The Girl Behind the Pen

Apart from great food, what makes a dining experience oh-so-perfect is a kick ass view! Wyndell's Al Fresco in Tanay, Rizal gives you just that. 

Before you enter this Tanay restaurant's premises, you will be welcomed by a quaint cafe with a rooftop dining area. If you're coming from a long descent and you just want to take a quick break, there you can sip a hot coffee while enjoying the cool breeze of Tanay.

Wyndell's Al Fresco is not like any other restaurants in Tanay you'd see because it's separated into three sections: cafe, samgyupsal area, and the main dining area. So upon entering the restaurant, you'd see a rustic dining area on your left perfect for a romantic date. Just a few steps down and you'll see their samgyupsal area. But if you want to enjoy a full-blown Wyndell's experience, take the best spot in the main dining area with mountains and trees as your backdrop. Trust me when I say the view is overwhelmingly beautiful, especially during sunset. If you arrive around 5pm, the sun will touch your skin, giving you an instant glow or a warm filter for a photo op. 

This al fresco dining in Tanay, Rizal offers a wide variety of dishes, catering to those who are always on-the-go, Korean BBQ lovers, and for special celebrations. As for us, we tried some of their sandwiches, pasta, and a pizza. 

Philly Cheesestake (PHP 280)

Not the usual Philly Cheesesteak sandwich that will have you give up at 3rd bite. It's good!

BBQ Burger (PHP 350)

It's small but filling. I loved how the sweet and spicy barbecue sauce matches the sourness of the tomatoes and the double quarter pounder patties that taste just right (not too bland, not too salty).

Gamberi Aglia e Olio Pappardelle (PHP 350)

I never thought I'd like an oil-based pasta at first try! 

Basil Honey Pepperoni Pizza (PHP 350)

For the pizza, I think I expected too much though. I like the consistency but it's too sweet for a pizza, for me.

Although it's a bit pricier than other Tanay, Rizal restaurants, overall, I'm completely satisfied with my dining experience at Wyndell's Al Fresco Tanay. I'll be coming back to try their breakfast menu. Hopefully soon!

If you've ever been here or just planning to visit, let me know in the comment box below your thoughts! :)

Wyndell's Al Fresco

When you are struggling with a pile of credit card debts, car loans, medical bills, or student loans, getting out of debt isn’t that easy. The longer you let it sit, the bigger your debts grow which could make you unable to control it. If you own a small business or are an individual trying to start a business, having people who owe you money can put a serious dent in your finances. There are efficient solutions for tracing debtors that you can utilize in the form of private investigation services, that can assist you in regaining outstanding debts owed to you by others, in order to reduce your own debts. Remember to do your research in these circumstances, and hopefully, you will be able to get back the money you are owed.

On the other hand, the good thing is, there are many ways to get out of debt that will not make you any more miserable—one of those is debt consolidation. This kind of financial strategy will help you decrease it until you’re free from debts.

What is Debt Consolidation?

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According to Debt.org, debt consolidation is a sensible financial strategy for consumers who are stuck with credit card debt. It can be done with or without a loan. It merges multiple bills into a single debt that is paid off with a consolidation loan or a debt management plan. 

In short, debt consolidation cuts costs by lowering the interest rate on debts and reducing monthly payments. But let me be clear here, debt consolidation does not mean debt elimination. 

This financial strategy reduces the interest rate on your debt and lowers monthly payments, and makes the payment process easier for consumers who are trying to keep up with multiple bills and multiple deadlines from multiple card companies every month.

How does Debt Consolidation work?

NerdWallet says that there are two primary ways to consolidate debt:

1. Get a 0% interest, balance-transfer credit card: With this strategy, you will transfer all your debts onto this card and pay the balance in full during the promotional period. For you to be qualified, you need good or excellent credit.

2. Get a fixed-rate debt consolidation loan: Through this strategy, you will use the money from the loan to pay off your existing debts, then pay back the debt consolidation loan in installments over a set period of time. You can qualify for a loan if you have bad or fair credit. However, borrowers with higher scores will likely qualify for the lowest rates.

Is Debt Consolidation worth it?

There’s no one fixed answer to this question as it actually depends on your needs and your capability of paying your debts. But here are the factors to consider before getting your debts consolidated according to the experts Dave Ramsey and NerdWallet:

• Your monthly debt payments don’t exceed 50% of your monthly gross income.

• Your credit is good enough to qualify for a 0% credit card or lower interest rate you currently have.

• You have a consistent cash flow that covers payments toward your debt.

• There’s no cost to consolidate.

• Your repayment period will not be longer than the one you have now. 

Struggling with debt can really take a toll on your financial, physical and mental health. The one rule of thumb is that, don’t borrow money if you know you can’t afford to pay it within the given term. 

For more details about debt consolidation, visit www.debtconsolidation.com.

Stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, with malls closed, few to no restaurants to dine in, and traveling still restricted, we are stuck at home and have been spending most of our time online whether it's for work or leisure stuff. 

The thing is, while we have more time to spend on other things at home, it gets pretty boring when you're doing much the same thing everyday. So to keep myself entertained (and sane) during the pandemic, I make sure to try different activities that are surely enjoyable. If you, too, are looking for ways to keep the boredom away, consider trying these activities:

1. Workout

During the pandemic, I told myself that I need to have an active lifestyle now that my commute hours to work have been gone for a while, I have more time to spend at home. So, I am working out at least four times a week not just to look fit but also to feel good about myself. I'm following a workout program from various YouTubers like Pamela Reif. If you're into pilates, there are widely available videos online as well, and to make your exercise complete, you can check out some pilates equipment on a site like https://pilatesmatters.com.

2. Binge Watch a Film or TV Series

Now that the cinemas or movie theaters are closed, we are left with the Internet to watch new movies or series. Go to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV to check out the new movie releases or binge watch Friends. But if you're living on a shoestring budget right now, here's how to watch TV for free. During this pandemic, I can't count on my fingers how many movies and series I've finished watching. I may not have the Dolby theater-like sound system at home but I certainly still enjoyed watching online. 

3. Try New Recipes

In the height of banana cake and ube cheese pandesal in the Philippines, I tried other recipes and one that stood out was the custaroon recipe. It is a combination of the macaroon (a mini pastry made of dessicated coconut) and custard. I'm not a professional baker. I didn't even imagine myself of exploring what magic the oven can do but I did it well, according to those who tasted my baked goods. To achievesomething great, you don't have to be good. You just have to start doing it. If you have no ide idea abot it, do it still and figure it ut along the way. 

4. Play Online Games

I'm not a gamer and playing online games wasn't really my thing. But when I did, it was hard to let go of my phone or the controller. Playing online games can really be a stress reliver. I tried various games from Nintendo Switch such as the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart, and Mario Tennis. I also saw plays.org, a website that lets you play free online games. What I liked about their games is that they feature various cartoon characters that will remind you of your childhood. I tried Powerpuff Girls Unordinary Week Beat-em-up Fighting Game and it was fun. This is a side-view beat them up fighting game where you play the Powerpuff Girls fighting through a week-long battle with each day being another level. The game becomes more challenging as you enter a new day or level. If you want to make the most of your time, you can also try games that pay real money so you can play while earning. 

Just because you're stuck at home does not mean you stop having fun. There are lots of ways to enjoy your days at home.

Have you been considering making St. Albert home? Tree-lined streets with exceptional communities provide St. Albert with that small-town feel. It is also home to low unemployment rates, excellent schools, and low crime rates.

If this isn’t enough reason to make you want to move here, here are a few more that will solidify why St. Albert is a great place to live.

Impressive Schools

Education is an important factor when it comes to choosing a home. Luckily, you will not have to worry about your children getting a poor education within the St. Albert area. With three school districts that offer a wide variety of learning programs and consistent high-ranking throughout the provinces in standardized testing, this is typically a top reason why others choose to move here.

Parks and Trails

For those who love the outdoors, there are more than 85 kilometers of trails running through St. Albert via the Red Willow Trail system. This system is connected to all of the city’s major parks and neighborhoods allowing you easy access from all different points of St. Albert.

You can also set up a picnic while children enjoy the playgrounds at one of the 112 parks and 77 playgrounds.

Thriving Businesses

Businesses thrive in St. Albert with local support and through the dedication of culture throughout the community. The downtown is always busy while locals enjoy the main independently owned and operated cafes, shops, and restaurants that the area has to offer.

Events and Festivals

The community ensures that there is always something to do in the area. From children’s festivals to rodeos and musical events, you can easily assume your weekend plans have plenty of options.

St. Albert also offers Western Canada’s largest farmers market that features over 250 vendors. People from far distances take the initiative to travel solely to stop by the farmers’ market to grab fresh and local produce while shopping around for other unique items.

Block Parties

As you may have noticed, the sense of community is an important factor in St. Albert. So much so that they host more than 150 neighborhood parties annually. These events typically involve getting together within your neighborhood, bringing tasty dishes to share while talking amongst new neighborhoods and longtime friends during the summer months.

With all of these wonderful opportunities and experiences at St. Albert, you’ll no longer question wanting to move here. Begin your search by viewing St. Albert real estate now to make St. Albert your new home.