OOTD: sweet.♥

hello there! :)

summer ain't over yet! pastels and floral prints are still in! 

here's an outfit post from last week. 

DETAILS:

• TOP- powder blue tank top
• white shimmering cardigan- from Ukay
• BOTTOM- floral printed skorts. :) got this for 65php in Ukay 
• ACCENTS- black watch from Guess (vintage), olive green purse
• SHOES- Toms Classic

thanks for reading!

*shine!

FOOD TRIPS: MU Noodle Bar

hello everyone!

another food blog here. :) last week after watching the film Star Trek: Into Darkness we tried out MU Noodle Bar at Glorietta 2. *yey for Japanese food!

when i first saw the place months before i immediately thought, "Gosh...mukhang mahal dito." however i was proven wrong and therefore i conclude NEVER JUDGE A RESTO BY ITS INTERIORS. :))

the place's decor is crisp, sharp and modern with a dash of blacks and whites that suits the taste of minimalist, such as myself. what attracted me the most are the high tables and stools that we sat on, these added drama in my dining experience.

FOOD PRICE RANGE: 200-500

 the decor. :)

gyoza and iced tea. :) 

chicken with basil and pork chop noodle soup. :)

here's a sample of their menu i grabbed from their FB page.

there you have it! try out MU Noodle Bar. :) 

*burp!

*shine!

love letters: dear Jesus.☺

dear Jesus,

good morning to You my Lord and my God! how is everything in heaven? i know for sure that all is fine, all is well. i decided to write this letter because i realized that i was too caught up in this worldly life that i haven't shared my stories to you lately. while you continue to unfold your part of the tale to me everyday i was busy troubling on what to do, what not to do and completely forgot that i could rely on you. my prayers became scripted and formatted. where were my spontaneous thoughts and ideas? have they been in long deep slumber that i couldn't wake those up? i used to be me...whenever i talked to you but now it seemed that i have put a gorge-wide gap between us. 

i am guilty as a criminal when i say all this my Lord.

i am deeply sorry for the sins that i have committed. i am sorry for the things i did to hurt you and the people around me. here i am again knocking on your door to give me a chance. :) i know your are a God of Chances, please give me one more. 

i also wrote this letter to ask you for help. this kind of help is not to ask for blessings for you have already showered mine, this SOS i seek is an advice my Lord. advice on what to do in this point of my life. i'm not really confused on what i want to do...its the "what i have to do" part that i'm having a hard time deciphering. if only there are books that could just direct you to the right way of living i bet i'll be buying those at all cost! however in this life that you lend me my Lord, there are current events that i could not understand or don't want to understand.

i have always lived by the rules. as much as possible i can't stand breaking these morals but NOW...giving my current situation, i have this urge to go out of bounce, break the code!!! i don't care anymore!!! i don't care what will people think of me, the heck, i don't care what they'll say about me. i just want that feeling of release. sometimes i thought it might be an excuse to do this if i weren't literate. i even wished that i could be illiterate for just 1 day and get this act over with. i have this mixed emotion of anger and confusion pent up inside of me. i tried so hard to contain this deadly cocktail but bursts of it continue to surface and push me to do things i would not do on a normal basis.

however...through Mama Mary's intercession and grace that i could just let it all go. :') i thank your mother oh Lord for always being with me. whenever i call her she is quick to respond. just like you, she held me back with a hug to help me avoid the actions that i would really regret on doing. this blessing is wonderful and i could not thank you enough for it. 

i would also like to thank you for the following people:

1. Fr. Edison- thank you for him and his new ministry in our parish. he has been a kind priest to me. :) i learned new things because of him like adobe photoshop, simplicity, and most of all discipline. please bless him always and please guide him into leading his new flock towards goodness and holiness.

2. Padz- i miss him everyday Jesus but i know that our padz had taught us well and is now ready to teach other young servers of the Lord. please let him feel that i love him so much! please bless his health, his family that i have also loved, and his new parish. 

3. Tito Pol, Tito Manny, Tito Deo, Tito Lito- the so called F4. thank you for them! they have been a blessing not only to our parish but to our lives as well. all i ask is to help them stop smoking. its bad for their health. :) please make them strong and may they continue to serve the parish with fervor and heart.

4. my friends- you know who they are. :) i thank you for them because they are friends not just in need but friends indeed. although we may have differences and short-comings, we still gotten over those obstacles to continue to be in the presence of each other. i thank you for their lives and their jobs and families. please continue to bless them.

5. my family- they have been with me for all the days of my life. i  thank you for letting me be a part of this clan. :) thank you Lord for we are still together, happy, and contented. :)

6. Aaron- he is the wild card. :))) hahaha! i really don't know why i feel so much for him but i love the fact that i'm clueless. he is the calm in my storm, that encouraging voice when i'm down, a warm love that could dissolve hate and anger in my heart. thank you for him. :) please bless him oh Lord and please grant him a job that he will love. :)

lastly, please bless my haters/enemies i know that they are everywhere. :) please bless them always and please also give them happiness and peace. 

thank you my Lord for all the wondrous things that you've given me. i'll be waiting on those advice? haha. i know i'll get them later on the day. thank you again. i feel better now. :) thank you again. :)

i will be writing soon! :)

Amen.

Summer Ensembles: Puerto Galera.☺

since my last post is about my recent trip to Galera, let me share with you a couple of looks that I've put together.☺

DAY 1: Aboard

i wanted to have that comfy, summer look. :) i put on this printed top with my fave denim shorts at the moment and just slipped on my pair of Sperry's. i added this beige cardigan because i considered the fact that we are traveling by an air conditioned bus. don't want to catch a cold! :)

DETAILS:

• TOP- its from a brand called Candy.
• CARDIGAN- from Esprit, got it in ang Ukay store for 20 pesos. :)
• BOTTOMS- this is my 20 peso shorts, got it also from Ukay.
• SHOES- Sperry Top-Siders in Sahara.
• BAG- from Jansport
• EARRINGS- bronze studs from F21

DAY 1: Explore

after arriving at our destination, we took a couple of hours dozing off. :) we woke up at dusk. knowing that we were in the beach, i paired this animal printed top with a tie dye short shorts.

DETAILS:

• TOP- animal printed hanging blouse from Ukay.
• BOTTOM- blue tie-dyed shorts from Ukay.
• FOOT WEAR- Havaianas  Top in Rose Gold 

DAY 1: Sling Out

being spotted at the night scene was part of the agenda. :)) i wanted to look chic but not too much for the night out so i put on a pink maxi skirt and knitted top. 

DETAILS:

• TOP- knitted top from Ukay.
• BOTTOM- pink sheer maxi skirt from Coco Cabana.
• FOOT WEAR- Havaianas in Rose Gold
• EARRINGS- same bronze studs from F21

DAY 2: Fresh

time to swim and snorkel! :) i have my bathing suit underneath this white top and azure colored shorts. 

DETAILS:

• TOP- white shirt from Ukay.
• BOTTOMS- azure short shorts from U2, got it from Ukay.
• FOOT WEAR- Adidas Beach Shoes
• EYE WEAR- from SM

DAY 2: Swim!

DETAILS

• TOP- black halter bathing suit from Tomato
• BOTTOMS-Speedo trunks. *wink!

DAY 2: Travel

after the morning activities, its time to visit Tamaraw Falls! :) i put on this cute lace tube over my bathing suit and wore my woven hat. 

DETAILS:

• TOP- white lace tube top from Ukay
• FOOT WEAR- Havaianas in Rose Gold
• ACCESSORIES- Straw hat from SM

DAY 3: Shop

last ootd! :)

DETAILS:

• TOP- neon orange tank top from Ukay
• BOTTOMS- floral shorts from Chill. :)
• FOOT WEAR- Havaianas in Rose Gold
• ACCESSORIES- shades from SM.

yey! we're done! these are just the clothes that i've bought with me during the trip.

most of the pieces from my vacation ensembles are from ukay-ukay. :) who can tell that these clothes costs 20 or 50 pesos? i am proud that these outfits cost less, look cute and really show off my personality. loving these ukay-ukay collection of mine!♥☺ thank you for reading! 

*shine!

PUERTO GALERA ESCAPADE: Planned it. Did it.

good day everyone! :)

how are you doing? sorry for being absent from my blog for a long time. i just came home from a recent trip away from the busy, fast-paced life here in the urban. :) sometimes it really just amazing when you get an enormous amount of blessing from our Lord! He let me and my church friends to travel 130 kilometers south of Manila to this isle of White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. 

this is my first time traveling for a real VACATION. :) so i'm just really super excited! haha! it took us months to plan for this summer's fun out and i must say it was worth it! 

Puerto Galera is dubbed as the "poor-man's Boracay" mainly because of the similar white sand on its coast. there are so many things to love about this place! 

1. Budget-friendly- based on experience, traveling here with a group makes everything survivable. for more or less than 3 thousand pesos, you can stay and try all of the activities for 3 days and 2 nights.
2. People- i love meeting new friends anywhere because i'd like to hear their stories and life experiences. one of the things i noticed about Galera is the friendly people. they are honest and hard-working. in our 3-day stay there no one tried to con us or take advantage of us. they earn their living true and clear.
3. Food- okay, where do i start??? hahaha! i just love the perfection of their grilled pork, squid, chicken, kebabs. plus the rice is screaming, "EAT ME! EAT ME!" delicious! the prices are not at all bad. food budget for each meal ranges from 99-200 pesos at most. :)
4. Environment- its every Biologists' dream to be surrounded by diverse wildlife, well, Puerto's got snorkeling and hiking! perfect for searching crawlers, fish and corals. ♥.♥ the beach is also kept clean and preserved. :)
5. Activities- everything that they offer is for 200 pesos each person. just to mention a few:

• SNORKELING and ISLAND HOPPING
• HAIR BRAIDS
• MASSAGE
• TAMARAW FALLS TOUR

okay so now i'll stop blabbing and show you guys the photos from the trip. 

ENJOY!☺

@ Batangas Port 1. we got the round trip ferry ticket for 500pesos.

boarding the bangka. :)

inside the bangka. :)

Ate Joy & Kristel, Ate Sarah & Ate Jhing :)

Marlon, Angeli, Jek, A & me

we arrived after an hour on the bangka. :)

this is the Lagundian, our home for the 3 days we've spent in Galera. it is located on top of a mountain. you have to climb the stairs to get there. every step that you take is really worth it because once you've reach the top, the view is breath-taking. :) in terms of privacy and security, this place is a guarantee!

our rooms. :) spacious and equipped with a television in one and a fridge in the other. :) each has its own bathroom, air conditioner, cabinets, and a pantry.

the view from Lagundian. :) 

White Beach. :)

FUN ACTIVITIES! :)

• watch bold and talented fire dancers on the beach font!
• try their MANGO and STRAWBERRY scramble! :) this is so delicious! i could taste real fruits being used and not just flavoring
• visit TAMARAW FALLS. this is a must! for 200 pesos each person  you'll get to have an adventure  that you'll never forget. 
• ISLAND HOPPING- we went to 2 islands. :)
• FOOD TRIPS. :)
• SHOPPING for souvenirs.
• SNORKELING!
• let's not forget to try the famous drink, MINDORO SLING.

those 3 days were really blessed with friendship, fun and most of all love.♥ i would like to come back there and try the other activities like riding the banana boat, para-sailing, trying out the extreme sports (riding motor bikes), and of course hiking! having a henna tatoo can also be on the list. haha. so much activity so little time. 

thank you for reading! i do hope that you guys could visit Puerto Galera, you won't regret it!

the next post will surely be more photo heavy! be ready! 

*shine!

me, myself and i.☺

hello!

last night @ McDonald's with a couple of treasured friends, i realized something. even though we've known each other for almost 6 years now they still don't know certain FACTS about me and we're surprised to discover that i did things like this and that. :)) 

so with out further ado here are some facts about me.☺

1. i was born a premature 5lbs baby on January 14, 1991 at around 5 minutes past 12. :) 
2. i was a colic baby meaning i always have gas! hahahaha! 
3. my dad can carry me with only 1 hand on my 1st week as an infant.
4. i'm lactose intolerant when i was a baby so i only drink soya milk.
5. i'm  the 1st baby born in my immediate family and the only girl for 15 years, making me the princess. =)))) hahahah. the "princess" thing is only in my discretion.
6. i called my grandmother and grandfather as LOLA GANDA and LOLO POGI.
7. i was a lola's girl.♥
8. i had the apple cut hairstyle from kinder up to nowadays.
9. i have 3 dimples (on the cheek and 2 on the mouth area).
10. i have a birthmark at the left part of my upper back.
11. i have 5 moles on my face, one located in my eyeball.
12. i have a lot of childhood friends! they are Ate Maple, Bok (Trish), Pam, Patrick, Pauline, and Ashey. 
13. most of my childhood summer vacation were spent in Baguio City.
14. i got my 1st glasses when i was in the 5th grade.
15. my 1st out of the country trip was also during the 5th grade.
16. favorite Disney Land ride was Indiana Jones' Adventure! :)
17. 1st pet was a bunny, Pinky.
18. when i was 7, i joined a contest on Cartoon Network, GET TOONED. i won and i was transformed into a ballerina cartoon and was featured at Balitang K. :)
19. i was born during the year of the Horse.
20. my 1st task as a journalism student was to cover sport events in our school and i grabbed 3rd place in an interschool sports writing competition.
21. in college, i won 2 essay writing contests and won cash prizes! yipeee!
22. i was forced to join the 2007 Mr. and Ms. Biology pageant and won 1st runner up. :P
23. i graduated from public schools in Makati during elementary ad highschool, and from a state university in college.
24. graduated as 2nd honorable mention in high school. :)
25. got accepted in UP Manila but i went to Philippine Normal University instead. :)
26. i'm a Biology major.
27. i am a licensed teacher. 
28. i never had Rebond treatment but i have colored my hair twice already.
29. i stand 5 feet 2 inches.
30. i had my 1st real romance/ boyfriend when i was in college already.
31. i've always had the same weight ever since 2nd year in high school!!! XD
32. i can play the guitar, ukelele and banduria.
33. i'm an ALTO.
34. i love reading! :) and writing is a hobby.
35. i love shopping at ukay-ukays.
36. i collect frogs, Sylvanian Familes and school supplies.
37. i'm talkative.
38. i'm always happy. :)
39. i hate chickens, literally and figuratively.
40. i'm a fan of the Clef and Umi love team!
41. i had braces for 1 1/2 years.
42. i can't apply eyeliner. :))
43. i am the exact female replica of my younger brother, Kai.
44. i am currently studying to become a doctor of medicine. :) wish me luck!
45. no fave songs, books, movies, TV shows, color because i have tons!
46. i love both kids and elderly.
47. i'm a sucker for weddings. :))
48. my 1st ever celebrity crush was Leonardo di Caprio.
49. i once dreamt of being an astronomer. :))
50. i loved Greek Mythology so much after watching Disney's Hercules so i got the Britannica collection and started reading about these Greek gods at first then the next thing i know i'm on Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing!
51. my undergraduate thesis is about silver nitrate and fish eggs.
52. i seldom watch local TV. :( sorry.

there! 51 random facts! :) i hope you found something that we have in common!

and i CHALLENGE you could share some info about you so i'm tagging KONI MACAPAGAL AKA JHINSKY23 to post something like this in you blog!♥ haha!☺

*shine!

rooting for number 14!☺

did you know?

• James Naismith, a teacher at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, is credited with inventing basketball in 1891.
• The first “hoops” were actually just peach baskets and the first backboards were made of wire.
• The game became an official Olympic event at the Summer Games in Berlin, Germany in 1936.
• Two leagues called the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged after the 1948-49 season to become today's National Basketball Association (NBA).
• The Boston Celtics have won the most NBA championships (17), including seven straight from 1960 to 1966.
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played 20 seasons in the NBA, holds the record for most points scored in a career with 38,387.
• On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia center Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game against New York. That is the most one player has ever scored in one game.
• Current Atlanta Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens has won more basketball games than any other coach.
• The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a 10-team rival league to the NBA that began play in the 1967-68 season and folded nine years later after the 1975-76 season. Four current NBA teams – Indiana, Denver, New York, and San Antonio – originated in the ABA.
• The NBA instituted the three-pointer before the 1979-80 season, an idea it borrowed from the ABA.
• The Chicago Bulls have won all six NBA Finals in which they've appeared.
• Michael Jordan, who retired in January 1999 but returned to the league in 2001, has scored more points (5,987) in the playoffs than any other player.
• The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield, Mass.

info from Fact Monster

every body loves basketball, here in the Philippines the game had adrenaline rushing all over the men of all ages; whether its Ginebra San Miguel VS Alaska for the PBA, Houston VS OKC for the NBA, or the local basketball league. 

yesterday i had an opportunity to watch A play basketball with some of our friends from OLFP. i saw how they battle against each other in a sweaty dance of pure energy. i even cheered when the ball hits that hoop! haha. its a perfect exercise for them, working their cardio, leg and thigh muscles, gluts and even the brain! physical benefits are not the only things you gain for basketball also works on communication skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.☺ see? learning is definitely not confined in the classroom.

this is the basketball court in our barangay's sports complex. :) they also have aerobics, badminton and volleyball schedules here. 

the boys.☺

A in action!!! 

GO NO. 14! :))

after the game :))) sweaty photo of A. 

although i'm envious of them having fun blocking, running and shoving each other i'm really afraid of contact sports such as this! i'm better of playing badminton and swimming but i really enjoyed watching them play!

 thank you for reading!

LUNCH TIME!

*shine!

OOTD: May 7.☺

what i wore while running errands. :) 

i looked silly standing up on our porch's veranda. :)))) sorryyyy..

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Boracay Shirt- souvenir from mama

Gray Denim Shorts from Mudd

Crocs

Accessories:

Vans Shades

M&M's Bag from American Blvd.

i love comfort! and this outfit gave me what i needed for accomplishing errands on the bank, grocery, and even shopping!

this is the last post of the day. goodnight all!

*shine!

FOOD TRIPS: May 2013.☺

hello!

just wanna share the things i ate this 1st week of May. :)

i cooked both of these :) *yeah!

fried chicken and herbed baked potatoes and Ground Pork Menudo. :)

Spicy Tuna Pasta and Toblerone Cheesecake from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. 

Chocolate, Vanilla and Pistachio Macaroons from Chateau de France.

and the super-duper ultimate, addicting SPECULOOS Cookie Butter!♥♥♥

thank the Lord for all these goodness! :)

*shine!

HOW TO MAKE: Sweet and Sour Pork Balls

"I need SUSTENANCE!"

-Thor, son of Odin

who didn't laugh at the mighty Thor's first demands while he was here on earth? :) even the mighty god of thunder needs something to keep him going like defending the seven realms from icky aliens, taming his brother down, or maybe looking out for Jane. he needs FOOD.

(this blog is entry is about food, of course)  

this month, mama was out of Manila for a six-day stay at Boracay. oh yeah...she needs a vacation! so she left us in charge of the house specially the kitchen. :) one of my favorite dish that we served was this simple Sweet and Sour Pork Balls. :)

i'll divide the steps for making the pork balls and for making the yummy sauce. :)

PORK BALLS:

*INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 ground pork (this amount served 12 people in our home)
• 2 small eggs
• 1 tbsp of flour
• salt and pepper to taste

*UTENSILS:

• 1 large bowl
• CLEAN HANDS.☺

*STEPS:

1. The first thing i did is to put the ground pork into a large bowl.
2. Add the 2 eggs, flour and add salt and pepper.
3. Mix with your clean hands. :)
4. After mixing, form into balls of your desired size. Mine was about an inch in diameter. 
5. Then fry the pork balls in a pan with hot oil. 
6. When the balls are golden brown, strain and set aside.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

*INGREDIENTS:

• 1 UFC Banana ketchup (refill pack)- you can use any banana ketchup
• 1 large bell pepper
• 2 medium-sized carrots
• 1 cucumber
• 1 large onion
• 5 cloves of garlic ( i love garlic)
• 1 small piece of ginder
• 1 can of pineapple tidbits
• sugar
• salt and pepper
• water

*UTENSILS:

• chopping board and knife
• 1 large pan or kaldero in Tagalog

*STEPS:

1. Wash all the veggies first :) even the onion and garlic.
2. Peel the cucumber and carrots, then slice these and the bell pepper in your desired thickness. (NOTE: the thicker the slice the more time it takes to cook)
3. Chop the onions into quarters, crush the garlic, and peel and slice the ginger. 
4. Get the pan hot and ready. Add oil.
5. Saute the ginger, garlic and onions, add a couple of tomato quarters if you like.
6. Then add a generous amount of banana ketchup. The taste will be up to you. :) Add more if you like it sweet. The original recipe made use of tomato sauce but you will need to add more sugar to beat the acidity of the tomatoes. I cheated and used banana ketchup. *wink!
7. Add a 1 1/2 cups of water. 
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. To add more flavor, I added a few squirts of tomato ketchup. 
10. Mix and add the balls.
11. Let it boil.
12. Put the fire into low and add the liquid from the pineapples, carrots and bell pepper.
13. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
14. Mix it again.
15. Add the pineapple tidbits and cucumber. Mix it. 
16. Serve.

here's the finish product! :) yey! by the way this dish was prepared by me and my cooking buddy of the day, Aaron! :) 

cooking with out an adult or expert like mama is really intimidating at first but in time you'll get used to it and probably develop or alter the recipes to your liking. 

i hope you enjoyed reading this post!

thanks for viewing!

*shine!

Food Trip: CHATEAU DE FRANCE

bonjour! :)

craving for French pastries lately? you guys outta try Chateau de France's selection of dreamy, buttery goodness! its a newly opened patisserie located at the ground floor of SM Makati, right in front of the grocery. 

we simply couldn't miss the aroma coming from their baked delicacies that of course ranges from well known baguettes to flaky croissants, colorful macaroons and crunchy mini rolls, this place is to die for! and did i mention that the prices are affordable?☺ plus their friendly staff are eager to help you shop!

here are some photos that i took. :)

OMG! these are LOVE!♥

A and tita Gay shopping for goodies!♥

thanks for reading!

*shine!