Online club for chic & hip moms by Bounty Fresh Chicken

It was, as world renowned theater actress Lea Salonga aptly described it, one of the most well attended media events of the year. And coming from a person with that stature & credibility, this statement must really be true.

Truly it was a press event with the capital P. From top TV guns, ABS-CBN & GMA 7 to tabloids like Bandera & People's Tonight, the whole tri-media spectrum was well represented. As if these weren't enough, new and emergent media such as respected, popular bloggers and online journalists were also there like a swarm of ants.



I think this photo is proof that it was one of the most well attended media events of the year as
representatives from TV, radio, print and online media came in full force



So whats all the buzz about? It happens to be the launch of the Chic Moms Club website (www.chicmomsclub.com), an online club for hip & chic moms that dishes out informative articles, instructive household tips, recipes from the best chefs in the land, exclusive events, exciting promos, discounts and contests from the Bounty Fresh Chicken brand. 

The stage for the event

No less than the elegant and classy Salon De Ning in Manila Peninsula was the venue for this glitzy affair. The artsy interiors, memorabilia & cozy lounge concept, which I heard from numerous guests as itself a work of art, lends an air of sophistication to the launch.



Memorabilia adorn the walls of Salon De Ning



Ms. Salonga, Bounty Fresh Chicken’s top endorser and Issa Litton made the night glamorous and celebratory. Ms. Litton handled the hosting chores well while Ms. Salonga captivated the audience when she belted out in almost perfect fashion the classic song ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow” amidst dropped jaws and mesmerized silence.

Internationally-acclaimed & multi-awarded stage actress Lea Salonga,
Bounty Fresh Chicken's Brand Ambassador performed an excellent song number

Lea was mobbed by media & guests alike after the event. She explained in a nutshell the logic behind Chic Moms Club: ““I like reading. In between takes, during travels, I make do of the time surfing the net and reading interesting websites and one of those that I regularly visit is the Chic Moms club site. I feel it is constantly updated and it has interesting tidbits of information that is always relevant for moms like travel, home and health tips and such."

Event host Issa Litton and Bounty Fresh Chicken  Assistant Brand
Manager Kath Gomez were fashionable in red

Kathleen Gomez, Assistant Brand Manager of Bounty Fresh, donned in glamorous red, explains "this event is a celebration of all moms. We understand how moms are generally busy and we know that a one-stop venue such as the www.chicmomsclub.com website helps in their time management, while providing entertainment and information as well.”

Some of the interesting activities in the website include the 10 peso discount on Bounty Fresh chicken bought at Chooks-to-Go outlets, E-recipes from well-known chefs and exclusive invites to Bounty Fresh events.

Top chefs of the land graced the event

Renowned & respected chefs Bruce Lim, Sau Del Rosario, Melissa Sison and David Pardo de Ayala were also presented as endorsers of the brand.

Also highlighted was Bounty Fresh’s partnership with Rags to Riches (RIIR), a worthwhile project to support RIIR in helping conserve the environment while providing sources of income for the makers of RIIR bags.

Top guns led by Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. President Ronald Mascarinas,
Bounty Fresh Chicken's Group Marketing Manager Dondi Alentajan and Kath Gomez

Wrapping up the event, chic moms club members and the media went home with cool prizes while a lucky blogger, Jayson Biadog, snatched a brand new Samsung Galaxy tablet. Chic Moms Club has generated more than 20,000 members since its initial public introduction.

Tennyson Chen, president of Bounty Fresh Foods Inc. and the Philippines' Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 awardee (left) with moi!

This project is the brainchild of Bounty Fresh Chicken, a leading player in the dressed chicken and commercial poultry industry. The brand is synonymous with quality since it won numerous and prestigious awards both here and abroad. Its president and driving force, Tennyson Chen recently won as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2010 and competed recently in its worldwide version.

My biz partner Nico (left) and celebrity Chef Bruce Lim and moi again!

Visit their website at www.bountyfreshchicken.com, www.chicmomsclub.com and their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bounty-Fresh-Chicken/43041273378

By Paolo Angelo Florenda

A Spa Like No Other

The rains were quite strong on a busy Wednesday morning but it didn't stop us from going to long standing wellness haven Bioessence to conduct an interview & try out one of their newest massage services. Upon parking at their branch in West Avenue, QC, I noticed there was nothing special with their signboard. I presumed this could be another one of those mid-class spas I've been to.

I was met by a courteous & gracious staff named Chiez. I was a bit surprised that all of the staff from the massage therapists down to the janitress in the lobby warmly greeted me with welcoming smiles. It impressed me that the owner probably inculcates business-wide courteousness to all it's staff. Chiez offered me a tasty & aromatic complimentary tea while waiting for them to prepare the massage rooms for the pictorial. I'm used to bland, complimentary teas in spas which all tasted the same but this one is quite unique. While being toured in the second floor massage rooms, I was again surprised because all the staff who passed by greeted us with the same courteousness we experienced downstairs.

You see spas will always be spas whether it be massage and services offered. What separates the big boys from the kids lie in the excellent experience & customer service. I would say in all the spas I've been to, and mind you these are a lot, Bioessence gives a whole new meaning to these two key elements. And also the little details add up to the total experience.

The two hour massage called Banana Leaf was according to my partner & guinea pig Karen, very rejuvenating & one of a kind. It consists of a banana leaf being methodically rubbed on your back to remove the so-called 'lamig' or cold muscle knots.

Due to the extensiveness of the massage, we were late for our next meeting hehe...

Anyway, below are the visuals I've created for you dear readers. I believe that visual presentations are more apt for these kinds of review. I hope my article would give you a good option for your wellness and relaxation needs:

Karen, my Guinea Pig for the Banana Leaf massage, sipping her tea in the clean and elegantly designed massage rooms before the massage

The comfy, elegant and relaxing lounge of Bioessence

Bioessence Director for Sales & Marketing Yeng Francisco (left) and the amiable and accommodating Chiez, the spa's beauty consultant (right) with moi. 

Me appreciating the cleanliness of the comfort rooms. I'm no design expert but I personally admire the CR's simple elegance and style

Karen on the jacuzzi inside one of the VIP/executive rooms. She had minor bruises on her back after the banana leaf massage. I was a bit worried but the staff assured me these are normal aftereffects and not harmful

One of the generic massage rooms

One of the exercise gadgets

Karen being briefed by one of their beauty consultants before the treatment. Aside from spa services, Bioessence also offers slimming, skin and wellness services. While this was going on, celebrity singer Jessa Zaragosa & hubby Dingdong Avanzado came in for some treatments. Ms. Zaragosa is their endorser.

Elegant staircase

Karen at the counter

Different view of the elegantly designed waiting lounge

The VIP room

Nice presentation of the massage items

Sipping my Pinacolada

Bioessence has many branches in the metro and also in the provinces. It has been in the business for 15 years already according to Yeng Francisco, Bioessence director for sales & marketing.


This branch is located at 67 West Avenue, Quezon City. You can reach them at Tel: (02)415-0522 /374-6313 local 102. I highly recommend to personally look for Chiez for that special VIP treatment :)

By Paolo Angelo Florenda