Find out which restaurants I tried after the jump…

Restaurant #1: Cafe by the Ruins

This cafe is located right across Baguio City Hall. Now this used to have some actual ruins, but all that’s left is an empty lot. However, the place hasn’t ceased to charm me with its “ruins”-style decor.

On our first visit, we tried some of their breads. We ordered the Kamote Bread and the Basil Bread. It was cheap at 75 pesos per serving (1 small loaf that can feed 2 people), with your choice of spread. We chose Jam & Butter, and Herbed Cheese.

Kamote Bread with Jam & Butter Spread

Their Kamote Bread was absolutely delightful. Now for first-timers,  you might expect this to be heavily flavored with kamote, which isn’t the case. However, you can “feel” the effect of the kamote in its texture – the bread is rich and creamy, and yes, there IS a hint of “kamote” in its somewhat sweet flavor. The jam and butter we picked to go along with it is divine. Lucky for us, kumquats were in season, so instead of getting the traditional strawberry jam, we got WHOLE kumquats in butter, making the jam fresher and tastier. Yum!

Basil Bread with Herbed Cheese Spread

The Basil Bread was great, too. It was of a light green color, and the flavor was just right – not too strong, not too powerful, but just enough to make you go “Mmmmm!”. I immediately became a big fan of the Herbed Cheese spread that came with it – it wasn’t too tasty or salty, and really complemented the bread perfectly.

Mexican-Style Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon Toast

And how could I forget their hot chocolate? Out of curiosity, we ordered their Mexican-style Hot Chocolate, which was really chocolate mixed with water. Result? A really thinned-down version of your standard creamy hot chocolate. The rim of the mug was peppered with cinnamon and muscovado sugar, and so coupled with the drink, added to the sweet-tooth experience. I personally wasn’t too keen on the “chocolate-flavored water” texture of the drink, but I loved the cinnamon-and-muscovado touch. I still prefer creamy hot chocolate, though. Oh, and the drink came with 2 slices of cinnamon toast. A bit pricey at 110 pesos, but then again, it was a big enough mug and a serving could probably be shared between 2 people.

Restaurant #2: Little John’s (inside Camp John Hay)

Now, if there’s one thing I love about Little John’s, it’s how they’ve cleverly made the most out of their customers – on one side, the entire wall is filled with framed customer testimonials – artwork for Little John’s by their customers made from paper placemats and crayons. You can’t get any more credible than that!

Fish and Chips

Apart from the concept, I gave their Fish and Chips a try. Having lived in the country where Fish and Chips is a delicacy, I was somewhat disappointed by their presentation, which, sadly, is the way most Pinoy restaurants perceive Fish and Chips to be – fried fish fingers with potato wedges. However, it tasted okay – the fish fingers were fried to near perfection (I say “near” because the outside was a bit darker than I was expecting) and were tasty (drops of lemon juice helped), the potato wedges were nice without being too oily, and the dip, even though it was nothing short of spectacular, served its purpose. It was a bit pricey at 145 pesos (I think) because I think they could have made their portions bigger. It was an okay dish at the most.

Restaurant #3: Forest House (just outside the entrance of Camp John Hay)

We were SO curious about this restaurant because it seemed that every single time we passed it, there were countless cars jammed in its very small driveway. There was also a banner in front proclaiming it as one of the Philippine Tatler’s Best Restaurants. So obviously, we HAD to check it out!

If anything, the ambiance of the place was absolutely charming! It was a cottage-themed restaurant with cozy dining areas, a lovely sitting room, and a breezy outdoor dining area with a spectacular view of the city. The place was made for fine dining with its elegant table settings and relaxing sax and classical music.

Pumpkin Soup

For my starter, I ordered the Pumpkin Soup. Now I love Pumpkin Soup, and I order it as long as the restaurant has it, and so I’ve had my fair share of different versions. My verdict? It was nice and flavorful, but it doesn’t top my list. The soup came in a nice bowl of crusty bread, which you can scrape as you scoop up the soup, making it – really – a bread and soup meal. The soup had nice bits of pumpkin, but it wasn’t as creamy as I like it. It was a bit too thin for my taste. However, the flavor was there, and at 75-85 pesos, it was a hefty bowl of yummy pumpkin goodness.

Chicken and Shrimp Fricasee

For the main course, I ordered the Chicken and Shrimp Fricasee, which was priced at 225 pesos. For its price, I was pleasantly surprised – the portions are larger than normal. The dish was also rightfully creamy, and the wild rice (a mixture of black rice and plain rice) was complemented the creaminess of the sauce perfectly. There was definitely a good amount of chicken and shrimp, and the presentation was lovely.

Black and White Torte

For dessert, we tried the Black and White Torte, which, as we were told, is their bestselling dessert item, along with the Decadence Cake. We were given a generous slice, and while it may look normal to the eye, it is surprisingly heavy! The texture of the torte was rich and heavy with the mixture of pure, melted, white and black chocolate, and realistically, one could only manage about 2-3 bites before he or she gets full! With the three of us sharing one slice, we had difficulty finishing the whole thing because it was just so rich with flavor. A serving is about 110 pesos, if I’m not mistaken. Make sure you intend to share each order.

Restaurant #4: Manor Hotel (inside Camp John Hay)

This is arguably the best hotel I’ve seen in all of Baguio, and it is evident in their room prices (at least 10,000 pesos per NIGHT!). It has a lovely, earthy, European feel to it, and it has a stunning and magical garden that will probably make you want to stay out all day despite the cold.

We went to the hotel in the mid-afternoon, and so coffee and cakes seemed like a perfect plan. We ordered the Strawberry Cheesecake, Apple Pie and French Apple Tart. We also ordered Rhum Butter Cake to go.

The Strawberry Cheesecake was one-of-a-kind. Its texture was fluffy yet creamy, and had a hint of “leche flan” flavor.  Of course, what made it a truly “only in Baguio” experience was the fresh, sweet strawberries that topped the cheesecake. The chocolate sauce added to the lovely sweet-and-sour combination.

The Apple Pie was a nice, homey and crusty pie filled with apples and raisins. It had just the right amount of sweetness. The French Apple Tart, however, was an utter disappointment. It was all pastry (which was dry and crumbly, and definitely too sweet) and the inside was absolutely dry, with only a smattering of apples and raisins. I was disappointed.

Strawberry Cheesecake

The Rhum Butter cake was delightful. It wasn’t too heady and had just the right amount of rhum for you to taste, but not feel overwhelmed at. Crowned with walnuts, it is the perfect way to cap off the day or have with a coffee.

All in all, the food made my stay in Baguio more memorable. There’s still so much to explore, and with new places popping up ever so often, I’m sure more and more people will be making the long journey to Baguio not just for the cold climate, but for the delicious food.

As you all know, my hair is a constant victim of heat-styling and hair colouring, and as a result, it tends to get dry from time to time.  I cringe whenever I feel the roughness of my hair (especially the ends) at the end of the day, knowing that it desperately needs a hot oil or some sort of hydrating treatment.

Enter Herbal Essences. I first came across their new product lines in a specialty shop. At first, I was tempted to go for Dangerously Straight, a product set that focuses on keeping hair straight and frizz-free. However, I decided that the main priority for my hair was moisture and hydration, and so I decided to buy Hello Hydration, which focuses on rejuvenating dry and damaged hair.

I have to say that the packaging for this particular line of products is sooooo attractive. I love simplicity of the bright and solid colours, as well as the catchy product names.

Find out what my hair thought of Hello Hydration after the jump…

Both the shampoo and conditioner were rich and thick, and from the first squeeze of the bottle, I knew that my hair would definitely drink up all the moisture. The verdict?

These products are AMAZING.

As soon as I started straightening my hair, I could feel the difference straightaway. Think Cream Silk’s hair repair treatment, only bottled in a regular, for-daily-use, shampoo-and-conditioner set. I can’t stop running my hands through my hair – it feels unbelievable silky, smooth, and feather-light. There’s really nothing more to say – Hello Hydration is my hair’s new best friend.

It’s no surprise that Hello Hydration does the job perfectly – it’s created from a fusion of orchid and coconut milk. It’s a bit pricey at just over 200 pesos a bottle, but definitely worth it. I am thinking of making this my regular shampoo and conditioner already!

Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean.

I admit I was a bit apprehensive when I passed by Jugo Juice in the Podium (Ortigas Center) on the way to the office. This was partly because I was sick and tired of juice and smoothie shops claiming that they made 100% all-natural juice and they end up tasting like water with a lot of sugar and artificial flavors.

However, Jugo Juice seemed different. For one thing, I was totally attracted to their colorful and attractive display. Their menu showed the contents of their smoothies, and there were signs indicating how many servings of fruit each order contained. And okay, I have to say, all the combinations looked DELICIOUS. So I decided to give it a try.

Find out what I thought about their smoothies after the jump…

The very first smoothie I tried was the Jugo Classico (Strawberries, banana, apple juice, and orange juice – equivalent to 5 servings of fruits). From the very first gulp, I knew straightaway that their claims of each serving being, literally, a “meal” in a cup, were completely right. Contrary to most juices that have been sweetened (to a fault sometimes), the Jugo Classico had none of the sweet, saccharine, sugary taste that, sadly, most fruit smoothies have. In fact, I was taken aback at how “un-sweet” it tasted. It was still bursting with flavor, though, and halfway down the 14 oz. cup, I was feeling quite full.

Since then, I have come back several times to taste their other creations. Righteous Red (raspberries, strawberries, cranberry juice, and low-fat yogurt) was a lovely combination of these red berries, and had just the right blend of sweetness and a hint of “sourness” that you find in most berries that wasn’t overpowering at all. Summer Strawberry (strawberry, peaches, apple juice, cranberry juice) was exactly what it was – a perfect summer drink, light and totally intoxicating.

Perhaps what surprised me the most were their Buzz Smoothies. Today I tried the Strawberry Buzz (strawberry puree, iced coffee, low-fat frozen yogurt) and was expecting something that was more coffee than anything. Instead, I got this absolutely blissful blend of lovely light coffee and – hallelujah! – glorious strawberries. The combination was absolutely perfect, with each element complementing each other instead of overpowering.

The prices are a bit dear, with a 14 oz. cup ranging from anywhere between 130 to 160 pesos and the 24 oz. cup going well above 200 pesos, but it’s money worth spending. Other premium smoothie shops charge nearly as much, but don’t offer as much nutritional value. With Jugo Juices, you get what you pay for – a naturally delicious, healthy and fruity meal in a cup.

Jugo Juice Philippine Branches:

RCBC
3/F Tower 2 RCBC Plaza
6819 Ayala Avenue
Makati City

The Podium Mall
Level 1, 18 ADB Avenue
Mandaluyong City

For more information, visit http://www.jugojuice.com

As you can probably guess, my hair in its normal state is total FRIZZ CITY. I could never go out with damp hair because it dries in whatever direction the wind blows it, add to the fact that it goes all wavy the wrong way. I happened to chat with my cousin about this dilemma of mine when she casually mentioned that she used some hair cream by Cream Silk to solve her hair damage problem.

I knew it was something I had to try, and so I went to Mercury Drug to purchase Cream Silk’s Treatment Cream of damaged and dry hair. A pot costs around 200 to 300 pesos, and it was a generous amount, I tell you. I have been using mine for nearly two months and I’ve only gone just about halfway down the pot.

Find out how my hair reacted to the treatment after the jump…

Cream Silk Treatment Cream is a hair damage repair cream that is supposed to revive hair that has been damaged by excessive heat-styling and hair coloring. Its recommended usage is only once a week (use it in place of your normal conditioner), and your hair is supposed to stay shiny, soft and bouncy for days. It is a white-colored cream that comes in a dark blue pot.

I happened to use mine along with the Cream Silk Damage Control Conditioner (I used this during non-treatment days), and after nearly 2 months of use, I can definitely say that this treatment cream works wonders on my dry, damaged and colored hair! Whenever I use it, styling my hair (eg. straightening it) doesn’t take as long as it normally does because my hair instantly responds and drapes down my shoulders beautifully. The treatment cream seems to protect my hair from further damage because even with constant styling, my hair is ULTRA-soft and shiny, and totally in place – no frizz ANYWHERE!

After use, my hair stays this way for about 2-3 days… unfortunately, not enough to last me until my next dosage of hair treatment. However, using Cream Silk Damage Control Conditioner really helped, so my hair never really went frizzy or dry in between treatments. The conditioner is just as good and while it doesn’t soften my hair as much as the cream does, it manages to keep my hair reasonably soft and manageable the whole day.

If you’ve got frizzy colored hair like me and are suffering from dry, uninspiring hair with split ends to boot, I recommend this amazing product for you to use. You really won’t regret it – it beats shelling out money for a salon treatment and you can do it yourself at home!

Thankfully, a few weeks ago, I was aimlessly looking around in The Body Shop in Eastwood and came across this tiny pot called The Body Shop Elderflower Eye Gel. Curious as to what it actually was, I looked closer. Inside the pot was this clear, unperfumed liquid gel that was supposed to soothe tired eyes.

Find out what happened when I tried it after the jump…

I couldn’t resist a product that claimed it could soothe tired eyes (seeing how badly exhausted mine were) and so I immediately asked for a tester. I dipped my finger, got a small amount, and gently patted it just under my eye. The eye gel was sticky, but not too sticky that it’s irritating, and it dried pretty quickly. My first reaction was, oh, nothing’s happening. However, as soon as I thought that, I felt this amazing cooling feeling under my eye. Immediately, my eyes felt fresher and more relaxed, and, come to think of it, it actually felt less puffy! I instantly decided to purchase a pot for myself and use it over the coming weeks.

It’s no wonder that this simple eye gel is so effective. It is made with a combination of elderflower and witch hazel extract which work together to create that cooling, soothing, and relaxing effect. And for a wallet-friendly price of Php 350, it wasn’t bad at all!

Long-time users of this product claim that you lose eye puffiness after consistent use. I have used this product for just under a month now, and following the strict application instructions (twice a day – once when you wake up in the morning, and once before you sleep at night), I can definitely attest that yes, the eye gel did reduce the puffiness of my eyes, plus even improve the texture of the skin under it! The skin under my eyes no longer feels paper-like and fragile – now it’s smooth and supple. Unfortunately, this eye gel didn’t do anything for the dark circles under my eyes. But that’s ok – I wasn’t expecting a miracle anyway!

The best thing about this is, your 350 pesos is definitely worth it as one pot of eye gel will last you well over a month. I have had mine for that period of time and I’ve hardly even made a significant dent in the eye gel.

For those people who spend hours in front of a laptop or computer, or in front of the TV, this product is perfect for you!

PS. Tips for first-timers: You can put it on and only wait a few minutes until you’re ready to apply makeup over it. For extra soothing, pat some under your eye AND just over your eyelid!