by Penny Angeles-Tan | Dec 2, 2022 | Events
A pioneering community of home cooks in the country brings the first-ever gathering of home cooks, dubbed “Let’s Cook, Pare! First Out-of-Home Cooking Fair and Grand Family Day!”
The event slated on December 4, Sunday, at the Central Park, Greenfield District in Mandaluyong is in partnership with the Greenfield District Corporation. Let’s Cook, Pare! (LCP) aims to replicate the effort to help its members that it extended at the height of the pandemic.
LCP, a non-government organization that started on Facebook became relevant to the cooking community as quarantine cooking became one of every Filipino’s anxiety outlets.
The Sunday event is supported by Aguila Gourmet Meats, Condura, Fruitas, Glorious, Golden A, Hotel Sogo, Masflex Philippines, McCormick, Midea, Mother Nurture, Phoenix Super LPG, Premium Choice Meatshop, Sweet & Fit Stevia, Tocoms Philippines, Inc. for Russel Hobbs, Koizumi Philippines, and Panasonic Small Appliances, Sunlife Financial, Easy Brand, Save ALL, Recycle PH, Eatsplorations, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Standard, PEPTalk, Made it through Mum, What’s New Philippines, Frenzie, and The New Channel.
LCP event will also highlight the homecooked products and other cooking ingredients and utensils of its homegrown Accredited Sellers, among them, Baba Black Chef, BrownRoots, Cordillera Landing on You (CLOY), Crafty Cuts, Eat Girls, Food Delight, Krav, Mang Itz Kebab, The Bistro Box, Sayonora, Sweetums Tasty Delight.
With a Pinoy Christmas Fiesta theme, a whole day of fun-filled activities awaits LCP members, their families, and the public. Among the activities lined up are the annual 14 Days of Christmas gift-giving, 10 livelihood starter sets for lucky members, a home cooking challenge and demo, learning sessions for home-based entrepreneurs, and so much more! The livelihood starter kits will help 10 LCP private group community members to start their respective home-based businesses to augment their income during this challenging time.
The Let’s Cook, Pare! community became a creative outlet for its members and allowed them to get connected outside of their homes. The members actively participated in community discussions and shared their home-cooked meals, taking advantage of a platform that allows them to flex their ‘creations’ and enjoy their dreams of living a ‘chef-life’.
Aside from helping its members, the LCP was also able to help the country’s SMEs and some corporate brands because of its accessibility online where they were able to sell food and other relevant kitchens/home cooking appliances, items, etc. A number of members here and abroad likewise shared that recipes they got from the community inspired them to start their own food-selling business that allows them to have an alternative source of income.
For more information about Let’s Cook, Pare! check them out on Facebook, and letscookpare.com.
ABOUT LET’S COOK PARE
Let’s Cook, Pare! was created on August 16, 2018, by Jeff Chua and Archie Chua, who both share the same passion for food. The creators wanted to form a community where people can share their home-cooked recipes, which were either original, passed on from generations or inspired by others.
They were later on joined by friends and family members. Five admins, among them entrepreneurs, Jeff and Vince Chua of Bigbert’s Professional Detailers; Archie Chua of Crystal Lamps; Liberty Insurance executive, Bobet Arandia, and Tsaris Salgado, an experienced PR and marketing professional, oversee the community. The community believes in sharing knowledge and information. It promotes positivity and positive reinforcement.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 29, 2022 | Book Reviews
It started with a kiss under a mistletoe at a masquerade ball … Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart is the story of Emilia and Hunter. Emilia is a young, beautiful, hardworking woman whose only desire for the future is to have a permanent, well-paying job. Hunter is a handsome billionaire and CEO of one of the most successful dating apps who never wanted to be in a relationship.
The attraction was instant for both Emilia and Hunter and no one would have thought that fate would bring them together as boss and secretary and in a fake relationship.
Hunter, grumpy? Only because he is resisting Emilia’s charms!
The way they interact with each other is so refreshing! It doesn’t matter if Hunter is her boss, Emilia has no problem bringing on the snark and he likes it! Despite himself, Hunter is unable to resist Emilia’s charms and proposes a fake relationship with her in an effort to kill two birds with one stone … to solve his work-related issue, and to give in to the demands of the not-so-little guy in his pants!
All their unprotected sex honestly bothered me, but it kind of led to a predictable ending. Mistletoe Grump is a HEA story and a quick read. It took me less than a day. I had fun reading about their relationship journey. 🙂
You can get a Kindle copy of Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart on Amazon for a mere 0.99 or free with a Kindle Unlimited account.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 29, 2022 | Events
Live events and concerts are on the comeback, and if there’s one way to give yourself a well-deserved treat before the year ends while also getting an early Christmas gift, purchasing tickets to the biggest music festival of the year doesn’t sound like a bad idea. With Head in the Clouds Music and Arts Festival coming to the Philippines this December, GCash is making sure you achieve your concert goals by not missing out on getting tickets!
GCash lets everyone enjoy their hobbies and passions by giving them access to a range of financial services with exclusive offers. Now, there’s no need to wait in line or stress about how to pay for passes thanks to GCash’s GCredit or GGives features.
GCredit, which extends convenience to GCash users to purchase tickets to Head in the Clouds through a “book now, pay later” system. Qualified users with GCredit receive a credit line of up to PHP 30,000, which you can use to pay for your online transactions instantly, payable within 30 days.
GCash also has a lending feature called GGives, which offers light and flexible installment payment plans depending on how many months you want to pay for your purchase. GGives is also available for Head in the Clouds tickets and can be selected when paying online or offline via QR.
How to Purchase Your Tickets to Head in the Clouds via GCash
VIP and GenAd 2-day passes are now available for sale via the SM Tickets website. To purchase your ticket, create an account or log in at smtickets.com then tap the Head in the Clouds banner to add tickets to your cart.
Review your order and select GCash as your payment option. Eligible users may maximize GCash’s pay-later options when paying for their tickets using either GCredit or GGives. Finally, confirm your GCash payment and wait for your confirmation receipt to appear!
With music festivals making a comeback, don’t miss out on the chance to see Asia’s best performers on the Philippine stage on December 9 and 10, featuring global acts Jackson Wang, NIKI, Joji, Rich Brian, eaJ, and YOASOBI. Fresh off their homecoming show for their Where You At world tour, GCash is proud to present Filipino boy band SB19 to perform exclusively on the first day of the festival. SB19 joins some of the country’s best homegrown talents who will be taking the stage during the two-day event.
Look no further for ways to celebrate the season and enjoy that music festival experience you’ve been missing! The Head in The Clouds Music and Arts Festival by 88rising is dedicated to showcasing Asian artists from all around the world. Head in the Clouds Manila will take place on December 9 and 10 at the SM Festival Grounds in Paranaque City.
For the latest news on the biggest music festival to hit Metro Manila, follow Head in the Clouds Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Head in the Clouds Manila is presented by Globe and sponsored by GCash.
About GCash
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 71M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only double unicorn in the Philippines.
GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 28, 2022 | Book Reviews
I read The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie on Novelbee where it is called The Alpha’s Vet. I started to read this story because the title intrigued me. Why would an Alpha need a vet? Do they not have a pack doctor? Or maybe he only shows himself to her when he is a wolf?
Lacey Macoy is at university studying Veterinary Medicine and is at the top of her class. Her parents are surgeons and were disappointed that she didn’t want to pursue “people medicine”. She is very beautiful and often catches the eye of several men although she isn’t always aware of it.
Ronan Basco is a werewolf, but Lacey doesn’t know it. His mate passed away some time ago and upon meeting Lacey he was so enamored with her that he made the decision to imprint on her. In Twyllie’s world, an imprint is something like a chosen mate but more intense, as it has all the same manifestations as a fated mate, except the imprint is a conscious decision by the individual.
Luca Basco is no ordinary werewolf. He is the Alpha King, the Alpha of Alphas. He rules over all werewolves all over the world. He was vocal about never wanting a mate and yet the moment he smelled her from afar his fate was literally sealed. The fiercest, scariest werewolf of all became the most romantic and loving mate you could ever ask for.
Lacey met Ronan first and they have become close but her feelings for Luca are strong. Will she really have to choose? The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie is a romance but it is also about friendship and a little bit of mystery to spice things up. It has a little over fifty chapters and is a pleasure to read. There are more than a few grammar issues but forgivable. I hope her editor catches them before she publishes the story for print.
I loved it. I hope you get the chance to read it, too, either on Novelbee or Dreame.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 27, 2022 | Awards and Competitions
After months of grueling preparations, RP Blu Boys begin their quest for World Cup glory as they tackle powerhouse TEAM USA on November 26 at Rosedale Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
The Philippine Men’s National Softball, who qualified for the World via a strong runner-up finish in the Asia Qualifiers, is bracketed in Group A with very strong teams such as Argentina, the USA, Cuba, the Czech Republic, and host, New Zealand.
“Our RP Blu Boys’ confidence is on a high. They have been doing well in practice and in tune-up games and we hope to translate those into good performances in the upcoming games. It will be a tall order but we’re gunning for a win or 2 against the very strong teams in our bracket.”, said ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier.”
“Our boys are ready. Preparations have gone well and we are all eager to compete. We don’t want to make any promises except for giving our best every game, every inning and hopefully, we should pull off some upsets.”, said RP Blu Boys Head Coach, Jasper Cabrera.
The WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup is slated on November 26-December 4 in Auckland, New Zealand. Other participating countries comprising Bracket B are equally strong Teams, Japan, Canada, Venezuela, and Denmark.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 25, 2022 | Book Reviews
Loved this! At first glance, The Alpha’s Freakshow by Miri Googag may remind you of a Barnum and Bailey show. If you don’t know what that means, think of The Greatest Showman.
I think we can all agree that werewolves are common knowledge to most readers. Occasionally, we’ve encountered other shapeshifts like werebears and dragons. But how often do we read about shifters who are elephants, monkeys, tigers, or birds of prey? For the much bigger or much smaller shapeshifters, I don’t know how believable it is without factoring in magic since I think body mass is one controlling factor of how big or small a person would be once they shift.
So how would a regular-sized person shift to a regular-sized falcon, even one of the bigger size? Same with a monkey? To be fair when I read “monkey,” my mental picture said chimpanzee so I could be wrong. I was thinking of something bigger but the author did not say ape so it must be that. Magic!
Maggie was an ordinary teenage girl who, while out hiking with some friends, was bitten by a dying wolf that her friends were prodding with a stick. Little did she know that it would be the bite that would change her life and cause her suffering for many years.
Becoming the Alpha of his birth pack was not something Axel ever wanted. He was content with becoming his twin brother’s beta. But fate had other plans. On his birthday his eyes changed color which revealed him to be The Ultima. This prompted his brother to try to kill him. With the intervention of a close friend, he is not killed but instead grievously hurt (and close to death) and cast out instead. A werebear later rescued Axel and together they put together the Freakshow, finding other shifters, and putting on a show for humans.
SECRETS. That’s what this book revolves around. Maggie is hiding the fact that she is looking for the Ultima. Axel and everyone in the Freakshow hides the fact that Axel is the Ultima. And more secrets get revealed along the way. The biggest secret of all … how does the Ultima choose its victims every blue moon? Find out for yourself by reading The Alpha’s Freakshow by Miri Googag on Goodnovel.
All the secrets, to be honest, drove me nuts! It made for a good story, though. Waiting for Axel and Maggie to admit how they feel and just “embrace the love” was getting me antsy.
This is more than a love story, though. There are many details I didn’t mention above to avoid spoilers but, take my word for it that this book has a lot of intrigues, exhausting action, and happy outcomes for many characters. I also like the fact that this story does not discriminate and allows characters of different types of species/shifter animals to fall in love with each other.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 23, 2022 | Book Reviews
I wish authors put more thought into their book titles because I feel that My Dad’s Bad Boy Bestie by Lacey Nash is mistitled. There is nothing about Jason that says “bad boy”, in fact, for him to be best friends with Bella’s dad he has to be a good guy. If we ask Daddy Bryan, he is the BEST guy. After all, they’re besties!
There are more than a handful of grammatical issues that caused frown lines to appear on my forehead, but that is probably just the copy editor in me. I wish more books go through copy editing or proofreading publishing. Sometimes it’s a case of homonyms, which is understandable, but other times it is like the author was searching for the right word, never found it, and used a different word with the intention of going back to it but never got around to it.
If you are the type of reader that can just skip over those you may enjoy this book. It isn’t long, just 22 chapters plus an epilogue, and took me a few hours to read.
The story is pretty straightforward with the main characters struggling with the 18-year age gap but ultimately overcoming it. HEA guaranteed.
My Dad’s Bad Boy Bestie by Lacey Nash is available on Amazon for only 0.99 and is free on Kindle Unlimited.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 23, 2022 | Business
Isla LPG, the company behind one of the most trusted LPG brands Solane, has achieved 22 million safe manhours for both its regular employees and contracted staff without Lost Time Injury (LTI) as of April 2022.
This milestone in Health, Safety, Security, and Environment means all Isla LPG employees and Isla partners, both in the plant and office, have not experienced any injury or accident that resulted in them being absent from work and thereby, losing productive work time.
“At Isla LPG, we take safety seriously every step of the way, from our plants and offices to the transport of Solane LPG products to our valued customers and business partners,” said Tonito Gonzalez, CEO of Isla LPG. “We want all our employees and contracting partners to feel confident about our mission to provide safe and quality LPG accessible for Filipinos, and it starts with ensuring that they have a safe workplace.”
For Isla LPG, the 22M LTI-free manhours record means the company was able to achieve operations in the plant including gantry/cylinder filling, the safe driving performance of haulers, no LTI in Isla’s plants and offices nationwide, and no LTI for Isla contractors working on projects, installations, and partner sites.
“Safety is non-negotiable for Isla LPG. Just like how we put a premium on the safety of our products through stringent measures and innovative technology, we also make sure that all our employees are working in a healthy, safe, secure, and environment-friendly workplace by integrating practices in all aspects of our businesses,” said Marvin Dela Fuente, HSSE Manager of Isla LPG.
Dela Fuente attributes this hard-earned milestone to the company’s efforts to combine regular training, documentation, plant operation programs, and annual internal audits. He added that the company ensures that safety is instilled in everyone’s hearts and minds.
“Aside from striving for zero LTI, our goal is to have no major plant operation accidents, major road transport accidents, total recordable occupational illnesses, security incidents, and life-saving rules violations,” Dela Fuente added.
Isla LPG employees undergo weekly toolbox meetings to start their workweek and receive regular training on first aid, firefighting, and Permit to Work-Job Hazards Analysis. In compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Republic Act No 11058, Isla tapped Philippine Red Cross Trainers in June to conduct First Aid training for its security personnel, its plant staff, and nominated employee first aiders.
Given the risk that comes with working with hazardous substances, Isla implements programs specifically for its plant operations. These include Emergency Response Procedures (ERP) where proactive and reactive approaches for plant operations are discussed and implemented, the Medical Response Strategy (MERS) where plant safety and high health standards are ensured, and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) component where Isla works with the community surrounding its plants.
To review and ensure that safety procedures and practices are up-to-date and implemented, Isla also conducts an annual internal safety audit on its plant operations, distributor operations, metal maintenance contractors, and haulers.
Isla LPG Corp. (ILC), ISLA Petroleum & Gas Corporation’s subsidiary engaged in the supply, trading, marketing, and distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the Philippines under the banner brand Solane (formerly Shellane), operates strategically located LPG refilling plants nationwide and has a vast network of distributors and retail stores.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 22, 2022 | Book Reviews
Sex Life Tips by Donna Prince is game-changing. In 4 books, she is able to give me so many ideas on how to write love scenes better! In my personal opinion, anyone who wants to venture into writing romance stories or erotica stories specifically needs to get their hands on this book, especially if they do not have that much sexual experience.
I’ve noticed a lot of new writers just tend to imitate what they read from other stories but it doesn’t always work. There are often even positional problems with menage sequences.
Whether it is seduction, execution of certain pleasure practices, BDSM, dirty talk, sex games, role-playing, etc., or even self-pleasure, this 4-in-1 book has something for everyone.
Learning about the 9 types of seducers and figuring out which one I am was intriguing and I found myself imagining how future characters I would write would behave. While this book is called Sex Life Tips, it is actually more of an empowering book and, possibly a manual for some.
If you decide to buy Sex Life Tips by Donna Prince on Amazon it costs 5.99 but is free with a Kindle Unlimited account. In my opinion, it is worth every me. (Penny, get it?)
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 21, 2022 | Book Reviews
It is nearly Christmas I decided to give Shy Girls Can’t Date at Christmas by Milly Rose a try. This book is definitely targeted at a younger audience such as teenagers.
The story for me was confusing because it didn’t feel like the author had her thoughts together when she started writing. This is why outlining is essential. It takes several chapters to answer basic questions like … what happened to the neighborhood? How can the death of Ava’s mom have such a devastating effect on everyone who lived in their cul-de-sac that everyone (literally everyone!) seemed to cease functioning normally? Why is Beau’s mom upset with Ava? Why does Ava’s dad hate Beau? I don’t understand!
I don’t even think calling Ava shy is appropriate. Before her mom passed away she wasn’t so freaked out all the time. Being freaked out is not synonymous with being shy. If at all, the only time she really exhibited behavior that could be deemed shy is in the first two or three chapters.
After ten chapters we discover that Beau’s “acting out” started as a way to get his parents’ attention. How original! (sigh) And, apparently, four years later, even after he acknowledges this as truth, he still can’t help but continue to do it even though he says “it is useless”. How does that make sense? Also, he stopped being a bully when he was able to spend time with Ava.
Twenty chapters in and while a relationship develops between the two, I still don’t know why there is a stick up the parents’ collective butts. I think it is an important detail that will help explain and perhaps resolve parental issues in the book.
To be honest, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped I would since I love young love and Christmas stories. At best I would say it is okay. It’s on Amazon if you want to give it a try.
Let’s Cook, Pare! was created on August 16, 2018, by Jeff Chua and Archie Chua, who both share the same passion for food. The creators wanted to form a community where people can share their home-cooked recipes, which were either original, passed on from generations or inspired by others.
It started with a kiss under a mistletoe at a masquerade ball … Mistletoe Grump by Ruby Emhart is the story of Emilia and Hunter. Emilia is a young, beautiful, hardworking woman whose only desire for the future is to have a permanent, well-paying job. Hunter is a handsome billionaire and CEO of one of the most successful dating apps who never wanted to be in a relationship.
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 71M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only double unicorn in the Philippines.
I read The Alpha and His Vet by Twyllie on Novelbee where it is called The Alpha’s Vet. I started to read this story because the title intrigued me. Why would an Alpha need a vet? Do they not have a pack doctor? Or maybe he only shows himself to her when he is a wolf?
Loved this! At first glance, The Alpha’s Freakshow by Miri Googag may remind you of a Barnum and Bailey show. If you don’t know what that means, think of The Greatest Showman.
I wish authors put more thought into their book titles because I feel that My Dad’s Bad Boy Bestie by Lacey Nash is mistitled. There is nothing about Jason that says “bad boy”, in fact, for him to be best friends with Bella’s dad he has to be a good guy. If we ask Daddy Bryan, he is the BEST guy. After all, they’re besties!
Isla LPG, the company behind one of the most trusted LPG brands Solane, has achieved 22 million safe manhours for both its regular employees and contracted staff without Lost Time Injury (LTI) as of April 2022.
Sex Life Tips by Donna Prince is game-changing. In 4 books, she is able to give me so many ideas on how to write love scenes better! In my personal opinion, anyone who wants to venture into writing romance stories or erotica stories specifically needs to get their hands on this book, especially if they do not have that much sexual experience.
It is nearly Christmas I decided to give Shy Girls Can’t Date at Christmas by Milly Rose a try. This book is definitely targeted at a younger audience such as teenagers.
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