Y'all know I used to be a smoker, right? YUP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT...USED TO BE! I've officially stopped smoking! Ahhhhh so ecstatic just typing it!! I've officially celebrated a month of being smoke-free yesterday and this may come as a little thing to some people but not to me. People who are close to me knows how much I smoke in a day and they were all surprised how I was able to go cold turkey! I mean, I couldn't believe it myself. I thought the day would never come. I'll officially be sharing more on that on my next post but today, I'm excited to be sharing a new product discovery with you guys! 

So since I've started smoking almost 9 years ago, I've noticed that nicotine does take its toll on those pearly whites. I used to have fairly white teeth until I started smoking. Recently when I went to the dentist for a visit, she also pointed out how a portion of my gums have started to have a dark color due to smoking. Of course I didn't want to paint that graphic image in your head, but I wanted to share how ~gross~ smoking has been for my mouth so today, sharing something that will somehow help me remedy that!

I've seen a ton of activated charcoal videos showing how it has been proven and tested to whiten teeth. I was considering using Crest Whitening Strips but I found a healthier and more natural way to do so--Carbon Coco! Products are 100% natural teeth whiteners that aims to naturally whiten and polish teeth, strengthen enamel and detoxify the mouth without the use of chemicals. Let's get on with the products!

Genki Sushi is a chain of conveyor belt sushi restaurants established in 1990 in Japan. The chain expanded to include locations in Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Kuwait, the Philippines, China, Australia, Cambodia, Myanmar and the United States, including, California, Hawaii and Washington. (via)

Place

The location that I frequent to is the one over at Ayala Malls the 30th. The closest to me though is the newly opened branch in Megamall but we all know how parking is a nightmare in Mega. I also love the 30th's ambiance since there aren't a lot of people and the branch isn't always full. Parking is also always available at the mall. One of the things I love about Genki is the ordering system. It isn't like the conveyor belt sushi places in Japan where food just keeps on coming and all you need to do is get your desired dish. In Genki, you can use a tablet to place your order and in a few minutes you can expect the cutie patootie train to deliver your order. 

Some dishes aren't delivered through the train because 1.) they're either too big and actually does't fit the train 2.) the dish has soup and being transported via the train can cause the soup to spill. In this case, the waiter delivers your order. 

Food

Ahhh, where do I start. Okay so while waiting for your order, you can make your own green tea. On the table you'll have matcha powder and a faucet of hot water, amazing. I also love this part. The tea isn't overwhelming and that's coming from someone who doesn't like Matcha. You can also start preparing your soy sauce. On the side of the table, they also have pickled radish available at your disposal.

And noooow, on to the Sushi and Sashimi! So obviously, I've been here several times. But during this visit, here's what we ordered : Salmon Roll (P90), Miso Soup (P90), Salmon Belly (P90), Norwegian Fresh Salmon (P90), Salmon Roe Gunkan (P280), Chuka Wakame (P140) and Gyudon (P280). Lol don't judge me, I love Salmon! Of course everything was good but of all the things I've tasted here, my top favorites would probably be Salmon Belly and Salmoe Roe Gunkan! The Salmon Belly because, while it isn't the best Salmon that I've tasted, it comes close to the best one I've tasted in the past. And for the price, I'm not complaining! As for the Salmon Roe Gunkan on the other hand, this is the only place I've had it because other restaurants are sooo pricey! But my first time was an amazing experience. When people told me it's salty but creamy, I couldn't quite figure out what they meant until I had my first bite. If you want to know how that actually tastes like, Genki Sushi would be an awesome starter!

Hey, everyone! I’ve been on a roll both here and on Youtube and I decided to also start cooking again. Damn, quitting smoking seems to have kicked in something really good for me. I hope this lasts though cause I get days where I really just want a puff. Hope this goes away soon. Anyway, today I’ll be sharing a go-to recipe I usually do whenever I feel home sick—like literally missing home and also getting sick lol. I used to hate vegetables but when my Mom started making me this dish, I don’t know, for some reason I didn’t hate vegetables anymore. All of these ingredients you can find in your friendly neighborhood palengke if not in the grocery so let’s get started!

If you guys have seen my previous video or post in here, you know how I've been battling the worst breakout of my life since 2016. And I think I also did several rants in here during my worst moments which is why I feel that it's also my duty to share with everyone how I've coped and still coping. At the moment, I'm still wearing makeup to work because I'm still insecure about my acne scars so I make sure I got those areas covered with concealer and foundation. 

But of course there are moments where I practically don't want anything on my face but then the insecurity haunts me so I put a foundation or end up not having to go out at all. I've considered the idea of BB creams but isn't that basically like foundation too? In terms of letting the skin breathe, at least. So you cannot imagine when a friend of mine started venturing into organic makeup! I was specially thrilled because they have tinted sunscreen! I MEAN WHAT, if that isn't what I'm looking then I don't know what could be more perfect. I won't be diving into a lot of details about it on here since I made a video! Please watch to know my thoughts, And subscribe if you haven't yet!

The weather has been crazy these past few weeks. There would be days where we'd get really good weather, but as expected most of the time, it has been quite rainy and y'all know what that calls for--rainy comfort food! I have a tooooon of comfort food I prefer to eat during the rainy season. Thank god for work from home perks I get to avoid the heavy traffic and the flooding in Metro Manila because god knows 5 minutes of rain can already flood the city. Anyway, I think it was 2 weeks ago when I worked from home for about 3 days because it's been raining cats and dogs and thankfully there wasn't anything client-facing I needed to do for work that time. I thought of Champorado but y'all also know me, I'm more of a savory type of girl more than sweet so I decided to cook Arroz Caldo instead. Here's my quick recipe guide if you're a struggling professional in the metro--just like me. It's not as jam-packed with ingredients as the original one you're probably used to but this will help you get through Manila stress. So, let's get started!

Ingredients