Easy Matcha Latte Recipe

Every time my friends and I visit a cafe, I always have matcha latte or coffee in my order. Some people aren't a fan of green tea but on the contrary, I fell in love with it the moment I tasted it. You might as well say that I'm slightly addicted to it. From the green tea version of kitkat to any pastries, green tea will always be one of my favorite flavor.

To share to you my love for it, I have here a very easy recipe on how I make my own matcha latte. I usually have a cup when I want to feel relax. You may have this hot or cold but I usually drink mine while it's hot.

For this recipe,you will only need four ingredients:

• matcha green tea powder
• sugar (white/brown)
• hot/cold water
• creamer

Procedure:

1. Mix your green tea powder and sugar in a cup. There's no exact measurement here, you may put as much or as little green tea and sugar depending on your preference. More matcha means stronger taste.
2. In a separate cup, mix hot water and creamer. Of course, you may use any creamer than you have. In my case I use a local coffee creamer. It works well just like any other creamer. 
3. Pour the hot water with creamer into your green tea mixture.
4. Stir your drink and enjoy your homemade matcha latte while it's hot.

If you want your latte cold, just add cold water and ice after dissolving the green tea powder in two tbsp. of hot water. I hope you will like this simple matcha latte recipe. Let me know about your favorite drink in the comment section below.

love lots,

Tin

EAT BUY TRY (Number Five)

Hey guys! I hope you are having a really good time! one of the things that I love as a year get started is having to give myself a really good time to reflect and yes, to look forward into new adventures! This year is kind of a riddle for me as I am left with few clues from the previous year. Nevertheless, that's one thing that excites me, surprises!

EAT: ALPS CAFE ( A LITTLE PIECE OF SKY)

For EAT, here is a cafe that I started visiting last year. I've visited a number of cafes all over the city but I must say that ALPS/ A Little Piece of Sky Cafe is my favorite. And I have here three 3 of my best reasons why:

1. You can have privacy within the place. The cafe provides various sitting divisions that will cater their customers and the location of the cafe itself is somewhere private.
2. Their menu is amazing! Nothing in their menu disappointed me.
3. They have a really good service. Everybody who works in ALPS are so kind and homely. Like they are smiling the whole time as they serve you and they are very particular in asking about your needs too.

The exterior of the cafe is so good and relaxing to look at. It's a picture perfect spot too. 

Here's their famous travel sign arrows which is a very good spot for photo ops too. You can see how happy my friend Cherry was when I took a photo of her beside the arrow LOL

photo grab from ALPS FB page

The interior of the cafe is full of picture taking spots too, but as the light in the cafe is dimmer, photos might not looked great if you do not have a dslr camera. The whole place is full of the owner's mementos from different places abroad too. ALPS is owned by a family who really loves to travel a lot so most of the pieces inside the cafe is privately owned by them too.

I'll say this once again, nothing from their menu that we've ordered disappointed me! What I love about ALPS' menu is that they have a wide range of availability. From breakfast foods to mouthwatering desserts, they all got it. How they are named made me wanna try each of them too.

Here are some of the foods that my friends and I ordered from our visit. Saaraaappp!!!!

ALPS Cafe takes bookings, good for groups or parties, good for children and takeaway. From what I saw on their FB page, they also accept reservations for workshops and company parties. It's so amazing! What's more is they often have gimmicks. In fact, I spent my Halloween in ALPS with my best friend Love. You can read about my Halloween night here.

 Every Fridays, they have FREE film showing and just recently, they announced that every Thursday, they will give FREE milk tea to their customers who are students. That makes me wish I'm still studying :( lol

What took me so long to visit the place is that I am not familiar of its whereabouts. It is actually located in a residential area so it's a little hard to look for it. I lucky my friend Lyssa lives near the place so she led us to where it is located. For your benefit if you are planning to visit the place, here's a map I grabbed from their FB account:

ALPS is currently close for a renovation but I hope you can visit the place once they open again. Will update this post as soon as they will too.

A  Little Piece Of Sky Cafe is located at M. Veloso Street,Guadalupe, 6000 Cebu City

Operating Hours:Tues - Sat: 4:00-9:00 PM

Visit their Facebook account for more info. HERE

alittlepieceofsky@gmail.com

BUY: PALLADIUM BOOTS

Black Boots from Palladium

Bought at Traffic in Ayala Center Cebu

P4,000.00 ($89.04)

About Palladium
Palladium was founded in 1920 to make tires for the fledgling aviation industry. Tires were made by layering canvas bands underneath vulcanized rubber. Palladium's expertise was so advanced that soon the majority of Europe's aircraft were using Palladium tires.

After World War II, with aircraft manufacturing screeching to a halt, the demand for tires decreased dramatically. Palladium decided to open a plant in Pont De Cheruy, France, to start producing footwear that was as hard wearing as their tires. In 1947 the legendary Pampa boot was born, and the functionality, comfort and durability were so outstanding that the French Foreign Legion adopted it for their use. The Foreign Legion put the boot to the test in the harsh desert conditions of North Africa, and throughout the rugged terrain of the Atlas Mountains.

Today, the original design, classic lines and time tested utility are as relevant as they have ever been. Combining over 60 years of authenticity with modern manufacturing, premium materials and cutting edge styling, Palladium boots are ready to help you explore your street, your city, or the world.

I've been wanting to buy a pair of boots from Palladium but they are quite pricey so when I had all the money I need, I immediately got myself a pair. Heard so many good things about these boots particularly from my favorite blogger/actress Saab Magalona. 

I actually bought a pair because I really feel that the shoes carry my style and my personality as a person. I'm very particular about comfort more than anything else and I'm just so happy that I've found the perfect on the go shoes for me.

Palladium hailed their shoes as something engineered for city terrain but I pretty much wear my shoes like everywhere! LOL I love just love how comfortable and confident I feel whenever I'm wearing these boots. I even wore it on a job interview once hahaha 

If you are someone who is also into style and comfort, Palladium Boots might be perfect for you too. Don't worry because they are available in variety of other styles and colors. I just chose the black one for me ;) From what I know, they only sell their products at Traffic in Ayala Center Cebu. No other malls in Cebu are selling Palladium boots, but if you are somewhere else in the Philippines, you may visit their website for easier information.

TRY: BOWLING

SM Bowling Center

165php per game/per person

Additional 50php for shoes rental

I always wanted to try bowling ever since the first time I saw Paeng Nepomuceno play on TV. He was great and it felt great watching him play too. For some reasons I wasn't able to play bowling immediately. Luckily, when my elder brother went home last Christmas he was more than excited to try bowling too and of course, I went along with him and my elder sister.

At first I was so nervous to throw the ball because well, it's my first time! and my siblings kept pushing me to do it first. I was very hesitant because I don't have any idea how to do it haha There are Koreans playing beside us too and boy, they are so damn good! How they play made me feel nervous but then as I went on playing, I forgot how nervous I feel and just enjoyed the game.

Of course most of my throws sucked but then hey, I got all the pins down TWICE! you can only imagine how excited and happy I felt at that time hahaha not bad for a first timer, not bad. 

Bowling for me was addicting so I would really love to play it again. How about you guys? do you also love Bowling? or what sport do you dig?
I hope you enjoy reading the fifth post of my Eat Buy Try section. Have fun and enjoy life to the fullest!

love lots,

Tin

She Was a Phantom of Delight

She was a Phantom of delight

When first she gleamed upon my sight;

A lovely Apparition, sent

To be a moment's ornament;

Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;

Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair;

But all things else about her drawn

From May-time and the cheerful Dawn;

A dancing Shape, an Image gay,

To haunt, to startle, and way-lay.

I saw her upon nearer view,

A Spirit, yet a Woman too!

Her household motions light and free,

And steps of virgin-liberty;

A countenance in which did meet

Sweet records, promises as sweet;

A Creature not too bright or good

For human nature's daily food;

For transient sorrows, simple wiles,

Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles.

And now I see with eye serene

The very pulse of the machine;

A Being breathing thoughtful breath,

A Traveller between life and death;

The reason firm, the temperate will,

Endurance, foresight, strength, and skill;

A perfect Woman, nobly planned,

To warn, to comfort, and command;

And yet a Spirit still, and bright

With something of angelic light.

-Poetry by: William Wordsworth

Long Embellished Dress/Vanilla Sands

Black Blazer/Thrifted

Silver Hand Bag/ Mom

White Pumps/Janylyn Shoes

Heart Ring/My Personal Collection

When in doubt what to wear for a formal night party, a long black dress is the easiest solution. A black dress will never fail to give anyone the right amount of class and sophistication needed to own the night. It's a go-to outfit for every girl for it is easy to pull off and accessorize.

Silver or gold accessories are the best match to brighten up the dress. A pair of white pumps will also help balance everything. To create a more elaborate structure, throwing on a blazer is an instant choice. They say black is beautiful, I say too much black is drama! lol  I don't usually post an outfit shot, but when I do it's dramatic haha. Thumbs up to my best friend Shiela for taking the photos under my direction lol Thank you for reading this post. Good luck!

love lots,

Tin

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen (Review)

My previous post talked about the color of the year 2015 where I share some lipsticks that embodied the shade of Marsala. Last Christmas I was beyond lucky when my BFF Shiela got me one of my dream lippie. She gave me something from NYX Cosmetics.

NYX produced a line of products which I absolutely adore for so many reasons. I couldn't be happier receiving my friend's gift as I do not need to buy one for myself and we have matchy-matchy lippie too.  My friend got me the NYX soft matte lip cream in SMLc20 Copenhagen.  I've read so many good reviews about the product before, so you can only imagine my excitement as I first tried it on my lips.

I'm so glad that the product didn't disappoint me and I'm just so proud to own it that I have to share to you my thoughts in a short review.

Product Description:
Neither lipstick nor lip gloss, this matte lip cream is a new kind of lip color that goes on silky smooth and sets to a matte finish. Soft Matte Lip Cream is surprisingly durable and, unlike some matte lipstick formulas, also moisturizing.

PACKAGING

The lip cream didn't come in a box. It is simply wrap in a tight plastic seal which is really good because it lets you see the color of the product directly. A tube similar to the usual lip gloss products that we see contained it. It also comes with an applicator which is obviously used for application. I also love the fact that the product's ingredients and manufacturing details are all written on the tube. It makes me feel secured that the product i am using is 100% safe.

SWATCHES

I took two photos at the same time after I swatch the lip cream just to see how they would looked like in different light. (See photographs below for comparison) As you can see, the color is bold under different light with or without a camera flash. It looks bold as it is and that makes me feel that it is highly pigmented.

PRICE

NYX is selling their lip creams for only $6.00 ( 269.83) You may purchase the product on different NYX Cosmetics outlets but if you are buying from different sellers, of course the price may vary.

To sum up my thoughts about the products, I created a list of its pro's and con's.

PRO's:

- available in various shades (has more than 10 other shades available)

- smells REALLY great ( the lip cream smells exactly like a butter!!!)

- long lasting ( it could lasts for 5-7 hours w/out any re-touch)

- matte but moisturizing at the same time (it never made my lips feel dry)

- very pigmented color ( a single swipe from its applicator is enough to cover your whole lips)
- good packaging
- affordable 
- colors could be a dupe for high end lip products

CON's:

- a little hard to apply ( without right hand control, the application could be messy)

Reading the product description, I must say that the product lived into its claim. I am very satisfied with it and I'd be more willing to buy another lip cream from NYX and try the other shades. Have you tried or heard about this product guys? What do you think about this review? Let me know on the comment section below. I hope this review helps if ever you are looking for a new lip product to try this year.

love lots,

Tin

2015 Color of the Year Must Haves

As another year get started we need to say goodbye to some good things and look forward for better things to come. One of the best things that we went gaga on last year was the Radiant Orchid color. It was hailed as 2014's color but as another year comes, another color must take hold. 

For this year, Pantone Color Institute hailed Marsala as this year's color.

Just like a rich red wine, Marsala is described as a combination of deep and warm red. The marriage of blood and earth, as I perceived it. Some people confused it with the color Maroon but Marsala is deeper and warmer. It has been around the fashion industry and it needs not to be explained why it is one of the most loved color by designers and fashion enthusiasts all over the world.

It couldn't be denied how color affects our mood and perception. One strike of color might change our regular day. Marsala is in itself dramatic and sophisticated. It is also ideal for beauty and fashion exploration as the shade is a very flavorful one. It is appealing and flattering for everyone and what's great is that there are variety of colors and textures that can be matched with it. 

As an ode for this year's color, here are my top fashion and beauty must have finds. You know how I adore making lists so with the help of various magazines and fashion portals, here are my 2015 color of the year must haves.

Beauty Products:
Marsala is all about deep red so gather all your warm lippies because they are still very much on trend for this year. Here are some of the best lipsticks that incorporate the Marsala spirit. 

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Rouge Noir

Avon Ultra Colour Lipstick in Oxford Wine

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry

NYX Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen

Wet and Wild's Cherry Bomb and Cinnamon Spice

MAC's Film Noir and Rebel Lipsticks

For the eyeshadows, palettes that contain neutral shades are still very much on trend because they can surely bring out bold colored lipsticks. However, if you are really into rocking the Marsala shade in your eyes, here are two of the best eye shadow palettes that I found online. These eye shadows just made me drool *.*

Dior's 5 Colour Eyeshadow in Trafalgar

Sephora's Marsala Multi Finish Eye Palette

Fashion
Clothing styles will be as playful as this year's color so you better look for what's on trend and combine it with your original style. No one has to worry about this color because everyone can easily conquer the shade.

Melton Wool Blend Wrap Skirt from Topshop

Topshop's Classic Fedora Hat

H & M Shoes

Flitter Glitter Flatform Shoes from Topshop

Fashion Solid Crossbody Bag from Oasap

Forever 21 Burgundy Sweater

Bonus! Fashion Couture
Just can't stop looking at these gorgeous deep red gowns by the great Elie Saab.

2015's color of the year made me feel excited to create and experiment. It inspires me to update my wardrobe too. How about you guys, how do you feel about this year's color?

Love lots,

Tin