"Pantawid Gutom" Foods Below Php100.00 (Part I)

I am not really picky when it comes to food (establishment wise). As long as there is proper sanitation practice, no dog meat and bloody content (which is against my religion -FYI), then i'm good to go.

Here are my top 5 bets for the best snacks/meals where you can make your stomach calm without causing riot in your finances:

Note: If you have certain types of allergies, make sure to check the ingredients first before making any orders. Hospital food are safe and free but your bills are not. Unless you are finding an excuse to exhaust your corporate health plan or simply wanted to max-out your SL's, then I might instruct you to just go ahead.

Now back to our topic:

Pap-pa-ra-pa-pa-pa, love ko ang McDo!

Mc Donalds - Starting from Php50.00, you can enjoy a variety of rice and burger meals with  small sized drink. They also give annual Chinese Ampaos with "galanteng" discounts on their bestsellers.

Jollibee!!!

Jollibee - Jollibee 39-rs (Php39.00), feeding hungry students and job seekers since it was launched! Need I say more? Okay, palabok is still the best among the rest (as per my tastebuds). :))

LeyLam Shawarma

Leylam - My boyfriend and I cannot live a week without a dose of LeyLam Shawarma Rice with egg (sunny-side-up, please). For only Php69.00, you can fill-in your medium sized hunger with this. The problem is, it can get a bit too addicting! Not convinced? Go try it for yourself and see how its magic sauce appeals to you. 

Jamaican Pattie in Chessy Beef

Jamaican Pattie - Craving for beef, but you're afraid of ordering a bowl of beef salsa just to end up having one with too much beans on it? Visit Jamaican Pattie stalls scattered around the Metro. From Php45.00, you can choose from their beef or chicken filled patties ranging from cheesy to spicy hot flavah'! Another thing is that you may eat this anywhere you please. Just be careful for its fillings tend to be a bit too hot (literally / temperature wise) sometimes and its pastry scatters when you take a bite.

White Hat Plain Yougurt

White Hat - If you are not into heavy or medium sized meals and not craving for anything sweets either. Your best bet? Fro-yo! Aside from the fact that it is teeming with good bacteria, it also has that a great "Yakult" like taste that will surely bring back those childhood memories. Prices starts at Php95.00 and above.

That's it for my top 5. I'll be posting a "Part II" pretty soon. If you have any suggestions in mind, please do not hesitate to inform me by posting a comment below or sending it to my gmail account. :)

My Wish List for Year 2013

It may be a bit late, but here it is!

Presenting......

My Wish List for 2013:

1.)

Christian Louboutin Pigalle in Size 7 

2.) 

Kate Spade Mercer Isle Booker

3.)

Jo Malone Fragrance Kit in Lime, Basil and Mandarin

4.)

NYX (or any brand of train case) with Lights and Stand

5.)

Tomas Sabo Bracelet and Charms (AHEM!)

6.)

Tempur-Pedic Symphony  Pillow

7.)

Spanx Bra-llelujah Underwire Contour in Nude Color Size 34A

8.)

Orly GELFX Professional Kit in Metallic Colors

9.)

Beauty Blender Sponge and  Cleanser

10.)

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

There goes my material lusting. No matter how mad I am for these lovey-doves, I have to divert my attention whenever I feel the urge to visit their mall booths or click the purchase button online! Hahaha! Maybe, I just have to reward myself with one of these if ever I achieved my financial goals by the end of the year. *SOB!!!

Disclaimer: I copied the product photos from the brands' website. They are not mine. 

Homey Fragrance

Yes, nothing beats the warm scent of our Mom's home cooked meals in our kitchen. But a foul smelling other parts of the house is a big turn-off to our guests or if not pain in the...NOSE! Haha! 

To combat the "amoy lupa" and "overdue ng tubig sa flower vase" scent in your entertainment room sans the hassle of spraying your home fragrance every 5 minutes, you should arm your room with a:

Reed Diffuser

BENCH Daphne Home Scents in Green Forest Pine which I got as a Christmas gift from my BF's sibling. 

Reed Diffusers are best for large rooms since it continuously diffuses the fragrance oil from the bottle. 

Candle Pot Diffuser

Candle Diffusers often ranges from Php30.00 and above.

Candle diffusers are great for bedroom and bathrooms since you can often change the fragrance oil depending on your blood pressure ever changing moods.

The Candle Diffuser Side-kicks (as if you can succeed in your fragrance mission without these):

Tea Candles

When it comes to tea candles, one can never run out of choices. From the good 'ol plain ones to high end Citronella infused mosquito "shoooing" types, you are sure to find "the one" that will suit your needs.

Essential Oils from Scents & Style

It comes with a dropper for a mess free and controlled product consumption.

Fragrance Oils doesn't have to be expensive. See, you can have a 10ml bottle for as low as Php40.00!

My room scent favorites are vanilla, peppermint, eucalyptus, cinammon, citrus, and cookie dough. 

Please do always remember these two most important tips :

Avoid skin from having direct contact especially with strong types of fragrance oils. (This is not your perfume, girl! This one is for your home-sweet-home!)

Also, do not leave any burning candles unattended -EVER!

Beauty & Butter

Finding a good nail salon that has friendly staffs, relaxing interiors, and expert services seems very rare nowadays. Well, I am lucky enough to discover Beauty & Butter Nail, Face & Art at SM Megamall which ended up my long search for the best nail spa in Metro Manila. 

Come, let's take a mini-tour inside:

Oh, so inviting. Isn't it?!

Meet the hand-painted princess on their wall.

Comfy seats - they also have LED TV's on their wall to keep you  entertained while  drying your nails.

This is what makes this salon stand-out from the rest...

Individually wrapped tools.

Yes! Their tools passes through multiple UV sanitation processes before being packed and sealed in these pouches for another final round of microbial filtration. The pouches are only opened in front of their customers. This keeps all my sanitation concerns at bay. :)))

My China Glaze-d Nails!

Their services are not limited to the usual range of nail care. They have the vegan manicure & pedicure which is great for expecting mothers, kids, or those who are simply planning to go all-organic. And as if the vegan manicure is not enough, they also have the largest selection of ORLY GelFX Gel Nail Lacquer colors as well as nail art designs.  

Aside from their superb nail care they also offer body spa services like massage, hair waxing, eyelash extension and facial care. 

To learn more about their products, promos and services, simply click the link below:

Beauty & Butter - Nails, Face & Art

The Sample Room

I hate wasting my hard-earned money on products that usually don't work on me. When it comes to cosmetics, I try to swatch samples on my arms and stroll other stalls before I decide to buy it. After all, I won't mind investing on high quality products that works its claims on my skin. When I stumbled upon the "Sample Room", I got giddy and immediately signed-up as a member.

Meet your new online haven! Sample Room

How it works:

1. Upon being a member, you'll be given a 100 points for you to start with. Each product sample is equivalent to certain points which will be deducted from your existing points.

2. Check the availability of the products before you checkout.

3. Complete the check-out form and choose your payment mode. 

Note: The samples are free but shipping fee applies depending on the weight of the item/s and shipping destination.

4. For you to determine the delivery day of your products, you may check their "Shipping and Handling" link from your homepage.

5. Upon receiving your ordered sample/s, test the product.

6. Share your experience by rating the product and writing your honest reviews on its profile.

7. You get to earn back the points that you used if your product review was approved by the web admin. You also get additional points for rating the product and successful friend referrals.

 My First Package :)

This is it! :)

The Sample Room Paper Bag

The Cute Sticker Seal! :)

So, what product did I choose for my first sample? Stand by for my future posts for you to find out. :)))

AVON Haul for January 2013

I dropped by at AVON Shaw last week to purchase orders and reward myself for sort-of sticking to my new year's resolutions.

Avon Complete Eye Kit - Php196.00 (Promo Price)

Because I need another eyelash curler and I can't resist the pink theme of this eye set which is also on sale, here it is! Right in my very hands. Hahaha!

Set includes:

1. Eyelash Curler

2. 2-in-1 Eyebrow Brush

3. Eyebrow Shaver

4. Stainless Steel Tweezers

5. Eyebrow Pencil Sharpener

6. Transparent PVC Pouch

Avon Jewelry Pink Cashmere Kiss Earrings (Php425.00) and Necklace (Php425.00)

I am supposed to include the ring to complete the set, unfortunately it is too small for my index finger. What I love about Avon Jewelries is that it does not irritate nor fade easily even on my acidic skin. I used to have one of their tusk necklaces when I was a kid, which I still have and use until now. Their designs are also trendy yet classic.

Avon Lucky Coin Charm - Php149.00 (Promo Price)

This Feng Shui coin tassel is said to bring good fortune when hung around the house or carried by someone in his/her bag. It contains 8 pieces of copper-plated coins with inscribed Chinese Characters which I don't know how to read by the way. It is for my love of lucky charms, tradition, and physics (crystals/metals omit certain energies which can cause positive or negative reactions). If I have the extra "andah" to spend on those authentic healing crystals then I might fill my room with quartz, jade, and diamonds. Well, in my present wallet and personal economic state I have to settle for the knots and brass first. :)

Can you tell me what is your favorite non-cosmetic AVON products or purchases?

I would love to hear your comments.

XOXO,

"The Curious Cat"

Mauwee

What Made my 23rd Birthday? :)

Things that made my birthday week extra special! :)))

Strolled GB5 with my CP.

I finally meet the Zuellig Building face-to-face.!

Cute Egg pouch from my recruitment superiors. :)

My FB friends never fail to make me smile on my special day. :)

A cute necklace from 'Nay Cita (bf's mom). :)

Birthday dinner with my CP at Lorenzo's Way.

Gifts from the BF

He really knows me. :)))

French Macaroons! Nom-nom-nom!

A cute pink belt.

Studded Flats for self-defense, LOL!

Oh, i'm getting wiser! :)

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

XOXO,

"The Curious Cat"

Mauwee

The 23-Year-Old Me

During my childhood, my birthday is my most awaited event of the year aside from the new year's eve. Of course I still do feel the excitement during my annual birthdays, it's just that the occasion seems to remind me of a few frustrations, pending goals, failures, and bad decisions. When I was a child, I can't wait to grow older and conquer the world. When I was a teenager, I can't wait to establish a career and earn a hefty amount of moolah. It turns out that in my twenties (yes, 20 and +), all those dreams will come to reality (except the moolah one, haha). The kind of reality with all the mega-stress and ultra-pressure. The social ladder is high, people are watching & criticizing, your enemies seems unforgiving, love is confusing, loved-ones seems distant sometimes, the weather is bad, men are straightforward but blunt, temperature is rising, ice are melting, physics is not working, blah, blah, blah, which all boils down to an acute headache at the middle of your crammed workday. It turns out that before you can conquer the world, you have a lot of battle to win over yourself first, to conquer your enemies you have to be cold but kind, to conquer love you have to be patient and swallow a lot of pride, and lastly you need a strong foundation for you to hold on to or else everything will eventually fall apart. Okay, i'm 23 and as far as life and age is concern I consider myself lucky for me to live a normal life. Yes, crisis included! The end of the world was postponed but that does not mean I have to postpone on my goals and formulate another excuse. The world has a lot of trap, when you think that you have already conquered one, oh well, wait until you find yourself in another craze maze not knowing if you are already inside or nearing the exit line. Life can drain all your energies and sometimes "balance" is just another word in the dictionary. If I can only avail an unlimited dose of determination at the drugstore counter, I might replace my daily Clusivol Vitamins with it just to balance everything. Hahaha!

This year, I wanted a lot of changes. I promised myself to work harder, push further, love deeper and eat healthier. I won't take any cr*ap from haters seriously and simply not give a d*mn on what people expects me to be. This is the end of a former road, it's time for me to build my own path and write a new chapter on my book with the number 23 on it's title :)

Hokkaido Cake of the World

It was just last week when I happen to drop-by The French Baker kiosk at Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. I immediately noticed an unusual new product which sits in a blue square packaging. Noticing that it is priced at only Php 65.00 each, I immediately purchased a single piece. Guess what?! Bongga ang packaging! I mean for an ordinary cake below 100 bucks. 

It comes in an exclusive singles' paper bag

This one boxes a single piece of Hokkaido Cake

Enjoy and Share

This cake is very simple. It has an airy texture with a creamy filling in the center and dusted with powdered sugar (which looks more of a sugar substitute to me). Definitely not too sweet nor too bland. It is perfectly paired with milk teas or plain black tea. However, if you are considering this as a pasalubong, it only has a maximum of 3 hours staying power in a normal room temperature, otherwise it is wiser to buy it when you are already on your way home and ref. immediately.

Prices range from Php 65.00 for a single piece and Php 295.00 for a box of 5. 

How to Look the Best at Everyting

The first time I laid my eyes on Benefit cosmetics, I immediately fell in-love with their packaging! It looks so vintage and pin-up like. So when I had the chance to drop by their flagship store at Greenbelt 5 last December 2012 for an eyebrow grooming session at the Brow Bar, my boyfriend took the initiative to purchase me this "How to Look the Best at Everything" Flawless Complexion Kit. 

The box is such a beauty, isn't it?

Box Illustration

For Php1,600.00, it contains four miniature sizes of Benefit's iconic products. You have three choices of shades for the set -Fair, Medium, and Deep. I choose the "Light" set for my skin is acidic. 

Let's take a peek inside

Contents

The Porefessional 7.5 ml - PRO Balm to minimize the appearance of pores

Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW "Cheers to me" Champagne 7 ml - Brightening Make-up

Boi-ing 01 & 02 1.5 g each - Industrial Strength Concealer

Hello Flawless Powder "Me Vain" Champagne 4 g - Custom powder cover-up for face with SPF 15

Swatches

POREfessional 

POREfessional minimizes the appearance of pores and helps regulate shine when applied before your regular base.

Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW has a medium coverage which looks natural while giving your skin a glowing  complexion.

Boi-ing Concealer 01 & 02 exactly matches my skin when  blended together. I prefer using this concealer on blemishes than on my dark under eye circles.

Hello Flawless Powder perfectly sets my base leaving my face with the right matte finish.

The box also includes a mini-manual which you can detach on its mirror. It provides tips on proper application of its contents.

Hits:

* This set is great for beginners and first-time users.
* A little amount of the product goes a long way. The kit may last a month or two.
* The size of the box is as small as a paperback book which is convenient for travelling.
* The products delivers its promises and leaves even my 4-hour sleep face with a subtle glow and provides a good base for my other make-up.

Misses:

* I don't think that the mini-manual has a lot of helping to do.

Overall:

Among all the four products in the kit, POREfessional and Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW tops my list of beauty must haves. I will be repurchasing the two products in regular sizes upon finishing the kit's contents.