What's in a #citysuper?

Mom had asked me to look for something specific, and we only had a few hours left before we had to go to the airport. But even in that quick trip, I managed to snap some pictures of stuff that I wished local grocery stores carried. A trip to any grocery store abroad would always make me feel like I am missing so much. Check these out and tell me if your mouth does not water.

Dark, dark Japanese kyoho grapes. I checked, they really are called kyoho, from "kyoho budo", literally meaning "giant mountain grapes."

Lots of Japanese condiments. I did not have time to check out each one but I did manage to grab a bottle of dashi granules. Hope to make some chawan mushi as soon as I figure out the instructions on the bottle!

Wagyu! At 20% off! We got a free taste too. No pictures of the free taste, we gobbled it up too quickly.

All kinds of organic stuff. This is organic pork fron Denmark - it came in all kinds of cuts. I can only find sinigang and adobo cut here in Manila.

I find it hard enough to source kale and arugula in Manila, let alone baby ones.

French foie gras flown fresh, now that's quite a mouthful. I am not a regular consumer of foie gras (disclaimer) because I've read how cruel some farms are to the geese. I am perfectly happy with chicken liver for my regular dose of vitamin A. But some of these, once in awhile, sure would be a happy pill.

I first tried mozzarella di bufala at a wet market in Rome. The lady picked up one ball, cut it in half, and drizzled some evoo on it. I was hooked. I later learned that the cheese had to stay in its own liquid, and kept constantly cold. No chance for me to bring it home. Finding it in hk means there's no need to go all the way to Europe to find it.

And for my grand finale... Jamon from Spain! Hubby and I love spanish tapas. The jamon iberico was a personal fave. There is a jamon counter in all citysuper stores to suit your fancy. Jamon is also quite easy to bring home too as the meat is naturally preserved, and the packaging is so flat. In fact, it was so flat, I misplaced ours and only found it again when we got back to Manila. Yup, I got to bring home a piece of citysuper!

The Luxury that is Brunch

Brunch, to me, is such a luxury. My normal breakfast is a cup of oatmeal on the drive to work, and (on most days) a tall cup of coffee to tide me over till lunchtime. On good days, I'll have a small pastry along with it. When I was pregnant, and while I was nursing - I would pass by McDonald's for pancakes... For the extra calories! For lunch, I would usually eat at my table while going through email, or paying bills online, or just catching up on "mindless" tasks (i.e. tasks that do not require my brain to fully function while I chew....) 

Brunch, to me, is a luxury. 

1. Brunch means I got to wake up later than usual that day. Brunch usually starts at around 10 o'clock right? That means no work!!!

2. Brunch means I get to eat fancy food, freshly brewed coffee, and someone will serve me my food. It means I will get a proper table setting, and a napkin for my lap too!

3. Brunch means I can dawdle over my food... I can sit, look at it, take pictures of it, Instagram it, talk about it, take small bites.... I don't have to scarf it down in 2 seconds because I am rushing to a meeting.

4. Brunch means there's someone beside me who I can share this beautiful, fanciful food with! I get a proper human being rather than a square screen. I get a proper reply, rather than a pop up message. I say what I want to talk about, and not have to type it out.

5. Brunch brings me back to good times. It reminds me of the year spent in grad school. It reminds me of the Easter Sunday brunch somewhere in the forests of Fontainebleau - that stretched to 4pm in the afternoon. It brings me back to carefree days.

Hence, I welcomed brunch with the SoMoms at Cafe 1771 in Ortigas with a lot of gusto. It was going to be all the good things I mentioned above... Plus SHOPPING! Before the shopping though... Let me show you the spread.

Our brunch menu.

The vegetable fritata, which i absolutely loved. It's actually a great idea to do this for leftover veggies too.

A favorite among the SoMoms, the salmon lasagna.

Thin, juicy slices of chicken picata.

Mini (and cheesy) croque monsieurs.

These pancakes were served with bananas and caramelized walnuts. Simple but super yummy!

It was an engaging morning, meeting and socializing with these group of moms (and dad) who are all so engaged in raising their kids and being better versions of themselves.  Now, that was indeed a perfect brunch - good food, good company and good conversation.

For your own mini event needs (not just brunch), check out Cafe 1771. In the El Pueblo branch where we went, there are areas at the second floor (this is actually the Wine Bar section) that can be converted into small private rooms. They are perfect for intimate get togethers. I honestly have not had lunch or dinner at Cafe 1771 recently... But if brunch is an indication, I am sure they will not disappoint. Now, this would be a little telling of my age... Cafe 1771 used to be a "dating place" back in the late 90's. It was Chateau 1771 then. This was the heyday of St. Francis Square, and The Podium did not exist yet. I was early 20's then and it sure felt very posh to go there. 

Now, didn't I promise some shopping? Watch out for my next post on mompreneurs and shopping! See you soon! In the meantime, why don't you go and try the luxury of Cafe 1771?

Seeing the World: Kinkakuji, Kyoto

This photo was taken by me, on my iPhone. I love it because it feels like I was the only one there at that time, basking in the quiet dignity of the Golden Pavilion. In reality, there were about 100 or so tourists there, all timing when they can jump into the view for their own souvenir "i've been here" shot.
I've seen pictures of Kinkakuji while I was researching online for our trip. They all look like this - and I always thought that it's because they were professional photographers, who could have the place booked to themselves.
This is what makes Kyoto beautiful - the temples, the gardens, the trees and the greenery all stand in their full, regal glory, oblivious to the people in awe of them.

Read about Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) here.

DroolWorthy: I See RED!

Since it's still my birthday month, I think I deserve to post a piece on some of the material things I like. They are such beautiful eye candy - I don't mind just looking at them over and over again! In no particular order....

1. The Balenciaga Velo, in Coquelicot (Such a tease!). My current ultimate material wish.

from Kepris.com

2. Proenza Schouler Shoulder bag - this was a Valentine special, and I regret not remembering what it's called. It's now MIA from the website! I hope I run into this one again soon....

from proenzaschouler.com

3. Celine Luggage Tote in Lipstick Red - this is actually Amanda Mull's bag - from the purseblog. I love how it looks against those clear acrylic chairs.

photo from www.purseblog.com

4. Yves Saint Laurent Chyc (I checked the spelling twice) in red. Classic.

from www.ysl.com

5. Or maybe, for a more casual day, this YSL clutch in red patent leather.

from www.ysl.com

A little late - but a happy May to everyone - for selfish reasons, it's my favorite month.