Lay Bare: BARED!

This isn't really a review but more of a rant. I have been a loyal customer, a patron, of Lay Bare Waxing Salon since my college days. I would frequent their first Katipunan branch whenever I needed unwanted hair removed. I was so impressed with their service that I've sworn to no other waxing salon but Lay Bare.

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, Lay Bare is a waxing salon that uses cold wax in its treatments. They also offer threading for those who are still afraid to try waxing. Their salons have private rooms, regardless of the service that you're availing. Each room is kept orderly by a specific therapist. The wax therapists are well-trained and very friendly.

At least that's what I experienced in their Katipunan branch.

After I graduated, I barely had time to visit their Katipunan branch. I had to try other Lay Bare branches. The first one I visited was their branch in Megamall. I booked an appointment online, received my confirmation e-mail, and went straight to Megamall during my free time. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to have anything done. All I got was a rude therapist who told me they couldn't accommodate me because they had no clean towels available. I asked them why they sent me a confirmation e-mail if they couldn't accommodate any clients that time. Again, rudely, I was informed that they had no telephone line to inform me that they wouldn't be able to accommodate me. Sensing my growing hostility, a manger stepped in, and to my surprise, gave me the same treatment. She was just as rude as the therapist, and to make things worse, she told the therapist to just accommodate me, after telling me there were no clean towels available! What towels did they plan to use on me? I left the salon and quickly filed a report to their head office.

After the whole Megamall incident, I discovered that Lay Bare also had a branch in Podium, which was more convenient as it was nearer my office. I decided to try it, and I was happy with the result. The place was clean and orderly, the therapists were very friendly, and the service was done well. Just the way Katipunan does it. Unfortunately, it was not the case for my second and third visit. On my  second visit, I received a rather less-than-welcoming greeting from the therapists. The room where they took me looked dirty -- the beddings hadn't been replaced (you could still see powder marks on the sheet), the pillow was also dirty, and there weren't any folded towels on the mattress. Was I going to lay on a sheet used by another person who had an unknown service done? Eeck. I went through the process and once again reported the incident to Lay Bare.

Assuming that something had been done based on my report, I once again went to their Podium branch as it was the most convenient branch for me at that time. Unfortunately, nothing was done. The room I got wasn't prepared and ready for another client, yet the therapist brought me there. The service wasn't excellently done, nor was it near good, to be honest. I still saw some hair strands (apologies for revealing too much information) that weren't supposed to be there (since they were supposed to be waxed off). Apparently, this was the therapist's idea of getting the job done -- with stray hairs still visible. But this wasn't the worst part. When I was about to pay, they asked if I had a smaller bill. I told them I only had P150 and a whole P500 bill, which was the bill I handed to them. Instead of giving me my change, they kept on babbling about how they didn't have enough small bills to give me. After about five minutes of just talking amongst themselves about how they didn't have change, showing me the P500 bills they had, one of them started asking the other therapists if they can shoulder my change for the mean time. 

Two things: 1) You don't continue showing the customer that you don't have change, as if by some miracle your customer will come up with a smaller bill she does NOT have. 2) Instead of wasting everyone's time, making the customer feel uncomfortable, why not look for change right away? Why wait for a couple of minutes before actually looking for change? This was by far the WORST experience I've had.

The fourth incident wasn't as bad as the third, but it still affects the way customers see Lay Bare. This happened in their Congressional branch. Since it was the holiday season, and Lay bare Katipunan closed early that day, I decided to look for nearby Lay Bare branches. I decided to call first because they might have closed early too, but thankfully, they were open. Since I was in a rush, I asked the receptionist if they had a full house. She told me that they did NOT. I confirmed by asking if there was a waiting line. Once again, I was told that there was NO waiting line. My boyfriend and I quickly drove to Laybare, only to find a LONG waiting line in their CRAMPED space on the second floor. I didn't mind the small and less-than-inviting space they had (I felt like they just forced the whole shop into that small space). What bugged me was the fact that the receptionist told me a whole different story than what was in front of me. One or two people would've been fine, compared to the NO WAITING LINE she told me, but there were about six people in the salon when I got there. That's far from none. 

I don't know what's going on with Lay Bare's management, but it seems like the Katipunan branch is the only branch left with superb service and cleanliness. Their rooms are still well-maintained and clean whenever I visit, the receptionist and other staff are still friendly as ever, and you wouldn't catch them chit-chatting in front of customers in wait. The quality of their other branches, on the other hand, is just unacceptable. I actually tried one more branch, their Scout branch, and sad to say, I was also frustrated with the service. It felt like the therapist did not know what she was doing as that was the most painful waxing service I got, considering my high tolerance for pain. She kept on patting the wax, pulling it SLOWLY 1/4 off my skin, then putting the wax back again to pat it, then finally pulling it completely off my skin, ever-so-slowly. I'm not a waxing therapist, but I've had so many waxing sessions to notice if someone knows what they're doing or not. These experiences were so frustrating that I finally decided to look for another waxing salon I can frequent in case I couldn't go to their Katipunan branch.

What's happening to you, Lay Bare?

Josephine Restaurant: Before and After

Tagaytay is our go-to/quick vacation spot whenever we feel very stressed and toxic. Last year, Gus and I decided we needed a break from our heavy workloads and a trip out of town was the solution. I was craving for some juicy, crunchy crispy pata and hot bulalo at the same time, so we knew Tagaytay was the place to go.

Based on our quick research, Josephine is the most frequented bulaluhan in Tagaytay City. I know there are more famous bulalo houses in Tagaytay, but given the time that we had, Josephine's was the #1 most recommended by people we knew. So we drove all the way to Tagaytay just to grab a hot bowl of bulalo.

Unfortunately, when we got there, they didn't have bulalo anymore. It was understandable, given that we got there at around 9 PM already, but still disappointing. We decided to order the closest thing to bulalo we could have: Beef Nilaga.

It wasn't bulalo, but their beef nilaga still made the trip worthwhile. The soup was served hot, with generous portions of both beef and vegetables. The serving was big enough for four people to share. Aside from the beef nilaga, we also ordered crispy pata.

Their crispy pata (Crispy Pork Knuckles) was good! The skin was really crisp, and the meat, soft and juicy. It was flavorful inside out. Plus, their soy-vinegar dip was done right, it complemented the pata well. 

So, we might not have gotten what we went there for, but it was still a really good meal. Josephine does live up to its reputation -- excellent Filipino food. We enjoyed our meal so much that we decided to have dinner there again, this time, during our anniversary weekend. For our Josephine Experience Part 2, read ahead. :)

Burger Bar

A few weeks back, one of my good friends mentioned this new burger joint in Makati. She didn't really say anything about it, except that one of our friends ate their a few nights before. Since Gus and I are such foodies, we decided to check out the place. The photos we saw online made our mouths water that they were enough to convince us to go to Greenbelt 2 just to try it out.

If you were one of those people invited at their launch, you probably know which burger joint I'm talking about. Burger Bar. It opened just a couple of weeks back, and I've heard people talk about it already because of their special patties. So what's the fuzz about this place?

Burger Bar boasts of making their own patties, and allowing its customers to customize their burgers by choosing the patty and other toppings they want. It's actually an interesting concept, allowing your diners to choose the kind of beef they want in their burger patty. I grew up making my own burger only by choosing the toppings or add ons I like, but never the patty. That was something new to me.

On the Green Side: Zark's Burgers

This has been a long overdue entry. Last year, I treated the family to one of Manila's most famous burger joints. If you are green-blooded, I'm sure you know which burger joint I'm referring to. This place is famous among the La Salle crowd, though it has won the hearts of people all over the metro because of its exciting, adventurous, and gigantic burgers. This has become a go-to burger joint for those who live around the area, and for those who find themselves in the Manila area.

Zark's is a burger joint along Taft Avenue, which is famous for its mouth-watering, reasonably priced, gigantic burgers. I found out about this place because of my brother, who unfortunately, is green-blooded. He said there was a famous burger place near his school that sold really delicious and big burgers. He has tried this place before but he really wanted us to try it and taste it for ourselves. So, when I got my first bonus from work, I decided to take the family out and try Zark's.

Zark's is a relatively small burger joint on the 2nd floor of Archer's Nook. I say small because the place is definitely small for the volume of people that eat there everyday. Theplace was jam-packed even if it was a Sunday. The place had a diner feel to it. There was a bar, where the drinks and orders were placed; a TV that was set on a sports channel, and booths on the sides. The decor was mostly green -- framed jerseys of famous La Salle players and pictures of satisfied customers on the walls. After waiting to be seated,we were given menus and the journey to picking only one burger started.

Ye Dang Korean BBQ Restaurant

After trying and discovering several authentic Korean restaurants in Manila, the boyfriend and I finally decided to try one of the most talked about Korean restaurants in Manila -- Ye Dang. But we just couldn't find the right time to do so. It was always closed whenever we'd get there since it closes earlier than the restaurants around it. After trying to reach the restaurant before closing time several times, I was finally able to try Ye Dang. Sadly, Gus wasn't available because of work so it was just the family and I.

Taiwanese Invasion: ChickenZilla

I guess by now, you know how much Gus and I love food. A few days ago, we decided to drop by Banchetto Forum after work to eat. We had something in mind already since we've been going to Banchetto for quite some time now. We had regular food stalls we'd go to for certain dishes, but we would still go around at least once, to see if there was anything new. (We usually discover new food spots whenever we're out, or whenever we visit old places.) Like always, something caught our attention. CHICKEN CHOPS.

The first time I tried chicken chops was almost a year ago. I discovered this chicken chop shop inside Theater Mall in Greenhills. I know fried chicken is very common in the Philippines but because of my obsession with Chinovelas and everything Chinese, I was instantly attracted to chicken chops.

What are chicken chops anyway? A chicken chop is a big fillet of chicken, breaded and fried, then peppered with chili and your choice of spice. It's like a big chicken fillet, but instead of gravy, different spices are sprinkled all over the breading to give it flavor. This is apparently a big hit in Taiwan. A common snack that the Taiwanese have everyday, so I was instantly hooked.

 The photo above is NOT mine.

The image is courtesy of this website.

Food for the Skin: Skin Food's Tea Tree Cleansing Foam

Last year, I found out that I could get a privilege card from one of the Korean make-up stores I go to if I  had an accumulated purchase of *censor* Your purchases must be within six months of each other. This card entitles the bearer to a 10% discount and other membership benefits, and considering the price tags on their products, members who get any discount will surely be thankful for it, no matter how small.

Anyway, I only had about two weeks until my big purchases expired so I decided to go on a blind shopping spree. I got two tubes of BB Cream, but I still needed a few more pesos to complete the requirements so I just grabbed the first product I saw on the shelf in front of me -- a facial wash. Not bad considering I could've snatched something I wouldn't be able to use much, like an eyeshadow palette or mascara. 

Introducing Skin Food's Tea Tree Cleansing Foam.

 

B. Wings: The New Buffalo Joint in Town

A few weeks ago, Gus and I discovered this new buffalo place. Actually, it wasn't really a place. It was a stall in the newly opened Manda Centrale near Greenfield District in Mandaluyong. We accidentally discovered the new food bazaar on our way home (since we took the inner route instead of the usual J. Vargas route to EDSA), and decided to stop by since we were already there. As most of you might know through experience, the smell of good food is enough to make anyone hungry or salivate. We ended up craving for some meat. Steak, to be exact.

Once we went in, our craving turned to cravings. We wanted beef, steak, shawarma, Japanese food, soup, and everything else that caught our eye. After a while, Gus decided to get steak and shabu-shabu from two different places. I wanted shawarma but we weren't able to find a stall that sold one so we had to go around one more time to find something for me. We saw this new buffalo wings place the first time we toured the place, but we weren't really interested in it. But the second time we passed by, we just couldn't ignore their staff. They were so nice, we just had to stop and take a look at what they had. 

He offered us one whole chicken wing to taste, while introducing us to their different kinds of wings. Aside from this fellow's very accommodating disposition, the name of their spiciest wing made us even more curious about this new wing place. They called it the "Obama." Out of curiosity, I decided to order that. Unfortunately, the orders got mixed, I think. Instead of the Obama Wings (original name: Barack Opakpak), I was given the Black Mamba.  

Kupo's Pamper-Me-Day: Vanity Fur Mobile Pet Salon

Our dog spent his 1st birthday last 30 December, alone and dirty in the garage, running after every single thing that moves. Since he really enjoys staying dirty, covering himself in dirt after we bathe him, I decided to bring him to a pet salon for his monthly grooming instead of tiring myself only to find him dirty again. Because Kupo, our beloved pet, is a big dog, I couldn't just drag him to the groomers. Fortunately, I discovered this mobile pet salon via a coupon site.

L'oreal: Total Repair 5 Daily Repairing Treatment

I've been having my hair treated since I was a freshman in high school, and I don't really remember what my natural hair texture was. Since I decided not to have my hair straightened last year, I focused on trying to fix it. I wanted to see if it was easier to manage my natural locks than have my hair straightened every year, and use a straightening iron everytime after my natural hair grew back. But of course, once you have your hair treated, you can't avoid damaging it. It may not be noticeable, but trust me, even the shiniest and softest hair maybe already damaged.

Anyway, I used to have hot oil treatments at home but these hot oil treatments were a little messy and complicated. I needed to wrap my hair in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it with cold water. After I heard about new hair product of L'oreal, a hair repair treatment, I decided to try it and see if it could replace the tedious hot oil treatments I did weekly. Here is L'oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Daily Repairing Treatment.

Lucky 88: Beeswax Lipbalm

This is actually an unexpected and short review. I don't normally write about lip balms but this was an exception.

A decade ago, I found out that I was allergic to a certain lip balm brand. I felt like my world crashed because 1) my lips were always dry, and 2) it was the only brand I knew, trusted, and used. To this day, I still don't know why I suddenly became allergic to it after years of use. After that incident, the only lip balm I was able to use was from another brand. Even expensive lip balms didn't work. I'd develop a severe case of windburn after even just one application. Since then, I only stuck with one lip balm. That, or the good ol' petroleum jelly. But all this changed during Christmas. 

My brother bought everyone two gifts for Christmas. A funny/prank gift and a serious one. For my fun gift, he bought me a lip balm. 

Physiogel Intensive Cream

I haven't been able to take care of my skin in the past couple of weeks. There was just so many things to do that I had forgotten to take care of my skin. As a result, my skin went from healthy to dry in just a couple of weeks. My heels were the worst. It was so dry that the only thing missing was an actual crack in my skin. Thankfully, I noticed it in time and decided that I had to get back to my skin care routine no matter how busy I was. Unless I really want to see a crack in the next couple of days.

Since my heel had become so dry already, I knew that tons of lotion and petroleum jelly was the only solution. But, I remember hearing my mom mention one of the products I got from my November BDJ Box. She said something about it being a known skin moisturizer, though she hasn't tried it yet. So I immediately grabbed my box and went through each product, looking for a cream or lotion or anything that was for the skin. That's when I saw the tube of Physiogel.

BDJ Box: Acetone-free Nail Polish Remover from Yuka

This is the first time I'm writing about a product that came from a box. Yes, this is my first BDJ product review. I've been so busy at work, I haven't even blogged about the two boxes I've received so far. But since I have some free time today, I'll finish this post about a new product I find convenient and very useful for us girls.

My November BDJ box came with a new product (since I haven't seen anything like this in the Philippine market yet), Yuka Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover. The name is already a giveaway as to what the product does, but what makes it different is that it comes in thin, round sheets. Yes! This isn't your usual liquid form nail polish remover. It looks and feels like baby wet ones, but the round tissue-like sheets are "soaked" with the polish remover already, making it convenient for us girls to use it anytime, anywhere. No need to bring cotton balls or cotton sheets along with a bottle, big or small, of your nail polish remover.

BDJ Box 2.0

My second BDJ box arrived a couple of days ago, and I'd have to say, this was better. It had more brands and products compared to the first one, which was, in my opinion, was overflowing with Garnier products (not that I have something against the brand). 

Remember, remember the 1st of December :)

Happy December, everyone! My first December post is dedicated to Vikings SM Marikina for their delicious spread and very accommodating staff. I've been writing about food for some time now and if you read my posts, you'd notice that I'm not only big on the flavor (of the food), but also on the service the restaurant provides.

It was my mom's and boyfriend's birthdays so I was very stressed and nervous about how the whole thing was going to go down. I made reservations three weeks in advance. Their MOA branch was already fully booked a month before, so I had to make sure we got a slot. Thankfully, I was able to get a dinner reservation, and all I had to do was wait for the day.

We arrived at 5:30 in the afternoon, and I was so thankful for having a reservation. There was a very long line of people waiting outside the restaurant already. Since this was a surprise birthday dinner for Gus (my mom knows I'm treating her for her birthday), my family and I went in first. My boyfriend's sister, Gin, helped me distract him while I made sure our table was ready. A waiter led us to our table and made sure we had everything we needed before leaving. Once everything was set, I met Gus and Gin outside and brought them in. I gave them a walking tour of the restaurant, pretending that we were only there to check their buffet selection. When we reached the end of the long, very long buffet table, I told Gus to grab a plate and start eating. 

SURPRISE! We're celebrating your birthday dinner here! :)

The BDJ Box

My first BDJ Box arrived three days after I placed my order. The shipping was pretty fast, considering it was an online purchase with a delivery schedule. At first, I was a bit hesitant with making the purchase because it was something new in the Philippine market, but it was also the reason I gave in. For those of you who aren't familiar with the BDJ Box, it is a samples subscription. Every month, subscribers receive a box of samples ranging from skin care products, cosmetics, and fragrances. Some of them come in small (sample) sizes, others in their regular sizes. 

 

A Big No-No for Balikbayans (and regular Pinoys)

A few days ago, we brought our yaya and driver to Cabalen Trinoma for an early Christmas treat. They are very simple people who don't really indulge so we thought a dinner buffet would surprise them. Since it was just a few weeks before Christmas, we had to wait in line for a while since the place was packed. But for P298 only, we thought this would be worth it.

NOT.

Backlog 1: Adobo Connection

When I was still working in Makati, I discovered this small, literally hole-in-the-wall restaurant behind our office building. It was inside a parking lot along de la Rosa. I got so tired of the usual office cafeteria food so I decided to walk along de la Rosa in hopes of finding other restaurants where I could buy food. And that's when I saw Adobo Connection.

I know this restaurant isn't really unknown. I've seen it in malls before but I've never really bothered to check it out. This time, something caught my attention. They had adobo rice for only P39! I thought it was a good deal so I tried it. Was I surprised! I got a really big serving of delicious adobo rice topped with garlic and sliced scrambled eggs in a microwavable plastic container! Yup, I loved the packaging too. 

And because I really enjoyed the first one, I decided to bring Gus there since I wanted to try a lot of their dishes.

We had their Kuya's Mixed Adobo, which was the traditional salty adobo made of chicken and pork. The portions were good enough for two so we just ordered an extra cup of rice.

Kuya's Mixed Adobo

Taiwanese Fare: Lugang Cafe

A long overdue post on Lugang Cafe, one of the best xiao long bao places in Manila. Okay, biases aside, a really good Taiwanese dining place along Connecticut Avenue.

I heard of Lugang Cafe a year ago. Friends started talking about this new Taiwanese restaurant that served really good xiao long bao. The deal sites were just starting to gain popularity at the same time and I saw a deal on their famous xiao long bao so I decided it was about time for us to try the Lugang Cafe.

The restaurant was beautiful. It had a traditional-modern feel. The outside was made of stone bricks, and the interior was just grand. 

Wake Up! Part 2

Another recent discovery was Tapsilog Avenue along Xavierville Avenue. Two weeks ago, Gus and I went to Ababu for a late night snack (yes, we usually eat rice for snack), and we saw this new tapsilog place beside. Since we went all the way to Katipunan from Ortigas just to eat at Ababu, I decided we could try the tapsilog place another time. And so we finally did!

The place was a little hole-in-the-wall. Nothing special. Tables and benches made of wood, an inside and outside area, a small restroom and don't count on parking. There's only enough space for one car in front of the place. But of course, we didn't go there to see/appreciate the place. We went there to try the food.

The place offered different kinds of silog. -silogs are famous breakfast meals in the Philippines. It's a meal with one kind of meat or processed food product, sinangag (fried rice), and egg (itlog). For P45, you can try the ever famous Filipino breakfast tapsilog -- tapa, sinangag, and itlog. Or if you're not a salty type of person, you can try their tocilog (tocino or cured sweet pork), hotsilog (hotdog), porksilog (porkchop), and all the other silogs you can think of. Yes, all kinds of silogs for P45 only. 

Tapsilog

P45

Wake Up! Part 1

To wake my blog from its unplanned hibernation, I am writing about two new places in one blog entry! I never intended to go on hiatus but I guess I'm not a real writer because I don't always have time to write *sob* So now that I have extra time from work, I will write as much as I can before it runs out. Let's go!

A few months back, Gus showed me this dimsum place in SM North EDSA which he described as "new and interesting." But with all the dimsum houses in Manila, I didn't know what to think of. "Another dimsum house? What's new? We could always go to an authentic Chinese restaurant for dimsum." What was so different and interesting about this one?

To satisfy our curiosity, we decided to have dinner there. It was called Dimsum Break. I was still a bit hesitant about going so all the stereotype images of dimsum houses started popping into my head. But when we got there, I was speechless.

The place did somehow remind you of stereotypical dimsum houses you might have been to in the country -- very simple interiors, rectangular tables, and a noisy ambiance. 

But what really stands out is their concept of "serving" food:

Hot, hot hot! Buffalo Wings 'n Things

Gus picked me up from work two nights ago, and I thought of dropping by Wings 'n Things along De la Rosa. But because of bladder issues, we weren't able to have late dinner anywhere. We had to go straight home.

We finally got to try Buffalo Wings 'n Things yesterday. Since I love buffalo wings, Gus made me choose which kind we would try. They had the traditional, New York style buffalo wings, wings for the faint of heart, wings for risk takers, and wings for the brave. Since we've tried a couple of buffalo wings that weren't really spicy, despite their claims, I was a bit skeptical about their "hot" buffalo wings. I've tried "really spicy" buffalo wings that only had a hint of chili and something sour. Out of doubt, I decided to get their Level 5 buffalo wings: the Armageddon.

Since Gus couldn't live without iced tea, and I couldn't live without my rice, we also ordered a glass of their Downtown Iced Tea, and a cup of their Dirty Rice. Just to be safe, we ordered some bleu cheese dip to go along with our wings, in case it lives up to its name.

A Slice of Heaven

The best things often come in small packages. That's exactly what I got after trying out a cupcake from this newly opened store beside Jamba Juice. 

While I was waiting for Gus to get off work, I chanced upon this stall beside his workplace. I assumed it was just a temporary stall since a bigger place behind it with the same name was being constructed. Thank God for boredom. Since I had nothing to do while waiting, I decided to take a look at the different cupcakes and cookies they were selling. 

Being a baker myself, curiosity got the best of me. I wondered how one cupcake could cost as much as the ones I was seeing. It looked like regular cupcakes. I assumed people were also paying for the place where it was being sold, thus the unusually high price of each cupcake. I got one without asking what it was. I just picked the most classy-looking cupcake I could see.

I picked a chocolate cupcake with rosette icings on top, which, judging from the color and texture, was made of caramel. I paid P60 for a cupcake that looked like another cupcake I usually buy for P11. But, I had to find out. Was it worth my P60?

Chocolate Yema Cupcake

(P60)

The answer is a big, fat YES! The first bite was all it took. The cupcake was so full, the icing, to die for. The cupcake was filled with cake, not just air. It was heavy, unlike other cupcakes I tasted. I knew this was real cupcake. Not just aired batter baked to perfection. And the caramel rosettes? Turns out it was yema. Cooked condensed milk. The sweetness complimented the rich chocolate flavor of the cupcake. It wasn't a battle between two sweets. It was a union of bitter and sweet.

Wow, I can't believe how poetic I sound describing this cupcake. It really is a must try. No wonder this was their best seller. For P60, this is definitely worth it! 

Grab yours at Slice Bonifacio High Street. They are currently on their soft opening, so you can also taste their other non-sweets specialties like the Brown Arroz Caldo, and Seafood Puttanesca.

Price Range: P60-110 (for the baked goodies -- cupcakes and cookies)

5 out of 5 for Slice (their staff were very friendly and accommodating)

Slice

G/F West Superblock (beside Jamba Juice)

Bonifacio High Street Central

30th cor. 7th Street

Bonifacio Global City

Contact details courtesy of: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2012/03/slice-of-pia-cayetano.html

안녕, Jang Ga Nae

For our monthly date, Gus and I decided to go Korean. We were supposed to try Ye Dang, but we decided to check the Korean carinderia I was telling him about. We didn't end up eating there because he wanted a Korean place where he could grill the samgyeupsal himself. We eventually found ourselves in one of the more formal restaurants along Escriva Drive, which had table grills -- Jang Ga Nae.

Since we were both very hungry, we immediately ordered what we were craving for: bibimbap, and samgyeupsal. While waiting for our meals to arrive, the server brought us a pitcher of cold tea (yes, cold tea!) We were actually surprised, but very pleased, with the cold tea. It was the first Korean restaurant we've been to, which served cold tea instead of just plain water.

Cold Tea

Eat My English

At first glance, one would think that this little hole-in-the-whole restobar is of Korean origin. With Korean restaurants and karaoke centers surrounding it, one would be quick to assume that this too, is a Korean establishment. It is not. Eat My English is a restaurant/bar that serves affordable Filipino, and American dishes, alcoholic beverages, and your usual pulutan (snacks to go with your beer/shots).

We chanced upon this restobar while looking for a 24/7 restaurant that serves Beef Steak or Beef Tapa. The name of the place caught our attention so we decided to have a look-see. To our surprise, they offered both at very reasonable prices so we decided to stay and check the rest of the menu. 

I decided to get my Beef Tapa, as originally planned. For only P98, I got crispy beef tapa, egg, and garlic rice. The tapa was really good, a mix between salty and sour, not the typical sweet tapa other restaurants would offer. Their vinegar mixture complimented the salty/sour flavor of the tapa. The garlic rice was real, garlic rice. Not just a cup of rice topped with garlic flakes. However, the serving was not enough for one meal. I had to roder an extra cup of rice to finish my food.

Tapsilog

(P98)

MonDATES: Spicy Fingers

Due to our busy working schedule, we rarely get to have weekend dates, or dinnerdates anymore. So today, Gus and I decided to make the most out of my light workload and his dayoff. We went around Greenbelt, grabbed a cup of coffee from McDonald's (because I always need my cup of coffee everyday), and went back to strolling around. I showed him the iTouch case I wanted to buy, and after that, we decided to look for a place where we can have lunch. On the way to Greenbelt 1, we chanced upon a tarp, which offered P120 lunch meals from 10 am to 3 pm. We scanned through the list of their lunch offerings, but continued to walk, thinking whether or not we should try it. The meals they offered looked good, and for P120, we decided to go back and try it out. 

The place looked more like a bar, booths and tables were both available in the air conditioned area, with a stage in the corner. But at 2:30 in the afternoon, it was a quiet little resto. There weren't a lot of people inside. Apart from Gus and I, the only other person eating inside was an American. Still, we went in and sat in one of the booths. The lady who was attending to us was very nice. Instead of shooing us away because I had a cup of coffee in my hand from another restaurant, she simply asked if it was okay for her to transfer my coffee into a glass, which I agreed to of course. We were shocked that she asked nicely, instead of going with the usual, "Hindi po pwede 'yan sa loob, ma'am." (You can't bring that inside, ma'am.) I had a feeling that this was going to be a good, blog-worthy lunch. Assuming the food is as good as the experience. :) 

Best Friends Pares and Mami House

It's been a while since my last update. I've a lot of entries waiting to be published, but I just don't have the time to finish all of them yet. Fortunately, I've some time to finish one today. 

A few months back, Gus and I decided to try this "pares" house along Aurora Blvd. It looks like your typical pares house -- simple tables and chairs, open air, fancy/colorful designs, and tiled floors. If you haven't seen other pares houses, you might think this is just a fancier eatery, or sidewalk restaurant. But don't let it's cutesy, or simple exterior fool you. Best Friends Pares House offers delicious, inexpensive meals fit for a king! 

Gus ordered the Beef Pares Meal, which came with a bowl of soup, two pieces of siomai, and UNLIMITED rice. All for the very low price of P89.

Beef Pares with UNLIMITED Rice

I ordered their Lechon Kawali Meal, which also came with a bowl of soup, a side dish of chopsuey, and a big cup of rice. As you can see in the photo below, their chopsuey serving was good enough for one more meal, not just as a side dish. Their serving of rice was also bigger than your usual cup of rice. All this for just P89 too.

Lechon Kawali Meal with Chopsuey

Best Friends Pares and Mami House prides itself in serving clean, delicious, and affordable meals, which, in our opinion, they succeeded in doing so. The food was delicious, we had everything we needed and wanted in a meal -- a bowl of hot soup, vegetables, more rice, and the assurance that what we were eating was clean food. For those midnight cravings, or spontaneous dates, drop by Best Friends Pares and Mami House for a delicious and affordable meal. They are located along Aurora Blvd. just a few block away from the Anonas LRT Station. They are open 24 hours. 

Price Range: P50-100/person

5 out of 5 for Best Friends Pares and Mami House

Best Friends Pares and Mami House
972 CDO 
Aurora Blvd. Quezon City
Phone Number: (63 2) 912 8957; 912 9614

Contact details courtesy of: http://bestfriendsparesandcateringservices.com/branches.php 

MUA Experience 101: The First of 2012

This is my second attempt, a successful one I guess, at being a "make-up artist." My fried needed someone to do his model's make-up for one of his photoshoots. Since I am also an amateur at what I do, he decided to let me do the make-up of his model (he's a budding photographer) so I can practice my skills too. His theme was something along the lines of fierce. Here is my attempt at making Iza, the model, fierce.

I began prepping her face by applying a primer all over. I used Skin Food's Black Egg Pore Primer. I then combined Etude House's Nymph Aura Volumer #2 with Skin Food's Peach Sake BB Cream #2 in a 1:3 ratio. Skin Food's Peach Sake BB Cream, I think, is best for girls with a more Filipina-like complexion. It is not too white, and it doesn't make the skin look oily after application.

For her cheeks and lips, I used Tony Moly's Backstage Sure Tint in Peach (02). It made her cheeks and lips look very much alive, but not in an overpowering sense. I also added a drop of the Nymph Aurora Volumer on top of her cheeks to give it a certain glow.

For her eyes, I lined it with a thick layer of Maybelline's Waterproof Gel Liner, for that rockstar, I-am-fierce effect. I finished the whole look by dusting Majolica Majorca's Skin Remaker Pore Cover in OC20 all over her face, and neck.

Again, I am still getting to know make-up so don't expect expert-like make-up results. Here she is. :)

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, constructive criticisms are most welcome.

Photos courtesy of Christopher Lee.

MUA Experience 101: December 2011

I am no make-up artist. I just enjoy hiding my pimples, pimple scars, EYEBAGS. That's it. The first time I learned about make-up was sometime during my late elementary years. My best friend was a looker. And with that, she possessed different sized, and colored foreign objects. A cylinder with colored, "clay-like" paint inside, pink powder, powder that came with a built in mirror, black, sticky liquid that's supposed to make your lashes longer, etc. Being the nerd that I was back then, I never really knew what these were, and what they were for. All I knew was that, these things make a woman, beautiful. Oh yes. For a smart kid, I was pretty shallow and stupid.

Now that I know just a little bit more about make-up, I was asked by my boyfriend's sister to help her put some on for a friend's debut. I am not promoting myself as a make-up artist, nor is this a tutorial. I'm just documenting my first ever, official make-up session with someone else. I have yet to learn so much more about make-up, and creativity before I can teach others professionally, or make a living out of it. For the pros out there, constructive criticisms, and tips are very much welcome. :) Here is my first try at being a make-up artist. 

Model: Gin Yu

Products Used: Skin Food Black Egg Pore Primer, MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20, Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream in Sheer Glowing Skin #2, Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer #2, herbench/ Paintbox PrettyWhenPinched, MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30, (not shown in photo) Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes Eyeshadow Quad in PK785. (Model's Own) IN2IT Eyeshadow Duo in CE39 Natty, Fashion21 Eyeliner in Black, MAC Frost in AC9.

Hello, ladies. Meet your new best friend: Jeunesse Anion Sanitary Napkin

Last Christmas, I was introduced to a new product. I was supposed to promote the product before it hit the shelves, but I've been busy with other things lately that I haven't had time to write. But, late is better than never, as they say. I am proud to introduce to you all, Jeunesse -- a new sanitary napkin that will amaze women everywhere. Yes, I use the word amaze because that's how I felt when I saw the demo of this product.