TSM’s Favorite Things: April 2014

Before this month comes to a close, allow me to share with you The Spoiled Mummy’s Favorite Things for April.  This post will show you a combination of two of my favorite activities : Shopping and Eating! 🙂

Little Earth Tiddler Online Shopping for Kids

Since my blogging work allows me to be online most of the day, I recently discovered the convenience and joys of shopping online. My latest discovery is www.littleearthtiddler.com, an online shopping site based in the Philippines, dedicated to giving only the good and natural stuff to our young kids. The site offers a mix of well-curated products, ranging from food to skin care, to gadgets and books — most of which are sourced from the UK and Australia. The best part? All their products are natural, organic and ethically sourced.

Visit their website at www.littleearthtiddler.com. 

Elin Online Shopping for Women

Since we are on the topic of online shopping… here is another shopping site dedicated to all the women and (spoiled) mummies out there. 🙂  Elin.ph is a Philippine-based online retailer, that specializes on classic and comfortable clothes for women of all shapes and sizes. The site offers clothes that we can wear before, during or after pregnancy. Elin has a wide selection of basics including : tops, dresses, pants and skirts. All their clothes come in neutral colors (like black, grey, navy and beige) and done in classic silhouettes and wearable styles that can take you from day to night.

In the photo above, I am wearing Elin’s Georgia dress in black. No, I am not pregnant in this photo even though I may look like one (LOL!) but I love how the stretchable fabric just covered up my “unsightly bulges”  (excuse : mother of three) and still gave me the shape that I needed. 🙂

I got other styles too which I brought with me in my recent trip. Their fabrics are so light, easily foldable and crease-free. Their clothes allowed me to move easily and run after the kids, without fear of getting all wrinkled up. Best part? They are very affordable.

Check their website at www.elin.ph. 

Royal Chocolate Cake from Casa San Luis

As you all know I am a big chocolate lover and since I have probably tried more than my fair share of chocolate desserts out there, I have learned to become picky when it comes to chocolate cakes. I refuse to believe most commercially-available cakes who claim to be chocolate, just because — well they look like chocolate!

This Royal Chocolate Cake from Casa San Luis is one of the few cakes I have recently tried that makes use of real chocolate. If you are a serious chocoholic, this one will surely satisfy your craving!

The layers of goodness inside are made up of hazelnut praline, 70% dark chocolate mousse and dark chocolate ganache icing.

Contact Casa San Luis at casasanluispastries@gmail.com or call 0916-644-8522.

Fresh gelato from Bono Gelato

Time and again, I have professed my love for desserts and that includes my love for ice cream. But in this case, I am not talking about just any other ice cream, but rather referring to the ice cream’s “better half”, the Italian gelato. In Manila, there are quite a number of gelaterias claiming to serve real gelato. But most of the time, I have left quite disappointed and felt that I have just wasted my calories on their sickly sweet big scoop! (Hmph.)

Lesson learned. Nowadays, whenever I crave for gelato, I only go to the real one. Bono Gelato is the only gelateria that does not use any shortcuts or add anything artificial in their scoop. All their gelatos are made FRESH and DAILY using real, quality ingredients — such as vanilla beans from Tahiti, fresh strawberries from California and coffee beans from our local farmers.  Believe it or not, most of the ice cream and frozen yogurt places and gelaterias out there make use of powder mixes, gels, pastes and colorings to make your favorite flavor. Bono Gelato uses none of these artificial flavorings and preservatives.

If you visit their store in SM Makati, you will see that there is a small “laboratory” beside the counter which shows you how they make their gelato fresh and on-the-spot, using the slow churning method.

A freshly-churned gelato is definitely better tasting than most ice cream or gelato that have been stored in the freezer for a long time!

Visit Bono Gelato in any of their outlets : SM Makati, SM Aura Premier, Podium and SM Mega Fashion Hall or check their website at www.gelatobono.com. 

*As a side note, if you want to know more about the women behind this gelateria, read my previous post here.

*And if you want to backtrack a bit and see TSM’s Favorite Things for March, click here.

Happy shopping and eating, spoiled mummies!!