5 Reasons Why After All Bar & Grill is Perfect for Your Next Girls’ Night Out

One of my favorite songs is “After All”, by Peter Cetera.

I know it’s an old song, but there is just something about it that draws me big time. I just feel the sincerity of the lyrics, and how it has captured the scenes in the movie “Chances Are”. OMG. If you haven’t watched it, you have to! You get to see the baby Robert Downey, Jr.!

I am getting ahead of myself here, so allow me to put justice on the title on why this could be your next, or probably your permanent girls’ night out hang-out place!

1. There is so much history in the name

Okay, so I think I am just so biased on this one because I really love the movie where it was the theme song!

I was quite curious about this up and coming restaurant who share the same name. I was wondering why did they name it “After All” after all. ;p

It turns out that the group who owns the restaurant chose from a list of songs they all love. Naturally, you know what won! 🙂

“Good times” by the Jackson 5 was one of the choices, but I guess the words are too mainstream, so choosing “lesser heard words” and “not typically used words for hashtags” might be a good brand to capitalize on. OMG! This is the social media and SEO bug venom creeping in!

2. The ambiance of the place reminds you of a crossbreed of a restaurant and a pub.

There were a lot of people in the restaurant considering it was a Thursday night, and they were just on their 17th day of operation! Woah! 🙂

The crowd was a mix of generation X, millennials and baby boomers! It’s actually a perfect place for an after-work hangout or a girls’ night.

3. Amazing menu awaits the foodie and the nottie!

We were served a lot of dishes that night and I cannot stress how delicious they are! I was there on Thursday night, and I went back Monday for lunch tagging along with some girl friends!

This is the kind of lunch you would want everyday, right? For only P150, the meal is complete! Not to mention savory! 🙂

Their recipes are modern and unique, they often add some new twists and flavors to give each dish a rewarding and palatable gastronomic experience!

4. Recipe drinks are available, and you’ll love them even if you’re not very close with alcohol!

We were served drinks to complement the appealing flavors we were eating. I am not a drinker, you know that, and for someone who is not a fan of alcohol, it was a surprise how I loved devouring their recipe drinks.

I think I owe it to how they blended the concoctions well, masking the taste of alcohol and lifting the tasty and fruity aroma instead!

Oh look at this one, we have the same color! Haha 😀

5. Cool tunes of the band will serenade your night away!

I was lucky enough to get to know the lead vocalist that night! Hi Gin Papin!

She is not just a beautiful splitting image of Beauty Gonzales, but she is also exceptionally talented! Not to mention very sweet!

She sang “Always Forever” and “We Found Love” – the two important songs for me and my fiance. She sang them immediately after I shared how these songs are tantamount in our love story.

We were able to find an introduction and the short chitchat seemed like we’ve been friends forever!

So one thing is for sure, you can request songs, and get amazing vocals in the background while having the best time with your friends!

I could go on and on, but this is probably the best food blog experience I had! I am definitely coming back!

After All Bar & Grill is located at 235 Ground Floor, Jazz Mall, Nicanor Garcia Cor. Jupiter St., Makati. You may contact them through (02) 816 36 52 and afterall.barandgrill@gmail.com .

Find more about them on Facebook !

**, Via

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My Vivere Salon Glorietta Experience with Hairstylist JC Espiritu

Two months ago I decided to dye my hair rose gold but got out with ginger hair instead. If you happen to read my post about it, you might get a flashback. 🙂

But what seemed to be a mistake, turned out to be a unexpected blessing! Because with this new hair color, people recognize me more!

(April 2017)

I remember one time when I was eating in Trinoma, a friend passed by the glass window and immediately caught sight of my hair. She wondered if it was really me! Haha It was! 😀

In Gateway, I was walking on the grounds surrounding the coliseum, when a friend got out of a nearby restaurant and approached me. Whenever there’s a blog event or a speaking engagement, people call me “Via” already, without asking for my name! It’s crazy! 😀

(April 2017)

So I guess ginger hair helped me in more ways than I expected. I haven’t even thought of it as a part of my branding. 😀

My publicist actually advised me to maintain it, because it has provided me an extension of my brand as a blogger and as a shoe designer.

(April 2017)

And of course, we know that a lot of things don’t lasts forever, especially hair color and length. As my hair grew longer (as if it’s not long enough),  the roots are starting to show, and the once highly pigmented strands is beginning to fade.

That is why it was so timely that I got to visit Vivere Salon in Glorietta, and have my much-awaited hair retouch and makeover!

I booked an Uber to Glorietta 2, and surprisingly I found the salon too soon than I thought I would. It’s on the  3rd floor, in front of Electro World.

I love how posh their salon is. It even has this geometric design I am so crazy about! 😀

Since my hair color was actually just an accident, it may be difficult to duplicate. The original hue wasn’t red, or orange, or pink, it seems like a fusion of all 3. The tint changes magnificently in different levels of lighting.

My favorite was the one under a yellow misty light in Francis Libiran’s Fashion Show. It had a rich, romantic and regal tinge to it.

So this is my hair that needs all the love it can get!

JC Espiritu, the resident Senior Hair Stylist in Vivere Salon Glorietta worked his magic in creating the color I wanted. He posed some techniques about the duration of the bleaching cream on my crowning glory, and some hairstyling words that sounded alien to me.

I specifically told and showed him that I have to achieve THAT certain color because it’s part of my self-branding. People recognize me to have that red-orange hair color.

Ms Eveb (Junior Hair Stylist) helped me bleach my hair roots until they turned corn yellow. The rest of my mane has already been bleached previously, so there was no need for additional creams.

The concoction was painful as expected, but I didn’t mind. All for beauty!

I got my hair washed, and I swear I look like an easter egg here! I was actually in doubt whether I should upload this, but hey, we all got flaws! Haha 🙂

After an hour or less, my hair was ridden off the cream, and had to be blow dried. Honestly, I didn’t mind going out of the salon with a gradient yellow to orange hair!

I look like a total walking sunset in this! But, the process isn’t finished yet, so I have to stay seated.

This was the time Sir JC showed me the hair dye emulsion. They particularly look like the pigment I wanted, so I was so excited!

He said, “Ms Via, nag-magic ako!”

(Redeeming my egg face with this tilted lying-shower-pose! Haha 😀 )

It was Sir JC’s idea to have my eyebrows dyed as well. They turned shades lighter as in! 

My “kilay is life” game looks more appealing, and suiting for my raspberry hair!

True enough, his potion-skills were excellent!

I didn’t just get the color I wanted, it was even better! 😀

I have never wanted a hair color so much in my life! Not to mention, that finally, there is a salon that exists that can actually make your hair color dreams come true!

My signature hair is BAAAAAAACK!

And it’s better, red-oranger, gingerer, mermaid-ier and Ariel-er! 😀

I can’t contain my happiness, this is even better than having legs! That is why I can’t help but splash out hugs and flipping fins to the best hair experts in the land!

Thank you Sir JC and Ms Eveb for bringing back the life and luster of my hair, and making it more beautiful! 😀

It looks very cotton candy on this side of the salon! Took a snappy with Rayrose Samson, a fellow blogger!

My hair makeover is valued as follows:

Haircut: P390 / Hair Color: P5,000 / Hair Treatment: P1,500

I highly recommend Vivere Salon Glorietta for those seeking trusted salons to take care of their hair! 😀

Reach them through the following:

https://www.facebook.com/viveresalon/

(02) 584 6610 / http://viveresalon.com

I am literally a walking ad! Girls and some kids are pointing their stubby fingers at me, asking where I got my hair dyed!

You know where! 😀

**, Via

 

Taste Southeast Asia in Erwan Heussaff’s Pink Panda

I’ve been hearing a lot about Pink Panda, and how it became a household name in the list of great Southeast Asian food joints in Metro Manila. It is owned by Celebrity Influencer and Chef Erwan Heussaff, together with Hatch22 group (his other restaurant). It serves Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Chinese, and Filipino comfort food.

No wonder the restaurant’s architecture is also a cornucopia of different influences and features from the menu’s origins in Southeast Asia. You definitely get that modern feeling coupled with the fear that this place may charge more than what you’re prepared to pay. Because the place looks damn expensive and classy!

To appease your weary yet hungry hearts, please be pacified that Pink Panda has a reasonably-priced menu, and that’s one of the many reasons why you should visit them!

We had the Lumpiang Shang Hang, and the pieces were generously stuffed with finger chilis, minced pork, and mint yoghurt. The finger chilis were a bit spicy for me, but I really liked the mint yoghurt, as it balances the whole taste. It was really delicious; although I must say if you’re not a fan of spicy food, better keep a glass of water nearby.

Crispy Baby Squid was a surprising entrée! It was easy to chew and I can practically imagine having this over and over again!

Mango and Catfish Salad is so refreshing! This is something I would love to eat while I’m in a resort or beach! The mango accents added a tropical feel to the whole dish!

Pork and Shrimp Laksa was very flavorful. You just have to let it simmer down, because the spicy flavor and the hot temperature may not be the best combination for your tastebuds.

Chicken and Dumpling Noodle was so soft and nice to chew. The flavor tasted very healthy too!

Sisig Siopao was a big revelation too because I’ve never seen anything like this! And it’s not everyday you get to taste Sisig locked in a popular white Chinese bun! You have to see how the juice oozes out when you take a bite. It’s as though your eyes are already tasting them!

We also had Pink Panda Pork Bun, and they’re super cute! It would be a perfect gift for Panda lovers!

Chili Prawn Fried Dumpling wasn’t that spicy, and these will definitely tickle your tastebuds! I think sharing it with a group of friends would be sensational!

General P’s Chicken, Beef Rendang, Pad Thai and Panda Balls were perfectly cooked, seasoned with just the right amount of spices, and I can say that these dishes are delectable enough for you to make it a habit to visit Pink Panda!

The menu is overflowing with such great food, it would definitely be fun to try the dishes three by three every visit!  Haha I hope that my previous sentence was understandable! 😀

And plus, let’s not forget about the zesty drinks! Each drink has a distinct flavor of citrus and fruit, and it would be a nice addition to your dinner feast when you order one or two!

I was also blown away by how talented their chefs are because they practically serve the best cuisines in Asia – all in one place! Apart from Filipino food, of course, I am a big fan of Thai and Vietnamese food, considering I am not the spicy sort. There is just something special in their recipes that taste healthy and divine, which I don’t know what. All I know is that, I love eating them!

This is quite an adventure for a foodie like me. Among all the Asian restaurants I’ve tried, this has got to be the most diverse, considering it’s not even a hotel!

Overall, I loved my experience! Pink Panda is like a crossover from your favorite Asian restaurant to the fine dining one, but so much better!

Visit Pink Panda at G/F, Y2 Residence Hotel, 4687 Santiago St. Cor. B. Valdez St.
Makati 2981. You can also contact them through 0927 728 8753.

You may also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

OMG. Are you excited to taste Southeast Asia?

**, Via