Smart LTE Launched!
Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On September 3, 2012
As time passes by and things are improving fast, I want to do more and more things. Most of my goals can be achieved by going online. Take blogging, for example. I spend 80% of my free time writing articles, editing pictures and thinking of ways to improve my websites. That’s why I cannot imagine living life without being connected online.
Now, if I can only do things faster then I can achieve more. A lot of you might not know this, but I spend at least 5 hours on a single post here in HeaRty’s Haven. Uploading photos online takes about 15-30 minutes considering the large size. However, with a fast connection, I can lessen it to just 5 0r 10 minutes. This is why it is important to choose the right provider for my internet needs.
When I got an invite to attend the Smart LTE launch, I immediately confirmed. Smart Communications, Inc. is the first ever wireless service provider that offered 4G service in the Philippines. I wanted to know about the Smart LTE plan, how much it’ll cost and what areas are covered by the service.
Smart LTE Launch Event
Celebrating a breakthrough in mobile internet, Smart definitely made a big bang with their launch. It started with a sumptuous lunch prepared for media folks. Smart executives entertained questions about Smart LTE. I arrived a bit late so I didn’t catch the Q&A. However, I did have a copy of the press release so I think I have enough information to share with you about the product! 🙂
We were then asked to go to Resorts World activity area for the event proper. The place was full of personalities like celebrities, executives, shoppers, gamers, bloggers and media practitioners.
I got to meet the Social Media Specialists of Smart: Tob (@Smart_Tob), Myka (@Smart_Myka) & Kimberly (@Smart_Kimberly), they are getting popular! For any questions about new Smart subscriptions, they are the go-to guys! Follow them on Twitter!
Cosplayers were all around the place! Total coolness for the geeks during the time.
Jinri Park was the most sought after celebrity during the Smart LTE launch. I saw how my blogger friends looked at her when she passed by our area. They were all admiring her beauty. I, myself, find her so pretty as well.
It was also a nice surprise to know that she’s a gamer. I guess that’s why she graced the event. She knew how important it is to have blazing fast connection when you’re playing online games. Smart LTE is the way to go especially with its ability to deliver speeds of up to 42Mbps.
To prove how fast Smart LTE’s abilities are, Smart partnered with E-Games to fly Korean gaming champion Kim Hong Jae to Manila. Kim competed with Filipino gaming champion Pablo Poblador during the event in a round of Starcraft II.
It was a nice event! I was glad I attended it. It’s just sad that my future home isn’t covered by Smart’s LTE service. But hey, Smart is increasing availability of the service in the country before the year ends, so it’s something to look forward to!
Smart 4G LTE Plan 3500
SMART-Long Term Evolution (LTE) – Surf the web at blazing speeds that can clock up to 42 Mbps. Download movies in minutes, full album in seconds, and real-time gaming with no lag.
With Smart LTE Plan 3500, you receive:
- A Smart LTE dongle (Huawei E392) that is capable of going at blistering speeds of up to 42Mbps
- 10GB of data
- Expanded coverage in key cities around the Metro
- P3,500 per month
- P450/GB charging in excess of the 10GB
- Compatibility with 2G/3G/HSPA/HSPA+ networks for areas where no LTE is available.
- 24 months lock in period
Metro Manila
• Taguig – The Fort • Makati City – Salcedo & Legaspi Village • Pasig City – Ortigas • Mandaluyong
• Pasay City – SM Mall of Asia • Manila – Binondo • Muntinlupa City – Alabang
Interested? Go to Smart 4G LTE official site.
Unlimited LTE to First Subscribers
Good news!
For this new service, Smart is offering LTE on unlimited until October 25, 2012! Early subscribers must be in for a treat! Imagine being able to use blazing fast internet speeds without having to worry about additional fees! I’m sure disk space will be a challenge for early adopters during this time.
I’ve been hearing about LTE since last year. Finally, it’s available for everyone here in the Philippines! This is yet another first by Smart. If you have the need for speed, this is definitely the service for you!
Online gaming, streaming videos and downloading files are now much faster than ever. This definitely matches Smart’s vision for people to Live More.
Live Faster, Live More with Smart LTE.
Get up to 5% rebate with EastWest EveryDay MasterCard
Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On August 19, 2012
Today, I learned about this new credit card, the EastWest EveryDay MasterCard! It gives you up to 5% cash rebate on essential purchases like supermarket, gasoline and drugstore. 5% is really a big deal nowadays!
For you to avail of the 5% rebate,a simple condition is for you to spend at least Php 10,000 on non-essential items like clothes, dining and hotel accommodation. If you spend Php 5,000 to Php 9,999 then the rebate for essential items is 3%. Lastly, if you spend below Php 5,000, you get a rebate of 0.5%.
Here’s a visual presentation on how the EastWest EveryDay MasterCard works:
I like that you don’t need to bring cash with you all the time and just use a credit card for payment. Aside from that, that card seems to serve as a discount card for essential things like supermarket, gas & drugstore purchases!
If I think about my spending habits, I would be able to maximize the benefits of the EastWest EveryDay Master Card. The 5% cash rebate would be easy since I often go to the mall to shop for clothes, shoes, bags or when I eat out at restaurants. I’m pretty sure I can spend more than Php 5,000 on food alone so it wouldn’t be hard for me to get the rebate for my essential spend.
Lastly, you do not need to redeem the cash rebates! Your cash rebates will be automatically credited to your EastWest EveryDay MasterCard account once you accumulate Php 200 worth of it.
Sounds cool? Then you can head over to EastWest Bank website and get yourself an EastWest EveryDay MasterCard!
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EastWest EveryDay MasterCard
To Apply: http://www.eastwestbanker.com/info/ewcc_afnow.asp
EastWest FaceBook Page
Kokoro Ramenya
Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On August 1, 2012
Kokoro Ramenya is a newly-opened Japanese ramen restaurant located in Manila. I remember seeing the restaurant along Roxas Boulevard while I was driving my way to the airport one time. I said to myself that I would try it out one day.
Last Sunday, it was raining hard and I was craving for hot noodle soup badly. I decided that it was time for me to try out Kokoro Ramenya. There are a lot of ramen places in Metro Manila already, but trying out new ones still excite me a lot!
We parked in front of the Avenue of the Arts building, and took the stairs going to the 2nd floor.
Kokoro Ramenya is huge! It can definitely cater a lot of people. It can also be a good venue for intimate birthday parties or school reunions. Considering the modern ambiance of the place plus the great selection of food, I believe people would enjoy it at Kokoro Ramenya.
I sat facing the kitchen but on the other side, you’ll get a good view of Manila Bay. The restaurant’s cozy interior combined with a view of nature definitely gives a relaxing effect for the dining public.
Kokoro Ramenya was put up by two Japanese friends who merely had the idea when they were chatting over their Japanese instant noodle lunch. They did research, cooking experimentation and food tastings for one year. They got themselves support from a few of their Filipino friends and then they put up the restaurant.
It’s nice that the ramen that we are having here in Manila is getting authentic considering that the chefs that cooked the food are real Japanese. In Kokoro Ramenya’s case, it was Japanese head chef and ramen connoisseur, Chef Susumo Murata.
While I browsed through the restaurant’s menu, I noticed that Kokoro Ramenya prides itself for its selection of popular regional Japanese ramen. The pictures alone made my tummy yearn for the food!
Apart from ramen, Kokoro Ramenya also has good selection of sushi, appetizers, ala carte dishes and desserts. I tried to order as much as we could so I can share with you more dishes that you can get when you visit the restaurant.
- Kokoro Ramenya Beverages
First off, we ordered drinks. I’ve chosen Matcha Milk Shake (Php 85) because tea is getting so popular these days. I couldn’t help but get myself at least one glass of it in Kokoro Ramenya.
My friend ordered Kokoro Iced Tea (Php 50). I was also able to taste it and I’m glad that the iced tea was freshly brewed and not powdered.
Two thumbs up for both drinks!
- Gyoza (Php 155)
I never fail to order gyoza whenever I’m in a Japanese restaurant. I somehow felt that this was a bit expensive considering the number of pieces in one order. However, as soon as I tasted the gyoza, oh my gosh, it tasted soooooo good! You can even see through the picture above that the dumpling skin was toasted! When I took a bite, it was even better! The gyoza was juicy and it also helped that the dish was newly cooked when it was served. A must-order!
- Beef Teppanyaki (Php 445)
The beef teppanyaki dish was such a mouthwatering dish! I think it only took us approximately 8 minutes to finish this dish. The meat was on a buttery side but I didn’t mind. The bean sprouts covered with corn was a nice touch! This is another successful dish for me!
- Crispy California Maki (Php 195)
Crispy california maki is not a new kind of dish but what I like about Kokoro Ramenya’s version is that they took a unique twist to it. First, the california maki wasn’t really fried, but it was rolled with tempura skin. Next, the sauce that came with it was perfect for the dish. The sauce was a combination of mayonnaise and sweet chili sauce. Lastly, there’s more than enough california maki in each order (8 pieces).
As soon as we finished this dish, I was already a bit full. However, I knew that I need to have more stomach space for Kokoro Ramen’s specialty, the ramen…
- Kokoro Ramenya Ramen Noodles
Kokoro Ramenya pride and glory is its selection of Ramen noodles. What I appreciate on their preparation is that the noodles are freshly-made everyday. Apart from that, they even have their own Japanese noodle-making machine to ensure the noodles are of the highest quality.
We ordered two of their bestsellers – the Hakata Classic and the Gekikara Ramen. Other recommendations by Chef Murata include the Karakuchi-negi, Seafood Sapporo Ramen, Gomamiso, and Kokoro Ramenya original.
I ordered Gekikara Ramen (Php 275) because I love spicy food! This particular ramen is miso-based noodle soup with chashu and breansprout, made extra spicy. The bowl was filled with tons of vegetables and chashu that I ended up taking home half of the ramen noodle.
Guess what? I had it for lunch earlier and my officemates were asking me where I got the Gekikara ramen. The dish still looked so good that they had to find out where I got the ramen. I let a colleague taste it and she was raving about it the whole time. It further confirmed my fondness for the dish. It was yeah, delicious!
Rich and creamy tonkotso noodle soup boiled for 18 hours topped with kikurage, chashu and soft boiled egg.
The Hakata Classic is Kokoro Ramenya’s specialty and this is a MUST-ORDER! It’s available as a single-order (Php 325) and Sumo bowl (Php 525), good for two. My friend was so satisfied with the dish that he kept raving about it the whole time he was eating. And when we got home, he even had to post a photo of the noodle with a description, “YUMMY!”. Now, do I even have to describe how good this dish is? I suggest you just order this dish when you get the chance to visit Kokoro Ramenya.
- Kokoro Ramenya Desserts
The Uji Kintori (Php 95) – green tea ice cream topped with sweet adzuki beans. This tasted similar with the matcha green tea drink that I ordered.
Japanese coffee jelly & ice cream (Php 85). The coffee jelly was made from real coffee! Best to eat the dessert as soon as it’s served.
Since it’s rainy season, now is the best time to dine at Ramen places. One of those that I can recommend is Kokoro Ramenya. Make sure you order their gyoza and Hakata classic. Time to warm yourselves up with yummy ramen!
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Kokoro Ramenya
2/F Avenue of the Arts Building, Sta Monica cor. Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, Philippines
+63-2-2549716
Texas Wild Very Hot Chips
Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On August 1, 2012
I love munching on chips. It’s one of the activities I usually do whenever I’m multi-tasking (working/e-mailing/writing notes/thinking/eating). Sometimes I eat nuts, sometimes I eat potato chips and sometimes I eat fruits. These past few days though, I have been trying out something new.
It is called Texas Wild Very Hot Chips and it’s from the makers of popular brands such as Rebisco cracker sandwiches, ChocoMucho, ChocoTopps, Fudgee Bar and Dingdong Nuts. Republic Biscuit Corporation (Rebisco) is one of the pioneers in the biscuit industry. They now carry a wide variety of snack food items ranging from nuts, cakes, chocolate bars, candies and chips.
I particularly find Texas Wild Very Hot Chips interesting. It has something to do with how they market the product. They put in the very sexy Daiana Menezes in a poster modelling the chips with a caption, “Are you HOT enough?“.
I remember meeting the pretty & kind actress in the FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World last 2011. Considering she’s one of the hottest women in the Philippines, does that make the Texas Wild Very Hot Chips hot too?
Well, the Texas Wild Very Hot Chips was made definitely for the adventurous ones!
The packaging might look simple but it obviously has an appeal for people who craves for spicy food.
I’ve eaten a couple of packs already and I must say that Texas Wild Very Hot Chips is strong in taste. It was indeed very spicy (more than usually actually).
What makes this snack unique is that the spicy flavour was blended with cheese. There is no need for us to find melted cheese or barbeque sauce to dip the chips with. Texas Wild Very Hot Chips was loaded with flavours and yes, it was definitely hot!
Here’s a trivia:
The hotness of chili is not caused by seeds but by the compound called Capsaicin found in the white membrane that attaches the seed to the pod.
Drinking beer is the more effective way of cooling your mouth than drinking water. Capsaicin, the substance responsible for the burning effect of chili is not water soluble. It is soluble in fat and alcohol.
I believed that beer is the best drink to go with the spicy chips. However, I just hate the taste of alcohol. I made a bit of an adjustment by drinking malunggay juice with it. I know it doesn’t make my whole snack healthy but at least, there’s a healthy component in it, hahaha!
Now, on to munching!
Purefoods Fiesta Ham® Smoked Boneless
Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On July 30, 2012
I always look forward for the Christmas basket every December from the company I work for. The basket basically is a big container full of grocery items. There’s always ham included because it’s a traditional delicacy served during Noche Buena.
I remember that PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® has always been one of the brands that won the hearts of our office’s foodies’ during taste tests. This is the reason why I have PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® for breakfast (and sometimes lunch/dinner) every December to January.
I don’t have a big family so one kilo of ham is more than enough for me. However, I do know that a lot of Filipinos celebrate a lot of things and they would want to serve ham too on those occasions. I’m pleased to share with you that there is now PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless which is available all-year round! Isn’t that great? Now, you can have your favorite holiday food item on your birthday, fiesta, graduation, picnic, reunions or a date even!
PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless uses only the finest ham leg. From what I understand, the ham was hot-smoked (where the food is kept in the same place as the fire which is creating the smoke) and slowly cooked.
It weights around 1.5 to 2kg per piece and is priced at Php 800 per kilo.
I got myself a 1.7-kilo PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless. What I appreciate about this product is that it was pre-sliced! I’m such a lousy cook so this is a pretty nice surprise for me! It’s going to be convenient for me to cook the ham as I can only fry pan this. No complicated recipes for this foodie!
PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless comes with a fruit-based ham sauce made from Passion fruit, Orange and Kiwi. I sometimes eat the ham without the sauce but most of the time I do include it for that sweet fruity taste.
While I stick with the boring fried ham, other people have been creative with their cooking. I’ve seen some recipes online where they used PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless to make crepes, kebabs, pasta and salad. Well, possibilities are definitely endless. With such a mouth-watering yuletide dish, adults and kids alike would be glad to have a ham dish in their dining table.
Gladly, we do not have to wait for Christmas anymore to go supermarkets and buy a PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM®! There is now PUREFOODS FIESTA HAM® Smoked Boneless which we can enjoy all the time, anytime! 🙂