Philippine Fashion Week | Narcosis by Ulysses King

I first met Ulysses King earlier this year, when my brother introduced him to me. I was trying to look for someone who can lend me a red carpet attire for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere at Trafalgar Square in London. Uly came to the rescue and lent me a piece from his Philippine Fashion Week Holiday Collection 2011. Thank you!




And now, once again. he graced the runway with his brilliance and design at the Philippine Fashion Week with his 2012 Spring-Summer premiere collection, entitled Narcosis :)

His 2011 Holiday Collection was inspired by the men’s vanity in the 70s--slightly deconstructed and embellished to give a modern edge. Noted for bridging the old and the new, Ulysses made use of velvet, suede and corduroy as base materials adorned with metal studs and leather, translating heritage into something high-strung and contemporary.

Now, Ulysses brings his drawing board under water, and derives his inspiration from colors of the deep and the consciousness-altering culture of scuba diving in his 2012 Narcosis collection. The collection revolves around the concept of "altered consciousness" that is adaptable, high-spirited, instinctive and playful.



Ulysses’ signature style has an old world luxe feel re-translated with modern engineering, comfortable fit and sharp geometric details. His design is for people who love details, are confident, smart and desirable. Ulysses King is an Ateneo masters degree (MBA) holder, a certified public accountant (CPA) slash fashion designer who co-founded BOBON (located at The Podium). He is also the managing director & creative head of Urban Lifestyles Inc., the company that operates BOBON.

Oh, I saw fashion designer and blogger Danika Navarro during the show! Nice seeing you after a long time, Nikki :)

New Starbucks Philippines Christmas Food Items

It's Christmas time again once again! It only means that it is time to drink Starbucks Coffee, try the Starbucks Christmas beverages, and collect stickers for the much awaited and sought after 2012 Starbucks Planner. Also it is the season where you are allowed to eat a little bit more. Yeah, trust me, it is (just work out more diligently and harder) :))

Starbucks Philippines has 15 food items in store for their customers this Holiday Season. That is a lot! Among the 15, 10 of which are new, and there are 5 returning favorites (will write about them in a separate post) Trust me, among the 10 new Starbucks food items, almost all are hits for me. Let me put a ★ before the Top 3 of the 10 which I really really really like.

★ Pecan Butterscotch Twirl (₱ 85) - Why not start a Holiday tradition with this delicious, light and flaky spiral roll stuffed with aromatic cinnamon and creamy vanilla pastry cream filling topped with roasted pecans drizzled with butterscotch sauce and white chocolate. No one can resist this warm sweet comforting food. Dreamily exhilarating!



Hazelnut Stollen Bread (₱ 65 slice / ₱ 595 whole) - A German festival bread that is popular during Christmas season not only in Germany but all over Europe. A sweet yeast bread packed with scents of toasted hazelnut paste perfectly balanced with raisins, is simply irresistible.



S’mores (₱ 70) - A sophisticated version of a campfire treat. A buttery graham crust filled with gooey melted marshmallow cream and intense dark chocolate then topped with chocolate ganache. This treat is sure to please both young and old alike.



Triple Decker Cheesecake with Snickers® (₱ 130 slice / ₱ 1250 whole) - A scrumptious 3 layer cheesecake loaded with chunks of Snickers candy bar in a chocolate cookie crust topped with a chocolate fudge icing and topped with roasted chopped peanuts. This cheesecake has all the good things: peanuts, caramel and chocolate. To die for!



Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (₱ 110 slice / ₱ 950 whole) - A giant chocolate chip cookie made into a cake then topped with thick and chocolaty dark chocolate mousse filled with mini chocolate chip cookies. Best served warm from the oven topped with whipped cream and drizzled with our very own Starbucks caramel drizzle.



★ Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Roll (served with butter and jam)(₱ 50) - A crispy, crunchy crust with a slightly chewy and soft center traditionally served in France, but with a twist. We made it more flavorful by adding sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Best served warm with butter and jam on the side.



Chicken Alfredo Turnover (₱ 90) - A light, buttery and flaky crust filled with moist and juicy chicken breast cubes marinated in Italian seasoning then sautéed in a rich and creamy exhilarating Alfredo sauce. Best served warm.



★ Texas Chicken BBQ Wrap (₱ 140) - Love the sweet, spicy and smoky flavor of strips of chicken breast fillet fried to perfection tossed in barbeque sauce with Texas style salsa, grated cheese and drizzled with sour cream wrapped in soft to chewy flour tortilla. Best served warm.



Glazed Ham with Apricot Spread on Multi-grain Bread (₱ 140) - Juicy slices of glazed ham and creamy mozzarella cheese with tangy and sweet apricot dressing on a hearty crisp, crunchy and soft center multi-grain bread. Best served warm.



Turkey & Chicken with Apple Stuffing on Whole Wheat Walnut Bread (₱ 140) - Slices of moist and tender turkey and chicken breast served with delectable apple stuffing and cranberry spread on a crusty whole wheat walnut bread.



I can't wait for November 3! Aside from the fact that you can already collect stickers for your Limited Edition 2012 Starbucks Planner, you can also get to taste these awesome Starbucks food items. ;)

KFC Zinger Double Down arrives today

The KFC Double Down is back! But now, it's back with a vengeance :)) KFC introduces and launches today the new KFC Zinger Double Down. I was one of the lucky few who got to try it before anyone else does. I forgot to ask how much this will sell, but it will be out starting today, so head out to your favorite KFC branches.

The delivery was indeed a surprise, as the email notice said. It came an hour ago at the office. The delivery guy was dressed like a fireman and said that he is delivering something hot and good. I don't know what to feel, the acting and the execution was so good. Everyone in the office was looking at it, probably as amazed and dumbfounded as I was.



Two KFC Zinger patties, bacon strips, a slice of cheese with mayonnaise dressing. The KFC Double Down is definitely back with a zing. Like the Zinger, the chicken is hot, crispy, and spicy, just the way I like it. This time around, the chicken is not as salty and oily as before. The mayo dressing is not overpowering. It blended well, and I am satisfied.



Another shot of the yummy KFC Zinger Double Down



Thanks Ly for the photo. As my shirt statement goes, "Life is full of Surprises." Carpe Diem! :)


You can get the exact time of the launch from KFC Philippines Facebook page. Again, thank you KFC Philippines for this early morning treat, and Ogilvy :)

2012 Starbucks Planner for the Philippines

The 2012 Starbucks Coffee Planner is now available in the Philippines starting November 3. Starbucks Philippines has been offering the Starbucks Coffee Planner for 9 straight years now. This year, they leveled up their planner offerings with the theme of "Shared Planet," and for the first time, will be available in five unique covers (Poplar, Bamboo, Cherry, Spruce, and Oak).



Each planner comes with a pouch, a bookmark, and nine different coupons that can be redeemed at all Starbucks stores in the Philippines in 2012. Among the 5 cover designs of the new 2012 Starbucks Planner for the Philippines, I got the color Spurce. It's the second to the darkest among the 5.

Unboxing of the 2012 Starbucks Planner for the Philippines:

The pouch is very useful. It can contain your 2012 Starbucks Planner, and it has two extra pouches inside for your gadgets or money. I tried putting my two phones inside with the planner, and it fits perfectly! :) I like!




These next photos will show of the insides of the new 2012 Starbucks Planner for the Philippines. I am happy that they put back the pages where you can view your whole schedule for the month. Also, I like that they included a Notes page, where you can doodle and write without lines to obstruct your thoughts and ideas. :)



You can avail of the Starbucks Christmas traditions planner promo card and the 2012 Starbucks Planner starting November 3, 2011 and collect stickers from November 3, 2011 to January 8, 2012. One sticker is awarded for each Starbucks beverage purchase. A customer now has two options in collecting stickers to redeem one (1) Limited Edition 2012 Starbucks Coffee Planner.

OPTION 1: Nine (9) Christmas beverages plus eight (8) core beverages except bottled drinks = 17 stickers

OPTION 2: 23 core beverages except bottled drinks = 23 stickers. Now you can opt not to purchase the Starbucks Christmas beverages (fore those who do not want the Starbucks Christmas offerings)



The planner materials used and design reflect this years theme of Starbucks Shared Planet. Starbucks Shared Planet is Starbucks' commitment to doing business in ways that are good to each other and to the planet. Its three pillars include ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. This year's planner supports these through:

Ethical Sourcing - The Starbucks Coffee Planner was produced in a facility that is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified.
Environmental Stewardship - The inner planner pages are made from 70% recycled paper.
Community Involvement - For every planner redeemed, a donation will be made to SparkHope - Starbucks Philippines' flagship program for early childhood care and development in partnership with UNICEF.

Previous Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Planner in the Philippines:
2011 Starbucks Coffee Planner
2010 Starbucks Coffee Planner

Thank you to Starbucks Philippines for the event invitation and the FREE 2012 Starbucks Planner for the Philippines :) Mabuhay kayo!