Much has been debated about the movie versions of books and while I do not have any experience in screenplay writing and the movie industry, my best guess is that whoever is involved in the process did what needs to be done. They had to make certain adjustments in order to fit a different medium, different audiences. Let's face the fact that not everyone who reads watches movies and not everyone who watches movies read - so it's just fair that we judge either medium differently and not just trash the movie just because you think the book is better (vice versa).
Keeping that in mind, I do enjoy both watching movies and reading the novels and here are some of my recommendations for movies that are based on novels:
Gone Girl
If you have not watched this movie yet - why?! Gone Girl is based on a novel written by Gillian Flynn and is a story of a couple living what seemed to be the perfect suburban married life when the wife, Amy, goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary. Her husband Nick became the prime suspect for her possible murder and we are taken through the moments when they first met to the day that led to the day Amy went missing.
Both the movie and the book are beautifully cynical. The characterisation is so exquisite and the events are so well-written you'd almost think that the story is real.
If you're looking for a psychological thriller that is both chilling and logical, then do not miss out on this one.
Gone Girl is currently on Netflix and available on Youtube to rent for Php 150 or buy it for Php 490.
The Godfather (Trilogy)
The Godfather (written by Mario Puzo - all hail Mario Puzo) is about the Corleone Family, an American mafia. When the father (Don Vito Corleone) got shot, it awaken a rage inside his youngest son Michael Corleone who has tried so hard over the years to stay out of the family business. He became entangled in a cycle of violence and betrayal. Once he got in, he realised he was in deep and there was no turning back.
This is by far the best book to movie transition that I have ever seen...ever. There is only one The Godfather book but the movie has three parts. It's almost a mirrored version of the book. Everything about this is perfect. It may not be everyone's cup of coffee but it surely is something worth the watch.
Based from the popular classic novel by Jane Austen, Little Women is a semi-autobiographical style that tells the story of sisters Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they come of age and navigate their lives, their separate callings through poverty. It is also a great depiction of feminity in 1860s Massachusetts.
Considering this is a classic and does not have high levels of plot intensity, I suggest you take a little patience of it and watch the movie for the value of the characterisation and events. I must admit I have yet to read the book but the movie (especially the latest remake) on its own really holds high value and I highly recommend it to anyone. This is the kind of movie that I would want my future children to watch. Although this is about women, I think this would speak to all genders.
The 1994 remake of the Little Women is currently on Netflix and the 2019 remake as seen on the trailer above available on Youtube to rent for Php 210 or buy for Php 780.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears Prada is based on a novel written by Lauren Weisberger that is about an ambitious young woman named Andy who wanted to be a part of the high fashion world. She lands a job at a prestigious fashion magazine as assistant to a "tiger boss" and finds herself rapidly changing to fit in and survive. The job of her lifetime affects not only her self esteem but also her relationships.
I must admit I have not read the book, but I think the movie is one of the modern classics that you just cannot miss. It does not fall short of great acting and storyline and is very entertaining all throughout. Though not everyone is meant for the fashion world, I think this is still very relatable for a lot of people.
The Devil Wears Prada is available on Youtube to rent for Php 150 or buy it for Php 490.
I hope this list help give an idea of what you can watch next. And if you are looking for books to read as well, the novels that these movies are based on are also must-reads.
Have you seen or read any of the titles on this list? Share your experience below!
It's always a good time for some great local dishes and Chika-an gets it right. Chika-an is a local Cebuano restaurant and has been around for as long as I can remember. If you're looking for a place to have some great Cebuano and Filipino dishes in general, you might want to give this place a try if you have not already.
We went to their branch at Ayala Center Cebu and here are snippets of our experience.
They are located at the farther end of the mall and I think it's a great location because it's a lot more peaceful actually.
The place is very well-lit and has enough space in between tables. We went at a non-crowded hour but I don't think it will be very tight even during peak hours.
The service also deserves some recognition. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. We waited around 20 minutes for our food and drinks were served around 10 minutes before the food was served.
We ordered garlic rice, lechon kawali and Bistek Cebuano. We wanted to also try the desserts but they were unfortunately unavailable which was a bit of a bummer.
Their garlic rice tastes really good but the only problem with it was that it was a bit too oily. My boyfriend who usually does not mind oily food did not like how oily this was. Maybe if this is your preference you might still like it.
Other than that, the taste and saltiness of the rice was really great.
Their lechon kawali is something we highly recommend. It was not greasy and the taste was just right. I think this would only serve two or three (but that's really pushing it) well so families may want to order more than one.
A great pair for the lechon kawali would be their Bistek Cebuano. It may be a lot similar to Bistek Tagalog but this dish hits closer to home. This reminds me of the bistek my grandfather used to cook for us. The beef was tender and the flavours was just simple delectable.
If you're craving for bistek, this should be on your list.
Overall, we had a really great experience dining at Chika-an in Ayala Center Cebu. I know it's not one of those hole-in-the-wall type of restaurants but there's a good reason why it's been maintream for so long now. They continue to prove that they're definitely worth the visit.
If you want to watch the highlights and see the menu, check out this Instagram reel of our experience:
When my dog was still around five or six months old, he started chewing on almost everything he could get his eyes on - toys, slippers, wood, etcetera. He would also playfully bite relentlessly. More than the digestive problems that this behaviour was causing, I just knew I needed to correct this stage before it became permanent.
I knew for a fact that at that time, his actions were natural at his age. It was a stage that needed correction to avoid violence from becoming a part of his immediate response.
I am not a dog trainer but here's what I did to help him through this stage:
Correcting every single time he bit and chewed
I am lucky that I work from home so I got to really pay attention to his growth stages especially this one. Every single time he tried to bite and chew on things that are not his toys, I either corrected it by saying "no" (he learned to stop when hearing the word NO very early on) and/or redirecting his behaviour.
It was very important for me to be firm when saying "no" by not petting him or giving him any treat for an hour or so after he chewed.
Redirecting using toys
He had a couple favourite toys that I kept near me so that whenever he bit something else, I take him away from that object and offer one of his toys instead. I never offered anything that was mine or anything for humans.
There were a couple times when he rejected his toy because he wanted to chew on other things instead, but I was just persistent and kept putting the toy close to his mouth each time and rewarding him when he chose the toy.
I also avoided toys that resembled human objects.
Using dental treats
Every single day until he got over this stage I gave him Pedigree Dentastix for puppies to further "channel" his biting rage. He really loved this dental treat so it was a great help as well.
I know there are other owners who would choose to just leave the dog as it is thinking that it's just a stage that will eventually pass. However, I just did not want to leave this behaviour to chance. I did not want my dog growing up thinking that biting and chewing things other than his toys are okay.
If you have a little pupper, I hope this helps you too! Good luck.
Living in Cebu City is ideal because of the accessibility to almost all of the essentials and non-essentials alike. Yes, it comes with all the downsides of living in an urban area but I have learned to make my way around those.
I started relying primarily on deliveries when the pandemic hit the country. It was a lot more difficult at the start of the pandemic because supermarkets do not have this type of service back then. Now that grocery delivery has improved significantly, I have been and will continue to choose to have my groceries delivered.
Here's why
It is relatively cheaper than having to go back and forth the grocery shops.I do not have a car and commuting with a bunch of groceries is something I choose not to do so I have to take a cab. It saves me 50% of the total transportation costs and 100% of the stress from the traffic. If I choose to have my groceries delivered, I only have to pay for the delivery cost which is around Php 70 - Php 100 and the service charge that is around Php 70.
It is easier for me to compare prices. Compared to going personally to the shops, in the app I get to compare prices a lot easier and I get to see which ones I am just picking up on a whim and which ones I absolutely need. I also get to see the total price per shop so this does not become an element of surprise.
It is very convenient. Don't get me wrong, I really love grocery shopping but I live alone and I have so much more things I have to do at home that I voluntarily choose to leave the grocery shopping to someone else and all I have to do is wait for it to get delivered.
Here's how
In Cebu City, you get a number of options. The ones that I have tried are Metromart, Pandamart (and other shops at Foodpanda) and Grabmart.
Metromart is the top option for me. They have the most updated stocks for the big grocery shops here in Cebu City. They have Robinsons Supermarket, The Marketplace by Rustans, S&R, Shopwise, etc. They also have home and hardware shops as well as pet supplies shops in the app. I just wish that there is a GPS sort of tracking for the rider but other than that, it is a really great app for groceries. The app is best for those who are ordering larger quantities.
Grabmart is another great app for ordering. They have shops that Metromart does not have like Metro Supermarket and Gaisano Country Mall Banilad. They also have small (but still very good) shops. I prefer ordering smaller quantities in Grabmart and Foodpanda.
Pandamart and other shops are very similar to Grabmart. What I like most about the app is that very few shops have service charge and they offer great discounts. Delivery for Pandamart is only around 25 to 30 minutes which is the fastest out of all I mentioned today.
Here are some tips:
If you can, set your substitutions.Metromart offers the option to pre-select substitute products in case they are not available. For the other apps, you can do so by messaging the merchant once they start shopping. It is best to have a look at your other options and note them in the app or in another notepad so when the merchant messages you to confirm substitutions, you will be able to respond faster.
Check the expiry dates.As anyone should even when buying groceries personally. If the product you have is expired or it looks off, contact the customer service immediately and keep any documentation. Do not throw away receipt until after you've checked all your items.
Go for earlier delivery times.Ordering towards the end of the day will most likely delay your order and there is a higher chance that your items will be out of stock so it is always best to order and have your items delivered in the morning.
This is one of the sunscreens that the internet made me buy. Though I have a few favourites, I still like to try out new sunscreen brands especially the ones that are made for sensitive skin.
When I was in Canada, I picked up the Garnier Ombrelle Complete Sunscreen. It is relatively new so this may not be in the Philippines just yet. I got the 200mL bottle at Walmart for $18.98 plus tax.
The Garnier Ombrelle Complete sunscreen is a hypoallergenic lotion and is fragrance and colorant free. It has both UVA and UVB protection. It also claims to be absorbed fast by the skin. I will link the complete information here if you want to check it out.
I have heard good things about this lotion so I was so excited to pick it up but while it is good, I didn't really have the best with it.
What's Good?
It really is completely fragrance-free and is not irritating to the skin. I have pretty sensitive skin so I am very picky with sunscreen and for the months that I have used this constantly, my skin was never irritated. It is also not greasy nor is it sticky.
The product also leaves a matte finish but it is not in anyway drying. I have dry skin and I only apply sunscreen in the morning. This does not add any more hydration but it also does not dry out my skin more.
What's Not So Good?
The photo above shows the product's consistency. It looks pretty thick and moussey but it does get absorbed well and fast by the skin - only if you make sure you really work it in well. If not, you will find it balling up or you will find solidified white lotion on the areas where you applied it. It will also transfer on your clothes if you don't let it get absorbed completely.
This sunscreen is not for the lazy.
It also does not work really well with makeup. Even though I make sure to work it all into my skin, there are times when it balls up when I apply primer or foundation on top of it using a brush. Sometimes if it does not ball up, it leaves weird texture on some areas. I found that it is not easily moved when I apply my makeup with a sponge but I really wished it was more flexible than this.
And it does sting really painfully when you get it in your eyes.
Who would this be good for?
I still think this is an amazing sunscreen if you do not wear any makeup because it does leave a great matte finish. It would also work well for everyday use when you're not going out or you're just going to go workout. If you're someone who does more than just sunscreen in the morning (if you do all the shenanigans of a skincare routine), I don't think you will run into the same troubles that I constantly do.
It does take a little more work than other sunscreens, but if you're looking for a sunscreen that is not greasy and will not irritate your skin, you might want to give this a try.
