Hi everyone! New vlog for today is up on my channel!
MAKEUP OF THE DAY:
Featured my current favorite brown lip color from Nature Essentials called "Adore" isn't it prettty?
I've been loving the dewy foundation effect on my skin and I've been using my makeup sponge from AgoraBoutique and my Revlon PhotoReady Foundation (this shade looked a bit off already after a few hours on my skin because the tan on my face has faded!!)
We also went over to Bey's house for her annual Christmas dinner! So much food, thank you so much Bey! Mark and I tried TIM HO WAN the day after and oh my goodness. Expect a food post on this restaurant! I'm craving for the buns as I write this!!! I got my yearbook from my old highschool and this is what I looked like!!! McDonalds eyebrows (overplucked, for sure!) Hahaha! How time flies.
One of the best times of my life has got to be my trip to Tokyo, Japan last November. I was invited by the Beauty Bound Asia team (Google) to attend the finals of the competition as a coach/judge! I literally cried when I found out. I didn't expect it at all. I've been meaning to go to Japan and I totally did not expect that it would happen this year. Here'a a recap of what happened during my trip, guys + bonus photos I have not uploaded on social media! Enjoy!
DAY 1
Flying with PAL, arriving at Haneda Airport
First time using the restroom in Japan (CRAZY CLEAN)
RITZ CARLTON HOTEL ROOM TOUR (I swear, the best hotel I've stayed at!!!)
Meeting Michelle Phan and her bf Dom, in the flesh! (EEEEK!)
Seriously, guys, the best first day in Japan. Michelle Phan inspired me to start my own channel. And finally, after 5 years, I meet her in real life!!! Catch all the fun times in this video blog -
DAY 2 -
Getting lost in the streets of Ropponggi (but I loved it) met a cute dog along the way
Workshops and mentoring sessions at YouTube Space Tokyo (coolest place, ever!)
Tried pirikura (Japanese Photobooth) at YouTube Space Tokyo
Lunch at AFURI (ramen)
Dressing up for the Beauty Bound Asia FINALS
After Party at B&R Akasaka, got to talk to Michelle Phan and JKISSA!
Had a bit too much champagne, and yup, you'll see a little drunk side of me in this vlog LOL
After, after party at a ramen place hahaha :)
Watch it here -
DAY 3 -
Visited Samantha Thavasa with fellow coaches and we took home a bag each! I am so inlove, thank you Samantha Thavasa!
Borrowed an umbrella from Ritz Carlton because of the rain!! Thank you Ritz Carlton :)
Visited FAMILY MART for lunch, tried the onigiri OMGGGG soooo good.
SHOPPED at Don Quixote, my favorite place in Japan! I did a haul on this.
Ate at a curry place called COCO CURRY, I loved it!!!
Met up with a friend of mine! Hi ARI!! :)
Rode the train for the first time
Went to the HACHIKO STATUE, I had to see Hachiii.
Went to SHIBUYA
I love Japanese vendos, and the warm milk tea is my fave
TOKYO TOWER
Ramen for dinner with Ari
Took the taxi back to the hotel because my legs were killing me!
Started packing, and it was almost impossible!
Watch all the fun in the vlog -
DAY 4 -
Last day in Tokyo
Made a last trip to Don Quixote to buy more stuff I did a haul on this.
Took the taxi to Haneda Airport
Bought more pasalubong at TIAT (super inexpensive chocolates!)
Flight back to Manila, had the whole aisle to myself WOOHOO!
One of the most memorable trips EVER. I am definitely coming back for you, Japan. I love you forever and ever and ever!!!
Hey guys! I’m baccck to blogging! And if you
noticed, I’ve started revamping my blog. It will now tackle beauty,
lifestyle, a little bit of tech, and traveling--not just limited to beauty stuff. Stay tuned as
I launch this blog’s new look on January! Let’s move on to our post for the
day. WATCH THIS NEW VLOG RELATED TO THIS POST:
The past days gave Metro Manila so much
non stop rain that my internet started going bonkers. Bonkers enough that it
started driving me bonkers. Ever since I moved, I’ve been using my
Huawei Pocket Wifi using a SmartBroadband sim. And I subscribe to UNLISURF995
every month, and when that promo was terminated for good by Smart, I
moved on to SURFMAX995 – not the best because I get a cap of 800mb per freaking
day. And I upload videos everyday, do a lotta work online…etc so getting a cap
was a nightmare. I didn’t want to switch networks because Globe doesn’t work
well in my area. And Sun, well, I haven’t tried yet. Once you use up your 800mb
for the day, Smart sends a message telling you just that, and your internet
starts slowing down, like FOR REAL. So then you need to purchase BIG BYTES
on top of your monthly subscription of SURFMAX995. Big Bytes gives you
extra mb’s to use up along with other “free” stuff I don’t even give a care
about (like iFlix…etc) I usually get BIG50 (for a day) and I’m all good.
Well the past 3 days I couldn’t even use
my internet because pages won’t load. 800mb/day wasn’t even consumed. I was at
wit’s end messaging Smart and telling them to give me an explanation. After days
of no response all they told me was “…you consumed your 800mb that’s why your
internet slowed down.” WHAT THE HECK? How could I have consumed my
24,000mb for those 3 days if I COULDN’T EVEN USE MY INTERNET?!
I got tired of talking to whoever is behind the
Smart Twitter account and I tried subscribing to BIG BYTES and boom, my internet
was back. So in conclusion, on top of my SURFMAX995 every month, Smart
gives me NO CHOICE but but buy extra BIG BYTES everyday just to get decent
internet connection *even if my 800/mb hasn’t even been used up*.
Seriously, I can’t deal with SmartBro. I can’t deal with the internet in the
Philippines, in general.
So when I reached my boiling point, I headed over
to Bo’s Coffee at SM MANILA, bringing with me all my work stuff. I paid
270.00php for a meal and connected to the internet. Started uploading a video
and boom. 500 minutes for a 9 minute video (upload speed was at 0.02mbps WTH,
while regular browsing was quick). After finishing my meal I told myself I
CANNOT STAY THAT LONG IN HERE. So I went onto Google and searched for cafés that
offer SUPER FAST INTERNET. I stumbled upon some hotels and all that but with
UBER’S unbelievable surge nowadays I didn’t wanna go so far just to upload
videos. But I had deadlines to catch. I stumbled upon an internet café in
Adriatico Street in Malate which claims they offer 200mb upload and download
speed.
Without hesitation I booked an Uber ride at 1.7
surge and went straight to this café.
If you watch my vlogs, you’d be familiar with this
place Joyce and Bea and myself love, it’s called MAKCHANG (Korean) and we
frequent the coffee shop just beside Makchang called Angel N Kiss. Now this café
with 200mb internet is located on the second floor. Right above Angel N Kiss.
It’s called COREON GATE INTERNET CAFÉ.
I loved how it was so quiet inside. Not much
people. Mainly Koreans chilling and just doing their own thing.
It’s common courtesy to at least order something
before sitting down and staying for a long time, so I did just that. I ordered
Chicken ala King for PHP150.00, the cashier gave me the username and password
for the internet, and told me that I can stay for as long as 8 hours. Drinking
water was free, and infused with lemon, so that’s a plus!
Chicken ala King tasted GOOD!! Worth the 150.00.
They also have coffee, cakes…etc.
I got a spot on this long table with high chairs.
Electric sockets were available ON THE TABLE, super helpful. I was able to plug
in everything I needed to plug in!
I gave their internet a try. And comparing to Bo’s
Coffee’s 0.02mbps upload speed (500 mins for 9 min video), Coreon gave me a
decent 0.85-1.00mbps (approx. 64 mins for a 9 min video) and not just that,
upload speed actually SPEEDS UP and even SLOWS down depending on the number of
people in the café.
I was able to upload 3 videos in total and I was
at the café from 2pm till almost 8pm. NOT BAD. YOUTUBERS WHO NEED THIS PLACE,
YOU ARE WELCOME!!!
The upload speed was jumpy, but it was more decent
compared to the one back at Bo’s Coffee or even my HuaWei SmartBro wifi.
I caught my deadlines thanks to Coreon Internet
Café!
Let’s do a recap of the things I love about Coreon
Internet Café:
Located near Makchang, situated above Angel n
Kiss Café along Adriatico Street—easy to find via WAZE
Air conditioned
Cozy, comfortable environment
Security guard present (I asked Kuya guard to
kindly watch over my station as I take a quick restroom break and he did! Thank
you Kuya guard! Still be mindful of your stuff, because after all, we’re in
Manila, not Japan lol)
Good food, affordable
Spacious stations, you go pick you own
spot
Internet is quick when there’s not much people
around
I spent 150.00 for 6 hours of steady
internet—not bad.
Free lemon water, perfect!
Restroom available. Only 1, though. Not the
cleanest, but soap + tissue paper is present.
Some of the things I did not like:
When it gets crowded, internet slows down (duh)
but not in a way that would prevent you from surfing the net/sending
emails/etc.
There’s a station of computers by the window and
I’ve seen kids watch Peppa Pig…etc. But I got annoyed with 2 youngsters who were
playing some sort of game with guns and both of them were shouting at each
other, disrupting the peace and quiet in the café. They DO have a gaming area,
so dapat dun nalang sila. Kaloka.
Internet speed is a bit jumpy, but like I said,
speaking from a Youtuber’s perspective, 3 videos uploaded in 6 hours is not bad.
There you go guys, my Coreon Café review. I wasn’t
paid to review this; I just want to help out because there’s not much reviews
about this place!
To my fellow Youtubers, you know na where
to seek refuge when internet is dowwwwwn.
For more points I missed, go visit Coreon’s website,
everything is covered here - http://www.coreongate.com/
