Anniversary Dinner at Kessaku

We love Japanese food.  Our go-to place is Omakase but we wanted to try something different.  I read rave reviews about Kessaku so we decided to have our anniversary dinner here. 

Dinner service starts at 5:30 p.m. just so you know.  We arrived at 5pm (yes, we are early birds) because the little one came with us and he was starving!

They were kind enough to offer us the menu so we can browse.  We decided on the following:

Dynamite Roll PhP 240.00

Tantanmen Ramen PhP 340.00

Gyoza PhP 165.00

8 pieces Ebi Tempura PhP 650.00

Unlimited Lychee Martini PhP 299.00

The Good:

1. The Happy Hour is a really good deal (paging my alcoholic friends!).  I got the Lychee Martini & my husband ordered the Classic Mojito.
2. The tempura was big and flavorful.
3. The waiters are really attentive and friendly.

The Not-so-good:

1. The gyoza was too greasy. 
2. The ramen was a disappointment to my husband.  He had requested for it to be really spicy but there was absolutely no hint of spice. But Quino loved it! 
3. The Dynamite Roll was so-so. 
4. The service was a bit slow (maybe because we had arrived too early & they were not set up yet?)

Overall, it was a good experience.   If you live in the south, this restaurant is worth checking out.

My Eyelash Extension Experience

In preparation for our 8th anniversary, I decided to do something I've never tried before - get eyelash extensions.  The nail salon that I go to (Get Polished) offers this service and I decided to give it a go.

The procedure took an hour.  It stung a little but went away.  I came home with beautiful, thick, curly lashes.  After a few hours, I noticed my right eye was slightly swollen so I took an anti-histamine before bed.  I woke up the following morning and my right eye was completely red and swollen!!!  I panicked!  I googled "eyelash extension allergy" and the search results scared me!

I don't have a picture of myself (I'd rather not scare you) but I looked like this (thankfully my left eye was spared):

I immediately phoned the owner of the salon (at 8 am no less) to inform her of what happened and she assured me her staff will take care of me as soon as they open at 10 am.  So I got there even before 10 am and the staff were already aware of my situation and were expecting me.  They also gave me a full refund.

The technician who did the procedure took care of it.  But my nightmare was just beginning.  It took her 3 hours to remove everything!!! It was excruciatingly painful!  I would imagine it as a form of torture inflicted by the FBI (sort of like having your nails plucked).  And no, I am not exaggerating. 

I've been told this is the first time this has ever happened.  But while it gives me some relief to know that this is not a regular occurrence, I believe this could have been avoided if:

1. They do a quick survey to check if you have allergies (ex. mascara, eyeliner or any cosmetic product).
2. They do a patch test of the glue (I suspect this is what caused the reaction).  A friend who manages a salon that they do this step before every eyelash extension procedure.

It's now day 3 and the swelling has subsided but it's still noticeable.  I'm sharing this experience so that people are aware that you could get an allergic reaction from a seemingly simple procedure.  I might be part of a small statistic but it's a possibility.  You should be more proactive about getting a sensitivity test done even if it's not part of their protocol.  Looking back, I should've researched more about it instead of just jumping in.  I'm just glad that the salon owner was easy to talk to.

This post does not aim to discredit the salon.  I've been patronizing their services since 2007 and will continue to do so even after this experience. I want to put this out there so they can improve their service.  Because if it happened to me, it could happen to someone else. 

8 Years and Counting

Sorry for the lack of posts.  Life happened but I'm back for now.

Today marks our 8th wedding anniversary.  And as cliche as it sounds, it feels like yesterday and yet it feels like forever at the same time.

8 years married to the love of my life, my best friend & the best father to Quino (and BamBam).  We have lived through infertility treatments, 2 miscarriages, a difficult pregnancy plagued by 5 months of morning sickness & monthly intravenous immunoglobulin infusion, premature delivery via emergency CS, Quino's hernia operation and years of sleepless nights.

There is a myth that love should be this over-the-top extravaganza.  It's become a production number (just look at all those youtube videos of grand proposals and wedding flash mobs).  But our love has never been like that.  We took our vows in front of (literally) our immediate family.  Because really, after the wedding, it is just the two of you.  Each day is filled with the mundane - work, raising a family, bills, etc.  But that's where real love lives.

Real love is never leaving my side in the hospital before & after I gave birth.  It is taking the night shift for the first two months of having a newborn because I was too sick to do it.  It is giving the dog a bath every week, cleaning BamBam's pee and poop, doing the dishes when the help is off, foregoing nights out to stay in, spending hours on end in Fun Ranch so Quino can enjoy unlimited play, teaching him to ride a bike with two wheels, helping Quino with his homework... the list goes on and on. 

Real, deep love is loving me beyond how I look and showing your love through actions.  It is steadfast and true.  And that is why I love you so much more now than I ever did before.

Happy 8th anniversary, Tum! :) Thank you for all that you do.