Spazz Saturday #5 | Happy Chuseok!

Today, the festivities begin in Korea as the country celebrates Chuseok, (추석) the Korean Thanksgiving Day. For Koreans, this is the biggest and most important holiday of the year as family members reunite and get-together to share food and give thanks to their ancestors for the abundant harvest.

This year, Chuseok falls on a Sunday, September 30. However, the event is celebrated for three days, beginning today, September 29 all the way until Monday, October 1. During this period, Koreans usually travel back to their respective hometowns to spend time with their families, hold memorial services for their departed loved ones, and visit ancestral graves.

Photo credit: Visit Korea

A common sight during Chuseok are Hanbok, or traditional Korean clothes as pictured above. If you're into period dramas like me (think Arang and the Magistrate, The Princess Man, and The Rooftop Prince), then I'm sure you're pretty familiar with these. This custom is called 'Chuseokbim', and is still practiced up to this very day.

I think Hanboks are the prettiest traditional clothes. I am so enamored by them that I asked the husband to buy one for the little man. It's a good thing Hanboks are readily available at department stores these days. Originally, they are made-to-order and handcrafted by skilled tailors only.

I received the little man's Hanbok just now; it was brought home by Youngsuk unni. She's my cousin-in-law's wife and they're in the country for a brief, four-day vacay. And yes, she's Korean. I'll post a photo of the little man wearing his Hanbok later. For now, here's the aegi and I, sending Chuseok greetings to all our Korean chingus! Happy Thanksgiving Day! :)

Foodie Goodie | Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!

The little man turns four this November, and as early as the first week of September, the preparations for his birthday celebration began. That's the way it has been ever since his first birthday.

First Birthday, Justice League.

After his Justice League birthday party in 2009, I made it a point to have a themed birthday party every year.

Second Birthday, Ben 10.

Even if his second and third birthday were just simple celebrations at home, with his godparents as guests.

Third Birthday, Phineas and Ferb.

For his fourth birthday, we're going to celebrate it at school, with Mickey Mouse as the party theme. I actually made the little man choose between Mickey Mouse and Toy Story, as these are the two available boys' party themes at McDonald's. (Yes, you guessed it right. We'll be having a McCelebration come November!)

Good thing he chose the former, as I wouldn't have that much of a problem when it comes to party ideas. Spoonful.com is teeming with Mickey Mouse crafts and recipes, and the site has been a great help for the party preparations.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Mickey silhouette cake pops are just too cute to go unnoticed. They're a tad fussy to make, but I can just imagine the gleeful faces of the little man's classmates when they see this.

Photo credit: Spoonful.com

These Minnie Mouse inspired favor bags make great souvenirs, too. Stuff them with candies and little toys and they're good to go. McDonald's party package for themed celebrations come complete with lootbags and party favors, though. That way, my arts-and-crafts skills (or the lack of it) need not be challenged, lol.

As for the birthday cake, I'm still undecided if I should just go for the traditional one (complete with cake toppers and lettering) or have something similar to my Super Junior birthday cupcakes instead.

Photo credits: Spoonful.com

Either way, I'm sure the little man will have no complaints about it. He's happy for as long as he has a candle to blow, haha.

And gifts, of course. :)

Sharing this post with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.

Skincare for Men | Like Husband, Like Wife.

That the husband knows quite a handful about skincare for men isn't surprising. After all, he is married to a very vain woman. And the fact that he takes good care of his skin is one of the many things I love about him.

When it comes to grooming, expect the husband to be nitty gritty about it. Although his skin isn't as sensitive as mine, he's still very particular with the products that come in contact with his skin. For instance, he has a preference for anti-dandruff shampoos and conditioners. He also uses lotion regularly, as his skin tends to become dry, especially during winter time. And yes, he almost always keeps a lip balm in handy.

But if there's one thing that the husband is most meticulous about, it has to be shaving. He actually has a ritual for it. First, he prepares his skin by washing his face with warm water. As most beauty junkies know, warm/hot water opens up the skin's pores, thus making it easier to cleanse the skin. The same principle applies to shaving, as warm water softens the beard, and makes it easier to shave.

Photo credit: The Art of Shaving

Next, he applies shaving cream to 'lift' the beard from the skin. This protects the skin from irritation and razor burn, thus resulting to a clean and comfortable shave. Then, he proceeds with shaving using his trusty razor that has been in his possession for years now.

Finally, he wraps up his shaving ritual by applying a special brand of after-shave oil. Made from organic virgin coconut oil, his choice of after-shave oil moisturizes the skin, and makes it refreshed and rejuvenated after having been shaved. And because his brand is alcohol-free, his skin does not dry out, become irritated, nor does he get nasty, ingrown hair.

I love it when my husband looks dapper, smells nice, and is clean shaven. He knows that very well too, so even if his shaving ritual adds up another ten minutes to his half-an-hour bathing time, I don't mind at all. For as long as I get to use the bathroom before he does!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for The Art of Shaving. However, thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Wordless Wednesday #7 | Artist at Work.

Win a Pampering Kit from Human Heart Nature!

It's been awhile since I last did a Human Heart Nature giveaway, and today you're in for a treat! After the overwhelming response to my new bath buddy, the Bamboo Body Scrub, my ever-so-generous sponsors from Human Heart Nature Laguna came up with this special Pampering Kit!

One lucky reader gets to receive the all-new Eco Shopping Tote, designed in collaboration with the Save Philippine Seas Movement - an independent group that aims to protect the world's richest marine sources.  Inside the tote are some of my favorite spa-mpering products from Human Heart Nature - the Bamboo Body Scrub, the Purifying Facial Scrub, and my wonder worker, the Sunflower Beauty Oil.

To join the giveaway, all you have to do is cast your entries via the Rafflecopter below. You earn entries by completing the tasks indicated in the Rafflecopter. The tasks are pretty simple, so I'm sure you can complete all of them in a jiffy. Remember, the more tasks you complete, the more entries you get! Also, this giveaway is open WORLDWIDE! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is part of the Halloween Eco-Friendly Giveaway Hop, which will run from September 25 all the way until October 6, 2012. Please visit the other participating blogs in this giveaway hop for a chance to win more exciting prizes!

Pucker Up! | ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine in Candlelight.

Last week, I had the honor of receiving a package from ELF Cosmetics Philippines. And I say honor because ELF is a pretty popular brand of cosmetics in the US.

Nowadays, the brand is definitely making waves in the Philippine shore. I've read one too many blog post gushing about how great their products are. I'm grateful towards ELF Cosmetics Philippines for sending me these goodies.

Total Face Brush, Liquid Eyeliner, Super Glossy Lip Shine, All Over Cover Stick.

Having developed a penchant for lip gloss as of late, I decided to try the Super Glossy Lip Shine first.

For the lips. :)

The 10-gram tube of lip gloss comes in a simple, no-fuss packaging. And you get sun protection from each tube - SPF 15, to be exact.

The Super Glossy Lip Shine has eleven different colors. The one I received is Candlelight, which is a nude color, with a hint of peach to it.

Peaches and corals are the 'in' thing these days, so I was more than happy to receive this variant. Plus the fact that I have very few peach/coral-colored lip products in my traincase and vanity kit.

The easy-to-squeeze tube comes with a smooth glide applicator.

It does a good job of spreading the lip gloss all over your lips, although I prefer to use my fingertips to even out the color.

ELF gets plus points from me because they're cruelty-free! Good job for NOT testing on animals! 

The Super Glossy Lip Shine is a steal for just Php 129. If only the Watson's at SM San Pablo carried ELF products, I'd definitely purchase another tube of this lip gloss in a different color. No, make that colors!

What I love:

- Color pay-off.

- High-shine!

- Moisturizes the lips.

- The yummy grape vanilla scent.

- Sun protection factor.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- The gloss itself is thick and sticky.

Visit an ELF branch near you to score this lip gloss, and other amazing ELF products!
I'll be doing the reviews of the other products in the coming days (hopefully not weeks, haha!) so please look forward to it! :)

Disclaimer: Product was sent to me for review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Isdaan Floating Resto & Fun Park.

After my sister got married last December, the odds that my siblings and I dine together went from seldom to rare. You see, the three of us have separate houses, have jobs (me being the work-at-home kind), have weekend schedules that don't jive with each other... well, you know the drill.

But now that Mum's at home, we see to it that we dine together more often. Everyday, during dinner, if possible. Last week, Mum scheduled a Sunday lunch for the entire family. But instead of the usual home-cooked meal or fastfood delivery, we hied off to Calauan (not Bay, Laguna as most people think) for a late lunch at Isdaan.

Big fish. Isdaan! :)

The moment you set foot on Isdaan, you will be greeted by a wide parking space, a pond teeming with crocodiles, and the sight of sumptuous lechon de leche.

Man-made lake, where you can go boating. 

Don't worry, they're fake.

These ones are real. Really good. :)

Oh, and there are chickens hanging out at the entrance, too.

Once inside, you wouldn't fail to notice these life-size wax figures scattered all over the place.

Former Pres. Joseph Estrada, more popularly known to Pinoys as 'Erap'.

This Erap wax-figure sits comfortably at the lounge of the souvenir shop / pasalubong area located right beside the resto's entrance.

My Mum is pretty, isn't she? She's only 49 years old, btw. :)

There's an array of goodies you can buy, including these bags of yema bites.

Yema bites, Php 100/bag.

To get to the dining area, you have to cross this hanging bridge. They're safe to tread on, and pretty sturdy so no need to worry.

The statues add the 'zen' feel to the place.

This is how the dining area looks like. Ours is actually a cottage, spacious enough to fit a family of ten.

The cottage where we were seated.

Singing cooks and waiters, to my grandmother's delight.

Hammin' it up for the camera.

They have a pretty vast menu comprised mostly of Filipino dishes. The menu is pretty much complete, too, as they have everything from soups, appetizers, meat, fish, and vegetable entrees, rice, and desserts.

Kids get complementary balloons and lootbags filled with candies.

And because it'll take about an eternity for the food to be served, the little man and I killed time by taking photos at the play area.

When we came back to our cottage, the food still wasn't there. My grandmother was already complaining of famine, haha. So yeah, more photos while waiting.

A good thirty minutes later, the soup came.

Crab & Corn Soup, Php 297 for one huge bowl.

Followed by the little man's 'kiddie meal'.

1-piece Crispy Chicken Fry + Spaghetti, Php 224.

Then the rice came, served in small pots like this.

Sinaing na Kanin, Php 99.

Afterwards, the entrees arrived one after another.

Kalderetang Baka, Php 342.

Kare-kareng Baka, Php 342.

Calamares, Php 180/half kilo.

Crispy Pata, Php 396/half kilo.

For sides, we had this platter of green mangoes, onions, tomatoes, and bagoong.

Tinadtad na mangga, Php 76.

We had buko juice and iced tea as refreshments, but I managed to take a photo of the latter only. The buko juice was at the far end of the table, and the elders were already busy eating.

Iced tea, Php 120/pitcher.

We didn't order desserts as our tummies were filled to the point of bulging. There was no longer room for sweets, haha!

The food at Isdaan was good, but the taste isn't as mind-blowing as I had expected it to be. I still say that Mum does a better job when it comes to kare-kare. The place itself is gorgeous, and the kids will find the play area and magic/puppet show enjoyable, but they really need to improve on the cleanliness. Hello, oily placemats! Hello, black ants marching on our table!

Also, if they could expedite the serving time, that would be great. We all know people could get pretty grumpy when they're waiting - especially when you make them wait for too long. Thankfully, my grandmother was entertained by the Singing Cooks and Waiters. I wouldn't know what could happen otherwise, haha!

Oh, and make sure you have cash ready. They don't accept credit cards.

Isdaan Floating Resto & Fun Park
National Highway, Calauan, Laguna