Hot Star Large Chicken: Yes, It's Large!

Last week’s work week left me heartbroken. Thanks to our very own MRT who caused me so much stress. It’s indeed true as I’ve said on my Facebook status that riding it during rush hours can really test your character.  Well, modesty aside, I think I passed…… I passed that I almost failed (and cried). :P

I commend my fellow commuters who managed to endure the shoving and pushing just to fit in the jampacked train coaches. 

Anyhoo, after almost two hours of brisk walking, riding the train, and riding a jeep; I safely arrived at Blue Bay in Pasay (our favorite dating place hehe).   I was profusely sweating, my legs are aching, I have a huge shoulder bag and laptop bag with me, and my hunger is haunting me.  My husband was waiting for me and immediately we searched for a place to eat.  I wanted that moment to find a spot wherein I can forget my “repeating MRT stress syndrome”. 

My Bag of Beans Experience (and some Tagaytay moment sidenotes)

My husband and I spent one of our vacant Saturdays at Tagaytay.  We went there not to stroll along and enjoy the scenery (though we wanted to do that on the side), but to catch up with our backlogs.  We have to update our photography folio and upload our latest works, then sort out and do some editing and album layouting.  The past months for us were a little bit hectic and crazy, so we grabbed this chance to catch up.

My Look--Sumkinda Ngiwi Look. LOL!  Primer:  Body Shop Matte It Primer, Foundation:  Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow, Brows:  Cover Girl Brown Liner/Snoe What's Up Brow Corrector, Mascara:  Maybelline Magnum Volum Express Waterproof Mascara, Lips:  Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick - Bellissima

We went to Starbucks, hoping that we can work in a cozy environment.  But the long queue of customers, boisterous laughter from a big group seated on a nearby table, and the warm air from the coffee shop’s aircon unit (or maybe it’s really hot that time), failed us to do so.  But nevertheless, we still proceeded to work.  Tagaytay during weekends most likely mean that we have to endure long traffic jam, and it is unlikely that we can find a quiet spot to work because people are all over the place.  Looks like the cool weather that we are looking for does not want to hang out with us.  Oh well.

Karen’s Journey to 140: The Beauty of Juicing

Way before juicing became a trend in the world of health, fitness and dieting, my family is already doing this, but mainly on fruits.  My husband have heard of Detoxify Bar and wanted to try it so badly that we ended up arguing—and trying it.

Detoxify Bar in Eastwood, Quezon City

You see, Php 1,350 for a day’s consumption of five bottles and two teabags is too pricey for me.  I won’t elaborate on how Zham ended up after consuming all of these, but one thing is what I wanted to tell you—we have to make our own!

Zham became a few pounds lighter and he said he really felt good.  So I was really curious, I wanted to try it out as well but I’m not that willing to shell out a fortune to try ready made juices like the one from Detoxify Bar.  So I suggested that we should buy a juicer and make our own fruit and vegan juice.

Project Pie: Another Reason to Love Pizza

My husband and I became curious as we passed by Project Pie along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.  Its few parking slots in front were all occupied by cars and people seem to be having fun inside.  Since the pizza place was jam packed, we decided that we’ll go there some other time.

And that time came.  But at a different branch—in Bluebay Walk, EDSA Macapagal, Pasay City.  We grabbed the chance to spend our time there because we saw some vacant tables.  A friendly staff (whom I forgot the name), handed us a flyer so that we’ll get to know more about Project Pie.  

Dear Tita Paring, Thank You For The Suman :)

Image taken from http://www.ensogo.com.ph/manila/tita-paring-suman-08022012.html

Lunch on a Sunday is a perfect time for food tripping for a church goer like me, especially if you attend church in Greenhills Shopping Center.  After our morning service in Jesus Is Lord Music Museum (our exact church location), there are too many restaurants to choose from for us to spend lunch, so much choices that sometimes it takes us long to choose where to eat.  Be it at V-Mall, Promenade, or G Strip, you’ll never ran out of options.

I usually spend lunchtime with different people (friendly much?).  Sometimes, I’m with my family, my in laws, my church friends, or just with my husband. 

I’ll Eat Cupcakes Forever if They're From Psalm 16:8 :)

I’m not exaggerating.

I arrived at the office earlier than anyone else, as usual.  For someone like me who’s going to Ortigas everyday from Bacoor, Cavite; you have to wake up earlier to arrive at work on time.  In my case, I’m much earlier than my required time in.  Anyway, I don’t want to tell you about my usual morning routine.

I saw a dainty looking box at my table.  Christmas is over, but I still have a little surprise waiting for me.  Actually, the rest of my team mates have theirs on their tables as well.  I checked it out.  It came from a fellow worker.  I opened it and saw this:

Mongolian for a Night: A Taste of Mongolian Rice Bowls Eat all You Can

It was a Friday.  After A hard day's work, my husband, in-laws, and I decided to look for something to eat at SM Mall of Asia.  We're tired of fast foods, and at the same time we don't want to splurge on expensive buffet restaurants.  I remembered last Christmas, I went to Mongolian Rice Bowls (I'll call this MRB) with my church friends, so I suggested to them this place to spend our dinner.

Mongolian Rice Bowls offers a wide selection of dishes to choose from.  Aside from this, they also have an eat all you can Mongolian buffet for as low as Php 380 for dinner and Php 280 for lunch.  You could choose from rice or noodles as your base and mix it off with your favorite toppings and sauces.

Jamba Juice Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits: My New Dinner Habit

I love Jamba Juice for the following reasons:  First, because of the store’s warm and cozy ambiance; second, its staff’s cheerful attitude towards its customers; and third, because I am truly sold out to its Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits (I’ll call this FYPs).

As far as I can remember, a couple of times I visited Jamba to have a serving of its famous fruit juices and smoothies.  But the rest of my visits—because of the FYPs.  I am a sucker for granolas and bananas, two of FYP’s main ingredients.  All throughout, I always buy the Berry Topper parfait, but just recently I had the chance to taste the other two flavors. 

Jamba Juice Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits come in three flavors—Berry Topper, Mango Peach Topper, and Chunky Strawberry Topper, sells at Php 150 each serving.  This is what I think on each flavor:

A “Very Fine” Dining Experience at Florabel

I kept on mistyping Florabel to “Florable”.

Add caption

It was a rainy night after work. Last Thursday was the last day of the working week, and the traffic jam along Ortigas was undeniably heavy. Chronic I must say.  I thought of asking my older sister Karis and her husband out for dinner while waiting for the heavy traffic to “subside”.  We wanted to spend dinner somewhere that we haven’t dined at yet.  We went to The Podium in ADB Avenue and saw a cozy place---it’s Florabel. 

One of the hardest part on going to restaurants for the first time (and you just heard about it also for the first time), is that you really don’t know what to expect.  So I looked on their menu list, and saw some interesting and seemingly great dishes.

I usually base my orders on the food presentation.  If it looks like it’s delicious, I’ll take it as my order.  I got for myself a serving of Vegetable Barley soup and my favourite Apple Juice. 

Aside from what I had, we really don’t know what to order.  We were thinking to have a combo platter meal, and it was good because Florabel has one—the Inihaw Platter, with a serving of Pork Barbeque, Liempo, Chicken, Pusit, Bangus, Oyster, Eggplant and Atchara, with two special sauces.  Ate and Kuya Romel ordered a cup of rice, each for the two of them.  I had dinner rolls.  What made me happy on this restaurant is the excellent service of the crew.  I just sipped a portion of the water served and they’ll fill my glass up again.  And they also give you another serving of dinner rolls if they saw that you ate yours up.  I just don’t know if they give an unlimited serving of that.  Their furniture and centrepieces are also elegant.

The Inihaw Platter

Their centerpiece

The vegetable barley soup is a good kind for those who are watching closely on their weight, or currently diet-ing.  It tastes good, I mean good enough for a vegetable soup.  The inihaw platter is also a great choice.  I guess it is too much for three persons, even for “big ones” like us. I loved their barbeque sauce (I just don’t know if it is a special soy sauce but I super liked it).  Kuya ordered a cup of coffee and ate for a serving of their desserts. I’ve had enough and more than satisfied with the food.

The place is cozy and quiet, the part which I liked most.  The staff were also warm and accommodating on our requests.  That night, I was happy because I was able to talk and chat with Ate and Kuya, one thing I missed the most.  If I were to ask I wanted to spend more time that night with them, but given our busy schedule on the days ahead, we have to go home.

Ate and I

Kuya Romel, Ate Karis and me

I recommend Florabel for those who want to spend their fine dining and chill out family nights together.  It is a great place for warm moments with your families, friends and loved ones.  Their selections are quite pricey, but it’s all worth it.

Here’s their page and their details: Florabel Facebook Page

Just Tried the General Motors Diet!

Hello! I just want to share my GM Diet experience. As a background, this diet program has rumoredly designed for the employees of General Motors and their families on the 1980s, but I was able to read that it is just a hoax. But I tried it anyway. I need to see myself again in my clothes na di ko na masuot kasi i really gained weight.


I weigh 110 lbs way back college. I eat much especially rice. I can consume 3 cups of it in one meal. But I don't watch out on my weight because I dance and do basketball.

When I was operated due to appendicitis, I have to slow down on my physical activities, but my eating habit did not change. I was reviewing for my board exam then, so drained brain means more food to eat. It came to a point when I ate 4 cups of rice, even with a little serving of ulam, to satisfy my hunger. That's when I started to gain weight. It became worse when I went to work, where eating much is "a must". Now, before I tried the diet, I weigh 165 lbs. I became too big for my current clothes and I am getting bigger than Zham (my soon to be husband). So that's a wake up alarm for me to start losing weight.

My church friend referred this program to me, so I gave this a shot. Let's see how was it:

Day 1. All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.

- I ate rambutan, lanzones, two servings of Dole sliced apples, and a serving of Dole mixed fruits. I drank 12 glasses of water.

Day 2. All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.

- I consumed four servings of KFC Asian garden salad and two large KFC mashed potato without gravy. I was not able to prepare my own baked potato that's why. I drank 14 glasses of water.

* I lost two lbs after this day.

Day 3. A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.

- I bought two packs of Dole sliced apples, a cup of Dole mixed fruits, one small pack of del Monte pineapple tidbits (I set aside the syrup and ate only the fruits), one serving of chopsuey, and two servings of KFC asian garden salad. I drank 13 glasses of water.

* I lost another three lbs after this day.

Day 4. Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

- Medyo sumablay ako dito. I was only able to eat six bananas. I drank two glasses of milk and a bottle of soy milk. This is my least favorite day. Nag LBM ako and had stomach cramps. I also ate a portion of HongKong noodle soup. Sablay talaga. I drank 12 glasses of water.

Day 5. Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

- Mas lalong sablay day. I was not able to eat even one piece of tomato. I ate a portion of beef oriental with mushrooms and roast beef. But I ate a bite of barbeque, a bit of sapin sapin, and a small chicken piece. I was realllllyyyyy guilty. I drank 11 glasses of water and a large Serenites green apple tea without sinkers in 25% sugar.

* But I lost a pound.

Day 6. Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

- I ate a serving of beef steak and chopsuey. But..... also a stick of crab egg and squid balls. Sablay again. But I drank 14 glasses of water.

Day 7. Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

- Parang walang nasunod. Hehe. I ate a serving of pepper and tofu, Fish fillet, steamed veggies and mashed potato. I drank Serenitea Hokkaido drink without sinkers in 25% sugar.

- May GM wonder soup na supplement ang diet na ito, but I did not follow it, because I have no time to prepare for it. I might try this the next time I do this diet again.

Conclusion: I lost six pounds in total on this program despite several cheats haaaayyyy... Ang catch dito is you have to drink lots of water which is not my thing before. This is important kahit pabalik balik ka sa CR to pee. I was thinking if I followed this strictly I should've lost more. Take note that you can repeat the program if you wish, pero mas ok if you'll repeat two weeks or a month after. This is really a low calorie/energy diet so better if you will ask your doctor first before ding this program. Since I found this effective for me, I might do this again, but probably next year, before my wedding. :)

If you were able to try this before, you may want to share your experience by commenting on this post. :)