Razzle Dazzle 'Em

I just had to use Billy Flynn's song from Chicago for this post because it hints at the overall effect that hopefully the pictures I will share will give to you readers.

I took the pictures a week or two ago and meant to post it on Christmas Eve but changed my mind about it and thought it would be more fitting on New Year's Eve. I was experimenting with the camera in front of our mesmerizing Christmas tree which had fiber optics and lights on it, I moved the camera up and down, in circles, or whatever motion as I pressed the shutter, which then resulted into the following pictures.

 

 

It's pretty cool and easy to do don't you think? Go on and try it!

Happy New Year everyone!

Of Fairytales and Polka Dots

As it turns out, giving myself ten days excluding the two weekends that have passed for the ten DIY's I planned were not enough. Very far from it. Today is the tenth day (this was written yesterday at around 11pm last night which makes it still actually the tenth day) and I have yet to make the purse that I've been meaning to make on the last day. I am also still not done with the bow shorts, but am making some progress with it. Oh and my hair is still not the caramel brown color that I want. I'm not sure when I will get to having it colored.

I apparently did not quite foresee and consider the tons of chores and some merry-making to be done and had in the plan. I did however get the flower crown and peter pan collar done. I finished the tulle skirt too only I can't show it here yet since it is still hanging up to dry as of this writing.

I chronicled how I made the floral crown. It is considerably simple and quick to make.

You will need to go to the department store and check out the home section for the flowers (my sister and I got the flowers at a thrift shop though), the altering section or the supplies store for the ribbon (I used 2 yards) and the hardware for the soft wire. I opted not to use the roses which are pretty big. Using just the smaller flowers look better on this particular flower crown.

 

Take the wire and fashion it on your head like a crown then secure it by twisting the ends together. Lay the elements of the crown against the wire like in the first picture so you'd have an idea how it looks and so you would know their distances from each other and could adjust accordingly. Each flower should have a wire on its end so you'd be able to secure it on the wire. Luckily, the ones we bought already had them on.

Then take the flowers and twist the ends on the crown. After you have that done you can then take the ribbon and loop it over so that no part of the wires show. I used the matte side of the ribbon instead of the shiny one and left a feet or two at the start and end so that there's some ribbon hanging at the back. Then you have yourself a pretty flower crown that would remind you of fairies and all ethereal creatures that frolic in some magical forest flanked with majestic animals and birds singing sweetly in the background. At least it did for me. It also reminded me of Bambi for some reason.

 

 

 

For the collar, I made a pattern for it by tracing a shirt I have with a collar of the same shape on paper. I then pinned the pattern on the black cloth that I found from our abundant supply of cloth scraps and started sewing. I sewed ribbons on both ends which is how I would tie the collar on.

And finally, I've mustered enough confidence to make my first outfit post without BFJ.
I wore this cute polka dotted romper, which was a present from my ate, on Christmas day. I just love how it looks like a dress.

romper - Redhead, flats - Parisian, cardigan - G2000

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Enjoy the rest of the holidays!

Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie: The 7 Sections of My December 25 Culinary Orchestra

Happy December 25 F-Territory readers!
Like I said, I grew up in a non-Catholic environment (and wouldn't have it in any other way), hence, this day is no more than, December 25.

But hey, I don't really want to be some Holiday grinch. And you know me, I enjoy food too much. I won't let you have all the immaculate moment as your fork meets the knife and gives that squishy sound as you dissect your oh-so succulent holiday ham. I may not really have something to rave over, such as, the so-called Noche Buena but here's what my December 25 eve looks like :)






Soft wheat bread, twisted pretzel, poppy seed bread and Amuse Brouche






Pan-seared French duck foie gras on celeriac-apple puree, Galantine of Australian quail with white tomato snow accompanied by mesclun greens, tossed in Champagne-walnut vinaigrette






Minted cream of green pea with home-made smoked ostrich ham an sesame seed croutons






Open ravioli of pan-fried Arctic sea scallops on spinach mousseline in crab nage






Elderberry and flower sorbet






Grilled Australian Mulwarra beef tenderloin in black truffle jus and milk fed Dutch veal loin in morel cream sauce served with vegetable tagliolini pasta






Crispy French goose leg confit on creamed Savoy cabbage with apple potato gnocchi and Madeira jus











coffee, blood orange-rhubard orb with vanilla crescent, Gluhwein jelly, hot ginger-chocolate, praline, macaroons, and christmas cookies.




Gaaaah. Aubergine - EVERYTHING FRENCH FOOD SHOULD BE. Grand ambiance, fawning service, food tastes exactly as good as they look -- everything, in one perfect symphony.

December 24 always makes for a very sensual dining experience as the 25th of December unfolds. I hope you too had a rather perfect one :)
Holiday cheers y'all!









Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie
32nd and 5th Building, 5th Avenue corner 32nd Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
French Cuisine
Estimated Budget: ~2000 per person

Happy Lemon: The HK Starbucks of Bubble Teas

There is and always will be, that moment in childhood, where we drank a bottle of Yakult. Then we wanted more. So we drank another one. Only to feel that we still have not enough. And we cursed the shrewed Japanese for not producing bigger sizes of Yakult. From then on, we swore to open a 5-pack Yakult, accumulate them altogether in a drinking glass, and gulp the Go!Large cultured milk.

But ever since Chris Tiu and his Xavier pals brought Happy Lemon to the Philippines, I say, there are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived fully, as the children these days. (Hint: I am talking about Lemon Yakult, yes, they have ice blended Yakult in a tall cup now! x_x)



Happy Lemon is a brightly-lit bubble tea shop from Hong Kong. Its cozy feel and hip vibe, teamed up with creativity-infused drinks expects to reproduce the cheering influence exhilaration of good conversations, over the finest organic suspensions.



They have such a diverse list of teas (lemon series, fresh tea, milk tea, specialty tea, mousse spin) and coffee drinks that it would really take you forever to make your choice.

The cashier would first and foremost suggest you try (the one on the first three photos) Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese. I like this one a lot, no wonder it is the signature Happy Lemon drink. It's like some liquid Green Tea Cheesecake. It smells like Sampaguita, and perhaps, it's the only drink I've ever had that's a perfect combination of salty, sweet, and bitter. Very addicting, I must say. Though you should drink it without the straw, so that you could devour the goodness of freshly brewed green tea running through the saltiness of the cheese froth.

I know, it's quite weird to have cheese and salt on your green tea. At first sip, your face might possibly contort various sensations: joy, confusion, unease, pleasure? But no one would understand the truth until they drink of Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese's frothy goodness.




And my personal favorite (the one on the rightmost photo) and apparently, the one I have been raving about all-day long, Lemon Yakult. Waaah! A giant ice-blended cup -- shake style -- of tiny bits of ice and lemon zest which I owe my identifiable personality.

No kidding -- this drink falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grand Army of the battlefield, and the battle takes place. Thoughts arrive at full gallop, ensuing to the wind. The light cavalry of comparisons deliver a magnificent deploying charge, the artillery of logic hurry up with their train and ammunition, the shafts of with start up like sharpshooters.

For the love of Yakult, it's just pure pleasure, I tell you.




So there. A vibrant new place to go after your bargain shopping :)
Would you mind going with me to try out other drinks on my next visit?



Happy Lemon
The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center
Lemon Drinks
Estimated Budget: ~80 per drink




BTW, if you're wondering why Yakult is sold in small bottles, I give you three operative words: hygiene, health, and cost.

The Lantern Parade (or my Brother Should Be a Model)

The University of the Philippines held its annual Lantern Parade last week. Hoards of people flocked to the campus grounds to be part of the event including myself, my brother and my mom.

The lanterns weren't that spectacular, in fact some of them looked kind of pathetic (sorry but that's the truth). This made for a less enthusiastic photographing so I took to taking pictures of my brother instead, whom I've recently noticed is a natural in front of the camera. It takes no effort for him at all! He's such a good-looking dude.;)

Christmas is almost here!