The day of hearts is here again and this time, the love month has an extra day for you to express your love to the one who truly matters. You must be thinking about where to take her on a date, where to bring your husband for dinner, or where to spend lunch with your best buddy. I know where.

Melo’s is going give away Wagyu steak dinners to three (3) lucky winners who will like the Melo’s facebook page and will post their most love-filled photo along with a short explanation of what was happening when the photo was taken. You can post a photo or a video or your proposal to your wife, when you told your girlfriend/boyfriend that you love her/him, or when you made your parents cry tears of joy and told them you loved them so much. Anything that is love-filled and touching, please do share it with us. Here are the rules:

1. Like the Melo’s Facebook page.
2. Post a photo or video of your most love-filled moment. It can be about your proposal to someone, profession of love to anyone dear to you (GF/BF/Family/Friend), a tear-jerking moment that made your significant other/family/friend cry tears of joy.
3. Include a short explanation. If you don’t explain it, we can’t enjoy the moment with you and we can’t include it in the contest.
4. Do NOT post: naked, scandalous videos or photos, anything of a sexual nature and related content which can be distasteful to the readers. Remember: It’s all about love so nothing risqué please.

Winners will be announced near the end of the love month, well enough for you and your loved one to enjoy a Wagyu Steak dinner at Melo’s Westgate in Alabang. Scan that old photo now and join! You might be the next lucky winner.

It’s Christmas time once again and Melo’s is going to give a Christmas Wagu dinner to three (3) lucky Melo’s FB likers. Their companions get a free Wagyu ribeye dinner. A wonderful Christmas treat and it is so easy to win.

First things first, the prize.

A Christmas Wagyu Dinner for the winner and a Wagyu Ribeye Dinner for the winner’s companion.

Next, how to win it.

1. Like the Melo’s Facebook page.
2. Upload a picture of you during your HAPPIEST CHRISTMAS MOMENT.
3. Put in a short description for good measure. The best picture with the best description wins!

It’s really easy! Now, the dates to remember.

• Last day for joining – Dec 20, 2011
• Announcement of winners – Dec 24, 2011

So start liking the page and upload your photos now! Only one entry per facebook fan is allowed. For multiple entries wewill only consider the first upload as your entry. Prizes will be valid only at the Melo’s Westgate branch.

See the Melo’s facebook page now!

I personally begin my day with a McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin with orange juice and Hash Browns. Even when I’m driving to work, traffic is more bearable with a McMuffin in one hand and Hash Brown on the other. My cellphone? I tend to put things off until I get to the office, but not breakfast. It still is the most important meal of the day.

Here’s a great opportunity for you to have your McDonald’s breakfast on us! You need only to do something like this.

Your picture holding your favorite McDonald’s breakfast item and your mantra for the day. Best to send a digital version of your inspiration poster so can have Ronald McDonald take a good and clear look as soon as you’re done with it. See the commercial so you’ll have a better idea.

Remember, five (5) lucky poster makers will be the lucky winners who will have their great McDonald’s breakfast great day starters for free!

Got questions? Leave a comment. Got an entry? Leave an image link in the comments page so we can all see your creation! Or you can email it to me arpee@arpeelazaro.com if you’re the shy type. Tweeting or posting this contest in your facebook gets extra points!

Food is an adventure on its own. It is the amalgam of a country’s culture, language and history. Filipino is so steeped in history that in a single bite you will experience the past joys and sorrows of our ancestors. Our struggles and victories are showcased by our sauces, condiments and seasonings, how the Spanish has been integrated into the Chinese and the Malay.  Our cuisine is reason enough to fly hundreds of miles and the trip will always be worth it.

Ergo, the Sooo Pinoy Search for the Ultimate Food Blogger.  It’s a contest to determine who will be the ultimate food blogger who will travel the country for 30 days in search of all the best food finds that the Philippines has to offer. All expenses paid, of course.

Here are the contest rules. Also please like them on Facebook by going to http://facebook.com/sooopinoy

Thank you very much to Russel Patalinhog for the beautiful pictures.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways… There are just so many beautiful ways to say ‘I love you’ to that special someone in your life. Some may be more creative than others, but still there is always the tried and tested way; through the stomach.

See this couple? Moments can be more special with Melo’s Valentine Special, and their dinner has become magical because he has decided to take her to Melo’s.

This couple could be you and your loved one enjoying a lovely Valentine Special dinner at Melo’s. That’s why I am here to give you a chance at winning a two-thousand-peso gift certificate at Melo’s so you can take her out on Valentine’s Day!

For starters, let me tell you how you can get the prize. First, “like” the Melo’s facebook page. After liking the page, you can now post your best and more romantic picture with your loved one. Remember, both of you must be in the picture, no one else,unless you’re with your children. If you are married, it’s ok to have you, your spouse and your kids. If not, then the picture must only contain both of you, no one else.

After posting your picture, you may want to indicate that the picture is for the Valentine’s Special contest. A bit of a description will work wonders for your entry.

Then when you have posted the picture, just wait a few days and a winner will be declared, just in time for Valentine’s Day!

So go through your old pictures now and post it in the Melo’s Facebook page! Who knows, that picture of the couple might be you.

Hurry! We’re saving you a table!

Inside this brown paper bag is a two-thousand pesos gift certificate at Melo’s. This is a foodie’s ticket to one of the most exquisite steaks in the Metro. How to get it? It’s simple.

Click Like on the Melo’s Facebook page. Pretty easy to do, right?

When you have liked the Melo’s page, post your happiest Christmas photo along with a short explanation why you consider it to be your happiest Christmas picture. Here are the rules:

1. Posted pictures must NOT contain nudity, indecent or lascivious images.
2. Contestant MUST BE IN THE PICTURE.
3. If you don’t want to post the pictures in public, then email it to me through arpeelazaro@gmail.com
4. Contest runs from now to Dec 18, 2010.
5. Please include your name and contact details.
6. And please don’t forget that short explanation why you consider that picture to be your happiest Christmas photo.

At stake is a Melo’s gift certificate worth two thousand pesos.

The best of luck to you! Merry Christmas!

I bet you do. This is your chance! Click on the image above and be one of the first 100 people who get to see the American Idol Season Finale on May 27, Thursday at the Greenbelt 3 cinemas. Doors open at 7 am and the show begins at exactly 8 am.  Brought to you live via Star World.

So why watch it there when you can watch it at home? Because you won’t WIN GREAT PRIZES when you’re watching it at home. You gotta HURRY AND REGISTER NOW BY CLICKING ON THE IMAGE ABOVE. It’s gonna be a GREENWICH PIZZA FIESTA and you can join us for free!!!

UPDATE!!!

Here you see that I have done a draw and these are the five winners. Congratulations to you guys! Will send you an email on how you can get your tickets from me. That’s 2 Bronze tickets per winner.

But wait, there’s more!

There are only 2 people left and kawawa naman if they get nothing. Ergo, I am giving them one ticket each, my remaining two tickets, as consolation prize so they can see the concert too.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!

So who says foodies don’t like music? It’s been quite a while since I gave away anything at this website so I am giving away five pairs of tickets to five lucky PL@L readers. This means, each winner gets 2 Bronze Tickets to see the Then & Now Massive Music Festival 2010 at the SM Mall of Asia. What to do to get the tickets? Really simple. Just leave a comment at this post and random.org will randomize the list. The first 5 names get 2 tickets each. Just like that. Winners will be announced on May 11.

So who are the featured artists?

1. SWV

2. Diana King

3. Baby Bash

4. Frankie J

5. PM Dawn

6. TQ

7. V Factory

8. All-4-One

9. Jojo

The search is on for Del Monte’s Fit ‘n Fab 4 Challenge 2010 biggest losers! Contest rules are simple. Just ask yourselves the following questions:

1. Are you between 15 to 25 years of age?
2. Do you have three other friends who are in the same age bracket?
3. Do you want to lose some weight?
4. Do you want to win P100,000 and a trip for the whole barkada to Boracay?

If your answer is YES to all 4 questions, then you and your friends have found your calling. Snack on healthy Del Monte Fit n Right Fruit Snacks with L-Carnitine to activate the fat in your body then start working out. In a month’s time, all teams will be weighed and the team that has lost the most weight wins! Lose more to win more!

How does L-Carnitine work?

L-Carnitine is the biologically active stereoisomer of the quarternary ammonium compound Carnitine (whew! that was a mouthful). So what? Well scientists have discovered that carnitine is naturally produced by our liver and kidneys which our body needs to metabolize fat. Yes, it helps our body burn fat and use it as an energy source. However, taking in L-Carnitine alone will not work. You need to activate the fat before L-Carnitine will work on it.

So Del Monte Fit n Right Fruit Snack’s 300 mg of L-Carnitine will work best when you’re working out because the exercise activates the fat prior to metabolism. Besides, it’s fun working out with friends! Either way, you’ll come out a sure winner.

You can join the challenge by registering here. I’m joining too! See you soon!

Third and final round! Schutzen is a really good brand of planners and notebooks. Their designs appeal to both students and professionals. With the high quality of their products, expect to pay a little premium, but I think it is a better alternative to Mead notebooks and Franklin Planners, considering the cost difference. So here’s the third and final question.

How to win a Schutzen Notebook

Just be the first commenter to give the right answer will win the last Schutzen. Here goes.

There was an event where I raved about the cochinillo asado. It is still available at this restaurant where the launch event was held. What restaurant was it?