IHOP Restaurant .. is it worth the wait?

Saturday afternoon when hubby and I wanted to check out the much awaited and talked about IHOP Restaurant at BGC Taguig.  I was expecting the place to be jam packed and indeed it was.  Families, couples, groups of friends kept arriving.  We had no choice but to wait in line.  And so we waited for about 30 minutes before we got a seat.  

Started 54 yrs ago, IHOP is a very famous restaurant breakfast chain in the US, with over 1500 branches worldwide.  They serve pancakes, french toasts, omelet and also lunch and dinner items.  Now that they have reached Philippine shores, we are all but so excited to taste their world famous pancakes. 

I'm having mixed feelings about this place.  I like the interiors despite being very simple and plain.  Even with the hectic and very busy environment, the servers still manage to be friendly and accommodating.  I kinda don't like that the main dining area is on the 2nd floor, only because for families bringing babies and toddlers, it's a bit of a hassle to drag those bulky strollers up and down the stairs.  First floor has only a few tables.

Now what of the food? The Pancakes did live up to my expectations.  We had the New York Cheesecake (Php 285) flavor and it is really good.  Like what they say.. fluffy and yummy!  Kids will surely enjoy with different Pancake flavors to choose from.  However everything else we ordered were just okay.  Though my hubby liked his Bacon Temptation omelet (Php285) very much, my Hearty Ham and Cheese (Php 245) , was just so-so. The Appetizer Sampler  (Php 425) of onion rings, mozzarella sticks, chicken strips also tasted like your usual.  And the marinara and mustard dipping sauces,  watered down and tasted bland :-( .  Maybe I should have ordered the Steak or Fried Chicken instead.  But anyways, the Pancake itself was worth the trip but for me, not really worth waiting in line. 

Overall, (don't get mad at me IHOP fans) for me, it's a bit overrated.   I might go back if I find myself stranded again in the BGC area, craving for pancakes,  or I might give their other dishes a chance to prove the hype.  But to wait in line again...maybe not.

IHOP is located at:

  W Global Center

corner of 9th and 30th Ave.

   Fort Bonifacio

   Global City, Taguig

Clarisonic Mia

The rave reviews about Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System are just deafening I had to get my hands on this product.  They don't readily sell Clarisonic in the Philippines so I bought this online through Amazon and used Johnny Air's Retail Padala service to get it  shipped here. I've had my Clarisonic Mia for about 6 months now and despite the steep price I am really happy I bought it!

When you have combination oily skin, large pores, blackheads, pigmentation, etc... a really good cleansing regimen is a must, to really get into those pores, wash away impurities and to exfoliate the dullness away.

The Clarisonic Mia, the one I got, is the compact version.  Very easy to use, one button with one speed, comes with a charger and also waterproof! 

After using this for a week or 2, I noticed a huge improvement on my face. 

When I'm out and about the whole day and feel the build-up of air impurities, make up, oil onto my face, just using Clarisonic removes all of that, face feels so much lighter. As a result I noticed my blackheads have lessened and pores appear smaller.  Btw, I use this together with E-tude's Baking Powder Cleansing Foam.  Perfect pair for my skin.  

And because it cleanses the face very well, moisturizers and creams become more easily absorbed.

I highly recommend this product even for those with sensitive and acne prone skin.  Just use whatever cleansing foam, soap or cream suited for your skin type.  
Amazingly worth the price.
Rate 10/10.

Product Review: L'oreal Base Magique Primer

I'm starting off this year with a series of product reviews. I have put this off for quite some time now. And so let's get this rolling...

I got the L'oreal Base Magique Primer a few months ago and have almost forgotten about it.  There are mixed reviews about this product but here's my take on it.

First of all let me say that my frustration when it comes to skin or make up stuff is that with my combination oily skin, it is really a big challenge to find a good make up primer that has good staying power, will keep me looking oil free through out the day or atleast for 6 hours straight without me pulling out the blotting paper or tissue.  I read somewhere this l'oreal base magique primer may be the answer to my prayers.


So based on their website what it is -  transforming smoothing primer which instantly smooths pores and creates an even surface, so that you get a more flawless make-up result that lasts.
The silky, lightweight formula glides onto skin and minimises the look of pores and fine lines to transform your skin surface.


Here's what I think.  First time I used this it reminded me of Clinique's Pore minimizer which I love soooo much but is just pricey.  And so I got very excited being Loreal is a cheaper alternative. 

L'oreal Base Magique Primer has a creamy velvety texture.  A little goes a long way.  I got a small amount, rubbed between my fingers, as the instructions said, and it just glides so smoothly. I placed a small dab on my T-zone area, spreaded the product evenly and it did improve the appearance of my pores. It actually made my face look smoother with a nice matte finish. I like this effect!  I'm ready for my close-up now!

For the staying power... well...sad to say it didn't last as long as I hoped it would be.  After I applied it, did my usual make up routine and went about my errands for the day.  After about 3-4 hrs my face was shiny again :-(. Curse you humid weather! 
Also I didn't fancy the jar.  I hope they use the tube instead to avoid some cream getting stuck under my nail.


This did not give me breakouts though (thankfully) and I really love the smooth feel on my face.  On an ordinary day, I would just use this alone on my face.  With the price of Php945 there may be other primers that will perform equally well with the same price range or higher.  So I would still recommend this for my friends to try.  
Rating is 7/10. ( 10 being the highest)