the "trips" & "falls" of a divine viva: September 2015

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

#IDoItTwiceAWeek

I will begin this story by asking you to sing a song with me, popularized by Right Said Fred in 1992. Along with the lyrics are pictures of the star of this post to interpret each line of the song.

I'M TOO SEXY

(To the tune of I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred)

(Altered lyrics by: divine_viva)

I'm / too sexy for my love / too sexy for my love /

Love's not going to leave me

I'm / too sexy for my skirt / too sexy for my skirt /

So sexy it hurts

And I'm / too sexy for my man / too sexy for my man /

Like Dong and Marianne

Though I'm / already past my forty / I still can pose like Miley /

I'm feeling clean and sexy

Chorus:

I'm a mother / you know what I mean /

And I do my little turn on the sidewalk /

On the sidewalk / on the sidewalk / yeah

I do my little turn on the sidewalk

I'm / too sexy for my car / too sexy for my car /

Too sexy by far

And I'm / too sexy for my hat / too sexy for my hat /

What d'ya think about that

Repeat Chorus

I'm a mother / you know what I mean /

And I do my little turn on the sidewalk /

On the sidewalk / on the sidewalk / yeah

I do my little turn on the sidewalk

I'm / too sexy for my bath / too sexy for my bath /

(Pause)

My "p - - - y" (censored) bath!!

" And I use Betadine® Feminine Wash, twice a week for my "toot-toot" bath! "

The End

~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are many things that women consider important, whether one is a career woman, a domestic goddess, a socialite, a tomboy, a girly-girl, etc, and one of them is taking care of our personal hygiene.

I teach our 3 girls to love and care for their body. More than simply being clean, practicing personal hygiene helps us to live a healthy life because maintaining cleanliness prevents us from catching forms of diseases, thus, preventing us from getting sick.

Caring not only for our appearance but more importantly, for our "body smells" is important to our self-esteem. When we smell good and clean, no doubt, it increases our confidence and adds to our "feel good" aura. For us women, it even makes us feel sexy.

I love it when I smell and feel clean and fresh...especially down there. Sometimes, it's not enough that I just wash it mild soap and water while taking a bath. I want something more than that and that's where Betadine® Feminine Wash comes in. I use it twice a week during normal days. But during my "red days" when I feel so much discomfort and have this icky feeling, I use it everyday. It relieves my intimate area of itchiness and irritation and protects it from infections.

After every use, it sure leaves me clean and feeling sexy, because "Clean is the New Sexy." And I do agree!

If you want to know more why Betadine® Feminine Wash should be part of our feminine hygiene, read on or visit http://ph.betadine.com/en/ph/feminine-care

BETADINE® Feminine Wash encourages Women to do it Twice a Week

--BETADINE® Feminine Wash, the doctor-trusted antiseptic feminine wash, proves that having a feminine hygiene routine is a foundation of confidence and sexiness for women.

“Sexy” for the longest time, has been an ideal that women strive for. Often, it is defined as an attitude, especially today that women have limitless opportunities before them. However in being able to harness that inner sexiness, women have to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.

To achieve that, women have to know that they are protected against feminine discomfort. Any woman can testify the discomfort of irritation down there. Irritation is caused by germs and bacteria, which can lead to infection as well.

That irritating feeling shouldn’t be taken for granted. It makes for a more self- conscious, distracted and simply un-sexy feeling. Women need to take care of themselves, and they can begin by staying clean in their intimate area. Fortunately, BETADINE® Feminine Wash is here to help.

Betadine believes every woman has the right to be sexy. Women just need the proper intimate hygiene to be protected from itchiness, irritation and odor. That is why Clean is the new Sexy.

Today, BETADINE® Feminine Wash is pioneers the Sexy Clean revolution. It is a movement that encourages women to become their sexiest by staying clean down there, which means applying BETADINE® Feminine Wash TWICE A WEEK. It’s a feminine hygiene habit for women who want to experience less irritation and be more confident and sexy. It can also help lessen odor for that extra confidence boost. Even during and beyond the dreaded RED DAYS, BETADINE® Feminine Wash delivers that clean and sexy feel for an irritation-less week.

BETADINE® Feminine Wash is Povidone Iodine 7.5% antiseptic feminine wash that protects from common germs that cause feminine discomfort. It’s known as the most prescribed product by Medical Doctors to mothers after giving birth, and it ranks number 3 in the Feminine Wash Category. It’s also number 1 in Liquid Anti Septic Feminine Wash Category.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Let's All Goto Macky's

Macky's Eatery serves the best goto in Marikina. Foodies and non-foodies alike rave about it. I was introduced to Macky's goto by my husband and from that time on, there is no other place I can think of to eat a bowl of delicious, piping hot goto than in Macky's.

This eatery is almost always full come merienda time on weekends. Macky's is located along a narrow street and has no parking space, well, just that space outside. But still, the lack of parking doesn't stop the people from flocking here.

Macky's goto is unadulterated. It's how I like my goto to be, just the right balance of everything they put into it. It's addicting. Paired with their Tokwa't Baboy, it's a perfect combination!

I don't know what makes their goto a winner. I really don't. All I know is that they have the best goto in town. And I bet many will agree.

There are other eateries in Marikina which you can find through OpenSnap app.

OpenSnap is an app designed by a hungry team, utilizing the full OpenRice content from one million restaurants across Asia. The combination of passion for food and knowledge in this industry is the perfect recipe for the ideal photo dining guide.

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Pan De Amerikana - A Gem in Marikina

Visiting Pan De Amerikana along Ordonez St. in Marikina is the closest I could get to Holland. This is a gem of a place. Who would have thought that this place specializes in baking pandesal?

I am really out of words to describe this charming place. It's something out of the ordinary. What we see outside -- the WINDMILL -- is just its first attraction. Once inside, you will find a lot of interesting and fascinating things, making a camera an essential item to bring if you plan to visit. It is like a museum set in a rural area -- I'm thinking, Vigan.

Art lovers, antique collectors, artists, curious people, people who are fascinated with unusual stuff, Ariel of Little Mermaid (who likes to collect almost everything) will have a delightful experience here while eating pandesal.

There's a hammock, a gigantic chess board, a koi pond, a calesa, a rope bridge, collection of colored bottles, and a lot lot more. There's also an area where you will see ruins and collonades.

Their menu is quite extensive and not limited to Pinoy favorites. They even serve T-Bone Steak and Caesar Salad! But they were not what we ordered. All dishes are affordably priced. Yes, you're Php200 will go a long way here.

For less than Php500, we already had four viands, rice, drinks. The sisig was the most expensive dish we ordered. Waiting for your orders is never a problem because there are so many things to see around you, in a way, keeping you entertained and your eyes busy.

Liempo, Laing, Lumpia & Sisig

Before leaving, we took home a paper bag of their hot wheat pandesal, which we ate on our way home. I forgot to take a picture of them.

We went home satisfied and had a smile on our faces. It was a just a trip nearby but the experience of dining here took us far away.

Every foodie should have Pan de Amerikana in Marikina as part of their must-visit resto. It's a real treasure trove and you won't regret it.

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Trellis Loyalist

Trellis along Kalayaan Ave. used to be our favorite Thursday hang-out place when my husband and I were still single. Now, that we have a family, it has evolved to be our family's favorite restaurant to eat sisig. Yes, our daughters love Trellis' sisig. This is where our kids learned to eat and appreciate sisig.

This is still the same sisig we have come to love. I've tasted a lot of sisigs in my lifetime but Trellis has that distinct taste that they can call their own. You can line up the sisig from Dencio's, Gerry's Grill, Sisig Hooray Trellis, etc. and I would know which one is from Trellis. My husband and I are in agreement that their sisig is way up there in our list of best sisigs in town. As a matter of fact, their sisig has been their ticket to fame.

Everytime we visit Trellis, the smell of sizzling sisig fills the air and every table has a sizzling plate of sisig on it. But aside from their famous sisig, what we usually order here are Spiced Spareribs with its thick flavorful sauce or marinade, Lechon Kawali (served with kangkong in oyster sauce) and Crackling Liempo (with tomatoes, onions and bagoong Balayan).

What I like about Trellis is that they have maintained the original taste of their food. Their Spiced Spareribs still had that combined taste of sweetness and "mysterious" spicyness. Though the spicyness part would just start to kick in a few minutes after having a spoonful of this. It's like the spicy kick would hit you slowly, but surely, without you noticing it. That's why I call it mysterious. But this dish is delicious, nonetheless.

Spiced Spareribs

The Lechon Kawali never fails to satisfy our fried pork cravings.

Lechon Kawali

A plate of Crispy Tenga is a perfect appetizer, paired with a glass of cold San Mig Light (for my husband).

Crispy Tenga

I know, there are a lot of restaurants out there that serve good sisig. But I'm one Trellis'-sisig loyalist and I will probably die still a Trellis'-sisig loyalist. We can check out the ratings given to Trellis by others through OpenSnap.

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Beeffalo Rocks!

Remember Hot Rocks? That steakhouse, which looked like a big cargo crate located along Libis before? They transferred to another location and changed its name to Beeffalo. Beeffalo is located along Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue in Marikina.

Not only has their name and location been changed but also the look and feel of their restaurant. Imagine a house with a big backyard where you can invite friends and relatives for a barbecue party. That's Beeffalo's ambiance.

They also added more on their menu and have given it a more sophisticated touch.

Their locally-sourced steaks (“Angas” beef for Batangas beef), which will not cost you an arm and a leg, dominate this resto and rightfully so. Their steaks range from about half an inch to an inch thick. It’s tasty and will definitely fill you. They still offer their own versions of steak sauces. I suggest they consider including the cream of mushroom gravy type for their steaks.

They also offer pizza, pastas, salads and desserts.

For our hungry family of 5, we ordered one Porterhouse Steak and requested for that particular beef with lots of fats, hehehe. We also had Chicken Barbecue, Baby Back Ribs, Pork Barbecue and their Barbecue Platter. For appetizers, we tried their Nachos and Three-Cheese Biscuit Pizza.

The porterhouse steak is served with mashed potatoes and side salad. It's big and about half an inch thick for their regular size.

The chicken barbecue, pork barbecue and baby back ribs are served with java rice and atchara.

The Barbecue Platter consisted of 3 sticks each of Pork Isaw, Tenga, Bulaklak. This is the glamorized version of those we're fond of buying along the streets. But here, you are assured that you're eating something clean.

I recommend this place for steak and and barbecue lovers like us. Well, who doesn't like steaks? The place is great for family simple celebrations or just a simple night out with your friends or after-office one-for-the road.

We, not only enjoyed their food but also their homey ambiance. And we'll surely be back!

Beeffalo is just one of the many restaurants that is worthy to visit in Marikina. There's really plenty more and they are too many to mention. But there's no need to fret and panic because there's one application that can help us find these other restos in Marikina -- OpenSnap.

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.

Vanilla Cupcake is Love

“Sugar and spice and everything nice”- it’s what best describes Vanilla Cupcake Bakery. The goodies and treats are fit for little girls and pretty, young ones and “young-once” like me who sometimes refuse to grow up. The first time I checked out the place by myself, I couldn’t help but feel like a little girl again. I thought about our girls and how they would love it here. After I got a taste of one of their cupcakes, I immediately decided to bring my daughters here. But it was many months after that I was able to finally bring them.

I thought my husband would feel a bit "out-of-place". But to my surprise, he was at home. In fact, very much at home.

We came here after having our lunch and it was such a treat to visit the place after having a full meal at a nearby resto. There were a lot of seats to choose from and there were different types, too. There are seats that are fit for princesses and there are seats good for a tete-a-tete. We chose the seats in the corner where we can see the outside world, the one with a swing seat.

All those cupcakes with icings in pastel colors were just too pretty to eat. It was hard to decide which ones to try because they were too many and we wanted to try them all. A cupcake costs around Php80-Php140. The price may be steep for a piece but it’s the same thing with eating a slice of cake in your favorite coffee shop, it can cost you around that same amount or even more. And besides, there's this "cuteness" factor in every bite.

Finishing just one whole cupcake will leave you a pound heavier. Because these are not the light and fluffy kind. Each Vanilla Cupcake cupcake is packed with real ingredients and not just air. I also love how their icings are super-thick. I think, it comprises 1/3 of the whole cupcake itself. Just look at the one below!

What we ordered:

Vanilla Pink – Topped with a decadent swirl buttercream frosting, this cupcake had a muffin-like texture. I think this is the most basic cupcake of all their cupcakes available. It had just the right amount of sweetness to it. I found the pink icing so cute.

Salted Caramel - Moist and tasty. The caramel icing with that hint of "saltiness" on top was my favorite. The first time I tasted the icing, I knew I found the ONE.

Cookies & Cream - A bit crumbly as expected, because of the cookie pieces on top. This was our eldest daughter's favorite.

Eating a Vanilla Cupcake cupcake, wasn't really mind-blowing, mind you. But we enjoyed eating the cupcakes just the same. What makes the eating experience different is that you're like being "tickled in pink" while eating it because of the overall ambiance and atmosphere of the shop.

Imagine being transported to the '50s era... ladies donning pretty balloon dresses and little girls, all prim and proper, with pink ribbons on their hair, etc.

Even their comfort room is reminiscent of the '50s. Our little girls couldn't get enough of it (going to the washroom), haha! So, you see, there's more to this cupcake shop than its cupcakes.

A Vanilla Cupcake cupcake is a cute gift for any sweet occasion. They are also nice to have as party give-aways. Surprising a loved one with a dozen of these cupcakes in a dainty, pretty package will burn a hole in your pocket but will definitely leave a good impression on the recipient.

It’s a comfort dessert. I wouldn’t mind receiving a box of these on my birthday or Mother's Day. This time, I don't mind at all... to have my cupcake and eating it, too.

The Vanilla Cupcake Bakery featured here is their branch in Bonifacio Global City. If BGC is far from you, VCB has other branches and you can check where their other branches are located through OpenSnap.

For more restaurants and food finds, download OpenSnap app from App Store or Google Play.