Hooked on Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)

It's been a while since I've last watched an anime series. I haven't really been concentrating on Bleach and Naruto that I've lost interest in them. One Piece, well, that I really haven't gotten to watch (I didn't like the animation, hehe!). So when my colleague recommended Attack on Titan (Jap. title: Shingeki no Kyojin), I thought that maybe I should watch it -- because I like animes with themes like dystopian/ alternate universe kinda thing.

Shingeki no Kyojin: TV series produced by Wit Studio

Attack on Titan is about the human race facing extinction with the arrival of titans devouring them not because of hunger but because of sheer pleasure/ instinct. The survivors then built concentric walls to protect themselves from the giants. After a century of peace, a Colossal Titan appeared and caused damage to the outermost wall, enabling the mindless titans to once again wreak havoc among humanity.

The story basically focuses on 3 childhood friends: Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert. After seeing his mother being eaten by a titan, Eren vows revenge against the giants by enlisting in the military. After graduating, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin suddenly find themselves face to face with their old nemesis: the titans. As the military try to fight them and save the walls, Eren becomes a central figure in the battle, in which he and the human race do not know if he is friend or foe.

Originally an ongoing manga series, Attack on Titan has been translated for the boob tube, currently with 23 episodes as of this writing. I'm already in the 13th episode (have quite a lot to catch up on) and it's keeping me glued to the screen. So far, the pace has been exciting, leaving you wanting for more when you get to the last few minutes of each episode. For sure, it's going to be something I'll be watching for the coming weeks.

Just to give you a heads-up: scenes can get pretty violent. The first episode alone already echoes Bambi and Land Before Time. If you've watched both movies, you'll get the common denominator among the three. Hehe!

Can't wait to get my hands on the next episodes. If you're a fan of apocalyptic-themed shows, you'll like Attack on Titan.

Starbucks Philippines introduces Ristretto Bianco and Salted Caramel Mocha

In its aim to further enhance the coffee drinking experience of Filipinos, Starbucks Philippines has recently released 2 beverages in the market.

First is the Ristretto Bianco, an espresso drink that's first sold in Starbucks' European branches. This rich and velvety espresso beverage is making its way into the Philippines, introducing a cup of full-bodied coffee shot with microfoamed whole milk.

Ristretto Bianco: a full-bodied espresso shot and microfoamed milk with a dot finish at the center.

The second beverage is a returning favorite: the Salted Caramel Mocha. Imagine espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce, toffee nut syrup, and whipped cream plus a buttery caramel sauce and a concoction of turbinado sugar and smoked sea salt. Sweet and salty, but perfect in the tongue. Enjoy it hot or iced, or as a frappuccino drink.

Salted Caramel Mocha. Sweet, salty, indulgent. Available in hot, iced, or frappuccino.

The Ristretto Bianco costs PHP145 for tall, PHP160 for grande, and PHP170 for venti. Salted Caramel is at PHP150 for tall, PHP165 for grande, and PHP175 for venti. Both are available at all Starbucks Philippines stores until November 1, 2013.

The Pinay is back

I know it's been a while--actually a very long while--since I've written anything in this blog. I've just been too busy doing a lot of stuff, on work and family and everything in between, that I haven't had the time to write about anything here.

Thankfully, I got to have a little downtime. In that moment, I checked my blogs (yes I have a couple of them) to see how they've been. And I got to thinking of reviving even just one of them. It would be such a shame if they just close down, after all the time I've invested in them.

So I went to this blog's settings, tweaked the look a bit (well, not really--the look is pretty much a far cry from before), and decided to breathe new life into this blog by posting. Yes, this Pinay is staging a comeback.

It doesn't mean new posts everyday, can't do that. But I'll make sure to post new things whenever I can--feedback on movies I've seen recently, food I've tasted, places I've been to, and all sorts of stuff. Just to keep it alive.

I intend to keep this blog alive. And hopefully, you, the reader, can support me on this. :)