SM Aura's Style Hunt: Please vote for me!

Remember this photo?  Last Saturday, I wore my tried and tested outfit and was luckily spotted by the SM Aura Style Hunt team. I, together with 18 other finalists, have been chosen to get a chance to win GCs from SM.  Part of the voting percentage will come from the online Facebook votes. 1 like=1 vote. So can I please please please ask you, my dear readers to vote for me?  Please do!  I will be eternally grateful. XOXO

Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=717947371563512&set=a.717946784896904.1073741846.198130963545158&type=1

Oh. Kay.  So maybe it doesn't quite look the same in the link.  Can you say haggard?  But since you guys love me (yes, I'm assuming, haha!) please do vote for me.  Voting ends on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 6PM so please like, like, like!  Thank you in advance!

Hong Kong Eats: Ippudo HK, a second time

Remember this?  Well, we loved it so much that we cannot simply pass up the chance of going back there again.  Plus, the last time we ate in Ippudo Singapore, they don't serve the codfish that I've been raving about in their HK branch.  So here we go, Ippudo HK, take two.

Akamaru Shinaji

Broth is good, but found it a tad too salty for my taste.  Guess my tastebuds got spoiled with our very own Ramen Nagi in SM Aura.  :)

Eel Rice with Egg in Stone Pot

Ah, something new.  I've always been a fan of the unagi (eel) so finding this in the menu, I just had to order it.  No regrets here, the eel perfectly complemented the soft Japanese rice.

Codfish with Saikyo Miso Sauce

And of course, our Ippudo favorite.  The codfish that haunted me for half a year.  This was just a teeny tiny bit overcooked compared to the last time, but nonetheless, it does the job well.  An explosion of  greatness in my mouth.  Ooooh.

Soft Boiled Egg

And being the egg monster, we ordered not one, but two kinds of soft boiled eggs.  If they had 10 kinds of soft boiled eggs, I tell you, we would've ordered them all.  LOL.  This one tasted very plain.  But I liked that they were consistent in delivering real soft boiled eggs, unlike some ramen joints that give almost hard boiled ones.

Flavored Soft Boiled Egg

Now this, will be my staple order every single time in our future Ippudo visits.  Marinated soft boiled egg is love.  Almost made me order another one if only I wasn't afraid of cholesterol levels shooting up, haha!

All in all, I applaud Ippudo HK for consistency.  Will definitely be back again and again and again!  4 out of 5 stars! 

Ippudo HK is at Shop 210, Silvercord Tower, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong 

Outfit of the Week: Comfy Casuals

Don't you just hate it when you're stuck wearing itchy/wrinkly outfits on a long flight?  Well, my flight was just 2 hours but I wouldn't be caught dead in sweats either.  So what's a girl to do?  Presenting:  my airport outfit.  Ta-dah!  LOL.  Nothing says comfortable like a good t-shirt.  In my case, I've found great looking ones from Uniqlo.  Can't say enough good things about the brand, they've perfected the art of great, comfortable basics!  So on this trip, I made sure I wore something that can make me move around AND look presentable at the same time.  Tip: if you're worried about being too dressed down in tees, then why not try draping a scarf around your neck?  Makes it look a bit dressed up, no?  Hope you like it!

Top:  Uniqlo
Jeans:  Warehouse
Scarf:  River Island
Bag:  Givenchy
Shoes:  Steve Madden
Belt:  Uniqlo

Butterfly on Victoria Boutique Hotel, Hong Kong

To start off my Hong Kong post, let's go with where we stayed first.  Butterfly on Victoria Boutique Hotel in Causeway Bay.  Whenever in Hong Kong, our family usually stays in L' Hotel Causeway Bay Harbour View.  The hotel is clean and nice, has free wifi on the lobby, and the MTR is just across the street.  This trip however, L' Hotel was fully booked on the nights that we were visiting, so we had no choice but to look for other accommodations.  During our past vacations, we distinctly remembered passing by a small, colorful building near L' Hotel called Butterfly on Victoria.  A quick check on the internet and we discover that the rates were quite similar to L, so we decided to book Butterfly this time around.

Hubby and I took the first flight out to Hong Kong.  So when we arrived in Butterfly Hotel, it was a bit early for check-in.  Special thanks to the staff who were very accommodating with helping us with our luggage (even the front desk officer, a girl, helped us drag our luggage into the hotel!) and letting us check-in even if we were early.  Plus points!  Now, let's see how the hotel room compares to our tried and tested one.  Scroll down for photos!

First glimpse of the room

A shot of the bed from another angle

Written on top of the headboard.  Good quote!

Working area

Closet

A glimpse of the bathroom

Bathroom

Shower area

So how was it?  We found the room a bit smaller than the ones we're used to, but other than that, the hotel was pretty great.  The rooms are nice and clean, the wifi is fast and free (and in-room!), and the rates are reasonable.  Good location too!  Seems like we discovered another gem of a hotel in Hong Kong.  4 out of 5 stars!

Butterfly on Victoria Boutique Hotel is at 33 King's Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

Valentino x Havaianas

Dear Valentino, why so evil?  LOL.  I'm baaaack!  Lots of stories and blog posts to share, but first, let me get this out of the way:  the Valentino x Havaianas collaboration that sent my world into a crazy tailspin.  Fans of the brand might be familiar with their Rockstud collection.  Ever since those came out, Valentino has been enjoying quite the spotlight.  Celebrities and style bloggers alike have been wearing the bags and the shoes for a few seasons now.  Don't believe me?  Google it and you'll see.  As for me?  I can only look longingly at their rockstud ballerina flats because #1, it's an expensive shoe and #2, I tried it on once and it hurts!  Nuff said.  

Valentino Black Rockstud Heels

Valentino Black Rockstud Ballerinas

See what I mean?  Pretty huh?  But it's not for me.  So when Valentino came out with their collaboration with Havaianas, I was ecstatic!  The beauty of their rockstuds coupled with the comfort of rubber flip flops?  SOLD!  Well, at least I thought so... until price points became a problem again.  But first let me show you what I'm talking about.

Black Studded Flip Flops € 194.00

Yellow Camouflage Print Studded Flip Flops € 218.00

Hot Pink Camouflage Print Studded Flip Flops € 218.00

Light Pink Camouflage Print Studded Flip Flops € 218.00

Olive Green Camouflage Print Studded Flip Flops € 218.00

Olive Green Crocodile Flip Flops € 677.00

Black Crocodile Flip Flops € 677.00

Gah!!!  Have you seen the prices?!  Nevermind the crocodile ones, even the normal studded rubber ones are roughly around Php 13500 after conversion!  Yes.  Rubber.  Flip.  Flops.  And I still want one.  I just can't justify the price.  And even if I'm getting one, I couldn't choose which color I want either!  So, a little help here... IF I were to get a pair from among the studded ones, which one do you think I should get?  Help please!  

Valentino x Havaianas is now available online.  Get yours now at Luisa via Roma.  Happy shopping!

Going on a short break :)

Excuse me as I go for my bi-annual vacation to one of my favorite countries in the world.  Can you guess where?  Here's a clue:

Photo Credit: http://communicity.wdfiles.com/local--files/hong-kong/Hong_Kong_de_noche.jpg

Guessed it yet?  Yup, HONG KONG!  Absolutely L-O-V-E this country and I just can't get enough!  Watch out for upcoming posts next week!  See yah! 

Outfit of the Week: The Wizard of Oz

Remember the time when everyone was obsessed with Dorothy's ruby slippers?  Okay, maybe I don't.  Heck, I wasn't born yet!  But I've heard too much gushing as to how "this pair made me feel like Dorothy" in various articles and blog posts to know enough that the particular pair of ruby slippers has made a mark in the fashion world.  Well if Dorothy has her ruby slippers, then Miss M has her silver pumps!  When the silver pumps trend hit, I was fixated.  I've searched high and low for my very own pair, but came up with nothing.  Those I found were either too small (hello, big feet!), poorly made, too expensive, or just plain ugly.  Who knew I'd find my gem in Target?  Yup, these babies came from Target in Sydney.  At a great price too!  Don't you just love Target?  I'm hooked.  The entire store is a paradise of cheap thrills.  So whenever I'm abroad and there's a Target in that country, I'm there.  No questions asked.  And yes, I dressed up this outfit from the toe up.  Nothing fancy, just a simple outfit that can highlight my silver pair.  Hope you guys like it!  

Top:  Asos
Leggings:  Kardashian Kollection x Dorothy Perkins
Bag:  Celine
Shoes:  Hot Options (from Target)

Ramen Nagi

Starting off my first food post of the year with something special:  Ramen Nagi.  Those who frequent Butao Ramen in Hong Kong will be familiar with Ramen Nagi.  Why?  Because it's one and the same!  The Ramen Nagi name is the original name of this ever-so-popular ramen place in Japan.  When Hong Kong franchised it, they named it as Butao.  I guess the Philippine franchisees just simple chose to go with the original name.  Judging from the post I made the last time I ate in Butao Hong Kong, it would be an understatement to say that I was excited for Ramen Nagi's opening.  I wasn't excited.  Nope.  I was ecstatic!!!  Yep, that one deserved a good three exclamation points!

Storefront

Early in the morning one Saturday, I dragged Hubby out of bed and to SM Aura for one main purpose:  to try out Ramen Nagi.  I wanted to see if this one is comparable to Hong Kong's version, which I absolutely loved. 

A view of the kitchen

See those empty chairs?  It's not because they lack customers, but rather, it was really early in the morning.  Can you say 10am?  Come 11am, the place is filled to the brim!  Early bird gets the worm!  Or rather... early glutton gets the ramen!  LOL!

Dining Area

Hmmm... seems like we're not the only early worms after all.  These customers are also pretty early risers!

The simple menu

And now on to the menu.  As you can see, Ramen Nagi's menu is as simple as it looks.  What you see is what you get.  One page, 5 kinds of ramen. (5th ramen, Limited King, not in menu)

Choices, choices, choices

Just like the one in Hong Kong, you're given a choice sheet.  All you have to do is encircle (or cross, or check) your choice!

Original King (Butao)

The original broth.  It's the base broth for all the other ramen flavors.  I'd recommend this if you're a Ramen Nagi newbie.  Simple unadulterated soupy heaven.

Black King (Kuroo)

This one has squid ink and gives off a more garlicky flavor.  There's also quite a texture in the soup.  For the more adventurous ones!

Red King (Akao)

If you like it hot, then the Red King is for you.  I could only take in one spoonful of soup before I gave up.  Hubby, the spicy monster, love it. 

Green King (Midorio)

Now who wants pesto?  The Green King gives off a more Italian feel.  It really does taste like pesto ramen with the basil, olive oil and grated parmesan incorporated into the soup.

Limited King

There's only two things that I can think of when I tried the Limited King.  Prawn Bisque or Lobster Bisque.  Fans of the soup can be assured you'll get that exact same flavor.

Add-ons

Ramen wouldn't be complete without the Tamago and Seaweed.  I find the tamago a bit too salty for my taste, but it's perfect when eaten with the soup.

All lined up in a row.  My pretties.

Presenting:  my Instagram picture.  I had to make sure I immortalized my first visit to Ramen Nagi (and at the same time make all my IG followers drool.  LOL)

So the verdict?  I'm in love!!!  Confession:  in the two weeks since I've first eaten in Ramen Nagi, I've already been back 5 times.  Yes, it's THAT good.  Two people even claimed that it tastes better than Butao Ramen in Hong Kong!  Whoa!  I say I agree 100%.  Ramen is awesome, and the place is comfortable.  Service needs a bit of improvement, but other than that, I say GO TO RAMEN NAGI NOW!!!  5 out of 5 stars!

Ramen Nagi is at 5/F SM Aura Premier, McKinley Parkway, McKinley Hill, Taguig

S-A-L-E

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  It's the most wonderful time of the year!  Yes, the holidays may be over, but my most favorite holiday may just be starting... The SALE Season!  LOL!  Yup, start counting those moolah you've collected over the holidays because you just might have enough reason to put it into good use!  So what's on sale?  Here's the list:

STARTS TODAY (JANUARY 2, 2014):  ZARA

STARTS TOMORROW (JANUARY 3, 2014):  RSSI Stores

RUSTAN'S

STARTS ON SATURDAY (JANUARY 4, 2014):  DEBENHAMS

STARTS ON JANUARY 6, 2014:  ADORA

Aaaaah!!!  So are you as excited as I am?  Sigh, looks like I'll be throwing my need-to-shop-less New Year's resolution out the window on just the second day of the year!  See you at the stores!