5-of-the-Moment -- Brunch, Adidas, White Collar, Emma Watson, etc

5-of-the-Moment is where I will occasionally compile a wholesome list of five my current favorite things whether it be food, books, fitness, travel, beauty or random trending fads around the world of the internet. I'm assuming that these will be fun to read. So here's to the first (and hopefully to the many following) 5-of-the-Moment features to come!

1. Food

Brunch time noms! 

Oh the eggs, bacon, sausage and toasts! Nothing makes me happier than brunch foods, accompanied by a nice cup of coffee. I'll admit that brunch is my favorite activity on the weekends, no lie. I also dedicated a full blog entry to my obsession with brunch, you can read it here. 

2. Film

White Collar on Netflix 

Crime + Comedy + Cute guy in suit is always an automatic crowd favorite! White Collar is one of the most underrated shows on Netflix. I won't spoil the plot for you but if you're into shows like Chuck and Mad Men, this should be the next series to binge on! And might I add that Matt Bomer looks hella cute in a suit. Those cheekbones and bright blue eyes are to die for. 

3. Fitness 

Adidas Ultimate Short-Sleeve V-neck Tee

I have no explanation for spoiling myself with online shopping. But these performance tees from Adidas are no child's play. The quality is expected and the price is a steal. Found 'em on Amazon. Note that the prices vary according to color and size. I got mine for under $20 each. Got both in size small and I like how they fit. 

4. Fiddle 

As Red As Rose 

There's a cute story behind this stalk of rose. The lovely owner of a Persian restaurant gave each lady at the table a rose during the office's monthly luncheon. You should definitely check this family restaurant out! Here's the yelp page. 

5. Fad

EmmaWatson in Italian Vogue 

Randomly came across this photo on Twitter and thought it was absolute perfection. I mean can this beauty be anymore perfect? Love the hair, love the makeup, love the outfit, love her. Nuff said. 

xx

Carmen

Double Brunch Attack x IHOP x Ann Sather

Admittedly, brunch is probably my favorite meal of the day. Two reasons: One,  simply because it's situated between late morning and early afternoon -- the ideal hour to crawl out of bed. Two, brunch food is the best food there is. I'm a huge fan. So here I am - after missing in action for over a month - is finally back to share some of my interesting weekend brunch finds in the Chicago neighborhood.

First up, the International House of Pancakes...

"Being the "INTERNATIONAL" house of pancakes, they better be mind-flippin' pancakes" was the thought before embarking on the IHOP experience. All I can say is that they really do know how to make some kick-ass buttermilk pancakes... on top of the other great breakfast selection.

Split Decision Breakfast, price not listed online [I want to say it's slightly under $9 before tax]
Everything comes in twos: two eggs (got mine scrambled, of course) + two bacon strips + two pork sausages + two french toast triangles + two buttermilk pancakes
I can't mention enough how great this is for first-timers cause it lets you try almost everything! -- Almost like a sampler plate (sort of).

Spinach & Mushroom Omelette, price not listed online
Just showing you what my brunch buddy got. You get to choose a side with your omelette with either the three pancakes, hash browns, toast or mixed fruit. And of course, she had to get the pancakes!

With the food + tax + we each got coffee and tea + tip totals up to about $13 a head.

Find IHOP!

Category: Breakfast/brunch

Website: ihop.com - IHOP® Restaurants‎

Location:
3760 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60613

Let's keep it rolling with the next place -- Ann Sather, which is a 5-minute walk from the Belmont red-line station (two thumbs up for the location convenience). I have not heard of this charming little breakfast place before this visit. And I'm surprised at the fact that I waited so long to be introduced to it. But all in all, it has become the my go-to place for cinnamon rolls -- a strictly childhood guilty pleasure of mine.

Warning: It's a legit eggs benedict fiesta up in this joint.

(Top) Traditional Benedict, $10.95
Poached Eggs, Country Ham and Hollandaise Sauce
(Middle) Steak & Eggs Benedict, $12.95
Poached Eggs, Sliced Tenderloin and Hollandaise Sauce
(Bottom) Smoked Salmon Benedict, $12.95
Poached Eggs, Norwegian Salmon, Fresh Dill and Hollandaise Sauce

If you're curious, I ordered the Traditional Benedict because I'm old-fashioned. The eggs benedict were nothing exceptionally mind-blowing, but it's good benedict. One thing to note: One of my friend's poached egg was overcooked, which was quite the let down. The only redemption to that epic fail is the fact that she eats around the yolk!

Two Cinnamon Rolls, $3.95
Now this is something special. I will not taint your expectations with words. All I can say is if you ever dine at Ann Sather, you'd be a fool to not give this a go! Since we each ordered a main, the meal comes with a selection of two sides of your choice. All of us picked the cinnamon rolls! But if you were to order it a la carte, it's $3.95 for two pieces.

The total bill sets us back to about $40. So under $15 per head.

Find Ann Sather!

Category: Breakfast/brunch

Website: Ann Sather Restaurants and Catering

Location:
909 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

xx
Carmen

Miss Asia

I must confess that I was expecting to have a rather more informative entry up before this one and a lot sooner at that, but due to the lack of inspiration and my never-ending busy schedule proceeding towards the end of my academic quarter in school, this did not happen. For that, I have no other justifiable excuse.

But, in order to redeem myself, I have somewhat a fun post today. Upon embarking on a journey to satisfy my craving for Thai food, I was introduced to this place by a friend whom I declare, is also a food enthusiast. And so on a wintry Sunday night, we decided to venture to this charming little restaurant at Diversey Parkway-in close proximity to Lincoln Park.

The menu was simpleton, with home-style dishes you would commonly find at a casual Thai restaurant. Decor was decent; with an elaborate use of buddhas scattered across the dining area. While it might be over-the-top, I myself enjoy basking in the sensuous ambiance as I dig into my extremely spicy curry.

But before we get into the curry, here's the appetizer we decided to order in last minute. Despite them devils being bite-size, beware, cause they're quite filling.
Crab Rangoon (8 pieces); $5.25
These typical fried wantons are nothing out of the ordinary, but they do taste good. Cheese is a tad bit filling for my personal liking.

Now on to the good stuff. As a die-hard Malaysian, my eyes lit up in the presence of rich, creamy curry.
Front: Panang Curry (with chicken) + rice; $9.50
Back: Pad Ped Catfish + rice; $12
While I enjoyed my panang curry, I must give deserving credit to the catfish. The fillet pieces are deep fried and tossed in what seems like a spicy curry gravy. It is simply wonderful-a definite must-try!

All in all, I enjoyed the food and will definitely go back and go through the menu again. Oh, and they seem to be in great demand for takeaway.

xx
Carmen

More Restaurant Info?

Restaurant Theme & Feel: Mainly Thai cuisine, also serves Chinese and Vietnamese dishes; casual

Website: missasiarestaurant.com

Directions:

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Please tell me I'm not the only one getting all jumpy and hyped up about the name of the restaurant. Now whenever I'm having one of those down days all I have to do is recite "Ba-Ba-Reeba!!!" and it's all rainbows and unicorns, just like that. But then again, I confess: I'm easily amused.

Upon taking up a job on campus, part of my assignment is to help host monthly luncheons for international students at various Chicagoan restaurants. And since I've been blessed with the opportunity to wet my mouth with all these delicious food, I'd thought it's only fair to share some visuals on my lil' cyber space because I mean, why not? So these will fall under a segment I like to call "Chi City Cuisine" on the blog.

This time around, we were hosted by a lovely Spanish restaurant on Halsted Street. The menu of the day greeted us with a selection of cold and hot tapas, creating a savory combination of small Spanish dishes that make up a wonderful lunch on a Friday afternoon.

Here's a snap of our menu. Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! showed extraordinary hospitality by printing  a special menu for our event. Now that's what I call top-notch service!

Cold Tapas Dish #1 --
Sarreno ham, salchichon, chorizo and manchego cheese; $9
In layman terms: It's spicy pork sauce on bite-size pieces of bread that can be eaten on it's own or topped with slices of cheese, ham or spanish sausage.

Cold Tapas Dish #2 --
Brussel sprout salad with marcona almonds and manchego cheese (vegetarian) ; $6
The texture of the almond crumbles mixed with the tangy taste of the cheese is simply heavenly.

Hot Tapas Dish #1 --
Mushrooms stuffed with spinach and manchego cheese (vegetarian); $7

Unfortunately, I do not have photos of the beef skewer with horseradish cream and red onion relish or the warm tortilla with garlic alioli because I was highly distracted (I apologize) but the beef dish was $9 and the price of the latter was not listed.

In conclusion, the entire meal totaled up to $31, excluding the beef skewers. I wouldn't dine here every weekend mostly because it's not as budget-friendly as I would like it to be but I will come back and bring friends. And hey, kudos to the restaurant for offering a selection of vegetarian options.

xx
Carmen

More Restaurant Info? 

Restaurant Theme & Feel: Spanish cuisine; semi-casual with a nice bar 

Website: CafeBaBaReeba(dot)com

Directions:

Carmen CK x California

Chapter I

The child in me; Disneyland

Remember those dreams when you were a little girl? The times where you would beg and kill to sneak a ride on Aladdin's magic carpet just to make princess Jasmine insanely jealous? No? Sorry if I'm the only one with twisted childhood dreams.

Well, I finally got to live my Disney dream... at the cost of 187 dollars. My post-Disnyeland verdict? "I'm too old for this shit". Please excuse my French. The idea of a tangible land filled built upon the magic of stories and ideas you've held so significantly once upon a time is very tempting, and much more compelling than the actual form itself. But if you don't mind waiting in line after line after line, enduring whiny kids and distressed parents, then it's worth a shot! Let me share some wisdom with you while we're at it: 

1. Abuse the heck out of the "fast past". It lets you skip the queue (most of it, at least) which therefore reduces the risk of you pulling all your hair out. 

2. Bring your own source of hydration. You'll either find yourself hunting for a water fountain till you're utterly convinced that it's just a myth or deciding if you should forgive yourself for paying 3 dollars for water. 

Chapter II

Mellower days in Monterey 

After 48 hours of Disney, it's time to cleanse the system. The journey from Anaheim to Monterey was  deliberating, but we still managed to harvest a tiny speck of joy from our full day of travel. For those who has never taken a sleeper train ride, I highly recommend it just for kicks. It really was an experience like no other. 

I would describe Monterey as a shabby chic yet charming town. It was beautiful in its own form of peasantry. There really wasn't anything adrenaline-pumping to do there, but most will come for the scenic view and of course, rich seafood! 

Fresh fish tacos (top); 

the-holy-grail-best calamari I have ever tasted in my life-- and I've had a fair share of them (bottom)

Chapter III 

San Francisco; bidding goodbyes 

Final stop: SF. Being in a sizable city as such brings a sense of familiarity. I'd like to think that my day-to-day practice of maneuvering in Chicago factored in this case. But deep down, I know, surer than anything, that my heart belonged to a majestic city. 

San Francisco, you've been amazing.  

No adventure is complete without great company. And I am thankful to have weaved these memories with an old friend. 

xx
Carmen

Letter to My Teenage Self

The big two O.

Yes, despite my own disbelief, I have finally turned twenty. Though intrinsically, I highly doubt that my present capabilities would equip me to survive the cannibalizing world of the unknown, sometimes being referred to as adulthood. But then again, I might be wrong; just like how I am, indeed, wrong about most things in life.

And as I ponder about the future and reminisce on the past, all the little bits and pieces that crafted the first two decades of my life started to pounce back into mind. Through the mental evaluation on all the moments of joy/pain/love/hate, I decided I have so much acquired wisdom I'd like to share with the gullible, dubious and frivolous old me. So hey, why not do so in the way I find most accustomed to?

(Letter to my teenage self) 

Dear Carmen,

Granted, at this point in your life, you'd start to doubt the "big" decisions you've made. And more often than not, you'd linger in the midst of "doubting" than actually "doing", investing all your time and energy on avoiding a conceivable mistake. My advice? Don't. I say this because (1) you ended up making some darn good decisions in your life, (2) some mistakes are inevitable and (3) some mistakes need to be made. You will laugh, cry and sometimes wander through these bleak moments, but it doesn't matter because you will survive.

Understand that some people are meant to be in your life forever and some are just passers-by. The onlookers' visits are transitory, though unfortunate but true. Some will serve to teach you a lesson (or be a pain in your ass) and others will gift you the experience of a lifetime. So cherish those who have showed you kindness and forgive the ones who brought you pain. Because you must remember, the ultimatum is that all this is just temporary.

Finally, don't hate what you see in the mirror. Spoiler alert: You're not going to grow 3 inches taller, be 20 pounds lighter or have Blake-Lively-worthy hair (in fact, there comes a time when you held you breath and chopped off your long locks. But that's a story for another time). Don't fret, because beyond obsessing over the unattainable, you'll be blessed with great adventures, meet the loveliest people and learn to accept that your spiritual being, achievements or acuity of mind have the least to do with the way you look or the number on a scale.

Know that, all and all, you'll be okay.

Wait, I take that back. You'll be

happy.

Sincerely,
Me