Lemongrass Asian Bistro at EDSA Shangri-La

Warning: I have nothing to rave about in this blog entry.

I may be a food lover, but I also have such sensitive tastebuds. I have very high expectations on food. Afterall, why would someone put up a resto when he or she is not passionate about food or at least has a good taste in food. I have long been wanting to try the Lemongrass Asian Bistro at EDSA Shangri-La Mall. Last month, during the launch of MAC's Archie's Girls Collection I finally had the chance to try dining at the  said restaurant.

Lemongrass

The restaurant has a cute light-green and oriental but minimalist ambiance which is very cool to one's eyes.

Chinese Lanterns

Patterned Glass Ornaments on their walls.

Fresh Lemonade for Php125.00 per serving.

Their Fresh Lemonade is refreshingly good. I just hoped that they, at all the least, removed the seeds from the lemon garnish so I could save straining it with my teeth. :S

Lemongrass Baby Back Ribs BBQ Rice for Php295.00.

LG Baby Back Ribs BBQ comes with BBQ Sauce and Buttered Veggies.

Lemongrass Baby Back Ribs Barbecue Rice is a neutral dish. Not that bad, but not so great either. It was my boyfriend's order and he managed to finish the single serving.

Breaded Prawns with Garlic Rice for Php280.00

For my love of seafood, I ordered the Breaded Prawns with Garlic Rice. Guess what? I ended up loving the Garlic Rice even more than the prawns. There were only 3 pieces of prawn, all which still has their heads and veins on. Why, oh, why? I wanna cry! 

What I don't understand is that if I had chosen the wrong menu or the staffs are simply having a bad day. I also noticed a lady customer on the other table adjacent to ours who is complaining about the taste of their dessert. She is with her 3 daughters and a nanny.

Have you been to Lemongrass Asian Bistro at EDSA Shangri-La Mall? Does their salads make justice to their beautiful ambiance? I am currently having second thoughts on returning to the said resto. Maybe I should just  try other dishes from their menu. Please feel free to comment your suggestions. :)))

Note: Their prices are subjected to 5% service charge.

1st BDJ Box Beauty Social

Hello there! I wasn’t able to update my blog for the past few days for I am too busy at work and I am presently here in Pangasinan to spend some quality time with my family. Unfortunately, Globe 3G is not working its magic on my location. Where are we? Oh yes, the 1^st ever BDJ Box Beauty Social. To be honest, I am not yet a BDJ Box Subscriber. Hahaha! But I used to have a BDJ Planner for 2 years (Year 2010 and 2011). Okay, one might ask, why did I even bother attending the 1^st ever BDJ Box Beauty Social at SM Mall on Asia? I am really planning to subscribe on my very first BDJ Box, but I am just a bit hesitant because I have to shell out at least Php500.00 monthly.  Mind you that I have to divide my salary for daily transportation, food, communication and other worldly needs that I have. So I think, that would be a great opportunity to check on their partner brands and meet other subscribers to convince myself. One thing more is that BDJ Organizes Women Empowerment talks which tackles almost every lady’s dilemma in a fast-paced and crazy traditionally-modern world that we have.

Upon receiving an E-Newsletter from BDJ Box regarding the BDJ Beauty Social, I immediately sent my details to the BDJ Marketing Team. I’m telling you, it is wise to subscribe to E-Newsletters. Others might find it annoying since you tend to receive a hell lot of emails, but it is free, paperless and it keeps you updated on your favourite brands. Just remember to delete those that doesn’t tickle your fancy. Going back to our topic, upon receiving a confirmation e-mail 2 days after sending my details, my slot was confirmed. Out of my 3 choices of talks, my reserved slot was only for the “Beauty Questions Solved!” with the BDJ Box Beauty Ministry but I can sit-in to other talks in case there are still seats available.

The 1sy ever BDJ Box Beauty Social was held at SM Mall of Asia Grand Atrium. Booths were opened at 10am and the talks started at 1pm.

Let me take you on a tour with their event partners and booths:

Registration Area

Registered attendees get to have their BDJ Box Beauty Social Voucher with loot bag and photoshoot stubs. 

Booth Map inside the voucher.

Free nail art from Yuka Nail Polish Wipes.

Free body bar soap with any product purchase from Snoe.

Free skin moisture test from Physiogel.

Free hair pony tail from Goody.

Free product samples from L'Occitane.

Product discounts from Shiseido.

Free Selena Gomez Perfume samples.

Ooooh, BDJ Boxes!!!

You also get to avail mini-makeovers from:

Max Factor

Covergirl

Revlon

I had mine from Shiseido c/o Sir Genesis! :))) (Ate on our back: mainit lang ang ulo? Hahaha!) 

I also got to avail free upper lip threading from Browhaus - The Brow Salon. Aside from that, I also get another free upper lip threading coupon which is valid until May 2013, just right in time for the hair to grow back. 

Though I may have tried almost every booths standing, I didn't tried walking into the "Pink Carpet" and strutting myself into their pro-cameramen. Shy ako. As I mentioned earlier, I am not yet BDJ Box Subscriber.

At the start of the talk, ladies were all rushing around to ask their beauty concerns to the BDJ Box Beauty Gurus. Ladies who actively participated during the Q&A get to bring home Revlon and Goody Freebies. 

Loot Bag = FREEBIES!!!

I'm glad that I braved attending the 1st BDJ Box Beauty Social knowing the fact the I commuted all the way from Quezon City to Pasay. I enjoyed the freebies, talks and fun beauty activities from their brand sponsors. Seeing samples of BDJ Boxes from the previous months, I noticed that the majority of the box's contents were medium or full-sized products. It will be worth-it to allot at least Php500.00 for a BDJ Box monthly of you are into trying new products without breaking your budget. As for me, I am to start subscribing for my BDJ Box by the month of May since I have already organized my budget for the second quarter of year 2013. :)))

Benefit Fakeup Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer

In our present generation, the epitome of a hard-working and successful woman is the number of hours she sleeps at night. Majority of today's students and career women are already lucky enough to get at least 6 hours of sleep, 4 to 5 times a week. The rest are happy to have at least 4 to 5 hours of sleep daily. These people have mastered the art of catnaps while others are just plain (damn) gifted. The result of such habit can cause chemical imbalances in our body, lack of concentration and the most dreaded "zombified" look with matching dark under eyes and  highly irritable skin around the eye area. If you are an "Annie Batungbakal" who works all day and party all night, you need to have this weapon in your kikay stash.

Benefit Cosmetics Philippines held its 3-day product preview of their latest hot item, the "Benefit Fakeup Hydrating Concealer" this March 22 to March 24, 2013 in their branches/counters at Greenbelt 5, EDSA Shangri-La and Glorietta. I am not yet sure of its official counter release date. Being a Benefit fanatic, I make sure to get my hands on their latest release on the first day of its product preview dates. 

This one is really worth all the fuss and hype. Let me justify why:

Benefit Fakeup Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer

Benefit really has a charm in its packaging. So cute, as always! :)

02 Medium

Benefit Fakeup comes in 3 shades -Light, Medium and Deep. The "02 Medium" shade perfectly compliments my  NC30 skin tone. 

Not your ordinary concealer.

Fakeup Anatomy:

• Outer White / Hydrator Part - contains the Vitamin E and Apple seed extract.
• Inner Shaded / Concealer Part - has light diffusers and skin smoothing ingredients.

Swatches:

When applied.

When blended.

Claims: This crease control hydrating concealer -with Vitamin E and apple seed extract -hides dark circles and diffuses fine lines for a silky smooth, ultra-natural look. Fakeup never  settles...and neither should you.

Touch up throughout the day...this "double duty" hydrating and concealing formula won't cake, crease or settle.

Use: 

• Trick 1: Instantly refresh your look...smooth Fakeup over any concealer to diffuse fine lines and hydrate under-eye area.
• Trick 2: Dot and blend to smooth away pesky "situations" anywhere in your face.

Price: A 3.5g tube costs Php1,300.00. It is available in 3 Benefit outlets within the metro -GB5, Glorietta and EDSA Shagri-La.

Hits:

• It lessens the skin tightness in my under eye area, as well as, the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
• It glides on smoothly without tugging the skin.
• It lightens my "puyat circles" giving me a natural "8hrs sleep" look.
• You can also use this on dried pimple area to conceal dark spots and minimize the appearance of dry skin.
• You can also skip the eye cream when using this product. *This applies to daytime use only. 
• I used this once during a "Zumba" Class and it stays put without looking cakey.
• Simple and hygienic to use.
• The tube is convenient to bring with you anywhere. 

Miss:

• Few may find the price to be a bit expensive, but it is really worth it. 

This is my favorite Benefit product so far. Also my topnotch concealer for the moment. :)))

MAC Archie's Girls Collection

The question is not "Are you a Betty or a Veronica?" For me, the question should always be -"Can you resist a MAC Limited Edition Collection?" If you are a make-up enthusiast, the answer will obviously be a 2 letter word -NO! Hahahaha!

From it's press release in the U.S. late of January 2013, I just can't wait for the MAC Archie's Girls Collection to hit our shores. I've been sneaking all the swatches and reviews from blogs all over the world to decide which product to buy since I am on a very tight budget. But knowing that this is a limited edition, I can't afford to let this one pass without having at least a single piece or the collection bestseller.

Last March 9, 2013, MAC held the launching of Archie's Girls Collection at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Lucky mall goers get the first dibs of the product. Unfortunately for my case, I wasn't informed about the schedule of the event. "As if!?" Hahaha! :))) Just this Saturday (March 16), MAC Archie's Girls Collection hit the MAC Counters in the Philippines. I hurriedly went to EDSA Shangri-La, anticipating the number of people who will be lining-up to get their hands on the product. At the MAC Counter, it was just 10:15am and the line is still short but I still got the number 31. I surrendered a valid I.D., filled-up my order form, then the next thing I had to do is to kill time. Thank heavens, I'm in a mall.

Ladies waiting for their numbers to be called by the Make-up Artists.

Team Betty or Team Veronica?

Sweet Betty, Chubby-Cheeked Mauwee and Seductive Veronica. :)))

My MAC Haul

Free Cinnamon Hearts Candy from the gorgeous ladies.

Can you guess which product did I purchase from the collection?

Clue #1

Tadaaaa! It's Daddy's Little Girl Lipstick from the Veronica Lodge  Team.

Don't you just love the color?!

Daddy's Little Girl Lipstick shade is described as "Midtone Pink Violet" color from the MAC Website.

Meet my bare lips.

With a fresh coat of MAC Daddy's Little Girl Lipstick.

On another angle. 

My lip color after eating lunch.

My lips, after 6 hours of snacking and talking. 

Here's the MAC Archie's Girls:Veronica Collection description from the MAC website:

"The envy of every girl, Veronica smoulders with a limited-edition colour collection rich in deep, seductive tones. Lipsticks in violet, red and blackened plum play up the va-voom while Lipglass shimmers in shades certain to steal hearts. Nails lacquered in dark berry and navy creme ready for a soda fountain catfight. All packaged in exclusive Archie's Girls designs."

I am used to painting my lips with lip tints and peach shades. But knowing that my goal for this year is coming out of my comfort zone, I am giving darker shades a shot. To be honest, I am more of a lazy type of person when it comes to my appearance. I love natural shades for I am too lazy to precisely apply dark make-up and patiently make time to match it with my outfit. I used to envy girls who confidently flaunt their carefully picked "I don't really care outfits" with beautifully drawn and properly matched face paints to increase their "oozing" appeal. That is why I choose to channel Veronica Lodge for her confidence and "girl conquers it all" vibe.

Going back with my choice of Lipstick, first I have long been eyeing for a fuchsia lip color or any shade close to it. The "Daddy's Little Girl" shade perfectly brightens by NC30 skintone and beautifully draws attention to my kissers. I also love it's sweet and comforting scent that I almost wanted to eat it. 

Price: Php1,100.00 for a 3g lipstick tube.

Hits:

• Superb staying power (which is both a hit and a miss).
• It has a sweet sugar and vanilla scent which I love sniffing.
• The color compliments all skin tone. This shade is perfect for dates also.
• Super cute packaging! :)))
• Though it has a satin finish, the (MAC) lipstick formula keeps our lips hydrated and moisturized for hours.

Miss:

• The shade leaves lips with a pink tint, which you can remove by buffing your lips.
• The price is (obviously) a bit expensive for us mere mortals. Hahaha!
• Limited Edition = bye, bye, forever! :(

Random Week Finds (2nd week of March 2013)

Summer break is just around the corner, students are busy studying for their finals while others (lucky ones) are already enjoying their early vacation. Here I am, simply counting the days 'till Holy Week before I can go home to Pangasinan with the boyfriend and enjoy some quality time with my family. 

Here's a brief summary of things that I had bumped into this week:

Chatime QQ Milk Tea

My ultimate favorite Milk Tea flavor! It tastes so natural plus it has black pearls and coco jelly (locally called as "Nata De Coco") which makes it even more refreshing. Their prices range from Php85.00 and above depending on the  product variant and size.

Quickly' Choco Loco Super

Calling all Taro lovers out there! For those who are into chocolate flavored drinks, you might want to consider trying this variant from Quickly. A note of warning though, this drink can get a bit addicting, haha. A serving includes a generous amount of chocolate syrup, ice blended taro, coco jelly and black pearl. Prices range from Php75.00 and above.

Starbucks Dark Mocha Frappuccino

Okay, this is my first time to try the Dark Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks. I really don't find anything unusual from it, aside from the fact that it seems like a clone of Java Chip Frappuccino minus the chocolate syrup which is replaced by chocolate powder. Or maybe, this one's the expensive sister of Ms. Java Chip. Hahaha! :)

Starbucks Asian Dolce Latte

Lucky for me and my boyfriend, each of us were given free single shoots of Starbucks' latest addition to their beverage line-up -the Asian Dolce Latte. For me, the product has the right balance of sweetness, bitterness and creaminess. I love how it awakes my consciousness without palpitating my heart. The product is described at their site as:

"Sweet dolce sauce combined with freshly steamed milk, topped with velvety foam and marked with shots of rich espresso. The uniquely flavoured dolce sauce is a blend of different milk that gives the coffee a smooth and rich velvety texture." -http://philippines.starbucks.com

Famous Belgian Waffles at SM Megamall Foodcourt

A great "pantawid-gutom" for those who are craving for pastries. A single serving of waffle starts at Php35.00 and above depending on the fillings. They also offer warm coffee for you to partner with your waffle. I highly recommend their Banana Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chocolate variants. Their waffles are also prepared the moment you ordered them to assure the freshness of the product. You just have to wait at least 5 minutes for your orders to be served. 

Chicken Company's Buffalo Chicken

Not my type. First, I was expecting for chicken wings and not breast strips. Another is that I find the serving too oily for me and the flavor was rather sweet that spicy. Umay! Tsk.

3 coats of Bobbie Premium Nail Polish in Grass Skirt.

Green is the new black for 2013. Can you share with me your favorite green shade? :)

On my way to church with my Accessorize Evening Clutch and Aldo Ring.

Meet my Yhansy moving turtle ring which I bought for only Php100.00

I have also tested these 2 soaps for the past four weeks. Will post reviews soon! :)))

Mir & Ryvi Papaya Soap

Beauche Gluta Super Whitening Soap

I may no longer be a student, but I've considered each month (since January2013 ) as "Hell Months". Hahaha. But since the most anticipated long weekend is just a few sleeps away, I couldn't been more happier this March. :)))