New Saunter styles

Looking for new summer sandals? Well you're in luck since Saunter has just released their latest styles - HERA and SPARTAN.

HERA comes in black and brown:

SPARTAN comes in tan:

Both styles come in size 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10 and they're both pure leather. You can also check out my previous post to see their other design, ATHENA.

For orders and inquiries, please email patriciacgayo@gmail.com or you can visit their Facebook page HERE. Happy shopping! :)

My Ukay-Ukay Finds

I had my very first ukay-ukay experience back when I was still working in my first job fresh out of college. Our office was in Makati and I remember me and an officemate had to do something near Makati Cinema Square. Of course, we ended up checking out the ukay stores there before heading back to the office. I was a bit hesitant at first, but then I remember finding this blazer which fit me so perfectly! It was in great condition and I think it was just P250! Ever since then, I was hooked!

This continued when I transferred to a big advertising agency where it was kind of considered part of your job to look good. I remember not wanting to repeat outfits (kaloka diba?) so I really loved shopping to death! It was "the cheaper, the better" for me, so going to ukay-ukay shops gave me great mileage for my salary at that time. I always waited for them to go on sale since I considered the new arrivals which cost about P200 expensive na haha! I remember finding lots of unique and vintage finds, some as low as P10 each! I would get lots of compliments on my outfits at work and I would just think to myself "if only they knew where I got this" haha! There was even a time it got popular in Multiply with lots of "vintage" shops popping up, remember? I couldn't resist shopping from there too lol! ;p

But of course, I grew older and I started thinking that I should invest in more quality pieces. So I grew out of my ukay phase. Until my sister reintroduced me to it again recently! She studies in La Salle so she and her friends have discovered some ukay stores in Pasay. Warning though, it is not for the faint of heart! We took the jeep in the crowded areas of Libertad and ended up walking most of the way since it was so traffic. We passed by wet markets and lots of trash on the streets. But you just have to suck it all up for the sake of shopping right haha! It was such an adventure and I'm happy to share with you my loot. It wasn't sale in some of the stores, but I'm proud to say that the items I bought ranged from only P60 to P180. Not bad right? :)

This piece caught my eye because of the vibrant colors. It's sheer so I'm planning to wear a black dress underneath it. Or maybe layer it over a tank top and shorts for a more casual look.

Craving for Custaroons

I'm currently addicted to these yummy custaroons by Gigi Gaerlan. To the uninitiated, a custaroon is "a deliciously unique combination of smooth and creamy flan topped with a chewy, buttery crust".

This business started out in a small shop at St. Pio Chapel compound in Libis. The first time I tasted this was when my brother-in-law's girlfriend, who lived in QC, brought some for us. It was love at first bite! The top layer is a chewy macaroon crown and the bottom layer is a melt in your mouth flan.

Since then, I've been hooked and I was so happy when I started seeing their kiosks in different malls around the metro.

The Custaroonery kiosk in Century City Mall

I also love the design of their boxes which come in different colors. Also makes this a nice gift idea. :)

You can choose from 2 flavors, original or cheese. I prefer the original although the cheese actually tastes the same for me, it's just creamier. It comes in 2 sizes, the regular custaroon which is about 2" in diameter and the mini ones which are half the size. I personally prefer the mini custaroons since they're easier for me to eat. ;p

Box of 15 (bite-size)
original - P210
cheese or half/half - P240

Box of 6 (regular size)
original - P210
cheese or half-half - P240

If you haven't tried these yet, you definitely must! You can check out their website www.custaroons.com for more info on their products, pricelist and branches. Happy eating! :)

DIY Paper Tassel Garland

Here's a super quick and easy project that you can use to decorate a dessert table or maybe a kid's room.

This only took me less than an hour to do and all you need are the ff:
- crepe paper (in various colors of your choice)
- scissors
- scotch tape
- yarn / string

Open and spread out the crepe paper completely.

Fold in half horizontally and cut into 8 sections.

Get a section of paper and start cutting about 1" strips, leaving about an inch at the top where the folded part is.

Unfold the crepe paper and it should look like this:

Start slowly rolling the crepe paper all the way inwards. Warning. the tassels sometimes get tangled up though, so be careful since they can rip easily.

Twist the middle part until it forms a small loop. Use scotch tape to secure the knot.

Repeat with the rest of your crepe paper.

When everything's done, just thread your string through the loops of the tassels.

Then just hang it up for instant cuteness! Since it's just made of paper, it's pretty light so masking tape will do the trick. Here's how I used it for the desert buffet I made for our grandpa's 95th birthday. More on that party soon! :)

Other uses for breastmilk storage bags

If you're a nursing / pumping mom, you definitely know that you shouldn't reuse your milk storage bags. However, I find it such a waste to throw them away especially if you paid good money for them. And I figured, these bags are more durable than the regular Ziploc bags since they're made to keep our precious milk safe. So they're thicker, leak-proof and even have a double zipper seal.

Anyway, after I've used a milk storage bag, I make sure to wash it thoroughly and check if there are any leaks. When they're all dried up, here are some ways I reuse them:

For toiletries
Who here has carefully packed their toiletry kit then found it all wet after a shampoo or lotion bottle leaked? I found that milk storage bags are perfect for travel sized containers. I pop about 2 bottles in each storage bag, then put everything in my toiletry case. It keeps things more organized, plus no more worrying about my luggage getting wet!

Our yaya has also used these bags to put powder detergent (if you want to bring some when traveling).

Storage for travel
Basically you can use these bags for storing and organizing anything when you travel, just like you would in a normal Ziploc bag. I've used these for bringing medicine tablets:

As well as my daughter's hair ties, clips, and ribbons. I've also used these for my jewelry too.

Waterproof phone case
Milk storage bags are the perfect size for a cellphone when you go to the pool or the beach! So no need to buy those special water resistant casings for your phone. And since milk storage bags are leak-proof, you can be sure that they'll keep the water out. My hubby uses this whenever he works out or trains for triathlon. He can check his phone even if he's sweating buckets or right after a swim. It can also work with your digital camera if it's small enough too.

Wallet
My hubby also uses this for his money when he works out. Of course you don't want to bring your whole wallet if you're going for a run or a bike ride. You can just stuff the storage bag with your cash in your pocket and again, it's waterproof.

So if you're a nursing mom like me who hates throwing anything away, I hope these were useful ideas for recycling your storage bags. Or maybe you're done with breastfeeding and have unused milk bags you don't know what to do with. At least you can use these first before buying new Ziploc bags right? ;p

Japan Surplus Store (BF Paranque)

I've always been curious to check out this Japan Home and Office Furniture store along President's Avenue in BF. Not to be confused with Japan Home Centre or Daiso, this is a surplus shop selling second hand furniture and home accessories.

The pieces I've seen displayed outside seemed promising. So I finally found the time to drop by a few weeks ago to check out the prices and to see more stuff.

Upon closer inspection though, I realized that these pieces definitely needed some work. Most were in good condition but you could tell they were definitely used and even old. And what was even more surprising were the prices! Can you believe this black chair pictured below (left) was about P3,500? And you needed to have it reupholstered pa in my opinion since the fabric was dirty and had stains. These tall chairs on the right meanwhile caught my eye since they had that vintage vibe and I could already imagine repainting them in a bright color. However, they didn't seem sturdy enough anymore when I held them. Definitely needed more repairs.

There's more stuff and knick-knacks inside. Be prepared though, it was very dusty and quite hot.

From the first glance, I already knew I wasn't interested in anything. And again, the prices were a bit too expensive for me considering these were surplus stuff. My mom was interested in a bowl that she wanted to put plants in. I swear there was nothing special about it so we were so surprised when we were told it was P650! Ummm, di bale na lang, sa SM na lang kami bibili, bago pa!

These figurines/dolls were probably the only thing I would consider buying...

Again, just to give you an idea of the prices, this cabinet was P9,800 and that center table at the back was P5,800...

Those big cabinets at the back were about P18,000 to P20,000...

they also sell bikes btw

Bottomline, I didn't buy anything from here. If I saw something really unique and special, for sure I would have gotten it. But based on what I saw, I'd rather go to the mall where I can buy brand new stuff for much less. And I wouldn't have to exert effort to paint or fix things anymore. And for the plates and ceramic items, just go to Uniwide or even Landmark for a better and much cheaper selection. But who knows, maybe you can find some hidden gems here if you look hard enough.

Our stay at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

Summer is definitely here! In fact, it is so hot right now that I'm reminiscing about our family vacation to Hong Kong last November. The weather was great (cold but not that cold) and it didn't rain the whole time we were there.

Anyway, when we were planning our trip, we knew we were going to Disney but didn't know if we should book at the Disneyland Hotel or the Hollywood Hotel. Based on the reviews I read online, Hollywood Hotel was cheaper, but the rooms were also smaller. On aesthetic though, Hollywood Hotel seemed more modern. A lot of reviews also said that most of the good restaurants were at Disneyland Hotel so it was more convenient staying there. Since this was the first time our kids were going to Disney, we decided to go with Disneyland Hotel na lang. Go big or go home right! ;p

There are always different promos in their website, but during the time we booked, the best deal was the Early Bird package. We got a 1-night stay in a Deluxe Room and 2-Day Ticket Package for 2 persons for HKD 3,987 (P23,500). We just bought the kids' park tickets separately online. On a side note, my credit card got charged twice so make sure to check your bills carefully. Good thing they were able to refund me the amount pretty quickly.

Disneyland opens at 10:00am but check-in time is still at 3:00pm, So we got there at 10am to get our tickets for the park and just left our luggage at their deposit counter. We just came back at around 4:00pm to check-in and take a rest before going back to Disney to catch the night parade and the fireworks.

It was also a great time to go to Disneyland because all the Christmas decorations were already up. This giant Christmas tree greets you the moment you enter the lobby. Everything just looks and feels more festive that time of year. :)

Anyway, we booked the DELUXE room which can come with either 2 double beds or 1 king bed. We got the double beds and they were more like queen-sized to me. In fact, all 4 of us could fit in 1 bed lol! The room was also very big and spacious. But I wasn't such a fan of the overall look of the room since I prefer a more modern vibe. Parang for the price, eto na un? And there were Disney elements but it was very subtle for me. I was thinking lang na since this was the Disneyland Hotel, dapat mas bagay for kids un design or something. I know Victorian talaga ang theme pero sana it could have felt more Disney gets?  So I think I would have liked the Hollywood Hotel rooms better siguro...

Based on the rates, the cheapest is the Standard room followed by the Deluxe. I believe it's exactly the same size, the only difference is there's a balcony in the Deluxe. However, the balcony was useless for us since we were on the lower floor and had a crappy view. We didn't even open the doors or step foot outside. So if you want to save a few bucks, just get the Standard room unless you can guarantee a great view (or maybe if you smoke?).

our view was the side of the hotel

The bathroom was a nice size and had a bathtub which the kids enjoyed.

Of course, I brought all of these bathroom stuff home as souvenirs hehe! ;p

I admit, the most exciting part for me about staying in this hotel was the garden maze. The kids just wanted to run around here and we had to remind them that we still had to go to Disneyland pa! Basta, dream come true for me talaga that we were able to see this. :)

grounds at the back of the hotel

you can also see the ocean from here

I decided not to book a character dining meal anymore since I felt hindi pa siya sulit with my kids. They're at that age where they're a bit scared of mascots pa kasi. In fact, when I was explaining to them the concept that Mickey and the other characters will go to our table while eating, naku umiyak lang sila! So wag na lang. And for the price, sayang lang since my kids don't eat pa a lot. But we did check out the Enchanted Garden Restaurant and hopefully we could eat here next time.

For little girls, there was the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where your child can get all dolled up like her favorite princess with a photoshoot session after. It was expensive for me, but if you have money to spare then go for it. I'm sure every little girl would love to experience this. :)

We saw a lot of little girls wearing gowns and wigs around Disney (Elsa was the clear favorite). Miley wanted to buy one as well, pero it was just too expensive especially if you compare it to the costumes in SM or even Divisoria. I definitely wish I could have just brought my daughter's princess dresses from home na lang. Next time!

Both the Disneyland Hotel and the Hollywood Hotel have swimming pools, but the Disneyland Hotel had an indoor pool which was ideal during the cold weather. I really made sure the kids were able to swim para masulit naman un stay namin here lol.

wearing her Disney hotel robe

Other thoughts:
- At the hotel, check-in time is after 3pm, and check-out time is before 11am. So I think ideal to stay at least 2 nights to really maximize the hotel amenities. Parang if you're going to spend so much for the hotel, then dapat buong day ka talaga dun right? ;p

- Looking back, I think it would have been ok for us to stay at Hollywood Hotel since we were at Disneyland park most of the time. We didn't even eat at any of the hotel restaurants (we ate sa Disneyland na mismo). There were activities for kids at the hotel too, but we weren't even able to check any of those out since our priority was really the theme park. So next time, I'll definitely book at Hollywood Hotel so we can see the difference.

- The shuttle from the hotel to Disneyland park (and vice versa) was very spacious and there was one every few minutes so you never waited too long.

Anyway, I'll also be posting more about our Disneyland experience next, :)