Yeaup, I was born on Halloween. Every year, it would always be a double celebration for me - I got free candy and had cake at the end of the day. It's the perfect day to O.D. on sugary sweets! In the 22 years that I've been celebrating two occasions, both Halloween and my birthday, I was never the one to hand out candy in our household...until this year. Let's just say taking responsibility for giving out treats  was my way of approaching Halloween as a 22 year old. I used to beg (okay, maybe not beg) for candies and now, I felt like the Candy Man's counterpart from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! I was supposed to dress up as a character from Adventure Time, but I figured I'd go as a glamorous witch. I hope I pulled that off. *laughs* 

I have very few pieces of clothing that are sequenced and shimmery. Although it was my first time to wear it, it has already become a personal favorite of mine. It's glitzy, classy and elegant.

The sequenced black dress was a Christmas gift from my Auntie Binky, which was bought at Ruins, a tiange in B.F. The thin band at the waist area is a great way to emphasize a girl's womanly figure and the long skirt elongates one's legs. 

The inner skirt was initially beyond my knees, but my mum used a pair of scissors to cut more than 2 inches off just before the trick or treating started.

I'm used to eating the candy on Halloween, but I couldn't be happier knowing that I wouldn't be the only one to have to schedule a trip to the dentist. I kid.  

My friendly neighbor Spider Man! 

I've never walked around the village on my birthday without a bag to stuff all my candies in. This year, I decided to just bask in the spirit of Halloween and take pleasure in looking at the different costumes. There were people dressed as zombies, cowboys, princesses, different Disney characters, prisoners, fairies, Fred of the Flinstones, V from V for Vendetta and of course my fellow witches.  

My aunt Jackie is one of the best cooks and bakers I have ever known. I am saying that without bias because anyone who's tried my aunts dishes and baked goods would say the same thing. Ada, which is a nickname my ate Katrina gave my aunt since she couldn't pronounce "Auntie Jackie" properly, made my birthday extra special by baking her ultra mouthwatering carrot & walnut and chocolate banana cupcakes! My aunt knows how to incorporate fruits into pastries and make them more desirable to eat. 

Here is the carrot walnut cupcake sans the frosting. I've mentioned several times in my previous posts how I like nuts and hearing that crunch every time I bite into it makes eating a lot more fun. The cake itself is soft, so having two contrasting textures in one cupcake is enough to keep you guessing.

There are two flavors in this bunch. One batch of the chocolate banana cupcakes just came out of the oven sporting a darker look although both batches are equally palatable.

Just before they were placed in the oven, I got to take shots. Although, I wasn't able to capture the cupcakes in their baked form. This will have to do for now. But if you must know, my aunt makes killer red velvet cupcakes! ;) 

You can definitely taste the bananas. What's great about it is how the chocolate and banana flavors don't overpower one another. In fact, they combine wonderfully and still keep their distinct tastes intact. I cannot begin to express how much I love the icing my aunt makes! Not only does it taste rich and sweet, it's also pleasing to the eye. 

Ada Belle is an endearment my Uncle Dave gave my aunt. Everybody, all together now, "AWWWWWW!" The name stuck ever since and I think it would be such a fitting name for my Aunt's future cupcake business. *teehee*

My aunt is quite the artsy lady. She has this cake decorating kit and pipes out all sorts of icing designs onto the cupcake. I actually tried icing one cupcake the last time there were cupcakes in the house and I think I'll just leave the decorating bit to my aunt. Ha. 

Pretty pink iced chocolate banana cupcakes ready to be eaten! 

I actually learned a lot of the things I know now from my aunt when it comes to baking. Seeing my aunt bake propelled me to try my hand in the kitchen. I would look through my aunt's cook books and recipe stash and I eventually decided to test how far I could go. I started baking cookies, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, bread pudding, ensaymada and my ultimate favorite, apple pie. I haven't tried baking cakes yet, which is something my aunt is great at, but I'll learn sooner or later. 

The best part about having someone in the family who bakes is that everyone at home gets to sample all the baked goods, a lot like a taste testing team. I'm lucky to be born into a family who not only excels at eating, but at cooking and baking too. Here's to more calorie-rich treats that grace our hips, thighs and bellies! 

I woke-up to a sunny Sunday morning so it was only proper for me to wear something bright and lightweight. I haven't been a fan of jeans lately due to the balmy weather, so I've been pairing most my tops with shorts.  Most of the time, I like to keep things simple. A look with too many things going on can be overwhelming. 

There was no way I was going to let this semestral break pass without visiting Zark's. I've been prodding my uncles to have a burger fest with me but we were all too busy and our schedules were never in sync. I guess you could say this dining experience took months to prepare for and it was well-worth it. 

Back when I was still studying in De La Salle University Manila, I would frequent this burger joint feeling hungry and leaving happy. I didn't care if I smelled like a greasy patty, although I'm pretty sure my seatmates in class did. Nevertheless, I always left Zark's feeling satisfied and eager to back and ready to try a different burger on their menu.

Armed with over 20 variants to choose from, it's no surprise students flow in like an army of ants throughout the day. If you're a student from DLSU-Taft, you're bound to try a burger or two at Zark's. Unless of course you're extremely health-conscious and eat mostly carrot and celery sticks. The great thing about this burger joint is that they offer the most drool-worthy and unimaginable burger flavors out there and are budget friendly. There's no need to worry about burning a hole through your wallet if you plan on eating here. Imagine eating a burger quadrupole of the usual burger served at restaurants. Throw in some thick-cut fries on the side and a glass of iced tea and you've got yourself the ultimate burger experience! Of course, let's not forget the ongoing eating contests at Zark's. Two of their burgers, namely Jawbreaker (P250) and the Tombstone (P500), are on the menu not just as another meal option, but also as a way to prove that you are worth having your face plastered on their Wall of Fame. It's such an excellent way to reel in students and gives people are completely different eating experience with friends and family. I've always wanted to give it a shot and I just might go for it one of these days.  Any takers? 

A lot has changed since my last visit to Zark's more than 2 years ago - more choices on the menu such as the Luther Burger, which is a double bacon cheeseburger on a honey glazed Krispy Kreme donut (perfect for those who enjoy the sweet and salty combination) and the Deep Fried Bacon-Wrapped Burger (I'm pretty sure the name speaks for itself). The interior improved as well. What used to be a small, minimally lit 4 table-wide eating place is now brighter and able to hold more than 30 people. 

The first thing I reached out for was not the nachos generously smothered with cheese, but a strip of bacon that was staring at me in such a provocative manner. This appetizer is good for 4 people or sometimes 1 famished lad/lass.  Zark's takes their bacon seriously so expect to see a lot of it in several of their burger selections.

Cheeseburger with caramelized onions. My uncle downed his burger in about 5 minutes or so. He is the ultimate competitor when it comes to eating contests. Believe me, folks. So on our next visit, I'm going to make sure he signs up for the Jawbreaker or Tombstone challenge! 

Just look at those strips of bacon glisten with its caramel coating. Mmm. 

Take a peek inside this double cheeseburger. These days, you can fry anything. From chocolate bars to cookies and now burger buns too. This world is becoming a scarier place to live in. *insert nervous laughter here*

Yeaup, I wolfed the whole burger and most of my fries. Still think I'm not qualified for the Tombstone challenge? 

Whilst enjoying being a bunch of lazy daisies, my cousins Pau and Patch decided to try out this quirky recipe originally called "Brownie in a Mug". Since we wanted a bigger serving, a bowl was used instead of a mug and it was the perfect dessert to have on a cold, rainy day. The only thing missing was a cold glass of milk and since we didn't have any, we simply worked our imaginary juices to its maximum potential and pretended we had something to accompany our warm brownie treat.

This recipe is incredibly simple and you only need 5 ingredients in small amounts. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients, pop it into the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds and you'll instantly have a fudgy brownie ready to spoon into your mouth! You can double the recipe if you prefer to eat/serve more since this serves only one person. 

Now that sembreak has officially begun, I decided to whoop it up by blogging about my first ever outfit post! I've had these goodies in my room for quite some time now and am excited to finally reveal the different online fashion stores (and other outfit posts will have store-bought clothes, of course) that make shopping so much more convenient and accessible. 

Digiprint Floral Shorts, Sabrina

Peplum seems to making waves lately (no pun intended) and I can see why - it flatters the figure of a woman especially with a cinch at the waist area and the pleated end adds a feminine touch.

Do pay Sabrina a visit online by visiting the following links for a lot more pretty printed, floral blouses, skirts, shorts and pants: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/SabrinabyTeenaTan

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SabrinabyTeena

instagram: teenasabrina

"Audrey" beige pumps, iSawshoez

Pearl necklace from my mum's collection

I've always wanted nude pumps and now that I finally have a pair, I'm going to make sure these babies are constantly showered with a lot of T.L.C.

I have to say, iSAWshoez have such a wide variation of shoes. From pumps to stilettos in all sorts of colors, designs and shades, you're bound to find something that will catch your fancy! You won't find yourself ending up like Cinderella because iSAWshoez will definitely have something that will fit you perfectly.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/isawshoez.manila

Twitter: http://twitter.com/isawshoez 

instagram: isawshoez

More outfit posts to come and a lot more giveaways are coming your way! My giveaway with Serendipity Lane is still ongoing and will end on October 31. If you still haven't joined, visit this link and find out how you can win accessories:  http://woodenspoonsandmuffintops.blogspot.com/2012/10/serendipity-lane-blog-giveaway.html