Meeting Edward Avila... and sitting next to him on the plane!
K-beauty vlogger Edward Avila was in Manila last May for a Meet and Greet organized by Club Clio Philippines. The event was scheduled the day before our flight to Korea, making it impossible for me to attend much as I wanted to. As I watched live videos of the event on Clio's Instagram, I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could chance upon Edward at the airport if he happens to be flying back to Korea on the same day that we were.

I got more than I wished for because lo and behold, as I was fastening Yue's seatbelt, a guy with silver purple ombre hair peeking out of his black baseball cap took the seat beside mine on the plane. I knew right then and there who he was.

Flying all the way to Incheon with THE Edward Avila.
AirAsia Premium Flex seats are the best seats in the house!

"Edward?" I asked, stifling the urge to scream.
"Yes?" he replied.
And I was like, "Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod, it's really you!"
And then I started gushing about how sad I was that I couldn't make it to his event and how lucky I am to actually be flying all the way to Incheon with one of my favorite vloggers! Edward was very friendly and congenial, and we chatted for the most part of the flight - well, at least during the times when we were both awake. We even took photos together, even if I look like I haven't slept for a week, haha!

Catching-up with friends.
My childhood friend Ela and her partner Maan were in Korea for a few days, and I made it a point to meet up with them - because reunions are more fun in Korea, lol.

Samgyeopsal with Ela and Maan.

I went to Hongdae where the girls were staying, and we had a hearty meal of samgyeopsal at one of the local restaurants in the area, capped off with the best churros in the world for dessert.

Customary photo with Brown, this time in Hongdae!

We also did a bit of shopping - well, more like pimple patch hunting since Ela wanted to try those popular pimple patches. As such, we went searching for the ALand branch in Hongdae, because I know for a fact that COSRx products are sold in ALand stores. Ela loved the COSRx Pimple Patch so much that she regrets not buying more even when I told her to, lol.

Bonding with family.
Despite their busy schedule, Kuya JR (my husband's cousin) and his wife Youngsook unni took the time to spend the day with us, one fine Sunday in June. We had barbecue and soju at our favorite buffet restaurant, Meat-ing, as a celebration of sorts - post-anniversary celebration for us, and advance birthday celebration for Youngsook unni.

The boys. :)

Chill Sunday with Kuya JR and Youngsook unni.

Then we enjoyed the Seoul sunshine by exploring Kondae Rodeo, shopping for sneakers, and having coffee at Holly's.

Celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary.

Would you believe that for the past nine years, the husband and I have never celebrated our anniversary together? This is the main reason why I wanted to be in Korea in June - so that we can finally celebrate our anniversary together, in one country, under one roof. It's our tenth year of marriage, after all, and our fifteenth year as a couple. 

Mocha Cream Cake from Paris Baguette.

Our anniversary fell on a weekday so we only had a simple celebration at home with some pasta (which I cooked), a bit of wine, and a lovely cream cake that the husband bought at the nearby Paris Baguette. But on the Sunday a few days ahead of our anniversary, we did celebrate the occasion by hearing mass at Hyehwa Catholic Church and having lunch at Yoogane - because no trip to Korea would be complete without enjoying my all-time favorite dak galbi.

Celebrating Father's Day.

Similarly, this was our first time to celebrate Father's Day together. I wanted this day to be extra special for the husband so I went the extra mile to get him the Curry 5 sneakers in the colorway that he wanted. 

Shopping for sneakers at the Under Armour flagship store in Itaewon.

My boys who love 'sole searching'. :)

Many thanks to the staff of Under Armour Garosugil and Under Armour Itaewon for the excellent customer service! You guys are daebak! (You can read the full story on this Instagram post.)

Feeling the football fever.
It sure felt different to watch the World Cup in a country that's actually playing in the World Cup, and I was so glad to still be in Korea during their first two group stage matches. The entire country was in a very festive mood during that time, especially in the evenings when cheering parties were held in open spaces such as Gwanghwamun Square, City Hall, and the COEX Convention Center.

Street cheering/viewing party at Gwanghwamun Plaza. Photo credit: Korea Times.

K-Stadium at Lotte World Mall.

BTS x Coca Cola World Cup pop-up at COEX Mall.

Although it was sad that Korea's World Cup dreams ended in the group stage, they did bag the honor of being the only Asian country to beat Germany, champions of the 2014 World Cup.

As for me, Korea bags the honor of being the country that I have traveled to the most (five times in total), and I will never grow tired of visiting this country again and again. If only we could live here permanently, I would pack my bags and go even at a moment's notice!