Wicked Wicker

Growing up, I made it my personal mission to one day retire as an old, interesting aunt/godmother at a beachfront property in a tiny bungalow with my pottery, plants and poetry (all P’s, yes, I’ve noticed!). Little did I know that I’d have a fabulous family thrown in the way of this dream. My poetic masterpieces would be on two chubby legs each, running through the house and instead of a bungalow, I’d have to expand to at least a three-bedroom spread with a front porch and more pets than plants. And absolutely no pottery either, lest I hear the sound of broken crockery and sheepish “sorry”s all the time!

Anyhoo, of course I thought about furnishing that dream retirement-slash-family-vacation-home and I've always associated wicker furniture with a relaxed, but utterly luxurious bohemian lifestyle in the tropics. Well, if I can’t have a tranquil time with the kids on internal pogo sticks and going Mom-mom-mom, I’d like to at least have everything else try to evoke calm, peace and serenity even if the company I keep is far from it!

From patio furniture to bedroom sets, this site has an incredible collection to browse through! There are a variety of weaves, styles and colors to choose from with plush cushions, luscious fabrics and glass. Nothing looks cheap or flimsy, just wicker furniture that evokes a sense of luxurious lounging, whether on the patio, the living room or the bedroom! There are even dining sets that I know my hubby would love to have in our future home. My personal favorite apart from the wicker bed furnishings would be the rocking chair I could curl up in with a good book!

Truly luscious living is reflected in every page of this site full of a lot other things aside from patio furniture made of wicker. I really can’t wait to see how what I pick out is going to look in my beach home…someday!

Celebrate Your Power of Choice: COULEURS LA FEMME

I believe we were given the right to choose. I believe that an informed choice is empowerment. I believe that empowerment gives life, happiness and contentment.

That being said, I am happy that more and more women are empowering themselves through education about their options in life. Coleurs La Femme encourages the rise of this new Filipina and supports her growing desire to define herself and express her choices over her life, her body and her health.

Couleurs La Femme set the stage for a night
celebrating “femme power” at One Esplanade 

July 10 was an unforgettable night of color and creative expression as Couleurs La Femme, its healthcare  partners  and  media  friends came together to celebrate a product line that offers Filipino  women the ability to make choices to have not only the life, but the lifestyle they deserve. 

Stylishly curated “lifestyle hubs” showcasing 
Couleurs La Femme's celebration of the Filipina's 
Beauty, Balance, Vitality, and Freedom 

Set amid the backdrop of One Esplanade’s chic, contemporary interiors and a breathtaking view of the Manila Bay sunset, Couleurs La Femme made a bold statement that a new Filipina is truly on the rise!

L-R: Designer Emy Cruz (second from left) poses with friends;
fabulous creations defining the Couleurs La Femme woman.

Bright splashes of color and movement from a fabulous fashion show featuring designer Emy Cruz's creations awed guests as gravity-defying performances by Airdance punctuated each segment of the event. The  Bloom  Brothers kept spirits high with music from the 60s to the 80s as guests were  treated to a sumptuous cocktail spread, free-flowing drinks, and a raffle of luxury fragrances and jewelry.

Lady In Fuschia, Ms. Ludy Geraldes,
Marketing Executive for Couleurs La Femme 

According to Ms. Ludy Geraldez, Marketing Representative for Couleurs La Femme, “We created Couleurs La Femme with the modern Filipina in mind, knowing that more Filipinas these days want to savor the very best that life can offer while balancing the demands of their families and careers. Couleurs La Femme is for the woman who doesn’t just have a life, but has a lifestyle”

Airdance defining
the gravity-defying Couleurs La Femme lifestyle!

Distributed  by  Cynosure,  an  all-Filipino  pharmaceutical  company  that  focuses  on  women’s  health  and wellness, Couleurs La Femme is a line of oral contraceptive pills that is specially formulated to help women achieve beauty, balance, vitality, and freedom.

Geraldez adds, “What we are celebrating is more than just options for women today, we are celebrating the rise  of  the  new  Filipina—a  woman  who  can  take  on  the  world  with  equal  amounts  of  determination, vivaciousness, and joie de vivre.”

Geraldez concludes, “Tonight is all about celebrating beauty, balance, vitality, and freedom—about raising our glass to the Filipina who wants to have it all, simply because she can.”

Whether you are a mother, a career woman, a girl just stepping out into a bright world of possibilities, the choice is yours to make. 

Be informed. Be empowered.

Couleurs  La Femme  is  available  in  Mercury Drug  and  Watsons  branches and  selected  drugstores.  It  is recommended that women see their gynecologist or healthcare provider for more information.

Sneaky TUNA NUGGETS

Nuggets don't have to be unhealthy! Apart from chicken, you can use tuna for a healthier alternative and use healthy oil alternatives for frying! Good for your heart and yummy in your tummy!

SUPER YUMMY, SUPER HEALTHY!

Sneaky TUNA NUGGETS
Makes 11 pcs nuggets


INGREDIENTS
1 can Red label Century Tuna chunks in water, drained
1/3 cup sweet potato and carrots puree
1 omega 3 enriched egg
1 pack crushed SOYAMI plain
1 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/8 tsp McCormick ground onion
1/8 tsp McCormick ground garlic
1/8 tsp Black or white pepper
Dipping Sauce – bottled Coconut Aminos or Teriyaki/Barbecue sauce    


PROCEDURE

1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients together. Cover and chill for 30 min
2. Cover and chill for 30 min.
3. Divide into 11 1oz portions.  Form into nuggets or small patties
4. Spray non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add patties and cook for 4-5 min on each side or until lightly browned
5. Serve with teriyaki sauce or coconut aminos

For more healthy Soyami recipes please visit www.amsoyami.com   START A HEALTHY EATING HABIT with SOYAMI!

Healthy is YUMMY!

I know, I know! It's been awhile. It's just that so much has happened! As of now, my diet is on hold because I'm preggo again at 5months, as of now. Yay! BUT, that doesn't mean HEALTH is on hold too. More than ever, it's important for me to be healthy and happy. Being pregnant and being healthy doesn't give me a license to over-indulge, binge and eat for two! Be HEALTHY for two, not binge :)

Right now, I and the family are on a soya discovery. Olly at 1year and 7months is still a little allergic to cow's milk and other products like it. She's been purely breastfed and still continues to do so even if she's already consuming solids and other liquids. She's made the transition really well from breast to cup and didn't have to take a bottle.So far she's great with soya milk and even Ate Oona has developed a taste for it over her regular milk.

SOYAMI chips provides us with the following interesting facts...

Soy foods:

• add variety and nutritive value to children’s diet without sacrificing taste. 

• are readily accepted and enjoyed by children and adolescents as tasty alternatives to meat and dairy.

• is cost-effective and blends well with other ingredients, even extreme flavors.

• help decrease fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and calories.

• increases fiber, while still providing children with key vitamins and minerals. 

• contains many essential nutrients important for growth and development.

• works well as a primary source of protein without contributing excess calories.

Offering healthier meals and snacks is a top priority in preventing childhood obesity and reducing disease risk.

Cooking healthy has always been the law at home so it isn't hard to do without the processed and unhealthy junk. It makes eating all the more enjoyable knowing that the kids are growing strong and lean with healthy muscle and they're imbibing healthy eating habits from us. I don't even dissuade them from snacking in between meals as long as they're munching on something healthy like fruit or soya chips. We are lucky enough that soya is nowadays being developed into a healthy food alternative, taking on many forms! It makes it easier for health-minded moms like me to battle the constant barrage of junkfood in the grocery aisles!

Stay tuned with me for more soya info. I'll be posting healthy recipes we've been trying out lately too! Please hop on over to SOYAMI's website, it comes highly recommended by health-minded moms like me and THE PINOY BIGGEST LOSER!

Getting Ready For The Season's Eating!

As of today I have lost 16lbs. since I started on my Luscious Dare. I plan to continue losing more with the proper diet and the exercise I have added to my daily routine. Moreover, I am unafraid and unfazed at the temptations I'd have to face with the upcoming holidays :D

It's important to stay fit ESPECIALLY during the holidays with its parties, holiday food and generous gifts of sweets and Holiday goodies. There's really no need to fast or keep yourself from enjoying what the season has to offer. What's important is only putting on your plate what you really want to eat and can finish. You can always go back for seconds anyway, but bear in mind that you should eat in moderation and only until you're full.

Also, don't let your exercise routine go on holiday either! From my friend Jessica at Gymsource, here are 10 Easy Exercises we can do to enjoy the holidays and not regret it after!

So, what's the best form of exercise? The one you'll actually do!

As long as your fitness program:

A. Raises your heart rate

B. Has a strength training component

C. And is done at least thirty minutes a day five days a week – you'll experience significant health benefits.

Variety is the spice of life; it keeps you motivated and works better for your body by working different muscle groups. You don't need to go to a gym and use fitness equipment. In fact, here are ten simple, yet effective exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home that can help prevent putting on holiday weight:

1. Take a Hike/Stroll

It's also simple, low-impact and easy on the joints – just put on a comfortable pair of shoes, step outside and walk at a fairly brisk pace around your neighborhood. It's a great way to clear the head and improve your mood – it may be cold, but will give you an opportunity to enjoy all the lights and decorations for the holiday season.

2. Jump!

Act like your kids on Christmas morning! Jump up and down, or do some jumping jacks. They're a great way to get the heart pumping and the limbs loosened up. 15-20 repetitions with a minute or two of rest between sets for thirty minutes should be sufficient. This will increase endurance and work on toning your thighs.

3. "Drop and Give Me 20, Soldier!"

Push-ups confer all the same strength-training benefits of bench presses with barbells – without the risk of handling heavy weights and need for a "spotter." You can adjust the intensity by elevating your feet. Push-ups do more than work your arms, they are a total body workout.

4. Lift That Leg

This provides a strength training workout for the thighs and adductors (muscles that attach the upper leg to the hip). If you can't manage leg lifts with a straight leg, bend the knee.

5. Washboard Abs?

You may not get "ripped" by doing crunches, but you'll definitely work your ab muscles – and this will award real benefits to your back as well, and you will see an improvement in toning your abs.

6. You Can Keep Running In Place...

...and you should. This is an exercise you can do while watching TV, making the "boob tube" actually good for something. You can also do it while stringing popcorn on the string for the tree.

7. The Squatters...

No, we don't mean settling land that isn't yours – it's what you do every time you sit in and get up from a chair. Just do it several times until you "feel the burn...", and

8. Household Weight Equipment

Cans of food, milk and water jugs, sacks of flour – you'd be amazed at how much weight training equipment is just sitting in your pantry or refrigerator. (Who knew your could actually lose weight with using your holiday baking ingredients?)

9. Roll Up The Carpet

The latest craze is dancing off the weight, but not all of us can get to the classes when they are offered and the videos cost more than Christmas. Instead roll up the carpet, and crack up the tunes, whether it's Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas" or whatever is on the radio, dancing will increase your aerobic hear rate, and help with endurance training.

10. Steppin' Up

Finally, you don't have to buy a bench step and sign up for a step class to do step. Chances are you've got a step or two around your home. So while those cookies are in the oven, run the stairs a few times. The timers will make great intervals and keep you fit while baking!


The fact of the matter is, that all of these are not difficult, and do not require patience, or a long drawn out explanation. They are simple and they WORK. So maybe you aren't getting fit on treadmills, or ellipticals, but the end result is the same and you will have a lot of extra cash to go and spend it on holiday gifts, or a treat for yourself!

Happy FIT Holidays! ;D