Cheap Finds: Nips Dark Chocolate

 Honestly with everything going on chocolate has been one of my saving grace to keep me sane. And while I was browsing around the candies and chocolate aisle the past weekend I was able to see this nifty item - Nips Dark Chocolate! 

You know me, I love some dark chocolate and I can't pass this up so I grabbed a couple of bags and tried it out. 

For only 12PHP you get about 40 grams of dark chocolate nibbles which are great if you like to nibble while working or when you are binge watching some series. 

The taste wasn't really the kind of dark chocolate that I am used to. It is dark chocolate but its not the very bitter kind that I really like because I like my dark chocolate that way. Maybe because of the hard shell the taste was sort of altered but still its a great alternative to the usual milk chocolate Nips that I get when I do my grocery run. 

I know this might be triggering for some but nowadays chocolate and other snacks are sort of my safety blanket because of everything that is happening. I know I am in a place where I am privilege enough to be able to buy these small bags of chocolate as a means to escape the stress and anxiety I am experiencing. But please take in consideration that these are the only means of outlet I have right now to step out and decompress my situation. The pain of losing a beloved and also the stress of performing well at a task I am not sure I am doing right is not easy to juggle along with other personal things I will not talk about here. So please spare me the judgement for once because I am tired from it. 

So going back, Will I repurchase this? of course! I still loved the taste of this chocolate and I can't deny that the price is what made me jump at it and hoard because I tend to grab one and nibble on it. 

What do you nibble on when binging? Let me know in the comments section. 

Much Love 

xx Alice 

Food Finds: Toasted Siopao

Hello ladies! I am back with another food find! 

If you live within Teacher's Village, you would probably know this place already. Last Sunday, my friend's Grandmother offered us this small bread that actually looks like siopao but its brown in color. 

it was actually called toasted siopao. 

I was surprised since I haven't tasted one and when I did, it tastes so different compared to the original siopao. 

Siopao or steamed bun is white in appearance and its quite fluffy which is its distinct trademark. 

This is what a toasted siopao looks like on the outside, You can definitely see that it has that bun shape but its brown in color with come dark contrasts.

It contains meat and a slice of egg on the inside. There isn't a special sauce that would be given to you to add with the toasted siopao since the filling inside has sauce which is savory. 

One thing that I like about this is two or three of these would make you full already so if you are watching your weight, you can eat this without the guilt. 

I would just like to remind you that eating too much is unhealthy so make sure to watch what you eat. 

My mom and my nephew actually likes this so I'm planning on buying again next time when I go to my friend's house. 

You can buy this at TatyStar Bakery located at Madasalin St., Teacher's Village in Quezon City. 

Much Love! 

xx Alice 

Cheap Thrills: Great Taste White Coffee

As much as I want to go to Starbucks everyday my wallet is not allowing me. I know I may sound cheap but its true! And also the calories you get in one tall frap is equivalent to two chocolate cakes! I nearly fainted when my friend told me that. But getting my fix once in a while is not bad right?

Going back to the topic, Since I've stopped craving Starbucks that much I found another alternative for it. As I was checking the coffee section I saw this and was a bit curious. I can say that I had doubts about this since it says smoother and creamier can a 3 in 1 coffee do that on its own? hmmmmm....

I personally prefer my coffee with lots of creamer or milk since I don't need to add sugar that much.
One sachet of this is for one serving since if you put half only it would be bland >.<
I like this since I don't have to add sugar to it. But if you like sweet coffee you can add more sugar. 

I was just disappointed when there is no bigger size for this at the store I frequently go to. In comparison to the 3 in 1 coffees that I've tried I think this is the one I will buy again since I can just make it without sugar!

Are you a coffee addict and/or Starbucks addict? What's your favorite coffee?

Let me know on the comment box!

Much Love!

-- Alice

Kopiccino - A Cheap but Great Tasting Capuccino

I am an avid coffee drinker, I even had a so-called affair with it! haha and besides from the espresso and frap that I normally order I would sometimes order cappuccino since I like the creamy and frothy.

I actually found this when I was in ministop and just liked to try it out. Its pretty cheap its around 9-12 pesos which is less than a dollar. I must warn you that this will not be like the one that you see on the packet.

In terms of sweetness its okay since I prefer accompanying this with something sweet like a cake or doughnut.

As far as I can say this product is good since its not too sweet nor too bitter. I actually prefer my instant coffee that way since I would accompany this with a sweet treat ^^,

Try this out for sure if you are having a slow afternoon. This will give you that sweet caffeine boost!

Much Love!

-- Alice 

Tofu Omelete!!

I love tofu! I love tofu! I love tofu! Did I say I love tofu? Haha! 

When I was starting out my diet I rarely ate meat and since I like meat a lot I need to get an alternative meat source. I know it sounded like I'm addicted to meat but I can honestly say meat is something I really crave - especially Korean beef! oh just thinking about it makes me cringe since I haven't eaten Korean beef in 3 months (note to self: MUST.EAT.KOREAN.BEEF.SOON). But this post is not about meat but more on tofu! 

Food Finds: San Marino Chili Corned Tuna

Hey everyone! 

As of the moment I have fallen in love. Not with a guy but with san marino. 

I haven't tasted this before and I actually got these in my goody bag from the Filipino Bloggers Hub party a couple of months back. 

I wasn't really into corned tuna at that time because honestly I have my doubts. 

Would it taste just like corned beef? will it be okay for the kids? Is this healthier than the canned tuna? 

I know most of the questions were easily answered and I got my answer when I opened this can and tasted it for myself. I got this chili corned tuna which was great since I was also craving for something spicy.

I was expecting not so much of the chili since most chili canned tuna I've tasted weren't really spicy nor chili to begin with. I have to add gochujang (red pepper paste) or hot sauce to bring some spiciness into the meal. But this one is different since I was able to taste the chili from the beginning and this was what I looked like after tasting my first spoonful of this

I know it looks weird but trust me if you like spicy tuna this will be the one for you. 

Another thing I like about this is that one can is good for two servings. I wasn't able to finish this whole can so I was able to enjoy this for my dinner. 

I think this is retailed 45PHP per can which really hits the budget. You just need rice and this and you are all good for the day trust me. 

Its a must try for sure. 

Gotta go! 

Much Love! 

-- Alice 

Dark Chocolate Madness

 

I.LOVE.CHOCOLATE.

I actually eat chocolate when its available and I think I have tried different kinds of chocolate from different countries. I'm not an expert on these, I just simply love them.

I actually got this because I was looking for some food when I forgot my lunch a week ago. 

The chocolate I love the most is actually dark chocolate because its not really sweet, its more bitter which people say this type has a lot of antioxidants which is good for us. 

Goya chocolates are actually based here in the Philippines and I have been loving their products even when I was young so I wasn't surprised that they released chocolate bars. 

They have different variants of this, it has nuts and raisins, milk chocolate, cookies and cream and white chocolate. 

You can buy this in all stores nationwide. The price would depend though by store. 

Much love! 

-- Alice 

My twist on Bibimbap

I like eating Korean food for some reason. I especially like eating Bibimbap.

Bibimbap literally means mixed rice. If you have watched Full House, Song Hye Kyo actually had a scene that she made bibimbap in a big bowl. 

Usually a bibimbap consists of a bowl warm of rice, namul or vegetables, pepper paste (gochujang), raw or fried egg and sliced beef. When you eat a Bibimbap you have to mix it thoroughly so all the flavors will blend together. 

Koreans actually present this dish in a more detailed manner when you eat it in restaurant, and by all honesty its too good for me to eat. 

I usually eat this when I really need an energy booster because of the pepper paste. In my version, instead of having beef, I actually added poached chicken breasts without the skin. For the vegetables, I used lettuce since it was the only vegetable available in my chiller. I also cooked 1 small egg and then had only a half cup of rice since I am on a diet. And of course 2 Tbsp of chili pepper paste. I actually added more when I was mixing it. I know it would turn me red after eating this but I'm quite used to it. ^^,

When making bibimbap, any ingredient is okay to use just as long as it is edible haha! 

And if you are having some problem about the pepper paste, you can just check out the Chinese/Japanese/Korean Aisle in your local grocer, I'm pretty sure they have it there ^^, 

Much Love! 

-- Alice

Cheap Food Finds Under 100 php: KFC Supreme Bowl

If you are looking for a yummy but affordable food I suggest you try the Supreme Bowls of KFC. For only 100 pesos you can choose between Kung Pao or Chicken ala King and it comes with a drink! 

I actually ordered Kung Pao since this is my favorite. I like Chicken ala king too but its not really exciting for my taste for some reason. 

Check this out at any KFC nationwide. 

Much Love! 

-- Alice

Look what I got in the mail!

Look what I got in the mail? yeehee! 

Night Out with my College Friends

From L to R: Marica, Danica, Michelle, Kathy, Gracie, and Joan

Last Saturday I was able to hang out with my college friends in Michelle's house. 

If you are one of my readers Michelle is one of my biggest supporter and my uber best friend.

We actually started at around 5pm because some of us came a little later than the time that was set up haha! Sorry Filipino time again LOL 

Of course since it has been a while since we got together there were a lot of catching up to do. And also a lot of gossiping, its a normal thing since WE are girls you know! haha! 

The initial plan was actually a night out in Eastwood, then it became Madison's then Padi's Cubao. But the final decision was in Michelle's house. You should have seen the thread we made on Facebook, it was like a week's worth! 

Random moment.

 Hanging out with my college girl friends is actually much fun than those with my High school friends. There I said it. Because I can't connect with their likes to what I like. I'm fairly a girly girl in person if you ask me. And I was a different person when I was in High school, Its nowhere near what I am right now. 

Going back to the topic. 

It was actually a bit awkward when we started, it was like when we were in Freshman year in college all over again haha! but later on we were able to get comfortable. 

bottle number 1.

We started the evening with a bottle of red wine from Italy. We also got a lesson about wine from Michelle's tito Arnold :) 

The second bottle that we had was a bit harder to finish than the first one. The second wine actually didn't tasted that good. ick!

We also had pizza! haha! we were actually planning on ordering Big Guy's Pizza but when we were informed that it will be delivered at 10 pm we just said THANK YOU! 

The ever so known "Dyahe" piece. And for some reason I was the one who ate this piece. 

We also had Pancit Palabok from.... I forgot! sorry haha! but it tasted really good. ^_^

Here are some of the pictures of what happened. 

Enjoy! :) 

I am really sorry for the exaggerated pose. WE WERE HUNGRY!

 And now I leave you with a picture of one of my friends who got first serving of the pancit palabok

Much Love! 

-- Alice

Cheap Thrills for 50 pesos

Being a curious person I always find unique ways to save money and have fun at the same time. 

While I was in college, my usual budget for the day is actually believe it or not is 50 pesos. And up until now I still can live with that amount of money in my pocket. 

And believe me I am still able to save up some money from that. Its all a matter of self control and discipline. 

Here are some things you can do with your 50 pesos.

1. Buy 30 pesos worth of Pan De Sal and a Big bottle of RC cola. Basically the big bottle costs around 17 - 20 pesos, you'll be lucky if it only 17 pesos because you still have 3 pesos to spare. 

2. 2 and a half hours of internet time in the computer shop. Some computer rentals actually offer more 15 pesos per hour charges. You can play some online games and check your email at the same time. 

3. Buy yourself 2 ice cream cones from Selecta. 1 cone is 25 pesos. 

4. Load! of course Philippines has a lot of prepaid loading station so at least get yourself one. 

5. with 20 pesos you can enjoy a relaxing massage in the mall. There are those massage chairs in the mall. 

6. Get a hair cut. Some salons and barbershops offer 50 pesos haircuts, but don't expect a world-renowned expert to do it okay? 

7. If you like street food you can get 20 fishballs for 10 pesos (.50 cents each),  6 kikiam for 15 pesos (2.50 pesos each), 6 squidballs for 15 pesos (2.50 pesos each) and a large cup of samalamig. 

8. 5 packs of crispy chicken skin. Yes I know this is full of cholesterol and stuff, its not like you are going to eat this all by yourself, get real! This is best to share with your friends over a bucket of beer and also with a dip of vinegar with chili. 

9. An order of Angel's Cheese burger with drinks. This roughly costs around 45 pesos, you still have some spare cash after this. 

and last but not the least.... 

10. Enjoy a salad D'Lite from KFC for 49 pesos! 

Much Love! 

-- Alice 

Biiiiiiigggggg Pizzzaaaa!!!! :))

We just had a pizza party here at the office. 

36 inches of hawaiian and all meat. Isn't it just so tempting? Haha! 

Another sira diet moment for Alice LOL 

I only had 2 slices. So that means I would have to walk for like 2 hours in the treadmill, do 50 crunches, 30 mins of running and will have to cut back on rice again. haha! way to torture myself right? 

But I have been dieting diligently but I think I need to pump up my exercise more. 

I'm planning on buying hip hop abs this weekend. 

And why did I end up talking about my plans again? LOL 

I'm thinking of asking my brother if we can buy this for this Sunday's celebration. Maybe yes maybe no. Not really sure if he'd say yes but I will try to persuade my snitch of a brother LOL

for 1288 pesos you get a 36 inches pizza. One downside though is you have to wait for like 45 mins to an hour. but the wait won't put you in vain, the taste is just explainable. 

The crust is not like those of Shakey's, Pizza Hut or other pizza joint. 

This is a perfect barkada food if you ask me. 

We bought this from Big Guy's Pizza. Check out their Facebook page here.

They have two locations in Ortigas.
1. Ortigas: G/F Madison Square Ortigas, Madison St. Cor. Ortigas Avenue (Near Xavier).2. Libis: G/F Madsion Square Libis, E. Rodriguez Jr. (Across Shopwise)

Much Love! 

-- Alice 

Have you seen the Red Moon last night?

credits to google.com

Have you seen the Lunar eclipse last night? 

I was able to see this spectacular view from the comfort of my home. It was said that a red moon during a lunar eclipse is not a common sight and usually it takes decades to see one. 

I was lucky to see this and don't have to pay a fee! haha!

I actually stayed up until 3 in the morning to see the eclipse and how slowly the moon turns red. It actually had 3 colors if see it without binoculars. During the first few minutes there was a white, then succeeding is a faint orange that intensifies over a couple of minutes then it has turned into a fiery red. 

This Lunar eclipse is also the longest. it lasted for 11 minutes. The view was spectacular. Although there were obstructions where I was looking i.e. the commercial building besides our house. But nonetheless the scene was worth remembering. 

We'll never know when we'll be seeing another red moon. But I hope to see a blue moon next time ^_^

Much Love