Pasalubong from Thailand

Traveling is already costly so buying pasalubong for families and friends is an additional expense. My husband is a frequent traveler but we don’t expect him to buy pasalubong every time he has business trip. But of course, we’re happy if he has pasalubong especially those foods or things that are not available in the Philippines.

Thailand is not only known for temples, delicious foods, or shopping malls. They are also famous for being one of the affordable countries that you can visit. We had a chance to visit Bangkok Thailand last summer and I agree that Bangkok is not that expensive compared to other countries that we have visited in South East Asia so you can stretch your budget and buy some pasalubong.

Read: 6 Days in Bangkok with Kids

Bangkok is a popular shopping haven so I’m pretty sure even you don’t like to shop, you will visit at least one mall. You can buy souvenirs or pasalubong from malls, markets and even at the airport if you have no time. If you love giving pasalubong or if you just want to buy souvenirs from Thailand, here are some of the best things to buy in Thailand.

1. Tamarind  

We have tamarind here in the Philippines but tamarind in Thailand has more flavors. Yes, you can buy sweet, savory or even spicy tamarind. It is really a popular pasalubong, parang pag may pupunta sa Bangkok, expect na may tamarind na bitbit.

2. Dried Squid 

Just like tamarind, you can also buy dried squid and they also have different variants. We were able to try some of the delicacies because this was the pasalubong of my sister-in-law when she went to Bangkok few years ago.

3. Durian Chips 

When I was buying pasalubong in Bangkok, I always see Durian products but I did not mind it because I dislike durian. Naku, amoy pa lang niyan hindi ko na gusto. I even told my husband na wag na bibili ng durian candy pag galing sa Davao. Kasi nasasayang talaga at wala kumakain sa bahay and even sa family and friends namin, wala may gusto. hehehe!

Then few months ago, my friend said that she likes the Durian Chips in Thailand, masarap daw siya. So out of curiosity, I asked my husband to buy Durian Chips when he went back to Thailand last August. Since he has no time to go to the mall, he bought the chips at the airport. One pack is THB195 and to be honest I find it expensive for chips, parang Irvin Salted Egg Chips na ang mahal. So I was really hoping that I did not waste my money.

While my son was reviewing for his exams, I opened the Durian Chips and surprisingly, there is no bad smell and when I tried it, it tastes good. My son said, “I don’t like durian” but when he tried it, halos siya na umubos. The packaging said "No Cholesterol" and "Salty" but it is not salty and not oily so you will feel less guilty in eating chips. Now I know, why people like this so if you are going to Thailand, buy Durian Chips and you will be amazed because you won’t think that you are eating Durian.

4. Mango Sticky Rice 

They say that people will travel anywhere for good food, which is true because Mango Sticky Rice is one reason why I wanted to go back to Thailand. We have mango and sticky rice here in the Philippines but I love the mango sticky rice that I’ve eaten in Bangkok. I have tried the mango sticky rice in The Terrace Restaurant and from Robinsons Supermarket and both taste good.

And because it became my favorite, my husband buys me mango sticky rice if ever he had a chance like a layover or business trip in Thailand. He always buys at the Suvarnabhumi Airport so the price is a little bit higher, I think it ranges from THB180 to THB200. He only buys two packs because there is expiration so you cannot hoard. I eat it right away.

5. SIANG Oil 

Oil is one of the trends now so I’m pretty sure that your family or friends will appreciate SIANG pure oil. Honestly, I’m not familiar with this brand but I saw this when we went to the supermarket and when I was in the airport so I bought it. SIANG pure oil is used for pain, inflammation and insect bites. This is available in different packaging and I chose this one so you can bring it anywhere.

6. Lounge Pants and Silk Scarves 

As I’ve said before, Thailand is known as a shopping haven so you can’t help but visit malls and market. During our trip, we visited MBK Center where you can find affordable stuff so if you have time, visit this mall. You can see a lot of lounge pants with elephants print and silk scarves which is a good pasalubong. Jim Thompson House & Museum has a souvenir shop where you can buy silk scarves but expect the price is steep.

7. Namu Life SnailWhite Products 

While I was looking for souvenirs at Suvarnabhumi airport, I checked different stores and I even visited the pharmacy and I was surprised when I saw foreigners who are buying Namu Life SnailWhite products. I got curious kasi basket of SnailWhite talaga ang binibili nila, kung makahoard sila ganun na lang. I thought mura siya na pwede pampasalubong but when I checked the price and it is not cheap, pangmaharlika. lol

Then I just learned that Namu Life is a famous brand in Thailand and Snailwhite is a popular beauty product in their country. This beauty product is good for repairing and renovating aging skin. They have different products such as facial cream, sunscreen, body wash, facial mask, mist, and the whipp soap.

Just this month, Snail White Whipp Soap is already here in the Philippines. Yes, you can already buy this soap in Watson or online shop but dahil sikat pa siya, lagi sold out. I’m also curious about trying the soap, maybe next time. I will ask my husband to buy this for me baka mas mura sa Bangkok. :)

That’s my list, care to share your favorite pasalubong from Thailand.

Read: Where to Stay in Bangkok Thailand

Buying Furniture at Furniture Source Philippines: Yay or Nay?

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know for sure that I love IKEA. Even though there is no IKEA yet here in our country, I love browsing their website for home ideas that is perfect for our small house. Whenever we travel, I make sure that IKEA is included on our itinerary, so far I was able to visit their branch in Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

There are so many things that I want to buy but of course, our baggage limit is limited so I can only buy stuff that will fit our luggage. There is no IKEA in the Philippines but there are online stores where you can purchase IKEA products though price is a little bit higher. I discovered Furniture Source Philippines in the year 2016 and last year, we finally visited their store. If you’ve read my post before, we purchased 2x4 Kallax Cabinet and 2x2 Kallax Cabinet.

We did not have any problem when we bought our furniture last year so last August 21, 2018, off we went to Santolan Town Plaza. It was our first time in their store kasi yung last visit namin sa Granada St., QC pa yung showroom nila. Good thing they changed their location kasi mahirap magpark dun sa lumang store and maliit lang.

They have a website so you can place your order online but we prefer to see the items so even we live outside Metro Manila, dinayo namin. We checked their store and some of the items that we want are not available so we just bought the following.

1 Hemnes Daybed Frame with 3 Drawers P25,500
2 Uratex Mattress for Hemnes Daybed P5,900
1 Malekby Sofabed Right Arm Rest (Black/Leatherette) P21,900
1 Norris Gateleg Table (Birch) P12,990
Assembly Fee P500 (per furniture)
Delivery Fee P1500

Norris Gateleg Table

Hemnes Daybed Frame with 3 Drawers

Since we bought bulky items we chose delivery this time, they charged one delivery fee for all items. My husband can assemble the furniture but I told him to pay na lang para hindi sayang sa oras at baka abutin pa siya ng buong araw sa pag-assemble. My husband requested for weekend delivery so he doesn’t need to file a vacation leave. The staff said “I-note ko na lang po, after 4 days po makakareceive kayo ng message kung kelan idedeliver”.

We were surprised when we heard that, because in other Furniture or Appliance store, right there and then alam mo kung kelan nila pwede ideliver. Anyway, we waited for their text.

Aug 21, 2018 - went to Santolan Town Plaza to buy furniture
Aug 25, 2018 - received text regarding delivery schedule

Last August 25, 2018, we received a text regarding the delivery schedule and they informed us about September 5, 2018 schedule. We’re not happy about it, imagine 15 days of waiting from the time that we ordered the furniture. Even if you call their number, they will just cancel the call. So kahit anong tawag ni hubby to request for an early schedule, bigla na lang napuputol ang call so it seems that they are not entertaining any call, “Canceled Call”, alert. They said, earliest date na daw yun, so whether we like or not we just agreed with the date. My husband fixed his schedule so he will be home on the day of the delivery.

September 5 - delivery schedule

Fast forward to September 5, we are waiting for the delivery of the furniture and we are not receiving any text from them. Come lunchtime, my husband texted the number to follow up and he was shookt in their reply "they cannot deliver and will text for reschedule". WHAT?!? So we are just waiting for nothing pala.

We’re not happy about it because.

1. They are the one who scheduled it. We waited for 15 days and hoping that they will deliver our furniture.
2. We are waiting for the delivery and they did not inform us that they will not deliver, kung hindi pa kami nagfollow up, hindi namin malalaman na wala naman darating. They just told us that they will reschedule. Hmmm, kelan na naman?

Since this is not acceptable, my husband called the office to inform them about the situation and after a series of conversations, they finally told us that they will deliver the items the following day.

September 6, 2018 

We felt relieved when they texted that they're on the way to our house. They arrived past 10AM, tatlong tao ang nag-assemble, two persons assembled the bed and one person assembled the table and sofa. It took them 2 hours to assemble the sofa, bed, and table but it is not yet finished because one sofa stand was defective. I thought the stress is already over but since one stand of the sofa is defective, the staff said “Sir, balik na lang po kami, sira kasi yung isa”. When we asked them, kung kelan balik, they could not answer us.

Walang legs yung isang sofa so hindi pantay. 

September 10, 2018 

After 4 days, we did not hear anything from them so my husband called to follow-up. We’re afraid na abutin na naman ng 2 weeks bago ideliver so my husband volunteered na ipick-up na lang niya but the manager told him that they already shipped the replacement and side table via Sea Cargo last Friday, September 7, 2018. 

They did not inform us that they will ship the item because as far as we know, the staff said, babalik na lang. We paid for the assembly fee so we’re expecting na ikakabit nila ulit yun. We just let it go since my husband can do it. I just told my husband to ask for the tracking number so at least I know kung kelan darating sa bahay.

September 11, 2018 - My husband asked for tracking number but they cannot provide, sabi lang “We’ll check on this”.
September 12, 2018 - Follow -up for tracking number but still no tracking number.
September 13, 2018 - They could not provide us the tracking number so my husband has this feeling na hindi pa nila naship yung items. So he told them, kung hindi pa naship, pick-up na niya. Finally, the manager told him that they already pulled out the item and will inform us once the item is ready for pick-up.
September 14, 2018 - I received a text that our item is ready for pick up, they provided an address where we could get the item, hindi siya sa showroom kukunin. At last, the stress is over. But because of Typhoon Ompong, we decided to stay in our house, hindi muna kami pumunta agad.
September 16, 2018 - off we went to the warehouse.

From August 21 - September 14, it took them 24 days to fulfill our order. This is the first time that we’ve experienced this, it never happened to us sa ibang Furniture Store or Appliance Store. Like I mentioned, we already ordered furniture from them last year and okay naman. But with our recent experience, we’re not satisfied. I’m just thankful that my husband was here and no business trip.

So I guess, if you want to buy furniture at Furniture Source Philippines, pick-up is the best option. With all the stress, delays and hassles, they gave us Complimentary Brimnes Side table. I just hope they will improve their delivery system, okay naman service nila sa Showroom and Warehouse.

“First impressions are important but the last impression we leave with the customer will leave the most lasting impression - Shep Hyken” 

Furniture Source Philippines 
Santolan Town Plaza by Rockwell
276 Col. Bonny Serrano, San Juan City,
Metro Manila Philippines

Read: Buying Furniture at Mandaue Foam Home Store
Buying Furniture at San Yang Furniture

Yummy Crepe at Cafe Breton

I love crepe so I feel happy whenever I see crepe in the buffet spread whether in a hotel or restaurant. Several years ago, I tried cooking it at home kaso nakakasawa din, for a family of three ang hirap ubusin nung crepe batter. Even though I like crepe, I rarely buy this dessert lalo na pag nagtitipid, skip na ang dessert kung kakain kami sa labas. Hehehe!

But of all the crepe that I ate, there are two crepe stores that stuck in my mind, the Crazy Crepes in Boracay and Dipper Dan Cafe in Tokyo Japan. Here in the Philippines, I always see Cafe Breton but since I’m not a coffee person, deadma lang ko sa mga Cafe. My husband had tried this restaurant before and sarap na sarap siya sa crepe so he suggested na i-try namin minsan.

I guess, few years ago na yun and it was only last weekend that we finally paid a visit. From Mall of Asia, we decided to eat merienda at Cafe Breton before going home. I always see this Cafe whenever we visit Dayrit’s Burger and Roast Beef House, as in magkatabi lang sila.

Read: Lunch at Dayrit's Burger and Roast Beef House 

It was merienda time and we were the only customers when we arrived. The staff immediately gave us the menu and we asked for their best sellers. We choose one savory and one dessert crepe. My husband ordered Galette Paysanne P350, yun yung kinain na rin niya dati and I ordered Le Magnifique P265. We just asked for an additional plate for my son so we can share the food.

I haven’t tried a savory crepe so this was the first time that I tasted it and msarap naman pala. The Galette Paysanne has whole Hungarian sausage, sunny side up egg, onions, strips of asparagus and white cheese sauce. Now I knew, why my husband like this. San kaya nila nabibili yung sausage?

When I saw the Le Magnifique, I was hoping that it is not sweet kasi parang ang daming chocolate. But I was glad that it is not overly sweet. I love it. My son prefers this than the savory crepe and kulang na lang i-lick niya yung plate para masimot niya talaga. It is a combination of banana, chocohazelnut spread, whipped cream, almonds, and chocolate syrup. They have a crepe with ice cream but I prefer whipped cream.

After eating two crepes, gutom pa kami so we ordered Breton Mozzarella Burger P285. A simple beef burger with sauteed onions, mushrooms and mozzarella. When they served the burger, I was looking for the mozzarella, surprise pala siya. We also enjoyed this burger.

Aside from crepes, Cafe Breton also serves pasta, sandwiches, salads, and all-day breakfast. The price is not cheap especially for a dessert but you can order different crepes and share para matry yung ibang flavor though according to their menu, their serving is good for one. The food is good and as of this writing, I’m craving for their food. Good thing that Cafe Breton has several branches so we can visit Alabang, Sta. Rosa, and Tagaytay branch.

September 2019

Naexperience ko na mag-overnight sa Emergency Room ng Philippine Lung Center last week. Isang gabi lang pero ramdam ko yung pagod, antok at gutom. Sobrang busy sa ER so kahit gusto mo umidlip, hindi mo magawa. Nakakagutom magbantay pero wala ka naman mabilhan ng food dahil 7-11 lang naman ang alam ko na bukas sa Lung Center.

So after ng shift ko sa pagbabantay, nagbrunch kami ni hubby sa Cafe Breton. My default order is always Galette Paysanne. Buti na lang hindi pa sila nag-increase ng price. We immediately went home after brunch so I have more time to sleep bago umuwi from school ang aking anak.

January 2020

We took advantage of the vacation leave of my husband so we applied for Japan Visas. If you remember my post, we went to World Travel Expo last October and availed the 50% Japan Visa Processing. There is an expiration date for the voucher so we need to use it before the end of January. Sayang naman ang bayad namin if hindi namin magagamit. To make the long story short, our Japan Visas were approved and this time multiple entry for 5 years so to celebrate we had lunch at Cafe Breton.

As usual, we ordered our favorite Galette Paysanne P350, Le Magnifique P265, and Breton Mozarella Burger P285. And because nabitin kami sa Le Magnifique, I ordered La Viva Pinay. La Viva Pinay P220 is a crepe with mango, ice cream, and chocolate sauce. This crepe is just okay because the mango is not that sweet so the taste of this crepe depends on the sweetness of the mango. We finished everything naman, mas masarap nga lang kung matamis yung mango.

August 2023

Cafe Breton has different branches pero ewan ko ba bakit sa Paseo de Magallanes lang kami kumakain. Last month, we had an appointment in Makati but we were too early for our schedule so we decided to kill our time at Cafe Breton. It’s been years na rin pala since our last visit and ang laki na rin ng price increase. 

As expected, our default order was Galette Paysanne PHP425 and Le Magnifique PHP325, but after eating our order, gutom pa kami so we ordered an additional crepe which is Blueberries & Cream PHP350. If you want crepe with ice cream, order this one, 2 -3 scoops din yung ice cream sa loob ng crepe.

Blueberries & Cream - Blueberries in syrup and special cream sauce, a generous serving of vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream.

August 2024

After one year, we’re back at Cafe Breton and it was funny because we had the same appointment in Makati but this time, after our schedule naman kami kumain sa Cafe Breton. We ordered our default crepe, Galette Paysanne PHP470, and Le Magnifique PHP360 as usual. My husband chose a different crepe which is Original Sin PHP420. He liked the ice cream of this crepe. 

Original Sin - stewed apples, caramel ice cream, topped with whipped cream, caramel syrup and walnut.

Cafe Breton 
Unit 3 Mega Center Bldg.
Paseo de Magallanes
Magallanes Village,
Makati City

3 Things to Look for in a Daycare Center in Oceanside

Choosing the right daycare for your child or children is a very crucial decision that you will have to make. You probably don’t want to choose the first daycare that you see or the cheapest that your budget will allow. There are many factors that you need to consider given that this is a place where you will leave your child for hours. You want a place that would cater to your child's needs and satisfy your demands as a parent, too. To make it easier for you, here are some things you need to look for when looking for an Oceanside daycare center.

1. The staff must be well trained and truly love children 

You want the people that will look after your children to be trained. See if they have certifications where they have undergone training on how to deal with a child's needs and personality. Especially if you have a child that may have special needs, you will need someone who can deal with that. You will be paying for their services so you want to make sure that they can deliver. Aside from being trained, you want that whoever will care for your child should actually like children. Children can be a handful, they love to explore, they can be loud, they can make mistakes, and it takes a lot of patience to deal with one how much more several in a room all at once?

2. The facilities must be clean and beautiful 

Children can be very visual. If they see something colorful, they will want to spend time in that place. But they can also be easily distracted and have a short attention span, so you want to see if the daycare center can provide several activities that your children can enjoy. Aside from a playground, what other toys and activities do they have for the children? Aside from these, also make sure that the place is clean. Visit the daycare center to see what the place is like when there are lots of kids. How often is the room cleaned, are their bathrooms equipped with soaps, tissue papers, etc? These are just some of the things you need to consider. A public place can have many germs and viruses and you want to make sure your child will not come home from daycare feeling ill.

3. The programs offered should be diverse and appropriate for different age groups 

If you have children that are of different ages, a daycare that only offers one program for one age group is not ideal. You want a place where all your children will be engaged with activities and they will not get bored. it would be hard to make an eight-year-old enjoy an activity designed for a two-year-old, so ensure that the programs offered can be enjoyed by them.

Of course, above all these, make sure that your children will be safe. Check their protocols on safety, whether all the staff are trained in first-aid and so on so you will feel safe leaving your kids in their hands.

6 Tips on How Not to Overspend When Traveling

When you’re traveling to some foreign place, it can be very easy to forgo sticking to your budget because you treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime event. Overspending is a major issue for those on a travel budget, and while it is good to treat yourself once in a while, you don’t have to spend more for something that you can probably get for less.

Traveling is already expensive on its own, and if you overspend, you may end up in debt. If you do that for so many times in a row, it can lead to your financial ruin.

If you’re going on an international trip, it could be difficult to estimate the exact budget you’ll be needing, because of differences in currency and of tourist taxes. Fortunately, there are ways you can safeguard yourself from overspending.

Here are some tips to make your traveling fun, memorable, and within budget.

Determine Overall Budget for Entire Trip 

More specifically, spend the money you actually have. You may be taking credit cards with you on your trip for extra financial security. It may be tempting to whip them out on special occasions or for “last-minute” deals and purchases, but if it’s not part of your budget, it’s best not to do it. If it’s something spontaneous, it’s a good idea to not jump at the first chance. If it’s something like an activity or item you really want, it’s best to do some research first or even haggle if it’s possible to get the best possible deal.

Ideally, you should set a spending limit on how much you will spend daily or for the whole duration of the trip. Another thing to remember that may be helpful is to keep track of every purchase and to keep every receipt so you know how much is left in your budget.

Plan an Itinerary 

If you’re on vacation for more than three days, it’s best to plan an itinerary to schedule your days ahead instead of wandering aimlessly. Having activities per day reduces your chances of spending needlessly on things you see on the sidewalk or at the mall.

Plan for an immersive experience where you can have a taste of the local way of living instead of going to malls. Unless they’re specialty items or things unique to the place or country, you can just do your shopping back home.

An itinerary is also useful for when you need to set the overall budget because you can anticipate what things and activities you need to pay for. You can keep track of your expenses better if you know what you will be doing daily. It’s best to plan ahead for the activities you want in an itinerary because tourist spots usually have good deals for early birds.

Adjust Accommodation Based on Itinerary 

Most travelers spend a lot on travel accommodation because they want to be as comfortable as possible. However, if you have a full itinerary of activities, then you won’t be able to get the best bang for your buck by booking the best room in the hotel.

If your daily activities involve being outdoors, it is recommended to rethink your choice of accommodation. You need to know that five-star hotels or hotels, in general, are not the only options.

There are cheaper alternatives, like hostels, Airbnb, and other services. They may not give you the best privacy, but they’re a lot cheaper, and your budget will thank you for it. They also have similar amenities or even have something more personal to make your stay more comfortable.

Promos Are Your Best Friends 

Before going on your trip, it’s a good idea to look around for promos and even last-minute deals for activities and even for food and drinks. If it’s anything tourist-related, chances are, there are promos for any specific area. These can help reduce your food and activities budget without sacrificing quantity or quality.

Pack Smart 

If you plan to go away for only a couple of days, then it is a good idea to take a small luggage with you. A leather weekender bag is a good choice for this kind of trip because it is spacious to carry all your clothes, including toiletry, but not big enough to be checked in if you’re flying. If you plan to bring back souvenirs, you can fit a couple of them without any worries.

If you’re unsure where to start first, it is a good idea to look at your itinerary to have some idea what to pack. Make sure to consider the weather and what kind of activities you will be doing on your travels so you can anticipate what clothes to bring and wear.

If you plan to bring some gear, like photographing equipment, it’s best to pack them in special bags so they will survive the travel. If you need more tips on what to bring, there are packing checklist resources to guide you.

Transportation

If you’re traveling by plane, the cheapest way to score tickets is to plan far ahead. You can also buy them during promos if you have a flexible work schedule. Ticket prices for both local and international flights tend to be really cheap six months before the date of departure, so make sure to take advantage of that. If you book ahead, you will have plenty of time to plan out your itinerary as well as save up for the trip.

If you’re a regular flyer or constantly use any travel service, make sure to sign up for loyalty programs for bonus deals and discounts. On another note, if your destination involves a lot of commutes, take some time to research if it is cheaper to rent a vehicle or use public transport. Depending on where you are in the world, either may be a practical choice that can save you big bucks.

The Bottom Line 

There are still so many ways you can save or stick to your budget when traveling. The tips mentioned above are just general guidelines. The best way to find out what works for you and your circumstance is to practice mindfulness especially about where your money is going to. It also helps to be patient if you want to look for the best deals.

What are your tips to avoid overspending when traveling? List them in the comments below.

5 Tips for Decorating Ceramic Christmas Trees

Are you an artsy or a creative person? Then ceramic Christmas trees are perfect for you. With them, creating your own unique holiday tree with elements that fit your taste the best is easy. These materials can enable you to do your décor in the color, style, and theme of your choice. Ceramic Christmas trees can make your imagination reach beyond the skies. You could either pin tiny light bulbs on the trees or paint the tree with your preferred color and glue small ornaments on it. It all depends on your creativity and what you’d like to achieve.

1. Every Tree Needs a Theme 

If you’re a crafty person and enjoy customizing things so much, then decorating ceramic Christmas trees is something you’d love. These trees are suitable for painting any color you want. Apart from the classic Christmas colors, you can choose from a wide range of tones. For the children’s bedroom, the best decor would constitute of either a pale pink or pale blue tree. A great fit for your kitchen would be yellow and for a parent’s bedroom turquoise. Other trendy colored trees are also available and they include hot pink, purple, rainbow, and painted.

2. Positioning Matters 

Wherever you’re going to have much of your Christmas action, place the tree at the center of it. Whether it’s in the living room or out in the garden, your family and friends can enjoy better if they can see the masterpiece as the focal point of their celebrations.

3. Bring in Both New and Old 

Ceramic Christmas trees come without ornaments. Therefore, they leave room for you to choose what you’d want to put on them. Combine varying sizes of pink vintage ornaments with new white dove decorations to create that whimsical feel. You could also use an over-the-top bow and a traditional star to complement the tree’s color palette.

4. Create Memories 

Attach old photos to the ceramic Christmas tree using mini clothespins to display your favorite memories. It’s best to use photographs that have black-and-white finishes so as to attain cohesiveness. If you have some small papers with past Christmas messages, tag them to the tree to add more personalization.

5. Decorate Even When It’s Not Christmas Time 

Ceramic Christmas trees come white and without ornaments, making it easy to turn them into whatever holiday trees you desire. Therefore, you could decorate the trees during any season instead of waiting for the end of the year. There are endless possibilities that only your imagination can limit. Here are some ideas for a few holidays: ·     

- To get a Mardi Gras tree, use purple paint together with gold and green ornaments ·     
- For a Halloween tree, paint black and use orange and white ornaments ·    
- For Valentine’s Day, use pink paint and glue red and white ornaments ·    
- For an Easter tree, use green paint and glue chicks, bunnies, and eggs ·    
- For the 4th of July, paint the tree blue and glue or pin red and white ornaments

Conclusion 

A ceramic Christmas tree can present you with innumerable opportunities to grow your imagination while having fun and memorable moments. You could also create your personal and customized décor no matter the time of year.

Check out ceramic Christmas trees from this website to decorate your home.                   

Why and How I Deleted my 20,500 Tweets

I love decluttering and it became part of my life, I used to hoard stuff before for sentimental value sake but as the years go by, I learned to let go most of my stuff. I don’t just declutter our home but I also declutter my laptop files, my emails, my blog, and social media. Yes, I delete emails, files, photos that I no longer need. I update my old posts, delete blog posts and social media posts that no longer serve any purpose. I believe that there is no good reason to keep them.

September 7,2018

Out of the blue, I checked my Twitter Profile last week and I was surprised because I have 20,500+ tweets. Woah! I’m not really active on twitter but I have 20,500 tweets. Anu-ano ang mga yun? Then I realized that everytime I declutter, I forgot to include my Twitter and I guess I have never deleted any tweets since I started last October 2009.

At first, I was curious what were my tweets look like when I started so I search “How I can Find my Old Tweets”. I used Advanced Search, write my twitter handle, choose the date and click search but for some reasons, this is not working. I can’t find my old tweets. I can’t view per year too. I also tried typing this “from:username since:yyyy-mm-dd until:yyyy-mm-dd” on the Twitter Search button but same fate. So I have no choice but to start deleting my recent tweets until I reach year 2009. I’m so crazy.

Twitter has no option of “Delete All Tweets” or “Delete Multiple Tweets”. I have 20,500 tweets and I was estimating that I can finish this before September ends if I will delete 1000 tweet per day. But I got carried away in deleting my tweets, I started September 2018 until I reached November 2017 tweets and then Twitter stopped displaying my tweets. My Profile shows that I still have 17,200 Tweets but I can’t view anything. And because of that, I learned that “Twitter only displays 3,200 most recent tweets and old tweets cannot always be displayed”. Boom! Two days pa lang ko nagdedelete, nasira na plan ko.

I don’t know how long will I wait for the Twitter to display my Tweets. I know that I can use some service Apps like TweeterDelete, TweeterEraser, and TwitWipe but at that time I don’t want to use any app because it means I have to enter my information pa. My husband even suggested to just delete my Twitter account and start again. Grabe, ang harsh naman ng suggestion. Yes, I can easily do that, I did that with my Facebook Page, Google +, YouTube and even my Email Subscription but one thing I knew, ang hirap magpaincrease ng followers noh. As if sikat ako, lol.

September 9, 2018

And because of the deletion limits, I can no longer delete any more tweets but I did not lose hope. I tried searching for my tweets using keywords. I’m pretty sure that I shared most of my blog posts, on the search button, I type my twitter handle and keywords like travel, trip, recipes, DIY, tips, giveaways, and more. Then I started deleting my tweets and I’ve been doing this for the past few days.

I’m just deleting my old tweets not because I want to hide something or because I posted something na nakakahiya. I am just doing a maintenance so I erased my tweets from my old blogs like My Other Nook, Mrs. Ugly Duckling and Michi Home Sweet Home. I deleted the giveaways, press release, discounts, sales, and promo posts that no longer matters. And because I want a fresh start, I want to delete all.

September 13, 2018 

From 20,500 tweets, I was down to 1,600+ tweets but my dilemma is I can no longer think of any keywords, wala na ko maisip na pwede ko pa isearch. Then I checked my Twitter Profile and I was surprised that Twitter already updated my tweets (after 4 days). Yey, so I erased the remaining tweets and finally no more tweets.

September 14, 2018 

I have zero tweets but as of this writing when I checked my Twitter Profile, bigla nagkaroon ng 9 Tweets pero wala na naman ko nakikita. But anyway, I’m happy that my Twitter Problem is now solved. Fresh start and I promised myself that I will include this in my blog and social media clean up every year. Since 3,200 tweets lang naman ang dinidisplay so yun na ang sign ko.

"Sometimes the best way to be happy is to learn to let go of things you tried hard to hold on to that are no longer good for you"

My only regret is, I did not download a backup copy of my tweets and I don’t even have a picture of my Twitter Profile when I reached 20,500+ Tweets for souvenir sake.

Are you keeping your tweets?

Althea Korea Birthday Haul

August is my birthday month and Althea Korea surprised me with birthday shopping credits. It is one of the perks of being an Althea Angels. I did not waste my time and check Althea Korea site and started browsing Korean Beauty Products, I just keep on adding products to my cart so naover ako sa budget but it is my birthday naman so I need to treat myself din. I took advantage of the 10% discount promo and I also got a FREE tote bag again.

August 7, 2018 - ordered and paid using shopping credits and Paypal
August 14, 2018 - received the order via Black Arrow Express

My Birthday Haul 

Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Pact ₱480
Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream EX ₱790
Innisfree Daily UV Protection Cream No Sebum SPF35 PA+++ ₱494
The Saem Saemmul Cream Stick Blusher Rose Fire ₱440
Marine Blue Makeup Brush Set (6pcs) ₱770
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ₱980
Natural Pure Cotton (100 pieces) ₱140
Argan Glow Hair Oil ₱520
Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel Mist ₱260
Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Nutrition ₱24
Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Oil-control ₱24
Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Wrinkle ₱24
White Flower Mask Pack 5 Sheets ₱170
Skin & Lab Dr. Vita Clinic White Vita-C Essence ₱730
Boomdeahdah Rose Body Lotion ₱230
Free Tote Bag

I ordered old favorites and new K-Beauty products, this is already my 3rd bottle of Skin & Lab Dr. Vita Clinic White Vita-C Essence and Boomdeahdah Rose Body Lotion.

I am currently using The Saem Saemmul Cream Stick Blusher (Coral) and I love this so I bought the Rose variant. It adds natural shine on your face. I also love the smell of this cream stick blusher.

Innisfree is one of the popular brands in Korean Beauty Products but the price is not cheap but since I have shopping credits, I bought Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Pact, Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream EX, and Innisfree Daily UV Protection Cream No Sebum SPF35 PA+++.

The Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Pact has only white color so ending mukha ko geisha pag ginamit ko but I still use it, very light na lang ang lagay para di sobrang puti ng face ko.

The Innisfree Daily UV Protection Cream is not sticky but I don’t like the smell of this, maybe because of the packaging, parang may amoy plastic. It makes my skin a little lighter so I need to put it on my neck para pantay kulay.

The Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream Ex is a moisturizer that contains green tea from Jeju island. It is lightweight cream, not sticky and easily absorbs into the skin. I like the green tea smell and it makes my skin hydrated, soft and dewy. It also prevent moisture loss. The only thing I dislike, it makes my skin oily, I'm not sure if it is because of the weather.

I’ve been meaning to buy Laneige beauty products because I always see this brand in some Korean Drama series that I’ve watched. I only have Laneige Toner Pack which is part of my Althea Lazy Sunday Box. This brand is so expensive so I was hesitant to try but since it is my birthday month, pikit mata ko na lang binili. I’ve been using this Laneige Water Sleeping Mask since last month and I love it, sulit naman siya because it will last for a long time. You can only use this twice or thrice a week. If you want “I woke up like this” look, gamitin mo ito. Hehehe! I will try their other products if I have extra budget.

I’m not really into make-up products but I bought Marine Blue Make-up Brush Set because I realized that I only have one make-up brush at home. So I’m investing on this brush so I can learn how to apply makeup but first, aalamin ko muna kung paano gamitin yung brush.

I always use cotton pads so I bought Natural Pure Cotton but this one is so thin, mas prefer ko yung nabibili sa supermarket. I haven’t used these products pa so I will just update my post next time. Argan Glow Hair Oil, Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel Mist, Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Nutrition, Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Oil control, Don't Worry Mask 1 Sheet Wrinkle, and White Flower Mask Pack 5 Sheets.

Read: My First Shopping Experience at Althea Korea

Shop here Althea Korea | Althea Global

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Lunch at The Pantry of Dusit Thani Manila Hotel

I think it is a sign of aging when I don’t feel excited anymore on my birthday. I find it weird but it feels like an ordinary day to me and it is not that fun when I have to plan or decide for my own birthday celebration. Mas iniisip ko pa yung birthday ng anak ko. But of course, it is my special day so I want to celebrate it with my family or close friends.

When August month came, I was thinking if I will have a birthday staycation or buffet celebration. My birthday falls on a weekday and just like last year, tumapat pa sa coding so hindi na naman kami makakaalis. We have two holidays this August so we can have a long weekend vacation but there were unexpected expenses; we bought new furniture in the house and my MIL had an operation so my husband shared on the bill.

So I thought our lunch at Las Flores is already my birthday celebration but my husband reserved seats at The Pantry of Dusit Thani Manila Hotel for my post birthday celebration. We normally eat at the usual buffet restaurant to take advantage of the birthday promo but for a change, we’re going to eat at the hotel.

Lunch at The Pantry 

On our way to Dusit Thani Hotel, my husband received a call, the staff was just confirming our reservation. We arrived past 11AM and parking was full already, there is valet parking but we decided to park elsewhere. There is a parking area just in front of the hotel so we did not have any problem. I always see Dusit when I was still working in Makati but I was in college years when I first and last visited the hotel so ang dami na nagbago.

Since we were so early, we went to the mall first so I can buy white shorts for my son’s Cheers and Yells Competition. When we went back, we just waited at the "The Pantry Grab & Go" area, hindi pa talaga sila nagpapasok and they started calling the diners past 12NN na. So finally, it is buffet time.

The Pantry is an all-day dining restaurant of Dusit Thani Manila Hotel and it is quite new, three years pa lang itong restaurant. It boasts on their farm-to-fork fare, they get organic and locally produced ingredients from Tagaytay to create their International dishes. I was excited to try their restaurant but when I checked their buffet spread, I was a little bit disappointed. The rate is P2,150 and it was lunch time so of course, I was expecting more food options and live cooking stations. Pero mas marami pa yung breakfast buffet that we've experienced at Cafe Ilang Ilang, Circles and Spiral.

Read: Spiral at Sofitel Philippines Plaza Manila
Cafe Ilang Ilang at The Manila Hotel
Circles at Makati Shangri la Hotel

The Pantry is serving International dishes such as Indian, Italian, Filipino and Pan-Asian cuisines. They have a bread station, a fresh station for salad, fruits and sushi, beverage station, dessert station, seafood station, and carving station. Though there are several stations, don’t expect a lot of choices, like sa cold cuts and cheese, 3 choices lang.

Watch the video here.

Honestly, I was sad when I saw their buffet spread because I’m a meat lover so I was looking forward to carving station, but I only see lechon, pork loin for ramen and beef brisket. Actually, lechon and baked salmon saved my day. Nahappy na ko ng slight kasi at least nandun yung dalawang favorite ko. The beef brisket is dry so I did not enjoy it.

Well, if you are a seafood lover you will enjoy this restaurant because there are big wok of shrimps, crabs, and seashells. It is not for display, you can grab those seafood. My husband was very much satisfied with his seafood diet.

They have a lot of choices for dessert and my son’s favorite is churros. My favorite is their homemade ice cream and DIY Halo-Halo. My husband prefers fruits kaso naubusan siya nung mango so he asked kung pwede magpaslice and the staff said, for display lang daw yun. So my husband said okay and went back to our table without mango.

Next time fruits muna para di maubusan.

After few minutes, I saw the foreigner beside our table, holding a platter of mango. Yes, isang plato talaga na kasya sa family of five niya. I checked the fruit station and hindi naman sila nagrefill. Wow, akala ko ba wala na mango and for display lang. Bakit may platter of mango yung katabi namin? So pag Pinoy wala, pero pag foreigner magagawan ng paraan magkaroon ng mango. I felt irritated pag ganito, we understand naman kung wala na pero if makikita mo na yung iba meron, nakakainis lang. So iba din ba service ng staff nila sa celebrity at foreigner vs ordinary people like us? It happened to us at Makati Shangri la Hotel too. I told my husband about it and he said, hayaan na lang sa bahay na lang siya kakain ng mango. :)

Well, honestly their service is good naman, they are fast in getting the used plates, refilling our water, serving tea and others. Sumablay lang talaga dun sa staff sa fruit station. It was Saturday but the restaurant was not crowded so you will enjoy your buffet time. The other problem is their air condition, mainit e. I don’t know if it is because we are near the door so open and close yun at di nagstay ang lamig but I hope they can improve that.

Overall, our buffet experience is a hit and miss. My husband enjoyed it but not me. Hehehe! Good thing that we availed the credit card promo so we got 45% discount for adult rate and 50% of the regular rate for my son. I suggest if you want to try this restaurant, look for a promo.

The Pantry Buffet Rates 

Breakfast: 1,450 nett per person
Sunday Brunch: PHP2,800 nett per person inclusive of craft beer, wine, mimosa bar and infused gin tonic bar.

Lunch
Monday-Friday 1,950 nett per person
Saturday 2,150 nett per person
Sunday 2,500 nett per person (without wine)
             2,950 nett per person (with wine & Chandon)

Dinner
Monday-Friday 2,200 nett per person
Saturday-Sun 2,350 nett per person

*All rates are inclusive of juice, coffee or tea except for Sunday Lunch which is our Crossover Sunday Brunch.