Prints

 Are you getting tired of plain colored and animal printed shoes? Fret not because there's always Suelas! I have been a "suelanian" ever since I heard about them back in college. What I love about this shoe brand is how innovative they can be when it comes to their designs. Yes, I love almost every design they launch, including those solid colors and animal printed ones. But unlike any other shoe brand out there, Suelas has a vast collection of prints one can never even think about. To say that it's unique is an understatement. This local brand makes CLASSY printed flats.

Just 2 weeks ago, I bought this irresistible pair of leafy sling back flats (see photos below) and instantly fell in love with how vibrant the print is. It gives out a happy and refreshing vibe at the same time. Plus, it has been years since I had a sling back.

        

What do you think? This design comes in black and green too!

Photo from www.suelasonline.com

And just recently, they launched a few more pairs that can sweep any shoe lover off her feet. I'm eyeing that very classy victorian print right now (second photo below). ❤

                                                     Photo from www.suelasonline.com

Other printed designs:

                                               Photo from www.suelasonline.com

                                             Photo from www.suelasonline.com

They have an ongoing campaign too, called "Suelas One For One," wherein for every pair purchased, another pair will be donated to the victims of typhoon Yolanda. 

Owning a pair of good shoes has never felt this good. Thank you Suelas!

To check out other styles, you can find and reach Suelas through the following contact details below.

SUELAS

HEADQUARTERS

Unit 204, 2/F Dona Consolacion Building

122 Jupiter Street

Bel-Air Village, Makati City

(building of Vintage Restore, Beauty Brick & Mel Orlina)

ALABANG

G/F Alabang Town Center

Muntinlupa City 

(across Penshoppe and Daiso)

CAGAYAN DE ORO

G/F Centrio Mall

Cagayan de Oro City

(across Artwork)

CEBU

2/F New Wing,

Ayala Center Cebu,

Cebu City

(across Hot Pink)

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

www.suelasonline.com

Email:

suelasonline@yahoo.com

suelas@ymail.com 

suelasonline@gmail.com

Landline: +63 2 954-1751

Mobile: +63 917 206-7121

Love always and all ways,

Shiara

Illegally Blonde

I consider myself lucky for for having a naturally brown hair - which means, I do not have to visit the salon every now and then for a hair color, spare my hair from potential damage, and save money. But for a year now, I've been wanting to dye my hair for a more obvious hue. I particularly envy that of Kate Middleton's. Who does not anyway? I probably would not achieve her hairstyle everyday, but at least, I can have the shade. 

Credits to the photo owner.

So...

Just last Tuesday, I finally went for change.

I had it done at Bench Fix Trinoma for two reasons: 1) it's the most accessible since I don't have the luxury of time, and 2) it's within my budget (1,659 Php for long hair).

I explained to the senior hairstylist, Miss Jackie, what I wanted - brownish, not reddish, not too bold, and showed Kate Middleton's. She politely said that I may not achieve the exact color that Kate has since she's a Caucasian. So she offered and asked me to choose between Ash Blonde and True Ash Blonde instead because they're probably the nearest shade to Kate's hair. I chose the former. :)

I was endorsed to Apple, who did every step of the coloring process.And here's the result:

  

I think I would have to change my blog name to themedicallyashblonde or as my friends tease me,  missillegallyblonde. :))

Excuse all those selfies. It's not everyday that I get to wear my hair like this. :)

The next day, however, I noticed that the color was getting intense particularly the roots and near the roots that I almost regretted dyeing my hair. I love and I'm satisfied with the half end of my hair. It's basically the color I wished for. But I could not say the same for the upper half.  I was so thankful that I did not opt for True Ash Blonde since it's the lighter one. A lot of people, especially those who color their hair told me that yes, at first, the color would normally be that intense and that I should wait for a few weeks for the color to fade a little. And right now, that's what I'm doing, and hoping. I already miss my natural hair color and appreciate it more but I want this to work also so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. I'll keep you guys posted. :)

Love always and all ways,

Shiara

Bench Fix Salon

TriNoma Mall Branch

M3 Level TriNoma Mall

EDSA cor. North Ave., Quezon City

Metro Manila, Philippines

Phone Number

(+63 2) 915-8054, (+63 2) 915-8055

Check their website.

P.S.

For all those who are curious whether coloring can really dry your hair...

Yes it does. Everytime I take a bath, I noticed that it's not as soft as before. So it's really necessary to maintain it by using conditioner everyday and undergo hair treatment probably every six months. I'll be trying the Keratin Complex a few months from now. I'll blog as soon as I can. :)

I remember this artwork from One Tree Hill because today my dad left for New Zealand. He is our king in here but he would always rather give it up. Now he lives there alone. He does dishes, washes his own clothes and irons them after, cooks his own food and eats them all by himself - things he would not do but has to. All for me and my dreams. 

We may be used to this leaving-and-going-home cycle but one thing's for sure - I'd rather have him here even if he does not allow me to drive and buy all the shoes I want because nothing compares to the feeling of us watching tv and having dinner together, buying groceries during weekends, bringing me to my dorm on Sundays and fetching me every Friday. I'll miss him. Wala na naman ako aasarin. :)))

Caffe Bene

My friend and I were looking for the perfect place to study last final exams week. I suggested that we try Caffe Bene - the leading coffee shop chain in Korea. It was established in Korea in the year 2008 and brought to the Philippines just last year. 

I did not know if the place would that be conducive for studying but since I really wanted to try Caffe Bene, my friend and I took the risk and did give it a try.

Welcome to Caffe Bene!

I love taking #shoeselfie (haha i really had to type that with a hashtag :D) and I regret not wearing more photogenic flats

The first thing I noticed about this place was the high ceiling, which I totally appreciate 'cause it makes the place look spacious. Well, this coffee shop is really quite big (it even has a second floor, which, as of the moment, is my preferred study spot) but I don't know, high ceilings just make every place look grand. 

The bar or working area, with its friendly and helpful staff. :)

Waffles, Cakes, Breads, Bottled Drinks

For ice cream fanatics out there, Caffe Bene also offers gelato. They have what they call Affogato which is basically gelato drizzled with a shot of espresso. That sounded so tempting right? Imagine the cold, sweet taste of gelato and a little hint of that bitter-tasting espresso. I wanted to order it but I failed to because of the so many other things I wanted to try. We were there for two days. Yes. Still, I was not able to have it. I guess, I really have to be back. And I would be. 

To the second floor...

Even the stairway is huge!

And my favorite study spot...

I love it first because it's not crowded. Second, this area is on a second floor, which makes it far from the unpleasant sounds coming from bar/working area. Also, the lighting is not too bright nor too dark. I appreciate that each table has its own spotlight, perfect for reading! 

What we had during the first visit: 

I had a hot Caramel Macchiato (Php 140), which was okay. Nothing extraordinary. My friend had one of their specialty drinks, hot Misugaru Latte (Php 145), which is a roasted multigrain beverage. It was good and tasted like pinipig drink to me. 

That square-shaped bread below is called Garlic and Cheese Honey Bread (Php 165). It's a must-try everyone! I was expecting it to be kind of rough and hard and that all the flavorings will be concentrated on the bread's top portion. But I was wrong. We were all wrong. It was so soft and yummy. Every portion was flavorful. It was so good we had it again the next day. My cousin even ordered another to-go.

Caramel Macchiato. 

This was actually what I had for myself - Caramel Banana Cream Waffle (Php 145). With the right amount of sweetness, again, this was a good one. I heard that the waffle was made using a dough. 

Sorry the whipped cream in this photo fell off already because I failed to take a photo immediately after it was served.

My two cousins had Hot Caramel Macchiato, White Mocha Frappe and Chocolate Cake.

I had a bite of the chocolate cake and after tasting, it was appropriate to say that everything in this cafe was delicious! I have tried so many chocolate cakes and this is one of the best I've had.

Like I said before, we went back at Caffe Benne, this time bringing two friends with us. And of course, they had to try the Garlic and Cheese Honey Bread. :) :) :)

This is the Blueberry Cream Cheese Waffle (Php 165). We were asking for it on the first day but sadly, it was unavailable. We were so lucky it was offered when we came back. Ahhhh it was divine! Promise, you won't regret having this. 

For our second day, I ordered hot Caffe Mocha (Php 125) and my friend had large, hot White Mocha (Php 155). The baristas politely asked if we wanted our drinks to be put in a mug, which they call the Kiss Mug. It did felt as if you were kissing someone because the mouth of the mug was molded like a lower lip. If you want one for yourself, they are selling it for Php 435 each.

Of all the hot drinks we had from day one, I say that the White Mocha and Misugaru Latte stood out. So if you're visiting Caffe Benne anytime soon, you know what to ask for. :)

It was so funny that there was a coincidence when we brought the same color of hoodies and jackets. Well, except for my one friend, Patricia who went all emo wearing black (oh yes that's not dark blue guys). Haha. (Thanks to my cousin, Aleth, for taking this photo.) 

Thanks for reading. Have a Good Day! 

Caffe Bene

Eastwood Citywalk 2,

Quezon City,

Philippines

Business Hours:

7:00 am - 1:00 am (Mon-Thu)

7:00 am - 3:30 am (Fri and Sat)

10:00 am - 1:00 am (Sundays)

Tel. No. (02) 708 - 0410

www.caffebene.com.ph

Like them on their Facebook Page!

My Blessing in Disguise

Have you ever thanked a bad moment in your life? Yes, you were so down it happened. But then later on, you were so thankful it came up. Because right now, I am in that moment. 

Who knows how much a bad thing can be such a blessing? 

Credits: www.superlifestylecoach.typepad.com

Last semester, I had to take the removal exams TWICE, for my Pharmacology class. Removal exams are  given to those who are not able to reach the passing rate for a subject. Luckily, I only had to take the removals for my Pharma class. However, I took it twice - the pre-promo removals and the the post-promo removals because I did not pass the former. 

I was dispirited by the fact that I only had to take one exam while the rest had to take two or three, yet I did not pass. I mean, those who had to take two or three exams can have an excuse for not passing. But for me? There's just none.

And so, those who passed was able to enroll for the next semester while others, like me, were still left in the battle, demoralized. But I have to fight back, MORE, that time.

And yes, I made it. I was finally able to pass that one thing hindering me from reaching third year.

I enrolled, and as much as it is unbelievable, I had the chance to pick my section, which the outright passers and the pre-removal exam passers did not not have. With just that, I was so much grateful since I had the rare chance of choosing the best schedule possible, and of course, the section where most of my friends are. I weighed my decision, chose sections B and D, where two of my closest friends were but ended up picking section D since the schedule was more favorable. 

Fortunately for me, I made the right choice. Our section did not only have the best schedule. We also had the best, the kindest, the "student-friendly",  the "MERCIFUL" professors. (Haha!) Plus, I think I went with the best class. :) :) :)

And so this semester, I passed ALL my subjects - outright, partly because I was in the class that had the more convenient schedule, the class that was blessed to have the most considerate professors. And I thank that post-promo removal exams in Pharmacology for leading me to the best section a third year medical student of FEU-NRMF can ever have. 

On top of it all, I thank God, my only Savior, the Man up there who continues to work in mysterious ways. Truly, we just don't lean on our own understanding. We must at all times, trust in Him - that there's a reason for everything happening in our lives.

Credits: www.shyjumathew.com

So to all those who are down or in sorrow, remember that God is with you always, and that He gave you that burden for a reason - maybe to keep you from something else that is more troublesome or just to strengthen you or mold you. Who knows that just like what occurred to me, that bad thing can pave the way to something that is so much better? And for those who are still waiting for that reason, just trust in Him, be patient, and keep going because there really is a reason. 

Love always and all ways,

Shiara

Nomama Artisanal Ramen

Lately, I've been really craving for ramen. I was thinking.. Wrong Ramen, Ramen X, Ramen Bar when my mom mentioned that she wanted to try Nomama Artisanal Ramen. So we went there after my final exams which I think was the best time since I can just eat and eat, and enjoy whatever the place has to offer and not worry about any exams the next day.

So here's our Nomama experience...

We arrived at the place 5:30 in the afternoon, without any reservation but we were lucky enough to be accommodated. Still, it's best to have your seats reserved as the the place can only accommodate a few groups. Plus they are only open during these hours:

11:30- am - 2:00 pm and 6 - 10:00 pm (Mon-Sat)

12 noon - 3:00 pm and 6 - 9:30 pm (Sundays)

Nomama's working station...

Since this was our first time, we were all clueless on what to order. But of course, there has to be ramen! Ahhh those ramen on their menu list! I just couldn't wait. The server said that their bestsellers are Nomama Ramen and Wagyu Steak and Onion Ramen. The supervisor was even kind enough to explain to us the menu. He mentioned that Nomama makes use of the very best local and organic products they can source.

What we ordered:

Pork gyoza (classic pork and cabbago dumpling), Php 125

Soft shell crab with buttermilk dressing (crisp soft shell crab, dairy dressing, tomato and cucumber, greens), Php 275

I loved this despite the dressing being a bit spicy. If you guys don't know, I am definitely not a fan of anything spicy, but I'd order this all over again!

Nomama Ramen Regular (house pork stock, special miso-sesame blend, chashu, tamago), Php 340

This is one of their bestsellers. After tasting it, you'd know why. You have the option to order a regular size (Php 340) or a junior size (Php 220). I prefer this over the one I ordered for myself (Wagyu steak and onion ramen) which happens to be their other bestseller.

Wagyu steak and onion ramen, triple onion and miso pepper butter Regular (kitayama flank seared with onions, sake and miso butter topped over noodles and served with soubise tonkatso broth), Php 590

As you would notice, Wagyu steak and onion ramen is presented on a plate because its soup is served on a separate bowl. This one's good too but I found the Nomama ramen a little more flavorful. Junior size costs Php 390.

Nomama seafood (premium, soft shell crab, snapper, prawns, with kobacha, eggplant), Php 360

Everything is yummy!

chili garlic glazed chicken with soy caramel (roasted free range chicken with chili and garlic glaze, mushroom bok choy stir fry), Php 375

This chick surprised me the most! We ordered this last but it's definitely not the least among the things we ordered. It wasn't spicy at all! However, the description says, mushroom bok choy stir fry, and as far as I know,  bok choy is a chinese cabbage. Isn't it? But we didn't see or taste any leafy green. Instead, the chicken was served on top of a tasty mashed squash. I'm not sure it was squash but it tasted like one. :)) Regardless, this was my favorite! I wouldn't mind having this for dinner everyday. :)

To sum it up, our Nomama experience was fantastic. I'd go back for the Nomama Ramen, the soft shell crab salad, chili garlic glazed chicken, to try their dessert (desserts are quite interesting!) and most of all, their remarkable, committed staff. Thank you Nomama! No wonder you're hailed as one of Esquire's Best New Restaurants (2013).

Nomama Artisanal Ramen

FSS Building 2

Scout Tuason cor. Scout Castor St.

Laging Handa, Quezon City

Philippines

Business Hours:

11:30- am - 2:00 pm and 6 - 10:00 pm (Mon-Sat)

12 noon - 3:00 pm and 6 - 9:30 pm (Sundays)

Tel No. 921-4913

Visit them on Facebook

Love always and all ways,

Shiara

P.S. I failed to ask what Nomama means. Do you guys know? :)