Shiseido Philippines unveils its Artistry with Ease Club

I have not been writing regularly so this announcement is a little late. A few months ago, Shiseido Philippines offered a one-on-one make-up tutorial series through its Artistry with Ease Club. 

I had the opportunity to sit down with their make-up artist. First of all, the Shiseido counter in Greenbelt Makati is probably one of the cleanest that I have ever seen in that area. I was even provided with a white hairnet and bib, to start the session.

I was asked to choose between three possible make-up looks and I opted for the Single Statement Look with Eye Focus.

The Shiseido foundation applied to my face provided full coverage. It's a bit thicker compared to other foundations I have tried. The make-up artist also gave attention to defining the eyebrows. Overall, the look is probably suitable for evening wear.

I requested to try Shiseido's purple palette. It included both matte and glitter colors. The palette was on the darker side and added depth and dimension to the eyes.

My favorite purple lipstick came from Shiseido. I think it's one of the colors that they do best.

Goryeo Restaurant and the Manila Bay sunset

I have been on a writing hiatus until a visit to Okada's Sakura Garden brought me to another experience of the Manila Bay sunset and the hotel's restaurant called Goryeo.

Last December 8, 2018, the off-Broadway play "The Court Martial of Admiral Montojo" written by Dennis Posadas launched its first production in Manhattan Repertory Theatre, New York. It is an award-winning historical drama that revolves around the Battle of Manila Bay. Broadway World reported that the small theater was packed on performance day. 

Thus, witnessing the Manila Bay sunset always holds special significance, as it serves as a reminder of the events that changed Philippine history.

Of course, Goryeo Restaurant that overlooks Manila Bay was also an interesting discovery. 

Banchan includes small dishes served before the main meal. This alone is enough to make you feel half full as the servers replenish upon request.

Kimbap is the sushi version in Korean cuisine. This one was served without a sauce and tasted a bit bland. So we asked for a little soy sauce to go with it. 

The Seafood Korean Pancake was filling.

This Galbitang had a clean, light broth with a hint of sweetness that was so good. The ribs were tender and could easily be cut with a spoon.

They had two kinds of Bimbimbap - one served on a stone pot and another one on a different dish. The server recommended the stone pot as it keeps the food hotter for a longer period. So we followed her advice.

The Pork Samgyeopsal was grilled at the table. 

The pork pieces and other ingredients are wrapped in lettuce leaf, dipped in sauce, and usually eaten whole in one bite.

The order also came with this salad. The dishes can be shared with family and friends.

We discovered Goryeo Restaurant at dusk and we were seated facing the sunset. As you can probably surmise, it was a memorable dinner.

"It's almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." -- Bern Williams