It's back! It's finally back!

If you've been an S&R member for quite a while now, you'd know how exciting this news is! In just a few weeks, we'll get to enjoy BIG savings and discounts with S&R Members' Treat.


From September 30 to October 2, 2016, S&R Membership Shopping is treating its members to a big, BIG sale! From the regular promos and discounted items, to 50% off discounts and buy 1 take 1 offers -- this is sure to be a sweet treat for membership card holders nationwide!

If you've been following this blog for quite a while now, you probably know how much I enjoy spending my time doing groceries and shopping for food and home-stuff. And just like many of my friends and acquaintances, I've been a member and a fan of one of the biggest members-only shopping center in the country, S&R.


Not being biased here, but S&R is a really good place to get imported products and in bulk, at good prices. So although I used to not get the appeal of members-only shopping places, I ended up being a convert. 'Cause hey, apart from the actual shopping at S&R, I'm a big fan of their food service!

Ahh... Matcha! Although I can't remember when I first had a taste of matcha, I can proudly say that I've been a fan of this Japanese green tea powder for quite a while now. Matcha latte, matcha ice cream, matcha panna cotta, or anything matcha in general -- I have a strong penchant for ordering.

But today, I'm not here to just gloat about another matcha dessert. How about we learn how to actually make a Matcha Green Tea Cheesecake? And from the Modern Dessert Prince, Chef Edward Mateo of Royal Patisserie, nonetheless.


Ingredients:

For the crust

• 1 cup crushed Graham
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter

For the cream cheese batter

• 500g cream cheese
• 225g heavy cream
• 1 cup refined sugar
• 2 pcs. large egg
• 2 tbsp. matcha green tea powder
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Procedure:

1. Preheat the Breville Smart Oven™ at 150C.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients for the crust until well-combined.
3. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of a 8-inch springform pan wrapped in foil.
4. Using the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro™ and the Scraper Beater attachment, cream the cream cheese and matcha green tea powder until smooth.
5. Add only half of the cream and mix until smooth. Then, add the other half and mix again until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.
6. With the mixer on light mixing speed, beat in the eggs one at a time. Wait until the previous egg is just barely mixed into the batter before adding the next one.
7. Mix in the sugar and flour for about 1 minute until incorporated.
8. Pour the mixture over the pan and spread it into an even layer against the sides of the pan.
9. Bake using bain marie method for about 1 hr and 30 minutes.
10. Once baked, cool for 2-3 hours, and add decorations as desired. Enjoy!

Eating your favorite matcha dessert is a treat. But making your own matcha green tea cheesecake is a sweeter pleasure! And while baking might not be easy, it can be perfected with lots and lots of practice and trial and error. It's also a good thing that this recipe is from the Prince of Modern Desserts himself, so we know that even if we mess up a little, outcome will still be good! v(°∇^*)⌒☆

So give it a try if you're also a fellow matcha lover! Let's satisfy our matcha cravings with Chef Edward Mateo's help and Breville!

I love food. I love taking pictures. And I love taking pictures of food!

If you've been a reader for quite a while, chances are, you've probably noticed how I always try my best to use either my Canon dslr or my Fujifilm mirrorless camera to take photos of food, places, my OOTD, and other things which I post here on the blog. Granted, lugging around a proper camera isn't always comfortable. But I just can't shake off the feeling that I won't get the shots I wanted if I only rely on my phone's camera...


And that holds true until I met Huawei P9. I'll be making a review and run-down of its specs on a separate blog post. But for now, I just want to share with you how my food blogging has changed and will change.

Ahhh... I've been on a stricter diet the past few months, but I still make sure to indulge from time to time. And one of the things I like to enjoy on my cheat days would no doubt be carbs! From rice and pasta, to pastries and breads, carbohydrates don't only make me feel full, but also leave me feeling happy after indulging in a few.

Lately though, I've been rediscovering my love for sandwiches. Whenever I eat out and see sandwiches on the menu, whether it be a sub, a club, or an Italian deli sandwich, I just can't seem to shy away from ordering.


But of course, it won't be practical to always run to the nearest sub or deli place to get my fill. So whenever I want to have a sandwich and quick, it's still better to make one on my own. Good thing, Lady's Choice now offers two more variants -- the Roast Beef Spread and the Chicken BBQ Spread!

Chicken adobo is one of the most loved Filipino dishes of all time; a staple in every Filipino's dinner table. It's been one of my favorite home-cooked dishes growing up, and is definitely one that many people can consider a taste of home.

Of course, as a very famous Filipino dish churned out by many Filipino kitchens, we can be sure that each household has their own version of adobo. Like ours, for instance, is more on the sweet side. But I've also been to relatives' and friends' houses where I was served with a more pungent adobo, and even a really spicy adobo.


Recently, I've discovered another way of enjoying chicken adobo. It might be a little surprising for those who haven't been too adventurous with their adobo yet. But I can assure you, this is good stuff that might even become a staple in your own home!


Today, let me take you on a journey to another interesting but just as delicious version of adobo, Creamy Chicken Adobo.

When planning what to wear for a fun night out celebrating a special occasion or simply unwinding with your friends, you need to go beyond the outfit to also focus on the accessories. After all, accessories are what can make or break, as well as complete, an outfit and take it from good to great. So keep reading for a few helpful tips that will help you accessorize the right way and ensure you’ll look fabulous every time you step out.

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Diamond jewelry is the perfect way to accessorize any outfit for a night out on the town. These gorgeous gems add an element of sophistication to any dress or formal attire, and you can don everything from diamond necklaces and rings, to bracelets and earrings. The fact that diamonds are white means that they’ll go with any outfit, regardless of what colors you are wearing. And whether you wear lab-created diamonds or genuine stones from places like ascotdiamonds.com, you can be confident in your beautiful appearance.

Back when I was still a beginner in the kitchen -- not that I think I'm a pro now, I'd always have a set of go-to recipes I can impress my family and friends with. Some involved mere frying, but my favorites were ones which are actually very easy to make but doesn't necessarily seem so -- like my Pinoy-style carbonara and peach-mango refrigerated cake.

And if you didn't notice yet, both of these easy-to-make recipes use Nestle All-Purpose Cream, which I actually grew up with, as this brand had never gone missing from our pantry. So of course, when I was invited for a creamy affair with Nestle, deciding was a no-brainer!


I've always been amazed how Nestle All-Purpose Cream is so versatile. Back when I was still a kid in single-digit years, I grew up with Nestle Cream as an important ingredient to desserts. Whether we're making a special fruit salad, buko pandan or cake, there had to be cream! As I grew older though, I got introduced to the savory uses of this cream product. Be it in creamy pasta dishes, thick soups and meaty viands, there's always a place for Nestle Cream.

Ahhh July~ We're now officially at the start of the rainy season! To be honest, I'm not too fond of rains and wet grounds. It's actually this time of the year when I try not to go out as much in fear of getting poured on, even if I always have an umbrella with me. Haha!

But despite my hostility towards the rainy season, there are also good things about it. For one, food seems to taste even better when it's cold and rainy. And now, I also have an excuse to buy more pullovers, so I really can't complain. Teehee!


But before I completely get sidetracked, let me share with you my finds at our favorite members-only shopping center, S&R. For this trip (and this post), I skipped snapping shots of items I routinely get. If ever you're interested to see what I usually have in my shopping cart, feel free to check my previous S&R posts.

While growing up (and growing old), I've become more accepting of all my features (and flaws). However, though I'm a firm believer of self-acceptance, I've always said it again and again that it sure doesn't hurt to strive for self-improvement if it's safe and healthy for yourself and for the people around you.

Probably two of the most common concerns of women in today's society is 'weight' and 'skin tone'. But while I have a lot to say about the former, today, let's focus more on the latter.


Unlike our Western sisters who are keen on skin tanning, we Asians (south-easterners like easterners) are very much obsessed with skin whitening. I know our media plays a big role on how we perceive beauty, and mold our set of beauty standards. And as much as we try to deny or fight it, most of us already have this cemented in us.

Are you a contact lens wearer? Or maybe someone who's interested in trying it out? Do you have pretty bad eyesight like I do? Or perhaps, you just want the freedom to change your eye color into something else?

Well, whatever your reason for wearing contact lenses, I bring good news to you!


Alcon, a global leader in eye care, would like to invite YOU to witness the launch of Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes as ambassadors of AIR OPTIX ® Colors and FreshLook ® Colors brands of contact lenses. So save the date! This is all happening on July 10, 2016 (Sunday) 2PM onwards at the Robinsons Place Manila Activity Center.

Japanese food has always been my main weakness when dining out. So although I've talked myself into eating cleaner, I thought I just had to have Japanese food when I was planning a catch up session with my friend, Fel. And of course, meeting up at SM Megamall, I instantly knew I want to try out Ooma.


Ooma Japanese Rice Bar has been one of the hottest restaurants in my social media newsfeed for quite a while now. And while I know this post might already be waaaaay too late from the hype, I think it's still a pretty good share especially to those foodies like me who always seem to miss joining the bandwagon.

If you've been following me on Instagram, you would've known that I'm trying to eat cleaner and healthier these past month or so. But of course, being a foodie first (before a health buff-wannabe), I'm still up for cheat meals every now and then. And while we actually had a cheat day (rather than just meal) during the Robinsons Place Manila Bloggers' Fashion and Food Crawl, I made sure to save some tummy space for Ippudo's newest item.


Ippudo has been in the country for two years now. And although I've blogged about it before when it first opened, I'm still as excited to dine here for the nth time. Who wouldn't? Ippudo already has over 100 stores worldwide, and with the founder, Shigemi Kawahara, revered as Ramen King, at that!

In celebration of the 445th founding anniversary of the City of Manila, Robinsons Place Manila will be holding a 2-week long celebration through The Grand Manila Sale! From June 24 to July 3, 2016, shoppers can enjoy exclusive promos and exciting deals from Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, Handyman, Toys "R" Us and select Robinsons Specialty Stores. There are discounts of up to 50% off to be had, buy 1 take 1 promos, as well as gift with purchase, among other exciting deals.


Apart from all the shopping, mall goers also have an exciting roster of food selections to choose from among the many restaurants, new and old alike, at Robinsons Place Manila. And to give you a sneak peek, Robinsons had selected a small group of bloggers to join its Bloggers Fashion & Food Crawl, where I was lucky to be a part of.

When it comes to pizza, my top of mind choice would usually be Italian or American concepts, although to be completely honest, I'm not that into pizzas anymore. Still, when I first heard about Mr. Pizza, I was intrigued. What kind of pizza does this place offer? How is a Korean pizza chain any different from what we're already used to?


I've been seeing Mr. Pizza at SM North The Block's Food Circuit for over a month now. However, it wasn't until I attended a Bloggers' Fashion and Food Crawl at Robinsons Place Manila, that I finally got a taste of Mr. Pizza.

Over the past few months, I don't feel too bad being a northie anymore. Shopping and weekend date sessions at SM North EDSA don't seem too uninspiring no more. And these are all thanks to the new Food Circuit at SM The Block.

When I get asked where I want to eat after spending hours in the mall, I don't reply with, "Meh, anywhere" anymore. Now, I'm usually more than excited to head straight to The Food Circuit to see what else I haven't tried yet.


And after a long streak of dining at Casa Italia, Amici, Almon Marina, Nadai Fujisoba and Osaka Ohsho, I'm so happy to have found that a Thai resto had opened.