Crate & Barrel (SM Aura)

I got a chance to finally check out American retail brand and home furnishing store Crate & Barrel earlier this month at their latest branch in SM Aura. The one in SM Megamall has been open since November last year.

SM Aura branch

Mommy & Me outfits

When I was a kid, my mom would dress us up in matching outfits. And when I had my daughter, I knew I would do the same (check out our matching dresses back in 2012 here).

I know being able to dress all matchy matchy with our kids is something we can't do forever. That's why I'm taking every opportunity now while they're still cooperative and it still looks cute hehe!

There are actually a lot of places you can buy matching outfits. I chanced upon this bazaar in Festival Mall last month that was selling these smocked dresses. Upon closer inspection, I noticed some had the same prints in the kiddie and adult sizes. And the best part, it cost only P50 for the smaller size and P100 for the adult version! What a steal! Of course, I just had to choose the nice prints (some had cartoon characters all over them) so it would look good on both of us.

Mango now also has a Mini Me collection not just for moms and daughters, but also for dads and sons. I went shopping a few days ago since they're on sale, and found this cute pair of aztec shorts in Mango Kids. As I was looking at the sizes, I noticed the Large kinda looked big enough for me, especially since the waist was garterized. And lo and behold, it did fit haha! And for just P595 for each pair of shorts!

So just a tip, if you're on the petite side, the larger sizes in kids stores could definitely fit you. And if you have boys, who says you can't dress the same too? Like these shorts I got in Gingersnaps so I could match with Skyler. This cargo pair was a size 14 for boys and I just love the flamingo print. So cute!

Twilo is also a favorite for many moms for matching dresses. They have so many cute and sophisticated designs, perfect for any occasion.

Verb Manila also has great selections, including kimonos and boho sets. And I like how they can make matching outfits for the boys as well so everyone can look coordinated. Wouldn't this look great for a family photoshoot or a party? :)

You can also check out Kiara Shoppe and Au Pair Addizione for outfits not just for you and your daughter, but for the whole family as well.

I also love shopping at ZALORA, and they have a great selection of clothing for kids. For sure you can find something cute that you and your little ones will look great in!

Hope this helps you when shopping for you and your kids. If you have other suggestions where to get Mommy and Me outfits, just leave a comment below. :)

ASUS ZenPower - the world’s first credit card-sized powerbank

ASUS launches the world’s first credit card-sized powerbank in Lazada.com.ph!

With so many powerbanks that you can find in the stores left and right, finding the perfect one is just as important as finding the right outfit, especially if you don’t want to be carrying a bulky powerbank on a night out with friends – or probably with your date.

ASUS just announced its newest offering to all those who are always out and about but still require an unfailing amount of battery power on their mobile devices – the ASUS ZenPower which will be exclusively sold in Lazada.com.ph starting June 25 at 12 Noon.

With the ASUS ZenPower, you can expect stylish, lightweight, and compact design of a 10,050 mAh powerbank but with the same size as your credit card – fitting perfectly and seamlessly into your pocket.

Coming in Blue, Pink, Silver, and Gold, and weighing at 215 grams, ASUS ZenPower is the best solution for all urban lifestylistas who are always on the go and let style speak for themselves.

With the partnership of ASUS and Lazada Philippines, the superior quality and design of the ZenPower can now be experienced effortlessly through Lazada’s innovative shopping solutions. Shop anywhere, and anytime with the Lazada Mobile App, available for FREE in both Google Play Store and iOS Appstore- so whether you are stuck in the traffic or in between meetings, you can still shop with the Lazada Mobile App. With Lazada’s nationwide Cash-on-Delivery network, you can pay in cash once the items are delivered to your doorstep.

So the next time you dig into your pockets, reach out for the ASUS Zenpower! Avaiilable this June 25 (Thursday) at 12 Noon in the Philippines’ One-Stop Shopping Destination – Lazada.com.ph!

Click HERE to get one now! :)

Breakfast buffet at Café Ilang-Ilang

Part of our Manila Hotel staycation included a breakfast buffet for 2 at Café Ilang-Ilang. It was my first time to eat here so I was excited (and hungry too!). :p

Sabe was with us but thank goodness he's free pa :)

Staycation at Manila Hotel

I was looking to book an overnight staycation for hubby's birthday last month and chanced upon this Facebook offer for Manila Hotel. It was one of those sponsored ads and you just had to click the "Get Offer" button and this will be emailed to you:

Rodrigo's Roast Beef in BF Homes

I've always been curious to try Rodrigo's Roast Beef since I always see it on lists of restaurants to try in the BF area. It's located on the 2nd floor of an extension building of UCPB, in front of Jollibee at Aguirre St.

Looking up from the street, the place looks really small and hubby and I didn't know what to expect. You go up a steep flight of stairs but once inside, you're greeted by a somewhat narrow but comfortable space which can seat about 20 people. We went at around 7pm on a Friday and we had the whole place to ourselves. It was a bit hot though, I think maybe they had just turned on the aircon? Good thing they had an electric fan that was placed in front of us hehe. ;p

stools to maximize the seating area

And they have a TV! Pitch Perfect was showing when we were there.

Anyway, Rodrigo’s Roast Beef specializes in charcoal-fired, slow roasted,  USDA Angus Beef Belly so we were really excited to try this. Looks yum! :)

Here's their menu:

We decided to get the BOSSMAN'S PLATTER (P728) which was 300 grams of US Angus Roast Beef, half roast chicken, with 6 solid sides. Perfect for the family or the barkada daw! E it was just me and hubby lol! Sorry, we were really hungry ;p

For the sides, we got mashed potatoes, corn and carrots, soup of the day (cream of mushroom), and 3 cups of steak rice!

cream of mushroom soup

mashed potatoes, corn & carrots, plus the gravy for the beef and chicken

steak rice

US Angus Roast Beef

Half Roast Chicken

Bossman's Platter

The 2 of us finished everything, but this can definitely be shared among 4 to even 6 people depending on how hungry you are. For me, the rice was a bit matigas lang, but everything else was good. We'll be back with our family to try the other items on the menu. :)

Rodrigo's Roast Beef
21 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque
0917 403 7008
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RodrigosRoastBeef

Mothers Who Brunch

If you know me or have been following my blog for quite some time, then you know that cooking is not one of my talents. However, it's something that I wish I was good at and I admire people who are such experts in the kitchen. Especially moms who still find time despite their busy schedules to really prepare their families’ baon for work or school.

That’s why I was really excited when Sab of Sinfully Sabrina and Michelle of Momma ‘N Manila invited me to their wonderful event last May 30. Together with Viking Range Philippines, they organized this intimate gathering of moms held at the Viking Showroom in Westgate Alabang, I definitely couldn’t pass up this opportunity to learn more about cooking and of course, to eat delicious food!

The minute I walked into the venue, I was greeted by this beautiful tropical set-up by Boqueria Lifestyle Market. Everything was styled to perfection from the centerpieces, table linens, down to the woven plate chargers. 

appetizer: crudites with ranch dressing by Michelle, chipotle hummus and spinach artichoke dip by Sab

To start things off, Michelle gave us a tour of the different Viking appliances found in the showroom. I’m sure there are some people, like me, who immediately think that Viking is such a high-end, expensive brand. But aside from the quality being top-notch, it’s also the service that can’t be beat. Do you know that if one of your Viking appliances gets broken, they’ll have someone at your door within 4 hours and provide you with a replacement unit for the meantime while they fix your stuff? Now that’s first-class customer care.

And everything’s so high-tech like this oven that has a self-cleaning function. Busy moms definitely need this in their lives!

Can I take home one of everything please? Gosh, this is really a dream kitchen!

After the tour, it was time to cook! Actually, most of the hard work, like prepping all the ingredients, was already done for us (thank you Sab and Michelle hehe!). 

There were different food stations and you could choose which dish you wanted to help out with. No surprise, I decided to help with the easiest one, the salad haha!

Then came the most exciting part, EATING! And my gosh, everything smelled awesome! And looked too pretty to eat! Of course, since this is a group of bloggers, we had to take pictures of everything first haha. ;p

Here's our yummy menu. Warning, prepare to get hungry with all the food pics ahead!

Dalandan Mimosa

Pinoy Breakfast Salad

Pakwan Salad

Kangkong and Kesong Puti Quiche

Tomato-Chorizo Stew

Cottage Cheese-Mango Pancakes

Apple Pie

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

My gosh, everything was so good! But if I had to pick a favorite, those pancakes were absolutely amazing! I really will try and make it at home. And that homemade vanilla bean and salted caramel ice cream by Sab was to die for!

And it didn’t stop there. Everyone was given goodies to bring home like a pinakbet veggie basket from Holy Carabao Holistic Farm, a Viking Kitchen apron, terrariums from Sombra Verde, Lucky Mechant Salt from Happy Tree House, Vanilla products from The Vanilla Company, Hurraw! Vegan Lip Balm from Cutieverse, ceramic tile coasters from Boqueria Lifestyle Market, pralines from Choco La Bella, plus GCs from Bikram Yoga Alabang, House of Monogram PH, and Coco Nail Studio. Everyone definitely felt so pampered and special with all these gifts.

But probably my favorite giveaway was this booklet which is a compilation of brunch recipes submitted by us moms. I definitely can't wait to try some of these in the future. :)

So again, thank you and congratulations to Michelle and Sab for organizing this wonderful event. I’m now more inspired to start cooking! And happy to have met new friends whom I was able to share this experience with. Can't wait for the next one! :)