Food Trippin' in Baguio

I love exploring places and food and what I learned about living in Baguio is that you will never run out of good, artsy places to go to enjoy good eats. 

Good Taste menu

When I was still based in Manila I occasionally visit Baguio for vacation because where else can you find all sorts of ukay-ukay (second-hand items) stuff and lots of coffee shops everywhere but here. It must be the weather that's why in every corner of Baguio, you will find coffee shops that not just serve coffee and bread but also rice meals, porridge, noodles, etc. at an affordable price. When I was a kid my dad brought me and my siblings to this local restaurant by the marketplace called Rainbow Cafe (Kayang Street Located at the public market). I had my first taste of their bestseller Rainbow Rice here which consist of Chopsuey rice with lots of fresh vegetables, a slice of lechon and steamed chicken. Oh boy, the serving was huge! It left me a happy tummy that I will never forget so I told myself that the city of pines has more to offer. If you miss homecooked meals, drop by anytime at the very popular Good Taste (Otek Street near Burnham Park). It is open 24/7 I remember my sister and I come here for breakfast in the wee hours of the morning after work. Rice meals are considerably cheap. Food is served with huge portions of fresh veggies. You will realize that fast food is nothing but junk if you come here often but make sure you are really hungry because you will really end up stuffed. I love their fried rice, chicken fillet, blue lemonade, and cream puff if you want something for dessert.

OMG at Oh My Gulay!

My sister and I are very much into artsy places but are also into healthy food so every once in while we drop by at Oh My Gulay (La Azotea, Session Road) to savor their tasty salads. I came across OMG as a tourist many years ago. I like to Google places to visit before I go on vacation and OMG is listed as one of the most interesting places to eat in Baguio. I always make sure that I have an itinerary to follow so everything's organized when I'm there and this definitely topped my list. If you're into nature-inspired art and organic food you will find this place really interesting and if you still haven't had enough of OMG, check out Ili Likha and Cafe Cueva (both in Assumption Road) too.

Ili-Likha with the resident ginger cat

Cafe Cueva

For chocolate lovers and cacao advocates, savor a cup of bitter-sweet rich hot chocolate at "Choco-Late de Batirol" (inside Camp John Hay). Make sure to try their "Turon De Langka and pair this up with any traditional blend of your choice. I had strawberry whilst my sister picked the cinnamon flavor and both are equally delicious. 

Choco-Late de Batirol's Turon de Langka a
nd strawberry traditional blend choco

Grumpy Joe's Combo A: Chicken, Spaghetti, 
Fries, and Pizza

Western food is everywhere too so why not try "Grumpy Joe" (Leonard Road). The place is not very spacious especially for a large group but the food tastes good and the price is quite reasonable.

Ozark's Dark Beer Cheesecake and Chicken BBQ sandwich

Whenever my siblings and I like to catch up, we go to random places so when a friend of mine at work recommended Ozark, (2 Bear's Trail, corner Bareng Drive) even if this is right in the middle of nowhere we took effort to find it. I was surprised when we got there because there is no one else but us. No reservations needed, a table and good food awaits. This is a perfect place to chit chat and relax. The day we came happened to be my niece's 19th birthday. so we decided to pig out and enjoy their South American food. You can sit comfortably while enjoying the soothing view of pine trees and school field. My (pulled) chicken BBQ sandwich is super tasty, served with generous portions of fries and Ozark iced tea. Also, never miss out to try their bestseller Dark Beer cheesecake.

Canto's Half Slab Lomo Back Ribs is heaven 

I'm not a fan of jam-packed places but if you're craving for lomo back ribs cooked at its finest, head over to Canto and you will never regret a thing. The place is crowded for the most part so don't take your chances and reserve a table for you and your family or friends to make sure that you will not end up disappointed. I just didn't like the noise especially if you will spend dinner there plus there's not much privacy I noticed that tables are too close to each other. 

Chaya

For Japanese food lovers, Chaya is a good place to dine but not for walk-in clients since they have limited tables. It's like a house converted into a fine dining resto. I'm not really into Japanese food but I did like their tasty Chicken Teriyaki salad and green tea ice cream sampler which is served free after your meal. To be honest and in my experience, don't attempt to come here without a car although the parking space is also very limited because it will take you forever to get a cab home especially in the afternoon too so I find it not very convenient.

The lovely walls of Hillside Station

After scouring books at Mt. Cloud better check out Hillstation (Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road) too. This is cozy place serve vegetarian yet tasty sandwiches. For non-vegetable lovers they thought that vegan food lack flavor but that is no longer true since most vegan dishes nowadays aside from healthy are flavorful just like the "vegetarian panini" I ordered. I thought I was eating smoked beef and not eggplant because the taste is quite deceiving it's like not eating a vegan sandwich at all.

My Vegetarian Panini 

That's pretty much it for now. I'm still in the hunt for cool places to go and I will definitely keep looking. Any suggestions? 

Thinking Out Loud

Twinnie (my twin sister) and I are housekeepers for the time being while our elder sister is away taking care of some things. As I mentioned in my previous blog, our vacation home is 30 minutes away from town so imagine if we ran out of food supplies and our neighbor sari-sari store (thrift shop) is closed then we are left with no choice but to come up with whatever we can munch on. It's like getting stranded in an island the only difference is, we are sorrounded by mountains instead of water. At first I don't understand why twinnie always make sure that we have flour on stock in the kitchen I thought she merely use it for cooking but one fine day she just surprised me with pancakes for snack I was left wondering because we do not have any pancake mix available like the one you buy in supermarkets. 

I have no interest whatsoever in food making or baking. I know how to cook fried or easy food but I'm quite lazy especially if it has something to do with seasoning. I have issues with proper portions and more often than not it end up tasting weird so I just let my sister do all the cooking while I take care of the dishes lol. I have basic knowledge in baking too during our good old highschool days but baking is such a tough craft to master plus the ingredients are quite expensive too compared to just buying finished products from bakeries so why bother?

Just recently, twinnie got herself into baking again not using a large oven but a steaming casserole with holes in it that thing you use to make rice cakes and it did work out pretty well. Since I am the lazy one, I tried the no bake technique with a little help from youtube of course. I made an Oreo Cheesecake using crushed Oreo cookies, creamcheese and condensed milk as ingredients. I mixed equal portions of creamcheese and condensed milk in a mixing bowl, toppled it with mini chocolate morsels and sprinkles then left in the fridge for a few hours. I have sweet cravings from time to time I'm looking forward to learn more of these no bake recipes which is a good cure for boredom too. 

Aside from dessert making, I am busy nursing our senior German shepherd dog "Brandon" we took him to the vet last week due to his infected callous (hygroma) which is common for large breed dogs. He was prescribed with antiobitics and liver supplement and we have to clean his wound for a week using an antiseptic solution given to him as well. Poor dog, he's 10 years old and 70 in dog years so he needs a lot of T.L.C now. Pets are part of our family and they deserve the proper care that they need for protecting us and it's not an easy task too because they shield us from intruders and they also risk their lives by doing that. 

Speaking of pets, Atari the cat, our 2 year old ginger is keeping himself busy sleeping all day in twinnie's bed. He sleeps comfortably in the comforter and doesn't want to be disturbed. I've had several cats since I was a kid but this is our only cat that bites! Yes he does and he does not eat table food, well ocassionally he does eat fried fish but he loves catfood so much he gives an attitude whenever his plate is almost empty and sees that his catfood is running out in the container. He's turned into a big fat cat since we had him spayed as recommended by his vet so he doesn't spend all day wandering outside. 

Since I've been on vacation for almost a month now and I rarely go out unless necessary, I keep my face makeup free and my current discovery is the coconut oil therapy. I was apprehensive to use coconut oil as night cream at first because I have tried beauty creams before even those expensive brands but after a long period of use it is not as effective anymore. I have been using coconut oil as night cream for less than a month and so far I already noticed that my skin is softer. I like how it feels whenever I apply make up, it glides much easily. They say that coconut is the "tree of life" and I totally agree. 

I love makeup. I wear a lot of makeup whether at work or anywhere I go. I feel naked without it but when I'm at home I don't wear make up at all. I give my face a rest too. I make sure to take good care of my skin and keep it moisturized and hydrated because the more makeup I use, it is most likely for my skin to become dry and age easily. I'm not getting any younger but whenever I get compliments from people that I look younger than my actual age and that my makeup look good on me, I am absolutely flattered. Seriously? Who wouldn't be right? Looking younger doesn't have to cost a fortune but a lot of skin T.L.C. I have nothing against cosmetic surgery because anyone has the right to be beautiful but still, I'm proud that I haven't had any work done. I believe that beauty can be achieved by proper skin care and a healthy diet because whatever you put inside your body, it will show in your skin. I do love makeup and it can hide imperfections but there is no substitute for a healthy looking skin. 

Choose Happy

It's almost a month now since I quit my job and this whole vacation thing will soon be over. I think I have already rested enough and ready to go back work. Oh how I wish I could go on like this forever but some darn good things never last. I guess what I will miss most about Baguio is the cold weather since I'm from the south where I'm accustomed to the artificial cold coming from either an AC or electric fan which rarely used in households or business establishments here. 

Nothing compares to urban life if you're used to a life where everything move so quickly that's why I thought about escaping and considered living a simpler life here. But it was never easy. My family have a vacation home that's 30 minutes away from town and 40-45 minutes (30 btw for locals, is a very long travel time) away from where I work. Since my sister and I settled here 4 years ago we have moved from one apartment to the next and lived in each for less than a year until we found a better pad where we lived in for 2 years though it is still quite far from work but at least it's not as far as our vacation home and we have no choice anyway, the owner is a friend of our dad's. I know what to expect when I came here. I tried not to rant about the huge wage difference because that's part of the whole relocation thing even though the work load is the same I told myself it's not fair, not at all. Some people thought that the cost of living here is not as expensive but in my opinion, they should try to live and work here to know that. What I am earning here is never enough, I want more and there's nothing wrong with wanting more if you work your ass off all the time to suffice your needs and wants. I believe that things happen for a reason. I lived and work here not by chance. 

I guess I'm starting over again but hopefully I can do better. I'm off to a good start. I'm positive that something great awaits and I'm looking forward to it. 

Wind Of Change

I left my job. I'd like to give myself a break, well at least for a month until I squared away eveything that I need from the ex-company that I worked for 3 years before I throw myself back to the jungle where I was 4 years ago. I left Manila for Singapore then settled up north to escape the crowded life that I was accustomed to. I guess nothing in this world is permanent but change. I thought I would stay here for good since my mom passed away 2 years ago. The weather is cold and life is calm here but it felt empty inside no matter how hard I convince myself that everything will be alright. I miss the life that I had back then when I could afford a lot of things that I want, even the things that I don't need, but I'm still empty. I guess there is no such thing as a perfect life. If I had a chance to change things and fix them I would, but life is a neverending learning process. As long as you live, you learn. I have better plans and hopefully it will all work out for the best. Everything happens for a reason. I think the wind of change wants me back to where I was because it is telling me that there is no escaping this life, there is no such thing. You can run away but you will always come back to where you're from. Life is a maze so deal with it. For now, I'll take a time off and not worry about waking up during the wee hours of the morning, shut my alarm clock off, sleep more and spend some quality time with my family and pets. I deserve a break, totally.

Living With GERD (GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease)

It hasn't been a year since I had gallbladder surgery (Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy) to remove my gallstones and just few months ago I complained of severe heartburn and was diagnosed with GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease). GERD is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) the ring of muscle between the esophagus and stomach.

My gastroenterologist prescribed proton pump inhibitors (medicines that reduce the amount of stomach acid made by glands in the lining of the stomach) that I took for a week but to no avail so I requested to undergo endoscopy (a non-surgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract) and found out that I have H Pylori (a bacteria that enter your body and live in your digestive tract) in my stomach. I was advised to take proton pump inhibitors again and antibiotics for a month to kill the bacteria.

Quite frankly, my doctor told me that I have to live with Gerd for the rest of my life so I have to be watchful of my diet. Gerd sucks bigtime. Most people get envious whenever I tell them that I don't gain weight because I don't get hungry often but little did they know is that I am suffering from a digestive disorder that I have to be picky with what I eat because if I don't, I will suffer the consequences for eating the wrong food. Comfort food for the most part, is nothing but a discomfort to me like fast food, ice cream or just anything high on fat leaving a burning sensation on my tummy that extends all the way to my lower back.

I wonder why doctors always tell you that there is nothing to avoid when it comes to food, like everything is normal when they know for sure that anything could go wrong anytime. I guess it really is pay back time because when I was young I wasn't careful of what I feed my system. I consumed junk 90% of the time especially when I started working because I love food so much and I eat anything that makes me happy. I've been working for 12 years, I've gained some and lose some weight but I took the big leap 4 years ago when I decided to take control of my body and lose an incredible amount of weight. It seriously felt good being able to fit my old clothes again and started living healthy. However, it was still too late to save my gallbladder because my gallstone has been living inside my body for 10 years and I only found out about it last year. I guess I just have to get used to this whole Gerd thing. I don't want to be careful but if I want to live long, I have to. Sigh.

A Dose of "Berry Me"

Product in review:  "Berry Me" by Dose Of Colors

I guess I'm addicted to liquid-matte lipsticks recently I've been comparing which brand is the matte-iest of them all. When Limecrime popularized 'vegan and cruelty free' makeup (vegan meaning they use minerals and plant based/organic ingredients and cruelty free or not tested on animals), a lot of new and cheaper, cosmetic brands came out with the same claim which is good because this simply means that more women are opting for environment and animal friendly cosmetics. 

I stumbled upon Dose Of Colors while browsing Instagram photos from some makeup artists that I've been following. I've never owned any velvet colored lipstick in the past so why not try something like "Berry Me"? According to their website, their products are vegan free, cruelty free, gluten free (allergen free) and paraben free (paraben are cosmetic preservatives). This shade look a little like a mixture of pink and purple on their website so I was a little surprised when I opened the bottle because it's almost fuschia pink to me, just a little bit darker. I was a little disappointed at first and I'm not sure if I can even pull off such strong color but after applying and letting it dry for a few seconds, I realized that it wasn't so bad after all, it's kinda cute actually. The bottle is more decent compared to LA Splash, well it has to be since it is more expensive too. I like the lip applicator better as well, it's not as messy so it's easier to manage the amount of liquid that you will put on your lips. The website suggested to exfoliate lips before use since this will really leave your lips dry just like any other matte lipstick. True to their word, it is long wearing. I think this shade is perfect if you want to highlight your lips and go easy on your eyes. 

Berry, Berry Me!

Dose of Colors is a good brand and of good quality but have limited colors to choose from. I hope in the future they'll come up with more unique colors. I think Pretty Zombie Cosmetics is a good alternative if you are looking for almost similar shades but cheaper.          

Product Description:

Our liquid lipstick is a velvety high-fashion matte finish which envelops lips in a rich color. Glides on smoothly and stays put throughout the day.

• Vegan

• Cruelty Free 

• Gluten Free 

• Paraben Free

Tips: Exfoliate lips before use. Avoid greasy food.

Ingredients:

Isododecane Synthetic Beeswax VP/Hexadecene Copolymer Octyldodecanol Cyclopentasiloxane C18-36 Acid Triglyceride Disteardimonium Hectorite Phenoxyethanol Alcohol denatured Ethylhexylglycerin MAY CONTAIN: ± D&C Red No.28 Aluminum Lake (CI 45410) FD&C Red No.40 Aluminum Lake (CI 16035) Titanium dioxide (CI 77891) FD&C Yellow No 5 Lake (CI 19140) Aluminum Oxide Red 6 Lake (CI 15850) D&C Red 27 Lake (CI 45410) FD&C Red 7 Calcium Lake (CI 15850:1) Iron Oxides (CI 77499) FD&C Blue No.1 Aluminum Lake (CI 42090).

In the mood for Melt Darkroom (A review)

Melt owners Lora 
Arellano and Dana Bomar

Darkroom is 
here to stay

When Melt Darkroom was launched late last year everyone got excited about this beet colored lipstick thanks to the creative minds of Melt's lady bosses Laura Arellano and Dana Bonar who are professional MUA themselves. Just an FYI, Laura is Rihanna's makeup artist and behind most of her looks in her music videos so you know what to expect from ladies who know makeup so well. 

Nope, it's not a shoe box. 
Just my lippie!

Freebies

My first purchase of Melt are By Starlight and Space Cake because Blow and DGAF were out of stock during that time. I instantly fell in love with both, it screams 'me'! I don't care whenever I get weird stares from people like I'm from another planet or something. I love wearing daring lipsticks not because I want attention but I just love make up so much someday I swear I will make a living out of it, lol. I became obsessed with super pigmented lipsticks and eyeshadows I tried other makeup brands and lippie shades such as Five 11 Cosmetics' Free (Almost blue green in color) and Manic Panic's After Midnight (Electric Blue). I've been stalking Melt's website to see what's new until about a week ago they reached 1 million followers on Instagram so they had a 24 hour SALE offering 25% off on every product just by using the code "meltmilli". I wasted no time and bought Darkroom immediately before it's sold out.

Darkroom swatch

My Melt box came via USPS a week after I placed my order which is fast for international orders it usually takes a month to arrive. My very first Melt package came in a white box, now it's black so there's quite a mystery in there. Unboxing this product is the most exciting part. What I loved about Melt is that no matter what the quantity of your order, you always get a postcard and a cute freebie, (sweet!). I got a pocket mirror then, this time it's a mini Space Cake lipstick keychain (yay!). Melt just so love their customers you will feel it at the very moment you opened that box. I'm just really happy with the packaging to start with. 

The signature scent of vanilla and clay stays with Darkroom. I still like the gooey texture it glides easily but compared to By Starlight, it doesn't leave a pink stain when you remove it like a lip tattoo or something. It's still long wearing though not as matte compared to other liquid to matte lipsticks (read my previous review about La Splash Cosmetics in Ghoulish). Great news is, Darkroom doesn't leave your lips dry but applying a small amount of lip moisturizer before and after wouldn't hurt. A lip primer is a must for every MUA but I think any Melt lipstick is good to go with or without it. 

NYX Siren is a good dupe for Darkroom 
and Maison for Limecrime's Salem

Lovin' my Darkroom

Melt Darkroom is good to have especially if you like to play with colors a lot just like myself and would like to try something different, either you're going for a grunge look or simply want to look elegant on a night out. Price wise, there are cheaper alternatives in the market but bear in mind that quality makeup ain't cheap although surprisingly, some cheaper brands can come up with a better version so it would really help to read product reviews before buying. Better yet look for a product's 'dupe' (duplicate) but make sure it is safe to use. Since I'm an animal lover I go for cruelty free, vegan makeup just like Melt and Limecrime. I've been a NYX fan because their makeup is affordable and the quality is good too. I've purchased NYX Siren in the past and I noticed that it is a good dupe of Darkroom. I have NYX Maison too because I was so in love with Limecrime's Salem then. La Splash in Ghoulish became so popular because it is the best dupe of Limecrime's Cashmiere at the moment.

I'm still a Melt fan and looking forward to try their new products in the future. I'm still in the hunt for cheaper alternatives because makeup is forever. So there. 

RD Mode On

Summer is still on although the month of May is nearly over. I love spending my rest days enjoying this wonderful view plus the weather today is perfect to stay home and bathe my cat Atari. Summer is also the 'flea season' so twinnie and I make sure to give our cat a good bath at least once a week if possible, to somehow ease the discomfort. I don't get enough sleep everyday, I'm not sure if it's just the weather or it's just not normal to sleep while the sun is still up? My work shift starts on wee hours of the morning and ends at noon so imagine how painful it is for my eyes to stare at the sky without wearing sunnies. I'm not a vampire anymore since I'm no longer in the graveyard shift but I guess I'm still enduring its side effects! I'm not a morning person nor a night owl so I don't really know what works for me. What I love about the morning is that I can be like any normal human being. I can run errands after my shift and wander around the city. When I was in GY I can sleep really late. I can go to the marketplace early in the morning after my shift to buy fresh produce or take a morning jog. I make the most of my rest days at home by doing my nails, fixing my brows and eating healthy if possible. Am I being productive? Lol. What I like about my life here up north is that it's more laid back compared to my life in the south where everything moves pretty fast and there's no room for people to slow down or you'll get lost in the jungle city. I don't wrestle with traffic unless it's the tourist season in the summer capital of the Philippines! But for the most part, life here is chill as the weather. 

Birthday Holiday Hongkong Getaway

Leaving Manila

Tune Hotel

Chillin' after a 7 hour tip at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria

Silka Fareast Hotel Tsuen Wan, HK

Our room

At the Avenue of Stars

I've been working so hard and I deserve a break so I decided to take time off from work for 2 weeks for my birthday. My twin sister and I usually plan our travel at least 2-3 months in advance. While I decide on what country to visit and most of the research about the area as well as local hotel reservations, she takes care booking our flights and coordinating with the travel agency that will take us to where we are going. We were in Siem Reap, Cambodia last year but it was only for 2D2N and we didn't go through any travel agency because the hotel we stayed at offer tour packages to Angkor Wat and it's cheaper to arrange it there plus we'll be more comfortable not joining a group. This year, we decided to go to Hongkong and have it arranged with a travel agency for a 4D3N Free and Easy package. Despite our schedule difference I'm glad that we made it work, thank God our vacation leaves filed 1 year ahead got approved. We left Baguio at 7AM via Victory bus and it was a 7 hour trip to Manila. We checked in at the

Etude House, Mongkok

Sampan boat ride at the Aberdeen Fishing Village

Holiday Inn Manila Galleria in Ortigas overnight and took advantage of our employee benefit. Our elder sister and niece slept over then we head to Tune Hotel in Aseana, Paranaque the next day because it is closer to the airport (NAIA T3), our flight to Hongkong is at 7:25AM via Cebu Pacific. The weather was very cooperative and perfect for me to take aerial shots since I am seated beside the window...just right by the fire exit! Yes, my sister told me that she didn't know, geez. Although I was a little uncomfortable seated by the fire exit at first because the cabin crew will sit in front of you during take off and landing, I also realized that it's not so bad after all, I have a lot of space so I was able to stretch my legs. It was an easy, breezy 2 hour trip. When we 

The Big Buddha, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island

landed at the HK airport and as soon as we got passed immigration we purchased 2 Octopus MTR cards and a local sim card so we can get in touch with our travel agent that will take us to our hotel and get some rest. We were supposed to withdraw funds from NAIA but the Immigration Officer didn't allow me to go out anymore since we already have our boarding passes so we thought we'll just do that at the HK airport. Anyhow, it took us roughly 45 minutes to get to our hotel in Tsuen Wan aboard a mini van together with other Pinoys and our Chinese driver. We stayed at a 3 star hotel called Silka Far East which is quite nice. As soon the front desk staff swiped my credit card for incidental fees and gave us our breakfast vouchers we settled in our teeny tiny room and we can't be 'choosy' because we know what to expect since we've checked this hotel's website already and learned from reviews that most HK hotels aren't spacious anyway. We scoured the area after resting for a few hours but we're unable to withdraw funds from the nearby ATM machine we called BPI and have our ATM cards activated for international withdrawal unfortunately, we are still unable to withdraw and we got stuck with whatever HK bucks that we have until the next day. We woke up early to grab breakfast at the hotel before our tour. We waited for our bus and tour guide at the hotel's lobby. Day 1 is the start of our half day city tour. A tour bus with an English speaking Chinese tour guide drove us to our first destination which is the Avenue of the Stars where we took pictures for about 15 minutes. Thank God for our monopod we were able to take a lot of pictures together using my phone and we took turns in taking a few individual shots using our digital camera. I didn't bring my DSLR with me anymore since we can't use it for our monopod anyway and it's quite heavy. Next stop is the YSL 

Ladies Market in Mongkok

jewelry factory which I didn't enjoy at all because I'm not a jewelry fan and everything there was really expensive. The next attraction was just as boring, The Victoria Peak mid-level. We saw the Victoria Peach at a very far view you have to zoom in your camera lens or phone in order to appreciate it. I was getting bored of this whole tour already hadn't because of the Sampan boat ride at the Aberdeen Fishing Village. Honestly, I was quite hesitant at first to ride a boat but surprisingly I find it refreshing. Our half day city tour ended almost lunch time, our bus dropped us close to the Mongkok area so other guests can continue on with their Disney tour or whatever and we are starving we decided to have lunch and finally able to withdraw funds from a Standard Chartered ATM machine, yay! We realized that it was just that ATM machine close to our hotel that doesn't work with our bank (problem solved!). Our luck continues when I saw an Etude House in the area where I bought a black liquid eyeliner which is currently sold out in the Philippines and nobody can tell when it will be back in store again. Twinnie and I still have time to explore HK so as planned we went to visit the Tian Tian Buddha (Big Biddha) in Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. It was a long climb of 286 steps to get to the hugest buddha I've ever seen but it was well worth taking pictures when you get to the top where it sits comfortably overlooking the island. We had snacks and rested for a while then after dawn we went back to Mongkok to one of the shopping havens in HK at the Ladies Market for souvenir shopping. Back at the hotel we were so tired but we slept late. It's our birthday the next day and we travelled 30 minutes to Causeway Bay from Tsuen Wan just to see the Hello kitty Le Petit Cafe where we bought our birthday cupcakes. We originally wanted to go to the other Hello Kitty Cafe called Secret Garden but it is closed on Mondays and we're leaving HK the next day (sigh). Nothing much to do on our last stroll in HK we just had our last minute 'pasalubong' shopping. We woke up early on our last day because breakfast starts at 6:30AM and we don't want to miss it before our flight. The shuttle bus is supposed to pick us up at the hotel at 8AM because our flight is at 10:45AM but came late at almost 8:20AM we have  no choce but to hurry and look for the check in counter immediately at the airport as soon as we get there. We still have time after we checked in our luggages we had our MTR card balance refunded or our almost 100 HKD will be put to waste. We almost missed our flight back home and we're so not used to getting to the airport in less than 2 hours we came running to get to our boarding gate when we saw the LED light flashing 'Last Call' gosh! We landed safely in NAIA then checked in at Tune Hotel again so we can at least get an overnight rest before another 7 hour trip back home. Our HK getaway was worth it but of course there are still things that didn't go well as planned but that's part of the whole travel thing, you learn everytime. I might go back to HK but will possibly spend more on hotel accomodation somewhere close to the city and less on MTR fare. So where to next? Think tank.                    

LA Splash Lip Couture in Ghoulish (review)

I'm not a liquid lipstick fan at all because I don't like the feel of wet lips and I find it kinda hard to manage compared to matte. I've been following a lot of professional as well as self-taught MUAs (Make-up artists) like myself and there's a fuss going on about this new make-up brand called La Splash Cosmetics and their Lip Couture collection. 

What caught my fancy is 'Ghoulish.' I find this shade really interesting apart from the name which invites Halloween, I thought this lippie shade will go well with a dark, smokey eyeshadow or if you just want a nude-natural looking lips. 

I've been shopping online for 9 years and for the most part when it comes to makeup, I order directly from the brand's website unless the shipping fee is way more than the price of the product that I'm ordering then I shop for local sellers that sell it cheaper of course. I ordered my Ghoulish from a local Instagram shop given that I am an Instagram user. I bought this lippie for Php500 plus shipping fee. It was a Sunday and I got it Thursday which is not so not bad at all considering I am based up North. I got so, so excited I unpacked it immediately.

Sorry about the poor lighting

The bottle was pretty neat however, when I opened it I noticed that the lip applicator is covered with a thick amount of that liquid lipstick so if you're not careful at all you might end up spilling everything. I have a thing with smelling a lipstick before using it and this one smells like clay but almost odorless to me. 

In terms of quality, it was really liquid when you first apply it but it becomes matte afterwards. It dries out quickly so make sure to shape your lips and spread it evenly right away. I am impressed that it is really waterproof and smudge free, you can last a day without re-touching it after eating or drinking something hot (yay!). Since it is super matte, I suggest applying a little bit of lip balm before putting it on or as soon it dries out to avoid the dry feeling on your lips. You can use a nude lip liner to line your outer lips to make the color pop a little. 

To sum it up, La Splash Lip Couture in Ghoulish is a must try especially if you're into matte lipsticks and looking for a cheaper alternative of Limecrime's Cashmiere. That's pretty much it for now. I will post more makeup reviews soon so stay tuned!