Do you have a pontoon boat? When it is not being used, it needs to be stored and covered properly to safe-keep and protect it from different elements. This site http://pontoonboatcover.org/ outlines how to choose the perfect pontoon boat cover. It tackles the materials and choosing the best according to your budget and preferences. It offers suggestions of brands that are more popular and widely trusted by other pontoon boat owners. It also informs these owners of the other available accessories that could be used for pontoon boats.

During these financial trying times, it is good to look into available sources of funds or websites offering financial assistance for those who would like to finish their education, like some women who stopped school for the sake of their families. This simple site http://collegegrantsforwomen.org/ offers guides on how to maximize grants that are being offered to women.

"These grants provide funds for college that do not have to be repaid and available for the following:

Minority Students, Single Mothers, Returning Adults
Low Income and Middle Class Families
Individuals with Good, Bad or No Credit"

Those who are in need could take advantage of what's being offered.

Fancy a vacation with your family? Here's a site with good reads on features of interesting places worthy of a visit: http://funfamilyvacations.org/

You can search for places you have in your mind, which you'd like to take your vacation to. There's even a featured video on the sidebar for a preview of places where you'd like to tour. Although the rightmost sidebar has redundant elements, this will be a great resource site when my family and I have the means to take a long and rejuvenating vacation.

This is a review of the site http://babyshowerthemesidea.com/. It is very cute and attractive. The pictures slideshow of the Baby shower ideas are lovely to look at. The site is quite easy to navigate as the topics are laid out on the main frame, just click 'read more' on the chosen topic of interest. The sidebars show useful links when searching for a particular category. There are also thumbnails of cute pictures featuring the popular articles.

I am planning my daughter's birthday party cum my baby shower and this is a very helpful site for providing me with ideas on personalized party favors, for example, check out this link: http://babyshowerthemesidea.com/baby-shower-party-favors-how-to-choose-personalized-baby-shower-favors/#more-331

The site also offers DIY tips like making a diaper cake, making my own party favors, etc. If you're planning a baby shower, visit this site for a bank of ideas.

My thoughtful hubby bought this "pasalubong" for me when he went to Tagaytay to shoot a wedding.
It was not too sweet. The cake itself was a bit crumbly, but it was not too dry unlike some I have tried. I like the nuts and layer of moist chocolate on top.
I am craving for this right now...

By its name, Maki should be the specialty of this little restaurant. So, since I like Maki, I decided to try it out. Along with Kiampong (translation is salty rice). Truth be told, I found nothing extraordinary about it, just the color. Usually Makis are brown because of the soy sauce, but this one is brownish red. I don't know why. The Kiampong was a tad dry in texture and the taste made me feel full although I haven't finished all of it yet. I think we wouldn't be making a second trip to this place. I am not a fan of Kikiam, so I didn't try the dish in the middle.

Looking for a place for a good conversation, my friend led us to one of her discoveries along a quiet area in Makati. I don't really know where exactly. The place gave me a cozy, country home feel. It's like entering an aunt's kitchen. There were so much baked goodies to choose from, there were even frozen ones. The coffee selection was not that vast though. But it's good. Considering its location, the prices were very inexpensive. A muffin costs 35 pesos only. Although the wallpaper was busy for the eyes, we loved the place anyway.

Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealousy but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

This was one very exciting and suspenseful installment of the Harry Potter years movie version. As usual, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley was ever so funny. I thought Emma Watson as Hermione Granger was a bit overreacting at the sight of Ron and Lavender, just my opinion. But she's becoming prettier and prettier, though. It's amazing how the movie packed the much needed scenes to complete the story. It's just that, I didn't like the parts toward the ending because they changed what was in the book. I wondered why... Although I already knew what sad event shall happen, I still felt tears well up in my eyes while I watched it. I guess a much more exciting 7th year shall be expected next.

I watched this movie for the nth time now, on nights right before Elle's bedtime, and I could sing along to its catchy song playing during the time Bolt learned the ropes of being a regular dog. Its concept was fresh, like the Truman show, but for Bolt as a dog where he thought he really had powers. Reality slapped him in the face as he faced the world outside the studios. Knowing this, he still journeyed back to find Penny, his person whom he believed loves him, and not just acting like she does. There were plenty of cute and funny scenes, and the animals used highfalutin words like discombobulated, distended, and preposterous which I doubt kids would understand. This is a nice movie, over all, as my Elle still wants to watch it again and again.

Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

I was excited to watch this as many said that it was good. I'm glad my hubby invited me to a movie date. :-)

At first, the buildup was a bit slow, especially the scene where the antimatter was being generated. Then, the subsequent ones kept me at the edge of my seat as the characters were thrown into a dangerous adventure. What I liked were the trivia and history lessons in-between, that Robert Langdon were feeding those around him who were willing to listen. The succession of events were nicely done although there were unnecessary scenes that were shown. A little humor was also injected to spice things up a bit. And if you've read the book, you'll know what the twist was all about.

I would highly recommend this movie.

It is located above Tazza Cafe, a popular hangout for yuppies in the area and those waiting for their cars to be washed and wiped. Stone steps lead the short way to an elevator going to the 2nd and 3rd floors. If you're a guy or you'd like to inquire, go straight to the 3rd floor, if you're a girl and sure that you want to avail of a service, go to the 2nd floor.
I could tell right away that the design of the place is Contemporary - simple lines yet the effect is elegant. They used ambient lighting to set the relaxing mood. Most spas have saunas and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they have a steam bath, which I prefer to the drier sauna. The place is a bit small and not very many could be accommodated. I was glad it was not full when I went for a foot scrub and a body massage on two different occasions.
The ladies there are courteous and helpful since it was my first time there and I didn't know my way around. I could even have a sip of water from the dispenser just outside the steam bath. Like other spas, they also offer drinks like iced tea, hot tea, or water.
The treatments were soothing, and I cannot get over how nice the place is. They even have a wall-mounted flat screen TV at the foot spa area which was not enclosed.
Zense of Joy is located at 79 N. Roxas Street, Q.C. with a telephone number of 412-6906, if you would like to make a reservation. I highly recommend it.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 superhero film loosely based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. It was released on May 1, 2009 in the United States. The film is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Hugh Jackman as the title character. It is a prequel to the X-Men film trilogy and is primarily set roughly ten to seventeen years before the film X-Men. The film focuses on the violent past of mutant Wolverine and his time with Team X, before Wolverine's skeleton was bonded with the indestructible metal adamantium. The plot also details his early encounters with Colonel William Stryker (Danny Huston), the Weapon X program, Wolverine's interactions with other mutants and his complex relationship with his half-brother Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber). The film was mostly shot in Australia and New Zealand.

I cannot help but gush how handsome Hugh Jackman was in the movie.

Anyway, the beginning was a bit too rushed that I cannot fully understand the relationship between James and Victor. The movie was action-packed and made me realize how sad Logan's life was. Trickery was evident when all he wanted was to live a simple and peaceful life. Other X-Men members could already be seen here and it made one look forward to subsequent X-Men origins, if any. I would recommend this movie to girls out there. He he!

What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike's glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirtysomething outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

The story line is simple, nothing extraordinary. After a messed up life and going through divorce, the hero's given another chance to make things right in his life again. It's a cutesy-patootsy film that would be better watched on DVD.
The cast was good, although I think basketball was too atached to Zac Efron. I hope they would cast him for a role that has no connection whatsoever to basketball.

I scream for ice cream! Not literally, though.
I had the Sugar Tooth Fairy at Five Cows. They are also known for their ice cream mixes.
A concoction of vanilla and strawberry ice cream with chocolate chips, candied chocolates (like M&M's), tiny marshmallows and two-flavored nerds candies. These nerds candies come in various fruit flavors, I think they put strawberry and grape in mine. They were supposed to add tang to the sweet ice cream mix, as what I read in the description. I think they've put too much in mine, I was getting sour jolts while consuming my mix. And I think my candied chocolates were a tad hard. The ice cream melted fast while I was chewing them, so it seemed that I did not get to taste my vanilla and strawberry ice creams.

On our post Valentine's date, Rix and I had dinner at Five Cows at Trinoma after we did our grocery shopping.
The place was like a country home, with kinda crude furniture that were distressed for effect. The seat cushions tied to the chair were colorful. The first thing I noticed when we walked in were the cakes on display. Yum! They even have blown-up pictures of their various desserts on the walls. The place was not very big, so it appeared cozy. Rix pointed out to me that the lights they used were incandescent bulbs and halogens, so that was why it was hot! My take was that, if they made the place cooler, the people enjoying the ice cream would freeze to death.
I ordered the fish fillet with spinach and creamy sauce, with rice and buttered vegetables. The fish was a little too salty for my taste. The vegetables weren't really buttered, it seemed they were just blanched. But the creamy sauce from the fish complements the vegetables. Maybe they were meant to be tasteless since the fish was already salty. The sauce was not very creamy in its truest sense, the oil was already separating from the mixture.
I got to taste what Rix ordered: Maple Porkies - grilled pork chops with maple syrup. It was like sweetened meat. At first bite you'd think they'd be like rubber, but in a bit, I find them tender. He also was not the convinced the vegetables were buttered.
What I was looking forward to was dessert. Up next!

This is located beside Starbucks, apt for those who like to chill with a creamy blended coffee concoction after a relaxing massage. But we didn't do that for we finished late. My hubby enjoyed the massage. I had the foot scrub. While my feet were soaked, I was given a head, neck, shoulder, arm and hand massage. I liked that part, although the therapist's hands were a bit "heavy" and I think my muscles got cleaved. The therapist used a sandpaper-like tool with handle to rub away dead skin cells and callousness from my feet. But I guess she got carried away. When I got home, I felt pain from the back of my left heel. There were also red spots which I suspect were lesions that were skinless. It's the first time that happened to me. Oh, well. I guess I'd tell the therapist to stick to the heels the next time we go back. I also got to watch TV while I was there. But the chair I occupied was situated inside their Restroom/ Locker room, although the place was clean and not malodorous. Overall, it would be recommendable.

http://wikimapia.org/999913/Hi-Life-Health-Spa-Star-Bucks

The place was dimly lit and smelled of aromatic oil and tea leaves. We were served hot, bitter tea while we waited for a little more than hour for two available slots. There was no shower, neither a sauna nor a steam bath, so at P500, I guess it was pretty pricey. We were led to the treatment area and were told to change into shorts as the massage would have started shortly. There was no robe for me, I just used a towel to cover my torso. The massage "rooms" were actually cubicles with cloth curtains as dividers, so if a couple wished to talk while having their massage, the curtain between them could just be left open. That was the case for hubby and me. The therapist started on him later than my therapist started on me and I could sense that his therapist kind of took advantage of his snoozing to catch up on my therapist so they could finish at the same time. Hubby complained that he didn't feel his back being massaged. Maybe his therapist skipped it.
After that, we were again given hot tea and some cookies.
It was just OK for me, but I wouldn't go back. I prefer a spa with shower and a sauna.

I would like to commend them for accommodating us on such short notice and answering our questions regarding their services. The price of their facial was more reasonable than that of the F. Flawless, plus their place and the facilities look more sophisticated. There were individual rooms, a room for two and for four. They even have Shiatsu or Swedish massage. I had the Placenta/Collagen Facial Treatment with eye treatment and additional collagen infusion at a fee, supposedly to fight the aging process. They were thorough in cleansing and the "dirt" that was removed from my face was a little overwhelming (they show patients how much they got). I couldn't remember the last time I had a facial. Now, my face feels as smooth as a baby's behind, well, almost! It was refreshing. The therapist was courteous and her hands were light, it didn't hurt that much when she was removing my blackheads and whiteheads, etc. The staff did the whole drill and didn't hurry us out even when it's past their closing time already. They also have other services that I want to try, like the said massage, painless hair removal, underarm whitening, body scrub, Thermasculpt (to lose 2 inches off the waist, I think. Yay to being slimmer instantly), foot spa, etc. Ooh! It would be so nice to get pampered.

I would definitely go back when it's time to have a facial again. And I might have the moolah to try the other treatments, too!

Have you had the Cyma experience? Two of the people I know who do not know each other gushed about how yummy the food there at Cyma was. I was curious and decided to treat my hubby there for dinner. We arrived at around 830 after purchasing stuff and we still fell in line. The place was packed. A good sign. It was just the two of us, so we were easily seated. As I opened the menu, I was stunned to find so many things to read on it. There were many food choices and facts and trivia about Greece. Even more stunning was the price, it was more expensive than I thought. I couldn't back out now, I hoped they accept credit card (they did). So, we had the Spaghetti with beef shanks and tomato sauce - the beef was so very tender, I liked it, but the serving was a bit less than for two people, different from what my source said. And the Grilled Mahi-mahi fillet (a type of fish), which was delicious except that it wasn't cooked very thorough and there were tough parts (it was still edible but I don't really like sashimi). And then we also had Grilled lamb ribs with roasted potatoes - the lamb was tasty but not very tender, the potatoes were weird, their textures resembled that of sweet potatoes, fibrous. Does roasting make that happen to potatoes?
Anyway, it was OK. Maybe I just didn't know the right combination to order. The other people at the other tables seemed happy about what they were eating. But, I really liked the beef shank spaghetti, though.

More on Cyma here: http://guides.clickthecity.com/metro/?p=1114

We were craving for noodle soup one time and decided to try this restaurant out. It was fairly new, to us, at least. What captured our attention was "No MSG" included in its signboard.
The ambiance was simple, nothing outstanding. I like the Chinese songs playing in the background. I ordered the beef noodle soup. The soup was flavorful, even without MSG. I don't really like the noodles, though. It seemed overcooked and lacking in taste, so I got fed up easily. Good thing the beef was yummy, like the beef in Taiwanese instant noodles in disposable bowls.