Team Posh & Becks

Am I the only one who thinks Posh and Becks are a way hotter (and frankly, more interesting) couple than Brangelina?

They're pretty low-profile about what goes on between them. There are no infidelity scandals that gave birth to the relationship. They give their children names like Brooklyn and Cruz. Plus, you can't get any better than Beckham's crotch on those Armani ads. 

Take that, Angie's right leg.

Cotton On in Manila confirmed?!

My office mate Mitch, who lives in Binondo, just informed me that Cotton On is about to open at Lucky Chinatown mall. There's apparently a shop window with the logo and everything. Lucky Chinatown mall is this new upscale premier mall in Binondo that recently opened this week. But enough of that, my brain is short-circuiting right now trying to process this piece of information. COTTON ON IN MANILA??? I cannot process this. I don't know how to feel, honestly. I'm happy 'cause finally I can buy the clothes here without going abroad but on the other had I feel sad 'cause it might turn out to be another Forever 21 scenario. You know, where you can't buy a single piece of clothing without spotting someone wearing the same item. Also, I have a Hong Kong trip lined up and I've been looking forward to hoarding Cotton On clothes again.

I'm heading on over to Binondo later or this week to verify this piece of information for myself. If H&M opens here before my trip and if (God forbid) SM turns it into another jeje brand, I am going to throw a bitch fit. 

My heart is still palpitating. Jesus.

On another note, happy memories of our Singapore shopping/hoarding trip almost convince me I can be happy they're bringing Cotton On here. Still bittersweet, though:

The perfect gift for the boyfriend

So, the boyfriend's birthday is coming up and we all know what that means: a wish list full of Nike kicks. However, since I am getting tired of getting him Lebrons and Jordans every year including Christmas, I want to give him something I actually LIKE this year.

Lucky for him (or me, actually), I was the epitome of a perfect girlfriend this weekend and said yes when he wanted to pass by Katipunan to check out Titan and Sole Academy. You know that butterflies-in-your-tummy feeling you get when you spot something perfect upon entering a store?

I was never a huge fan of Nike but these, THESE are too perfect (not to mention cheaper than his usual kicks)! The boy needs something prim and proper if he wants to keep up with his Ryan Gosling wardrobe. Besides, I am a firm believer in dress shoes. They can  make any guy look classy (well, the good-looking ones anyway). These Nike pairs strike the right balance between dressy and casual, perfect for easing Jake from his basketball kicks phase. I love the names, too! They're called Nike Toki Supreme, Nike Hachi Supreme, and Nike Aina Chukka Supreme. 

I'm kind of panicking right now 'cause Jake still hasn't tried on any of these pairs and Sole Academy only has limited sizes. Maybe I need to find photos of basketball players or Gosling wearing a pair?

Cake Boss!

My latest TV obsession is Cake Boss. Not only does Buddy Valastro remind me of the mafia, but his cakes are AWESOME. They're pretty and he can make anything, as in anything you can imagine. I'm a sucker for sweets and at the end of a long day at work, it makes me happy just watching him and the rest of his burly crew ice those cakes and churn out cupcakes and all things sweet and heavenly.

My favorite episode was the one for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Argh. Dainty sweets and luscious-looking cakes are my weakness. I loved how they piled on the filling on those cakes and how they iced those cupcakes. I mean, if my mom can bake like that, I'd be a fat girl in no time.

And besides, there's something sweet about burly men daintily decorating cakes, right? It gets particularly entertaining when Buddy breaks out into one of his famous screaming fits and yells at the whole crew, then goes back to carefully decorating a cake like nothing happened. I just love this show.

Photo from TLC

Surprise finds at Tomato

I'm really picky about where I buy my clothes. I am what you can call a brand snob and only stick to my favorite shops. However, after scouring the whole mall yesterday for blazers I can wear to work, I almost gave up 'cause I couldn't find anything within budget at my usual haunts. See, when I buy clothes for work, I make sure I don't spend more than Php 1000 'cause it's totally not worth it to splurge on pieces that only my boss can appreciate. 

I almost gave up until my mom spotted some awesome blazers on display at Tomato! Imagine! Here's the black and white one I got, I'll write about the gray one in another outfit post:

I was really surprised to see well-tailored blazers at Tomato. I never thought I'd like their clothes. And at Php 850 each these are really cheap! They fit me so nicely I'm even considering pairing them with casual clothes outside the office. I've always believed a perfectly tailored blazer can make any outfit look smart. Now I don't have to agonize every morning wondering how I can make my outfit "meeting-appropriate". I just love cheap thrills.

Cupcake lady

Finally satisfied my Cupcakes by Sonja craving and am now a very happy girl. Yes, because cupcakes are the answer to all my problems. I am hopeless.

Mad Mark's Man Sandwich and Frozen D

Every once in a while, we chance upon a restaurant where the food is great and we just keep on coming back until it becomes our comfort food for dates. I think it's safe to say Jake and I found another place that can rival our love for Charlie's. World, meet Mad Mark's!!!

Jake's mom sent us a blog featuring Mad Mark's and initially I was only after the home-made ice cream. Chocolate on chocolate flavor seemed like heaven for a chocoholic like me. I had no idea I would fall for their sandwiches. 

We ordered the THE Man Sandwich. Yes, it's actually named that way on the menu. After seeing my sandwich, I totally understood the need to emphasize it as THE man sandwich. Jake and I ordered one and asked them to split it in half. Even half of the sandwich was more than enough for one person. It was THAT big and filling! This sandwich totally justifies its name.

Imagine: perfectly grilled Angus beef with chicken topped with mushroom au jus then melted with mozzarella. Perfect, right? I'm still dreaming about it! I'm no sandwich lover but this thing has converted me. 

We also ordered zing wings and fries which were perfect with the sandwich. I was kind of wishing they also gave us some blue cheese dip to make it even more perfect.

And alas! The much anticipated ice cream! They ran out of the Javan Hot Chocolate flavor and we had to settle for the half-baked Madagascar ice cream which we also loved because we're lovers of all things cookie dough. The waitress failed to inform us we can get two scoops for only Php 98 and we ended up just getting one to share 'cause I was already too full from the sandwich.

We're definitely going back there! I can't wait to try the other ice cream flavors and of course, their other sandwiches which look promising: the Lumberjack (pure Angus beef), the Mariner (fish fillet), and Chicken Meltdown. You can order these sandwiches in half sizes. For some reason, they don't offer the Man Sandwich in half portions. I have no idea how I'm supposed to finish that thing by myself.

I also love how this place is located along Kapitolyo so it doesn't feel too commercialized. We also first tried Charlie's at its original Kapitolyo branch and I must say, the people in the neighborhood are lucky to be within vicinity of such great food places! Lucky fools.

2012 wardrobe wishes

This year, I've decided to invest in some key pieces to make me look more presentable but youthful at work. I have always been against the staple corporate attire pieces and would rather go for fun and versatile items that can make up a capsule wardrobe.

Because I change styles erratically, here are some of the pieces I'm currently lusting after:

A perfectly fitted cardigan. I need one that can double as a casual suit so I can wear my tube and sleeveless tops without getting a citation for inappropriate attire. I know I've been trying to boycott Zara after an unpleasant incident with their customer service so maybe I can look for another style from another brand?

Denim tops and a jacket. I blame this one on Jake. (Topshop)

Anything oversized, really. I have a current thing for butterfly sleeves and loose tops which I can't explain. I guess they make me look more skinny? (Topshop)

Time to save up! Or maybe I should wait for Hong Kong and spend all my moolah on H&M and Cotton On instead? 

As if I'd last THAT long.

Maginhawa Strip Series: Kiss the Cook

Because my mom is perpetually dateless during Valentine's season, I took her out on a dinner date for a change at Kiss the Cook. We have been wanting to check it out since we pass by the place practically everyday on the way to Ateneo, and I was lucky enough to get a table for two without reservations on Valentine's night!

The place was packed! I think it's a hub for artists and creative people 'cause apart from the requisite couples, there were musicians and celebrities dining and conversing with the owner. We were seated beside a gaggle of old women who seem to be music professors from U.P. who kept chatting with us all throughout the meal. Lovely girls!

Mom and I ordered the spinach and feta cheese dumplings for appetizers. I also wanted to try the kesong puti fondue but I was sane enough to realize we can't finish both dishes.

 

This was very good, it was fried perfectly and the portions were big. However, before this came we noticed a couple of diners coming up to the receptionist to complain about how they have been waiting for an hour for their orders. Some even walked out in frustration. I guess we were pretty lucky that night and only had to wait 15 minutes for our appetizers and maybe 30 minutes for the entrees. By anyone's standards that is actually a LONG time to wait for a meal. But seeing other diners walk out and complain about waiting for over an hour, I can't really complain.

I ordered the pistachio crusted chicken with mashed potatoes. I would order this again, it's the first time I tried pistachios on chicken and it was a great combination.

Mom had the Afghan grilled chicken which was more on the curry and spice flavor. The meat was tender and I think someone who likes curry would love this.

And let's not forget the honey passion fruit juice! On our last trip to Tagaytay, mom bought a kilo of passion fruit from a road side vendor and since then I've developed a liking for the lemony squeezed juice and crispy seeds.

Frustrated diners aside, we enjoyed dinner at Kiss the Cook with the hushed ambiance and a musician named Bobby something playing jazz guitar on the background. I just wish they have anticipated the crowd especially on Valentine's because I am SURE they ruined a lot of dates with the slow service and sudden unavailability of ingredients. One couple stormed out after being told their orders were no longer available after waiting for half an hour.

I guess it's safe to say I won't be asking Jake to date me here!

Cafe Ysabel for Valentine's 2012

When all you want to do is take a trip back in time to see how the elegant people of Old Manila used to dine, then just head on to Cafe Ysabel for that classic old world experience. Jake and I spent our 6th Valentine's together acting like we're a lady and a sir here. From the Spanish architecture to the intricate decor, the place is perfect for couples looking for a romantic place to eat.

Considering it has been around for more than two decades, it seems that they've kept their reputation with impeccable service and extensive menu.

Long live the tradition, indeed.

No wonder this place is tagged as an architectural landmark. It's set inside an ancestral home dating from 1927 with authentic furniture and details. What I love about the place is the glass windows wrapping around one side so you can dine with a view of the garden.

 

I especially love their complimentary home-made bread which came freshly baked while we were ordering. It's perfect for dipping in olive oil and vinaigrette, and we dipped it while it was still warm and soft.

Not wanting to over-order this time, as we usually do on dates, we only ordered five dishes on the menu. The servings were too big for one person that we ended up too full to finish everything anyway.

Jake had the cream of mixed mushrooms soup while I ordered the gratin of fresh asparagus. It's creamy with huge bits of asparagus but it was the gruyere topping that made it perfect for me. I can order this soup over and over again!

For our main course, Jake had the honey glazed chicken smoked ranch-style and barbecued. I think he had no idea it would be so big given that it's a half chicken. I was too full with my own dish to help him finish it.

I ordered the Lapu-Lapu al graten, apparently cooked the Spanish way with red wine, cheese, and tomatoes. I like how they also added croutons on top of the mix so there was a nice texture with the soft steamed fish and al dente pasta. It was too much for one person or maybe I was already feeling full from the soup.

We also ordered the lasagna al forno made with three types of cheese baked in tomato and meat sauce. I'm a lasagna lover and almost wish I ordered this for myself so I didn't have to share with Jake, or that I tried this first because by then I was too full to eat more than a few forkfuls.

I'm looking forward to where we will be spending Valentine's next year. Maybe somewhere out of town or a picnic? We can order all our favorite dishes from different restaurants again!

On a side note, we went to Cold Rock at Greenbelt 3 for ice cream after and I must say, it was disappointing. I know they've closed down their other branches but where are all their ice cream flavors? They also no longer display all the toppings like they used to. I miss going to Cold Rock and feeling like a kid.

Always and forever

Because at the end of the day, I can only hope that after decades together, the man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with would do this for me every Valentine's day:

Love this old fella <3

Tagaytay's secret Santorini

When we went to Tagaytay for our workshop, we had no idea that we would be checking in at its secret version of Santorini. We purchased two overnight vouchers for Manos Greek Tavern Hotel good for nine people, and we were not disappointed!

I have been reading about Manos Greek Taverna restaurant famed for the authentic Greek cuisine cooked by Manos Sapountzakis and his wife Estrella. Their charming bed and breakfast branch is located in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Church along the Tagaytay road and you can immediately see the love and effort they've invested to make the place charming and homey.

There are only three suites being offered to guests aptly named Santorini, Crete, and Mykonos. They are strategically located in a cliff overlooking the lake and woods below. It's the perfect setting to breathe in the fresh Tagaytay air and just lounge outside the room while gazing at the lake.

There's a long flight of stone stairs from the main reception to reach the suites below. Another flight of stairs will take you to their restaurant with the charming exposed white stone walls and rustic decor. I have never been to Greece but this place makes you feel as if you're in the Santorini countryside (fron what I've gathered from obsessing over Greece in pictures). Their refreshing homemade yoghurt shake only adds to the illusion.

Each suite comes with a king-sized bed, pull-out couch, toilet and bath, and a garden terrace with an awesome view of Taal. I especially love the little details in the furnishings, such as these door knobs and exposed tree bark as part of the "tv stand".

My favorite suite would be the Santorini suite mainly for the glass walls with an unobstructed view of Taal. It's also on the very edge of the cliff surrounded by trees below so no one can see you from the outside--it feels like you're in a secret paradise.

And imagine waking up to this view every morning, priceless.

Definitely worth another visit!!!

Oh, and a Tagaytay trip ain't complete without swinging by Ilog Maria's. Here's my loot for that day: