Hello September! The -ber months are here again, and what better way to embrace this cold and chilly season than with a hearty and healthy bowl of soup. Today, we spice up the classic U.S. Split Pea Soup by adding a touch of curry. U.S. Split Peas are such versatile ingredients, especially for those sticking to protein-rich diets. With the current growth and popularity of plant-based diets around the world, this recipe is a quick and easy way to kickstart your plan to shift to a healthier and heartier lifestyle. Dry beans, lentils, dry peas, and chickpeas (garbanzos), are some of the most ..read more

Miss traveling? Miss eating out? Miss your favorite local and international dishes? The past year truly has changed the way we live our lives. One day you are free to go anywhere you want, then the next day, you see yourself restricted to the four corners of your home.  Thankfully though, the quarantine season has introduced me to a world full of gastronomic delights.-home chefs and bakers showcasing their culinary skills and local food establishments offering their well-loved dishes for us to enjoy in the comforts of our home.  One restaurant I discovered during the ECQ is Sa ..read more

Chanced upon Hong Kong Little Kitchen in Sonema Square while sourcing fabric for our new bed. The restaurant occupies a small space that can accommodate at least 20-30 guests. Their menu is quite simple and revolves around five kinds of roast- HK Roasted Duck, Crispy Lechon HK, Roasted HK Barbecue, HK Soy Chicken, and HK White Chicken. HK Roasted Duck (P1880/whole, P980/half) The roast duck was very tender and meaty. I wish the skin was crispier though. Nevertheless, it was very flavorful and the plum sauce complemented it as well. Roasted HK Barbecue (P300/quarter, P600/half, P1200 w ..read more

I'll admit, I am very much a low-maintenance skincare kind of girl. I rarely go to facial spa centers, and I don't own a lot of skin care products. For me, an effective skin care routine should be simple, convenient, and most importantly, sustainable- a routine you can religiously follow and stick to.  As far as my skin care routine goes, cleanse, tone and moisturize are my bare-minimum. I want something quick and manageable, but at the same time successful in keeping my skin clear, bright and hydrated.  Good thing I came across UFO by Swedish  brand Foreo. UFO is a complete s ..read more

People seem to have more time on their hands during this enhanced community quarantine and a lot are starting to explore their skills and talents be it in business, arts, crafts, cooking and baking. A popular trend is the rise of home-bakers offering their own version of the much talked about Ube Cheese Pandesal. The classic pandesal made special by adding two ingredients most of us Pinoys love- UBE & CHEESE. While not everyone have the resources and skills to bake their own breads at home, you'd be happy to know that a lot of online sellers and home-bakers are just around your neighb ..read more

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) to attend a recreational hands-on cooking class with Chef Gene Gonzalez. I've stopped attending events last year since I've been busy with wedding preps and moving into a new home. It was a period of adjustment especially now that we have to do things on our own- cleaning the house, cooking meals, washing the dishes, doing the laundry etc. It's quite enjoyable actually because we get to do stuff like these together now. Plus, since it's just the two of us, chores are very minimal. The best thing though is that I get to ..read more

Have you met Ben? I came across Ben's Cookies during our honeymoon in London early this year. I remember it was always on the must-visit places while I was doing some research before our travel. We weren't really planning on going out of our schedule to visit their store, but luckily for us, we chanced upon their branch in Hammersmith Broadway after our day trip to Stonehenge and Bath.  We bought a few flavors to try and really liked all of them especially the Ginger & Dark Chocolate and Cranberry & White Chocolate. Imagine my excitement when I heard that Ben's Cookies was set ..read more

Say it with flowers with Flower Chimp Philippines- the trusted online flower delivery in the country.  Flower Chimp is a Malaysian-based online florist that currently operates in 5 Asian countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines.  It aims to provide a hassle-free way of expressing your feelings through flowers with just a click of a button at the comforts of your home, office, or anywhere you are in the world.  I recently received a bouquet of Pink Moment from the Petite Blooms Collection of Flower Chimp Philippines. It wasn't my birthday or anniversary, nor ..read more

We celebrated D's 30th birthday last year in Kyoto.. Not in Japan, but in Makati. KyōTo is a hidden Japanese restaurant along Palanca Street in Legazpi Village, Makati. We've been frequenting a few bars in Palanca during my time in the corporate world, but never did I imagine that one day, I will go back to the area not for some bar chows and drinks, but to dine at this very fine Japanese restaurant. I was initially hesitant to push through with our reservation since 1. I don't eat raw fish or sashimi (except spicy tuna) 2. The price of the kaseiki menu was waaaay beyond our average dining bu ..read more