Sony Life Style: A Work of Art


A mixed event of Life Style and Technology as one of the leading brand in electronics and technology let technology walks the runway.   It's an eye catching fashion show of fabulously designed technology to fit the current life style of this generation. Held at Dusit Thani, Manila with a them "Sony LifeStyle: A Glimpse to Unbeatable Work of Art.



Media, bloggers, and distributors were gather to see these remarkable brand products as it is created and designed as part of the models wardrobe.   The event was set off as Mr. Mike Bangayan, President of Banbros Commercial, Inc. delivered his opening remarks followed by Mr. Takayuki Takemura, Deputy Director of Sony South East Asia Recording Media and Energy.


So what are these eye catching products from Sony South East Asia RME?  Featuring the three of their newest product line, the Micro VaultTM TINY, HD-EI Hard disk drive, and USB Stick Charger.  Presented with vivid colors and sleek designs for the true fashionistas of generation.



The Micro VaultTM TINY Series are available at 4, 8, 16 and 32GB, with a twist of electrifying colors to choose from.  Though tiny and compact this baby transfer large files with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 plus with an illuminated flashing LED light.



The Sony HD-E1 USB 3.0 External Hard Drive which is like a data armor combines greatness and strength in a perfect seamless form.  Available at 500GB and 1TB storage capacity with Data Transfer Accelerator software securing high-speed transfer, Password Protection Manager provides greater data security and automatic backup with preloaded Back Up Manager software to guarantee that important files will certainly be well-stored and protected.


The last of the trio which is a gadget to power up your smartphone anywhere and anytime.  Its a Sony CP-ELS USB Portable Power Supply.  Stylish and handy, Sony CP-ELS with a battery capacity of 2,000 mAh, is compatible with most smartphones, provides an emergency back-up power to your smartphones. It’s an Instant Power On-The-Go.

Cebuboy Lechon, Taste The Cebu Lechon


Food is very important in our daily lives. There are lots of foods out there, but every one have their own favorite food.

I will feature this time a food that all Filipinos love, what else but the LECHON! Lechon has always been hailed as the centerpiece for any celebration: birthday parties, weddings, anniversary celebration, business gatherings, corporate events, and even the occasional get-together among friends.

A party is not a party without Lechon and one of the best lechon in the country is the Cebu Lechon!

The Cebuboy have different kinds of  Lechon that vary on their taste. Cebuboy Lechon is definetely a good taste, because some says that Cebu Lechon has a distinct taste.

Cebuboy Lechon is a proud member of Northern Group Works Holdings (NGH) Corporation. NGH operates through its highly-diverse affiliate companies across a number of industries: business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), information and communications technology (ICT), healthcare, food service and real estate development. NGH has business offices in the Philippines (Cebu), the United States (Las Vegas) and Macau (P.R.C.). Operating under the NGH's food arm Holister Inc., Cebuboy will set the pace in the Metro as it will open delivery pick up points in the area.

Now, you don't have to go to Cebu just to taste the authentic Cebu Lechon. They will deliver it to you.


Cebuboy Lechon, provider of authentic Cebu Lechon is now delivering to Manila. To attain that unique Cebuano touch to this traditional Filipino dish, the lechon is produced and cooked in Cebu and shipped to Manila for every order.

With Cebuboy Lechon, the authentic Cebu Lechon will be made available and easily accessible to Manila. Cebuboy Lechon guarantees its consumers authentic Cebu Lechon delivered fresh and crisp every day through uncomplicated, hassle-free ordering.

For your orders, call:

JOSHUA - 0905-6625411
DYSM     - 0917-4681179
PAOLO   - 0917-3705691
NIQS      - 0922-875650

Find them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cebuboy.lechon) and twitter (@CebuboyLechon)

Hurry this holiday season, you can add Cebuboy Lechon as the star of your dish this Christmas eve and New Year's Eve. To give you whole family a special bonding moment while eating authentic Cebu Lechon.

What I LIKE and what I want to SHARE this CHRISTMAS


Moms are always looking forward for Christmas. It is the day that we wanted to share to our family what we have learned in cooking during the past months. But before I share what I want to share I would like to exploit first what I like to have this Christmas.

Some of them might be simple but would be great especially if it's for my family. First I like my family to have Good Health, Wealth and a great relationship with the Lord. For my physical item I would like to have an iPad or an iPhone, some cooking utensils, hopefully a bigger house and of course some appliances for it.


For those who wants share some of their blessings I would be willingly and accept it with open arms. So I pray to have those I like to have.

For the things that I want to share... I want to share my time to those who are in need, I want to share the blessings that I'm receiving and I want to share also what I learned.

So these are my LIKE and want to SHARE this coming Christmas. To all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Filipino Bloggers Hub Xmas Party is sponsored by The Cocoon Boutique Hotel, San Marino, King Sue, Bo's Coffee, iFlick, Cadbury, Pinoy Master Grill, Cebu Boy Lechon, Leslies, Tea 101, Oh My Nails, San Miguel Brewery, Leonne Philippines and Baja Mexican Cantina.

I Never Want To Look At A Bow Clutch Again


No, seriously.  I just made twelve of these (over the course of two days) for my grandmother to give away as Christmas presents.  These were not included in my original "To Make" list.  Eep!


She originally wanted a different purse made to give out to her granddaughters and great-granddaughters, but I managed to dissuade her of that idea and push for the faster (and more familiar to me) bow clutch.

This is my favorite.  I love the waves fabric.


Hopefully all of my cousins like them.  I used up all the fabric my grandmother had purchased for her original idea, and I think these will be appropriate for girls of all ages.  

OK.  I managed to consolidate my "To-Make" list and get it down to 19 items, and two of those were completed yesterday.  Hooray!  17 to go.  Feeling confident and sassy ... and tired.  Need more coffee before I can do more crafting.

Friends, how are you feeling about the holidays?  Anyone else running on coffee?

Have a great day, all!  And try not to sleep at your desks like moi :)

XOXO,
Meg

Read My Two Christmas Stories in Fiction Feast


I was very excited to see my two Christmas stories in the Christmas edition of Take a Break's Fiction Feast today. If you would like to read them, they are called 'Will Santa Come to Gatwick?' and 'My Kind of Christmas'.

It probably wasn't the best time to have seen them as I was due at the doctors for a blood pressure reading and the excitement made it sky high!

I am very proud to have stories alongside those of well respected womag writers Della Galton, Teresa Ashby and Patsy Collins. If you haven't already, do take a look at their blogs.

Picasso Black and White

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I braved the crowded to check out the new Picasso Black and White exhibition at the Guggenheim museum. While it's not as dynamic or inspiring as some of the colorful Picasso exhibitions at the Gagosian galleries recently, Picasso's work is amazing in any color. The white spiral gallery at the Guggenheim makes a wonderful complement to the art as well.  Hope you check it out the next time you're in New York.  Picasso Black and White runs through January 23, 2012.





Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta

title
When I was pregnant with little C, I, like all expectant mothers, had my own hopes and wishes for my daughter-to-be.  I didn’t have her whole life planned out from before she even arrived though, not at all.  To this day in fact, I am, admittedly, not as organized in the child-rearing department as I ought to be. 

Nursery rhymes?  Arts and crafts time? Daily schedules?  Play dates?  I’m almost three years into motherhood and I still don’t have a handle on those things.

But anyway, those wishes…

I wished that, unlike me, she be less of a girly-girl and more of a toughie.

I wished that, unlike me, she be more physically active and athletic.

I wished that, unlike me, she be more assertive.

I can certainly say that I got all that I wished for.  Little C loves to run around, preferably barefoot, without a care for the cute outfits I put her in.  She seems to never tire, as long as a good time is to be had and more adventure calls.  I have, many times, looked with envy at kids passed out on their strollers in restaurants while their parents continued on with their evening – while I, yet again, bolt to catch up to my little one, who is already faster than I am.  She knows what she wants and is always on a mission to get just that.  She has always been entranced more with balls than books (unlike me).  Little and Big C can spend hours kicking the ball around…or until she wears her papa out (after which she shouts out to me the dreaded, “Mama, let’s play soccer!”).  Be careful what you wish for! 

We do have something in common though (aside from untamable curly hair)…an inordinate love for pasta (and pretty much all carbohydrates).

Creamy Mushroom & Bacon Pasta
  • 150-200 grams uncooked penne pasta
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 of a white onion, chopped
  • 50-70 grams slab bacon, cut into strips
  • 200-250 grams oyster mushrooms (I use 2 packs of fresh oyster mushrooms from the Ministry of Mushrooms)
  • 1-2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup cream
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Cook the pasta as per package instructions.  Make sure to salt your pasta water.  Drain, saving a cupful of the pasta water, and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking you can start with the sauce.  Heat a skillet or wok on medium high heat.  When hot, add a couple of swirls of olive oil.  Add the garlic and onions to the hot oil and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the bacon to the pan and continue to sauté, stirring, until bacon strips are cook and some of the fat is rendered.  Don’t let it get too toasty.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add a tablespoon of water and cook until the mushrooms wilt and soften.  If the mixture gets too dry add another spoonful of water.
- When the mushrooms are soft add the 1/2 cup of the cream and stir.  Keep stirring to get all the bits – let the cream infuse with the caramelized flavors that have accumulated in the pan.  If the sauce looks to dry, add the rest of the cream.  Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the cooked pasta noodles into the pan a little at a time, tossing as you do.  Once the ratio of noodles to sauce is to your preference take the pan off the heat.  You may not use all the noodles.  If the sauce gets to claggy add a bit of the pasta water to loosen.
 - Serve immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan on the side.  Serves two.

This is a simple, quick, and comforting dish.  The simple earthiness of the mushrooms, the smoky indulgence of the bacon, all enveloped in the creamy sauce is one of my favorite pasta combinations.  You can easily adjust this according to what you have on hand or what your family prefers.  Use different types of mushrooms or regular bacon instead of slab bacon, or your favorite pasta shape.  You can add chopped fresh parsley at the end or toss in some cooked peas for a little more nutrition.  I like to have mine with a fresh grating of nutmeg, but you can also add some smoked paprika or cayenne for a bit of heat.

As for all the other things above (crafts and Mother Goose and play dates…oh my!), I’ve just let them, shamefully or not, fall by the wayside.  Instead of creating a brand new extra-curricular life for my little one, I’ve decided to just incorporate her into the one we already have.  So we do market visits, and cooking and baking sessions, learning the look and smell of different vegetables, seeing where her “fishies” come from (no my dear, they don’t come in fillet form), swimming, dancing, beach-bumming, and, just with papa though, football and all manners of ball throwing/kicking action. 

In truth, I am happy I got all my wishes.  Deep down, I love that she is all those things.  I dream that as she grows up she remains this strong and spirited girl, with the confidence and clarity to continue to put on her favorite twirly dress and proclaim “I’m a princess!” even as her hair is a wild mess and her feet deplorably dirty…then run off to a rousing game of kick-the-ball-senseless.

And anyway, we’ll always have pasta!

The Holidays Must Be Coming...

...because I have a "To Make" list that is 24 items long.  OMG I MUST BE OUT OF MY MIND.

To ease the pressure of making things for other people, the lovely Michelle of Will Knit for Food joined me for some selfish fabric shopping two weeks ago.


As you can see, I was very selfish.  

I got two fantastic floral cotton prints out of the remnant pile, and while they needed some serious TLC and a good washing, I'm pretty sure I can pull a dress out of the red rose print and a blouse out of the orange and grey.


This STUNNING gold embossed black satin will be sitting on my shelf for awhile, sadly.  I wanted to make into a dress for our work holiday party, but there just isn't time and I am not going to rush when working with this fabric.  It was the last of the bolt and I don't want to risk it!


In the endless remnant boxes of wonder, I came across a  blue sweater knit and a gray green heather knit - both remnants and both destined to be Renfrews.


 Purple wool crepe and black polyester suiting remnants - enough for two pencil skirts.  


Some grey and black suiting... you can never have too many flattering work pants, amiright?


I grabbed a white polyester remnant and 2 1/2 yards of houndstooth suiting (I totally blame Puu's Door of Time for making me obsessed with houndstooth lately).


BLACK AND GOLD FABRIC, YOU GUYS


which will be made into a classier version of this:

Picture found here

Throwback dress?  Yes, please!  Mine will also cause football teams to lose their cool due to the distracting stripes.


Navy wool suiting and some dark green taffeta - all remnants!   Are you noticing a pattern yet?  Michelle and I went CRAZAY over the remnant boxes.  At $2 a pound, how could we resist?


Teal linen and some fabulous suiting with multi-colored stripes.  I will definitely be making that into a jacket once things calm down a bit.  


Black linen remnant (enough to make a pair of pants for Rob to replace the ones that shrank), and a fantastic piece of animal printed goodness.  I haven't tried my hand at the animal prints, but I am ready to dive into that now!


Eggplant satin and royal blue polyester remnants - these will be blouses if I can make the minimal yardage work for my ample bosom.  


A piece of sheer grey silk and some divinely designed black and white poly knit - again, these remnants are destined to be blouses if I can get the yardage to work.  If not, the black will definitely become a handbag of some sort.  I could totally rock that on my arm with an obnoxious plastic handle.


I managed to stumble across some gold fabric that is designed EXACTLY like this, so I will be remaking that dress into a skirt and top once Spring rolls around again!  I also heard this brown and red plaid calling my name from across a crowded room.  I flew to its side, and made it my own, and now my life won't be lived all alone.

OMG.  So sorry.  There was a ton of South Pacific on my Pandora station last night.  


THERE ARE PONIES ON THIS FABRIC, YOU GUYS.  There are some weird color issues happening, so I'll need to be creative, but I couldn't resist.  PONIES.  Below it is a piece of grey fabric - enough for a blouse or short sleeved shirt for Rob - if I ever make him the two shirts that have already been cut out for him.  But hey, that's what the holidays are for, right???

Speaking of holidays, I must get back to my list!  Are any of you making the majority of gifts this year, friends?  Let me know in the comments!

Have a marvelous day, all!

XOXO,
Meg

Black & Gold

Every time I used to see anything black and gold, I would think of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  But I think these pics prove it can work for more than football uniforms. It was seen all over the fall/winter runways and also works well for interiors.  And you definitely can't go wrong with anything black and gold from Hermès.  Hint, hint. 

P.S I'm off to Chicago for my book signing for Creativity at Work at Jayson Home on Thursday, November 29th from 6:00-8:00pm. Be there or be square! 






Michael Kors

Yves Saint Laurent or is that just Saint Laurent. 









Gaultier Paris














Marni 



Velocette (by Elly Warner)




Dolce & Gabanna






Guerlain


Photos via tumblr, Pinterest and Harper's Bazaar