Summertime Self Suggestions

With one of the hottest days ever just a few days ago, it's tempting to just stay home and nap, or bathe a billion times. While I'm very tempted to do that (and probably will on some days) this summer, I will do my best to improve both my body and my mind.

While I can't disclose the details, it does mean that I should log at least (and I hope, even more than) 1 hour a day for the improvement of my mind.

For the former, it's to go back to my body of 2 years ago at worst (or 4 years ago, at best) - in the healthiest way possible:

I will try for 30 minutes a day devoted to exercise.

Reduce my intake to either 1 brewed or 2 instants coffees a day.

Minimize junk food for healthier snacks.

And also, to do the other duties given to me.

I am writing these here as a reminder to myself. These past years, I've been sliding down and making some new bad habits, or breaking my old good ones.

It's time to clean house.

Wish me luck!!!

My Mug Omelette

Those who know me would know that I'm not one for cooking - when I do eat at home, I tend to use the microwave to just heat things up. Recently, I've been experimenting with mug omelettes. Here's how I do it:

Requirements:

• microwave
• microwaveable mug
• fork

Ingredients:

• 1 medium egg
• 1 thick slice cheddar cheese
• milk, around 2 tablespoons
• salt, a pinch

I don't use measuring utensils, so I usually add how much I feel like putting (some days require more cheese than others).

Directions:

Place the milk, eggs and salt together and lightly whisk. Use your hands to crumble the cheese to smaller pieces. Heat in the microwave for 30 secs then crumble with a fork. Heat again for another 30 to 40 seconds.

Here's how mine turned out:

Basic Mug Omelette

You can actually make multiple servings at a time depending on the size of the cup. Mine can take 2 eggs at the most. Also you can add other ingredients and nuke them before hand, but I just like a basic egg omelette so this is how it turned out. The egg tends to separate from the side of the cup, so you can actually serve it to other people on a plate with a little help from the fork:

Mug Omelette: Single Serving

 So many decorating possibilities...

Inside the Mug Omelette

But I think I'd rather just eat it. Above is a pic, partially eaten. XD

Aquafresh Whitening Toothpaste

Aquafresh Whitening Toothpaste Directions and Ingredients

I'm in search of a good toothpaste and so far, I haven't met my HG toothpaste yet. In the meantime, one toothpaste i've tried is  Aquafresh Whitening. It has a nice minty taste and with a Fluoride content of 1450, it isn't bad at all. However, it really doesn't whiten my coffee-loving teeth (or even prevent darkening with 2x a day brushing) so I guess this one is kind of meh. I'm actively trying to cut down my coffee consumption but I do want a toothpaste that can keep up and improve my teeth without damaging it.

I'm starting to think I'm probably going to need to have 2 on hand: a specialized toothpaste to remove stains which is harsh on the teeth (and should not be used long term) and a standard whitening toothpaste.

One semi-good thing about this toothpaste is that it has a twist-cap which prevents toothpaste spillage/exposure which I'm very picky about. I took points of because of something you can see in the picture below:

Aquafresh Whitening Toothpaste Cap

While it's fine while there's a lot of toothpaste inside the tube, something happens once you start using it - there's a gap between the cap and tube and some parts of the inside are exposed :(

I don't think I'll be buying this again, even as a standard toothpaste, because I have mixed feelings about the cap.... HG toothpaste, where are you?

Seoul Garden Hotpot

Last weekend, I was at Robinsons Galleria where Seoul Garden Hotpot was having a promo. A set meal for 2 for P499 with an optional dessert to share for an additional P39.

I'm not a big fan of Korean food but I liked the generosity of their serving (to share!).

Free Appetizers

I was already hungry so I already ate some.

Bulgogi

Lettuce

 As you can see, it had a lot of oil but the beans and lettuce (and onion option) balanced it out. It's very messy to eat since you have to wrap it yourself. Definitely not first date food.

Bibimbap

Raspberry Peach Iced Tea

 I love iced tea, and this had a peach slice already. It would have ended the meal well but...

Vanilla Mango Ice Cream

I've been craving ice cream, even now.

I think the promo lasts until the end of February. I might eat there again before the month ends.


Seoul Garden Hotpot is at the 4th floor of Robinson's Galleria.

Kose Softymo W Hyaluronic Acid Facial Wash

Kose Softymo W Hyaluronic Acid Facial Wash

After a billion years, I've finally managed to reach the 90% mark of this tube! I'm trying to finish all the stuff I have before buying new things (which is why I probably won't get to try anything new for a while), and I'm really happy about my success at sticking to a product :))

Anyway, this is a basic cream cleanser that I got 2 years ago in Japan when my skin was drying out. It helped then, but here in the Philippines, it hasn't exactly been my problem - so even if I could repurchase this product, I probably wouldn't.

How to use: apply a small amount on damp hands and rub together to get a creamy lather. Massage it into an equally damp face. Wash of immediately.

No frills. No fuss.

10% to go!

Kolours Caravan: Oriental Ruby

I am a bit of a redhead again. How did this happen? Well, I was shopping around Robinsons craving sugar when I saw a Kolours caravan smack dab in the center of the mall. I was hesitant to try it but friend S encouraged me to try Oriental Ruby, their newest, reddest shade ever.

Process:
1. Buy the dye. One box was P250, I was vacillating between 1 and 2 boxes for my long hair. I finally decided on 1 box since I didn't know how it was going to turn up and it could be made to fit.
2. Fill up an info sheet and waiver. Theoretically, you should go for a patch test 48 hours before the actual event EVERYTIME you try a dye on. I was banking on the fact that I used to use this brand a few years ago without any adverse effects (my hair didn't color well though, which is why I gave up on it years back). Also, on a side note, how come no box dyes ever come with a patch for patch testing?
3. Application. Mine had to be done in 2 steps since my roots weren't dyed but my ends were. Cling wrap and a blow dryer were used. Since I didn't have a watch, I have no idea how much time I spent there.
4. Shampoo, condition and blowdry. Not a relaxing experience, but worth it to see my new hair for the first time!
5. Tip. Always tip, guys :)

Yays

• Inexpensive: salon applications are way more expensive.
• Good application: You can still see the junction between virgin and treated hair  up close but it blends relatively well
• Red! (not like the picture, but with red-copper tones) It's a big difference from Kolours' usual rich browns.

Nays

• Needed a blowdryer for the color to show (not for stubborn hair like mine, if it's for home use unless you're very patient or very experienced: I would never get this result on my own).

I'm very satisfied with it. Since red hair is hard to maintain, I won't feel too bad once it starts fading (though I might change my mind if it turns orange). I wouldn't buy this if I had to put it on my own because it's way too much effort for my hair type (it needs a lot of peroxide for a color to show up properly). However, I might be tempted to buy again if I were not the one doing the application (2 boxes will probably be needed next time). I'd actually recommend this product to those with hair that dyes easily and don't want to spend on a bubble dye (I've tried a few of their other shades and was particularly fond of Zen Auburn years back).

I'll see how this color holds up in a few weeks.

Tea Rock at UP Town Center

Tea Rock is probably the only place at the UP Town Center where you can hang out and study - most of the places there are actually for eating. I originally wanted to go somewhere else (to try a certain girardelli drink), but it was full to the brim.

Tea Rock

Tea Rock has a giant menu, including dinner items. It's very difficult to read it from the wall, but the prices are standard milk tea shop prices (unlike most shops in that area, which I find cray-cray for something with UP in it).

It doesn't use the more common (nowadays) coaster buzzer.

 A drink each for my friend and I. Tiramisu M (P90) on the left and Raspberry Cocoa L (P100) for me. It tasted fine, not spectacular, but not bad either. The pearls were chewy in a good way but were relatively tasteless, so it's kind of meh.

Physically, the store was well lit and decorated, but the music was a bit loud (tea ROCK?) so it wasn't a great study spot. However, this is probably one of the best places for students to hang out (since most other places here aren't really student friendly).

I probably wouldn't go back here soon simply because both traffic and parking at this area is insane. :(

McVitie's Dark Chocolate Digestives

I like biscuits, I love dark chocolate and I always seem to end up buying a pack of M&S Dark Chocolate Digestives. 

This week, I found this at the grocery and couldn't help snagging a box.

McVities Dark Chocolate Digestives

What I like about this is that important information like this is written in front of the box, so I am reminded of how many calories I put into my mouth everytime I get a cookie (it sure stops me from eating half the pack in one go). Also, that this does come in a box covering the plastic packaging, it makes storage much easier.

The biscuit itself is coated on one side in a layer of dark chocolate, around a quarter of the height of the biscuit itself. Unfortunately, it doesn't taste quite as dark chocolate-y as expected.

I end up eating 2-4 of these at a time- they're a bit more filling than the M&S ones (I end up eating 4-6 of those at a time).

The weather is still pretty nice and it's nice to pair with a cup of hot coffee, or even tea.

Shows in the Philippines

It may not be the most wonderful time of the year (that's Christmas-New Year, fyi) but with the weather being as it is, it's a pretty nice time to be in the Philippines.

What's great about this season is that there are a lot of shows going on. For those who like musicals, there's Wicked showing at CCP. There are also some pre-valentines shows to look forward to.

For me, I love the fact that a lot of concerts are held from January to March - for free! It's graduation season and end-of-the-year recitals are common. Admission is usually free (solo recitals), and you get to support some budding young talent. After all, occupied halls are better halls ^^

Check out the universities near you, especially ones you are alumni of. Chances are there are posters in the local music department.

It's a great way to start the new year :)

Pizza Hut Cheesy 7 Pizza

Pizza Hut  Cheesy 7 Pizza

I don't know if it's still available right now, but this was my favorite pizza last Christmas break - no wonder I packed a few pounds at the start of the year. It really is a cheesy fantasy! Although the flavors of the different cheeses weren't that distinct (I would have preferred a stronger bite), they still worked well together, especially with the cream cheese on top. Spread the cream cheese around to get a thin layer all around so the creamy sweetness doesn't overwhelm the other bits.

Time to diet now.

Review: Schwarzkopf Gliss Ultimate Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

Okay, I haven't been able to take care of my hair lately, so I decided to give this product a go:

Schwarzkopf Gliss Ultimate Repair

Take note that these bottles weren't bought in the Phil and were instead made in Germany. You can find this product at department stores around, but the bottles I've seen here are made in China. I'm kind of torn if I should try the locally available products because on one hand, it's cheap Schwarzkopf... but on the other. It's a german brand, and might as well buy something that came from there.

The shampoo is a bit runnier than expected for it's semi-opaque, shiny color. It lathers well and is easy to remove. I don't feel squeaky clean when I use this - as compared to a clarifying shampoo- but I don't feel that there's any residue left behind either. The conditioner looks standard, and is pretty easy to rinse off. I love the scent: it's like a chocolate-coconut that stays long in both my hair and in the shower.

While my hair at this length and without any damaging treatment is generally manageable, it still needs a bit of help with a comb and the occasional smoothing product and deep conditioning. With Schwarzkopf Gliss, my hair is smoother, softer and frizz-free with just shampoo and conditioner. As long as I let it air or towel dry, I don't have to worry about a bad hair day.

The best thing I've found about this product is that I don't need to brush my hair anymore! Finger coming everyday is enough as it's a good detangler on it's own.

Will I buy this product again? If I can find one from Germany, Yes. Though I might cave and buy a small size of the China made one when I run out.

Volume Discrepancies

I was drinking with my friends when I noticed the difference between two unopened bottles of Tanduay Ice Peach:

Tanduay Ice Peach

Now, I really like this flavor out of all the Tanduay Ice flavors. It's on par with Gilbey's Premium Strength in terms of cheap alcoholic beverages I like to drink. However, I noticed that the bottle on the right has a significant amount - around one mouthful - more than the one on the left. Is the one on the right overfilled? Is the one on the left underfilled?

Either way, it made me question quality control because of failure of standardization. Or is it normal for bottles to be filled this way? It won't stop me from buying my next bottle - for now. But it does bring to mind other things...

Mr. Park's Bread & Cake

As someone who's always in a coffee shop, I like finding new places to try. In the newly constructed  ETON Emeral Loft building in Emerald Avenue is this bakery-coffee shop beside Highlands Coffee and Chatime. 

I did like how this place looked like, but I didn't take any pictures because I was distracted with my drink. And not in a really good way. But that's for later. What I liked: comfy chairs, many outlets.  While there were people studying, it's mostly a place to eat and socialize. Service was on the meh side and there was a time when there was no one manning the counter. I did not try their WiFi.

I ordered a mint choco frappuccino:

Mr. Park's Bread & Cake Mint Choco Frappuccino P170

First of all, they do not accept credit card payments, so that's a minor inconvenience. Second, there is no whipped cream on top :( While the drink itself was fine, pictures on their FB site led me to believe that there would be decent presentation at the very most, and whipped cream at the very least. I was very underwhelmed - which is a bummer. I like eating whipped cream.

This place is actually situated near Subspace, which may have fun latte art but fails in the presentation of cold beverages as well. While I probably won't buy any cold drinks from Mr. Park's, I am still interested in trying out some of their breads -maybe with hot coffee.