Sunday Morning In Tagaytay With Mom & Sis

My family and I made an impromptu trip to Tagaytay today just to celebrate life's little victories. I'm not too keen on waking up really early in the morning on a weekend but i'm not for passing up some quality time with the family so I willingly got up for it. We heard mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church first then our breakfast at Breakfast at Antonio's followed. I would have wished for my dad to have joined us but he already left to go back to work last week. Oh well, next time!

It was my first time to try Breakfast at Antonio's and I must say that I wasn't over the moon about the food that were served to us. I was expecting their meals to be exquisite from all the hype that they're getting. I'm not going to review their restaurant anymore, i'll just have the photos below speak for themselves. Truth be told, I was not impressed with their food, service and I think their prices are really steep. If you happen to like Breakfast at Antonio's, good for you! But would you be so kind to brief me why and share with me your favorites? I'm willing to reconsider and swallow back my lackluster first impressions.

Anyhoo, here are the pictures of our trip earlier. Disclaimer: this post is photo laden so if you're not ready to stuff your eyes with photos of food and our faces, this post may not be for you. :)

Here's my sister and my mommy

Just Because..

It's the first day of a calorie-laden, presents abound and teeth chattering month of December, i'm going to share a viewing pleasure during the most beautiful time of the year.

Favorite scene. Favorite line. Favorite Christmas movie.

It's Love Actually. Check it out if you haven't! 

Allow me to greet you a Merry Christmas, too! Seriously, enjoy you guys! :)

Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

Let Go and Let God

I know that I haven't been obedient with my blogging duties and I noticed that I keep on initiating a blog post with an apology alongside a really crappy explanation.

This is true: i'm quite in a hurry now as we're about to head out for a long drive to the province where me and my family are going to spend the holidays. 

But..

I just want to end the month of October with a quote that briefly explains the clamoring of my heart at this very moment.

Thank You, Lord, for all the blessings. Thank You, for keeping my life and its direction on track. Thank You, for listening to all my prayers and please  know that your answers are all heartfelt. I promise that I won't waste this opportunity that you gave me. I love You.

Stay Happy,

Khaye :)

Limecrime Velvetines In Red Velvet

To tell you honestly, i'm still on the fence when it comes to red lipsticks. I'm getting comfortable with it, yes, much thanks to my MAC Viva Glam 1 but I feel like I want to elevate this penchant to a whole 'nother level. I actually feel the need to just put myself out there and tell the world that i'm no crimson wimp. And what better way to bring it than with the most talked about and coveted matte red lippie: Lime Crime's Velvetines!

Lime Crime Velvetines in Red Velvet

The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow

I'm all about brows lately; hoarding every holy grail brow product there is. I've been searching the web for reviews about every product that stays true to its promise. It has literally become an obsession. I always find myself watching YT videos to reading blog reviews while simultaneously grooming and filling in my own. If a trusted makeup guru raves about a brow product, i'm bound to get it regardless of the cost. Now I have more than enough products and I hate that I only have a pair of brows to work with. LOL.

You see, i've neglected my brows for the longest time. It was only until a year or two ago that i've paid full attention to it, realizing how the lack of brows could be detrimental to the entire makeup look. I couldn't leave the house without my brows did. I just feel incomplete and paralyzed in its absence. I've been studying the principles behind our eyebrows and I must admit, it's a learning process. Brow trends are evolving and so are the products available in the market and if you're also on a brow mojo, it's very important to keep up with the pace.

Right now, and in my succeeding posts, I shall share with you my favorite brow products. I tell you, not every brow product that is suggested by every beauty guru out there works for everyone else! The cliche "to each his own" truly applies in this case. I've spent so much money on several brow products that I don't think are worth the hype, read: Shu Uemura eyebrow pencil. Its lead easily breaks much to my dismay. Plus the fact that I had to take it to the SU counter to have it sharpened is such a feat. I like the payoff and the effect that it gives to my brows but such are overshadowed by it being a high-maintenance product. I've found a dupe anyway so i'm sure not to pick it up ever again. I just had to insert this because it's so frustrating for an expensive product. IMHO, cost should be tantamount to convenience and returns.

On a lighter note, here's the dupe that i'm talking about: The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow Lovely Me:Ex. I don't normally frequent Korean beauty stores just because i'm under the impression that their approach is to disguise their products' lack of efficacy with cute packaging. For all intents and purposes, I would like to say that I was wrong. Koreans are very meticulous when it comes to quality as they usually have sensitive skin due to abrupt climate changes. Their products are actually known to be very mild yet the effect is potent, staying true to what they purposefully intend. Having their products neatly wrapped in cute packaging is just a bonus. When I happened to enter The Face Shop, I made a beeline towards their nail polishes that only cost Php95 a pop. It was such a steal considering the range of colors aren't available from the cheaper lines. But what made my heart skip a beat was the display of brow products sitting behind the nail polish rack. Uh huh, being the brow maniac that I am, I just had to check those out.

The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow Lovely Me:Ex (Php225)

MAC Lipstick In Viva Glam I

I'm not the kind of person who picks up a red shade when a display of lipsticks is laid out in front of me. I usually maneuver my way towards nudes, muted pinks, mauves, which is clearly manifested in my measly lipstick arsenal. I've even coined a term to effectively communicate to the SAs the type of look that I go for which is "the cancer patient look" (Oh dear Jesus, please don't. It was just a way to clearly explain, I promise!). I always pardon myself for not getting a red everytime I hit makeup counters because I find the color too adventurous and daring for my personality. I also feel like I age everytime I wear it. The fact that it stains my teeth and makes it appear more yellow stun me. If asked what my views are about a red lipstick, I would say outrightly that it's pretty daunting and it's clearly not for me.

Recently, I had a change of heart. Much thanks to the SA at the MAC store for walking me through it and thoroughly explaining the different shades, undertones, finishes of reds and how careful selection makes a huge impact, I just found the perfect red for me. It's a shade that I wouldn't be embarrassed to wear. I even intend to abuse it, if not for its steep price.

MAC Viva Glam 1 (Php1,000)

October Hauls

I just realized that October has sucked up most of my time and energy that it's nearing the end of the month before I got around to posting something here on my blog. Again, a lot of things are happening in my life lately that I might end up publishing a book if I were to take account of everything. All I can say is, i'm extremely happy with how my life is unfolding and I know that God has a purpose why I have become who I am today. I have come to understand that we can't always get what we want in life or what we fervently pray for because God chooses to give us what we deserve and what is best for us. I certainly believe that if we don't get what we want when we want it, it's because God is preparing us for the best. Over the course of the preceding months, I have learned how to wait everything out and not get frustrated that easily. It's God's order for me to take my time on 'something' so I could clear my mind to consequently define what I truly desire and what his plans are for me because ultimately, the trajectory of my life depends on it. He wants me to live the best life possible that's why he too, took his time crafting it. As I type these sentences, i'm more than happy to report that with due diligence, patience, and faith, I have attained a portion of God's best and grandest plan for me.. And the others that I truly desire are yet to come. *kilig*

Anyhoo, another reason for my absence is because i've been doing some major financial damage aka shopping! I have been perusing boutiques, malls, beauty stores and combing through makeup bazaars as i'm on a relentless hunt to find the holy grail girly girl products out there. Below are some pictures of my hauls. I won't be giving out detailed descriptions yet as i'm planning to write reviews on my favorite items. For the meantime, please allow the captions on the photos do the talking.

A Selfless Love From The Heart Of An Eight Year Old Boy

Ryan's twin sister was being bullied in school due to her weight. Out of selfless love, Ryan composed a letter to Santa even if it wasn't Christmas yet in the hopes of making his sister happy on their birthday. 

Doesn't this letter make your heart melt? 

Read the full article here.

Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

Finally Found

I have a love and hate relationship with afternoon nap time. I love it simply because it's a luxury and it's always a guaranteed power nap every chance I get to do it. I hate it because it keeps me up to the wee hours of the night like I don't have any commitment the following day.

That's why i'm still up until now. And I need to wake up really early in the morning to run some errands, etc. I found myself lying in bed, staring at the ceiling while trying to convince myself that I was about to catch some zzzs. I didn't want to read anything because it would only keep me from getting sleepy. I tried being idle a few minutes ago but a stimulus just had to surface somewhere, like my itching leg. I tried to think random thoughts in my head but my mind was tired. I wouldn't resort to counting sheep either so I got back to being idle again but then I felt the need to pee. When I got back to my room, I reached over and grabbed my laptop and found this on Youtube:

Finally Found by Honeyz - this was my favorite song back in grade school and it still is one of my favorites to this age. Images of my awkward pubertal age came flashing in my head when I heard this again after God knows how many years. I remember having a crush in fourth grade and guess what, this was my song for him. Shocking, right?! Haha! I was such a fan girl that I used to listen to the radio the entire day waiting and fervently praying for this song to be played while a cassette tape was ready for recording. When my pursuit was successful, I paused, played, and rewound over and over just to jot down the lyrics. Getting lyrics was painstaking back in the day if you didn't have enough money to purchase a copy of songhits. 

More than anything, i'm happy to have finally found this song again and found relief in seeing Honeyz reunite. I still know the words of this song, geez. I got no choice but to download this because I found it soothing and refreshing as 90's music is so different compared to this era's.

I can sleep now.

Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

A Side Trip To Dakasi

This post is actually an extension of my feature re: Kebab Turki Baba Rafi which you may find here.

As my friend and I walked back to the car after our sumptuous excursion to a newly discovered and wonderful kebab land that is KTBR, we spotted a huge star from a distance that was perfectly illuminated to twinkle, sparkle and wink at us. It was so inviting that we haphazardly swerved our paths towards it as our next destination. I found it funny that we followed a star only to give in to the urge of finding out what it had in store for us. "Follow the star, follow the star!" yeah, that.

I was already in Makati and it would take days before I go back so we thought of giving it a shot. When we got in the premises, we found groups of people swarming around their respective tables with drinks either in their hands or on top of the table. It was then that we knew that we just got ourselves inside a milk tea place.  It was just too obvious and too stereotypical for anyone not to find out in a split second. My friend and I just looked each other in the eye and non-verbally agreed to just stay in and try their drinks out even if our tummies were still full.

Milk Tea choices, choices

Halo-Halo Milk Tea, anyone?

The star that twinkled an invitation

Kebab Turki Baba Rafi Invades Manila

With the sudden influx of Western, Middle-Eastern and other Asian flavors that imminently take the Philippines by storm, how could an international food brand with a foreign taste introduce itself to the Filipino palate's warm patronage? That's easy. It just has to be tasty, filling, distinct, simple, accessible and affordable. That's a pretty basic formula that arms the success of a famous food cart business that has ruled the kebab-loving hearts of Indonesians, Malaysians, and just recently, the Filipinos.

The name? Kebab Turki Baba Rafi. Just uttering the words that compose the name of this brand can be quite a mouthful let alone memory-friendly. If you ask me now for the exact name without the help of a cheat sheet, you would disown me in a heartbeat. I just couldn't pronounce and memorize any word that comes after Kebab. But that's beside the point as from this moment forward, i'm declaring that if asked which kebab place has the best in the Philippines thus far, I would mumble and stammer for a minute trying to recall the name but then concede to just saying Kebab Whatever, referring to that vibrant yellow and red kiosk that is a breath of fresh air tucked in the seemingly suffocating Dela Rosa Carpark 1 in Makati. I'm uncertain as to when will I get to memorize its name but I know someday I will, and by heart.

According to their website, "Kebab Turki Baba Rafi is one of Indonesia's premier food chains, with almost 900 outlets across the country. The brand was founded by Hendy Setiono, recipient of Ernst & Young's 2009 Entrepreneur of The Year, who was also named by Business Week as one of Asia's Best Entrepreneurs Under 25. In the '2012 Best Franchise Award', Kebab Turki Baba Rafi ranked 3rd, ahead of local and international brands such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, California Fried Chicken and non-food franchises such as Kumon. Beyond the expansion into Malaysia, Kebab Turki Baba Rafi is now focused on expanding into The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong and other Asian markets."

Isn't that impressive or what? Those credentials definitely speak volumes of their products' overall quality. Touted as the biggest kebab chain in the world, KTBR is expected to dwarf its counterparts in Manila to make it big and earn the love of discerning Filipinos, similar to what it did to the locals of its birth country. In fact, in less than 7 months of operation here in Philippines, there are already 3 branches of KTBR across Luzon and the expansion of 25 more before the end of the year is in the works to extend its reach to our fellows living in farther regions. I would be scared then shift business if I were one of their competitors! I'm actually just learning about this now right after I did my research to backup this post. I remember that I first got my hands on this back in Malaysia however I only took a bite of their shawarma as I was too full to consume anything during that time. It didn't even leave an impression on me. I thought of it as like any other shawarma-WRONG. When I learned from my friend that there's a new kebab place that her officemates are raving about, I was half-interested to go but I knew that I would regret declining such invitation. When we arrived at the place and laid my eyes on their panaflex signage, I knew that I had tried their food before, but never did I give high hopes.

Facade of Kebab Turki Baba Rafi 

Click Read More for the rest of this post.

Vlogged

My cousin and I made a cameo in Say Tioco Artillero's vlog (video blog) which was taken last Sunday during the private selling event at the Glambox Beauty Studio. The video was just uploaded today. Check it out!

We were featured from 5:00 to 5:10 in case you're interested to know hehehe..

Stay Happy,

Khaye :)

A Mega Morning

Good morning! I just thought of sharing the Instagram photo that I posted earlier this morning. :)

Just because I received the Sept issue yesterday--all 406 pages of it.

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. It's a masterpiece through and through that is sure to take its readers to wonderful Brazil and magnificent Peru! Bravo to the masterminds behind this issue. They have certainly raised the bar once again. I heard that magazine shelves have cleared up when it came out. This one heavy and content-full book magazine shall keep me company for as long as my free time would allow this week. 

And oh, I also made myself a hot chocolate bev glamorized by some marshmallows and candy sprinkles. So inspired, I know.

Stay Happy,

Khaye

That Eventful Weekend!

It's been ages (10 days to be exact) since my last blog post and just to give an update, i'm still alive. I'm so alive that i've been taking in projects from here and there like there's no tomorrow. I somehow feel bad that I promise to make this a lengthier post to make up for my absence here on blogosphere. It's just that I have been into so much lately that blogging or even breathing, for that matter, could be such a chore. I haven't even been checking my social media accounts that much and I feel so behind with everything that's going on. I didn't even get any memo that the UAAP cheerdance competition was held yesterday.  I heard that UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe did awful. In fact, they placed second to the last according to the news. Imagine, SECOND TO THE FRIGGIN LAST! That's just unacceptable for a team that has the most number of cheerdance championships won. Oh well, gone are the glory days but regardless, I won't ever get tired of chanting "Go USTE" for my dear UST! Winning teams, we'll get you next time!

In retrospect, I just realized that despite the stress and all, I was still able to go on shopping sprees, at least three times within ten days! Oh my talk about stress shopping! I splurged on a route that I would rather take on any given day rather than go back to binge and stress eating again. Speaking of which, I also noticed that I lost weight. I somehow feel lighter and my clothes fit better. I'll have to consult Mr.Scale to validate that though because it could be the mirror. Let's cross our fingers and toes for that one. Also, I was able to finish a book, it's my first of author Emily Griffin and the title is Where We Belong. It's about secrets and how these secrets, no matter how little, will always find their way to reveal themselves. Alongside keeping secrets, the book also conveys how keeping secrets weave our lives with a web of lies that further complicate our relationships, career and all other things that truly matter. I'll give it a thumbs up, it's one of those engrossing I-can't-put-down-unless-I-really-need-to-pee books. For the record, it's a breaking one for me as it was my first time to finish a book in two days. On average, I usually finish a book of 400 pages in about a week, depending on how many hours I can devote to reading at night.

Last Saturday, I spent the whole day driving for my mom while running some errands and the whole night baking 100 cupcakes to be served in a birthday party the following day. I usually do not accept orders as i'm not a legit baker more so knowledgeable of the cupcakery business. It's just that I couldn't say no to a friend who's done more than enough favors for me than I did for her. She just loves my cupcakes and would love to share its goodness to her guests. Ehem, pardon the lack of modesty right there. Anyhoo, I did agree and took on the challenge only for the love of my friend. Too bad that I didn't get to take photos of the finished cupcakes as I was in a hurry but picture this, my friend requested that I bake her 100 dark chocolate cupcakes topped with blush colored frosting. The cake itself was very basic yet the turnout was elegant as I placed some edible pearls on top of the swirled frosting. I baked the cupcakes the night before then frosted all of them on Sunday morning. One major mishap of the list of mishaps that I had yesterday: the frosting was quite a last minute decision as I originally intended to frost the cupcakes using boiled icing. Unfortunately, the icing didn't reach stiff peaks after an hour of relentless beating. It just wouldn't come to form no matter what I did. My fingers even had blisters for holding the beater too hard. I was at the verge of tears as it was past 9am and not one cupcake was frosted! I was already panicking as the cupcakes needed to be picked-up at 12nn and I had to get ready for a date with my cousin who I will be meeting at Ayala Triangle Gardens at 11am. At that point, I could only say a little prayer to all heavens. I also texted my cousin to wait it out a little as I was going to be late, for sure. Then, a light bulb abruptly turned on in my head. Well, a lightbulb that lies somewhere had to because I didn't have a choice lest I want to ruin my good friend's birthday to her disappointment! Why not make swiss meringue buttercream frosting, I thought?! Yes, thank God the cupcake fairies didn't forsake one bit! I just softened 3 bars of unsalted butter and whipped it with the boiled icing that I already made and voila! A very yummy turnout! It was one of the best frostings I ever made, in my opinion. I told you, a little prayer and know-how would always come in handy!

Click Read More for the rest of my post.

Revealed: Kate Bosworth's Wedding Dress

I've been following Kate's journey on the creation of her wedding dress; from sketchings, measurements to fittings.. And today, the growing anticipation was finally put to a halt.

"In the same manner that she fell in love with her man, I hope she's going to fall in love with the dress." - Oscar De La Renta

This sounds cliche-is but this definitely is a play on less is more. Kate looks regal in her unembellished dress, just the way she wants it, highlighting her ethereal facial features. The dress itself looks lightweight and comfy; a no fuss, no frills approach that complements a morning wedding in Montana. This dress is seamlessly perfect to the bejeweled averse that is Kate. Oscar, on the other hand, definitely takes in the personality of his clients as this particular one is a subdued version of his designs, which at most times, scream luxury and expensive. This one certainly is a reflection of Kate in love-- unpretentious and true.

What do you think?

Stay Happy,

Khaye :)

My Hair, Dyed!

Let me just say that I roll on puns, hence the title. I think this one that I came up with is kinda witty while it fittingly corresponds to the content of this post. If you didn't find it funny, oh well. I won't judge you so long as you won't judge me either. Going back to the topic, my hair is at the brink of filing a case at the nearest hair rescue facility due to the neglect of its owner's duty. You see, I had my hair dyed to a chestnut brown hue last year. Yes, last year and it hasn't been chemically/professionally touched since then. I'm counting the number of months that have elapsed as I imagine the repulsive two toned layer of hair color that is a far cry from giving ombre any justice. The upper layer of my hair appears to be jet black (my original hair color), while the bottom half had become a dull chestnut earth color. It doesn't help that my hair is in drought punctuating its disgusting appearance. Point is, my hair is just screaming for some much needed TLC. Awww.. poor hair so wawa!

My hair situation, ooh should I even start talking about it? I'm not self-deprecating here but the words stale, in disarray borderline destitute would best describe it. I used to hear my hair cry at night but it couldn't produce tears anymore due to immense dehydration so I decided to give it its much needed slack.

I was supposed to go to a salon to have my hair professionally treated by a hair technician but my frugal alter ego ruled over (read: upcoming vacation) that's why I decided to head out to the nearest drugstore that is Watson's. Since it will be my first time to dye my hair on my own, I did some research via the internet first to learn some tips and tricks that would enable me to hit success however, every review or demonstration appeared to favor the type of product and procedure that was used. I jotted down the different ways of conducting a DIY hair dye treatment and listed each of their pros and cons. I deliberated and arrived with a decision to go for bubble hair dye as my go to product for the sake of convenience. Besides, it's just imperative that I forego the other methods as i'm a rookie at this stuff.

When I perused the shelves of hair coloring products at Watson's, I couldn't help but get overwhelmed! Every stack was teeming with various brands and colors that I couldn't decide which one to pick. Haaay choices, choices. Although I had been patient in checking out the contents and instructions of every box, I was oblivious to what ingredients actually work. Thank goodness that I got the help of a very supportive and knowledgeable SA to ease my trouble. She must have spotted me in my baffled glory so I confessed about my hair predicament. She concurred with my choice of hair coloring agent which is the bubble type.  She told me that based on her own experience, she would recommend that I stick with ammonia-free hair products as the said chemical is harsh for the hair. It's responsible for a product's pungent odor, hair breakage and stiffness. So off the stacks we went reviewing every brand's formulation making sure that it's doesn't contain any strain of ammonia and it didn't take long until we found one. Ammonia-free - check! Bubble type - check! Golden Blonde color - check! Affordable - check! On sale - check, check, check! Yes, we got the one much thanks to the SA's expertise!

Richenna Bubble Color in Golden Blonde

My Mom's Famous Cheesy Bacon Meatloaf

So how's everyone doing on a Sunday? Apart from the obligatory attendance at church, there has got to be something that everyone's up to on their rest day. For me, I usually dedicate my Sunday paying homage to the two things that I like to do on my spare time: cooking/baking and reading. 

This Sunday is the usual any given Sunday that doesn't call for a visit elsewhere aside from church. It's one of those days when I would rather curl up in bed and practically do nothing but my flesh and soul aren't up for that today as I, together with my mom, decided to make her sought-after Cheesy Bacon Meatloaf! Uh huh, sounds so yummm, right? I consider my mom as one of the formidable home cooks in the kitchen and the best at that. She's an untouchable in that discipline which explains the number of people ready to make a beeline just to get a taste of her dishes on family and corporate gatherings. She just loves to cook and wants nothing else but be able to do so when time permits. She gains happiness in serving good food to her loved ones and make non-profitable returns. This is a prime example of her not thinking too lofty of herself and rather play smart with her priorities in life. People have been prodding her to put up a catering business and operate it alongside her office career as a fall back when she retires. But my mom decided not to. She's very stubborn sometimes to not give in to the dictation of others and that's one of her many qualities that made her a successful careerwoman. She knows if it's right to devote time and money on certain things and has mastered the art of timing. Being a force to reckon with in the workplace on weekdays and running a household on weekends are just her non-negotiables at this point. Putting up a business necessitates sheer dedication, which, she has to steer clear from at the moment so as not to sacrifice anything important in her life.

Today, my mom is very generous in sharing her Cheesy Bacon Meatloaf recipe with me/us. It's one of my favorites that I squeal in delight just thinking about it! It's cheesy and it has strips of bacon, how could it possibly go wrong? It doesn't crumble when sliced as compared to others' and is best paired with mashed potato or potato salad and red wine. Oh my gosh the feeling I had when I took my first bite was like heaven had come to me! The meat was juicy and delicious, all points covered! The smell of Christmas literally permeates in the air of our home right now. Today happened to be too mundane that it has to be spruced up with something special so my mom thought of making something that she cooks only during special occasions. I promise you, it's really good that the recipe has to be placed in a vault and get locked up until such time when my mom is ready to put up a food business. But then again, she's being generous and she doesn't want to earn anything from it(i'll convince her to think this decision over). A huge smile on my face as I take a bite out of it is enough recognition for her. Click Read More for the recipe. 

Slow Me Down

Suffice it to say, this song pretty much sums up the abundance and lack that coarse through my veins at this phase of my life. Being 20-something can be quite difficult as it's the time when I must hit the tipping point of all things necessary that shall consequently determine the trajectory of my life in the next 20 years. My life today is a case of endless possibilities and fleeting opportunities that are pronounced with a lot of prodding, and a lot more prying from friends and family. My responsibilities are jacking up lately to a point that I can't seem to get a break. It's a come and go kind of deal that's been driving by as if there was no speed limit. It makes me want to inconspicuously escape from the rattle that adamantly stifles my being to just get a breathing. I could really use the help of some ice cream and an amazing view of the mountains or the tranquil, unadulterated splash of warm sea water gently rushing between my legs. I need peace and my soul is clamoring relentlessly for it.

Am I just feeling this because I spend more than enough of my time glorifying the word 'busy' at my own expense? I get exhausted just rationalizing about it. Let me check back in a few--i'll sleep on this first.

I'm just tired, I know. For tonight, i'll find refuge under the sheets of my white linen sheeted bed.

PS: on hindsight, I wish I looked as polished and put-together as Emmy Rossum on my blah days. Grrr watch!!!

Missing Ice Chendol

Ice chendol or ice kacang is a traditional Indonesian / Malaysian dessert or drink that is very similar to our very own Halo-Halo. It is composed of shaved ice, shards of green coconut jelly, coconut milk, red beans then sweetened by simple brown sugar syrup. I came across it when we passed through Jonker St. in Melacca as it is usually sold on the streets for a dirt cheap price. I had my apprehensions about it because the lady who prepared it, I assume, was not too keen on food sanitation. But for the sake of sticking by the YOLO principle, I gave it a shot. Heck, it turned out to be the best decision that I made out of that trip because it was sooo damn good! Ice chendol tastes nutty yet heavenly. It's an explosion of flavors and textures in my mouth because it's creamy and gritty at the same time. It's not as visually stimulating as halo-halo but equally as good.  I loved it so much that I barely drank water throughout our Malaysia trip as I only wanted to drink either ice chendol or teh tarik to be hydrated. A medium sized cup costs RM3.50 (Php50). 

I'm going back to Singapore in a few weeks (as i'm based there now, currently in MNL for vacay) and I could hardly wait to have ice chendol again. Woot!

My cousin who appears delighted for having tried ice chendol

Layered teh tarik (milk, tea, sugar syrup)

The video below shows how ice chendol is prepared

Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

Laugh It Off

So how's everyone doing? Manila has been hit by a storm and certain areas are heavily flooded. This case is pretty serious as the operations of corporate offices have already been suspended. Please ensure that everything is covered in case of power outage and water supply shortage. Make sure that you have food sustenance, too. I pray that everyone remains safe and dry wherever they are.

Moving on, in my attempt to tone down the boredom brought about by the weather, I found a video from Youtube that got me laughing like a crazy. It features blooper excerpts from Bubba's/Bill Dance's fishing TV series that aired in the 90's. I don't fancy the nature of his TV show but I remember devoting at least a few seconds of my limited TV time watching him say the words "Whoa nelly!" and "Dag gummit!".  I found him funny then but right after watching this video, I find him reaallllyyyy funny now. 

Here, watch:

I hope that you gather laughs out of this despite the gloomy weather. Pray for the Philippines, too!

Stay Happy,

Khaye :)

Midnight Snack

Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream - Soo good!

This has to be the perfect accompaniment to a night of reading. Aaaaah this book (see previous post) makes me feel like a peasant! I'm afraid I might involuntarily end up finishing the entire tub! I'm so going to regret this tomorrow.. Oh well!

Happy weekend, guys!

Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

My Opulence Laden Weekend

I have a friend who is a certified bookworm and a self-proclaimed biblio curator. She is a true blue in a sense that she has amassed quite a collection of books (and read ALL of them) over the years that the scent of aged paper lingers through the air in her newly constructed home. I'm not certain if she has at least one book of every published author but you can definitely find that elusive, off the shelves New York Times' bestseller lurking somewhere in her arsenal. She has befriended the staff of bookstores in the metro who rings her phone as soon as the latest book that she's eyeing on is released. It doesn't stop there as once she steps out of her house, she serves as a walking library slash margarita buddy slash my baked goodies taste tester. I've loaned several of her books before and made sure to return them on time as she really keeps track! I discovered that she devised a way to identify the names of her friends who return her books on time and promised herself to never allow the delinquent ones to borrow again. She's really crazy that way that's why she's my friend hehe!

Anyway, the bookworm friend told me days ago that she's been crazily looking for Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians to no avail. The said book sold like pancakes at National Bookstore (the exclusive distributor in PI as of press time) and sadly, she failed to reserve a copy. I sensed that she's frustrated for not getting a hold of the book before everyone else and I was just willing to do anything to help her. She asked me if my Singapore-based friend could purchase the book and take with him when he flies to Manila. I obliged to her request and asked my friend from SG to get the book for us.

Two weeks later, I found myself getting my hands on the much coveted book that glistened from cover to cover.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

God's Eyes

We are beautiful, we are loved, we are the best--in God's eyes. 

He, who made us, perfected us. He is the truth and He never fails. Always remember that. 

Make it a great Friday, folks!

Stay Happy,

Khaye :)

A Peak Of A Designer's Closet

I want to be like her when I grow up!

Childhood Favorites: Chocolate Bars

Growing up, my parents didn't deprive us of eating whatever we liked. We were spoiled rotten for indulging on tubs of ice cream, street food, junk food, candy and of course, chocolates! Heck, what kind of a child would pass up on chocolates? For some odd reason, no matter how much we ate, we were stick thin during our growing years that's why my parents used to worry that there was something wrong with us. They would bargain on feeding us whatever we wanted in return for being obedient in taking our vitamins. As of this writing, I cringe thinking about the spoonfuls of vitamins that were force-fed upon us! Another is the terror brought about by the facial expression of my yaya as she inserted big amounts of veggies and vitamins to our mouths! I'm somehow thankful that I had experienced such myself that I wouldn't want my prospective children to be subjected to the same! I know how it feels, future darlings! Oh que horror! 

For today's throwback Thursday, I thought of sharing to you the chocolates that I loved as a kid. The list is hard to narrow so I just included the ones that I could barely get my hands on now. It's been a good 10-15 years since I last had these candy bars as they have been discontinued already.

Why Hershey's, why? They were sooooo gooood they were your gifts to children!

BarNone Chocolate Bar - milk chocolate coated chocolate wafers with peanuts and caramel

Whatchamacallit - Chocolate covered peanut wafer crisps with caramel

So what candy bars did you love when you were kids?


Stay Happy,
Khaye :)

Soon, I Hope!

This should be my throwback Thursday contribution as I missed to post one last Thursday. Music was definitely so much better in the 90's. Well that's just me speaking as an 80's to 90's kid. Perhaps someone who was born in the 70's should prolly be kicking my ass now with the best of the 70's. Loyalty and royalty, yeah! 

DIY: Chocolate Cupcakes

PMSing? Nursing a shattered heart? Simmering a disgruntled pulse? Self-loathing?

Four words:

I. Can't. Help. You.

but here are two words that ultimately make sense: 

Help yourself.

or in five: 

You can thank me later

I turn to baking when ill-feelings (or the complete lack of) take the shit out of me. It's in the arms of the baking arena that I feel in control. I find solace. I find peace. I find flour. I find sugar. I find vanilla.. 

Most importantly, I find me.

In this exact place where I found myself happened to be the same place where yummy chocolate cupcakes were recently conceived. Please allow my photos to walk you through the process:

The Fruits Of My Free Time: Baked Goodies

I would like to thank our Muslim Friends for sparing our nation with a holiday. Aside from being well-behaved people of society, granting non-muslims with a free day makes me respect them even more. With that said, let me take the initiative to appreciate them again with another thank you!

While the Allah believers were breaking their fasting rituals with their respective celebrations underway, I found myself in bed at around 5am just staring at the ceiling. I was thinking long and hard about what to do with the free day. I tried to think and nothing rang but my utter need for more sleep. I wanted to be productive but a crapload of "nah" was dominating my soul. Just before I took vengeance against all the stressful days that preceded the day, I got a whiff of what i was sure to be a chocolate chip cookie. I earnestly dragged myself up just to find where the smell came from. Everyone in the house was still fast asleep so no one's whipping up something in the kitchen. Then I remembered that I bought myself a piece of dark chocolate macadamia nut cookie from Starbucks the night before which I forgot to eat. When I opened my bag, I realized that the cookie escaped the paper baggie!!! It was a horror to see that it had crumbled and made a mess inside. The bits adhered to my perfume bottle, wallet and my bag's bottom lining. Worse, the chocolate melted and it stained my book and notebooks. Such a waste. I hate to waste food but at least my olfactory sense indulged as I swiped every cookie crumb and chocolate off my bag. Next thing I knew, I was already in the kitchen rekindling my love affair with a long time hobby.

A Solution To Math Problems

Watch these kids do their thing and you'll be amazed!

I wish this program existed back when I was a kid. It was the time when I almost gave up on math because I had poor remarks. I felt that it didn't love me so I didn't love it back. I didn't fail on the subject but my scores disappointed my parents. My dad considered hiring a tutor to help improve my grades but my mom refused. She insisted that I just needed to focus more and study harder. I was not allowed to play with my friends to ensure that I was on my math reviews all the time. You see, she couldn't stomach the possibility of her daughter being taught by a tutor as she was firm with her belief that her kids were born smart. Fail! So my parents didn't hire a tutor and I graduated from college with a reputation of being bad in math. Praise the Lord that I'm past that phase already that I don't need to deal with hardcore math problems to this day. 

Quick Hunger Fix

If you're lazy and you can't afford yourself fancy, epicurian food to address those hunger pangs that persistently crawl from afternoon to the wee hours of the night, we're pretty much in the same seat. Well I just thought of posting this as I munch my current hunger pangs away. So allow me to take you in on what i'm having right now.

Eden cheese and Fita crackers