oreo frappuccino

one of the signs that Christmas is approaching, here in the metro, people start to line up for a Starbucks coffee to be  able to complete their sticker cards to be able to have the Starbucks Planner for the next year.

i love their dark cherry mocha Christmas drink, either hot or frap.  and it's good that it's back for this season.  hopefully they'll extend making it again until next year.

of course i got a card because their planner for 2010 is way better than the one they had for the previous years.  and one great factor is they bring back their discount coupon cards.

since i don't have a problem in completing the Christmas drink stickers, since i like at least one of them, i would like to put a twist in completing the regular drink stickers.  of course i still love chocolate cream chip, strawberries and cream and coffee jelly, but i want to try out new drinks.  and i don't want it coming out from the menu.

so, again, i went to trusty Google and typed in "best Starbucks drink".  i then, stumbled upon this page:

Best Starbucks Drink

 RS Junkie gives out his top 10 best Starbucks drink that's not on the menu. He also shares how to make them, or at least what to tell the barista as to how to make them.  I checked out his list and picked out something pretty easy to explain and head off to the nearest Starbucks.

I told the one over the counter that I would like an Oreo Frappuccino.  She automatically cut me off and told me that they don't carry Oreo products.  I then told her how to make it as described on the website.  She looked baffled, good thing I typed it on my handy-dandy mobile and showed it to her.  Even before reading it, she said, "We don't have it.  Maybe you'd like something on the menu."  I said, "No.  Could you read this please and check if you could make this one."  She at last read it.  Muttered some words to herself, then, just shook her head and said, "Sorry, no, we can't make this."  Okay, fine.  So, I just ordered the dark cherry mocha frap instead.

I don't want to be defeated.  So, I thought of a way on how to make the Oreo Frappuccino without saying it.  Reading again on how to make it, viola!  I thought of a way to achieve my goal.

I went to Starbucks again, the next day, and ordered for a vanilla caramel frappuccino (or you may ask for a vanilla frappuccino if you don't want the caramel) and asked them to add chocolate chips! The barista said that's okay, with extra cost of course.  So, there!  I got my Oreo Frappuccino!  The chocolate chips acts as the Oreo cooking and the vanilla is the cream of the cookie.  It tastes great and is now added to one of my favorite Starbucks drinks!

Try it and let me know what you think!

On the side note, five days after getting the card, I completed the stickers and was able to get my 2010 planner!  Thanks to all my friends who ordered for a Starbucks drink but didn't want to get the sticker and of course to, tin, for buying drinks for us for me to be able to complete the card.

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a jagged calculator for women

one of tim gunn's great pieces of advice from his show, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, is to have a professional bra fitting.  but let's admit it, here in the philippines, it would be so humilliating to go to a sales attendant in the department store and ask them to take your measurements.  okay, so go to a more reputable store that specializes on lingerie, right?  but these tend to sell their goods at a very high price and most of the normal people would not want to spend as much, well, at least me.  and it would be equally humilliating, if not more, to ask them to take your measurements and then leave without buying anything.  so, go measure yourself, right?  and then again which number goes where and what's with the A-B-C-D stuff?  how would one know?

i came across this discussion in GirlTalk: Professional Bra Fitting.  and ilovenozomi mentioned that she took her own measurements and entered the results on an online calculator!  she didn't give the website though.  so, i went to trusty ol' Google!

there i found this site:

Bra Size Calculator

all you need to do is take your measurements at the comforts and privacy of your own room or bathroom, enter the measurements on the site and viola!  you'll get your size in US, UK and other countries' standard measurements!  i think, we are following the one in US.  for sure, the next bra that i would be buying would be based on the size that this site generated for me! 

hope this helps!

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versions: male version of poker face

i can no longer remember when was the last time i hated a song so much.  it's not lady gaga's poker face.  i actually like and sort of got addicted to her song.. her songs actually.. not to mention her fashion sense.

what really ticked me off or irritated me to the core is this version of poker face that i first heard on the bus on my way home.  it sucks.  it's a pathetic excuse for a  male acoustic version of the song.  well, at least this is what i think.  every time i hear it, i would want to cover my ears and scream!  although, i never had the guts to ask the driver to turn the dial of his radio.

unfortunately, most of the radio stations here in the Philippines don't usually say the title of the song and the artist before or after the song.  thus, at first i wasn't able to know who the culprit is.  the only lead i have is "poker face" and "male version", but nothing came up.  then, another abomination was born.  he was somehow permitted to have another absurd acoustic male version of a good song: jai ho!  grrrr!

but that was the key for me to find him.  so, here.  don't say i didn't warn you, but it's horrible.. for me.  but you'd have to hear it for yourself to either prove me wrong or join the protest with me.

waaah! okay, for those who were unable to finish the whole song, for me, the worst part is the bridge!  or this part:

I won’t tell you that I love you

Kiss or hug you

Cause I’m bluffin’ with my muffin

I’m not lying I’m just stunnin’ with my love-glue-gunning

Just like a chick in the casino

Take your bank before I pay you out

I promise this, promise this

Check this hand cause I’m marvelous

Pasted from <http://musicandlyricsph.com/2009/03/24/lady-gaga-poker-face-lyrics/>

sorry, davey langit, but i just don't like it and this version of yours irritates me to the core..  hopefully, time will come and they will stop playing this song on the philippine airwaves.  and the jai ho too.. i'm sorry if i didn't listen to his other songs to give him a chance to redeem himself.  it would just screw up my review.  i learned that he was part of ABSCBN's pinoy dream academy (a reality show looking for the next musical artist).  no wonder now why he didn't win.

but there is justice.. there is hope.. and our savior is no less than another reality show star that should have won: chris daughtry.

ladies and gentlemen, this is how you do an acoustic male version of poker face.. this is how you do music.

bravo! bravo! how i wish this is what we hear on the radio instead.  don't you?

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juan tamad revisited

before the last run of "Si Juan Tamad, ang Diyablo at ang Limang Milyong Boto" for 2009, we went back to PETA theater to see it again.

here are a few points that i would like to add to my first review:

• aside from Joann Y. Co's brilliant characterization, she also has a very beautiful old-lady-singing voice!
• since what we watched was the first run, very few changes were noticed.  and these changes are brilliant.. i think i laughed more this time around.  i can't wait to watch again next year with the new cast.
• the online scene is sooo cool.  it gives the audience the cyberspace feel.
• and no, i wasn't able to make it to the registration for the 2010 elections.  but after living here for 6 months, i would be eligible to register here!  so, i'll just make it up during the 2011 elections and no longer be called a virgin.. voter.
  
• Victor B. Robinson III is better during this run.. still buckles, but better..
• my favorite song in the musical is "Mumunting Alon". 
• and tin was able to take a picture of me with Vince!

master vince de jesus and the jagged blogger

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jagged faces in places

part of my blog hopping routine is to check out Blogs of Note.  and last month one of the blogs featured was Faces in Places.  as the blog description goes:

A photographic collection of faces found in everyday places.

before i read the description, i clicked on the link and was expecting to see pictures of faces of different people.  and to my surprise, it was filled of pictures of things, buildings, food, etc., that depict faces!  it was sooo cute and it was fun to look at.  it was a stress reliever looking for the face in the picture.

i wanted to be able to find one too.  and since i have very poor face-detection sense, tin beat me up to it and took a picture of the first "face" around us at that time:

tin's faces in places: twin munchers

of course, the competitive barn returns with a vengeance.

barn's faces in places: snake tongued

can you see the face/s in the pictures?

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barn eats flowers at bohol bee farm

flor, our official bohol tour guide and a good friend, intrigued me when she told me about the Bohol Bee Farm, where they serve a plate with flowers and everything on the plate would be edible.  thus, another task for me, aside from taking the plunge is to eat a plate of flowers.

But there is more to this place than this feat.  When we arrived at the place, we went there for dinner, the atmosphere was cozy and relaxing.  The trees and plants all over the place makes you feel very much in touch with nature.  At that time it seems that they are already geared up for the Christmas season because of the lights and the decor.


the shopper in me took over when i saw this sign that they are selling bags for Php 30.00 only!  i checked out the bags that they have on sale and they are cute.  they are made of different woven materials and i found one that i really liked, style and all, under the heap of bags on sale.  although, it doesn't have a zipper, which is not really practical to be used when i go back to the urban jungle, but i really liked it and since it's just for a cheap price i didn't let go of it.  i tried to find something with a zipper, but could not find one to my liking.  there is one that has a zipper and cute, but is too small for me.  it would just fit my wallet and mobile phone and maybe a few kikay stuff.  i also bought it, for tin's mom.  but she already has a lot of bags, i'm not sure if she'd ever use it.  i sure hope so, or i will.. hehehehe!


to pay for the bags that i picked, i went inside their shop and there i found more stuff!  my friends who arrived there before us were already in the counter, so, before i pay for the bags, i looked around and checked the store out.


they have a separate room for their foodies.  they have an array of spreads and have samples for each.  they have honey spread, mango spread, pesto spread, choco spread and other products.  (check out the Bohol Bee Farm for more details)  tin and i already agreed that we would not be buying food products unless we really really want to. and since we could already have a taste of everything because of the samples, we didn't really really want to buy anything from that room.  well, most of our friends did buy a lot of spreads and sorts.


they also have a lot of souvenir stuff, from shirts to curtains and a whole lot more.  tin bought an ashtray that has a tarsier design and a refrigerator magnet.  they have a lot of accessories too!  which is very cheap!  they have a earrings for Php 20.00 only!  thus, i bought 3 pairs.. ☺ here's a picture of me wearing one of them.

after shopping we had our dinner and we requested to dine in the pool area.  which is beautifully decorated and was a good photo-op for our friends.  i was already a little tired because we came from taking the plunge, thus, i didn't pose as much.  i just wanted to have dinner.  i actually sort of forgot about the flowers until i saw the menu, then i got excited again! 


here's my order:

and yes, i ate the flowers there.  it was freaky at first or just the mere thought of it.  so, to tone it down a bit i removed the orange flower, the pollens could be too much for me.  i also removed the flower that looked a lot like the bougainvilla, since i could see it in almost every garden in manila.  good thing, before i started to put them in my mouth, someone pointed out the dressing. and i poured about half a cup of it in the flower salad.  i tossed it a lot and discovered croutons underneath, which calmed me a lot and gave me more confidence as i devour the whole serving.  mostly because of the dressing, it sure tasted like your normal salad.  it's just the thought of eating flowers could be bothering.  by the way, the blue petals are a little bitter in taste. 

overall, i enjoyed the meal and i would order it again when i go back.  yes, i will go back to this cute farm and shop more and eat more.

**This blog entry features pictures taken by tin for the jagged barn.  and future entries.. unless otherwise stated.

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barn takes the plunge

after weeks and weeks of waiting, we were able to fly out of luzon and into the visayas.  destination: bohol

i have always thought that the Philippines is such a beautiful country and it would be a shame for us filipinos not to actually marvel on its beauty.  thus, i'm on this quest to be able to visit what the island of pearls could offer.

having a friend like kiki, who has all the time and money in the world to travel, i asked what to do in bohol.  and with a shriek, as always, she told me about "the plunge".  i got revved up and wanted to experience it myself!

so, what's "the plunge"?  here's what their website has to say:

Plunge: a canyon swing adventure attraction mounted over a 200 meter high and 300 meter wide gorge. A person would have to do a 45 meters free fall before being launched on a pendulum swing measuring to a hundred meter diameter. Cable has a maximum working load of 5 tons.
“The Plunge” is the best “fear factor” experience among other adventure activities on offer. One has to literally plunge to an open air where about two seconds, the plunger will all be defenseless, feel nothing and left all alone.
This experience is one great way to de-stress and even make one appreciate life the more.
It can accommodate 50 pax in a day. Total experience will just take around 10min.
Rate: Php 700

for this jagged barn, it's one hell of an experience!  i think this is the most scary thing i have ever done! and i sure want to do it again.  actually, i wanted to do it right after doing it.  but i was already shaking.. and Php 700 is not really cheap.

i asked tin to take a video of me while going through this.  you may want to tone the volume down before pressing play.  and this video contains foul language.. forgive me, i could not help it.




i forgot to warn the facilitators that they should not be bothered by my screaming because it's an indication that i'm still alive.. if i don't scream, there must be something wrong.. well, i stopped screaming when i got tired.. heheheheh! as per ros, this would make a great alarm tone! Ü i would definitely want to go back and do this again!

until this day, and i'm not sure until when, i could still feel the sensation the experience gave.  woohoo! i could still feel the tightenning of my stomach and the feeling of being helpless and how it feels to fall! woohoo! 


after my screaming, i embraced the nature around me and the cool breeze between my toes..


here are some awesome pictures taken by tin.

getting started; last few swings; getting back on safer grounds; kumag look; admiring the few; another swing; smile before the plunge, taken by lemon

some people do bungee.. i have done surfing.. now, i have taken the plunge.. what's next?!

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ear decor by pj valenciano

i am not a fashionista.  i have a very hard time looking for and using accessories.  but i know the basics, thus, i stick to it.

for me, the easiest accessory to wear are earrings. thus, late last year (2008) i started buying a lot of pairs.  since i am into basics, most of the earrings that i bought were silver earrings.  because of my big hair i am so much into these dangling accessories.

i have known pj valenciano as a surfer.  she is part of he' e nalu philippines. i have never known until a few months ago that she has this artistic side.  and we both share the love for accessories.  she calls her creations palamuti (decoration).

most propably because it's not surf season, that's why this girl has a lot of free weekends and was able to come up and make earrings.  she gave me the pictures of her designs for me to choose from.  and these are the ones i picked.  i picked two.

the length is just right and the materials used were not really heavy.  i have used both earrings already.  as of now, i only have pictures wearing the one on the left.  and i really think they look good on me.  :p

PJ did not create much so, it's basically on a per order basis and would also depend on the materials she has on hand.  Fortunately, she already have the ones i wanted.

I bought two because the price is sooo right and i wanted to have a new pair when i go to bohol.

If you would want to see more of her designs and if you would like to order a pair or two of these fabulous earrings, please comment below or contact me.

I'm asking her to create/design more earrings and long necklaces as well.  I'll blog it as soon as i find more pieces to my liking.  

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versions: if i were a boy duet

Beyonce's "If I were a Boy" has been my favorite for some time.  And I find it cute that there was a male version incorporated in the song fit for duets.

The Philippines have many talented artists and we are great in covering songs.  It's not that we don't have great original songs, we just show that we can also do what international artists can.

I am a fan of Sarah Geronimo and I have just recently discovered that Rayver Cruz is such a talented guy who can sing and dance very well.  Here's their version of the song from YouTube. This was originally aired in ABSCBN's ASAP '09 Sunday noon time show.



I like this version because of the lyrics and it showed Rayver's ability to sing.

I'm not really surprised that their counterpart, GMA's SOP, did a little something like this.  Although, this one was aired just a few weeks ago.  And if I observed it correctly, their lyrics are different.  Here's Kyla and JR's verrsion.  As expected, this is more RnB-ish.



Which is better?  I'm not entirely sure.  I liked both.  Tell me what you think.  Ü

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