Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Reading: Kurt Vonnegut and Orson Scott Card

For Summer 2013, I've read two books apiece, recommended by friends, by Kurt Vonnegut and Orson Scott Card.


Kurt Vonnegut
 Though I dislike his writing style, I find slogging through the books worth it simply for the messages he is able to impart. Thankfully, the two books I've read aren't that long, even at the points where I have to stop and think about it! While I don't agree with all of his points, they are worth noting and thinking about. Of the two I've read, I'd recommend one: The Sirens of Titan. I will probably read more of this author in the future.


Orson Scott Card
I find this guy to be a bit of a douche - but that doesn't mean much as an author. I'd recommend reading Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, in that order. These books are easier to read, and I found them more engrossing. I don't think I'll read more of the series, and his later works due to the misogynism that becomes more and more apparent (as the target demography becomes older?). While I'm kind of curious about his earlier ones, I don't think I'm interested enough to actively search for them.

Anyway, I'm really glad that I was able to read these books. I probably won't be able to read non-academically related books when the school year starts, so it's nice to have time to go into a coffee or tea shop just to read without using highlighters and the like.



Look at the happy things in life. :)

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Mega 3 Day Sale + Wildflour Cafe

It's the last day of the Mega 3-Day Sale (May 3-5, 2013). If you don't mind the crowds (and boy, is it crowded), then it's a great time to buy: a single receipt purchase of at least P2,000 (and every P2,000 thereafter) entitles you to a P100 discount coupon, in addition to any product discounts. While it doesn't seem like much, combining promos is very rare in the Philippines. SM Megamall has extended store hours until today.

Though I didn't buy much (crowds really aren't my thing), I did buy one VMV Hypoallergenics ID Anti-Acne Oil Free Lotion at 25% off. Though the Armada line was -as usual- not on sale, most of their products were at up to 25% off. I saw some hoarders over there, but decided not to hoard... let's see if I'll regret that decision in the future.

Also, Wildflour Cafe in Podium has recently had its soft opening. Still haven't eaten there, since there were a lot of people, I'm hoping to eat there some weekday in order to see if it could be a good pastry/breakfast place for me.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Highlands Coffee Eton

There's a new coffee shop in town! I've noticed that I've been caring more about food posts than beauty posts right now. Maybe because I don't have the funds for the latter? Also, I really have no Idea where my camera is so.... cellphone pictures all the way!

The first drink I've tried there is:

Cafe Sua Da at Highlands Coffee
Cafe Sua Da
It costs P129 ($3) for a tall glass of vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. It takes a while for all the coffee to go down. Vietnamese coffee is a bit strong for me, so I wouldn't drink it without condensed milk.
Highlands Coffee
Highlands Coffee
 The bar is well stocked with pastries, and some fresh fruits. They also have sandwiches. Unfortunately,  I doubt I'd be spending much on their food since they are a bit expensive.

Highlands Promo
I went on their soft opening so I was able to score some BOGO coupons and a loyalty card. You can only use one at a time. I'm hoping there's no expiration on each -there's no date stamped anywhere :)

Cafe Sua Da Done!
Cafe Sua Da Done
This is how the drink looks after mixing! Their freezes are also yummy, but fattening.

A purchase comes with one hour free wifi. This makes me kind of sad since it doesn't encourage people loitering in the shop, and free wifi is one of the reasons I go to coffee shops in the first place. It also has few outlets, so charge before you enter. It does have some tablets on some tables, which I haven't used: maybe these have free wifi?

What's best about this place is that it's open 24/7 - one of the few places open in ortigas on Sundays!

Also, there's a Chatime opening beside it. Yay!

Friday, May 3, 2013

BurgerBar

Well, it's my summer vacation right now. That means a lot of bumming time, even if I did promise myself to be more productive... I'd really not rather know how much weight I've gained, or how many pimples I've gotten from sleeping early mornings.

To get a feel of how much weight I've gained....



The Rising Shroom at the BurgerBar
The Rising Shroom

The best burger I've ever tasted. It costs P280 ($7) not including either VAT or service charge, but it's quite worth the price. As its name shows, it's contains mushrooms, better seen in the next pic and truffle cream cheese. This burger has made spot.ph's top gourmet burger list, with good reason. It's from the BurgerBar at Greenbelt 2.

The Rising Shroom 2 at the Burger Bar
The Rising Shroom 2
The bit below the top bun are battered oyster mushrooms. Though these were my least favorite part of the burger, it did provide a different texture, as compared to most burgers I've eaten. The best part for me was definitely the sauce... it's a burger your mouth doesn't get tired of.

Parmesan Truffle Fries at the BurgerBar
Parmesan Truffle Fries
On the other hand, the fries -I'm not sure if this was the genuine name- at P145 ($3) were just blah. I'd prefer some NYFD fries to this for the price. Truffle fries really aren't my thing, but I did like the crunch of these. The serving size is big enough for two, so it really isn't that expensive if you think about it. Wish I tried the cookie batter milkshake instead.


This meal was eaten in the company of D. Thank you, D, for a wonderful time!