Mom-Raves: Time for a ChICA Swatch!

Last Friday of the month:  Mom-Finds and Raves

Several weeks ago, I found myself ordering this really cute, everyday watch after reminiscing on the good ol' days of my elementary and high school years -- "wear white and blue...our alma mater I.C.A...".

This is the ChICA Swatch, a commemorative ICA watch launched by Batch ’89 in celebration of ICA's 75th Founding Anniversary as the first Catholic Chinese-Filipino School in the Philippines. Immaculate Conception Academy is an exclusive school for girls.

I was really curious how this watch came to be, and so I got in touch with Ms. Shellane Bantoto-Dy -- this special edition watch was her brainchild.

Mom-Friday's Q&A with Shellane:

Q:  How did the idea of having a ChICA watch started?

A:  While watching last year's homecoming, our batchmate, Andrea Chio, jokingly said that we can use ChICA as our theme for our homecoming in 2014 and we all agreed because it was such an apt description for our batch. After that, a group of us met to decide on possible fund-raising activities in preparation for our homecoming. We decided to start with producing a ChICA Eco Bag. We asked our batchmate, Steff Buenaventura, to draw little grade school and high school girls (for the design) and we sold the ChICA bags at the ICA Fair last January.  To our surprise, it was a big hit. I likewise broached the idea of coming up with an ICA Swatch watch after seeing the limited edition Ateneo Swatch watch.

Q:  Why the design and who designed it?

A:  We asked our batchmates to give their ideas and we had about 10 designs to choose from. Since the ChICA bag design was getting good feedbacks, we decided to use the ChICA girls again for the watch. We asked Steff to draw more girls while Andrea and I styled the watch. The girls represented the different personalities and looks of ICAns and the sisterhood that was forged within the walls of ICA.

Q:  Is this for a cause?

A:  Proceeds of the ICA watch will go to the ICA Scholarship Fund.

Q:  How much is the watch and how can we order?

A:  P3,500 (approx. US$79) fixed price.
The ICA Swatch watch is available at the ICA Alumnae Office or at any Swatch store or kiosk near you.

This was supposed to be a Mom-Finds entry, but as I was editing this post the other day, I learned that the ChICA Swatch was SOLD OUT!  So congratulations to Batch '89 for the success of this fund-raising project. It's really something to rave about. And to all those fortunate enough to acquire one, treasure it -- for posterity and to keep the sisterhood alive!

Next gen ICAn?

Read more about the proud, successful ICANs and their ChICA Swatch in this special feature of The Philippine Star (Sunday, 24 October 2010).

(Photo from ICAAA.com.ph / as featured in the The Philippine Star)

Immaculate Conception Academy
10 Grant St.Greenhills West
San Juan City

Email: secretariat@icaaa.com.ph
Tel.: (632) 721-2687


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Harry Potter is in the house!

It's gonna be a happening Holloween weekend this year and the boy and the girl could not wait 'coz they missed last year's revelry.  Problem is, the girl is already eying on being a darker character this time and is hell bent on snatching away big brother's black cloak!

THIS is Harry Potter's cloak -- part of the boy's wizard costume set. This is his latest look courtesy of auntie A (who generously 'supplied' their terrific costumes for the past 3 years!)

Transformer's Bumble Bee and Ironman are currently in hiatus so I was really pushing for Harry this year. At first, the boy still pictured himself in either one of his anatomically-correct-upper-body-muscle-padded superhero costumes. After much prodding, he eventually began to appreciate and take on the character of the lead wizard from the house of Gryffindor.

Waving his wand garbed in his 'invisibility cloak'

Opening a secret door behind the shelves???

THE CONFLICT:  Little girl is dampening his mood and trying take over the wardrobe for herself. She is Tinkerbell no more!

"It's mine!!!" 

The mischievous little She-Devil got her way one time, here in the same dark cloak paired with her blinking red horns (which also belongs to the boy!), at her school's Trick or Treat party.

Let's see who gets to wear this 'magical' cloak on Holloween. The Wizard or Lucifer's minion?

Place your bets people!

Find out who missed the treats last year, click here.

Update:
Holloween 2010 - See who ended up wearing the wizard's cloak here! ;)


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Chicharon Addict Strikes Again

Here I go again...

Chicharrones made with real pork rinds

For the vegans and anti-junk food peeps, you may skip this now and just browse through my other previous posts :)

I really can't explain why I have this impulse of buying bags and bags of these sinful, crispy-licious, savory, salty, spicy, tangy cracklings!

At my recent trip to the grocery, I chanced upon the merchandiser unloading boxes of these imported looking foil bags of chips. Lo and behold, it's WILD WILLY'S Real American Chicharrones, a new brand of chicharon, and it's from Leslie's! Leslie's is the same company that manufactures the best-selling Clover Chips and Nacho Corn Chips, my childhood favorites.

50g pack. @ P24.75 (at Puregold) / @ P29.50 (at SM Supermarket)

To those of you who were not able to catch my first post about these tasty cracklings, 'chicharon' is pork rind crackling, considered a Filipino delicacy, which was made popular in the province of Cebu.  It is best eaten with a vinegar dip. And I repeat -- it is very addicting and artery-clogging!

The last bag was almost wiped out until I remembered to take a few shots to share with you here.  So here's what's left from the bag...

Wild Willy's are the real deal! Each crackling is light and crisp, perfectly seasoned, and none of the hard meaty part stuck to the rind. I was not able to check if they have more flavors but I bought the two that was displayed -- the regular salted variety and the tangy-salty Natural Vinegar flavor. Both flavors are superb!

I won't go into details about the ingredients and nutritional value (if any, heehee) anymore.  Just read the label below and decide for yourself if this is worth a try.  But I guarantee, after the first bite, you will be hooked just like I was! We can indulge from time to time right? ;)
(I am already salivating as I write this...gonna grab a bag now...)

My other chicharon loves:
Marty's and Chicharritos



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Mom-Style: Spotlight on Stylish Moms

Freestyle Friday :  MOM-STYLE / KID-STYLE

It's Freestyle Friday once again, anything goes, and so I'm taking this opportunity to introduce a new category that I'm really excited about -- a showcase of beautiful mommas, and kids, expressing their individuality through their personal sense of style.

Mom-Style will serve as my platform to put the spotlight on fashion-savvy moms that I admire, while Kid-Style shall feature spunky well-dressed kids.  Expect random outfit posts or features of my stylish mom sightings, and maybe Dad-Style might make an appearance too from time to time ;)

I don't consider myself a "fashionista", but I do have a fascination and appreciation for fashion and design in general.  Did I mention I'm a frustrated fashion designer?  Mom-Style was one of the first concepts I toyed with for the blog to channel this interest of mine.  Being a mother is a full-time "job" and as a result, many moms tend to forget to take care of themselves.  So making an effort to look good can, in turn, become an inspiration for others to also look and feel their best.  This is something truly worthy of praise.

Mom-Style is dedicated to all the hot mamas out there, especially to my fierce and fashionable friends :)

The spotlight is now on!

Just a few of my favorite mom-style icons -- women of style and substance.

Quintessential style icon, Audrey Hepburn

Halle Berry & Nahla (www.people.com / by Juan Sharma-Pacific Coast News)

Sarah Jessica Parker & James (www.people.com / by Macca/Sinky-Splash News Online)

Katie Holmes & Suri (www.people.com / by Jackson Lee/Tom Meinelt-Splash News Online

 Jessica Alba & Honor (www.people.com / by KCSPresse / Splash News Online)

Heidi Klum & Leni (www.people.com / by Doug Meszler / Splash News Online)

And some of my stylish gal-pals...and the adorable kiddies :)

(Photo by J.Laceda)

How about you -- who are your Mom-style icons?

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Light Up Your Own Star at The Mind Museum

The Vision:  "To build a home for science and to make it the FIRST WORLD-CLASS SCIENCE MUSEUM in the Philippines. It will be our defining legacy that will give the next generation the wings to fly against the challenge of a future shaped largely by service and technology. With over 250 inter-active “minds-on” and hands-on exhibits, the museum will be a venue that will present science as entertaining, fun, and engaging." - The Mind Museum, Bonifacio Global City

The Mind Museum (Photo: from their Facebook Page)

After reading about a post about the National Geographics exhibit from Daphne's Diary, what really got me excited is the much anticipated opening of The Mind Museum at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. World-class museums are lacking in our side of the globe and with this amazing high-tech project, we all have something noteworthy to look forward to by the end of 2011, especially the younger generation.  I instantly thought of my youngsters as they are now very much aware and fascinated about evolution, the universe, the solar system and other celestial objects. Then recently, I came across Anton Diaz's post featuring the museum and how we can donate and be a part of this wonderful endeavor.

To make the story short, I am now a proud donor with two Solar Stars dedicated to the boy and the girl (well, one is still under my name as I inadvertently skipped the "gift" option, so hopefully they'd consider my request to rename it for my girl  -- Update: we got our revised certificates already).

Technically, this certificate should read "lit a star" since I only donated for individual stars and not for a cluster forming a shape, which defines a constellation.

Sample Donor Certificate (actual names will appear)

What is a Solar Star?

"They are burning balls of very hot gas that produce light. When a stars light passes through the atmosphere, it moves around giving the illusion that stars twinkle. Stars appear in clusters and form different shapes that men describe as constellations." - The Mind Museum

Go ahead and light up your own stars, constellations, or planets! Discover and learn more about The Mind Museum (TMM) and be a part in building this extraordinary landmark by sponsoring their virtual exhibits for as low as P1,000.00 (around US$24).

"Every donation is recognized by placing your name in our (The Mind Museum) website; you will receive an electronic "Donor's Certificate" via e-mail and you can post your sponsorship in Facebook. Also, when The Mind Museum opens, your name will be included in the Donors' Marker in our galleries!"

Soon, when we finally get to visit the museum, I would simply ask my kids to look up at the solar system gallery and proudly point to them two shining stars around Venus, which I had lit for them. Now that would be quite awesome don't you think? :)

Note:
I have received a thoughtful email in response to my request above, thanks to Ms. Limcaco for being so accommodating.
She further clarified:  The solar system virtual exhibit is an exhibit on The Mind Museum web site. When the museum opens, there will be a marker in the Universe Gallery that pertains to all the donors for this exhibit, likewise for those who donated for the virtual northern and southern hemispheres. There will also be a marker for those who donated to the Nature's Basic Ingredients exhibit in the Atom Gallery.  There is no actual corresponding exhibit in the museum on the solar system. They do however, have a planetarium where visitors will be able to learn and enjoy the awesomeness of our universe.

p.s.
TMM recognized my support and I was given this donor badge! Thank you!

The Mind Museum
2/F Bonifacio Technology Center
31st Street Corner 2nd Avenue
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel. (632) 818-3601 / (632) 856-2870
Fax: (632) 757-6122



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Fun Friday: What Makes a Fun-tabulous Kiddie Party?

Third Friday of the month:  Parties / Celebrations


11 children's parties over 16 weeks. Imagine that! These happy events filled most of our weekends since late June.  I didn't even include the invitation for tomorrow, and still expecting a couple more 'til December.  As I write this, I remember counting all the preggy ladies I know during a baby boom in our circle of friends last year. Next thing I know, the invitations came one after the other.

Eight out of eleven parties we've attended were first birthday celebrations. As expected, they were festive, colorful, loud, fun, exciting -- each one unique and memorable in their own (big) way.

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Random Cravings of Pasta, Cake and Coffee

What better way to start the week than with something savory, sweet and deliciously sinful!  
Picture this...

Rich, creamy, mocha frappé using a blend of native tablea chocolate and brewed coffee, topped with heavy whipped cream...

Mocha Manila Frappe

After my recent initiation of the best-selling Filipino dishes and sweets at Sérye Café Filipino, the images of those yummy treats still haunted me for the past week.

Since I didn't get to try the Cafe Mocha Manila the first time, which my companions raved about, I vowed to go back and treat myself to a glass of this coffee and tablea concoction made from the best locally available coffee beans and chocolate. And this I did yesterday to satisfy my cravings, after I fetched the kids from school.  That's my girl up top, licking away the cream off Sérye's special ice-blended coffee drink -- Mocha Manila Frappé. This beats all other mocha fraps I usually order from coffee shops by a mile!

Before the frappé, I had a filling lunch of this flavorful spaghetti putanesca with a twist -- the local kesong puti (white carabao cheese) adds the Pinoy zing to this classic Italian pasta dish. The cheese complements the fresh tomatoes-and-olives sauce perfectly. Kesong Puti Putanesca served with lightly buttered pandesal toast -- although I wished the bun was more toasted.  Great for vegetarians too!  I was totally satisfied with this one, yum yum!

Kesong Puti Putanesca

All-time favorite Boneless Chicken Barbecue -- the kids' choice! Well-done grilled chicken that's juicy and tasty, matched with signature java rice and java sauce. Winner!

Boneless Chicken Barbecue

This was a really good meal for me and the kiddos!
* Lunch photos above were taken from my mobile phone's camera.

Over a week ago, I was invited to 'Ladies Who Lunch' bloggers' get-together. After raving about Sérye's outstanding Filipino cuisine, I promised to do a follow-up post about our desserts. Now it's time to share the 'sweet side' of the restaurant which I held off earlier.  See what triggered my random cravings:

Mocha Manila cake

Here's Make or Break's Pehpot P. having a shot at her hot Cafe Mocha Manila and Mocha Manila cake.
Mocha Manila and the Macapuno Pandan Cake are made using select local ingredients. Both are equally scrumptious with just the right sweetness. Mocha Manila is a layered mousse-and-cake tower with the same rich flavor as its beverage counterpart. The special coffee crunch in the center was a nice surprise that tease the palette. Plus points for not being too chocolate-y sweet, though some might argue the lack of it.

This Macapuno Pandan Cake was my favorite since it's so light, moist and fluffy, and has the natural essence of my favorite pandan flavor. From the look and smell, this confection is unique and balanced in texture and flavor. Again, the cake has the right amount of sweetness that you can eat another serving without having soar throat!

Macapuno Pandan Cake

This Decadence Cake needs much improvement. For me, it was too dense and lacked the deep tablea chocolate flavor -- not really decadent.  The owner welcomed our insights and suggestions since he admitted that this particular cake was still in the development stages and will be improved by serving it in a pool of caramel sauce.  That's more like it! I also added that making the cake more moist and serving it warm will enhance the 'decadent' appeal.

Chocolate Decadence

Aside from a wide selection of savory dishes, you can choose from an array of refreshing beverages and tempting pastries the cafe has to offer.  Cheers to perfect sweet endings!

In good company:  blogger Pehpot, Abbey of Protege Agency, blogger Joy, and Serye owner Alvin Lim

p.s.
I got this one after I dined in yesterday.
Coupons!!! Discounts and Freebies on the next visit. :)))

Here's my initiation to gastronomic delights at Sérye Café Filipino.


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Versatile Blogger Award

The Versatile Blogger : a versatile blogger means you have the ability and skills of embracing a variety of subjects which is useful and interesting to read.

This is the second "blogger award" I have received ever since I became one more than a year ago.  I got my first, One Lovely Blog Award, here.  So it was really a pleasant surprise that two mommy bloggers I follow have thought about me for this special award.

THANK YOU you Mia of Confessions of a SAHM and Chris of The Mommy Journey!

Now let me share the blog love.

For those whom I passed this award to, please follow these steps:

• THANK and LINK BACK to the blogger who gave you this award
• SHARE 7 Things About Yourself
• PASS this award along to 15 Bloggers who you recently discovered and think are fabulous
• CONTACT the bloggers you chose and let them know about the award

***

Now this is the hard part, heehee...aside from what I already wrote about me in my profile, here are:

7 (more) Things About Mom-Friday

1. A typical Piscean
2. An impatient mom
3. Studied in an exclusive girls' school from kinder to high school
4. Used to bake, collect stamps and embroider as hobbies
5. Frustrated fashion and interior designer
6. Would love to travel the world
7. Believes in karma and the Golden Rule

15 Versatile Bloggers

80 Breakfasts
Animetric's World

Black Sushi

Frannywanny
Hypermom

iMom
Jenni Epperson
Make or Break
Manila Mommy
Manila Reviews
Mother Earthlings
MrsMartinez' Raves and Rants
Our Phenomenal Life
Pensive Thoughts
Topaz Mommy

Well, I have to confess that I did not discover enough new blogs to meet 15, so I included a few of my old favorites in the list :-)


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On Progressive Schools: FAQs and More

Second Friday of the month:  Kids and Schooling / Parenting

Around this time of the year, most schools are already accepting applicants for the next school year. Many parents are now in the process of either scouting for their child's first school, big school, or may be planning to switch to new one.  Choosing a school is just not that simple anymore.

As I continue to receive encouraging feedback from my recent post about traditional and progressive schools, I guess this would be a good time to address other concerns from parents I have talked to and emphasize the importance of finding the best learning environment for your child.  I am not pro nor against any specific school setting. Each one has it's own strengths and weaknesses.  I believe that aside from the school's standard of education, the child's needs and personality are equally crucial factors in picking the right school.

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Pinoy Food Shines at Sérye Café Filipino

"With culinary roots that date back to the 1930s, Sérye Café Filipino continues the tradition of pleasing guests by staying true to the family heritage of celebrating Filipino coffee, cuisine and culture." Sérye is an anagram from Reyes, the family that brought us the famed Aristocrat chain of restaurants. 

Sérye Café Filipino, a casual-dining family restaurant (formerly Sérye Restaurant and Cafe), has a new look and is currently updating their menu with a wider line-up of delectable Filipino dishes. From all-time favorite comfort foods to light merienda (snack) fares, siphon-brewed coffee, tea and chocolate beverages, and sinful desserts, Sérye's specialties will surely satiate your cravings for authentic Filipino cuisine and more.

I received an invitation a week ago to have an intimate lunch at Sérye with fellow bloggers. I quickly obliged since I knew the family who runs the restaurant from way back.  I must admit, I am not a big fan of Filipino cuisine, though I have a short list of favorites.  Fortunately for me, my faves are their best-sellers and these were all waiting to be devoured when I arrived (I was running late, so thank you for waiting ladies, and gent!). After a quick round of food shots, we were all ready to attack, much to the delight of our very hungry bellies!


Okay I have to stop right here and let you enjoy the food (shots)  ;-)


Kare-Kare:  Tender, chewy ox tail, with grilled eggplant and crisp greens in all-natural and flavorful peanut sauce. The sauce has a rich yet smooth consistency and sublime taste of peanuts that I was looking for in a kare-kare sauce. And don't forget the bagoong (fermented shrimp paste)!

@ P335.00 :  Kare-Kare (ox tail in peanut-based sauce)

What's missing though was my favorite part -- ox tripe. Alvin Lim, owner of Sérye, explained that since it is quite difficult to source consistently good quality ox tripe, they decided to omit this from the recipe and simply stick with the beef's tail, shank and veggies.  I still give this 5 stars even without the tripe!


Chicken-Pork Adobo:  The most popular comfort food in this country was given an extra kick with whole roasted garlic -- very aromatic! The addition of boiled quail eggs was inspired by Chinese-style adobo which usually includes hard boiled eggs. An extra serving of adobo sauce was a very thoughtful touch to this so-called national dish.

@ P250.00 :  Chicken-Pork Adobo (stew)

After savoring the kare-kare, this adobo was completely overshadowed and I regret not having a little more of this to better appreciate it.


Boneless Crispy Pata:  Just saying the name of this dish already spells a winner. The meat was well done and the skin was perfectly crisp.  You can imagine this was eaten with much gusto! It was definitely a feast for the senses. Heart-attack alert! :)))
My favorite part has always been the crunchy-chewy knuckles. I think the ladies still had a hangover from this one!

@ P115.00 per 100 gms. :  Boneless Crispy Pata (pork leg)

Honey-Style Fried Chicken:  This classic chicken dish paid homage to an old family recipe and was added a twist of flavor from "secret herbs and spices".  I was able to taste subtle flavors of the Chinese 5-spice, and still kept me guessing. A safe dish for the whole family, especially with the kids. Matched with Sérye's Java sauce and served with kropek (like fish crackers).

@ P495.00 :  Honey-Style Fried Chicken

I thought the price is steep for a fried chicken, but it was in jumbo size that can easily serve 8 people. Solved.

Now this next one came out as a surprise after we joked about our rising cholesterol levels after all the meat we had.


Vegetarian Kare-Kare:  Same delectable kare-kare flavors with tofu squares and loads of vegetables. Even the "bagoong" was reinvented and made use of salted black bean paste! You have to try this to believe me. It's as yummy as it's beefy brother, but guilt-free!

@ P250.00 :  Vegetarian Kare-Kare

Aside from the changes in the menu offerings, the cafe's make-over reflects Filipino-Spanish inspired interiors, with colorful murals and ethnic-style furniture. Food is even served in customized, hand-crafted earthenware by renowned local potter Lanelle Abueva-Fernando.

Customized Abueva-Fernando plate, woven chair, callado-inspired lighting fixtures

Warm and cozy ambiance for a relaxing dining experience

Sérye is a wonderful place to enjoy good food with friends and family. It's also open for private parties and social functions offering various menu packages that will cater to your specific needs and budget. The whole bi-level restaurant can seat up to 80 for indoor dining.


Dining in a restaurant rich with traditional family recipes and new exciting dishes, you are bound to find something that's worth coming back to. Thanks to our generous host, my initial dining experience at Sérye Café Filipino proved nostalgic and completely satisfying. 

Me, blogger Pehpot, Abbey of Protege, blogger Joy, and owner Alvin

Care for coffee and desserts?  
Coming up...  :-) The sweets are here on my Random Cravings.


Sérye Café Filipino
Eastwood Citywalk - Libis, Quezon City
Tel.:  (632) 911-2334
Quezon Memorial Circle - Elliptical Circle, Quezon City
Tel.:  (632) 924-3411  
Santana Grove - Sucat, Paranaque
Tel.:  (632) 825-4691

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