Hybrid Cha's Make Up Assignment: Jasmine May de la Vega

Hi everybody!

How was the New Year's Eve celebration? I hope you had a wonderful time!

This is actually a "late" post as I've completed this look last week (Christmas Day) but since I got a little busy I only get to post it now.

Just a simple look... baby powder, eyeshadow, lippie and eyeliner...and...faking eyebrows!

This is my cousin's eye. Look at her brows! She's got very unruly ones and she hates having her brows touched.

As a "remedy", what I did was "erased" her brows with concealer and topped it with eyeshaodw. Then, groomed her brows by drawing arches! 

Tada! Nice brows right??? Happy New Year mga Teh!

HAPPY 2012 TO Y'ALL!

YUP!

Kailangang excited talaga kasi nga New Year.

Much love,

C

2011 is a year of eating yummy!: The Hybrid Cha Year Ender

Two thousand eleven. Is over. Soon.

Heck, I think I watched waaaaayy too many cooking shows this year! It seems that I had too much of it, my whole year basically revolved around MasterChef, Hell's Kitchen, Iron Chef America, Chuck Hughes (well he's a crush), Tyler Florence, Ina Garten, Giada de Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, Adrian Richardson, Bill Granger, Ben O'Donoghue... yes, all those celebrity chefs! And this list is almost endless! Like love, endless love!

With this said, absolutely, what follows is that, I would be inspired to practice (and practice...and practice) cooking and... yup! post my finished products here on my blog (applause!).

Cooks however, have good days and bad days. Bad days? I had heaps of 'em. Like this. This... This one too... and this as well! 

Of the 100+ (yeah, a hundred plus! Damn!) recipes filed under "Cooking Assignment", a bulk of it from 2011, for sure, I have missed out on a couple more "bad days". But hey! I did cook some wonderful food this year! It was still a yummy year after all! 

Since 2011 was a blessing to me and my family, I am sharing with you 11 recipes that I handpicked to be (re)featured here. I hope you try them as well! My dish are simple, straightforward and yummy. Enjoy!!!

1. My Bangus Sisig -- who can ever, ever go wrong with this classic Filipino dish? What makes me proud of it is that I tried it for the first time and boy was it sooooooo good! My recipe could be dry and crispy (like what my colleagues want) but I suggest to try the "wet" version (with mayonnaise and gizzard). Up to now, the idea of cooking this wonderful dish again makes me uber giddy.  

2. Chicken balls in a Thai stir fry -- sweet, salty and spicy anyone? If you are like me, hundred percent you are a fan of some amazing Thai flavors. By getting a little inspiration, I was able to whip up a dish that entices the Thai woman in me. Lovely! (and did I say it was really fragrant when I was cooking it?)

3. Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and fresh green salad -- I love peanut sauce. It's one of the sauces I really tried learning since I know no one at home is interested at learning this. I love chicken satay too because it's a curry based dish and yeah, it's chicke3 en. My love for green salad is likewise huge. I love the crunch of iceberg lettuce, the succulent cucumber, the freshness of tomato and the edge a dressing brings to everything. To combine everything in one plate is just love. 

4. The Healthy Pasta (Pasta in Coconut Milk) -- another celebrity chef inspired dish, it's a twist to the traditional pasta that you either load with tomato sauce, ground beef, cream, pesto, olive oil and cheese. It has a super Asian flair to it -- definitely, a must try! 

5. My Potato Salad -- let me borrow SMART's former tagline: SIMPLY AMAZING. #nuffsaid

6. Tuna Inasal Rice -- Gosh! A dish I got from... a fashionista! Another inspiration! Bam! This is one of the most precious times that I rocked some pantry ingredients (and the meatballs were yummy too but the real star of the plate was the rice, hands down). I just love this rice meal. I am Filipino like that!

7. My Skinless Longganisa -- ahhh, the Filipino sausage. Who would thought that I made one this year?  First time and I nailed it that my parents and sister could not believe it was actually homemade??? Next time I'd do it, I will make it bigger. Yes, the bigger the better. Plus the performance, yes... bigger longganisa that performs better... on the taste buds. Oooopppsss! No pun intended *wink wink*

8. Anything TOFU -- tofu is a family fave! Hands down! Oh maybe you would like to cook your tofu with oyster sauce, or maybe with the classic tausi or maybe something with loads of spice. 

9. Sausage with Tainga ng Daga Pasta -- an offshoot of my boss's blockbuster three sausage pasta, this dish is really a winner for it is easy and quick to make... not to mention that it's delish! Heck, was I really surprised! Even no-cook folks will find this dish a lifesaver! (an epic pantry ingredients thingy there!)

10. Pasta Marinara with Meatballs -- an early Christmas treat! Yummy yummy yummy pasta there!

11. Beef in Thai Red Curry -- end the year with something sizzling hot! Without a doubt, the best curry dish I cooked for 2011! Oh by the way, did I tell you that I made the curry from scratch? Now that's some extra lovin'...

I guess 2012 is still going to be yummy, don't you think? As for me, I will not stop learning and learning. I will experiment and try. I will seize any opportunity to explore a pantry, kitchen, supermarket and my own taste buds. I can hardly wait...to cook and eat! Happy New Year everyone! ♥

Hybrid Cha's Cooking Assignment: REDEMPTION! Beef in Thai Red Curry

At last!

After the horror that was this, I can proudly say that I have redeemed myself! And it feels good! The family gave an approval, YES!

Too bad I will not be making Thai Red Curry anytime soon, I was heaps naumay!

garnish with basil and lime for an extra punch... yummy!

Ingredients (curry)

shallot

lemongrass

garlic

ginger

cumin

coriander stems

coriander seeds

fish sauce

sugar

chili

chili powder

tomato paste

lime

Ingredients (for frying curry)

coconut milk

cinnamon stick

bay leaf

lemongrass

EVOO

Veggies

spinach

basil

sweet peas

eggplant

I hope you replicate this one too! Fairly easy peasy! 

On the Canvas #5

Now for the regular members, many of you must be thinking, "hey! It's the 23rd December where's the On the Canvas post?" Well guys, I forgot to keep on top of my themes. Yes! I admit, One has been busy with everything - university work [reading books, doing essays, reading more books], my job in retail, some new projects I'm working on [one being my new blog which is coming soon] and yes even Christmas lol. 

So, I sincerely apologise and I hope I can make it up to you buy posting the On the Canvas post today, get prepared for some more collections for 2012 and finally the Model of the Month post on the 2nd of January. 

I apologise ladies and gentlemen for the lack of posts, but I'm getting better right? 

Anyway, to the post, I saw these collections by Alex Chung and I was like yeah! that's something nice! Chung will be featured in the Model of the Month #11 on the 2nd January 2012. 

Though the styles are quite similar, I like the range of materials and even the composition that the stylists used to capture the best of Chung's collections for Me&City and Madewell.

I present to you the Alexa Chung collections.

This is Alexa Chung for Me&City 

 

 

 

 

This is Alexa Chung for Madewell

 

Face the Wall!

Here is a really cool wall I found.  I don't know if it is made to look retro or it is just a very old ad for Coca-Cola?

Face the Wall!

Here is a really cool wall I found.  I don't know if it is made to look retro or it is just a very old ad for Coca-Cola?

Noche Buena supermarket galore later!

And I can hardly wait!

Tonight, probably around 8:30 PM (yes eight thirty pee ehm) mom and I will go to SM North EDSA to purchase the noche buena ingredients -- draft courtesy of yours truly, approved by the mother. Some ingredients I will buy myself HAHAHA as always! 

Just super excited! Tomorrow is going to be busy. At least for me. BTW my mom changed the original plan (menu)...I will just make kwento once Christmas is over. Just excited! I hope no more anxiety attack anymore! 

Mwahhh!

Hybrid Cha's Make Up Assignment: Lhalaine Thelma de la Vega

It was the cousin's party at work and she asked me to do the make up for her! 

Oh di ba??? What can you say about the before and after shots? From stressed out to party ready all out!

For the eyes, I applied a green shimmery eye pencil topped with brown and black eyeshadows. Highlighted the browbone and applied falsies too! #yesfalsiesisthekey

Of course, I shaped her brows, contoured her cheeks and...applied a pale pink lippie, Revlon Pink Pout!

One flaw though. My cousin had this super huge pimple on her nose. I was not able to "fully correct" it as I do not have a make up that could cover up the surface seamlessly (I only used foundation, BB cream and concealer). I explained to her and my aunt (her mother...yes! She was watching me do the make up! Thank you for the support!) that I need this type of make up if I want to really cover up the blemish. Too bad, MUFE is pretty expensive! Do you have any inexpensive suggestions for correctors?

Whew! Love love love this post... One of my most fave works of art!

Hybrid Cha's Cooking Assignment: Pasta Marinara with Meatballs (a prelude to Chrsitmas! #delish)

Gidday world! 

For the past few days, mom and I have been busy "planning" our Noche Buena menu. I was excited by the suggestion! And hell yeah, I'm the cook! My mom entrusts the dish to who else but me? I am stoked! But hopefully, no Christmas anxiety anymore, pretty please.

One of the requests I received from mom was pasta with red sauce. What red sauce shall I prepare then?

Surprise, surprise! Pasta marinara! And since there is a kilo of ground beef inside the fridge, I might as well put some meatballs too! YUM!

Had I known that my dad wanted the authentic "sour" taste of fresh tomato on his pasta, I would omit that "tad bit of sugar" to kill this asim. Haaayyyy...anyhow, the mom and the dad were a bit bitin -- I told them, especially dad that it's only a "sample" so I did not cook a lot. Glad to receive a go signal from them to prep this on Christmas!

Ingredients (meatballs)

ground beef

flour

egg

salt

pepper

Ingredients (marinara sauce)

tomatoes

basil

oregano

salt

pepper

tad bit of sugar

Very simple ingredients indeed, but loads of yummy-ness! Of course I will post what I just made for Noche Buena! you just wait! And hopefully in January... hmmm... I will embark on something. I hope I get that something right.

10 Rules of Indian films

10 rules of Indian film making 

Two brothers separated in childhood will always grow up on different sides of the law. The law-breaker, however, will suddenly turn over a new leaf before the end, bash up the villain (who is the *real* bad guy), and be pardoned for all his sins before the last-scene family reunion. (This is possible only if he has a heroine - see rule 2 below).


    If the number of heroes is not equal to the number of heroines, the excess heroes/heroines will
    a) die
    b) join the Red Cross and take off to Switzerland before the end of the movie.
    If there are 2 heroes in a movie, they will fight each other savagely for at least 5 minutes (10 if they are brothers).
    Any court scene will have the dialogue "Objection milord". If it is said by the hero, or his lawyer, it will be overruled. Else, it will be sustained.
    The hero's sister will usually marry the hero's best friend (i.e. the second hero).
    Else, she will be raped by the villain within the 1st 30 minutes, and commit suicide.
    In a chase, the hero will always overtake the villain, even on a bullock-cart, or on foot.
    When the hero fires at the villain(s), he will never
    a) miss
    b) run out of bullets.
    When the villain fires at the hero, he will always miss (unless the hero is required to die, as in rule 2).
    Any fight sequence shall take place in the vicinity of a stack of
    a) pots
    b) barrels
    c) glass bottles, which will be smashed to pieces.
    Any movie involving lost and found brothers will have a song sung by
    a) the brothers
    b) their blind mother (but of course, she has to be blind in order to regain her sight in the climax)
    c) the family dog/cat.
    Police inspectors (when not played by the hero) come in two categories:
    a) Scrupulously honest, probably the hero's father - killedby the villain before the titles.
    b) Honest, but always chasing the anti-hero (as in Rule 1), saying"Tum kanoon se bach nahin sakte", only to pat him in the back in reel 23. Usually, this inspector's daughter is in love with the anti-hero.
    c) The corrupt inspector, (usually the real villain's sidekick) unceremoniously knocked about by the hero(s) in the climax.

Sai Baba

I have been watching the Story of India (on Netflix).  If you haven't seen it its really a wonderful show that talks about India's history starting from the early migration of man from Africa.  I am on episode 3 and am fascinated and captivated by the stories told.  I want to know more.  In that quest to seek more information about India I am going to try to track down books about Indian History after I graduate.  Another part of Indian religious history I want to know more about is Sai Baba.  He is an elusive and enigmatic figure in Indian religion.  I say Indian religion mainly because he wasn't really a leader for any particular religion.  He, as many leaders in India, encouraged religious equality and reverence for ideas and morals displayed by all religions.

You will be hearing more about Indian history and Sai Baba as I learn more about both.

Sai Baba

I have been watching the Story of India (on Netflix).  If you haven't seen it its really a wonderful show that talks about India's history starting from the early migration of man from Africa.  I am on episode 3 and am fascinated and captivated by the stories told.  I want to know more.  In that quest to seek more information about India I am going to try to track down books about Indian History after I graduate.  Another part of Indian religious history I want to know more about is Sai Baba.  He is an elusive and enigmatic figure in Indian religion.  I say Indian religion mainly because he wasn't really a leader for any particular religion.  He, as many leaders in India, encouraged religious equality and reverence for ideas and morals displayed by all religions.

You will be hearing more about Indian history and Sai Baba as I learn more about both.

Zara Evening Lookbook 2011

Baffled. Why would you do a photo shoot on a black background if you know you have dark garments? If someone could answer that, that would be great, because I am confused. I like to SEE the clothes on a background that is usually plain or bright. Never mind - I thought I had to get that out there. Now I'm done, This is Zara Men's evening collection. I have found this a bit late but it's still 2011 so I have the right to post it ha! 

 

David Guetta's Without You

I love this song! And video!

Can't get enough of this... haaayyyy...

Zara "Young Man" Lookbook Collection 2011

The title makes me chuckle a little so I had to emphasize the young man by putting in the speech marks - Zara "Young Man" lookbook. What does that even mean? Well after browsing through the collection, slowly, I realised there isn't a great difference between the older men and younger men's style clothing.