Rustic Mornings by Isabelo

Marikina is home to some neat hole-in-the-wall dining locations—this I've known even before Kris Aquino decided to make everything mainstream on her TV show. (By the way, it's one of the most godawful things to see Kris drag some unappreciative celebrity guest to a beautifully prepared meal by a chef who has slaved to achieve something good, then have that guest say, "Nako, this is so fattening." It's disrespectful to the chef, and she should seriously refrain from bringing non-foodies to her food-related episodes. Perhaps Anthony Bourdain would be tempted to shoot those people in the head. But I digress.) In keeping up with the spirit of a hole-in-the-wall, some restaurants are a little tricky to physically get into. One such example is Rustic Mornings: Brunch, Pastries & Coffee by Isabelo, located in a very narrow alley that a standard sedan has to squeeze into.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Sign along the very narrow alley[/caption]

The property has its own parking space inside the gates, with an additional small covered area that may fit about 3 cars—inside is pretty much the only parking option available, unless you want to park somewhere at the end of the block.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] View of the parking area from the lot's main gate[/caption]

To get into the dining area, you must go through a short stretch of forest-like garden that partially shields the inside. Don't think it's creepy because the garden actually lends to the overall intimate atmosphere. Imagine being ensconced in a cozy place, away from the outside world.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] A Garden Entrance[/caption]

When you get inside, you'll be surprised by the cleverly decorated... everything. It's apparent that the owner of this restaurant is quirky and creative.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] A Fine Nook[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Another nook[/caption]

The decor reminds me a lot of my friend, Eva's shop in Cubao X: Kind of mismatched, kind of imperfect, but beautiful.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Even the trees are decorated[/caption]

Recycled stuff takes on a whole new life when executed properly.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Recycled McCormick Spice Shakers[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="576"] The Counter/Kitchen Pass[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] I sat on this[/caption]

When it comes to food, Rustic Mornings offers all-day breakfast options as well as some lunch bowls. -silogs are part of their Filipino breakfast tray, and Mom had to have the Crispy Tawilis (PHP145). According to her, she's had Tawilis elsewhere, and this doesn't taste the same as the one she had before. She prefers the one she had elsewhere.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Tawilis-silog[/caption]

Dad had Pork Longganisa, the -silog variant he usually opts for. He said it was okay. (FYI: Personally, I'm more for tapa or tocino, depending on which one is more tender.)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Long-silog[/caption]

I would've ordered waffles because they're so much more fun than pancakes, but it was nearing lunch time already. Instead, I decided to try out the Cheesy Chicken Fricasse (PHP300), an order that's already good for 2. (Doesn't come with rice.) I've gotten into the habit of ordering wild-card menu items to see if they turn out to be gems, while my parents go with whatever the best-sellers are.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Chicken Fricasse[/caption]

Without having my breakfast beforehand, I was already famished by the time the food came. I was able to finish the entire thing, but was sick-full by the end. It didn't help that the sauce was rich and creamy. Tasty as it was, don't try to eat this by yourself. This is coming from a self-proclaimed cream sauce fan. Luckily, I ordered a refreshing lemon-flavored Frothy Iced Tea to wash it all down (PHP50).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Lemon Iced Tea[/caption]

After eating, you can just hang out for a little bit and enjoy the surroundings. This place is perfect for brunch.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Rocking Chair for Two[/caption]

If you decide to eat outside, do also have a look inside. The indoor dining is just as pretty. It reminds me of something straight out of Teacher's Village.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Like being in someone's vacation home[/caption]

The hand wash and restroom are decorated by rows upon neat rows of empty perfume bottles. Like I said, terrifically creative.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Hand Wash Area[/caption]

This place was made for people who enjoy a good muni-muni (pondering) session. It's also made for breakfast or brunch dates, so go and have one here.

 

 

Rustic Mornings = #11 Isabelo Mendoza St. San Roque, Marikina City

 

Taiwanese Beauty Mag

Between my obsession with e-books and my still-unread pile of actual books, I rarely browse or buy any other type of publication anymore—non-work-related magazines included. When I received a copy of this Taiwanese magazine, however, I was truly grateful.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] A Beauty, indeed[/caption]

The best part, of course, is the free sample pack from Benefit. Minis are the best! Because of the sheer volume of products out in the market to try, sample sizes can easily become a girl's best friend in discovering the next favorite item. Travel-size is also essential for a non-bulky purse. I already have a mini Posie Tint, but have yet to try it out. (I'm swamped on the blush department!)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Dandelion brightening face powder and ultra plush lip gloss[/caption]

While I don't speak a word of Mandarin, the pictures are sufficient in explaining the step-by-step instructions. Plus the photos serve as pegs anyway.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Step-by-step[/caption]

Wonder if Korean beauty magazines have similar features. I haven't seen one yet that isn't somehow K-POP-related.

Silantro

I have moods. When I feel like eating hot and spicy, there's nothing that can stop me from rushing over to New Bombay in Glorietta for my Mutton Curry fix (with extra chili powder, please). Though I am scarcely in the mood for Mexican or Tex-Mex, I'd gladly make an exception for Silantro in Kapitolyo.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Twas a dark, rainy night the first time I was there[/caption]

A self-proclaimed "Fil-Mex Cantina," Silantro has indoor and outdoor seating in a small casual dining establishment. Eating is done in picnic bench-style tables and chairs. Upon entering, diners are greeted by the cashier's counter beside a display cabinet that gives an idea of what their Lucha Tacos contain.  Here's a peek at their menu.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Menu[/caption]

If you had to order only one appetizer, please make it Silantro's Quesadillas (PHP145). Gooey, salty melted cheese barely contained in a tortilla with french fries on top. Perfect for sharing between two people, it's a hot, cheesy mess—I mean that in a good way. See for yourself:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Tastes as good as it looks, seriously[/caption]

Once you've tried the quesadilla, you can go ahead and order first runner-up, the Beef Nachos (PHP160):

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Pulutan-esque[/caption]

When you're ready for entrees, get a load of Silantro's Burrito (PHP160). If you're by yourself, this is enough to stuff you. No appetizers. Just this. We had it "Samurai X-ed" into 3 slices for tasting. They have 2 sauces that come with the burrito: One is a garlic white sauce (kind of like Shawarma sauce), while the other is cilantro herb-flavored.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Silantro's Burrito[/caption]

If you're a hard-core carnivore much like myself, Mexican Rib-Eye (PHP560) is for you. It's tender and cooked to perfection, if you let them decide on the doneness. The gravy is delicious and it comes with rice. Again, ideal for two.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Mexican Rib-Eye[/caption]

Next up is Silantro's Paella Fajita Mix (PHP250). It has bits of squid and comes with tortilla wrappers. I like to add the burrito sauce to this in addition to the squirt of lemon because I just love sauce. Tee hee.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Silantro's Paella Fajita Mix[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Tortilla Wrappers[/caption]

If you're looking for a light and healthy snack, I'd recommend the Lucha Tacos (ranging from PHP65 to PHP100, depending on how many kinds of meat you want in there).The shredded greens were fresh and plenty. By default, it's a soft taco, but you can request for the hard shell. Personally, I dig the soft taco though.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lucha Taco: No matter what you do, it's going to be messy to eat, so don't order this on a date...[/caption]

I'd love to come back to Silantro again and again. It's comfort food made better with very attentive staff and reasonable prices. Bring people with you because the food is best shared, so that you can try out more items. I'd give this place a 5/5 rating. So worth the calories...

Silantro = 75 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City, 1603 Pasig

Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream

The Drugstore-Beauty Addict strikes again! This time, it's for cheapo moisturizer that makes me positively giddy on the savings. If you haven't heard of this yet, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Cutie-patootie packaging[/caption]

A few weeks ago, I was in the mall shopping with a friend for decent moisturizers at rock bottom prices. (We've mellowed in our old age...) I remember a cousin recommending *Nivea Q10 night cream, but I just couldn't find it in any of the health and beauty sections. Instead, I reached for Nivea Soft (PHP 160+ for 100mL) as the closest alternative. I read the ingredients and thought, "Yeah, okay. This will do for a no-frills, non-greasy moisturizer."

I was on my way to line up at the till when I passed by the baby products section and saw the Smoothy Cream. At that point, I suddenly remembered something Mela Jimenez—a makeup artist I worked with on one of the numerous shoots for Inspirations—told me, "If it's good enough for a baby's skin, then it's also good enough for an adult's." Now I just had to stop and check out the baby cream.

Intended as a body and face cream for infants, Nivea Smoothy Cream is a hypoallergenic and clinically-tested product. It comes in a 200mL jar for only PHP169. Basically, for almost the same price, Smoothy Cream has twice as much the amount as Nivea Soft does. The tie-breaker was the ingredients list, so I flipped it over and checked.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Ingredients[/caption]

Both had a lot of similar the basic ingredients. The absence of parabens was also quite a relief. The only thing I wasn't 100% on-board with was the Paraffinum Liquidum indicated on both jars, but I ended up "throwing caution to the wind" and going with the Smoothy Cream. Payment-wise, I saved a good PHP100 by using up my SM Advantage points and only shelling out PHP 68 in cash.

When I got home, I hurriedly looked up the reviews for this cream and was delighted to find that beauty bloggers raved about this.  Made me super excited to try it out.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Love that this thing is sealed![/caption]

The container is hygienically sealed, which I just love. At least I know for sure that nobody's gotten their grubby paws on my moisturizer. Inside, the snow white cream has the shine of The Body Shop's Body Butter, the lightness of body silk, and a baby-appropriate scent that's very comforting. All this without the greasiness of the usual moisturizer.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Smoothy accurately describes it[/caption]

I've been using it for about two weeks now, but only at night because I cannot live without SPF day cream. It's not whitening, firming, anti-aging, SPF or any other common beauty demand, but I can tell you that it leaves the skin supple. It's so mild that it doesn't sting like Nivea Expert Lift does. In short, it's an excellent BASIC moisturizer. I'd recommend it as a night cream for: A) teens who are just learning to use moisturizers; B) those who have sensitive skin but aren't picky about anti-aging ingredients; and C) those in dial-down-the-beauty-products mode who hate having too many ingredient combinations from the products they slap on.

This 100% value-for-money product is totally worth trying. If you don't end up using it for your face, you can also use it on dry patches of skin around the elbows and ankles—a problem area I also have. Then there's always using it as a hand cream, but I fully intend to moisturize face and neck with this until the jar runs out. It's that nice.

*Turns out, the Nivea Q10 moisturizer line has been discontinued in the Philippines. All they have is the Q10 body lotion.

Have Dropper, Will Travel

Because no one ever wants to lug around heavy baggage while traveling, I'm teaching myself to pack light. I've read lots of packing tips throughout the years. The ones I remember are:

1. Fold clothes instead of rolling them up. Folded garments take up less space because they compress better into each other.


2. Bring only 1 pair of jeans. Wear another pair to the airport.


3. Whip out the multipurpose beauty products, so you won't have to bring one of each kind. (e.g. 3-in-1 lip, cheek, and eye color)

In response to number 2, I don't much like re-wearing anything, so I'd rather bring lots of leggings because the fabric is practically weightless. That's why I tend to plan my outfits according to the leggings.

As for point number 3, I hardly ever follow this because I get excited and end up packing most of the full-size beauty products anyway. Almost always, I end up regretting it. Like I said, the intention was to pack light, so I've been trying to reign it in by going for mini-containers. I found these travel droppers that I went gaga for in Daiso, Busan. For W 1,000 (PHP 38.oo) each for both big and small sizes, these glass vials with droppers are such a good deal!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] 10mL and 5mL droppers are a steal[/caption]

I bought a 100ml pump bottle of argan oil some months back and I've been trying to figure out a way to have it with me while I'm traveling. The tiny 5ml dropper is perfect because a little bit of oil already goes a long way. 5ml is good for over two weeks of use, and I can even have it with me in my carry-on purse.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Big bottle, small vial[/caption]

Creams are a slightly different story, so I typically bring free samples when traveling or I transfer contents of the full-sized tubs/jars into old eye cream jars. By the way, eye cream jars are also great for busted eye shadow. Due to some rough handling, my eye shadow cracked and turned into dust. Instead of throwing it out, I turned it into pigment. Voila!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Insta-pigment[/caption]

I love packing less-is-more essentials. It's just a matter of remembering to practice what I preach the next time I have to get a piece of luggage filled. Lol.