Thursday, May 8, 2014

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

It's hot! 

Okay, that's an understatement. The scourging heat of the summer sun is unbearable. I have turned off the heater (we live in Tagaytay so our water is cold) to enjoy the feel of cold water during showers and refresh me somehow. But as soon as I step out of the shower, trickles of perspiration run through my back and I hate it! The fan and a small hand towel is currently my best friend!

With this heat, it is important that adults, especially kids, stay hydrated. I literally count the number of glasses of water I drink everyday. For my kids, since drinking water isn't fun, I bought them calamansi & dalandan concentrate so they can drink more liquid and keep them hydrated. (I stay away from buying them powdered juice and iced tea for obvious reasons but more on that in another post.)


In search for natural juices for myself and my kids aside from our usual canned pineapple & four season juices, I found this 'organic calamansi concentrate plus sugarcane' from Bendurya I bought from a bazaar in St. Luke's BGC. It costs P200 for 550ml. I was sold into the 'organic' proposition so even if I find it a little bit pricey than other brands ('organic' is priced more premium), I bought it. 

Having finished the 550ml bottle in one week, I can't say I became a fan. The liquid is thick as expected of a concentrate but I think it's too thick because of the sweetening agent used (sugarcane, I assume). It takes a bit of stirring when mixed in cold water to ensure it's fully diluted. It is also missing the sour, tangy taste I'm expecting from a calamansi concentrate. It's just pure sweetness.

So although I appreciate the fact that it is organic (I hope they really mean 'organic' meaning the calamansi &; sugarcane and other ingredients were grown through 'organic' means and not just because they didn't use chemicals as an ingredient) -- and I tend to patronize organic produce if it is reasonably priced (some do bank too much on being organic they put a hefty price tag on their produce) -- I didn't like the fact that it is too sweet for my liking and it did not deliver on the sourness I expect from a calamansi juice.

And since I decided to finish it rather than give it to my kids (you guess right, because of the sweetness), I bought them other brands to try -- Squeeze 4U Calamansi Concentrate &; Phil's Best Dalandan Concentrate. More on these two in my next post.



Product name: Bendurya 100% Pure Organic Calamansi concentrate plus sugarcane
Product Description: Organic Calamansi concentrate with sugarcane
Size:550ml
Price: P200 (Summer Bazaar at St Luke's, BGC)
Manufacturer: Unspecified, from Batangas City
'The Regular Consumer' Rating: 3 out of 5. Too sweet.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Stop Smoking in the Streets of BGC!

I love BGC! The air is a lot fresher than in Makati perhaps because there are more wide and open spaces and trees.

Our office moved to BGC in 2011, the time when there are still a lot fewer people, there's an absence of queue in the bus stations, and there's no traffic jam at McKinley going to Ayala-EDSA. Fast track to three years and all those changed faster than a blink of an eye. Too many people now, perpetual queues in bus stations, buses that take ages before they arrive, and horrible traffic jam.

With the flock of office workers and residents now in BGC comes expected 'sanitation' issues that I hoped BGC anticipated and start to manage. I used to complain about lack of trash bins not just in BGC but elsewhere in the metropolis which I believe is the cause of trash being thrown just about anywhere. 

I have noticed a few weeks ago that BGC has been installing more and more trash receptacles around the area. Good thing...or not. Unfortunately, this gave smokers permission to smoke in the streets of BGC which I hate! Worse, some do not even bother to throw their cigarette butts in the trash can. I wish BGC can be more like Davao in banning public smoking! After all, they're encouraging joggers in the area and open smoking in their streets does not fit into that proposition.



Please. Stop smoking in the streets of BGC!