The Modern Mom

One of my best friends, Ayn, gave me a spa certificate for my birthday last May. Because of the craziness at work, I was only able to use it last week. I invited Mommy to come along with me since she likes trying out new things. We've been passing by Tian Di for a while now because my Grandparents live near it but we thought it was an events place. The pictures online were beautiful so I was excited to go there. Unlike some spas where you could walk in, it was highly recommended that you call first for an appointment. It took me a while to find a time to squeeze my massage in because of my meetings and their schedule being full but I was finally able to book a massage for two last Thursday. According to their website, they had sunrise and sunset rates so I made sure to book within their sunrise time because they charge Php300 more for everything after sunset. Unfortunately, when I got there, I was informed that they've changed the time for the two rates and they didn't upda...

I've always been on the lookout for the perfect Beef Stew recipe. I suddenly had a craving for it last week and remembered that I made some Beef Stew in Singapore while I was still working there. It was an experimental recipe because I was itching to use my new crock pot. Anyway, back to my story! I decided to make some stew and used our pressure cooker to make the brisket cook faster. It took me almost two (2) hours before I was able to make the meat soft. Weird, I was already using a PC! Here's the finished product! I added the carrots at the last 15 minutes. Jantzen requested for some Mashed Potatoes so I made some too. I deliberately made these a bit bland because the sauce of the Beef Stew had a sweet taste. We also had some sweet corn so I made some Buttered Corn. My grandfather's nephew sent him A LOT of shrimp and he gave us some; so mommy made some Gambas. Since I am the only person in the family who likes spicy food, the small red squares you see there are sweet B...

Last last weekend, on our way to my Grandparents' house, we passed by this bakeshop and had a sudden craving for some cake so we headed there after dinner for some sweets. I really like the look of the shop. It was well-lighted, sleek and very modern. I could imagine myself reading a book there and just hanging out. We ordered the Dark Toblerone Sansrival because it looked good. Sad to say, I wasn't happy with the cake. The only thing I liked was the tiny bits of Toblerone. We also ordered their Molten Chocolate Cake and were very disappointed too. They have a variety of cakes displayed. Looks yummy, don't they? They were also selling brownies and cupcakes. I didn't try them anymore but they did look good. They have breads too! Overall, I don't think I'd come back. The cakes need more improvement. :)

A sudden craving for grilled food made us go to Chickboy. I haven't tried eating there yet so I was curious! Like Mang Inasal, they were offering Php 99 meals with unlimited rice and soup. Their prices are quite cheap with desserts only Php 25-30 per order. We ordered Bangus Sisig for starters. It was okay with some Knorr Seasoning. The dessert came early! For the price, it was worth it. I do want the skin to be more crispy but the filling was good. Jantzen ordered Cebu Lechon Manok. He said that it was okay but the size was really small. Not worth the Php 99. I didn't feel like eating Chicken so I ordered Grilled Liempo instead. Justin ordered this as well. It was a big disappointment. Aside from the fact that the liempo was very thin, the food was served cold. The meat needs more marinade. Overall, the food could use a lot of improvement. Service was good though and should be commended. :)

I was planning to get my hair permed and cut from Tony and Jackey in CTTM Square in Quezon City but Camille didn't want to wait so long so we decided to just have lunch instead. On our way to the parking, I heard the waiter from Saku Saku say that everything was 50% off for their opening. Magic words to me! Haha. Saku Saku is like a less popular version of Bonchon Chicken. The interior was laid back and I believe the owners are Korean. We ordered their Fried Chicken in Special Sauce. The portions were huge! The chickens were fried perfectly and the sauce was delicious. Seafood Fried Rice. The large size was good for two pax. It was okay but it was great with the chicken. Camille ate like, 3 quarter chickens! My plate was definitely full! Our bill was only Php 245 because of the discount! I felt a little bad because there weren't that many people inside. Hehe. Overall, the experience was good. In fact, I'm craving for it right now! :)

I love rainy days. I like the sound of the rain falling on the roof while drinking something hot. Last June, when it was raining cats and dogs, Justin and I headed to my favorite hang out place in UP Village. We first went to Crazy Katsu for some delicious crunchy Chicken Katsu. For Php 145, a piece of fried chicken cutlet comes with a bowl of rice. You can add Japanese Mayo and Tonkatsu sauce for better appreciation. Trust me, they do make the chicken better. :) Justin, about to dig in! Mixing some Japanese Mayo and Tonkatsu sauce. Since we were still a bit hungry, we went next door to a small coffee shop that sells/rents out old pocket books. Camille and I usually go there for some Pannacotta and I wanted Justin to try it too. I like hanging outside because it was a bit windy. We ordered a bowl of hot Pork Sinigang and Calderetang Lechon Kawali. Their plates and bowls make the whole dining experience feel so homey. Homemade Pork Sinigang with a cup of rice, The broth was yummy! It ha...