Sunday Seven

Endless Pizza Cravings #SundaySeven

December 7, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 9 Comments

I always crave for pizza. Always. I think I can eat pizza every day and not get tired of it. Am I the only one like this???

We had pizza for dinner last night, and I’m a little embarrassed to say that I have pizza on my mind again tonight. This can’t be good, though I know it would taste good. Argh.

I know we won’t be having pizza this evening, so I figured I’d write about it instead. Today’s #SundaySeven features my favorite pizza flavors. Yummers.

1. Chicago White deep dish pizza from Sbarro

For someone who isn’t super fond of white sauce or pineapple, I’m a little surprised at how much I love Sbarro’s Chicago White deep dish pizza. It has mozzarella, pepperoni, ham, ricotta, pineapple, and I order extra tomato sauce on the side for dipping. So, so, so good.

2. #4 Cheese from Yellow Cab

#4Cheese #YellowCab

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Aug 8, 2013 at 9:40pm PDT

Cheese is one of my favorite things in the world, so a pizza with four different cheeses is a win. I like Yellow Cab’s #4 Cheese coz you can taste different cheese tastes with each bite. I especially love that there’s feta in the mix.

3. Combo pizza from S&R

Because it’s buy 1 get 50% off on the 2nd pie AT S&R! #Pizza A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:20pm PST

S&R pizza, more than anything, is really sulit. The pies are really big, with lots of toppings and a yummy chewy crust. I think it might be the most value for money pizza on my list. Flavors are limited though, with just Pepperoni, Cheese, Garlic and Shrimp, and Combo (meat and veggies). There are seasonal flavors, too, like NY Deli (all meat) and Tuna during holy week.

4. Hawaiian thin crust pizza from Mama Lou’s

Earlier today. #Lunch #MamaLous #Pizza

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Oct 10, 2014 at 6:06am PDT

I’m not a fan of crispy thin crust pizza, and I like Mama Lou’s coz theirs is soft. I also love that they serve their pizzas with alfalfa sprouts. Really yummy. I like their Hawaiian pizza best, which is weird coz they have all of these yummy flavors on the menu. I dunno, this just feels like true comfort food to me.

5. Original BBQ Chicken Pizza from CPK

#Pizza for one. #Lunch #CPK #CaliforniaPizzaKitchen A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Sep 9, 2014 at 10:03pm PDT

I love CPK’s Original BBQ Chicken Pizza so much that I ordered it on a lunch date with myself. And I ate the whole thing on my own. It was just a personal sized pizza or course. But to be honest, I think I could probably finish a big one. Probably.

6. #6 from Project Pie

Barbecue chicken PLUS bleu cheese. Hello, happiness! There are no words to describe how happy Project Pie’s #6 pizza makes me. And I didn’t even order it myself the first time I tried it. I hijacked someone else’s order. Lol.

7. Margherita Pot Pie from TUS

Filled with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and cheese

I first tried TUS during a brunch date with my ABC Loves, and I was instantly hooked. While my sister and a vast majority would go back again and again for the half-baked cookie, I choose the Margherita Pot Pie as my reason for returning. I know it isn’t really a pizza, but it has to be on this list because it is just so good. I love the Chicken Ranch Pot Pie, too, but I don’t think I can get away with counting that as a pizza.

Special Mention: Double Pepperoni Pizza from Xtremely Xpresso

Honestly, Xtremely Xpresso’s Double Pepperoni Pizza is #1 on my list. It’s just that I have to go all the way to Clark or Subic to have it, so I try not to think about it so much. But really, you must visit this little cafe in Subic (or SM Clark, or Marquee Mall Angeles, but the Subic branch is the best one) and order pizza. You won’t regret it. I once ate a whole one all by myself. Not all at once, though. But okay, in only 2 days. Burp!

What’s your pizza of choice?

Crochet Projects For My New Giant Hooks

June 22, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 17 Comments

The boys and I received bags of treats from our family in the US today (yay, thank you, family). One of the things on my wishlist was a set of large crochet hooks. I am so lucky that there’s a Michael’s store near my in-laws’ place, and so my crafty wishes are usually granted. With this batch of pasalubongs came a set of Boye hooks, sized 8.0mm, 9.0mm, 10.0mm and 11.5mm. Happy dance.

Right after our lunch meetup with my sister-in-law at Buffalo’s Wings and Things / Chubby’s Rib Shack in Commercenter (which I will blog about soon, promise), I checked Ravelry for nice projects to make with my new hooks. I already had a certain project in mind, which was actually the reason why I had asked for the big hooks in the first place. I also knew that I wanted to make a rug.

After a couple of hours of browsing, I finally decided on these seven as my priority projects. I just need to figure out the right yarn weight for these, coz honestly I didn’t really read through the details all that thoroughly. Lol, yes, my excitement took over. So, if any of you guys know where I can get chunky chunky yarn in Manila (or cord that’s nice to crochet with, actually, or tshirt yarn), lemme know!

1. Hopeful Honey’s Basic Chunky Cowl

I think that I could probably get away with making this using several strands of worsted weight yarn. I don’t think I have that many skeins of the same color, so i just might multi-color it and see how things turn out. Check out the pattern for this cowl here.

2. Caron One Skein Summer Wrap

This was the pattern that made me want to have large crochet hooks. I actually tried making this with an 8.0mm hook, which I already had on hand. It obviously didn’t turn out as nice as it was supposed to, hence my big hook bilin. So now I’m really excited to get to work on this. I also received a nice light yellow skein of Caron One Pound, and that’s what I plan to use to make this wrap. Pattern here.

3. Lion Brand Simply Shrug

I know that it’s probably too hot to wear crocheted shrugs made out of thick yarn here in the Philippines, but I don’t care, I still want to make this. Good luck to me, though, if I can find yarn this thick. I wonder if there’s anywhere I can have some made? Pattern here.

4. Ireland’s Scarf from Crochet in Color

Honestly, I love the color that the pattern designer used for this scarf. So pink! Thing is, the listing on Ravelry says it needs a 10.0mm hook, but the pattern on the Crochet in Color site says I hook, which is only 5.5mm. Oh well, I will try to make this in worsted weight with one of the bigger hooks and see how it turns out. If I wanna be able to use it here, it has to be on the lace-y side anyway.

5. Ombre Basket from Crochet in Color

Yep, another pattern from the Crochet in Color site. I love the color used to achieve the ombre look here. I now want to lay out all of my yarns and see which would look nice together. I think maybe I’ll do that tomorrow while the boys are out hehe.

6. Round Carpet in 3 Strands by Drops Design

Here come the rugs! I love the idea of a giant coaster-looking rug in my bathroom. I really feel that it will make the space a whole lot prettier, and you know how I like pretty things. It looks like I will need to do some experimenting with this one, though,until I get the gauge right. Get the pattern here.

7. Rust Colored Carpet

This pattern uses the same type of yarn as #6, so at least I only need to do one round of gauge experimentation for both. You can only get this one via Ravelry, so if you don’t have an account there yet, go and get one. And don’t forget to add me as a friend! My username there is mrspcuyugan. Not surprising, no?

So there you go. I can’t wait to get to work on something new. How about you guys? What crafty things have you been working on lately?

Craving For Ice Cream

March 23, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 12 Comments

It’s been so hot outside, and all I wanna do is take a cold shower then sit in an airconditioned room with a fan pointing at me and eat ice cream. Or halo-halo. But I think ice cream wins over halo-halo. Right now I’m fresh out of the shower, sitting in an airconditioned room with a fan pointing at me. All that’s missing is ice cream. And sadly, we don’t have any in the freezer! It’s too hot to go out for some now. So I’ve decided to just blog about all the yummy ice cream scoops dancing around in my head. Seriously.

Here are the seven ice cream flavors I wish I could have right this very minute.

Merry Moo Dark Tsokolate

I am a chocoholic. When I first discovered this creamy, chocolate-y delight at the Salcedo Market, I was instantly hooked. As in, I didn’t want to share. To the point that I hid my pint at the very back of the freezer so that on one would see it. True story.

Sebastian’s Mango Sansrival

This is a new discovery, and something I might never have tried if my friend Glaiza of Moomy Musings didn’t get a cup too many at yesterday’s Mind Museum event. I really would not have gotten this for myself because I don’t like Sansrival. I find the taste of butter icky. But this was just really good. Rich and mango-y with lots of cashew nuts. And no one does creamy ice cream the way Sebastian’s does! I wish they would come back to the south. They used to have a kiosk in Alabang Town Center, but now I think the closest branch is in MOA.

Merry Moo Sea Salt Caramel

A week after I got my pint of Dark Tsokolate, I was back at the Salcedo Market, this time for a pint of Sea Salt Caramel. I first tried this a couple of years ago, and I’m surprised at how much I love it. I’m not really a caramel fan, and my friends and I were actually just talking about how they love Bannoffee Pies and I don’t because I’m not a caramel lover. But this ice cream flavor, I super love.

Dear Merry Moo, why don’t you have a branch in Alabang???

McDonalds Hot Fudge Hot Caramel Sundae Duo

Okay, here’s another caramel-flavored thing that I like. I could never say no to McDonalds’ sundaes. They are just too good, and remind me so much of drive through escapades with my siblings when we were younger. We didn’t have fast food often growing up, and so when we first started having a driver pick us up from school (which was just inside the village, a few blocks away from home) we would get him to take a detour to the nearest drive thru, which was outside the village. Then we would eat quickly in the car and have the driver throw our wrappers in the garbage bins outside so mom wouldn’t find out. Fun times!

I am very OC about this sundae. The caramel MUST be on top. And I like it best with a side of fries. Hello, fatness!

Coney Island Cookies and Cream

Do you guys remember this flavor? Coney Island was such a favorite of mine growing up. I really loved their BUbble Gum flavored ice cream and their Eskimo Rolls, but nothing beats their Cookies and Cream. I have yet to find a replacement for this, but I would say that the closest is Selecta’s Cookies and Cream Overload.

Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake

I love ice cream and I love cake, so an ice cream cake really is just the best of both worlds for me. I think I could finish one all by myself if I really let myself go crazy. Oink.

Blue Bunny Mint Chocolate Chip

I was supposed to get a tub of Blue Bunny for my birthday, but then I asked for so many other things so I decided I could forego this. If you shop at S&R you would know that Blue Bunny tubs are giant sized, and since no one else likes mint chocolate chip ice cream at home, I would have had the whole tub to myself. I wouldn’t mind, obviously, but my waistline would. And my blood sugar too, most likely. So I guess it was a good thing I decided not to go through with it. But now, I’m thinking of getting one and making it last all throughout summer. Do I have that much self-control, though? That is the question!

When my Loli was alive, she used to tell us that it was okay to eat ice cream in the morning because it’s made of milk anyway. Haha. I miss Loli. And now I really, really, really want ice cream.

What are your favorite ice cream flavors?

My Summer Plus Size Closet Essentials

March 16, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 17 Comments

With only two weeks to go before school officially breaks for the summer, the kiddo and I are officially, already, feeling the heat. My nasty pink rashes are proof of that. Yup, underneath my shirt I look like a pretty pink leopard. Or half human-half pig. It’s a good thing pink is my favorite color. But anyway, that is not the point of this post!

With summer comes lots of family swimming fun, vacations and other activities. One sure way to beat the heat during these fun times is to dress appropriately. This was a total challenge for my plus-sized self growing up because there were only a few stores that sold larger sizes, and most of them were quite ugly, too. Sorry, I’m just telling the truth! I always say how happy I am now that these amazing plus size stores have popped up online, in malls and in bazaars. We no longer need to dress in tito shorts, in lola prints and in nightgown-looking dresses just because there is physically more of us to love than your average Filipina. One of these days, I promise to look for photos of the silly clothes I had growing up, and I’ll post them here. That’s what happens when a skinny mom gives birth to a chubby child. But that’s okay, I love my mommy anyway.

So, now that summer is here, it’s time to switch the stuff around in my messy closet again and unearth my favorite plus size summer pieces. Here are my closet essentials for the season.

1. Maxi Dresses

I am probably over-sharing, but maxi dresses are great for those days when you’re preparing to get a wax or to shave your legs. Tell me that isn’t true.

Some of my favorite maxi dresses. Both are overruns I bought super cheap in Subic.

2. Shorts

A comfy pair of shorts plus a cute breathable top is great for a relaxing summer afternoon. I would wear this to hang out with friends, a quick grocery trip or a day at the pool.

On the left, shorts by Erzullie. On the right, shorts by Ward88.

3. Short Skirts

Short skirts are great in the same way that shorts are great, but with the added perk of being girly.

The skirt on the left is from Moda Plus. The one on the right is from Ward88. And yes, short *na yan* for me hehe!

4. Dainty Printed or Pastel Skirts

Cute florals and prints are great for the summer, as are pastels. I love skirts that go below the knee paired with a nice top and sandals or ballet flats. These are nice for summer date nights, trips to the mall or to the movies.

Mint green skirt from Marks & Spencer. Floral skirt from Debenhams.

5. Summer Dresses

Yes, maxi dresses can be summer dresses too, but I just had to give my favorite beach dresses their own line. K, moving on…

Summer dressing in El Nido with my friendship, in a green Daisy Fuentes dress from Big Deals, and summer dressing in Boracay in a grey People Are People dress.

6. Cute Beach Cover-ups

This is a must for any beach trip. Sometimes I wear maxi dresses over my swimsuits, but they take forever to dry. That’s why I’d much rather have a nice cover-up.

The one on the left is from Cococabana and the one on the right I got from a beachfront stall in Boracay.

7. Tankinis

I love tankinis! One-piece suits may be nice, but I hate how it’s so hard to pee when you’re wearing them. I also am not the type to wear a bikini, though I know a few plus size ladies who are so comfortable in their skin that they do. I just never did, not even when I was a few sizes smaller. I’m a little bit of a manang. Hehe.

As you can see, I love tankinis with skirt bottoms. I got both of these from Big Deals in Alabang Town Center.

What are your favorite summer outfits?

This post has been submitted to the Pinay Curvies Swag Link-up Party!

Random Things About Me

February 23, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 28 Comments

I’m starting this new blog series called Sunday Seven where I basically make a list of seven things each week. I thought it might be something fun to do, and that’s why I’m doing it! And since it is officially the start of my birthday week, I thought I’d kick the series off by sharing seven random things about me. This way, you’ll get to know me better.

1. I have an irrational fear of frogs

I say ‘irrational’ because I can’t even look at a photo of frogs, or watch them on TV. When I hear a croak, or a kokak, as we say in Filipino, I will scream, panic, and eventually cry. Every time. Even if it’s from far away. I get startled when I see frogs jump all of a sudden, when the beams of my car headlights catch them, and even when I see squished froggy roadkill while I’m walking on the street. There is a reason behind this fear, which involves a giant frog toy, my brother and a childhood argument. Sometimes I am told to face my fear of frogs head on, but I would honestly much rather headbutt the person who tells me this. There have been instances where I’ve asked a friend to carry me across a field, when I’ve dragged my brother (who is afraid of heights) down an uneven, very high stone staircase, refused to enter a room, hyperventilated, thrown a hissy-fit, and shrieked like there’s no tomorrow when the threat of having to encounter a froggy friend presented itself. They arethe stuff of my nightmares, seriously. One of the worst dreams I have ever had was that of a giant frog chasing me, trying to get into the house through the windows. Just thinking about it now makes me want to cry.

2. I used to do a lot of sports

I grew up playing tennis. I tried soccer one summer. I was also once a pompom girl. I joined two varsity racket sports teams in high school. I learned gymnastics. All this before I discovered Agno food in DLSU and started gaining all this weight.

3. I only learned to cook when Little MrC started eating solids

I was a kitchen disaster growing up. I once burned a pot of spaghetti sauce so bad (while reheating, mind you), that some sauce got stuck to the bottom of the pan and could not be removed. We had to throw the ruined pot away. I also once almost set the kitchen on fire when my cooking oil overflowed because I poured an entire bag of squid balls into the pan without realizing it would overflow. Fireball!

Couldn't let this meatball go hungry, now could I? — Couldn’t let this meatball go hungry, now could I?

4. I’ve been blogging since college

I checked out the URLs of my old emo blogs just now, and lo and behold, they are still there. Here is the first post from my first blog, which I satrted in 2004. And here is the first post from another Blogspot blog I had in 2005. I think I’m gonna spend an afternoon reading my old entries. It’s gonna be a fun trip down memory lane for sure.

5. I have atopic dermatitis

If you see me up close, you will notice that I have dry red patches of skin on my arms and chest, and sometimes even on my face. I’ve had bad atopic dermatitis since I was 14, and I can’t use products with a lot of alcohol in them, including most commercial perfumes. Sad. That’s why Sesu and Ilog Maria are my favorite places to shop for soap, shampoo and other personal care stuff.

6. I’ve never had a massage in my life

As in never. The closest I’ve had to a massage are those sorta massages you get after a manicure, pedicure and hot oil. I’m very ticklish, and so I’m scared that the session will stress me out more than relax me.

7. Before I became a mom, I organized rock concerts

My first job was as an assistant for the production company that mounted Fete de la Musique in 2004. That same year, I became the assistant to the production manager of Red Horse Muziklaban. In 2005, I worked on a Chippy Gimikada nationwide concert series and another season of Muziklaban. My friends back then were members of Mayonnaise, Razorback, Kapatid, Imago, Sugarfree, Sandwich, and an assortment of other bands. Those were really fun times.

Working the registration at a Muziklaban pocket event in 2005

So there you go, I hope you enjoyed that little peek into my personality. Could you do me a favor and share a random fact about yourself in the comments? I’d love to learn more about you!