My husband is a gift from God

My husband is one of the greatest gifts God has given me.  Before I met him, my life was dull and unhappy.  But when he came into my life my world has changed; it's now like a paradise with rainbows and butterflies!

Cliche as it may sound but I love my husband with all my hypothalamus! I love him because:

1. He is crazier than me.

2. He makes me laugh when I'm feeling down

3. He apologizes first even if it's my fault.

4. He makes me feel like I'm the prettiest and sexiest woman on earth!

5. He knows how to appreciate simple things I do

6. He hurries home from work just to see me and kiss me.

7. He never fails to surprise me.

8. He trusts me and I trust him.

9. He knows how to handle my mood swings and still keeps his cool.

10. We both know that we can work out anything together.

11. He can cook delicious food!

12. He is sooooo romantic and passionate.

13. He is smart and good-looking.

14. He keeps an eye on me when we are in public and crowded places.

15. He knows how to sacrifice not only his wants but also his needs for my happiness.

16. He plans for our future.

17. His smile takes my breath away.

18. I love the security I feel when I am with him.

19. He always makes me laugh hard by dancing.

20. He taught and showed me the real meaning of love.

I am thankful that 28 years ago, my husband was born. So thank you lord for the wonderful gift you gave me. :-) Happy Birthday my dear Yogo!

Filipino food wishlist: part 1

Living away from my country is not easy, especially if I see photos of Filipino food posted in the social media.  My husband and I cook Filipino food here so as not to miss it that much. But still, it could not suffice our cravings considering that we don't have the same ingredients here as what we have in the Philippines.

So I made a list of Filipino food that I would definitely chow down, without thinking twice, when I get home.

• Balut:  I want to eat this with vinegar and salt.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Balut_yolk.JPG

• Ripe and green mangoes

Left: Ripe Mango; Right: Green Mango w/ bagoong

• Fishballs and kikiam

• Chicharon

http://pixelbug.sassymomslife.com/2010/03/

• Crabs 

• Shrimps

These food cravings make me homesick. I am literally salivating now!!! Okay, I will just stop right now and continue torturing myself on my next blog.  ;-)


Photos source: http://helloballoon.com/2011/food/for-the-love-of-deep-fried-pork/
http://elmomonster.blogspot.hu/2011/05/hong-kong-fishball-houses-fishballs-on.html
http://tapsilicious.blogspot.hu/2009/05/pictures-for-tarpauline-printing.html

A humble sports hero insulted by an arrogant singer

These past few days, I've read a lot of posts showing exasperation to the iconic Justin Bieber; it's actually trending on Twitter. I really wondered why and luckily I stumbled upon this article: Justin Bieber straddles the line

http://ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/sportztackle/justin-bieber-straddles-line-020243842.html

I was not a fan nor a hater of JB.  I was just kind of neutral about him.  However, after reading this article and watching the photo about JB mocking our beloved Manny Pacquiao my perception about him has totally changed. I understand that he is still a young kid trying to be funny and showing support to Mayweather.  But what he did went overboard, especially for us Filipinos.

I don't personally know JB so I must not judge the totality of him.  But what he did made me think of him as a kid out of control, whose fame and wealth made him forget to keep his feet on the ground.  He entered the world of showbiz and music industry, so, he must accept the fact that he no longer has the luxury of doing such things despite how innocent his intentions are. I agree with the writer of the blog that JB, in all aspects, should be more sensitive and more responsible for his actions, especially that he is one of the leading icons of the international pop culture.

 

No matter how JB insulted our mighty Manny Pacquiao, Filipinos still look up to Manny as a true sports hero.  He has shown us hope and inspiration.  Many of us are aware of his good character. Regardless of his fame and wealth, he still knows how to be humble and show compassion to his fellowmen.

Both JB and Manny have won different kinds of competition:  Manny has won many titles in the boxing world by his strength and agility, but he won our hearts through his kindness and humility.  On the other hand, JB has won his fame and pop title by his voice and talent, but earned our dismay and disrespect through his insensitivity and arrogance.  Character wise, JB is no match with Manny Pacquiao.

It's a Morph Thing!

My boredom made me do crazy things like morphing.  Haven't you heard of this? Well, according to the World Dictionary, MORPHING means a computer technique used for graphics and in films, in which one image is gradually transformed into another image without individual changes being noticeable in the process.  I'm not a graphic artist who can do this amazing thing but there is this website http://www.morphthing.com/ who can help you morph any faces of the universe, including you  and your partner.  The steps is as easy as ABC and the instructions are straightforward enough to be understood even by an idiot.  You just need to upload clear pictures of people you want to morph. In my case, of course, I morphed my picture with my husband's to see how our virtual baby looks like.

Tsada!!! Say hello to our baby Chelsea Margeruite Knuttel. Isn't she lovely? Just ignore the orb-like thing, though. ;-) So, what are you waiting for? Go and morph your baby! ;-)

Products that made me blush

I started putting blush on my cheeks when I was still in college because I wanted to hide my anemic skin; it can instantly brighten up my face and fake a rosy cheeks.  I could not live without my blush on in my make up kit and it would be like the end of the world for me if I don't have one! 

Picking the right shade and brand of blush is critical as to how it will look like with your skin color or how long will it stay on your skin.  When I was still starting to have the feel of putting on blush make-up, I had difficulties on finding the right product that would give a very natural glow on my cheeks.  But through time and series of trial and error I was able to come across blush-on brands that are true to their indication of what may be expected.  

1.  Bench Pretty When Pinched Cheek and Lip Tint

http://www.annluyun.com/2011/01/cheek-lip-tint-herbenchs-pretty-when.html

I started using when I was still in college and struggled on learning how to apply it perfectly.  Cheek tints dry quickly even during the application so my trick was dabbing a very small amount of water to blend it with the tint.  I made it a habit until I was able to perfect the blending without the water's help.  I put this before applying face powder for a natural finish.  This cheek stain, if properly blended, gives you a "just-flushed" skin and stays for around 8 hours.

Cost: $5

2.  Alison Raffaele Skin Inner Glow

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Alison-Raffaele-Inner-Glow-Gel-Blush-Witty/24050682

I purchased mine in a Beauty Bar shop in Glorietta Manila without reading the reviews first.  Though this product didn't ring a bell to me, I still took the risk of buying this because it is exactly what I was looking for.  I've always wanted to put a "just-pinched" make up on my cheeks that stays long.  I always apply it under face powder for a more natural look and avoid streaky mess.

Cost $25-35

3. Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush (Sunset Glow)

http://www.clinique.com/product/1593/5265/Makeup/Blushers/Blushing-Blush-Powder-Blush/index.tmpl

I love gel-based or water-based blush-on but if I need a little touch-up during the day powder blush is what I reach for.  This particular product blends perfectly to the intensity you want to achieve with its angled brush.  Also, I love its chic look mirrored compact.

Cost $35-38

Davao City: A safe haven for good citizens; a dying pit for criminals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Davao_City_Aerial_View.jpg

It pisses me off when someone says that Davao city is not a safe place to be, well, if that someone will go to Davao city it will no longer be safe. :p Some people quickly make a sweeping assumption from everything they hear in the news. Can you please do a research first? A bomb that explodes in Maguindanao or Basilan doesn't reach Davao, even the tiniest particles of its debris won't make its way there. The city is a law and order place. The city's current mayor and her father who is now the vice mayor (the city's ex-mayor) rule the city with iron fist. As they say, less crime doesn't mean no crime, but Davao has the least crime rate in all the cities in the Philippines. You can even walk along the busiest streets in Davao without worrying that someone might snatch your bag.

I've read some news in the internet that among the cities in the Philippines, Davao city has the most advanced and state-of-the-art Traffic Monitoring Center which is patterned after Los Angeles, California. IBM and the local government helped the city improve its existing Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) by integrating city operations into a single system to enhance the public safety operations in the city. It serves as the center for a balanced and harmonious coordination regarding public safety with Davao city police office, city health office and city social services and devlopment offices, central 911, fire bureau, and many more. In addition, it is equipped with a Weather Monitoring and Flood Alert System which aids communication of all obtained information with the responders and concerned officials. Davao has a 911 emergency response unit that responds to any emergency situation quickly. If you are worrying about the nearby cities, don't be because there are regular checkpoints in Davao city and its boundaries as safeguard against terrorism or any illegal activities that want to get in.

Just a piece of advice, if you are an illegal drug user/dealer or a criminal, don't ever set a foot on Davao city's ground, otherwise, you'll end up sleeping forever 6 feet below the ground. We have this so-called DDS (Davao Death Squad) who rides a motorcycle and shoots illegal drug users, dealers, and criminals. It is even rumored that some illegal drug addicts prefer to get themselves locked behind bars than be killed by the DDS on the streets. Thus, don't do your monkey business in Davao if you don't want to go bankrupt or, worse, get killed by the vigilants.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/news-sources/?date=20120627&archive=prnews&slug=NY31415

My fave hair products: Dr. Organic shampoo and conditioner

Due to the dramatic change of weather, my hair also went brittle dramatically.  I've struggled with dryness and brittleness of my hair for months and tried various products but nothing has worked.  It was my husband who discovered these Dr. Organic Shampoo and Conditioner in the grocery shelves.  The packaging says "The results speak for themselves," and that has managed to capture my curiosity so I bought it without thinking twice.  

A soothing conditioner suitable for all hair types formulated with Organic Aloe Vera, Shea butter, Hydrolyzed milk protein, Panthenol, Sunflower oil and Vitamin E. This incredibly effective formulation gently reinforces the hair’s natural condition by coating and penetrating the external cellular keratin fibre of each follicle, allowing the Aloe Vera complex to soothe, nourish and moisturize the condition of the hair leaving it soft, shiny and protected from the damaging effects of the sun. - http://www.drorganic.co.uk/aloe-products.asp

This gentle, yet powerfully purifying and repairing shampoo, enriched with Organic Tea Tree oil and Aloe Vera, gently cleanses the hair and scalp leaving it instantly revitalised, fresh and hydrated. It provides an invigorating effect while soothing and moisturising the scalp. Dr Organic Tea Tree shampoo is ideal for both normal and oily hair and scalp types. - http://www.drorganic.co.uk/tea-tree-products.asp

This is the first pair of shampoo + conditioner I bought from Dr. Organic and these products surpassed my expectation. Straight after rinsing I could see the results; my hair went smooth and silky, as if I just got out from a hair salon.  I just put an ample amount on my palm and lather it on my hair, mostly on the tips. These products really leave my hair tangle-free with volume and shine. And it has a very pleasant scent! The 250ml shampoo and conditioner costs 7 euros each.

Try it and be organic! :)