Hang pictures.  They don’t necessarily have to be a pricey Rembrandt.  Choose fairly cheap pictures which reflect your personality.  A mirror is also a good thing to hang.  Try to position it so it reflects a nice view.  You can also hang some funny shirts on the wall, if you feel like it.

Bring in plants.  They never fail to refresh a room.  If you fail miserably at gardening, you can get plastic plants instead.  

Add pillows.  These can jazz up a room in an instant.  Throw in a few pillows on a plain-colored sofa and you’ve got a more lively room.  You can change the pillow cases to suit the mood you’re in.

Don’t be confined by rules.  Let your creativity loose.  Use whatever materials you have handy to decorate your living space.

If you find yourself alone on this day, it’s hardly the time to wallow in despair. There are a million and one things you can do to have fun on this day.

Gather a few of your friends together for a night- or afternoon- of bonding at your place. Bring whatever type of food you like, throw in some drinks, and you’re good to go. Start polishing those canon cameras and capture the fun of the moment. If you’re pressed for time, you can instead have a quick lunch with your friends at a quaint restaurant.

If your hubby is away, and it’s just you and the kids together on Valentine’s Day, you can devote an entire day to them. If you’re strapped for cash, you can simply hang out at home with a few DVDs and board games. If you feel like going out, you can hit the local science museum or art gallery and introduce your kids to an “anti-mall” kind of adventure.

Let your imagination roam. You can surely come up with more ideas to spend time with your loved ones. Valentine’s Day is all about love, anyway.

From the title alone, it seems pretty obvious that I’m stuck in a time warp, singing to a song by Extreme.  Although the song may sound real cheesy and bring back memories of a past you wish to forget, you have to admit that the song title does hold a grain of truth.

Valentine’s day is only a few months away, and this would be a good time as ever to start thinking of what present to get the one we love.  If you’re tired of the usual gamut of valentine’s day gifts, you can always go a different route.

Flowers and chocolates speak of love, there’s no arguing with that. But if you want to stand out from the crowd, why don’t you give your significant other one of those irrsesistible cakes for valentine’s day?  Who can possibly say no to a decadent slice of chocolate cake, specially designed for valentine’s day?

Whatever you decide to give your love on this special day, he or she is sure to be swept away- with possibly a few chocolate stains on his or her shirt…

While finding the perfect one for yourself is very crucial, anyone would agree that a journal should reflect the personality of an individual and the ideals he believes in.

Showcasing the brand’s commitment to socially relevant endeavors, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s 2012 Giving Journal is a celebration of a giving effort that has changed the lives of many Filipinos.

“This year, our journal focuses on celebrating our strong support and encouragement of the spirit of volunteerism,” shares Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. “It’s about celebrating the organizations we’re collaborating with and our team members who worked very hard to make all our efforts such a success. But most importantly, it’s about celebrating our customers whose continuous patronage inspires us to continue to do well and give back to people who are in need.”

A percentage of the total sales generated from the 2012 Give in to Giving campaign will be donated to the Real Life Foundation- an organization that is very passionate about providing better future to underprivileged Filipinos by giving them access to education and transforming communities through social services including life coaching.

“Last year, we were able to send eight scholars to college. This year, our hope and goal is to beat this number and give education to more scholars,” ends Chu .

 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf continuous to create opportunities for customers to share their blessings and to celebrate the joy of doing so with others.

Giving everyone a different reason to Give in to Giving throughout the year, each month of the Giving Journal is dedicated to sharing the stories of different organizations and customers’ experiences.

Practical, useful and exceptionally handy, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s Giving Journal is filled with spacious pages that are ideal for taking down every important event that will happen in the next year.

Mechanics:

1. A minimum single-receipt purchase of any Original Ice Blended, Coffee-based, or Tea-based Beverage, or Frozen Swirl, qualifies you to get a stamp card. Each card consists of 18 boxes, with corresponding drink assignments. These are as follows:

a. 1 Original Ice Blended (any flavor, regular or large)

b. 1 Tea Latte (any flavor, regular or large)

c. 1 Red Velvet Hot Cocoa or Red Velvet Ice Blended (regular or large)

d. Any 15 Regular or Large Original Ice Blended, Coffee-based or Tea-based

Beverages, or Frozen Swirl

2. Each purchase of a The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf product with a corresponding box on the card entitles the bearer to a stamp.

3. Once all the 18 boxes have been stamped, the bearer can claim his The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 2012 Giving Journal by surrendering the accomplished card to any of our stores, during which, the cashier will punch a hole in the card to prevent reuse.

4. Promo period is from November 7, 2011 to January 31, 2012.

5. Giving Journals may be claimed all throughout the promo period and until 60 days after the promo has ended.

Celebrate Christmas more meaningfully by symbolically adopting a WWF Panda or Dolphin stuffed toy for P3000. By making them part of your home, you can help us drive the message that we are all connected and that these species need to be protected.

Each adoption kit contains a Limited Edition WWF Panda or Dolphin stuffed toy, a WWF Adoption Certificate, and a WWF Species Information Card.

WWF’s Adoption Program, with Individual Donor Program Manager Mayj Tolentino on the front line, is part of the organization’s efforts to engage the public into taking a more active role on species conservation.

“With your one-time donation of P3000 to WWF’s Adoption Program, you can help protect and raise awareness on these endangered animals and the importance of protecting their homes,” says Tolentino.

Funds raised for the Adoption Program will help WWF-Philippines in building a brighter future for endangered species and habitats in our country.

The first 500 donors will have their adoption kits delivered to them for free. This venture is in cooperation with 2GO, WWF’s official logistics partner for the Adoption Program. For donation and delivery inquiries, visit Facebook.com/WWF.Philippines or email adopt@wwf.org.ph.

About the Species

Pandas

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is now only found in the mountain ranges of China. It usually roams around bamboo forests but mothers will stay in caves or hollow trees when giving birth. With its shy nature and cuddly looks, the charismatic panda is one of the most popular animals in the world.

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most endangered. Through WWF’s conservation work, the giant panda population has risen to 1600 – 40% higher than previous estimates. With your symbolic adoption, you’re helping WWF highlight the importance of saving endangered species around the world.

Dolphins

Dolphins are mammals, not fish, and are believed to be among the most intelligent of all animals. Their search for food is aided by echolocation, producing clicking sounds then receiving and interpreting the returning echoes. Malampaya Sound in Palawan hosts the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), now only around 42 in number. In 2011, about five Irrawaddy dolphins were accidentally killed in fishing operations. With your symbolic adoption, you’re helping WWF ensure the long-term protection of these intelligent and inquisitive creatures.

On behalf of the giant pandas, dolphins, and all the wildlife on the planet, thank you for your support! (30)

 For more information, please contact:

Mayj Tolentino

Individual Donor Program Manager, WWF-Philippines

mtolentino@wwf.org.ph

Sophia Dedace

Communications Officer, WWF-Philippines

sdedace@wwf.org.ph