Before I continue, let’s have a quick look on how I ended 2012 and started 2013.

The last quarter of 2012 was a blast! Firstly, I was able to join World Cup Asia in Langkawi, Malaysia where I played with the other members of Team Nytro Cambodia. Nestle, Nita, Nito, Jasper, Howard, Johnny, and I played for D4 and though we didn’t make it to the finals, it was still awesome! The presence of the professional paintballers in the field was astounding. It inspired me to love the sport more and be a better player. I love it!

Proud Filipino players of Team Nytro Cambodia – Nestle and Joyce

Go! Team Nytro! Go!

With the handsome players of Team Dynasty of the USA

Ain’t no mountain high enough!

Secondly, I was able to run my very first marathon. On the 2nd of December 2012, more than 7, 000 people joined the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon Event and it was breathtaking! Young and old were there, all running   and smiling. Some were walking, others were limping, but many inspired others to finish the race and be proud of the miles they’ve done. I felt proud of myself after completing the 10 km run. Never in my life did I imagine to be a part of this. Actually, I hated running when I was a kid and it was only last year when I started loving it. Like what others say, ‘There’s a thin line between love and hate.’ So, let’s go!

My reward for doing my best

Lastly, I started the year celebrating my 30th birthday. Yes, I am 30 now and I am not ashamed of it. I am proud that I have turned to the person I want to be – a mother to my three beautiful children, a wife to my loving husband, a teacher to my wonderful students, and an adventurer who never stop seeking for something to learn. Life is indeed beautiful.

There you go! I hope to blog as often as I can. I promise. Chao!

If you love the movies Aliens I, II, and III, Prometheus will surely be included in your list as it brings you to a new level of discovery. The prequel of the first three movies will search the answers of mankind’s origin.

Did God really create us? What will happen to Darwin’s theory of evolution then? Where will we head when we die? Few questions that no one yet has ever answered lead a group of explorers to take on a journey in an unknown universe.

The exploration lead to a terrifying phase, an end to the Engineers of mankind and a birth to a new generation of ALIENS. Scary as it seems, but the race to find the truth has not ended yet. The discovery continues as Dr. Shaw continues her journey in a new universe – where she’s heading is yet to be known.

Watch Prometheus now in Legend Cinema at City Mall, Phnom Penh. Showing will start on June 21, 2012.

Jack McCall (Eddie Murphy), finds an unusual tree in his yard after an encounter with a spiritual guru. The tree falls a leaf every time a lie comes out from McCall’s mouth and as this continues, his life is also in a lifeline. Afraid of dying soon, Jack decided to stop talking which compromises his work, marriage, and even friendship with all the people around him. The only question is – can he last on doing this?

Watch A Thousand Words in Legend Cinema, City Mall, Phnom Penh, this June 21, 2012 to see Jack’s future. Be ready for the fun

Did I sound like I’m advertising the place? Oh well, I am not and I’m just sharing you my wonderful experience whenever I go and eat at Samdoo. So why do I keep on coming back there?

Here’s the real deal.

1. Their food is cheap. Dimsum and dumplings  start from $1.80, while their noodles go from $3.00+. My recommendation is their har gao, siu mai, and pork buns for dumplings and dimsum, while egg noodle soup with wonton and pork bbq for noodles. If you wish to try something a little bit exotic, order a plate of steamed chicken feet which is cooked with soy sauce for long hours making its meat soft and savory. I bet you’ll like it

2. The place is cozy with huge comfy chairs and nice tables. They also have wi-fi now, so internet addict people like me can stay connected all throughout the time while eating the food.

3. They’re located right at the center of the city which makes traveling convenient. Since they’re very close to Phsar Thmey (Central Market), getting lost is not going to be a problem.

4. Service staff are not very good in English but at least they are pleasant to the customers.

5. Above all the facts I can think of, taste is very important. I’d say their food is really tasty and delicious – if not, there will be no second or third time for me and my family there.

Samdoo Restaurant

located at 56 Kampuchea Krom Blvd. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman are back and this time,they’re so much funnier!

Their quest to go back to New York hasn’t stopped and with the help of their monkey and penguin friends, their dream is already within their hands… not until… they met Madam DuBois, the notorious animal catcher of Europe!

Along the way home, Alex and his friends met the Zaragoza Circus animals that gave them a new perspective in life and in return Vitaly (the tiger), Gia (the cheetah), and Stefano (the sea lion) gained new confidence to make circus worthy to the public. It was so much fun watching the animals do the trapeze Americano, dance to the tune of Fireworks by Katy Perry, and a lot, lot more! You’d better watch it better I spoil the the fun, hahaha

My children didn’t cease to laugh from the movie’s start till the end, it is definitely for every one who is young at heart. I love it and I enjoyed it!

Come and watch Madagascar 3 at Legend Cinema, regular screening will start from June 14 onwards

beautiful nails

Being vain these days is not only for the rich. Just by looking at how fast beauty salons have sprouted, many Cambodian girls and boys – take note of that – are into beautifying themselves. From big salons to the ordinary ones hair coloring, waxing, tattooing, and nail polishing are some of the services that they can offer with satisfaction guaranteed.

As a mom of two beautiful girls, having our nails done is our form of bonding at least twice every month. We always go to my favorite Vietnamese owned salon near my house, by the way I live near Wat Samkosal, and the girls who work there creates wonderful nail art. Last weekend, we went to the salon to have our nails done and since it’s Saturday, you can expect that it’s a full house of their patrons. We waited for an hour before we were attended. For my daughters, waiting means they can get to choose what color they want for their nails. However, this time they’re not only interested with the color but with the design too! OMG! My little princesses are really growing up so fast and vain too! LOL!

See how cute Aiken’s nails look after 30 minutes of sitting still on her chair. My 3 year old daughter really behaved well in order to have these lil’ Pac Man creatures painted on her  nails. You should have seen how big her smiles are while the lady does the job. She was really excited!

On the other hand, my 11 year old daughter Andrea chose Angry Birds for her toes and they just look really cute! Everyone at the salon took turns  to see their nail arts and the girls replied with politeness whenever someone gives them compliments.

And how about for moi? I settled on a simple black flower design on top of a glittered beige colored nail polish. It’s simple and yet so elegant looking. Love it!

So, how much did I spend? Make a guess, hahaha!

I spent only $10 for the mani, pedi, and nail art of our nails which is really cheap!

For those of you whose interested to try this around Phnom Penh, here’s a list of salons that you can go to :

Alpha Beauty Spa
Woman’s beauty spa and salon. Hair salon (full service – cut, style, color, highlights…), facials, scrubs, manicure, pedicure, massage (full body, back, face.)
Address: #C-17, Street Cheerfulness, City Plaza II, Russian Federation Blvd.

Tel: 089-890884/068-299572

Champei Spa & Salon

International boutique spa and hair salon. Traditional Khmer, herbal, aroma, Swedish and oil massage, reflexology and therapeutic massages. Facials, scrubs, spa, Jacuzzi, packages. Fully air-conditioned women and men’s hair salon offering hair treatments, manicure, pedicure and more.
1) #38, Street 57, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Tel: 023-222846
2) #07, Street 334, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Tel: 023-217774
Website: www.champeispa.net

Nailbar

The Nailbar is a training business run by students from Mith Samlanh’s Hair & Beauty training programme. Get your nails in shape or relax while having a massage in this hygienic environment with individually sterilized equipment. Located in Friends ’n’ Stuff, Street 13 50 meters from the entrance to the National Museum, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Open 7 days 11am – 9pm.
Website: www.friends-international.org

Oriental Princess Spa

Full service spa offering massage, reflexology, aroma and heat therapy, scrubs, Hair salon, facials, manicure, pedicure.
#54, Street 108, (Near Naga Bridge Wat Phnom), Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Tel: 012-397777/092-111119

Rococo Beauty Salon Spa & Massage

International standard spa, massage and beauty salon. Fully air-conditioned, comfortable, affordably priced. Khmer and Thai style massage. Aroma, oil and foot massage. Steam room and sauna. Scrubs and wraps. Full salon and barber. Manicure, pedicure. Make-up. Hair coloring.
#47, Strret 240 (Front of Vong Sak Clinic).

Tel: 077-773312/088-9995525
E-mail: lapheaspa@yahoo.com

Since I really love to eat – which is pretty obvious with my figure – I am going to add a new category in my blog that will showcase Phnom Penh’s cheap eats

For my very first post, let us have PRAHAT!

Food Name: PRAHAT

Price Range: 500-2,000 Riels

Prahat is a combination of different types of street foods like fish ball, crab meat, hotdog on stick, fried dumplings, and many more. It is one of the best things to eat when you’re damn hungry since prahats are very easy to cook and prepare.

Ordering a plate of prahat will come with another plate of side dishes that includes mint leaves, chili sauce, and sliced cucumber. This makes the eating more fun and at the same time healthy too!

So, where is the best place to eat prahat? The answer is EVERYWHERE! This type of food is normally sold in every corner of Phnom Penh and sometimes they come on a cart pulled by a motorcycle. When you get a chance to see one on the road, never hesitate to pull it off and buy some of these delights.

As per experience, I like eating prahats at the back of Russian Market at night. I just love how the place transforms from a motorcycle garage during daytime to a food hawker’s place at night. Many Khmer will go there for dinner as the prices are really cheap. So folks, nyam charan! (eat a lot in Khmer)

Every child in the world would know this as it’s the most famous quote of the evil queen in the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story. The evil queen that believes that to rule the world, you need to be young and pretty.

In the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, the story has been twisted quite far from the one that we have been accustomed. The Huntsman that was supposed to be Snow White’s slayer became her mentor and protector to defeat the Evil Queen.

In the battle of Good vs Evil, where evil never reigns – Snow White met many friends along the way to vanquish the Queen. The mighty dwarfs came to help her and so the whole of the Duke’s army. Together they fought Evil Ravenna until she met her death in the hands of Snow White. In the end, the fair princess became the kingdom’s queen, where love and peace ruled all over the lands.

Starring Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen, Kristen Stewart as Snow White, and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, this movie is guaranteed to give you love, excitement, and action packed scenes from beginning till the end. Snow White and the Huntsman is showing in Legend Cinema at City Mall on 7 June 2012. So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets now for advance reservation to watch the movie. I am telling you, it’s two thumps up and I know you will love it just like what I did

Last Monday, my husband and I indulged ourselves in a delightful dinner treat at the newly opened Samba restaurant in Phnom Penh. Samba is known for their Brazilian steaks grilled over hot coals, serving a la carte and buffet. With my husband’s description about the place and their foods, I didn’t think twice on going out with him. I’m going to be  a no brainer if I put this on hold.

So, here’s what I can say about my Samba experience

1. The place is cozy with the two floors prepped for diners. As you enter the restaurant, you will be greeted warmly by the staffs and will be asked if you made a reservation or not. Luckily we did, for it was jam-packed afterwards. If you called for a reservation, you’ll be forwarded immediately to your table.

2. Upstairs, a large center table displays a wide array of salads, cheese, soups, breads, appetizers, and desserts. I am highly recommending their potato salad and lettuce salad as they really taste  good. My daughter Aiken loves their cheeses and ham from the cold cuts.

3. Once you’re seated, one of the managers will come and explain how to order food. You will be given a coin with different colors on each side. One is green for go and the other is red for stop. So what is this for? When you tip the coin in green, this will signal the roaming chefs that you want to eat more food. Once it’s turned down to red, it means you’re not ready yet for the next serving or simply you’re already full.

4. There are two chefs going around the resto handling different types of meats all the time. Chef Daniel and Chef Peter take turns in serving each diner with delightful choices of roasted beef, pork ribs, marinated chicken wings, prawns, lamb, and their homemade sausages. Speaking of sausage, the ones they serve is to die for! I have eaten like 5 of them and they’re really delicious!

5. Buffet price is reasonable too. For $25++/pax, you’ll be guaranteed full satisfaction with the food they serve. In case you want to order from their menu, their price range is from $25-up.  My husband and I were in food coma when we finished eating, none of us were able to stood up right away and say goodbye to our plates, haha

Summing up, I had a wonderful Samba experience and it’s for you to try it too!

Samba Brazilian Steakhouse is located near the Independence Monument on Sihanouk Blvd. just beside Ngon Restaurant

Surely blogging pays off!

The best things in life are surely the ones that are FREE!

Oh yes, I truly believe on this saying and as a proof, look at the premier tickets I have gotten for the month of June. I am all packed to watch Snow White and the Huntsman tonight at 6:30PM, Madagascar III on June 12, and Prometheus on the June 19

For those who are intrigued why I have this kind of privilege, let me tell you a brief history about it. Almost a year ago, Legend Cinema in City Mall opened to the public,  showing English movies that caters from all ages and all genres. I then blogged about my very first experience with them when I watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon with my husband. You can find my article here and the next thing I did is post it on Legend Cinema‘s Facebook wall. Little did I know that as part of their promotional period, they are giving bloggers – like me – a chance to write about their experience while watching movies at the cinema in return of free premier tickets. How fantastic is that! Soon, I was contacted by Hannee, wife of Micheal Tan, Director of Legend Cinema, saying that I am their very first blogger to write about their cinema. COOOOOOOL!!!

Oh well, I guess you know what happened next in my story. From then on, I was able to watch every single movie that they show on screen. And the best part of it, I have expanded my friends by meeting many of the people behind the cinema. It is truly a great honor to be a part of their list and many thanks to you guys!