Meiji Amino Collagen and Otsuka Collagen Jelly C (Product Review)

I wasn't paid in doing this review. I just have the privilege of having a co-parent at my children's school who uses and sells authentic Japan beauty goodies and I managed to personally try some. I have heard so much of these Japan whitening, skin-firming, collagen, placenta and a lot more few years back but wasn't convinced. So when I met this seller who is now a friend (because I now became a fan, hehe), I asked her so many questions and (honestly) asked for recommendations since she's been taking beauty supplements from Japan for many years now. I even searched on the internet for reviews and articles that tell and sort out details about these Japan-raved skin and beauty goodies. I had a hard time looking for reliable resources because what I want to read was a review coming from a user of a product and not just because they were paid to do it or they were recently given samples to test and try to support a ''positive review''. I want a review coming from an actual user of a certain product I'm looking for and maybe a long time user's testimonial would be much much better.

Allow me first to give an introduction about my skin condition. I have a very sensitive skin prone to blackheads and whiteheads and pimples. I got large facial pores which I got from my father's side though my fair complexion was said to be from my mother's. Pimples started to appear on my face at the age of 13 when I had my first menstrual period and continued until my first pregnancy and giving birth to my twin boys year 2005; but recurred after conceiving my daughter. Since then my adventure in looking for a great product to ease my skin problems began. I don't use make-up. I only have pressed powder and a lip gloss or lip balm including a mirror and comb in my (kikay) kit plus alcohol, hand soap, mint rub for insect bites and a liniment oil (talk about being a Mama). 

I really don't care if my face looks pale and without colors, what's important to me is a clean face! For more than five years (my daughter's now aged 7) my skin condition had been my dilemma. External products: cleanser, toners and creams didn't and maybe really won't work for me at all! What made it more complicated, we transferred from Davao City after living there for more than two years as a family (my husband had lived there longer for more than five years since he studied at Ateneo de Davao University College of Law) to Polomolok, South Cotabato and lived there for more than three years then later on moved to its nearby city General Santos. Thus, causing so much plight on my skin - a change in weather and water adding the pollution and humidity of the surrounding. Those years were really a nightmare to my face - hands up I'd say!

Now, here comes my review. Enter now the dragon. My ''beauty counsel'' recommended the very famous Meiji Amino Collagen. She said if it will work for me then the rest of its kind will follow. I noticed on the first three days after mixing a scoop of the collagen powder to my drinks (coffee, Milo) and even yogurt anytime of the day (at least once a day) the skin on my face near my nose got firm and lifted. My facial pores got smaller and the blemishes becoming lighter. Blackheads and whiteheads - GONE! The skin on my arms, hands and legs got tighter and firmer too. It didn't make me whiter but it did make my skin toned, supple and smooth. I also noticed my hair don't have split ends anymore in a week's time! When my menstruation arrived, my back and abdomen cramps lessened. My teeth that were slightly yellowish became lighter in shade. The powder is tasteless but has a fishy smell but when mixed into Milo, yogurt our soup the smell can't be traced. Meiji Amino Collagen is my collagen supplement until now and it's working well for me. The downside is that my face looks full or should I say I now have chubby cheeks. I might try another collagen that would do the wonders of Meiji yet won't as if add a kilogram to my facial flesh. (*sigh*) No, it won't make you fat, maybe because of the toning and lifting effect of the collagen that's why my face enjoyed it's back to youthful glow as promised by Meiji. (*another sigh*)

Enter the second dragon. I wanted my husband to take collagen too. His skin condition is much worse than mine (more pimples on his back, neck, shoulder and arms) but he disliked the thought of mixing the collagen powder in his coffee and surprisingly his nose could smell the fishy-fishy thing so I sought for help from my counsel and there she was to the rescue with the Otsuka Collagen Jelly C in a box (31 single strips in sachets good for 31 days). With prayers, I let my husband tried one and to my joy he gave an approval. Like Meiji, it tightens the pores on his face and gives him a glow, his complexion is becoming even too. It doesn't make him chubby but it knocks him to sleep after minutes of ingestion which I dislike. But if we are travelling, I replace my Meiji with Otsuka since its single-packed jellies are easy to carry everywhere (minus the can and the scoop) and convenient to consume (without making any drink). My father, brothers and my aunt are also eating Otsuka Collagen because of my recommendation and it is working well for them for two months now. 

There are other collagen brands too like Orihiro, BB, Lotte, Shiseido, Asahi and more but I'm sticking to Meiji and Otsuka for the meantime. I have Orihiro collagen in stock, I might be trying it after my Meiji packs run out. 

For authentic Japan beauty loots and finds visit Kanna Japan Beauty Shoppe in Facebook (Ms. Tin). You can also find the legit shop in Lazada Philippines. Ms. Tin sources her items for sale directly from Japan, she goes to Japan almost every month just to get ''beauty produce'' fresh!

My Salad Dressing

Squeeze out the juice of a medium lemon into a bowl. Add three tablespoons of honey (depends on your taste). If honey is not available, white sugar will do. Add a dash of black ground pepper and 1 teaspoon of extra  virgin olive oil. Mix well.

The honey I use at home for cooking and other dishes or just to sweeten pancakes and breads is guaranteed pure harvested from a beehive found in a forest in the province of Sarangani.

The singakamas I bought from Barangay Saravia in Koronadal, South Cotabato at 80 Php per bundle of string (had 12 pieces medium sized) and the iceberg lettuce I bought from the vegetable stalls in Bukidnon at 30Php per kilo became a good combo. This was my breakfast then this morning. My husband and kids ate with me too.

Apareja's Buko Halo-Halo in South Cotabato

It's one of our favorite stops whenever we wind down along the road. Located at Barangay Saravia, Koronadal (Marbel), South Cotabato; 5-10 minute drive from the city proper of Koronadal or 45 minutes to one hour from General Santos City (plus the traffic and speed limit) is where this very famous buko halo-halo of Apareja can be found.

They just cut a portion of the top of a young buko to make a bowl good enough to hold a serving, the young coconut meat intact and spoonfulls of minatamis na saging (boiled banana in sugar/glucose syrup), candied chewy jackfruit meat, dices of boiled sweet potatoes, a scoop of ice cream topped with leche flan, some nata de coco and kaong sprinkled with corn flakes and garnished with additional grated young coconut meat - ah is love love love love! There's not too much ice. I think they only place half a cup of crushed ice. So what you will be eating isn't the ice but the goodness treat inside the green coconut! Now this is the true halo-halo and not just ice!

Last year, per serving costed 65 Php but as of today or I don't know when did they start hiking its price, it's now 80 Php per serving.

I'm talking about real halo-halo here. Again, not ice! This I highly recommend a must try! Only in South  Cotabato! Only in Mindanao! ^*,

Aside from this buko halo-halo, Barangay Saravia has more to offer. On the sides of its road you can find stores selling singkamas, suka pinakurat, suka tuba, snacks, sweet potatoes, bananas and other farm produce.

It's always fun in South Cotabato!

Kouziena 9505 (kitchen & drinks) REVIEW

My husband requested me to accompany him to Koronadal, South Cotabato to meet his partner in their office. I was supposed to stay at home to arrange our things. Three bags are still unpacked from our December travels. The kids volunteered to just stay at home and our stay-out househelp said she can extend her stay until our return in the aftrenoon so off we went.. I made sure before leaving them at home that my children's mobile phone is just within their reach so they can message or call me anytime and vice versa..

Along the road from General Santos, my husband was craving for the buko halo-halo at Apareja at Barangay Saravia, Korondal but when we entered the town of Tupi driving at 40kph speed limit, Rex suddenly turned right to an establishment and declared,"Ga, let's eat. I'm hungry." I was about to say, "We just had breakfast at home an hour before we left!" but he abruptly seconded, "Masarap dito!" Let the husband lead the way then!

The tarp hanging on the outside says Kouziena 9505 Kitchen & Drinks. According to my husband, he already ate here last October 2015 with his colleagues. I also learned they opened last year's September. I ordered boneless garlic chicken for me and fish balls sweet and sour for Rex. Also ordered green apple drinks and creamy mustard baby potato for the both of us. We were served first with their cream of mushroom soup for free and when the rice meals arrived, they came with fried baby potatoes. Anything with potatoes or has potatoes as long as there's potato Rex my husband finds it with great gusto. The dishes are good. It made me like potatoes more. On a scale of 1 to 10 ranking 10 as the yummiest I'd rate Kouziena 9505 an 8.5. And that's a meal for 380 Php for the two of us.

The ambiance of the place is not that appealing much to one's sight. Simple acacia tables and plastic black chairs. Just plain. Enough to give you a sense of comfort while enjoying your budget meal. Good place for roadtrippers, backpackers and students who like to eat cheap but hearty and could fill a tummy.

Will come back once more and try their other rice meals and to eat again their baby potatoes - a must-eat!

CopyRight: The Power of a Praying Wife (Stormie Omartian)

I've had this book for almost two years now but didn't get ample time to read the whole thing. I was a Bible student the time I had it and was engrossed in Bible references. This year, as I was rearranging my hoarded books, I felt the urge to put on top of my long table - Stormie Omartian's books: The Power of a Praying Parent, The Power of a Praying Husband and the Power of a Praying Wife. I had Omartian's The Power of Praying Through The Bible but I remember handing it over to a brother in Christ who just flew to Papua New Guinea for work. My better half started reading the Power of a Praying Husband last year and for the record he's already halfway through it. 

Now got my chance to read The Power of a Praying Wife, let me type/write and share in here the most profound points (I strongly believe) Stormie had said in this book. All she had written made sense to which I can relate to so well as a wife in this God-given life. I need not to give out my opinions in every areas of what she had written, explained and elaborated to even her own life's examples to her point of view for they are already equivalent to a complete menu. No need for ad-ons. So, for those who cannot find a copy in prints of this book, you may refer to this compilation I'll be posting here on my blog.

When I Became A Mom

I strongly believe that one of my life's greatest assignments here on earth is to be a mother. I never understood my mom well enough until I became one. My mom had to give up her teaching career the day she learned she's pregnant after more than a year of being married to my father. I am their first offspring and I've witnessed how my mom dotingly took care of me and my younger siblings. She's a hands-on-mom (up to now). She has symptoms of an OCD. Hehe. Got 50% of that 'disorder'. Haha. 

Now that I am raising my own kids, I preferred to stay at home most of the time except during the days my dear husband requests my presence to be with him when he's having out of town trips exceeding more than two days. (He can't sleep well the whole night without sniffing and touching his wife according to him.) I have a househelp at home who does the laundry, cooking and cleaning and I am the one who takes care of the necessary needs of my household. I always check their food, clothes, school calendar and so on. Reese, our 5-year old darling sometimes would tell me that she loves me more than his Dad because Dad doesn't like to buy her toys and Mommy buys her Play Doh sets every month to which I would always reply, "It's Daddy's money Mommy's using to buy you Play Doh." (wink)

It's been 8 years now since I became a mom and the task, the obligation, the responsibility and all that motherhood entails will never become too easy. When I was on my initial period, I almost gave up but by the help of God and through His grace I was able to survive those tiring and very doubting years. It was a havoc and a chaotic life for me since I was one of those teenage moms almost a decade ago. It was a battle because I was having a hard time balancing my own emotions, desires and self-ego adding to my little life these babies (they're twins) for me to feed and grow. It was a "whattalife" for me back then. But, really, God is too wise to be mistaken, God is too good to be unkind. Those trying times, I learned how to trust His plans and His heart for me. I never went on empty. 

It was when I became a mother that I appreciated life better. It was when I became a mother that I learned how to value life and all existence. It was when I became a mother - I have felt the kind of love which is almost unconditional and so heart-melting. The kind of love which would withstood even the greatest failures one can do, always forgiving and always gentle. Let me show how I feel through a song I dedicate to my children. I have three as of now, and we are expecting two more (if they will be twins) this year or maybe next year if God permits.

"Every Day I Love You"

Boyzone

I don't know, but I believe
That some things are meant to be
And that you'll make a better me
Everyday I love you
I never thought that dreams came true
But you showed me that they do
You know that I learn something new
Everyday I love you

'Cos I believe that destiny
Is out of our control (don't you know that I do)
And you'll never live until you love
With all your heart and soul.

It's a touch when I feel bad
It's a smile when I get mad
All the little things I am
Everyday I love you 

Everyday I love you more
Everyday I love you

'Cos I believe that destiny
Is out of our control (don't you know that I do)
And you'll never live until you love
With all your heart and soul

If I asked would you say yes?
Together we're the very best
I know that I am truly blessed
Everyday I love you
And I'll give you my best
Everyday I love you.

Mashfa's Top 10 Favorite Christian Songs

I was raised inside the portals of a church. I and my younger brothers were taught how to listen and to sing Christian songs. I on the vocals and acoustic guitar while my brothers can play the guitars, drums and piano, they could sing too. From English praise and worship songs to the Ilocano ones to Visayan - we've learned them all. When I was eight or nine years old I started to love Don Moen's songs up to this day. In fact, when he had a performance last November 2013 in General Santos City, I was able to sit, watch and even sang songs with him at the VIP rows. I also love the music of Darlene Zscech, Michael W. Smith, Steve Curtis Chapman, Kari Jobe, Mandissa, Ron Kenoly and a few more.

Here are my personal choices:

1. Say Goodbye, Mandissa

2. Steady My Heart, kari Jobe

3. When God Ran

4. God Will Make A Way, Don Moen

5. God is Able, Ron Kenoly

6. Kiss of Heaven, Darlene Zscech

7. I Will Be Here For You, Michael W. Smith

8. Search and Know, Garry Valenciano

9. Duyana Ako, Jerome Suson

10. Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow (my father's life song)

Facebook Stores I Love

After writing my reasons why I prefer buying online, I would also make a post of my trusted stores and sellers on Facebook. I personally give my rate of 9.5 out 10 for these stores because of their quality customer service and of course their products as well. I'd be listing them in random. No favorites because I equally love the people behind them. Heeheeee.

1. Thrifty Picks. She sells so pretty, vibrant, colorful, chiffon, printed, cotton, plain, quality and adorable vintage dresses. Her page uploads tons of them at least twice a week and it's always a race for her fans. I already met the seller of this precious Facebook store several times already and she's one of the prettiest ladies I know. She's soft-spoken and we shared some personal things in life through our meet-ups and online conversations. She even invited me on her wedding day (made me so flattered), sadly I wasn't able to see her in her wedding dress. She's blessed, indeed. She because Thrifty Picks of Davao City is no other than Ms. Anne.

2. Blusa Ni Juana. Plaids and plains? It's like opening your grandma's wooden chest and discovering that we too in this generation can still pull-off their sense of fashion decades ago. Long skirts and as the store's name bears it - blusa or blouse; blouses and tops that are hard to find nowadays not just because of the style but moreover because of its quality. No other than, Ms. Maricarr of Marikina. A seller I've known to be so bubbly during our conversations through chat. Haha. A seller who know's how to fight back - hehe. Straightforward but considerate.

3. Thrifty Pinay. Pre-loved branded clothing up for grabs from this shop. Selling dresses and bottoms, tops and cardigans. Based in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Ms. Anna caters fashion wants with brands at affordable prices fit for working ladies even moms. She was pregnant the first time I bought dresses from her. Now we're even because she's already a mom like me! Hehe. One of my constant 'likers' of my Facebook updates/posts. Hehe. A seller who listens to her customers and makes reminders gently. Hehe.

4. Cute Chesca's Closet. Named after her daughter, Ms. Lou of Cainta Rizal is selling delicious items like Taste N See's toasted pastillas, cookies n cream pastillas and caramel pastillas, red velvet crinkles with cream cheese filling, choco crinkles with choco ganache filling, silvanas, blondies and revel bars, Iloco's longganisa, sansrival and wait there's more - character Uratex beds and mom & daughter dresses/tops/bottoms. She has so many to offer and I love buying her sweets most especially the red velvet crinkles and toasted pastillas. One of the best sellers I know because she communicates well with her clients. A devoted mother to her cute Chesca.

5. Charle's Goodies. Ms. Lori of Ontario, Canada is selling lots of stuff from the place where she is now. She's a Filipino and has a boutique in Bangkal, Davao City managed by her smiling Mom. Her shop offers all kinds of children's wear - tops to bottoms to undies to footwear. She has some for adults too. She carries branded ones namely Osh Kosh, Place, Gap, Aeropostale and many more. I got from her my boxes of Corelle - at very low prices! Much lower than the sale prices we have in malls nationwide! Believe me you! Hehe. So so affordable. Plus, this seller is so considerate. Hehe. Her boutique in Davao City where I visited once serves as one of my inspirations in putting up my own, one day.

Online Buying/Shopping

I started selling online a few months after giving birth to my third child year 2009. I used Facebook and Sulit. By the following year I initiated buying simple stuff like clothing and shoes for myself. Months went by and I was already hooked! Selling, buying, selling, buying, buying, buying.. Hahaha! I usually buy my personal paraphernalia online, at least 60-70% of my clothes, shoes and bags. I even purchase some of our small kitchen appliances from an online shopping mall. Let me write in here three reasons why I kinda go for this shopping method instead of going to a physical store:

1. Convenience. I don't have to go outside the house, less the hours spent in taking a bath, dressing up and all which I sometimes dislike. There'd be days I'd jump into the car  hair uncombed. And there'd also be unlucky days when I can't locate my one and only pink Springmaid comb making our driver run to a nearest store to buy an alternative brush for my pitiful hair. So much for that hair, because I stay most of the time at home, in my husband's office and on the road, I do not have the luxury of staying inside a shopping center particularly if it'll be my personal things I'll be selecting. When online, when I see an item, I'll check, I'll ask for details from the seller or read the given info, if I like, then confirm. That's it. 

Okay. Wait. As many as the sellers and buyers flocking the world wide web today, I am fully aware that there are fakes, bogus and scams. I only transact with sellers whom I know and trust. I am a 'repeating' customer. I do not hop from one seller/shop to another. This also applies when I shop in a physical store. I am one of those who always carry a shoppers' loyalty card or whatever they call it. Hehe. 

2. Spending Less. When I shop online I do not have to bring a wallet or cash. And when I say I only have 1,000 php for today for buying a pair of sandals, a pair of trousers and a shirt, then I have to stick with it. It's because, I am the kind of woman who brings all of my belongings when I go out. Meaning, I have with me our ATM cards and my one-month's allowance plus the amount intended for food and house necessities. Honestly, I can't resist buying when I'm surrounded with so good things. I only think about an item twice. Ending, I'd be paying for unnecessary finds. I guess I should be thinking more than thrice - to a hundred. I do not have that kind of extended patience when shopping because the day would soon be over so what I see, I get. Unlike when I face my computer, browsing a thing to a thing, stuff to a different stuff to more, I'd have the time to compare and think, now this, more than twenty times. 

3. I Make Friends. True. Because I am a 'repeating' customer, the sellers become my virtual friends. I get to know them. Not only them but even their families, their spouses, kids, love life. Because when I transact with people, one of my interests is to make a connection, not just in terms of money or business but to make a bridge more on personal. Mostly, that makes me come back to that shop, to the seller,  because of the person.

Well, my online shopping mantra only applies when I buy things for myself as what I've written above. When it comes to my husband and our kiddos, I don't have a choice but to spend a day inside my favorite shopping mall, will make another post for it though.

Sumosam in General Santos City

I was famished after tagging myself along with my husband in his all day meetings and appointments with his clients. It went past 7 o'clock in the evening already and he's still talking to some heads inside Starbucks. Finally, after a few minutes they stood up from their seats and I saw him looking for his wife's face outside the cafe. I went out an hour before they finished and roamed around the SM Mall of GenSan City by the way. I immediately told him when he got near me that I'm terribly hungry and I needed something hot - a bowl of soup. There are several fine restaurants beside Starbucks and inside the mall, I headed to Sumosam and ordered two vegetable ramen (one for Rex and Kuya Sunny our family driver) at 298 Php each and one seafood ramen at 378 Php all in shoyu soup base. Theirs were filled with lots of greens and mongo sprouts while mine got luscious portions of squid, roasted seaweeds, shrimps, fish balls and tempura. I think the servings just compensated the prices. Hehe. 

Seafood Ramen

Vegetable Ramen

My PhilHealth Membership's Up-to-Date

The first month of the first quarter of  2014 is nearly at its end. I flipped over my notepad last night and was reminded of my Philhealth contribution for this year. Before, when I was employed, my employer(s) would automatically deduct 50% of my Philhealth's premium contribution from my gross salary every pay day and the other 50% would come from their end. The last BPO company I worked for was paying me 8,000 Php every 15 days amounting to 16,000 Php in  a month that required me to pay 375 Php monthly by Philhealth as my contribution. Now that I am no longer working, I still continue paying for my membership voluntarily categorized under the Individually Paying Program. Year 2012, it was amended that the 100 Php paid monthly by individually paying members will be doubled and would start by the following year and counting; but Philhealth also offered a payment scheme privilege that if an individually paying member could pay on or before August 2012 his/her whole 2013's contribution in one payment only then he/she will only pay 1,200 Php instead of 2,400 Php to which I availed. Come 2014, I have to pay 200 Php monthly for my contribution.

Paid 200 Php x 6 months for the first two quarters of 2014

I keep on paying for my Philhealth contribution because I can see that my membership benefits are essential not only for myself but for my household as well. Our youngest child was admitted last year due to UTI and because I am a meticulous mom when it comes to my kids' wellness and hospitalizations, I will always opt for a private hospital, an exclusive room, the best pediatrician in the city and branded medicines to be applied to my children. My husband and I would not take any risks at all when it comes to our little ones. We do not mind about the amount we have to shell out when health and recovery is a must. Our hospital bill for three days at General Santos Doctor's Hospital amounted to 16, 000 Php + 7, 500 Php for the Doctor's Professional Fee. We only paid 4, 000 Php out of the whole bill. Aside from my Philhealth membership, my husband had his paid for by the school where he is teaching but we requested  to have it cut-off. Philhealth does not allow double membership since my husband is already one of my beneficiaries. What he is focusing to is his SunLife insurance and his SSS contributions.

For more of Philhealth's programs and details, you may visit them online at http://www.philhealth.gov.ph.

Good thing here is, the bank where we have our deposits is accepting Philhealth payments. I need not to wait for long hours inside the PhilHealth office in General Santos City which is always bursting with people.

Korea's Best Foods in Davao

The only remembrance I had in my thoughts from Korean people is their kimchi. We used to have batches of these tiny-eyed and porcelain-skinned visitors when I was in my grade school years. My father is a minister and we have different kinds of foreigners for mission field trips arriving in the church, those times we were living in a pastoral house (parsonage) so we got numbers of them all throughout. Particularly with our Korean visitors, when they're in the house, we always had kimchi on the table. I wasn't able to eat it when I was kid but when I married Rex, and I started to roam the supermarkets all by myself, I got a hold of a jar of kimchi. It then started my gusto for these chinese pechay soaked in chili powder. I also have an elder friend who makes kimchi that's too yummy for me - it means her kimchi is not overrated with spiciness. Tamang-tama lang ang anghang. Pang pinoy ang level ng anghang.

I've heard Davao City hosts a lot of Asian restaurants. I've already tried Chinese and Japanese cuisine but they're not for me, not for my low-class taste buds. I'm not a foodie but there'd be times I need justice for what I pay. (laugh) Kelangan kong mabusog. Last December, my sister-in-law and his husband brought us to Gomone, a Korean restaurant owned and managed by an authentic Korean (as I say so). I liked their samgyeopsal and most of all their ice-cold coffee! I even asked for a second round. Sure it's a 100% Korean food experience but the dishes were all super-maanghang! I needed to drink a lot of water and stuff more rice inside my mouth to contain my self from firing from the inside! (laugh) The servings were superb though. I also liked the dish that has rice noodles. I wasn't into knowing the names of what they were serving on our table because I was too busy soothing my tongue. Hehe. Maybe I'll give myself another try anytime this year to see if I can fight a good fight of spice.(wink again)

Last weekend, we ate at Manna Korean Restaurant. And here, I'd say I have eaten a lot. Still, I'm in love with their samgyeopsal, they have red lettuce and first time I tried bibimpab. We also had mandoo and kimbap. What I also like about these Korean restaurants we've been to is that their side dishes or appetizers can already feed one - and they are for free!

Side dishes at Manna

samgyeopsal

Here's a few trivia I got while waiting for my dinner at Manna:

Tea in Starbucks is Love!

I was with my husband in SM Lanang Premiere a couple of days ago before his flight to Manila. Since it was too early to go to the airport, I suggested we go to Krispy Kreme to have some donuts and coffee. We only have J.Co in General Santos City by the way. Hehe. Only Americano & Brewed coffee were available at the counter when I ordered and my stomach couldn't tolerate those kinds. After ordering coffee and pull apart muffins for Rex and Kuya Sunny (our driver), I headed upstairs planning to buy latte or cappuccino from Starbucks which is located at the mall's second level . And hey, I saw their new menu of tea drinks! I think it's been three months already since I visited Starbucks in SM Gensan that's why I was misinformed. Hehe. I asked the attendant if what's their best tea drink. She said its their Chamomile Latte. I ordered the venti size and asked for some sweetener to which she gave me two tiny foils of honey. Believe me you, Starbucks Chamomile Tea Latte is one of the finest tea I've ever had in my whole life! (exaggeration applied) My husband and I are tea drinkers and we adore chamomile so much because of its soothing and calming effects in every part of our body. The serving is too generous because the bar girl placed two large bags of their Starbucks Chamomile Tea (exclusive huh) inside my tall cup for take out.