Treasure Jar

Did you give practical gifts last Christmas?

You know, things that can be used by the recipient? Or would these just gather dust and be discarded after a year?

I think we did. One of the gifts we gave away to the teachers were handmade notepads which they can use just in case they needed to write down notes and thoughts. The notepads were not big and could easily fit in a small bag.

These were the papers we used for the notepads. For more info on how these notepads were made, click here.

For the person who loves arts and crafts, arts and crafts materials are the best to give. For the one who loves to cook, a cookbook or a kitchen gadget.

These were just some ideas and I’m sure there are so much more practical gift ideas out there.

Bizu Patisserie will once again take you on a journey to Tchaikovsky’s Land of the Sweets with its Christmas 2013 Collection overflowing with favorites and unique offerings sure to make everyone’s holidays truly enchanting.

The season’s masterpiece is Bizu’s Grand Carousel. Reminiscent of Caroussel de la Tour Eiffel in Paris, it is filled with classic butter cookies, crisp tuile, luscious chocolate-covered pretzels and crunchy caramel popcorn. Wind it up and hear a captivating tune.

Taking the spotlight is Bizu’s Chestnut Cake, a combination of chestnut cremeaux, moist speculoos cake and caramel glaze topped with chestnut cream.

• Rudolph, a Christmas chocolate ornament ball with crème caramel filling and a moist chocolate brownie base. Set the Christmas table with Noël Fruit Cake made of Valrhona chocolate, pecans and dark cherries. Try the Christmas Carrot and Walnut Cake topped with rich brown butter cream cheese.

• Melchor Croquembouche makes for a grand holiday table centerpiece. A lovely tower of profiteroles filled with pastry cream dipped in white and dark chocolate. Choose between an 18-inch tall croquembouche with 130 cream puffs or a 12- inch tall croquembouche with 60 cream puffs.
• Macaron de Paris. These masterpieces are almond meringue shells filled with a luscious combination of buttercream. Just for the holidays, Bizu offers Speculoos, a lightly spiced ginger and cinnamon-flavored macaron.
• Bizu’s Chocolate Nut Butter Spreads, creamy and smooth combinations of chocolate and nut flavors with a hint of sweetness and a touch of saltiness. The flavors are Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Butter, Macadamia and White Chocolate Butter, Almond Roca Butter and Pistachio White Chocolate Butter.
• Pot de Crème is soft French crème comes in four flavors: Madagascar Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Burnt Caramel and Sugar Free Gianduja Hazelnut.
• Gourmet Popcorn  in three flavors: Salted Caramel; Dark Chocolate, Almonds and Pretzel; and Pistachio, White Chocolate and Macaron

• Cheese Tarts is a perfect Christmas gift. This smooth and dense mascarpone cheesecake over flaky puff pastry is available per piece or in a lovely box of six.
• New Ensaymada flavors make a vow this season. The three new flavors of Queso de Bola and Chorizo, Italian Pistachio and White Chocolate and Cheese Roll join the traditional Dark Chocolate, Almond Praline and Classic Cheese.

Bizu is well known for its luxurious French Gâteau. Each one is a sight to behold and every bite is unforgettably delicious. Have a taste of Samba, Opera, Nirvana, Amour, Roca, sugarless and flourless Jolie, sugarless Naomi, Tiramisu, Strawberry Shortcake and Chiboust in Blueberry, Mango and Strawberry.
Make the holidays more memorable with Bizu’s Savoury Holiday Traditions. Yuletide Pork Crown Roast is a festive circlet of juicy chops with a hearty stuffing of apples, chestnuts and sausages. Bizu’s signature Ten-Hour Roast Beef Belly is so tender it melts in your mouth and comes with sidings of crunchy vegetables and creamy mushroom sauce.
Whole Turkey Roast is all plump, juicy and golden brown and comes with a signature stuffing of apples, chestnut and sausages with a duet of gravy and cranberry sauce. A perfect addition to any Christmas dinner and party is the Baked Salmon Rockefeller, baked Norwegian salmon layered with creamy spinach and topped with parmesan mornay sauce. Complete the celebration with Chicken Liver Paté and Smoked Salmon and Caviar for the appetizers.
This Christmas, celebrate the taste of joie de vivre only at Bizu.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To order, email concierge@bizugroupe.com or call 845-0590 to 93.

Visit Bizu Patisserie branches near you. Greenbelt 2 (757-2498), One Rockwell Tower, (478-7755 or 779-5044), Greenhills Promenade (724-2498 or 726-2496), Alabang Town Center (809-2498, 772-1917, or 772-1918), St. Luke’s Global City (823-6621) and Le Petit Bizu Robinsons Magnolia (467-0670).
Drop by the Bizu Christmas Carriage at the North Court of Power Plant Mall and our Christmas stall at the Greenbelt 3 Park. Email conciergeteam@bizugroupe.com or check out www.bizuchristmas.com.

Like us on facebook.com/ilovebizu and follow us on twitter.com/bizuph.

Tags: Bizu Cheese Tarts, Bizu Chestnut Cake, Bizu Gourmet Popcorn, Bizu Grand Carousel, Bizu Macaron de Paris, Bizu New Ensaymada flavors, Bizu Patisserie, Bizu Patisserie Tchaikovsky’s Land of the Sweets, Bizu Pot de Crème, Bizu’s Chocolate Nut Butter Spreads, Melchor Croquembouche

“Wellness is not hard to achieve”.

Recently, Robinson’s Supermarket launched its first Annual Live Well Love Well Extraordinary “Mom-Me-Time” Experience, where moms all over Metro Manila were given tributes. These moms who has the health and welfare of their families on top of their priorities were treated to a day of pampering and fun.

Moms who went to the event were given hand spa treatments, hair make-over, make-up makeover and free meals at the salad bar and the new line of ready-to-eat meals called Fit Cuisine. Huge discounts on P & G items were also offered during the said event.

The event took place at the Eastwood Mall Open Park and Atrium. The event was hosted by Dimples Romana with celebrity mom guests Camille Pratts, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan and Abby Arenas-de Leon.

Camille Pratts talked about raising her young son and how she encourages him to take up activities to develop his skills, rather than just being glued to tech gadgets.

Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan talked about organizing everything and doing time management so that all the things that need to get done, gets done. With five children, and with the help of her husband, they balance the taking care of the family, with God and prayers as an important part of the process.

Abby Arenas-De Leon talked about positive self-image and “loving yourself” to feel good and positive.

Partnering with P & G, Robinson’s encourages moms to achieve a lifestyle of wellness for them selves and their families. The right products and trusted brands make up for providing the health and wellness regimen for the family.

With P & G, moms…

Achieving the Live Well Love Well attitude is not that difficult with the help of Robinson’s Supermarket and P & G.

Tags: 1st Annual Live Well Love Well Extraordinary "Mom-Me-Time" Experience, P & G and Robinson's, Robinson's Healthy You, Robinson's Supermarket, Robinson's Supermarket Live Well Love Well

PRESS RELEASE

Electrolux and Mommy Mundo join together for the Clothes for Hope Donation Drive

Electrolux Philippines, a global leader in home appliances, in partnership with ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya and Mommy Mundo, an online portal of mom and family-focused resources, initiated the Clothes for Hope donation drive as part of its Wear Your Passion campaign to help the victims of recent calamities.

“It has been an unfortunate year for the Philippines as we braved through one natural disaster after another. From the earthquake that struck Bohol and Cebu to super typhoon Yolanda, these disasters have left thousands of families grieving for the loss of their homes and loved ones,” says Andrea Pionilla, Marketing Manager, Electrolux Philippines. “That is why through the Clothes for Hope donation drive, we aim to provide immediate relief to the victims by giving them the hope of a new beginning through freshly laundered clothes which will be delivered to them by Sagip Kapamilya,” Pionilla adds.

This holiday season, the entire nation is united in helping the victims of recent calamities recover from these tragedies. “Electrolux and Mommy Mundo have provided avenues for people to lend a helping hand by putting up a number of donation sites where people can drop off their pre-loved clothes, blankets, and towels,” adds Pionilla.

Those who wish to help can drop off their pre-loved items in any of the following donation sites:

• Electrolux Customer Service Hub, Makati City;
• Mommy Mundo Office, Pasig City;
• Numa Store, Quezon City; Alabang, Muntinlupa City;
• Promosphere Inc., Mandaluyong City;
• and Universal Promo Specialists, Inc., Mandaluyong City.
• Donations will also be accepted at the Mommy Mundo Bazaar on December 8, 2013 at the Rockwell Tent, Makati City.

For the exact addresses of the donation sites and more news and updates about the Clothes for Hope donation drive, visit www.facebook.com/thelittlewhitebook or follow @ElectroluxPH on Twitter and Instagram.

###

About Electrolux

Electrolux is a global leader in household appliances and appliances for professional use, selling more than 40 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. The company makes thoughtfully designed, innovative solutions based on extensive consumer research, meeting the desires of today’s consumers and professionals. Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, cookers, air conditioners and small appliances such as vacuum cleaners, all sold under esteemed brands like Electrolux, White-Westinghouse, AEG, and Frigidaire. In 2012 Electrolux had sales of SEK 110 billion and about 61,000 employees.

For more information go to www.electrolux.com/press and.www.electrolux.com/news.

Tags: Clothes for Hope, Clothes for Hope Donation Drive, Electrolux

This is the guitar-playing daughter, back when we were still homeschooling. She used to play the recorder, and just like how is learned to play guitar later on, she taught herself how to do just that, play the recorder. I can’t recall how but I remember we used to watch YouTube video tutorials. She would also play some notes with the keyboard at home.

Photo from my Photo Blog.

Because the shift in the choice of musical instruments happened, she now reads about guitars instead of her reading about armstrong flutes and the like. I prefer she know how to play both though and I am happy she has flute lessons in school for this grade level.

I saw a tab opened at fender at Guitar Center the other day and I just know who was looking at the page about guitars.

Some of the youngest daughter’s electic guitar pieces that she currently loves to play are the following:

• Eraserheads “Huling El Bimbo”
• Pachelbel’s Canon in D (while she is listening to the violin or piano version in her mobile gadget and wearing a headset)
• a Simple Plan song (forgot the title)
• Plain White t’s 1234 (video featured below)