Vanilla Cupcake Bakery

On my way to SM Makati coming from Glorietta, I spotted this super cute store with a pink Smeg refrigerator and covered with pastels called Vanilla Cupcakes. As I went closer just to have a quick look, the smell of freshly baked cupcakes lured me to check them out. 

A pink mixer and Heima drawers completed the chic vibe.

More girly stuff -- colored teacups!

welcome to cupcake heaven!

I tried the luscious salted caramel P60 and cheesecake P85 I enjoyed both but the salted caramel flavor was outstanding! I was really surprised that it was that good! I was hesitant to try it at first but now I'm SO HAPPY that I did =)

Cutesy decors for a cupcake/coffee/ tea party =) Everything was insta-worthy!=) 

Loving the bright, colorful, and adorable interiors, the Heima furnitures and the Daphne chairs. =) 

and there was none =P (diet fail) 

Even their cupboard-inspired take-out box was too cute! 

This is a perfect place to bring your girl friends! The only con is that they only have a limited space. As for their goods, some of the cupcakes may look too sweet but you can go for those with with less frosting. If you don't have an idea on what to get, the servers are also kind enough to suggest some flavors which would suit your preference. How I wish they would have sugar-free cupcakes for those who are calorie-conscious (like me) and a bigger space with more awesome stuff =) I can't wait to go back to try the other flavors!

Vanilla Cupcakes Bakery is located at Space 226, 2/F Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City and they also have a branch at Trinoma =)

Vikings

Vikings are known for their lavish feasts and banquets maybe that's the reason why this place is called "Vikings- A Feast From the Sea" -- a luxury-buffet restaurant at Mall of Asia. But I think the proper name for this place should be "Kings", because when someone says "eat like a king" it just means to eat anything. And here at Vikings, you just can't get enough food because there's a LOT to choose from =P 

Warning: The photos could make you hungry. 

Yummy appetizers

The endless salad bar

Before you go gaga on the food and grab everything, I'll share with you my top picks which you shouldn't miss:

1. Top Meat - They have different kinds of steaks and you can have them cooked your way. =)

2. A wide variety of sushi and sashimi

3. I wanted an appetizer which is not too filling so I got some Insalata Caprese (left photo) which  is sliced fresh tomato, mozzarella cheese with a little pesto dressing.

4. Their version of Spinach Cannelloni may not top the one from Amici's but it's also worth trying.

5. Craving for chinese food? No problem because they have dimsum! I got some Xiao Long Bao (not sure of the correct spelling), some of my favorite Hakaw (shrimp dumplings) and Siomai. I'm sure you're curious about the last pic, those are Wasabi Shawan Mushi, which is a Japanese egg custard dish, steamed in a tea cup.

6. Unlimited froyo and toppings - create your own out of this world combo =P

And indulge in their sweet treats!

Plus their bottomless drinks!

After a few rounds on the buffet table, I just couldn't breathe anymore. P688* was soo worth it for a very yummy feast. Everything was too good and there were still a lot to try but my tummy just couldn't find any available space.=( It was definitely the best buffet I have had and I'll definitely be back. =)

*Rates may vary.

Visit them at Bldg. B, By The Bay, Seaside Boulevard, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Philippines

Photo credits: Some photos from Ann's cam

Featured Artist: Sir Shadow

First of all, isn't "Sir Shadow" a cool name? He sounds like a magician or someone mysterious, but he's not.    He's actually an artist and I came across his artwork as a feature from a cable news channel. I even forgot the channel I was supposed to watch when I saw his interview =P Sir Shadow is a famous one-line artist from New York. I was so amazed on how he was able to create wonderful drawings with just one continuous line. He sets the pen on the paper and releases it once the image is complete. 

Watch the video to get what I mean:

Photo credits: sirshadow.com

Isn't he awesome? I just admire people with great talent in drawing or creating any form of art. With just one stroke he already knows the direction of the pen to create an image. Oh, this made me want to go to New York, watch him draw and hopefully have one of his artworks. Check out more of his works at his website: sirshadow.com and be amazed =) Happy Sunday & Enjoy!

Pure Beauty @ Serendra

Starting your 2013 goal to look fabulous and don’t know where to start? I suggest you should start with your ‘tools’ to make it happen by shopping for new beauty products. Call your kikay best friend and go to Pure Beauty at Serendra. They offer different products like makeup, hair accessories, nail polish and other beauty essentials but they only offer limited brands such as Nyx, Revlon, Graftobian, Shiseido, Red Earth, Charm, Aveeno, Temptu, Goody, Orly, Wet N Wild, L.A. Colors, Ben Nye, Bdellium Tools, Burt’s Bees and products from Make-up Designory. This is a shopping haven for makeup artists as they also sell makeup train cases, Zuca Pro Makeup Bags and airbrush cosmetics. Since most products are imported, the prices would be average to high. Also, when I went there last week, there seems to be a problem with the store's air conditioning system. I hope it's only temporary as the room temp could affect the quality of the products and it might affect the customers. I also had difficulties in choosing what to buy because they don’t have testers and most products are out of stock. =( You can also try their new shopping website shoppurebeauty.com but it seems they only have a few products available online as compared to what they have in the store. 

Have you shopped for your 2013 beauty essentials? Share what's inside your kikay kits! Have an awesome weekend! =)