Dress Up Weekend: Pearls and Stripes

The weather was deceiving today. It was so sunny but the moment we went out of the house, it was cold. Wore this flimsy top for Sunday mass paired with khaki trousers and my most comfortable Jessica Simpson wedges, accessorized with classic pearls. What a shame I had to cover this outfit with a thick winter coat. 

Of Hotels, Room Service And Buffet Breakfasts

There is something really relaxing about staying in hotels. Whether it is during a staycation or while on holiday  abroad, a lovely hotel is an added bonus to an already exciting moment.

They say it does not matter where you are staying when visiting a place as you are out all day anyway. But I beg to differ. For me, I do not want to be out all day exhausted and go back to a hotel that you are not comfortable with. I want to be able to look forward of going back to the hotel to relax at the end of a long day. 

I am not saying it has to be five star though that would not hurt. It does not really matter whether it is a five star or a two star hotel, as long as it is clean with good food. For me, that is all that matters.

This is the Holiday Inn in Leeds. It was our first time to stay in a Holiday Inn and it was very clean. And the buffet breakfast? I looked forward to it every moning.

A visit to Portugal in June had us staying at the five star Corinthia Hotel. 

And the food was superb. We always opted having room service rather than eating outside because the food  was really lovely. Plus the fact that having room service is so much cheaper than eating out. Relaxing too, as you have your food in the comforts of your bed.

Another memorable hotel stay was at the Crimson Hotel and Spa in Cebu (Philippines). It was really an enjoyable stay. With all the amenities you would expect of a five star resort and more. They even have a creche for parents with young children. 

The place was so relaxing, the ambience was great with really nice and friendly staff. And of course, the stage mommy's favorite meal of the day was always satisfied by the great breakfast spread every morning.

Now, if only I could go back there in a heartbeat.

Dress Up Weekend:Cream of the Crop

This dream of a dress was what I wore to church today but since we were going to drop by the shops to get some more school stuff for the little girl , I decided to dress it down with a denim jacket and flats as suggested by a fashion forward friend of mine. I have to say it worked really well.

 I continued with the cream color theme with the accessories. Cream and pink bead bracelet, pearl necklace and finished with my ever so trusty black and glitter pumps.

Pancake Sundays

I must have mentioned countless times already in previous posts that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I always look forward to breakfasts and the moment I wake up, it would be the first thing that is on my mind.  Most especially on weekends when I have all the time to make a substantial one rather than cereals and toasts. The night before, I would already be thinking what to have for breakfast. And whenever we are on holiday, breakfast buffet is a must when booking the hotel.

I always  make sure that I make pancakes for breakfast at least once during the weekend. It does not matter whether it is on a Saturday or a Sunday though lately it has always been on a Sunday. 

I love pancakes as much as I love my coffee in the morning and so does the little girl, she loves pancakes as much as she loves her milk.  I always make it from scratch and over the years, I have improvised and just add whatever I can find in the pantry and with pantry I mean cupboard (LOL, I wish I had a pantry). Be it cinnamon powder, vanilla essence or chocolate chips, it is always a hit with the little girl.

Today, a Sunday, these are my pancake ingredients.

A sprinkle of cinnamon and a dash of vanilla essence always adds more flavor and aroma.

My homemade pancake, always eaten with chocolate syrup for the little girl and golden syrup for hubby and me.

How about you? What's for breakfast?

Summer Tan

Summer has been and gone. Autumn is here and a trip to the beach is now just a memory. Two weeks ago when it was still sunny and warm, we did a quick trip to the nearest beach we could find as it might be the last warm weekend for this year. And how right we were. 

I made the most out  of the last rays of the sunshine that weekend. I am from Asia but still, my skin tends to get really pale in the Winter. I tend to use bronzers. Some of my Caucasian friends use tanning lotions and sprays in the winter. Since using these could be quite tedious, they use tan extender lotion to make the tan last longer. This is actually a good idea but just so glad that I am not  pale enough to really need this lotions and potions.

Make Mine Babyccino

The hubby and I loves going to cafes and I always find it disappointing when there is not much to choose from for the little girl. We always end up ordering fruit shoot and a biscuit for her. Lately though, cafes have started offering this concoction geared specifically for the little mouths a.k.a kids. Though it is just frothed milk sprinkled with chocolate powder and a marshmallow on the side or a hot chocolate with cream and flake (you get to choose), the name is nothing short of ordinary. It is called (drum roll, please) a babyccino. 

If you're a kid, this makes tagging along with mommy and daddy to the cafe more exciting. You actually have something especially for you in the menu. 

The little girl  actually loves it and every time I take her to a cafe (Starbucks or Costa, most times) she would quickly ask, "can I have a babyccino, mommy?"

I read somewhere that it actually started here in the UK and the US is now following suit.

And we always thought they have allowed her to drink coffee like how they have allowed her to wear heels and lipstick.

image from Flynet

Babyccino is available in big named cafes like Starbucks and Costa though small, independent ones have apparently started having them in their menus.

Dress Up Weekend: Fifty Shades of Blue

I wear a uniform to work so the weekend is always something to look forward to with regards to dressing up. Whether it is just to go to the cinema, to the grocery or  mall, I always find it fun to chose what to wear and which accessories to go with the clothes as I don't get to do it every day.

This weekend's was more like a dress down outfit, simple and minimalist, worn to church and then to the mall. Blue chambray like shirt with V neck matched with the same color ballerina flats. Bracelet and initial necklace (A for Ava, my little girl) for my accessories.

Now I am looking forward again to the weekend when I get to dress up and yes, wear nail polish, but that would be another post.