Christmas In July Celebration

This may sound corny or ridiculous to some but since Winter falls from June to August in the southern hemisphere, there is such a thing called "Christmas in July. In countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, some people get together for a "Christmas in July" celebration to have that Christmas feel during winter. 

I learned about "Christmas in July" when I moved in Sydney . The concept was introduced to me by girlfriends who thought that we should come together for a Christmas-inspired meal. No giving of gifts, no fancy trimmings, just pure love for food and togetherness. We have made it a tradition and look forward to it every Winter. While my friends and I always catch up often during lunch/dinner/coffee/parties/special occasions, our Christmas in July celebrations are a bit special because we make sure there's Baked Ham on the table.

The truth was we almost skipped our "Christmas in July" celebration this year. I was semi-hibernating and busy at work. Our weekends are compromised as the Husband and I are working on web design projects. Our other friends also had things going for them. The only solution was to take a day-off during the week and fortunately, a few of us were able to get a day-off on a Thursday.

We were blessed with lovely sunny weather and a table laden with delicious food. We had Baked Ham, Beef Bulgogi, Fried Chicken and Salads. Dessert was this beautiful Mocha Roll (that tasted exactly like Goldilocks) created by our friend and ice cream on chocolate cups. 

Instead of dinner, we opted to get together for lunch so we can spend the day out in sun and play with the kids. 

I love that there is such as thing as "Christmas in July" and I'm glad that it's a valid occasion here in Australia. It's the kind of Christmas that I like where all you have to do is share a plate of food and just be there for the people you love. It's also a wonderful excuse to get together in the middle of Winter and feel the warmth that genuine friendship brings. 

Related Posts:

Christmas in July!

The Wonderful Things That Make Up A Weekend

Our Happy Christmas in July

Food Find: House of Polvoron (HOP)

We saw a stall of House of Polvoron (HOP) in Megamall (Manila, April 2013) but didn't get the chance to try it while we were there. Thankfully, I found four flavours of HOP at G&L Supermarket and Tong Li Supermarket two weeks ago. 

Polvoron is type of shortbread made of flour, sugar and milk. It's one of the most popular candies in the Philippines. It sometimes come in different flavours like ube and pinipig; and sometimes added with nuts.

Our favourite Polvoron is the one made by Goldilocks. I remember as a child, my Mom would always bring a bag of Goldilocks Polvoron and I'd giggle with happiness. Lucky that Goldilocks Polvoron are available at Asian supermarkets here so we never really miss them. Last year, we discovered chocolate-coated Chocovron. While I found it okay, the Husband didn't like it so I never bought them again. 

Having HOP here in Sydney is a good sign. It kind of changes the Polvoron scene in a great way. More brands, more choices. While I love Goldilocks Polvoron, I don't mind supporting other Filipino brands as long as they taste great.

HOP takes pride in their special polvoron because they are made of natural ingredients quality, does not contain artificial flavours and colours. Their polvoron has a delicate sweetness and crunchy texture. We've tried four flavours: Classic, Cashew, Pili and Cookies and Cream.

My favourite from all four is the Cookies and Cream flavour. It was sweeter than the other flavours but it's the kind of sweetness I can't get enough of. Its taste reminds me the Cookies and Cream cake I love from Michel's.

I found HOP at G&L Supermarket and Tong Li Supermarket. Try them if you chance upon them. 

Oliver Brown Cafe, Now Open in Blacktown

One of the chocolate cafes I like has opened a branch in our suburb.

Whenever I'm in Chatswood, I sometimes visit the Oliver Brown Cafe for coffee and chocolate. I'm glad I don't have to go too far for their sweets. They now have a branch on the 3rd level of Westpoint Blacktown. 

Oliver Brown is a Belgian chocolate cafe. They offer cakes, pastries, chocolate truffles, macarons, fondues, waffles, churros and drinks.  

Yesterday, we bought two slices of cakes and had them for dessert after dinner.

Chocolate Mud Cake satisfied the Husband's chocolate craving. It was rich and not too sweet. 

On the other hand, I chose the Swiss Roll and enjoyed the chocolate chiffon and mocha-flavoured filling.

Visit the Oliver Brown and have a try at their sweet offerings. 

Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe

Level 3, Westpoint Blacktown

17 Patrick Street, Blacktown

Ph: 02 8678 0628

More Food Discoveries at Senario Cafe

Whenever we're at Westpoint Blacktown, we find ourselves having meals at Senario Cafe. It opened early this year and we've been discovering more of their delicious offerings as time goes by. We usually stop by for brunch and coffee. 

Fluffy Pancakes with Bacon and Eggs. A sweet marriage of sweet and salty. 

Eggs Benedict with ham placed on top of a panini. They make the perfect poached eggs and the panini is a good change from the usual muffin. 

Burger Breakkie with Chips. Sausage patty in between a hash brown and egg. 

Big Breakfast. A meal good enough to share which consists of two toasts, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, eggs and hash brown. The Husband and I split this meal between us and left us filled and satisfied.

On Thursday nights, they close the same time as the end of late night shopping (9pm) and one time that I met up with a friend, we had dinner and coffee. My friend shared her Club Sandwich with me and I loved it. I enjoyed the sandwich because of the tasty chicken and added avocado. The wedges that came with it had a tasty coating which gave it a good crunch upon biting.  

My first try at their dessert was the Apple and Blueberry Pie. It came with vanilla ice cream and lots of whipped cream. It was such a beautiful dessert with lots of sweet apples inside the pie. 

The Husband and I are so glad to have a cafe near our place where we can have good-tasting meals and coffee. We're looking forward to trying out their other food offerings.

Senario
Level 3, Westpoint Shopping Centre 
17 Patrick Street, Blacktown NSW
Phone: 02 9676 7737

Sweet "Me" Times at Max Brenner

Max Brenner is another cafe that we frequent near our home. Lately I've been having my "Me" times here. On evenings when we plan to do grocery shipping, I wait for the Husband at Max Brenner and indulge in their desserts. 

Their Belgian Waffle is always a favourite which I always pair up with strawberries and a cup of coffee.

The Optimistic Trio is my latest cake discovery. It's made up of three layers of mousse: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. It was sooooo good.

I ate it while enjoying a cup of Flat White. My coffee came with a small stirrer spoon; the cutest stirrer I've ever encountered.

My latest visit at Max Brenner was before we watched "Man of Steel" where I had a cup of one of their Winter offerings, Salted Caramel Storm. I tasted a hint of caramel in my chocolate drink but I hoped for more and felt underwhelmed. I guess I'll go back to ordered their normal chocolate drinks and coffee.

For good chocolate desserts and drinks, Max Brenner gives me my sweet "Me" time. It's a place where I get to feel a certain warmth all the time.

The Dry Skin Brushing Experience

One of the healthy habits I discovered this year was dry brushing of the skin. A beauty blog has led me to information about it and while I was open to trying it out, it took me some time to finally buy my first dry brush and making it a habit. 

What is Dry Brushing? It is a way of exfoliating the skin by using just a brush. No water needed. It aids in the detoxification of the body's lymphatic system.

I purchased a dry brush when I was in Manila last April. I found a reasonably-priced dry brush at Watsons (not more than P500.00) and it was only here in Sydney that I started using it. 

Did I like using it? Yes. My skin immediately adjusted to the bristles of the brush. It was neither hard nor soft, it just had enough roughness to exfoliate the skin. 

Effects on My Skin and Body. After a few days of dry brushing, I noticed my stretchmarks have disappeared and my cellulites have reduced. I noticed too that even if it's Winter now, I don't suffer from too much dryness of skin. 

When and How Often Do I Dry Brush? I dry brush before I take a shower and I try to do it everyday. Although on some days I can't because I woke up late and rushing in the morning to go to work BUT I try to do it as regularly as possible.

Let me share with you a few things I learned about dry brushing:

Benefits of Dry Brushing

• Removes dead layers of skin and other outer impurities.
• Stimulates and increases blood circulation.
• Helps release fatty deposits under your skin’s surface.
• Assists the eliminative capacity of your body’s organs.
• Rejuvenates your cells.
• Strengthens your immune system.
• Increases muscle tone.
• Improves skin texture.
• Helps prevent premature ageing.

How To Dry Brush: 
(source)

1. Begin with your feet and brush vigorously in circular motions.
2. Continue brushing up your legs.
3. Proceed to your hands and arms.
4. Brush your entire back and abdomen area, shoulders and neck.
5. Use circular counter-clockwise strokes on the abdomen.
6. Use light pressure on the breasts and any other sensitive areas.
7. Brush upwards on the back and down from the neck. Better yet, have a friend, spouse or family member brush your back.

A short video I found which shows the proper way of dry skin brushing:

(source)

Some Tips:

• You will need a brush with soft natural bristles for dry brushing. Do not use synthetic bristles. Buy one that has a longer handle so it'll be easier to reach your back and sides.
• Make sure that the dry brushing is done softly in the initial stages so that soreness is avoided. 
• Application of a little more pressure can be done as your skin gets used to dry brushing.
• Your skin and brush should be dry. Shower after skin brushing to remove exfoliated skin.
• Do not do any dry brushing over cuts, wounds or rashes.
• Begin by brushing the outermost parts of your body (hands and feet) towards the center of your body.
• Pass the brush once over your body, except the face.
• The brush strokes should move towards your heart. This improvement in blood circulation is why so many people feel extremely refreshed after an energetic session of dry brushing.
• It is only when you are dry brushing your stomach that you are going to apply clockwise brushing movements.
• Slight flushing of the skin is normal, due to increased circulation. The skin should not be red or irritated, if it is you're using too much pressure.
• The entire process should only take one to two minutes.
• Clean the brush meticulously after every brushing session.
• If your skin is extremely dry, rub some oil into it after you have brushed it and showered. 

Have you tried dry skin brushing? If so, what effects did you experience after dry brushing your skin?

Cute Alert: LEGO School Supplies

Something I found at Officeworks a few months ago. 

It's a school supply set of LEGO pencils, erasers and a pencil sharpener.

The other side of the pencil sharpener shows a grumpy looking LEGO head...but he still looks cute!

The set costs not more than AUD$10.00. 

Useful, cute and reminds me of my childhood.

Style Musings: Cherry Blossom Charm From Pandora

When I had my first charm, a camera, I didn't know what my next charm will be. As mentioned in my post then, I want my future charm bracelet to be special so instead of buying charms in one go, I'm creating my charm bracelet one charm at a time.

A few months after my camera charm purchase, Pandora came out with the Spring Collection and it included Cherry Blossom charms! I was soooooo happy. It was the perfect charm to buy! At that time these charms came out, the Husband and I were preparing for our comeback to Seoul for the Spring Festival, where the city will be filled with Cherry Blossom trees in bloom.  

Why a Cherry Blossom flower?

I'm enamoured with Cherry Blossom flowers. I first saw them when we travelled to Seoul in 2011 and I fell inlove with its dainty beauty. Whenever I see Cherry Blossom flowers, all my Husband can hear me say is, "They're sooooo pretty" with matching dreamy look (hahaha). I'm really charmed by them.

Cherry Blossoms signifies my love for Seoul and Korean culture. After a few years of learning about Korean culture and travelling to Seoul twice, the Husband and I feel a connection to the place and its culture. It's not just a simple fascination. It's something deep and wanting that we simply say that Seoul is our third home now.

Spring is my favourite season. This Cherry Blossom charm will remind me of our Romantic Spring wedding. This charm will remind me of the beautiful flowers we've seen during Floriades in Canberra. This will remind of all the Cherry Blossom flowers I've seen during Spring time. Most of all, this charm will always remind me of beginnings and hellos, which for me are happy moments of life.

The nice thing about Pandora was that they came out with Cherry Blossom earrings and rings too. When I arrived at the store and saw the earrings, I can't help but buy a pair. The flower comes in pale pink, although in these photos, they are somewhat white due to lighting at home.

Since I don't have charm bracelet yet, I used my two-toned necklace for the Cherry Blossom charm and wear it on my neck for now. 

I love these Cherry Blossom charms. Simple, dainty and very significant. 

Related Posts:

Seoul, I'm Loving You

Seoul, In Love With You Again

Style Musings: Camera Charm From Pandora

Nespresso Vanilio, Caramelito & Ciocattino - Now Unlimited

Three new Nespresso Grand Crus from the Limited Edition series are now unlimited. 

Every year, Nespresso comes out with limited edition Grand Crus which they offer for a few weeks. This time, Nespresso decided to make three limited edition grand crus as part of their regular offerings. They now total 19 Grand Crus.

The used the Livanto Grand Cru as their coffee and added three different flavours: Vanilla, Caramel and Dark Chocolate.

Vanilio. A balanced harmony between the rich and the velvety aromas of vanilla and the mellow flavour of the Livanto. A blend distinguished by its full flavour, infinitely smooth and silky on the palate.

Caramelito. The sweet flavour of caramel softens the roasted notes of the Livanto. This delicate gourmet marriage evokes the creaminess of soft toffee.

Ciocattino. Dark and bitter chocolate notes meet the caramelised notes of the Livanto. A rich combination reminscent of a square of dark chocolate.

All these three flavour taste really good. The Husband and I have been enjoying them for the past few weeks. My favourite flavour from all three is the Vanilio because of its sweetness and smoothness. Amazingly, I also love the Ciocattino even if I don't link dark chocolate as its bitterness makes the flavour of coffee richer. As for the Caramelito, I thought it would be very sweet but it wasn't, it was just right.

These three new Grand Crus have been available for quite sometime now so in case you haven't tried it yet, check them out at your nearest Nespresso boutique or order online. 

The Benefits of Drinking Coffee (Infographic)

Sharing some cuteness on this Friday morning. 

Here's an infographic on the benefits of drinking coffee created by Carla Maglione.

Mornings In My Creative Space

Mornings are when the Hubby usually finds me in my creative space. It is when he finds me typing away on my laptop, doing photography shoots, stamping on my sketchbook or reading a book. I love the morning light and I love to start my day doing something I love.

In my creative space, I'm usually accompanied by a book, camera, crafty things, a notebook or sketchbook, pencils and a cup of coffee. These are a few things that fuel my inspiration. 

Live In The Moment And Be Happy

I've written this affirmation a long time ago and since then, I've made it my manifesto. 

Live in the moment and enjoy being.

"My concept of 'Being' means embracing whatever life brings you...it may be joy, sorrow, pain, hardships---the key is to cherish it (even if its painful) and learn from it. We honor our joy, we might as well honor our pain too. Life is so much sweeter when you know you're able to go thru happy or sad moments with no shortcuts."

- an ibyangism i learned when i moved in Sydney and found out that life is more beautiful when you have gone thru cherished tears.

Last weekend, I got inspired by the Happy Quote Book and decided to make variation of my "Live in the Moment" manifesto.

Live in the moment and be happy. 

Wishing you all a great week ahead!

Related Posts:

Affirmation: Live In The Moment and Enjoy Being

Discovered Inspirations: The Happy Quote Book

Nutella Pancakes

Hubby is very busy with work that he's been working even on weekends. This morning before left for work, I woke up early and made a special breakfast for him--Nutella Pancakes! 

There's really nothing extraordinary with the pancake batter I made, only that I added two teaspoons of Nutella spread on the batter. It was enough to bring a little hazelnut flavour to the pancake. (If you want it more sweet or hazelnut-ty, add more!). 

I topped it with caramelised apples (cook apples in brown sugar for a minute or two). The apples brought a bit of tartness to the sweet Nutella Pancakes.

If you want to make your pancakes a little more special, you can add spreads (like Peanut Butter, Nutella, Speculoos, strawberry, etc), nuts or cheese (Ricotta Pancakes are yum!) to the pancake batter.

Happy Sunday!

Elizabeth Gilbert - Life After Eat Pray Love (January 2013)

This month, "A Wife's Charmed Life" is celebrating its 6th birthday in the blogosphere. I sometimes look back at the journeys this blog has taken and I always wonder in awe at how much it has grown and how much I've grown too as person. So as a gift to my beloved readers, let me share a special moment that happened on my birthday six months ago: attending Elizabeth Gilbert's talk at the Sydney Opera House where I also got to meet her.

-o0o0o-

Elizabeth "Liz" Gilbert is intelligent, funny and endearing. Her aura illuminates with such positive energy. Listening to her talk about her life and advices when it comes to following one’s passion was a very inspiring experience.

I love Liz Gilbert. Her book Eat Pray Love brought a lot of sense to me and thru it I learned the missing link in my life then which was the value of balance. It was a dream come true to see her and learn a lot from her stories. 

The best part was I got to meet her too! She did this talk three days before my birthday in January this year and it was one of best gifts the Universe has ever given to me. When we met, she complimented me that I have a beautiful name (she referred to Ivy) and then greeted me a “Happy birthday!” when I mentioned that she is fate's birthday gift to me. It was so surreal! 

Here she is signing my old Eat Pray Love book. :)

I'm sharing a video of her talk at the Sydney Opera House below. It's lengthy but it's worth your time. However, if you have no time to watch just yet, here are some things I learned from Liz Gilbert’s talk:

On her life:

Writing is her only talent, she does it good and had always been her path.

She’s experienced life in Wyoming as a ranch girl.

She’s gullible…she easily believes in everything.

She enjoys the company of men as men are more interesting.

She describes herself as an introvert trapped in an extrovert body.

On writing 

When writing, one should have a particular person/audience directed to .

On writing Eat Pray Love

It was a letter to her friend Darcy. 

It’s her most intimate book as it is her story but she had no regrets writing it, it is a great blessing to her life.

The best thing that has happened during her journey was the 4 months she spent in India as she finds a peace resolution to herself.

On overcoming that judgemental voice

Be more stubborn to that voice; quiet that voice so your own voice will come out.

Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself.

Push hard, be relentless because it has to be done.

On making your dreams come true

Anything challenging is worth doing.

It is your passion, it is your responsibility.

Stop complaining.

On empowering women

We as women need to constantly be realistic perspective on how far we've come in such a short time.

Relax and don’t be hard on yourself.

It doesn’t help when society dictates what women should do etc. but there are new freedoms.

(source)

Last year, the universe gifted me with Roger Federer. This year, it was Liz Gilbert. Words cannot express how much I'm truly grateful for these inspiring encounters. Moments like these will always warm my heart.

Related Posts:

Life After Eat Pray Love: Elizabeth Gilbert in Sydney

Book: Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Australian Open 2012 Experience

Back From Melbourne

Our 6th Anniversary

A Happy Ibyang Day!

When Tuyo Is On The Table, It's Love

One fine Friday when I had my usual stop over at the Asian Supermarket, my foodie heart skipped a beat when I saw frozen-packed dried fish (Tuyo) imported from the Philippines. The Tuyo lover in me grabbed a pack and right there and then changed whatever dinner plans we had and told the Husband, "We are having Tuyo for dinner!"

Now here's what I do to lessen the fishy smell in our home whenever I cook Tuyo:

At home, I filled our oil burner with new oil and lighted all the scented candles we had at home to counter (or at least lessen) the fishy smell that these yummy tuyo will generate while I cook them. Once all scented candles were lit, I fried them as fast as I could. My trick is to fry them in an almost high heat and cover the pan while frying them. Once I'm done cooking, I clean up the stove and kitchen counters and walls so they won't smell like fish and spray some air freshener. As soon as the frying pan is cold, I immediately wash them. 

A favourite siding to Tuyo are tomatoes and boiled eggs. Some people eat them with salted eggs. Since the Tuyo is already salty on its own, I just boil eggs, slice them up and combine them with tomatoes.

If there are no frozen Tuyo available in Asian supermarkets, I almost always have a bottle of Gourmet Tuyo at home so when the craving for Tuyo hits, we can readily have it in whatever meal of the day. Having a bottled Tuyo is very handy and versatile . Sometimes we enjoy it with Champorado (Chocolate Rice Porridge) for breakfast.

I also make pasta dishes with my bottled Tuyo. It's so easy. Just saute the Tuyo in oil, garlic and tomatoes, add a bit of seasoning and voila! You have a tasty, healthy meal that only took less than 20 minutes to prepare.

Whenever we vacation in Manila, my parents always make sure we get to eat Tuyo at home. They'd always get us Danggit from Cebu. I love Danggit! It's one of my favourite kind of Tuyo. I didn't have a proper photo of the Danggit we ate but below is one where I took a photo of my breakfast at home. Although the Bacon took most of the frame (and in focused too!), the Danggit was equally enjoyed. I remember dipping it in vinegar and it was sooo yum!

When in Manila, there is always an abundance of foodie gifts from friends and we deeply appreciate all of their thoughtfulness. One of the foodie gifts we got were these little dried fish from Bicol. It was perfect with fried rice and salted egg and tomatoes.  

There's something about eating Tuyo that gives me and the Husband so much comfort. It's a humble dish that brings a certain warmth to our hearts and home while we enjoy eating it together. Maybe because it reminds us of our home in Manila, our childhood, of times spent eating it with family or when we'd have beach outing with friends. Whatever the reason is, when Tuyo is on the table, it's love.

Related Posts:

Ahhhh...Tuyo (Dried Salty Fish), How I've Missed You!

Foodie Love In A Bottle of Gourmet Tuyo