Meowth! : July 2013

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Blogger's Tablet: One Fine Day @ SM Aura

It was one of those Saturdays in June when I had to wake up earlier than usual to attend an event at DMCI Acacia in Taguig. Hubby knows how much I dislike driving around the city on a weekend, so for this appointment, he volunteered to be the chauffeur. Sweet! Hubby was also smiling at the thought that he only had to drive for about 10 minutes to SM Aura from Acacia. He wanted to visit Aura after reading about it in my blog.

Car Park. SM Aura has a bi-level basement parking.

Paul Boulangerie from France - franchised by Suyen Corp. My craving for Pain Au Chocolat would soon be over.

I got 'acquainted' with Paul in Paris, then at Takashimaya in Singapore.
I love Paul's Pain Au Chocolat. It's one of my all-time favorites.

Another treat!

Crème brulee! Zesty + Rich Chocolate

Crème brulee or bunt cream: rich custard base + layers of caramel + zesty flavor.
Crème brulee is traditionally flavored with vanilla, but contemporary variants have emerged in the market - lemon or other citrus fruits, chocolate, cinnamon, and green tea are the more common variants.

Shopping finds

It was a given that Hubby and I were to spend over 30 minutes in one of our favorite shops - Uniqlo! Occupying a bi-level boutique has given Uniqlo the luxury of space to showcase its staple collections and a spread of seasonal items.

Next to Uniqlo is the first Suite Blanco boutique in Manila. Hubby and I were pleased with their collections for men and women at reasonable price points. We also dropped by Stradivarius where I got myself a soft biker-like jacket for casual Fridays...and a matching pair of shoes from Aldo. Love!

Hungry...again!

BRASAS - a taste of Latin American street food @ Food on Four. Budget: P200 - P499.
Meowth's rating: 4/5

Restaurants (other than those offering fast food) were not yet operating at that time, so the only place for big appetite was Food on Four (4th Level).
Food on Four presents SM's new concept in food court dining.

Sky Park, 5th Level: One of the civic components of SM Aura. This is open to the public. A dedicated access is provided so that the park remains accessible to the public even when the mall is closed. The towers shown will become host to several offices, including the Taguig City Hall.

Chillaxin' at the SM Prestige Lounge

The SM Store - A Premier Store

Hubby and I took a short break from walking at The SM Prestige Lounge.
The Lounge is located inside The SM Store, Ground Floor Level near Cashier 3.

We had little time left for some quick errands. We dropped by SM Supermarket and Ace Hardware. These stores are at the Lower Ground Level. It was not that difficult to bring the bulky items we bought from these stores to the basement parking. Errands - check! Time to go home.

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Another article from the Blogger's Tablet: Love to Shop @ SM Aura BGC

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Disclaimer: This is a personal write-up, not a paid advertisement.

Island SPA @ Island Cove offers ELES

To those who couldn't resist a dash of colorful nail polish, this one's worth looking into.

Island SPA @ Island Cove has recently introduced the Australian cosmetics brand - ELES.

ELES was created under the premier skin care brand Pevonia Botanica. Both ELES and Pevonia offer an impressive line up of cosmetics and skin care products for the more discerning market. Island SPA highlights ELES' Masquerade Collection of nail polish.

Before ELES: I would usually put color on my toenails - alternating two weeks with colored polish, two weeks without. When I applied a bright or dark hue, I noticed some yellowish stains on my nails after the polish was removed.

Though I do not have any authoritative information about cosmetics, I tend to do some research over the Web. There are seemingly endless reviews about the harmful effects of these ingredients which may be found in nail polish: *formaldehyde, **dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and ***toluene. It cannot be no-nail-polish-at-all for me, so I started looking for alternatives. ELES is one of the better brands that made a public declaration about their non-usage of the said ingredients. When Island SPA offered ELES, I did not hesitate to give it a try.

My take: My toenails appeared healthy after the polish was removed (Baroque Bronze). So I went on with the second trial (Nude Contessa). After two trials, I don't have any intention to go back to the old brand. It's tempting to apply another lovely color this weekend, but I'm mindful about giving my toenails at least a 'two-week rest' from nail polish. Moderation won't hurt. :)

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Book an appointment today.
Island Spa is open daily from 10AM to 10PM; cutoff for receiving is at 9PM. For inquiries and booking, you may dial these numbers: +63 46 434 09 88, +63 46 434 77 78, +63 917 505 62 80. You may also visit their website – http://www.islandcovephil.com/activities/rejuvenate/

Getting there
From Manila (private vehicle) : Take Manila – Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX). End of expressway, make a U-turn to Covelandia Road. Island Cove is about 15min-drive from Mall of Asia, light traffic.
From Manila (public transport) : From Baclaran, board a bus going to Cavite City or Naic/Maragondon taking the Island Cove route.
From Alabang (public transport) : From Zapote, board a mini-bus or jeepney going to Cavite City or Tanza/Naic/Salinas taking the Island Cove route.

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Formaldehyde* - A highly toxic substance, regardless of method of intake. - Wikipedia
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)** - used in nail polish as solvent for dye and plasticizers to prevent brittleness. The European Union classifies DBP as an endocrine disruptor. - David Suzuki Foundation
Toluene*** - this ingredient is widely-used as solvent. It has no proven carcinogenic effect but prolonged exposure to toluene may trigger conditions like nausea, drunken-type action, and color vision loss. - Wikipedia

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Disclaimer: I do not work for Island SPA, Island Cove, ELES, Pevonia Botanica, or any of their trade partners. This is a personal write-up. I do not claim any authoritative information about cosmetics, its formulation and/or usage.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Loose change for a BIG change

SM Hypermarket is pleased to announce the chain wide roll out of its Baryanihan project today, July 6.

SM Hypermarket, the country's biggest hypermarket* chain wishes to imbibe the bayanihan spirit by bringing its people and the community to work hand-in-hand for a worthy cause. Derived from the combined words "barya" (coins) and "bayanihan**" (spirit of communal unity and cooperation) - Baryanihan enjoins shoppers to donate their loose change for a local community cause. Shoppers are assured that every centavo goes a long way. A receipt is issued for every donation.

On its second year, Baryanihan focuses on education with public schools as beneficiaries. SM Hypermarket, besides initiating and facilitating this project, also made a commitment to double the amount of donation that will be raised.

Here is an inspiring Baryanihan video produced by SM Hypermarket.

Take part in this project and help your community. Visit SM Hypermarket today.

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*Hypermarket - a retail format that combines the features of a supermarket with those of a department store.

** Bayanihan - a Filipino word derived from the word bayan, meaning town, nation, or community in general; lit., being a bayan; it refers to a spirit of communal unity and cooperation.

Disclaimer: This is not a paid blog article. Meowthlovescoffee supports SM Hypermarket's Baryanihan Project.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

My Modern Filipiniana

"Growing up in our ancestral house meant getting well-acquainted with history and heritage - from capiz windows, to a traditional game of patintero under the summer sky, the scent of homemade gugo and coconut oil, Sampaguita garland in the altar, an afternoon of playing sungka complete with sigay, and a whole lot more. I've always been fascinated by the beautiful terno, worn by the ladies during Santacruzan and Araw ng Kalayaan. I've always wanted to own a terno, but the only chance I had was to wear a terno or patadyong during cultural presentations in grade school.

Grandma always loved mornings. She would always remind me that morning is the start of a beautiful day."

These thoughts inspired me to own a Filipiniana dress. To me, the dress is both regal and patriotic; an intricately-made classic masterpiece which I wanted to wear on a very special day - my wedding. I never thought it would happen until last summer.

My wedding was set at 9:30 AM, when one could only expect the best of Tagaytay City's sunny sky and crisp summer breeze. The church's aisle was lined with fresh white flowers. This was the picture I had in mind and I needed to find someone who could make a Filipiniana wedding gown for me.

I could only think of one person to design my bridal gown - Ms. Carmen Papa-Reyes of 8 and a Half Trends.

I got to know her through a blog. She's been with the fashion industry for more than a decade. Her company makes classic and chic ready-to-wear clothes for an upscale department store. She has a boutique at The Podium that showcases her ready-to-fit collections.

She first designed an elegant cocktail dress for me back in 2010. We wanted it to fit not only my figure, but more importantly, my personality. She is a master of fashion, both high and practical. When she delivered our first project dress, I told her that I wanted her to design my wedding dress, if ever I decide to marry. That decision would only come two years later.

Ms. Carmen and I started discussing about my gown, November 2012. Since Day 1, I made it known to her the theme - modern Filipiniana. Then, she presented three designs that fit my preference, plus sample fabrics. I love the classic appeal of lace and beaded fabrics, comfort of cotton fabric, all in different shades of blue.

With Ms. Carmen, I was at ease discussing about budget. She is as respectful as I am of hard-earned money. My very own Filipiniana was conceptualized - inspired by heritage with a modern twist, simple yet elegant...and I must say, practical or 'easy to wear.'

Ms. Carmen + me + my very own Filipiniana.

My wedding gown by Ms. Carmen Papa-Reyes of 8 and a Half Trends. Organdy - sheerest and most crisp cotton fabric. It created a silk-like effect for the detachable layer. That layer extends at the back as train.

Close-up: the very detailed beadworks in the panuelo.

Close-up: beadworks all over.

Made-to-order shoes, by 8 and a Half.

Hair piece: the classic payneta

A beaded pouch, made to match my dress. Also featured in this photo is our antique Narra box that served as our Madrina de Aras.

Ms. Carmen and her team assisted me and my entourage in preparing for the ceremony. Everyone was awake and chirpy as early as 5 AM.

Her services did not stop when all the wedding pieces were delivered. Ms. Carmen, together with her team, drove up to Tagaytay the night before the wedding. She assisted me and my entourage - steaming the gowns, and styling our dresses and accessories for the photo shoot that started at 5AM. She was always by my side from the time I dressed up until I walked down the aisle. She and her team stayed on to witness my wedding. They're like family.