Ngon!

Sometime ago Nanay and I ran errands together and before we head home, we decided, well more like I insisted eating somewhere I've never tried before so we end up dining at Pho Hoa.☺

I've always wanted to try Pho Hoa out but it only pushed through that day. I kinda dragged Nanay there because I know that what Pho Hoa offers, Nanay will love. She loves stews and Asian cuisine so she's actually the perfect companion there.☺

If you're wondering what NGON means, it's delicious in Vietnamese and PHO is rice noodles while HOA means harmony. Let the harmony of rice noodles begin!☺

Beef Stew

And I wasn't mistaken, we both love our orders! We tasted each other's food. This is the one I got, beef stew. And I love it! It's flavorful, big in portion, the meat is so tender you don't need an effort to chew and the noodles is cooked right. The only thing I noticed is that it isn't served piping hot, if it had been it would make the dish perfect!☺  

Crispy Noodles

Nanay ordered this one and this tasted so good I wanna finish it all! The noodles is crazy crispy, the veggies are done to perfection and the combination of both is a firework in your mouth.☺

Calamansi Juice

I chose this drink because I had colds that time and I loved my choice! They use honey instead of sugar in sweetening the juice.☺ 

Strawberry Shake

Wasn't able to taste this but I bet it's good, Nanay finished it all to the point of sipping soundly. :p

I hate bad hair day! Anyway, here's an instagram pic of Nanay and I.☺ I'm channeling my ever-reliable-most-favorite-lippie, Russian Red!♥

"Pleasure in dining is the overall feeling that comes from the different circumstances of opportunities, places, things, and persons which accompany the meal."

-Robert Courture

A loving foodie,

Alyssa♥

Sweetness is my weakness!☺

Last March 25 was my older sister's 25th birthday. We originally haven't planned anything special until a week of the said date. Nanay and I decided to throw her a surprise dinner in our house. I got the help of one of my cousins and a few of Ate's friends.☺ It was my first time to throw a surprise party and luckily it's a success!☺

And these are her cakes..

Chocolate Sansrival from Goldilock's

I chose to buy this cake because my family really love Sansrival and it's nice to taste something new all the time to somehow broaden our taste bud's horizon. Some people love it because it's something new for them, some people don't because it's said to be too sweet. As for me, I love it and I'm gonna eat it again. I love its richness and sweetness though I personally advice to eat only a small portion because when eaten in large amount it's kind of sickening to the taste buds out of its richness and sweetness.

"Too much of anything is bad."

Transition.

My March 24, 2012 had been pretty busy, in the morning was my graduation in Makati and in the evening was my cousin's debut in Bulacan. Though it was really tiring, it also has been a crazy happy day.☺

When we arrived in Bulacan, I instantly changed from my uniform to my outfit for the night. The guests are asked to wear a black and/or white outfit, so I obliged. Here I am wearing a top and leather leggings from PRP.☺

It's funny that we end up having an informal photoshoot that night. Here's a proof: A Gossip Girl-ish shot with my cousins.☺

A required shot with the celebrant. Happy 18th birthday Epi!☺ We're so proud of you SK Chairman!☺

(L-R) Ressa, Drix & Moi ☺ Again, I would like to thank Drix for my header and for these photos.☺

As I'm always saying, it's always fun to be with my cousins. They're a living treasure of mine. We don't get to see each other all time but our bonds are so strong it's unbreakable.☺

"Every human being has a right to search for happiness, and by 'happiness' is meant something that makes other people content."

-Flowing Like A River, Paulo Coelho (This book is my gift to Epi that's why I chose this quote.)

Love,

A♥

A Happy Ending..

"Success are achieved from all the small things done right."

-Vincent Van Gogh (c/o Chef Brando)

Culinary Arts or Baking and Pastry isn't something a lot of people recognizes whole-heartedly to be a course. In fact, it hasn't been easy, a lot of people judged and doubted my decision, but I pursued it anyway. There were times I really wanted to give up but I always tell myself when those times come that this has been my choice and I should stand firm with it, no matter what happens, no matter what other people say or no matter how other people makes me feel. I recently read in a book that when someone's experiencing a bad day, he thinks about the good days he had and that act some kinda helps him get through that bad day, then I contemplated and realized that I sometimes do that, I tend to think about the great dishes I've made or the best comments I've heard when I'm having a terrible day at the kitchen then it kind of soothes me and everything's a little better already. Maybe that had been my secret after all, that helped me to keep going, to finish something that makes me feel happy, sad, mad and a whole lot more emotions. And maybe, that's why I did it! I finished Global Culinary and Hospitality Academy's Grand Diploma program and I'm so happy about it I cannot contain my happiness that I decided to make a fuss and post something all about it.☺

"You can achieve the things those great Chefs have acquired, they just came first but you definitely can be great as well."

-Chef Terence (I wasn't able to quote Chef T word per word but the thought of what he said was kind of like that.☺)

My graduation took place at my school's main branch, at Jupiter St., Makati City and it was held last March 24, 2012. It's not a traditional course and school so you have to expect that it isn't also a traditional graduation, with a toga and all. We just wore our complete uniform. We just marched in a short aisle and we were only 22 students that came from different batches. You get the point right? I can't describe it in one word. I can't say it's perfect because it's far from it but it was just right. Well, as for me, everything felt so right.☺

I will be back pretty soon!☺

-A♥

Self proclaimed movie buff! :p

I'm claiming the title, I'm a certified movie buff! I really love going to the cinema or when I'm short on budget, I'm already happy to settle for a DVD or downloaded copies.☺ It's been a while since my last PLAY blog post so here it is.. but just so you know, this is not in any sense a movie review post because I'm not so fond of spoiling things up so I'm merely stating a favorite quote of mine from the movie and that's it, that's all I can give. It's for you to watch to know if it's any good.☺

"You are supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God's sake!"

I admire the four artists in this movie! Swear. And a special shout out to Jude Law!♥

"I told you I'd share my ticket. I'd never planned on sharing my heart, maybe I could get lucky twice today."

"There is a painful difference between the expectation of an unpleasant event and its final certainty."

"Elinor: Whatever his past actions, whatever his present course.. at least, you may be certain that he loved you.

Marianne: But not enough. Not enough."

"Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together.. and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home.. only to no home I'd ever known.. I was just taking her hand to help her out of the car and I knew. It was like.. magic."

"Killing will not bring you peace."

"Love can't always be perfect. Love is just love."