Thursday, July 31, 2014

Tips for Picky Eaters, Thanks to Appebon

Because July is Nutrition Month, I’m sharing with you some tips I learned on how to handle picky eaters, thanks to food supplement Appebon and Dr. Florianne Feliza-Valdez, Pediatrician and Director of the Center for Patient and Partnership of The Medical City


I was a picky eater growing up. I hated vegetables, didn’t like to drink milk. The only fish I liked to eat were milkfish and tuna. I didn’t eat my required daily dose of fruits. 

The good thing was, growing up I rarely ate junk food. So in a way, I still ate healthy. To make up for my nutritional deficiencies, my mom gave me all sorts of vitamins. All sorts, trust me, heehee.

Thankfully, as I matured, I had grown to love vegetables, fruits and all sorts of protein. I chose to eat healthy on my own, and by the time I had kids, they had grown to love healthy, nutritious food too. Which as it turns out, is one of the key reasons as to why my kids are NOT picky eaters!

 According to Dra. Valdez, here are the top reasons why kids become picky eaters:
  1. The family’s eating habits. Dr. Valdez says if your child is a picky eater, it’s not about the child! Picky eaters turn out that way because of the eating and feeding habits parents establish with their children. In short, if we don’t eat healthy, how can we expect our kids to eat healthy? 

  2. As parents, we need to “model behavior” and be good examples to our children by eating the right food, in the right portions, at the right time. I’m looking at you, indulgers and snackers! 

  3. Milk and bottlefeeding. Once child has reached 6 months of age, milk should no longer be his sole source of nutrition/nourishment. He can start eating solid food, gradually introducing new flavors to his palate. Giving the child milk, especially milk in bottles at age 1 may potentially mess with them eating solid foods. Milk fills up the stomach too, not allowing them to eat real food.  

  4. Snacking. We should never allow our child to snack 2 hours before a meal. It is a surefire way to ruin their appetite. 

  5. I’ve seen this happen a couple of times. When my kids snack in the car, and then lunch or dinner is served as soon we get to the restaurant or our home, it’s almost guaranteed that they will not touch their food at the table.

  6. Junk food! Let’s face it, why eat real food when you have the option of having junk food? Many parents feel junk food is better than no food at all, but really, you are doing your kids a disservice by giving them junk food.
    Try to stop buying those sugary drinks and snacks, soda, instant noodles and start serving healthy food instead. Your kids may just amaze you.

That said, what do we do to make sure we raise well-nourished children? Well-nourished meaning they are not undernourished nor overnourished, because chubbiness can also be a sign of malnutrition!

Dra. Valdez stresses that nourishment is not just about food, and breaks it down into 3 N’s.

  • Nurture – This refers to the loving and healthy environment that a child needs. The energy we give out to our children greathly impacts the energy they emit to us and to others. We should take care to make sure to not allow bad energy reach our children. More than that, we should invest in them by spending quality time with them. Reading & music, even talking to our babies while still in the womb are great ways to nurture them. 
  • Nature –This refers to heredity and genetics. You can’t expect kids to be giants if both parents are petite. Comparing your kids to other kids will just cause frustration if you feel that your kids are not as tall or as big as other kids without taking into account genetics. As long as your kids do not fall below a certain percentile in the World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts, do not worry unnecessarily. 
    If you are in doubt if your kids are nourished enough, ask your pediatrician for a nutritional assessment. But remember that each child is different, and it could be attributed to genetics. Your doctor can gauge your child’s growth using a chart that measures stature/length, age, weight percentile to make sure your child’s growth is normal and not stunted.
  • Nutrition – This starts with feeding newborns. Breast milk is of course, always best. As the child grows, ensure that you serve your child a well-balanced meal. Also remember that eating is a full-time activity. Establish good eating habits such as sitting down and eating together with the family, and never never in front of the TV. 

Of course, even if we are conscientious about giving all the Go, Grow and Glow foods, sometimes children will require supplementary feeding due to an illness, low iron/iodine, vitamin C or zinc deficiency.

Dra. Valdez shares that in this case, vitamins are important. Look for multivitamins with Vitamins B1, B6, B12, Iron, Iodine, Calcium, Zinc and Vitamin C.


However, note that vitamins alone do not boost appetite. There are vitamins that include appetite stimulants, but Dra. Valdez says these may only be given with a doctor’s prescription and under your pedia’s supervision. 

Of course, to maximize our kids’ growth, apart from feeding them right, make sure that they get enough sleep. 

We release the most growth hormones in our sleep. A 2 hour nap during the day, and 8 hours of sleep at night will not only ensure that they get the benefits of the surge in growth hormones, they also have enough rest to always be ganado and on the go! 

To help ensure that your kids get their much needed vitamins and nutrients for energy and optimal growth, have them take Appebon. This strawberry flavored syrup is rich in Vitamin B1, B6 and B12, Iron and L-Lysine. For more info on Appebon Kid and the Batang Ganado, Batang Can Do campaign, go visit their Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/appebonkid

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Fun, Cute Find: Heart and Bolt Jewelry

Heart and Bolt's Primadonna Php 950 and Morse code bracelet Php550-950 

For Mother's Day, I received some delicate, super cute jewelry from Heart and Bolt.

I love them so much, that I've worn a piece, or three every single day since I got them.

They remind me of Catbird Jewelry, sweet, stackable and makes a subtle statemement.

Except that Heart and Bolt is a homegrown brand, created and designed by Yendy Yu. The pieces are either made from 14 k gold filled non tarnish components, or sterling silver dipped in gold (vermeil), and because it's Manila-based, much more accessible and affordable. 

You can really afford to pile them on, like so:


Or choose to wear a few pieces at time, with your favorite watch. Either way, they're equally stylish.


Here's showing you a few of the designs that Yendy has come up with, check out her Instagram, heartandbolt and Like the Heart and Bolt Facebook page to see more!

Infinity & Primadonna bracelets, Anchor, Initial and wishbone pendants (wishbone is Php1,850)

moon & star necklace

barre bracelet, ballsy ring, horseshoe necklace, evil eye sapphire bracelet

evil eye bracelets

cute packaging - craft paper boxes with black grosgrain ribbon

Before you go grab yourself a stack of Heart and Bolt bracelets and necklaces, I'd like to leave you with Yendy's tips on how to properly care for and clean your gold filled and vermeil jewelry:

About Gold Filled jewelry:
  • Gold filled is an actual layer of gold-pressure bonded to another metal.
  • Gold filled is not to be confused with gold plating as filled literally has 100% more gold than gold plating. Gold filled is much more valuable and tarnish resistant. It does not flake off, rub off or turn colors. As a matter of fact, anyone who can wear gold can wear gold filled without worries of any allergic reaction to the jewelry
  • Gold filled jewelry is an economical alternative to solid gold!
About Vermeil jewelry:
  • Vermeil is an overlay of 14kt gold on sterling silver.
  • This ensures a quality metal as opposed to base metals under your gold.
Caring for Gold filled and Vermeil jewelry:
  • The most important tool against tarnish is preventative care.
  • Keep your jewelry in an air-tight bag with an anti-tarnish strip or an air-tight jewelry box. 
  • Filled and vermeil jewelry is sensitive to scratching and cleaning, so if you need to polish your jewelry, use only a dry and soft clean cloth. 
  • Do not use a silver polishing cloth as it will remove the 14kt overlay from the silver. For severe tarnish or cleaning, you can use a gold polishing cloth lightly, but repeated or excessive use will ruin the surface of the jewelry.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Original Penguin x Pepsi: Live for Now


In a global first, Original Penguin and Pepsi have collaborated in creating a capsule collection, Live for Now

For the Manila launch, Original Penguin has put together today’s local talents, who are the movers and shakers of the generation, to bring to life the design and character of the collection. 


Gathering some of today’s most renowned and admired personalities in their respective fields, the event was graced by Tweetie De Leon, Cheska Garcia-Kramer, Maxene Magalona, Maggie Wilson, Kelly Misa, JM Rodriquez, Victor Basa, RJ Ledesma, PBA Players Christ Tiu and Gabe Norwood, and Team Azkal’s Simon Greatwich, Carlie de Murga and Antonio de Murga. 

The festive affair showcased the exhibit of the eclectic designs of the six street artists who evidently did not hold back in making the collection lively, youthful and nonetheless original. The collection is a party all on its own, guests were enveloped in decorative colors and playful thematic set up, in which showcased how every piece in the collection is truly a work of art. 

It was an awesome night to say the least, the fashion show being the highlight of the event, captured everyone’s attention with the parade of colorful fashion pieces on your not-so typical set up of a ramp. 




Between breaks during the fashion show were the breathtaking stunts of the “Futkaleros".


For sure, there was no dull moment, no corner unturned and all were enjoying the energy emanating from the collection that is truly a breath of fresh air from today’s common trends. 



The Original Penguin x Pepsi Collection is available at the following stores: Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5, Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, MarQuee Mall and Ayala Center Cebu

Kinder Fun Activities with Kinder Joy

 photo PHRevisedEDM1_zpscd4f77a9.jpg

Parents! You may want to calendar this for your next weekend activity!

KINDER JOY invites us all to a back to school session with 3 KINDER FUN ACTIVITIES on August 2 & 3, Saturday – Sunday, at Atrium, G/F, Fully Booked Bonifacio Global City:

BOOK READING -1st Session: 11:15 – 12:00 NN / 2nd Session: 1:45 – 2:30 PM / 4:15 – 5:00 PM

ART ATTACK -1st Session: 12:00 – 12:30 PM / 2nd Session: 2:30 – 3:00 PM / 5:00 – 5:30 PM

QUIZ TIME -1st Session: 12:30 – 1:00 PM / 2nd Session: 3:00 – 3:30 PM / 5:30 – 6:00 PM
 
TO REGISTER, go to http://bit.ly/backtoschoolph

Registration closes on July 31, 2014, 6 PM.

Activities are open to all kids from 3 – 12 years old.

One time registration only. Each child registered is only allowed 1 parent or guardian at the event. Please note that there are limited slots available, on a first come first serve basis.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Enjoy The Philippine Star Page Suite App on your iPhone & iPad

Years ago, the only way to read my favorite newspaper online was well, through their website, www.philstar.com


It was the next best thing to reading the actual paper, and if based abroad, like we were, the only way really. 

As with the paper version, the website is peppered with ads, going through each story required scanning the entire web page top to bottom, from left to right, and it was very plausible to miss out on a story because I would have to go back to the home page after reading a story to scan through it again. 

Not so with The Philippine Star’s Page Suite App for iPhone and iPad. 

You may never read your favorite paper outside of this app again ever. Or at the very least, have it as your primary Philippine news app on your mobile device. Let me tell you why: 

Feel & Vibe of the App 


Clean, neat, and uncluttered, the app is very easy on the eyes. Everything is laid out in a straightforward manner, with the menu screen containing the different sections of the paper popping up from the upper left side.


Ease of Navigation 

The app is very easy to navigate, intuitive and there’s no learning curve to hurdle. You just get it from the get go. 

To navigate through the day’s paper, simply swipe left or right to move between the different sections – front page, opinion, sports, business, entertainment and lifestyle. 

To read an article, simply tap on the article to read it in full detail. Once you’re done, just tap on the x on the upper right corner to close the page and be reverted back to the section. 

Because the app is free of unnecessary clutter, and sections have their own dedicated “page”, it is very reader friendly, and you don’t get lost in a neverending stream of stories. 

User Experience/Functionality 

For those who prefer reading their newspaper the “old-fashioned” way, I especially like that there is a PDF version of The Philippine Star, where I can enjoy the paper as if I was reading the actual newspaper and turning its pages without getting ink on my hands. 

You may also download the paper each day to read on the go, even download the PDF versions of past issues. 


 Of course, for full access to the daily newspaper, plus live updates on breaking news, sports, business and much more, you’ll need to subscribe to the app. 

Choose from 7 Day ($2.99), 1 Month ($6.99), 3 Months ($19.99), and 6 Months ($34.99) subscriptions. All subscriptions include a free trial for an initial period of up to 14 days. 

The Philippine Star Page Suite App for both iPhone and iPad is available for download HERE at the Apple App Store. Payment for the subscription will be charged to subscriber’s iTunes account upon purchase. 

Download The Philippine Star Page Suite App on Google Play, HERE
For more on The Philippine Star, Like them on Facebook, and follow @PhilippineSTAR on Twitter. 

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Pottery Barn Kids, for the Mommas & Poppas Really

If Pottery Barn will make you want to renovate your home so you can make it look picture perfect, equally hard to resist is Pottery Barn Kids. 

Imagine having a room like this for your boys?


The rugs and bed linens are just too adorably preppy!


Plus, towels and beach wraps for when you want to bring a touch of Pottery Barn to your weekend trips to the beach.


While not yet for sale, I know Berry will freak out over this play kitchen. There's a sink that's due to complete this play kitchen showcase actually. Even I want this for our play room.

There's a deprived kid inside me convincing me why we NEED this, haha.


How adorable are these school bags and lunch box sets? A classic lunch bag starts at Php995 and backpacks range from Php1,450 to Php3,250.


By the way, bed linens at Pottery Barn Kids are designed to be mixed and matched. You can throw on any combination and your kids' beds will always look picture perfect.


More cute towels and wraps, and linens at the back...


Any girl would be thrilled to have a room like this. Check out that vanity set too, about Php12,500.



Oh and before I finish this post, here's a tip: Bed linens, towels, wraps and slip covers for the Anywhere Chair may be embroidered right in the store for about Php350 if I remember right.

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids are exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and are located at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street Central, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Let Me Take You Around Pottery Barn Manila

When Dada and I started furnishing our starter home, we shopped mostly at IKEA, but Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel and Restoration Hardware served as my inspiration. 

I would visit the stores to browse, and keep catalogs I received in the mail as reference, convinced that if I studied them hard enough, I can totally recreate the rooms in our own home without any help from an interior decorator. Ahihihi.

When we moved back to Manila, I belatedly realized that with the lack of choices here, and the prohibitive costs of shipping things from abroad, I had missed my chance of bringing home the accessories and accent pieces from these US stores that I've always wanted for my own home - jute rugs, lanterns, the perfect table linens, party/entertaining essentials and such.

So thank goodness for SSI, Pottery Barn is finally Manila!

Anton Huang and Elizabeth Quiambao of Stores Specialists, Inc. with executives from Williams Sonoma Inc. which owns Pottery Barn (from L-R): Michelle Hummel – VP of Global Merchandising, Jennifer Ozark-Blanton – VP Global Inventory Management and Franchise Operations, and Leigh Oshirak - Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Not even Typhoon Glenda could stop me from going to the press launch. I excitedly went to meet my friend Cecile at her home so we could go together. I wanted to see what they had in store, and of course, usisa what the prices would be like here in Manila.

I am happy to share that prices in general are not so bad. The ones that I liked were reasonably priced. The furniture though, well, knowing how locally made furniture costs, are on the high end.

But that's expected given that these are mostly made in the US, North Carolina if I remember right.

And now, for a tour. I started on the right side of the store and walked around the entire ground floor before heading up the stairs to the second floor. Here's what you can find:

cozy seating and natural fiber rug, very "cottage in The Hamptons"

nautical glassware & barware starting at Php395

throw pillows Php1,950 (inserts start at Php595)

everything you need for a chic dining room is here, dining chairs start at Php12,500

linen napkins, Php1,950 for a set of 4. White catering napkins are Php1,450 for 6

blues and whites and more table linens here

resin corals starting at Php2,250 


wax candles and candle stands, they have flameless battery operated candles too

artisan made lanterns starting at Php995 for the glass lanterns

love this linen couch set
outdoor seating, wouldn't this be fantastic to have by the pool?

Jaraiza! This is what you've been looking for! Drink dispensers made from glass, Php4,500

Chic way to see what everyone's up to with that wall whiteboard calendar

Outdoor entertaining essentials

barware & glassware

wouldn't this make a sosyal lemonade stand?

Up on the second floor is the Bedroom section, the Bath section and the Design Studio.



From thick, fluffy towels to accessories, bathroom furniture and mirrors, the Bathroom section makes you want to redecorate your bath and start afresh.

washcloths start at Php295, hand towels at Php495 and bath towels at Php1,450

that hat stand where the bath robe hangs is about Php9,000+ if I remember right

get all these as a set - makes for cute and inexpensive wedding or housewarming present

The heart of Pottery Barn is Design Studio, where specially trained Design Specialists offer complimentary decorating and entertaining advice to customers. 


Whether you simply need to select fabrics, throw pillows for your couch or want help in decorating an entire room, a Design Specialist will be happy to help you.




I actually asked the Design Specialist on how I can care for this jute rug I have my eye on, and she deftly advised that it was easy to maintain and just needed regular vacuuming.

jute rugs range from Php2,950 for a 3x5' to Php34,500 for a 9x12'

Of course, I was told it was best to use with a rug pad underneath, which should be coming in August.

Yes, while there's already plenty of eye candy in store, there's actually more pieces to come as Pottery Barn brings in more products in the coming months. Expect more colors and prints of slipcovers for their Anywhere Chairs and plenty of other items that you might see online or in catalogs but aren't here yet!

Next up... my finds from Pottery Barn Kids!

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids are exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. and are located at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street Central, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.
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