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!

My Best Food Forward Picks!

My “diet” just flew out the window .

*SIGH*

I guess it was to be expected as the H, the Little Miss and I made our rounds of the Best Food Forward food fair last Saturday.

Being a BFF virgin, I was excited to see and sample the various offerings of the participating food purveyors.

Was it worth sacrifice?  A big resounding YES!!!

Here are my top picks (in no particular order).  Please note, I wasn’t able to sample all the vendors below so my picks are not solely based on taste.  They’re also based on the uniqueness of the product and on interesting packaging .

1. Casa San Luis

Although they are more known for their pastries, I decided to sample their Sweet Dips.  According to the lady attending their stall, the Salted Caramel with French Sea Salt and their Caramel Bacon Bits are their best sellers.  Since I’m not particularly a fan of Salted Caramel and a HUGE fan of bacon, it was a no-brainer that I allocate my precious calorie count to the Caramel Bacon Bits dip.

Rich, decadent, yummy and sinful were words that came to mind when I tried it.  I could actually feel my waistline expanding–haha!  The nice thing about these spreads is that they are also very versatile and can be used either as a dip, sauce, or topping!  I can imagine that they would be great poured on top of ice cream, or something to eat with crackers or to spread on bread!

Both flavors come in 4oz and 10oz jars that are priced at Php150 and Php300 respectively.

For orders, you can call Casa San Luis at 0916 644 8522 or email them at casasanluispastries@gmail.com

2. Double Delights

This next vendor caught my attention because of its cute, detailed designs.  At first, I thought I was looking at a bunch of mini cupcakes, but they’re actually polvoron cupcakes!  Innovative, right?  I love how they gave a different twist to this well-loved Filipino milk candy, and made it more “now”.  Since cupcakes are all the rage nowadays, why not a polvoron cupcake?  And not just any ordinary polvoron cupcake, apparently, because aside from the polvoron layer, it is also topped with white chocolate and royal icing.  Can you say “yum”?

To order, call 2963702/0932 8881350/0919 4286320 or email at anne@double-delights.com.  Their website is http://www.doubledelights.com.

3. Casa Angeline

By the time I got to this booth, my stomach was already losing pretty much all of its valuable real estate space .  And it was really too bad because I love flan and I was so looking forward to trying Casa Angeline’s Flan Pots.  Again, I thought it was  interesting and different to package the custard in a mason-like jar, versus a ramekin or a serving dish, as it is usually presented at home or in restaurants.  It kinda makes the leche flan look more special and sosy.  Hahaha!

The Flan Pots come in four different flavors: Leche Flan, Mango, Strawberry and Coffee Caramel.  It costs about Php225 for 3 pots.  Not bad, right?

And aside from the flan, Casa Angeline is also knows for their french macarons, cream puffs and sticky toffee pudding.  Talk about a quadruple threat!

To know more about Casa Angeline, visit their website at http://www.casaangeline.com. You can also follow them on FaceBook!

4. [unit16sweets]

Aside from the fact that I LOOOOOOOOVE chocolate, I could not help but be drawn to this booth because of the cute and quirky designs of the chocolate labels.  Then I realized they were personalized chocolate labels!  Kewl!

Mental Note: Great Gift Idea!!!!

The chocolates used are guaranteed to be of the finest quality, and comes in a variety of flavors–milk, semi-dark, dark, and mint flavored.

To know more about their pricing and how to order, you can go to their website, http://www.unit16sweets.com, or call them at 8959180.

5. The Noodle Bakes

Almost, but not quite up there next to chocolate in terms of my favorite flavors, is Green Tea or Matcha.  I blame it on Kit Kat.  Now I am addicted to anything green tea! Hahaha!

When I tried The Noodle Bakes’ Matcha White Chocolate cupcake, wow, it totally made my eyes roll to the back of my head!  Hahaha!  Okay, I’m exaggerating a bit, but I was honestly really hooked!  Like, “I want to buy a whole box and keep it to myself” hooked.  Hahaha!

Not only was the cupcake moist, but you could totally taste the matcha flavor. What I especially liked about it is that it wasn’t sickeningly sweet either.  It was just right, actually, which is pretty deadly.  That means it is perfectly “legal” to have more than just one!  Hahaha!

The Noodle Bakes is a home-based seller that can be reached through cell (+63920 920 7268) or via email (thenoodlebakes@gmail.com)

Guess what?  They also have speculoos cupcakes on limited availability!  That, I cannot wait to try!!!

6. Twisted Desserts

When my good friend M was on her radical sabbatical, she had a sideline business making uber yummy red velvet trifles that she packaged in 3 ways.  A small personalized cup, and tubs that were good enough to feed a group of 4 and 8. Ever since she had me sample her product, I’ve been having late night cravings or even dreams about it.  Seriously!!!

Sadly, M had to go back to work and her fledgling business had to take a back seat as well .

When I came across these Dig Deep Cups at BFF, it reminded me so much of M’s trifles!  Unfortunately, because I was already seriously full at this point, I could only sample a small morsel of the 3K Karrot, which is a cup full of carrot cake, with layers of cream cheese in between, and topped with crushed walnuts.  I was pleasantly surprised at how moist the cake was (I’ve encountered a lot of really dry carrot cakes.  Boo ), and how the sweetness was just right.  I’m sure their Oh-riffic (Oreo) and Choc O’ Nut versions taste really yummy too!

The cool thing about these Dig Deep Cups is how you can handily eat your cake pretty much anywhere, without the mess!  Talk about having your cake and eating it too!  Hahaha!

For orders, call/text +63906 246 0976 or +63917 620 8749.  For a complete list of their products, you can visit their FaceBook page.

7. Cocoa Monster Manila

Pretty packaging always gets me right away.  If only more people realized that. You can totally take a basic product (like chocolate) and jazz it up to look like it costs a hundred bucks, all by simply giving it some awesome packaging.

In the case of Cocoa Monster Manila, they definitely made me do a double take, when I saw their edgy red, black and white design.  It definitely stood out amongst the other stalls in BFF.

Cocoa Monster offers many different types of chocolate products from tablea to fondue, to cocoa powder and specialty chocolates.  They guarantee that their products use 100% pure cocoa.

I wish I had sampled one of their truffles but like I said, I was so full, my stomach could not take anymore .  The good thing is, Cocoa Monster can do custom orders for events or corporate giveaways!  I may just give them a try!

For orders and inquiries, call 838 8067 to 69 or +63922 873 6638.  They also have a FaceBook page!!!

8. Kalookies

I first came across this brand through Patty Laurel’s blog.  My first thought, “I love the name!”  Hahaha!  It’s funny, catchy and memorable .  Nowadays, the expression “kalurky!” has become such a part of Filipino lingo and this brand totally capitalized on that.  Smart.

But the great thing about this product and its name is that the experience of eating it, totally makes you feel as if you’re going “kalooky” (slang for crazy) because it’s soooo honest to goodnessly good!

I had the Kalassik cookie and the Oreolla during the fair.  Both cookies were of the deep dish kind, and just one bite had me craving for more!  Next time, I am definitely trying the Paolo Special and the White Toblerone.  Haaaaay!  At the rate I am going, todo diet na ang kailangan ko with matching barre3 and treadmill!  Hahaha!

To order Kalookies, call +63921 302 2241.

So there you have it, my picks at this year’s Best Food Forward.  Hope I’ve enticed you to give these vendors a try!  Support Filipino made, support Filipino entrepreneurs, support small businesses!

What’s In Store + Happy Weekend : April 20-21, 2013

Looking for something to do this weekend?

You may want to check these out…

1. If you’re a foodie, head on over to:

It’s the Philippines’ biggest benefit summer food fair, now back on its 3rd year! I particularly cannot wait to try new food items from the various specialty stalls that are participating in this event.  One thing’s for sure, I must make sure to come with an empty stomach!  Hahaha!

2. If you are artsy and love the environment, you may want to join:

This event by WWF aims to highlight the importance of eliminating illegal wildlife trade through art!  Looks like this will not only be interesting, but a lot of fun!  There’s an entrance fee of Php300, but that will entitle you to a Doodle Kit, access to the booths, and will serve as your donation to the cause.

This is a wonderful way to do something meaningful for the environment, while at the same time spending quality time with your family!  I may just drop by with the H and the Little Miss!

3. If you love arts and crafts, and browsing for unique, vintage finds, make your way to:

It’s the start of the weekend!  And after a long, tiring work week, what better way to rejuvenate than to do some retail therapy?

If you’re tired of hanging out at the mall, here’s an interesting alternative!  With retro and vintage, recycled and upcycled items for sale, there may be some treasures waiting for you here!

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

Fab Finds : Craft Fair Loot!

I am so excited to share with you all the loot I got last weekend!

As it turned out, there were 2 arts and crafts fairs, and I was lucky to be able to hit both!  Woohoo!

First off was the La Feria En Arte.  It was held at ARTS in the City in BGC.

I was able to score some cute felt items for the little miss…

Aren’t they adorable?

It’s too bad I wasn’t able to get the name of the seller.

I also got these pretty frocks from Silly Monkey Clothing.  I just love the fabric prints!  Cheerful, happy, girly, and perfect for the summer!

My next stop was 10a Alabama–my favorite arts and crafts fair!

It did not disappoint!  Just look at all the treasures I went home with…

01 Postcard from heykessy

02 Notebooks from Spellbound

03 Washi Tape from heykessy

04 Doily Stamp from Sitting Pretty Crafts

05 Little Girl Stamp from Rubber Ducky Stamp Co.

06 Bookplates from InkyLivie

07 Notecards with Envelopes from InkyLivie

Can you believe all these are made by local artists/crafters?  Serious talent, right?

*Sigh*

For now, I live vicariously through these amazing creations.  Hahaha!

Hooray for DIY!  Hooray for arts and crafts!

Date Night Diaries : Barbacua

It was a night of a hundred stars…okay, maybe not a hundred, but let’s just say there were a lot of stars there–famous people from the showbiz, culinary and publishing worlds.  But the real stars in this venture of Manila Pop Up was the food!!!  Amazing, wonderfully sublime food!

The brainchild of Chef Bruce Ricketts, Dee Jae Paeste, Mike Concepcion and Erwan Heusaff, Barbacua is a one-night-only gastronomic thrill. This second initiative of the Manila Pop Up team featured food with a mix of Thai and South American flavors.

Potential patrons were invited via social media (twitter and IG), and were contacted through email.  Information was given regarding seating schedules, location, cost per food item, and the type of cuisine to expect, but that’s pretty much it.  Guests were instructed to bring along their sense of adventure (and cash!  Hahaha!), as they were invited to join this culinary escapade.

I just love pop-ups!  While it’s not entirely a new concept, it is only starting to gain popularity in Manila.  I love the mystery behind it, as well as the novelty. While I’m not big on snobbish, velvet rope exclusivity, there was nothing snobbish about this event, despite its limited seating and it being held for one night only. It is for these very aspects that I find this pop up to be intriguing and exciting!  For those of you who read my blog, you also know how I love new and different experiences!  And this, definitely, falls under that category .  Without a doubt, this experience ups the ante in Manila’s culinary scene .

On to the food…

The menu was pretty much composed of small sharing plates and several kinds of punch cocktails.  Our “waiter”, Erwan Heusaff himself, recommended that we each get 2 plates, so that we can try out a variety of the dishes.  We eventually settled on the tuna, oxtail, skirt steak, lapu lapu and sea prawns.

The tuna arrived at our table first.  It was soooo good!  The dish was served with green papaya, avocado, soy and bone marrow.  It had a bit of cilantro in it as well. I looooooove cilantro!  It makes everything taste so fresh and crisp!  This was a wonderful dish to start the meal with .

Next came the sea prawn.  It was served on top of a bed of crab rice and uni (sea urchin).  Can you say winner?  This dish was AMAZING!  I enjoyed the mix of the seafood, as well as the different textures they each had in my mouth.  Mouth party!!!

While I’m not usually into oxtail, the H happens to love it!  And because it came highly recommended, we decided to give the ox tail plate a try.  And I’m so glad we did because again, it was such a wonderful dish!  The ox tail was so tender, so soft and extremely flavorful.  That it was served in tiny taco bites was also perfect, and made it easier to eat by hand.  And don’t you sometimes think that eating with your hands makes the meal all the more enjoyable?  Even though I don’t usually like getting down and dirty when I eat, there was something about the juices dribbling down my mouth and fingers that made eating this dish particularly fun and pleasurable!

Seasoned with black garlic, accompanied with some peanut sauce, avocado and market veggies, and topped with a fried egg and some oregano, the skirt steak was another favorite, and satisfying dish.  Again I loved the different textures and flavors rolling around in my mouth with each bite!  Call it a more sophisticated version of steak and eggs.  Hahaha!  While I would never think to mix it with peanut sauce and avocado, the combination surprisingly worked very well!

Of all the dishes, the least I liked was the lapu lapu.  There was nothing wrong with it per se–it tasted really good as well–it just didn’t have the same WOW effect as the others.  It pretty much tasted like other ceviches I’ve tried.

For drinks, only 3 types of punch cocktails were served.  Because I hardly drink any alcohol nowadays, this was a bit disappointing for me.  However, when I took my first sip of the Pilgrim’s Punch (a combination of pineapple syrup, gin, green tea and bitters), I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was! I could hardly taste any alcohol!  It was light, yummy and refreshing, and went really well with our meal!  The H even ordered a second serving for himself!

The verdict?

Everything about Barbacua was fantastic!  The concept, the food, the flavors, the experience–chalk one up for the Manila Pop Up Crew!!!  It was a date night to be remembered for the H and I.  I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that the eye candy was a big draw as well.  Hahaha!

Grabbed these IG photos from Jae Pickrell and Nix Alanon.  Was too dyahe to take my own photos.  Hahaha!  I didn’t want to come off as an awe-struck groupie.  Hahaha!

I can’t wait for their next event, Kabukicho!  Slightly different in concept, it is a dive bar/food/music event, done in collaboration with Yabu.  For those interested, shoot the Manila Pop Up team an email at mnlpopup@gmail.com.

Today, happiness is…

…the little one “moving up” from nursery school!

Our baby is really becoming a little lady!

Congratulations, my love!!!  Mama and Dada are very proud of you!

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.

The Weekend That Was (Part 1) : Art In The Park 2013

Okay, so Saturday at Art in the Park was AMAZING!!!

My buddy M and I were there bright and early (like right at the stroke of 2PM), to get first dibs on the fabulous artwork.

Unbeknownst to us, the booths opened early and there were many other eager (art) beavers already milling about Salcedo Park.

Shucks!

Nevertheless, we still both scored some great pieces–naturally, at great prices too!

Here are some of the stuff that we saw :

I really wanted this sculpture by Pete Jimenez .  Unfortunately, the H and I had a budget that I had to strictly stick to .

These artworks are perfect for the little girl’s room .  Unfortunately, I’m all out of wall space!  But definitely something to keep in mind should we be blessed with another peanut in the future .

(Clockwise left : May Tobias-Papa, Roel Obemio, Patsy Paterno, Beth Parrocha)

Loved the display of these miniature building replicas by 98B COLLABoratory.  They are doing all sorts of wonderful things over at the Escolta neighborhood, reviving and breathing new life to it.  I must make my way over there one of these days .

To know more about their vision and advocacy, check out their website at www.98-b.org or 98b.tumblr.com

Ral Arrogante’s work is always a favorite.  I really hope to own one of these fishing houses someday.

As expected, there were some really quirky stuff at the Secret Fresh booth.  LIKE!

I super fell in love with this artwork by Oliver Olivete.  I loved the colors, the subject, and that it was something different from the art that I usually buy.

Unfortunately, because I could only choose one piece to walk home with, I decided to go with this:

A mother and child by Roel Obemio.   Since I started collecting paintings, the subject of Mother and Child has always been my favorite.  In this particular piece, I was drawn to the mother reading a book to the child.  It reminded me of myself and the little one.  Reading is our bonding “thing” .

I really wish I had more time to explore the wonderful art at Art in the Park.  Being surrounded by so much talent and scoring an amazing piece was so thrilling!  The only blip of the day was that the weather was acting a bit wonky .  Walking on muddy ground was not quite fun.  Hahaha!

I can’t wait until our painting gets framed, though.  I have just the perfect spot for it at home!  I am so excited!  Stay tuned!  I promise to post photos of it when it’s up and hanging .

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!