Top 10 Bacolod Pasalubong (Food Edition Part 1)

What do you hear when you go to Bacolod? It's food, more than the Ilonggo accent or the Masskara Festival. We have what I would consider hearty soul food and addicting sweet treats. As the capital of the largest sugarcane industry in the country, it's no surprise that most of what we can offer is made out of sugar. 

First off, some on this list are not the usual products you'd expect to hear from most vloggers or bloggers. There are also those that you'd probably read or heard about due to popularity. As a local in Bacolod who lived in Manila for more than 14 years, these are some of the things that I consider bringing a piece of home whenever I go to Manila. And it's not Bong-Bong's, or Merzci, or Felicia's, or Aida's, or Roli's, or Bailon, or Virgie's. Oftentimes, other brands have been overlooked, but here are a few of my recommendations.

Garnet 403: A Negrense's Kitchen

 

It was an idea floating in my head for years, a business proposition that I intended for myself. Two years ago, when I updated my profile on Instagram I made a bulleted outline of my businesses, namely, Teacup Ideas, Chicken Studio, and lastly Garnet 403 (even if it was nonexistent then). Even back then, I knew I was gonna make Garnet 403 happen, it was all a matter of time. Garnet 403 is the term used by our friends to refer to our home. Throughout the years we've hosted a myriad of guests and parties, and because of that, I've associated our unit as a brand that I knew I wanted to develop eventually. It sounded just right with two syllables for the gemstone the building was named after plus the three numbers easily rolled out anyone's tongue. It had a good ring to it. It felt right. It fitted my vision. If anything, I visualized Garnet 403 to be a label for whatever product I would come up with, and ultimately I want to build it into a cafe or Airbnb or hostel in some far future. As of the moment, it seems far-fetched considering the situation, but something my sister-in-law told me gave me the confidence to use the name now, much sooner than I had initially planned. She said, "You know, your brand and your business will be right where you are." And that statement settled well in my gut as it is true, where I am will be where my brand is, and if I plan to settle someplace else in the future, that is where Garnet 403 will be.

From ECQ Food Challenges to Food Businesses

What started as a fun excuse to entertain our boredom during ECQ has now turned into these multiple businesses that we started independently. Our very first challenge began last April 14, 2020. It was a simple mug cake challenge that we enjoyed doing so much that it went on to become a series of challenges that concluded with our final theme, childhood snacks. It ended last May 29, 2020, just a few days before we started moving towards the GCQ, a less strict regulation that allowed us for more movement and more sanity.

The mechanics of the challenge was pretty much an open-ended one. We agree on a food theme, present the final dishes via video call, take an Instagrammable photo of our final dish, and have a selfie showcasing our plated dish. During our first challenge for the mug cake, we did a video call from our food preparation down to presenting our final cakes, but as the challenges progressed and we needed more prep time that we had to adjust our calls to just the final presentation. The best part that it wasn't a competition for us as there were no declared winners, just a sink full of unwashed dishes and a satisfied tummy.

Here are some snapshots of those challenges:

Chicken Studio Pacita, San Pedro

Classic New Yorker: A staple favorite of a classic buffalo sauce.

The last few weeks had been a whirlwind, and it all started out with a message, "We found a place in Pacita. It's perfect for our second branch." Of course there were a couple of banters here and there, considering that it has only been 9 months since we opened our first. We sort-of knew we were ready for the second one, but financially speaking, the budget left our savings needing some serious resuscitation. My partners had been scouting for a location where we can open our second branch since October, and repeatedly I had been praying that they didn't; casually delaying their intents by passively taking their enthusiasm with restraint and disinterest. Instinctively and logically, I knew scrambling to open a second branch within the same year would be suicide, and a downright ludicrous move that could have possibly caused a lot of self-inflicted liabilities. 2019 felt more reasonable and safe, also, astrology approved. 

When the news finally arrived that they may have found "the one", my initial reaction was shit. I had stirrings at the start, but then again the overall disposition of the place was light, a kind of unsured-reassurance that it could be a start of something great. The risk though was high, like I can feel Evard Munch's painting screaming in me internally as I realized the task that laid before us. The schedule was tight, the budget was tight, the options were tight. It was a scurry to the soft opening date. We aimed to open our doors in time for Valentine's last Feb 14...but as sure as we were with our lovelives, it didn't happen. So we opted for a better date than hearts day, we opened on a Payday Friday. 

Chicken Studio at Lilac, Marikina

Chicken Studio is the result of frantic cramming between friends. What seemed like a nice idea at first suddenly became a rushed-up reality when a very fortunate and timely offer fell on our laps. The heart of Chicken Studio is the chicken (obviously), and the spirit is the studio as it is currently invisible...but maybe in time, there will be one. We honestly don't know when though. In the words of my friend as a retort to one of the complainants about us not serving dessert, "Wag na sila mag tanong kung ba't walang dessert yung Chicken Studio; wala ngang studio yung Chicken Studio, dessert pa!" Initially we had plans of turning the second floor into a photography studio and creative space, but judging by the influx of people plus the work that needs to be done, the project has been delayed.

Slowly though, we are making changes to make things better for the restaurant, our staff, and of course the customer. And for the record, my partners and I have zero experience in the food industry nor had any previous food-related jobs...and this makes everything so much harder. We are doing our best to address the successive problems that arise since we opened our doors...but we're just clueless at times. To better explain our inexperience, we are a combination of an architect, a photographer, a videographer, a graphic artist and an accountant. For the love of food and sharing it, we ventured into the restaurant business. This is the reason why we appreciate insightful inputs to help us grow, not plain hatred from hangry people...which I suppose is unavoidable at times. 

Stuff Accumulated this Christmas

Not belonging to an office got its downs and perks, for one, you both get to not receive nor feel obliged to buy gifts for officemates. This year, the gifts I got were mostly from kabarkadas and relatives, my favorites of which are or course the Herschel bag, the 2016 CBTL planner, and the cheque that I have not yet gotten from my parents...now I have something to survive on for the upcoming cash-drought season.

I've been more practical in buying Christmas gifts for others and myself. What I gave out were custom-made pouches by Teacup Ideas (the perks of having your own product,) while I bought myself only what I REALLY needed for 2016...like new pieces of underwear, cotton shirts, jogging pants, earphones and lotsa shorts. Help me, I'm poor. (-insert Kristen Wiig expression here-)

Let's go clockwise starting from the big bag:
1. Herchel Supply Hemp Collection: Little America Backpack
2. Forever 21 top (blue and white)
3. CBTL's The Giving Journal 2016
4. 70-200mm Lens Tumbler
5. Fake Nike Digicam Sling
6. Trader Joe's Coffee Spice Dry Rub
7. Soo Beaute Oriental Herbal Essence Mask (Ganoderma and Scutellaria-Ginseng)
8. Adidas Jogging Shorts (black and teal)
9. Designed by Zqfan Notebook
10. Le Petit Prince Notebook
11. Fullybooked Gift Card
12. Passport Case
13. Good Morning towel
14. Dove White Beauty Bar
15. Exped Charcoal Socks

Other gifts that are not on the pic are the foods because they're either frozen or half-way gone:
1. Victorias American Ham
2. A box of chocolate cake
3. Five Mini Frozen Pizzas
4. A bottle of Jarvi's Pesto Sauce
5. Three loaves of frozen garlic bread
6. A box of red velvet cake
7. A box of pound cake

--and oh yeah, the Mt. Pinatubo trek was also a Christmas gift. Yey for rich friends!! <3

Thank you...you! ;)

Teacup Ideas at ART MART 2014

Teacup Ideas

Me and a couple of friends will soon be presenting our products. It's for the quirky and the artsy folks who loves to express themselves through minute details. 

Please Like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram for updates:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Teacupideas

INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/TeacupIdeas/


G-MAIL: teacupideas@gmail.com

Thanksies! <3

Hetalia Toy

I love my new toy. Not sure if he's a videogame, manga, or anime character, but I luuuuuuuuuuurve him for being adorably kawaii! And since I don't know his name, I'll just call him Cloud as a default name I use for any kawaii boy character. :3

It cost me Php150.00 from the 2014 Toycon in Megatrade hall...I wanted to buy them all but I didn't want to spend more than 200...so yeah, I'll wait for the next time I come across this toy to add to my new supposed collection of anything-I-like. 

100th Blog Post!

I thought the 100th blog post would take a while to reach considering the rate of my updates, but here it is! The number isn't as many as the general impression of it. If I look at my Posts section it's only two pages and a single flick of the scroll bar. 

I didn't know what I'd post for my 100th post because besides the pending photos and articles that I have yet to upload, new stuff keeps happening that I end up just playing Dragons of Atlantis instead, and before I know it I'm sleepy <////3

So this time around I'll do a collection of updates of my life thus far through a series of random photos. 

As seen above, I edited my working area again, updating the wall and the photos. I'm sooooo into the aqua color right now so I repainted my wall and left it unfinished until now. Yes, I love DIYs if in the mood. One side of my room is still left unpainted, just slathered with a random paint strokes. Dunn Edwards has an array of colors that is really appealing, plus the texture it gave my wall is really warm because there's less glare as compared to the glossy kind. I'm bracing myself for the dust that will stick to it in due time though...but it looks really clean right now. I got the eggshell finish. The cost of the paint varies, but the end result is quite satisfying. My brother, who's also an architect, hinted me that this is the brand used in some of the restaurants and shops. I bought mine at Home Depot in BGC.

The Vanilla Cupcake cafe has finally opened in High Street a few months ago and I've been meaning to go, but when the day arrived at last a very irritating sign showed up, Private Event. I took this photo over a month ago and I'm still bitter about it. >:(

I had been meaning to buy a new pair of flip-flops since it's been over a year since I bought my Havaianas, and based on multiple experiences it's strap is about due to snap anytime soon and I don't have emergency back-ups, so I took the chance to buy one from big-discount event at Megatrade Hall two weeks ago. I was able to buy the Ipanema for Php400 from it's original price of around Php800+, a good deal for something so overpriced. 

Then last March 22, my brother arrived from Bacolod so I took him out and chanced upon the grand opening Old Navy. I also desperately needed a new pair of jeans and destiny made me avail their 50% discount on denim so I could get a ticket to their event and win me a pair of flip-flops for FREE!!! It's amazing how lucky I was because I don't really win anything that I don't get by force or deception. Even the events people were impressed, it's like I was not suppose to win anything but did. Nyahahaha! There are an array of colors to choose from, but my current favorite is somewhere between teal and aqua and tiffany blue, and this was the closest to it. Now I have two new slippers plus the still unbroken Havs, so I'm happy about that.

Every year (since 2012 lol) I buy this big piggy bank without any other opening besides a slit to put in money as a way to save up on cash. My first year proved to be really effective as I managed to save up to Php13,000+ by putting in new paper bills instead of coins. I started on the snake-bank last Jan 2013 and had my brother open it last week since the plastic was so thick I could not open it after two days of trying! This year I managed to save up to Php16,036...and I don't know who put in the 6, but thanks anyway. I buy the piggy bank at Toy Kingdom for Php99. The plastic is about 1mm thick and there's no way of getting your money out except destroying the thing.

Then Daiso Japan has finally restocked itself with those elusively expensive KitKat flavors! It's the cheapest priced at Php200 since Family Mart sells them at Php240, Little Tokyo at Php280, and other places at an even higher price.

The Matcha flavor tastes quite bitter, a little more bitter than the fix I get from matcha drinks, but it's not bad. The Strawberry flavor is more on the tangy side that I actually puckered my lips on the first bite.

Logganisa in Cream Pasta with Truffle Oil and Saffron Essence

Earlier today I had a craving of really thick-creamy pasta. I had initially bought the ingredients to cook for my parents who came for a vacation here, but we mostly ate out so I decided to let them leave then cook it for my own indulgence instead. 

Getting a new ingredient is like getting a new toy. My parents went to Dubai last week and my dad asked me what I wanted for pasalubong...and besides the gold I was half-joking them to get me, I asked for essences, particularly floral essences for my cooking. I wanted rose essence, but then I was surprised he got me saffron essence. It'll do.

Now, I don't know what to do with the saffron essence. I placed a few drops on my cup of tea and I was not able to consume the whole cup. Then, I thought why not mix it with truffle oil and make pasta? Bad idea, considering that I was making cream pasta. Let's just say that three drops in the sauce made me use two teaspoons of truffle oil just to cover up the taste! Saffron essence is really strong with a distinct blossomy-spice-like taste. I'll be using it in my lugaw soon and call it paella stew...and if I had a resto I'd overprice it to 400% by putting the word "saffron" in the menu. 

Here's the quick recipe I did inspired by the pasta I ate a The Room Upstairs:

Fettuccine Pasta
White Onions
Garlic
Heavy or All-purpose cream
Laoag Longganisa (the really garlicky kind)
Butter
Truffle Oil
Saffron Essence (suggestion: please don't put!!!)
Salt
Black Pepper mill 

The trick is to let the longganisa cook to a crisp before putting in the cream. Don't overcook the cream, else the oil will separate and you will hate yourself for that. Put the truffle oil on the last part, in fact try not to cook it at all, because I taste it better whenever it's just poured on the hot dish but off the stove. And don't make the mistake of putting in saffron essence like I did!!!

Aaaaand! Life took pity on my aching muscles that I bumped into my masseuse while I was cutting my nails in the hallway of the condo, just because. I lost the number of the place she works at about three months ago and had been tolerating less-skilled therapists for the past months. We were actually desperate to contact her that we were dialing random numbers just in case we got it right! After several wrong-numbers and offended home owners we gave up. Chancing upon her was one of the highlights of my supposed "happy-year". I asked her if she had other customers in the building and she said no, just the unit beside ours. There's more to The Secret than just being a best seller. Hmmmm...

Binggrae Melona Samanco Something

My favorite fish thus far comes from a sea of cream and red bean paste wrapped in a chewy waffle-thing of sort. It's a beautiful blend of mind flavors that does not overpower the palette with sugar. Its price ranges from Php35-50 depending on where you purchase it. Buying it in Korean groceries is always cheaper than other shops. Yummmeh! 

The fish may not look appetizing with its bulging lips and huge round eyes--not to mention the fins and scales--but trust me, it tastes nothing like fish!  

Desk Update 2013

This is my new more-cluttered-bigger-table-bigger-mess work table now. I've been using it for a couple of months now and I absolutely adore big desks...one of my dreams is having a work room where I can have a HUGE table to do my drawings, crafts, writing, and other art stuff. Anyway, it's been a year and just a comparison from my first post, this was my desk back then:

Almost everything has changed, even my laptop and my mouse...the only thing that remained is my cork board, mouse pad and the wall which I had planned on repainting but changed my mind when I saw the decals the other day--OHHH--and of course Sheepig is still there! 

Now here's a detailed description of-sort of my new work area in lieu of what I did on my first ever blog post: 

Pre-Christmas Shopping

Before I knew it Christmas songs are playing, a few weeks more and we'll start the Simbang Gabi (which I attend only on the last day...because I am never going to be a morning person.) As what I now consider a personal Christmas tradition, the first gift I will be buying for the season is mine. A well deserved annual compensation on top of my weekly compensation. This year one of my self-presents is a Herschel backpack for Php4990.00 but I got a 500-peso discount from a promo that they were having. If you buy a 5K worth of Herschel products you get a Php500 discount coupon. I asked the guy who sold it to me to grant me the discount since it's a ten-peso difference from 5K. He called his boss and bwahahahaha! I got it for Php4490.00 at Bratpack, Greenbelt 5. The store there is bigger than other locations, thus the selection is more diverse than other branches. 

I have a thing with the blue-brown combination since last year...except now I'm more into the aqua-teal-ash blue kinda hue and the one on the left was love at first sight...but I also love the darker one on the right. So I sorta figured a way to trick my brother into buying it so I get to borrow the bag. Bwahaha! I've been eyeing on that Herschel bag for a long time now. Finally, I got "two".

Then I bought a M&S canvas bag for Php325.00 (if I recall correctly) then got a 95-peso discount at the counter. Marks & Spencer has this thing about surprising you with discounts only when you pay them at the counter despite being marked with a regular price on the rack...this isn't the first time it happened to me. The chocolates were also discounted by a few pesos, like 15-25 I think. Cost me about Php65 (red) and Php85 (brown). I like M&S chocolates, especially the one with the biscuits attached. The bag though, I'm thinking of giving it to my aunt who seems fit the bag with her fashion sense.

The lamp and the light bulb are also part of the weekend purchase. The lamp and light bulb were bought at Home Depot in BGC. I love the whole modern-industrial-cafe-like look of it so I bought the piece for our kitchen light. Cost of the bulb was around Php400.00, and the lamp for about Php1800.00 because of the 20% discount. The bulb is the 40-Watt with the cute squiggly filament seen inside. The lamp is a drop-light with a nice grey-tint glass and a classic shapely curve. I love it with all of my heart...for now.

  

Shoe Problems

I need new shoes. Three new shoes later, I still need new shoes...WHY!?!?! I'm not into stilettos because I curse heels as my feet hate them, and I'd rather be stuck with my meager height than having to go through with the pain of aching toes, sole, ankles, and spirit. I go for comfy rubber shoes instead since I do tend to walk a lot...it wasn't until a few months ago that I got to experience the wonders of chucks. 

I was so happy with them Muji shoes, so light and bendable...until I saw its edges start to crack after six months of constant use...like twice to thrice a week, walking an average of 2kms per use. Although it cost Php1500.00 for a pair of teal-colored chucks...I didn't get to roughen it up enough before it started falling apart. And they do tend to have bad friction as I get recurring fears of falling on my butt every time I walk on wet tiles with them. No photo of the Muji shoes, they're quite dirty now.

It wasn't until last week that it occurred to me, I need new shoes as I felt a pain on the balls of my ankles, so I bought the Sketcher's Go Walk for Php3,200+ and they feel awesome because it feels like your feet don't touch the ground. When I first walked on it, I almost felt like jumping, sprinting, frolic on them...a week later my right toe has this huge kalyo (callus)...but I love the shoes so much that I'm keeping my kalyo. Plus, it's also waterproof! The very reason why I bought them in the first place! Now I can run and jump on puddles without wetting my feet! A perfect pair for this rainy season...so I use them to work everyday and walk on paddles with ease.

Then I bought Ellesse simply because they were on sale for only Php800.00 at ResToeRun...that's a 70% discount! So I bought it because I want the brand...although I'm not so much into the color. True enough, I wore it out once and I can already spot stains on it. At least it's comfortable enough to walk in. There is nice friction, but a little risky to walk on wet tiles.

And my newest addition to my growing shoe collection, the Reebok Slimtone which I haven't used yet since I bought them on sale just this morning. It cost me Php1,300.00 from it's original Php3,995.00. I'm soooo in love with the color! <3 <3 <3 Aqua and teal with a combination of either brown, grey, or white is my favorite pretty-thing-to-look-at right now. So I'm basically looking for items with those tones, and this one hit me right on the sweet spot. Nice! I'm gonna take it out for a walk tomorrow. <3

But I still need new shoes...

GK Enchanted Farm in Bulacan

GK Enchanted Farm is the second phase of GK2024 wherein the communities built by Gawad Kalinga are now formed into centers of social innovation. They are developing a system that can train global entrepreneurs who will produce global products that will sustain chosen communities and lift their social statuses to middle-class citizens. Once a field of kugon, the land was transformed and is slowly making itself known to the public as a learning hub for social entrepreneurs. I remember Tito Tony saying that he wants to train only the best because they are the ones who can conceptualize and manage competitive global brands that is up to par with western products. His theory proves effective with the products developed and being produced in the farm including Golden Eggs, Bayani Brew, Café de Sug, their artisan chocolates etc. Those volunteers come from our top universities, as well as other foreign students who too come from some of the best universities of their respective countries. He says that a lot of prominent French families send their children here to train and know what it’s like to toil for a cause. Usually, when he gives lectures abroad and students speak of ideas he invites them to the farm. Apparently he has grown tired of words and want actions done to prove a point. True enough, I saw a lot of young foreign people staying in the farm. He says part of his plan is improving our gene pool in the hopes that these people find their life partners in our country. Imagine our future generations living in a farm and looking like hunky models!? That I gotta see!

Their pretty cafe made out of bamboo and recycled materials.

Juk: Korean Rice Porridge

This is a pretty product that soothes your tummy. It's only 140 calories for 288g of porridge, but it's enough to fill you up. I had this for lunch because I wasn't in the mood to cook nor did I want to eat an overpowering meal. No, I don't do diets. It has chunks of real sliced abalone (I think,) but I only found four pieces of abalone since it isn't cheap unlike the seaweed which they happily packed in abundance. 

What's with the Cookie Butter?

With the dawn of the Speculoos Cookie Butter so did the invention of anything-involving-the-cookie-butter-flavor. I've seen it turn into cupcakes, gelato, lattes, waffles, crepes, and even cookies! So, why the sudden fame? Go figure...

Carmen's Best Ice Cream

After seeing the interview of Paco Magsaysay (yes, our late president's grandson) on Cocktails and listening to what he has to say about the product, I was convinced that I needed to buy it, pronto! And the horror to swearing by my word was paying the price of Php370.00 (Now costs P445.00!!!) for a pint of ice cream. I was screaming on the inside as I handed my newly received salary. The question is, is it worth it? Let me put it this way, if I'm filthy rich as identified under a Class A/B market, earning loads of cash, then it is...but the fact that I earn a sorry amount of pay every fifteen days, then it's obviously beyond a reasonable expense for my budget. The price reminded me of Haagen Dazs (it's actually more expensive than Haagen Dazs and Ben and Jerry's!!!), an unnecessary commodity but worth a try, and a rare reward to one's self. The next time you want to indulge in it, it should not come out of your pocket. 

New Year's Resolution for 2013

I didn't know you have to pay for the picture until I was 100 meters away.

Hats down to this guy, he laughed off the horse's kick.

My horse, Black Beauty

2012 may be a total bitch, but for 2013, things are looking up as my year began with me riding a black horse that almost killed me. We were supposed to gallop in the white sand beach as the sun rose out of the east horizon with our hairs whipping in the air and the clear blue waters splashed in the background. That was the plan. We got there on the 31st in the afternoon, but the horses were out and the owner said that the horses are more relaxed in the morning when they're refreshed and had their rest. With the British owner of the stable agreeing that we go there by 6am of January 1, 2013...me and my brothers left for the Horse Stable at 5:30am. With the rain pouring in the night on the 31st, the streets were flooded, but we arrived around 5:30am anyway. We sat and waited and waited...and around 6:30, the very drunk caretaker who promised he won't be drinking came in with red eyes and a zigzag walk. He kicked the other caretaker who will be our guide to wake up from the floor. They were both a mess but I wasn't about to give up on that perfect shot of me riding a black galloping horse on the beach with the hair and all!

I was giddy to know that the black horse was awake. His name is Black Beauty. Right before riding him, I brushed his mane all around...he seemed nice. The moment I rode him, he kicked the intoxicated caretaker on the stomach...how painful if was, I couldn't tell because he simply laughed and slapped the horse after the kick. As we were about to leave, Black Beauty went almost berserk. I said an awful lot of bad words that moment. Riding him was one of the scariest thrill and the scariest horse ride of my life. Ever. I couldn't control him, he wouldn't budge, and he was not afraid of threatening me to fall off his back. We passed cliffs with a drunk guide and a very grumpy horse. My only prayer? I don't die on new year's day.

So, under very bad conditions and rising tides, we didn't make it out on the beach. I wasn't very disappointed, I was more relieved that I get to mount off the horse sooner than planned. At least riding a black horse named Black Beauty is off my bucket list...the beach on a horse thing is still pending though.

And since I made it through the first day alive, I've come to reflect on what I want this year to happen in my life:

1. Feel Younger

I went home from Boracay with a terrible body pain. For crying out loud! I'm feeling far older than my age! So, I need to gain back the vitality I once had when I was...well I can't really recall when I felt younger than my designated age, but this year is a good start.

2. Reach a 6-digit Savings Account

This was actually last year's one and only New Year's resolution...didn't even make it half-way. This year, I'm more positive about making it happen. Swear!

3. Well...two resolutions is all I could handle. So for my third resolution, it's actually to make my two resolutions happen. At least I'm being realistic about it because I couldn't even fulfill that one single resolution I made last year. 

Bye 2012!

Yesterday was the end of the world according to the Mayan Calendar. I'm here to update the day after...I must be a survivor, or Armageddon was cancelled again for some reason as it has been on several occasions now. Who knows, maybe next year will be the end of the world again?

It's been a long wait, but finally I can breathe a sigh of relief as the year closes to an end. This has to be my worst year yet. I thought this was going to be my year because it's the Year of the Dragon...but no, the dragon was a total bitch! Seriously, had the world ended this year I'd be in deep crap because I know I will get no rest until I find redemption. Imagine me becoming one of those unrest souls in a world of an apocalytic aftermath...what's the point of being a ghost if there won't be any humans left to scare?

If there's one thing I look forward to this year, it was to end it...not necessarily via apocalypse, just get it over with December 31, 2012 - 23:59:59. 2013 better be good to me or else I'd be damned to endure another terrible year. My only consolation was buying myself a bunch of new stuff because, as a must for all, we must prioritize ourselves this Christmas season...therefore, before buying everyone else's Christmas present I bought myself these well-deserved gifts.


1. Hedgren Sling Bag (Php. 2700++ from Travel Club)

I have been eying this bag for a long time at Bratpack now, it's just that the ones available then were either too big or isn't the right shape I want. When I saw this on Glorietta's Travel club, I knew this was "it". I can still recall the priceless look the sales lady gave me when I said I was going to purchase the bag. You see, I was not in the mood to wear shoes that day, so I wore a shirt, some jeans, and the slippers I use at home. As you may well know by now, sales people were trained to not mind the people who look incapable of spending, so I went around the store unnoticed. When I finally inquired about the price of the bag, the sales lady wasn't enthusiastic about telling me that it was a little pricey. I recognized it as an all-purpose rude expression. That's wasn't my concern. Upon hearing that the price was in my budget range of below Php 3000.00 I immediately said, "Okay, I'll buy it." It took less than a second between the closing of her mouth and my decision to get it. And you should've seen the face of the woman, wide-eyed and jaw falling in disbelief that a woman dressed unfit to enter their store could do impulse buying under such quick circumstances. I had to dissuade myself from suddenly doing my signature evil in-your-face laugh...to see her send a telepathic apology as she handed me the paper bag was in-your-face enough.

This Hedgren was designed in Belgium, but made in China...and one of North Face's sister company. I love the words written on the print:

range results of Book or Life,
between and written those words!
Before the nebula of thoughts
history for the whole purpose
cleaning, beating flights crying
those starting art

Okay...I did not get that one either...must be a Chinese translation of a song or something.

2. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 2013 Planner (Priceless in my opinion, but if I add up the bill of 12 stamps in total, it will cost somewhere around Php. 1600++)

This may be the shortest amount of time I got to collect the stamps. In a span of two and a half weeks I was able to get the planner...simply because they gave it sometime mid-November, and knowing that I'll be leaving for Bacolod early December, I was pressured to drink CBTL almost every day for the planner. I'm thankful I was able to make it because other planners for 2013 doesn't seem all that perfect to carry around everywhere and write on...CBTL's planner had the perfect size, the perfect paper thickness and color, and the perfect daily space-size to fill up...I still wish the Saturday and Sunday boxes were bigger though because it's the only time of the week that I actually get to do a lot more than work a routine. Their coupons aren't all that interesting compared to two years ago though...sad.

3. Hardbound Notebook (Php. 200++ from a'postrophe)

I love this new fad of using the Brit-post-war ad campagine of "Keep Calm and Carry On" thing. There had been a lot of rendition and rephrasing going on, but I think the original thing is where the point of it all comes from. It's made in China--I know...but they did good with the paper quality used for the pages because the lines were dark brown and cleanly printed. I'm quite particular about where I write because it affects my thinking flow for some reason...those notebooks with blue lines irritate me and distract me from writing striaght because all I could think of is how ugly the lines look. But a closer inspection on the cover will tell you that it is made in China because behind the British tag line is a sentence saying, "New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area etc."

4. Five pairs of Muji Knitted Socks (Php. 695.00 from Muji)

Muji, though clearly is a Japanese brand, is chuck-full of Made in China tags. In my campaigne to avoid made in China products, I often look for the tag to see where it's made...unfortunately 90% of which are from China. When I got a glimpse of the Made in Japan text though, I gotta have it! It's one of the few items in Muji actually made in Japan. The thing is from recycled yarn which means it's eco-friendly other than the fact that it looks perky and cool.

As a side note, I forgot that this is one of the things I wrote on my wish list for our Secret Santa exchange gift program game thingy. Wait--come to thing of of it, I bought this after I wrote it on my wish list because I was so excited of recieving it that I actually bought it for myself instead. Anyway, I had a lot on my wish list that I thought I was gonna get the CBTL tumbler because it was cheaper than the socks...but Katrina was happily counting her gold bars when she decided to get me my secret gift. Now I have 10 pairs in my closet. Sweet!

5. Capri Cloth Wallet (Php. 1850.00 from Muji)

With my leather wallet self-distructing itself with its self-inflicting tears, it looked pitiful in my new bag...so I went to hunt down my new wallet for the next two or so years. I had three qualifications: it must be a three-fold, it must fit the back pocket of my pants, and it must not scream its beautiful branding. Check. Check. Check. The material was durable, it had a few slits to fit the few cards I carry, there was a copper zipper detailing on the inside which looked totally sophisticated...plus I have a thing for the blue and brown color combination lately thanks to Tricia Gosingtian's photos of guys wearing those color pairing in Paris. The only thing that was really hard for me was that it was a lot over my price budget. But it is lovely to grab and fill cash with. I think this will be a lucky wallet.