I Met Mike Colter aka Luke Cage This Weekend, and I Was Legit Starstruck!

It takes a lot for me to get legit starstruck. I'm actually usually pretty good around celebrities. This has been proven time and time again when friends in Bangkok would hire me to 'keep international celebrities company' merely because I treated them like normal people. Not once would you see me asking for a photo or getting tongue-tied around them. Not once. I was more about making memories and anecdotes with them than trying to get proof that I met and spent time with them.

Me treating them like normal people kinda changes when I have a crush on them, though. This has also been proven time and time again when I very, very awkwardly met Jeron Teng. And again when I very, very awkwardly met Nikko Ramos. Sadly, it happened again when I very, very awkwardly met Mike Colter aka Luke Cage at the Netflix press junket at AsiaPOP Comicon this weekend.

The funny thing is that a week ago, I didn't even care about Mike Colter. Like, at all. I never even bothered to watch 'Luke Cage', truth be told. But then I decided to start watching 'Jessica Jones' AND MY GOODNESS. THAT MAN. IS HOT. Within the couple of days right before APCC, I became obsessed with everything about Mike Colter. And then voila: I was going to meet him.

Before he entered the room, I was playing it cool and telling the other media people that I got their backs... that I'd be the one to ask him if we can take photos with him. Suffice to say: that did not happen.

Fast forward to the moment he was about to enter our room, and I found my palms sweating and my throat constricting and I very briefly squealed "OMG, OMG HE'S HERE" before I completely and utterly lost my voice. I'm not even joking. It was a roundtable interview and every time it was my turn to ask a freaking question, I did that cutting-my-throat signal thing to signal that I couldn't speak... which I now realize actually means death. But I literally couldn't bring myself to speak. It's like a frog was literally living and chillin' in my throat.

It was actually so bad and so obvious, Mustafa Shakir (who plays Bushmaster in 'Luke Cage' and was also part of the interview along with Cheo Hodari Coker)) actually looked dead straight at me and asked, "Why aren't you asking your questions?"

Why??? I'll tell you why: it's coz Mike Colter walked up into the room, smelling exactly the way you would imagine he would smell like (like a very, very manly form of heaven), sat down a chair away from me, where I basically just stared at his massive hands and luscious skin  until he, get this: ORDERED SOME COFFEE. LUKE CAGE ORDERED AND DRANK COFFEE IN FRONT OF US. MY LADY BITS COULD NOT CONTAIN THEMSELVES. I COULD NOT CONTAIN MYSELF. WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAD TO ASK QUESTIONS? Who could ask questions in that state?!??

Hahaha. Kidding. Half-kidding, anyway. When I really, really have a crush on someone, I just basically turn into a useless pile of mush. In the end, though, I was still able to get a selfie:

And I even got a couple of posters signed.

And I got to see him up close several times more after that.

I actually mustered a very, very loud and very, very awkward "Hi" during one of those encounters... but that aside, I'd say things went pretty horribly and if I were in the 'Luke Cage' series, there is no way we would ever successfully grab some coffee together.

I LOVE YOU, MIKE COLTER. I'll just try to rest easy by telling myself that a version of me in a parallel universe somewhere isn't such a loser.

Castlevania is the Anime I Have Been Looking for All This Time

If you've been following my blog or my social media accounts, you should know by now that I have recently revived my love for anime. My most recent anime obsession was Boku No Hero Academia (read my review on season 1 here); but every time I met up with my friends, I'd always complain about the lack of death and gore in that show.

And while they've tried to explain why no one dies in BNHA, it never made any sense to me. I love my blood. I love my gore. And I love my deaths. They make me feel things. As such, you probably get why I completely and utterly fell in love with Castlevania when I started watching it.

There's a lot to be said about Castlevania. Even before the anime came out, Castlevania has been a part of my life. I remember playing the video game as a child on my Gameboy Advance around the same time that I fell in love with Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.

Well, Castlevania as an anime seems to have elements in it that feel like they could've been taken from Anne Rice's books while adding in the action and violence of the video games of its name at the same time.

Doesn't Alucard remind you of Lestat?

As for the plot of the anime, without giving too much away: Vlad Dracula Tepes basically unleashes a bunch of demons on Wallachia; and Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, and Alucard come together to try and kill Dracula in order to restore peace to Wallachia.

When I first started watching this series, I thought I wouldn't like it. Having come off the BNHA kind of animation, the Castlevania animation took some getting used to. However, with such a gripping storyline within the first episode alone, it became absolutely impossible to stop watching. (Yes, I finished the first season in one sitting.) I was actually super surprised by how invested I ended up being within the first few minutes of the first episode. I found myself rooting for Dracula and hating the church with a passion.

I also feel the need to point out that Trevor Belmont is voiced by Richard Armitage (you might know him from 'The Hobbit'). Just listening to him talk in itself makes watching the anime well worth it.

Another great thing about this show is that you don't even need to be a fan of the video games in order to enjoy it. It has something for everyone - everyone but the kids, that is.

It goes without saying that this anime is 100% for adults and not for children. The blood, the subjects, the swearing, and the jokes are all something that kids should not be a part of just yet.

Also take note that it sometimes touches on religion; so if you're the über crazy, don't-mock-my-religion type, it might not be for you. Also take note that there are some dirty jokes and anecdotes, and some swearing in this show, too - no goody-goodies allowed.

Generally speaking, Hollywood hasn't really been doing a good job at adapting video games to film or TV, so this is a very pleasant surprise. It looks like there is definitely some hope left in this genre. In fact, the only complaint I have is that the first season was far too short with only four episodes. I'll definitely be binge-watching the second season on Netflix when it comes out on October 26, 2018!

You may watch 'Castlevania' Season 1 on Netflix here.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables: The New Generation of Surprise 'Eggs'

I cannot begin to fathom the lives of those who do not eat chocolate. Surprisingly, there are quite a few. In my close circle alone, there are already three people who don't eat chocolate.

I, of course, will never understand it: I, after all, find joy in a single Kiss and a single M&M. I, after all, squeal, do a little dance, and jump up and down at the mere sight or mention of chocolate cake.

Chocolate is a miracle worker - not just for me, but for many. Out of all of the chocolate in the world, though, my ultimate favorite has always been Cadbury Fruit and Nut. So when I got invited to an event where Cadbury was going to launch something new, I simply had to go - and with my mini-me, of course. Little did I know that we would be greeted with awesome surprise after awesome surprise.

The event started with some fun activities for kids, such as face painting and coloring.

Syrena had so much fun meeting new kids (shoutout to Dylan!) and just being at the event, in general. The best part? It took place at the Mind Museum, so we could roam around the museum and enjoy that, as well!

Spotted this bad-ass drawing by one of the kids!

Soon after that, Cadbury announced what they would be launching: Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables!

They reminded me so much of something from my childhood, so indulge me as I share a little backstory that will tie into this launch nicely: as a child, I lived for Kinder Überraschungseier, or Kinder Surprise Eggs in English. I loved the chocolate of it and the toys in them. But once I became a mom, Surprise Eggs sadly changed. The chocolate was no longer the same, and the toys were definitely no longer the same.

As such, the launch of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables is as timely as ever. Now, Syrena can enjoy the same fun and wonder that I had with Kinder - with great toys and good chocolate - but with a cooler and more futuristic look to go with it (it kinda looks like a UFO, don't you think?)

And that's not even the best part... yes, it gets better... At the launch, Cadbury announced that they had a special guest waiting for us backstage. I swear nothing could prepare me for this. I thought it was going to be a celebrity or something, but no. IT WAS PIKACHU!!!

Why Pikachu? Well, for its launch in the Philippines, Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables have collectible Pokemon toys inside! If you're around my age and have a kid, you have to agree that this is the ultimate bonding opportunity as you'll both be excited to unbox new toys.

As a world leader in chocolates, Cadbury Dairy Milk offers this new way to enjoy bonding moments with your kids, and we are so happy it has finally made its way to South East Asia, including Malaysia and the Philippines. It's just one more fun way to enjoy the Cadbury taste we know and love.

Another shoutout to Dylan, who gave Syrena the toy in his Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables. Hihi.

I'm giving away a bag of Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables for you to try out yourself! All you have to do is leave a comment on any of my Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables posts on social media telling me why you want to win, and make sure you follow my social media accounts (Wonder Woman Rises on Facebook, @the_lil_miss on Twitter, and @lilmisswonderwoman on Instagram)!

Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables are now available at leading department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores nationwide for Php46.50. To know more, like Cadbury Dairy Milk on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @CadburyPHL

Jollibee Just Released a Bistek Burger Steak!

People don't really understand why Jollibee's Burger Steak is one of my favorite meals there, but it is. And look at that: they've decided to up the ante and release a new version of it: the all-new Bistek Burger Steak!

The Bistek Burger Steak is a savory-sour twist to the classic Jollibee Burger Steak. It has the 100% pure beefy goodness of a Burger Steak patty, a generous serving of sauce with just the right sourness, and fried onion toppings (which I honestly could do without, but I guess it wouldn't be bistek without them? Huhu sorry. I wouldn't know. This is my first time eating bistek). Of course, this comes with a serving of steamed white rice to hit the spot!

The Bistek Burger Steak is now available for dine-in, take-out, delivery, and drive-thru in all Jollibee stores nationwide for only Php55 for the one-piece Solo meal.

For more information and updates on Jollibee's latest products and promos, like Jollibee on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @Jollibee

Mark Your Anime Dates on Netflix for Ultraman and Season 2 of Aggretsuko and Castlevania

As you can probably tell from my review on Season 1 of Boku No Hero Academia, my love for anime has recently been revived. So, when Netflix released some major anime news as part of their Netflix Anime panel at Anime Expo, I couldn't wait to share the same news with you!

Along with two new anime series, Netflix will be renewing the popular series Aggretsuko for a second season. Here are the dates you need to mark on your calendars along with first look images for upcoming titles in their growing (and amazing!!!) anime slate:

Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle will launch this July 18!

The sequel to Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is coming sooner than you think on July 18. This epic re-imagining of the world of Godzilla in the future, where humans and robots battle the biggest Godzilla ever seen, is a must-see! Click here for more.

Castlevania Season 2 is coming on October 26, 2018!

Who didn't play Castlevania back in the day? Inspired by the classic video games, the show is returning for a second season this October. It follows the life of Trevor Belmont, the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, who is trying to save Eastern Europe from Vlad Dracula Tepes.

Ultraman will be launching in Spring 2019!

In case you haven't heard of 'Ultraman', this action drama revolves around a man who possesses the DNA and spirit of the legendary hero Ultraman. He fights evil wearing a bad-ass metallic ultra suit! Click here for more.

Cannon Busters will launch on April 1, 2019!

This show will follow the adventures of an unlikely trio - S.A.M., a high-end friendship droid; a quirky, discarded maintenance robot; and a brash, deadly fugitive - who look for S.A.M.'s best friend, the heir to a kingdom under siege. It looks super fun!

Aggretsuko will be back in 2019!

The adorable death metal panda will be back in 2019, as well. Did you know that Aggretsuko is actually a character originally created by Sanrio? That's right. That's the same creator as Hello Kitty, Little Twin Stars, My Melody, and Kero Kero Keroppi! Click here for more.

Who else is excited to expand their world of anime? :D

The New Limited Edition Philippine-Designed G-Shock Watch Will Make You Proud to be Pinoy

The first watch that I ever fell in love with in my life was a Casio watch. The Baby G, to be exact. Everyone in my class had one and I just had to have one, too. My parents were never really the type to spoil me, though, so I remember starving myself at school and saving all of my money (DEM110, roughly Php3,500) to buy myself a Baby G on my birthday. I was 9 years old.

Since then, I have been a massive watch aficionado and through the years, my love for Casio never wavered. In fact, my favorite watch in my collection at the moment is my 4-year-old white Limited Edition ‘Shock the World Manila’ G-Shock watch with a beautiful simplistic Manila design.

Today, G-Shock once again launched a Limited Edition National watch that celebrates Filipino toughness:

Isn’t it pretty?

The design of this watch stems from a competition that began in January 2017. The ‘Design the National G-Shock’ contest sought to create an authentic Filipino watch strap that invoked a strong sense of nationalism and indomitable spirit (very fitting for a time when the country’s character and national pride have taken on global regard).

More than 1,200 people joined the contest, but the winner was Dylan Dylanco. Dylan drew her inspiration from the enclaves of the Northern Ifugaos to the Southern tribes of the Moros, where the use of ethnic patterns is seen as a symbol of bravery. Elaborate tattoos, voluntary cicatrices (scarification), and intricate traditional weaves alluded to the wearer’s toughness, courage, and status in ancestral warrior society.

Dylan used the indigenous symmetrical weaves in bright, bold, and contrasting colors along with the three stars and the sun of the Philippine flag to create her winning design, Habi. “Habi is an old weaving technique our ancestors used to create art and basic supplies,” explains Dylan. “I hope that my design will remind Filipinos of the Philippines, no matter where they are.”

It definitely will.

The National G-Shock watch is a limited edition Philippine-designed watch. Only 200 of it will be made available to the public and it will only be available in the Philippines. The watch sells for Php9,995.

For more updates and information, like Casio’s Facebook page and follow them on Instagram: @casiowatches_ph

Gadget Review: The Instax Square SQ6 Elevates the Whole Instax Experience

The new Instax Square SQ6 is finally in the Philippines – and it is so beautiful. I am telling you: it was love at first sight.

I don’t know if you know this about me, but I am quite the Instax fanatic. My first Instax was a pink Instax mini, which I have now passed on to one of my girl friends; but I still remember all of the joy that I had with it: making memories, filling up scrapbooks, sticking photos on walls, and commemorating celebrations and simple OMG-nagkita-na-tayo-ulit-sa-wakas moments with it.

This 2018, I promise to preserve more memories the old school way. ❤️🐱 @teaminstaxph

A post shared by Angeline Rodriguez (@lilmisswonderwoman) on Dec 12, 2017 at 5:44am PST

Since then, I have added a red Limited Edition Hello Kitty Instax camera to my collection along with a brown Instax Neo Classic, which I felt completely suited my personality at the time. When I saw the Blush Gold SQ6, though, I once again felt like it was meant for me. After all, my past two iPhones and my current laptop are all of the same color.

Add to that the fact that travel has become a regular part of my life and that I have started bullet journaling (more on that journey soon!), and you’ll understand why I simply had to get my hands on the SQ6.

…Okay, fine, maybe that’s just me justifying my decision to buy one on the day of the launch, but seriously: an Instax, regardless of which model you decide to get to fit your personality (they have a Minions one, too!), is a nice gadget to have at parties, on trips, and 'just coz'. I brought mine to a birthday party on Friday and everybody LOVED it.

The couples all wanted to take sweet photos with it. The barkada wanted photos to remember the night with. And some people were in awe by how everyone could actually fit into the frame, even though there were so may of us there. See, the prints of this camera are also 1.5 times bigger than Instax mini prints, giving you more space to immortalize the highlights of your life. (The film costs Php1,050 for two boxes of 10, btw.)

Plus, since the Instax Square SQ6 coms in a square format, you don’t have to worry about choosing between portrait or landscape mode. Even noobs can use it without any tutorials. Believe it or not, I know people who don't know how to use other Instax cameras and a lot of the time, film just goes to waste. Actually, I know quite a lot of them. Well, this one is completely fool-proof! (Or so it seems so far, anyway.)

Another awesome thing about this new camera is that you don’t have to look for good lighting just to create great shots. The Instax Square SQ6 has an Automatic Exposure Control, so your photo’s subject and background will instantly brighten, no matter what the lighting situation is. It also has a Selfie Mode and a Selfie Mirror that automatically adjusts its focal length and brightness to the ideal level, so even your selfies come out awesome. And yes, it has a Timer, too.

The Instax Square SQ6 also has a Macro Mode (as close as 30cm-50cm and even farther than 2m away, a Double Exposure Mode, and options to lighten or darken your photos as needed. You can also add different vintage hues to your photos with the flash color filters in orange, purple, and green. (I AM OBSESSED WITH THE ORANGE ONE RIGHT NOW!!!)

The Instax Square SQ6 is available in three stylish colors: Blush Gold, Graphite Gray, and Pearl White. Obviously, I got the Blush Gold. :p It retails at only Php7,999 (same price as the Neo) and is sold at Fujifilm authorized dealers nationwide.

For more information, visit the Instax website, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Instagram: @teaminstaxph :)