Rated PG(Patay-Gutom): Sunshine Kitchen

Last night, I had the pleasure of having some old girl (and boy) friends for company for a baby shower thrown for Paolo and Mika Licuanan.  We had dinner and some games at a noisy long table in Sunshine Kitchen, The Fort Strip.  It was my first time to eat at this resto.

The venue: The place has an easy-going vibe that doesn’t intimidate first-times.  They have their own shared comfort room with a place for hand washing located just outside the restroom.  The lighting is perfect to set an intimate and fun mood, but don’t go looking for candle lit tables here.  This is more of a family-and-friends-fun kind of place.  I also did not notice any table setting just for two.  Having said that, should you want to impress your date with casual vibe and good food (more on this later), this is a good place to go to.

The service: Servers are very attentive and very gracious.  They are also very helpful and so I must give this place a two thumbs up in this category.   They were also very accommodating with our requests.

The food:  Everyone ordered their own and shared.  But the hit of the night was their paella, their pizza with mushroom and quail eggs, and their beef stew.  Hubby specifically said the beef stew tasted great.  And their servings are for sharing too!

Value for money:  If you’re sharing with friends, a date, or family, Sunshine Kitchen is a good place to get good food for very reasonable prices.  Their food serving is usually good for sharing.

RATED PG: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Product Review: Burt Bees Baby Shampoo and Wash vs. Cetaphil

In the first two months since baby was born, we used Cetaphil to make sure that it is gentle enough for baby’s skin.  Once the last bottle ran out, we switched to Burt Bees baby Shampoo and Wash.  We haven’t used any other soap for baby ever since.

First off, compared to Cetaphil, Burt Bees is naturally more fragrant.  Its scent stays on baby for most of the day.  The true acid test came during these hot summer days.  Burt Bee’s scent usually lasts for 8 hours or more on our baby, but nowadays, it’s more like 4-5 hours tops.  Still a good number of hours considering baby needs a wipe down with a wet towelette every 4 hours these days.  Plus, we’re not using baby powder (yet).

Next, Burt Bees, though more expensive per bottle (750.00 at your local Beauty Bar) seems to be cheaper than Cetaphil since you don’t need use too much product to get baby clean.  A large Cetaphil bottle used to last for just a month and a half while Burt Bees lasts for 2 months or more.  If you don’t mind the higher cash out (Cetaphil sells at 600.00 at Watsons),  I suggest Burt Bees is the way to go.

I’ve never had issues with either Cetaphil or Burt Bees when it comes to skin sensitivity.  I guess, at the end of the day, both products are able to do the job they’re meant to do, only Burt Bees seems to save me a few moolahs in the process while keeping my baby smelling good.

The one thing that Cetaphil has over Burt Bees is the availability.  Cetaphil is available in Mercury Drug stores and Watsons,  or even in some SM Mall Department Stores.  Meanwhile, Burt Bees is only available in Rustan’s and Beauty Bar shops.

On stupid grins and entering law school

I love being a lawyer.  I used to tell my students all the time that since April 2007, when I wake up in the morning, no matter how horrible the night before was, I have a stupid smile on my sleepy face whenever I face the mirror --all because I know that the person smiling back at me is a geddem-lawyer.

Whenever asked, I try to remember why I wanted to become a lawyer in the first place.  I guess it all started when people kept on telling me I love to argue my way out of sticky situations when I was young.  Oldies would say “Mag-abugado ka na lang, ang galing mo sumagot,” sometimes with unmasked irritation, sometimes, with plain amusement.   Then again, maybe it began when I started to enjoy reading anything and everything I could keep my hands on.  Anyway, for the life of me, I don’t remember the first time I was ever introduced to the concept of being a “lawyer.”  In fact, even in college, when so many movies and tv series would focus on the life of a lawyer (Thank you very much, Ally Mc Beal for making me think lawyers can be quirky and actually have social lives.) I still had no idea what law school will be like, much less, how a lawyer’s life is here in the Philippines.

You see, I do not know any lawyer while I was growing up.  I was the first lawyer from both sides of both sides of my family.  All I knew from what I’ve watched in movies and on tv is that lawyers wear suits, are very smart, and rich.  Truth be told, if I had any talent leaning towards medicine, I’d be a doctor in a blink of an eye.  But somehow, despite growing up in a family of nurses and soldiers and engineers, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer.  Definitely, I wanted to be different.

My quest (naks!) to becoming a lawyer was rather complicated.  First, my paternal grandmother had qualms about my entering law school .  She said that she’s afraid I might turn into a distant aunt who took the bar and failed and was never quite right after that.  I explained to her that I just really want this and assured her I won’t turn cuckoo on her… because I already am. J  Then I didn’t pass the UP Law Interview.  I wasn’t sure then if my parents would still support my decision if I went to Ateneo instead.  The memory of the day my dad and mom told me I can enrol in Ateneo School of Law still brings tears to my eyes.   I wasn’t sure I’d survive Ateneo (being a UP maroon), but I did, and found truly great friends along the way.

But I think the real reason why I eventually jumped the law school gun was because of the simple reason that I wanted to do and BE more.  You see, before I applied for law school, I had the privilege of working for a senator during the impeachment trial of Pres. Estrada.  The slew of personalities I met during those days made me look within and ask myself… “Is this really just what I want to be for the rest of my life?”  I knew the answer as I drafted my resignation letter a few months later.  I want to go to law school because I want to be a lawyer.  Every day.  Forever.

So here I am with a silly grin on my face.  After 4 years of law school, one year to prepare and wait for the Bar results, and five years of law practice… still, with a silly grin on my face.  Because I know, I am a lawyer.  Because I know, I can make a difference and love being who I am at the same time.

Kikay Product Review: Tony Moly Aqua BB Cream

It’s been a while since I bought myself a kikay product (a product used for beautification purposes).  I am not fond of make-up and when I do use a product and it’s good, I stick to it stubbornly until it’s phased-out.

I grew up having sensitive pimple-prone skin… the kind where you wake up in the morning and the first thing you see when you look into the mirror is that you have a/several new zits –just because.  In my college years, I’d sample all the kikay products sent by loving relatives from abroad… and my skin would suffer (or look better) because of this hit-and-miss routine.  However, as my dermatologist would tell you, I’m sure, I also have little to no patience at all when it comes to putting on creams and doing all those tedious beauty regimens.  I’m a slap-it-on-and-go kind of girl.

So, when I first found out about BB cream through a posted blog by a former student (do follow her at themakeupambassador at tumblr), I asked endless questions.  Could a cream be a moisturizer, a foundation, and an SPF all in one without making me look like a kabuki doll?  My former student convinced me to give this one a try.

And I did.  When I bought the jar, I asked to look at an actual sample.  I was a little hesitant because the product looked too light for my morena skin.  But I bought it anyway when the sales lady said it was just going to blend into my skin.  Fine.  At home, as instructed by my former student, I only applied 5 light dots of the products on my face.  I slathered it onto my face like a five-year-old would and mirror-checked: lo and behold, the distribution of the product on my face was flawless.  When I say I slather it on my face like a five-year-old would, let me clarify… you know how kids apply their sun block on their faces when they’re so eager to jump into the pool or play on the beach? THAT’s how I apply anything I put on my face.  I have to say—I love how the product looked on my face.

After a day in the office, I found that the product was still mostly there.  However, I noticed that my face looked oilier than usual.  The next time I used it, I dusted Revlon Age Defying powder and both problems were cured.  That has been my routine ever since.

What I like about this BB cream is the fact that it feels so light on the skin. I instantly forget I’m wearing make-up.  I don’t use it so much for cover up, I just basically want my skin to glow and look more even-toned.  I have very brown freckles on my face and I don’t even care to cover them up… otherwise, I know I’d lose the “natural-no-make-up” look. 

I did notice that I’d get a small zit (white head) or two when I leave the product on my face overnight (tsk, bad!)  And since I always forget to clean my face at home when I have my baby in my arms, I found a solution:  I washed my face every afternoon before leaving the office and slather on my favourite moisturizer (Human Heart Nature Sunflower Oil).  Problem solved.

I hope this kikay product review help those of you out there looking to try a new product this summer.  Til next time J

Baby Product Review: R'Jelly Baby Sling

Wearing my Hapi bubwit.

A friend of mine gave me an R’ Jelly Baby Sling as one of the hand-me-downs from her private stash of baby stuff.  I was so thankful since I have read about the many benefits of baby-wearing.  Baby-wearing is the act of carrying your baby using a sling (piece of long cloth with two rings to lock the cloth in place) or a baby carrier.

When I held the sling in my hands, the first thought that came ‘to mind was: “How the heck am I going to use this thing?” The long piece of cloth was intimidating.  The rings at one end of the cloth did nothing to help me figure out how to use the sling as well.  When I asked my friend to demonstrate how to use the sling, she admitted that she had forgotten how to.  Oh, no!  So, I did what any new mom would do under these circumstances: I google-d it. :P

Watching the youtube videos of moms giving step by step instructions was very encouraging.  It looked so simple.  Actually doing what they’re doing on your own, with your baby, is another matter.

First, you had to figure out the right way to thread the cloth through the rings so you could adjust even when the baby is already inside the sling.  Then, you had to wear the sling over your shoulder before putting your baby in the correct way.  Then you need to pull at the cloth to secure baby in place.

It took some getting used to, but I did it.  And while we still use the stroller or carry her around without the sling, it feels natural and wonderful whenever I’m using it with my baby.  The sling allows you to walk around and do things you normally couldn’t when you’re carrying your child.  While I seldom leave my baby hanging without a least one of my arms supporting her, you could do so if you choose to, for as long as your baby is snug and safe.

It takes a while to figure out the right snugness without suffocating baby, so practice makes perfect.   And like any baby, carrier, the parent using it must be mindful that s/he is carrying his/her child.  So, no jumping and bending over, no chest bumps either.

I give this product a five-star rating.  I will try to use it as often as I can.  Sure beats the portability of a stroller! Special thanks to Atty. Nadine Guzman for giving this wonderful hand-me-down.