Spaghetti Factory

   Welcome to yet another food adventure at "Spaghetti Factory"

Movie Review: The Loved One

Only released last February 2026, the movie is now available on a popular streaming platform. With all the hype and clamor surrounding this film, I dedicated one weekend to watch this. It falls under the “this is not your typical love story” trope which presents the 10-year journey of a couple presented in a non-linear manner where the present is shown in black and white and the past in multi-color. I thought it would be the other way around but we all know that the relationship was doomed to fail that’s why they did it that way.

Five Ways of Styling Denim with Inner and Outerwear

 A pair of denim jeans is a closet staple for everyone. There will always be a denim in different color, cuts or style in one’s wardrobe. Now, I will let you in on how I would style a pair of denims for the bottom and with inner and outerwear for the top.

Jamba Juice x Laneige

 There is a collaboration between Jamba Juice and Laneige that lets you sip skincare that features 3 drinks:

Mango Sunshine Glow: Mangoes, coconut milk, and a daily vitamin and zinc

Berry Hydra Boost: Dragonberry puree, fresh basil, lemonade, and coconut water

Tropical Bouncy Bliss: Hydrolyzed collagen, blue spirulina, mangoes, peaches, and pineapple sherbet

PAUL Boulangerie et Patisserie

I decided to chill and just have a drink at PAUL while waiting for something to resume at 8pm from the store across (see previous post).

The Aesop Queer Library PH

Considered as the first in Southeast Asia, Aesop Philippines just launched The Queer Library, which is an event at SM Aura branch, that runs from June 26 to 28. No purchase necessary.

Suggested Fragrance on Your Wedding Day

They say that certain scents bring back a collection of memoirs. So why not use and get the best perfume or fragrance that will let you remember the most romantic and endearing day of your life that is your wedding day. Before we go on, here are a few tips to consider. Before going to the counter and purchase a bottle, allow a leeway for the perfume to settle in your skin. More or less, this is how it will smell on you throughout the day. Go on and layer the scent by using a bodywash, applying lotion and spritzing on perfume in the same fragrance family. Finally, spray on your pulse points like your wrists, at the back of your ear and the base of your throat. After all, this is your special day and you would want to make a good impression on your guests.

 

Aristocrat

There’s nothing like a lunch rendezvous at Aristocrat.

Chagee

 There’s a new tea shop in town and so I took the time to visit a branch near me to try what they offer. Chagee is relatively new in the country as the first few branches only started to sprout last August 2025. And as of writing, it has expanded to a lot of locations already. This is not your usual milk tea shop since they do not have sinkers in their drinks.

Italianni's

 Here's our weekend food fare at Italianni's

Omocha: Japanese Toys Today

 I was able to visit the Omocha exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila last May 6.

Toys hold a special place in my heart that’s why I took time to check it out. And why not? Toys appeal to me as they are meant to strengthen certain skills in kids and the creativity of those who remain kids at heart.

5 Maxi Dress Styles You Can Try

A maxi dress is called as such because of its hemline that is ankle-length or floor length. And for me you can equate maxi as being exceptional and extraordinary. It is simply the best type of dress to wear when you want to look effortlessly fashionable. So let us trim down the maxi dress styles that you can select from depending on your mood and aesthetic shall we?

If you are all for a more relaxed or laid-back but chic style, an all-white ensemble gives off a minimalist feeling. But there is nothing short of simple and basic with this dress with a crochet trim. It definitely tops the list when you are going for an ethereal look.

5 Chic Ways in Wearing a Cardigan

There are just days when we just want to feel casual and laid-back. But saying this does not mean that our overall appearance should be boring or uninteresting. That is why this piece of clothing comes to our rescue… presenting, our ever-trusted cardigan!

The simplest and tested of all the looks is by wearing a cardigan with straight-leg jeans. This is always a good pairing since both are basic items that you can dress up or down. A pair of heels will add sophistication to the look.

A Veneto Pizzeria

If you could eat one type of food, what would it be? Perhaps, Italian?

Color Blocking Fashion

 We have seen fashion styles such as floral prints and animal prints when it comes to design. Another one that is a good alternative to the former trends would be color blocking.

So what is Color Blocking?

It is defined as mixing and using bold and bright colors in clothing to instill a statement and to make one’s wardrobe look more interesting. It is wearing two or more solid colors which differentiate the trend from other styles. It has made its way into the fashion scene and has also become an influence in other forms of art. If you think that this is quite hard to pull off since huge blocks of colors are being worn then fret not. The following tips will help and guide you through color blocking with ease.

Monochrome

Go Monochromatic. This is the easiest one to create as we are using a single color in varying shades.

Best Backless Wedding Dresses

 All brides want to look gorgeous and beautiful on their wedding day. Well, who wouldn’t right? So what are the facets that highlight her beauty on her special day? We all know that it is about eating the right food, exercising, and having a good skincare routine that makes her glow inside out. But much to the glamour contributes to the hairstyle she dons, the makeup she wears, and definitely the dress she puts on.

5 Ways to Incorporate Barbiecore in Your Every Day Wear

Admit it or not, we have come across the Barbie doll at one point in our lives. Heck, I bet we all owned a doll or two as well. Back when I was a tad younger, I remember getting pumped up and inspired by how stylish her dresses, pairs of shoes and accessories are. And now that I am a wee bit older, I know that it will not hurt to note and incorporate some of the styles in one’s daily wear, be it for office ensembles, for simple and casual occasions or for more formal gatherings.

 Also, the term “Barbiecore” is currently becoming a hype now that the movie “Barbie” is set to be released in 2023 which stars no less than the ever gorgeous and fashionable Margot Robbie. So what exactly is “Barbiecore”? Definitely, it is an aesthetic that is inspired by the Mattel doll Barbie. It is a fashion trend that empowers women and it is rooted in the feeling of being optimistic by exhibiting vibrant and colorful hues. Below are the ways to embrace this style.

Wear Pink. Donning clothes in hot pink is the easiest thing to do it. This is the iconic color related to Barbie. If you are not into brights, you can go and put on subtle hues of pink or pastel pink for that matter. At the end of the day, it is all about femininity that is representative of this color.

 

Don Henrico's

 By now, you must have realized a pattern on what we crave for. It’s usually appetizer, pizza and pasta.

Our Dining Experience at Crisp on 28th

I have enrolled in a workshop on a Saturday afternoon and I tagged my mom and brother along to find the venue as it was uncharted territory for me. We were at the area hours earlier and grabbing a bite was the most logical thing to do and it was a new restaurant for us to try out.

Movie Review: Incredibles 2

I actually wanted to get tickets for an animation that is the Incredibles 2 movie to break the run of live films we’ve watched for the past months thinking that it would be relaxing and stress-free to watch. But I was wrong. While little kids and children tag along with their adult companions, this has more depth and dimension and a darker theme that you could ever imagine for a cartoon on top of graphics and effects that have become better over time (with the first one being shown in 2004).

The plot of Incredibles 2 is similar to what other superhero movies appear to be. It delves whether these champions should be legal or not as they are asked to hold back their powers and live normal lives because they are creating more damage than good whilst saving the world.  As hackneyed as probably the last films you’ve witnessed, this is still fun and enjoyable to watch.

Movie Review: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is the second installation off the Jurassic World trilogy and the fourth in the Jurassic franchise. We got the chance to book a screening that comes with a free poster for every purchase of two tickets. I was feeling divided with this promo. I was worried that this will not live up to the expectations of the viewers; hence, they are giving away some freebies. But then again, the seats were already filled and the cinema was jam-packed (maybe it’s the freebies).

photo: tmdb

Movie Review: Solo – A Star Wars Movie

Remind me again why am I a Star Wars fanatic? The iconic franchise has already made a mark with its original trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, episodes 4-6 respectively) and prequel trilogy (episodes 1-3 include The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith). It’s just wonderful how the creators were able to craft interlocking stories even if they’re decades and generations apart as evidenced by the graphics and technology used in the films.

The sequels that followed after felt so strained with the introduction of new characters and an apparently worn out plot. And now they are releasing a “solo” character movie for that matter? Are the producers just exploiting the solid fan base to rake in a chunk of profit? Do we really need this narrative? Well, I guess it is safe to say that it may be important to release one to make their presence felt.

   photo: StarWars.com

Movie Review: Ready Player One

Over the course of time, I have learned that there would be some variations when it comes to film adaptations, such as the case of The Twilight Saga and The Harry Potter series. And more often than not, I get disappointed with how the films were produced (considering of course that I have read the book). But then again, I have realized that such literary pieces would be open to artistic interpretation and imagination.

With Ready Player One, I must admit that I was not aware of the source material (shame on me, yes). I have only come to know the film through trailers shown in theaters. I have high hopes for this since this is something that comes from Steven Spielberg who is famous for his cinematic works.

photo: tmdb

In-Store Coffee Shop Spotlight: Folded&Hung’s f&h coffee

Salute to whoever came up with the idea of having an in-store coffee in retail shops. This concept has been acquired and applied by many brands.

Pancake House

 It was a Friday lunch out with the team when we decided to dine at Pancake House.

I was craving to eat here again so we spent our weekend munch at the place.

Mega Feb 2013 Cover – Betty and Veronica

                     It’s a cool idea to feature comic strip icons as cover of a glossy. The concept is new…fresh.

Papa John’s

We’ve been into pizza and pasta the past weeks but who’s complaining?  

Bulgogi Brothers

Bulgogi Brothers is part of the Bistro Group which includes Italianni’s, Friday’s, Fish & Co, and Krazy Garlik to name a few.

We were looking for something different that’s why “Bulgogi Brothers” popped out of our heads. How about a taste of something Korean?

Bake N' Shoot Workshop

 Style my cake and eat it too? Why not? My love for food and styling were the contributing factors that made me want to enroll at the Bake N' Shoot workshop by Carmela Agosta and Chichi Tullao. The goal of the activity is to create the subject - in our case, the cakes in their naked glory to look as interesting as possible and to style them in such a way that they are instagrammable-worthy.

Cold Stone Creamery (Archive)

To beat the summer heat, a trip to an ice cream shop is the next best thing to do. We have chanced upon this Cold Stone Creamery branch at Serendra...and so we tried.

Sunnies Face

From the same company that brought us Sunnies Specs and Sunnies Café, now comes Sunnies Face. I think it’s the way how Filipinos love skincare and makeup that makes the cosmetics industry boom like crazy – much more if prominent influencers and celebrities launch their own, supported by big names or otherwise. I am not much of a lippie person but when my mom told me that I looked so pale, I turned to some lipsticks to give me some color (though you would still see me with nothing but lip gloss on some days).

Kashieca's Beautiful Fragrance Line

Kashieca has launched a perfume line endorsed by Bea Alonzo. I am more inclined to use the cologne variants: Beautiful Mind and Beautiful Body.

Palatable Sizzling Pepper Lunch

 Eating at Pepper Lunch is always a hit. 

Obra Para sa Musika (OPM) - PSID

 The Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) has launched an exhibit last about music and interior design.

Freezer Burn

 I tend to gravitate towards confections that look so decadent and taste just as delectable. Sweets that seem to be specially curated by the pros always get me. Great ideas also count too! So when Freezer Burn got in my radar, I knew I needed to check what they offer.

For me, the brand name on its surface means cold desserts and frozen treats. Only after getting in the store, chomping down a spoon or two and indulging myself with my order did I come to understand the concept behind the whole picture – pardon my buffering mind. 

Cupcakes by Sonja

The thing with cupcakes, you just can’t get enough of ‘em. So when I had the chance to drop by “Cupcakes by Sonja” at Serendra, I did not have second thoughts in trying their cupcakes. 

Pablo: The Cheesecake

I would like to try every cheesecake and cheese tart available as they are filling and satisfying with their creamy goodness and smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture, not to mention, being a trend a few years back. But heck, I would still want to continue looking for these yummy treats, check out what else is out there and surprise myself.

Brew Your Best Food Feature

An early Saturday morning rise is like waking up to my favorite music on the radio. It is refreshing to know that it is the weekend and I try to linger and bask in the moment every minute and every second of it.

So let us rewind to the time when I was just casually viewing my Instagram feed when I saw a post from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) Philippines about a food writing workshop in partnership with Writer's Block Philippines (WBP) featuring Beatriz Isabel Acosta, Features Editor of ClicktheCity, as guest speaker. Food and writing rolled into one? I knew I needed to attend the event.

Sephora PH x Guerlain

In this day and age, everything is so fast paced that we forget the more important things in our lives. We are so preoccupied at the tasks that we have to do that we forget to focus on ourselves. While we tend to our daily activities, we still need to look neat and presentable. If only I could blurt this "Oh, I woke up like <insert name of favorite model/beauty ambassador> today" statement whenever I look in the mirror everyday. But then, I was fortunate to receive this Guerlain beauty stash from Sephora PH. Now there is no excuse for me to look haggard but rather feel fresh and youthful all day.

Five Times that the Art Fair Mirrored Our Lives

Art has always been a means to express thoughts and feelings through varied aesthetic media. There are a lot of existing forms already from traditional to contemporary pieces to a mixture of both in terms of styles and techniques. They may come in as paintings, sculptures and even as narratives. For the creators, it is using resources to convey ideas with the desire of getting reaction from people. For the audience, it is having sensory encounters that stir the imagination.

Art Fairs have become a source of visual installations that make art less intimidating by making it accessible to all and by presenting a familiar culture albeit wandering to obscure territories sometimes.

Here are five interesting projects that reflected our way of life.

Excavated

The pieces are made with layers of paint digging deep to reveal an image underneath. We look for qualities beyond the surface. We see past through the physical appearance and consider the person’s character more. We look at situations from the inside out or sometimes from the outside in as we appreciate the beauty within as well as the colorful accounts and accents outside.

 

             

 

Movie Review: Christopher Robin

 You can pretty much tell that the Christopher Robin movie relishes on the plot similar to that of “Toy Story”, “The Little Prince” and “Alice in Wonderland”. The story is about Christopher Robin’s transition from juvenile stage to adulthood and letting go of insignificant stuff like child playthings to acknowledge grown-up responsibilities. In “Toy Story 3”, Andy had to put away all his toys in the attic in preparation for him going to college. In “The Little Prince”, there was much debate about how adults perceive things and how they lose their creativity as they grow up.

 

5 Ways on How to Wear Stripes

 There is something special about this pattern that people want to wear fashion items with stripes again and again. This is not called a wardrobe mainstay for nothing. It is always on trend and will never leave the fashion scene as it can adapt to every change of season. Below are some fresh ideas on wearing stripes.

 Colors

While we are used to the typical black and white or monochromatic stripes, you can infuse colors in your overall outfit. You can try subtle hues or pastels or bright and vivid colors however you fancy. For me, this is a quirky and fun way to don the stripes trend.

 

Tambai Yakitori Snackhouse

 It was one of the group's onsite meetings when the idea of food hopping popped out of nowhere - throwing in suggestions to go as far as Binondo to neighboring Mandaluyong. But then, why go far if we could simply go within Makati area, right? It was then decided that we explore Poblacion area - that part which houses hip spots that satisfy one's palatable cravings. But it came with a catch, which is, to eat on a budget. Those who would join need to share P500 as part of the resource basket.

Zark's Burgers

 I would really like to try all the burger joints in town. With all the hype about Zark’s Burgers, you must know how excited I was when we decided to eat here.

Mr. Pizza

A new pizza and pasta place discovery called Mr. Pizza, which is a Korean brand… and Korea’s number one pizza chain for that matter. Curiosity kicked in on how the food differs from those which Italian restaurants offer. Awarded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy as a World Class Product of Korea in 2014.

A Taste of Paris in Manila: Laduree

I must tell myself to stop eating sweets as it has taken a toll on my weight gain already. But how can you resist splurging a little to have a taste of Paris here in Manila. Laduree is a high-end pâtisserie famous for their macarons (yep, you read that right; you should not confuse it with macaroons). To differentiate the two: macaroons are like golden brown cakes with an indefinite shape because of its texture made of shredded coconut while macarons are circular, smooth on both sides and come in varying shades.