Dessert at Ice Flower

The Interior of Ice Flower, SM North

The bare concrete look of the floor and walls contrasts sharply with the colorful tables and chairs. The area was big, that four children played hide-and-seek, provided they did not disturb the other customers. I think the mixed furniture style of the place projected an image of fun and playfulness. 

Supposed to be, a small glass-enclosed L-shaped section fronting the restaurant gave people a cool treat with a snow-making machine. Unfortunately, that day, it was not working. :-(

What We Ordered At Ice Flower

Below were the two flavors of Bingsoo the kids chose. Blueberry with cheese and choco Oreo something, with cheese too, since you can get additional cheese for an additional cost. I think. The cheese was delicious. It would not seem to go well with dessert, but it does! For cheese nonlovers though, like my son, it would be better if someone else consumed the cheese.

The ice was so soft that I think they were made from frozen creamy milk. There’s also extra milk that you can pour over the finely shaved milk ice. 

We had bowls of dairy overloaded dessert - milky ice, cheese and for the choco Oreo something, a scoop of ice cream. Definitely not for the lactose intolerant! 

Have you tried Bingsoo or Bingsu? Which one is the correct term? What do you think of it?

Ramen Craving Satisfied

It was a cool evening. Or maybe it was because I just showered. 

Even while I was at Ace Water Spa, ramen was on my mind. Or maybe even before we got to swimming class, I was already craving. I kind of felt like a pregnant woman. Glad my hubby went along with it. Teehee!

TORITON SHOYU (Soy Sauce Base) Php360

If I'm not mistaken, this was my order. The egg was deliciously cooked. The soup was not that tasty, though. It’s as if the meat was burnt because there was a hint of bitterness on it and bled into the soup.

TORITON TAN-TAN MEN (Spicy Ramen) Php380

This was my hubby's order. He likes spicy food, but he wasn't impressed with this. He sprinkled it with lots and lots of chili powder. 

The ordering style here is different than our frequently visited Ajisen. Upon entering, we needed to go to a counter to order and then pay right away, before we get to sit down. There is a chance we could be seated beside a stranger because there were no individual tables. The long table wraps around the sort of open kitchen. Everyone faces the same direction. The kitchen, where they prepare the food, also contains the people who serve. 

I had my ramen, though! Ramen craving satisfied. But, I don't think we'll go back to Ramen Shokudo.

Lunch at Sear via Booky

I have the Booky application on my phone for years and I haven't used it even once. Finally, I had an opportunity when we went out for lunch. Rix asked me what I wanted to eat. I jokingly said steak. I opened the Booky app and searched for Banawe area. An offer from Sear Steak Scullery popped up. 

Good thing I did not need to call for a reservation. I am one of the people who shy away from phone calls. Glad it can be done via text messaging. I was notified of a confirmation from Sear. The reservation was for 12 noon, but we were not kept waiting when we arrived early. Points for that!

It's located on the second floor of 238 Center, Banawe Corner Panalturan Street, Banawe, Quezon City. 

The theme of the restaurant is kind of Western. The staff were wearing cowboy and cowgirl outfits. See the horseshoes and saddle on the wall?

We ordered beef lasagna in white sauce, fish nuggets, and dry-aged ribeye. We actually ordered T-bone steaks, but the server came back and told us that there was no delivery yet.

The beef lasagna was creamy and cheesy. It was a different take without the tomato sauce. The ground beef was a little salty.

The fish nuggets were delicious. the outside was crunchy and inside, the fish inside was nicely flaking. It came with tartar sauce.

The photo below shows the dry-aged ribeye we had. It wasn't served on a sizzling plate, as I expected. It came with a bowl of mushroom soup for each of us, a bread basket with four pieces of bread and a small plate of flavored butter (pimiento, it seemed), a big serving of mashed potatoes, buttered French beans and corn, and two cups of sweet soft-serve ice cream. 

The mediumly done beef was soft and tasty, even without the A1 and Worcestershire sauces. There were bits of fat, but mostly not. 

When we were almost finished eating, I received a text message from Booky. I could get a free dessert when I answer the survey. I did. But, we didn't claim it anymore because we were full. We even took home some fish nuggets for the kids to try.

It was a unique experience. Booky allowed us to explore new places in the neighborhood that we haven't tried yet. We chose Sear because it was one of the two restaurants that offered Php300 off the bill, provided it reached a thousand.

Did you use Booky? How was your experience with it?

Is Micellar Water a must?

I first read about Micellar Water in a mommy blog. Since I have poor facial skin, it piqued my curiosity.

Therefore, when I bought gifts for my friend from Beauty MNL, I added a bottle of Micellar Water for me.

Now that I have one, I have no idea when to incorporate it into my skincare routine.

I searched online and this article from L'Oreal popped out.

5 Ways to Use Micellar Water as a Part of Your Skin Care Routine

I haven't done my face with full make-up yet, therefore, I used Micellar Water right after gym.

According to the article:

Cleanse skin after a workout.
Since micellar water requires no water to dampen the skin or rinse with, it makes it a great cleansing option to take with you when you are on-the-go or after a workout at the gym. It’s important to clean skin after a workout so that sweat on your skin won’t mix with oil and clog your pores.

The first time I used it at home, my face felt sticky. Maybe because it was humid. Or my skin wasn't accustomed to the product yet.

When I used it after my workout at the gym, with the aircon on, my face felt refreshed. The cotton ball I used had visible traces of dark-colored residue. My cheeks felt smooth.

I hope that skin on my face will improve with each use.

right after workout, right after applying micellar water

Neutrogena T/Gel To Combat Dandruff

I've had dandruff for the longest time. This topic might make you go "Ewww!" So, stop reading right now if it does. 

There were some brands of anti-dandruff shampoo that worked for me... For a while. Then, they seem to lose efficacy. Like Vaseline. 

I hoped it wouldn't be that way with this. I learned about Neutrogena T/Gel in S&R, when an employee there told me it's efficient. But, there was no stock at that time.

The, finally, I got ahold of a bottle one day.

It was written on the box that it "starts working after just one use". But, I haven't proven that because my scalp was still itchy. I wondered how long I must use it before it takes effect. 

The color of the shampoo is not attractive. It smells of medicine. I didn't expect my hair to be soft after using it. There was even a conditioner version of it.

After a month of using it every day, I still felt that I have dandruff. I switched back to a normal shampoo. I just use it whenever my scalp is itchy. I felt it was better that way. 

When it's finished, I don't think I will buy it again. I will be off to try another kind of anti-dandruff treatment shampoo care of the salon I frequent.

Dulcelin Gourmet's Frozen Mango Torte

We just came from breakfast at Poach. The mommies I was with suggested passing by Dulcelin, a residence-looking place where the order is placed with an assistant. Then, after payment, she will go in to retrieve it. I haven't tried their cakes yet, so I bought a Frozen Mango Torte, a specialty, they said. It was a cake for no occasion.

Behold! The box. A sturdy one to stand the freezer environment.

Whipped cream peaks!

The sweet whipped cream complemented the sour mangoes.

The torte was nutty and chewy.

As with frozen cakes, the challenge was cutting it right after taking it out of the freezer.

I deem it pricey at P750. What do you think?
​

Cym Marzan       about.me/ceemee

Breakfast at #CoffeeProject with Fellow Moms

The first time I went out with fellow K1 moms this school year, we trooped to the Coffee Project. It's a newly opened garden-inspired café in Quezon City.

We were greeted with flowers. 

You may wonder. "What does coffee have to do with flowers?" 

Well, I read that people use coffee grounds to fertilize their soil for plants and flowers.

We took the table right at the top of this staircase.

You would think that we have walked into a flower store when surveying this area.

We were there at past eight in the morning and we were almost the only ones around.

There were lots of knick-knacks on the nooks & crannies. I wondered whether the staff would be able to dust all of them.

The interestingly busy hallway/seating area going to the washroom. Too bad I didn't have enough time to pore through the decorated text and the words on the post-its. 

Each of us ordered the Continental Breakfast. We thought that this choice offers more value for money, although it's still pricey at Php250. It didn't even have coffee.

I was excited about the waffles, though. I love waffles! The syrup, jam and butter looked too little.

We were a bit disappointed with the service, considering there were not many customers. 

The coffee and water took a while to arrive. The server even asked us if we want the food and coffee to be served at the same time.

Therefore, I ordered a cup of Vietnamese Latte that came with a delicious cookie. The coffee was on the sweet side, yet, that's how I like mine.

I bought home a large cookie with sticky marshmallow and a (leaking) cookie cup + milk. It's my first time to try a cookie cup. Yum!

Does Coffee Project interest you?

Human Nature Acne Defense Solution Gel

The common misconception is that pimples break out during the awkward teenage stage. I am in my 30's and pimples still appear randomly. When that happens, it goes to show that my face is really oily or there's bacteria. It also gets annoying! It's painful and a woman in her midlife having zits is not a nice sight to behold.

I haven't yet found the perfect facial wash to prevent that. But, I did discover a product that makes zits more manageable.

The Human Nature Acne Defense is a wonder product that dries up acne breakouts in 3-5 days. I can feel my skin tightening and the pimples becoming smaller, then eventually drying up. I have to be religious in applying it, though, or else it will take longer than a week. The affected area tingles and then after a few hours, the pimple becomes smaller. Eventually, only a scab will be left. I suggest not removing this with your nail so that the skin will not scar. I made this mistake and I could still see a light and faded brown spot.

It's a solution gel that I dab (it should not be rubbed!) on my pimples after I clean my face. The product's consistency is viscous. It doesn't drip when applied on the face and yet it spreads easily on large areas. It comes in a 20g pump bottle which I find easy to use. I just have to figure out how to get the last drop when it's almost empty. The packaging is simple. There's cardboard with a round hole on the bottom and there's another on the top to hold the bottle in place to avoid it rolling around in the box since the size is perfect for traveling.

It smells like herbal medicine at first, but the scent is not overpowering. I don't notice it after a few seconds.

It is made with tea tree oil that has antibacterial properties. Human Nature is a brand that manufactures natural products that are free from harmful alcohol, SLS/SLES, synthetic fragrances, parabens, etc. 

The skin absorbs 60% of topical products, that's why I am relieved that this product is 100% natural. 

I would highly recommend you defend your face from pimples using Human Nature's Acne Defense. 

#Starbucks Spinach Lasagna

Of all the pasta and pizza choices in Sbarro, I find myself gravitating to its Spinach Lasagna. Maybe it's an attempt to eat healthy food while nomming on cheesy pasta!

That's why, I cannot help but order the Spinach Lasagna in Starbucks one morning. I paired it with Dark Mocha Frappuccino, a regular for me when there's no new flavor to try.

The lasagna was calling to me. But, I wish there were more gooey cheese and tomato sauce. I guess that's why it's a bit lacking in flavor. In Sbarro, extra meat sauce could be added for a few pesos. Maybe that option could be great. The way the pasta was cooked and the amount of spinach were good though.

Would I order it again? If a craving for pasta would hit me, why not?

Anniversary @ Midas

Aside from my birthday month, I also look forward to October. It is our anniversary month. I love that my hubby wanted to celebrate it with me. 2015 was our ninth year of marriage. It fell on a Thursday and we had dinner. I was excited to wear my new dress I bought from Zalora. Here's my OOTD taken by the hubby using his phone.

Dress: Zalora | Shoes: H2Ocean | Bag: MFTote201 by mymomfriday | Watch: FitBit

There was a discount coupon from Deal Grocer for Midas Cafe at Midas Hotel and Casino that I snapped up. It was located in Manila and that's where we went.

Having King Midas in mind, I expected the hotel to be gilded, shiny and shimmering. The lighted wall in the photo above seemed promising.

Well, it was different from what I was looking forward to. We were seated at an area with lots of green that I felt like I was in a forest. While the nature-lover in me was happy, I felt like the interior design was disconnected from the name Midas. At least for me!

While I was getting food in one section of the buffet, the wind from the A/C was so strong my skirt was blown upwards. Good thing I had shorts on! I felt like Marilyn Monroe! Haha! It was so weird!

We were not yet finished with the main course when a staff brought this out together with a greeting. We were not informed, but the gesture was appreciated.

The food was alright. I am not sure if we will return, though. There are a lot of hotel restaurants to try in the Metro. Anniversary is a great excuse to sample various food selections. :-)

Summer Sandals

In my part of the world, summer is almost done. The kids will start school next week. My heart will palpitate for no reason because I would suddenly worry that the little ones will lack something very important for school. You know, mama worries.

Well, I am glad that I got to experience Singapore again last April. Also, we went to Hotel Kimberly Tagaytay for a family summer getaway. In these two travels, I wore my lavender Spring Fling sandals. At first, the balls of my feet took a painful beating when breaking in these shoes. After that, this pair became my top choice when going out. Why is that?

• Because I have wide feet, I think the wide leather insoles are great. 
• The soles are non slip, in my opinion. 
• I like that this pair provides support since it's not super flat. 
• The heels are covered.

The brand claims that the straps are also made of genuine leather, the underside of which colored my tootsies in the beginning. Speaking of color, the light violet looks as if it was painted on.

Here's my OOTD:

@ Universal Studios Singapore | Hat: department store | Top: Mango | Pants: bespoke jeans | Bag: Longchamp | Scarf: gift from friend | Summer sandals: Spring Fling from Zalora

If you can't see it in my OOTD photo, here's what the design looks like, except for the color.

Next time, I wish to buy a waterproof one. Maybe jelly sandals, or Saltwater brand. What do you think?

What's the perfect summer sandals for you? Care to share a link?

Get your Cold Layers on this summer!

It IS still summer right? Just the other day, huge drops of rain fell from the clouds, and caused the heated pavement to sizzle, I'm sure. Even with the typhoon forecast, the sun unabashedly shone super bright, casting sharp shadows everywhere. We still have an excuse to indulge on cold and sweet food.

That's what I did one evening. I went to Cold Layers in Fisher Mall and paid 120Php for this summer treat.

It is a cup of Horlicks flavored ice ribbons. Horlicks sounded familiar, but I really cannot remember drinking that malted milk drink. Can you?

It's amazing how the flavored ice could be so light, so fluffy yet so creamy. The flavor wasn't that bold or strong, though.

It was a bit messy to eat as the ice separated easily, sending the Horlicks powder on top crumbling down.

I was glad it had chocolate syrup or else it would be too boring.

It made for a filling dessert!

There were other enticing flavors too. Plus, Cold Layers serves rice meals and pasta.

Would you give this a try? 

The Breakfast Club

I really could not be a food blogger. This experience was sooo last year!

Situated on a quiet road in Quezon City, The Breakfast Club provided a peaceful ambience for enjoying a delicious breakfast. The interior of the place was simple yet elegant.

That morning, I had blood work done and was on a fast. My tummy growled in anticipation of the food.

My hubby ordered this beef tapa which was quite sweet.

For our youngest child, this pair of pancakes. No, the coffee was mine, for props. They served her milk in the end. Hubby took a bite of the Hungarian sausage and I ate the rest. It's a bit pricey because of the sausage.

I loved this very cheesy omelette!

I also like that they serve lemon water, and that the staff were friendly.

Keimav Bag Organizer from Lazada

I have been wanting to purchase a bag organizer for a while now and I was not sure what to get. When I saw this on Lazada, I decided to place my order. Although it is not a bag on its own like what I have seen on another site, it's fine since this one has more pockets. 

These are what I like about this bag organizer:

• Like I mentioned, it has more pockets for the little items that I had to turn my bag over just to find. I can see the said items because of the mesh material.
• The material is lightweight and looks easy to clean.
• There are zippered compartments to store cluttered papers like prescription, vouchers and receipts. I just need to remember that I placed them inside, hehe!

I know it doesn't match my red orange bag!

There are handles to easily pull it out of the bag.

There's an option to expand, if needed. Well, I needed to!

Before...

How the items are organized before placing them inside my bag. I have a pouch for my kikay kit and a need these days: a reusable bag!

If you want to get more details about this bag organizer and perhaps order one, here's the link to its Lazada product page: Keimav bag organizer

What do you think? Would you have bought this bag organizer?

Lotte Xylitol dental health gum

I attended the Lotte Xylitol mommy bloggers meet-up one afternoon. Read about it here. These are the samples that I got from the event and I'm going to review them here.

The first flavor I tried was the blueberry mint. It's very good. My eldest tried it and because of that, she can tolerate mint now and uses our minty toothpaste. It's my favorite flavor because the sweetness is just right. Also, I like purple. :-)

Speaking of sweetness, the sample I got included their new strawberry mint flavor. Yes, it was a tad too sweet, especially at first, because most of the flavor was in the coating. But, I like the color, because I secretly like pink. ;-) Oops! It's not so secret anymore!

The third one I tried was the lime mint flavor. It's delicious at first, and then the taste became medicine-like. But that quickly faded away. 

The blue has a nice baby blue color! It's very, very minty!

I don't usually chew gums, but knowing the benefits of Lotte Xylitol dental health gum encourage me to have a bottle at hand, especially when we go out.

Lysol Antibacterial Hand Soap In Pink

I have been using Lysol air freshener and surface cleaner for quite sometime now. Just a little of the products goes a long way, therefore, points for cost efficiency.

My Mommyology had a Lysol giveaway and I won a paper bag containing its products. I am now using the Lysol antibacterial skincare hand soap in the bathroom.

It is packaged in a 225 ml bottle with an attractive, feminine design. It smells of flowers. I think the floral scent is a tad strong, though. The liquid is quite thick, so, a drop of the hand soap is already sudsy. I usually use half a pump. There are also other scents that I would like to try.

I like that it doesn't make the hands dry no matter how often I wash my hands. This encourages hand washing as it's an effective way to prevent spread of germs.

Have you tried this brand of liquid hand soap? What did you think?

Human Nature Overnight Elixir

Lines, fine lines are what I notice on my forehead and on the skin beside my eyes when I look in the mirror. That is why I have decided that I needed to use some sort of beauty product to better my facial skin because age is catching up on me. 

The reviews of Human Nature's Overnight Elixir seem very promising so I quickly added one to my online shopping cart. I wanted to make sure I got the free pouch offering. :-)

The packaging was simple yet elegant. Its glass bottle and its dropper were unique. I loved the smell. The elixir wasn't too oily for my already greasy T-zone. The effect on me wasn't as instantaneous as reviewed by other users on the website. It took about a week before I noticed my face felt smooth and my confidence boosted. I still got a few pimples during the period I was using this product, less than five. Towards the last drop, though, my skin was going back to its rough texture. Also, I wished the Human Nature Overnight Elixir came in a bigger bottle, teehee!

How about you? Have you tried this? If yes, how do you find the product?

Learning At Lynda

What is your learning style?

If you are visual or auditory learners, you would definitely benefit from watching videos about topics you are interested in. I was given a chance to try lynda.com for a few days as a perk from Klout and I found it very helpful. I watched videos about using the Illustrator and about an author making children's books. There are also videos about enhancing one's self to be a better person or be better at work. I like that I had the option to save the transcript of the videos so I could go over them again and take notes. I perused the app on my iPhone so I could watch videos wherever I am and especially when I was breastfeeding my little one. I like the idea of learning on-the-go.

There are over 2,000 courses that could cater to your learning needs so you could achieve your dreams. To get access to all courses, membership fees start at $25 per month. If you need to learn about, say, Photography, lynda.com has that topic, and with access to other courses, the price is affordable if you also want to learn about post-processing using Photoshop. At the end of the course, you will be given a certificate, too.


I believe that we always have room for improvement, and that is through learning constantly.

Go to lynda.com now and give it a try!