Thanks to Ruth Sindico of Philstar.com for this article on Pipino! Click here to read more.

We're currently at The Farm for a relaxing weekend, but it sucks that it's been raining nonstop! Stay happy & dry, everyone! :)

ONE: PinkLusso lunch dates Amelia and Ate Ria

TWO: LegoOne random evening, I asked my nephew Kai to design the new restaurant we're opening in Jupiter. This was is floor plan. :P

THREE: Brown Brush CaddyThanks to Paula of Chicify.com and Miss-match.com for this supercool case that's perfect for my paintbrushes! You can purchase this here.

FOUR: Indigo JeansDays have been rainy and gloomy so I try brightening my mood by wearing lots of color.

FIVE: Green Tea DonutsThese green tea + toasted donuts from J.Co are unbelievably light and not too sweet. Yum.

SIX: Blueberry ShakeI made PJ a blueberry smoothie and he sweetens it up 10 notches with a scoop of ube ice cream. Tsk. haha.

SEVEN: Donna's Crafty BirthdayOur good friend Donna celebrated her birthday at Home for the Angels. We had a little craft activity of decorating bibs for the babies in the home. Thanks, Donna, for the Orly loot! ;)

May you all have a colorful week ahead! Happy Sunday! :)

I'm an Instragram newbie! I don't know what took me so long so sign up for an account. It's such a happy place over there!!! I hardly log on to Facebook anymore because I noticed that recently, all people do is complain and rant about the smallest things, sometimes about things that they should even be thankful for. I read a quote before that said, "People who complain all the time only advertise their own stupidity." Don't be a victim of the situation. We all have problems! But the difference is how each one reacts to and handles them.

Anyway, here are some samples of the few photos I've posted on Instagram. Just like 99% of its users, there are food photos in my feed, as well as shots of my design tools and works in progress, the places I visit, and the funny things I see around the city. 

Find me over there: @alessandralanot

For this week's post on the BDJ Blog Circle, I write about the favorite veggie burgers I like to make and eat :P

Click here to read more.

You're invited to join the 2nd Craft Soirée!

What is the Craft Soirée all about?

The Craft Soirée will be a gathering of people who make pretty things. Whether you make beautiful calligraphy, framed artworks, sewed stuffed toys, quilted linens, or recycled and upcycled home accents, as long as it is handmade and made by YOU, then you are most welcome to join the craft exchange!

Each crafter must make & bring ten (10) crafts (preferably 1 kind of product, although colors may vary) that you will exchange with other crafters.  There will be a crafts show & tell, and you'll get to meet all 40+ crafters in the event!

Event Date: 

Saturday, 18 August 2012

Craft Exchange: 11am - 2pm

Crafternoon Activity: 2-6 pm

Venue:

To be announced

Fee:

P500 inclusive of lunch & totebag

To participate in the Craft Soirée, sign up here.

View photos from the last Craft Soirée.

I'm so excited for the HipPinoy Art + Food Fair! I'll be joining this event as a seller, and I hope to see all of you there. October is not too far away :P

If you make local & handmade art or local & organic food, then this fair is the best place to showcase your products. Fee is P2,000 for the two days. Flyer promotion is care of Fastrack Courier.

E-mail HipPinoyPH@gmail.com to join!

Visit Brown Belly's Online Store and stock up on your summery faves!

Today, I decided to bring out my new Prang metallic watercolor set. I'm not a Prang watercolor fan, so I'm not used to the sticky-gel texture of the palette.I do, however, like that the colors are muted and different from the standard colors.

Can you tell that it's metallic? I can't. Haha.

There are tiny glittery specks if you look up close, but I couldn't scan the painting, afraid that it might stick to my scanner's glass. 

In the middle of the word, I decided to shoot my painting process. I don't like using pencils, and don't care much that it's not perfect (it's not meant to be perfect ;P). But I do like how it turned out. I think I'll use this watercolor set more often. 

Hope you enjoy this video!

Awesome original music, right? I asked PJ's best friend and musical genius Bri to do these beats for my old website a few years ago. Still love it today.

Download the August 2012 Printable Calendar.

Thank you to all those who attended the first calligraphy crafternoon last July 14!

It was raining all afternoon, but I'm glad a lot were still able to make it. The event was supposed to be held in Pipino, but because of the overwhelming response, I decided to hold it at Pino, to be able to accommodate more participants.

I'd like to thank those who emailed me in advance about not being able to make it. Thank you for being considerate enough to give up your slot for those in the waiting list. (To those who confirmed, but didn't show up...hmph! Hehe.)

Here are photos from the crafternoon!

Calligraphy above by Fozzy.

My cousin-in-law Dudz helped me on that day and handled the registration.

Scribe was there a set up a booth selling calligraphy and dipping pens, paper and other tools!

Thanks to Em, I was able to distribute handouts for different calligraphy typefaces.

It was great to have met new friends at the event!Old friends were there, too! :) Thanks to Dudz, Joanna, Kat, Chesca (& Franco), and Muff!

After a couple of hours practicing, the "final activity" for the afternoon was to write a quote or your favorite word, which were all displayed on the wall of Pino.So much talent!

This is my work, one of my favorite quotes.

The Watercolor Crafternoon is coming up this Saturday, July 28!

New slots have opened up.

Please click here to sign up!

Breakfast food is my comfort food. Whenever I see a place that is committed to breakfast, I get so giddy like I want to hug the place while jumping up and down. If only hugging a store were possible. Haha. Last week, I visited a new blue and white spot in our neighborhood, and met with the establishment's owner to talk about, what else? Breakfast! :)

The Breakfast Store is located across Blue Ridge, along Katipunan. The blue and white store front is right next to other take-out shops.

Inside is a little market of more blues and whites. The table in the middle is not really for eating, but only there to showcase the different dining essentials available in store.

Here is owner Sigrid Perez: wife, mother of eight, and fellow lover of breakfast. :)

We talked about so many things that morning--from breakfast, to business, to working with children with cancer, to her own experience when their son was diagnosed with leukemia at 3. It was such a pleasure to have met her!

On their display table, a quote which I firmly believe in.

The Breakfast Store features local regional products from micro-entrepreneurs. They work closely with their suppliers so that they are assured of quality ingredients and proper food handling. Bestsellers include longganisa from Tuguegarao and Vigan.They also have a selection of dried fish for your Filipino breakfasts.

One amazing thing about this store is that with every purchase of The Breakfast Store branded products, a breakfast plate is donated to the BluePlate for Better Learning of Ateneo. It's a group that serves breakfast to school children to make sure they get proper nutrition to help them perform better in school.

For most people, breakfast is not complete without coffee.But I don't drink coffee (surprise, surprise!), so I was happy to see caffeine-free rice, soy and corn coffee! I took some packs home, and will try using them to make coffee ice cream and cupcakes.

They have a chiller of cheese and ready-to-drink locally sourced fruit juices.

The Calamansi and Dalandan juices are must-buys!

There is also fresh, unsweetened juice concentrate available in large glass bottles.I was so intrigued by their jams and jellies. Took home a bottle of tomato jam!

The also have organic brown rice from Nueva Ecija.

Tablea from Cagayan (sweetened), and no-sugar-added Mt. Apo Davao Chocolate.

Organic salted egg (no red dye!) and delicious banana-nutella muffins.

Organic Coconut Vinegar

The also sell plates and bows made by Lanelle Abueva-Fernando.

Those bowls are so pretty!!! I want a mix & match set for my house :)

Crocheted items made by mothers of children with cancer are also available in the store. Of course, everything is blue and white to match the store's theme!

Abel Iloco woven placemats and totes, all in blue and white. I forgot to ask where she got her blue picnic basket! I've been searching for picnic baskets for the longest time!

Now we know where to shop for local breakfast products! ;)

The Breakfast Store

207 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

(02) 3917066 / +63.908.752503

Open 7am to 9pm

Like The Breakfast Store on Facebook!

Is is just me or have the last couple of weeks been really all about meetings, meetings, and more meetings? Since my work is no longer mobile (RIP laptop screen, which is permanently plugged and resuscitated by cords that connect it to my apple cinema display), I've been finding it hard to concentrate on work tasks because I can't seem to stay put. There are at least two meetings in one day that requires me to leave the house prematurely (read: before lunch). Of course, meetings only mean that there is more work ahead, but how is it possible to look so far beyond this mountain of work right in front of me? This. This is why this whole week of blogging has been all about invitations to events and lack of decent posts (oops, sorrrrry!). Although, a restful weekend with NO PLANS AT ALL changes that -- got to work on my backlog work so that I can, once again, gain my time back. Meanwhile, here are some 7 great things about my week.

ONEThe Pino Group -- all present for our weekly meeting. Splurged on dinner at Masseto in Salcedo Village. We have vowed to dine at Makati more because we're opening new restaurants in the area soon! Masseto's chef so kindly prepared a vegetarian entree for me: I had steak just like everyone else! Except, mine was portobello on a bed on veggies. Yum. That chocolate souffle was perfect, too.

TWOWant: Wooden clocks by Muji

THREELunch date: Nicole & Meryll trying out calligraphy at Chelsea. I had the most filling vegetable sandwich with pesto, minus the cheese sauce, plus potato wedges and side salad.

FOURAfter a meeting with Marco of Ministry of Mushrooms, we tried baking this bunch of oyster mushrooms. Drizzled with olive oil and spices and topped with Pipino's walnut parmesan cheese! Delish.

FIVEMade this for Christmas (I almost always make all my Christmas presents) for my cousin-in-law Dudz, but was only able to take a photo of it this week. This one is made of amazonite and apatite stones.

SIXBest vegan chocolate bar in ze land.

SEVENMeeting of seafoam nails (never mind that they're chipped!). Had lunch with QueenA and Anya in Pipino, and we discussed the accessory line that we're launching next season. Can't waaiiit.

Happy Sunday! Stay safe and dry! :)