Everything for kids at SM

YOUR best-loved cartoon characters will be heading your way this summer as SM City Cebu and SM City Consolacion bring you the SM Cartoon Festival for the kids and the young at heart.

Something new is cooking at U Kitchen

WELCOME a glorious summer with U Kitchen’s new menu that guarantees a chock-full of flavors and fun dining moments for the entire family, because whether it’s gratifying comfort food you seek or a peaceful atmosphere to enjoy it in, U Kitchen is the perfect place to experience reinvigorating family time—it’s like being in your own kitchen.

The deep American south inspires Riverdale

SUMMER is more fun in Crown Asia as you get the chance to go sight-seeing at breathtaking residential communities. Free site visits are on hand for those who wish to see these beautiful homes, and who knows, you might like it so much and want to have one for your own.

Nothing is too far away with Sun Cellular

THANKFULLY, the families our OFWs leave behind have quite a few avenues to get in touch with their loved ones abroad at practical and affordable rates, thanks to Sun Cellular.

For example, the Sun TODO IDD Call and Surf 60, the newest prepaid IDD load that grants you P60 worth of IDD calls, which comes with a free 7 hours of mobile internet.

GM diet

I WANT to give GM diet a chance. Again.

It was mid last year that I first heard about this weight loss management plan to be very effective in giving really good results in shredding extra pounds and, at the same time, detoxify one's body in just a week of eating nothing but fruits for the first day, veggies for the second day, bananas and milk the next day, etc. until the seven-day diet program ends. It sounds so easy, but compared to an actual work it was never a cinch.

Tadlas

SOMETIMES, when he finds himself going around the concrete labyrinth of big cities—passing by skyscrapers, driving along multilane highways illuminated by headlights and billboards—he remembers the bedtime stories his mother and grandfather would tell him when he was a child.

Klimt’s ‘gilded paintings’ influence the runway

VISUAL and fashion are not strange bedfellows.

Gustav Klimt: The Complete Paintings (published by Taschen this month) is a weighty monograph chronicling the complete works, personal letters and photographs of the artist.

Espina: Hats off to CCCI

Hats off to the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) for the huge success in hosting the 27th “Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry” (CACCI) on March 14-15. The theme was “Asia Pacific: Catalyst to Global Recovery.”

The plenary and break-out sessions tackled the issues on the Euro crisis, entrepreneurship, energy and environment, trade and tourism, women and youth empowerment. It was a showcase of Cebu as the Convention and Performing Arts hub.

Columbia, Mountain Hardwear back 3rd Int'l Mt. Apo Boulderface

COLUMBIA Sportswear and Mountain Hardwear, the leading outdoor apparel brands are the official outfitters to this year’s International Mt. Apo Boulderface Challenge slated on April 27 to 28 in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

It has been the belief of the creators of Mountain Hardwear (MHW) to find and challenge the edges of human potential because our best selves live just beyond these edges. With this "edgy" purpose of Mountain Hardwear and Columbia's drive to "Try Stuff," these two brands have been consistently outfitting the athletes of Mt. Apo Boulderface since 2008.

Top-notch by design

N. S. Villaflor draws insight on the creative life from an award-winning graphic designer

CAMELS. Lots of camels. This was what Dwynn Ronald V. Trazo expected to see in Dubai, which in his mind was a wilderness of dust.

Fun and fitness this summer

Summer Fitness at Ayala Center Cebu

Ayala Center Cebu will be offering various fitness sessions for the entire months of April and May. There will be a Zumba Fitness Party every Friday at 7 p.m. for only P50; a free Core Workout Session every Thursday at 5 p.m.; and RUNNR Academy (free clinics by advanced runners) every Wednesdays at 7 p.m. For more information contact the Concierge at 516-2035 or 231-5342 or “like” the official Facebook page (facebook.com/AyalaCebu).

Pedrosa: Backing up the backup

Albert Pedrosa Photo mania

Question: How long do you think a hard drive will last?

Yap: Burrito baby

Alexis Yap Lex in the city

THERE is a place, by the Banilad flyover, where unexpected, pleasant surprises can be found. In my personal opinion, the food industry in Cebu is growing slowly, but surely and this small Mexican joint is one of the handful welcome additions to the foodie’s relatively long list of must-go food places.

Stylist makes Cebu his new home

HE has decided to finally settle, bidding goodbye to the cosmopolitan, globetrotting lifestyle that he has been used to for 20 years.

While tending his newly bought bichon frise, a dainty, furry canine he aptly named Cotton, Filipino-Canadian hair stylist Philip Sumampong said he has decided to make Cebu his new home. He fell in love with the country’s beaches, he said, and Cebu City, which is just a drive away from these beauties, was the perfect choice.

The girl from Argentina

HER looks and her name—Maria Fernanda Lopez—would make one think she’s a Filipina-Spanish mestiza, but she’s not: she’s Argentinian. She is currently the food and beverage manager of the Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

Fernanda says she “moved out” of Argentina when she was 22 and for more than a decade, she has been to various places, starting with Ecuador, then in the US (Arlington, Virginia), in Mexico, Andorra and Spain.

Art in full bloom

IF YOU'RE looking for engaging art, the old part of town is usually the last place to look, right? Wrong.

Café Elysa de Parian is going through an artistic spring of sorts, as it is walls play the backdrop to the bold (and mostly) life-size personal art collection of Maris Aznar Holopainen-Hadaway.

Foto op with Iron Man in SM

WATCH the most-awaited film Iron Man 3 at SM Cinemas beginning April 24. Early ticket buyers will have a chance to have their photos taken at the Iron Man 3 photo booth on April 27 and 28 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Cinema lobby in SM City Consolacion. Just simply buy two movie tickets between April 2 to 23, or buy P200 worth of Snacktime items between April 24 to 28 at SM Cinema in SM City Consolacion.

Costanilla: Manila stars to do benefit show for Allef

DECLINE. In my one-on-one interview with movie director William Mayo, he talked about the sharp decline in the number of movies in the Philippines due to several factors.

Angelo Ortiz: An amazing young man

ONCE in a while, you meet someone for one purpose and it turns out that there is a whole different story about this person.

My friend Telly Moran told me that she was hosting a friend and wanted me to meet up with him because he is into all the latest products and machines for self-enhancement.

What’s the deal, Kim Jung Un?

IF I were to write a letter to the esteemed and benevolent ruler of the glorious Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, I would ask him what he wants to do with all the attention he’s been getting lately. It’s no big secret that North Korea will be renamed “The Great Korean Crater” if it opts for nuclear war, and Kim is (supposedly) not an idiot.

The only thing that Kim is gaining from all this saber-rattling and threats of nuclear annihilation is attention. Sanctions are not being lifted, efforts of reconciliation are not being made, and worst of all North Korea is further alienating the only country that it can truly call a “friend” – the People’s Republic of China.

A diary inspired by nature

1:00 p.m.: I’m standing at the check-in counter of The Quiet Place in a full-skirted floral sundress looking like I was on my way to Capri only to be waylaid by the lush green ricefields of Barangay Tabunan in Bago City.

Attaining spiritual growth through prayer

“BE AT peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.” - Desiderata

DESIDERATA is a Latin word for “desired things.” According to Wikipedia, this popular prose poem was written by an American writer named Max Ehrmann. Whenever my life swings into full gear and I begin to experience stress and anxiety, this is the famous literary piece that comes to my mind.

Thanksgiving, Recognition and Jubilation

IT’S a time for joy, a time for cheer, a time we’ll treasure through the years. We’ll remember always... graduation day.

For most, graduation is the culmination of their grueling yet exciting years in school. This feeling is the same, especially in the collegiate level. This euphoria is true to the engineering graduates of the Technological University of the Philippines Visayas. Their graduation last April 5, 2013 is the reaping time of their demanding 15 trimesters for five years in school.

Things are looking up

WELL, it’s actually the ceiling of their classroom that they would plaster their momentary stares (maybe hoping for some divine intervention) but then again, the eyes are geared towards the upper part of the room, like looking at the heavens.

Singlestalk: Mixed emotions

Michelle: Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Luab: Done for good

I’VE been very open about my great respect for the Redemptorist community here in Cebu. I love the church and what it stands for.

While I have been living in Talamban for six months now, I still am one of thousands who seek comfort within the walls where such Disciples of Christ in the great Order of Melchizedik walk.

Women’s world: Going overboard with love

Dr. Dana Ruiz-Sesante Cindy Ruiz Garaña, R.N.

I WAS in my third year high school when I had a big crush on my neighbor who was kind, simple and a gentleman. I fell in love and I felt comfortable being with him.

Oriented chow by the '2nd sister-in-law'

WHEN her husband’s work brought her to the Philippines 23 years ago, Joy Yao had to bid farewell to her thriving diner in Taiwan. Though she happily found a second home and was quite content in Metro Manila, Joy’s passion for preparing good food could not be contained.

Anyone can cook—or at least try

THE recent World Food Expo at the Cebu International Convention Center may have been primarily targeted towards hotels, restaurants and caterers with the latest and most durable food and beverage industry requirements, such as kitchen appliances and packaging options. But since the expo was open to the public, even non-professional visitors were treated to a learning experience from the experts.

Sira-sira store: Butter up

WOULD you eat fermented cream or milk? It could be the ultimate yuck in your books, but don’t dismiss the item just yet. When fresh or fermented cream or milk is churned, the light yellow result is butter.

Butter is divine and makes even stale bread smile. No doubt this famous spread and condiment has gained ill reputation lately due to its high fat content. However, you would agree that there should be a law allowing butter a little space on the dinner plate.