Pagliacci

Lately, I've been on a food run (evidence: consecutive blog posts about restaurants I've been at recently). I don't really have much to share about coffee nowadays. Ever since I got a coffee maker here, I've been to a coffee shop at most 3 times. And unfortunately, apart from Starbucks, CBTL, and other similar coffee shops, there isn't really anything exciting on the coffee front as of late.

Italian restaurant Pagliacci, which means clowns in English, is located across the cinema in Podium. I've been there only once before when it was still on the ground floor beside UCC Coffee. Back in 2001, my family was crazy about Pazzo in Powerplant, especially the spaghettini vongole there, that was until we heard rumors that the chef there, Chef Maurice, left to open his own place, which was Pagliacci. But a place where a plate of pasta cost Php 400 (around twice that of Pazzo's) was not really a place to go back to regularly. Fast forward maybe 5 years, the pasta here still cost around Php 400, but after factoring in inflation, I think this price is now quite reasonable. I'm glad we went back because I haven't had Italian food here or in HK (at comparable prices) that tasted as good as Pagliacci's for quite some time now.

From top:

1. inside Pagliacci

2. gelato stand outside

3. one of the best complimentary bread baskets around - It's not crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside as Colette in Ratatouille described the perfect bread should be but this will do.

4. home-made pasta with truffle cream and mushrooms - The pasta was al dente and the sauce was creamy enough that it does not turn into a soupy puddle at the bottom of the plate. I also discovered that truffle is a crop that often grows beside the roots of trees, but I'm not sure if this is the same truffle used in chocolates. The consistency is similar to milk-based cream but feels much lighter after eating.

5. mushroom risotto - This dish took around 20 minutes to be prepared. It was so naturally tasty from all the different mushrooms used and the rice was not soggy at all.

6. margherita pizza - This did not seem as special as the pasta and risotto but it was topped with a generous amount of mozarella cheese and was just heavenly when it was still hot.

7. me - This chain bracelet is my current favorite accessory. It's from the Jimmy Choo for H&M line and came together with the zebra print platforms. I only started wearing it recently as I found it a little too tough-looking at first, but I think it looks normal on my wrist after all.

8. Finally, eating gelato was the worst way to end such a beautiful meal. I got the panacotta (like leche flan) flavor which was too sweet, and the cone was just awful. Anyway, what I really want to show in this picture is the effect created by the lens where the subject totally stands out from the background. All pictures taken by me except for this and the previous one.

Hossein's

Since the first time I dined at Hossein's along Makati Avenue ages ago, the restaurant has expanded to include Arabian and Indian cuisine to its originally Persian roots. I need not say more as this place has a long list of vegetarian dishes. I do, however, wonder about the authenticity of the food here. The paneer was a little salty rather than spicy while the roti was sweet. Of course, the food here is a far cry from Ar-ya, where we were served sauteed vegetables in soupy curry sauce. Nonetheless, Hossein's is a great place for a relaxing and quiet dinner.

I got into the whole boyfriend jacket thing a little late because I couldn't find one with the right length and fit. I got this one from Uniqlo recently, and here I'm wearing it with my very old and trusty gold Mango mini.

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I spotted these coffee makers in Alessi while strolling along High Street. Made in and imported from Italy, the colorful one costs 21k, 5 more than the plain one. The mini Kenwood I use at home cost me less than Php 1,500. I wonder if my coffee will taste even better if I have one of these. Anyhow, Alessi has lots of really cute household stuff inside and most are pure eye candy.

All photos taken by me using Olympus E-P1, except for my pic.

Melt with You

Our obsession with ice cream probably stems from two things. One, it is a temporary relief from the sweltering heat we experience 90% of the time, and second, having ice cream always feels like there is something to celebrate. We have Cold Rock, FIC, BTIC, Selecta, Haagendazs, McDonald's sundae cone, sorbetes, Fro-yo, Red Mango, Amici gelato, to name a few. And now this:

Stick House's gelato on a stick! imported all the way from Italy and available outside the cinema in Trinoma (as well as in the Activity Centre and by the carousel). I tried the Milk Cream without toppings (choice of toppings includes chocolate, coffee, and pistachio, among others). It was so creamy (and yummy!) that the gelato had a sort of rubbery, elastic (!) texture.

A close-up of the shirt I was wearing: Hello Kitty by H&M sweater

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I finally got a hold of this book which I first spotted in Relay in HKIA. My reason for becoming a vegetarian is not entirely aligned with Foer's, but this personal memoir on his "struggles with vegetarianism," which is peppered with research and facts, is definitely a subject that vegetarians in a largely omnivorous setting can identify with.

Corner Tree Cafe

Vegetarian restaurant Corner Tree Cafe at 150 Jupiter Street serves only vegetarian and vegan dishes. While some of the food concepts are derived from familiar dishes such as kare-kare and burger, veggie meat was not used as replacement. The wooden furniture gives the place a cozy feel suitable for weekend brunch. I think the place kind of looked like a more grown up Healthy Kitchen. The food here is a great alternative to home-cooked vegetarian meals. Just a note, the dishes are not meant for sharing.

From top: Corner Tree Cafe; CTC after everyone was gone; me (Side note: In pursuit of luminous skin with a natural glow, I gave myself a DIY facial consisting of Clarins purifying then hydrating masks and Shu Uemura Depsea eye mask while watching Lost. The whole process felt more comfortable than having someone touch my face.); Tofu Walnut Burger with red rice (alternative to wheat bread); Broccoli Torte - highly recommended; Biryani and Kare-Kareng Gulay, the latter also recommended; CTC location and contact information; more me; Iced Chai Latte from The Cake Club (again)

Shutter-cise

Taken with my dad's Olympus EP1

Natalie Portman looks so pretty and sophisticated in this February 2010 issue of Elle UK, I just had to get myself a copy. I love that UK magazines are always packed with fashion features, and this issue is filled with pages and pages of 2010 trends (nude, sporty, etc., and clogs are back!).

MAC's powerpoint eye pencils are the best. They glide on smoothly and don't smudge, and there are many colors to choose from. YSL's Radiant Touch is a good investment. I use the no. 2 as an undereye concealer and the color blends perfectly. It can also be used as a highlighter.

HR's Lash Queen is totally worth it. It's an all-in-one mascara--it lengthens, curls and volumizes--and the waterproof version doesn't smudge at all even when worn the whole day.

Line up! Our 28 piece Snoopy set representing different countries collected from McDonald's Happy Meal from around 10 years ago. We own 3 complete sets (does anybody want to help us unload 2 sets?)

Little Heart.. Everyday when I come home, she will follow me to my room and wait for me to pick her up. And Mom's Paul Frank slippers, she's obsessed with Paul Frank and wants to go back to Melbourne to buy more discounted Paul Frank shirts and other items (and eat fresh vegetables).

I ♥ HK

To welcome the new decade, I re-visited old favorites and "exerted extra effort" to try some new experiences. First off, I flew to HK to be reunited with my beloved city and to visit my sister, the queen.

I started off my trip with tea-time at Landmark Cafe.

Fish and chips (left) and strawberry yoghurt (right)

Precious Moments eyes

Hair-do's Ito-san cut 2 inches off my hair and added some layers to take some of the weight off. Goodbye heavy, shapeless hair!

Snapshot of my new haircut at Kung Tak Lam

(After my last haircut, I was also in KTL. haha)

Hair-do has 3 branches in CWB alone, 2 across Times Square and 1 in Sogo. I've had 4 different Japanese hairdressers there over the years, and they all understood how to cut my hair given its texture and the shape of my face. The staff is wonderful but the queue can be very long during weekends, especially in Sogo.

Of course, my HK visit won't be complete without dining at Kung Tak Lam, my no. 1 favorite vegetarian restaurant. On our NY's eve dinner, we tried the sweet and sour taro "fish", spring rolls, and mushroom clay pot rice. Kung Tak Lam is located on the 10th floor of the World Trade Center in CWB.

In the spirit of trying new things, Queen J and I took the ferry at the Central Pier to have a long lunch at Zak's in Discovery Bay. The fresh, hand-tossed, thin crust margherita pizza was sinful but yummy.

The island has its own magazine in English for the large population of foreign residents there.

Bored on the ferry to DB

Pasta, stuffed mushrooms and pizza

Warm apple crumble topped with vanilla ice cream, capuccino, mochaccino, and a slice of pizza with chili flakes

A view of the beach while dining al fresco

On Queen J's big day, I took her to Tandoor for authentic Indian food and live music. Tandoor is located at 1 Lyndhurst Terrace in Central.

Chicken for Queen J, spinach, veggie curry and my mango lassi

Yoghurt and other dips and salad, Indian style

Milk tea, who first came up with it? The English, the Indians or the Chinese?

For more affordable but just as authentic Indian food, Koh-i-noor in Lan Kwai Fong offers lunch buffets at HKD 98, while Curry-in-a-Hurry in Citysuper is a more convenient and even cheaper alternative.

Finally, before departing, Queen J and I shared a bowl of spicy green curry vegetarian noodles in Bangkok Thai, which has branches in North Point and Tin Hao.

I never realized how sedentary my life has become here in Manila until I felt my thighs and hips ache after my first day of shopping in HK. Now, I understand why some call shopping a sport!

Precisely my point

Being touristy outside The Peninsula

and in Central too

It's the winter season sale now in HK and I saw many beautiful things at reasonable prices. I had to pass up a pair of Pedro Garcia slouchy, platform boots as it will be summer in Manila soon. (In fact, according to weather reports, it will be hot again sooner than expected. Global warming?) Instead, I picked up a set of hair repair products from L'Occitaine to resuscitate my hair until my next trip to Hair-do.

Cityplaza in Tai Koo is home to a new branch of H&M. Finally, an H&M that is not crowded and has no lines to the fitting room! Other reasons to visit Cityplaza are Uniqlo, Apita, I.T., Mango, Polo Jeans, CK Underwear, G2000, Wing On, and Marks & Spencer to name a few. Koh-i-noor also has a branch here.

Since the last time I was in HK, the city has turned into iPhone nation. Everywhere I looked, someone is playing a game, reading from an e-book, browsing the web, listening to music or watching a video on his iPhone. No wonder Apple HK had to limit iPhone orders to one per person!

I can't wait for my next trip back to HK while staying true to my 2010 resolution, which is to try more new and exciting experiences. Hopefully, this one resolution here won't be thrown out the window like I have (and within the first week, too) with "ditch sweets" and "drink less coffee."

Happy 2010, everyone!