Mango Summer Sale 2015

The month of June can be a lot of things.  The start of school, the end of summer... pretty sad stuff right?  But don't worry because the month of June also means that the end of season sale is upon us once again!  And the start things off, Mango is having theirs starting tomorrow!  Yes, in less than 24 hours you get to shop to your hearts' content at up to 50% off!  Are you in?  I know I am!  See you there!

On Health and Fitness

Every day on the internet, countless articles have been coming up, reminding us to take care of our bodies.  Admittedly, I have scrolled through most of them without even giving a second glance.  Also, I haven't been exactly taking care of my body the way I need to - binge eating, late nights and all.  But late last week, an acquaintance passed away because of health complications.  He was young, yet gone too soon.  This suddenly jolted me to the reality that every single day, there is this danger that we have to face- that if we do not take care of our health, the consequences are going to come sooner than later.  There is this popular saying that goes "take care of your body and it will take care of you".  This is indeed true, and I believe in it a hundred and one percent.  Our body is all we have.  We are born into it, and no matter how we like it or not, this is what we'll have to deal with for the rest of our lives.  So how do we go about it?  Here's how:

LOWER YOUR STRESS LEVELS

Yes, everyone needs to work.  Heck, how are we supposed to survive without money?  Not all of us are trust fund babies.  BUT, there is work and there is crazy-stressful-unhealthy work.  Every single time, we hear of how great employees go the extra mile,  There is no problem with that.  But when you begin to realize that going that extra mile is beginning to take a toll on your health, then it's time to stop or switch your gameplan.  Spend time with your loved ones.  This is one of the best stress-busters.  Remember that we work because we want to better our lives and the lives of those we love.  Make them feel that they matter by doing simple things such as taking the weekends off and leaving your work in your office.

EAT WELL

Food can be both our friend and our worst nightmare.  Remember the quote that says "too much of anything is bad for you"?  Yes, this applies to food too.  If there's substance abuse, then there's food abuse.  Eating might be part of our everyday lives, but there's something called portion control.  Eat, but eat in regulated amounts.  And choose your food wisely.  

EXERCISE

Growing up, I've never been fond of exercise.  Even now that I'm *cough* older, the last thing I would want is to spend my precious time at the gym when there's a million other things I'd rather be doing.  BUT, I grudgingly admit that the best way to take care of your body is to exercise.  Tone up those muscles and boost your heart with cardiovascular activities.  Exercise need not be boring.  Hate the gym?  Then try dancing!  There's a ton of dance workouts on the internet that you could follow.  All you need is your willingness and a good pair of shoes.  And since we're at the subject of shoes, why not check out ZALORA and their extensive selection of shoes?  Lots of great styles to choose from!  So pimp up those kicks and start your way into a healthier new you!

Dean & Deluca, A Second Time Around

After trying out Dean & Deluca in Rockwell, we immediately went back the week after.  There is just no possible way we were going to miss out on trying out the other dishes!  Besides, the parents were away when we first dined in Dean & Deluca, and we wanted them to try out the pizzas too.  So... here's our Dean & Deluca experience part 2.  Enjoy!  

Creme Brulee Croissant

Flaky goodness with the right amount of creme brulee filling.  

Banana Wheat Muffin

I didn't like the Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin last time, so I was a bit hesitant in ordering this.  But it turns out, it was quite moist and is bursting with banana flavors!

Kougin Amann

Ahhhh... Kougin Ammans have always been my weak spot.  And Dean & Deluca's version hits right on the spot.

Butterscotch Sticky Bun

Too sweet, but expectedly so.  Reminds me of the cinnamon rolls I've loved as a child.  It was a gooey, sticky, happy mess.

Grilled US Duroc Pork Chop with Chorizo-Corn & Apple Salsa

The pork chop was tender, but not as tender as I've imagined it would be.  The chorizo-corn and apple salsa was too much for me.  Would've preferred a less festive accompaniment.

Pesto Pasta with Shrimp, Calamari, Dried Tomatoes and Piquillo

When it comes to pastas, our family prefers it to be cooked well done and not al dente.  We like our pastas really soft.  And this pesto pasta was perfect for us.  It was soft without being mushy, and the sauce was prefect!

Truffle Parmesan Steak Fries

Ugh.  I hate it when I order something with truffle and it comes out either completely void of truffle smell, or with an extremely faint truffle smell.  Dean & Deluca's truffle parmesan steak fries was the latter.  I could barely detect the hint of truffle in the fries. 

Braised Beef Stew with Mushroom, Vegetable and Mashes Potato

The beef was tender, but the serving size was too small.  Not so impressed with this one.  The mashed potatoes, on the other hand?  De-li-cious!

BBQ Braised US Beef Short Ribs, Roasted Garlic, Bechamel Sauce, Caramelized Onions, and Chimichurri Sourdough Pizza

As with last time, the BBQ Braised US Beef Short Rib Pizza was thin, crisp and chewy.  A bit lacking on the the meat though.

Not in photo:  Parma Ham, Rocket Leaves and Parmigiano Sourdough Pizza, which we inhaled and completely forgot to take a photo of.  The parma ham was sooooo good!  And unlike the BBQ braised US beef short rib pizza above, the amount of parma ham was just right.

Dutch Apple Pie

Huge, huge chunks of apples in this Dutch Apple Pie.  I found the crust to be a wee bit thicker than my liking, and it was a tad too sweet too.  But then again, I'm not much of a fan of apple pies.

So... on the second try, there were also hits and misses at Dean & Deluca.  But overall, it was more hits than misses.  There's still a few more things on the menu that I'd like to try, so that means I'm definitely going to be be back sometime soon.  4 out of 5 stars!

Dean & Deluca is at the G/F, Rockwell Edades Tower, Poblacion, Makati City

Make Your Own Havaianas (MYOH) 2015

When I say summer, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?  The sun and the beach?  Well yes.  But let me add one more thing to that list:  The Annual Make Your Own Havaianas (MYOH) Event!  Yup, it's that time of the year again to spruce up your flip flop wardrobe and kick up your creative juices!  This year, the theme is everything and anything Hawaiian!  Before I start shaking my bon-bon and do the hula, let me show you what happened during today's private selling event:

The MYOH 2015 Commemorative Pair

MYOH 2015 Entrance

Choice Sheet (Front)

Choice Sheet (Back)

MYOH 2015 Pins

Assembly Area

Assembly

And finally...

Every purchase comes with this adorable mesh tote!

Curious about my pair?  Here's what I chose:

Ta-dah!

Don't miss your chance!  The MYOH 2015 will be open to the public starting tomorrow (May 7) till Sunday (May 10) at the Glorietta Activity Center.  It will also be available at select Havaianas retailers nationwide! 

Perfect timing too!  If you're still at a loss and couldn't figure out what to give Mom for Mother's Day, then why not go grab a pair (or two) and show her how special she is?  Aloha!

Dean & DeLuca, Now Open in Rockwell!

Dean & DeLuca, which first started as an upscale grocery store, was established in 1977 in New York City.  They've grown ever since, diversifying into cafes and opening in a number of international locations.  Admittedly, I've never had a chance to try out Dean & DeLuca when I visited New York a few years back.  Never got to try them out in other countries either.  But what got me so excited was because I seem to always see this store in a number of movies and TV series, so this definitely made me wonder what made them so famous.

Fast forward to late last year, a sign for Dean & DeLuca was put up in Edades Tower right across the Powerplant Mall.  I silently made a thank you to whoever was to bring it here.  

Finally, last month, Dean & DeLuca opened to the public!  Thanks to Instagram, and a few very up-to-date friends, I found out about it and dragged Hubby and the Brother to try it out for Sunday brunch. (sorry, delayed post!  We were able to try D&D on their first week of operations)

Dea & DeLuca from the outside

Inside Dean & DeLuca

I am loving this clean, uncluttered interiors!

Assortment of Breads

With so much bread, it's really hard to chose just a few!  I wanted to try them all!

Cakes

...and then there's also the cake situation.  My mind says "control yourself" but my tummy says "go for it!"

Coffee/Tea/Smoothie Bar

Don't even get me started on the drinks!  They have tea, coffee, milkshakes, smoothies and New York sodas!

Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin

Since it was just the three of us, we decided to just order one pastry and a couple of light dishes.  The Apple Cider Blueberry Muffin was the first thing that arrived on our table.  I was expecting really moist, almost melt in your mouth goodness, but I found it to be a bit dry.

Sauteed mushrooms, pesto toast, goat cheese and salad greens in raspberry vinaigrette

Love, love, love this salad!  The sauteed mushrooms were ultra earthy and juicy.  My only comment is that I wish the vegetables didn't look so sad...

Shrimp and calamari with pesto and marinara sauce

Thin, crisp and chewy, all at the same time.  This is probably one of the best pizzas I've tried.  A definite must!

Smoked turkey breast with Brie de Meaux and cranberry in croissant

When I saw this on the menu, my heart skipped a beat.  I loved everything they've incorporated into this croissant, but the croissant itself lacked the flakiness I've loved in other croissants.  Needs improvement.

Overall, Dean & Deluca has lived up to the hype.  4 out of 5 stars!  We absolutely loved the pizza, and cannot wait to try everything else on the menu.  It's still on soft opening mode though, so can't expect them to be perfect.  We did, however, go back the week after.  Watch out for my next post!

Dean & DeLuca is at the G/F, Rockwell Edades Tower, Poblacion, Makati City

Lusting After: Skants

Beyonce

Kendall Jenner Exhibit A

Kendall Jenner Exhibit B

Call it whatever you want:  skants, apron pants or skirt pants.  Beyonce first did it, then Kendall Jenner followed suit.  Not just once, but twice!  If you're like them (ahem, with unlimited funds) then a simple search will bring you to a number of skants varying from $200+ to a whopping $1000+!  But seeing that this is a trend thing (and I don't exactly have a celebrity budget), I'd like to keep my options cheap.  Cheap ain't easy to find though.  Believe me, I did my research, turned the internet upside down yet failed to find a great pair of skants.  Apparently, the only ones that make skants are high end fashion houses and it hasn't reached high street labels yet!  That, or it's all sold out!  Boo!  BUT, fret not my friend.  This trend is totally self-doable.  Have a pair of slim cut well-fitting pants?  How about a nice wrap or straight cut skirt?  If you said yes to both questions, then slap them both together and voila!  Your very own version of skants!  Possibilities are endless.  You can either put together a printed skirt and solid pants (and vice versa), or put two same-colored solids together.  Better yet, why not do two different solid colors for a nice colorblocking effect?

 Edit:  I've finally found a site that sells decent-priced skants! 

Wrap Trousers from http://www.frontrowshop.com

Leggings with Front Wrap Detail from http://www.frontrowshop.com

Sadly, as of writing, these two styles above has already sold out.  Here's to crossing my fingers and hoping that they'll restock.

No worries though, here is one that's NOT sold out!  And the best part it, it kinda looks like Kendall Jenner's!  (see above photo)

Trousers with Split Skirt from http://www.frontrowshop.com

So what do you think?  Are you going to jump on the skants trend?  I for one am sure that I'll be trying out this trend.  How about you?  To skant or not to skant... that is the question!

PS.  If you should come across any website selling great looking skants at good prices, please do drop me a note or comment on this post!  I have gone cuckoo and need my skants fix ASAP!  xoxo

eum•ma•ne

Korean food has always been one of my favorites.  Had my fair share of good and bad Korean food, ranging from the cheap fastfood ones to the expensive ones that can be found in places that you have to specifically go to.  So one random night in Capitol Commons where Hubby and I were looking for something different from the usual (no noisy crowd), we decided to try eum•ma•ne. 

Half Moon Mandu Dumplings

Four pieces of pan fried dumplings fried to a crisp with a juicy pork and beef filling

Never tried Korean mandu dumplings before.  And on the first try, I must say it tastes quite fantastic.  The outside was crunchy and the insides were a mix of ground meat and vermicelli, which were pretty good.

Baked Bacon and Cheese Mandu

Korean pork and vegetable dumplings smothered with a rich Mornay sauce and bacon then "gratinated" with more grated cheese.

Was not impressed with this one.  We had our hopes up after trying out the mandu dumplings, so we thought this was going to be even better.  Sadly, it wasn't.  There was just too much going on.  I felt that the flavors did not mix well.

Bulgogi Ribs with Sweet Potato

Slow baked and grilled Bulgogi pork ribs doused with miso barbecue sauce served with sweet potato and Korean pickle salad, fresh kimchi salad and seaweed dusted corn on the cob.

Now THIS, was a pleasant surprise.  When we ordered this I initially thought that this was going to look like the usual Korean beef stew.  I even thought they got our order wrong when this arrived!  eum•ma•ne's version of the pork ribs, was fall-off-the-bone-tender and really really flavorful.  2 thumbs up!

The verdict?  I'd give eum•ma•ne 4 out of 5 stars.  A fair warning though:  This is not your usual Korean restaurant.  They call it modern Korean, so don't expect the usual fare you'd find in normal Korean spots.  There is no banchan (free appetizers) here either.  But hey, if you're up for something different, go give eum•ma•ne a try!  

eum•ma•ne is at the Ground Floor, Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City