Dos and don'ts of Candy Crush

OKAY, okay, the last time I wrote about Candy Crush I was at level 55. With much pride I can say that as of this writing I am in level 102. AHEM! I know, I know that may not be something to brag about but hey, considering my impatience with online games it is short of a miracle that I have reached this far in the game.

So far I have survived jellies, those irritating chocolate bars, those black thingies some people call licorice and as of the moment I am getting mad about those pesky bombs. I also hate those gaps between the play areas, you know those spaces that can only be traversed by striped candies.

Hope for the youths

DESPITE life's difficulties, some of the youths are still lucky to have received the kindness extended by few good samaritans who made their way from a foreign land to here just to extend help.

Two academicians from Australia came to visit Davao City recently to provide educational assistance to schools and students.

Selling healthier food options

IT ALL started as a small family enterprise with a goal of helping local food developers earn a living out of the innovative products that are made from fresh and local ingredients.

Only that what this company wanted to do is to highlight not only the high quality products of Davao Region but also those which can be a healthier options to the ones sold at the grocery stores.

'Geeks on a Beach' tech in Bora meet

THE most promising startups and tech innovators will converge in the world's best island of Boracay for the very first "Geeks on a Beach" event on September 26-27.

This two-day conference -- organized by TechTalks.ph who brought Startup Weekend to Cebu and Davao -- will be a techfest, featuring the world’s most-promising tech leaders who will talk about instructive and useful topics on gaming, mobile apps, and graphic design.

Collect NBA bottles at Phoenix stations

PHOENIX Petroleum Philippines has partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to give Phoenix customers collectible NBA aluminum sports bottles with the "Phoenix-NBA On the Road to the Playoffs Promo."

Basketball fans will get a chance to collect eight limited edition aluminum sports bottles featuring 8 NBA Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat.

A day with butterflies

"WAG maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan."

Before you hit your way to the different wonders of the world, explore first what your very own city has, which is, no doubt, equally beautiful compared to world's famous getaways.

South Brews downtown

THE date has been set some time back, it just needed a reminder. Friday the 17th will be at South Brews along Jacinto Street, in that brown corporate building beside Holy Child.

The dates: Deng, Trish, and… Amy! I get excited when there are more than two. That means, more food to taste.

Pice-Davao conducts first greening project in 2013

THE Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (Pice) in Davao City conducted this year's first greening school project under its "Project Green Engineering Philippines (PGEP) by giving rainwater tank and garbage bins at Acacia Elementary School in brgy. Acacia, Buhangin District last May 11.

The project aims to implement and raise the level of awareness of the community and the school on proper water supply utilization and conservation and proper waste disposal and waste management by providing adequate garbage bins on the recipient school and donate rainwater tank.

Best chicken barbecue in town

PINOYS are food lovers. That's why, we tend to crowd many food establishments in downtown area, be they carenderia, deep-fried chicken house, restaurant, or barbecue house just to enjoy the all-time Filipino foods.

For the same reason, maybe, why food businesses have higher chances of surviving a tight competition.

Throwback Thursday: Long live the Queen!

IT WAS an unscheduled trip back to the US, three years too early, in fact. After hopping from state to state, east coast to west, crossing time zones in a span of sixty days, I was exhausted, very exhausted. Every city started to look the same (except for the Big Apple) that my reply to anyone who asked when I will be back for my next visit was, “Not in another five years.”

Guess what? I was spoon fed with my words by no less than a royalty— the Queen of Pop we all know as Madonna.

A day in Mt. Malindang

IT WAS a 21-woman team who took the more than four-hour trekking challenge to the peak of Mt. Malindang in Misamis Oriental recently. It was definitely tiring, but along the way they rediscovered what the tourism slogan "It's more fun in the Philippines" really meant.

The trek up to the peak was made even more spectacular with the picturesque sceneries of varied species of flowers and lush vegetation of shrubs along the rolling terrain. These postcard pretty images are proofs of our rich homeland.

Sarap Magbabad in Panabo

IT'S summer time once again and beer market leader San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) has brought fun and adventure on a higher level as they add the "Wildest Pulutan Challenge" onstage game to their weekly battle of the bands all throughout the country in their Sarap Magbabad Taste of Summer this year.

The celebration for the Filipino's zest for fun and friendship with the world's best-tasting beer along with their favorite pulutan has officially begun on March 15 but the party series have continued all over country until May is over.

WPF completes rollout of automated weather stations

WEATHER Philippines Foundation (WPF) has completed a nationwide rollout of 500 out of the planned 1,000 units of automated weather stations (AWS) by mid 2013.

WPF, founded by a partnership between Aboitiz Foundation, UnionBank, and Swiss firm Meteomedia, aims to deliver critical and accurate localized weather forecasts to the Filipino community, with the hope of improving nationwide disaster preparedness and timely response to variable weather conditions.

A summer toonfest at SM Supermalls

THE SM Supermalls gathers together forty well-loved cartoon characters as it celebrates summer with an SM Toonfest at 44 malls nationwide.

Ongoing until May 31, the Toonfest features exciting activities, cartoon-related toys and interesting finds for the whole family and the cartoon-lover to enjoy.

Columbia-backed team wins in Mt. Apo Int'l Boulderface Challenge

LESS than 10 minutes shy of the first placer, Columbia/DOTA team conquered the 24-hour Mt. Apo Boulderface Challenge with a record time of 12 hours 32 minutes 21 seconds on April 29 in Sta. Cruz bagging P100,000 cash prize.

Composed of Dexter Nonato, April John Maniyog and Weng Rocha (logistics) led the pack of contenders in the first part of the race--mountain biking which is their forte. When asked what broke their momentum, Nonato said their tires deflated along the route to Kapatagan.

‘Bulilit’ to enjoy summer at Northpoint

CHILD star and singer Trisha Luise Canete, better known as Cha-cha or Bulilit, will be in Davao on May 11 to frolic with kids for some real summer fun at the landmark British colonial themed condo development, Camella Northpoint.

"Lots of kids have been wanting to see Cha-cha in person, that's why we're bringing her to Davao to add excitement to a series of fun summer activities we have in store for kids and families," said Anna Mae dela Pena, marketing head of Camella Davao.

The Brazilian flame rekindled

THE first encounter was in San Antonio and it was love at first bite. A couple of years later the love affair was rekindled, in Houston this time, and it was more delicious on the second encounter. It was not, and never will be, a “Houston we have a problem” relationship for I can easily cast the strict diet across the deserts of the Lone Star State.

But, I held back a little lest I let my belly hop on the “everything is big in Texas” bandwagon.

Tripping with Tridacna

IT WAS easier to change the title to "Swimming with Tridacna" but I had to be honest, I didn't take a dip in the waters. Plus, you may be wondering what in tridacna are we talking about.

Tridacna is a genus of large saltwater clams, marine bivalve mollusks in the subfamily Tridacninae, the giant clams. Unfortunately, the global conservation status is listed as Vulnerable in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. All species of giant clams are listed in CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna). In the Philippines, it is locally known as "taklobo."

Cordelia

"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." - Norman Vincent Peale

Foods that heal

DESPITE advance science and medical breakthroughs, diseases continue to take its toll on human beings. Every now and then, new diseases are reported; those that have been reported to be curtailed are staging a comeback.

For every medicine discovered, two new ailments emerge. But nature has provided us medicines that are not only safe but also affordable. They are available in our kitchens, gardens, or tables.

Star of Davao eliminations start today

TWO months into the search for Davao Region's best singers, competitors for Star of Davao six are narrowed to 30.

Today, Nica Dorothea Tupas, Benjamin Bautista Jr., Jocel Mariveles, Kirk Jude Sargado, Helen Grace Fruylan, Ibrahim Onggo will compete for two spots leading to the semi-final round.

Sharing a little time to help

A CHARITABLE group spared a little of their time helping those children who have less in life by distributing simple yet useful school materials last April 28.

Such a gesture disproved that good samaritans are a find nowadays as the group gathered a hundred of helping hands from here and abroad who poured out support in helping a town school in Compostela Valley province.

Davao Team wins Mt. Apo challenge

WITH a total clock time of 12 hours, 22 minutes, and 58 seconds, Mario Ecalner and Ronald Dagaang emerged the winners in the Third International Mount Apo Boulder Face Challenge. They also shattered the record of the previous winners, who finished the challenge within 15 hours, 38 minutes, and 33 seconds.

“They are now the record holders,” announced Engr. Albert C. Gabriel, the race director, during a press conference held in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

You + Havaianas: The Search for the Next Best Design

CALLING all creative and artistic Havaianaticos in Davao City!

Havaianas, the world's favorite flip-flops brand, brings to us the "You + Havaianas: The Search for the Next Best Design Collaboration," a simultaneous nationwide event which gives the public a chance to express their creativity in designing flip-flop soles. The design must answer the question: How Do I Live Out Summer Every Day?

Solaz relaxes mind, body

THERE are several spas around the metropolis, and more seem to open in each quarter of the year, especially so in areas that seldom attract businesses before.

The opening of these spas truly reflects the rising need of Dabawenyos for places where to self-rejuvenate and pamper the tired body and soul.

Cartoon fest at SM City Davao this May

THIS summer, expect a lot of meeting and greeting your favorite cartoon characters at SM City Davao as SM Malls roll out its Cartoon Fest!

Tom & Jerry (May 9)

Angono treat

ANGONO in Rizal is a town that is definitely not in the itinerary of a regular business traveler to Metro Manila. First, because it’s not in Metro Manila and second, because there’s not much business going on there.

But it should be if you’re into the arts because it does have more than the usual art gallery, aside from the big gallery privately owned by the Blanco family, there is also Nemi Miranda’s, and of course, the murals of national artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco.

Friday's offer P295 Weekday Specials

TRUE to its promise to continue the tradition of serving up American classics with an all-new exciting affordable solo-serving menu that will surely satisfy its clients, T.G.I. Friday's, or simply Friday's, launched on Monday its P295 Weekday Specials in all its 13 branches nationwide.

The new promo is an innovation that will surely satisfy Filipino diners' cravings for American classic dishes at a very affordable price.

Camella holds photo, art workshop, contest

THE photography and art workshops that highlighted the two-day exhibit and grand launch of Camella Davao yielded winners in the contest for each workshop.

Winners in the photography contest were Anikka Zen C. Tabin for the People category and Catherine Lynne S. Abe for the Project category.

Happy Lemon now spreading happiness

HONG Kong's seven-year-old tea brand Happy Lemon now spreads more joy in metro Davao as it opens its shop at the ground floor of SM City Davao Annex building.

Recently, the traditional Asian tea-drinking culture has made a comeback in the pop market. And now, Happy Lemon adds a modern twist to tea-drinking in China, Singapore, Australia and the Philippines!