Riding the Wi-fi Bandwagon...

Just recently, I've inherited a wi-fi ready phone. Before actually getting it, I was super excited because of NJ's post. So if we still haven't sold Wi-fi phones to you, let me try by sharing the wonderful additional perks of this unit. By the way, I got a Nokia N86 8MP.

First of all, yes you can customize the theme of this phone easily. One thing we've noticed about business phones is that it's kind of hard to look for themes that match the huge screens of the units. If that was your only concern, then this phone is the answer!

Customized Theme and Downloaded Game App!

Yup, that's Cake Mania! :)

Now let's check out its other features. Left: WLAN/Wap Capabilities. Right: Look at how clear the camera is!

Do you recognize that pretty lady?

Do you want some enticingly looking salad? :)

This phone has actually revived several of my passions. Some of which are for Twitter, for Facebook, reading novels and playing computer games. One concern that I have about this phone, though, is that it is quite heavy and a bit bulky. But hey, with the amount of amazing features it contains, I'm not complaining! :)

If you want a traditional looking slide phone, which would keep you busy all day, then run to the nearest Nokia dealer and get your hands on an N86 already!

A new coffee place to hang out in..

My aunt and cousins who are from Vancouver mentioned a coffee shop to me several months ago. They said that a famous Canadian coffee chain opened here and that I should try it. I don't know why but what they told me just slipped my mind right after they mentioned it. Fortunately, something clicked in my brain and made me remember when I passed by it in SM Megamall!

I let my feet lead me into the store and forget the thoughts I had of going to a different coffee shop. I was intrigued by the extensive menu of Blenz. They had phrases such as 'Matcha Tea Lattes' and 'Chillos' on their boards. Still, I was craving for some coffee so I asked the barista which of their products is the equivalent of Iced White Chocolate Mocha. She said none (but I'm guessing it's probably a variation of the Iced Mocha). I ended up ordering these..

Iced Mocha (Med=P150, Super=P180)

They use belgian chocolate which makes it taste darker, as opposed to Starbucks' sweet Mocha Frappuccino, which means you get a feeling of drinking coffee rather than a cold chocolate drink.

Tuna Pie (P95)

The filling was tasty enough and its texture was similar to Breadtalk's Tuna Floss.

I'm sure I'd keep on visiting Blenz Coffee again and again to try these other intriguing drinks: Iced Green Tea Matcha Latte (which has sweet or non-sweet options), Iced Green Tea Ceremonial Matcha, Shaken Iced Teas, and the Blenz Fruit Chillos (yoghurt or ice-cream based).

How about you, have you been to Blenz at SM Megamall's Atrium?

On top of my ice cream

I am a big fan of texture in food. I love food that have layers and layers of textures in them. That's the reason why I like sundaes more than plain ice cream-- because the syrup gives it another dimension!

Well, I was reading the newspaper when I chanced upon Lucy Torres' column. She talked about her love for milk and its by-products. I am a big fan of milk too so I could totally relate! Well, one peculiarity I found out about Lucy is that she puts milk in her ice cream! Whut? Milk? Hmm... interesting! I just had to try it!

Lucy's recipe is to dissolve powdered Birch Tree in a small amount of water to make a "syrup", then drizzling it over the ice cream. I, of course, have a different take on it!

Here's my scoop of ice cream: (believe me, this is just for photo purposes. I ate MORE than that! much more!)

I took our favorite, Bear Brand powdered milk then generously sprinkled it on top! I didn't bother dissolving it in water like Lucy did because I like texture and powder adds texture!

Of course, my ice cream wouldn't be complete without some cheese! Yes, you read that right, cheese! It's our family's little "secret". We put grated cheese on our ice cream, regardless of what flavor it is! The salty + sweet combination is just divine!

So how did it taste? Honestly, very, very good! Putting powdered milk made the ice cream a notch creamier and fuller. The cheese on the other hand gave it spunk and brought it to life! It helps that I used Keso de Bola which is a tad saltier and has a little bit of bitterness in it. I can't really describe the taste but I can tell you what it feels like: being a six-year old again on the beach playing with a fluffy dog! Innocently divine!

I do have to admit that I won't be putting powdered milk on my ice cream every time I eat co'z it has the quality about it that over indulging will ruin the appeal. It's great for those days when you feel like cuddling in bed with a tub of ice cream. Hihi :P

How about you PK girls, do you have peculiar but incredibly tasty "secret" toppings for your ice creams?

Buy one, GIVE one

You all how I'm a big sucker for anything biodegradable and eco-friendly so you could only imagine my glee when I found this in the mail:

Isn't this amazing? I just know the folks from Pasig will love their new pair of shoes! I tell you, this is a definitely a GREAT project to take part in. You'll not just be getting yourself a new pair of shoes-y, you'll also be giving a new pair to someone in need!

It helps too that the shoes are very modern and cool!

Unbelievable but true: These shoes are made from 100% sustainable/recycled materials! See, Simple shoes are part of California-based Deckers Outdoor Corp., the world leader in sustainable and eco-friendly shoes, vegan shoes, sandals and bags. They use sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled materials like PET plastics and used car tires! Really, this is recycling at its finest and most fashionable!

And oh, did you know that Bella of Twilight wore these shoes on the film? Believe it!

You should check out their sites (I suggest their multiply) to fully appreciate the shoes. You should read the descriptions on each one, you'd be amazed at the materials they used! While there, you should also check out the rest of the site, it's so much fun "discovering" other organic-slash-healthy-slash-ecofriendly finds! (I love their feature on Hemp Milk!)

www.simpleshoes.com
simpleshoes.multiply.com

Make your make-up kit a treasure chest.

Recently, I've been very interested about make-up. I've been researching online, asking experts about which beauty products they'd recommend, and trying products out.  Of course we all want to invest on products that are fit for us (skin type, skin tone, weather, and occasion). We want to look good wearing it...we want it to enhance our features. That is why the list we came up with contains products that most people approve of. The products suit almost all, if not all, Filipina women (or warm skin-toned women for that matter). So, are you ready for the list that would make putting on the 'no-make-up' make-up on yourself a breeze? Read on, loves!

1. Maybelline Clear Smooth Shine Free Face (Pressed) Powder (around P200)

I've seen lots of people retouching with this, and I found out that this product was particularly made for Asians. The shades I've seen so far are Fair, Natural and Honey. What's great about this product is that it is fragrance-free, oil-free, and non-comedogenic which means it won't clog our pores! But girls with sensitive skin such as I, please do be careful. After several uses, this made my face itch a bit.

2.Mac Spice Lipliner (around P650-800)

Most people love to use lipstick without knowing the importance of a lip liner. Lip liners prevent the lipstick from bleeding. It could also be used in the place of lipsticks. If you want a color which matches almost all shades of lipstick, then opt for Mac's Spice.

3.  Smashbox Brushes

I know that it's more affordable to buy brush kits but I just love these individual professional brushes. The Smashbox brushes are made of really soft sable hair (which is a higher quality than goat hair). The red handles also make it much more eye-catching. However, Smashbox does not have the brush I'm currently raving/loving...the stippling brush. No worries though, their powder brush and eyeshadow brushes are must-buys! Hehe. The powder brush sells for P2250, while the bullet (eyeshadow crease) brush goes for P1750.

4. Nars Orgasm Blush (P1350)

Since I was in High School, I've loved blush products the most. Blush ons (cheek stains to be more exact) made me feel that I look 'complete'. So, it was natural for me to choose to splurge on a blush (but in powder form now) before anything else. The Orgasm Nars blush is also recommended by most make-up artists because it suits most Asian women. Not only that, it also just looks natural (as if you've just seen your crush!). It's funny that they gave that name for their most popular color. Most people comment that it must be THAT good to be named as such!

5. Shu Uemura Curlash (P1000)

I've never heard of anyone who dislikes this particular eyelash curler. Make-up artists swear by it. We actually compared various eyelash curler brands and found the wonderful difference of Shu Uemura's. Its design and curve assures that it will get the most eyelashes (even those that are hard to reach) curled perfectly...that is if you know how to use a curlash. 

6. Primer

We all know about foundations as our make-up base but most of us have never heard of eye/face primers. Primers are applied before foundations. It acts as a barrier for your skin. It prevents your skin from absorbing the make-up thus stopping it and not letting it clog your pores. It also prevents making your skin produce more oil, so this is THE product for oily/combination skinned girls.

Also, I've been sorta anti make-up before because every time I use make-up (even if it's applied in well-known salons), I get oily afterwards and sometimes I get pimple breakouts! But when I learned about primers and started using one (I'm using Napoleon primer which costs around P1800), my skin doesn't easily get irritated anymore! I've proven this because the one time that I forgot to put primer first, after a few minutes my face was already itching (and yeah, that's when I remembered that I forgot to put primer on)! 

There you go! To end this post, we leave you with a few more tips, girls! (a)It is doubly important to take very good care of your skin..don't forget to CLEANSE, TONE and MOISTURIZE (but analyze your skin type first. 'kay?)! This is important because good skin makes make-up application so much more easier and faster. (b)Don't be shy to test the products first before purchasing! This is also necessary so that you'll know if you are allergic to the product or if it makes you oily. (c)Don't forget to take good care of your brushes and your make-up so that it'd live a longer life. If you're unsure how to properly clean them, search for it or message us, we'll be glad to help :)

Tah-tah! Happy make-up hunting!