Wake Me Up! Playlist - Spotify

This playlist is for those people who needs an extra boost every morning. Best served with coffee! Morning Dance Party? Why not?! Enjoy!

Wake Me Up! Playlist

Grace Kelly - MIKA
Popular Song - MIKA, Ariana Grande
Love Today - MIKA
We Are Golden - MIKA
Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon
Somebody Loves You - Betty Who
Dreaming - Small Pools
Anna Sun - Walk the Moon
Take a Walk - Passion Pit
Carried Away - Passion Pit
San Fransisco - The Mowgli's
Say It, Just Say It - The Mowgli's
Best Day Of My Life - American Authors
Some Nights - Fun.
Everybody Talks - Neon Trees
Kids - MGMT
On Our Way - The Royal Concept
D.A.N.C.E. - Justice
I'm Good - The Mowgli's
I Really Like You - Carly Rae Jepson
D-D-Dance - The Royal Concept
I'm Ready - AJR
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
Best Song Ever - One Direction
Maps - Maroon 5
One Thing - One Direction

Thirty, Flirty and Thriving

There, I've said it. I finally turned thirty last week. 3-0. I don't know how else to put it, because I don't feel any different. I do hope I'm a lot wiser though. As for the 2 other descriptions, I don't think I even remember how to flirt anymore and I don't feel like I'm thriving at all. -It's more like struggling. haha! I have been on this quarter life crises before and I'm back again. I wonder how long people usually get out of this??

Anyway, last year I opted not to have a party and I just celebrated it with my parents. But this year, with our new house and that fact I haven't seen my former colleagues for quite sometime after resigning, I decided to have a small birthday dinner / housewarming party. 

I used to make a big deal about about my birthday, but as I get older, I'm slowly realizing that it doesn't always have to be all grand. Spending it with friends and having fun is all that matters. Of course, not all those who are invited will show up and it can be a little disappointing but it happens. You just have to enjoy the moment.

I served my homemade salad, tiny pancake hotdog squares (It was supposed to be a hotdog wrapped in pancake but after 2 hours of trial and error, I gave up.), Spaghetti, Carbonara, Fruits and Cakes for dessert. For drinks, I bought my favorite Gossips Sweet Lips Moscato Wine. My guests arrived on time which was a surprise. I wasn't ready yet, so I panicked a little and wasn't able to take a proper photo of the food that was served.

Tiny Pancake Hotdog Squares

Homemade Salad

This is the most decent picture of the food that was served that night.

(No Sauce. No Cake)

My fave! Gossips Moscato Sweet Lips

(I can drink one bottle alone, but I won't because that's just sad.)

For music I created a birthday playlist on Spotify which we played while having dinner. For entertainment, I downloaded a couple of Just Dance videos on YouTube (since I don't have an X-box or Wii) 

2014 Birthday Playlist

We ate, we drank, we danced. It was a fun night even though it ended earlier than expected. I do hope they enjoyed their stay.

The early birds!

This is us socializing! lol!

Disclaimer: I may look pregnant but I'm not! it's the blouse! 

Autumn while watching us dance. 

(I wonder what she's thinking?)

Selfies with the Early Birds in my room

P.S. I still need to improve on my dinner party skills. There's always next year!

XXX, RM

Medieval Drama Series Favorites

I always have this fascination with medieval dramas and films. Aside from their fancy clothes, title and hierarchy, there is so much history and drama a show can have for every character. Let's not forget the secrets they keep from each other that if revealed will usually cause war, death or destruction. Now that's a PLOT! That is probably why they are producing a lot of shows with this theme these days and each show is more grand and sexual than the next.

The very famous one is of course no other than, The Game of Thrones. This show has Royals, Magic and Dragons in it. What more can you ask for? The show just finished Season 4 and I was actually a bit disappointed at the end. I kind of predicted that to be the last episode because I remember my friend who read the book told me that part. I just can't wait for Season 5.

When I first saw Episode 1; Winter is Coming, I had to stop because of the all gore and sex it contains. I gave it another try and had to text my friend constantly and ask questions about the characters because there seems to be a lot of background story I don't know about therefore, couldn't keep up. Like, why were the people murdered by monsters? What is "The Wall"? Why do they keep saying "Winter is Coming"? What is up with that Tree? And it ended with WTF?! INCEST! I officially got hooked.

Another period TV Film Drama I love is The Tudors, the story about Henry VIII's reign. I know this is already an old show. It premiered April 2007 but I am sort of a new fan. Probably because I am much older now and has come to appreciate more mature films and actors like *ehem* Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Up to now I'm still a bit confused which is which with his wives. They all seem to be named Catherine and Anne.

The 3rd show I came to appreciate more recently is Da Vinci's Demons. It is an American Historical Fantasy Drama kinda like Game of Thrones but without the Dragons. It premiered April 12, 2013. I just finished watching Season 1 this month. The series explored the fictitious early life of Leonardo Da Vinci during the renaissance era in Italy. It may sound boring but cast a really hot Leonardo Da Vinci played by actor Tom Riley. A possible war because of political dispute with Rome. A really hot femme fatale Lucrezia Donati played by Laura Haddock who is not just the mistress of the ruler of Italy Lorenzo De Medici played by Elliot Cowan but at the same time the love interest of Leonardo Da Vinci himself. WOAH! I swear! I didn't just wrote the whole story.

The White Queen is show that I found out about by browsing YouTube. It is a British television drama series based on Philippa Gregory's historical novel series The Cousin's War (The White Queen, The Red Queen and the Kingsmaker's Daughter.) It is set against the backdrop of the War of the Roses, a war that has been going on for nine years fighting over who is the rightful King of England as two sides of the same family, The House of York and The House of Lancaster, are in violent conflict over the throne. It's like Game of Thrones meets The Tudors.

Unfortunately, it was only on air for Season 1. It can be a bit dragging towards the middle but it gets better at the end. I actually thought Season 2 would be very interesting but it was cancelled. Still a good show to watch though. 

Another oldie but a goodie is Merlin. The story about King Arthur and Merlin has been told and retold many times but this one is quite different because the story revolves around the Young Prince Arthur and Young Merlin during King Uther's reign when Magic has been forbidden in Camelot. The show has a mixture of humor, action and drama and the chemistry between Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Bradley James (Prince Arthur) is just perfect for the show and fangirls. 

Speaking of the characters and the actors playing them, I did like Lady Morgana up until she became the villain. I don't know why she started hating on everyone and started to choose the side of her evil sister Morgaus whom she barely know at the beginning! And no offense to Morgana fans out there but I'm not a huge fan of Katie McGrath acting as a villain. She has the same tone of voice Every.Single.Time!

This Merlin series has its inaccuracies and if you listen closely to the lines of the characters it does sound a bit modern. Probably because the series is geared to attract younger viewers. If you're not too meticulous then it won't be a problem.

The show ended on its 5th season last December 2012. But I'm sure this won't be the last film about Arthur and Merlin. It's just one of those classics that keeps coming back.

Last but definitely not the least is Hollow Crown. It's a series of television film featuring William Shakespear's history plays of Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. If Merlin has its inaccuracies, then this one is definitely very loyal to the books. If you're not used to reading Shakespeare then I suggest you keep a dictionary next to you and turn the subtitles on whilst watching the show.

I have to be honest, I just learned about this film because Tom Hiddleston plays Prince Hal and

Henry V in the film and you know how I'm a huge Tom Hiddleston fan. To my surprise, I actually liked it and I'm not just saying that because Tom Hiddleston is in it. After watching the series, it made me appreciate Shakespeare and it actually made me want to start reading his work. His books can be very intimidating but I'll start slow and get the book with the guide.

More news about Hollow Crown below from Wikipedia.

In March 2014, the BBC set a tentative date of 2016 for the concluding cycle of the The Hollow Crown. It will be produced by the same team that made the first series of films and will be directed by the former artistic director of Royal Court Theatre and Olivier Award winner, Dominic Cooke.^[4] It will be based on Shakespeare's first tetralogy: Henry VI, Part I, Henry VI, Part II, Henry VI, Part III and Richard III.^[5] In April 2014, BBC Two announced that Benedict Cumberbatch will play King Richard III which marks the actor's return to the network after the success of Parade's End in 2012.^[6][6]

There you have it! If your favorite is not on my list, please feel free to share! 

xxx Rissa

PS. I would love to attend/host a Medieval Times party! 

The Face Shop Cosmetics Haul and Others...

I am realizing that I'm a terrible blogger! This post should've been posted early January but no, I'm posting it in the middle of the year, June!  Well, I have to be dedicated this time around since I don't have anything else to do anyway after leaving my job. That's another story to tell.

My mom visited Korea last December and what else can I ask for as souvenirs but cosmetics, since Korea is very famous for that. I've always liked The Face Shop and buy their beauty products here in the Philippines and I'm sure it's cheaper there so, I went on a Google spree (considering her budget) and listed the stuff I want her to buy during her visit.

1. Intervia EGF Cream. - I didn't request for this particular item. But according to my Mother, once you step into their stores they immediately give you free samples. I believe this particular sample is for anti-aging.

2. Power Perfection BB Cream - BB creams is all the rave these days. I for one love this particular BB cream because it doesn't just cover the imperfection but it also serves as a "treatment" for bagginess, roughness and dryness. It's very light on the skin and spreads easily at the same time provides full coverage.

3. Gradation Art Nails - I just love anything sparkly and glittered nails is one of my favorite things. When I saw this at the store it was calling my name. I'm not a huge fan of nail art to be honest, Gradation nails is the only nail art I can pull off. I bought it in 2 colors, pink/gold and red. It's like Christmas and New Years day for your nails.

4. High Lighter Beam - I recently just fell in-love with highlighters. I am slowly trying to learn make-up contouring and this little bottle is golden! Just a few dabs at the top of your cheekbones to your temple, a t-zone from your nose bone to your forehead, a few dabs on your chin and voila! You get that glowing dewy look in an instant!

5. Freshian Big Mascarra - A must have in every girls make-up kit! A good water proof Mascarra to lengthen those lashes and make your eyes look awake!

6. CC Cream - Unlike the other cosmetics, I didn't request for this but I'm glad to have a sample. CC is the newest big thing after BB creams. CC stands for cover corrector (I think). I've tried this one and it's very easy to apply and lightweight just like the Power Perfection BB Cream. This small sachet can go a long way since you would only need a few dots to cover your face.

7. Rice Facial Masks - I love facial masks but I've never tried this one until now. I am so happy my mom brought home a sample of this Rice Facial Mask from The Face Shop. It does magic to your skin! I use a peeling soap daily to get rid of those unwanted pimple marks (that are self inflicted). There are times that my face gets really itchy because it's dry and rough. But after using this mask, it feels so smooth, refreshed and healthy again. This has become part of my beauty regimen.

8. FLEBOTE Collagenic Total Lifting Eye Cream - Do not underestimate the power of eye creams! Even if you do not have wrinkles, eye creams is a must! I say start using eye creams when you reach the age of 21. I love this particular one because it has that cold feeling when you dab it on your eyes even if you do not put it in the fridge. It includes this little spatula so that you don't have to use your fingers. Because sometimes when you use your fingers (even your ring finger) you tend to press a little too hard and that's a big no no. Your eye area is very sensitive and should be handled as gentle as possible to prevent those dark circles.

9. Mango Seed - Another bunch of samples my mom brought home. I haven't used this one yet since I do not know which one is the toner and the moisturizer since it's all written in Korean. Hahahaha! I visited The Face Shop store here in Manila to ask which is which but since they don't supply the Mango Seed line here, they don't know either. I'll experiment on it soon.

10. Lovely Me:Ex Stick Concealer - One thing I cannot live without is a really good concealer to cover those "self-inflicted" pimple scars and dark circles around my eyes during those days that I'm just wearing a light powder on my face. I love this because it matches my skin tone perfectly and doesn't leave my face all "cakey" even after wearing it all day.

Mother also bought me this beautiful coat! Bring it  on rainy season, I need to wear this fab coat!

There you have it! 'Till my next blog...next year! hahaha! I joke!

xxx
Rissa

Pet Blessing - October 6, 2013

You already know that I am a proud owner of 2 cute toy poodles named Summer and Autumn that I treat like they are my own child. -Very normal! I also work in Eastwood City, a very pet friendly place wherein they allow pets inside malls and other establishments. Eastwood City is also very popular for organizing pet friendly events. One of which is the Pet Blessing that is held every first Sunday of October during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi

I already had both my dogs blessed 3 years ago but I decided to attend this event anyway. This time, I only brought Autumn with me. I attended the event with my colleague and her dog Hachiko, a Japanese Spitz and Pomeranian mix.

 

Upon registration, they gave us a free goodie bag and a coupon to claim their Baptismal Certificate 2 weeks after the event.(Yes! There is a Baptismal Certificate) The event started off with a Pet Parade, then a few activities such as awarding of the Best Dressed Pet. After that, performances from local singers and it ended with a mass and the blessing of the pets.

I was able to take a few snapshots of the event when there were finally seats available.

Here is Autumn looking terrified or tired. I don't know.

Strolling with their humans.

 At the bridge.

Pets of all kinds and sizes were there. Just look at this cute little black pup, Giant Great Dane and Mr. Grumpy Cat.

It was a fun and great day to spend with your pets. Although, it was a little tiring because the place was jampacked. There were no more seats available when we got there. It was extremely hot during the afternoon then it rained when the sun went down. But nevertheless, it was a successful event as usual.

Thank you to Eastwood City for proving pet owners events like these. I'll be there again this 2014 with Summer so that she can have her very own Baptismal Certificate.

XxX,
Rissa

Late Post: My ___th Birthday

Last October 2013, I only had a small celebration for my birthday. To be honest, I don't even consider it as a celebration per se, it's more of a luncheon really. It was only with my Mom, Dad, and Grandma (Mamang). We ate at Vikings in SM North EDSA (A buffet restaurant) which I had reserved 2 weeks in advance. I already learned my lesson to have a table reserved, because last June, we were supposed to celebrate my Mom's birthday there but it was full. 

You may not consider me as a buffet type of person but I haven't dined there so I thought it would be nice to try it on my birthday and check what the hype is all about. Plus, when you dine there on the day of your birthday it's for free. Nothing beats that! As long as you have at least one person that you're going to pay in full. 

We actually had a lot of discount. Aside from my food being free, senior citizens who are above 75 y/o get a 50% off the buffet rate. My Grandmother being 88 y/o was able to get that discount. Both my parents are senior citizens as well but they were only allowed to give a 10% senior citizen discount to my Dad since I have to pay at least one person in full. I guess that's fair enough. 

I forgot to bring my camera. All photos were taken via my Mom's Ipad. It's not that there will be a huge difference since I only point and shoot anyway. 

Per usual, they sing to all the celebrants and give them a complimentary cake. My Dad, being himself wanted to leave as soon as he was done eating. I wanted to wait for the waiters to sing me a song but they started a bit late and were still practicing when we left so I just had my picture taken next to the birthday banner just for the sake of it.

After having lunch, I stayed in the mall to have my license renewed and went home. That was a my day. No Big Hurrah. Check out my photos below.

What I Wore:

Missy Halter Dress (Bought it 2 years ago and it still fits! I love it because it hides my belly bulge)

Heatwave Peep-toe Pumps

Dorothy Perkins Bag

XxX,

Rissa

LATE POST: Richmonde Lunch Buffet

Last Christmas, my mom received a lunch buffet gift certificate for two at Richmonde Hotel. We have forgotten about it until I saw it in my desk while I was cleaning it last month. It was about to expire this year and we wouldn't want it to go to waste so I had a reservation made at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel last Sept. 21.

Their Lunch Buffet is available from 11AM-2PM only. We arrived at the hotel at around 1:30pm and thought of re-scheduling because it was already late. However, the receptionist said they can still accommodate us so we stayed.

(People always spell my name wrong. It's supposed to be spelled as Rissa)

The place was very quiet. Only one table was occupied when we arrived. The Chef greeted us and walked us through the food choices. The options were limited but I very much liked their Lechon. It was very crispy and not greasy. Their steak was also really good! We had it cooked medium rare and they served it at our table.They also served a complimentary milk tea.

From what I remember, and this is not all of it...these are the food choices available.

1. Spaghetti with red/white sauce and nachos for the kids.
2. Lechon
3. Tenderloin Steak
4. Tempura
5. Thai food (soups, salads, dimsum)
6. Japanese food
7. Rice
8. Mini cakes and pastries
9. Fresh fruits
10. Halo-Halo
11. Ice Cream

 (This is where they placed the cakes, pastries and fresh fruits)

Their food is nothing extraordinary except for the Lechon and the steak that I liked very much!

(Sorry, this is a terrible picture of how my plate looked like)

 (My mom enjoying here ice cream a little too much)

  Mother liked the display at their receiving area so we had a picture taken there as well.

The place is more appropriate for business meetings / luncheon rather than parties. But all in all it was a nice place to have lunch and just chill.  We stayed there while waiting for the screening of Insidious 2. :)

You may visit their website at http://www.richmondehotel.com/eastwood-richmonde-hotel/