Ibyang Sanchez, Author at Ibyang

Mini Croquembouche by Adriano Zumbo

28 November 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 0 Comments Category: Food

Another foodie dream of mine came true recently as I finally got a hold of Adriano Zumbo’s Croquembouche…oh well, at least the mini and very cute version of it.

The Croquembouche became famous when it came out on the first season of MasterChef Australia and it also made Adriano Zumbo known as one of Australia’s best pastry chefs. He presented his Croquembouche creation at one of the challenges and since then people have been ordering Croquembouche from his patisserie.

I resigned to the fact that I will never get to taste his Croquembouche because I wouldn’t really want a tall and big one. However, Adriano created a small version and made it available at The Star branch.

So finally, my foodie dream finally came true! I love the Croquembouche because I love eating profiteroles (cream puffs) and it is what the Croquembouche is made up of.

What I love about Adriano Zumbo’s Croquembouche is that the cream filling is silky, smooth and not too sweet while enveloped in toffee coated choux pastry.

The Mini Croquembouche is now available at Adriano Zumbo Patisserie but if you want the big Croquembouche, you can check out the details on how to order here. You can also make them at home with the help of this recipe.

Beauty Stash: The Clarisonic Mia 2

26 November 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 5 Comments Category: Beauty Stash, Charmed Life of a Mrs, Health and Well-being

Since I’ve been married, I never had the discipline to have facials. Other than being turned off by expensive costs of having facials here in Australia, I’d rather spend my time doing other things. However, I’m aware that it is important to take care of one’s skin especially as one gets older. Then I discovered a skin cleansing gadget called Clarisonic Mia which cleans the skin more thoroughly by using a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second. For weeks, I studied the information in their website and read lots of reviews from beauty bloggers around the world. Then I thought of giving myself this as a Christmas present when I saw a good deal online. After two weeks, my Christmas pressie to myself arrived!

There are a few kinds of Clarisonic Mias but I chose the Clarisonic Mia 2 which has 2 speeds, a one-minute pulsing T-Timer and a protective travel case.

It also came with a 30ml Clarisonic Refreshing Gel which works well with my skin as it’s gentle, doesn’t leave my skin oily and doesn’t cause me to break out.

The Clarisonic Mia 2 comes with a sensitive brush head (they have a variety of brush heads you can choose from) to easily introduce one’s skin to sonic cleansing. It is advised to change the brush head every three to four months.

Charging the Clarisonic Mia 2 for the first time took 24 hours. I was very happy when the light finally signaled that it was fully-charged.

The main reason why I opted to buy the Clarisonic Mia 2 (I really could have opted for the cheaper and basic one) was because of the protective travel case. Since this gadget is for personal grooming, I like that my Clarisonic Mia will be kept clean whenever I travel.

I’ve used this for almost a week now and I’m loving it. Here are a few reasons why:

The first time I used it, my skin felt cleaner, softer and tighter.
The brushing feels gentle on the skin and yet I feel as if I’ve had a mini-facial.
It gets rid of blackheads on a daily basis!
It seemed to have made my pores smaller, resulting to a less oily skin.
It gives my skin a natural pinkish glow and even if I’ve worked all day, my face doesn’t look tired.

I’m very glad with my Clarisonic Mia 2 and I consider this the best present I’ve ever given to myself.

If you want to know more about Clarisonic Mia and their products, please check out their website.

Style Musings: Slipper Loafers from Topshop

23 November 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 3 Comments Category: Fashion, Style Musings

It’s been awhile since Topshop/Topman opened in Sydney and it was only a month ago that I had the time to visit. Actually, I only remembered to visit because we passed by the Gowings Building. It’s funny that I looked forward to the opening of Topshop here in Sydney and yet I somehow forgot its existence once it’s opened. There were a few good pieces but most are a bit too young for my taste. There’s a part of me that will always like youthful pieces but their clothes seem a bit too fad-ish for me. I’ve seen a few classic pieces but found that some prices are ridiculous especially when I compare them to what I’ve seen and bought from Asian online stores. (So sorry to compare but I’m a consumer who wants reasonably-priced style items).

I walked out of the store without a piece of clothing but fortunate enough to discover a pretty pair of slipper loafers with black and silver trimmings. It’s very comfortable to wear and it doesn’t feel as flat because the insole has a bit of cushion. It was priced at AUD$44.00

I was wearing a black lace dress when I was there as I was to watch Legally Blonde in a few hours. Although I have my foldable shoes with me, the slipper loafers I found matched with my black lace dress so well.

I wore it right after I paid for it. It’s great for walking and good enough to wear with something fancy because of it’s design.

Topshop/Topman
Gowings Building

55 Market St, Sydney

Nespresso Variations Goes For the Nutty Notes This Year

22 November 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Coffee Love, Food

One of the reasons why I hesitated on buying a Nespresso machine before was because I thought that having one will limit me to enjoying just a number of flavours. I was wrong. Nespresso creates a Limited Edition Grand Cru which appears twice a year, one in Spring and another in Autumn. When we bought a Nespresso U machine, we were able to catch their previous limited edition, the Crealto.

Another thing I learned was that Nespresso also comes out with a Grand Cru known as Variations which is available towards Christmas. Last week Nespresso released their nutty notes: Coconut, Hazelnut and Macadamia Nut Variations so we visited the Nespresso Boutique in Sydney to try it out.

The Husband and I tasted the Hazelnut and Macadamia Nut and they were both delicious blends. We especially liked the Hazelnut Variations instantly as it was sweet, smooth and well-balanced. It was like eating a praline. The Macadamia Nut Variations has a subtle nut flavour and reveals a bit of citrus notes which makes it a refreshing drink.

We bought a box of each Variations (10 coffee pods per box at AUD$8.40) and had the Coconut Variations at home.

The Coconut Variations was a lovely blend. If you have noticed from past foodie entries, I have a thing for coconut and I’m glad that Nespresso did their Coconut Variations pretty well. The minute I placed its pod inside the machine, the sweet aroma of Coconut filled the room.

I love the Coconut Variations as it was like I’m enjoying fresh coconut from the shell. It’s very reminiscent of my other home, the Philippines. It’s perfectly intense and rich.

Each of the Variations are 100% of natural origin and contain only roast and ground coffees mixed with natural flavourings that free from food allergens. All the Variations Grand Cru are blended with the smoothness of Grand Cru Livanto and has an intensity level of 6 (on a scale of 1-10). They are only available for at least 8 weeks (or until supply lasts) so visit your nearest Nespresso Boutique or order online.

Koreatown with Friends

21 November 2012 Ibyang Sanchez 2 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Food

Shared our love for Koreatown with friends two weeks ago by meeting up for Friday dinner and coffee at Strathfield.

I arrived early so I can drop by Hanaro Mart (to buy Kimchi and other Korean goodies) and have time for my ritual (coffee first before dinner). I went to Hello Happy for some coffee and Mocha Roll. Half of the place didn’t have lights (parang brownout lang!). There was a thunderstorm earlier that day and according to the staff, it affected the electrical wirings at the back of the cafe. The tables at the back were lit by candles.

I initially had a cup of long black but it didn’t taste right so when the Husband arrived, I asked him to get me an iced coffee. It was kind of a warm day anyway so it was nice to cool down with something more refreshing.

Dinner was with Meds and Charyn at Beauty & the Beast Cafe and Restaurant. It was a night of first times in a way. It was Meds’ first time to be at Strathfield and it was nice sharing our love for Koreatown with her. It was our first time to meet and hang out with Charyn and we’re glad to meet her.

Our table spread included: Clubhouse Sandwiches and Chips, Beef Bulgogi, Pork Katsu and Bibimbap.

Dropped by Morning Glory to look at cute and colourful knick knacks.

Ended the night by having drinks at My Sweet Memory (MSM).

Meds loved being at MSM because it’s a stationery cafe. She loves being surrounded by pretty paper and artsy stuff. I think we all do but since it was Meds’ first time to be here, we saw how fascinated she was.

Enjoyed the evening having great conversations and laughter, enjoying food, savouring our coffee, tea and chocolate drinks and taking photos. The Husband and I were grateful for the fun company we had that night.