2015 Goals

I know it's uber cliche to say this, but damn, I can't believe 2014 is almost over! I've done so much in the past year (especially in the last three months) that it kind of feels like I haven't been able to fully appreciate it. I've travelled and (finally) started this blog, I've met and interviewed so many wonderful people and discovered so much - both about my surroundings and myself. Sounds cheesy, I know, but there's a number of things I'm thankful for from 2014.

That being said, I'm prepared to ring in the new year! I don't normally make those drastic, life-changing resolutions, cause let's face it, less than half of us can actually keep them. So instead, I've got a few smaller, more realistic goals I'd like to accomplish in 2015, and fingers crossed, I can stay on track with them.

Here we go!

 1. sleep earlier - Like most university students, I'm no stranger to staying up until the I can see the sun begin to rise from my bedroom window and groaning at the thought of having to survive a day on no sleep. So that's going to change. I've decided to only let myself stay up no later than 11pm, and after that, it's lights out. I've also enlisted the help of the Sleep Better app on my iPhone - you place it next to your pillow and it tracks your sleeping pattern (e.g. when you're in a deep sleep and so on). I think a visual of my sleeping habits is totally useful in giving me a reality check.

Printed exercise/yoga pants from Old Navy, ombre tank top from La Senza, Mind over Matter muscle tee from Forever 21

 2. exercise daily - And I don't mean hardcore, full-on cardio and strength exercises at least three hours a day. I'm talking at least an hour of pilates, yoga and cardio a day to ease myself into such routines. With the schedule I'm running, this is a much more realistic way of fitting exercise into my days, and I'm super excited about it! Two weeks before flying out for the holidays, I started really getting into the beginner pilates videos from Blogilates and weight-loss yoga videos from Yoga with Adriene. As sore and wiped-out as I feel after doing a couple of their videos, I feel much better (and more flexible too!), so I'm definitely going to keep doing them (and more) this 2015.

 3. be more organized - Not that I don't have my life in order, but again, with the classes I'm taking and the assignments overlapping one another, managing my time better will definitely help me have less break downs and actually get stuff done in advance. So I've got my trusty Kate Spade planner (that stays on my desk, no matter what), this uber cute journal from The Paper Stone (a gift from les cousins in SG) and these mini notebooks to carry around in my bag for all sorts of purposes - writing quick notes on places and stories I should look into, contact details of my interviewees, and of course,  reminders and deadlines. I need to be able to find a more manageable balance between school, a social life and managing this blog, so this needs to happen.
And you know, this totally feeds my stationary obssession, so, cool beans!

 4. work (even) harder - Now it's no shocker that most of my time is spent chasing down stories and playing the waiting game with sources, but this year, I'm hoping to really kick it up a notch. This definitely overlaps with my goal to be more organized, and you I'm really hopeful it'll work. Be it writing my stories in advance (and giving myself more time to edit), being more persistent in talking to people or just making a decision in which field of journalism I want to be in, it's going to happen. And you know, I can't neglect my Psychology minor too, so this year's going to mean crunch-time for me to get all my stuff done and at the quality I want them to be at.

5. stress and worry less - Again, works well with my 'be more organized' goal, but I really need to give myself a break and not hyperventilate. I'm someone who can get anxious really easily, and boy, does that need to stop. My parents have to constantly reassure me that it's going to be fine from the other side of the world, and I think it'll do me some good to listen to that. Once I know I've done what I could (to the best of my abilities), I need to be able to let it go. I constantly worry about what others will think, what grades are going to be but damn, I need to relax more. Go with the flow after that and move on. Come on, who else is with me? Where my fellow worriers at? We can do this!

6. make time for reading - The only way I can truly relax and shut down from real life is through reading, and I really do need to make time for it. There's nothing wrong with winding down with a good book and some tea (provided that you're not neglecting important stuff like deadlines!!!) and being the bookworm that I am, I so miss that feeling. Granted, I was able to read quite a substantial amount during the Christmas break, but it wasn't as fun considering I had to cram like 10 books in a busy two-week schedule. So this 2015, dedicated R&R with a book is in order, and you can't stop me. Seriously, this is going down. And plus, it'll give me more material to work with for my TLP Reads book reviews, so you know, two birds with one stone, when I have the time. 

7. be more fearless and discover more - Last but certainly not least. I guess this one would have to be my most challenging and drastic one. But you know, day by day baby steps across the year will make this doable. Like I said, I'm someone who gets anxious quite easily, but that's not to say that I don't like getting out there and going on adventures. This year I want to push myself more to step out of my comfort zones on a frequent basis - be a bit more like Jim Carrey's character Carl Allen from Yes Man (if you haven't seen it yet, please do!) and say yes to more opportunities. But you know, not to the gross, icky stuff like you know what in the movie.

So, I'm hoping that you're having a wonderful and fun-filled New Year's Eve wherever you are, and I hope that 2014's treated you well as it has me. If not, well, let's face 2015 together with our chins up, determined and positive. Here's to more adventures (and *ahem* blog posts)!

Love,
Arianna

Corazon, Philippines

 Continuing on with this foodie-posts streak I've been having the past few days, here's my next stop in this holiday's food trip! I present to you, Corazon, a 'filipino-hispano cuisine' restaurant founded by chef Florabel Co-Yatco. They're located in the East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza Mall (4th floor) in Mandaluyong City. Again, this was recommended by my parents, so who was I to object?

According to its website, the cuisine is reminiscent of traditional grandmother-cooked meals so if you want a taste of good ol' Filipino cooking, this is the place to go. And I don't doubt that one bit.

Cabeza (P325) - fried calamari with romesco sauce and sweet chili sauce. Eat this, and you will not stop. They are so addicting, especially when you dip them in the romesco sauce!!!

My all-time favourite dish from Corazon: the Paella Negra (P495) - squid, squid ink and fish fillet with garlic aioli. I'd never been one to eat paella negra (particularly cause once you put a spoon full of it in your mouth, your teeth and lips go all black cause of the ink), but this trumps all the ones I've tried. It's so creamy and savoury that I could eat this by itself and be content. There could be a little more squid and fish fillet pieces, but I can't really complain. In fact, I may be able to finish half the plate by myself given the chance. Damn, I'm salivating badly as I write this... So, so mouth-watering(ly) good! And I don't even mind having a black-inked mouth after eating this dish sent from heaven. Must-try!

Yum yum yum...

Ciudad Real (P395) - lechon kawali (fried pork) with laing. I mainly ate this for the laing, which is made from dried taro and coconut milk. It's sooo good, and again, paired with the paella negra? Heaven. *drool* And don't worry about the little chili bits, it's not uber spicy, but it does give the dish a bit of a kick (normal for laing, so you know, it's a package deal).

Per my mom's suggestion, I tried out their Quezo de Bola cheesecake. Now, I do love my cheesecakes, but this one didn't sit right with me, mainly because the Quezo de Bola taste (think extreme cheddar) is so strong. I prefer my cheesecakes more light and sweet, and this one just screamed hard-core cheese to me. Not to say that it's not good, but you know, it's not something I'd go for. But hey, gotta try something new now and then right? If strong cheese tastes are your thing, go for this one! My parents love it.

Update: About a week later, we had a get-together with a few friends who also used to live in Vietnam, and of course, off to Corazon we went! This time round I was able to try more of their dishes, but apologies though - I kept forgetting to whip out the camera to take photos of them before we devoured them! Woops...

Ensaladang Manilena (P240) - salad with tomatoes, mangoes, onions and bagoong (shrimp paste). I didn't try this one myself, but I was told that it tasted really good, so if you're a fan of simple salads (and anything with bagoong), try it out.

Bernardo (P495) - beef salpicao (salad) with beef tenderloin sautéed in garlic and olive oil, served with a basket of pan de sal (bread). You don't necessarily need to eat it with the pan de sal, but there's something totally Filipino about pairing the two together (note - we like to eat bread with anything: pasta, ice-cream, dinuguan, etc. You name it, we probably eat it with bread too).

Torres (P350) - fried tilapia with mango sauce. This, paired with paella negra, is ah-mazing! It just brings out that seafood taste even more in the paella and the combination of garlic aioli and mango sauce is pretty tasty too.

We also ordered the Cabeza, Paella Negra (again), Ortega (ox-tail kare kare), Castellano (crispy pata - a must try Filipino dish!) and Ciudad Real (again, LOL!) Could not get enough of the paella negra again so you know, I definitely enjoyed that.

We also ventured off to try new desserts, and I am in love with the Mango Torte! Mango, cream and graham crackers? Mhmmm.... love love love! I recommend this way more than the Quezo de Bola cheesecake if subtle sweetness and creaminess is more of your thing. Fun fact, one of our friends actually suggested we eat the mango torte and quezo de bola cheesecake together (as in, one bite of each at the same time) and damn, it was good. The combination of fruity sweetness and cheesy bitterness is pretty awesome, so do try that out too! My life has never been the same since that discovery...

Check out the rest of their menu here! Even the menu is uber colourful and gorgeous!

Price-wise, definitely worth it, especially since you can't go wrong with the food here. You can get your Filipino cuisine fix here, and heck, you may not want to leave. The ambience and decorations are also pretty top-notch, with the bright colours and little Filipino quirks like the ice-cream by the front of the restaurant. The staff is also pretty great, and they are more than willing to make recommendations that, man, they aren't wrong about. Hospitality, food and ambience? You will definitely not forget you're in the Philippines.

Corazon can get quite busy and because large groups do tend to reserve tables, I'd recommend you drop by just before peak hours so a) you get a table and b) you don't have to wait long for your food to arrive. Not to say that waiting times are uber long, but you know, if you're absolutely starving and can't wait to chow down on some Pinoy classics, well, come early.

Happy discovering!

December Faves!

Wahey! It's time for monthly favourites again! This one is going to be a bit over the place, mainly because I was in Canada for half the month, and in the Philippines for the other half. Man, you gotta love Christmas! Am I right?

I've been using my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (in Stromboli) for half the month, and my NARS Tinted Moisturizer (in St. Moritz) for the other. Pretty standard stuff. I've been applying them with the Sephora perfect sponge and I quite like it! If you don't know if sponge applicators are the right tool for you (or you don't want to shell out the money for the beautyblender), I think this is a nice alternative - though, yes, I have been eyeing that beautyblender for quite some time now. Mhmm... To add a little more colour to my cheeks, I've been loving the NARS blush in Almeria (part of their holiday collection) and it is gorgeous! It's a plummy pink that gives a nice flush on my skin and urgh, it's beautiful. 

For eyes, I've been using the Maybelline Colour Tattoos in Pomegranate Punk and Chocolate Suede. These two colours just really compliment each other, with that nice deep purple pink all over the lid and dark brown in the crease. I blend them out with the Urban Decay eyeshadow in Buck (I've got it as part of the Naked palette). This combo is so quick to do (you can apply the colour tattoos with just your finger) so if you're ever in a rush, swish these colours on and you're good to go!

Special mention too to the Rimmel Scandalous Eyes Eyeshadow stick in Blackmail (008). For a bolder, smoky look, I've been loving putting Pomegranate Punk all over the lid, and applying Blackmail on top and just blending the two out. It's so pretty! Try it out if you can!

For lips, I've been loving quite the bold colours, with the occassional nude for lazy days. In this round-up I've been reaching for NARS Short Circuit (LE, from the Guy Bourdin Holiday collection last year), L'Oreal Color Riche Collection Exclusive lipsticks in Blake's Pure Red and Laetitia's Pure Red (I swear, they are different!). My nude? MAC's Oh, Oh, Oh from the Archie collection last year. As scary as it looks in the tube, it's absolutely gorgeous on the lips!

Swatches of my fave lippies (L-R): Short Circuit, Oh,Oh,Oh, Blake's Red and Laetitia's Red. How beautiful are they?

I've also been loving the Snow Kissed Berry hand cream from Bath & Body Works (which, oh my, is super moisturizing on my poor hands in this cold winter!), the Urban Decay de-slick make-up setting spray, my mini NEST rollerball in Midnight Fleur, Essie's Toggle to the Top lacquer (cause when else can you wear sparkly red polish?), and Revlon's Copper Penny and Iconic nail polishes - the two polishes combined (you know, nail accents here and there) just look beautiful together! Try it out if you haven't!

And like always, here are my non-beauty faves!

 I have got such a sweet tooth that when I found these Chewy Chips Ahoy Ice Cream Creation a.k.a. bit-sized pieces of heaven, my mind exploded with sweetness and joy. It is a struggle to not grab another box anytime I walk into a Walmart or Loblaw's! And my god, the size of them just makes it so easy to gobble them up - so approach these with caution if you spot them. I swear, I need to stay away from these if I intend on sticking to my diet next year...

 My absolute favourite discovery this month - Ipuddo Philippines, a ramen place founded in 1985 in Hakata, Japan (you can read my post about it here). The shiromaru motoaji is absolute heaven - the soup, the meat... urgh... *drool* I'm addicted, and Ipuddo has ruined all other ramen places for me. That is how amazing it is. I believe the first international branch opened in New York in 2008, and now they've expanded, with over 70 branches all over the world. And I'm absolutely thrilled my parents took me to the branch over at SM Megamall. If you see a branch anywhere near you, go in, have some ramen and swoon over its amazingness. Damn... I could use some of it right now

And my jam this month? Hands down Text Me Merry Christmas by Straight No Chaser ft. Kristen Bell. Granted, the song came out mid-Novemeber but I've been listening to this non-stop! I absolutely find it hilarious and sweet, and it's such a great *ahem* modern way to get into the holiday mood. If you haven't heard if yet - which I highly doubt - have a good listen to it!!! No kidding, this song has been on repeat on my iPod, in the car, on iTunes... Text me Merry Christmas, send a selfie too...

Have you made any good discoveries this month? Any suggestions?

Happy discovering!

Ippudo Philippines

As I said in my previous post, there's nothing better than trying out new food and well, who could disagree with that? My parents had seriously planned out when and where I would be stuffing my place, and I could not be happier. Next stop in my foodtrip here in the Philippines is Ipuddo Philippines, a ramen-place originally from Hakata, Japan with over 80 branches worldwide to date.

Ippudo was founded by Shigemi Kawahara a.k.a. the Ramen King in 1985, and man I have no doubts about his title. According to its website, Kawahara's reinvention of the Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen is what earned him and Ippudo global acclaim.

I've never been one to eat ramen, mainly cause the ones I've tried before haven't exactly been the greatest, so I was a bit apprehensive trying this place out. But my parents reassured me that it was the best, and well, they weren't wrong. Ipuddo Philippines has ruined all the other ramen places for me, and I could really use some right now as I write this. If only they had an Ippudo branch here in Ottawa...

Ippudo Pork Bun - a steamed bun with braised pork belly and Ippudo's original sauce. My mom's order so I myself don't know what it's like, but she says that it's pretty good and is a great appetizer while waiting for your bowl of nice ol' ramen. 

Now, the Shiromaru Motoaji - Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth with ultra thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage (a type of mushroom) and bean sprouts. There's also seaweed and an egg, which tops it off amazingly. The creamy broth smells and tastes so good, I can't even...How do I describe this piece of heaven? You have a choice on how you want your noodles to be like (soft, medium, hard or ultra-hard) and though they recommend you have this with ultra-hard noodles, I opted for medium. Secret - I don't like having to chew much, so the softer, the better. That being said, the pork loins are sooo soft and delicious and I could eat this all day, everyday. My gosh, it is amazing! My mom and I are in love with this one.

*drool*

My dad opted for Akamaru Shinaji - Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth with miso paste and garlic oil, also served with ultra-thin noodles, pork belly, kikurage and spring onions. Now this is tastes a bit spicier and stronger than the shiromaru motoaji, so if you want something that's got more of a kick, then you may want to try this one out.

Oroshi Ponzu Gyoza - pan-fried dumplings topped with grated radish and spring onions served with ponzu sauce. Paired with the shiromaru ramen, this tastes even better! Eat this, slurp the broth and eat the noodles. Yum! Try it out when you can!

Yum yum yum!!!

The crazy thing about Ippudo (well, the branch at SM Megamall anyway, so I'm not sure about other places) is how you have to line up outside the restaurant - it is that popular and busy! Thankfully waiting time isn't long, but it does pay to make sure that everyone else you're dining with (be it your parents or friends) are all present so that you can be seated immediately - they have a policy where if not everyone is there yet, you'll have to wait and let complete parties be seated first (fair enough). That being said, serving time is pretty quick given how busy it can get and the staff are pretty friendly - and they'll willingly give you top-notch recommendations if you can't make up your mind.

I'd definitely suggest you come early (just before peak hours) so the wait won't be long. And oh, make sure everyone's there! Do try Ippudo out if you spot a branch anywhere you are - you won't regret it! Now how do I make it until an Ippudo branch makes it way to Ottawa?

Update: A week later, my parents and I made our way to Ippudo again because we love it that much!!! I'm addicted, and I don't care. 

Happy discovering!

Sentro 1771, Philippines

Now it's no secret that one of the things I love doing while in the Philippines is to eat, and man, were my cravings satisfied during the two weeks I was there! My parents had laid out a plan for a foodtrip after Christmas (there were various teasers sent through Viber for about a month beforehand so to say I was pumped was a bit of an understatemement) and my GOD! I stuffed myself with the justification that I would not be able to eat anything like these for the next few months...
Be prepared to drool. I know I am...

Sentro 1771 is a Filipino restaurant that serves traditional Filipino dishes with a modern twist, influenced by a lot of great Filipino chefs and foodies such as Nora Daza, Doreen Fernandez and of course, grandmothers. The branch we went to is located at the Capitol Commons area in Pasig City (by Meralco Avenue and Shaw Boulevard, you can't miss it), but there two other locations in Manila - one over at Greenbelt 3 in Makati, and the other at Serendra in Taguig.

Just a tad bit obsessed with the light fixtures! I love the whole vibe the place gives off - it's very modern chic yet there are touches of traditional Filipino pieces here and there. Love it!

Carrot-orange juice - if you're not a fan of carrot juice, this might do the trick in changing your mind! So good and refreshing...mhmm...

Sentro Bagoong Rice (P480) - essentially bagoong rice topped with omelette strips, Macau chorizo, beef tapa, chicharon and green mango strips. You could order this alone and be satisfied cause of all the toppings - there's so much of it you can't even see the rice underneath! Nonetheless, it tastes awesome, especially with the chicharon and green mango strips combined (I mean, you've got a bit of everything - sweet, salty, crunchy, savoury, etc.), that I want more of this in my life. Food-gasm right here. No joke.

Fried Squid with Toasted Garlic (P395) - fried squid tossed in salt, sugar, browned garlic, dried mango and chili. Damn, this one was good too, especially with the dried mango (fair warning, eat those with caution as they can get stuck in your teeth cause of their stickiness) and paired with the Bagoong rice, it tasted real nice. Try, try, try if you like calamari!

Catfish Adobo Flakes (P360) - hito cooked adobo-style with native garlic and yellow ginger, fried until crisp. This may be my favourite dish at Sentro 1771 - the crunchiness is spot on and it tastes good with anything. And plus, I'm a sucker for adobo-style anything so this just hit all the marks for me. So if you're like me, you have got to try this out!

Just look at that crunchy goodness!

Sinigang na Corned Beef (P595)- a must-try Sentro specialty that tastes as good as it looks. If you've never heard of this particular sinigang, it's basically corned beef short ribs and boneless shanks in tamarind broth and native vegetables. Man, the concept didn't exactly sit well with me (I mean, corned beef in soup?) but I am a convert! So, so good! Another pretty cool thing is how before they serve it, they'll give you a little cup to taste and see if the soup is to your liking. I swear, it's the little things that get me...

Oh yeah, got to try a bit (and then some) of everything!

Now on to desserts! Eenie meenie miney mo...which to pick...

I went for the Coffee Bean Sans Rival (P205) cause I am a sucker for sans rival. It's basically a cake layered with buttercream (in this case, coffee flavoured buttercream), meringue and chopped cashews. Urmf, this tasted so nice! It wasn't too sweet and the coffee-flavour wasn't uber strong - and the cream that went with it tasted divine! Another warning - this dessert is actually bigger than the photo in the menu showed, so you can definitely share this between two-three people. So you know, if you like sans rival too, definitely check this one out (unless you're not a fan of coffee...)

And last, but certainly not the least, Banana and Camote Un-cue (P110) - caramelized saba bananas and sweet potato strips that will blow your mind when you try them. I've had caramelized bananas and camote before (you can make them yourself at home) but something about these ones at Sentro just trumped them all.

Just look at them. I dare you to not drool...

You can check out everything else Sentro 1771 has to offer here!

Price-wise, Sentro 1771 is super affordable as the serving sizes are pretty big and the food so worth it. The challenge will be in trying to control yourself and not order everything off the menu! Everything looks so good and I can't wait to go back and try out more things - particularly the Macau chorizo and cheese tidbits, Sugar-free Humba and their Keso Flan...hmm...

I'd definitely suggest you go early (i.e. close to opening time - think brunch, really) to avoid crowds and the challenge of getting a table. Often groups make reservations (when we went for brunch at the Capitol Commons branch, there were about three group reservations already set) so it will pay to avoid the peak hours. That being said, the branches have different opening times, so do check those out before visiting.

Happy discovering!