Umbrella (Ella, Ella, Ay, Ay, Ay)

When sunblock and facial creams with spf are just not enough for extreme rays of the sun like this summer's, an umbrella is still a girl's best friend.

But finding the perfect umbrella is not that easy. My umbrella has to be the perfect size.... folds only twice... and has to fit in my purse.

It has to have less spokes inside and should be easy to snap close without jamming my fingers.

It should be secured tight with a velcro snap for a faster folding up time.

A bookstore is not the likely place to find my perfect umbrella but that is exactly where I found mine. Thank you, National Bookstore! :)) Now I never leave the house without my umbrella.

Banana Leaf Asian Cafe

If you are into Southeast Asian cuisine, then Banana Leaf Asian Cafe is where you should be dining. Good service, great food, pleasant ambiance... you will get it there.

The table is set not with ceramic plates but banana leaves!

Their fried rice (Nasi Goreng???) was so good! It was almost a complete dish in itself.

Although their Malayan Chicken Curry was quite ordinary, the flavors and spices are rich and creamy.

The Stir Fried Chinese Turnip Cake with Beansprouts and Chives was delightful! It is a must that you try this!

The Tilapia Fillet with Sambal Sauce was also a favorite.

Their Malayan Beef Rendang was likewise good! Tender beef cooked in and with coconut!

Everything was just good it was so difficult not to finish them all!

Banana Leaf Asian Cafe is definitely a new addition to the must-go-back-to list of dining places

Sto. Nino Exhibit: Part III

I believe in saving the best for last. These are my favorite Sto. Nino figures at the exhibit.

The sleeping Sto. Ninos look even more serene and peaceful.

And these two naked Sto. Ninos are just too adorable to resist!

Sto. Nino Exhibit: Part II

These are some of the uncommon Sto. Nino figures that caught my eye. Some are so adorable that they almost look like play dolls to me!

The figures may be dressed in various clothes and with various adornments and embellisments and jewels and other stuff. But one thing that they all have is that kind, cherubic innocent face of a child we all adore.

Sto. Nino Exhibit: Part I

This blog post is several months overdue as this exhibit was held last January coinciding with the feast day of the Sto. Nino. However, in observance of the Holy Week this year, I think now is a good time to be finally sharing this.

I have split this post into three because there are so many of them!

I never thought there were these many different Sto. Nino figures ever!

Olay Total Effects

Summer is here. And skin care is at its craziest during this time of the year when the sun and its rays are at their most extreme, giving our faces a heavy beating. Thus, we have to always be equipped with our skincare "gear" if we want to stay protected.

I used to be a Godiva fan because its facial cream and sunblock have worked so well for me. Unfortunately, getting refills and newer stocks have not been very easy as some stores don't carry Godiva products anymore. So, I decided to switch to Olay and give it a try.

The Total Effects line seems to be very promising. I got their night cream with spf protection and their foaming cleanser for starters.

I wish they had trial sized tubes, though. Will Olay work for me as well as Godiva did? Well, I really hope so.

Tanduay Ice Alcomix

I don't drink. It is always soda or iced tea for me at parties or nights-out with friends and family. , nothing alcoholic. But I was willing to try Tanduay Ice which a dear friend of mine said I might like because it tastes sweet and fresh.

At 5% alcohol content, I felt safe and comfortable.

So I prepared my photoshoot with an ice-filled glass and a bottle of Tanduay which comes single-served in a long-necked 330 ml bottle. It gives that fizz when poured and it felt like pouring Sprite or 7-Up! And guess what, it had that sweet-citrusy, almost fruity, taste that it likewise felt like drinking Sprite or 7-Up! My friend wasn't kidding when she said Tanduay Ice tastes good because it does!

After a bottle, I definitely felt tipsy and a little woozy. Well, of course, it is the non-drinker in me.

Bring out the bottle opener and start enjoying. Ooops, remember to drink in moderation, okay?

Bagoong Club Resto

It was our first time to try out Bagoong Club Resto in Quezon City, somewhere near Tomas Morato.

Located in a residential area along Scout Dr. Lazcano, it is not surprising that the entire restaurant must have been an old house and was just converted into this cozy restaurant.

We tried their Bagoong Sampler which was served with strips of singkamas. Three kinds of bagoong were served and the sweet type always wins my vote.

For sopas, we ordered the Sinampalukang Manok.

Our salad of choice was their Ensaladang Bagnet. A bit disappointing, though, since there were only a few slices of crispy pork which weren't really bagnet slices, I think. But the plating was good.

And as expected, their Traditional Kare Kare was a delight.

I liked their Bagoong Rice. It was well mixed and not too salty nor oily.

Sorry for the blurry shot, but this was the surprise star of the meal... Inihaw na Hito! It was cooked and spiced very well. I am not a hito fan but this was hard not to like!

Bagoong Club is a great place to go to if you want those native dishes, cooked traditionally or with a twist.