Friday, October 31, 2014

P365 TE Day 304

Kappacasein Raclette from Borough Market



Travel Bite: Bororugh Market is the best foodie market in London, but if you love CHEESE, make sure you look for the Kappacasein Raclette and Toasted Sandwich Shop at Park Street (beside the Church).

You can visit their website here.

Location: London, UK
Date Photo Taken: April 2014

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 25: 260
P365 TE Running Points: 830 out of 855 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Platinum Fashion Mall Food Court and YumSaap Restaurant Review

Our main destination whenever we travel to Bangkok is always Platinum Fashion Mall in the Pratunam area. I think the mall has seven floors or more, with a fairly comfortable shopping environment, and and so many things to choose from at really cheap prices, especially if you buy them in wholesale quantities (which can be as little as 2 or 3 pieces). You can read my post on Bangkok here for our favorite stores. 

For convenience sake, it's so much easier to eat at the Food Court of Platinum Shopping Mall so you can just go back to shopping afterwards, but based on our last trip in September, the food has deteriorated so much, I couldn't help but blog about it!

To eat at the Food Court, you'll need to load a pre-paid card.
The food court stalls do not accept any cash.

Our usuals include:

1. Roast Duck
Roast Duck Place
I convinced Sofia she likes this when she was younger
 by calling this Chicken Duck.
Roast Duck Rice (50 Baht) 
Even she thought their serving was sad, but she was okay because I
told her we were getting her favorite Mango and Sticky Rice for dessert.

2. Pad Thai (or if I listed to Ady - Pad Siew)
This is one of the more popular stalls. You can add fresh seafood.
We ordered the shrimp-sized Prawn Pad Thai (75 Baht).
The shrimp-sized prawns were so not fresh, it was so hard to peel them! 

3. Sticky Rice and Mango
If the Mango and Sticky Rice at Petchburi Soi 30 is the best,
this is hands down the worst I've ever tried.
The photo is not edited. The mangoes really look that bad.
I have never been served Sour Mango and Sticky Rice before this.
I swear, it's a mortal sin to serve sour mangoes with sticky rice in Bangkok.
It's not cheap too at 75 Baht. The ones from street vendors are so much better!

4. Khanom Krok (coconut pudding) -something new to try
I wasn't really full, and I was craving for the Thai Coconut pudding - but since they only sold the Seafood version, I was willing to try it.
This is what I was craving for.
Photo credit here.
This is what I had to order. So imagine the coconut pudding base,
topped with seafood omelette. Either 60 or 75 Baht.
While I tasted a hint of the coconut pudding I was craving for in the base,
I don't think I'll be ordering this again.

On our second day in Bangkok, we were still shopping for last minute stuff in Platinum Mall so I put my foot down and I said we needed to try something new because the food at the Food Court was just horrible!!! 
There's a local Thai restaurant on the same floor that I said I wanted to try.
Pricing was actually very close to the food court, with the quality
and ambiance so much better.
My head to head comparison is the Pad Thai.
For 10 Baht more, you get presentation, pad thai that tasted better,
and shrimp-sized prawns that were already peeled.
We ordered the Spicy Pork Salad which was really really good.
Green Chicken Curry
And Grilled Chicken for Sofia
I'm not sure how much the dishes cost, but nothing
was over 100 Baht, and our total bill was only
402 Baht vs 300+ Baht that we spent at the food court.
There is also a local food store where you can buy presents to bring home
beside the restaurant on the same floor.
Our favorite discovery was the Choco Banana Pocky flavor.
We bought one box first to try, then 1 box for Sofia and 1 box for me
to bring home.

I will never ever settle for the Food Court of Platinum Fashion Mall ever again! It's going to be Yum Saap for lunch from now on. just saying.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

P365 TE Day 303

Hachiko



Travel Bite: Hachikō is a Japanese dog who is remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner which continued for many years after his owner's death. If I got the story correctly, not knowing his owner died, he'd continue to stand on this famous Shibuya corner waiting for his owner to come home. You can visit the statue that was made to honor Hachikō's memory.

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Date Photo Taken: December 2013

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 25: 260
P365 TE Running Points: 828 out of 852 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

P365 TE Day 302

BIQCLO



Travel Bite: Collaborations are all the rage, so when electronics giant BIC CAMERA collaborates with Uniqlo, a main player in the Japanese clothing retail market, what results is Biqclo, a well curated store where the merchandise of each is cross displayed with each other. If my description is too vague, just plan a trip to Tokyo so you can see it for yourself.

BICQLO. 地図. 
3-29-1 Shinjuku
Shinjuku District, Tokyo 

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Date Photo Taken: December 2013

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 23: 258
P365 TE Running Points: 824 out of 849 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Cool Christmas Gift Idea: Crocheted Sushi, Sandwiches and Dolls all Handmade with Love

My sister has the most creative friend. Since I follow her on Instagram, I've seen the various crocheted food items she's been posting that are super duper cute, I've asked her to make Sofia some!
Being the nice Auntie Carol that she is, she sent my daughter a sushi set,
she had one serving of Ebi, Tamago and Salmon Sushi with a side of pickled
radish and wasabi. 

It's really perfect for playing pretend restaurant or as part of our pretend kitchen at home.
Sof loves her IKEA kitchen, we even brought it home from Singapore.
Super level up for her to serve real pretend sushi over "adobong dog"
and her paper pastries from Daiso that have long since disintegrated.

Sofia loved it so much, I've been bugging Carol to accept orders and send me her details so I could blog about this super wonderful product... and she did, just in time for the Christmas Season.

These are the pictures that have wowed me from the Instagram of @caroline_cua though her official business IG is @rpscreationsph for Rock Paper Scissors Creations:

Japanese Nigiri Sushi Php750
Slices of tuna, salmon, tamago, and tako (octopus) on Japanese Rice with
pickled radish and wasabi
It reminds me of the handmade Kimono Sushi from Nishiki Market in Kyoto
But much much more affordable, since I haven't been willing to buy
these adorable babies for Sofia's kitchen. It's that expensive!
BLT with Cheese Sandwich Php 850
Bacon, lettuce, tomato slices and cheese with whole wheat bread. 
Cheese Plate Php 750
Gouda, Camembert & Edam Cheese with crackers. Bring your own wine.
Siomai Php350
Traditional pork and shrimp Siomai with a side of Kalamansi
The siomai reminds me of the dimsum I made Sofia 3 years ago when
she was sick, but I was only able to do it because everything came in a kit.
Hot Choco and Dessert Set Php650
Mini two-tiered cake, flan and hot cocoa topped with marshmallows


Carol also has a My Little Heroes series
Choose between the Ninja (black) or Medieval Knight (blue)
Each doll is roughly 3.5 inches in height. 

For orders or inquiries, contact Rock Paper Scissors at
Email: rpscreationsph@gmail.com
IG: rpscreationsph
FB: www.facebook.com/rpscreationsph
You can also download their catalog which includes the product dimensions here.


I suggest you contact them now to get ahead of the Christmas rush and ensure you have one of a kind beautiful gifts for the special little ones on your Christmas list. just saying. 

P365 TE Day 301

MUJI Yourself



Travel Bite: One of my favorite things in Muji Stores in Japan is the MUJI Yourself corner. They provide you with the craft bags and a gazillion self inking stamps to choose from, all you need to do is buy the "gift" inside from them.

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Date Photo Taken: December 2013

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 23: 258
P365 TE Running Points: 822 out of 846 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Monday, October 27, 2014

P365 TE Day 300

Favelas from Afar in Rio de Janeiro



Travel Bite: Favelas in Brazil, are the slum areas, which has been stereotyped in films as areas ruled by drug traffickers and organized crime groups called milicias, while in reality Pacifying Police Units have taken an active role in these communities.

There are several Favela tours you can find online if you want a closer look, but from the neighborhood of Ipanema and Copacobana, you can actually see Cantagalo favela which is located on a nearby hill.

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date Photo Taken: October 2011

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 23: 258
P365 TE Running Points: 820 out of 843 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Sunday, October 26, 2014

P365 TE Day 299

Beach Bar on Ipanema Beach



Travel Bite: The Girl from Ipanema is what famous Songs are made of. If you go to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, make sure you get a chance to visit the beach on a sunny day, or you won't see any girls in Dental Floss Thong Bikinis. Just sit on a relaxing beach bar like this one, as the Caipirinhas keep coming.

Bonus Tip: 
Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and fruit, most commonly lime. 

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date Photo Taken: October 2011

P365 TE Points for today: 2 out of 3 (for now)
P365 TE Points from Audience Interaction as of October 23: 258
P365 TE Running Points: 818 out of 840 (as of posting)

You can read the background of Project 365 Travel Edition here.  
Feel free to come back everyday. just saying...

Sofia's 700th Birthday Party at Hotel Transylvania

We started planning for Sofia's 7th birthday party last May (yes, that's a good 5 months ago), because my sister was craving for the really good Lechon Kawali from 168 (you can read my post on that here) and since my annual quota of planned trips to 168 is only once a year to buy Sofia's giveaways and party paraphernalia, we needed to have a theme already.

We had quite a long discussion on whether or not we wanted to go for a Frozen party, or a rainbow loom party, but since we were planning so far ahead, there was no way to tell if those themes will still be the cool thing in October, so I agreed when Sofia suggested a Hotel Transylvania theme.

It made sense for us to giveaway Halloween pails filled with goodies, as the kids would be able to use it when they go trick or treating this year. Since we already decided to hold the party in McDonald's we just needed to plan for the small things that make a difference.
This is the super yummy Lechon Macau that triggered Sofia's Party planning.
We've had most of the Party Giveaways and Prizes ready since May.
Of course, shopaholic me couldn't help but add stuff along the way.
I've been eyeing a Mavis costume from Amazon for so when an office friend
went to the states, I asked her if she could bring it in. They misrepresented the
size, so the dress turned out too small, but we were able to get it altered
into a skirt.
Another party idea that came in handy was to use the Grip a Prize mini
arcade toy that Sofia bought in Korea last February. This was such a hit!

A few months before the party, we finalized the guest list so we could order our invites.

We made Party Invites in the form of Hotel Room Key Cards - which actually work as personalized luggage tags.
I just used my new printer at home to print out all our party requirements.
I was so happy with the way the bag tags came out. 
We packaged it with the invite printed to look like a Hotel Transylvania scroll.
Bagtag Supplier
If you need a bag tag supplier, you can get in touch with Johann (Aventura Publishing) at +639178260607. I loved working with him because he was so easy to talk to.

Since little kids have loot bags, we also prepared giveaways for the adults.
We labeled our own Ghost Poop, Witches Warts and Pumpkin Seeds tic tacs.
FREE HALLOWEEN TICTAC LABELS Printable for the Philippine-sized tictacs
I found the templates online, but they were made for the US sized tic tacs which are slightly bigger. You can download the tic tac templates adjusted to the locally available tic tacs in the Philippines here.


We were so prepared, the only thing we needed to do the day before
was assemble the loot bags, and get Mavis' nails painted.
Sofia was so excited for her birthday, she stayed up until close to midnight
so she could open her gifts.
I gave her the 150 count Crayola crayon tower and a starter charm bracelet
that we made together. Unfortunately, the Crayola packaging is really bad,
and I ordered the crayons from the US, so 6 of them did not make it whole.
Good thing I found a 96 count Crayola set, so we now have 90 spares!

Sofia had her birthday party on the day of her birthday itself. We decided to do it at the McDonald's branch where Sofia joins the Kiddie Crew program - so there were a lot of familiar faces and we got really good service. I only had to drop by twice before the party, once months in advance to reserve, and again a few days before to finalize my pre-ordered food and leave the Halloween-themed party decorations that they helped us put up.

Super excited little girl, on our way to the party.

Thank you so much to the early-birds who arrived early to help us set up.
The Sylings
Favorite thin Ninong Tim who flew in from Singapore for only 1 day,
just so he could attend Sofia's party.
Thank you so much for coming home Ninong Tim!!!
Ninang Ria who made the place so much scarier than it was.
Thanks for lending us the zombies, tombstones and chopped body parts! 
Event Planner
My cousin, Ria, is a professional event planner. If you need something planned, message me on how to get in touch with her.


When the guests started arriving everything was sort of a blur.
Sofia invited 7 of her closest friends from school and most of them were
able to come.
The Grip-A-Prize was the surprise hit of the party. We just left it in a corner,
and the kids just kept lining up to play.
The family was fully represented.
Sofia's grandparents were really excited to arrive
in full costume!
Mark and Lukey, who both look in character.
My siblings found the most hidden table and claimed it as their
anti-social hideout.
Pretty soon, all the anti-social cousins joined them!
The Unilever early birds.
With Lia, Jillie my unofficial inaanak, and Jack (hidden) my official inaanak.
Thanks so much for your input on the posh menu, Clint!
Karl, no need to raise your hand before you speak! Hahaha.

My kids at work really know how to make a dramatic entrance!
Your costumes are so nice, Jackie and I look out of place.
Sofia thinks that these guys are also her office mates. 
Team Alvarez, the Reyes Bugoys in full costume and Nina with the face
of Arn and the personality of Carms! Hahaha.
Cliquish friends with Col, Lo and John.
Viele with scary Auntie Tiana, Vianna with the scary hand,
and cliquish without Cha, Ashi and Man.
Jem, Tim, Ivan and the super cute Goryo.
Thank you for the shoes to complete Mavis' costume.
Sofia's red shoes (visible under the table) were from Gregory.

The good thing about holding your party in McDonald's is they take charge of hosting the party, and facilitating all the games which allowed me to socialize.
I think my dad won the bring me a dancing lolo game!
His costume fits right in with the Reyes bugoys!
We asked the kids to come as a monster, so we awarded the one with
the best costume based on the applause of the guests.
Cutie-pie little vampire Javi was the clear winner!

After the games, and after the food was served, it was time for the Unlimited Bubble Show, which was my Gammy Angeli's gift to Sofia.
The highlight of the show was when he made
bubbles big enough to fit Sofia...
...and friends inside. So the guests could take turns to get their picture
taken inside the bubble.
Next time, si Miguel nalang kukunin ko!
Thank you so much Gammy Angeli!
Everyone really enjoyed the bubble show.

After the bubble show, the special guest came to visit.
Grimace with the birthday girl
Then it was time to blow the cake.
Then we asked the kids to line up to get their loot bags.
Thank you very much for all your help Ate Jamie,
and the other McDonald's crew!
This little girl really enjoyed her 700th birthday party.
Our last order for the day, was completing our Thank you Cards.

Sofia really, really had a great time celebrating her 7th birthday. Thank you very much to everyone who greeted her, attended her party, and sent gifts! 

Planning this party was fun, and much less stressful than normal - thanks to McDonald's but qhen she turns 18... I am really going to convince her to go an a trip instead (and take me along!).  just saying.