Engaging to a regular exercise and eating the right food are among the highly recommended activities to avoid oxygen depletion in the body. During that time, I resolved that I will do my daily morning 1-hour jogging before hitting the books for at least 8 hours everyday.

Photo by TEDDY ESPINUEVA http://www.ceburunning.com

Wanting to keep my early morning jogging exciting I tried several spots.

Abellana / Cebu City Sports Complex
Entrance fee is P15 for regular joggers and P10 for students. Jogging here is less strenuous to the feet because of the rubberized track. This venue is usually packed with more than a hundred joggers.  5 PM after work to 8 PM is its peak hours. For variations, there are also tae-bo, swimming, ball room dancing and belly dancing sessions. Everyone is welcome to join for a very affordable fee ranging from P10 to P50 per session. No changing room but the comfort rooms are clean so you can change there. You may leave your things at one of the secured rooms. An attendant is on duty to look after your things. A major drawback of this place is the fact that the air you breath there may not be that fresh since this area is very close to the major thoroughfares of the City. You don’t want to suffocate your lungs with polluted air while jogging. However, it may not be that polluted as well. So far, I am yet to see a study on how polluted is the air here in Cebu.

The Family Park at Talamban
Entrance fee is P10 to P15. Every first Saturday and Sunday of the month, entrance fee is waived. The trees are tall. The birds are singing in chorus and the grass are green. The jogging path is a bit challenging because of its ascending pitch and trails that are not yet cemented. It is rocky and narrow. Fresh air is everywhere but not people. Only a few joggers come here. Most of the time, families come here for picnic, animal watching or maybe swimming.

Asiatown IT Park
There was a time when jogging here is prohibited. Today however, IT park is one of the favorite jogging site especially for the mid twenties to early 40’s crowd. It is clean and hip. Very close to everything. There are free parking on the western side of the area. A cemented pedestrian road can be utilized as your jogging route. No changing room but the rest rooms at The Walk is  a good makeshift.

Cebu Business Park
Less and less people jogs here. It’s a very big area but most of the time one can only cover a portion of it. For me, that area beside Union Bank is best place to jog. The place is secured. There are security guards on duty.  But a heavier volume of vehicles passing the road makes this place less appealing to joggers .

A. S. Fortuna
Although I haven’t tried it here, I observed that there had been several joggers who passed by this stretch from Manduae Highway to Foodland – Talamban. There are a number of vehicles passing on this street, safety is a concern. There are dogs on the road from residents beside the street so this may not be a good idea for those who fear dogs. If you will run going to Mandaue Highway Seno from Foodland, you will face the sunrise on your way.

Plan and enjoy. Happy Jogging!

TIP: To look for more places safe for running/jogging you may want to visit http://www.ceburunning.com/runsafe/ Aside from a very informative cebu running map, the site also contains such data as areas where runners are robbed or attacked. It also indicates which parts of Cebu runners should avoid for being unsafe, especially at night.

For the meantime, I am happy to announce that CBS partnered with Mandaue Chamber of Commerce for this year’s Mandaue Business Month. The activity will kick off with a fun run on August 1, 2010 at 4:00 o’clock in the morning at the West Parking Area of the Park Mall.

Please check poster below for registrations and more info. Lets run and help!

This October 21-24, 2010 the Philippine Russian Trade Exhibition opens to the public at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City.

This first-ever Trade Exhibit showcasing the world-class products of leading companies from the Russia and Philippines is a specially-added major component in this year’s Philippine Russian Business Forum (PRBF).

The exhibition will serve as an educational point of exchange of cultural and economic backgrounds of both countries. It will showcase the various trade opportunities in both the Philippine and Russian sides.

Lined up for exhibition are products and services related to tourism and wellness; trade promotion and development; mining and energy; education and culture; labor, placement services and outsourcing; and retirement facilities and real estate development.

As Russia is known to have the largest reserves of mineral and energy resources in the world and is the world’s leading energy superpower, the visiting exhibitors are expected to bring in new ideas and current trends on the Russian energy market.

Russia also has the world’s largest timber reserves and may likewise promote its wood furniture industry, along with its food products, toys and housewares, jewelry, fashion and accessories, and industrial goods.

Exhibits for tourism and wellness will showcase M.I.C.E. facilities and destinations, tourist attractions, and health and wellness products as well as medical tourism-related services.

The various aspects of both Filipino and Russian education, as well as culture, will also be featured in the trade fair, including English language training and arts and crafts.

Among the highlights of the Philippine Russian Business Forum and Trade Exhibition is the one-on-one business matching and meeting between exhibitors and investors/buyers which is instrumental in the procuring of trade.

Meanwhile, the bust of famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy which will be mounted at the Sugbo Cultural Center has already arrived in time for this Russian-Philippines forum. The Tolstoy bust will be officialy unveiled on October 21, 2010 during the opening ceremonies of this year’s Philippine Russian Business Forum (PRBF).

Also, one of the main attraction of this event is the exhibition of Pototsky’s paintings in the Philippine Russian Art Show, which is one of the PBRF’s major component along with the Philippine Russian Trade Exhibition and Philippine Russian Photo Exhibit.

Investors, real estate developers, businessmen, decision makers, exporters, importers, national government agencies, and local government units from both the Russian Federation and the Philippines are expected to attend the four-day Philippine Russian Business Forum.

The four-day 2nd Philippine-Russian Business Forum is organized by the Philippine Russian Business Assembly (PRBA), Embassy of the Russian Federation, and the Philippine Exhibits and Themeparks Corp. (PETCO).

It is being held in cooperation with the Province of Cebu, City of Mandaue, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Business Club, and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Now on its 4th year, the Marco Polo Plaza calls on all global citizens once more to join this exciting week of culinary journey to Switzerland, as well as celebrate Swiss National Day.

From July 30, Friday, until August 8, Swiss traditions cross oceans to the hotel’s Café Marco, where diners can enjoy a gourmet selection as comprehensive as the alphabet. Those who come for lunch and dinner get to enjoy Swiss delicacies from Alpine air-dried beef to chocolates, cheese fondue to raclettes, roesti, sausages, and Zurich-style veal. Enjoy a world of Swiss goodness alongside Café Marco’s international buffet favorites. The Café Marco serves lunch from 12:00 pm until 2:30 pm at Php 885 and dinner from 6:30 pm until 10:00 pm at Php 1,072.

On Saturday, July 31, the Marco Polo Plaza, to be led by General Manager Hans Hauri, a Swiss national himself, will also celebrate Swiss National Day – a truly festive affair to honor and gather Swiss nationals outside their homeland.

Swiss National Fest dinner tickets will be sold at Php 1,090+ for a delectable spread of Swiss buffet at the Garden Terrace, unlimited soft drinks and juices, great entertainment, traditional games, bonfire and a chance to win some exciting prizes. Also, enjoy a Swiss Weekend Package from July 30 to August 2, with room rates starting at Php 2,999+.

For inquiries and reservations, call 253-111 loc 8245 or email mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com.

I attended its launching on July 16, 2010 at the Marco Polo Hotel Lobby. The event was graced by the no less than Spain’s Ambassador to the Philippines  His Excellency Luis Arias-Romero and Honorary Consul of Spain Jaime Picornell, Ms. Gema Pido and Mr. Hans Suri. Special performances by Pianist Maestor Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz accompanied by Guitarist Ruben Reyes entertained the guest during the short program.

The ceremonial cutting of the Serrano Ham at Café Marco and unveiling of the quintessential Paella  at El Viento Restaurant at Pool bar highlighted the event. The Parade of Chefs and Waiters makes this event more festive.

Comida

The main event was Dinner where  several Spanish food were served. Among my favorite are of course the Spanish Paella, mechado , olive salad and the yummy tortilla de berenjena (eggplant). Food was savored with every little sip of Spanish wine in between. The Sangria is making me blush. The Spanish Doughnut Churros, creme brule and Brazo de Mercedes were perfect to wrap-up that wonderful Spanish dinner which surely was a champion.

Felicitaciones España!

Thank you Ecka, Jennifer and Belle for the invite and wonderful company during dinner, Sinjin for the picks and Doyzkie for the ride.

My first visit to Coffee Cat coffeeshop was when they invited the Cebu Bloggers Society during their opening last July 16, 2010. It was my impression that it is a local franchise of an international coffee brand.  However, when the owners were introduced with their  humble beginnings, that impression was immediately proven to be wrong. More surprising to know was that it is a proud Philippine brand.

The inside story…

The shop was intended for the people on the go. The interior design is minimalist but very up-to-date. The chairs can rotate 360 degrees perfect for those big animated group discussions. The color pallete was also very uncommon for a coffee shop, doing away from the monotonic brown and green combination. I can only think of Japanese inspiration for its trendy and relaxing hues and arrangements.

On my second visit, I also noticed that the music played inside the shop is not the typical lounge and “old winter Christmas” music but it is more hip and updated, which young crowds can surely relate to.

Coffee and yogurt under one roof

My first coffee cat experience was a medium Coffee Caramel Avalanche (P135). Looking at the menu, coffee cat seems to have all the selections you want from a coffeeshop with a little modernized name. What captures my attention however was when my name was printed on a sticker and pasted on my cup. Yes, pentel pen is cheap for them.

The coffee was good.  It is not very sweet – just right for me. The whip was very creamy and  rich.  Avalanche should be consumed before it becomes liquid. It is ideal to zip it while you can feel the smooth grains of ice on your coffee.

Next, was a small Yogo yogurt with 3 choices of toppings (P120). My selected toppings were almond nuts for texture, kiwi for color and grapes for that sweet and tangy taste. It was heaven.  For sure, it is way better than those cheap yogurt sold on stalls. I would trade one coffee session for a Yogo yogurt session. I’m craving for it while writing this…

Coffee Cat is located at the eBlock, IT Park. Ground floor of that building occupied by JP Morgan & Chase.

Certainly, Coffee Cat is not a second rate trying hard coffee shop.

Thanks to Jorich for the pictures.

An unconference is a facilitated, participant-driven conference centered around a theme or purpose like blogging. The term “unconference” has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid one or more aspects of a conventional conference, such as high fees and sponsored presentations.

For Cebu Blog Camp, participants will register online. Speakers volunteer to take sessions and are allotted time-slots. Anybody can speak on any topic so long as it is related to blogging, micro blogging or any social media in general. The event is highly interactive. It is expected to find the participants jumping right in and even taking over the microphone from the speaker. There is no audience but there are only participants and they don’t give speeches they share their knowledge. The environment is very informal and leads a lot of discussions.

Cebu BlogCamp is an excellent opportunity to network with other social media users, hear about what other people are seeing and experiencing in this space and share your own ideas as well. If you are a blogger, you already have an opinion and a voice. BlogCamp is just a wider offline platform to share this.

For advertisers this is a rare occasion when Online Connectors gather in one venue. A precious moment to present your products not just to targeted audiences but also to varied bloggers who can widen your market through their extraordinary knack of making online friends and acquaintances that span to a many and different unknown worlds and undiscovered markets.

The Cebu Blog Camp 2010

is co-presented by

Gold Sponsors

Sponsor and Media Partner

Bronze Sponsors

Geiser Maclang Marketing Communications, Inc.

Custom Wordpress Theme by Padd Solutions

South Florida Party Planner Magazine
Weddings, Quinceanera, Sweet Sixteen and Events Magazine

Winston Delawar Photography, a Premiere South Florida Wedding Photographer

Black Friday Deals by Jehzlau Concepts

Jupiter Suites – Free Internet and Breakfast Hotel in Makati

Media and Institution Partners

Mozilla

RCTV 36 – Official Online and TV Media Partner

Cebu Daily News – Official Print Media Partner

Blog4Reviews

Donors

Jaypee Habaradas of JaypeeOnline.net

Cebu Blog Camp 2010 is an event organized by a group of Cebu Bloggers.

The sun was up and burning when I was catching for a taxi ride to Ayala Center Cebu after that nagging cellphone alarm reminded me that I have committed to attend to a media event for the opening of FIC (Fruits in Ice Cream), Ayala Center Cebu. Looking at my insistent list, I was ready to bunk off the event in order to focus more on those that would fatten my wallet but instinctively, I succumb to the summoning pleasures of the Ice Cream, so I attended anyway.

Arriving rather fashionably late and after an obligatory chit-chat with fellow bloggers and other guests, I dig in. I had two scoops of Coffee-Late Lite and NangkaSuy Sorbetes. The contrast was intended for me to be able to at least try all their lines of ice cream. They got almost 40 ice cream flavours in four different lines: gourmet, premium, FIC lite and Pinoy Sorbetes.

NankaSoy was very tasty. I can taste and smell the jackfruit in it. Exactly, what this store promises – a fruit in ice cream. I can taste the fruit juxtapose with the creaminess of the coconut milk, a very good alternative for the lactose intolerant or those that have allergy on dairy protein. Other available sorbets in the market comes with a lot of air softening the ice cream making it easy to melt. I think FIC has a better stabilizer that really holds those air bubble structure together for a better texture and smoother ice cream.

For a guilt-free indulgence, why not try the Lite line of ice cream? It has NO SUGAR and with 50% less calories compared to regular ice cream. The same ice cream but less worries. Who can’t be happy with that?

The ice cream was such a welcome antidote of that stressful list of To-dos. It has the capacity to put you in another world where satisfaction is genuine and joy is real. Simply, it makes me happy.

Suggested Flavors you should try:

Almost all in the Gourmet line like Pistachio, Raspberry Rapture and Caramello con Pastillas. These and all for less than a hundred pesos.

COMPANY DETAILS:

Fruits in Ice Cream is available in Ayala Center Cebu (3rd Floor, next to Chowking) and SM City Cebu (Upper Ground Level by Chinabank and Ace Hardware), as well as Cebu Country Club.

One may avail of big discounts when purchasing the pints and half gallons at FIC Cebu depot, which is located at 13 Bauhinia Drive, Banilad. Telephone No.: 232 8164.

Fruits in Ice cream also caters for special events such as birthday parties, anniversaries, as well as school and corporate events.

Watch out for the new product lines to be launched by May. I tried their Milkshakes and its really good. Its 2 scoops of ice cream plus a little milk blended together. For sure I will be getting it by May.

The Russian Film Festival is a major cultural event that brings to the Philippine audience the best of Russian Cinema today as well as real masterpieces from its glorious past.

Also, to commemorate this 2010 the 65th anniversary of their victory in the Second World War to which the Soviet Union made tremendous contribution, a photo exhibition will be mounted for the duration of the festival.

The Festival is offered free to the public on March 26 & 27 at Ayala Onstage on a first-come, first-seated basis up to maximum theater capacity. The Films will have English subtitles.

SCHEDULE:
March 26, 2010
7:30 pm Screening “The Star”
9:15 pm Film Discussion

March 27,2010
12:00 pm Mirror
2:30 pm Vanished Empire
5:00 pm Ward No. 6
7:30 pm Agony

Admission is FREE.

This coming Saturday , February 27, 2010, UPSTAGE will once again showcase Filipino culture as they give life to “Sa Ngalan sa Amahan”, a Cebuano play inspired from the Palanca Award Winning Play for One-Act Play “Sa Ngalan ng Ama” written by Roberto Jose de Guzman.

The play is tragic story of a family ruined by the autocratic ways of the father. It stresses the importance of family relations and how the country is shaped by the families composing it. Conflicts in the story do not only revolve around the family members but also involve the greater circles of the Philippine society. The lives and views of each of the family members carefully reflect the facets of our society.

Venue: SM Cinema 2

Schedule: February 27, 2010 10AM, 1PM, 4PM and 7PM (Gala)

Ticket prices are as follows:
Php100 – regular price
Php85 – student price (please show your Student ID)
Php150 – Gala Deluxe
Php200 – Gala Premiere

Tickets are available at the SM Cinema 2 entrance on the 27th.

Please contact 09224510944 or 09266597789 for inquiries.

February 10, 2010, the first concept store – shopToshiba at SM City Cebu was opened. This store is aimed to increased Toshiba’s market visibility in the retail of premium Toshiba Laptops in the Visayas. High quality and stylish laptops with the latest and emergent technology from Toshiba are showcased in the new shopToshiba Concept Store which brings together the complete notebook PC line into one.

During its opening, the hand gesture / hand motion user interface (HGUI) system was the head turner.

Imagine this, you are cooking and your hands are dirty, the hands-free enabled phone rang and it was your boss asking if you already read his email, you wanted to turn the volume down of the music playing in your laptop and check your boss’ email. Pretty messy right? Don’t worry, Toshiba Qosimo got it covered. You can now control your computer without dirtying your hands or the reverse. Toshiba has developed the HGUI system. Different hand gestures let you click, start, stop, pause, advance and rewind for example a video playing on a laptop.

We actually had some trouble getting the used of the controls but I’m sure we’ll get the hang of it. This awesome technology may still have a long way to go before they’re ready for primetime but surely its a milestone in laptop designs.

Me trying the latest Hand Gesture User Interface

Finally, this shop also comes with a service center. Customers may now have their notebooks checked while they stroll around the mall, or relax while they wait in the cool lounge area of iServ located within the shopToshiba Concept Store. This Service Center is a service location fully endorsed by Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd., where service personnel are fully certified by Toshiba and service parts used are originals supplied by Toshiba.

Photos by: Sinjin.ph

In keeping with the celebration, I am officially accepting ampaos (red money envelopes) for fortunes while taming my restless mind which anticipates for the great chinese food-fest especially for that tasty duck once again. I just love the strong Chinese emotions in the air on this day.

The first good news of the year is that SM City Cebu is organizing a Chinese New Year’s Eve Fire Lantern Ceremony at the Northwing this Saturday, February 13, 2010. Rekindle hope by making a wish or prayer and releasing fire lanterns into the sky. A symbolic activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Fire Lantern Releasing

To join just simply shop or dine at any SM City Cebu Main Mall or Northwing restaurants/food outlets on February 13. A single purchase receipt of at least P800 will get you a free pass to participate in the said event.

Meanwhile, here are other events to look forward to at SM City Cebu on this season of love and good fortune!

May the year leads you to the path of GOOD FORTUNE. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

It is a fact that bloggers feel greater belonging to a group of like-minded people with interests and ways of thinking similar to their own. Cebu Bloggers cemented this bond among its members. It has functioned as a safe space where members seek out other for mutual feedback and support – “sometimes even love”, fostering a sense of security and help. It relieved isolation and/or alienation. I for one had a dramatic numerical improvement in terms of social support and friendship networks.

Now, this emerging group is already will be celebrating its 2nd founding anniversary! Dubbed as CBS @ 2: The Cebu Bloggers Society 2nd Anniversary Celebration, the event is envisioned to further strengthen the bond of friendship and camaraderie within the blogging community.

The anniversary celebration will be held Sunday, February 14, 2010, 5-9PM, at the Celebration Hall of SM Storyland, Lower Ground Floor, SM City Cebu.

SPONSORS: Batang Yagit Jehzeel Laurente

2. Don’t ignore lose coins and bills. If you will be commuting, you badly need those coins and bills. If riding a taxi, the driver would only demand for the exact amount reflected on the meter. Nevertheless, a tip is always welcome though. Cebuanos love generous tourists.

The Famous Magellan's Cross at Cebu City, Philippines

FASHION
3. Cebu weather is almost the same all year round. It’s hot in here, literally. Cebu crowd would always wear comfortable clothes, almost like in a vacation mode everyday. Flashy attires are reserved for late evening parties on the hippest bars within the City. During day time, people at the malls are usually in their jeans or shorts paired with updated tops or vintage shirts. Trendy and sexy accessories is a must if you want to make a statement. Fashionable and shimmering bib necklaces is a sure head turner. If in doubt go for something simple and classy – two adjectives that best describe Cebuano fashion.

TIME MANAGEMENT
4. Except if you have an earlier appointment in your itinerary, waking up time should be 8 or 9 in the morning. Malls and tourist spots usually open at 10 in the morning. However, if you are staying in a hotel with a good beach, enjoying the 6 to 9 a.m. sun for a little bronze effect on the skin is a must.

PAMPERINGS
5. Vacation in Cebu is couldn’t be defined without self pamperings. Bestow upon your self an indulgence of a Cebuano touch. Get your self a relaxing massage in the comfort of your hotel room in SPA scattered in every nooks and corners of the City. Body Massage services ranges from P150 to P300. For a luxurious treat, you may try Chi Spa at the Shangrila Mactan Resort Hotel.

Happy Cebu Summer Vacation!

Sumilon Island, Cebu, Philippines

1. Get low-airfare tickets from promos of leading airlines. Cebu Pacific is known for giving promos including the P1.00 airfare tickets. Check out Cebu Pacific website for details. You may subscribe to receive airfare promo ads in your email.
2. Formulate a vacation theme. Your summer vacation theme in Cebu is endless, it may be by the beach, metropolitan living, heritage tour, religious pilgrimage or even extreme adventures. Adopting one theme will make vacation planning a breeze.
3. Reserve/Book hotels earlier. Plan where will you stay. Although in Cebu everything is within your reach it would still be advisable if you will plan your hotel/stay to go along with your itinerary and planned vaction theme. I wish there would be a site like that of Accommodation Melbourne where hotel booking is easy and simple. It lets you book your hotels in Melbourne, Australia while just surfing the internet. In addition to that, Accomodation Melbourne also offers discounts for its patron. I wish there would be a centralized Cebu Accommodation website that would replicate Accommodation Melbourne .
4. Plan your day activity but reserve at least 3 hours for some “mindless indulgence”.
5. Try to tap your Cebuano friends for a city tour. Locals are the best tourist guides.