Washi Clipboards

Inspired by this…

I finally found the time to do this…

A washi tape clipboard!!!

Will be using this to display pictures on my office wall

Must remember to use a brighter color next time, though  Hahaha!

Doesn’t this post card make you smile?  It’s so happy!  Thanks, heykessy!

Photo of clipboards grabbed from decor8 instagram

Sneak Peek : M’s Flower Power Baby Shower

One of my BFF’s is about to give birth soon!

Not only is her impending delivery something to be excited about, but so is the baby shower we’re throwing for her next weekend!

Another opportunity to be creative and to do some DIY!  Woot!  Woot!

This time around, because I know she’s having a girl, I thought of having a simple, but very dainty and feminine floral party.

I got my inspiration from this Rifle Paper Co stationery design:

Ofcourse, the color motif is pink, blush, peach, white and gold

Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been working on as part of the decor:

I’m pretty happy with how these paper flowers turned out

What do you think?

More pictures of the party styling next week!

Stay tuned!

I am Loving…

…RuMe Eco Bags!

RuMe stands for ReUse Me, the newest eco lifestyle brand to hit town!

Not only do they have a chic line of bags and accessories that are stylish and functional, but they also promote a more sustainable lifestyle– using less, by re-using more!  Cool, right?  A brand with a conscience!

What I love about RuMe is that it is a structured bag.  It has both sides and a bottom, making the bag more sturdy, and keeping its contents from jostling about.

Made from machine washable and water resistant fabric, each RuMe bag can also hold up to 50 lbs!  Can you just imagine all the stuff this bag can hold?

Lastly, I love that RuMe comes in different sizes, fabrics, and styles, and comes with various accessories as well.

The smallest of the bags is the Mini.

The next and classic size is the Medium (R), followed by the Macro (L).  You can actually even have your RuMe Medium bag customized (details on their website).

If you like lots of pockets on your bag, try the RuMe All.  It has 3 pockets–one in front, and 2 at the sides.  Kind of makes an ideal, lightweight baby bag, don’t you think?

To keep items organized inside your bag, RuMe has a line of accessories starting with the Pocket.  It can be used to store keys, credit cards, money, and a cellphone.  It can also be attached to the straps of the RuMe bag…

Then there’s the Baggie.  Twice the height of the Pocket, this is something that I’d probably use to keep a small notebook and pen in, or maybe a small pack of tissues, my business card holder…  It’s a good, basic size, and looks like it can be used to store a variety of things .

And lastly, there’s the Baggie All which can hold more of your cosmetics and other toiletries.

In Manila, the RuMe brand is distributed by Honest Ventures Corporation.

I actually met the very young and charming President of the company, Jamie, during the Best Food Forward Fair .  She was so enthusiastic about this product, and her enthusiasm totally rubbed off on me!  Hahaha!  But then again, eco bags are my guilty pleasure  I can never have too many, especially when it’s time to do the groceries!  Definitely, NO PLASTIC bags for me!

According to Jamie, RuMe bags are available at Certified Calm at Two Parkade in BGC (along 30th and 7th), and at the Salcedo Weekend Market.

Get your RuMe now, and let’s start re-using!

Date Night Diaries : LOLA Cafe and Bar

Having worked and lived in Quezon City most of my life, I’ve seen neighborhoods transform from private, quiet and residential, to accessible and commercialized.  This is very much true especially in the Scout area, which has lately developed into a haven of new and undiscovered restaurants.

The edge that some of these restaurants have over their more sophisticated Pasig, Taguig, or Makati counterparts is that the vicinity in which they are located has retained much of its neighborhood feel.  No concrete jungles here.  Low-rise buildings still abound, and even better, houses have been transformed into attractive and chic establishments.  Hence, the vibe is more relaxing and laid back, conducive for those moments where you just want to enjoy a good meal in a pretty atmosphere, and amongst close friends.

One such establishment is LOLA Café + Bar. Tucked away in the non-descript street of Scout Lozano, it is a gem of a restaurant just waiting to be discovered.  The restaurant itself is a beautiful, old, restored residence, whose façade is made modern with touches of white paint, huge black pots, metal grilling, and bamboo plants.

The furniture inside is also streamlined and simple, the artwork contemporary. This nicely contrasts the “older” elements of the space such as the staircase and dark wooden floors.

I also liked how old mason jars were re-purposed into light fixtures.  Innovative, yet industrially chic!

On to the food…

For starters, the H and I ordered some Salpicao.  The beef was nice and tender, seasoned just right.  Unfortunately, it was also swimming in a sea of oil .  It would have been better if this was drained first, before it was served.  Nevertheless, the meat itself tasted very good .

For our mains, we also decided to go with 2 of their recommended dishes.  Their Tartufo Pasta, and Rosemary Chicken.

As expected, the Tartufo Pasta did not disappoint.  As it was set down on the table, the wonderful aroma of truffle made my tummy do a dance of joy.  Hahaha!  And the taste definitely lived up to its wonderful smell–creamy, flavorful, al dente noodles with every bite!  Considering there was cream in this dish, it was surprisingly light .  I only wish they added a bit more of the portobello mushroom, and that the serving size was bigger because after a couple of forkfuls, the entire dish was wiped out!!!  Hahaha!

The Rosemary Chicken, on the other hand, was a bit unexpected.  I was looking forward to half an herbed roasted chicken, but instead got one that was covered in an orange sauce that tasted a bit tangy and lemon-y.  Once I got over my initial surprise, though, I enjoyed the juiciness and flavorfulness of the chicken very much.  Maybe I would not pair it with the Tartufo again, though, as the flavor profiles did not quite complement each other .

For dessert, we decided to split a Banoffee Pie.  Again, I was (delightfully) surprised to see that it was different in appearance from the banoffee’s that I’d grown accustomed to, yet was every bit as delectable.  There was a very thin layer of graham crust at the bottom, another thin layer of banana, then the last layer was thick custard cream with a dusting of chocolate.  The custard was light and not nakaka-umay at all.  Eaten with a cafe latte, it was the perfect ending to a very flavorful meal!

The verdict?

Good comfort food set in a wonderful ambience makes this restaurant worth coming back to !  LOLA also has a lot of other interesting menu items that caught my eye.  Three words in particular—Tapa Eggs Benedict—made me do a double take, and made me already want to plan my next visit.  Hahaha!

Fortunately for me, not only is my office near the area, but I also work with colleagues who share my enthusiasm for food and eating in new, undiscovered places.  Wanna guess where our next lunch out will be?

LOLA Cafe + Bar is located at 99 Scout Lozano Street, Quezon City; Telephone Number +632 501 2620

Images without my watermark/blog name were grabbed from FourSquare

The Weekend That Was (Part 2) : Bungalow 300 Pop-Up

I admit I was a bit ambitious with my weekend plans .

Trying to make it to four different events while squeezing in some quality family time is  almost next to impossible!  Hahaha!  Ofcourse, if you ask the hubby, he’ll say it’s downright crazy!  Hahaha!  But I’m lucky he’s such a great sport, and that he’ll pretty much tag along with me wherever I please .  So in short, yes, I was able to have my cake and eat it too!

Sunday started with some retail therapy at the Karl Edwards Bazaar.  Scored some amazing finds, perfect and just in time for the summer!  More on that in my next post .

After the bazaar, my family trooped over to Bungalow 300′s pop-up store in North Forbes.

I knew it.

I was practically ooooh-ing and aaaahhh-ing over almost everything they had!!! Hahaha!  I loved it!  Marga and Vernice, the dynamic duo behind Bungalow 300, totally outdid themselves this time!  Not only was there a well-edited selection of home accessories and furniture, but there were also a lot of not-commercially-sold pieces from other local brands and suppliers available.  And the way everything was put together and displayed–PERFECTION! *Sigh*  It made me totally want to buy a house!  Hahaha!

Here are a couple of shots I took of the set up and the merchandise.  Warning : they have A LOT of GREAT stuff!

At the foyer, you already get a glimpse of the wonderfulness that’s to come .

Doesn’t the color scheme of this room instantly perk you up?  I love the turquoise apothecary jars, the restored buffet table and the set of drawers.  Except for the seating in this photograph, the furniture is from Resurrection Furniture.

More apothecary jars, this time in clear and amber. I. WANT.

Aren’t these ceramic bunnies adorable?

*Sigh* This living room was just too gorgeous for words.  I love the coffee and side table–so streamlined and simple, yet oh so chic!  The inlay work definitely adds a touch of class as well .  The wire baskets in the corner are from a collaboration with artist Jinggoy Buensuceso, while the terrariums are from RAAB.  I finally was able to buy one!!!  Woohoo!

This was another corner in that beautiful living room.  I loved the leather chair and the lahar coffee table.  Am thinking of commissioning one for our home soon.  I just have to figure out what to do with our current table, especially since it doubles as storage space.  Form versus function?  Haaaay!  Decisions, decisions…

Next to the living room was a formal dining area.  Isn’t that purple ikat stool to die for?!?  Here are pictures of my other favorite spots…

These plates were also so exquisite!

Other finds were the inabel blankets, placemats and dish cloths, home accessories from Domesticity, Potentilla room fragrances, as well as natural hand and dish soaps in the cutest glass jars!

When I saw this table, my heart skipped a beat.  I loved the charm of the slightly rusty drawers, and the rustic effect of the wooden top.  I can totally imagine this sitting in the middle of my dream kitchen!  Hahaha!  The vignette on top with the blue ceramic owls was also so attractively arranged .

I’m so happy I was able to drop by the Bungalow 300 pop-up store .  Every room in the house was so beautifully decorated with the furniture and home accessories, that one cannot help but be enticed to make a purchase . Hahahaha!  I guess that was the plan .

If you do have the time, I recommend that you “pop” by and see it for yourself! The pop up store is open until next weekend!  If you plan on going during the week, though, you’ll have to call for an appointment.  I assure you, you won’t be disappointed .

Bungalow 300 telephone no. 519 3143, mobile no. 0947 618 8616; Pop-up store is located in #6 Banyan Road, North Forbes Park, Makati.  As you enter the gate, it’s the first house on your left.

What’s In Store + Happy Weekend : March 16-17, 2013

Gaaah!

So many things to do this weekend, so little time!

Here’s what’s in store:

This is a must see!

I’ve been waiting for this since last year!  I can’t wait!

I am sure there will be lots of drool-worthy home stuff here…

Retail therapy is always a good thing…

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!!

Pop-Up!

Spotted this on my FB feed…

I am so excited!

The last time Bungalow 300 had a pop-up store in Makati, I went home with chevron pillows and a set of placemats.  Honestly, though, I wanted to buy the entire store!  Hahaha!

I looooove that this time around, they’ll be collaborating with other local artists and designers!  I can’t wait to see what wonderful treasures they have in store for us!

Time to get my checkbook ready!  See you there!

Singapore La la la la laaah…la la la laaaah!

My super sweet H knows how stressed I’ve been at work, especially these past couple of years (yes, years!).  Prior to all the challenges, I used to have more of a life–hahaha!–which included lots of travel and quality time with the family.

This year, though, I promised myself that things would be different, and that I’d make more of an effort to do all the things that I used to love doing.  At the top of that list is ofcourse spending more time with the little girl and the H, followed by making more time for arts and crafts projects, and going on trips!

If I had my way, I would love to escape somewhere out of town or out of the country every month!  Hahaha!  And so far, I think I’ve done pretty good!  While January had its share of day trips, February was a highlight because the H treated his ladies (that’s moi and the little girl) to Singapore!  Yup, a first for A, and a first for our family!

Here’s a photo diary of what went on during our 3-day vacation.  We also celebrated my birthday, so turning 38 (yes, I am proud of my age !) turned out to be extra special this year!

Day 1 consisted of a trip to the aquarium in Sentosa.  Thank goodness we decided to buy our tickets online!  We totally skipped the long queues and got in right away!  But it seemed like we were there with the rest of the world–so many people were in the aquarium that day!!!  Nevertheless, we really enjoyed ourselves .

Day 2, the busiest of all the days, started with a trip to the Children Little Museum, and ended with a visit to Singapore’s newest attraction, Gardens by the Bay.  We had an awesome time!

The Children Little Museum is basically a two-storey shop filled with curios and vintage paraphernalia.  That it was filled with a collection of items that would give one an idea of life during the “olden” days, piqued my interest.  I thought that it would be a fascinating experience for the little one too .

Located very near the Bugis area by the Arab Quarter, the Children Little Museum is identified by the tall robot standing at the store front.

Some of the merchandise on the first floor are for sale, but it is the display items on the second floor that people come to see, and where the real treasure lies.

Ascending the steps is like walking up memory lane–the items on display reminded me of a totally different era when things were much simpler, when children drew pictures and played games on the streets.  There were different types of toys mounted on the wall, different types of tricycles, rocking horses, strollers, a collection of school supplies, old musical instruments and equipment, and other interactive displays.

This was a really cute display of a street barbershop, the H pretending to give the little miss a haircut!

As you can see, we really enjoyed our visit here .  There are many things to explore so the little one was kept busy!

After the museum, we headed over to Gardens by the Bay, right by the Marina Sands Hotel.

Aside from the outdoor gardens, this place also has two huge conservatories. The one called The Flower Dome features many different flower species from various parts of the world, while The Cloud Forest mimics the conditions inside a rain forest.  Visitors get to walk through the “forest” via some ramps that go up, down and around a mountainous structure.

The Gardens by the Bay is unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced so we really had a wonderful time!  It amazes me how the Singaporeans are able to come up with these unique tourist attractions.  Galing!

On our last day, we decided to take it easy and have brunch at one of our favorite restaurants, PS Cafe.  Since the Dempsey location was a bit too far, we decided to try the one on Orchard Road instead.

I really, really love the interiors of PS Cafe.  It’s very chic!

We decided to sit outside on the balcony though since it was a pretty cool day, and we wanted to take advantage of the sunlight and natural setting.

Aren’t these tiles soooo pretty?  I tried to take the token feet shot with the fam, but the little one couldn’t keep still!  Hahaha!

We left PS Cafe and decided to walk all the way back to our hotel.  When we arrived, we had just enough time to freshen up and grab a cab to the airport.

It was a really quick weekend, but I think it was a weekend well spent!  We saw a lot of new attractions, and a side of Singapore that we have never seen before! It was also wonderful to be able to get away even for a short bit to re-charge and spend quality time with the fam bam .

Next month, it’ll be a trip to Japan to see the cherry blossoms!  Woohoo!  I am sooo excited!  In April, it will be a Palawan trip with my colleagues.  I can’t wait to hit the beach!  I wonder what other trips this year will have in store?  Stay tuned!!!

Fabulous Find // BONO Artisanal Gelato

So I’ve been reading a lot of rave reviews about BONO gelato lately.

And after seeing the umpteenth post about it on Instagram, I finally convinced my good friend M to make the trip to SM Makati with me so we could give it a try, and see what all the fuss is about.

What can I say?

The experience of eating BONO gelato was every bit as delightful as I expected it to be .

Creamy, smooth and not too sweet, I thoroughly enjoyed my scoop of Malted Milk.  I was actually amazed at how it tasted precisely like Malted Milk!  Hahaha!  Coz don’t you hate it when the flavor says one thing, and the taste says another?  I’ve experienced that with other gelato brands.  Such a disappointment!  But with BONO gelato, flavor and taste are one and the same!

They also have other unique flavors such as Cereal and Milk, Chocolate-covered Potato Chip, and the very popular Speculoos.  Ofcourse they also offer more typical choices too such as Dark Chocolate, Strawberry, and Roasted Pistachio.

I thought it was cool that the guy at the counter gladly let me sample as many flavors as I wanted.  Now I know that the next time I find myself craving for BONO gelato, I’m having me some Speculoos and Roasted Pistachio.  They are yum!

And the best part is, because it’s gelato, it’s supposed to be less fattening than ice cream!  Hahaha!  Good news for all of us perennial dieters! *wink, wink*  Also, BONO promises that it uses only the finest imported and local ingredients–nothing artificial– and that each batch is made fresh, the “real” way and without any shortcuts.

Do I already have you convinced to give it a try? Hahaha!

I guess no store review would be complete for me without mentioning design or ambience.  I’m a sucker for that.  I’m elated to say that aside from having such a yummy product, the store atmosphere was also so nice–so bright and cheerful!  Seeing the colorful and cute graphics on their wall made me feel really happy!  The typography they used was really cool too–kinda retro-ish.  Totally Instagram/FaceBook worthy siya!  Hahaha!

So once I am off my dessert fast for Lent, I am definitely making a beeline for BONO gelato.  After 40 days of no sweets, this would no doubt be a wonderful reward .

BONO Gelato is located on the 2nd floor of SM Makati, right off of the bridgeway coming from Glorietta

Project Coffee Table Make Over — Done!

Styling our coffee table has been a project on my to-do list for quite some time now.  While it is a very functional piece of furniture and provides much needed storage, our coffee table is unfortunately massive, boring and brown .   Rather than replacing it, I’ve been dying to give it a make-over for like forever!  In my opinion, it’s in dire need of the perfect vignette to give it some visual interest.

And finally, after months and months of experimenting and editing,  I think I’ve done it–at least for now.  Hahaha!

This is what our coffee table looks like:

The Elements :

Nito Woven Tray

Cactus Plant (This is actually a stand in for now.  I’m planning to replace this with fresh flowers or a mini terrarium)

Candle

Stacked Books

Objects of Interest – a small chest from India, and a bowl from Leyte

So, what do you think?