This was saved in my drafts since forever. Finally, I was able to remember to finish this blog about our last year's road trip to Bagiuo!

It was like four years ago since the last time I went to this place for the Panagbenga/ Flower festival with my friends. I remember we took a ride from Cubao and endured six long hours of travel time inside the super cold bus! 

Last year was an adventure. Since my friend got her new baby Mitsubishi Mirage named Frankie (aka Frank Underwood), we decided to bring him for a road test to Baguio. It's just an overnight weekend trip so the itinerary I made was really jam packed. We first met up in Ayala Techno hub (Commonwealth Avenue) around 12:30 AM. Chantal and Alvin (the bf) would switch steering wheels every now and then so driving would not be that of a hassle. Surprisingly, it only took us 4.5 hours to reach Baguio all thanks to the new road, TPlex.

FIRST DAY: Arrival in the City of Pines

We arrived safely around 5:30 AM at Azalea Residences  (our hotel choice). Unfortunately, there's no available room yet since check-in time is supposed to be 2 PM. We slept in the car first for an hour until we decided to eat breakfast at the famous Cafe by the Ruins.

Here's what I ordered: Toasted Bacon & Egg (served w/ sliced fruits) and Rizal's Tsokolate-e 

Bf's order: Footlong Longanisa 

Couple's bagong gising look ❤

Aside from being pricey (we spent about Php 350 each), there's nothing special about their food except maybe this cafe has this very cozy ambiance that makes me want to go back every time I'm in the City of Pines. 

Around 10 AM, we already finished breakfast so we went back to the hotel to see if we can already check-in. Lucky us the hotel staff was able to get us our much awaited rooms. 

I was not able to take a picture of the whole unit but it's quite big and spacious considering we only pay for like Php 3500 per night. It's complete with kitchen & dining area, sofa, flatscreen and my favorite part, the balcony. Not bad really!

Here's our matchy matchy skull sweater we got from Zalora! :)

We agreed to take a nap and meet up by 2 PM for lunch. Unfortunately, we all failed to wake up on time lol! Guess we're all so tired and the cold weather in Baguio makes the bed even more inviting. 

Around 5 PM, we ate at this small but popular burger restaurant called 50's Diner. It's located in the corner of the rotonda if I'm not mistaken. 

Look at these cute interiors. ♥

I ordered the normal cheeseburger and strawberry milk shake. It wasn't that  fantastic but it's a pretty good deal considering the price.

#myfavoritecoupleshot ❤❤❤❤ 

After merienda/ pre-dinner, we wanted to buy our "pasalubongs" from Good Shepherd, the most popular place to buy the famous ube jam. It was already dark during that time hence the scary uphill ride. Lucky as ever, the store was already closed so we decided to just go back to the hotel first and rest before we proceed with our other activities.

Nice outfit you have there Coco love! ツ

About 9 PM, we headed out to Burnham park to hunt for "ukay finds" and eat some popular Filipino street food. This has got to be my most favorite part of our trip. Everything was so cheap and delicious!

Here's me and Chantal enjoying some hot noodle soup (known as mami in the Philippines) perfect for the cold weather.

Need I say more? "Kwek-kwek", squid balls, fish balls, kikiam, buttered corn and a whole lot of yummy food!! Now I'm hungry! >.<

The night was still young and we felt so bloated so we wanted to get a few drinks to get even more bloated lol. The only place I knew was this Nevada Square so we went to one of the bars there and ordered a bucket of beer and some "pulutan". Karaoke was free and we're the only customers during that time so you already know what happened next...a major CONCERT! =))

SECOND DAY: More activities before going back to Manila

We all had a good night rest  so I'm so perky when I woke up. Not to mention admiring the cold and sunny weather with your partner made the morning more special. ♥♥♥

View from our hotel balcony...

9 AM is brekky time so we headed down to fill in our hungry stomachs! The hotel's buffet was okay for me. Well, as long as they serve bacon and eggs, the panda will already be happy and satisfied.

After energizing our tummies for another long day, we went back to our rooms to prepare for an early check out. We still have a lot of activities in stored  so we need to move as fast as we could.  

Here are some that we accomplished from our jam packed itinerary list.

***Dropped by this famous white haunted house along the road. Just look at those eerie windows! ***

***Took photos with the Igorots outside Botanical garden.*** 

***Wright Park*** 

***The Mansion***

***Bought some pasalubongs from the local market. Ube jam & choco flakes are my all time favorites!***

***Went straight to Baguio's famous strawberry farm and enjoyed some strawberry taho & ice cream!***

***Look at that fog!!!***

After squeezing in all those activities, our tummies are sure as heck hungry 'coz not only we are tired but it's almost 3 PM when we finished. We decided to try this place called Hill Station. The food was a bit on the pricey side but the taste was quite on the average. The thing I love most was the ambiance hence I think this place is recommended for those couples who want to have a romantic meal or so. 

***Beef Salpicao***

***Duck Flakes***

***Moroccan Spiced Baby Back Ribs- this has got to be our favorite!***

***BURP!!!***

And that finally ends our overnight stay in Baguio! As usual, it was an awesome experience and I would never get tired of coming back to this lovely place. ❤❤❤

HIPPY in ORANGE! (by Ainah Teodosio)

I finally got an excuse to wear this hippy look when we went to Cambodia last month. This is the perfect survival outfit especially if you're walking for almost 8 hrs under the solid heat of the sun.

WHAT I WORE? 

Since my memory is as bad as a granny, I'll put all the recipes in this blog for future reference and for those people who are also interested. Most of the food I prepare can be cooked in less than 15 minutes. I just can't take the heat in the kitchen so I want to finish everything as fast as I can.

(1) GRILLED CHICKEN W/ TOMATO & CORN ENSALADA 

Ingredients: 

(1/4) Chicken Fillet

Salt & Pepper 

Tomato

Corn

Olive Oil

Butter

How to: 1) Season your chicken fillet with salt & pepper and leave it for an hour. 2) Drizzle some olive oil in your pan & start to grill the chicken. It will take 3-5 minutes on each side. 3) While grilling, take another small pan and put on your butter. Saute your corn and add salt & pepper. 4) Prepare your tomatoes into small slices. 5) After your chicken is cooked & tender, cut it into long strips. Put on your tomato and corn ensalada and you're DONE!

(2) BURGER STEAK W/ MUSHROOM SAUCE

    Ingredients: 

(1/4) Ground Pork/ Giniling

onion

garlic

Salt & Pepper 

Chili Powder (optional)

Olive Oil

Mushroom Sauce (Powder)

How to: 1)  Mix your ground pork with salt & pepper, onions (chopped into small pieces), garlic and chili powder. I added this extra ingredient just to put a little bit of kick & spice to the flavor. Leave it for about 30 minutes just to let the pork absorb all the ingredients. 2) Shape the ground pork into round patties and start to grill it in a pan with hot cooking oil. 3) While cooking the burger patties, prepare your mushroom sauce by putting a little amount of water in the saucer. Heat it up and start to pour the sauce's powder. Slowly dissolve it and gradually add on some water until it's thick. 4) After your burgers are cooked, pour on the mushroom sauce and you're DONE!

(3) PORK CHOPS W/ BUTTERED TALONG

  Ingredients: 

(1/4) Pork chops

soysauce

Salt & Pepper 

Magic Sarap (optional)

Butter

Talong/ Eggplant

Olive Oil

How to: 1) Marinade your pork chops with soysauce and salt & pepper. It's better if you will do this overnight so it will be more flavorful. But if you're as lazy as me, just leave it for about 1-2 hours. 2) Start to grill your pork chops on a hot pan with olive oil. 3) While cooking, prepare your talong buy slicing it into small rectangular pieces. Put your butter on a hot pan and start to cook it side by side. 4) After your meat is juicy & tender, serve it along with your buttered talong and you're DONE!

(4) BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN W/ MASHED POTATO

  Ingredients: 

Chicken Wings

Salt & Pepper 

Potatoes

Asparagus

Butter 

Olive Oil

Last weekend, we celebrated our 41 months of being together so we went out on our usual munchary date. Since we're already in Somerset area, why not  dine at Charlie Brown cafe? I've been eager to try out their food because their restaurant looks really cute with the Snoopy & Charlie brown designs all over the place.

This fellow here will greet you at the entrance. ツ

Cute ceiling with all the characters! 

Jay ordered grilled chicken because he wants to eat rice and this was the only delightful option he can choose. What can I say? It's the most tasteless dish ever! =))

On the other hand, I ordered my usual lasagna and mocha frappe. The drink was all right but the pasta dish was so dry. Grrr!

Jay's kiwi strawberry smoothie is a thumbs up for me!

Our usual couple shot. I need to document everything for future reference loL! ♥

Since I didn't enjoy the food, I must at least have a photo taken with Charlie Brown. We or more like Jay ('coz he treated me) wasted SGD 50+ for the not so good dining experience. Oh well! シ

Last June, we went to KL to support our partners for the Standard Chartered Marathon. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled due to the wicked haze from Indonesia. But since we already booked the flight and arranged our hotel, we just gave it a go.

 It's actually my second time to travel in this place. The first time I went with my partner and his cousins it's just a one day trip. Anyway, we booked via Air Asia direct to KL. Upon arrival, we hired a cab and paid RM 100 to send us to Prescott Hotel where we booked for an overnight stay. It's a decent hotel with a spacious room for the four of us. However, I don't find the employees friendly and accommodating. Their WIFI also sucks!

DAY 1: PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS

The weather was too hot during that day so it was very exhausting and we're sweating like crazy. Our hungry stomachs are already rumbling as well since we only had a light breakfast at the airport. We decided to eat our lunch on this nearby Malay resto so we can try their famous Ayam Bakar which is like a grilled chicken on layman's term. I'll give it 3 stars since I liked how the dish tasted like Aristocrat, one of my favorite restos in the Philippines! =)

After lunch, we slept in our hotel (just like a pig) for a few hours and woke up by 4 PM so we can carry on with our itinerary. 

If you're going to Kuala Lumpur, one place you shouldn't miss to see is the  Petronas Twin Towers (KLCC). I'm pretty sure everyone already knows how famous this building is. 

Me and my friends playing with the water fountain!

Group picture!

This is how Petronas looks like at night. Isn't it beautiful? :)

   Of course there should always be a couple shot! ❤  (grainy photo taken from my iPhone)

One of the beautiful ceilings inside the building.

After taking as much photos as we can, we went straight to Petaling Street or their so called "China Town" to eat our dinner. It was very crowded with all those kiosks selling fake branded items like Prada, Chanel, Rolex, etc..! 

Finally, dinner time! This is one of the best sweet & sour pork I ever tasted! Thumbs up!

Chicken with cashew nuts! 

Garlic Prawn

From Petaling Street, we took a cab and paid RM 40 to go to Bukit Bintang to look for a cheap massage. It was a busy place with all the lights and sexy women offering spa & + + services (if you know what I mean). 

Random guitar player.

After almost an hour of strolling around, we finally came across this Spa called Liang Xin. We paid RM 55 if I'm not mistaken for a 45 minutes full body massage. It was a nice place considering it was more economical compared to other cheap looking spas around the area. They served us free fruits and ice cream as well! Anything free is a super thumbs up for me! ツ

Here's my bf enjoying his fruit juice after his relaxing massage. What a face!

Like a boss! I want to have this kind of couch in our future house!

DAY 2: BATU CAVES 

From our hotel, we rode the MRT going to the Batu Caves. The station looked old so I thought that the train itself would be the same. But far from what I expected, it was the complete opposite. The transit train has very nice and modern interiors. I was too judgemental loL!

This big human monkey statue over here will welcome you in the entrance. 

It was too hot again during that day so I have to buy some refreshments! I'm a Coconut Girl! =)

If you're afraid of monkeys, then don't go here. These bratty creatures are everywhere!

If you're unfamiliar, Batu Caves is a holy shrine dedicated for Lord Murugan of the Hindus.

You need to climb up this stairs in order to enter the caves. I don't know where we got our energy during that hot sunny day but yeah we managed to reach the top.

Here's how the cave looks like inside. 

We actually spent more time climbing up than staying inside to explore the caves. It was too exhausting so we just went down to take some more pictures.

Out of all the photos I took, this one has got to be my favorite. It's a black & white shot of pigeons hanging out at the top of the roof.

Look how big there central train station is!

Here's another random photo that I took with all the cool wall arts!

By this time, we're already hungry as hell so we went to a mall near Cyberjaya to have our late lunch and came across Mr. Teppanyaki.

 I ate chicken teriyaki which is my usual order of Japanese food! Delicioso! ☺

Our last stop is Cyberjaya mall where we usually have our coffee and Krispy Kreme. This had already became a tradition! ツ

My First COACH! ツ (by Ainah Teodosio) After several months of window shopping online, I finally purchased my first ever COACH bag! Teehee! This model is called Legacy Leather Duffle in color Cognac. There's a lot of colors that Coach offers but this one really caught my eye. It's very classy and versatile that it can match any clothes I wear. This bag is also spacious and it also has a lot of small compartments inside. 

Four months had already passed since my last summer getaway! I don't know whether I'm just too pre-occupied or too excited to share my Palawan experience hence it took me so long to blog about it loL! 

Anyway, my friends booked earlier via PAL so I think we got a pretty cheap flight (can't remember ^^). Thanks to our travel agent HADEFE TRAVEL & TOURS, we didn't have to worry much about our itinerary 'coz they already arranged everything for us. The package costs Php 4200 per pax which already includes airport pick up and land travel to El Nido. However, this excludes the Underground River tour in Puerto Princesa so the first timers added another Php 1200. Here's our 4D3N itinerary package in case you're interested. 

We arrived at Puerto Princesa airport around 9 AM. Our tour guide said that the land travel to El Nido will be long and tiring and sure it is it took us six exhausting hours before we arrived at our destination.

But who cares about long travel if you're with a group of loud and happy friends plus the fact that you'll arrive seeing this kind of magnificent view.

DAY 1 - CHECK IN

Here's what Hadefe cottage looks like. Scary thing about this place is the location is near the cemetary loL! We're running our asses off everytime we pass by those holy graves haha! But it was really fun especially at night! Talk about perfect adventure?! Anyway, we occupied two rooms for the ten of us. It's so simple yet very comfortable. One room has air conditioner, electric fan, two beds and one toilet. Just make sure to charge your phone 'coz there will be NO ELECTRICITY from 6 AM- 2 PM! 

Another group shot! 

And since we're so hungry, we didn't have enough energy to walk farther. We passed through this nearby resto called Lonesome Carabao Lounge. Sure it is, this place is as boring as it's name.

Quesadillas & mango shake for my hungry tummy! Keri na rin!

After eating, best thing to do is to rest on a hammock while enjoying the beautiful view.

Tugstugs time with friends! ^___^

DAY 2: ISLAND HOPPING

Good morning El Nido! :)

Breakfast time!

After brekky, it's time for some island hopping baby! Here are my favorite couple friends. ❤

Group shot inside our bangka! 

Swimming time with my college sisters! 

Some cute photo bomber on the side. Yeah...that was the younger brother of my friend. 

Lunch time after playing!

That's me hiding from my sexy friend LOL!

Next destination.. Matinloc Shrine.

Some creepy abandoned building...

Second day is finished! We're heading back to our humble cottages. 

Waiting for the sunset...

Paradise on Earth..I will never forget this astonishing view. God is great!

DAY 3: MORE AMAZING ISLANDS!!

If I'm not mistaken, this should be the Big Lagoon. We're not allowed to swim because the tour guide said the waters are quite deep. Imagine how scared we were when we sat at the edge of the boat just to have this photo taken. Well it's all worth it..this shot was amazing!

my sexy friends :)

.

Powerpuff girls! Me and my pretty sisters! ❤

Snorkeling and fish feeding time!!

This photo needs no editing at all! 

Jump shot before lunch!

Our seafood fiesta!!!

Last but definitely not the least, Snake Island. This is probably my most favorite place in the whole island hopping experience. It's my first time to see a body of water that is divided by a long shore at the middle. It was fascinating!

Cute dogs swimming!

Here's a photo of the Cathedral cave. Of course we didn't dare to climb up the rocks! =))

DAY 4 - UNDERGROUND RIVER

Days went by so fast I didn't realize it was already our last day in Palawan (cue emo music). We left El Nido early in the morning to travel back again to Puerto Princesa for our trip's finale, the Underground River.

  For people who might not know, this famous Underground River is included in the 7 Wonders of the world but I'm not really sure which ranking. All I can say is this place left me so SPEECHLESS. It was a bit creepy inside with all the bats flying and the 30ft deep river in your mind. But this experience is absolutely unforgettable. I will forever keep in mind how beautiful this God's creation is. 

All geared up!!!

Passage way to the Underground river..

One of the many stalactites inside the cave...

And now for the boring part...WILDLIFE tour!

Some scary gators at the back!!!

Next stop, Baker's Hill! What a cheesy shot!!

Uhuh!

Ms. Peacock Universe 2013!

Last jump shot before we leave!!

We don't want to go home with empty stomachs so we had our dinner reserved in this resto called Ka Lui. Thumbs up for this great dining experience!

After several weeks of contemplating, I finally decided to give this product a try. There are several good reviews about how this eye roll on does wonders in concealing dark circles. I've been using it for the past 2 weeks and so far I'm still indefinite whether this product is worth it or another waste of penny.

Packaging is a 7 ml tiny container.

Here's how the roll on ball looks like.

Product itself has a thin consistency.

Tadah! My puffy eyes are still very much visible! But it can pass as a good highlighter.

WHAT I LIKE:

❤ Product has thin consistency so it glides on easily when applied.

❤ Cool feeling when I apply under my eyes (probably because of the metal roller ball)

❤ It's a good highlighter.

❤ Container is very handy.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE:

☹ It's not long wearing.

☹ It didn't conceal my dark circles well enough.

☹ It's a bit expensive for a 7 ml bottle. Costs around SGD 20-22 (depends on the store)

  WOULD I REPURCHASE? 

Etude House really knows how to attract compulsive buyers like me. I'm already running out of Kate Eyebrow Color Mascara so I thought of dropping by this cute little pink store to check out their famous "Color My Brows" brow gel. It comes in two shades. One is rich brown and the other one is light brown. Since my hair color is a bit on the lighter side, I chose the latter. 

WHAT I LIKE:

❤ Love the shade 'coz it suits my hair color 

❤ Long wearing

❤ It's cheap.Costs around SGD 12.00 (Php 410.00)

❤ Container is very handy.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE:

☹ Texture is thicker compared to Kate's brow mascara. It sticks to the wand so application is a bit harder for me.

WOULD I REPURCHASE? 

Yes!!

Another product that caught my eye is this eyeshadow & eyeliner duo called "Line Nuance Duo". They have other shades like gold & white, silver & black, etc... I chose #02 which is champagne & copper. 

WHAT I LIKE:

❤ Love the champagne color of the eyeshadow!

❤ Perfect for everyday use 'coz the colors are not harsh.

❤ Packaging is innovative.

❤ You get two products for a price of one. Costs around SGD 13.00 (Php 440.00)

WHAT I DON'T LIKE:

☹ It's not long wearing! I have to re-apply once or twice a day.

WOULD I REPURCHASE? 

No. I'll probably purchase the Bling bling eye stick 'coz I want the eyeshadow more. ツ

Here's a glimpse of how these products looked like when applied. ツ

What's Up? by 4 Non-Blondes (Acoustic Cover)

Simple with a Pop of Pink! Nothing beats comfy clothing especially when you like to travel to tropical places like Malaysia, Thailand, etc.. If you're outfit is too plain, you're accessories will be your savior. Here I'm just wearing a plain gray shirt but I put on some beanie and used my hot pink transparent bag. A pop of color would surely make a difference.

One of the things that excite me whenever I travel is makeup shopping at Duty Free! The prices are cheaper compared to malls so I make it a point to buy & try new makeup products every time I have the chance. Normally, I already have a list in mind so it would be easier for me to go to the makeup counters that I like. 

 Now for my loot! ツツツ

   MAC Satin in BRAVE 

  Shade: 4/5 (★★★★) 

I got the shade Brave A92 which is a nude pink/ mauve color. ツ

Texture: 3/5 (★★★) 

It's close to a matte finish so definitely not for people w/ super dry lips. I would normally coat it with lip gloss after application.

Lasting Power: 4/5 (★★★★) 

This lipstick is long wearing! I just re-touch once a day.  ツ

Price: 2/5 (★★) 

This costs around SGD 24.00 (Php 820.00) in Duty Free and SGD 29.00 in mall counters. It's a bit on the pricey side.

  Overall Opinion: If you want to invest on good lip products, then go for MAC. You'll definitely get what you pay for. This shade is perfect for everyday wear. Would I buy this again? Probably not. I want to try out other shades of course! ツ

   Revlon Colorburst in 040 Crystal Water

  Shade: 3/5 (★★★) 

Clear with tiny glitter particles. ツ

Lasting Power: 3/5 (★★★) 

Need to touch up a couple of times especially after drinking/ eating.

Price: 3/5 (★★★) 

Costs around SGD 12.00 (PHP 410.00). 

  Overall Opinion: I have high hopes for this product as I thought it could be a good dupe for MAC's Dazzle Glass. However, it didn't meet my expectations so it's not worth the price. I still prefer Revlon's Lustrous lip gloss because it's more long lasting and glossy in the lips. 

   Here's how the lipstick looks like with the gloss. Excuse my eye bags!! >.<

  Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Suckle

Scent: 3/5 (★★★) 

The smell is more flowery unlike the other scents wherein you still can smell the green tea in it. 

Price: 3/5 (★★★) 

Costs around SGD 52.00 (PHP 1800.00). 

Here's my cover of another amazing song from Pink called Try. I just love how her music evolved into something deeper & more relatable.