Five Favorites

Hi everyone! How are you preparing for summer? Any travel or weight-loss plans?

I’m currently on a self-imposed house arrest because I’m on a diet. LOL! Since I have zero discipline when it comes to carbs and champagne, I’ve been stirring away from going to events and parties until I’ve reached my goals. I know it’s a bit extreme but that’s the kind of person I am.

Staying home though has its perks as I get to focus on organizing the house. I’ve finally gotten around to decluttering my magazines and books (OMG. Letting go of them was the hardest thing to do!!!) and clearing up our busting cabinets in the entire house. I also have the opportunity to do some exercises (YouTube workouts rock!) and cook healthy diet meals. Ako na ang productive.

Below are some of my summer favorites:

Cooking and eating vegetables – Most of my meals these days consist of low-glycemic veggies. I usually stir-fry or steam them with no salt and just garlic powder, pepper and cayenne pepper. It’s life-changing!

Drinking iced-lemon green tea – We all know the health benefits of drinking green tea and I’ve been loading up everyday on iced lemon green tea. I prefer the taste of lemon green tea though as it’s less bitter compared to the regular green tea. It’s a refreshing drink and a healthy way to cool down this summer!

How to make iced lemon green tea: Pour boiling water over tea bags and steep 5 minutes.
Remove tea bags from water, squeezing gently. Serve over ice or let tea come to room temperature then refrigerate.

The Practicing Misis Cookbook– I met author Rosan Katlea Reodice (according to her, she’s been a long time reader of my blog and she also won during one of my “Jenni-rosity” giveaways in the past) while doing the grocery last month and she gifted me her book. Thanks, Rosan!

What I like about this book is that the recipes are easy and doable plus, it’s entertaining and funny! It’s also written in Fil-Lish (Filipino-English) so perfect for Pinays. I don’t want to spoil it for you guys but super kwela ‘tong cookbook! Buy it here.

Lipault, Paris luggage – When traveling to the beach, I prefer using lightweight luggage. Lipault is a French brand that is now in the Philippines (available at J.S. Trunk and Co. at The Podium Mall and House of Samsonite store Bonifacio High Street Central and The Podium branches as well as in select Rustan’s, SM and Landmark Department Stores).

Lipault Spinner, 55/20 in “Ruby” suitcase is equipped with four multi-direction spinner wheels that allow travelers to effortlessly cruise through the airport. without experiencing resistance from their luggage wheels.

I’m in love with my new and colorful Lipault luggage! I also like the nylon material as you can easily dust off the sand and it’s water-resistant too.

The Lipault weekend Bag in “Azure” is shaped like a doctor’s bag. It’s spacious and super lightweight.

Colorful, chic and lightweight luggage, check.

I bought this Black + Decker G -Steamer GST2000 in SM department store, Makati.

Black + Decker Garment Steamer – Being a stylist, I go through a garment steamer pretty quickly. Some of the stand-up steamers available in the department stores are quite flimsy and I’m happy I found a good quality one from Black + Decker. It has a Fast Heat up mode, ready for use in 40 seconds and 3 levels of continuous steam. It’s not exactly a heavy-duty professional steamer but the quality is better compared to my past purchases.

I also use this to steam our mattresses as it is effective in killing bed bugs, dust mites and their eggs (apparently, UVs from the sun are not enough to kill them). These nasty bugs thrive in tropical climates and since it’s humid in the Philippines, chances are your beds are infested.

How to steam your mattresses using a garment steamer: Gently glide the steamer head over the mattress (do not press the steamer head hard on the bed as it will inhibit the steam to penetrate the foam) and very slowly run the steamer in a downward motion.

Warning: Since this particular steamer is meant for clothes (even though it has a overheat protection system), be sure to give it a break (turn it off and unplug it) every 15-20 minutes to avoid overheating especially, if you’re steaming more than one mattress.