Backyard Kitchen and Brew in UP Town Center: My Review

I met with my former college classmates last week and had lunch at this much-talked about restaurant in UP Town Center - Backyard Kitchen and Brew. As we got in the restaurant, I noticed a cool vibe with lots of interesting stuff like bucket lamps, old car plates repurposed as lamp covers, etc. 

We started with the famous Salted Egg Chicken Skin Flatbread. The saltiness of the salted egg and chicken skin is tempered by the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. The ricotta cheese and mozzarella give it more character. I'm not fond of flatbreads, but I like this one; it has the right thickness, baked with the just the right crispness but you can still roll it like a pizza. 

We also had the Slow Roasted Pork Belly. It's an all-in-one meal of sliced beef belly, fried egg, mushroom gravy on top of herbed barley. The barley is supposed to be a rice substitute. I kinda liked the combination. I'm a true blue rice junkie - I eat rice thrice a day, but this time, I didn't miss eating rice with this dish. Really good! :)

For dessert, we had the Pizzookie. It's a giant chewy chocolate cookie with 2 scoops of Mantecado ice cream. The ice cream blended in perfectly with the cookie and seemed like for the 3 of us sharing the dessert, I felt like I needed to have more. LOL! 

Overall, this is a restaurant with good and affordable food. I will definitely come back to try the other items in their menu. :)

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza - A Review

I was craving for some Italian food last week when my friend mentioned about Gino's Brick Oven Pizza in Salcedo Village. We were in the vicinity after visiting our friend in Makati Medical Center, so we went there to binge on Italian food. And I was glad we did.

First we had the Burrata with House Salad. I love Burrata because it makes anything you have with it taste so much better. By the way, Burrata is mozzarella cheese filled with cream, which makes it taste buttery and rich. It becomes even more heavenly with a drizzle of spiced honey.

We then had the Lemon Mushroom Pasta. It is a cream-based fettuccine with mushroom served with a side of lemon. The lemon needs to be squeezed into the pasta to bring out the flavors of the dish. The mushroom makes the flavor quite earthy and the zing of the lemon makes the combination very interesting and addicting. 

For pizza, we had the famous Smegg. This pizza comprises of homemade sausage, mushroom, eggs, Gouda cheese and cream. The musty raw egg together with smoked mushrooms make the taste quite interesting and very different from the pizzas that we've had.

We also had the Queen Margherita pizza. This is my favorite since I love kesong puti and tomatoes. 

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza is now one of my favorite Italian restaurants. Now, I need to lose all the extra pounds that I gained with all food that I ate! LOL! 

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza

G/F Finman Center, 117 Tordesillas corner Bautista Sts., Salcedo Village, Makati City

Phone: (02) 7798192

Heliocare Purewhite Radiance capsules - A Review

I have a problem with sunblocks since I get rashes every time I use them, especially when I sweat. I also want to lighten my skin since I feel that the constant trip to my home province is now taking a toll on me. So I was so glad when my dermatologist told me that there is an oral sunblock which also lightens my skin - Heliocare Purewhite Radiance.

It is an oral supplement which has Fernblock, a natural plant extract that provides protection against harmful UV rays by decreasing pigmentary response. Therefore, it not only protects the skin from sun damage but also makes it fairer. It also has White Tech complex, consisting of pomegranate, vitamin C & B3 and cystine, which help fight free radical damage, slow the aging process and control pigmentation. So these capsules protect, lighten and rejuvenate the skin from the inside out.

I've been taking these pills twice a day for a month now and I notice that my skin is getting fairer. I also notice that even though I still go to my home province every weekend, I don't get dark anymore. My friends also notice that I'm not as dark as before anymore. Plus they say that I'm glowing. They even thought that I'm in love! LOL! I'm really glad that I found my miracle pill! No sunblock creams/lotions anymore that cause me rashes and my skin is now fairer with a healthy glow! It's a bit pricey but I'm willing to pay the price if I keep on getting the benefits that I'm having now. These capsules are totally worth it. :)

Jurassic World: A Review

I'm a big fan of Jurassic Park and I watched all the sequels of the original movie. So I didn't let Jurassic World pass without watching it. The movie centered on Claire, the operations manager of Jurassic World Park; her nephews who came over to spend time with her; and Owen, the velociraptor handler. The story revolved around the new hybrid dinosaur that Dr. Wu and his team of geneticists have created, the Indominus rex. In the middle of the story, the Indominus rex was able to escape his pen and wreck havoc in the park. It was a fun adventure, with good humor, scares, thrills, and more than its fair share of awe-inspiring dinosaurs. However, like the other sequels, it didn't recapture the magic of Steven Spielberg's original Jurassic Park.

Cetaphil™ Daylong Sunblock Spray SPF30: A Review

It's summer time again. And all of us at one time during this season will head to the beach. I went to Panglao Island with my family last month and it was really hot. Good thing that my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran, recommended the new Cetaphil™ Daylong Sunblock Spray SPF 30.

I'm not really fond of sunblocks since they make my skin very oily after I sweat, so as much as possible I stay away from them. But I know that the sun is very harsh especially during the summer and in the beach, so I had to ask my dermatologist what she can recommend for my very oily and sensitive skin. Cetaphil™ Daylong Sunblock Spray is very convenient as well since you just spray it on and spread it with your fingers and you're good to go. Plus, I didn't really find it too oily on my skin. And it's very water resistant so even if I sweated a lot in the beach, I was pretty confident that it wouldn't come off. I do recommend it for people with oily and sensitive skin and those who don't really like thick sunblocks that make their face quite whitish after they sweat. This is going to be my go-to sunblock on a constant basis. 

Niu by Vikings: A Review

I had the chance to try out the new Vikings buffet restaurant called Niu at the SM Aura Premier last weekend with my best friend. First impression was the place looks more luxurious than the original Vikings Buffet Restaurant in Seaside Blvd. near SM Mall of Asia.

And the elegant appearance of the place didn't disappoint. There were more food selections than in other Vikings Restaurant even that in SM Mall of Asia. The quality of the ingredients in the food is better than the usual buffet places in the metro, even better than most hotel buffet restaurants that I've gone to. Their sushi selections are top notch, particularly their Spider rolls. One thing to remember is to order the steak medium rare since I noticed that they tend to overcook them; we ordered ours medium well, but ended up having well done steaks. Other than that, overall rating of the restaurant is very good and will be coming back there for sure in the future.

Adultery by Paulo Coelho: A Review

I wanted to have a good read for the start of the year, and chanced upon "Adultery" by Paulo Coelho at National Bookstore. I've read some of his books and I liked them for the philosophical approach at life and I was looking forward to the same genre but this book is so much different.

A woman who has it all, a good husband, a great family, well-off lifestyle, having an affair with another man. Very common plot, but I was hoping for a different perspective, the Paulo Coelho that I've come to like. I found the main character, the "adulteress" very unlikable and hard to accept. The other characters left me pretty cold as well. I finished the book, hoping that the turn of events would improve and something profound would happen, but I was so disappointed. I found some of the interactions between the characters totally contrived and absurd. I found it hard to believe that it was Paulo Coelho who wrote this book. The result feels forced. I honestly think that reading this book is a waste of time.

Tim Ho Wan: A Review

I have been hearing about Tim Ho Wan and how long the line is in SM Megamall every time, and I just had to try it. I went there with my cousin and the rumors were right... It was indeed packed! We had to wait almost 1 hour to get seated, and it was just a few minutes before 11:00 AM!

We had Baked Bun with BBQ Pork as an appetizer. It was different from the other buns that I've tried. It was golden, slightly sweet and crunchy with a soft, braised pork in the middle. It was inexplicably delicious!

We also had Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp. The skin was perfect, soft and chewy with generous diced pork and shrimp filling. The sauce it just right, not too sweet.

The Spinach Dumplings is also different from the other dimsums that I've had. The wrapping is a little thicker with a chewy consistency.

The Lotus Leaf Wrapped Glutinous Rice was also very delicious. The gelatinous consistency of the rice went well with sweet sausage and chicken that were mixed inside.

Overall, I loved the food at Tim Ho Wan. For me, the long line was totally worth it! I will surely come back for more. :)

Inferno by Dan Brown: A Review

I have read all of the Robert Langdon series of Dan Brown. Just like the previous stories in this series, the entire book is about 24 hour long mystery/thriller. Robert Langdon wakes up at a hospital with no recollection of how he got there and as he starts to figure out what's going on, he starts getting deeper into a dangerous event that is about to take place. From the very first page, a chain of events starts to take place at a very fast pace.

I loved reading the book. At the start, I found it a little bit annoying when every single details of various Italian tourist spots were being described. Some of them were described at times which was like reading a brochure. The description of various historic places probably could've been shortened a little bit.

It’s a never-ending thriller. A lot of twists and turns as the story progresses which will make you keep turning the pages. It's a fast-paced story and the story telling style of Dan Brown is absolutely amazing. Overall, it’s a great novel.

Dessert du Jour's Queso de Bola Cheesecake: Absolute Cheesecake Heaven!

I'm definitely a dessert lover, but I can say that I'm a cheesecake connoisseur since I myself make them and have tried so many cheesecakes in so many places. That being said, I can say that the Queso de Bola Cheesecake of Dessert du Jour is one of the best cheesecakes that I've ever tasted.

What makes this cheesecake so special are the tiny bits of queso de bola mixed with the cream cheese. The texture and saltiness of the queso de bola mixed with the sweetness of the cake with the muscovado whipped cream on top, make the cake much more pleasing to the taste buds. I couldn't get enough of this cheesecake that my brother had to take the cake off my sight! LOL! ;)

They have other desserts available like the Salted Caramel and Chocolate Torte and Vanilla Crepe Cake which my friends also rave about. I will definitely try them next time. :)

If you would like to try their desserts, here are their contact details:

  Dessert du Jour by Mara dela Rama-Poblete

  Unit 51 Ecology Village, Dasmarinas Village Side, Gate 5, EDSA, Makati City

  Phone:  (02) 4052580, 0917-8116272, 0917-8036272

Spectra Soft Laser Peel - My Review

I've done a lot of skin treatments with my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran for quite a while now. My acne is now controlled and my deep scars have improved a lot. But I still have a lot of open pores. I did have a session of fractional CO2 laser before, but I haven't had time to undergo another session because I needed to go on leave after the procedure and I can't afford to do so. So my dermatologist suggested the newest treatment in her clinic - Spectra Soft Laser Peel. She said that it's a no downtime treatment for acne and acne-prone skin, oily skin, open pores and dark skin blemishes. She said that it can tighten my pores in around 5 treatments. I got really curious about it so I tried it.

Right after the laser treatment, I just had a little pinkish blush for around 2 hours and it faded out afterwards. There were no scabs, no ugly peeling off. But after 5 days, I noticed that my skin got brighter and softer. Plus after the 3rd session, I noticed significant tightening of my pores, especially around the nose area. The improvement was even way better after the 5th session.

This is a photo before Spectra soft laser peel:

And this is a photo a week after the 5th session:

I also noticed that the oiliness of my skin has decreased. My skin looks brighter as well. I get a lot of compliments on the great improvement of my skin. :)

The Amazing Spiderman 2: A Review

I watched "The Amazing Spiderman 2" with my bestfriend last week and after the movie, I thought I'd write a review on it. I was not really impressed with it. First off, it is supposed to be an action movie, but I felt that it lacked the action that I was expecting it to have. There we also so many cheesy scenes with Peter and Gwen, which I think weren't necessary in the movie. The plot was also very shallow. Case in point - there's a total blackout in the whole of New York City and the only person who knew how to reset the power grid was a newbie in Oscorp... Gwen! Will this happen in real life? Well, I guess this movie is based on a comic book character anyway and should not really be taken seriously...

There's news that the sequel is now in pre-production, but I'm not really so excited to see it. Maybe I will just watch it on DVD.

Dakasi Iced Tea - My Review

Last Sunday, my bestfriend and I went to Greenhills Shopping Center to buy some stuff and we got thirsty in the middle of our shopping frenzy. We saw that there was a Dakasi Tea place there so we tried their take on the famous pearl iced teas. My bestfriend ordered Golden Honey Grapefruit Tea with Pearls and I had Mint Iced Tea with Pearls.

I'm a mint addict, and the Mint Iced Tea with Pearls of Dakasi doesn't disappoint with regards to the minty taste. The pearls added to the character of the drink since they also absorbed the mint flavor so the aftertaste after chewing on them is quite satisfying. This is one of my favorites so far.

I tasted the Golden Honey Grapefruit Tea with Pearls and it's also a good one. It is tangy with a lemon and honey taste. The pearls gave it an interesting sweetness as well; very refreshing. I can order this tea next time for myself.

CorDerm Acne Defense Foam Wash - My Maintenance Anti-Acne Facial Wash

I had really bad acne problem before and I have an extreme fear of having the same kind of breakouts again. I don't really get pimples on a regular basis, so my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran recommended CorDerm Acne Defense Foam Wash, a facial wash that will decrease the oiliness of my skin and prevent pimples at the same time.

I like this facial wash because even though it controls my skin's oiliness, it does not make it feel so dry and tight. And it also kinda prevents blackheads and whiteheads; I noticed that I don't have to do monthly facials with my dermatologist anymore. So I'm saving money at the same time! I also noticed that since I've used this facial wash, I haven't had any pimples cropping up. It's a good acne prevention and oil control wash.

BarDolci Macarons - Love the Macarons!

I've heard about BarDolci's macarons from my cousins for the longest time and it was only last week that I was able to go there. Well, it's not really easy to go there, but since it's my day off from work and nothing to do, I braved the traffic and went there with my bestfriend, Pam. I got their box of 10 macarons.

I particularly liked the salted caramel, snickers and peanut butter. Their macarons are not too sweet. Plus it's crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Really yummy! The price is not cheap though; each macaron is PhP50. But I think it's worth it. :)

They also have gelato, though I didn't try them out. I will go back there sometime soon and give a review on their gelato. 

BarDolci's store contact details:

F133 Forbeswood Heights, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Phone: 8468245

My Hair Loss Treatment Experience

I heard of how traumatic hair loss is for people before, but I didn't even think that it would happen to me. After all, I had thick hair when I was a child and in my teens. But then stress from work due to my demanding supervisor took a toll on me and I had extreme hair loss. I noticed a bald patch and was so alarmed that I went to my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran. She looked at it and she said that it was 'Alopecia Areata.'

My dermatologist said that it is stress-induced and also can have genetic component. I asked my parents and my mom told me that after she got pregnant with my youngest sister, she had extreme hair loss also and had a bald patch like mine so I guess it's genetic and stress-induced for me. I had weekly steroid injections with my dermatologist and she gave me several medicines to take home - Kairfoll shampoo, Kairfoll serum and Hair Grower solution.

This is my bald patch after 1 month of treatment:

After 5 months, this is a photo of my scalp:

Thanks to my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran, for treating my 'Alopecia Areata.' Now I can have my hair down again and not be embarrassed about showing a bald patch when the wind blows it in the wrong direction. LOL! ;)

The Magic by Rhonda Byrne - An Insightful and Uplifting Book

I was at National Bookstore a month ago and saw this new book by Rhonda Byrne. I liked her previous book, "The Secret," so I was curious about this new one so I bought it. This book focuses on how gratitude can change our lives; that we will attract whatever we want when we practice thankfulness.

The book begins with a reminder of how we felt magic in our lives as kids; and as adults we can still feel the same magic that we have felt as when we were children. The Law of Attraction states, "like attracts like." In the same way, if we are grateful for what's in our lives, the law of attraction will attract more blessings in our lives. In the book, the author gave a day by day practice of gratefulness that we can apply in our lives.

"The Magic" is an uplifting and insightful book. It does take some discipline to do the 28-day course stated in the book, but it's well worth it.

The Aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda - Grief and Gratitude

My father's brothers and sisters in Tacloban, Leyte were some of the people affected by the typhoon Yolanda. We were all very distraught and worried for them but after 2 days of no news from them, we were relieved that they were all safe but needed food, clean water and shelter. So my father and my uncle went there to deliver some basic necessities that we have packed. It was very sad sight.

My father said that he was there for 3 days and no one in the community knew what to do. There was no person of authority to tell them where to go, to assure them of any help that would come to them. They were lost. It took 5 days for our relatives to have some kind of assistance from the government. But at least now, things are moving better. Majority of the relief workers came from Manila and the military of the Philippines and USA. My relatives are now safe here in Manila.

To those who extended their help and those still tirelessly helping, thank you very much! We will forever be grateful. Maraming Salamat po!

Etude House Silk Scarf Conditioner - A Review

I got a sample of the Etude House Silk Scarf Conditioner from my officemate the other day. The sachet itself was intriguing since it was so feminine and floral so I tried it yesterday.

My first impression was it's not as thick as the other conditioners that I've tried before. It has a light floral scent which I liked. It's easy to rinse off which I also liked since it's not too time-consuming in the morning when I shower. It made my hair easier to comb after shower. Overall, I liked it. I will go to the nearest Etude House store maybe this coming weekend. I hope it's not too expensive though.

My Leg Vein Treatment Experience

My leg veins have been bothering me lately so I had to ask my dermatologist if she can do something about it. She recommended that I undergo sclerotherapy. She explained that it's an injection of a medicine that will kill my visible leg veins and I got scared. But because lately I have had bad aching leg pains, I gathered up enough courage to have the treatment.

This is my right leg before sclerotherapy:

It was quite painful, it's like something hot and burning was injected inside my leg. Then there was bruising for a few weeks. Good thing my dermatologist gave me a lotion, Noveauvein lotion so my bruising went away faster than I expected. This is a photo of my right leg now:

Even though the treatment was quite painful, I think that I made the right choice. Thanks to the expert hands of my dermatologist, Dr. Margaret Corcoran. :)