Web redesign for a development org site

Our website is undergoing a major redesign and I can't help but be excited. Obviously, geeky me tingles on matters related to these.

When I first heard of the redesign, I immediately looked up the group contracted to do the redesign and I found a simple white website with forms. Most people might think why would I hire these people with a plain white website? Me, after checking their rather spartan landing page, I grew excited and knew this group would know exactly what to do in giving our site a much needed rejuvenation.

I saw the designs today and wasn't disappointed.

1. Besides the initial professional, modern look, the first thing your eyes will wander to are the prominent nav bars for the types of users that visit the site. You will immediately see buttons for journalists, NGOs, academe, etc. People can immediately click whatever group you're from and from there find options what your groups needs.

2. Search button more prominent at the right. People instinctively look for it at the top right. Great thing is after clicking there are scrolldown filters according to country, item needed, etc.etc.

3. Landing pages now have stories right up at the top of the nav bar. Even for a worldwide development org, stories on how help is extended to countries are always welcome. People understand stories more so that's a big plus. Hyfalutin project documents are also easily available for groups whose main interest is to look up projects.

4. Top traffic landing pages, aka most in-demand pages, were prominently linked also at the top of the nav bar.

5. New items are easily seen, such as newest articles, publications and events.

Overall, I am very pleased that the site not only looks great, but is easy to use for visitors to get what they need. i noticed there isn't a favorites box, but I expect it'd look really hodgepodge with the assortment of opportunities, media releases, etc. that different groups of people need. Great design is when web owners are happy with their site, plus users are happy because it is easy to get what they need. Yup, great job!



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Lawsuit against bloggers?

Even if you aren't paying attention, the obvious is stark. Bloggers and other quickie social media have arrived in influencing public opinion. You know this format of messaging has arrived because the people using these media vehicles are now getting lawsuits from posting their opinions.

With our kind of justice system, (plus the relative power of new media) I do not believe any kind of landmark decision on blogging will happen anytime soon. But I kinda like this happened to remind people to be more conscious about their accountability. If you want to say something, say it as you want to say it with apt caution.
These kinds of things are not for the weak of heart. Now the truly passionate ones will be separated from the flock.


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Office Newsletters: Simple cuts it.

I recently made a very plain office newsletter and received feedback about it.

- Everything in plain white
- Color highlights for contrast are deep blue for the masthead at the top, and a rich pacific blue to outline highlights right below it.
- Text and photos in plain horizontal layout
- Sections separated by light gray dots
- Lots of white space
- Fonts used are plain arial, georgia and verdana

Everything else was black text on white space.

Interestingly, one of our readers emailed the next day. She thanked us for the very easy to read newsletter and said it was a very friendly way of communicating updates. (Thank you also for writing in.)

So yeah, we all agonize how a newsletter should look like. We experiment with all these designs and boxes and fillers, looking for that perfect combination of colors, fancy fonts, etc.

But really, it is the reader who will tell you what that perfect combi is, so listen/ intelligently guess what is easiest for them.

Sample screenshot:

Yes, the look really is just email  with pictures.

I intentionally made the pic small, for privacy reasons.

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What to Eat for Holy Week - Chili Sardine Angel Hair Pasta and Kani Sandwich at Figaro

I'm not Catholic. Since most of you are, I'm just sharing this because I know you'll be looking for yummy food on no-meat Fridays. Visit Figaro for their yummy Chili Sardine Angel Hair Pasta or Kani Sandwich. You'll surely enjoy these filling meals. It may be no-meat but maybe you'll still sin because you'll surely find pleasure eating it.




I love sardines pasta. I cook it when I get the chance. Figaro's Chili Sardine Angel Hair Pasta though, is the way I envision how my sardines pasta should taste (which I never get quite right, btw.) The amount of olive oil is just right. The pasta is not dry or greasy. The spiciness from the Spanish sardines and the chili flakes is mild enough for everyone, I suppose. Plus the combi of the olives, parmesan and parsley are will leave your restless tastebuds satisfied. Ah yes, angel hair is the perfect pasta used for this little beauty. I always use spaghetti when I cook sardines pasta. The thickness of the noodle in my own version takes away some of the flavor.

Anyway, why tire yourself to cook pasta? You can just hop on over to Figaro to get a nicely cooked, warm and perfect sardines pasta, right.

The Kani Sandwich is okay. I love kani salads, so this sandwich is okay for me. I just wish the bread had a rougher texture (like wheat or rye) to balance out the softness of the crabstick and vegetables. That's just me though. It's overall yummy.

Prices are also reasonable - P180 for the pasta and P179 for the sammich. It's okay because it's a meal in itself and satisfying.

P.S.  My officemate (also an avid pasta cook)  and I ate at Figaro again last Wednesday.  She tried out the Chili Sardine Angel Hair Pasta.  The verdict from this pasta fan:  Thumbs up.  She wanted more.  

Go on over to Figaro and try out these lite meals today! 




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Magnolia Ice Cream Frozen Delights are Back! :-p

I have a gazillion memories about Magnolia Ice Cream and Magnolia Ice Cream Frozen Delights. My family loves to eat. Through time I get to associate food with happy memories, especially if this food was a basic commodity in my childhood.

So of course, when I saw that Magnolia Ice Cream was launching their frozen delights line, I felt a weird mixture of emotions, from "Squeeee!" "Yum." "Yay!"

And of course, when I tasted these, it was the closest one could get to a time machine ride. Same delicious taste I remember. I suddenly had vivid memories of my dad taking me to the Magnolia House buy ice cream cake and several boxes of frozen delights (It was always his contribution to cousins' birthday parties.). Or an earlier memory in my pre-school, when he'd take me to the Magnolia kiosk for an ice cream cone. I would grab his big burly hand with my sticky little one, and we would walk back to the car as I licked the strawberry cone.

Ah, memories. Freud would dedicate an entire section on ice cream for psychoanalysis if I was one of his subjects. lol.

So folks, check out these nostalgic but updatedly hip Magnolia Ice Cream Frozen Delights.

Pinipig Crunch:  SRP : P13

I had to have the sweet corn pinipig crunch first.  *Tears on first bite*  lol.  

Popsies: SRP: P10

No longer twins, but still yum as singles.

Fun Bar:  SRP: P10

Turns your lips and tongue blue for extra goofing around.  heehee. 

Sweetie Bites:  SRP: P11

A sweetie bite for a sweetie (hopefully that's you)

My pops woulda been delighted with the return of these frozen delights if he was still around.  :-)



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iBlog 7 - thank you!

I attended day 1 of iBlog7 and I am one happy blogger, indeed. Most speakers were (the only word is, really, just) awesome.

Like always, I so admire Carlo Ople's being ahead in his ideas AND his heart to share these new ideas. With just the first swing of ideas, my mouth fell open at this guy's net genius. And he generously shares. Like.

Howie (Severino) is Howie. He always delivers as expected.

The Arboleda couple is also a favorite. I admire their smartness as a couple, and also their generosity to share what they know.

And of course, super thank you to Janette Toral twice. First for making iBlog7 even better than last year's. Second for sharing her reality on the issue of the National Bloggers' Association. I am basically a commitment weasel, so I am decided to not be an official member of whatever it is. But her talk opened my eyes to my reality that I can still help out by encouraging people to have a critical mind and read the damn documents available before they rant or blindly sign up.

So yeah, I'm happy I attended the iBlog 7, and kudos to all organizers, speakers and attendees.



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