Red Box Karaoke is a premiere international karaoke chain operating in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Philippines . It has established itself as a leader in redefining what karaoke party should be. Cebuanos who were able to try Red Box at their Greenbelt and Trinoma branches could only wish that Redbox would come to Cebu. The wait is over, Redbox Karaoke is finally set to conquer the home of the country’s best singers. Redbox is now open at Ayala Terraces just beside Pancake House Ayala Center Cebu (Garden Level).

It is very good that it would be very selfish of me not share it to you. As you enter the shop, you will be greeted with a futuristic and minimalist but elegant reception. But the surprise is not there, it is cleverly hidden at the back. Guided by their waiter/assistant,  you will be toured to this 21-room karaoke entertainment center while going to your room. Passing through their corridor is like teleporting yourself from Ayala Center to some posh hotel. There are rooms that are perfect for a party-of-five and rooms that can accommodate larger crowds of up to 30 persons. Rooms 31 and 33 are signature rooms with billiard table and poker table, respectively. Every room is uniquely designed , that no rooms are the same. In a room there are 2 monitors: 1 big monitor for the lyrics and video and the second small monitor is for the remote-controlled song selector. All rooms are hot spots with free wi-fi acess. This should be an addition to my list of Free Wi-fi Access within Cebu City.

It is a huge place and a huge surprise as well. I never thought Ayala has that much space and Redbox could be that big. In fact, Red Box Cebu is the second largest branch in the Philippines.

A wide array of food and drink selection is on their menu. Activities are varied too. Not only it offers you to sing the 10,000 licensed song on their playlist but also to view the latest music videos and live concerts that you probably missed. For those who will pass the mic, poker and billiard are their options. Wii and music instruments are also planned to be made available in the rooms as shared by the Managing Director of Cebu Mr. Allen Arvin Tan.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR NEXT KARAOKE PARTY AT REDBOX AYALA CENTER CEBU

1. Identify the number of your guest. Redbox offers a unique rate packages on a per-head per time segment basis. Packages includes free drink/s or meals and room use. Prices are exclusive of 10% service charge. See prices below. Redbox don’t discriminate. Even if you are alone, you can still have a room of your own of the same per-head price depending on the availability of the rooms.
2. Make a reservation. This will assure that you will get the best room for your party-goers. You will avoid that frustrating feeling to be declined because all rooms are taken. Redbox telephone number is 417-1675.
3. Plan your songlist. It would be good to adopt a theme like 80’s night, OPM night, Sawi sa Pagibig Night etc…
4. Bring laptops/netbooks. Redbox has free wi-fi access. You can also plug your AC adapter with no extra charge.
5. Maximize your money by coming on time.
6. Wear your smile and sing your lungs out.

RED BOX KARAOKE CEBU PRICES / RATES:

P299 Per Head
LUNCH HOUR
12 NOON – 3PM
INCLUDES EAT ALL YOU CAN BUFFET AND ROOM USE

P199 Per Head
HAPPY HOUR
3 PM – 7 PM
INCLUDES ONE (1) FREE DRINK AND ROOM USE

P299 Per Head (P399 Per Head on Fridays and Saturdays)
PRIMETIME
7 PM – 12 MN
INCLUDES (2) FREE DRINKS AND ROOM USE

P199 Per Head
AFTER HOURS
12 MN – 4 AM
INCLUDES (1) FREE DRINK AND ROOM USE

All prices are inclusive of 12% VAT but exclusive of service charge and local tax.

Red Box Karaoke
G101 Garden Level, Ayala Center Cebu
Lagoon Development Center, Cebu City
Tel No. (032) 417-1675
www. Redbox.com.ph
www.facebook.com/redboxkaraoke

photos by Clarence of CBS.

1. Lechon Baboy sa Carcar (if you haven’t tried it, you haven’t eaten the best Cebu Lechon yet.)
2. Siomai sa Tisa (Its reputation makes its owner a millionaire.)
3. Larang sa Fuente (Mais, Larang & Sparkle. Anything more Bisaya than that?)
4. Ginabot sa Mabolo (I love flowers especially if they are made into crackers. Chicharon Bulaklak)
5. Lansiao sa Pasil (Who needs Viagra?)
6. Bakasi sa Cordova (Paksiw is the best.)
7. Kanding sa Consolacion (Say it the goat way. “Lameeeeeeh!”)
8. Halo-halo sa Pardo (magpangita ka)
9. Lechon Manok sa Talamban (Be patient while queuing for it. There is always a prize for those who wait.)
10. Liempo sa Balamban (Nothing beats the original!)

Chicharon Bulaklak PHOTO BY: http://pinayflyinghigh.wordpress.com

Discover for yourself the thrill of authentic Cebuano food!

At  the Mandaue Run for Life, reality was catching up as I catch for breath. Definitely, it is highschool stroll no more. The 5-kilometer route seems like eternity as I peeked the finish line after a few minutes from the gun start. The cheerily  launched dash turned into a run of make believe to convince myself that I still can do it.  Pride and survival  were running on my head attempting to  propel every beat of my heart. It was a challenge to the finish with the  price becoming irrelevant. The fight for gold, has become a run for the yellow  choker and the competition instantly cools down as just for fun.

Success has never been this compromising. Success can be as trivial as a yellow yarn at the turning point to the finish line.  The yellow choker reminded me that I am almost there and I should not quit. What I lacked in  speed I compensate it with persistence.  The race is not always for the swift but also to those who keep on running. I must finish the run. I can do it and I will do it.

Finally, I reached the finish line after 30ish minutes. Victory was real. It surged in me along with sweat. The race was an achievement  not only because of the finish line but of the altruistic feeling that by registering for this fun run I did not only show care for my body I also helped a child on my city. Indeed success is sweeter when shared. My success to the finish line was a large step to sprint the kids to the brighter future.

Me with the rest of the famous Cebu Bloggers Society

]]> http://laagcebu.com/2010/08/running-revisited/feed/ 2 http://laagcebu.com/2010/07/coffee-cat-now-opens-in-cebu-at-the-eblock-it-park/ http://laagcebu.com/2010/07/coffee-cat-now-opens-in-cebu-at-the-eblock-it-park/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:55:57 +0000 Ethelbert http://laagcebu.com/?p=240

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.

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

On the second day from their opening last November 11, 2009 I immediately check out their menu to try something new. I was specifically interested with their pizza. I was curious of what is in it that “others” don’t have.

Checking the Menu:

Brasco Pizza & Pasta serves a variety of pizza flavors to choose from, which comes in 10″ (Big), 14″(Large) and 20″(Biggest) dimensions. The price range is from P119.00 for the 10″ Marga up to the most expensive 20″ Marinara Pizza which is valued at P812.00. There are some interesting pizzas in their fancy and very catchy names compelling me to plan for my next visits.

For now, we tried the 14″ Brasco Pizza which is good and perfect for a group of five at a P410.00 value. We also tried their pastas, we were served with Meaty Spaghetti and my favorite “the winner” Pasta with Tomatoes and Aligue (Crab roe).

The taste of the pizza was at par with the authentic, this is because according to the owner, they imported almost all of their ingredients just to perfect their recipe and please their diners. The owners aimed to introduced premium pizza at a lower cost. Pizza was so yummy especially if sprinkled with freshly ground pepper on top. Watch out for the pepper container, it is battery operated.

For the dessert, we had mango shake and four seasons. The four seasons was fresh and very refreshing. Four fruits in one drink was an instant hit. You have to try this. Forget about “other” four seasons this one is so much better.

But the take home winner is the Brasco Crazzy Bliss (P95.00) or in some other restaurant this is called “brownie ala mode”. At Brasco they used Butterbean brownie (incidentally, the owner of Butterbean is also the owner of Brasco) topped with their homemade sweet and creamy vanilla ice cream. Its another must try.

Picture 1: Facade of the store
Picture 2: Me with CBS
Picture 3: CBS Group with owners Ingrid and Bryan.

For BRASCO PIZZA DELIVERIES:

Telephone Number: 5057924 or 5114018

The Gallery is located at San Jose dela Montana / Juan Luna Ave., Mabolo
In front of San Carlos Seminary and IPI.

Top 10 reasons why you should check out this authentic Italiano Pizza and Pasta place.

1. Mama Maria pizza is affordable. The 32 inch pizza which is good for 12 to 14 persons is priced at the average of P1,100.00. Mamma Maria is the home of the biggest pizza in the world at 52 inches. They also served other pizza sizes (8inches, 11inches, 15 inches, 21 inches and 30 inches)
2. Mamma Maria has big tables to cater to big groups.
3. Mamma Maria is open 24 hours.
4. Mamma Maria has at least 27 pizza and 8 pasta flavors and variances to choose from. Go and pick your own adventure.
5. Mamma Maria’s Kinilaw and Crocodile Pizzas are something new and worth trying. They are so yummy.
6. Mamma Maria serves beer.
7. Mamma Maria is very accessible. It is situated at Gorordo Avenue Cebu City beside Aerophone and across the Asilo Church.
8. Mamma Maria has a free parking .
9. Mamma Maria delivers. Their hotline is 417-11-77.
10. Mamma Maria’ waiters and staffs are so friendly. The owner Ms. Jhay Montelebano might just serve you personally. She is so friendly and accommodating and will surely let you feel that you are at home.

Mamma Maria’s Pizzeria is also available at Lacson St., Bacolod (Tel. No. 708-92-92), Lacson Extension (432-04-12), Rizal St., Silay (Tel. No. 708-12-38), Guanzon St., Kabankalan (Tel. No. 471-38-19).

Cebu Yoga Center

They have an on-going 8-session for beginner courses with three schedules:
Tuesday & Thursday evenings at 6:30pm (course takes 4 weeks)
Saturday mornings at 8:00am (course takes 8 weeks)
Sunday mornings at 8:00am (course takes 8 weeks)

The Sunday morning course fits for those who are working and busy professionals. Though each of the 8 sessions is different, you may begin with any session.

The cost of the course is only 1100 pesos total, including healthy snacks served after each session. There are also ongoing promos available like the first 10 students who enrolled would get a rate of only 950 pesos. You may want to inquire now and do so quickly to take advantage of the discounts and privileges.

They also have a center at Pagsabungan, Mandaue an in-patient natural therapy healing center with most people staying about 3 weeks — coming from all over the country and even from other countries. Those coming just for yoga learning simply join the flow.The Capitol Site iss really our Yoga Center, set up for yoga classes.

LOCATION & CONTACT NUMBERS:

The phone number at the yoga center is (32)4124708. The Yoga Center manager is Ms Kripadevi, a Filipino. Her cell number is 0928-9015616.

When walking on Osmena Street from Osmena Fuente toward the Capitol Building, turn left on Jasmine Street at Joven’s Bar & Grill (across Red Ribbon). The Center is located just 50 meters left of Dynasty Tourist Inn on P. Rodriguez St.

Ananda Marga Yoga Center in Cebu
410 Don Pedro Rodriguez Street
Capitol Site, Cebu City, Philippines

Worry no more because Cebu is already ready for fast paced lifestyle. Several take out food shops are already sprouting in the city and you don’t need to fret if you come home late to prepare for dinner.

The Yummy Balamban Liempo

One of the common take out food in Cebu other than Lechon Manok is Pork Liempo (grilled pork spareribs). It is the latest food that caught the attention of the Cebuanos. Though new, it has become everybody’s favorite already.

If you want the perfect liempo, you should try Balamban Liempo.

Taste
It tastes not the typical liempo. Its lingering aroma is so captivating that you couldn’t help but be curious of how it will taste. No reek smell that is usual in some grilled pork. As you take a bite, you will be surprised how tender and succulent the meat is. The skin is crunchy and the fat is gooey just the way I like it. The chopped and minced spices are cleverly incorporated to the dish. They are edible and yummy and can not be set aside. You would want to eat it together with the meat. The liempo goes well with their own native spiced vinegar (Sukang bisaya) and with Cebu’s puso (hanging rice).

Serving
It 650 grams of pork. And almost 500 grams when cooked. Good for 4 to 5 persons.

Price
Its P160 pesos per serving. That is if you are a group of five you only spend P32.00 each.
They also have the famous lechon manok sold at P145.00 each.

Branches

1. Tres Borces St. corner Cabahug St. Cebu City near Iamiks Chicken in Mabolo
2. Salinas Drive, Lahug infront of USP Lahug c/o Dhara’s Tapsilogan.
3. Hi-way Mandaue infront of Jolly Ant beside Rose Pharmacy and North Atrium Mall.

Take Out and Deliveries:
Call 2311288. Delivery is available for 4 orders and up of liempo.

History
Balamban Liempo Food corner was established in July 2009. Their liempo recipe is inspired by the liempo the owner tasted at Balamban. Balamban is known for its distinct method of grilling liempo using several local herbs and secret spicies.

Proprietor: Jojo and Honey Vergara of Abucan Balamban
email address: balamban_liempo@yahoo.com
For orders and inquiries: 09226205921, 09285022605 or 4158592
Contact Person: Jojo Vergara or Gaylord Tingzon

more photos here.

The moment UCC Cafe Terrace at Ayala Terraces was opened I immediately invited a friend to visit the place to have some coffee. My friend was finicky and began to inquire upto the most trivial details about this new coffee shop in Cebu. I plainly told him that it is a Japanese coffee shop which also offers gourmet food on the side. “What? A japanese coffee shop? Wouldn’t that be like going to a Chinese Restaurant for a pizza?”, he exclaimed in disbelief of what seemed to be a poor taste of my selection. After drastic persuation including a promise that the coffee would be on me, I was able to convince him to try it anyway.

Is coffee for American’s only?

Coffee is said to be first discovered by the Ethiopians. It spread to Yemen and to the rest of the Muslim world. It later reached Italy, to Indonesia, and to the Americas. But just like any other technologies, coffee brewing was perfected by the Japanese, thus, the best blend of coffee beans in rocket science precession of brewing enjoyed in every cup of UCC coffee.

Together with other bloggers, we were invited to test the finest selection of coffee UCC has to offer.We were thrilled to be introduced to their scientific coffee making process. It works on the principle of expansion and contraction of water vapour to brew an infusion-style of coffee.We watched stupefied as one of their staff poured them into a glass beaker with a siphon tube descending into a flask almost filled with water. The vertical arrangement sits atop a burner or maybe a steam that heats the water to a high temperature without boiling it. As it heats, some of the water is converted to vapour, which needs more room to move: as it continues to expand it pushes the remaining water up the siphon to mix with the coffee. We oooohed and aaaahed as the brewer meticulously stirred with exact precision and the gravity defying coffee with a tiny stirrer and then lifted the glassware from the burner. Without the heat source, the water vapour in the bottom flask began to contract, and pulled that perfectly brewed coffee back, down through a filter into the flask.Voilà, pure coffee goodness!

For that session we tasted 3 coffee varieties. I would be so hyped-up for another one more. My favorite was sumiyaki. It has the perfect blend of coffee beans for that strong but regulated roasted tang. The Blue mountain coffee is also a must try. It is the coffee for those who wanted it light and tasty. Try it black, with sugar that is uniquely UCC, or with their carefully studied creamier. Try it, with a caveat that once you begin sipping better brewed coffee at UCC it becomes increasingly difficult to go back to enjoying crappy coffee.

But what surprised me most is that this “Japanese” coffee shop knows filipino breakfast so well. I love their “tinapa” – smoked milkfish with eggs and fried rice. I had not tasted that kind of flavor from any other filipino restaurant. Its impeccably delicious.

Visiting this shop don’t really cost your fortunes but apparently, UCC is relatively pricey than the others. I hope pricing reconsideration is a welcome suggestion.

For more information/reservation:
Kathleen Anne Tan
Tel. No.: (032) 4171344

Other UCC Store Concepts

UCC VIENNA CAFÉ The concept of Vienna is likened to the ambience of a quaint café inside a prominent Hotel. With its signature chic interiors and sophisticated ambiance, Vienna Café is a good choice to hold business meetings or social functions that require a more serious and structured forum. Vienna offers a pleasant breather for entrepreneurs and sophisticated urbanites who are constantly on the go.

UCC CAFÉ TERRACE The café of choice for those who want to enjoy a panoramic view as they take time to relax and reward themselves with premium coffee. The earth and warm colors of its huge glass windows, trellises, ceiling fans, and wooden furnitures and fixtures, all contribute to a classy yet cozy ambiance which renders a more laid-back atmosphere parallel to a country club setting. As the name suggests, provisions for outside seating offer a tranquil respite for our guests to immerse themselves with their environment, may it be a scenic view of lush greenery or the breathtaking sunset at the bay area or the beautiful skyline as night falls.

UCC COFFEE SHOP UCC Coffee Shop successfully broadened its market with the timely introduction of espresso pulled concoctions, refreshing frappuccinos and invigorating health drinks. With its branches conveniently situated at the heart of the finest malls, UCC Coffee shops have become the fervent shoppers’ haven after a full packed day. Chic and voguish as they are, UCC Coffee Shop carries Vienna’s signature sophisticated interiors made fresh with a youthful ambiance. It has evolved as the popular meeting place for urban yuppies to unwind and chill out with their friends.

UCC PARK CAFÉ UCC Park Café is a new concept store which revolves around the same theme as Café Terrace for its laid back atmosphere and at the same time, resembles the UCC Coffee Shop in their coffee selection as Park Café also offers espresso based medleys and rejuvenating health drinks. The fusion of light autumn colors, moss green and wengue wood, plus the modern interiors all contribute to the cozy and alfresco ambiance that’s very hip and inviting to those who seek a quick refuge from the city. UCC Park Café is fashionably nestled in plush park landscape, surrounded by greens and wooden planks amidst towering hotels, buildings, and malls. Ideal for a snappy get-away from all the tension and pressures at work, most of our clientele are young urbanites and executives from top-notch corporations just a stone’s throw away.

On September 28, 2009 Jollibee will start selling its new innovation in Filipino fast food dining – the Jollibee Chicken Barbecue. All 40 Jollibee stores scattered from north to south of Cebu will be treating their patrons with this Filipino old time favorite – the chicken barbecue.

Jollibee Chicken Barbecue

The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue is available as a 1-pc. solo meal for P69 and as a 2-pc. solo meal for P119. Value meals, which come with a regular drink, on the other hand, are priced at P89 and P139 for the 1-pc. and 2-pc. sets, respectively.

The Jollibee Chicken Barbecue is another attestation to Jollibee’s status as an icon of Filipino food with a devotion to upholding its signature langhap-sarap goodness.

By the way, did I mention that no oil is involved in grilling the chicken barbecue? Perfect for your diet, right?

Jollibee with Mr. Laagan

Jollibee Stores: What I tried so far… Please help me complete the list 6 more..

1. Jollibee Bogo
2. Jollibee Gaisano – Danao
3. Jollibee Consolacion
4. Jollibee Maguikay
5. Jollibee Centro-Mandaue
6. Jollibee A.S. Fortuna
7. Jollibee Country Mall
8. Jollibee Banilad – Talamban
9. Jollibee SM (4^th Floor)
10. Jollibee SM (2^nd Floor)
11. Jollibee North Reclamation Area
12. Jollibee Sykes
13. Jollibee Ayala
14. Jollibee Macro
15. Jollibee Gaisano Mactan
16. Jollibee Mepz 2
17. Jollibee Radaza Bldg.
18. Jollibee Gaisano Metro Colon
19. Jollibee IT Park
20. Jollibee JY
21. Jollibee Gorordo
22. Jollibee Leon Kilat
23. Jollibee Oriente
24. Jollibee Cinerama
25. Jollibee Mango
26. Jollibee Boulevard
27. Jollibee Robinsons
28. Jollibee Jones
29. Jollibee ACT
30. Jollibee Banawa
31. Jollibee Gaisano Tabunok
32. Jollibee Minglanilla
33. Jollibee Carcar
34. Jollibee Sto. Nino

Amazing, I tried all these stores. The 6 are still unknown, I may have tried it but forget it please help me remember so that the list will be completed.