Love According to a Four Year Old

While having breakfast this morning, I asked my daughter about her definition of love and this is what said..







"Love is when you hug and kiss someone, also when you give a card on Mother's Day or Father's Day!"


How about you? What is your definition of LOVE? :)

Snack (Baon) Ideas for Preschoolers

Do you have a daughter or son who attends preschool? Find it hard thinking of what to prepare for his/her snack? If you say YES to these questions then you are not alone. You know, my 4 year old is already on her second year in preschool. However, I still worry about what to put in her snack bag. The main reason that brings this perplexing situation is her being picky when it comes to food. Yeah, sounds pretty normal for young kids but aside from that, she is also allergic to chicken and egg. Most of all, my husband does not allow our daughter to eat anything and everything with pork. This is why I need to be very creative with her everyday baon, considering the factors that they must be healthy, delicious and something that she'll really enjoy eating during recess.





What my daughter had for snack yesterday.. homemade pizza bread and fruit yogurt.




My daughter's baon for today.. champorado or chocolate rice pudding, apple and Yakult.



More Baon Ideas for My Preschooler

1. Cake/ cupcake/ muffin/ bread/ biscuit/ cookies. These are the things that I either prepare myself or buy from the grocery store.

-regular pancake
-chocolate pancake
-pancake with cheese
-vanilla cupcake
-cheese cupcake
-chocolate muffin
-mango muffin
-blueberry muffin
-regular toast
-garlic toast
-French toast
-banana bread
-bread sticks
-cheese sticks
-Skyflakes biscuits
-Fita biscuits
-Eggnog
-coconut biscuits
-oatmeal cookies
-choco chip cookies
-butter cookies

2. Fruit Juices and Other Drinks. I always buy 100% juice for my daughter. I seldom buy artificial juices for her. Frankly speaking, I'd rather give her water than buy her a sugar-loaded Zest-O.

-apple juice
-pineapple juice
-kiwi juice
-vegetable juice mix
-yogurt drink
-ayran (Turkish yogurt drink made from a mixture of plain yogurt, water and salt)
-Yakult
-water

3. Fruit of the Day. My daughter's snack bag most of the time contains one kind of fruit and anything from #1 and #2. I like fruits a lot because they are easy to prepare. I just wash, peel and slice them into bite size pieces and they're good to go.

-banana
-strawberry
-apple
-orange/ ponkan
-grapes
-tomato
-mango

4. Vegetable. There's only one kind of vegetable that she eats for snack and that's cucumber. I peel a small cucumber, remove the seeds and slice them into sticks. She loves it!

5. Yogurt. Being half Turkish, my daughter doesn't have problem eating yogurt as snack while other kids would complain it's sour or smelling funny. I normally buy fruit yogurt in the grocery and combine it with my homemade plain yogurt to come up with a less sweeter mixture. Sometimes, I simply bring out the plain yogurt from the fridge then top it with small slices of fresh fruit.

-strawberry yogurt
-mango yogurt
-mixed berry yogurt
-plain yogurt

6. Rice Dishes. My daughter doesn't like kakanin but she enjoys a few rice dishes that I give her.

-champorado
-arroz caldo
-goto
-sütlaç (Turkish rice pudding)


As you can see, chips, candies, and chocolates are not included in my list. Although I have a picky-eater, I consider myself lucky that my daughter isn't used to eating junk food. For example, give her a lollipop candy and she'll lick it for seconds then give it back to you. How about other sweets? Of course she loves chocolates and marshmallows and ice cream. I just don't allow her to eat too much. Once in a while, she would request for a chocolate drink, chocolate mallows or a candy bar and I give in. At home, I have jar filled with different kinds of sweets which we collected from parties and freebies waiting.

In any case, I am looking for more choices as my daughter's baon for school. She might have lunch instead of snack for next school year, too. I am excited thinking of bento lunches for her. I started collecting bento materials 2 years ago and use them rarely. By next year, I hope to practice my bento techniques and create not only kawaii but healthy lunches for my daughter. So if you have any suggestions when it comes to school snack or packed lunch, please feel free to comment them below.

Sale Find: Vero Moda Top

I was not supposed to buy this top if not because of hubby who insisted I get it. We were at YKM in Istanbul Forum one day, buying stuff for her little sister, when we saw the racks of Vero Moda (Danish brand) on sale. Actually, it was like buy two items, get the third item for free. By the way, YKM in Turkey is equivalent to Rustan's here in the Philippines. They have a selection of signature and high end products from clothing to makeup.





The Vero Moda white top with gold buttons..




I haven't worn it yet so the tag is still attached..




Love the white sequins on the shoulder..




Sale Find: Vero Moda Snow White Long Top
Original Price: 79.95 TL or around 1800 Php
Sale Price: free (after buying 2 pairs of jeans)
Store: YKM Istanbul Forum


Any suggestions on how to wear a see through long top? Thanks.

Unforgettable Cadbury Dairy Milk Moment

I honestly cannot remember the first time that my family had Cadbury Dairy Milk. If there's only one thing that I can never forget which involves a Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, that was when hubby (then boyfriend) and I went on a date at Greenbelt in Makati way back year 2006. After having dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant, we bought a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate and then off we went to the cinema to watch Over the Hedge.





My husband and I met online and started a long distance relationship in 2005. We finally met summer of 2006 and that date at Greenbelt was our second real-time date. It was too romantic to forget because of our first kiss, so everything remains fresh in my mind.




My family don't have a specific favorite Cadbury Dairy Milk variant, though. We just love all of them. The fact that it has a smooth and creamy texture is beyond comparison and the pleasure of eating any variant of Cadbury Dairy Milk is like heaven!




Personally, I like to eat my Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate at room temperature, not frozen or fresh from the fridge. I love the way it melts in my mouth and glides slowly in my throat. One the other hand, hubby and daughter enjoy Cadbury Dairy Milk either frozen or melted. Plus, they are the quickest to finish a bar.

Nonetheless, I haven't seen a Cadbury Royal Dark chocolate yet. I hope we have that here so I can satisfy eating sweets in a more guiltless way. What do you think Cadbury Philippines?

Visiting Izmir Enternasyonal Fuarı, Asansör, and Konak Square

More or less 3 hours away of Akçay is the metropolitan municipality of Izmir, also known as the Pearl of the Aegean. If you heard of the word Symrna in Ancient Greek history, that is the Izmir metropolis in the modern day. Kind of hard to explain or understand but if you really wish to know, Mr. Google might be able to help.





On our first day in Izmir, after checking in at Susuzlu Hotel in Konak District, we found ourselves looking for a children's zoo at Izmir Enternasyonal Fuarı or Izmir International Fair when translated in English.




While at the oldest tradeshow in Turkey, we were informed that the zoo no longer exists so we just looked around, took photos then walked towards the shopping/restaurant area to grab something to eat. Near Ramiz, we saw a street performer and a cherry peddler. Click the link for photos.



The next day which was also our last day, we managed to visit Konak Square under the scorching heat of the sun. According to Wikipedia, Konak Square is the busiest part of the city, as Konak is the main place of Izmir.




Izmir Clock Tower is located at the Konak Square. It is a historic clock tower which was built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a Turkish sultan's accession to the throne by the name of Abdül Hamid II.




Konak Sqaure is a popular destination for both local and foreign visitors. One of the activities to do here aside from sightseeing and taking photos is feeding the pigeons. One can also try simit (sesame bread) or buy small souvenirs from a street vendor.




Too hot at Konak Square so off we went to Asansör (Turkish for elevator) which is also a popular landmark in Izmir. This street leading to the Asansör was named after one of the residents, the Turkish polyglot singer Dario Moreno.




A photo of hubby, my daughter, daughter's first cousin and I by the entrance of Asansör. At this point, I was kind of worried to enter because it was a little dark inside and the elevator looked different and kind of spooky. Haha.




A view of the municipality of Izmir from the top of Asansör with the buildings and apartments on the left and the bay area on the right. By the way, the Asansör was built in 1907 by a Jewish banker to help the people in passing through the narrow coastline to the hillside.




Okay, that's me with my baby bump and the view of the bay and more apartments below. Next week, I will most probably post about our next stop which was Kuşadası, a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast in the province of Aydın.

A Birthday Giveaway

First and foremost, thank you so much to all who remembered my natal day. Thanks to everyone who sent their greetings through SMS, Facebook and IG. I also would like to give thanks to those who came to my party to celebrate my 33rd birthday. I really had a blast and felt blessed to have such thoughtful friends and loving family members. So, as my way of showing my grateful heart, I am giving away this Cole Vintage Epi Leather Handbag to one of my lucky readers.






How to join? Simply do the following with 1 point each (the more points you earn, the bigger chance of winning).

1. Like Pink MagaLine in Facebook facebook.com/Pink-MagaLine
2. Share the giveaway link publicly http://tinyurl.com/mdukr4c
3. Follow me in Instagram instagram.com/mrskolca
4. Look for the giveaway photo in my IG account then re-post and tag me
5. Follow me in Twitter twitter.com/MrsKolca
6. Tweet the giveaway link and tag me
7. Comment your name, email, IG username, FB name, and Twitter name below.

This giveaway is open internationally for as long as you can provide a Philippine address where I can send you the prize.

The winner will be chosen through random.org and will be announced July 29, 2013 here in my blog.

Entries will be accepted until July 28, 2013 at 12 midnight (Philippine time) only.

That's it. Good luck everybody! :)




Important Note: You need to share the giveaway publicly and or tag me when tweeting or reposting for verification purposes.

Funny Name for a Ketchup and Mayonnaise

I posted this photo of Turkish ketchup and mayonnaise in IG sometime in May and received funny comments about it. The brand name is Bol bol which is kind of odd when translated in Tagalog. In Turkish, bol bol means plenty, but in Tagalog, it means (excuse me if you're reading this while having a meal).. genital hair.







While in Akçay one day, I thought about cooking spaghetti and making a sandwich for my picky eater so I requested my my mother-in-law to buy for me. When she came back from BIM, a local mini mart, I saw these big containers of her favorite brand of ketchup and mayonnaise, or respectively, ketçap and mayonez in Turkish. I know I've seen this brand two years ago on our first visit in Istanbul. I just didn't really mind it.

Anyway, I was smiling all the way through the preparation of my daughter's food, thinking of how funny it could be if Bol bol exists in PH. She noticed my facial expression and she was like, "Why are you smiling Mama?" I said, "Nothing really dear. I just find the name of ketchup and mayonnaise funny," then told her to eat her meal. I even jokingly added not to worry because they are clean and there's no way that she'll see a strand of hair in them. Haha!

Shamcey Supsup and Lloyd Lee's Anawangin E-session

I think most of you saw the official engagement photos of Lloyd Lee and Shamcey Supsup. Like they said in the news, the lovely couple observed Ting Hun or the traditional Chinese engagement party on Father's Day. It signifies the acceptance of both families of their future daughter or son-in-law. Now Shamcey Supsup and Lloyd Lee's wedding supplier in terms of photography just posted their Anawangin e-session in Facebook. I stumbled upon them and got very amazed so I'm sharing them here.





At first I didn't have any idea on what an e-session is. I just learned that it is actually a short term for "engagement session" wherein the newly engaged couple go to their chosen location for souvenir shoot.




Anawangin, Zambales is such a perfect place for the e-session. Look at them romantic couple and the clear water and the ripples. Ahhh... you know what I mean.




The Miss Universe 2011 3rd Runner Up must be feeling like walking in the clouds during the session. They took really gorgeous shots. Super bagay sa scenery.




Let me caption this this way.. spell happiness and contentment. As early as now, I am saying my best wishes to the bride-to-be.




May you live happy ever after. But oh, I remember what Fawn Weaver said, “Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice.” So okay, may you choose to live happy ever after then! :)






Source of Photos:
facebook.com/niceprintphotographyexigeweddings

Revlon Age-Defying with DNA Advantage Compact Powder Review

This is a new product in my vanity kit, approximately 5 months old. I was using something else before, but finally switched to this one when I discovered the wonder that it does to my face. I was not supposed to buy it in the first place. I was originally eyeing for a pressed powder from a different brand if not because of this lady at a Revlon counter in a mall nearby.






Look at my face after application of Revlon Age-Defying with DNA Advantage Compact Powder in medium shade. Glad I listened to her advice and was convinced to buy.




This powder sells around 800 Php in the market. I believe it comes in light, light medium, medium, and medium deep colors.




This is the same powder I used in my FOTD entry HERE. Below is my detailed review.



Things that I Like About this Product:

-Fragrance free.
-It applies evenly and feels lightweight to the skin.
-Doesn't settle into fine lines.
-It has a soft matte finish.
-Controls facial oil really well.


Things that I Don't Like:

-The mirror is too small.
-The brush doesn't apply well. I had to buy a sponge to replace it.
-Not really suitable to wear at night.
-They don't sell a refill of this powder.


Will I ever buy Revlon Age-Defying powder again?
-Yes, for sure. I love this product!

DIY Project: How to Make Paper Pom-Poms

This is something I wanted to do for my daughter's birthday last year. It did not materialize because we simply celebrated her birthday at school. Anyway, I made these paper pom-poms for my birthday party this weekend. After the party, I am planning to hang them in my daughter's room and make them serve as permanent room decor.








Japanese paper pom-poms, or tissue paper pom-poms as they call it in the States, are fun to make with kids. You can let them help with the folding and trimming of the edges.





Do it in large, medium, or small sizes and also try with different colors. Use these pom-poms to decorate weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and other special occasions. No need to buy, just DIY!



Materials Needed:
-Japanese paper
-string
-scissors





How to Make Decorative Tissue Paper Pom-Poms

Step 1: Create an accordion-style paper by folding all 10 sheets of paper evenly.

Step 2: Fold the accordion paper in the middle.

Step 3: Secure it tightly with a ribbon.

Step 4: Cut the edges in your desired shape.

Step 5: Open the folds and carefully lift each paper all the way around.

Step 6: After doing half up, do the other side until it looks like a ball.


Important Note:
For a large sized pom-pom, use 10 sheets of the whole Japanese paper. For medium, simply cut the 10 layer paper into half and proceed with the folding. Lastly, for a smaller version of the pom-pom, you only need to cut the Japanese paper into four.


There you go. A very quick and easy way of making paper pom-poms. Have fun decorating! :)

Sale Find: Blue Studded Dress

I stopped shopping at Forever 21 after a realization with the mullet top that I bought last year. I admit I sometimes get tempted to enter their store when malling. I just brush the thought by checking other brands. One day, I saw this item at Surplus Store which suddenly changed my mind. Buying this dress is like giving Forever 21 a second chance again huh. Let's see.





A studded Forever 21 baby blue dress half the price against the regular dresses at their store.




I like the fact that the studs are not sharp and pointy.




I told you.. it is an overrun Forever 21 dress!



Sale Find: Forever 21 Studded Dress
Overrun Price: P399
Store: Surplus Store - Megamall

Another Trip to Shawarma Snack Center (SSC) Malate

Have you heard of Shawarma Snack Center or SCC? Ever tried their authentic Persian kebab? How about the shawarma? In my case, I've been there a lot of times before. In fact, I posted an entry about SSC twice already. First, in my cross-cultural blog and then second in my mommy blog. Both blogs are now inactive so I thought of writing a new one.






This is what we always order at SSC, a package of different mixed grilled meat, chicken tikka, kabbab, beef tenderloin, tomatoes, and onions for P1,200, good for 4 to 6 people. My #1 favorite from this platter is the beef tenderloin. Very tasty!




The kebab platter comes with 10 pieaces of this pita bread. I consider this the best pita bread ever! I mean REALLY. It is thick, yummy and super sarap esp. when eaten fresh from the oven! Until now, I haven't tried any pita that could surpass its taste.




As for the side dishes that goes with the platter, clockwise in the collage are pickles, eggplant salad, yogurt, potato fries, and hummus.




They also give dips like mayonnaise and ketchup for the fries and garlic dip for the grilled meat.




The location of the Shawarma Snack Center is a little far from where we live, but I swear our every visit is worth the ride. My family just keeps on going to this restaurant in order to satisfy our cravings for an authentic Persian kebab.




Across SSC is a smaller version of their restaurant with the same name which is more of a low key in atmosphere. There they serve shawarmas and other fast food menus.



Things that I Like About SSC:
-Both their kebab and shawarma are very delicious.
-Like I said, best pita bread ever!
-Price is reasonable.
-They have wifi.

Things that I Don't Like:
-Malate is a little far. There is an SSC stall at Waltermart in Makati but they sell shawarma only.
-Limited parking space, plus Salas is a one way street.
-They don't serve steamed rice.

Will I ever go back to SSC to dine again?
-I guess you know the answer. Of course!







Shawarma Snack Center - Malate
485 B R. Salas Street, Ermita, Manila, Philippines
Telephone # 521-2121 /523-0695 / 525-4541

Shawarma Snack Center - Parañaque
42 President Ave B.F. Homes, Parañaque
Telephone # 827-9036

Shawarma Snack Center - Makati
2/F Waltermart Makati, Pasong Tamo Ext.
Pio Del Pilar, Makati City

My Daughter's 4th Birthday and Tips on How To Throw a Birthday Party at Your Kid's School

With the economic downfall already felt globally, I know I should always be frugal even in throwing a party. When our first daughter was still a baby, hubby and I decided that she isn't going to have an expensive party every year. Fine, her 1st birthday was celebrated in a pizza food chain but it was the first so we made it a little memorable. On the other hand, her 2nd birthday was celebrated done at home. The 3rd was in our community clubhouse. As for the 4th birthday last year, we did just did it at school. Details are below.






We bought her Hello Kitty birthday cake from BreadTalk. I ordered it and paid it in advance, then picked up a day before the party.




The celebration was limited to her teachers, school staff, classmates, and some mommy friends.




There were spaghetti, hotdog and mallows on stick, fruity gelatine, ube cake and juice for kids, and then there were pansit, shanghai rolls, moist chocolate cake and juice for adults.




This is how cute the cake was. I paid only P800 for it. It was a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache.




Our first time to celebrate her birthday at school. The little one enjoyed it a lot because aside from the food we prepared, they also had pabitin, lootbags, and balloons.



How To Throw a Birthday Party at Your Kid's School

Tip #1. Date, Time and Limitations.
Coordinate with your child's teacher when it comes to the party date and time. Some schools allow parties on Fridays only, others allow any day of the week but for a limited time. Do not forget to ask for the recommended party games and paraphernalia as well. Do they allow mascots or magicians? Do they prefer the pinata, the pabitin or palayok?


Tip #2. Party food.
When cooking or ordering party food, it is important to consider the food allergies of the kids who will be attending the party. They might be kids who are allergic to chicken, cheese, nuts, etc. Not to mention, some kids might be Muslim or 7th Day Adventist so they don't eat pork.


Tip #3. Party size. Don't estimate it. Get the exact party size by counting the number of your child's classmates, teachers and school staff. After knowing the number, that's when you decide on how much extra food you would want to bring.


Tip #4. Party theme. This is something that you or your kid can agree with. Children's preference change as they grow older so last year's party theme might not be as interesting as it was before.


Tip #5. DIY it! Do it yourself as much as you can. For the food, you may ask the help of a relative who can cook well. For the decorations, party balloons and loot bags, you may save a lot of money by looking for a cheap supplier like those in Divisoria.



In 3 months, more or less, we will be celebrating our daughter's birthday again. She is asking for a Disney Princess party and an Aurora dress this time. I will be giving birth a month before that so I really don't know if I could pull it off and meet her expectations.





Disclaimer: This article was first published October 19, 2012 in my old blog www.utotmopink.com. I edited it so I can republish here.

A Look for Less of Reese Witherspoon's Easy Breezy Outfit

Can no longer remember the last I did a celebrity look for less, so I am posting one today. I had fun creating this set at Polyvore and twas kinda fulfilling to be able to find a cheaper version of each item that Reese Witherspoon wore. You know, she had a wardrobe malfunction that windy day in Santa Monica but the Hollywood star just laughed it off.





I love her white Proenza Schouler PS1 satchel bag. It also comes in red, blue, cream, green, and purple and costs around $1700 for a medium one. Whew, too expensive I know!




I like her sunglasses too. I ain't sure which brand she's wearing, though I saw a similar prada sunglasses at eyesave.com.



Now time to check the set for less which I created through Polyvore.




What do you say? Is it a good alternative to Reese Witherspoon's easy breezy outfit?

Here's for the price of each item in the set and where to buy them.

Zara shell top
1,110 PHP - zara.com

H & M
1,000 PHP - hm.com

Sole Society zip top
2,565 PHP - solesociety.com

Lands End coin charm
1,495 PHP - landsend.com

Aldo earrings
430 PHP - aldoshoes.com

Sterling silver ring
1,500 PHP - macys.com

H & M
265 PHP - hm.com

Gap Floral Ruffle Skirt
1,155 PHP - gap.com

Calvin Klein Women's Verla Kid Suede Sandal
3,495 PHP - amazon.com

Till my next look for less feature folks! I'm off to the grocery now!! :)






Source of Photos:
www.purseblog.com
www.polyvore.com