The Way We Ate- Mary Grace Cafe

Mary Grace Cafe in Alabang Town Center is one of our favourite places to go to when we’re craving for comfort food. Famous for their delectable, pillow soft ensaymadas and cheese rolls, the Mary Grace brand has become a household name for the best pastries, cakes and breads.

The café’s menu also includes a good selection of hearty sandwiches, flavorful pastas, fresh salads, appetizers and many more.  And with its cozy, home inspired interiors, it is the best place to find refuge from the busy mall. The food and service here is consistently excellent, that is why we’ve been loyal customers. Even friends and family visiting us from abroad always request for us to bring them here, and we’re always happy to oblige.

Vigan Longaniza served with rice and eggs. The green mango and tomatoes on the side are the perfect compliment to this dish.

 Homemade Iced Teas and Mary Grace Mushroom Cream Pasta.

Perfect pair! Valencia Orange Hot Chocolate and fresh out of the oven Ensaymada topped with grated edam cheese.

We’ve spent many leisurely lunches and afternoons in Mary Grace Café. The comforting and relaxing ambiance together with their delicious food is just so conducive for the many mother-daughter talks we’ve had over the years so each visit is always memorable.

This article also appears on PhilStar.com.


Mary Grace Cafe
Ground Level, Corte de las Palmas
Alabang Town Center
Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila
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Kitchen Stories- Mango Bruschetta

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto consisting of grilled bread topped with tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Traditionally served as an appetizer or a light snack, other variations may include toppings such as cured meats, cheese, fresh fruits and even beans.

Tomatoes and mangoes go perfectly well together. Sweet, sour and a hint of savory, this easy bruschetta recipe is one of our favorites. We’ve also added some creamy kesong puti to add a salty bite, too. It’s simple to make, no cooking involved and once you’ve put it together, it looks seriously impressive just like the ones served in fancy restaurants. Best eaten with your fingers, no fork and knife necessary!

Mango Bruschetta

You’ll need:

Sourdough or French Baguette

Tomatoes, seeded and sliced

Fresh, ripe Mangoes, cubed

Kesong Puti or fresh mozzarella if you prefer

Olive oil or butter

Balsamic vinegar

Coarse salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Ashitaba leaves for garnish

Slice baguette and toast with olive oil or butter. Arrange on a serving platter. Top each toasted bread with sliced kesong puti, tomatoes, cubed mangoes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Garnish with Ashitaba leaves. Serve immediately.

This article also appears on PhilStar.com.

New York Fashion Week Favorites

New York Fashion Week is a semi-annual event held every February and September, showcasing international fashion collections to the press, buyers, and general public. And like any other fashion week, it is a beautiful thing to see unfold. (Yes, even from afar.) The amount of work brands and designers put into meticulously organizing a show as they do is just incredible, and there's something about the fast-paced Big Apple that makes it all the more exciting.

It's one of my ultimate dreams to be part of the glamorous, elusive NYFW gang: rushing between shows, taking a thousand photos of everything, and seeing coveted street style up close and personal.

With that dream in mind, here are a couple of my favorite looks from this year's Spring/Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear collections!

Michael Kors

Kate Spade New York

Elizabeth and James

Oscar de la Renta

All photos from Vogue.com

Kitchen Stories- Eton Mess

Our favorite sweet endings to any meal are those that are made of layers upon layers of sweet cream and luscious strawberries! Eton Mess is a classic British dessert that is a mixture of broken pieces of meringue, strawberries and cream traditionally served during Eton College's annual cricket game against Harrow School in the UK. 

This dessert is all kinds of decadent, and so simple to put together when you're craving for some sweet indulgence. It also makes for  an impressive looking after dinner treat to serve to guests too!

Sharing with you the recipe, courtesy of The Blue Kitchen, using their Cashew Meringue. A word of caution though, TBK's Cashew Meringue is quite addicting. We easily finished two containers in one sitting! Also perfect with tea.

 The word "mess" in Eton Mess, refers to the appearance of the dish- a delicious sticky mess of cream, meringue and fruits.

TBK's Cashew Meringue.

The Blue Kitchen is a specialty food store known for their artisanal, homemade and ready to serve food products. Visit their new branch at the third level of Robinson's Magnolia in Quezon City, and other branches in Power Plant Mall and Shangri-la Mall.

This article also appears on PhilStar.com.

The Blue Kitchen
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Kate Spade Afternoon Tea at Raffles Makati

We were so excited when we found out that the Writers Bar in Raffles Makati put a posh New York twist on the classic Afternoon Tea with their Kate Spade tea set! We set out to try it last weekend and it was the perfect mother and daughter date. Mom and I had both been really busy and it was so fun to be able to wind down after such a long week, drinking tea and enjoying each other's company.

Savory Selection: Tomato, mozzarella and pesto bruschetta, Turkey pastrami, cheddar and green apple on rye bread, Cream cheese smoked salmon mini bagel and Grilled marinated bell peppers on sundried tomato ciabatta  

Tea Selection: Sweet Paris and Vanilla Grapefruit

Mini eclair, Mini chocolate beau bag, Mini Religieuse, Mini cakes

Macarons and mini donuts

Chocolate Chip Scones

Homemade Chocolate

We were so in love with all of the cute sandwiches and pastries. The quirky New York vibe we got from our little tea time made us want to see the city even more. We can't wait to experience The Big Apple with our own eyes very soon!

Prêt-à-Portea: Kate Spade Afternoon Tea is available from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM daily until September 14, 2014.

Raffles Makati
1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue

Makati City, 1224

Phone: (02) 555 9777

Katie Mitchell Photography

We were in Paris a few months ago for a very special Mother & Daughter portrait session with Australian photographer Katie Mitchell. We stumbled upon her work on Instagram, and we've been fans ever since! Specializing in natural and relaxed wedding photography and lifestyle portraiture, Katie's photographs are beautiful and uncontrived.

It was a dream come true and an honor to have her take our photographs as recipients of her Mother's Day Giveaway.

Katie Mitchell is a Paris based wedding and lifestyle photographer.

Photos from Katie's Portfolio.

Paris has always been on top of our list of must-see places, and to have all these treasured memories of our trip documented through lovely photographs was truly a blessing. 

The genuine passion Katie has for her craft is evident in the photos that she takes. She was such a joy to work with and took the time to get to know us so we would be comfortable in front of the camera. Our portraits turned out amazing and we will definitely cherish them for years to come.

If you ever find yourselves in Paris, there is no better way to capture beautiful memories than a portrait session with Katie!

Our heartfelt thanks to Bayo Clothing for our outfits. It was an honor to wear a proud Filipino brand while we were in Paris.

This article also appears on PhilStar.com.

Katie Mitchell Photography

75002 Paris, France

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