by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 25, 2022 | Book Reviews
Four Fun by Stephanie Brother is unique in that from the very beginning, we, the readers, are told that Becca only wants sex, no relationship!
While women who know what they want and go after it is not uncommon for Stephanie’s female lead characters, Becca has to be the most determined I have ever encountered. Her encounters with these four delicious men are just amazing on so many levels. I tend to immerse myself in the characters as I read so I would be alternately highly aroused, highly amused, puzzled, etc.
As a reader, I already know from the get-go where the story is going so I must admit to being impatient for Becca to realize who the roommates are. The reveal was epic! But I must admit, Shane stole my heart on the first night. He was so tender and loving that I wanted to slap Becca on the back of her head for being so distant and insisting on a one-nighter.
Four Fun by Stephanie Brother is DEFINITELY a MUST-READ! You can get a copy of this book in Kindle or paperback formats on Amazon. Don’t forget to read the other books in the series!
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 18, 2022 | Business
As part of its commitment to help advance progress in the country, leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. is proud to partner with Build Change Philippines, an organization focused on building disaster-resilient homes in developing nations, to strengthen local structures against natural calamities.
Holcim Philippines Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Zoe Sibala and Build Change Philippines Country Director Arnel Capili sealed the partnership on May 11 to work on disaster-resilient housing projects and advocate this approach among stakeholders. The parties agreed to work together to initially support areas impacted by super Typhoon Odette in 2021.
From right are Build Change Philippines Program Officer Marvin Daryl Riego, Country Director Arnel Capili, Holcim Philippines Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Zoe Sibala, and Vice President for Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Cara Ramirez during the signing activity of the partnership for disaster-resilient construction on May 11.
The partners will collaborate on possible projects to build or retrofit houses, schools, and evacuation centers for disaster resilience and capacity-building through training and advocacy of policies or financing strategies to key stakeholders. Finally, both organizations are committed to developing a scalable affordable housing program in collaboration with other key stakeholders like microfinance institutions to increase access to affordable, disaster-resilient homes, particularly for the more vulnerable segments of society.
Capili highlighted the importance of making structures more resilient in the Philippines given its vulnerability to natural disasters such as earthquakes and storms since the country is within the Pacific Ring of Fire and the typhoon belt. He added that climate change further heightens these threats as it intensifies extreme weather around the world.
“The advocacy of Build Change is to build resilient houses and provide Filipinos a safe space when these disasters come. This partnership will help make that come true. This will be as solid as Holcim cement, durable as Build Change house, and as lasting as the friendship and camaraderie that we will forge with Holcim Philippines,” he said.
Sibala, meanwhile, noted the relevance of the partnership to the Company’s commitment to building inclusive progress in the country.
“Owning a home remains an elusive dream for many Filipinos. Build Change has been paving the way for increased access to affordable, decent, and resilient homes in the country so we are happy to complement this effort. This partnership also demonstrates that we can deliver business value while addressing social issues and the key to this is a credible partner with a strong track record. Through our innovative and sustainable building solutions, and with the right products for the right applications we look to help Build Change in its mission of building more resilient homes and realize our vision of building greener, smarter, and for all,” she said.
Holcim Philippines Vice President and Head of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Cara Ramirez, meanwhile, noted that the partnership strengthens the company’s support for communities to be more disaster resilient having done such projects for survivors of Typhoon Pablo in Compostella Valley and neighbors of its Davao Plant living in flood-prone areas.
“This supports our commitment to building progress in the Philippines by contributing to making homes more resilient against extreme weather and natural disasters caused by climate change Doing so allows us to contribute to sustainable development as the lives and property of our countrymen are better protected,” she added.
Build Change has worked in the Philippines since Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. During this period, it has supported both post-disaster reconstructions and works to prevent housing loss against future disasters. Among its accomplishments is the construction of over 2,000 safer buildings for 40,000 people, training of over 4,700 individuals in safe construction practices, creation of 560 jobs, and expansion of its network of partners in local government, the business sector for greater impact.
About Holcim Philippines
Holcim Philippines, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange: HLCM) is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The Company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs.
With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Batangas, Misamis Oriental, and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a reliable partner for builders in the country.
Holcim Philippines is also committed to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System), and OHSAS 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).
Holcim Philippines is a member of the Holcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry present in 70 countries with over 70,000 employees.
About Holcim
Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure, and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy, Holcim is becoming a net-zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving circular construction as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world’s most trusted brands in the building sector including ACC, Aggregate Industries, Ambuja Cement, Disensa, Firestone Building Products, Geocycle, Holcim, Lafarge, and Malarkey Roofing Products. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates, and Solutions & Products.
Learn more about Holcim at www.holcim.com, and by following us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 14, 2022 | Business
Filipinos working in the personal care service industry were among the severely affected by the numerous lockdowns due to the pandemic.
To support and help personal care services workers bounce back as we move toward the new normal, GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet has partnered with Bench Fix Salon to roll out tipping via GCash QR Code in all Bench Fix Salon branches nationwide.
Say thanks to your Bench Fix stylist by sending tips via GCash QR code
With this, customers can now show thanks by giving tips to stylists and other workers safely, quickly, and conveniently by simply scanning the GCash QR code at the back of the employees’ company IDs.
“We want to support our personal care services workers, many of whom were affected by the pandemic. As restrictions ease and the economy recovers, we’d like to provide them with innovative solutions such as this to make their lives easier and better every day,” said GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon.
Bryan Lim, VP for Business Development of Bench Fix Salon adds, “Personal care professionals were among those badly affected by the health crisis. We’re happy to have a partner in GCash which has made tipping so much easier for both our employees and customers. With the GCash QR code, our valued customers can now have a contactless way to reward good service.”
Don’t have GCash yet? You can download the GCash App for free on the Google Play Store for Android, the App Store for iPhone and iPad users, or Huawei Gallery. Funding a GCash account is easy and can be done through multiple cash-in kiosks in partner stores like Globe Stores, Ministop, 7-Eleven, Alfamart, and Villarica Pawnshop and supermarkets including Puregold, Robinsons Supermarkets, and SM Markets.
For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com/business.
About GCash
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Financial App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, customers can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1.3k partner billers; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 4.5M partner merchants and social sellers; cash-in and cash-out at over 170k partner agents; and get access to savings, credit, insurance and invest money all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.).
GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs impacting more than 55 million Filipinos in the country today.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 12, 2022 | Book Reviews
Who doesn’t love a good office romance, right? I started My Boss is Clueless by Angela Lynn Carver on Goodnovel then when I discovered that it is on Amazon, I went ahead and bought the ebook for $4.99! It might sound pricey, but believe me, it is cheaper than reading it on the other app.
Ivan Adams is the CEO of Adams Corp. As usual, he is good-looking and brilliant. Ariel Young is his assistant. Ivan is a difficult boss to work for as he is quite demanding and calls on her any time of the day … but she needs this job so Ariel perseveres.
A funny encounter involving dry cleaning and a just-showered Ivan leads them both down a path neither anticipated but are helpless to resist!
Ariel is losing her mind! But she keeps her sanity when she starts writing a steamy novel on the sly with thoughts of self-publishing later. Meanwhile, there are suspicions of a corporate spy and she has become a suspect.
I love stories that make me laugh and make me eagerly want to turn to the next page. This story does have steamy scenes but most of them are not even between the main characters, but are excerpted in the novel the secretary, Ariel, is secretly writing!
Angela Lynn Carver is one of those authors that write good stories but need help with editing. Get past that and you are sure to enjoy yourself 100%. My Boss is Clueless by Angela Lynn Carver can be found on Amazon and Goodnovel.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 12, 2022 | Book Reviews
The Alpha’s Saviour by Reece Barden is so well-written that I just couldn’t put it down! I started reading it at night and finished in the afternoon of the following day. If not for the need to sleep, I would most likely have read it straight and finished before noon.
I started reading this on Goodnovel because the premise intrigued me. I mean … how often do Alphas need to be saved? Anyone who has read a shifter/werewolf romance knows that the Alpha is the strongest werewolf there is and, often, if anyone needs saving, it is the heroine of the story. As an added twist, she is human and knows nothing about the world of shifters and fated mates.
Reading their romance unfold was such a page-turner. Cooper’s hesitation to let people know that Hayley is his mate to protect her caused her to doubt his feelings for her and the status of their relationship.
While stories between werewolves and humans are not unheard of, it is not that common. I found Reece’s take on it interesting and worth pursuing.
If you would like to read this story, you can find it on Goodnovel and on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2022 | Bon Appetit
Here at home, mashed potatoes are probably among the dishes my family enjoys the most. Here at home Wednesday is my assigned day to cook dinner. I’ve been serving grilled steaks and mashed potatoes and waiting for my family to complain about the repetition but, it hasn’t happened. As a matter of fact, they keep asking for it. 😁
Thankfully, mashed potatoes are straightforward to make. I don’t understand why there is even such a thing as instant mashed potatoes because, honestly, preparing it is so simple, that it may as well be instant. But I guess instant mashed potatoes are really geared more toward people who do not want to have to deal with peeling potatoes.
Over the years I have developed my own technique for making this yummy side dish. It may not be original (I’m sure someone else is doing it this way) but through experimentation, I’ve found this to be the most efficient way to make it. Traditional recipes will tell you to wash the potatoes, boil them with the skin on, then when they are cooked, you peel the potatoes before mashing them.
That does not work for me.
- Hot potatoes are not easy to handle.
- If you wait until the potatoes are cool enough to handle and peel easily, it makes them more challenging to mash properly and infuse with flavor.
This is why I like to do things differently. I like to peel and slice the potatoes BEFORE cooking them.
Here is my version of mashed potatoes. Enjoy! 🙂
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a good side dish to anything fried or grilled.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: potatoes
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan
- 1 kilo potatoes I prefer using the big ones, as it means less potatoes to peel but, really, the size does not affect the taste so use whatever is available.
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk If you want the mashed potatoes to be creamier, go ahead and add more!
- 2 tbsps. salted butter A lot of recipes you will find online will tell you to use unsalted butter. I say, bring on the salt! It just means I have to add less (or not at all) at the final tasting.
- salt, pepper, and other spices to taste
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2022 | Beauty
Blush is a versatile beauty essential. With the right blush, you can brighten up your face with just a few gentle swipes! Yet, the wide array of blush colors at beauty counters often leave women confused about what shades complement their skin the best, or which hues go well with a specific look. Worry not — finding the shade that works best on your skin tone shouldn’t be hard. A good rule of thumb women should follow is that the darker the skin tone, the deeper the blush shade should be.
Careline Oil-Control Blush-On comes in eleven shades to match every skin tone
The expanded shade range of Careline Oil-Control Blush-On offers a wide variety of colors to match the different skin tones of Filipinas. It also offers a fade-free flawless finish that can last for hours and, despite its highly pigmented formula, it delivers a natural-looking finish on the cheeks. Careline Oil-Control Blush-On also has a soft texture that blends perfectly into the skin without caking, allowing a buildable color intensity.
Check out this selection of blush colors perfect for every skin tone:
Fair skin tones.
For those with fair or light skin tones, the best blush shades are soft pink, light coral, and peach. Soft pink shades can give a natural look while peachy coral shades can give a pop of color to your cheeks. For fair skin tone, try wearing Careline Oil-Control Blush-On in shades of Charming Pink, Touch of Pink, Pinkish Blush, and Peach Glow.
Medium skin tones.
Having a medium skin tone means you have a little more freedom when it comes to experimenting with richer colors. If you’re looking for something slightly bolder, you can opt for popping pinks, bright corals, or warmer mauve shades. Careline Oil-Control Blush-On can help you achieve a more daring look with Rosy Cheek, Red Velvet, and Fresh Tomato shades.
Dark skin tones.
When it comes to the best blush for deep and dark skin tones, you can feel free to pull off dramatic, rich tones without having to worry about creating an overly harsh contrast. Red and orange shades are particularly flattering on dark skin tones, as well as shades of brown. Women with dark skin tones will also look wonderful in deep fuchsia, berry, warm brown, raisin, and tangerine blush shades. Feel free to be adventurous with Careline Oil-Control Blush-On in shades of Berry Pop, Orange Bliss, Starlight Shine, and Pinch of Plum.
Swipe the right pop of color and make your look entirely your own with Careline Oil-Control Blush-On. Available on Careline’s official page on Lazada (bit.ly/CarelineLazada) and Shopee (bit.ly/CarelineShopeePH), and in leading supermarkets and department stores nationwide. For more updates, visit and like Careline on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CarelineCosmetics), Instagram, and Tiktok (@carelineph).
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 10, 2022 | Book Reviews
The Hybrid Alpha by Bryant is different from most of the shifter romances I have read because it deals with a same-sex relationship which is not usually tackled in popular shifter stories. However, Bryant does it in such a fun and playful way that even those who might otherwise have a problem with it should be able to enjoy most of it.
Alpha heir Andre D’Amore is fabulous to the core! From a very young age, he knew he was gay and he had no problem letting people know it. Thankfully, he has a supportive family. Andre is impulsive, fun and fab, and always the life of the party. At the same time, as an Alpha, he is also strong, charismatic, authoritative, and effective in leading the pack as interim Alpha while his father is indisposed.
Capt. Darren Delaney of Bloodmoon is sent to Incubi by the Bloodmoon Alpha Logan to aid the Incubi in the war against Madonie. A few minutes after landing they are immediately pulled into an encounter with Madonie.
Of all the places for Darren to sense his mate, he didn’t expect it to be on a battlefield in Italy. Imagine his surprise when the wolf shifted to human form to discover his mate is male. All his life he saw himself as straight, he was never even in a gay relationship. But as Andre says, Darren may never have been gay before, but he is gay for Andre. After all, the Moon Goddess does not make mistakes.
If you are looking for a story that will make you giggle from start to finish, then this is the story for you. You can read this as a stand-alone but of course, it would be more fun if you’ve read Alpha of Nightmares first. I enjoyed every moment of reading it and when you finally get to the sex scenes … phew! fans self Super hot!
You can read The Hybrid Alpha by Bryant on Goodnovel. I am eagerly awaiting its release on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format. I hope it happens soon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 21, 2022 | Discounts, Sales, and Giveaways
Families are in for an exciting treat as JS Unitrade (JSU), the makers of the leading EQ Baby Diapers, hosts its EQ Super Brand Day on Lazada on April 18-22, 2022! For this Super Brand Day, JSU and Lazada give you and your family the chance to enjoy special discounts of up to 50% off on EQ & Genius Baby Diapers and other JSU’s best value products that are reasonably priced yet of great quality – Feminine Care products (Charmee Napkins, Pantyliners, and Feminine Wipes), Incontinence Care (Caress Adult Diapers and Underpads, Hy-Pants and Secure Adult Pull-Up Pants), Baby Wipes (Nursy and EQ Baby Wipes), Cleansing & Disinfecting Wipes (Hy-5), Household Paper Towels (Tidy & Kitchenmate), and Oral Care products (Jordan).
In line with JSU’s mission to enable Filipinos to improve and advance the everyday lives of their families, they introduced some breakthrough products which you can also avail of on the upcoming EQ Super Brand Day.
For first-time parents out there, you can ensure that your baby is mess-free and thoroughly clean with EQ Baby Wipes. It is made with 99% pure water and has no harmful chemicals, making sure your baby gets the gentlest care and utmost protection they deserve.
On the other hand, for those women who want to go about their day with full comfort and confidence during their extra heavy flow period days, they have an ally with Charmee Menstrual Pants! It offers ultimate protection to prevent leaks and comes in an underwear-like design to help you feel at ease.
For those who are experiencing loss of bladder or bowel control, you don’t need to suffer in silence and let the condition control your life. You can enjoy your day to the fullest like spending quality time or enjoying a great time outdoors with friends and family, without having to worry about leaks with the help of Hy-Pants Adult Underwear. These pull-up pants are designed to help you manage your incontinence condition without any worries, with your dignity and self-esteem intact.
Other perks available on EQ Super Brand Day include shipping vouchers, promo packs, and freebies. Watch out for JSU’s Lazada LazLive on April 18, Monday, at 5 PM to score awesome deals on all JSU products and get a chance to be one of the lucky viewers to win exciting raffle prizes. You can follow and watch the Livestream on the official Facebook pages of JSU brands: EQ: http://www.facebook.com/EQDiapers, Charmee: http://www.facebook.com/CharmeeFeminineProtection, Caress: http://www.facebook.com/CaressPH, Nursy: http://www.facebook.com/NursyBabyWipes and Jordan Oral Care: http://www.facebook.com/JordanOralCarePh.
With this EQ Super Brand Day on Lazada, get yourself and your loved ones the best value products that will enrich your lives in small but meaningful ways. For more information and updates, visit https://jsunitrade.com/.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 13, 2022 | Personal Care Tips
Manila, Philippines – The eyes are the windows to the soul. While a bold eye shadow will definitely catch anyone’s attention, lashes with visible length and volume will keep them coming back for more!
So if you’re wondering how you can up your allure for the next date night, lock everyone’s attention during presentations, or simply bring the focus on your eyes while wearing a face mask – here are foolproof ways you can create lashes that stand out in terms of both length and volume, no falsies needed.
Curl your lashes first, girl
Some ladies, especially those on the go, might skip this step before applying mascara to instantly up their lash game. However, a simple preparation will give you that extra edge.
The secret? Curling your lashes for about ten seconds. This gives it enough time to be bent to a more ideal shape while also respecting how delicate lashes actually are – once is enough! After that, you can apply a lash primer or a clear mascara which helps lengthen the lashes and reduce clumps. Let it stay and dry before applying the regular mascara.
Avoid the clumps
Being at home for a while gave us fewer chances to need lashes with extra oomph. This might have affected the mascara formula, which when applied could result in clumpiness.
Set your mascara back to its original consistency by warming the tube (with the cap tightly secured, of course!) in a glass of hot water for a couple of minutes. When taking out the wand, don’t dip it; twirl it instead to evenly distribute the formula onto the brush. Still have some excess? Wipe the brush on a clean tissue before applying it to your lashes for an even spread.
Start at the root and wiggle your way up
Taken from https://www.ipsy.com/blog/how-to-apply-mascara
For mascara newbies, it might make sense to apply the product right at the tip but that’s actually one of the beauty no-nos.
Start by wiggling the brush at the base of your lashes, and then start pulling up while maintaining that wiggling motion to keep the lashes separate from each other and create that desired illusion of full lashes. A flick of the wrist upward as you reach the end also extends the curl.
Take time to layer your lashes
Remember: applying mascara to your lashes adds a layer of product to your natural hair follicles. With each layer applied, the more length your lashes will have, so take time to build it up as you go.
Aside from the clear mascara or primer mentioned earlier, a quick and easy way to add layers is by applying translucent powder in between coats of mascara, which will help the product cling to your lashes and make them thicker as you go. You could also mix and match other variants like waterproof mascara to make sure they’re protected from the elements.
When it comes to your lashes – size matters
You’re already making a huge effort to make your lashes stand out, so keep everything on fleek by using Avon’s new and exclusive Legendary Lengths Mascara.
Avon Legendary Lengths Mascara
Extend your lashes up to 50% with 3x the volume thanks to the next generation polymers expertly formulated in the product, applied with the Instalength tapered brush, giving you 100% Lash Satisfaction from root to tip that can last all day.
Mimiyuuuh
“Why choose between length and volume when you can have both?”, says social media sensation Mimiyuuuh, who refuses to settle when it comes to her look and the beauty products that she uses. With the help of Avon Legendary Lengths Mascara, Mimi turns heads with volumized and longer lashes that are just to die for, without having to compromise one for the other.
To get your own Legendary Lengths Mascara, contact an Avon Representative near you or visit www.avonshop.ph to purchase.
About Avon
Avon has been doing beauty differently for 135 years. Avon is a company that connects people, using the power of beauty to transform lives for the better. Millions of independent sales Representatives across the world sell iconic Avon brands through their social networks, building their own beauty businesses on a full- or part-time basis. Avon stands for gender equality, and we believe in listening to women’s needs, speaking out about issues that matter, and creating positive change. Through Avon and the Avon Foundation, we’ve donated over $1.1billion, with a focus on tackling gender violence and breast cancer. Avon is part of the Natura &Co Group. Learn more at www.avonworldwide.com.
GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Financial App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, customers can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1.3k partner billers; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 4.5M partner merchants and social sellers; cash-in and cash-out at over 170k partner agents; and get access to savings, credit, insurance and invest money all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.).
Ivan Adams is the CEO of Adams Corp. As usual, he is good-looking and brilliant. Ariel Young is his assistant. Ivan is a difficult boss to work for as he is quite demanding and calls on her any time of the day … but she needs this job so Ariel perseveres.
I started reading this on Goodnovel because the premise intrigued me. I mean … how often do Alphas need to be saved? Anyone who has read a shifter/werewolf romance knows that the Alpha is the strongest werewolf there is and, often, if anyone needs saving, it is the heroine of the story. As an added twist, she is human and knows nothing about the world of shifters and fated mates.
Alpha heir Andre D’Amore is fabulous to the core! From a very young age, he knew he was gay and he had no problem letting people know it. Thankfully, he has a supportive family. Andre is impulsive, fun and fab, and always the life of the party. At the same time, as an Alpha, he is also strong, charismatic, authoritative, and effective in leading the pack as interim Alpha while his father is indisposed.
Some ladies, especially those on the go, might skip this step before applying mascara to instantly up their lash game. However, a simple preparation will give you that extra edge.
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