Steveston Pizza

Whenever we are in Richmond, BC we also make it a point to drive to picturesque Steveston just to soak in the scenery. I never realized it was home to a great pizza place called Steveston Pizza! Maybe because we always eat at Chinese, Korean or Singaporean restaurants when in Richmond heehee.

My friend Karen Wu invited me and the SoMoms for chikahan over pizza at UP Town Center, where she shared that her family partnered with the owner of Steveston Pizza in Canada, Nader Hatami, to put up Steveston Pizza here.

It was a pizza concept they enjoyed back in Canada, in fact bestowed upon the honor of Best Pizza by the Richmond Review from 2008 to 2011. Incidentally, Nader Hatami is also the world record holder for creating the most expensive commercially available pizza in the world, the $450 pizza made of lobster thermidor, Alaskan black cod and a side of Russian osetra caviar, called C6.

You'd have to order that a day ahead though. Nevertheless, while we did not get to try the famed pizza, haha, we all left with happy tummies, already looking forward to our next visit.

Because unlike most pizza chains, Steveston's gourmet pizzas have generous toppings, are made from the freshest ingredients (no canned or frozen toppings here), and the crusts are crispy on the edges, fluffy in the center.

We started off our pizza fest with their Flying Ceasar salad, which is basically ceasar salad with paprika coated, lemon scented chicken.

While waiting for our pizzas to be served, we also had some of their Angel chicken wings which come in dark, sweet and spicy flavors.

I am not exaggerating when I say how generous the toppings are. It's practically a salad, even a dish on a 12" pizza crust.

C2 is topped with prosciutto ham, brie, semi-dried Roma tomatoes, dollop of roasted garlic mousse (Php1299)

Black and Blue Pizza - yes you may split your pizza into two different flavors. Black is topped with honey glazed chicken breast, fig Gorgonzola, mascarpone mousse, walnuts and arugula julienne (Php699) and Blue has rosemary smoked bacon, caramelized onion, mushrooms, baby spinach and stilton blue cheese mousse (Php699)

Pink & Green pizza - Pink has smoked salmon, asparagus, bocconcini and onion with pesto drizzle (Php699) and Green is topped with herb pesto butter, shrimp, brie and scallions (Php699)

We also had a cheese pizza, but that was the first that came to our table and was devoured in record time. We shared a total of 4 pizzas that day, and I think we left with only 5 slices remaining. That was how much we enjoyed our food. 

Bring the family or your friends over to Steveston Pizza when you're craving for pizza that's out of the ordinary. You will enjoy it, especially if you like thin crust pizzas!

Steveston Pizza UP Town Center
Ground Floor UP Town Center
Katipunan Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Tel +632 955 2273
Mobile +63 917 904 3428

Steveston Pizza Tomas Morato 
186 Tomas Morato cor Sct De Guia
Laging Handa, Quezon City
Tel +632 921 9898

Cafe Shibuya at UP Town Center

Our friends Jon & Cathy, Berry's Ninong & Ninang, and their in-laws opened Cafe Shibuya in UP Town Center back in October, and we've been meaning to go ever since, except that something always turns up and our plans to go to Quezon City always gets foiled.

So by the time we finally made it there, I had already heard so much about Cafe Shibuya, I knew we were definitely in for a treat! 

Cafe Shibuya is named after their Shibuya Toast, which is a Japanese version of a French toast. Decadent and indulgent when eaten with ice cream & fruits on top, slathered with Nutella or drizzled with honey, Cafe Shibuya's bread alone is so soft, and tasty, it can stand by itself. It's that good.

I told Jon they should start selling their bread, I would happily eat it for breakfast everyday.

It is not surprising that most people I know who have been there think of it as a dessert place, especially since their "There's always room for dessert" wall is the most photographed corner in almost all the blogs and Instagram photos I have seen.

More so because people often stop by after lunch or dinner, for their best seller, the Ghirardelli Triple Dark Chocolate Frappe.

Ghirardelli Triple Dark Chocolate Frappe

Yes, they have the license from Ghirardelli to use and prepare their hot chocolate and coffee drinks the Ghirardelli way.

But more than just sweet drinks and desserts, Dada & I loved their savory dishes as well. You really do have to try their Savory Toasts, as the chalk board suggests.

This, we loved. The fried poached egg with smoked salmon. O.M.G. This is what brunch is all about.

Berry had the Spaghetti al Tonno - tuna, capers and olives in a tomato basil sauce. Healthy and delicious.

But I really have to direct you back to their fried poached egg on Shibuya Toast. That, with a Cafe Shibuya Latte, are what Saturday brunches are made of. 

Cafe Shibuya
UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City
Telephone: +632 722 2237
Mobile: +63 947 221 3836
Sunday to Thursday 10:00 am - 10:00 pmFriday to Saturday 10:00 am - 12:00 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CafeShibuya

Boon Tong Kee in Manila

Prawn Toast with Mayo

I actually had a taste of Singapore the week before Dada & I went to Singapore. My friend and fellow SoMom, Jenny Reyes, invited the SoMoms to Boon Tong Kee, her cousin Moya Aranaz's restaurant, a Singapore franchise co-owned with family/partners and one of three (going on 4) branches here in Manila.

I have been to the original Boon Tong Kee on River Valley Road several times, whenever we had visitors in town, and I know how popular it is that people would wait in line out on the street, in the heat, just to get a table. 

I was expecting loads and loads of their delicious chicken rice, with the rice served in their signature pyramid shape, but to our surprise, a lauriat was expecting us!

Poached Spinach with different kinds of egg

Crispy Bean Curd with Green Tea Mayo

I only made it so far as to take photos of the appetizers until my phone up and died, but let me tell you, Boon Tong Kee in Manila is like a huge step up from the original, I am sure their Singapore principals are pretty impressed with what they've done.

For one, the space is a lot more nicer and polished, with a nice restaurant rather than a side street eatery feel (although that is part of the charm of Boon Tong Kee on River Valley Road) . Plus the food choices are amazing! Experimental but delicious, different yet still familiar. You must try the Stir Fried Lotus and the Braised Yimian Prawn Noodle. Delish!

To make the lunch a lot more fun, we hashtagged #BoonTongKeePH while Instagramming, so we could get these Printster prints, aka souvenir Instagram pics/discount cards that Moya and his sister Rosanna (I still remember her as one of the Little Miss Dress Up girls!) gave out during our lunch.

I got the SoMoms' extra prints so I could use these discount pics for our next visit, heehee

I will definitely be going back for the coffee roasted pork, the chicken rice of course, and the cereal prawn. The cereal prawn! OMG.

Boon Tong Kee Mall of Asia
2/F, Entertainment Mall, North Wing (by Seaside Blvd)
SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
Mon-Thu, Sun 10am to 10pm/ Fri-Sat 10am to 11pm
Tel: +632 804 2862

Boon Tong Kee Power Plant
3/F, Power Plant Mall (near cinemas)
Makati City
Mon-Thu 11am to 9pm/ Fri 11am to 10pm/ Sat 10am to 10pm/ Sun 10am to 9pm
Tel: +632 890 0160

Boon Tong Kee Tomas Morato
310 Tomas Morato Avenue (near ABS-CBN)
Quezon City
Mon-Thu 11am to 9pm/ Fri 11am to 10pm/ Sat 10am to 10pm/ Sun 10am to 9pm

OPENING SOON: Boon Tong Kee U.P. Town Center in Katipunan

Follow Boon Tong Kee on Facebook: Boon Tong Kee Philippines, and on Twitter and Instagram: @BoonTongKeePH. 

Follow #Printster on Instagram @SocialSavvyPH and on Facebook: Social Savvy

Juice Ko Day!

Months ago, my friend Carissa told me that she and her sisters Marissa & Vanessa were starting a juice company.

It made sense. Carissa is always on top of the latest trends, both in food and fashion. Vanessa studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney & Paris. Marissa worked in marketing for a multinational in Singapore for years. All three are gorgeous, it is obvious that they care about being healthy. It was like a dream team of poster girls for juicing.

I had sneak peeks of their project as it progressed and it was just so promising. True enough, the day of their launch/taste testing, it was nothing short of spectacular in taste, look and feel:

It's not all about style though. The business is pure substance. SPRUCE has made it their mission to make it easier for people to be healthy. As they say,

"Whether you want to improve your diet, go on a full cleanse program or maybe just cure that nasty hangover (we don’t judge!), Spruce has exactly what you need. We all strive for improvement and we do so on our own pace."

In my opinion, and not just because that's how their copy reads, SPRUCE makes the best tasting, cold pressed juices in the metro. Whether you like sweet juices or hard core veggies in liquid form, they've got something tasty for you, you'd call it a treat. 

 

Plus, they use Norwalk machines to cold-press organic vegetables and fresh fruits daily. So there's none of those icky, gritty bits floating about which remind you of freshly mown grass. Just fresh silky smooth juice that goes down easy.

There are nine SPRUCE variants and I have yet to meet a SPRUCE juice I did not like.

Carissa says she likes La Furia Roja, "Because I like savory and I love soup, so it reminds me of eating/drinking gazpacho". Meanwhile, I am still undecided because there's a SPRUCE juice for my every mood.

Made from carrot, celery, spinach and parsley, it's a salad in a bottle!

All fast, no furious - gone in sixty seconds, maybe a whole lot less.

Made with 4 whole apples and lemon juice. Delish!

I've tried all, yes all, SPRUCE juices and really, there's no way you could go wrong. Especially since there are no added sugar or sweeteners in SPRUCE. Just natures best - raw and unpasteurized.

Wanna try too? There are two ways to get SPRUCE:

1) Grab and Go – Visit your favorite fitness studios and grab a bottle. Limited quantities available daily. 

Plana Forma - The Fort 
6/F Jecoprime Building
20th Drive McKinley Business Park
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
0917-8094392 / 5530870
Mon - Fri: 7:00 am - 9:00 pm /Sat: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Plana Forma - Centris Walk, Quezon City
2g-21 G/F Centris Walk
Edsa cor. Quezon Ave.
Diliman, Quezon City
0917-5838022 / 7099174

2) Advanced Orders – Order the formulas you want 3 days in advance (0917-897-2108), and pick up from your nearest neighborhood café. 

Plaza Cafe - Legaspi Village, Makati
Corinthian Plaza
121 Paseo de Roxas cor. Gamboa
San Lorenzo, Makati City
5511283
Mon - Sat: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

Commune - Salcedo Village, Makati
Liberty Plaza
102 H.V. Dela Costa Street
Salcedo Village, Makati City
0933-7200241
Mon - Sat: 9:00 - 9:00 pm

SPRUCE
Mobile: 0917.897.2108
E-mail: contact@drinkspruce.com
Website: www.drinkspruce.com (Coming Soon)
Facebook: facebook.com/drinkspruce 
Instagram: @drinkspruce
Twitter: @drinkspruce

Coach Pia #BetterMe Session at Sequioa Hotel + Ombu Filipino Restaurant

I rarely go to Quezon City these days, but if it's a Coach Pia session for the SoMoms we're talking about, then I am going even if its beyond my usual haunts, heehee.

Our most recent Coach Pia session happened at Sequoia Hotel along Mother Ignacia Ave. cor Timog Ave. Yeah, hotels are popping up in QC na pala! The only hotel I knew of in the area before was Sulo Hotel, and now, there's quite a number where you can hold events, parties, seminars and business conferences. Sequoia Hotel in particular has five function rooms that can fit a small team or hold a conference for 400 delegates, and they have over 130 rooms with free Wi-Fi access.

Not only that, Quezon City is such a happening place for food. There's always something new to try out, we really ought to go there more often. Case in point, Ombu Filipino Restaurant at Sequioa Hotel.

photo via Breakfast with Tiffany

After our session with Coach Pia, we had lunch here, where we were served Filipino comfort food with a twist.

Tinapa Croquetas

Penne Pasta in Olive Oil and Spanish Sardines

Honey Glazed Chicken

Fried rice with dilis - so good!

Gising Gising

Tokwa't Baboy

Salted Egg Tempura

Beignet with Tsokolate

 

If you are craving for Pinoy food that is familiar and yet a step away from the ordinary, you know where to go in QC!

OMBU
Ground floor, Sequoia Hotel
91-93 Mother Ignacia St. corner Timog Avenue
South Triangle, Quezon City
Hours: from 6:30 am
Tel: (632) 441 0518

Now on, to Coach Pia and the topic of the day, "Building Healthier Relationships: Partner & Children".

When it comes to relationships, first things first, we need to assess if our relationship with our partner and our kids is healthy. Here's how to gauge:

Relationship with Partner:
- I can be myself while nurturing my partner, aka authenticity
- I can trust myself, I can trust my partner
- I feel respected, I respect my partner
- I feel understood, I can understand my partner
- I can nurture our children, our children feel nurtured

Relationship with Kids:
- your child can be himself/herself, they can express their thoughts, feelings, actions
- your feel respected, your child feels respected
- your child feels understood
- there is a balance of providing structure/setting limits and affirmation/building self-esteem

Ano, Pass or Fail? Hahaha! Well, don't fret, it is not too late to work on that relationship or further enhance a good thing going. Here are the aspects you need to consider in building healthier relationships:

Partner: Willingness &Ability to
1.  maintain & develop trust
2. learn continuously
3. communicate openly
4. cooperate & create a plan
5. adapt & be flexible
6. let go & forgive
7. sacrifice

Kids: Ability to (because willingness is not an option, we just do it for our kids!)
1. maintain & develop trust
2. learn continuously
3. communicate openly
4. encourage cooperation & co-develop a plan
5. adapt & be flexible
6. accept & affirm
7. parent without EGO

Now, that we know all these, it is time to put this knowledge to work. Here are the 3 strategies we can use to build healthier relationships:

1. Choose an aspect you would like to work on and give yourself a 21-90 day timeline to attain beter results. Then move on to the next one, and so on.

2. Understand and transcend your personal ego. With your kids, nurture yourself to be rid of your personal ego.

3. Fill the relationship with unconditional love & acceptance.

Now  the challenge lies in remembering to do all these when your husband is right there in front of you, testing your patience and not being lovable at the moment, or your kids are wailing non-stop, trying to get their way. 

The thought pa lang, stressful na! Anywho, breathe deeply and remember..."Transcend".

Ommmmm.... 

Special thanks to BPI for supporting The One Core session for the SoMoms! Thank you for this Financial Wellness Journal too. Such a handy dandy tool that us moms can use to validate where we are in our journey to financial wellness, and reminds us to strive towards our goals while practicing good money management habits.

BPI believes that the family is a key pillar to financial wellness. The influence of mothers on their children and their spouses is arguably the most potent in steering the family towards good money habits. BPI is making it easy for moms to raise their financial questions to no less than "banker moms". Moms reading this, feel free to contact Mita Gozar and Chinky Lukban, VPs of BPI, at mita@bpi.com.ph and chinky@bpi.com.ph to discuss your money management concerns!

P.S.

Curious about what Coach Pia and The One Core can do for you? You may want to sign-up for one of her workshops or classes. Next up in her Stress Management Workshop is, tun dun dun dun - Dealing With Stressful People. Details below:

Stress Management Workshop on "Dealing with Stressful People"
September 24, 2013, 7:00-9:00 PM
The OneCORE Success Center, Loyola Heights, Q.C.

Limited slots available. Contact us at:
436-4143 | 0922-894-4143 | contact@theonecore.com

Other topics in this series:
November 26: Handling Career Stress
January 21: Living a Stress-Free Life
March 25: What are My Stress Triggers?

Also, thanks to Tammy Lim of SpunkDesigns.com for the cute kitschy items you gave us!

Basil Thai Restaurant

This Thai iced tea from Basil, a new Thai restaurant along Katipunan Ave. cor White Plains Ave., that we recently tried just before Holy Week, is the perfect antidote to a hot summer day. With it's milky, icy texture, it is also the best drink to wash down each Basil dish after a spicy mouthful!

Dada's friend recommended that we try out Basil, and since we were in the mood for something new, and visions of bagoong rice had me at the mere suggestion of it, we excitedly made our way to once was the garden area of Katipunan Avenue, right behind the perimeter wall of Camp Aguinaldo. 

The bagoong rice, just as I expected, was delicious! It had crunchy bits of shrimp, chilis, onions, with just the right hint of shrimp paste. Although not as much pork or mangoes as I wanted. Nevertheless, it turned out to be just right, because if it had too much of those two, it would have overwhelmed the entire experience. After all, we ate the bagoong rice with... 

Pad Thai smothered in bean sprouts. This was soo good! It looks and is oily, but it had none of the weird after taste that some Pad Thais have. I practically scooped up the plate clean after every one had their share. Hee!

The beef satay was tender and melts in the mouth. No aggressive chewing needed. Haha! This was Berry's favorite. 

The chicken pandan, or what they called Emerald Chicken, was good, but I thought the pieces were kinda small. I've had this dish better elsewhere.

The beef curry was yummy too! Beef was tender, and the sauce, when paired with plain jasmine rice, would be ulam by itself. I wish we got to try the fish with three flavored sauce, which is a signature dish, but with just three adults and a toddler, we just didn't have room for an extra dish. This just means, there is a next time! Because this is a restaurant we would definitely come back to again and again.

The interiors would be best described as rustic Thai I guess. But it has A/C, so even in the heat of summer, it's comfortably cool inside. It also had a pretty indoor garden wall...

And a picturesque outdoor seating that wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so hot. Reminded me of outdoor patios in restaurants in downtown Manhattan.

Basil Thai Restaurant
White Plains Ave cor Katipunan Avenue
Quezon City
Opens at 12 noon

The Human Nature Flagship Store in Q.C.

A few weeks ago, my best friend Nina asked me to come with her to the opening of the Human Nature flagship store on Commonwealth Avenue, in Quezon City. She said her friend Anna Meloto-Wilks started the company which makes really great natural products. She actually did a special interest report on Human Nature for TV sometime ago, and had the products tested by chemists. And true to Human Nature's claims, the products Nina swears, are safe and truly natural. Now, I have actually heard of Human Nature prior to Nina's raves, so it did not take me a lot of convincing to drop by with her.

When we finally arrived at this really pretty and well-lit store, Nina introduced me to Anna, who like us, is pregnant and expecting a Dragon Baby! And, as Manila is truly small, it turns out, my sister Trina is friends with Anna too - they used to surf together a few years back, when they were all still young and carefree! And now, Anna has this amazing and truly world-class store to speak for!

Here's Anna & Nina against a wall of social enterprise products. Anna shares that apart from Human Nature products, they also carry items championed by social entrepreneurs who have endeavored to provide livelihood to impoverished communities and at the same time create value out of random raw materials while celebrating Filipino creativity.  Will tell you more about these soon, but first let me talk about Human Nature, hehe.

Anna gave us a tour of their store, which she shares was designed by two very young Filipina architects, Mau Adraneda and Joyce Angara. She says everything in the store is sourced in the Philippines, and all are made from sustainable materials. See those chairs above? Those are actually made from corrugated boxes! Clever no? They wanted a store that was truly Filipino, without falling into that ethnic, rustic cliche. And I think they really did an amazing job!

Anna says that they really want the place to be more than just a store, but also a destination. Where the whole family can hang out. There's shopping for the ladies, a reading nook for the kids, and unlimited (yes bottomless barako, mountain blends and Sulu) coffee (and free wifi too I think!) for the dads or those who just want an alternative to hanging out in overpriced coffee shops (although mahiya naman kayo and buy something from Human Nature as well hehehe).

And now, a quick run through of some of the products that caught my eye:

Apparently, the sunflower oil is a great makeup remover, and can be used for belly rubs to prevent stretch marks as well!

Love the packaging of these kids natural shampoos! Makes bath time so much fun! Human Nature also has a natural makeup line composed of powders, blushes, glosses and lipsticks. Camille, Anna's younger sister who is into cosmetics, took the lead in developing the line, experimenting with colors. What a fun (and meaningful!) job right?

Like I said earlier, apart from Human Nature personal care products and makeup, there are great finds in store like food, drinks, household and fashion items, which also make great gifts, giveaways and pasalubong for visiting relatives or friends from abroad:

Enchantea: healthy iced tea from GK Enchanted Farm

Golden Eggs: salted eggs, a Filipino favorite, without the toxic food color

Café de Sug: Gawad Kalinga’s famous coffee from Sulu - only for the brave!

- FilBambu: all food containing bamboo, winners in the Shanghai Expo

- Theo & Philo Chocolates: the only 100% bean to bar Filipino artisan chocolate

- Jacinto & Lirio: luxury bags made from leather and water Hyacinth

- Red Carpet, Blue Bamboo, Salabatea and more!

What made the launch of Human Nature's flagship store extra fun was the yummy, healthy food! Tito Tony told us with beaming pride that all the food served came from the GK Enchanted Farm and/or developed by young social entrepreneurs. 

A volunteer from France, serving organic lettuce from the Enchanted Farm stuffed with Golden Eggs & tomatoes

We had the yummiest fromage de chevre/ goat cheese with nuts spread over crackers aka as Gourmet Keso from GK Enchanted Farm. This was developed by Xilca Alvarez, who I remember was Trina's classmate during their grade school days. Nina and I ate a lot, never mind if it's pasteurized or not. These were just too good! Hahaha!

So, if you are ever in the Quezon City area, or even if you are way on the other side of town, I really think it is worth your time to schedule a visit to Human Nature's concept store. Not only do you get to stock up on various natural products, you also get to do your share in supporting the livelihood of the GK communities where all these products come from.

Human Nature is the Philippines’ largest brand of genuinely natural personal care and cosmetics products. As a social enterprise, it lives by being PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR and PRO-ENVIRONMENT. Founded by Anna Meloto-Wilk and Camille Meloto, daughters of GK founder Tony Meloto, Human Nature’s products are 100% made in the Philippines and 100% free from harmful chemicals.

The Human Nature flagship store is located at 460 Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City (past the Caltex station and across Puregold).

To learn more about Human Nature products and advocacy or to learn how to be a dealer, visit www.humanheartnature.com or your nearest Human Nature Branch, or call (02) 931-5787. You may also visit Rustans, Shopwise and Beauty Bar for a select line of Human Nature products.