Hello barista

My pile of reports that are waiting to be written brings me to different coffee shops. Here I am, again with a new coffee shop in BF homesCafe detailsIG: @hellobaristaAmbianceThe coffee shop is situated near lots of restaurants. It’s beside ribshack and is walking distance to eat fresh, conti’s and even pergola. It’s a dainty yet cozy spot where you can hang out for coffee and wifi.Their spot is very work friendly as they have sockets for every table. They have different heights of table that suits your needs. May it be for hangouts or work.WiFi is pretty fast too. I personally enjoyed the little knick knacks in their shop.Food/drinksI personally ordered the oddest/one of their best sellers, coffee strawberry sodaIt was okay for me. The hint of soda when you’re drinking bitter coffee was surprisingly complementing. However, I’d probably stick to the normal coffee when I come back.They use yardstick beans, BTW.Since it’s just their soft opening, the food choices weren’t as many. They had sandwiches. I ordered ham and cheese while my friend ordered the four cheese sandwichSandwiches are served with a side of chips. It was fine. I personally like the four cheese more. I hope that they have more food options soon.MiscallaneousAnother fun thing about this Cafe is that they conduct various workshops. Tune in their IG for schedules.Overall

I’d probably come back to work on my papers but I’ll eat beforehand and only order drinks. I’ll probably stick to the regular coffee kinds rather than the soda kind.

Cuppa coffee

I’m back. Slowly getting back to the groove of things. I’ll be launching my YouTube channel soon, hopefully with a giveaway, but we’ll see. Anyway, for now, as a come back let’s start with coffee.Cafe details:

CUPPA CAFE

479 Tropical Ave, BF International Village, Las Pinas

Open: 9am- 11pm

Dropped by the coffee shop as it’s in front of the clinic I’m working in. I didn’t stay that long in the shop but it looks dainty and I’ll definitely go back, maybe to finish my pile of reports.

The place is well lit and spacious. Enough for you to focus on what you’re doing.FoodI got myself a cup of cold brew with milk which is at 170 pesos. It’s fine but I was expecting a little more kick to the coffee. It’s just enough to wake you up.I love that they have attempts of being eco-friendly as they are using rice straws which are also edible. I took long to finish my coffee and it bent but if you’re the type to drink coffee fast (like about an hour and a half) the straw is pretty sturdy. Thumbs up for this!Another thing to note is that they also serve cakes, and based from their IG, food too.

I’ll definitely go back and probably stay longer to enjoy the place.

3CE multipot vs Sunnies face Airblush

I have been MIA for quite some time. Nothing sparked interest until I met these puppies.

Im that I want makeup but I also like to be chill kind of girl which is why these multi-use pots caught my attention and we’re here today to compare the two.

3CE Multi-way pot

I was first introduced to this multi-use pots with 3CE. Anna Cay, a filipino vlogger is raving about it but it was a bit pricey and hard to find so I did not get it immediately.

However, just recently I was able to get mine in an online shop. I finally have in the temptation and got myself one..

I got mine in the shade cabbage rose.

It was love at first swipe and I fell head over heels when I blended it. There’s a reason why people are raving this product.

It’s packed in a compact with a korean girl in front and when you open it you immediately see the product and it also has a good sized mirror. Enough for you to see your face especially on touch ups.

(photo above: left- swatch, right- when blended)

It feels like a smooth, firm clay for me if that makes sense and immediately you get the product. Just be careful with this because it’s REALLY pigmented. I love blush and I usually go ham and have putok na putok blush and I had to learn that the hard way. Haha. I usually apply this with a sponge just to absorb some of the product but even then, it’s still pigmented. It lasts for about 6-8 hours, even in Philippine summer. It lives up to its price. This is usually sold for about 850-1200 in the Philippines but a little goes a long long long loooooong way.

Sunnies face Airblush

Then just recently sunnies face, a local brand released their own line of cream blushes which very much works like 3CE. This caught my attention and I just had to get one myself. I just feel that at first glance, it’s way too much of a copy cat as it looks like tarte’s blushes and works like 3CE multipot.

I have to be honest, I’ve watched reviews about this before I used it but I still have my own opinion.

(excuse the used product in the photo haha)

Sunnies Airblush is packaged in a monochrome unit, it usually matches the shade that you bought. It also has a mirror enough for touchups which is a plus. The product feels silicon-ey and at first I was scared that it would slip and slide on my skin.

(photo above: left- blended, right- swatch)

I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t. It’s not as pigmented as the 3CE but that’s a plus for me since I usually go overboard with my blush. It took about 3-4 layers before the pigment showed up on my skin. This one usually lasts up to about 4-6 hours on me, on a work day which means I commuted and moved about. For its price of 445 pesos, I guess it’s an okay product but that shade selection, great job sunnies.

Here’s a table of comparison

Would I recommend it? I’ll recommend the 3CE more than I would the sunnies but they are both good products. 3CE has more value for money with pigment and longevity while sunnies would be good for those with darker skin as they have a varied shade range that can suit any skin type.

Lab’i experience

The ultimate experience for the lipstick junkie is now here in the Philippines. I’ve been wanting to do this since I heard that bite beauty in New York offers it but of course, it’s not that feasible at the moment. HOWEVER! Recently, it became available in the Philippines through Lab’i.

Situated in eastwood citywalk 2, Lab’i offers the experience and also using natural ingredients.

Getting there

Since I’m from the south, I really needed to set time to go there. I wasn’t really familiar with the area so I kind of had a hard time locating eastwood city walk 2. However, once you located eastwood citywalk 2 it’s pretty close to the entrance and easy to spot. Just look for chatime and it’s just a few stores away.

The store

Prices

They offer different versions of the make your own lipstick, they have one where you would pick from the variety of colors that they have and the staff would mix and make the lipstick for you which costs 780 pesos. The experience where you would pick from their shade range (and/or mix some shades) and you will be the one to make the lipstick costs 1500 pesos while the full experience, making your own shade and making your own lipstick is 3300 pesos.

Additional prices for matte or semi matte finish as well as specialty cases depending on your package is .

The experience

For me, I picked out the second package where I’d mix colors from their shade range and do the lipstick myself. I personally cannot stand glossy lipsticks which is the default so I opted to have it semi-matte (additional 60 pesos).

First, I was asked to pick from the shades that they have. It was organized and the staff were knowledgeable about which shades would match you depending on your skin tone.

I wasn’t able to ask what are the names of the shades that I picked but it was both from the wine-colored shades.

The staff then scraped off from the tester and mixed it for me to try it and see it together. They had disposable doe foot applicators so you can apply it on your lips while being hygienic. Once I was happy with the color, the staff then prepared the pigments and the materials to be used.

My boyfriend got my phone so I’m missing some photos and most of my photos have texts on them. I’m sorry but this will have to do.

They provided me with a small beaker where the pigments are, a scraper, the mold, a (fancy) stirrer, a brush and a small metal spatula. Gloves were provided as well and a small stove was already on the table.

First I was asked to mix in the pigments, vitamin E and the powder for the semi matte finish very well using the brush. This seemed easy until when it’s almost smooth as you have to keep stirring until it’s almost like melted chocolate texture. The staff was reminding me to scrape off excess pigment that gets stuck on the beaker so we can maixmize the materials.

Afterwards, we already put in the wax beads and then placed it on the stove. While it’s there, I still had to keep on mixing using the stirrer so that the wax will be fully incorporated to the mixture. I think this was also the part where we put the essential oils. I picked lavender of course!

Afterwards we quickly poured it into the mold. The staff said it should be quick since the wax sets fast. It also should be done in one pour so that the lipstick wont be broken.

2 pours were needed since the initial pour made the lipstick hollow in the middle. This was actually quicker than I expected. We waited around 5 minutes before starting to put it in its case.

Now the fun part, putting it in the case that I picked and finally seeing the lipstick that I made.

The hard part was making sure that it’s centered so that the lipstick will not touch the sides of the case.

And finally with one quick go, I was able to see my lipstick.

The formula

Here is the shade on my lips

It isn’t the most opaque. It’s not the one swipe goodness that other lipsticks are offering. It’s definitely not transfer proof. However, it promises that lips will feel more moisturised and healthy with consistent use. It’s definitely light weight and great for daily use.

However, the scent from the essential oil can be bothering and it can sometimes be tasted when the lipstick is newly applied and you drink or eat. Otherwise, it’s a good lipstick.

Would I do it again? Yes. Definitely.

Is it worth it. YES!

You can visit Lab’i lipstick design studio at

Or contact them via Facebook here

I turned vegan for 12 days

I had my ashtanga teacher training a week ago and following the principles of yoga. AHIMSA, the most practical way of practicing non-violence is being vegan. The shala does not allow meat products inside.

I’ve been wanting to try plant-based diet for a long time and I immediately grabbed this opportunity to do it. Everything was handed to me, breakfast, lunch and dinner. So here’s how it went.

The meals

Breakfast was prepared by our teacher, a glass of smoothie and fruit, usually apple or orange.

There was one day when we were given vegan bagel and vegan butter and to my surprise it tasted really good, better than regular butter even. I’m actually on the hunt for this.

Lunch and dinner was by the sexy chef. I was surprised with the variety of vegan meals that they offered.

The first day we had vegan kare kare with vegan bagoong. The karekare was the same minus the meat while the bagoong was made of fermented fruit, papaya I suppose. I wanted the bagoong to be saltier but it was still good.

Another one that was interesting was tofu satay

The tofu was a bit fried and was served with peanut sauce with salad and rice on the side. It was surprisingly filling.

Another one that was surprising was the monggo. I’m used to regular monggo with pieces of pork, but this had langka (jackfruit) instead. One of the best monggo that I had.

Pasta was a common dish, some with peanut sauce, another as a tomato based pasta and as expected, pesto.

The vegan cheese was almost true to the taste. It just had a faint spice that makes it different.

They said that the vegan cheese was a form of yeast, I have yet to research on that.

The last day was amazing. We had vegan barbecue and curry with chickpeas and my heart and tummy was very happy.

The bbq tasted like real meat. It didn’t have bad parts or hard to chew parts everything was good. I just couldn’t stop talking about it.

What are the changes that I felt

For starters, my bowel movement was amazing. It was consistent in the morning and it goes just naturally. It always feels light in the morning.

I also felt stronger. It was a yoga teacher training which means it requires us to study, practice yoga asanas and practice adjustments all in 12 days. There was no hot water for shower and I showered at night. Usually, if have a cold shower at night, I’ll have colds the next day but I didn’t for the whole 12 days. Also, I forgot to take my vitamins throughout the training.

I didn’t have dysmenorrhoea as well, and not a single pimple was seen. I usually get one or two before my period but I didn’t.

However, I got hungry from time to time. Probably getting a little more portions would be good but that’s easy to solve. The pros outweighs the cons.

Would I become a vegan?

Maybe, I’m trying to transition or at least eat more plant-based meals and decrease consumption of animal derived products.

I’m not saying I would be, but I like to. I know how it feels and it feels good.

Maybe I should change my blog domain soon. Hehe

Butcher’s daughter

I’ve been eyeing this restaurant for quite sometime now and as always, spontaneous trips with friends are the answer to this.

Was it a good choice?

Restaurant details:

Address: 163 Aguirre Ave, BF homes, Paranaque

Store hours: 11am-2pm, 6pm-10pm

Ambiance

The place is homey and cozy. It has that cowboy barbeque feels with the wooden and metal interiors. The place isn’t that crowded because the tables are spaced wide apart.

I enjoyed the details of the restaurant. The decorations were made of chopping boards and the vibe was cohesive. I liked that even the ceiling has little paintings of shrimp or pigs on it.

Price

The price was fair. It may be a bit pricey but the serving was large. You get what you pay for in their restaurant.

Food

The food was flavorful. It lived up to the description on the menu and it was beautifully plated. It was a handful of serving that could really fill you up.

In the photo: Chicken zurich style with rice and mixed vegetables

In the photo: Grilled pork chop with mashed potato and macaroni salad

However, I must say the food was a little overcooked. The porkchop was a bit of a struggle to chew. The salmon was too cooked for my liking as well. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed my time in Butcher’s daughter.

In the photo: Salmon steak with mashed potato and coleslaw

Service

The waiters were knowledgeable of their menu providing objective and personal opinions about the food which helps you pick the best one for your taste. They were also attentive without being too invasive.

Overall thoughts

Was it a good choice? Definitely. Good food with good company is the best way to cap off a hectic workday. The food was comforting and I would definitely come back to try other dishes.

Ichiro Ramen

I’m back with a food review! It’s a new found love of ramen that brings me here. I have been enjoying ramen for quite some time now but lately, I’ve been craving for it.

This restaurant in particular is newly opened. Let’s start.

Restaurant details

Address: 248 Aguirre Ave, Parañaque, 1720 Metro Manila

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Sunday 5pm-11pm

Ambiance

The place is quite small but is well kept. They have their own bathroom and the spacing between tables are adequate. Despite it being a busy time, I did not feel that it’s too crowded.

Price

The price is your usual ramen price. Ranging from 250-330 while add ons and side dishes costs about 200 and below. No complaints since the serving is enough for the price.

Taste

Ichiro ramen has 3 types of ramen and a couple of side dishes on their menu. I personally like tantanmen so I order that every time. I was also able to sip a bit of broth from their shio ramen because of my boyfriend. I feel that their base or broth is the same. It’s creamy and it only differs on the spice or seasoning on it. The noodles are firm but not too hard. The tantamen ramen had the right amount of spice.

However, I noticed that they weren’t consistent as the second time I went, my ramen was way spicier which made it difficult for me to finish it.

Saving grace would be their takoyaki, which never fails. One of the good ones that I tried so far.

Service

A+ for their service. The staff were nice and yet they were not as overwhelming when they assist you. They’re also knowledgeable of their menu and gives pertinent info that you might need.

Overall thoughts

It’s a good ramen place. I just wish they had more ramen choices. I would definitely go back for takoyaki. 4 stars for me.

Honeybun Cosmetics Cleansing and Moisturizing Shampoo Bar

I have been looking for eco-friendly alternatives for the last few months. I started by using bamboo toothbrushes then metal straws and now, almost a hype, shampoo bars. I went crazy shopping for shampoo bars so expect a few of these reviews.

Starting off this series with HONEYBUN COSMETICS.

well this one is a bit tricky to get your hands on, I got this from a Facebook group I’m a member of. They sell korean skincare products and lately they have been producing their own product line. I have their EO blends which I love to use when I need to calm my nerves. They also have perfume imitations and lately the ever famous shampoo bars.

Packaging

This came in wrapped in cling wrap with a printed sticker on top. I wish it was wrapped in paper or a more eco friendly alternative although I kinda get why they had to put it in plastic.

Mine came in crushed. I was even scared that it might spill in my bag. The seller advised me to wet it and mold it back again.

Initial use

Unfortunately, I do not have anything to compare it with yet. It definitely needs some getting used to. It feels different than regular shampoo that is readily available in stores. It felt a bit rubbery and way too squeaky clean. I also got annoyed since I initially used it crushed (before I talked to the seller). It is hard to rinse off that way and crumbs of the shampoo bar got stuck to my hair. I had to wash my hair again and took me thrice as long to wash my hair.

A month into it

I’ve been using it for a month and I’m loving it so far. I found out tricks on how it will work. The molding it back helped a lot and I figured that you just have to rub it on your hands first before massaging it on your hair.

The rubbery feeling is still there but it feels less and just the squeaky clean feeling.

The time that I allot to hair washing was back to normal already when I got the hang of it.

I figured that you just have to use conditioner from time to time (in my case at least once a week).

Pros and Cons

PROS

• Eco-friendly
• Affordable (i remember buying it for 50-70 pesos)
• Long lasting (given I have short hair, this could last me 3 months)
• Smells good
• Helps with dandruff (I did not have dandruff even if I switched)
• All naturaL

CONS

• Packaging – plastic (although the seller might sell it in plastic tubs next pre-order)
• Not that durable- mine came in crushed but it’s moldable.
• Smell is not long lasting but it keeps you smelling okay not fragrant but not foul either.

Would I recommend it? Definitely!

It’s the cheapest that I’ve found in the market so far and it works just fine. The seller is also nice and she takes in comments and improves all her products.

FB group name: Vizago Beauty Hub ❤️ (HJDSL Vizago Beauty hub)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/themakeupc/

Pat McGrath MatteTrance mini trio

It’s been a while since my last review, especially about makeup. Makeup was becoming stagnant for me and nothing catches my attention.

This lipstick was launched way back and I got my eyes on it since then. However, when they released the mini version, I know I had to get it. It made me excited again (though it still took me a while to make the review).

Lo and behold, Pat McGrath MatteTrance lipsticks mini.

What it is

A revolutionary lipstick so luxurious and richly pigmented, it drenches lips in a lightweight veil of opaque colour while delivering a mesmerizingly modern matte finish. Sensually creamy and brilliant in texture, this collection evokes the femme fatale siren with every application. Colour and finish so sinful, your pout will speak volumes without ever whispering a word.

(from Pat Mcgrath website)

Price

At almost 5500 Php per full size bullet, getting the mini trio at less than 2000 Php was a steal. However, I still think it’s way too pricey for a lipstick (or any cosmetics for that matter).

Application

It applies smoothly although the darkest shade feels a bit sandy upon re-application. I did not have that feeling on the lighter shades. No tugging noted upon first swipe.

Color payoff

Very opaque! With one swipe, you can see the color very vividly. I have colored lips and it was able to cover that with one swipe.

Here are the swatches

Shade: flesh 3

Shade: omi

Shade: 1995

Surprisingly, my favorite shade is flesh 3. It is unique compared to the nude shades.

Feel

Applies smoothly and light on the lips. However, as mentioned, there was a sandy feel with flesh 3 after I reapplied after eating. The sandy feeling was notable when you purse your lips.

Longevity

For a bullet lipstick, this is long lasting. When I ate something oily for lunch, only the inside was removed.

However as seen on the photo, the pigment faded hence my colored lips is now visible.

Overall thoughts

Would I recommend it? If you’re a lipstick lover/collector and/or you have a budget, go ahead. However this isn’t something I’ll rave about. Despite having a good formula, I think there are more affordable alternatives to this one.

Above is swatches of dupes that I have in my collection.

Happyskin x lovemarie mini trio could pass as a dupe. However, I’m not sure if that whole collection is still available.

More posts soon, I promise.

Cebu travelog

Ya girl needed some sanity time so one day when my friend and I had a rough day, we had an impulsive decision to book a ticket going to the queen city of the South, Cebu.

Before anything else, shout out to Ven for going to Cebu with me despite me being crazy and to T. Tinie for touring us around. 😘

Our ticket costed around less than 4000 for ven and I. I can’t remember the exact price but I think we got it on a seat sale.

First day.

Our flight was 10:00am and we landed in cebu around 11 or 11:30. I noticed that in Cebu, they have mybus, their version of p2p but we weren’t able to try it. T. Tinie picked us up and we went straight to 10 000 roses cafe.

It’s 30-45 minutes away from the airport (lapu lapu city). We paid 20 pesos as the entrance fee.

So this is what it looks like, however, instagram photos are deceiving. It is very small and I don’t think it’s worth the long travel to get here.

They also had a cafe where they served meals but it was a bit pricey. I was expecting rose inspired menu but it was just some regular cafe menu. The food was good though.

(in the photo: bacon rice meal)

After that we settled in our place and called it a night.

Second day.

Second day was our city tour day. Our first stop was Temple of Leah.

Leah is the grandmother of an actress here in the Philippines, Ellen Adarna. They have multiple businesses in Cebu.

This temple was built (and is still being built) as a sign of her husband’s love for her. This temple will house all of their pieces from around the world. I was joking that Leah had a bit of hoarding problem.

At present, only the plaza and the main entrance are opened to the public but you can peek through the windows to see some of her antiques.

(sneaky photo of the inside)

The area was build with lots of statues. It had a view of Cebu City.

By the way, there is a 50 pesos entrance fee and 20 pesos parking fee.

After that we dropped by house of lechon for our lechon takeout.

The famous Cebu lechon . In house of lechon (which has a lot of branches around cebu), a kilo costs 700 pesos. They have it in regular and spicy variants.

This one has a sauce to have the distinct cebu lechon taste. I was kinda disappointed with the lechon skin though because it wasn’t as crispy anymore but the meat tasted good.

This ice candy tree also caught our attention.

After our lunch and siesta time, we went around the city to check the famous Magellan’s cross and Sto. Nino.

(photo above: magellan’s cross)

At night we also tried their food park: sugbo mercado.

Sugbo mercado is a night weekend food park located in Cebu IT park.

There were lots of food choices from grilled seafood to ramen to desserts.

They also had live music to serenade you while you eat and bond with your friends and family.

The Pyramid also caught our attention.

It’s actually a cafe that’s shaped like a pyramid. In all fairness, they serve good food and drinks. We didn’t drink there but their cocktails and local beers look interesting.

(photo above: cheesecake and coffee)

Third day.

My favorite day! This is the day that we went to the beach.

We rented a boat for 1500, plus we gave the bankeros 200 as tip. We went island hopping around mactan.

The water wasn’t as calm but it wasn’t scary as well. I was just nervous that my phone might get wet from the splash of water.

We finally went to Sulpa island and decided not to transfer anymore. There was a 200 peso entrance and we paid 400 for the cottage.

We were welcomed with seashells to eat. We bought uni for 300 (8pcs)

They grilled some for us and it’s actually good.

We chilled and talked here for a couple of hours.

I suggest you bring snacks or meals when you go island hopping. The locals can grill food for you for a price (I think).

But please be mindful of your trash. If you can, please bring reusable items and avoid using single use utensils.

Fourth day.

This was our last hurrah and our friend brought us to a complete game changer.

We woke up early and drove for about an hour and a half or two to get to Carcar. (Riding a bus going there is also an option)

Carcar is famous for their lechon and chicharon. I never understood why cebu lechon is special…

That is until I ate carcar lechon.

It was a wet market for lechon. You might think, meh it’s just that lechon but boy oh boy.

It was seasoned and marinated well. The skin was crispy. It didn’t even need sauce! I even brought some home to manila because I wanted my family to taste it.

I bet my mom will love it had she been here.

Lechon in carcar costs 400 pesos per kilo.

After that we bought chicharon from luis and matmat. 1/4 kilo costs 150 pesos.

After that we drove back to the city to buy the famous danggit and cebu chorizo.

We went to tabo-an market to buy the perishable pasalubongs.

Cebu chorizo has sweet and spicy variety. I forgot how much it costs but it is less than 300 pesos a kilo.

We bought dried fish (danggit) for about 280 pesos for 1/4 kilo.

You can also buy the famous dried mangoes and otap here in tabo-an market.

Just be prepared to smell after shopping here. Hehehe.

—

And that concludes our Cebu trip. It was a much needed detox from work and people and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Again special thanks to Ven, t. Tinie, tita and tito for accomodating us and being with me on this trip.

Where to next? Hmmm.