She Said, she said

This January has been a pretty chilly one. This gives me an excuse to bust out all my sweaters, scarves, and comfy clothes that aren't appropriate for the tropical weather we're used to. I made this inspiration board thinking of a relaxing weekend at home...too bad the week has only just begun!

Banjul Cashmere Cable Pullover, H&M Sweatpants, It by Alexa Chung, zeroUV Classic Vintage Era Glasses, Philosophy Purity Facial Cleansing Cloths, Ikea SMYCKA Artificial Flowers, Givenchy Pandora Mini Bag, Maybelline Baby Lips, Lomography Diana F+ With Flash

Mom and I were snacking on pastries and sipping rooibos tea yesterday, which both made us really happy and zen after a busy afternoon. I hope the cold lasts for a bit longer : )

Today, I turn 45. And as with every birthday that I celebrate, I allow myself to be a bit emotional (okay, maybe a lot).

I guess this comes from the fact that I am really getting older. More so, because I am getting closer to that ripe golden age of 50 and I'm in a mad dash to accomplish so much on my bucket list.

Being diagnosed in 2007 with Young Onset of Parkinson's Disease, a degenerative disorder that affects motor skills, all the more cemented the deal for me not to waste any more time in ticking off my must do's and must have's. Characterized by tremors of the hands and limbs, PD can be quite disabling. Simple, everyday tasks that most take for granted such as walking, cooking, hand writing, and typing require a lot of effort from me.

My medication helps to give me a couple of hours a day to be productive, but it's never enough. I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say that a day is never enough even for the best of us, what more a couple of hours, so you understand my dilemma. My daily activities, most especially those that require me to step out of the house are always planned in time with the effectivity of my medication. And because, I can hardly be spontaneous, I have learned to value time- every second and every minute counts.

One of the reasons I got Bianca to start this blog with me is because I wanted both of us to have a happy place. A place where we could record beautiful memories together. She sees me struggling with the disease every day and this blog is proof that despite challenges, disabilities and ill health anyone can live a life full of love and laughter. And this is exactly my goal. To live the life I deserve, with grace and with dignity.

I started dabbling in writing as a therapeutic as well as creative outlet a couple of years back. Sharing with you excerpts from a personal article I wrote sometime in 2011.

My 12 year old daughter and I have this bedtime ritual where we update each other on our respective days. This usually ends in fits of laughter as we tell each other funny stories and jokes. In one of these occasions, she blurts out quite honestly, "Mom, how can you laugh the way that you do? If I were as sick as you are, I don't know how I could ever be happy".

There are so many things I am thankful for. I am blessed with the boundless love of family and friends. The kind of love I would have never known had I not been in this situation. I have met some truly amazing and inspiring people along the way. I have dreams and aspirations. I have goals to fulfill. And I have my faith to hold on to. All these things, Parkinson's Disease can never take away from me. And that is more than enough to keep me smiling and to keep the laughter coming.

This photo was taken last weekend after Sunday mass. Bianca found it weird that I wanted to have a jumping shot. "Why not? No one's ever too old to have a jumping shot, right?" :)

Thank you for taking the time to read this birthday post of mine. Let's all seize the day and make every moment count.

I love that my birthday is in January. It's the perfect excuse for me to extend my holiday eating way after Christmas and New Year.

I made a list of all the food I wanted to cook and eat a few weeks before my birthday and I'm so happy I was able satisfy my cravings with these dishes.

Homemade Ginataang Halo Halo

No. 1 on my list was Ginataang Halo Halo. Sweet, warm, coconut cream soup with lots glutinous rice balls, tapioca pearls, sweet potato, and plantain bananas. This is comfort in a bowl. So good! I made a big pot of this. Yummy!

Pancit Chow Mein

No birthday is complete without Pancit Chow Mein from Panciteria de San Jacinto (now known as Comida China). Perfectly springy egg noodles are hiding underneath all those fresh, crisp veggies. This is a family favorite!

Mocha Chiffon Cake from Goldilocks.

I thought about going old school with my birthday cake. I was tempted to get myself one of the more trendy cakes from the newer cake shops, but since I was already feeling emotional and nostalgic, I decided to go with a childhood classic. I'm sure people my age can relate when I say that the most popular birthday cake in the 1970's (and until now) were from Goldilocks Bakeshop. I remember always having either a Mocha Chiffon or Sans Rival.

I still have a few dishes I'm craving for that I didn't get a chance to eat this month, and since January is ending soon, I think I'll just have to make Valentine's Day an excuse to extend my binge eating. Oh well : )

Comida China
FRDC Building
106, E. Rodriguez Avenue,
Pasig City
website

Goldilocks Bakeshop
Several branches nationwide
website

http://www.intercontinental.com/hotels/gb/en/manila/mnlha/hoteldetail?qAdlt=1&qBrs=6c.hi.ex.rs.ic.cp.in.sb.cw.cv&qChld=0&qFRA=1&qGRM=0&qPSt=0&qRRSrt=rt&qRms=1&qRpn=1&qRpp=10&qSHp=1&qSmP=3&qSrt=sBR&qWch=0&srb_u=1&cm_mmc=mdpr-_-GoogleMapsPH-_-ic-_-mnlha

I was having an early morning conversation about food with a friend a few days ago. She was telling me about a 50% discount currently ongoing at the Cafe Jeepney at Intercontinental Hotel, Manila.

At the mention of Cafe Jeepney, I was immediately transported back to the days when the cafe had real jeepneys with tables set up in the passenger side, and where diners could sit while enjoying their famous Crepes Samurai. I haven't been to Intercon in ages but I heard that their Crepes Samurai is still a consistent favorite.

I've only brought Bianca to Cafe Jeepney once when she was around 7 years old, and I was sad that no more of the iconic jeepneys were to be found. Instead, paintings, and a miniature Sarao jeepney were on display.

I couldn't get the Crepes Samurai out of my head after that conversation. Crepes Samurai is a sweet souffle like dessert made with mangoes, custard and with a delicate crepe topping. I can imagine this would be a challenge to make, so with the average kitchen skills that I have, I set out to make something simpler but close to the taste of the crepes I was craving for.

I got Bianca to help me out in the kitchen to make this easy dessert and we're both happy with the results.

For this recipe, we used store bought crepes. You can make your own crepes if you prefer, but my sister came home one day with these Village Gourmet ready made Sweet Crepes and it definitely makes things easier for me.

Recipe for Mango Crepes

Village Gourmet Sweet Crepes (1 pack contains 6 pieces)

2 cups diced mangoes or any fruit of choice

butter

Custard Cream

2 eggs

1/2 c granulated white sugar

1/4 c flour

1/4 c butter, softened

2 c fresh milk

Combine eggs, sugar, flour, butter and milk in a heat proof bowl. Mix well. Put bowl on top of a pot with 2 inches high of boiling water. Keep flame on medium high heat. Use a wire whisk and mix continuously to prevent from curdling. Cook until thick and creamy. Custard will coat back of a spoon when done.

Heat crepes on a non stick pan, brush with a little butter. Transfer to a plate and fill with mangoes and 2-3 tablespoons of custard. Fold crepes and drizzle with more cream, garnish with mangoes if you like.

Delicious!

Village Gourmet
breads & other gourmet products are
available in leading supermarkets.
website

I always feel flattered every time our friends and house guests compliment me on how cheery & inviting and how light & airy our home is.

Creating a place that you'd always like to come home to, in my opinion, should be every homeowner's goal. Whether home for you means a rented apartment, a small one bedroom affair, or a sprawling three-story high abode, your home should be a place where you and your family are comfortable and at your happiest.

We've been living in the south of Metro Manila for over 20 years now and currently staying in an old townhouse that needs its fair share of repairs.

The wall in our living room needs repainting because of the water stains caused by the previous occupant's air conditioning unit.

The concrete floor leading up to our front door have obvious signs of wear and tear.

The wall on one side of the house is in dire need of a paint job.

The room under the stairs.

The storage room under the stairs needs constant organizing. This is one of the things I dread doing most because I am the only one in the house who is remotely interested in tidying up. The mess you see here is from the recent Christmas holidays which I've been finding all sorts of excuses not to get to : )

But, despite the clutter and repairs, I wouldn't trade our home for any other. Maybe I'm quite attached to it because of the happy memories made here. Familiarity breeds comfort and security that I can't imagine myself living anywhere else.

A dream renovation is of course always on my mind, but since it's not possible for now, I try to make do with the house I've been blessed to live in with my family and strive to make it a happy home for all of us.

My mom's beautiful furniture was passed down to me and I take good care of it by regular cleaning and polishing. I also inherited lovely linens, silverware and dinnerware that I try to use as often as possible even if there's no special occasion because using them makes me feel pretty and happy.

Flowers and plants brighten up any home and keep things looking fresh and welcoming, even if it's just one or two gumamela blooms from the garden.

I have learned to love our home for its charmingly (well, to me at least) perfect imperfections. A leaking roof however, and problems with plumbing, should be reserved for another story. Haha : )

Just keeping it real and sharing my thoughts. I'd love it if you would share your thoughts about your home too.

My mom and I are having a simple dinner at home to celebrate Valentine's, and I'm hoping we'll have time to decorate our house a bit! Found some inspiration online and thought I'd share it with everyone : )

1. Floating Heart Backdrop / Looks really fun to make, and I think they'd look good with the lanterns in our living room!

2. Four Cheese Pepperoni Pizza / Two of my favorite pizza flavors in one. Plus points for heart-shaped pepperoni.

3. Je t'aime Colorblock Sweater / Still hoping the cold weather will come back - I just love cozy sweaters.

4. Carnation Cones / And of course, we need to have some flowers. Carnations are really pretty!

I can't wait to spread some love to my family and friends this Valentine's! Have a lovely Sunday : )

Last January 2014, we launched our blog's new design and logo. The design conceptualization and process to rebrand our blog was an important learning experience for both Bianca and I. We learned that creating a new site for our stories was not as simple as choosing a blog design and going live.

Months of planning and consultation were dedicated into creating a better, brighter site and taking this blog to the next level. We were not spared from a few minor glitches along the way but we are thankful to have had the support of these three ladies, two of whom we've written about previously here.

We can't say thank you enough to our blog coach, Martine De Luna for guiding us every step of the way. From getting back to the roots of the story behind our blog, crafting our About page, and to creating an editorial plan, Martine was there to lend us her expert advice, making us better editors-in-chief of our blog. She thoroughly analyzed our blog and helped us organize our thoughts so we could successfully implement the She Said, she said brand into the website you see now.

Talented Visual Artist and Illustrator, Nikki Valenzuela, created our logo with our personalities in mind. We asked her to design a new logo that best describes us. I think the challenge of having a shared blog is how to let each of our unique identities shine through. As co-authors of this blog, we wanted to both have an equal voice. Nikki did a great job in capturing our similarities and differences into a cohesive design that is a true reflection of our individual styles.

And lastly, our heartfelt thanks goes to our dear friend Leslie Severino, our appointed life coach, who has made it her mission to be a true source of love, support and inspiration for our mother & daughter team. As Managing Director of her own successful training company, PowerSkills, Inc., Leslie has taught us that the values of hard work, focus & determination and living a God-centered life are the keys to success.

Thank you, ladies! I thought it was only fitting to show our gratitude to all of you today. We are blessed to have you with us on our blog's journey.

Happy Hearts Day!

I woke up early on Saturday morning to go to nearby Paranaque, for a meeting I had with some core members of YMAGINE, my youth-made art organization. And while I loved being there, brainstorming ideas for future projects and plotting out the rest of our 2014 calendar, I regretfully say that all the finger food we had to eat along with our planning session was all junk food - chips, M&Ms, popcorn, and more popcorn. By the time mom and my tita picked me up, I was starting to have a bit of a weird stomachache from consuming too much unhealthy food. But they were both set on eating out, so I reluctantly agreed, thinking I'd just have a cup of tea and a light sandwich wherever we would end up having a late lunch.

We went up and down Aguirre Avenue in BF Homes, Paranaque, looking for a place to eat. I used to take ballet and piano lessons in the area so the streets were familiar to me. I saw that a lot of new establishments had opened, and it was fun spotting out new restaurants and remembering the old ones too!

We ended up at a quaint and super cute cafe called Bamba Bistro. The first thing I ordered was a cup of tea to calm my stomach. And as I sipped on my hot drink, I tried to keep the mental images of all the Baked Ruffles chips and Chef Tony's popcorn I ate out of my head. I was so glad that I did, because their dishes were so yummy that as soon as our orders arrived, I couldn't stop stuffing food into my face!

Mesclun Salad- assorted fruits, feta, grilled chicken, papadom chips, house vinaigrette.

Fabada de Beatrice- rich bean stew, chorizo.

Bamba Burger- 100% pure beef burger, cheddar cheese, bacon, peppercorn mayo, tomato jam. Served with crispy string onions.

Le Cochon Sliders- crispy pork belly, red cabbage slaw, fried wonton, eel sauce. Must try!

Pizzookie- "Fresh from the oven" chocolate chip cookie, served ala mode. Salted caramel, walnuts.

What's my name again?!- delicious chocolate, cream and crunch, graham cinnamon crust.

I'm still thinking about the food at Bamba Bistro. I've missed trying new restaurants! It's almost summer, so in between college reviews, mom and I will definitely take lots and lots of food trips, just like last time. I can't wait : )

Bamba Bistro
55 Aguirre Avenue corner Arsenio Luz
BF Homes, Paranaque City
Facebook page

I've been window shopping on the web over at my favorite online shops (with a stress on the "window shopping" part) ever since my post here. And I have been convincing myself that I actually need all these home decor, plates and new furniture in my life. I want them all! But the bank account is not willing. Lol.

Well, a girl can dream, right? Here are some of the pieces I've chosen. Please send me links to your favorite home decor shops so I can stalk them with you : )

Seek The Uniq offers exclusive, limited and highly covetable pieces from both local artisans and from suppliers around the globe.
I'd love to have these on our dining table:

Clockwise- Lilac Ceramic Rose Serving Tray, Blue Filigree Plate, Periwinkle Art Nouveau Catch All Tray, Fine Bone China Sugar & Cream Set.

Anthropologie is a multi-channel lifestyle brand that sells clothing, home furnishings, found objects, gifts and decor.
Our living room could sure use an update. My favorites are the colorful stoneware vases:
Clockwise- Moresque Chairs in green, blue and raspberry, Spectrum Vases, Library Letters Vintage Hardback Books, Cartography Pillow.

Heima designs quirky furniture and furnishings for the home. They create custom made furniture aside from their original collection of tables, chairs and more!
I want to build a craft room / craft area in the house. The Ms. Librarian Chest of 16 drawers will hold all my washi tape, twine and rubber stamps. I want!:
Clockwise- Eden and Eve Side Tables, Garden Capsules, Molly Settee, Ms. Librarian Chest of Drawers.

Last month, I found out through a cousin of mine that he had stumbled upon a Stamp Auction at the Manila Central Post Office. It really got me curious. I've never been to an auction and I've also never been to MCPO. I love old architecture and I thought it would prove to be a good excursion for Bianca and I aside from our usual Sunday lunch out.

The Manila Central Post Office is located infront of Liwasang Bonifacio in Intramuros, Manila. It was built in 1926, but was severely damaged after World War II. It was reconstructed in 1946, preserving most of its original design.

Today, the post office building still stands as a grand structure despite the obvious signs of decay. The high cost of maintaining such a massive building has been a challenge with fewer people sending mail the traditional way because of advancing technology.

The Manila Central Post Office was designed by Juan M. Arellano. Its beautiful neoclassical design with the iconic pillars reflects the elegance of the 1940's.

To help preserve the significance of the post office and to help keep it alive, a small group of avid stamp collectors hold Stamp Auctions every 1st Sunday of the month.

We were excited to go to our very first auction last Sunday. Although we are not planning on being serious collectors, we wanted to try our hand at bidding, just to complete our experience and of course to take home a few stamps as a memento of our trip to old Manila.

Stamps, Postcards, Vintage Stamped Envelopes, Banknotes, Old Coins are on display and available for viewing before the auction begins. Bid prices start for as low as P15 and nothing over P2000.

Auction Proper.

There were even a few foreigners in the group. Bidding goes fast so you have to be attentive when they call out the ones you've chosen to bid for.

Here's what we took home- RP 1991 Butterflies Mint Strip, RP 1987 Manila Hotel Mint Set and RP 1993 Medicinal Plants Mint Set.
*photo credits: Don Flores

We were lucky that no one else wanted the stamps we chose, so we got them at their original bid price. Probably because they were not really collector's items, but we were happy with our choices anyway. The more seasoned bidders were going for stamps that featured Philippine Presidents and events like the Olympics or Special Holiday issued stamps.

I'm glad we got the chance to do this together. Stamps are like little pieces of art with each one representing a particular event, person or place. So the auction was both like a history and art lesson for us. I've already started looking through old letters and envelopes at home, because, who knows? I might have something of value tucked away somewhere : )

Manila Central Post Office

Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila

Tel. No. 525.7028

*Stamp Auction- Every 1st Sunday of the month

Viewing starts at 1:00pm

Auction starts at 2:00pm

We're back in the kitchen for more crepes! We have a habit of eating a particular dish or type of food for days or weeks on end until we've had our fill.

In the case of the Mango Crepes, we ate it for around three weeks straight, without fail. We ate crepes for breakfast, crepes for after school snack and crepes for after dinner dessert. We couldn't help ourselves. It was that good!

With the start of the Lenten Season, I decided to try to recreate a savory seafood crepe I always have whenever I visit my favorite Creperie near our home.

I was so happy with the results! I'm planning to make more of this recipe to keep in the freezer so I can just reheat portions for either lunch or dinner for those meatless Fridays of Lent. This meal would sure hit the spot, served with a small salad on the side. I hope you get to try this out.

Seafood Crepes

Village Gourmet Plain Crepes (one pack contains 6 pieces)

1 cup cooked crab meat

250 grams shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 medium onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 cups fresh spinach washed and hard stems removed

1 ½ cups all purpose cream

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

lemon wedges

Prepare shrimp and cut into pieces. Heat olive oil in a medium pan, then saute onions and garlic. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add cooked crab meat and saute for about three minutes more. Add spinach and stir gently until wilted. Pour in cream and simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

In a non stick pan, reheat crepes according to package directions. Arrange folded crepes on a plate and top with seafood cream mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.

You will have some left over seafood good for another batch of crepes. Just keep in the refrigerator or freezer for your next meal.

For Prom, I decided to nix the appointment with a professional and do my own makeup, because I'm a big fan of the really natural and simple look - my mom and I hardly wear any makeup, except for maybe a little powder, blush and lip gloss on special occasions.

I think makeup application should tone down facial flaws like dark circles and uneven skin tone, but most importantly it should enhance a person's best features. My knowledge about cosmetic products is limited - I don't know much about the right shades and colors that best flatter my skin tone. For my next formal occasion, I'll leave the more intricate art of painting faces to the experts!

Professionally trained makeup artist, Nikki Valenzuela, believes that makeup application is an art. She is a graphic illustrator and artist by profession and it was only natural for her to expand her expertise from paintbrush to makeup brush. She's an expert in transforming plain janes into pretty princesses, and we got to see that firsthand while shooting our (super exciting!) first beauty feature for the blog.

We collaborated on three different Prom looks to suit different moods and styles, with our lovely model Thea David. Nikki showed us how to have a well dressed, polished look, without going overboard.

The first look that we did was the base for all three looks. Something simple and clean that can be easily built upon with stronger shades. I really loved the gold tones that were used! Nikki suggests the use of a makeup stippling brush to create an airbrushed effect with your foundation. She also told us that adding foundation to the lips before applying lipstick makes for a subtler color.

Products used: Face Shop Skin Color Corrector and Primer, L'Oreal True Match Concealer and Super Blendable Foundation in Nude Ivory, Nichido Loose Powder in Natural, Nyx Contour Powder, Urban Decay Naked Palette in Half Baked and Busted, Too Faced Summer Eyes in Sunbeam & Chocolate Sun, Suesh Coral Blush, Mac lipstick in Honey Love, Estee Lauder lip gloss in Praline Paradise

For look two, the golden tones on the eyes were reduced with more neutral shades and white highlights. Lips were filled in with a bright pink pencil. I think this look is really fresh and the lip color really popped!

Products used: Suesh Bubblegum Pink Blush, Nyx Lip Pencil in Fuschia, LA Colors Star Gaze Pallete in Make-out, Nyx Powder Highlighter

For the final look, the lips took on a subtler shade of pink. To draw attention to the eyes, the eyelids were filled in with electric blue eyeshadow and bit of sparkle too : )

Products used: LA Colors Jumbo Eye Pencil in Bikini Time, Too Faced Summer Eyes in Mermaid, Dollhouse Eyeshadow Pallete, MAC Angel A01 Shimmer

This is the first beauty shoot I did! I don't have any special equipment or lighting - all photos were shot in natural light with my weapon of choice, my trusty Canon EOS 1100D. I usually lean towards food photography, where I'm most comfortable, but this was super fun and I would love to do more shoots like this in the future! It was definitely a challenge, but a fun and rewarding one at that : )

Nikki Valenzuela

Makeup Artist

0917.8016325

View her portfolio here

Gold Neck Piece and Blue Beaded Choker:

Palumuti by PJ Valenciano

Facebook page

After our lunch in BF Homes, Paranaque a month ago, Bianca and I promised ourselves that we would plan another eating adventure in the area. So many new and interesting restaurants to choose from!

I've been reading a lot about The Girl + The Bull. Owned by young art and food enthusiasts, Thea de Rivera (aka The Girl) and Gab Bustos (aka The Bull), this artsy resto tucked away in Paranaque has a young and hip vibe. We got to try out their food last weekend, and as soon as we entered the place, I immediately noticed that the staff, servers, and even the kitchen was manned by people who all looked like they were only in their early twenties. The mom in me wanted to scream out "What are you all doing here without adult supervision?!" but decided against it for the risk of being disowned by my own daughter. Lol : )

I was skeptical at first, wondering if the food or service would be any good, since everyone looked so young and inexperienced, but everything turned out okay. They're just on their soft opening stage, so there's still a lot of room for improvement, but they are highly commendable and we enjoyed our lunch.

The Girl + The Bull is currently open Thursdays to Mondays only, with a limited menu. If you're around the area, do take the time to try them out!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken- served with Brioche French Toast, Balsamic Maple Syrup. (available Fridays & Saturdays only)

Crispy Pork Belly Banh Mi, hoisin mayonnaise, red cabbage, cilantro, pickled carrots & radish on brioche.

Korean Barbecue Rib Eye, Kimchi Fried Rice, Fried Egg.

Homemade Faux Twix Bars, sea salt.

The Girl + The Bull

346 Aguirre Avenue,

BF Homes Paranaque

Facebook page

The days have been getting warmer and warmer now that summer is here and I've been finding it difficult to stay in the kitchen for long periods of time. I don't allow a lot of deep frying in the kitchen, because our whole house smells like fried chicken or fried fish til the next day, so I've been thinking of preparing food that requires minimal or no cooking involved.

Salads are easy to prepare, as well as healthy and satisfying. Just serve this up with some crusty bread and it's a perfect light summer lunch. Good enough, that is, for the two little ladies of the house (that's us)!

Summer Strawberry Salad Recipe

200 grams mixed baby greens (I used Sunsweet brand triple washed and ready to serve lettuce.)
1 cup strawberries sliced
1/2 cup of Feta cheese cubed
1/4 cup candied walnuts

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
salt & pepper

Mix balsamic vinegar and honey in a bowl. Slowly add in olive oil and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Toss salad greens with desired amount of dressing. Top with strawberries, feta cheese and walnuts.

If not using the dressing right away, keep refrigerated in a jar or covered bowl, whisking or shaking again before use.

I love the combination of sweet and savory flavors in this salad, as well as the extra crunch from the nuts. Local Baguio strawberries are in season as well as other tropical fruits, so feel free to use your fruit of choice.

School won't be over for another week and I'm hoping we'll have time to eat out in between Bianca's college review classes so I can escape washing dishes and being in the kitchen this summer : )

I am so happy that summer is finally here! I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do for the break. Fingers crossed we get to travel : ) For today's inspiration board, I put together a bunch of candy colored stuff that remind me of the sun, and the sunny days to come.

Mom and I plan to kick off the weekend by eating lots of ice cream. Happy Saturday everyone!

Tibi Neon Silk Top, EOS Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet, Philosophy Sweet Creamy Frosting Lotion, Topshop Tattoo Floral Teadress, Illesteva Hudson Clear Sunglasses, Dorothy Perkins Lilac Dress, ASOS Pineapple Bag, Smythson Travel Wallet, PacSun Black Poppy Strappy Flats.

My mom and I are ice cream monsters - we've consumed more than 4 gallons of ice cream in the last five weeks. No joke.

It started when we bought a half gallon of our favorite local brand vanilla ice cream and a box of wafer cones. When the ice cream ran out after a few days, we decided to buy more to finish off the leftover cones. But as soon as we devoured the cones, we still had more ice cream, so we bought more cones. And then more ice cream. Then more cones. It is a vicious cycle. Because of all this binging, I won't be surprised if we gain weight this summer.

I did try to eat healthy once by eating some green salad, mostly to take away the guilt of eating too much sweets. Mom loves salad and makes sure I get my daily dose of fruits and veggies in my school lunch box as well as force feeds me vegetables for dinner. : )

A few weeks ago, we were introduced to Blue Bell Ice Cream. Manufactured in Brenham, Texas, using the very best and freshest ingredients, Blue Bell Creameries has been churning out great tasting, homemade quality ice cream since 1907. That's more than 100 years in the ice cream business, which is awesome. It's no surprise that they are one of the three best-selling ice cream brands in the USA. So, when they asked us if we'd like to have some ice cream sent over to try, how could we say no?

Blue Bell ice cream products are now available in the Philippines! First introduced by Visfood Corporation in Cebu City sometime in September 2013, it is also now available in selected supermarkets in Metro Manila. Yay!

Strawberries & Homemade Vanilla- Blue Bell's famous Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream blended with juicy ripe strawberries. We love strawberries, so this is easily one of our favorite flavors! One taste and you'll know this is ice cream made the old fashioned way. Yum ♥

Rocky Mountain Road- Rich, dark chocolate ice cream combined with dark chocolate-coated peanuts, milk chocolate-coated pecans, white chocolate-coated almonds, and roasted walnuts, all surrounded by a flavorful marshmallow sauce swirl.

Cookies n' Cream- Creamy vanilla ice cream with tasty chunks of freshly baked chocolate crème cookies. Blue Bell Creameries were the first to create this now very popular flavor. This is my personal favorite! There's still a bit leftover in the freezer because I'm savoring every bite. Sooooo good : )

We are so happy that Blue Bell Ice Cream is now available in the supermarket near our home. And with the summer heat in full blast, we'll make sure that we have lots of ice cream stocked up. I think I should start going to the gym, too - there's a supermarket right beside it that sells different kinds of sweet treats I want to try. Lol.

Visit Blue Bell Philippines for a complete list of available products and flavors and to find out where to find Blue Bell in Metro Manila, South Luzon, and Cebu City.

Blue Bell Ice Cream

distributed in the Philippines

by Visfood Corporation

www.bluebellicecream.com.ph

Creamed Beef is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is a beef stew recipe comprising of either ground beef or chipped beef (dried & salted) in white sauce and served on top of toasted bread. It actually has its origins from the US Army- dried meats and other food that didn't require refrigeration were sent to feed US troops back in the 1900's and they came up with this delicious combination of ground meat in a creamy sauce that can be served on toast, with mashed potatoes or even pasta.

I had my first taste of Creamed Beef in my younger years, during the summers my family and I would spend in Baguio City. After Sunday mass, we would proceed to Camp John Hay, a former rest and recreation facility for American soldiers, to have brunch at the 19th Tee Coffee Shop. I remember looking forward to having my fill of this now standard diner fare. If you grew up in the 70's & 80's and spent at least a summer vacation in Baguio, I'm sure you can relate to this. I actually miss the old Camp John Hay and our steak dinners at the Main Club and all those ice cream sundaes at the Scout Hill Snack Bar.

My mom, on seeing how much we loved this Creamed Beef dish, recreated the recipe at home. We were more than pleased with the results and knowing that we could enjoy it anytime in the comforts of our home made us very happy.

Today, my sister is the one in charge of cooking this dish for us and I'm glad Bianca loves it as much as I do. We have our regular "taco nights" and now we'll be adding "creamed beef nights" just to add some excitement and make us look forward to having dinner at home.

My sister's recipe uses lean ground beef instead of dried beef and with the addition of red bell peppers and fresh mushrooms, I'm thinking this is a healthier version than the original. Give it a try!

Creamed Beef Recipe

500 grams lean ground beef
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper diced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms cleaned & sliced (we used portobello)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
olive oil
salt & pepper

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt, stirring frequently until mushrooms start to release their moisture, about 1-2 minutes. Continue cooking until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms start to turn dark brown. This should take about another 5 minutes. As soon as the mushrooms are cooked, remove from heat and set aside.

In another pan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add diced red bell pepper and cook about 1 minute before adding beef. Season with salt and pepper. Cook beef until browned, stirring often. Pour in mushroom soup and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve hot over sliced bread or mini french baguette and top with cooked sliced mushrooms. Serves four.

I've been busy with family matters lately and I am finding it difficult to sit down and blog. Please forgive us for the lack of posts. Hopefully, everything falls in to place soon so I can relax my weary mind and start enjoying the summer before Bianca gets busy with all her planned activities.

Thank goodness for friends who provided a welcome distraction by planning this super fun lunch date at the Spectrum at Fairmont Hotel, Makati. It's always good to catch up with good friends. All the food and laughter we shared certainly cheered me up. Thank you!

The Spectrum buffet was actually on our 23 Restaurants last summer. We didn't get a chance to go then, but I'm glad we're finally ticking it off. That makes Spectrum no. 22 on the list, leaving us with Zubuchon in Cebu City as the only restaurant we haven't tried yet. We might not get to go to Cebu anytime soon, but I'm hoping we could ask someone to hand carry some dishes for us from their outlet at the Cebu airport. We'll keep you posted!

Spectrum is an all-day dining restaurant featuring an array of cuisines from across the globe. Dishes are prepared in an open kitchen so you can easily request for made to order food such as stir fried noodles, pasta and pizza.

Here are some highlights of the food we had.....

Honey Station with live bees!

Roast beef and Porchetta.

Fresh Manila Clams.

Strawberry Pannacotta.

White Chocolate Raspberry ice cream.

Cafe Macaron at Fairmont Hotel

Since we were already at Fairmont, we decided to also drop by Cafe Macaron. Serving an array of gourmet sandwiches, bakery items, cakes and handcrafted macarons, it's the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee with their sweet or savoury offerings. We experienced excellent and attentive service here and we'll definitely be visiting this outlet again soon.

Cafe Macaron's unique selection includes flavors such as White Chocolate Calamansi, Dark Chocolate Panucha, and Apricot Pistachio macarons.

Assorted local fruit jams from Antonio's and The Fruit Garden.

Spectrum and Cafe Macaron
Fairmont Makati, Philippines
1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue
Makati City
website

We're finally spending some quiet time at home today! My summer vacation has been mostly about tagging along with mom on her errands almost every day. I'm dragged to the supermarket, the bank, and the doctor's office, among other places. She makes me get out of bed, and I don't understand why - I'm perfectly comfortable being a bum for the remaining days of freedom I have left. Well, at least there's air conditioning and free lunch out if I'm lucky : )

On Monday, I start review classes for the college entrance tests I'll soon be taking. It'll last for a month, leaving me just two more weeks before school starts and I finish my very last year in high school. I hate growing up and having to be responsible. I wish I could stay a kid forever, but I know it's not gonna happen. My mom gives me regular pep talks on how to reach for my dreams - and though most of those conversations are one-sided, : P I'm really thankful for all of the love and support she gives me.

On our free days, it's fun to do a bit of arts and crafts together, like we did today. We always use the available art materials we have lying around the house. So, go ahead and improvise with what you have at home. These cute Easter baskets were really easy to make, and we hope you enjoy making them!

Easter Baskets

Materials:

Paper cups or bowls- we used plain white bowls but you can use patterned paper cups if you like.

White board paper

Assorted scrapbooking materials and gift wrapping paper

Green Japanese paper

Washi tape

Round head fasteners

Glue

Scissors

Hole punch

We have lots of these ribbon and flower foam cutouts at home that my mom hoards from the bookstore.

Step 1: Cut white board paper into a 1.5" x 10" strip to create a handle.

Step 2: Punch two holes, one on each end of the handle, and along opposite sides of the paper cup.

Step 3: Cut out a 2" x 12" strip of green Japanese paper. Snip the edges of one side of the Japanese paper to resemble grass.

Step 4: Attach the handle onto the paper cup using round head fasteners.

Step 5: Glue on the "grass" on the inside of the paper cup.

Step 6: Decorate your basket with washi tape, scrapbooking accessories or cover with pretty wrapping paper.

Step 7: Fill with Easter treats!

Easter Baskets!

I'm quite attached to my hair and I've almost always kept the length of my hair past my shoulders for many years now. Every trip I make to the salon, I ask the hairstylist to trim not more than two inches off. I'm not too adventurous when it comes to my hairstyle and I prefer to keep things simple and uncomplicated.

Just before summer vacation started, I learned of an inspiring story of generosity of two very young girls who decided to cut their beautiful locks to donate to children who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. One word came to mind when I found out about it. Brave. These girls must be so courageous to even think of giving up something so personal to help other kids.

Carissa Parco (6 years old) and Cassie Parco (10 years old) during our storytelling activity at Fully Booked in Alabang Town Center last November 2013.

After the haircut, March 2014.

For younger sister, Carissa, it was an easy decision. She volunteered to have her hair cut, which came as a surprise to their mom who said that both girls had always wanted long hair. But for the older sister, Cassie, the decision to cut her hair was difficult at first. She was the last to decide, having her hair cut just the day before they left for a family trip.

"I actually didn't want to cut my hair at first but it's for the children who have cancer. I have to care for others, not just for myself." - Cassie Parco

Cassie and Carissa are donating their hair to Cuts Against Cancer - Donate Your Hair Today Foundation, an organization based in Lahug, Cebu City that aims to help children and women who have lost their hair to cancer by providing them with high quality medical wigs made of real human hair.

The effects of hair loss because of cancer treatments, most especially on children, goes beyond physical appearance. Hair loss can affect self esteem and confidence. By helping kids look like themselves, they attain a more positive disposition, and improve their attitude toward getting treatment as they go through their health challenges.

Cassie and Carissa's story actually puts me to shame because I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to chop off and donate my hair. It really is true that children unknowingly teach us adults some of the most important life lessons.

We visited them the day before Easter, so we made some Easter crafts with them.

Thank you, Carissa and Cassie! We learned so much from both of you on how to be kind and selfless.

Many thanks to parents, Mark and Tiffin Parco for allowing us to do this feature. Let's all strive to be kind : )

Inspiration Board: Sweater Weather

Jumping High

Birthday Food

Kitchen Stories- Mango Crepes

A Happy Home

Valentine's Day Party Ideas

A Grateful Heart

The Way We Ate- Bamba Bistro

Window Shopping

Stamp Auction At The Manila Central Post Office

Kitchen Stories- Seafood Crepes

Prom Pretty

The Way We Ate- The Girl + The Bull

Kitchen Stories- Summer Strawberry Salad

Inspiration Board: All Things Bright

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Kitchen Stories- Creamed Beef

The Way We Ate- Spectrum at the Fairmont Hotel

Cafe Macaron at Fairmont Hotel

DIY Easter Baskets

Cuts Against Cancer