Monday, May 30, 2016

Know More About Benzoyl Peroxide and Stop Acne

 

When fixing something we knew to be of problem, it is wise to know more about the problem but it's wiser to consider facts behind it's answer.

Agree?

Let's consider acne as a major beauty problem among many people, including my teen daughters and on occassional times mine too.  I can't agree any better when people say there are a lot of solutions to that, but can you really home in on a particular product that really works for you?

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Desiderata Lounge: When Art Deco Interior and Sublime Menu Were Married


When I got an invite from EON Group for a Scotch Whisky appreciation, I apprehended at first.  But what caught my interest on attending was the venue were it was held.

Desiderata...

Slappy Cakes with My Girls


When all else fails and then there's traffic...however, there are pancakes to get us through.

The car sat still on a heavy traffic one afternoon at Jupiter, Makati. A thought came to my mind, after seeing the kids dead bored and slowly transforming into two girly "grinches," I remembered when they were still little, the scent of pancakes being cooked would make their difficult situations into something worth undertaking after.  So after undergoing a series of payments for the bi-annual obligations of SSS, Philhealth, etc...we found ourselves (that's me, hubby and the two girls) on a traffic dead-end, thus, we thought of stopping over at SM Jazz.  


Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Why My Kitchen Is Never Without Kikkoman Soy Sauce (and Yours Shouldn't be Either)? + Beef Sukiyaki Recipe


Why My Kitchen Is Never Without Kikkoman Soy Sauce (and Yours Shouldn't be Either)? Let me now answer that question...I love using Kikkoman in my dishes that need soy sauce.

After attending two cooking workshops using Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Teriyaki sauce, I make sure that we always have a big bottle.  We are a family who consume a great deal on "sawsawan" or dipping sauce.  From using the regualr commercial soy sauce, I shifted to using Kikkoman.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Kikkoman's Oriental Journey Master Class


After attending Kikkoman Soy Sauce' first Oriental Cooking sesh at 25 Mushroom Kitchen, I make sure that we never run out of Japan's No. 1 soy sauce, Kikkoman, and its Teriyaki Sauce.

When you want authentic Japanese taste in your home, never settle for something less specially with how you season your dishes.  I want mine to be as natural as can be, so it's not harmful for my family's health.  I make sure that what I'm serving my husband and kids are top quality products made with passion and never compromising with tradition, after all, that's how we should savor life.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Cavite's Culinary Generals Preserve Regional History Through Cuisine


It has been more than a year since I last got acquainted with a group of Eat and Cheat, a group of chefs, farmers, and local food enthusiasts that focuses in developing recipes for cancer patients and health food advocates.  I was torn when I heard about the group bit the dust. But it sure paved a way for my colleagues getting a share of the limelight in their own terms.

As a point of fact, the Razorchefs led by Chef Chris Caraingan have earned more and more interesting projects, and one which all of us Filipnos should be truly proud of.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Baked Kofta with Shawarma Sauce


I've been having a lot of cravings for Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food lately after having to visit Sultan Grill and Socrates Secret.

I did give a personal commendation to the chef of Socrates Secret whom we found outside their kitchen taking a break after having to end our wonderful dinner at Paseo Santa Rosa.  

Summer Stroll at he Gourmand Market



As a person who has a penchant for discovering outrageously yummy food, I always make sure that I live up to my standards, by it being healthy, artistically palatable, beknownst to have been prepared by gourmands that never undermines the value of good food.  Thus, I'm always on a look out for events bursting with spectacular ambiance and flavor.

THE GOURMAND MARKET happens to be on top of my foodie events list. 

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Bag of Beans


My summer exhaustion turned to rational mania.   I have gotten as far as Tagaytay, just to follow my irresistible quest for an exquisite coffee experience.   From Calamba,  crossing Silang, all the way to the highlands of Tagaytay.


Going to Batangas, just along Aguinaldo Highway, past Mendez crossing is a city hide-away and a haven to coffee lovers and food writers like me.   Bag of Beans dishes up not only good tasting coffee but also pies and other specialties.   The aroma of coffee whiffed up with the cool breeze of Tagaytay is just the remedy for a stressed out woman like me.

Teriyaki Boy for Dana's 12th Birthday


After having the most enjoyable afternoon at Miracle Art and Star City, the whole fambam had dinner at Teriyaki Boy, which was walking distance to Star City.

The place holds dear to me as this was Bhogs and I had really known each other well on occasional early morning jogs.  I also remembered having to practice our dance routines with my high school classmates at the very ground where restaurants now were built.

Le Jardin, A French Culinary Affair in an Urban Garden


Contrary to popular belief, Le Jardin is not only for the snobs, looking haughty, in an all-white ensemble or donning a gentleman's suit.  You don't need to be on a date either to earn a table.  Though it is true, you need a healthy wallet to really indulge in its well-curated French cuisine.

My experience with this elegant French garden inspired restaurant was last year and was only repeated once for a coffee.  It was undeniably one of the great meal I had last year and that was then when Chef Hasset Go was still actively co-managing it with Chef Jonas Ng.

They wouldn't have gotten the award as one of 2016 BEST RESTAURANTS rated by The Philippine Tatler, if I'm not telling you the truth.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

One Day #withoutshoes + TOMS = Give Shoes


It all begun with a dream: a dream that someday all kids will have shoes.


Yesterday, I witnessed Toms Philippine as it came close to reaching that dream.  It has been 10 years since Toms spent one day #withoutshoes, each year, to raise awareness for children's health and education. The giving of shoes project began on the year 2006. It was when TOMS officially sold its shoes and it was also when the first batch of free shoes were given away to Argentine children, with the astonishing number of 10,000, amounting to the same number of stock sold.  It all began with an idea and 250 pairs of "alpargata-inspired" shoes.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Summer Activities for the Kids at Dewi Sri Farm and Resort + Juicing with Breville


Are you a parent looking for fun activities for the kids and the whole family this summer?  You still have one month to enjoy these fun-filled activities I curated for you.

First of, let me just share how glad I was to share with fellow moms and their kids this farm in Laguna were you can actually invibe the tranquil farm life even for a day.

More than swimming in the pool, Dewi Sri Farm offers enjoyable activities that will divert them from their gadgets or digital games.  

Remember how much fun it was to play jump ropes on the streets or climb trees and pick fruits?  I miss those times, and those kinda times my kids have never experienced as a child.  They grew playing games at home, with books and modern toys, and most of the times, they knew little of what it's like to plant their own vegetables or eat the chicken they have taken cared of.

Tete-a-Tea Cookies, Apple Juice Blended


#Halalan2016 was chaotic and have undeniably caused partition in the nation.  The commotion between partitions added too much heat to the El Nino phenomenon we have all been putting up with.

So to keep good vibes flowing and at the same time giving the family some refreshments, I experimented with Mott's 100% Apple Juice and tried one of the recipes presented in its new cookbook entitled "Start Your Healthy Cooking with the Goodness of Motts."

Take the Edge Off a Hot Summer Day with Mott's !00% Apple Juice in Can


I know you are feeling the heat and have been finding ways on how to beat it, hence this one's for you!

Take the edge off a hot summer day with a healthy, easy-to-serve drink and enjoy it anytime, anywhere. Allow me to introduce yet again my favorite commercial apple juice, Mott's 100% Original apple Juice, now in cans.  You can now pile up your fridge and shelves with these, which are now available at many stores and groceries in the country.


Mott’s  100 % Apple Juice in can are sealed and filled with the same 100% apple fruit goodness and you can now bring with you when you travel.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Miracle Art, An Optical Art Exhibition in Circuit Makati


Our "Sugarbabe" turned 12 last May 5 and she only asked to go to the carnival and invite one of her closest friend with us.  We call our third child that way as a term of endearment, as many have known her as a juvenile DM. (diabetic Type 1).  

Our initial plan of going to EK didn't happen after considering the supah hot weather and the traffic from Manila to the South.  Plus her friend's mom hesitated to accept the invitation since it was far from them, even though we will be following them were ever they've wish to go. 


Friday, May 6, 2016

The Bane Reason Behind our Davao Tour Last February


After attending an event for the Department of Tourism endorsing Davao dubbed as Davao Fun Sale, and heard Davao Tourism LGU's supporting for Mayor Duterte's candidacy for presidency, it took me a lot of thinking, about this seemingly famous guy.  At that time he was still saying that he wasn't going to run for presidency and was quite strongly about it.

Everyone who have been to Davao, boasted about it's grand beauty, its being safe and all.  So, Bhogs and I just needed to see it and feel it for ourselves.

The next thing my husband knew is that I went home with a set of round trip tickets to Davao.

Here are  some reasons behind why I want to experience Davao

#CoolTreat for #CoolMoms by Baguio Oil


I'm sure you already have plans on how to spoil your moms or your wives on Mother's Day.  But do you want to make it extra special, a notch higher to what you've planned?

Who can be cooler than our moms?  With that said, Baguio Oil honor's our Cool Moms with an engaging promo sure to surprise you and of course your mom.

Baguio Oil is giving away 20 pairs of Cool Mom T-shirts and Baguio Oil gift packs to selected winners.

To show how special your moms are, any sons or daughters of at least 18 years old residing anywhere in the Philippines can join.

Here is how to join:

1. Like the Facebook Page of Baguio Oil.
2. Follow the IG account of Baguio Oil.
3. Visit The Baguio Oil website to register and upload 2 photos of your cool MOM using any of              Baguio Oil products.
4.  Validate your entry through email.
5.  All submissions will be screened, strictly one (1) entry per participant.
6.  By joining the contest, participants are allowing the organizers the right to request, use and post          the entries to the Social Media accounts of Baguio Oil for promotion.
7. Organizers are allowed to disqualify entries in violation of the guidelines promotion.

Judging of Winners

1. All valid entries will be posted on the Social Media accounts of Baguio Oil.
2. The organizer, together with the Baguio Oil management will select 20 shortlisted winners to win two (2) t-shirts each.
3. 5 winners will be selected from the shortlisted winners to win the Baguio Oil Gift pack.

Criteria:

Most Number of Likes               50 %
Artistic Merit (Wow Factor)      30 %
Originality                                 20 %

Photo should be digital format JPEG (jpg), PNG (png) in portrait or landscape format with not more than 5 MB in size.

Timeline:
Promo runs from April 15 to May 31, 2016

Other info:

  • The winners will be announced on the Social Media Accounts of Baguio Oil with notifications by registered mail, phone number and email address.
  • Baguio Oil will not be liable for any medical emergencies and/or injuries sustained by the participant during the making of his/her entry.
  • Prices are non-transferable and not convertible to cash
  • Taxes on prizes, if any will not be shouldered by Baguio Oil.
  • The contest promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or associated with Facebook, Twitter, 
  • prizes will be delivered not less than 30 days after the announcement of winners by a courier at no cost.



Thursday, May 5, 2016

Puñta at Mandala Park


It has been a year since we last had a unique taste of Latin-American food at Puñta.  
Okay, okay, let me make a confession,  I'm a good girl and had always been one, but of course I do have flaws in my character at times and one of that is uttering a bad word.  Consider "a" when I say that I did curse.  But the only bad word that comes out of my mouth is the word "puñta," and only when I'm angry.

But I'm not here to blog about cursing and how to be a bad or a good person.  I'm here to write about how to be a good foodie instead.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

A Not-so-Fortunate Day at Fortune Island, and Some Do's and Don'ts


This should have been entitled "The Best Backdrop for a Goddess-like Photo Shoot."  But then again...


Taking a break from the electioneering hullabaloo, Bhogs and I decided to go away for a day!  Go-away in the sense that we had to leave the kids (and the dogs) behind for a day and spend some "just the two of us" time.  

Monday, May 2, 2016

What Happened When I Turned 40 Last March: Crimson Hotel + Main Street Restaurant


I know this had been a super late post!

But I'm keeping this for my self...

Last March 20 (I know, I procrastinated that much!), my family and I spent a simple staycation for my birthday at Crimson Hotel and had spent Earth Hour here as well.  Next day was spontaneous but overly fun.


Do read on and hopefully I can inspire you to get out with your family more...

STAYCATION AT CRIMSON HOTEL ALABANG

EARTH HOUR 2016


B-FAST AT CAFE 8

Cafe 8 was the in-house breakfast buffet dining place of Crimson Hotel Alabang.

We spent my birthday and my daughter's 18 th bday with an overnight accommodation at the said hotel.

It's an ideal hotel to live at if you don't want the crowd of Manila.  Only 20 minutes from our place, not even through Skyway.  But of course if you'll be passing South Super hw at peak ours, better drive using skyway.

I don't find the hotel that special, so I'm guessing the cafe wouldn't be that interesting.

Though I do give high regards to their chefs specially when they would cater for events.  I love the brunch buffet served during the media conference for the pre-launching  of Madrid Fusion Manila 2016.

But when it was time to get our breakfast at 9 in the morning, I can already feel the disappointments in the diners' faces, upon checking the food trays, there wasn't enough food, some are empty so choices were scarce except for the salad and deli stations.

Coffee was great and so were the pastries and breads.

We waited for 15 minutes for the bacon strips and for our omelette to be cooked.

My daughter loved the pancake and waffle station as she plated her own pancake platter with all the works.



FUN AT THE POOL





EMPIRE FASHION CAFE


GOURMET SOCIETY CARD EXPERIENCE



MAIN STREET RESTAURANT




CAFE 8- CRIMSON HOTEL

Address: Eighth Floor, Crimson Hotel,
               Entrata Urban Complex,
              2009 Civic Drive, Filinvest City,
              Muntinlupa City

Contact Numbers: 02 8632222

Cafe Eight - Crimson Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

One Day #WithoutShoes


Our life is such a helter-skelter even this summer, to-do lists are never-ending, of course, how can I ever forget to schedule dates with the hubs.

However, in the midst of all the busyness, it’s vastly important to take time to do activities together as a whole family. Common activities strengthen family bonds and build a strong foundation for nurturing, communicative, healthy relationships. Could there be a better way to nourish joy in our families?

So, here is one special day to do so but can be more meaningful in the sense that we all can get to reach out to other communities with the sole purpose.

 “One Day Without Shoes”, is happening on May 10, 2015 at West Gate Alabang.

The TOMS team everyone to join “One Day Without Shoes” for a GOAL:  IN ONE DAY, GIVE 100,000 NEW PAIRS OF SHOES TO CHILDREN IN 10 COUNTRIES.

Each year TOMS spend one day #withoutshoes to raise awareness for children’s health and education. The dream is that some day, all kids will have shoes. With our support on May 10, they'll be one step closer to improving the lives of 100,000 kids in 10 countries.  To date, TOMS Philippines has given more than 850,000 pairs from 2011— highest “give" in Asia.

Bring your family, friends, co-parents, and their children to  can join us on this day.  It would be a fun and great way to educate the children as well — to be aware of what other children go through, and how there are unconventional ways of helping them.

How to join?  You my ask.

2 Ways to Join

1. Attend the “One Day Without Shoes” event + do live posting on IG (Photo of Barefoot + TOMS shoes + Hashtag #withoutshoes = Give a Pair)

2. Post on IG (Photo of Barefoot + TOMS shoes + Hashtag #withoutshoes = Give a Pair)


IG:  @TOMSPhilippines  #withoutshoes  #ODWS2016ph