Random Tuesday: Ogoy, Joel Osteen, Paperbag, David Levithan and Php5 Coffee!

Someone's getting busy spamming my blog, leaving totally unrelated comments and obscene links. I didn't approve them so the comments were not published and they were deleted but the sheer number of them made me a little annoyed (okay, A LOT!) I hope it's a bot, not a real, live person because that would be rude. Anyway, onto my Random Tuesday!

I'm Dora the Explorer these days! We moved to a new city - which explains my month-long absence - and some snooping around is in order. I found this during one of my explorations: Ogoy. I was told these crunchy breadsticks are perfect for dipping in a hot cup of Barako coffee.

This is really good. and cheap too (Php35 for a pack)

I think I'm falling inlove with podcasts! I downloaded a couple of LibriVox recordings, some pilates and yoga videos and Joel Osteen here. JO's podcasts come weekly and each is 30 minutes long. I listen to him everynight :)

..and because most cities in the Philippines are now "plastic-free", paperbags take center stage! I love how Pan de Manila made theirs cute and informative. that's Vigan, home of the yummy, famous Vigan empanadas. very nice :)

..and this is my 10-year old daughter. She stays with my dad (just until schoolyear ends) and she visited for the weekend. I miss her everyday :(

This book is *love*, if you're looking for a good book to read, give this a try :)

..and my greatest discovery so far! I present, the Php5 cup of coffee! lol :D

#sogoodtobeback :)

Random Tuesday: Emo Gie, Avocado, Dreams, Boots, Steering Wheel and A Book

Every now and then, I question myself why I blog. I'm quite sure it's not for the money (last I checked, this blog earned $8 on adsense and payout is $100 so I still have 9 years before I could even ask for a payout. lol) and one blog post usually takes about an hour to complete - an hour better spent on other things like perhaps reading a book or playing with my kids or taking a nap. Obviously not popularity and recognition as I prefer to stay anonymous, if I can help it; case in point, I have 300+ friends on Facebook and only a dozen people know that I blog. 3 of them found the blog first before they were able to connect me to it. My social networks have different sets of people whereas if you find a person on my Instagram, don't expect him/her to be on my Facebook friends and even on my Twitter.

but still..

Maybe it's the feeling of being able to write down pieces of my life, like breadcrumbs on my trail so I won't get lost and I will be able to come back when need be. Be able to help other people to decide on things -even as small as where to eat or what best to pick up for a cleansing oil - just by writing. I made new friends through this blog, appreciative friends who are willing to share their lives with me as well. I will  be forever thankful for that :) and there's something more to it that I cannot really explain. maybe someday, I'll be able to put them to words, for now I'm just enjoying the feeling and bliss. 

so, I am now turning my *emo* mode off and on with my cheery blogging self :)

I really think avocados are the most versatile fruit ever, don't you think? I love them chunky with milk and ice. I dig avocado shakes too. they taste good on Mexican dishes. Avocado and honey make a good facial mask - very hydrating! Anyway, below is my hubby's version of avocado dessert: chilled avocado, condensed milk then sprinkled with sugar. yummo! :)

Here's a snapshot of our dreams coming true. I truly hope we make it. Wish us luck!  lots and lots of it :)

..and then my mother's gardening boots. I hate to hand these boots to my father, I would like to keep them, together with my mom's things I've been keeping in a special box since she went away. I know these boots were the closest to her heart. She literally walked in them.

after 3 long years, this steering wheel - and the rest of its car parts. lol - and I were reunited! I first drove on my own with this baby. we felt right for each other. ;)

If you're a mom who feels harassed with house/family chores all the time, please take time to read this book. it is not in any way profound but the main character, Eva, is very easy to relate to. Let her humor you. :)

so that's it! I wish everyone a nice week! :)

#Aug8isthebigday! :)

Random Tuesday: Taho, Facial Sponge, Kamay ni Hesus and Longganisang Lucban!

One of the many things I love about my husband is that he pays attention to the things I blabber about. He may not show it at the moment - he's the silent type, the complete opposite of me - but he remembers tiny details which I usually forget an hour or so after my "monologue".

Last week, I blabbered in passing about my wanting 2 eggs and 5 pandesals for breakfast and he supplied me the exact things in exact amounts specified for 5 mornings straight before going to work which indeed amused me. On the 5th day, I told him, no more eggs for me. I'm done with eggs.

Then one time after the egg diet, I whined about craving for taho. The next morning, taho was what i got for breakfast. lol :D

Sweet, little gestures that make me weak at the knees :)

I'm now developing a very bad habit of swatching every makeup product I see at the mall. I can now tell the difference between a NYX primer and a Revlon one, how it felt and how my skin reacted. You can throw me a question about dupes and I can throw back a reco or two and where to buy it. lol :D  After a month-long-makeup-buying frenzy, I've, once again, put myself into a buying ban. I now find refuge in swatching. lol :D 

A mindless PCX stroll led me to a wall-full of bath tool goodies and look what I found: Aqua Massage Naturale Demaquillage Cellulose Sponge! This is goood stuff, i highly recommend! Full review to come (as requested by my Instafriend @mzhellakitty ;)

2 sponge "cookies" for 52.75Php

My poor feet after climbing the very steep hill of Kamay ni Hesus. I was puffing and huffing and sweating all over but since I was there to ask for a "sign", I just take the struggle as a necessary offer, something I should give in order to receive better and clearer signs :) to be honest, I thought I would pass out after reaching the top and I resisted the urge to roll on my way down. gahh. it was that hard.

..and this would be the highlight of my Lucban, Quezon trip: Longganisang Lucban! Okay, not exactly, since the baby puked on me minutes before we reached Kamay ni Hesus, and my daughter managed to break the straps of her flipflops while strolling around. lol :D Nonetheless, it was a trip to remember.

My hubby is a shutterbug. Here below is a photo of my little boy and I while resting halfway the steep climb, taken by my husband. ^^

#letthegoodvibesroll! :)

Random Tuesday: BK Joe Frost, Toast Box, Spidy-donut, Carmex, Pili Nuts and Fruit Bat

I wasn't able to blog last week. I've been doing a lot of soul searching these days which involves a lot of quiet time - if that's even possible especially that my little boy has been growing molars hence much ruckus around the house. And, I went back to my books. Happy to report that I was able to finish two novels in a week. Yey me! ^^

I am slowly rediscovering my love for coffee. Here below is Burger King's Mocha BK Joe Frost (Php85, i think) tbh, I like Jollibee's Coffee Float better. I find BK's a little too sweet and I could barely detect the coffee in it. I was hoping the coffee would be a little stronger than Jollibee's considering it's a BK Joe but, uhm, no.

I love Toast Box! For 150Php, you get a toast (this is Chocolate toast, they also have peanut butter, floss and french toast), 2 eggs and coffee or tea. Simply add 15Php to make your drinks cold. I chose iced milk tea ;)

..and this is their sinful, sinful Milo Dinosaur (105Php) i love, love this!!

This Spidy-donut from Krispy Kreme is soo adorable! As soon as Mr. C, my son, spotted this, he almost threw a tantrum just to get me to buy him one. I did. Yeah, I tend to spoil the little guy sometimes. Okay, a lot. :D

Alba Un-Petroleum Lip Balm with SPF 18 Cherry (149Php at Healthy Options) is my default lip balm. I like it because it is not waxy and it has sun protection and it works well with my matte lippies but I must admit, this Carmex in a tin pot came as a pleasant surprise. As I was battling mouth sores last week, Carmex was there to hold my hand and made the ordeal a little bit easier to endure. Guess I'm now a convert ^^

The hubby came home with pili nuts the other day and it was gone in less than an hour. I took this picture as a  way of remembering its passing. :D

Then our home was invaded by this crazy fruit bat one night, didn't stop flying around, moving from one room to another, until we were out of breath from lots of running around and screaming at the top of our lungs. and crazy fruit bat chose a nice night when the man of the house aka hubby was out playing ball somewhere. The kids and I were scared out of our wits the whole time!

#nowbacktowork.groan.

Random Tuesday: Binagoongan, Glittery Bands, My Boys, Hawaiian Burger and Cambodia Goodies :)

Yey! I made it! I made it! ^^

I missed my Random Tuesday post last week - again - so I was hell-bent in making it this week. Whew. I almost forgot because of all those Corona hullabaloos (he was convicted by the Senate, btw, just a few minutes earlier as of writing)

Anyway, I think I found the BEST Binagoongan EVER! There's this quaint resto in Pagsanjan called Calle Arco that serves mean pinoy dishes (think steamed pla-pla, sinigang na baka and the likes) Look at the picture below and tell me if this doesn't look good to you:

Binagoongan na Liempo. yuuuum ;)

PS I swear I'm bringing indian mangoes with me the next time we visit! I bet, the shrimp paste in it will go really well with green mangoes.

I badly need a haircut! My hair is getting longer now and with the relentless heat, I need it to be up on top of my head, away from my neck ALL THE TIME. and so, I'm back to pony-tailing my hair again.

glittery bands, only 30Php for all these at SM ;)

I'm a trying hard photographer, did you know that? Sometimes I hit but most of the time, I miss. lol :D I  like playing with photo editing apps too so here below is one of my many edits featuring my beloved boys ;)

I've already told you that I'm not really into burgers. The only burger that was able to tickle my fancy was Jollibee's Aloha burger (the one with pineapple inside) so I was really disappointed when they discontinued serving it. I was pleasantly surprised though when I saw this at Burger King last Saturday! Meet BK's Hawaiian Whopper Jr:

hello pretty :)

I always think that "pasalubongs" are meant to tell the recipient that they were remembered and missed during trips, this is why I can't thank mommy D enough for these things she brought home from her very recent Cambodia trip for me :)

Cambodia goodies for me!! :)

Remind me to make kulit to her to make another travel post about Cambodia for us. he he ;)

#almostdinnertime.hungry -.-

Random Tuesday: Moonleaf Post-It Wall, Free Donuts, Car-Carts, Brownies and Buko Shake :)

Hello everyone!!! Did you miss me? Anyway, sorry for the short hiatus, things just turned from slightly bad to bangs-curling crazy. Don't worry though, I still believe what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger (to which a dear boss of mine once retorted, "good thing you're not working in a nuclear plant")

Onto my Tuesday randomness..

This post-it wall at Moonleaf is simply awesome! It's really interesting to look at, sometimes I find myself just standing there, reading short messages and grinning like an idiot while waiting for my milk tea. I think every branch has one :)

I love, love, love freshly baked donuts! more so if they are FREE. ^^ Krispy Kreme, every once in a while, surprises their patrons by giving away free freshly baked donuts. I must say, there's nothing quite like it - the taste of freshly baked AND free stuff ^^

My son used to shy away from these car-carts BUT now, he has turned into one eager beaver who couldn't wait to get in and be pushed around. Talk about bipolar characteristics of toddlers! My daughter R was the one pushing him around as Mr. C here didn't want the cart to stop even if I needed to, to inspect and pick up some things.

I'm a sucker for sweets - you must know that by now. These brownies came from Becky's Kitchen - Taft. I hold fond memories of that place. My ex-bf aka hubby used to take me there for a slice of cake and a cup of coffee - shared. ^^

Good thing the summer heat is now abating. Still, I'm hooked on cold drinks, particularly this one from Bahay Buko. ^^ Refreshing and at the same time, healthy :) For some reason though, I am not really comfortable with their bottles. I don't know, maybe it's the punched cap to make way for the straw? I don't know if that's a wise thing to do.

So, that's it ^^ 

#goodvibesonly!Kisses!

Random Tuesday: Tapsi, Jamba Juice, Sampinit, Moonleaf and Mario Bros Wallpaper

Working 70hours a week is no joke, I tell you. Good thing I have this blog, it helps me cope with the stress. Anyway, here's my Random Tuesday post and I'm just so happy I'm not missing it this week! lol :D

There are days when only a foodcourt food will satisfy a crave. I've been craving for beefsilog from Tapsi for about 2 weeks now. Pair this with their own signature (naks!) vinegar.

Jamba Juice has opened their Alabang Town Center branch and it's right beside Krispy Kreme. I *love* ^^

When I was younger, say, Elementary days <God, I'm soooo old> sampinit or sapinit - wild raspberry, in English - was only 5Php a half-bagful. Half-bagful, as in that plastic used when you buy a Coke but wasn't allowed to take home the bottle. lol :D Now, a tiny plastic - plastic, as in that plastic used when you go claim your newly polished earrings - will cost you 25Php. I figure now that it was featured by Jessica Soho, and claimed to be a potential cancer cure, there will be yet another price hike. 

Yey for Moonleaf for making their milk tea more accessible to me! This is their Paseo de Sta. Rosa branch :)

..annnnd, after Tokidoki wallpaper, I found a nice Mario Bros 3d wallpaper for my iTouch which I absolutely love!

That's it for now, my loves! now back to work for me as I am going out with a friend in a while. lol :D

#excited!kisses!

Random Tuesday: Skittles, Tokidoki Wallpaper, Kisses, Beauty Credit, Simsimi Nails And Some More Kisses :)

A trip to Subic will never be complete without chocolates and candies, methinks. My kids usually go on a chocolate and candy binge when in Subic and honestly, I don't mind since I indulge too. lol :) *bad mommy!*

Want some? :)

..I grew tired of my iTouch's wallpaper so I decided to look around the internet for a cutesy replacement. I was going for something kawaii, instead I found some Tokidoki wallpapers for iPhone (which is also suitable for iTouch) Oh my, how cute!! here below is my current wallpaper..

Tokidoki wallpaper for iTouch

I don't know about you but my ultimate comfort food would be chocolates. Hershey's Kisses to be exact.  :) They never fail to make me smile :)

..I was lucky enough to be reading Mommy Des' blog when she posted about Beauty Credit's store in Subic. Right in time too as we were just planning to go there the following week. Lo and behold, I found them (and the Korean store next to it that sells Lotte ice cream *divine*) 

Now the sweetest deal would be their 70% off on some products (toner, emulsion etc) , they also have 50% off on cosmetics (eyeshadows, lippies etc) and 20% on BB creams and haircare products. Sweet!! :)

..I painted my nails yellow before we left for Subic, only I wasn't really pleased with the result. Klik nail polish's consistency is too thin that even on 3rd layer, it didn't do a good job on coloring my nails. Good thing we stopped by my sister's place and she let me use her perfectly good Skin Food nail polish in glittery pink (i think it was meant to be used on feet. lol) I painted half of my nails with it and we laughed so hard when we saw the end-result :D

Simsimi nails :D :D :D

..for some reason, my little boy loves to bite me. Take note, only me. My chin is his favorite part of my face to  sink his teeth into. It used to hurt then when he was younger but not anymore since he doesn't bite too hard now. I think he's more conscious now not to hurt mommy too much :)

#holyweek!kisses! :)

Random Tuesday: Prescription Glasses, Cheesy Bacon, Naan, Kopiccino, Magnum and Double Chocolate Ice Blended!

Yesterday I went to the mall to buy a bottle of green nailpolish; I came back with a pair of prescription eyeglasses. lol :D What?!!! at 895Php, I think it's a deal! and I badly needed one too (I'm 200+ now -.-) It's multicoated, ideal for computer use. so we'll see .. eye checkup included at Ideal Vision :) 

I say cheese and bacon are a match made in heaven, don't you think? I'm happy KFC came up with something like this. Yey ^^

Cheesy Bacon Pasta at KFC

I just love Breadtalk's Cheesy Naan. Good thing too, they opened a branch at Solenad II so it's much closer to me now. Just pop them in the oven toaster then savor the awesome cheesy smell while reheating. Of course, it's "awesomer" to eat it while still warm. lol :D

I'm not really into cappuccino, I prefer mocha, but I got intrigued by Kopiccino from Kopiko that I had to try it! I bought ten sachets and I'm loving it!  lol :D It's foamy and comes with a pack of choco granules.. so divine! :)

Magnum has been making waves since the first time it landed on Philippine shores. I say their viral marketing worked as the first time I saw this on my Facebook newsfeed, I made the hubby run to the nearest 7-11 store to buy me one. It was 60Php at that time, it's now only 55Php but supermarkets are selling them for only 50Php. I personally like Almond. ^^

Speaking of coffee and chocolates, here below is my latest favorite from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, their Double Chocolate Ice Blended. really really craving for this right now -.-

#i'mcyclops-ladyversion.kisses! ^^