C'NTRO Opens Branch In Ayala Fairview Terraces

Guess who just opened its doors to the public last weekend at the posh Ayala Fairview Terraces, a mall owned and managed by the Ayala group. It's C'NTRO (formerly named Centropelle) the one who's been able to conquer the trendiest Filipino consumer since the good ol days. I still remember my Mom buying stuff off Cubao when I was a kid because it's a staple on her shoe rack. Whether you need it for a formal, casual or fun occasion, their unique styles and undeniable knack for comfort and love for the female form is just so evident. On this day, they are rebranding. A feat that will be completed in the last quarter of this year. 

Ms. Nicole Lopez, owner of Centropelle Shoes. A sister company of brands Rusty Lopez and Russ.

"Competition is tough and we wanted a more young, hip representation of our brand and we've shortened it a bit for name recall, plus it's easier to remember and associate us now with the market we serve. Our demographic would probably be professionals that would be from 20 - 30 but we do also have younger and older customers who still believe we've got the best shoes, bags and accessories to offer the Philippine market." says Ms. Nicole Lopez owner of Centropelle shoes. All along, I thought what I was looking at expensive items in the store (on those that I saw displayed) but upon checking price tags on the bags (saw on window), it's a lot cheaper than what I imagined it to be. Ms. Lopez also said, it doesn't matter if you have a lot of money or not but if you value what you worked hard for... you need something that give you a bang for the buck but never sacrifice quality.

One of the most loved items in the store is this powder pink bag that glistens when light hits it. Really cool!

They've got bags that would fit your daily needs. If you've got make up, things for work, gadgets, handkerchiefs where a big roomy bag would fit, I suggest you try on these models and see if it'll be perfect to mix and match with your current wardrobe. Mind you, mostly all the products seen inside the store are designed by Nicole Lopez herself and her team. If that isn't dedication, I don't know what is. Their direction has truly been able to capture the attention even of the most discriminating people in the crowd. The cuts and color palette they used are well done because you'll feel the ones they put out in the market has been well thought out. Definitely, they don't look cheap. That puts a lot of pressure on an old favorite brand like C'NTRO; to always come out with good statements, to stay relevant and never think about a day that they would ask if they are doing the right thing on the leather goods. So far, the ladies have said nothing but good things with what they've seen that afternoon. Some customers can't even contain their excitement and joined in to buy some of the pieces, less pricey than what they thought it would cost on malls and other brands.

Pumps, Heels and Wedges cost from Php 699.95 – Php 1,499.95

The shoes look all so exquisite and sexy on women. I won't be surprised if they took home pairs that afternoon because they're not that pricey at all. This would be perfect for ladies in college or young women who prefer to dress up at the right occasion. I've seen that this can actually be part of the designer's aesthetics because she's also a stylist. I also saw that this could well be something that they'd wear themselves if given the opportunity because the material is soft on corners, straps are not going to limit movement and it looks so pretty on them all. Centropelle will cease to exist perhaps later on and will become C'NTRO by Centropelle. The gradual and normal depletion of stocks will be seen and later on, C'NTRO would have come full circle. This is their forte and their success in the past proves they've got a lot to do in order to expand even more.

 

Flats are also on sale. As you can see they've got something on the Php 599.95 price range.

Oh and one thing I found on the display was this Suede Wallet that's got a hash design. It's got all the pockets I need for cards and all the cash I don't have yet. I wanna have this soon. :)

They also have accessories on hand. So if you need well designed dangling earrings, modern metal bracelts... they've got it in different shapes and sizes. 

Banana Nite mainstay Jef Gaitan was also there. She had a blast trying on some heels in orange and blue palette, she was trying to pair it with her top as seen on this stolen shot.

Actress and Host Diane Medina was also there. She looked around and found some bags she fancied. She's one of the long list of artists that C'NTRO is actually dressing up. They're like regulars who pull out wardrobe and accessories from the brand and Ms. Nicole Lopez says she would want to continue to work with them as they further promote the brand for the Philippine market.

C'NTRO will be seen more in the coming months. Don't be surprised if your Centropelle store gets converted into one. You'll also see more designs in the coming months if the Holiday collection gets released. According to Ms. Nicole, they will come out with even bigger and bolder designs once the ball starts rolling. I've seen quite a lot of things to get impressed inside the Ayala Fairview Terraces branch of C'NTRO and pretty soon you'll see improvements done on their kiosks inside malls and their boutiques. Congratulations C'NTRO! Can't wait to see you guys again soon!

For more information about their stores:

Centropelle

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Visit their official website

http://www.centropelleshoes.com

Turning Blue: La Belleza Hair and Nail Salon

Would you mind playing this video first?

You see, I haven't paid attention to my hair these past few days and got it to grow a bit longer than usual. Since it's a tad curly it went bonkers on me and went unruly. I looked like Einstein and I couldn't handle it anymore so I did the next best thing. I went back to La Belleza Hair and Nail Salon in #50 EK Building at Don Antonio Heights in Quezon City. It's quite near EVER Commonwealth and right before Jollibee in that area. My hair stylist Cher takes good care of me and doesn't limit my imagination when it comes to cut and color. After all, she's won awards for this and pretty much done the same for artists and celebrities from different stations. Now it's time for me.

My roots were already showing because of normal growth so they had to take care of that by bleaching. This is done so I could have the same shade of color later on. As always, I must say that bleaching is NOT for everybody. It is a little painful so you have to understand it's only for those that could withstand it. Aside from that, there are obvious risks but I trust them this much that I only do it when I'm with them. I've never ever been so glad.

After a short round of bleaching, they got my hair rinsed and blow dried. Now that it's already in the same shade, it's time for color! :)

My favorite color in the world is BLUE. That's exactly why I chose this color. It's not weird, it's just different so I'm keeping it in this shade for a while. I plan to grow it even longer but had them cut the sides so I won't look scruffy.  They also put in treatment serums on my hair and the results were just amazing. It became more soft and manageable, and I think it gave the color of my hair an even brighter look. They took care of me like family and you can't get that anywhere else. It's exactly why I trust them with my hair.

Don't be afraid to experiment, talk to your stylist and tell them what you want to happen. I've googled my hairstyle and checked my options. I think this one just fits me. About this time, another guy was actually in the salon getting his hair curled so it could look like this. I am blessed with curly hair already so it gave my hair the height it needs for this! It's not often that I say that I love my curly hair but this is one of the occasions. 

True enough, after a few snips here and there, my hair turned out with the perfect BLUE that I was looking for. Some people are even telling me it turns purple when seen in different lighting conditions and that's just the best complement I've ever received since having it.

Thank you so much to La Belleza Hair and Nail Salon for taking care of me. I'll wear this BLUE hair proud out on the streets and in other events. I'm sure people would just love it just like I do! If I were you, I'd also take advantage of the sale from PinoySavings.com's La Belleza promo and get deals up to 80% off it's original price.

Or just head on over to their salon at the 2nd floor of the EK Building, at #50 Don Antonio II, Holy Spirit Drive in Quezon City. Call them for appointments at 09264563433 / 09277172014. They'll surely take care of you.

For more information about their stores:

La Belleza Hair and Nail Salon

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Visit their official website

http://www.benchtm.com

WHAM! Burgers and Sausages Hits The Spot!

Looks like someone's got a new look at the WHAM! Burgers and Sausages store in SM North Edsa's The Block which we visited a few days ago. Yes, they went head way to look a bit more modern, mid scale and a bit rustic. They went away and lost the old comic book theme they carried throughout the years and went with a more matured looking store.

The interior was a mix of black and white, a little shabby chic without the white ceramic homey elements. For me, it was a fresher look and a bit colder since there were metal counters too.

Mr. Tony Yap owner of Wham! says "We've been in the industry for almost a decade and our customers have always seen and associated us with comics which is a more "fastfood or kiddie" concept and we find nothing wrong with that. But now along with the trend with the new players now, we are targeting more mature audience because the fans of our joint are already grown up. Now, we have included imported and local brands of beer to our menu and revamped the menu and presentation of our dishes for the different market segment we're trying to target. As you can see, we only used earth tones and neutral colors in our store to go with the new theme. But still we will cater to every single one in the family because as we know Filipino's go out in groups especially in the malls. 

Aside from the taste, we also went ahead and updated the bread. Through careful study we decided to introduce the brioche bread. This one is a little special though because we have used multigrain brioche bread which makes the bun a little sweeter nuttier and way better than the Kaiser bun that we used to serve on our burgers. The Filipinos now are more discerning and more demanding, our taste has improved a lot over the years that's why we're making our burgers better. The brioche has a little more following and it looks appealing too according to our customers. I believe that we have offered a great improvement on our products."

The KAPOW! Burger, a beef laden burger with a spicy kick! The jalapenos was love!

The new Multigrain Brioche Bun, made a little sweeter, nuttier and way better on this Wham! Burger!

I initially thought I was actually getting a smaller burger but they said that it's got the same kind (right amount/ratio of lean meat and fat), still 1/3 pound 100% beef patty measured one by one by hand but it's just a different kind of bread. The Kaiser buns used to be so big that it actually overlapped and made the burger looked bigger even though it's the same and now, it's just the right size. The patties will never never ever change. It's a thing that their loyal customers wanted and they listened to them. Isn't that smart?

Sausages

Now people think they didn't have sausages before in their menu but they actually do. It just didn't share the spotlight of other items because they served the ordinary ones that you can get off of other restaurants too. Now, they've included specialty sausages like these ones which are imported.

 Take for example this thing they call U-Turn. It's 100% Swiss and it is my favorite on their menu. Sink in to your teeth and you'll feel the juiciness ooze out of the meat and you can taste the smokiness of it as it's real deal charcoal grilled. They even showed us their grill where they cook this. Delish! 

They've got Wieners, Schublig with Cheese, Beer Sausage, Kielbasa on the new menu!

They now emphasized sausages too on their menu. It's even getting more orders now because they're giving a free hand in customizing combos that comes with it. Aside from the usual sides of onions and mayo, you can choose what other things you want to go with your sausages. The fries would make you feel full for sure and you can swap it with others. Of course everything goes well with beer!

Bavaria Premium Beer from Holland

They've sourced imported Bavaria from Holland and made it available for everybody that would love to feast in their stores so if you fancy the lovely imported sausages, you've got the best beverage that would also come with it bar none. If you are up to it, take a trip up north at SM's The Block and visit their store on the 4th floor. Don't ever forget to order the U-Turn which everyone loves because it's the good things that I want to to experience more. Get your hands on these burgers, sausages and bottles as soon as you hit the stores. Pretty soon, you'll see all the WHAM! Burgers and Sausages stores look like this one, so if you want to experience it early... you know where to catch them because IT HITS THE SPOT!

For more information about their stores:

Wham Burgers

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Visit their official website

https://whamburgers.com

Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali Endorses BUM

Two of the most fastest rising stars of GMA just got hitched. Hitched in a manner that they'll be so happy to be a part of one of the most recognized brands in street wear, BUM. They have extensively been searching for good looking and inspiring teens to carry their name and true enough, they did. The latest of which is two of the lead actors in high rating program "Niňo" seen on GMA. Teen cutie Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali were so happy when they first heard the news... and then finally this day came when they officially announced they will be part of the BUM family. We were there when they signed the contracts!

The event was witnessed by GMA Executives and BUM's head honchos at Annabelle's Restaurant in Tomas Morato.

Bianca Umali wore something sporty from BUM's new line and she was so comfortable in it. She thought that BUM would be to dark or emo but surprised that she probably have clothes like these in her closet and plans to actually mix and match it with what she's got on her wardrobe. The everyday look is important for Bianca because she's always out being seen in the public and she knows she'll be scrutinized with what she's wearing. Now she's proud to be in the ranks of other BUM brand ambassadors that are already successful in their own chosen paths. She couldn't wait to shoot with the new clothes from BUM and says she's definitely looking forward to it. She wants to be different, she also knows you can't sacrifice quality and comfort whilst still staying affordable since teens are the usual suspects wearing clothes from BUM.

Miguel Tanfelix isn't much rugged, but without a doubt BUM has some pieces that has already evolved into more army-esque classy ones that you can wear on casual occasions. He was extremely happy about the endorsement and says BUM fits him because he's exactly the person who would wear shirts and other clothing from the brand without even thinking about it. If you see what he has on his closet, you'll probably see something similar to what he's wearing in this occasion. He also likes the colors and believes he'll enjoy experimenting with his outfits in and out of his shows. He also is excited to shoot campaigns with BUM and also work with artists from different stations. He knows that BUM transcends networks and to be lined up with the likes of the ambassadors of the brand, it's an honor for him he says. Plus, he says the shirts are very comfortable and well designed. Now that he's signed up with them, you'll probably see him soon on billboards and print ads which he's extremely excited for.

I promise to try and see if we can also cover their shoot once the season starts because I've heard they are planning a really great concept come holiday season. Teens, I envy you because you get some nice clothes like these. BUM, you've got two very promising artists on your hands and they are also some of the most humble teens I've ever come across interviewing. I'm sure they'll be as successful as the ones who already have represented BUM in the past and look forward to the fashion shows they're planning to whip up in the next few months, mall tours, meet and greets included! Congratulations Miguel and Bianca!

For more information about their stores:

BUM

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Visit their official website

http://bumequipment.com.ph