If you’re like me, I am constantly challenged to keep my little miss busy and entertained.  Having been a pre-school teacher in my past life, I think I put extra pressure on myself to expose A to activities and experiences where she will learn new things and new skills.

Recently, we found ourselves on a holiday with nothing planned to do.  Rather than spending a perfectly good day indoors at home or at the mall, we decided to take the little miss to Museo Pambata or the Children’s Museum in Manila.

What a wonderful place!!!

Not only is the building itself beautiful and historic, but I love that the displays were interesting, interactive and very educational.  It kept my little one busy for hours!!!

The last time I was there was even before I took my Masters in New York–that was over 10 years ago!!!  But the museum looked very well maintained, and there were many displays there that I didn’t remember seeing before .  So it was like seeing everything with fresh eyes .

The first room we went to was called Old Manila.

They had cool replicas of a Spanish galleon, the Binondo Church, and the Meralco tranvia .

They also had reproductions of the facade of La Puerto del Sol, one of the first department stores in Manila, an old Bahay na Bato balcony, and models of a jeepney and kalesa.

I really felt as if I was going back in time!  Hahaha.  It made me a bit wistful too, though.  If only the real Old Manila could be restored back to its former glory . Wouldn’t that be something?

Another themed room that A enjoyed was Kalikasan, a room where visitors are educated about the rainforest and marine life.

This slide kept A occupied for a good 20 minutes .  She just loved climbing up and going down by herself (she’s on a “I can do this by myself” stage–hahaha!)!

After that, she enjoyed doing some pretend play both at the rice fields and in the botika…

Isn’t this bahay kubo too cute?  All the vegetables on display in front are from the Bahay Kubo song .

The next room we visited was called The Global Village.  The current exhibit is on Singapore…

The little one was immediately attracted to the instruments, and to the display of international dolls and puppets…

There’s just something about banging and making loud noises that just draws toddlers in.  Hahahaha!

After The Global Village, we proceeded up the stairs to view the rest of the exhibits.  At the top of the stairs, this was the sight that greeted us…

It was a tunnel-slash-entrance to My Body Works, another themed room that helps children to understand how organs in the body function.  At first A was a bit creeped out by the size of the head, but when Dada held her hand and she discovered the maze, that’s it!  She zipped off and started to explore .

My personal favorite area in the entire museum was the Pamilihang Bayan or marketplace, a row of typical shops that one would find in a Filipino neighborhood.  There was a barber shop, a vegetable shop, a seafood shop, a pharmacy, and a carinderia.  Pretend play heaven!!!

Cute, right?  And fun, too!

The next room was a room on Career Options.  Currently, it is featuring a Writer’s and Illustrator’s Corner.  It was nice to see the work of some of my favorite Filipino illustrator’s on display .

I’ve actually always dreamed of publishing my own children’s book.  Still do.  So this room was particularly meaningful and inspiring for me .

My daughter loves children’s books too!  She has luckily inherited my pretty extensive collection .  Maybe one day we’ll be able to collaborate on one together .  Why not, right?

The last of the exhibits was on I Love My Planet Earth.  The interactive displays discussed climate change, and gave tips on how to save our planet.

Of all the items in the room, A immediately zeroed in on a big red truck!  Hahaha! What can I say, my daughter loves cars!

Look at how happy she is up there!

As you can tell, we had an amazing time at Museo Pambata!  Mission accomplished too!  Not only was my daughter thoroughly engaged, but I’m sure she learned a lot of new things too!

Even the hubby and I had a lot of fun!  It’s a bit cliche, but I really felt like a kid again  Hahaha!  Certainly, it was an afternoon well spent

So if you find yourself with some free time in the city and have nothing to do, try making your way to the Museo Pambata!  Certainly, it’s a place for good ol’ fashioned fun and learning for the entire family!

Admission : Php100

Hours of Operation :

8AM-5PM Tuesdays to Saturdays

1PM-5PM Sundays

http://www.museopambata.org

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

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Sometimes I wonder, “how did work life get to be so complicated and fast-paced?”  I always feel like I have to catch my breath!  Don’t you also always feel that there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you’ve set out to do? And my favorite, “I can’t believe it’s already May!  Didn’t we just start the year?”

The not-so-good news is that it looks like this warp-speed pace is here to stay.

The good news is, we need not be “victims” of our heavy work loads, and the challenges that come with it.  There are actually things that we can do to counteract the effects of stress!

There is so much to live for–family being the biggest reason of all.  Isn’t it incentive enough for us to make sure we live longer, happily and healthily so we can enjoy a better quality of life?

I always believe that everything in life is a choice–even the way you see things. You can either see the glass half empty or half full, bad or good, negative or positive.  And trust me, it is much better to see the lighter side of things rather than to be consumed by feelings of anger, sadness, or wallowing in a pool of self-pity.  It’s actually quite unproductive too.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t honor your feelings–it’s definitely detrimental to keep them bottled up inside.  But once you’ve had a chance to grieve, to cry, to shout, to throw a tantrum, or to talk about it for the nth time, just let it go and move forward!

While I know that is easier said than done (trust me, letting go is very difficult for me!), certainly, developing a healthier outlook towards life and knowing that setbacks only make us stronger and better, has helped to ease the stress, and has made me a happier person.  Coupling this with a lot of prayer and faith, has truly helped me to become a more peaceful person too .

Aside from a positive attitude, squeezing in some exercise and taking the proper vitamins can also help us deal with the effects of stress.

I’m happy I found the kind of work out routine that not only challenges all the muscles in my body, but also gives me the benefit of mental and emotional release.  My excercise of choice?  barre3!  I love it!  At first, I was pretty skeptical (I’m really more of an aerobics person), but once I tried it, I was hooked!

And for vitamins, its Poten-Cee Forte all the way!  Ofcourse, I gotta love my own, right?  Hahaha!

To be honest (and biases aside ), Poten-Cee Forte is the only Vitamin C brand in the market that not only has 1000mg/1g of ascorbic acid, but also has a time-release formula.  What does this mean?  This means that our bodies are protected much longer than your regular Vitamin C in the market. Poten-Cee Forte was “designed to dissolve gradually over time, maximizing the capability of our digestive and circulatory system to absorb the available Vitamin C.”

“Because of this time-release formula, a steady amount of Vitamin C is delivered into the bloodstream—the right amount at the time we need it—making us enjoy its full range of benefits.  There is less anxiety over getting the right amount of Vitamin C in your body, and less worry about sustaining the supply of this immunity-boosting vitamin throughout the day.”

Other vitamin brands actually only offer 500mg.  While the usual dietary intake is from 150-500mg, because of poor eating habits, exposure to environmental toxins, a stressful, busy lifestyle and the prevalence of diseases, augmentation of our daily dose of vitamin c is necessary.

On the days that I forget to take my Poten-Cee Forte, my body feels really lethargic and heavy.  I already feel tired early in the afternoon, and feel like I struggle to make it to the day’s end.  No joke!  But when I do take it, I can really feel the difference in terms of my energy level!  Not only do I feel like I have enough energy to last me the entire day, but I also feel like I can keep up with my full schedule!

And I can’t remember the last time I got sick either .  While the rest of my friends get plagued with colds every time the weather becomes schizo, I’ve been sniffle and sickness free for so long, thanks to the protection of Poten-Cee Forte!

Ask Chris Tiu, too .  He feels the same way .  He’s our current endorser, and he’s one to endorse only the products he believes in (and who wouldn’t trust that face?  Hahaha!  Isn’t he such a cutie pie?).  Just read about it in his blog :).

And here’s the Poten-Cee TVC with Chris and his mom, Leanne, that we released last month.

So there you have it.  My advice on how to keep up with life?  A positive attitude, exercise, and Poten-Cee Forte!

The stresses of work and the demands of a busy schedule should definitely not keep us from living happily, healthily, and more fully!

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!

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!

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

*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!

Call me shallow, but to be honest, I wanted a girl because I love dressing up and accessorizing, and I wanted to be able to share this love for fashion with my offspring.  Ofcourse this wasn’t the only reason, but it was one of my main reasons. Hahaha!

Let’s face it–little girls have the best clothes nowadays!  And there’s just so much variety!  From tutus to shift dresses to shorts and skinny jeans–there’s a lot of combinations that can be mixed and matched to make dressing up everyday sort of like a fashion show!  And I love that!  Hahaha!

A couple of days ago, I heard the news that DVF will be launching another summer collection with GapKids.  OMG!!!!  You know what that means…even MORE cute outfits for the little one!

If you remember, I wrote about the first collection here.  And here is the little one, “mowdeling” her DVF wrap dress (in case you’re wondering, no, I did not ask her to pose that way.  Hahaha! This was a completely candid shot ).

This second collaboration looks like it’s going to be even better!  Entitled The Explorers, the collection is bold, graphic and fun!  Very signature DVF!  And the images from the lookbook are just too adorable!  Here are a couple that have been released…

The DVF x GapKids will be available in stores (in the US) and online on April 25th.  I can’t wait!!!

Photos from here and here.

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!

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!