The Egg

I finally weaned myself off the internet. 

In between running errands for the 'rents (they were here for a week) and making up for lost time with Person A, I can happily report that real life is more fab than sitting on my white chair and spend the time lurking the internet. 

In one of my grocery runs, I came across a huuugggeee egg in the chiller.

An ostrich egg, available in the grocery store! I thought they're just available in the ostrich farms. This particular egg weighs 1.5kg and retails at PhP 1300! My mind went: I should buy this and make some omelette. Person A suggested making hard-boiled egg out of it. For the former, the main concern is where to source out a drill since the shell is 0.06 in thick! And the latter, it takes 1.5 hours to cook it in boiling water.We contented ourselves touching and holding the egg. Low EQ!

What are the interesting facts inside this shell?

1. It contains 2000 calories. That's enough to feed 5 of me.

2. An ostrich hen can remain productive for 25-35 years. That's a lot of 1-kg eggs, ostrich feathers for the Brit's fascinators, and an ostrich hide for your bag at the end of its life. 

3. Obviously, this is the largest egg from a living bird.

According to my research, ostrich eggs make good omelette and scrambled egg as it is fluffier than chicken eggs. If you're interested to buy some, you may catch this egg at Rustan's Supermarkets. 

Hard Day?

Hope this makes you smile. -(",)-*wink*

I Don't Believe In Make-Up: Eye Cream Edition

I don't believe in make-up, but I do believe in great skin care products.

By skin care products, I mean creams that keep the skin supple, refined and minimize the pores. I have nothing against make-up but I just like to wear my skin bare. 

Nothing beats natural glow.

See how happy I am in this photo. It may be because I am with Person A. Cheesy! =P I am not saying I got the best skin but I don't get break outs, the pores are not noticeable and the skin tone is even. 

For my face, I cleanse, tone, moisturize and apply under eye cream. You see, I have periorbital dark circles (eyebags) which are caused by visible blood vessels under the skin and most likely it is hereditary. 

For this post, let me share with you my favorite eye creams. I apply them twice a day, both under the eye and the lids. In choosing eye creams, I prioritize: hydrating, lightening (that's my biggest problem) then anti-ageing (ack! I don't want crow's feet to appear prematurely!).

Kiehl's is my preference when it comes to face care products. I am a proud Kiehl's user for four years (read: the same time I started working, surely my college allowance is not sufficient to buy me a bottle of their product).

Kiehl's products are available at their boutique in Greenbelt 5 and SM-Mall of Asia. I haven't tried purchasing at SM-MOA but the Greenbelt 5 branch's service is superb.

After a couple of weeks using their Ultra line, I noticed that all my pores reduced in size resulting to finer skin. Also, they give samplers if you buy any product or ask for one. The sales lady was extra nice to me earlier since she gave me 7 samplers! -(",)-*wink*

The eye cream samplers

And the moisturizer samplers

Am I lucky these days or what?

My choice for eye cream is the "Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado". Its main function is to hydrate and my eye bags are not as huge after using the product. It's not as also as expensive as other products in this class. The consistency is very rich.

If I have more money to spare, I get the "Abyssine Eye Cream+". Trust me, this product does wonders. The eye bags magically disappear. Its main function is anti-ageing and the magic ingredient is derived from microorganisms from hydrothermal vents in the Galapagos Island! This one is a splurge for me so I don't use it often.

 Another favorite is Mario Badescu "Hyaluronic Eye Cream". My eyes don't look tired and the eye bags are not as heavy after using this product. It primarily hydrates and doesn't use heavy greasy oils.

Mario Badescu products are available at Rustan's Makati. A tip: you can ask for samplers as well from the sales assistant. They get the samples from the Tester pots and put it in small pots. Great one Rustan's! Shhh... I shouldn't have shared this information.

If I don't have the budget I go to these two products:

Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream. This is easily half the price of the other creams. Study shows that Vitamin E can greatly reduce dark circles. This isn't also as creamy as the other products but its effect on my skin is good enough.

Olay's Total Effect's Eye Cream. Surprisingly, this product works for me and it's relatively cheaper too. I think the main function of this product is to prevent wrinkles. It has gold dusts giving your eyes that extra glow. 

Yes, I like my eye creams more than eye shadows, eye liners and mascara. Though, I believe that 8 full hours of sleep, 2 liters of water and a happy disposition give your eyes the brightest glow.

And that's definitely for free.

Please Vote For Our Photos

Last month we were in this impossibly beautiful place.

The resort is holding a contest in Facebook with the theme "Life, Laughter, Love" and two of the entries are my and Person A's photos.

1. Log-in to Facebook. 

2. Kindly like El Nido Resorts on Facebook

2. Then like my photo.

3. Also like Person A's photo.

The gesture is highly appreciated.

Laughter is an instant vacation by Yours Truly. If you're wondering how this photo was taken, the camera was put on the ledge (not on a tripod) then it was set on 10-secs timer to take multiple shots. 

This one is by Person A. Taken with a Canon G10 at about 5-ft of water. 

Voting ends July 22.

Awww...

"I hope you don't mind that I put down in words


How wonderful life is now you're in the world"

And just so you know, I still want to dance with you when we grow old.

-(",)-*wink*

Mom and Tina's: Vintage Chic Restaurant

I like vintage, floral chic. Case in point, my blog background: pink vintage roses wallpaper. It’s the i-survived-years-yet-I-am-still-pretty feel it exudes that gets my attention. And it always has that warm, inviting feel to it, much like you’re in your Mum’s kitchen waiting for her to serve what she’s stirring in the pot.

So when a restaurant uses vintage floral chic as its theme, it sends a subtle message that I embrace you in and I serve all the home cooking goodness you’ve been craving for.

So this is where we headed to after a couple of hours of table tennis on a Saturday morning. 

The place is well-lighted, spacious and is accented by wooden chairs and floral wallpapers.

It has a mouth-watering display of pastries. Mom and Tina’s is famous for their desserts and pies.

Let me walk you through what we ordered that morning.

Bacon Hashbrown(PhP 215)

Crispy bacon with crunchy hashbrown served with tomato ketchup. It’s well done but not distinct. I think you can have bread instead of rice.

Waffles and Vienna Sausages (PhP ~ 200)

Serving of small waffles, eggs and vienna sausages. Again, it’s good but not spectacular. Something you can whip up in your kitchen. 

Fettucine with Capers and Smoked Salmon (PhP 195)

This one is good. The white sauce and pasta mix well with the salmon. It comes with bread too. The serving is small and good for one person.

Chicken and Mushroom Pie (PhP 45)

This is a solo-sized pie and it’s worth the order . The chicken and mushroom blend well together and don’t overpower each other. This is a teeny-weeny pie.

Choco Mint Shake (PhP 130)

This is a well-blended drink in terms of taste and consistency. Mint renders a fresh taste to the chocolate concoction. It’s refreshing.

Toblerone Walnut Torte (PhP 100)

Most of their desserts are made of frozen cream and this one is no exception. The toblerone is blended into the cream whereas the nut breaks the chilly dessert. This one is also worth coming back for.

Caramel Profiterole (PhP 40)

At the same size as the toblerone torte, this is quite a steal. The thing is the caramel is too sweet. It isn’t your classic profiterole (cream puff) since most of the cream in the caramel is on top of the pastry. A spoonful of this thing is the most I can take: nauumay ako.

In Summary:

1. Mom and Tina’s strength lies in its desserts and pies. The tortes and their English pies are really good and worth coming back for.

2. The place is really pretty. I can imagine hosting a family gathering here, brunch with the special someone, swapping stories with your friends or curling up with a book in one of their couches, of course with a cup of coffee.

3. Price is mid-range relative to Metro Manila restaurants and the serving size is good for one person.

Mom and Tina's
FRDC Building
106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue
Pasig City
63.2.9140833 


Mom and Tina's Makati
G/F Unit 104
Tropical Palms Condominum
Dela Rosa St., Legaspi Village
Makati City
63.2.8404299

One Hundred Fifty Pesos

For this amount, I was able to fill four vases with Peruvian Lilies (Alstroemerias) and Baby's Breath!

I spent the entire afternoon cleaning my place and thought that a bunch of fresh flowers would be the icing on the cake. I had hydrangeas in mind but there were none available. I scouted for gerberas, carnations and paper roses but 4 dozens of those will set me back by PhP 500 (way cheaper than getting it elsewhere) so I settled for something inexpensive.

Roses are sold at PhP 35/dozen but not my thing tonight. I once bought 8 dozens of those to adorn my studio unit. My place smelled heavenly.

So fresh from Dangwa at PhP 150 only:

On top of my desk

By the coffee table

And on my sink

Yep, that's toothbrush, 2 bottles of olive oil, wine, beers and all.

The Peruvian Lilies cost PhP 55/bundle (I bought 2) while the baby's breath costs PhP 80/bundle (I got 1/2). It is best to head to Dangwa at night when the prices drop.

Dangwa Flower Market

Dos Castillas cor Laong Laan St

Sampaloc, Manila

Playing Dress Up: Professional Edition

Here's what I dug up in my photo library: messing with Person A's professional work clothes.

Used to be work clothes.

He's currently office-based but dons the orange coveralls from time to time. Notice how I folded the whole thing, he's a head taller me.

One little girl.

Kinda reminds me of the way tiny ones play dress up with their mother's clothes.

                           Photo credit: weheartit.com

At my age, I won't be this cute.

I am taking the boyfriend shirt fashion to a different dimension.

Just kidding.

916: Our Favorite Number

I like it because it stands for my birthday, September 16 and my other favorite number "16" is in it.

Person A likes this number because it is a combination of 2 perfect square numbers 9 and 16. In its proper definition, a square number is an integer that is the square of an integer. In simple terms, it is the product of one integer with itself. 

Plus I find the number pretty, if there's such a thing.

That's all.

Just sharing. 

Will Time Bigtime

Yesterday, I had my first Variety Game Show experience through Wil Time Bigtime and with center, front row seat, no less. Person A played host to an expat friend and that led our group of 4 to TV 5 compound in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Whether you like it or not, the Philippines is a Variety Game Show country, audience lured by unique brand of entertainment with a chance to win quick-fix cash that most minimum wage workers earn in a month. The whole experience gave me a different perspective why people line up for days to get a periphery seat on the studio and do things that border on losing one's dignity to win a wad of cash.

 

I was amused. Let me just say that in a span of 1 week we covered the whole spectrum of the entertainment scene. 

Varekai last week.

Will Time Bigtime this week. 

We arrived in the TV5 compound at 3:30 and after some identity checks, we were ushered into the studio. The rest of the crowd who came from all over the country were being organized outside. When I headed to the comfort room while the general public was admitted, there was literally a mob by the studio's entrance that it was impossible for me to get back inside.

15 minutes before the show starts, floor directors and dancers orient the audience on the dance steps and which groups will be focused by the cameras. 

The Show

It's mainly a game show with a bit of entertainment on the side. Arci Munoz, Carla Humphries, and another young, pretty celebrity opened the show with a Lady Gaga medley. In the middle of the show Willie sang a couple of his songs and this two stand up comedian fills in between and provide entertainment during the commercial gap. 

The Hosts

Willie's honest and sometimes brash hosting style is the backbone of the show. This honesty and no pretensions style may be one of the reasons that he connects well with the general public. His generosity to share the goodies from the sponsors is a major plus.

He's complimented by a bunch of 3 pretty ladies who inject the feminine feel and the amplify the energy level of the crowd. 

And lastly, there's Shalani Soledad. I call her the calm of the booming "tantaran-chuchurut-churut" music, the lady who tempers the energy level that reaches the height of Mount Apo and the silence when everyone is bantering. 

It helps as well that she has a pretty face. A really pretty one.

Let's not forget the dancers who have the biggest smile plastered on their faces while doing their body breaking moves in skimpy clothes.

Minsan, mahirap talaga kumita ng pera.

The Games

This is the main draw of the show. The prizes are generous: at least PhP 50 000 and there's even a house and lot plus car package. I honestly had fun watching the games. 

There was family balloon popping, giant pick up sticks

And a quiz show for the guest celebrities.

That's Shalala, Mr. Fu of "May Ganoon?" fame, and Icee Mendoza

And Francine Prieto, Cacai and Frenchi Dy

In Summary

1. Wil Time Bigtime is worth watching if you find games played by the general audience and slight entertainment a good way of unwinding after a hard day at work.

2. Should you want to watch it live, it is best to know someone who can give you reserved seats rather than line up for days outside of the studio. Unless you're a huge fan or you have free time in your hands.

3. I may not watch this again but I am proud to have experienced this once. Being a variety game show nation, I guess it's worth experiencing what everyone is so crazy about.

Wil Time Bigtime

TV5

Mondays to Fridays: 6:45 - 9:45

Saturdays: 5:00 - 7:30

P.S. Big thanks to Mr. Bobby B. for securing the prime seats. Also to Ms. Shalani Soledad's staff for attending to us.