Holidaze

🍪   Skillet Cookie Recipe 🍪
sorry I forgot which website I got
this recipe from 😖

🍪  skillet cookies 🍪

I have been pretty busy with my newfound hobby—making skillet cookies.

I've been yearning to make one of those no bake cookies for a long time now but I never really took it seriously until one day I decided to give it a whirl since I just stocked up on my baking supplies and thought if I fail at least I tried lol. I stumbled upon this YouTube video on how to make skillet/no bake cookies and thought the ingredients were pretty simple aside from it's not so time consuming to make so I went ahead and prepped my ingredients, tossed the cookie dough on the skillet and  I was surprised with the quality, it's almost comparable to those baked ones and I thought that it’s a kind of alchemy. I'll share the recipe here and you can twitch it without changing the measurements. For instance, I was able to make chocolate chip cookies using the same recipe just by adding cocoa (and m&ms as toppings before the cookies totally hardens) yet the chewiness did not change that much. I also added rainbow sprinkles at one point to the cookie dough to make the cookies colorful and appealing instead of just the chocolate morsels. 

I made an attempt to make a technicolor swirl cookie as well using the exact same recipe but I wasn't happy with the outcome only because I did not chill the dough first for two hours while I should've that's why it wasn't solid enough come cutting time geez. I admit, my swirl Christmas cookie failed miserably that's why I just decided to melt whatever is left off of my chocolate morsels and slathered them on top of the cookies, added some rainbow sprinkles problem solved. 

e-Bay mishaps...

it ain't Christmas without a tree 👆🏼

Moving on, I already picked up all my eBay parcels from the post office few days ago and I'm glad they made it on time for Christmas yay! However, I must admit I made a grave mistake for not thoroughly checking the product description first before I went ahead and made my payment. One of the items I bought on eBay was this 3D looking throw pillow I put on my ‘watch list’ on a whim, paid for it because I’m running out of gift ideas then three weeks later I was surprised when I got my hands on the parcel because it was really small for a throw pillow. I thought at first it was just one of those really flimsy packed pillows that expands once opened but, after opening the parcel I was dumbfounded when I found out it was just a pillow case and not a throw pillow wtf. The second item I just picked up from the p.o was this emoji face pillow I bought for my niece for Christmas which (again) I thought was the size of another throw pillow and was aghast when I found it was the size of a plushie! Anyways, I just laughed it out, rushed online shopping always has its downsides.



The most classic eBay mishap I know was from my sister when she bought a night lamp for our niece and was apprehensive when she collected a pouch from the post office because the lamp she bought (for a really cheap price) was the size of a pinky. To make the long story short she ended up buying a ‘real’ night lamp from the hardware store.😆  We’re not new to online shopping and in fact we’ve been shopping online for roughly a decade now and I must admit I will still recommend to shop from a physical store over e-commerce websites because nothings beats the 'shop and go' scheme, just make sure to avoid the holiday rush by shopping ahead of the season. Anyhow, it's 29 days to go before Christmas, time flies.

Quirky 2018 Planner

We’re halfway through November and I still haven’t figured out what book to read next or maybe I’m just not in the mood to read lately ‘cuz I’ve been busy re-editing/re-uploading videos on Youtube. I’m so stoked with this website called Canva lately because of their awesome video thumbnail templates for YouTube. Canva also have loads of templates to choose from to make your life a whole lot easier.

2018 Planner...
Anyhow, my gift just came in through mail yesterday yay! My sister ordered couple of those Tita Witty 2018 Planners to take advantage of the free shipping deal they have online and also as a Christmas present for me since she’s not sure if her ‘actual’ present (the one she bought on eBay) will turn up on time. Actually, some of my eBay parcels are also at risk of not making it on time for Christmas because of the influx of online orders (coming from both here and abroad). I think the safest time of the year to  start shopping for Christmas prezzies would be before October or halfway through the year to give the parcels enough time to travel across countries. I know Divisoria is every pinoy’s shopping haven for affordable finds but I just don’t have the patience (and might) to travel to divi just to find stuff to buy if there’s Japan Home or Daiso etc. anyways lol.

Going back to the Tita Witty Planner, I used to own one back in 2015 (Witty Will Save The World's "Relax, Puso Lang Yan Malayo sa Bituka"Planner 2015) which I bought sometime around 2014 for Php520 and it’s just awesome the price hasn’t changed 2-3 years later. I also love how quirky and colorful they are that’s why I always look forward to their new release pretty much every year. Last month, they just released another planner called “Sana Payat na Lang Ako, Payat pa Rin, Payat na Lang Ulit” and other Wishes Planner 2018 (the one I received from my sister). It’s just exciting to own one of their planners because it’s always filled to the brim content wise plus the free sticker (how cool is that?) The concept for the planner is obviously carefully thought out and took many months to plan and make (a work of art).

If you’re interested in purchasing one you may check out their Instagram account @titawitty the link is on their bio. They also offer free shipping on orders P500 and above.  Here's a little sneak peek of Tita Witty's Witty Will Save The World “Sana Payat na Lang Ako, Payat pa Rin, Payat na Lang Ulit” and other Wishes Planner 2018👇🏼   

If you like my videos please hit like & subscribe! 👍🏼

#GirlBoss

Nasty Gal, founded by Sophia Amoruso started as a small eBay store that sells vintage clothes and accessories (under the name Nasty Gal Vintage) to earning nearly $100 million in sales within a span of six years. The success of Nasty Gal also paved way to #GIRLBOSS, Sophia’s autobiography which accounts how she became a successful entrepreneur.

About the author.

Sophia Amoruso was diagnosed with ADD (attention deficit disorder) and depression during her adolescent years which was the reason why she dropped out from school and began homeschooling. Her first job as a teenager was at Subway (sandwiches) and many other jobs thereafter which were just short-lived. At 23, she started selling stuff on eBay and her first sale was a book she stole. Sophia is an artistic young adult with a flair for photography and fashion which later on worked to her advantage. She took thrifting to a whole new level.  She was a one-woman-business at first and did everything from styling her models down to packing and shipping her items. One of the most expensive stuff she sold on eBay was an original Chanel jacket she sold for $2500. Sophia’s ladder to success wasn’t easy because as her career on eBay is beginning to take flight, other eBay sellers, possibly envious of her success, conspired and reported her for violating eBay policies.

Nasty Gal’s success and downfall.

Sophia claimed she left eBay because as per policy they do not allow sellers (like herself) to leave a negative feedback against buyers no matter how unfair some customers are. To make matters worse, other eBay sellers accused her of ‘shill-bidding’ (that she was allegedly in ‘cahoots’ with another eBay seller to manipulate her product’s bidding price) and also for adding external links to her eBay site  which is another violation of eBay policies (although other sellers were also guilty of such practice). Sophia denied these allegations though.  Her disappointments with eBay also served as an impetus for her to launch her own website called Nasty Gal. It was a risky move but since she already gained a huge following (through her avid customers who followed her when she left eBay) she went ahead bravely launched her very own e-Commerce site. 

Nasty Gal became a huge success for many years because Sophia worked her ass off to build her empire considering she doesn’t have any formal business background just 100% passion. Nasty Gal’s revenue sky rocketed from $223,000 (2008) to almost $23 million in 2011 which landed her as one of the richest self-made women in the world by Forbes last year. It wasn’t really an easy path because Sophia started out her young adult life broke and hopped from one job to another and at one point worked at the San Francisco's Academy of Arts University just to get a health insurance and have her hernia treated. Sophia quit her job at the Academy thereafter to follow her heart’s desire, to be her own boss by selling vintage items on eBay since she despised the idea of working for corporations. However, the company filed for bankruptcy last February and Boohoo Group bought Nasty Gal for $20 million. According to analysts, Nasty Gal’s downfall were attributed to lack in product quality which then led to customer dissatisfaction and heavy spending in advertising and marketing.

Girlboss on Netflix.

I was really squeamish to know what happened to Nasty Gal after I finished the book so I scoured Google and was shocked when I found out that Sophia already stepped down as CEO last February. I also found out that Netflix even had a series based on the book however, due to Nasty Gal’s insolvency, Netflix had to cancel the show and eventually only lasted for one season. I thought the show was alright though except they portrayed Sophia like a sociopath or some girl with anger issues lol. 

SO, what’s my take on the book? 

I thought it’s very inspiring and quite addicting to read (except the business stuff during the latter part when Nasty Gal is gradually becoming a corporation). it’s very interesting as well how Sophia worked her way up from being a one-woman-company to a millionaire. I learned so many things about the book from personal finance, feminism, to being a non-conformist, to doing something that you’re passionate about down to the magic of mind-power and optimism just to name a few. Anyways, let me share some of my favorite excerpts from the book:

Sophia Amoruso
photo from Google

“Abandon anything about your life and habits that might be holding you back. Learn to create your own opportunities. Know that there is no finish line; fortune favors action. Race balls-out toward the extraordinary life that you’ve always dreamed of, or still haven’t had time to dream up. And prepare to have a hell of a lot of fun along the way."

“Chaos magic is the idea that a particular set of beliefs serves as an active force in the world. In other words, we choose what and how we believe, and our beliefs are tools that we then use to make things happen . . . or not.”

“I also think you can end up ignoring, and even losing, the positive things in your life by focusing too much on the negative. That’s a huge drain, as well as a waste of time”

Ah oh, I particularly like the part when Sophia spoke for all the “introverts” (myself included). She also cited that psychologists now believe that social media is a really valuable tool which allows introverts to convey and communicate in their own terms. Here are some of the things that Sophia mentioned about introverts which resonated to me:

“A lot of the world’s great artists, thinkers, and even businesspeople are and were introverts (Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, and J. K. Rowling, to name a few), so in no way does being an introvert doom you into a life in the shadows.”

“Introverts are naturally more sensitive because they don’t need a ton of dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that your brain produces in response to positive stimuli. 

“There’s a certain freedom to being an outsider. You do what you want, say what you want, and move on when you’ve worn out your welcome.”

(so true 👆🏼)

As of last August, Sophia Amoruso was reported to have raised $1.2 million to grow Girlboss Media, her new venture. Girlboss Media include an editorial website, Girlboss.com, and an email newsletter to promote the website content which focuses on personal finance, beauty and fitness.

And Then Its November

It’s 51 days to go before Christmas and my eBay haul is still ongoing. I already picked up one of my parcels last week from the post office and I’m still waiting for a few more to turn up possibly before the end of this month or the latest, early next month. I hope someday the turnaround time for goods purchased abroad will be cut short to just a couple of weeks instead of 1-2 months. I'm also not happy with the fees currently being imposed by the post office for imported goods because it totally defeats the purpose of 'free postage' from international sellers. I often buy stuff on eBay because of how affordable they are just to be charged a hefty P112 ($2USD and some change) at the post office per parcel (yes it is hefty because the parcels I bought online only cost less than five bucks a piece lol).  if you’re going to ask me why I still buy stuff overseas my answer is simple—I enjoy cashless shopping and eBay is a haven for quirky and eccentric finds that’s all. 

~All Saints and Souls Day.

November won't be complete without All Saints and All Souls' day as it is the only time of the year where everyone gets the chance to visit their dearly departed ones since it is a non-working holiday. I am thankful that my Mom's urn is nestled inside a columbarium since it's never crowded there compared to cemeteries and we get to frequently visit her. It's also convenient that the columbarium is housed at the back of the church which made it even more accessible. I know not everyone in a country like the Philippines is open to the idea of cremation and majority still prefer to lay their loved ones to rest inside a casket, all in one piece which I totally understand considering the cost of cremation and niches nowadays. However, the thought that you could visit your departed loved ones all year round is always worth it. 

~Halloween School Break.

Moving on, since school is out, my sibs and I decided to take our niece to interesting grub spots in the city of Pines to take advantage of her break from school. We just would like to scour pretty much all the holes in the wall the city has to offer just for kicks and also to pretty much round up all the freak shake spots in town and see which ones are worth coming back to. 

Ze Creamery

Is the home of monster burgers and freak shakes located in Baguio's outskirts. It's not easy to locate if you're not a local though because it's not along the road. We skirted Legarda road twice before we found it and the best landmark would be V Hotel since it's pretty much just across.

The café is housed at the ground level of what looks to be a condominium building in Bukaneg St., Legarda. They do not have many parking slots available and we're just lucky to chance upon one during our visit. Ze Creamery isn't as spacious which is why their social media accounts indicates that a reservation must be made first prior to your visit otherwise they won't be able to accommodate everyone. We sat near the entrance door during our visit because that's the only space left able to accommodate all four of us which was quite an awkward spot. I have already checked out their menu online beforehand that's why we pretty much already have an idea what to order. 

Since we already grabbed lunch prior, we just had their monster fries which I think is just good for two pax, couple of baby freak shakes and two regular sized freak shakes.  I loved their monster fries though, the dip was oh so good. Their baby freak shakes are literally baby sized which I definitely recommend if you have a child in tow. Their freak shakes are definitely Instagram worthy as expected, the presentation was not sloppy compared to other freak shakes we've tried where the melting ice cream drips all over the mason jar. The good thing about Ze Creamery, they serve their freak shakes before they even start melting. The red velvet freak shake I had looks more like a dessert ordered off from a four star hotel's menu, very aesthetically pleasing. Taste-wise it wasn't as sweet and is just on the alright level, not really to die for. My niece though wasn't happy with her strawberry shortcake baby freak shake because the sweetness was overwhelming. 

If you're looking to visit Ze Creamery I  highly suggest be an early bird (before lunchtime at least) since they open at 10AM. Any (rainy) week day would be the best time to visit them because generally most establishments are like ghost town in Baguio few hours after they open so a reservation won't be necessary. We just decided to swing by a little past 10AM yet it was almost a full house since it was All Saints Day. 

The Unicorn Dream Café

Our house almost caught fire the night before due to a single unattended candle my sister lit for All Souls Day but thank God we doused the fire on time and still managed to swing by at the Unicorn Café as planned.

The Unicorn Café is located walks away from The Coffee Library in Upper Bonifacio. It was peculiar though why it's even called 'Upper' considering it's downhill. Anyways, the whole café is unicorn themed from the walls, stuft toys, headbands, throw pillows down to their food menu. I also read somewhere the café is fairly new since they just opened few months ago yet they're making noise in such a short period of time probably it's 'cuz their theme is very unique. My niece couldn't contain her happiness and was giddy and all the moment she set foot inside the colorful café what more when she tasted the food. Since we visited few days after halloween, the staff gave my niece couple of freebies (a pack of candies and a pink balloon with 'happy halloween' on it). We even teased her we didn't know it's her birthday that day lol.  

the whole unicorn syndrome stick
with me thus inspired me to make
  these homemade rainbow pancakes
topped with rainbow sprinkles. 

We arrived at around eleven past in the morning and we were the only ones there that time that's why we were able to unabashedly snap some photos. We took pictures for a good ten minutes before we placed our orders and the service was surprisingly swift for three tediously decorated freak shakes. We had their 'premium freak shakes' a.k.a 'monster freak shakes' and they were all good. The 'Unicorn Scratch' freak shake btw is to die for. We also tried their colorful group Nachos (which in my gauge is good enough for 3-4 pax), we had a hard time devouring the whole plate. It took me a while though to finish my jar because the sugar from the candy toppings alone will send you to sugar coma lol. The donut which helped hold all the candy toppings together was sweet enough to sort of neutralize everything. Overall, The Unicorn Dream Café by far serves the best freak shakes I've had in the summer capital of the PH. Annnnd, before I end this blog, I made a YouTube video compilation of some of Baguio's best food joints and freak shakes haven.