Gigi's Custaroons

Everybody is raving about how yummy this dessert is and I have been ogling their website for months now. Last night we stopped by Trinoma on our way home and Boyito went to The Parvati store to satisfy his cake cravings and lo and behold - they sell custaroons! Yipee! I bought a box of their bite size custaroons in assorted flavors, cheese and original. And I immediately opened the box and tasted one of each flavor. 

Photo from here.

The verdict? It was yummy, it was actually delicious but it wasn't mind blowing. For me, the look did not match the taste, it looked yummier than it tasted. It reminded me of the macaroons my mom makes and I expected more than that since I paid P300.00 for a box. I do have to commend the packaging though, the box looks like a million bucks!

FYI. Custaroon is an improved version of our local macaroons. It incorporated a layer of custard at the bottom and the typical macaroon with all the coconut goodness on top.

What is disappointment?

DISCLAIMER: This is a negative post, not for the weak of heart.

Disappointment is asking your sister to shoulder the monthly payment for tuition of the youngest sister worth P2000.00 and she says she will give you P300.00 a month. This is coming from my sister who travels a lot and buys gadgets and clothes all the time. It was actually a good deal, I will be shouldering the downpayment, the extra expenses like tours and graduation stuff and prom and school things, I just asked for P2000.00 a month so that I can enjoy my salary and have a decent amount on my savings account.

I wish they would help me more. I'm tired. Really tired. She has been working for 3 years now, and never did I asked for anything until now. From the moment I started working up to now, everything goes to my family. Is it too much to help me? Is it too much to lessen my burden?

My brother's gf on the other hand is pregnant and to make things worse he won't graduate this March. He failed freakin' English! What does that mean to me? That means he won't have a work in time to save up for the birth of his baby.. and I have no choice but to help out.

My life plan moved..... again. It got delayed a couple of years more. Stress, layuan mo ako.

Sana for once e isipin din ako ng mga kapatid ko.

Suelas vs. Posh Pocket Shoes

As I've said again and again - I love flats! Flats are a girls bestfriend, they can make life easier for women, they have a range of designs that goes from day to night plus they are a lot cheaper than heels.

Finding the right flats for me was a journey, I tried various brands but was always disappointed. Either they hurt my feet, cause calluses or they just break easily.

I stumbled upon Suelas almost 2 years back, I fell inlove with their simplicity of their Llanura flats and the fact that their flats are monochromatic. I was hesitant to order a pair since I am not sure what size to order. I used to just go to their website and just drool at the shoes they sell. Then one day I just had the guts to order -- I sent an order form and waited anxiously for the package after their confirmation. Finally after a day of waiting, I got the shoes, my first pair was a silver textured llanura and it was love at first sight! I slipped on the pair and tried to walk around and man oh man was I surprised with the comfort it gives. It wasn't long before I started ordering more pairs and now I am on my 13th pair :)

On the plus side, the shoes are delivered in a foldable canvas for easy storage. The canvas is made my Suelas' partner - Gawad Kalinga. The people behind Suelas offered a means for the people of Payatas to provide for their families. It makes my heart flutter knowing that each pair I buy helps a family in need. Suelas shoes also are sewn and not just glued! This makes the lifespan of your Suelas longer.

The only downside I see with Suelas is that the design of their shoes does not really change much. So you get to stick with the same style just with different colors. As of this writing, I can see them trying to incorporate the style of their shoes to today's trend and I think that is the path they should take. 

Posh Pocket Shoes is a different story, their shoes shows that a thought process was in place when creating their shoes. The designs are dainty and girly and is so today. As with Suelas, they have an array of colors to choose from. Also, Poshies have the same effect when walking, I can literally walk hours with my Poshies. I have 2 pairs right now and one that I gave to my sister. Looking forward to their Summer Collection! 

I prefer Posh Pocket Shoes' zippy bags versus Suelas' canvas bags. True that both are foldable but I find the zippy bag more useful and easier to carry around than Suelas' slightly complicated canvas.

What I have issues with are the sizes of Poshies - note the my true size was reflected in Suelas. In Poshies you have to order either half a size bigger or even a whole size bigger than your regular size. BUT the big news is that Nadine of Posh Pocket Shoes is a joy to order from, changing sizes was a breeze. 

What I am so proud of these two brands is that both are proudly Filipino made and both are established by young entrepreneurs, young ladies who undertand what we Filipinas need. Kudos to Nadine of Posh Pocket Shoes and to Jackie and Kaye of Suelas!

Do I have to choose? No. So do you, both are affordable shoes and I know each purchase is worth it.

Order a pair now!

Suelas

Posh Pocket Shoes

CnT Lechon Cebu

We were able to leave Mactan Airport around 9:00pm, we loaded our stuff on the rented van and off we went to play tourists. After visitng the landmarks of Cebu, we decided to have lunch - one of us suggested that we eat at CnT. I heard about this place from foodies and I know that I wanted to visit the place and sample their famous lechon. People always associate Cebu with lechon so I am llooking forward to this experience.

We arrived at the Cnt Restaurant(near SM Cebu) around 11:00, we thought we were early but the line for the lechon was crazy! That's a good thing for me, that means people go back to that place so their food must be yummy. So Marvin, Jlo and Christy lined up for our lechon and around 12:00 we were finally able to start eating. 

What we ordered? 3kilos Lechon, 9 cups of plain rice, 9 suman-like rice called pu-so, 2 servings of pancit and 2 servings of chopsuey. Yeah - we were hungry! lol

The verdict? We were able to prove that lechon Cebu definitely does not need sauce and that 3kilos was overkill for 9 people, including the driver. lol! Unlike most lechons, every inch of the Cnt Lechon was ooozing with flavor, it was juicy and it did not give a raw-feel when munching on the meat. The balat of the Lechon wasn't crispy and was a bit salty for my taste and mind you, I have a really high tolerance for salty food. 

Would I go back? For the Lechon, yes. But for the chopsuey and pancit - no sir. 

In fact I did go back to Cnt -- not on the same store or the same day, but on their branch inside SM Cebu on the day of our flight home. I brought home a box of their Lechon goodness.

You can go ahead and try their Lechon, but make sure that you go there early - kung ayaw nyo malipasan ng gutom :)

CNT Lechon

1377 V. Rama Avenue

Guadalupe, Cebu City

Phone: (6332) 254-4249, (6332) 254-6641

STK Ta Bay! sa Paolito's Seafood House

This set the standard for our whole stay at Cebu, each meal was compared to the awesome food we had at STK!

STK means Su-to-kil. Su for Sugba(to grill), to is for tola(soup) and Kil is for kilawin(to soak in vinegar).

Entering the place is an experience in itself, the place was an preserved old house converted to a restaurant, the windows were made of capiz and the entire place is made of wood, there were old paintings and even a baro't saya on display, there were antique instruments and the lightings were yellowish giving the effect that you are travelling back in time. Don't let the exterior fool you, the place is actually big in the inside - it can seat a lot of people without the feeling of being crowded. The place provided the intimate feel that help us bond as a group, though I imagine that it can be kinda spooky when you're left alone on that place. lol

What we had? For Sugba we ordered grilled squid and Tuna Panga, for To we ordered blue marlin soup and for Kil we ordered eel(but was later informed that it was unavailable). We also ordered a serving of Garlic Prawns and 2 bowls of rice. The Peso Damage ~Php1300.00! The meal served 8 people btw, 4 of mhcih are ricebusters. hehe Food was definitely cheap and ooooh soo yummy!

The Sugba - squid and tuna, were the bestsellers the marinade was to die for it was flavor that I have yet to taste here in Manila. The Squid was grilled perfectly it was not rubbery like most grilled squids I tasted. The Tuna Panga was so yummy that it forces us to use our hands to eat. I really can's say anything good about the blue marlins soup though but I really couldn't think of anything negative about the dish either, call it so-so. The Garlic Prawns were also a hit but the taste is something you can taste at our local Dampa places here in Metro Manila.

Would I go back? Yes, if seat sales permit it I would like to go there with my Boyito. Nothing could beat Cebu's STK!

If you are reading this Boyito, you better start saving up for our Cebu trip! :)

P.S Pictures courtesy of Mitch, sorry no pics for the grilled squid - we were starving! lol

STK Ta Bay! sa Paolito's Seafood House

#6 Orchid St. Cebu

63-32-2562700 or 2534732

Azurro - Linden Suites

Boyito and I had the oppurtunity to sample Azurro's cuisine at the Linden Suites last Sunday. The place was deserted when we got there maybe it's because it's a Sunday and people prefer to rest on Sunday nights OR maybe other people just opted to splurge on trusted foodie places. :)

Anyhoo, I came there with an open mind and low expectations. Upon arriving, we were greeted by a waiter who escorted us to a window seat. The place gave a good vibe with all the lights and the relaxing music.

I ordered their Braised Ox tongue with mashed potatoes while Boyito asked for thei fish and chips. The verdict? The Braised Ox Tongue was surprisingly yummy, and the meat literally melts on your mouth, slow cooking at it's finest! The mashed potato was the perfect complement to the Braised Tongue, it was creamy with just the right amount of seasoning to NOT overshadow the Ox's tongue. Did I mention that the dish could serve two people? It was good for sharing. cool eh?

On the other hand, Boyito's fish n chips was a bit on the bland side, nothing a bit of salt and pepper could not fix. I have to mention that I ate most of the fries that came with it, it was crispy and not drenched in oil and I loved it.

The downside though, is that the food was on the pricey end. Would we go back? For that price - no. But it was the worth the experience.

Azurro

The Linden Suites

#37 San Miguel Ave. Ortigas Ave. Pasig City 1600

6387878 loc. 8446