Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The Face Behind Zen

Dr. Mary Jane “MJ” Torres
Medical spas, dermatological clinics and anti-aging centers proliferate these days. So do products on skin care and anti-aging solutions. The market is now swamped with multifarious brands with often parallel claims: the ability to deliver a more beautiful, younger-looking skin. Aesthetic solutions come in the form of products and services. A combination of the best choices is often what the market is veering towards.

Celebrity endorsers have been making a killing out of some brands and centers or clinics, but the truth of the matter is, while it’s true that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, enlightened people know better than to swallow hook, line and sinker what every showbiz icon commissioned to represent a brand brandishes, blabbering those memorized lines for, say, television or radio commercials, or those blurbs in print ads. But it’s different when the face behind the name is the proponent herself, who puts her name on the line, subjects her face and body to public judgment, as she braves to be flaunted as the face behind what she offers. “This face behind the Zen Institute certainly knows what she’s talking about and she walks her talk” – people would say –  looking very much like her face has been naturally nurtured, suffused with that radiant, youthful glow, and her body looking just as youthful and well contoured. Yes, such is the case with the Zen Institute and the face behind it, which is no less than its founder and the moving spirit behind the respected institution that turned five years old in late November as a medical spa with cutting-edge offerings. All of Zen offerings, put as one, are the best there has ever been in the civilized world, and these are administered only by expert hands – either the hands of Dr. Mary Jane “MJ” Torres herself or hands that she had trained.

Celebrity names like Cory Quirino, Heart Evangelista, Eula Valdez, Ayen and Franco Laurel and Ciarra Sotto have been associated to Zen, but the ultimate definition of the face behind Zen points to Dr. MJ Torres. Still looking young and radiantly beautiful even at her 40-plus age, Dr. MJ is the indubitable best face behind the Zen Institute. She owns Zen and she perfectly models Zen’s good works rendered through expert hands and state-of-the-art technologies on non-surgical, non-invasive, painless procedures for beauty and youthfulness. If Dr. MJ’s objective has been to keep her face and body well-maintained and looking years younger than her true age, then she has certainly hit that objective right in the nail. Dr. MJ Torres indeed walks the talk judging from the way she looks. And her face and body have never seen the knife, and the lady aesthetic doctor has no intention of ever going for surgical procedures, whether for herself or for her patients. Why not, since Zen’s signature treatment alone, the Resonax, has been doing her wonders, which is why she wants to share it along with her other tried-and-tested beauty and anti-aging solutions to other women—and men, too. These solutions are complemented by the ultimate solution to hair loss since the hair is still the crowning glory of every man and woman.

Resonax, reportedly “Europe's most advanced non-surgical technology for face contouring and body sculpting (a state-of-the-art no-downtime, non-invasive body sculpting procedure that can be done in just a few minutes) is Dr. MJ’s signature treatment” that has been proving effective whether done singly or with the PRP Treatment, Platelet Rich Plasma. The latter is a procedure wherein a few drops of blood from the patient will be processed for a harvest of platelets to be reintroduced into the patient’s system to repair damaged cells and to make cells regenerate in certain parts of the face affected by aging.

Dr. MJ explains, “The non-surgical PRP procedure stimulates injured cells to heal and regenerate themselves,”  adding, “The PRP treatment stimulates the growth of cells, effectively smoothening out lines and folds, and diminishing, if not, erasing in time signs of aging.”

Dr. MJ’s latest treatment peruses the brand Dermaheal. It is fast gaining a good reputation as a brand carrying manifold products all proven effective at doing wonders in the aesthetic and anti-aging arenas. She reveals: “Dermaheal is a high quality brand of cosmeceutical anti-aging, anti-pigmentation, anti-hair loss and anti-inflammation solutions that treat other skin troubles as well.”

The Zen Institute seems to have the solution for every conceivable skin and body issue, administered in the serene, simple but lovely interiors of the Zen Institute where patients are attended to in attaining their beauty and youthfulness objectives inside-out literally through medical-technological solutions coupled with appropriate and doable lifestyle coaching. And the lady never tires learning and getting yearly updates in Europe, America and Asia. This doctor, who has trained on various aesthetic medical practices and technologies and the application and the testing of cosmeceutical breakthroughs in many parts of the world, makes her annual trips abroad to make sure she always has her hands on what’s best. She has gone a long way from the time she completed her dermatological medicine degree from the University of Sto. Tomas, passed the board and took further studies on Preceptorial Dermatology Training at Clinica Manila and then Liposurgery Training at the Philippine Academy of Dermatologic Surgery Foundation Inc. She then took further studies abroad on Mesotherapy and Lipotherapy Training and also on Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) Training and so forth, under the tutelage of the world’s best practitioners who have advance knowhow in the medical fields of aesthetics and/or gerontology.

For inquiries and consultations, visit The Zen Institute (A Medical Spa) at Scout Rallos branch, Quezon City (441-1712 or 412-2528), Bonifacio Global City branch, (856-2027 to 28) and Hotel Sofitel (Philippine Plaza branch), 832-6957. Visit its website at www.thezeninstitute.com.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Portal East offers no less than quality


For property developers like EDSA Grand Realty and Development Corp., nothing beats quality materials in the construction of their projects like condominiums so they expect nothing less.

“Quality residential units are what buyers look for when considering condo unit purchases so they get value for their money. That is why we emphasize on using quality materials for our projects,” explains Engr. Caesar Tan, Vice President of EDSA Grand Realty and Development Corp., one of the fastest-rising property developers in the country.

Security of their abode is one aspect that people look for when buying a condo unit. They want the feeling of safety and security once they are at home—or even when they are out. “Security of property and life is very important for all unit buyers and we understand that.  For our latest project, we see to it that we meet tenants’ and buyers’ needs when it comes to security, and we are confident on that aspect.”

For the 30-storey, 700-unit residential condominium such as the EDSA Grand Residential, the company’s newest project that is strategically located along EDSA near the SM City North Edsa area, Engr. Tan made sure that it comes complete with all the necessary amenities and features like pool and sauna and of course, security features like individual fire-rated steel doors, including 24-hour roaming security personnel, Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, and key-less entry system to monitor movements. 

“We are confident enough of the security features in place and so far, with our other projects, we have had no experiences in terms of breach in security,” says Engr. Tan,

And yes, even doors and windows, Engr. Tan says, were also considered in terms of providing additional security and safety to unit buyers. It is important, he said, that windows and doors are durable and secure and yet be able to contribute to aesthetic requirements of a project such as the EDSA Grand Residences.
For this requirement, Engr. Tan said they turned to Portal East, Inc., a company that designs, tests, manufactures and installs quality uPVC windows and doors for new construction, remodeling and placement applications for residential and commercial projects.

One unique feature of Portal East windows and doors is the innovative “Multi-point locking system” that makes them secure, virtually burglar-proof and durable with its high-quality reinforced steel core. Aside from that, Engr. Tan says Portal East windows and doors are air and water-tight so you don’t have to worry when it’s raining hard or when there are strong winds. He said that Portal East doors and windows are also sound proof and provides protection from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Engr. Tan was also happy to note that Portal East’s products, aside from providing additional security, also met their company’s aesthetic requirements for EDSA Grand Residences, particularly for windows. “Our main concept was to create units with an unobstructed view of the city regardless of where your unit is. It’s what we call ‘picture window’ so we opted to use Portal East windows because we could make them bigger. We are happy that because of their big product portfolio, Portal East was able to meet our requirements for bigger windows,” Engr. Tan explains.

EDSA Grand Residences uses Portal East’s sliding and awning windows while for their door requirements, Engr. Tan said they used Portal East’s swing and sliding doors. Engr. Tan also took note of Portal East’s after-sales service, which he gave a rating of “9 out of a possible 10.” Of course they are not perfect; nobody is but we felt their responsiveness, their readiness to provide solutions whenever we have problems with their products, which seldom happens.”

EDSA Grand Residences is located along EDSA corner Corregidor Street, Quezon City. For inquiries, call EDSA Grand Realty and Development Corp. at 536-7363 to 65; 310-5674 to 75; 521-7378 (fax) or you can email inquiry@adriaticogrand.com / info@adriaticogrand.com or visit www.edsagrand.com or www.grandproperties.com.ph. Office is at 1736 San Marcelino St., Malate, Manila. For Portal East product inquiries, call 242-2821/242-2721/245-5132, or 242-6906 (fax), email sales@portaleast.com or visit www.portaleast.com. Portal East main office is at 805-807 State Centre Building, 333 Juan Luna Street, Binondo, Manila. Main plant is at NY Compound, 76 Bisalao Street, Bagbaguin, Caloocan City.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Home Mavericks: A Destination for Design


Think global. Sell local. A brazen and ambitious manifesto for a furniture store – and one by which Home Mavericks proudly stands by.

The home furnishings and pieces on display in their showroom along Arnaiz Ave. (across New World Hotel) are exclusively Cebu-made and typically end up in the living spaces of design-savvy New Yorkers and Londoners. Quite often, the stamp of “world-class quality” associated with Cebu furniture pieces has become synonymous with being “for export only”. But Home Mavericks begs to differ: high-quality Filipino design should also make their way to Filipino homes, not bypass them. It’s an honest bid to democratize design, and an inspired way to celebrate Filipino ingenuity and craftsmanship.

Imagine coming home to your loft in Rockwell or The Fort after a hectic day and sitting back on a chaise lounge that you’d normally find in a West Elm or Ralph Pucci outlet in New York. Smiling, you close your eyes, adrift in domestic bliss. Priceless moments like this are what the folks behind Home Mavericks strongly feel that Filipinos are entitled to enjoy.

Master Bedroom
Home Mavericks managing partner Eric Alvin Go Po has heard first-hand the laments of Manila-based homeowners who have trouble finding Cebu-made furniture in stores in the capital. Formerly an associate sales executive of Rockwell Land, Eric saw how homeowners would rather settle for high-priced European-style pieces available in any local store than go through the trouble of flying to a furniture gallery in Cebu, going over designs in the catalog, and waiting for months on end for their orders to arrive. “Instead of having customers come all the way to Cebu, why don’t we bring our furniture to Manila?” Eric thought.

That Eureka! Moment evolved into a compelling business idea and, in 2007, together with fellow Cebuano entrepreneurs Eric Mendoza, Vincent Sandoval and Johann EscaƱan, Eric set up Home Mavericks. Its present location is a 200-square meter gallery of Cebu furniture hand-crafted with quality materials (mother of pearl, capiz, rattan, synthetic fibers, and various types of wood). It is also an official dealer of HunterDouglas shades, blinds and other window treatments.

Kitchen
A visit to the Home Mavericks gallery promises to be a distinctly curated experience. After all, their associates are licensed interior designers from top schools. That said, like a bona fide maverick that blazes the trail, Home Mavericks is now becoming a one-stop shop as a retail store and interior design firm. Not only can clients purchase tables and wall accents at the store, they can also tap Home Mavericks’ design consultants to help fashion their homes and living spaces to suit their unique needs and aesthetic sensibilities. Custom-built furniture, window treatments as well as other indoor and outdoor solutions – you name it, most of these fixtures are available in the shop. “A client stepping inside the shop can rest assured to find engaging and helpful associates,” Eric says. “We can flesh out the look that the client has in mind and, at the same time, offer alternatives. A taste in design is evolving, never static.”

In the same way, Home Mavericks is a work in progress – seeking out inventive ways to delight Filipino homeowners with a flair for style and luxury and to inject fun and personality to their living spaces. Evidently a furniture store with such a loft-y (pun intended) is taking one step forward to being “world-class”.

Home Mavericks is located at G/F 926 Arnaiz Ave. (formerly Pasay Road), Makati City 1223 (across New World Hotel). Call 844-9549 or visit www.homemavericks.com for more details.

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