Now opened! The Bridal Room – Ready to Wed 🙂 
Congratulations to the beautiful Tantuico sisters, Ana, Maica and Raisa Tantuico Vargas
Mezzanine Floor, 169 Aguirre st., BF Homes Paranaque Tel # 0908-815-2166
We tried out a new Ramen place in the South, Butamaru
CHASU 🙂
So happy to meet Jerome Lim who is part owner of Butamaru and Chef. He worked in the Peninsula hotel and worked as commi chef for a few months then worked with the Cua family for 6 years. He is the cousin of Eric Cua of the Pho group of restaurants. He went to Japan to learn how to make Ramen and now opened Butamaru with 10 other partners including my cousin, Paolo Tantoco
Shio ramen at Butamaru @butamaruph Buta means pork. Maru means circle or round. This is the inspiration for Butamaru – Chasu in round, melt in your mouth slices
Miso
Curry Tantanmen 
Sides- Soft boiled egg
Cheese Hane (wings) Gyoza at Butamaru. They have 2 kinds on the menu – regular and curry. The Parmesan crusted Cheese gyoza is off the menu Super Yum! make sure to order it if you like cheese like me
Takana Chahan ( Japanese Style Fried Rice) at Butamaru. Chef Jerome suggests you eat it with the leftover Shio broth from your ramen
Dragon dance for good luck! Yay! It was Chinese New Year
Super yum Green tea gelato at Butamaru – the one and only dessert but a must 
I don’t really eat ramen but the others said it was good. James likes Tsukomen so since they don’t have it, he has no comparison. Happy to meet up in the south to try the eating places in the area
Click below to go to their Facebook page
Look at this woman – my beautiful friend Pauli – even for a photo she knows how to pose and is always so prim and proper 🙂 I love it!! Learn from the expert – send your kids to her workshop! I think I need to learn from Pauli too haha 🙂
DAMIANI INTRODUCES FINE ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH IMPECCABLE JEWELRY COLLECTION
For almost 100 years of creating precious jewels entirely handmade, the Damiani group has never failed to demonstrate the excellence of Italian Goldsmith art as it gives each Damiani piece the greatest attention to detail to create real masterpieces of unequalled excellence. This February, Rustan’s, welcomes third-generation jeweler and Vice President of the Damiani Group, Mr. Giorgio Grassi Damiani, as the world-renowned symbol of Italian luxury jewelry once again promulgates its craftsmanship and excellence.
Experience a whole world of opulence with its perfectly curated line of jewelry pieces from delicate earrings, precious pendants and fine necklaces, to elegant bracelets and expertly crafted timepieces. Each collection is a marvel of impeccable craftsmanship married with modern design fashioned from the most precious of raw materials—the true epitome of fine Italian quality.
Worn by the most beautiful people in the world
Damiani master goldsmiths demonstrate once again their unparalleled high quality workmanship through the Springtime Masterpiece collection that dazzles with arresting halos brimming with intricate floral details. The amorous buds and petals create a romantic—almost poetic—appeal with its vivid mix of white, pink, and yellow hold with diamond and sapphires.
Damiani’s watches are just as impactful with their remarkable designs. The Mimosa collection, one of the brand’s most successful, never fails to capture the eye with its breath taking setting of brown and black diamonds combined with emeralds, rubies, or sapphires in blue or pink. Damiani’s master goldsmiths position the claw settings one by one with surgical precision, making each timepiece a unique, unrepeatable creation.
The lavishness of a Damiani piece is seen evidently in the Battito d’Ali collection, as it reinterprets butterfly wings through its rings, earrings and pendants. With a harmonious interweaving of gold, diamonds and precious stones, the curved lines and carefully placed gems seen in the collection makes each piece a modern design icon.
The Butterfly collection continues this motif with a series of fauna-inspired designs, highlighting the graceful curves of butterflies. White gold dominates this collection, punctuated by the vibrant tones of multicolored sapphires and diamonds. As a tribute to the icon of elegance that is the butterfly, the exquisite collection exudes lightness and delicateness in each masterpiece.
For a more simple and sleek design, the collection of water-resistant Mimosa Dragon watches is a homage to Eastern culture and to the year of the Dragon. The elaborate piece boasts of 18 carats of white gold, 24 diamonds and 22 sapphires with a blue mother of pearl dial with brilliant cut diamonds, complemented by a Galuchat (sharskin) bracelet. Representing a perfect balance of design and sophistication, the Mimosa Dragon watches can be worn on special occasions to match elegant attire or even a more casual affair.
Every Diamiani piece is the perfect complement to the individual whose discerning style places a premium on flawless craftsmanship and unparalleled elegance. As the only international jewelry company still managed by the family that first founded it, the Damiani family has kept promise of providing nothing but true Italian quality in fine jewelry.
Discover the masterly crafted works of art from Damiani at Rustan’s Department Store.
It was so nice to be back at Kai and this time with all the owners complete!!! Rikki Dee, Chef Gilbert Pangilinan, Tita Doris Magsaysay Ho and Ricco Ocampo
That night, they were launching the Omi Wagyu Festival which will be held this month of March
In March 2014 the Philippines lifted the ban on Japanese Wagyu which explains the Wagyu influx in the restaurants. Tonight Kai launches the brand Omi which is one of the top brands in Japan. Wagyu means Japanese beef. Omi is also the same brand being used in Nobu. No need to go so far anymore to have Japanese beef
Omi is the Highest Quality and marbling grade at A5
Wagyu appetizers
Steamed Omi Wagyu
Wagyu Roll
Wagyu Yakitori – all super delicious!
Amb. Kazuhide Ishikawa, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan
Sec. Gregory Domingo, DTI
Mr. Kaozuo Sano, Vice President, Omi beef export promotion association
Always a beautiful and elegant set up by Kai
The flowers are beautiful
Our seat mates who we enjoyed the dinner with Chris and Patty Chilip
Nanet and Chris Po
The dinner was paired with wines by Happy Living 
A super specatcular Omi Wagyu dinner from start to finish- Chef Gilbert is amazing!!!
Mr. and Mrs. Sherwin Choi, President,ESV International – the Distributors of Omi Wagyu in the Philippines
Omi Wagyu Festival this month of March and the Omi Wagyu offering will continue on in the regular menu. So hurry and come on over to Kai or include Omi Wagyu in your catering menu
Kai Greenbelt 5 Tel #: (02) 757 5209
We went to Greeka Kouzina in SM Aura
I love these colourful hanging lamps 🙂
The Ateneo gang!! We have not been together as a group in so long! 
We saw 3 beautiful ladies getting together too at Greek Kouzina 🙂 Rizza, Winnie and Rachelle
Melitzanosalata ( Eggplant Dip )
This was everyones most favourite dish of them all!!!! A MUST!!! Greek wings with Garlic feta cheese with yogurt dressing!!!! SUPER YUM 🙂
Lamb Souvlaki – YUM!
Greek Patates Tiganites ( Greeka Poutine )
Partial Ateneo gang – from tallest to shortest – Eds, Fran, Pixie, Lisa, Zette and I. We promised to get together more often. Girls only this time but hoping the boys and the rest will join next time. Thank you Pixie for spearheading and organising. Thank you BFF Eduarda Genuino for treating 🙂
Always happy to see this handsome guy, Tomas. He’s super funny so I’m always entertained But aside from that – this guy is the mastermind behind the real estate business of the family. Tomas P. Lorenzo, President of Lapanday Properties Philippines Inc. In 2001 he started with Torre Lorenzo which is a condo building catering to students in the area. 13 years after he launched 2 Torre Lorenzo in the same vicinity which is a 36 floor condo building. At present there are two more towers he is building – The one in this photo is Torre Central which will be in the UST area and another one called Torre Sur in Las Pinas – both soon to be finished. He calls them focused communities because they really study the area and the market and they build according to the needs of that market. That’s only in Manila! He also has developments in Davao! Three projects! Congratulations Tomas!!! Super amazing!!!!
That day I visited Torre Lorenzo 2 which is in the same street as Torre Lorenzo and this is right across De La Salle University along Taft Avenue and only minutes away from College of St. Benilde, St. Scholastica’s College, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas. It is a 35 storey building with around 23 units per floor! 
Tomas toured me around the building and I really thought that he did such a great job! I told him that the kids living here are so lucky they live in this place!!! You will see why!
There is a Fully Booked store right in front
which makes it convenient for the students in the building and nearby!
They have a very nice and formal sales and leasing office right in the lobby of the building.
By the way there are still units for sale 🙂 So do call now and check out 2 Torre Lorenzo. Click below to go to their website for more information
Mail room
There is one restaurant in the building and it’s always full and with a long line! 
It was afternoon so not many people but for sure during meal times, that is when the crowd comes in
They even have a bank! No need to go outside the building anymore!
Laundry service. Even other buildings come here! Thats how well thought out this building is that it is self contained and so convenient for the tenants of the building. And I am sure the businesses are happy too they have a captured and sure market!
There is a floor where they have a study room by the pool! How nice!!! Though no one was swimming and they were studying – it’s just nice to have water and a place that is conducive to studying properly
Everything is so clean, neat, organised and I wish I had a place like this when I was studying! 🙂
This is a view from a studio apartment!!! WOW!!!! Manila Bay view!! This is prime real estate right there 🙂
This is a photo of the model unit of a studio. The wife of Tomas, Milet, is responsible for all the beautiful interiors of the model units. She did not want me to take her photo!! 🙁 But she is amazing
One bedroom
Two bedroom
The view from the roof deck of the building!!! SO NICE and so windy up there. The tenants can go up and hang out here too. Private events can be held here as well
Tomas told me that they will help you lease your units by pooling them and renting them out. And the beauty is whatever income was generated among all the units- it will be shared equally among the pool 🙂 So you don’t have to worry too much 
Here is the big boss again with another of the two developments he is working on – Torre Sur
2 of the 3 projects in the city of Davao of Tomas Lorenzo/ Lapanday Properties Phils.
A Hotel and Residence in partnership with Dusit Hotel called Siam 8000.
The other one is Ciudades which is a Community with 5 subdivisions and will have schools, malls, etc. There are subdivisions that are existing already and the development to complete the whole community is a 10 year project which is already ongoing
The other development outside Davao City of Tomas Lorenzo ( Lapanday Properties Philippines ) is Lubi Plantation in Compostela Valley – 25 mins by boat from the city or about an hour by car. There will be 4 developments in this island. The beach club will be opening in a few weeks and people can visit for the day and enjoy the island. On the other side of the island will be a hotel that will be for timeshare and club membership – also by Dusit. Tomas told me that it will be a 1920s South Pacific coconut plantation inspired resort! How exciting!!!
Aside from all that – Tomas has a landscaping company and has a Chevrolet dealer in Sta. Rosa. The ultimate mogul!! 🙂
Click below to go to their website
Eye-popping colors. Experimentation. Painted effects. The new Furla collection for Spring/Summer 2015 plays with fashion, art and graphics, melding the worlds with a dynamic appeal, understated elegance and upbeat energy.
Inspired by the Neo-Pop artistic movement, a post-modern interpretation of Pop Art, the new styles vibrate with lively colors, primarily festive shades of sunshine, hibiscus orange and ocean blue, counterpointed by gentler shades of white, gray and dove.
Splashes of colors that with chromatic gusto are often combined together to form daring color-block effects, adding a distinctive personality to the new “Furla Twist bag”, a versatile and labor-intensive buckets-shaped shopper, complete with a metal bar and a woven inner compartment.
For trendsetters on the go seeking a relaxed modern elegance from sunup to nightfall, Furla presents the season’s novelty shape: the soft-edged, user-friendly “Furla Spy backpack” in soft nappa and suede that is adorned with either mini or macro flat studs in burnished metal that set off a graphic polka dot effect.
In the iconic “Furla Metropolis bag”, a small chain-strapped bag characterized by hand-stitched padded details that trace geometric motifs down the front, the clasp features a multi-color rubber coating, again in pretty color combinations.
The same padded details also enhance the clean and sleek personality of the new “Furla Alice tote”, an expression of contemporary casual class that reveals a painstaking artisanal expertise and distinctive details that transcend time.
Pushing ahead with its ability to innovate and reinvent a longstanding heritage, anchored on impeccable Made in Italy craftsmanship, prized materials and an ever-evolving creativity, the latest version of the iconic “Furla Candy bag” in soft PVC is a high-impact explosion of colors and opposing textures that add a touch of playful glamour to any day. Also of note is the version featuring resin brush-stroke effects that vary from subtle trickles to bold splotches, rigorously hand-applied to make each bag unique.
Further strengthening the brand’s bond with the art world is the collaboration with prominent Tokyo-based illustrator, Maho Tonouchi, who inspired the interactive artistic installation, starring the new Furla bags that was presented during Milan Fashion Week.
FURLA TAPS WORLD-CLASS TALENT MARIO TESTINO AS CREATIVE PARTNER
Further sealing its evolution as a leading international premium accessories lifestyle brand, Furla has teamed up with world-class photographer Mario Testino and his creative agency, to shape the brand’s artistic image across the board.
Starting with the Spring Summer 2015 Collection, the brand will develop a 360-degree project that will set the tone of voice and the communication codes of the brand, developing a media-neutral creativity, which will roll out to all platforms: point of sales, media and web.
Only in the early stages of a long-lasting collaboration, the creative partnership between Testino and Furla will transmit the brand’s colorful, joyful and contagious Italian lifestyle mood that celebrates both its iconic and novelty products with a strong mix of quality and innovation.
The lively and dynamic images will be reflected in the ad campaign for media and outdoor, in window display, in store and web catalogs as well as in videos for the website, social media platforms and PR purposes.
This new challenge is the first initiative of a strong and focused marketing strategy, aimed at bringing Furla into the next level of its international growth.
“This is a very exciting and positive time for the brand. We are proud to begin this partnership with such a great artist like Mario Testino. His creativity will project Furla to the next level of its global evolution,” declares Eraldo Poletto, Chief Executive Officer of Furla.
“Furla is about energy, life and colors. When I look at the product, I imagine whoever is wearing it is having a great time. It’s a great journey we are beginning together,” said Mario Testino about the brand.
In the Philippines, Furla is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) – a member of the SSI Group – and is located at Greenbelt 5, Rustan’s Makati, Central Square, Shangri-La Plaza Mall and Newport Mall.
I was so curious to try Karen Young’s Sticky Toffee Pudding because our family loves Sticky Toffee pudding when in Australia or London
Previous entry: Karen’s Kitchen at Petron Dasma December 15, 2014
So I ordered it for Chef Jav’s birthday lunch and this is how it came in – you can get is as a loaf or in square shape which I think is double this size. But this loaf is already a lot because you slice it and it can serve maybe 10 to 12
Just follow the directions 🙂
Standing toffee pudding 🙂
or lying down – either way its yummy with Mantecado or Vanilla ice cream 🙂 No need to go all the way to Australia or London to have Sticky Toffee Pudding 🙂
http://www.karenskitchen.com.ph
0917-karens1(5273671) or 0917-key4you ( 5394968)
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