Food Talk: Papa John's

Hey guys. For my mom's birthday a few weeks ago, we decided to check out Papa John's in Annapolis, Greenhills. It was awesome because there weren't many people in that branch.

Cheese sticks (99.00). Well, it's more like cheese pizza with their butter garlic sauce and marinara sauce. Best eaten hot though. Verdict: Totally cheesy and awesome.

Super Papa's Pizza (500.00). What's great about their pizza is the crust. My mom absolutely  loved the crust. It was like wheat but I'm not sure and the toppings are in between two layers of cheese, think: dough, cheese, toppings, then more cheese. Comes with butter garlic sauce and pickled jalapeno pepper. Verdict: Absolutely divine.

 Chicken with onion rings (250+). The chicken are absolutely tasty and juicy. The onion rings were totally great as well. Comes with barbecue sauce. Verdict: I could use a 2nd round of this one.

 Shrimp Garlic Pasta and Seafood (meaning shrimp and squid) Carbonara (each around 200.00). My sister sends her warmest thanks to the cook of Papa John's Annapolis for putting their entire shrimp population to our pasta dishes on my mom's birthday. I tell you that we had at least 20 shrimps on each pasta. But.....the carbonara was a little bland for my taste. The Shrimp Garlic though was great. Verdict: More shrimps please. ^^ or salt or squid.

My mom's Triple Chocolate Parfait (around 100+). When this came to our table, being all tall and sweet, the food we had was already up to our necks. But then, the tall ice cream sundae disappeared. ^^  A bittersweet dessert that was an absolutely perfect way to end our meal. 

We'd definitely be going back here. The staff at the branch in Annapolis were very friendly and attentive, too. This American resto is a definite must-try!

*Photos by my sis.

Cheerio!

April 2013 Hit Listers

Hi guys. It's time for another round up of the stuff that have made the month of April smashing for me despite the almost-unbearable summer heat. Anyways, let me give you a heads-up that the list might be a little, well, Korean. If you're up to it, then read away. ^^

1. Lioele Secret Pore Rich Balm
-My first primer/pore filler has set the bars quite high. This one's an awesome product to check out if you're searching for something that has good oil control. Sample reviewed here.

2. Wong Fu Productions
- I first watched their mini series Away We Happened last year (mentioned here) and absolutely loved it. Since then, I've been a big fan of their short films. ^^ Check out their hilarious and inspiring shorts on their website, Wong Fu Productions. Ted, Phil, and Wes are just geniuses. You might be familiar with their short, The Last. Must-watch: Hugger, Shell, Somewhere Like This, and This is How We Never Met.

3. Lioele Fresh Sun Screen SPF 45 PA++
-A lightweight sun cream with a high SPF, and it's waterproof. The perfect weapon this summer. ^^ Sample reviewed here.

4. San San Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Brown

- This one is my sister's. I've yet to buy my own, but this one is definitely a keeper. Stays on all day with such a sharp color. Reviewed here.

 5. You're the Best Lee Soon Shin
-I've been waiting for IU to return to acting. She was sooo good in Dream High that I figured she'd be great if she had a lead role. And here we are! You're the Best Lee Soon Shin is not even halfway through yet (it's a 50-episoder show) but it looks quite promising. It's an inspiring and amusing series about Lee Soon Shin (IU) who struggles to find herself and her purpose, sort of to prove herself to her family, others, and maybe herself. Watch it and find yourself saying that people can be so mean to her.

ohkpop.com

6. Frozen Yogurt
- I don't really care what's with it, as long as it's really really cold, frozen yogurt would always be the best way to beat the summer heat.

vivonet.com

7. Etude House Drawing Eye Brow #3

-I haven't reviewed this but this retractable eyebrow pencil is an absolute must-have! Not only is it awesome for having the perfect shape of product to draw your brows, but also you don't need to sharpen it and it's refillable.

8. Lee Hi

-Don't let this 16-year-old's baby face and petite figure fool you, because like Ailee and Demi, I think Lee Hi (Lee Ha Yi) has a machine for lungs. With a voice reminiscent of Duffy, I think Lee Hi would surely make it big. She has one of the most unique voices I've ever heard. She is the runner up of the 2011 K-pop Star. If you're into K-pop, listen to her singles Rose, It's Over, and 1,2,3,4. If not, listen to her renditions of Rolling in the Deep and Mercy. ^^

goboiano.com

9. Cutepolish

-I absolutely love this YouTube channel! I'm always looking for nail art inspirations and cutepolish has the most awesome ones. Check out the channel here.

thecrypticbeauty.blogspot.com

10. Jarmaine Santiago of Jlovesmac1

-The news of her recent meet and greet in Manila led me to her channel. She is so hilarious and talented! Watching her videos never fail to make me laugh. She actually reminds me of Raven Symone. Such a talented Filipina! ^^

Check out her channel here.

What are your April favorites? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Just Sampling: Lioele Secret Pore Rich Balm

Hi again! You know what it feels like when it's so hot and humid outside that your usual life savers aka those that prevent you from looking like you're glistening like a pig are giving up on you? Well, this time of the year, no matter what I put on that used to last on me for hours now start to melt after an hour or two, and it's driving me crazy! That's why I decided to search for a primer, which is supposed to help me through.

I've been checking out this Lioele Secret Pore Rich Balm for quite sometime and when I found out that Lioele Market Market is having a 30% off sale on all items til April 30, I thought I'd grab a few samples to see if it works. I don't know if it's more of a primer or a pore filler, but I like it.

hikosencara-nz.com

A 20-ml tub costs 1, 250 pesos, and I got my samples for 100 bucks for 3 sachets. Each would last you for about a week.

The Verdict:
I love it. It's the first sort-of-primer I've ever tried and I absolutely love it, except of course the hefty price tag. But, it is a great primer/base/pore filler. The texture is reminiscent of lip balm except it doesn't have a greasy feel. A little goes a long way too. I think it's meant as a target primer, or you just put it on where you need a little help like the T-zone area. But I used it all over my face. I put on two layers on my T-zone area. It has a velvety finish which I love, and it makes foundation application a breeze.

It extends the oil-control power of everything I have on for an hour or two. These days, I usually blot an hour after I get to the office, but now, I can blot at around lunchtime and it's not even that noticeably-oily situation yet.

It's supposed to make the pores look less visible, but I really didn't see any changes in my pores but it still held up the oil in a little longer. Also, it has silica, which might cause allergies to some people.

This would definitely be a primer that I'd be willing to save for. But for now, my mission is to find a less expensive counterpart, if I find any. But if you have a few bucks to splurge, try this one.

Cheerio!

Just Sampling: Lioele Fresh Sun Screen SPF 45 PA ++

Hey guys! As promised weeks ago, here's my take on the Lioele Fresh Sun Screen SPF 45 PA++. I purchased this during Lioele's 30% off on all items sale in Market! Market!, which is until April 30.

I just wanted to check out a new sun screen and since Lioele was selling samples, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try it.

mylioele.com

Here's how the real thing looks like, well, the regular sized one. A tube costs 990 for 80 ml. I bought mine for 100 bucks for 3 tubes.

The Verdict: 
The first thing I liked about this sunscreen is that it feels light on the skin. Most sun screens with high SPF tend to feel heavy, at least in my experience. So I like that it doesn't feel too thick but it has SPF 45. It smells good too, kinda powdery. I like the sample itself too because it's easier to carry and it has quite a lot of product. I haven't finished my first tube, and I've been using it for about 3 weeks.

It has a bit of a dewy finish. That part I didn't quite like, but nothing a good powder can't fix. I like sun screens with a powder finish better, but if you're into the dewy finish, this one is good. Price of the regular sized one is a little steep though. But if you want, you might want to sample it first.

All in all, this one's an awesome sun screen. According to the Lioele website, it's waterproof too and infused with green tea and other extracts. Given that I never experienced sunburn during the time I'm wearing this, and I'm very prone to sunburn, I'd say it's true. ^^

Be sure to grab a tube of this during Lioele's sale in Market Market til April 30. Cheerio!

Food Talk: Yogi Berry Frozen Yogurt

Hello guys!

Because of the extremely hot weather, it's inevitable for me and my family to constantly crave for anything cold. Aside from ice cream, smoothies, and sodas, frozen yogurt is also the most common craving.

It was last year when we finally decided to try Yogi Berry in V Mall, Greenhills. We see it almost all the time and decided it would be fun to try a self-service yogurt stand.

Yogi Berry offers, mostly, three flavors of frozen yogurt: plain, strawberry, and blueberry (when we last visited). Each ounce costs 18 pesos, which per computation, they actualy offer one of the cheapest cups of fro-yo.

Their toppings range from fruits, nuts, and candies to chocolate morsels, crushed graham crackers, and a variety of flavored syrups.

My sister and I used to love mango or strawberry with plain yogurt, but Yogi Berry allowed us to be risk takers. Now, our favorite would have to be plain yogurt with mochi and marshmallow cream, a sweet and tangy treat with that interesting mochi texture.

What's also cool about Yogi Berry is that you can put on as many toppings as you want. It's not too measured, compared to other fro-yo stands.

Aside from its stall at the 2nd floor of V Mall, Greenhills, you can also find Yogi Berry at the 2nd floor of SM North Edsa, The Block.

What's your favorite fro-yo concoction? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Food Talk: Sophie's Mom Cookies

Hey! As I mentioned on my previous posts, I'll be posting mostly about food this week. We tried quite a few new things during my mom's pre- and actual birthday celebration, and I just wanted to share them, while the taste is still fresh in my mind, and tongue. ^^ Rest assured, makeup reviews will follow in the next weeks.

I've told you what I thought about Sophie's Mom cupcakes in one of my old entries. Although I've tried their red velvet cookie, I've never really told you what I thought of it. ^^

The Verdict:

When I first tried a cookie from Sophie's Mom, it was priced at 50 bucks each. Now, it costs 55 each. It is quite a big cookie, so it is worth the price. 

I tried their red velvet before, which is basically a red velvet cookie with cream cheese swirls. The cookie was tasty and it wasn't too sweet. I recently tried their dark chocolate macadamia cookie, which is more awesome because there really are chunks of dark chocolate and macadamia nuts.

Their cookies are individually wrapped in plastic, so eating it around the mall, like I did, didn't make quite a mess. Plus, their cookies are moist and not too crumbly so you won't end up with bits and pieces of cookies with every bite.

I definitely recommend trying out cookies from Sophie's Mom. They're located at the 2nd floor of SM The Block, right across Fully Booked.

Cheerio!

Look What I Bought: Tous Les Jours Sweet Haul

Hey. Again. Just a quick story here that lead to my eventual "haul" in this cute bakery. ^^

So, a few weeks ago, when we visited the Tous Les Jours branch in Fairview, they were having this promo that when you buy a thousand worth of their goodies, you get to bring home a bottle of non-alcoholic apple champagne. At first, I thought it was only because they had just opened, but when we went to their branch at SM North Edsa earlier today, it seems that they also have that promo.

Because my mom has already decided on her cake, we decided to ask if they sold the champagne on its own, but unfortunately, it's not for sale, it's a free item. We wanted to have a bottle for her birthday. So, we tried to make up for the difference and ended up buying two cakes and a can of Chilsung. ^^

The free bottle of apple champagne for every 1000 purchase. ^^

 A can of Chilsung cider (upper left background), Strawberry Inspiration Cake, and Gift? Chocolate Cake. ^^

I can't say much about the bottle of champagne since we haven't tasted it, but it looks awesome and perfect for a birthday celebration. *haha* I didn't see an end date for the promo, so you might want to check them out while they still have bottles of their apple champagne. ^^

*Photos by my sister.

Cheerio!

Food Talk: Tous Les Jours' Strawberry Inspiration Cake

Hi guys! Just a couple of quick food posts from here on out. We had a pre-celebration of my mom's birthday, so... I just wanted to share with you the things that we tried. It was also our first time to try these things, and I wanted to tell you what we thought about 'em. ^^

So, first up is one of the inspiration cakes of Tous Les Jours. After going through all the designs of these strawberry cakes, my mom finally decided on the, well, strawberry designed one. There's one in the shape of a heart, an apple, a rose, and this.

The Verdict:

All I can say is that this cake is aweeesommeee! Although I like really sweet cakes, I find this great as well. It's made of yogurt and fresh strawberries on strawberry cake. It's very refreshing and has a good blend of sweet and sour flavor. The yogurt gave the cake its much needed tangy taste. It's also dusted with strawberry powder. But be wary of the green tea powder. Tasted on its own, it's very bitter, but tastes fine with the cake itself. Btw, the Tous Les Jours ribbon and sign are edible coz they're made of chocolate.

Compared to local premium round cakes, this cake is quite pricey at 598 pesos, given its size. But because of its fresh and natural strawberry flavor, it's definitely worth it.

When you decide to buy this though, make sure to refrigerate it within 2 hours because the yogurt can melt easily. "Life span" of the cake is 7 days. ^^ 

*Photos by my sister. ^^

Have you tried this cake? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Certified Movie Buff: National Treasure

Hey guys! I got one, well two, of my favorites here in "Movie Buff." They're no longer new films but every time I watch them, they're still as awesome.

I'm a sucker for action-adventure-thriller-suspense films, and the two National Treasure films fall into one or two of these categories. So, National Treasure was an instant favorite. Plus, both films were under Disney and Jerry  Bruckheimer. The first film came out in 2004, and the second in 2007.

en.wikipedia.org

www.filmlinks4u.net

I'm no movie expert, given that I would probably rate the cheesiest movie of all time as something that is "brilliantly written." *haha* I just love films and rate them according to my liking and how well I understood the concept of the films. 

I love the National Treasure films because I think they were well-written. I liked how the second film transcended the first one in terms of the setting and the story. I usually believe that "sequels tend to suck" but in this case, I think the second was just as great as the first. 

The first National Treasure film was mainly about Ben Gates' (Nicholas Cage) journey in pursuing a treasure hunt that has been unsuccessful for years. It was his way of introducing his family, including his ancestors, as real treasure hunters and not merely thieves. Ben is smart in all aspects, and his team with Riley, and Abigail, and his dad makes the entire film just more brilliant.

The second film was more of a personal hunt for the Gate's family since it was about Ben's great-great grandfather being accused of one of the people who planned the assassination of former American president Abraham Lincoln, but of course, there's still a treasure at stake. 

I made an entry about this cool franchise because there are rumors about a third film (Yey!!!). I sure hope that it would still be as great as the first two, and I hope it gets shown soon.

Cheerio!

Food Talk: Mochi Creme

Hello guys! Last night, my sister was browsing through her phone's picture gallery, and she asked me if there were pictures that I wanted to use. Whenever we eat out, whether it's a snack or a full meal, my sister takes pictures. Some she uses in her blog and others, I borrow. ^^ So when it comes to Food Talk, the pictures would probably be 98% her shots. I can manage the mug shots of my makeup, but when it comes to food, I just...suck. *haha*

Anyway, late last year, we jumped to the bandwagon of "mochi ice cream." I guess rice flour has started to get the fame it deserves with this tasty treat. My mango mochi ice cream from Mochi Creme was my first, then I started trying ones from others too.

The Verdict:

Mochi ice cream is fairly small, I mean in general. This one from Mochi Creme is the size of your regular puto or rice cake. But I've seen others that are waayy smaller. The regular flavored ones cost 60 each, like the mango and chocolate ones, and the others like green tea are priced at 65 each. 

It is pricey for such a small treat, but I think it's safe to say that it's worth it. I love the ones from Mochi Creme because the thickness of the mochi covering is just right and so is the amount of ice cream inside. 

The lady selling these told us to wait for the mochi to melt just a little because it is frozen , like you-can't-bite-through-it-if-you-won't-wait frozen. So, about a minute or two would do the trick.

The Mochi Creme I visited is at the 3rd floor (used to be 2nd flr I think) of SM North Edsa The Block but my sister's been to the one on the ground floor of SM San Lazaro.

Have you tried a mochi ice cream? Lemme know. Cheerio! 

Charlie's On Facebook ^^

Hi guys! Just a quick, well, announcement. ^^

I know Charlie's Mirror doesn't have a flooded community, and I don't even know how many people are actually reading this blog, but I figured some of you might want to, you know, just do small talk about stuff. ^^

Since I'm not always on Blogger and I don't know who's online, I put up a Facebook page just in case you guys want to chat. I'm online at most nights anyways, so...just shoot me a message on Facebook or whatever if you're in the mood. Whatever the topic is, if I can relate well, I'm your girl. ^^ The link's down to your right. =)

Thanks and Cheerio!

Say Hi to Lemon!

Hello!

When my sister read my blog a few months ago, she said that it was missing something. And when I asked her, she said it was missing my, well, our, dog. Apparently, introducing our dog is crucial to this blog, so here goes the picture of the cute-sy lemon beagle, Lemon. We adopted him about 4 years ago from the vet.

We love dogs, and he just seemed cute and obedient at that time. Well, he is cute, but I think obedient is out of the picture.

He's a little, well, stubborn. You have to call him about a hundred times before he turns his head to look at you or actually obey. But he's sweet and cuddly and cute, so all of the other bad things are just ignored.

Cheerio! 

My First Lush Purchase

Hi! When I was around in high school, I came across the brand Lush in a magazine and how they're products are totally fragrant, and when I finally visited their store a few years later I thought to myself that "totally fragrant" was a complete understatement.

Their products are mostly soaps, but they also have bath salts and bombs, hair care products, and a few makeup stuff. They have a store on the bridge connecting SM North Edsa Main to The Block.

They have really cool stuff. And you wouldn't miss their store because the scent of their products shoot through a wide range. ^^ Late last year, I finally decided to try one of their bath bombs called Creamy Candy. I would love to try their soaps but the prices when not on sale make my head do somersaults. 

The Verdict:

This cost around 200, 225 I think for 100 grams. The size of your typical soap but smells like flowers. Wish the scent lasted longer though on the skin. They have soaps with smell that last long on the skin but I have yet to try those. 

Since this is a bath bomb meant for bath tubs and we don't have a bath tub, we (my sister, my mom and I) use this by crumbling a small piece in a pail of water and using it as an after-washing-off-the-soap wash, then rinse. Doesn't dry the skin, which is a good thing and makes your skin smell awesome for about an hour at most. Sadly.

I love this but I think I'll try their soaps next time. Just make sure that if you'd try their soaps or bath buddies, have a good container to put it on. You need to keep them dry because they melt easily. And, try to catch them on sale, just so you wouldn't mind coughing out almost a few hundred bucks for a soap. ^^

Have you tried anything from Lush? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Etude House Candy Stick in Orange Candy

Hi guys. Earlier this year, Etude House released their Sweet Recipe line, a set of oh-so-yummy cosmetics that look too good to eat, or rather, use. However, not everything is here yet. Including some shades of their baby choux base, their ice cream loofah, and a few other things that I want to try.

This candy cane lip balm/tint is one of their cute items on the line. It's available in three colors/flavors: lemon, orange, and strawberry. They smell like their, well, flavor. This one's actually my sister's but I like it so much that I might buy one for myself. Btw, she took the first picture, which would explain the special presentation of her M&M necklace. ^^

This actually reminds me of their Apricot Stick I reviewed about a year ago. I think this one's better though. This costs 248.00.

Pros:

1. Eye-catching packaging. SO cute.

2. Very moisturizing. Keeps lips looking hydrated. If that makes any sense

3. Smells and tastes good. Like orange.

4. Stays on for a long time. Has the ability to survive a meal or two. Although the gloss fades, a tint stays on the lips

5. Doesn't sit on the lines of the lips

Con:

 1. Never, ever, ever try to see how long the product is. ^^ I think it's the defect of the packaging. It's the same case with my apricot stick too. You wouldn't be able to retract it. You would have to push it back in, and you might end up breaking the lippie.

But, I love this. I might be getting the lemon one because this has a strong pinkish red tint to it and I like mine to be a little peach-y. 

Have you tried this? Share your thoughts. Cheerio!