CHOWKiNG (Philippines)

Founded: 1985

Company Overview: The Chowking Food Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jollibee Foods Corporation. It combines two distinct restaurant personalities - the traditional Chinese restaurant and the western-style fastfood restaurant - to become a strong and recognizable leader in the Philippines' highly competitive fastfood industry.

Mission: Our dream: to be the largest Oriental food chain in the world.

Our aim: to satisfy the discriminating needs of our global consumers by serving them consistent, high-quality food products in a friendly, caring atmosphere at prices they can truly afford.

Products: Food, Oriental Cuisine, Chinese food, Fastfood

Online Store accepts orders from 8:00 a.m-9 pm only. Please call 9-8888 beyond these hours.

'CHOWKING'

In 1989, Chowking started expanding its market share amid the volatility in the domestic market. It started its franchising operations and made its entry into the provincial markets the same year. On January 1, 2000, Chowking became a wholly owned subsidiary of Jollibee Foods Corporation, the Philippines' biggest fast-food chain. The change in ownership gave rise to store renovations and a new corporate look and mindset that is visible from front-end to back-end.

To ensure its continued growth, Chowking explored markets outside the Philippines. As of 2008, Chowking has over 400 stores within the Philippines and in markets such as the United States, Middle East, and Indonesia. Chowking has steadily been expanding its network in the Philippines. It is able to ensure the freshness of its food and the reliability of its supply through its main commissaries in Highland, Muntinlupa City and Sucat, Paranaque as well as satellite commissaries in Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Pangasinan. In Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Chowking's commissary serves ten stores and is expanding to other areas.

In 2008, Chowking announced the completion of a Php270-million (USD 5.65-million) modernization program, which will help set the stage for the company’s future growth. Called “Project DMSSM”(pronounced “dimsum”) for “Designed, Modernized and Streamlined Supply Chain and Manufacturing,” the two-year modernization program that started in 2006 involves the expansion and renovation of Chowking’s Noodle Building, increased automation, and the improved integration of food manufacturing processes in its two commissaries in Muntinlupa City.

There is no shortage of Chinese restaurants in the Philippines, but they’re not as consistent and neither are they located on every other street corner the way Chow King is. Chow King has always been one of my favorite fast food joints. Not only is a Chow King restaurant incredibly easy to find when I’m craving for congee or noodle soup; they’ve got efficient service, very affordable prices, and food that tastes like real food instead of chemical fastfood junk.

Although Chow King serves the usual Chinese fare of siopao, siomai, noodles, fried rice, and congee, their bestselling dish is no other than their halo-halo. Even I think that Chow King’s halo-halo is one of the best (and cheapest) halo-halo out there.

The secret to their amazing halo-halo is in the milk (Chow King created their own blend), the finely crushed ice (made with a special ice crusher that costs 80 million pesos), and the ingredients. Chow King tried to come up with their own mix of halo-halo ingredients but they weren’t quite satisfied with the overall quality. Then they met a certain Aling Mely from Arranque, Manila, who made and sold halo-halo in her simple one-storey home. Her halo-halo was so excellent that Chow King commissioned her to supply the ingredients for their 300 branches worldwide.

The latest in Chow King’s menu is milk tea, which I was really happy to discover. No Oriental restaurant is complete without sweet milk tea!

I don’t suppose I need to list down where you can find Chow King since like Starbucks and McDonald’s, you can find one anywhere – even in snooty Pagadian. For deliveries, dial 702-8888.

Indeed, nothing can get in the way of inspired, driven, and hard-working Filipinos. And beloved quick-service brand Chowking recognizes that. As a continuation of its 25^th year anniversary celebration, Chowking raises the bar even higher and takes on the pivotal role of enlivening the spirit, fueling the passion, and nourishing the dreams of the millions of success-driven Filipinos.

Already with a wide range of delicious, great value chef-inspired Chinese meals, Chowking, the leading Chinese quick-service restaurant in the country, refuses to rest on its laurels. As they strongly hold onto being the foremost brand in the business they go all out in launching a refreshed image, a new generation of brand advocates, a new logo, and an array of new menu offerings – all in part of their role in inspiring the working man’s journey to success, for themselves and for their families who inspire them.

Chowking Marketing Head Francis Flores shares “We want to position Chowking not only as a brand that serves quality and modern Chinese food, but also a brand that enables the working man to achieve success and share this same success with their loved ones.”

As Chowking sets out to create a deeper connection with their millions of patrons, Chowking gets into the heart of their desires and cravings. Flores expounds, “These working adults are the ‘balanced success seekers’ who are the responsible sons and daughters, motivated to provide a better life for their family. Chowking, on the other hand, serves as an inspiration for these individuals to succeed as they are fueled by great value Chinese rice meals, dimsums, desserts and beverages.”

Chowking’s new brand mantra ‘Tikman ang Tagumpay’ encapsulates in a few yet meaningful words what Chowking passionately stands for. With over 25 years of the best-tasting Chinese meals, Chowking takes the brand further where good food becomes a fuel in their pursuit of triumph and heartfelt joy and gratitude through shared meal-time experiences with the family.

Together with carrying out the brand’s re-launch, Chowking then introduces their latest offering, Tender Beef Broccoli. The hard-working Pinoy is in for a taste of success with a new rice meal na may kumpletong sangkap at kumpletong sarap that comes from choice beef slices, rich oyster sauce, and freshly-cooked broccoli – affordable at just P99 with a drink, or P125 as a lauriat with pancit canton, chicharap, fried dumpling, buchi, plain rice and a drink

Accompanying this milestone, Chowking gathers great inspiration from chosen brand advocates who all best exemplify their new brand positioning. And as Chowking Marketing Director Edward Arandia shares, “We selected five outstanding individuals who commonly share compelling success stories. These outstanding individuals: Jericho Rosales, Gerald Anderson, Kim Chiu, Bea Alonzo, and CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida Jr., were once ordinary people who all dreamed extraordinary dreams, and persevered to turn these dreams into reality, for themselves and for their families.”

In their latest campaign, Chowking captures the life stories of these individuals who underwent obstacles, painstakingly faced adversities, and overcame all barriers to reach what seemed insurmountable. In a sea of mediocrity, they excelled because of a certain indescribable hunger to satiate their own drive to give not just themselves but their families better lives as well.

Arandia notes, “It is very heartwarming to discover the humble past of these people. Their struggles and journey to the top were founded on such noble values. Today, they all shine not just as stars, but as true inspirations for millions of people in the country today who also long to uplift their lives. And as inspirations, their stars shine even brighter. And that is why they were all chosen to be the best spokespeople of our mantra ‘Tikman Ang Tagumpay’. They just don’t believe in our mantra. They live and breathe our mantra. They are living proof that with the right ingredients, nothing is impossible.”

* MENU SAMPLE *

LUNCH AND DINNER:

SWEET & SOUR PORK RICE

Lightly breaded deep fried tender pork cutlets with apple chunks and sliced pineapple coated with a moderately thick sweet & sour sauce, flavored with fruity notes.

SNACKS:

PANCIT CANTON

Deliciously improved pancit canton noodles, with sauteed chicken bits, sliced fish cake, and chicken kiam blended with new thickened seafood sauce & topped with freshly cut cabbage, baguio pechay, carrot strips, and toasted garlic bits.

DESSERTS:

HALO-HALO

An appetizing mixture of sweetend ingredients arranged on a bed of snow ice with a generous serving of milk & topped with toasted pinipig, served in an elegant bowl with underliner.

* COMPETITORS *

• Greenhouse Fishing Station and Restaurant
• Sunburst Restaurant
• Pinchik Restaurant
• Kamayan sa Pagadian (Chicken Ati-Atihan)
• Jollibee Pagadian

Amongst all the aligned competitors of Chowking Pagadian, it'll always stand still and be ranked as number 1 food chain restaurant in Pagadian City because it is the only Chinese food in the city that offers affordable food to the public and is located to a very beautiful ambience that vehicles would pass-by and can able to smell its mouth-watering food inside Chowking.

There is no shortage of Chinese restaurants in the Philippines, but they’re not as consistent and neither are they located on every other street corner the way Chow King is. Chow King has always been one of my favorite fast food joints. Not only is a Chow King restaurant incredibly easy to find when I’m craving for congee or noodle soup; they’ve got efficient service, very affordable prices, and food that tastes like real food instead of chemical fastfood junk.

Although Chow King serves the usual Chinese fare of siopao, siomai, noodles, fried rice, and congee, their bestselling dish is no other than their halo-halo. Even I think that Chow King’s halo-halo is one of the best (and cheapest) halo-halo out there.

** BORACAY ISLAND **

Widely known as one of the finest swimming destinations in the world, Boracay is blessed with unsullied fine talcum powder-sand beaches. Its tranquil crystal clear waters are perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing. Boracay also boasts of sapphire seas and spectacular sunsets. Countless hidden coves dot the island and tall coconut trees line up along the beaches.

Boracay lies at the northwest tip of Panay, in the west Visayas region, off the Sibuyan Sea. The island is made up of little communities: Yapak in the north, Balabag in the middle, and Manocmanoc in the south. Hilly elevations up to 100 meters above sea level characterize Yapak and Manocmanoc. Intertwining trails link the small villages together but many sometimes lead to lush tropical jungles.

To get to Boracay, one has to book a flight to Kalibo, the capital of Aklan province. Air-conditioned coasters or public buses offer one-hour-and-a-half drive to Caticlan where one can board a motorized banca for a 30-minute trip to Boracay.

wHo iS winNiE tHe POOH -- ?

H I S T O RY

During the first World War troops from Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada) were being transported to eastern Canada, on their way overseas to Europe where they should join the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. When the train stopped at White River, Ontario, a lieutenant called Harry Colebourn bought a small female black bear cub for $20 from a hunter who had killed its mother. He named her 'Winnipeg', after his hometown of Winnipeg, or 'Winnie' for short.

Winnie became the mascot of the Brigade and went to Britain with the unit. When the Brigade was posted to the battlefields of France, Lt. Colebourn took Winnie to the London Zoo for a long loan. Formally Colebourn presented the London Zoo with Winnie in December 1919 where it became a popular attraction and lived until 1934.

The bear was also very popular by Christopher Robin, son of author A.A. Milne. It was his favorite at the zoo, and he often spent time inside the cage with it. The bear was Christopher Robin's inspiration for calling his own teddy bear Winnie.... Winnie the Pooh (this teddy bear started out with the name of Edward Bear). The name of Pooh originally belonged to a swan, as can be seen in a poem from Milne's When We Were Very Young.

A.A. Milne started to write a series of books about Winnie the Pooh, his son Christopher Robin, and their friends at 100-Aker-Wood. These other characters, such as Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger, Kanga and Roo were also based on stuffed animals belonging to Christopher Robin. Other characters as Rabbit and Owl were based on animals that lived, just like the swan Pooh, in the surrounding area of Milne's country home Cotchford Farm in Ashdown Forest, Sussex, on which 100-Aker-wood was based.

'Winnie-the-Pooh' was published by Methuen on October 14th, 1926, the verses 'Now We are Six' in 1927, and 'The House at Pooh Corner' in1928. All these books were illustrated in a beautiful way by E.H. Shepard, which made the books even more magical. The Pooh-books became firm favourites with old and young alike and have been translated into almost every known language. A conservative figure for the total sales of the four Methuen editions (including When We Were Very Young) up to the end of 1996 would be over 20 million copies. These figures do not include sales of the four books published by Dutton in Canada and the States, nor the foreign-language editions printed in more than 25 languages the world over!

The Pooh-books had also been favourites of Walt Disney's daughters and it inspired Disney to bring Pooh to film in 1966. In 1977 'the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', the first feature-length animated film of Pooh was released. In 1993, the Walt Disney Company acknowledged that Pooh Bear is second only to Mickey Mouse in their portfolio of the most-loved and trusted characters known to millions of people all the world over. By 1996, after the second release of 'the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', the Bear of Very Little Brain had proved to be more popular than any other Disney character. In 1997, thirty years after the release of 'the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', Disney released 'Pooh's Grand Adventure', picking up where Disney's 22nd Masterpiece left off.

12 STEPS TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE

1. Keep your eyes peeled for better ways to do your job. Streamline a procedure, shave costs, create a new profit center, become an expert on a specific topic, volunteer for a company committee -- anything that will make you stand out as a prime candidate for a promotion or a pay boost.

2. Don't be afraid to negotiate. In a study of master's degree graduates from her university, Carnegie Mellon economics professor Linda Babcock found that those who negotiated their first salary boosted their pay by 7.4% compared with those who didn't bargain.

3. Get your ducks in a row and your numbers on paper. If possible, quantify how much your efforts add to the company's bottom line. If that's not feasible, spotlight your value with comparable salaries for workers in your position from a Web site, such as Salary.com, or from a professional association.

4. Plot your strategy when it's time to move on. Create a professional-looking page on MySpace that tells prospective employers why you're an exceptional candidate, recommends John Challenger of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas. And don't neglect more conventional networking: Join a professional association or show up at school reunions toting business cards.

5. Contribute as much as you can to your 401(k) and other tax-deferred retirement plans. You'll not only build a bigger nest egg, but you'll also cut your tax bill. In the 25% federal tax bracket, every $1,000 you contribute to a 401(k) trims your taxes by $250. And you'll save on state income taxes, too.

6. Flex your tax-saving muscle. Contribute pretax dollars to a flexible spending account to pay for dependent care or out-of-pocket medical expenses. If you set aside $1,500 per year and you're in the 25% bracket, avoiding federal income and Social Security taxes means Uncle Sam will subsidize almost $500 of your expenses.

7. Review your tax withholding. If you're expecting a refund this spring, you're having too much tax withheld from your paycheck -- and making an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam. That's no way to become a millionaire. Put more money in your pocket by using Kiplinger's withholding calculator and then filling out a new Form W-4.

8. Stash savings in a Roth IRA if you're eligible. Withdrawals in retirement, including decades of compounded earnings, will be tax-free. This year, income-eligibility limits for a Roth increase to $114,000 for individuals and $166,000 for married couples.

9. Don't delay. The quicker you get a jump on putting money aside, the easier it will be to stuff a seven-figure cushion. If you start at age 25, for example, investing $286 per month will get you $1 million by age 65, assuming you earn 8% annually.

10. Invest automatically, either through your employer's retirement plan or by setting up a regular deposit to a mutual fund or broker. You'll never miss the money, and you'll avoid two big mistakes: buying too much when stock prices are high and not buying at all when prices fall.

11. Watch for fund fees. The more you pay, the tougher it is to earn an above-average return. The typical hedge fund, for example, takes 20% of any gains, a huge hurdle to overcome. A better bet: no-load mutual funds with expense ratios of 1% or less. If you trade individual stocks, watch those commissions.

12. Keep it simple. Be wary of get-rich-quick schemes or sales pitches for complex investments, such as oil-and-gas partnerships, that trade on the millionaire cachet to lure investors into buying high-fee products they don't understand. Most millionaire households accumulate their wealth over the long term by sticking to a regular investing plan in a balanced portfolio.

wHo iS lady GAGA -- ???

When Lady Gaga was a little girl, she would sing along on her mini plastic tape recorder to Michael Jackson and Cyndi Lauper hits and get twirled in the air in daddy’s arms to the sounds of the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. The precocious child would dance around the table at fancy Upper West Side restaurants using the breadsticks as a baton. And, she would innocently greet a new babysitter in nothing but her birthday suit.

It’s no wonder that little girl from a good Italian New York family, turned into the exhibitionist, multi-talented singer-songwriter with a flair for theatrics that she is today: Lady Gaga.

“I was always an entertainer. I was a ham as a little girl and I’m a ham today,” says Lady Gaga, 23, who made a name for herself on the Lower East Side club scene with the infectious dance-pop party song “Beautiful Dirty Rich,” and wild, theatrical, and often tongue-in-cheek “shock art” performances where Gaga – who designs and makes many of her stage outfits -- would strip down to her hand-crafted hot pants and bikini top, light cans of hairspray on fire, and strike a pose as a disco ball lowered from the ceiling to the orchestral sounds of A Clockwork Orange.

“I always loved rock and pop and theater. When I discovered Queen and David Bowie is when it really came together for me and I realized I could do all three,” says Gaga, who nicked her name from Queen’s song “Radio Gaga” and who cites rock star girlfriends, Peggy Bundy, and Donatella Versace as her fashion icons. “I look at those artists as icons in art. It’s not just about the music. It’s about the performance, the attitude, the look; it’s everything. And, that is where I live as an artist and that is what I want to accomplish.”

That goal might seem lofty, but consider the artist: Gaga is the girl who at age 4 learned piano by ear. By age 13, she had written her first piano ballad. At 14, she played open mike nights at clubs such as New York’s the Bitter End by night and was teased for her quirky, eccentric style by her Convent of the Sacred Heart School (the Manhattan private school Nicky and Paris Hilton attended) classmates by day. At age 17, she became was one of 20 kids in the world to get early admission to Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Signed by her 20^th birthday and writing songs for other artists (such as the Pussycat Dolls, and has been asked to write for a series of Interscope artists) before her debut album was even released, Lady Gaga has earned the right to reach for the sky.

“My goal as an artist is to funnel a pop record to a world in a very interesting way,” says Gaga, who wrote all of her lyrics, all of her melodies, and played most of the synth work on her album, The Fame (Streamline/KonLive/Cherrytree/Interscope). “I almost want to trick people into hanging with something that is really cool with a pop song. It’s almost like the spoonful of sugar and I’m the medicine.”

On The Fame, it’s as if Gaga took two parts dance-pop, one part electro-pop, and one part rock with a splash of disco and burlesque and generously poured it into the figurative martini glasses of the world in an effort to get everyone drunk with her Fame. “The Fame is about how anyone can feel famous,” she explains. “Pop culture is art. It doesn’t make you cool to hate pop culture, so I embraced it and you hear it all over The Fame. But, it’s a sharable fame. I want to invite you all to the party. I want people to feel a part of this lifestyle.”

The CD’s opener and first single, “Just Dance,” gets the dance floor rocking with it’s “fun, L.A., celebratory vibe.” As for the equally catchy, “Boys Boys Boys,” Gaga doesn’t mind wearing her influences on her sleeve. “I wanted to write the female version of Motley Crue’s ‘Girls Girls Girls,’ but with my own twist. I wanted to write a pop song that rockers would like.”

“Beautiful Dirty Rich” sums up her time of self-discovery, living in the Lower East Side and dabbling in drugs and the party scene. “That time, and that song, was just me trying to figure things out,” says Gaga. “Once I grabbed the reigns of my artistry, I fell in love with that more than I did with the party life.” On first listen, “Paparazzi” might come off as a love song to cameras, and in all honestly, Gaga jokes “on one level it IS about wooing the paparazzi and wanting fame. But, it’s not to be taken completely seriously. It’s about everyone’s obsession with that idea. But, it’s also about wanting a guy to love you and the struggle of whether you can have success or love or both.”

Gaga shows her passion for love songs on such softer tracks as the Queen-influenced “Brown Eyes” and the sweet kiss-off break-up song “Nothing I can Say (eh eh).” “‘Brown Eyes’ is the most vulnerable song on the album,” she explains. “‘Eh Eh’ is my simple pop song about finding someone new and breaking up with the old boyfriend.”

For the new tour for this album, fans will be treated to a more polished version of what they saw (and loved) at her critically acclaimed Lollapalooza show in August 2007 and Winter Music Conference performance in March 2008. “This new show is the couture version of my handmade downtown performance of the past few years. It’s more fine-tuned, but some of my favorite elements to my past shows – the disco balls, hot pants, sequin, and stilettos – will still be there. Just more fierce and more of a conceptual show with a vision for pop performance art.”

It’s been a while since a new pop artist has made her way in the music industry the old-fashioned/grass roots way by paying her dues with seedy club gigs and self-promotion. This is one rising pop star who hasn’t been plucked from a model casting call, born into a famous family, won a reality TV singing contest, or emerged from a teen cable TV sitcom. “I did this the way you are supposed to. I played every club in New York City and I bombed in every club and then killed it in every club and I found myself as an artist. I learned how to survive as an artist, get real, and how to fail and then figure out who I was as singer and performer. And, I worked hard.”

Gaga adds with a wink in her eye, “And, now, I’m just trying to change the world one sequin at a time.”

hidDen mEaninG oF my namE : :

stenele grace

Courageous, intelligent and honest you are a seeker of truth and willingly accept the responsibilities of leadership. Exercising wisdom and sound judgement you base your actions and decisions on the lessons of past experience. Your alert mind and creative ideas assure you of success with any project and can bring you great financial rewards. With your ever positive attitude towards life others find you inspirational.

coLor haS an impaCt on thE chOicEs yOu makE--

Meaning of the Color Blue

Blue is the overwhelming "favorite color." Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed. The color of sky and the ocean, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives.

As the collective color of the spirit, it invokes rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming; however not all blues are serene and sedate. Electric or brilliant blues become dynamic and dramatic, an engaging color that expresses exhilaration.

Some shades or the overuse of blue may come across as cold or uncaring. Blue is the least "gender specific" color, having equal appeal to both men and women.

How the color blue affects us physically and mentally
* Calming and sedate
* Cooling
* Aids intuition

Meaning of the Color Green

Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye and is second only to blue as a favorite color. Green is the pervasive color in the natural world that is an ideal backdrop in interior design because we are so used to seeing it everywhere.

The natural greens, from forest to lime, are seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a natural balance of cool and warm (blue and yellow) undertones. Green is considered the color of peace and ecology. However, there is an "institutional" side to green, associated with illness or Government-issued that conjure up negative emotions as do the "slimy" or bilious greens.

How the color green affects us physically and mentally
* Soothing
* Relaxing mentally as well as physically
* Helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety
* Offers a sense of renewal, self-control and harmony

Meaning of the Color Yellow

Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment, and happiness. Shades of golden yellow carry the promise of a positive future. Yellow will advance from surrounding colors and instill optimism and energy, as well as spark creative thoughts.

How the color yellow affects us mentally and physically
* Mentally stimulating
* Stimulates the nervous system
* Activates memory
* Encourages communication

Meaning of the Color Orange

Orange, a close relative of red, sparks more controversy than any other hue. There is usually strong positive or negative association toorange and true orange generally elicits a stronger "love it" or "hate it" response than other colors. Fun and flamboyant orange radiates warmth and energy. Interestingly, some of the tones of orange such as terra cotta, peach or rust have very broad appeal.

How the color orange affects us mentally and physically
* Stimulates activity
* Stimulates appetite
* Encourages socialization

Meaning of the Color Red

Red has more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant red is inherently exciting and the amount of red is directly related to the level of energy perceived. Red draws attention and a keen use of red as an accent can immediately focus attention on a particular element.

How the color red affects us mentally and physically
* Increases enthusiasm
* Stimulates energy
* Encourages action and confidence
* A sense of protection from fears and anxiety

Meaning of the Color Purple

Purple embodies the balance of red simulation and blue calm. This dichotomy can cause unrest or uneasiness unless the undertone is clearly defined at which point thepurple takes on the characteristics of its undertone. A sense of mystic and royal qualities, purple is a color often well liked by very creative or eccentric types and is the favorite color of adolescent girls.

How the color purple affects us mentally and physically
* Uplifting
* Calming to mind and nerves
* Offers a sense of spirituality
* Encourages creativity

Meaning of the Color Brown

Brown says stability, reliability, and approachability. It is the color of our earth and is associated with all things natural or organic.

How the color brown affects us physically and mentally
* Feeling of wholesomeness
* Stability
* Connection with the earth
* Offers a sense orderliness

Meaning of the Color White

White projects purity, cleanliness, and neutrality. Doctors don white coats, brides traditionally were white gowns and a white picket fence surrounds a safe and happy home.

How the color white affects us mentally and physically
* aids mental clarity
* encourages us to clear clutter or obstacles
* evokes purification of thoughts or actions
* enables fresh beginnings

Meaning of the Color Gray

Gray is timeless, practical, and solid. A longstanding favorite suit color, gray can mix well with any color. Although well like and often worn, people rarely name gray as a favorite color possibly because Gray also is associated with loss or depression.

How the color gray affects us physically and mentally
* unsettling
* expectant

Meaning of the Color Black

Black is authoritative and powerful; because black can evoke strong emotions too much can be overwhelming. A classic color for clothing possibly because it makes the wearer appear thinner and more sophisticated.

How the color black affects us physically and mentally
* feeling inconspicuous
* a restful emptiness
* mysterious evoking a sense of potential and possibility.