21 on 2012

Hi guys!

Sorry to disappoint you but this blogpost is all about my birthday celebration last Saturday, June 9, 2012.

(Photos taken by Kay Co)

I'm really thankful for all the blessings, especially that this year I graduated and finally earned my college degree. I had a blast last Saturday. I spent that day with my family, my boyfriend, Jack, and my friends...the very close ones of course.

My amazing girls...

(From left to right: Carra, Cheese, Kay Co, me, and Kristia) 

Team 'Talong' FTW! \m/

 (From left to right: Ace, Xandrix, me, and Ronan)

College classmates...

(From left to right: John, Anjo, and Ronan) 

ALL OF THEM! awww Jack, why don't you turn around? :(

I know they're few, but you don't really have to have a LOT of friends, right? As long as they are all true to me ;)

 Kay Co's birthday gift :)

MY BIRTHDAY CAKE!!! - a NYANCAKE

 I can't help but thank Jack for this one. It was definitely a surprise.

Slicing this precious cake was indeed painful. It was too pretty to eat. 

...and that's all for this post.

I'll be back to blogging soon and I would really like to thank all of the blogger friends of mine who have been wishing me a happy birthday and prayed for my mom. You girls are great and I really appreciate all of your concern.

so, 'till next post! - k*

24 months and counting ♥

Yes, friends...I'm happy and in love !!!

This is actually my first time to write about us ever since I started blogging (just saying :p)

Last January 31, 2012, me and my boyfriend, Jack, celebrated our 2nd anniversary.

Can't believe that it's been 2 years since we made our relationship official. It really has been a rollercoaster ride for the both us.

Like any love story, we were once strangers.

I met him last December of 2009. Me and my friends watched "Paranormal Activity". One of my friends introduced him to me. Wasn't really interested of meeting him of course.

But when January 2010 came, it was a whole new beginning. We begin to exchange text messages with each other. He asked me out and we had our first date at Chicco di Caffe and Avenida.

To be honest, I wasn't prepared to be in a relationship that time and he wasn't also. Our relationship was so rough that I was actually thinking of giving up. He was also thinking of the same thing. 

But days passed, we started to get along well. He taught me how to compromise and open up to him when it comes to problems. I feel safe when I'm with him and I really love the way he takes care of me.

It all makes sense because in love, we don't always get what we want, but instead, we get what we need...ayii~! 

He may not be perfect for everybody, but for me I'm hoping that he's the right one...

It's not everyday you get to meet a very nice guy.

He's just like any ordinary guys out there: He likes gaming. He watches anime. He likes techie gadgets. He's into cars and other guy stuff.

I know us girls are always looking for the perfect one. But remember, there's no such thing as perfect.

Ever since I met him, I learn to appreciate the things around me and that makes him very special :)

So, back to our anniversary...

Since it's exam week, I decided that we should celebrate it as simple as we can.

We had our lunch at Matina Swiss Deli

... and those doughnuts?

My anniversary gift :)

..and that's all for this post..'till next time - k*

These are a few of my favorite...food!

Hi guys! Y'all do know that I love food and although I have been blogging about beauty products and looks for these past few months, I can't help but also to blog about food.

One of my latest cravings is the BUBBLE TEA!!! 

Now, what is bubble tea? It's obviously a milk tea with tapioca pearls on it. The first time I tried its was when I was in Hong Kong last August. A few weeks ago, I found this small store located in front of Davao Doctors College in Malvar street named 360 Degrees Handshaken Tea and I tried one of their bestsellers which is the Caramel Milk Tea.

It's so good and it's also cheap. For only P 35.00, you can enjoy this refreshing drink. You can choose between red or green tea, but I prefer green tea for the caramel flavor. Wanna try their ovaltine flavor too (one of their bestsellers).

Next stop is Caffe Firenzo. Located at Quirino street, in front of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

This afternoon while downloading some games, I can't help but really want to try their LaCrema Gelato and I fell in love with the Yogurt Tart flavor (no photo...sorry T.T), and if you're a sucker for frozen yogurt stuff, I'm sure you'll fall for this one too.

But aside from that creamy gelato, I also tried one of their cakes and I find their Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake so appetizing paired up with a cup of Cafe Mocha.

Oops! already ate the half of it :p

..and they also have some mochi ice cream which is called "Mochilato". So I was eager to try the Pudding flavor.

Let me rate their Mochilato. It's totally 2/5. First, the mochi was dry and not sticky enough like what Mochicreme has, and the gelato is melted. Therefore, I don't really recommend this one >.<

So these are the few of my favorite food at the moment. 'till next time. Bye! -k*

A trip to Harley Boulevard Motor Cafe

Yes, Davao city may not have Taco Bell, but I can totally brag that we have better than that.

Me and my boyfriend went to Juan Luna street and found Harley Boulevard Motor Cafe, located in front of Better Components.

Outside the place looks so ordinary, but when you get to taste their food, it's way beyond the word ORDINARY!

The first time I went there, I get to taste their Bacon Cheeseburger worth P 90.00, and man! You'll never let me eat Space Burger or McDonald's ever again. Their not-so-ordinary cheeseburger is only worth P 60.00 and I can say that the size of that thing is way beyond what you expect from a 60-peso burger. Meaning. bigger than the Big Mac ;)

Yesterday, I tried their Burritos for P 65.00 and I really fell in love with it.

I also get to try their heavenly chili cheese fries. At first I thought it'll be too hot for my taste, but no it wasn't. Just perfect for all you wanna try some good chili out there and it's only for P 55.00

My boyfriend also tried their chili cheese bowl

Their price is student-friendly, and I really love their chili! Wanna try more from their menu soon.

So if you're from Davao city or if you ever plan to visit Davao city, I do hope you try Harley Boulevard Motor Cafe's delicious burgers, chili cheese fries, and more. 

For more of Davao's best food places, stay tuned for more of my blog posts - k* 

mango pudding

So let's talk about sweets this time. I was intrigued by this Chinese dessert called mango pudding when it's certainly look like a mango jello.

It's my first time to make such dessert and this is the result of my own version:

Looks delicious eh?

This is a fun dessert for your family. My mom really loves my own version of mango pudding. I'm sure everyone will enjoy it, especially the kids or the kids at heart. 

In making this mango pudding, you'll need:

• 10 g of jelly powder (unflavored)
• 5 mangoes, sliced into cubes
• 1 cup or 250 ml evaporated milk ( I suggest Carnation Evap)
• 2 cups or 500 ml water
• 200 g white sugar 

How to make mango pudding:

1. Mix the jelly powder and white sugar with water. Cook it to low heat until all sugar is dissolved.
2. Blend in the diced mangoes and evaporated milk into the mixture.
3. Stir constantly until the mixture has already thickened.
4. Pour into molds and place them in the freezer for at least an hour.

That simple! I hope you try this delicious dessert. It's very easy to make and the ingredients aren't so hard to find. 

'till next time, bye! -k*

The reason why I love my hometown

Davao city.

I am so lucky that I was born and raised in this city. 

I am definitely a food lover..and when it comes to food, Davao city has it all! So if ever I was a tourist, I would really love to come back over and over here because of their great food.

So, here are some of my restaurants and cafes here in the city..

*Ribs! If you like ribs or any grilled food then you must try Lyndon's World's Worst Ribs and Awful Chicken

I really love the resto's description because it's so ironic. But for me they are definitely the best ribs here in the city. It's definitely a must-try when you go to Roxas Avenue...

*Do you have a sweet tooth? Then you must definitely go to Lachi's Sans Rival Atbp.

Their desserts are really amazing and they can only be found here in Davao city, located at Marfori heights. A very small restaurant and but a lot of people during lunch and dinner go here to eat their sumptuous meals and their sweetest desserts! Plus, if you want to eat here on time, you would really have to got a reservation. Take it from me ;)

So here's my fave from Lachi's. It's going to be Pork Marinara..The best!

While my boyfriend's fave is their unforgettable pork ribs. From the name itself, it's truly unforgettable ;)

aah...desserts, desserts, desserts! Everytime we go to Lachi's I always order a dessert. You can just simply choose from their refrigerator which cake you want to eat. I've tried Old French Chocolate cake (Jacko's fave), Bittersweet Chocolate, Durian Cheesecake (must-try), Midnight Chocolate Delight, Dulce de Leche, and my personal fave...

 the Creme Brulee cake :) It's not too sweet but definitely the taste is heaven-sent. One bite and I can say "It's so fluffy I want to die!". A slice of this cake can really make my day.

*Davao city is known for its hot and sunny weather. Halo-halo is the best solution for that. For the best Halo-halo in town, you can find it in Matina Town Square, or us Dabawenyos call it "MTS", located in McArthur highway, in front of Ateneo de Davao high school.

I super duper love Aling Foping's Halo-halo!

  

Aside from the fact that their Halo-halo is price-worthy, you can also select your own fillings with the minimum of 6 items. I mostly pick Leche Flan, Ube Jam, Nata de Coco, Kaong, Langka (Jackfruit), Macapuno.

A very good treat for a hot and sunny day.

*I really love Italian food. Not to mention, PIZZA!..and some pasta of course. For the delicious Italian food, there's no other place for me to go except for Picobello Ristorante Italiano, located at the 5th floor of Gaisano South Citimall in Ilustre st.

This restaurant has that classy ambiance but when you look at their menu, the prices are very affordable. Everyday from 2 PM-5 PM, their Pizzas are "buy 1 take 1". So most students from Davao Doctors College and from UIC, my school, goes to Picobello during afternoon breaks.

 My personal fave from Picobello is their Calzone. It's only P 300.00 and it's definitely worth the price. Their Calzone is way better than what Yellow Cab has. This really has a true taste of Italy. Very cheesy and fluffy. I can even finish this all by myself. LOL :D

*Locality at its best. Penong's. Where you can experience the unlimited rice.

We Filipinos love to eat. While Dabawenyos love it unlimited. Since I'm a student, me and my classmates love to eat at Penong's during lunch break. A chicken barbecue meal costs P 68.00 only and it has unlimited rice! Clap your hands twice and the waiter will just serve you the number of cups of rice you wish to eat. I love Filipino dishes also, so for a cheaper resto me and my family chooses Penong's.

*Aside from being a chocoholic, I am also a coffee-addict. I love hanging out at coffee shops. Davao city has the original Blugre cafe which I think their price is overrated and trying to compete with Starbucks. Although they may be different from bringing out their original Durian coffee.

I have two favorite coffee shops that are originally from Davao. One is the Coffee at Yellow Hauz, located at Mabini st.

They only have one branch in the city and the unique thing about this coffee shop is that it is literally a house and the ambiance gives comfortable feeling. I feel like I'm just staying at my own house while sitting on their couch while surfing the net (of course the place is wi-fi) and their coffee is also great.

Another favorite Davao Original coffee shop of mine is Kasagingan Kapehan, located at Torres st.

Truly unique! Blugre has Durian coffee, while Kasagingan has Bananappuccinos. Me and my classmate Ace's fave hang out. Why? Their coffee is cheap, but delicious, and their food is also cheap. They have specialties such as Maruya drizzled with chocolate syrup, Pinaypay and...

their Tworon (turon) which is my fave. Their Tworon is drizzled with caramel and chocolate, and it's only worth P 45.00. We love it here because aside from their great coffee and delicious treats, it's only takes a tricycle to take us here from our school, no electrical charges (as long as you order though), and incredibly fast wi-fi. 

*You can never be called a certified Dabawenyo when you haven't tasted the king of fruits, Durian!

Durian can only be found in Asia, and lucky for Davao, it is the only place in the Philippines where you can find them. Among their types, my fave is the puyat. Wanna know why? You have to come here to Davao to find out :D 

This photo was taken last 2009. Me and my cousins were eating Durian in the streets in the middle of the night. During season, meaning July-August, Durian is like P 20.00 - P 30.00 per kilo only. Very cheap, eh?

I know it smells terrible but it's really sweet. It almost tastes like a Green Pedalai, or also known as Marang.

The perfect phrase to describe Durian is: "It smells like hell, but it tastes like heaven.."

So that's it. This is the reason why I love Davao so much. Great food is everywhere. So, if you're on a diet and you came by to visit here, I'm sorry to tell you but you really have to give that up for a while because your Davao experience will never be complete if you haven't gone to these favorite food spots, not just by me but also by Dabawenyos.

Cooking Kimmy Part II

 Hi my fellow bloggers! As what I've said from my previous cooking Kimmy part one blog, I promised to cook again for our 15th monthsary last April 30, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, I was only able to cook this afternoon ..and here it is..tada!

This time I cooked Pork Tonkatsu instead of Hamburg Steak, and Crepes, specifically Banana Nutella Crepes, like what I have in my photo above :)

The reason why I chose to cook this dish was that a few days ago I tried this recipe from the Youtube channel, cooking with dog, because it was very easy to make and all the ingredients are just found in the kitchen. I am obviously a meat lover and that time I was craving for pork chops, and I said to myself why not try tonkatsu instead? 

And because I was really satisfied with the taste I have decided to cook this for my boyfriend for our monthsary, and indeed he said it was great.. yay!

For me the best tonkatsu is served with a half-cooked egg, while my boyfriend suggested cheese on top. Well, I'll try that next time :)

For our dessert I've tried making Crepes. Well actually Crepes are really one of my favorites. This time I made Banana Nutella Crepes with chocolate ice cream.

This is my first time making Crepes. It really looks easy once you see how it's made, but when it's your turn, it absolutely the other way around, and the most difficult part is when you do the flipping. 

Crepes are like pancakes that really thin, but I find them more interesting to eat and I don't know even why. My boyfriend told me the technique to make on how to make them perfect is that do not include egg whites on making crepes. LOL I could really say I am an amateur. But anyways it tastes great, obviously he enjoyed it, and I can say it's a whole lot better than the Crepe I have tasted in a Cafe in Quirino :)

If you want to try the recipe for Pork Tonkatsu or Katsudon, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klFyrnrUSck

And for the Crepes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1DgmbMMOgA

I hope you try these recipes. They are very easy and budget-friendly :)

Cooking Kimmy part I

Oh yes, friends...I cook! :) and it's probably going to be my new hobby right now.

I was inspired because of this game, cooking mama.

I know it sounds a bit weird and funny but I really thank that game for making me realize that I also have a talent in cooking, aside from singing, dancing, and writing songs.

Last month I want to try how to make Japanese dishes and then I have researched about different recipes. I even also asked my aunt in Japan on how to make the perfect Ebi Tempura sauce and Chicken Teriyaki. Then I was thinking how about I cook for my boyfriend on our 14th monthsary, and so then I tried to make California Maki, Ebi Tempura, and Chicken Teriyaki.

Voila! 'twas successful..

My boyfriend loved it though he had some comments about my teriyaki. He said it was a bit dry, that was because I didn't make a sauce for it. But thanks to him I'll even try to make it perfect next time.

My mom really liked the California Maki. She ate about 10 pieces, and that taught me next time if I plan to make again, I should at least make 2 more rolls for my mom alone. LOL :D

I'll be cooking several dishes next time. I plan to make Hamburg steak and Crepes this coming April 30 for our 15th monthsary, so stay tuned, :)

If you want recipes you can log on to this site: 

http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/bite-size-chicken-teriyaki-for-bento

Tutorials in youtube are really helpful to me, and I subscribed one of their channels and that's cookingwithdog. It's just that they are having tutorials on how to make Japanese dishes easier and I can really say that the chef really looks like a real-life cooking mama, so you better check this out also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adLjNuZGxo8

http://www.youtube.com/user/cookingwithdog#p/u/21/1Hy55UIjaqY