Weekend Food Tripping at: Passion Restaurant, Resorts World Manila

Happy weekend everyone!  I had a very tiring Saturday!  I guess I got super tired because of the traffic!  Were you stuck in traffic just like we did?  

I had late morning makeup gig to 2 of my gorgeous clients and afterwards, we went straight to Gilmore (a super tiny version of Akihabara, Japan)  *laughs*  We needed to upgrade our 5-year old PC as it's starting to crash on me in between work!  About an hour plus later, we were able to get our newly-built PC (Mr. AMW style) and we drove straight to my mom's place as we're all meeting up for dinner at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel.  Okay, here's the ordeal, the drive from my parent's place to Eastwood took us more than an hour and we were late with our reservations!  I think we arrived Eastwood Richmonde Hotel around 8:00pm and buffet ends at 9:00pm!  Imagine, just an hour of eating, I didn't get to take pictures anymore as I was very hungry!  *laughs*

The point of my story (finally!) *hihihi* is that, I can't report much about our buffet experience last night so I'm picking up old food files and I remembered Passion Restaurant at Resorts World Manila!  I can't believe I nearly forgot about this!

It was a treat from our family friend and we dined in here last month for Father's Day!  The restaurant is known for its expensive, yet authentic Chinese dish and it will be my first to try the restaurant that night!  

**Note from me: Prices are for Small, Medium and Large orders.

Crispy Fried Chicken 

with Red Bean Sauce

half: Php558.00

whole: Php1,005.00

Okay, fried chicken is fried chicken!  I find this order to be a bit too pricey!  It tastes like regular chicken and so far, the red bean sauce was nice but not something I would crave for in the future!

Hot Prawns Salad

Php715.00/1,080.00/1,380.00

Though pricey, this dish actually warms our taste buds, we enjoyed their hot prawn salad as the prawn were really huge and fresh!  Worth every single penny paid for this dish!  A definitely must-order!

 Wok Fried Beef 

in Black Pepper Sauce with Broccoli

Php668.00/847.00/1,295.00

The beef is very tender, tasty and super juicy!  It was sliced in cubes and it was a favorite of the night! 

  

 Deep Fried Spareribs 

with Salt and Pepper

Php480.00/668.00/928.00

Since most of the people around the table ate in this restaurant multiple times, they told us that the first few times they've tried this dish was fabulous!  The most recent order was a tiny bit of a let down as there wasn't much meat on it.  The flavor on the other hand is a "thumbs up"!

 Fukien Fried Rice

Php448.00/608.00/888.00

If you dine in Chinese restaurants, most of the time, you'll give Yang Chow Fried Rice a try!  For the more adventurous diners, I would strongly suggest to give "Fukien Fried Rice" a try as the rice itself can be eaten alone as it's topped with flavorful sauce with chopped goodies (mushrooms, shrimps, etc...).   I find Fukien Fried Rice at Passion restaurant to be really flavorful and the sauce is just right to make me eat the rice on its own! 

 "Ma Po To Fu"

Stewed Bean Curd with minced beef and hot chili sauce

Php368.00/488.00/668.00

 Okay, I'm an expert tofu-eater right?  I can't really  pinpoint on how I would explain this dish!  It's not as spicy as most "ma po to fu" I've tried, the dish doesn't taste anything like the usual stewed, spicy bean curd!  I was told by my mom-in-law who tried the same dish in the restaurant several months before and she told me it wasn't as good as the first one she tried! 

 Braised E-Fu Noodles 

with Assorted Seafood

Php488.00/638.00/968.00

Flavorful noodle dish that's loaded with various seafood!  I'm impressed, it's definitely "birthday style noodles" cooked the best way!

 Minced Pork in Muy Choi Sauce

with Steam Eggplant

Php408.00/544.00/828.00

Okay, this is one favorite dish of mine but at this stage, I was stuffed!  I wasn't able to really eat a lot of this as this dish came in last!  I wish it came in earlier as this is another one of my favorite! 

Overall, dining at Passion Restaurant is a bit pricey for a typical Chinese dish-craving day!  But who can complain?  It's located at Resorts World Manila and the place was always packed with people!  The servers were pretty helpful and knowledgeable with the dishes.

The total price of everything you see in this blog post ranges around Php10,000-11,000 (approx $232.00-255.00).  Okay, before you get jaw-locked *laughs*, 12 people were fed that night and everyone went home pretty full and satisfied! 

Passion Chinese Restaurant

2/F Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila

Pasay City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(632) 908-8875

Have you tried this restaurant?
What's a must try restaurant at Resorts World Manila?
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!
Stay full!

Royal Effem Eye Pencil Review

Happy Saturday!  It's another busy day for me but I'm looking forward to it!  After a full day of hard work and duties, we'll be celebrating my mom's (advance) birthday tonight!  I booked a buffet dinner for the family and I'm quite excited not for the food but with the "bonding time"!  Okay, the food excites me a bit too!  *laughs*

I am very grateful each day when I wake up because God gave my mom a second chance, a second life!  We're seizing each day and I never forget to tell my mom and dad how much I love them ---  EVERYDAY!  Do you do the same too?  If not, well it's not too late! *smiles*

Let's talk about events, most of the time, events were held either in Makati, The Fort or Ortigas and those areas are at least an hour drive (without traffic) from my place, so getting ready will always be a rush as I don't want to be stuck in traffic!  Do I even have time to blend my eye shadows?  Unfortunately, NO so how do I make my boring eyes look at least a tiny bit interesting?  Colored eyeliners!

Royal Effem says ---

• soft texture
• long lasting even with temperature variations
• excellent glide
• perfect definition
• even, clean lines
• lines free of smearing and cracking
• intense, precise outline
• lanolin, paraffin and fragrance free formula

Tip for the Day: Top MAC Lipsticks

"What's your top 10 MAC Lipsticks in no particular order?"

The question I got from the reader intrigued me and made me rummage through my lipstick collection!  Then I realized, 10 MAC lipsticks would cost a whole lot especially if you're not a makeup artist, well you're probably a MAC lipstick collector if you  have more than 10 if not a makeup artist!  So for regular people, what are the must have MAC lipsticks or where can you start?

I can still remember my first ever lipstick from MAC which was TWIG which, unfortunately, was lost during a makeup gig *sniffles*, it was the first ever purchase that got me staring at it the whole afternoon as I took all the time to research "the best" shade for me! 

With the wide range of MAC lipstick, where can you start? 

Here's a guide on how I started with the collection, it's not top 10 but I call it my "MAC Starter Lipstick Collection".  Please keep in mind that I'm in no way a MAC lipstick expert but I will be sharing my humble opinion on my favorite shades as I use these the most on gigs!

Let's start with pinks, the ultimate blue-based pink lipstick called Pink Nouveau (smile and click HERE for review) has been used by many actresses and have been a cult favorite!  To be honest, Pink Nouveau doesn't look that good on me but, the power of Pink Nouveau cannot be underestimated!  Most of my clients look so good on this lip color!  Whether they are models or regular people, I find Pink Nouveau can flatter them!

MAC Pink Nouveau on tube

 and Swatch

Reds.  The ultimate "sexy" color that could make or break a look!  A good red lipstick will make you look hot and sexy but a bad red lipstick choice may make you look trashy!  *laughs*  Okay, it wasn't a good description but you get the drift!  There's 2 reds that I totally like!

MAC Russian Red and "Red" She Said

MAC Russian Red is a medium red shade that leans to a cooler tone.  This works so well on most skin tone but I have to stress that it takes a lot of "getting used to" to be able to pull off this shade!  (Smile and click HERE to see photos worn by different individuals including myself!)

MAC "Red" She Said on the other hand, is a limited edition shade from Holiday 2008, I can't help but include this shade as it is a beautiful deep blood kind of red!  This works so well on most of my clients who dislikes the "in your face" red lips but still make the lips pop in a non-car crashing way!  Since this is limited edition, a good dupe and a more inexpensive alternative would be the one from Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Red Velvet. (Review HERE)

Left: Russian Red

Right: 'Red' She Said

What if you're not into loud lipstick shades?  What's the best lip color for everyday?  Neutrals - light pinks or peach.  There's 2 that I like to pick up for bridal clients.

MAC Viva Glam V and Sandy B

MAC Viva Glam V was one of those few purchases that took me weeks of research before deciding this shade!  I went straight to MAC Counter and got it immediately after I tested it on my lips!  This is the type of lip color that spells "Your lips but only better!"  This shade is perfect for anyone who's afraid to wear color yet doesn't want to look pale at the same time.

Sandy B, a peachy lip color with gold flecks.  I enjoy using this lipstick if I'm on a shoot that requires a healthy, bronze-y, tanned look!  This works so well on lighting and it screams "summer time"! 

Left: Viva Glam V

Right: Sandy B

Last but not the least, let's move on to people who are into dramatic eyes!  What's the best pairing to a super wild colored eye makeup looks?  A nude lip color!  Nude lipsticks aren't only there for smokey eyes but it's also a great product to "blur out" the original pigmentation of your lips if you plan to apply a light colored lipstick!  Oh, have you tried Ombre Lips?  Nude lip colors are a great base to start off your Ombre Lips creation --- let's talk more about it in future posts!  Let me know if you're interested! :)

MAC Close to Real and Yash

It is easy to save up on lipstick by using your choice of concealer to cover your lip's original color, one huge CON on using concealer on lips, most of them may dry up the lips thus settling into lip lines making the overall effect weird and "not sexy"!

MAC Close to Real is lipstick shade closest to a concealer!  The advantage of this over concealer is the appearance of peach.  Best applied on light to medium skin tone.

MAC Yash is a favorite of mine to reach out to for people with medium to dark skin tone.

Left: Close to Real

Right: Yash

Keep in mind that some of my "favorites" listed are LE (Limited Edition) but don't fret, MAC has a wide range of lipstick shades and you can always ask help from their SAs and ask for "similar shades".  They'll always have at least one!  

Most MAC lipsticks that I've tried are a bit drying especially on people who suffer from dry lips. *me!*  It helps to moisturize your lips properly while you do your makeup prior to lipstick application and top it with your preferred gloss for that extra shine!

My favorite MAC Lipstick swatches all ined up!

L-R Pink Nouveau, Russian Red, Red She Said, 

Viva Glam V, Sandy B, Close to Real and Yash

What's your favorite MAC lip color? 
Click comment and let's help our reader! :)
Thank you! :)

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting and Color Correcting Primers Review

Primers, I can never get tired of them!  It's not because I use them a lot on myself but I use primers on all my clients depending on the needs of their skin!  I've gone through and tested a whole lot of primers and so far, they've all been put to use and I always welcome new primers as one is never enough!  

Revlon created a Photoready line meant for High Definition photography!  When I was just starting out collecting makeup, I search high and low to look for face primers available locally but obviously, I didn't find a lot so I tend to shop online or ask a friend to help me purchase when they're on travel!  

Today, one of the oldest name in drugstore makeup Revlon finally created a face primer they can call their own! 

Revlon Photoready

Perfecting Primer and Color Correcting Primer

AMW Makeover: June Bride

What's the source of my happiness?

You got it right!  Prettifying other people is the answer! 

I haven't posted much on AMW makeovers for quite some time as I've been caught up with a very busy schedule so I had to wait for July to post one of my June brides! 

 The Bride

Skin type: Combination (normal and dry)

Request: None

 The bride didn't go through any trial makeover with me so the day of her wedding was the first time I met her.  Once I saw her, I can't help but compliment her nice skin and all of a sudden, I have a "look" in mind which I'm glad came out the exact way as I've imagined!

I was aiming for soft looking brows, very light, neutral eye makeup, soft pink cheeks and lips!  The bride exclaimed that she had her pre-nup shoot done in China and this was how her makeup looks like.  For me, it was a huge compliment as I've always been a fan of pre-nup/bridal makeup done in China!  I've seen albums after albums and have always wanted to re-create a fresh, vibrant, no makeup-yet blooming kind of look!

 

Final look

The bride felt a bit uncomfortable with false lashes on but after a couple of minutes, she finally got the hang of it!  I appreciated the fact that she took my advise and wore a pair as it made a huge difference not only in person, but also on photos!

She's got great smile, don't you agree?

 

 Mother of the Bride

Skin type: Normal with dry patches

Request: None

Even without uttering a word for makeup requests, at the back of my head, I know what moms are aiming for especially on the day of their daughters/sons' wedding!

Natural and fresh minus the cake-y look.  Of course, the younger looking, the better!  Who wouldn't want to look younger than their real age right?  I know my mom would!  *laughs*

Lucky her, the mother of the bride have a very young-looking skin, it was a bit tricky on my part to find a matching foundation on her as she has some red pigmentation at the center of her face. I had to mix and foundations several times before finding the right one!  I also had to correct the redness by applying green colored corrector prior to foundation application.   Just in case you wonder, I used CK Foundation on her mixing my lightest and darkest shade to create a personalized shade for her.

For the rest of the makeup, I steered away from shimmery powders but went for eye shadows with a tiny bit of sheen to make her overall look more youthful.  I concentrated on applying the eyeshadow at the outer corners to "lift" her eyes creating youthful vibe!

I finished off with a peachy pink colored blush and to be honest, I forgot the exact shade of lipstick used as we tried various colors before she finally picked the one she likes!  So I guess it's a mix of this and that shade!  :)

Mother of the Bride

Au natural and glowing!

 

 Sister of the Bride 1

Skin type: Oily

Request: Natural makeup with falsies!

The eldest sister of the bride also have good skin.  After a bit of chit chat and interview, we were able to come into a conclusion that she has acidic skin.  I'm glad I did her makeup a bit earlier as I get to glance at her skin every now and then checking on her foundation.

Note: For acidic skin, some foundations may turn dark or orange.

So far, I picked the right shade of foundation (2 shades lighter) as the end result was foundation matched in heaven.

A very light, pinky peach shade of blush and lip color was used as "natural makeup" is the trend of this family :) 

Sister of Bride 1 final look

Check out the gorgeous smile!

 

 Sister of Bride 2

Skin: Combination (Normal/Oily)

Request: None

The second sister is actually a friend/ex-colleague of mine, she was the one who booked my services even without trial and I haven't seen her for more than 10 years!  It was nice catching up with her while I do her makeup.

For her makeup, I didn't have a hard time picking a foundation shade as she doesn't need much coverage, I used a light foundation from Paul & Joe and focused a bit on her eye makeup, creating more "depth" to her eyes.  I also thickened her brows a tiny bit using a shade lighter than her hair color so it'll show up a more natural and sweet.

Sister of the Bride 2 final look

I love her curls!  Suits her well!

Hair done by : Kim Tan Rodriguez
Photos by my loving husband Keith Tiu!

Which among the 4 is your favorite?
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!