Meet Fifi & Co

Fun fact for folks who live in San Juan! Did you know there's a chic kid's clothing store right on Wilson Street?

That would be Fifi & Co., named after the owner, Michelle Lao's two daughters who she also loves to dress up.

The store is filled with pretty dresses, t-shirts, cotton tops and culottes. Which I loved and got for Berry.

It's such a joy to shop in store too, because apart from the fact that the prices are so affordable, as in most pieces cost nothing over Php1000, the interiors feel like you're going inside somebody's play room.

Most of the items are sourced from Korea, and last I went, these were some of the pieces that caught my eye:

Went home with an outfit for Berry on the left, and that shirt and drop crotch pants for Tepper. I got Xavi a matching shirt like Tepper's  but couldn't find bottoms that would fit him. Definitely a place to get clothes for girls, and unisex items for babies, not so much for little boys.

The shopping bag is so cute too, it's pretty enough to hand over as a present when you need to dash quick to buy a gift for your kids' classmates. Prices start at about Php250 for a shirt, and goes to about Php800 and above for a dress.

Oh by the way, there are plenty of wooden toys like this balance scooter...

...and this Math board that I got for Xavi as well. Michelle's husband Patrick is a Math enthusiast and Michelle shares this was a great way to introduce math operations to kids as early as preschool. True enough, Xavi learned how to add different ways to 10 in such a short time, and has showed interest in numbers already. Being a Math geek too, I was pretty pleased with this purchase the most!

Fifi & Co
197 Wilson St cor P Guevarra St
San Juan (beside Sharetea)
Tel: +632 501 6883
Mobile: +63926 054 3962
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fifiandco.ph/

FitKids for Summer!

ATTN: Parents in the Greenhills area with kids 3-10 years old! 

If your kids are like mine, wanting to do at least 3 different activities this summer, save yourself the money, stress and gas. FitKids might be a good fit into your summer schedule - with art, cooking and sports classes niftily packaged into one program.

FitKids: The Active Summer Camp is one of the first Fitness and Health Summer Camps for kids here in Manila, where they can do Zumba, light boxing, HIIT (which stands for High Intensity Interval Training) strength building, basketball, cooking and art activities related to health and fitness.

Scheduled to start this April 2015 at the Greenhills West Clubhouse, FitKids make up a total of 9 sessions (Scheduled for April 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24) of a 3-­hour activity-­packed day. Enough to keep them interested and occupied this summer, without overwhelming yourself, shuttling from class to class, because all these happen in once place!

Zumba

light boxing

HIIT

Basketball

Cooking healthy meals

FitKids is powered by three powerful brands related to health and fitness ‐ Elorde Gym, Fruit Magic, and HIIT Philippines.

Their program for FitKids aims to teach young children the importance and benefits of keeping fit and active, at the same time highlighting teamwork, and inculcating character-building values while in their critical formative years, where they absorb everything they learn.

Interested? You may want to sign up before February 15 to get the Early Bird Rate of P7,500 per child. Regular rate is P8,000 per child. Still a reasonable deal, rather than enrolling your kids to 5 different classes this summer!

For further inquiries or if you would like to enroll your kids, email fitkidsph@gmail.com or call 0917‐8800519 or 0917­‐5138377. 

For more on FitKids, like them Facebook: www.facebook.com/fitkidsph and follow @fitkidsph on Instagram.

Blanca de China

Have you fallen asleep while having a facial? In the middle of pricking? Ever?

I have. I just had a porcelain facial at Blanca de China, a new spa in San Juan (near Greeka Kouzina) and OMG - it was the most relaxing facial I have ever had in my life. 

While my face was about to be steamed, soft piped music playing in the background, a massage therapist magically appeared at my side and told me I was getting an arm massage. What a pleasant surprise, I thought. I let all my cares melt away, happy that I got an unexpected massage to go with my facial.

By the time my facialist Daphne started on extraction, the masseuse was massaging my left hand and then, I don't know what happened next. All I knew was that when I woke up, I had a mask on. 

It was that good. 

I can totally see how I can do this regularly and come out with skin like unblemished porcelain. This was not torture. It was a treat, through and through.

Blanca de China, or Blanc de Chine in French means "White from China", a type of white Chinese porcelain from Dehua aka Dehua porcelain. But it also refers to the boutique spa that my former officemates from Citibank, Francis and Joanne Magboo put up with their cousins.

And what a pretty spa it is. This is the receiving area/hand and foot massage area:

While these steps lead to the private massage rooms on the second floor:

This is the massage/facial room on the ground floor. Very clean, the sheets are fresh and the towels are still fluffy. Dada and I had a full body massage here a week ago, and we couldn't help but compare the experience to other massage spas we've been to where the towels feel threadbare, sad and forlorn. There's none of that here, everything at Blanca de China still has that new spa feel.

I told Joanne how much I liked the interiors and she shares that the look was patterned after her own home, which is very "Shabby Chic". In fact, some of the decor and furniture, like that French Rococo armchair you see below was from her house and was "donated" to Blanca de China.

It seems the warmth and coziness of Joanne's home came along with that armchair. After my facial and upper lip threading, my facialist asked me if I wanted some tea at the sitting area. She came out with this tea tray, how pretty.

Needless to say, I was charmed and smitten. It's like being welcomed into the comfortably chic home of a gracious hostess. I will definitely be coming over for repeat visits.

And at these prices, Blanca de China is just hard to resist. 

 

PS - White ain't right without serious sterilizing involved. Blanca de China sterilizes all instruments, diamond peel and cautery tips using a dry heat sterilizer that kills bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.

For the complete list of services, updates and inquiries, like Blanca de China on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlancaDeChina
 
Blanca de China 

#259A Ibuna corner P Guevera Streets
San Juan, Metro Manila
Telephone: +632 542 8499
Mobile: +63927 529 9425

Sunpocket Sunnies at Terminal

 

For a supposed Francophile and eyewear enthusiast, Sunpocket was just a blip in my radar until Mike Te of Terminal, a streetwear shop at the Deck of Ronac Art Center in Greenhills, told me the Sunpocket story and said that he had them in his store. 

Curiosity got the best of me, so I trekked to his store along with Berry and my sister Dianne and finally saw for myself what Sunpocket was all about.

 

Sunpocket = cute, lightweight and foldable sunnies that come in a range of colors

I liked them at first sight. These are the kind of sunnies you don't have to worry about scratching, breaking or losing. Lightweight and made of plastic, they are also tough enough to withstand extreme activities. Foldable and packs in a compact case, it fits in your pocket so you don't have to worry about where to keep them. Not too precious too that you can enjoy yourself in the great outdoors.

According to Mike, Sunpocket is a contemporary accessories brand rooted in ski and surf culture.

 

Its story traces back to the late 1970’s where Sunpocket’s signature foldable shades gained a strong following in the French ski community. Ten years later, Sunpocket had become immensely popular all over Europe. 

 

Sunpocket was re-launched in 2011. With its legacy of innovative and distinctive sunglasses, Sunpocket established itself as a brand known for its style, authenticity and quality. 

Internationally, Sunpocket’s sunglasses are sold in 25 countries, including premium accounts such as Colette Paris, Corso Como Seul, Excelsior Milano, Opening Ceremony in NYC, LA and Tokyo, American Rag (LA), Cali Roots, (Stockholm) Beams (Japan), Lane Crawford (Hong Kong), Burton Flagship Stores (USA), Selfridges & Co (UK), Oipolli (UK), and online at www.sunpocketoriginal.com. 

Here in the Philippines, Sunpocket is available exclusively at Terminal. Plus the good news is, pricing is in line with all the other stockists all around the world. So you don't have to seek them out at countries where you can get them cheaper. Prices start at Php2,500. The collection here is up to date too.

The 2013 Collection will be at Terminal by next week, week of June 17th: 

Mike shares that the more popular style for women are the Samoa and Tonga models since the size is perfect for most women here. For guys it's between the Sport and II models. "Generally the Sport model is the one used most for outdoor activities like surfing, skiing, golfing and various water sport activities.", Mike explains.

I hope Mike brings in these cool leather and neoprene cases too:

 

But wait! That's not all. While we are on the subject of Terminal, I might as well share with you too that Terminal carries a lot of cool stuff. Like these  "designer logo" tees:

And locally made camo iPad cases:

Terminal also carries sneakers, shirts from ssur, and so much more. Now watcha waiting for?



Terminal
The Deck, Ronac Art Center
Ortigas Ave., Greenhills San Juan
+63.2.5024476
Store hours:
Tuesdays-Fridays 3-9PM
Saturdays & Holidays 2-9PM

For more on Terminal email info@terminalinc.com, follow on twitter.com/terminalinc or visit terminalinc.tumblr.com 

Zenutrients Natural + Organic

My favorite toiletries and skin care products, all good to the last drop

I discovered Zenutrients thanks to Karrots. She had a Zenutrients Gugo Shampoo & Conditioner aka "Gugobelles Giveaway" over at LiveLoveLolz and of course, I joined. At the time, Xavi was just about 5 months old and I was going through postpartum hair loss. I know for a fact that gugo helps strengthen hair and increase volume so wow, just what I needed.

To cut a long, well fine, not so long story short, I won a set from Karrots and became a believer. She introduced me and Kris to Angela Dinglasan, the wonder woman behind Zenutrients, and she got us to road test more products from her line. Now, I have never met a Zenutrients product I did not like.

The Tea Tree Underarm Spray is so minty and kilig to the kili kili powers! Especially "refreshing" and cooling these hot summer days, it combats underarm wetness and body odor:

When I get colds, or a stuffy nose, I rub All is Well on my temples. Forget White Flower, this is the way safer alternative - organic and natural. Made with extra virgin coconut oil, essences of peppermint, eucalyptus, white tea, lemongrass, pineapple, vetiver and extracts of ginger and tea tree, it has a delicate minty smell that does not overpower but is completely soothing. Angela says this is great to apply on insect bites too:

Now that the gugo shampoo & conditioner have run out, we are currently using the Enhancing Green Tea Shampoo & Conditioner, which is great for oily hair. Dada loves using this as well, we both love the scent.

The Anti-Mosquito Sleeping Cream works like a charm and is especially great if you're the outdoorsy type.

Angela shares that Zenturients was originally called Z.E.N. until she and her group took over in late 2011. An all organic VCO based line of products that is all natural and affordable, you may check out the full line of products through authorized retailers and the Zenutrients stores in Virra Mall, Galleria, Festival Mall and Lucky Chinatown.

lemongrass, lavander, cotton mint & tea tree bath gels

herbal pain relief balm

citronella mosquito repellant

coffee body scrub

I know that the paper sticker labels leave much to be desired, because the colors tend to bleed when they get wet, but Angela says they're working on that. What matters is, the products are love! I am re-stocking the gugo and green tea shampoos & conditioners by the gallon, that's for sure.

The Zenutrients Story:

Z.E.N. started in 2007 as the creator, Gerry Villena& his family were asked by his church group to help young, underprivileged women, primarily from the provinces. The overall idea was to create jobs – a livelihood program – that would teach women a craft. Most of the women were young and from desperately poor families. Z.E.N. then began as a brand bottling & selling VCO, which rapidly expanded to other related lines: massage oils, scrubs, health balms, lotions, soaps, shampoos and the like. Despite limited sales outlets and no advertising, the brand found a strong underground following. 

In 2011, it was taken over by a new management team, led by an investment group and brought in a new General Manager, Ms. Angela Dinglasan, coming from a 14 year experience with manufacturing, specializing in beauty products having worked with Unilever, Coca Cola and Reckitt Benckiser. She continues to run the company with this social responsibility guiding her.

For inquiries, email: zenutrients@gmail.com 

For updates and more, like Zenutrients on Facebook.

Nuvo Nails in Greenhills

Before anything, I just have to show you my nails by Nuvo Nails, a cozy nail salon tucked on the corner of the 2nd floor of One Kennedy Place on Club Filipino Drive in Greenhills, where Razon's is. (Whew, that was a long sentence!) Anyhoo, so nice this shade of red, no?
 

It's the 001 by Estessimo TiNS, a cult nail polish brand from Japan. Joanne Gonzaga of Nuvo Nails shares they bring a few bottles in from Japan when they can, because they are so hard to come by. I can see why it has achieved cult status. Apart from the gorgeous color, it dries so fast (even before they put on Seche Vite), doesn't stain the nails, and lasts a long time (2 weeks on my toes with nary a chip).

Service is polite and impeccable. They even offer some tea before starting on your nails. The place is pleasant and clean, seating is comfortable...

...and they even have a touch-up counter where you can touch up on your make-up before heading out to your party (incidentally, one of the owners, Karen, is a make-up artist), hence the thoughtful idea of having a touch-up counter.

It's the little details that count at Nuvo Nails. They make sure their tools are sterilized...

Instead of soaking your nails in a regular bowl, they have a soaking basin where you can rest your hand...

And they use really good nail brands like Estessimo TiNS, Misa, Orly, Seche Vite and more!

Apart from standard nail care services, they also do acrylic nails, nail art...

 

...and UV gel polish, which my sister Dianne tried in Coral. 

Nuvo Nails uses the eco Soak Off line of UV Gel polishes.

 

Dianne liked how meticulous her technician was, even patiently walking us through the step by step when we asked her what she was doing. Over and all, it's a great place to decompress by yourself, bring your little girl for mother/daughter bonding, invite a friend for chika and salon services (they do eyelash extensions, paraffin treatments, hand/foot spa, threading and waxing too!) or throw a SPArty for say, a bridal shower or a birthday party!

For the list of services and corresponding prices, here's the price list:

Hope to bump into you when I'm there! ;)

Nuvo Nails
2/F One Kennedy Place
Club Filipino Drive
Greenhills, San Juan
Tel: +632 6550723
Mobile: +63933 5230592