Dining at Sakura Japanese Restaurant

Whenever me and my family goes to Subic, the trip won't be complete without having a meal at Sakura. I can say that Japanese cuisine is one of my faves, next to Filipino, of course.  So when Mr. X and I went home to the Philippines last December, Mom made sure I'll have my fill of Japanese food from Sakura.

while waiting for our food

Look at my face, can you see that I am so kilig? Not because I'm seated next to hubby, but because in just a few minutes, I'd be stuffing myself with food. Hahaha!

My I-forgot-the-name Ramen

I was feeling a bit under the weather that time and at the same time craving for a good, hot ramen so I ordered this.  It's so flavorful and has the right spicy-ness.  If you don't know yet, I like spicy food. I have some Bikolana blood in me, that's probably why.

California Maki

Seriously, what's a mean in a Japanese rest without having California Maki?

Tuna Sashimi

Between this and Salmon sashimi, I'd go for tuna. I think we ordered two of this. Don't ask why.

^_^

not sure what this one was, my guess is Seafood Ramen

We're tired of the usual Japanese salad so we got this instead. That's tuna, lettuce, cucumber inside a soft wrapper. I particularly like the dip.  

Uni Sushi

Don't even think that I ordered this one. This is my Mom's favourite. I don't think I will ever be able to eat it in this lifetime, or the next.

Ebi Tempura

I love that the batter doesn't taste like flour.  

Yakiudon

My Aunt's favorite. I don't usually eat a noodle dish with fat noodles, but yakiudons are an exception.  

Gyoza

Another favourite of mine to order in a Jap resto. But for some reason, this was just so-so. Maybe I'd try their steamed next time.

Miso Soup

Mom's not into ramen but she'll definitely order a miso soup whenever she gets the chance. 

Wagyu Rice

Mr. X ordered this and when it came, I was "Where's your ulam?"  I know there are already beef tidbits, egg, etc mixed but honestly, I don't like my ulam mixed with my kanin. I even said "Ang lungkot naman ng food mo, to think na Php450 na yan?" Hahaha.

Wagyu Steak

Just so the hubby can escape from being bullied by me, we ordered for Wagyu Steak as per the waitress' recommendation. It tastes so good and the meat is so tender. But we didn't know it costs almost Php4000! 

And of course, for dessert...

Red Bean Green Matcha Ice Cream

Geesh, just looking at this photo makes me drool. I'd choose this over my all-time favorite Quezo Real ice cream from Selecta.

We were so busog..as in really busog!  I initially thought of grabbing some coffee from Starbucks after dinner but I don't think my tummy still has space left. We had to stay for 15 minutes inside the restaurant after paying our bill because I couldn't move!  Parang puputok ang tyan ko.  Which by the way usually happens whenever we eat there.

This is how our tummy felt like that night


Thank God for selfie pods, we had a good laugh taking our selfies:

Kami na ang aliw na aliw sa selfie!
^_^

Going back to the Wagyu Steak: When we paid our bill we didn't really check the breakdown but we kept the receipt. It amounted to almost 12k and we found it still okay because: 1) it's an authentic Japanese Restaurant, 2) we ordered a lot  (some of the food I wasn't able to take photos of because well, I became busy eating)  and 3) the food was really good.  The next day, Mr. X checked the receipt and to his shock, he saw that the steak costs almost 4k nga.  Kaloka!  So I told him, Wagyu is a special kind of beef because it comes from specially-fed cows. They don't undergo stress that's why their meat tastes so good.  To which he replied, "Yeah, di nga sila na-sstress. Pero nakakastress ang presyo nila." Hahahaha.

Note to ourselves: Check for the price before ordering just so we won't get shocked when we see the bill.

^_^

Still, Sakura is my favorite Japanese Restaurant.  They have an extensive menu and most of their dishes are for sharing. Their staff are attentive and accommodating and you don't have to wait too long for your food. Given that they serve authentic Japanese cuisine, their prices are affordable. Well, their Wagyu steak isn't but I think that's the usual pricing for anything Wagyu.  I am still months away from my next vacation in the Philippines but I already asked my Mom to bring me there again.  

Sakura Japanese Restaurant

Lot 5 Times Square Bldg. corner Sta. Rita Road

Subic Bay Freeport Zone 2222

Olongapo City, Philippines

Here in Dubai, I haven't tried a Japanese restaurant that comes close to Sakura. Care to give me some recommendations?

Please like me on Facebook ( IambrigittePage ) and follow me on Twitter (_IAmBrigitte_) and Instagram (Iambrigitte)

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream Review

I've always thought that my trusty hand cream can also take care of my dry cuticles, but I was wrong. I didn't know there's a different product designed for that.  Yeah, maybe I was living under a rock all along.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Give your cuticles some TLC. Specially formulated, this buttery cream taps Sweet Aand Cocoa Seed Butter to moisturize and soften your cuticles while Vitamin E and Sunflower Oil nourish brittle nails. Feel pampered and polished from tips to toes.

Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Lip & Cheek Mousse...

My heart got broken the other day.  I wasn't able to hold back my tears that I ended up crying while waiting for a cab going home. I was so hurt and disappointed that when I got home, I cried my heart out. I was asking God, "Why me?" and "Why do you have to let me feel this way?" I know a lot of people have it worse but at that point, all I know is that I'm hurt and that I cannot take another disappointment in my life. I cried myself to sleep which is actually a good thing because sleep makes me feel a lot better. I woke up hours later still feeling sad but a bit more calm. I'm still hurting and though I can't promise that I'd stop hurting, I will try my best to do something about this situation that I am in now.  I really hope things will get better. If not, I just hope I'd be able to accept it without being hard on myself.

Anyway, I'd talk about it maybe soon (or maybe not) but for now, let's talk about something that makes me forget the not-so-good things in my life.  

When I first got my hands on the first Happy Skin products, I remember secretly wishing that they come up with more products soon.  I specifically wished that they come up with a lip and cheek tint and my oh my, they did! Actually, what they came up with is far better than what I hoped for.

Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Lip & Cheek Mousse
(Php 699)

Pucker up with a power product that gives you double-duty beauty! The Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Lip & Cheek Mousse is a lightweight product that can be worn both as a lippie AND as a blush! Wear it on your lips, or dot it onto the apples of your cheeks and blend for the ultimate flirty finish! Long-lasting and easy to blend, this 2-in-1 makeup must-have gives firmer, smoother, and better defined lips & cheeks to kiss!

I wished for something and they came up with something better!  That's how much they love me! Hahaha, I'm kidding. They knew that women love to multitask and so they want the same when it comes to their makeup.

Makeup Look: Amped Up Neutrals

And just like that, it's Sunday once again!  While my loves back in PH are still enjoying their weekend, us here in this part of the world are already back to work. If you don't know it yet, work week here in the UAE is from Sunday until Thursday and for weekends, we have Friday and Saturday. 

For today, let me share with you another (boring) neutral makeup look.  I tried amping it up with false eyelashes, which by the way is becoming a must-have in my makeup looks these days. For me, gone are the days when wearing falsies are only for special occasions. Falsies here are so usual with most women anyway and yes, I no longer have judgmental people around here when it comes to girls with makeup.

FACE

Sephora Smoothing Primer

L'oreal Infallible 24H Stay Fresh Foundation in Golden Sand

Makeup Factory Pressed Powder

Happy Skin Eye Need A Miracle Corrector

Benefit Boi-ing in Medium

Happy Skin Lip and Cheek Mousse in Warm and Toasty (cheeks)

Happy Skin Feeling Sculptacular Contour Kit

EYES and BROWS

Happy skin Eye Love View Eyebrow Pencil

NARS Pro-prime Eyeshadow Primer

Warm and Dark Brown Eyeshadows from Viseart Neutral Palette and Booty Call from Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette

3S Lashes in Sunburst

K-Palette Long Lasting Eyeliner (lashline)       

K-Palette Long Lasting Eye Pencil in Black (water line)

LIPS

Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Lipstick in The Morning After

Estee Lauder Lip Gloss

I hope you like it.

Have a happy and blessed Sunday, everyone!

Please like me on Facebook ( IambrigittePage ) and follow me on Twitter (_IAmBrigitte_) and Instagram (Iambrigitte)

How To Get Perfectly Boiled Eggs Each Time

Good day, my loves!  How's your weekend so far? 

Since it's a weekend, let me indulge you in a non-makeup post.  Do you love eggs?  I do!  Be it fried (sunny side up, scrambled), poached or boiled. Heck, I even love balot! If I am craving for some easy comfort food, I will cook 2 packs of Lucky Me Instant Canton and throw in 2 boiled eggs.  OMG, just writing about it makes me hungry.  Now, when it comes to boiled eggs, I like mine to be half-cooked. You might say, what's so hard about getting medium-cooked eggs?  If you can always come up with such, I salute you. In my case, I always end up with either soft or hard-boiled eggs.  I know you can time it, but I'm more of a visual kind of person. I want something that will let tell me "Hey, time to get me outta here!"

So when I came across a post of a friend on Facebook about an egg timer from Daiso, I made sure I get one the very next day. By the way, I love Daiso. Even when I was still in PH, I frequent that store.  In PH, prices usually start at Php88 while here in Dubai, it's at AED7 (or 8?) Prices can be cheap, just make sure you get your money's worth. What I mean is that, make sure that you won't be able to get the same product at a lower price outside Daiso.

Anyway, here's the egg timer I got from Daiso:

 I honestly shrieked out of excitement when I saw this.  It's definitely one Eureka moment for yours truly!

^_^

Kiss-proof Your Lips with Rimmel Provocalips 1Hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour

People say that one should not expect. So when things go the way you want them to be, you wouldn't end up being disappointed, hurt, or angry even. But I think it's human nature to expect or at least hope for something better. In as much as we don't want to make ourselves believe on something good that will  happen, because we don't want to get disappointed just in case they don't, we still do.  And no matter how much we say we won't get hurt in case things don't work on our favor, we still do.  Geesh, is it just me or sadyang lang talaga maging normal na tao?

I've expected a few things over the weekend, and well, I ended up disappointed.  I don't even want to elaborate about it but if there's one thing that didn't fail on my expectations, it would be these Provocalips lipcolors from Rimmel.
(let's just talk about makeup na lang, shall we?)
^_^

I went gaga over the brand's Apocalips Lip Lacquers last year (review here) that I got myself  some colors and my girl friends back in PH as pasalubong when I went home for a vacation.    The pigmentation is amazing and the staying power is so good but since I have this bad habit of licking my lips I've always hoped for a lip color that will really last. Something that won't fade, won't bleed and is transfer-proof and ahem, kiss-proof. There are a lot of brands that offer long lasting lip colors but though I have liked some of them because they really last, I haven't found a brand that my lips will be really comfortable wearing for hours. So when I came across this new line (not really new though since they have been out in the market for months) from Rimmel, I knew I had to check it out. So I did.

Rimmel London Provocalips 16Hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour

(AED 47/each at Boots)

Unlike the Apocalips, these come in a dual-ended packaging. One end has the lip color while the other end has the shine-boosting clear gloss that is also designed to lock in the color.

Skinny Dipping - I'll Call You - Play With Fire

I wanted to get all the colors, I think there are 8 available here in the sandpit, but decided to just get three. 

Roberto Cavalli Paradiso Perfume Launch in Dubai

I can hardly remember the last time I was able to attend an event in Dubai.  Aside from I don't get invites that often, it also happens that if I do, it's always on a weekday and during office hours. Bummer, right!?  So when I got an invite to attend a perfume launch that will be held on a Thursday and after office hours, I knew I just had to be there.  Besides, I need to get my mind off a lot of things.  I need some fresh air, I need to meet new friends...I am in a bad need of a social life!

The event was for the launch of Roberto Cavalli Paradiso perfume.  It was held in a posh, private villa at Hotel Sofitel in Dubai. The place was transformed into a natural paradise to reflect the very characteristic of Paradiso itself: colorful, sophisticated, joyful, a celebration of the Mediterranean dolce vita and all of its pleasures.  

 It was a chilly, Thursday night but with a backdrop as beautiful as the above, it felt like Summer's already here.

Guests were given a chance to have their photo taken with these two exotic birds. I got scared at first because one of them hopped his way too near to my face that I thought he's going to poke me in the eyes. Apparently, he was just drawn to my colorful falsies that our friends from Havas gave and personally applied to most of the lady guests.

It was an awesome night of music, good food and a whole lot of booze.

Seriously, there was a whole lot!

My fix of alcohol that night. 

^_^

There was even an entertaining and jaw-dropping showcase of magic:

There's a lot of dancing..

I got to meet new friends too!

And finally met Paul of The Style Choreo in the flesh!

The party was also graced by the face of the perfume herself, the gorgeous Edita Vilkeviciute. She was represented as a modern Eve in the garden of Eden during the campaign shot.

I've wanted to have a photo with her, but I was too shy. Oh well, that's me!  During these times, I miss my blogger friends back in PH. They always know how to boost my confidence.  For sure, they wouldn't let me pass off this chance.

Amidst the amazing party was the star of the night, the Roberto Cavalli perfume called Paradiso.  

Paradiso elevates pleasure while radiating delight and happiness. The titillating prelude of sparkling citrus blends generously with bergamot and sweet mandarin orange, stirring and captivating the senses. Adding a note of voluptuous sensuality, wild jasmine trails the fresh opening. A delicate, rich chord of cypress, pink laurel and parasol pine closes the beautiful fragrance, creating a long-lasting woody trail and revealing a mesmerizing effect of the Jasmine.

As per Roberto Cavalli himself,  "Paradiso is about a moment of happiness. I wanted to give a feeling of that instant when you feel totally at ease."

Available officially on counters starting March 2015. Prices are AED465 for 100ml and AED375 for 50ml.

One sniff and I fell inlove. Even the husband says it smells good. I'd post a separate review on this baby soon, but for now, I'll say this scent is SEXY.

Thanks to our friends in Havas for inviting me to such an awesome event.  They really know how to make their guests enjoy as I heard the party lasted until early morning. I wish I could've stayed longer, but the lola in me longed for the bed before midnight, hahaha! I'll brush up on my partying mood for the next event, I promise!

Before I end this post, let me just show you a closer view of my awesome falsies that night:

and what I wore: 

 Honestly, I felt different that night.  Everybody was at their absolute best, while me? Ahhhm, I don't know, I felt too balot.  Hahaha. But what can I do? I was cold.  But seriously, I am in a bad need of some fashion advice. Like, badly.

 By the way, belated Happy Hearts Day my loves! If you haven't gotten the special woman or women in your life a gift, check out this new scent from Roberto Cavalli. Trust me, they will love it!

Please like me on Facebook ( IambrigittePage ) and follow me on Twitter (_IAmBrigitte_) and Instagram (Iambrigitte)