Author: Noelle De Guzman

Ice Blended Love

Noelle De Guzman

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf the past few years, but there has always been one thing that keeps me coming back: their ice blended drinks. I’ve always considered the CBTL Ice Blended drink the perfect blend of sweetness, creaminess, and variety of flavors. I don’t know, maybe I’m biased.

So one afternoon last month, when I used a Belle de Jour coupon to get a freebie with a drink, the nice staff from CBTL Galleria handed me an invitation to their Open House the next day at any CBTL branch. They would be launching new Ice Blended flavors: Banana Caramel and Banana Mocha. Me being the loyal customer I am, I tried the Banana Caramel.

Coffee Bean Banana Caramel Ice Blended

It cost me ZERO pesos!

It was lovely. I consider banana one of my favorite fruits, and the blend of banana, cream, and caramel was a flavor and texture explosion in my mouth. I did find it a bit too sweet, but then again you’re not supposed to have ice blended drinks everyday now, right?

This month brought even better news for my taste buds. When I first started drinking CBTL Ice Blended drinks, I had a favorite variant: Berrie’d Treasure. They pulled this flavor three years ago, and I’d lost all hope they’d ever bring it back. BUT THEY DID!!!

It’s a good thing for my waistline I haven’t gotten near a Coffee Bean in a few weeks. But writing this post just reminded me of what I’ve been missing, and now I feel a craving. Hmm…

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My Valentine’s Wishlist

Noelle De Guzman

I’ve just realized that in all my years of blogging, I’ve never once written about Valentine’s Day, much less the month of love. Because this Hallmark holiday is such a bastion of romantic love and coupledom, finding myself single every Valentine’s Day has been cause for ignoring it and all the hoopla around it.

I’d like to believe Valentine’s Day is not just about romantic love, but about love in all its forms. I’m blessed to have people I love and who love me to share this day with! So even as a single young woman, I do have a short wishlist of what I would like on Valentine’s Day.

  1. Flowers: yes, I know they’re overpriced and they’ll wilt in three to five days. But I still want them! /irrational woman

  2. Hugs: not many people know this, but I love getting hugged by people who are important to me. Makes me feel wanted and appreciated.

  3. Bling-Bling: of course, I’m only kidding. I’d rather have…

  4. Chocolate: yes, please fill me up with phenols, the luuuuv chemical. Ü

  5. Time: nothing makes me feel more loved than people wanting to spend time with me.

As you can see, I want simple stuff for Valentine’s, and I’m sure I’ll get these things one way or another. I thought I’d have more detailed desires, but it seems like I already have everything I could need. Ü

What’s your wishlist? I hope on Valentine’s Day, you get it!

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This Month in Action&Fitness Magazine

Noelle De Guzman

The January-February issue of Action&Fitness; Magazine is packed with what you need to start your fitness year right! The cover features the sexy Geoff Eigenmann and Carla Abellana of GMA7’s Rosalinda, while inside the magazine features writing by yours truly. *wink*

Action&Fitness Magazine January-February issue
Action&Fitness; January-February issue

Here’s your sneak peek at my articles published this month:

  • Sports and Fitness Predictions for 2010 (p. 42) Part of our cover story, Fearless Forecasts for 2010

  • Flexibility for Flex-ability (p. 74) The basics of flexibility training

  • WORKOUT: Having a Ball (p. 76) Intensify your workout with stability balls

This issue also has a guest column on running by fellow Takbo.ph member Vicky Ras of Succulence Unleashed. Ü

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This Month in Action&Fitness Magazine

Noelle De Guzman

The January-February issue of Action&Fitness; Magazine is packed with what you need to start your fitness year right! The cover features the sexy Geoff Eigenmann and Carla Abellana of GMA7’s Rosalinda, while inside the magazine features writing by yours truly. *wink*

Action&Fitness Magazine January-February issue
Action&Fitness; January-February issue

Here’s your sneak peek at my articles published this month:

  • Sports and Fitness Predictions for 2010 (p. 42) Part of our cover story, Fearless Forecasts for 2010

  • Flexibility for Flex-ability (p. 74) The basics of flexibility training

  • WORKOUT: Having a Ball (p. 76) Intensify your workout with stability balls

This issue also has a guest column on running by fellow Takbo.ph member Vicky Ras of Succulence Unleashed. Ü

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Action&Fitness Magazine Jan-Feb 2010

Noelle De Guzman

Action&Fitness Magazine January-February issue
Action&Fitness January-February issue

Here’s your sneak peek at my articles published this month:

  • Sports and Fitness Predictions for 2010 (p. 42) Part of our cover story, Fearless Forecasts for 2010
  • Flexibility for Flex-ability (p. 74) The basics of flexibility training
  • WORKOUT: Having a Ball (p. 76) Intensify your workout with stability balls
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Action&Fitness Magazine Jan-Feb 2010

Noelle De Guzman

Action&Fitness Magazine January-February issue
Action&Fitness January-February issue

Here’s your sneak peek at my articles published this month:

  • Sports and Fitness Predictions for 2010 (p. 42) Part of our cover story, Fearless Forecasts for 2010
  • Flexibility for Flex-ability (p. 74) The basics of flexibility training
  • WORKOUT: Having a Ball (p. 76) Intensify your workout with stability balls
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The Waiting for Taping Game

Noelle De Guzman

Whoever said that showbiz is easy has probably never been in a production. For the past month I’ve had the privilege of guesting on Shop TV Live as a workout instructor demonstrating various equipment on sale with the regular hosts Phoemela Baranda, Vanessa Dime, and William Thio. But whether talent or crew member, everyone has to work through crazy hours (though there’s lots of slack time at times).

I’m at the studio now waiting to tape my last two segments for this season. Watch out for me on ShopTV (ch. 13 on Sky, ch. 9 on Destiny) at 5:30pm daily soon! Ü

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Noelle, Closet Raider

Noelle De Guzman

Long before I was Tomb Raider, I was raiding my mom’s and my friends’ closets for stuff they no longer wear. After all, they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Usually I end up with shirts, skirts, and shoes (if we’re the same size).

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

im in ur closets, raiding dem. whut.

Sometimes, like what happened last year when a friend went to Dubai to work, I get to raid closets for free. At other times, like two weeks ago at another friend’s garage sale, there’s a (low) price tag on the items. In any case, here’s the top three lessons I’ve learned about being a closet raider.

  1. Be prepared to dig. When there’s a huge amount of stuff your friend needs to get rid of, she usually doesn’t have the time to sort through everything and put them on hangers. It’s pretty much old-school ukay-ukay style, except you know who’s worn those things before.

  2. Examine everything closely. Just because they’re you’re friends doesn’t mean they’re giving out stuff in pristine condition — they are, after all, cast-offs. Watch out for small holes and tears, stains, deformed collars and sleeves, dirt, etc. Weigh whether or not you can do something about them before you take the items home.

  3. Edit, edit, edit. Don’t go crazy because you’re getting these items for a reduced price or for free. Is there enough space in your closet? Are you really going to use these things? What I do is put everything that interests me into a pile, and then I sort through that later on to separate the things I really like from the takaw-mata stuff I just found shiny and pretty, but won’t have occasion to use in the near future.

Another friend of mine is leaving soon to work in Morocco. My own closet is bursting with clothes, so I hope to be prudent about raiding her closet.

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Lian, Batangas

Noelle De Guzman

Since May 2009, my friend Migs has been asking our barkada to set aside a date to come over to his aunt’s beach house in Lian, Batangas. Finally, to shut him up (hehe), five of us blocked off an overnight stay and took him up on the offer.

Lian, Batangas: Lalah
Lian, Batangas: Noelle

Lian, Batangas: Michael
Lian, Batangas: Marielle

Lalah, Noelle, Michael, Marielle (not in photos: Judith)

I took driving duty because the car was an automatic and a breeze to drive. Also, Michael was sick as a dog. It was pretty much an uneventful long drive to Lian — except for the parts where I was trying to overtake slow vehicles on a narrow road and turned some of my passengers’ hair white because of oncoming vehicles. 😀 Sorry guys.

I know there are some pretty popular beaches in Lian, like Matabungkay, a yellow sand beach. In comparison, the beach house is very isolated, very private, accessible by a dirt road. In fact, according to Migs it was the first time he’d taken guests there. Usually, the beach house is populated by his cousins and their friends on weekends.

We’d left Manila shortly after 12 noon and got to the beach house by 4 pm. After a quick pick-me-up snack prepared by Judith, it was just about time to catch the sunset.

Lian, Batangas: Sunset
Lian, Batangas: Orange Lining

It was very quiet and we were able to relax away from big city horns and road noise. The fresh air was a respite from smog, and Michael and Lalah (who was also sick) claimed to feel better the next day.

Hopefully next time we can bring more friends along and really make it one big party, with a barbecue and a bonfire by the beach.

Lian, Batangas: Black Sand

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