Quick trip to the Magnolia Silos

It was the labor day weekend and luckily, the hubs wanted to go out someplace. It was a little late but I decided that it was a good time as any to drive to Waco and check out what the city had to offer.

We barely had enough time to check out the silos. The hubs was a little too bored of the place while it was sensory overload for me. I didn't bump into Joanna or Chip but just seeing the silos from the Dr. Pepper Museum made me squeal with joy. It was a relatively short walk to the silos from the museum (I try to walk more with all these pounds I keep on gaining lately.)

There was a little bit of a line at the bakery but nothing too crazy as it was really near to 6pm which is when they close the bakery and store but the grounds remain open until 7pm. 

We did some walking around to check out a little bit the grounds and their home store. 

Since we were there anyway, and the food trucks all being closed (close at 5pm), and no house to decorate yet, I decided to line up for about 5 minutes for two cupcakes. Texas heat aside, it was already late afternoon and they have plenty of mist spraying through the patio.

Considering the other cupcakes I have tried (other than the grocery store and from other countries), the red velvet was pretty decent and good. We have yet to try the chocolate one though. They have plenty more sweets in their menu but again, we're both trying our best to behave and manage our weights! 

Oh, and we also celebrated 2 yrs and 6 months of officially being together since we started dating. Hurray for small milestones! 

Sneaker Find at Marshalls

So my husband was just trying to kill time at Marshalls while waiting for me to finish work. And then he tells me of this certain sneaker that ended there at a really low price. Since I really know nothing of sneakers I decided to trust his judgment.

We somehow picked up this Nike Air Penny II at just $60. I looked it up on Foot Locker to check the price and the sizes that were still available were going for $130+. It seemed too good to be true. If I had been back home, I would instantly think it was a fake. But then this article clearly explained how some "rare" sneakers end up at Marshalls. 

http://www.complex.com/sneakers/2017/01/how-sneakers-end-up-at-marshalls

I guess my husband had been lucky on my birthday. Call me cheap but I really, really like shopping at Marshalls.

Kate Spade Outlet finds

I think of myself as a very stingy/frugal person but of course I have my low EQ moments and indulge from time to time. But I am a sucker for great deals. Initially, a trip to the outlet store would always end up with me buying a thing or two. But then, the proximity of the outlets and with nothing better to do, frequent trips resulted to no purchases at times. In fact, I have ended up comparing prices depending on the season and with other stores. A lot of times, I feel that weekend deals are traps because the price don't really vary much but just gives you the impression of so. I probably should elaborate more on a separate post. For this one, I will try to focus on some observations I've had of bag purchases from Kate Spade.

Not that I have a lot of Kate Spade purses but for some reason I thought their outlet items looked a little on the cheap side. It was for this reason I read up on some brands producing items specifically for outlets which never sees the day on their regular boutiques. With the number of outlet stores around and the number of people shopping at any given time, it is indeed hard to believe that all discounted items came from boutique clearances. Since then, it felt a little less of a bargain shopping at the outlets especially at Kate Spade because I thought I really was not getting any discount. The money is more for the brand name (bragging rights) than the make and quality (at a discount). Nonetheless, this didn't stop me from constantly perusing their deals but I mostly zoned in on the clearance items. To me, that's where the real deals are, the rest are just deal traps. 

But then, one time, this sales lady recommended this specific bag I was trying to decide on, more than the other. Other than it looked nicer, she said it was from their Kate Spade boutique. After that experience, I am more on the lookout for real deals from their Outlet stores of boutique finds more than anything else. So far, here's what I got as a basis for identifying if it's a made-for-outlet purse or the boutique ones.

Boutique purses:

1. The spade symbol outside the bag is made of metal.

2. The inside of the bag has cute prints for its lining.

3. Again, there is a spade symbol that is again made of metal inside the bag.

4. One bag which I ordered online (not from the surprise store), actually came with a dustbag.

Outlet purses:

1. The Kate Spade brand is printed only (which I am tempted to try if I can scratch them out...) or a solid metal (this I am not 100% sure).

2. The inside lining is black (the two I got so far), with the words Kate Spade somewhat embossed. Makes sense from a mass production standpoint to bring the cost down.

3. Inside the bag there is no spade symbol made of metal, instead is a cheaper version of a stitched patch or something to that effect.

4. No dust bags so far from my outlet hauls (whether boutique or not).

I honestly prefer to buy if I can manage to find a really good deal of boutique versions of the bags than outlets because I feel the value for money is more in there. For me, the discount is not misleading because it was really sold at one point for the listed price unlike the outlet stores who only probably post the "MSRP's" as more suggestions and as a marketing ploy. However, to some, Kate Spade is Kate Spade so as long as the price is less then 60% off the "MSRP" then that's already good. 

Love-Hate relationship with Tieks

I first heard about tieks just probably 3-4 months back when someone posted in a facebook group. Seeing the tag price and how simple it looked, I quickly dismissed it. I was not at all drawn to it and thought I was not its market. I was quite happy with the Cole Haans I managed to snag from DSW on clearance sale. Prior to that, I settled for any random brand that would sell cute ballet flats after getting tired of wearing heels. VNC/Vincci, Charles and Keith, Aldo, Coach, MK, G.H. Bass, korean street vendors etc. It wasn't until that Cole Haan pair when I realized that these flats could be comfortable. You see, I'd trade them with sneakers/NMDs anytime when heavy walking is involved.

"Curiousity killed the cat."

Curiousity got the better of me though and I found myself wanting to splurge and indulge in some retail therapy one time that tieks was just back in the radar. Also, not to mention that I was out on a business trip where I had to wear steel-toed shoes which weren't exactly my taste leaving me with a hefty luggage for Just a one week trip. It was the perfect excuse to give tieks a try. It could be perfect for travelling and I had some extra funds.

My first pair was burgundy. I tried to break it in as all other posts I've read told me to. The big toe problem did surface but now that I've been wearing it a lot, it's a very comfortable pair that feels like second skin. Honestly, sometimes I don't realize it is that comfortable until I switch to my non-tieks pairs.

Barely a month later, I found myself, splurging on another pair. This time, with my husband's choice of color, cobalt. It is now my favorite pair. 

I definitely want to add some more but I need to be practical and sensible. Also, since joining the group Tieks Anonymous it made me feel paranoid of how I use mine. My husband takes better care of his Jordan collection than I do with any shoes.

I'm definitely conflicted so for now, a wishlist would suffice, until I can add them to my tote guilt-free.

Top Golf!

When travelling in a city that offers top golf, do try to drop by especially if you have a group of 2 or more (and if you have the time for it).

Top Golf is just like going to a driving range but to play a game of bowling or darts. I have just recently tried it, and though I suck at it I definitely enjoyed it and would want to go back again. We managed to play their popular game where the driving range had somewhat like dart boards spread across with points allocated evenly. The bull's eye with the higher points and the outer rings with lower points. It didn't matter that much if you swing hard or soft, as long as you can get the ball in the innermost ring. We did try another one where you gain more points the farther you can get your ball in a hole. This one I almost got 0 for every swing I made. 

 

Meanwhile, the rest of your group can have a beer and a snack or meal while socializing or watching you (or maybe laughing at you.). 

Travel tip: go before 5 on a weekday to get almost half-off the hourly rate. Rates are on an hourly basis which can be split evenly among the group members. 1.5 hours/3 people allowed us to play two casual games as mentioned above.

Look Rich

These days, I find myself wanting to spend and buy more high-end items in a less thoughtful manner without need or justification. In short, just giving in to whims and maybe perceived self-actualization and competitiveness. That one bag I bought somehow had me wanting to buy more, to enjoy my earnings instead of always thinking about savings and ROI.

Then I saw a timely reminder which had Facebook's CEO picture with the caption, the idea is not to look rich but be rich. That hit me. I started getting addicted to trying to dress myself up, to set myself apart and make me think that people would notice the message "hey I made it". So here I am salivating and planning on my next luxury item while my net worth is not even .01% of Mark's. Oh boy, do I love these little reminders that puts things in perspective and regain focus. The challenge is not to fall into the habit of looking for material rewards every so often. Get rich with experiences than look rich. Live below your means, not within and all the more not above.

Photo grabbed from Mark's FB page.

Carry On 20

Ladies and Gents after several brand hopping, online window shopping, some failed attempts (that's another story), internal conflict, forum scouring, I finally jumped the gun and found my first splurge bag. The stingy side of me, originally dropped the idea altogether but after discovering this brand, it was more than happy to give in and indulge me. My wallet is happy, my stingy self is happy and my EQ is happy. I think I ended up reading all entries from the purse forum just to get to know the brand some more.

 

I exchanged emails with the SA, Louise, who was very helpful with all my questions as well as including some pictures as I requested. Since I have already done my research though, I have my eyes and heart leaning towards a certain direction already. (SO to all the lads and ladies for posting about this brand.). It was the color that I was ultimately undecided on but most weren't available except for the walnut brown. As much as I wanted the other colors than this, putting me on the waitlist would be a bad idea as I knew it might end up in smoke if I don't buy it now. She did tempt me with a few other extras but I stuck with my goal and budget. Besides, I wanted to first give it a try to see if it looks nice in person. Exactly, a week later from my first email, I found a box on my doorstep. In it were two envelopes, one with the receipt and the other was a handwritten note from the SA with some other details about the product and the brand, Faure Le Page. Of course, the shopping bag, dust bag came with the bag as well. Now, the bag, I... LOVE... IT!!! It's the right size and color, not to mention it's so my taste!! It's versatile and practical enough that I think I can use it many ways, not to mention I can stuff more than just the bare essentials in there (I tend to carry more than the usual most days.).

 

As much as I'd like to gush on it some more, I'd have to savor, I mean save it for another day. I hope I'd get the chance to post something like what's in my bag for this one. It's one of those I found difficult to find in my online research.

Also, I am on the lookout of what the total damages will end up being including taxes. The bigger problem though is I might like their totes, pouches and wallets too. uh-oh...

*** runs to closet to find old stuff to sell...

Samurai!

Recently, I realized that when I look for gifts for the husband, they are not available. Why? Because they are limited releases and the only chance to snag them would be at a high mark-up from resellers. It is sooo frustrating. Jordans, NMDs, hats, jerseys and even watches.

So, when this handsome (or beauty), Seiko Prospex SRPB09 - Samurai,  came up while I was on the hubby gift hunt and it just so happened it was being released at the same time, I wasted no time. I immediately went on an online hunt for this product. I was getting deflated when it was turning up on the reseller market already. I did snag one from here: River Edge Jewlers. The good news, no state tax (from where I am at)! And it seemed like a legitimate and an authorized seller. I am so happy I didn't have to resort to the gray market to be able to purchase one. It seems that the demand in Asia and my home country was driving the price up. I managed to get it at a lower price than the reseller I got in touch with. Luckily, it didn't seem like this was as popular here so I had less competition and plenty of chances to buy it. Also, I don't think there would be fakes in the market already for a model that was just released. It made it easier buying it online.

 

 

It's supposed to be an anniversary gift but I couldn't contain my excitement so I ended up showing it to him anyway. It was a success of course! He loved it! Big points for the wifey! :)

This is not an apple watch review

When I learned of those smart wearable devices, I contemplated on getting one for me or for my parents but it felt too expensive for me. The stingy side of me prevailed. While I could see some benefits, I thought rather than depending on technology for monitoring my step count etc, I should just try harder to lead a healthier and active lifestyle. I also became a technophobic with thoughts of exploding cellphones and now to actually attach one to the wrist might be a bad idea. So, I thought to myself, I don't need one and I will not be a slave of these "innovations". To some extent, don't you feel that if we become too dependent on them, the future as shown in the futuristic/fictional movies Wall-E or I-Robot will soon become our reality. 

 

Fast forward to December, my friends gave me a fitbit Flex2 as a prewedding gift (I trust that they were not subtly hinting for me to lose weight.) and then my now husband gave me an apple watch. So, of course I had to use it. I wanted the fitbit because I got jealous and envied my friends who were trying to one-up each other in terms of the number of steps taken. Anyway, since I couldn't use both so the fitbit was left for my mom to use. I have but used my apple watch almost everyday since. I have configured my watch in a way that it displays a lot of info on screen including: step count, date, time, temp in Celsius or Fahrenheit (still trying to get used to the temps units...), and my hometown time. Although I am able to track my step count, I don't think my habits have changed to actually conscientously meet a daily goal. I have gotten used to seeing this explosion of data when I glance at my wrist that on the occasions I end up wearing my other watches (mostly because I failed to charge the watch), I feel that the information I am told is insufficient, as if my wrist is lacking and naked. Sure, it tells me the time, which is what a watch is supposed to be for in the first place. But what's the temp (which is quite good to know especially winters where I am at can jump from lows of 40's to highs of 90's the next day.)?, How many steps do I have (as if it mattered and makes any difference)?, I need to know! I have yet to maximize the watch so other than that, it has been just handy for quick reading of messages while teaching or driving, for doing one minute planks, and camera timer functions. My main deal is that wish I could pick up calls from VoIP apps such as viber, FB messenger etc. without having a bluetooth headphones with me. I am still resisting those Airpods which again are chargeable devices. My carbon footprint is just terrible with all these things and how much glued and hooked I am to them.

 

Now given that the watch has now become a staple, it makes me rethink if I should get that watch I've been eyeing on for a while now. Maybe I shouldn't and just get a D&G Sicily instead (no, that designer bag story still has no conclusion). 

Gundam at Diver City

photo taken by me Aug 2014

So as earlier announced, yesterday was the last day of the Giant Gundam to be on display at Diver City in Odaiba. However, not to fret it is supposedly going to be replaced by another one by 2019 that will supposedly walk this time, 40 years after and before the Tokyo Olympics (Article here). If the teaser during the last Olympics game was any hint on the theme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics then having this robot as a showcase is not going to be a surprise. 

Had the chance to visit the statue and watch G-Party 35 "RISE!" show back in 2014. I was not a big fan of Gundam so I didn't know what to expect from the show but my brother was. I am not sure if he was exactly a fan in the truest sense of the word but he would save all his lunch money back then just so he can keep on buying those Gundam Robots that he could build himself (so did my cousin). I did watch some episodes of them back then when it was aired at a local tv station. Nonetheless, robots are robots so the geek in me was thrilled to watch the show. I was pleasantly surprised to see that at least it turns its head and some other light/laser projections as well. My research obviously went as far as knowing the show schedule but not what was in the show actually. Nonetheless, sometimes it's better to see for yourself right?

Mom and Dad wedding gift

Original plan was to have a family tree necklace made for my mom with all our birthstones in it. Due to lack of time and budget, I ended with my backup plan which I got from Amazon. It still made for an emotional day and some waterworks.

 

Dad,

Of all the walks

We have taken together

This one is my favorite.

As the first man, I have
ever loved, when you
give me away, know I
will always be your
little girl.
Thank you for being the
best dad anyone could
ever ask for, I love you
with every inch of my heart.


Mom,
To dry your happy tears,
on my wedding day,
as you have always dried
mine. Your love and support
has made me into the
woman I am today.
As I start the next chapter
in my life, I will need
you more than ever,
You have always been
there for me, I am
blessed to call you
my mother and best friend.
I love you.

Discovering the joys of cooking

For almost two weeks now, I have been consistently cooking without having to resort to a fast food/korean place to restore my appetite. There used to be a time that I'd be eating the same for 3-4 days at a time (and adobo/porkchop almost every week). I thought I was hopeless. For some reason however, it just started to somehow click with me.

1. Smaller and freezing portions
The portion sizes here are terribly huge especially if you are cooking only for one. The solution: smaller containers for storage and freezing. This allows what would have been leftovers to be saved for a rainy day, and allow some variety on other weeks when cooking is not possible (or more because of laziness kicking in). I hated to waste food (which was how I was brought up as well) so even if my dishes didn't taste great or have been served for the nth time, if it's not spoilt I would still try to eat it until I no longer can.

2. Meal planning and not wasting ingredients
Adobo and pork chop were really easy because of the availability of just the right portion sizes for them and not requiring extra ingredients. However, when this recent cooking stint started, I actually sat down and thought about what ingredients I had in my fridge, what I wanted to do with them and what else can I cook with the remainder of the ingredients. In short, I had to plan for and maximize the ingredients, again, because of the portion sizes.

3. Cooking as a past time and stress reliever.
I'm the type that NEEDS to eat. I get cranky and therefore HANGRY when I am hungry. Therefore, I would exchange hitting the treadmill than not having anything to eat, at least that ended up the case for now. I do terribly need to find time to go though. Nonetheless, to some extent, I am actually interested to cook these comfort foods (reminding me of home) not just so "I can eat to survive".

Realizations:
1. Cooking and meal planning can get cumbersome eventually.
2. My mom did it for xx years. I admire her more and more for all she did for us. It is not easy especially when the household would start to develop their own tastes.
3. I would like to try more while I can and there are not a lot of other chores that might bump cooking as lower priority. Maybe even baking?
4. I'm partially more driven to cook because I want to be able to serve something decent for the husband.
5. I don't do measurements. At least not yet. Writing/Sharing recipes in this blog might not be feasible.
6. Thank you to all other bloggers for your ideas and posts. While I don't really pay attention to the measurements just the ingredients and the general instructions, they have really been helpful.

I really do hope this is not just for show though.

#jediswifecooks Exhibit A: Beef with Cauliflower and Mushroom in Oyster Sauce

#jediswifecooks Exhibit B: Pork in squash and beans 

 

#jediswifecooks Exhibit C: Chicken Chopseuy (using veggie leftovers from above)

 

#jediswifecooks Exhibit C: Gambas

 

#jediswifecooks Exhibit D: Beef Nilaga (sans beans)

 

 

#jediswifecooks Exhibit D: Ginisang Pechay/Bokchoy (leftover Bokchoy w/ Brussel Sprouts, Sesame Seeds in Sesame and Olive Oil - Nasobrahan sa Oil)

 

P. S. Veggie dishes are important to me as I can't eat long enough without them. Brussel sprouts and spinach ban chan are the easy go to fixes for my veggie needs/cravings.

Take Shelter

Living in a tropical country in the Pacific Ring of Fire means getting used to having two seasons: the wet and dry, as well as the occasional earthquakes here and there. So storms, lightnings and thunder are not quite new but terribly strong winds and a tornado alert can be quite alarming especially if it's your first time. A strong gust of wind making you more aware of the weather outside and knowing that the houses here are not made out of cement (reinforced with steel bars) makes you apprehensive. Back home, your primary concern would be getting flooded. Never mind the winds. And then, a text alert informing you of a potential tornado in your area and asking you to take cover. Then you realize, where the shelter is exactly at your place. You pack some things and head for the walk-in closet with a blanket.

Well, apparently, one of the places to be if a shelter is not immediately available, would be the bathtub. And instead of blankets, pillows are advised to serve as a cushion for a good night's sleep while waiting it out. Ha! It's for any possible debris that might fall. Now, the difference with storms that you're used to with this one. It could come pretty quick and after 15 minutes the warning is lifted.

Finding my First Designer Bag

Admittedly, the insecure part of me longs to have a designer bag for once. I've been resisting just because but then there are extra funds right now which got me thinking. Now may be the time to splurge and indulge before more adulting kicks in, before kids, etc.

With the mindset that I will not buy and spend that much money on a bag after this, I'm down to choosing amongst the following: 

1. Speedy bandouliere 25 

2. Speedy bandouliere 30

3. Siena MM

4. Siena PM

5. Turenne PM

You have no idea how many hours I've wasted reading forums, looking at the designer websites, Nordstrom, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, etc. just to find me a nice bag. I've considered MCM, Prada, YSL, Givenchy, Gucci, etc. But eventually ended up with the above. I also got addicted to Bao Bao but I think it's best to go for a classic considering I don't plan on following trends and be supporting a lifestyle that would get me to buy bags every now and then at those price points.

Aside from the reasonable price, I want somewhat low maintenance thus, the aversion to leather. Prada is still in my head though but it seems one of the five is the most feasible and reasonable. Problem is, I said I want to get only one and yet here I am toying with the idea of getting the Siena MM now and then a Speedy Bandouliere 25 sometime in the future... *ugh* Why did I have to be this insecure to want to buy one? "Yayamanin kasi!!!"

Frozen lakes and other firsts!

Even though seeing snow is no longer new to me, no matter what I do, I don't see it often enough that it still fascinates me. So when a trip to one of the states up North, Minnesota, came up, I was both excited and anxious. Anxious because I've never really had to drive in snow.

Since I knew I was not really going there as a tourist, I grabbed whatever warm clothes I had with the exception of hats and gloves. Unfortunately, the pull of new and cold things was difficult to resist and I ended up exploring any way I can as soon as work finished.

Frozen lakes and ice fishing
Ice fishing wasn't entirely new to me thanks to the internet and friends around the globe. But to actually learn more about it and see it for myself, it was a new thing I had to wrap my head around in. Apparently, the locals there are not big on football (regardless that the Superbowl was coming up that weekend and that they will be hosting it the following year). Ice fishing and fishing in general made up for the small talk besides the weather and the news about visa regulations on tech companies. They actually held events for ice fishing contests and people drove their trucks on ice. I couldn't pass up the chance not to try "walking on a lake" just because.

I ventured and ended up in this quaint little square at Excelsior and it was actually pretty nice if you ask me. There's not much to do but when you are on a business trip, it would do.

Walked to where the lake was to find folks actually ice fishing with trucks just zooming past. There was even someone playing catch with their dog on the lake itself. Sidenote: why you would want to stay out in the cold for long periods of time I don't know. They supposedly would have some outhouses nearby so they can warm up a little.

The nice and pretty lake from the docks. I imagine that during the summer they would have some cruise tours here that would take you around Lake Minnetonka. One of the locals mentioned that there some nice houses along the lakeside to add to the "scenery". Unfortunately, not having gloves was a terrible idea when the weather drops to 14 and I had to keep reminding myself that this was in fahrenheit and not celsius. I can only hold up the phone to take pictures and videos for so long. I thought my hands would become brittle from the cold it would start to break. I'm glad for the comfort and warmth of the gourmet pizza place a short walk away from this lake, Olive's. I don't normally drink especially when I'm out on business travel, but after than cold, a taste of the local beer felt really nice (and the brewery was just behind it).

Since, walking on the lake was a failure, I decided to skip Prince's home which was supposedly available for touring on certain days. I was not much of a Prince fan, so I was surprised to learn that the building on the hi-way I've been driving past several evenings since I came which was always lit purple was actually Paisley Park. Nope, I didn't make any connections at all. So instead, I dropped by one of the other closer lakes, Lake Ann, and saw some folks actually cutting up holes on the lake in preparation for the ice fishing event the following day.

I managed to take plenty of pictures though I wished I brought my gopro with me. Now, the adventure didn't end there however. In my quest to avoid frozen hands, I decided to:
1. Leave the car engine running
2. Leave the keys and my purse inside
3. Leave the door unlocked.

Well, I thought it was noon and no one was really around the area. I didn't take I'd take that long to walk a little trail and then snap a few more pictures. But then, on heading back, a police officer was walking up to me, asking me if it was my car I left out there. Oh boy! Luckily it was still there and the explanation was made short by saying I'm from a Southern State. I was not in trouble after all. He was just concerned that while there are not many crimes in the area, anyone could have still walked up and driven the car with all my belongings away (yes, including my wallet etc.). So after confirming that the rental was indeed mine and I was back on my way to leave Minnesota. Of course, he had to tell me that my rental being one of those keyless engine type ones, I could have easily just taken the keys with me leaving the car locked and running. Ha! Sorry, I came from the islands and that kind of technology hasn't caught up with me.

Thank you Minnesota! I survived and you were fun!