Sunday, January 28

Bò Bia Ngọt; Hanoi's Sweet Street Food



Street foods. In the Philippines, it is commonly what's soaked in oil and sold either by piece or by a stick. In Hanoi, it comes in a very different form. Just like this one. Bò Bia Ngọt or sweet summer roll. It is a snack prepared after you have ordered. Two pieces of lumpia wrappers, added with blocks of crispy sugar candies, shredded coconut meat and a good sprinkle of black sesame seeds. A roll cost VND10.000 (0.000440 US Dollar) which seems no cost at all.

I am not a big fan of this but it is always worth a try. We found the lady selling Bò Bia Ngọt along the street of Hoan Kiem Lake.



Here's a video of how this street food is made. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 24

Bánh Đa Cá or Turmeric Fish with Noodles; Must Try in Hanoi, Vietnam



One of the highlights of my Vietnam trip was my try for the authentic noodle soups of the country. I was delighted by exploring their rich noodle dishes in the Philippines and so it is now time for the countrymade ones.

This Bánh đa cá noodles soup (fish with noodles) was a true hit! It was the first Vietnamese food I've tried and had it the first day we've landed. It is merely a noodle soup with fried fish which used Banh da do (red rice noodle) and added additional distinct flavor to the dish. I think the best time to visit Vietnam for their noodle soup is in the winter (December to March). Who would think that Vietnam has winter! It can be 8 degrees in the northern part of the country and soup perfectly serves its purposes, to fill the tummy and to warm one's soul.



If you want to try Vietnamese cuisine, make sure to have some locals to tour you around so you know where the best ones are. In my case, my friend (who travelled with me) has friends who lived there for seven years. Their length of stay is reasonable enough to trust their recommendation.



We had this noodle soup for lunch before having their intriguing egg coffee, Cà Phê Trứng. It is just around Hoan Kiem Lake in a small restaurant where you need to seat on a very low stool.



Lime wedges, vinegar with garlic slices, shrimp paste or sate, chili and MSG (monosodium glutamate) are commonly present on the table in case you want to adjust your bowl's taste.



This fish noodle soup is consists of noodles, fried fish, vegetables like spring onion, tomato, tamarind and a soft fish cake which is similar to Korean odeng.



Everything mixed up in one bowl is a perfect combination to create this savory fish noodle soup. I fell in love with it and keep it in my heart until I left Vietnam. I told myself before I leave the country that I'll be coming back to have another bowl, but then time restrained me to do so. It is second on my top favorite dishes in Vietnam. What is my first then? Stay tuned on my blog to be updated!

I can't wait to go back and have a bowl with my future husband, GJ. Hihi.

Tuesday, January 23

Great Find: Fashionable Formal Dresses Available Online

If you’re on a tight schedule but still need to find the perfect formal dress for that important event, don’t worry that much. Did you know what you can now purchase even your own customized size dress online without spending too much time for shopping?

Online? Why not! Shesdress Au offers a wide array of stunning dresses that will perfectly fit your needs and liking. In just a click away, you'll be able to have the piece of your choice. Their extensive collection of Formal Dresses are available in elegant designs and price range. It is also reassuring to know that Shesdress Au has their own workshop and tailors. What you by from them is what they deliver to you. The strict control of their production process ensures that their dresses are made of high-quality materials.

One of my favorite picks was their best seller Beading Ball Gown Organza Formal Dress. You can just simply fall in love with the intricate design of lace and fabric. It also gives a highlight of one's femininity. I am also thinking that this formal dress can simply suit a wedding itself. How fabulous is that!

Beading Ball Gown Dress

Another one from my pick is this Blue Off-The-Shoulder Tulle Formal Dress with trendy designs and beautiful fabrics that you'll surely fall in love with. It gives a mysterious feeling that adds color to the occassion.

Blue Off-Shoulder Tulle Dress


There are still a lot of formal dresses to choose from. You might want to check them yourself for Formal Dresses 2018 collection.

Sunday, January 21

Vietnamese Egg Coffee at Coffee & Chill Station, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi



I am never a coffee lover. And you might find it odd since most of the person you know loves coffee. Sadly, I experience breathing difficulties and palpitations every time I try a cup.

But while in Vietnam, it is hard to say no to the controversial egg-infused coffee served into your table. As second to the largest exporter of coffee around the globe, Vietnam stick serving their locals and visitors this quirky drink.



Although we had three other different drinks, this Cà Phê Trứng stood out the most. And we are just in the perfect time of winter in Hanoi to have this warm decadent cup.

We were supposed to go to a different coffee shop but they ran out of stock. Without hesitating, they eagerly suggested another cafe. There comes Coffee & Chill Station along the side of Hoan Kiem Lake.



It was after we did our souvenir shopping that we stayed for a quick chill and chitchat. The shop was cozy enough to refresh us again after a haggle-filled morning. The staffs were friendly and can converse in English. Another factor to recommend the shop.



Egg coffee was discovered when Mr. Nguyen Giang, a local working at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel made egg and condensed milk as a substitute for cream.

How does it taste like? A perfect balance of strong coffee and a frothy and silky egg yolk in one. It undeniable resembles a liquid tiramisu.



I can say that this drink is so rich that you don't want to miss when you get a trip to Hanoi.

Will you have courage to try this phenomenal drink?

Monday, January 1

Snapcart Philippines; SCAM or LEGIT?


I've been planning to write something about this topic since the beginning of my journey with this mobile application called Snapcart PH yet I want to make sure that I'm scratching my own itch and be able to give an honest review.

This app popped out on my Instagram dashboard. At first, it was just a sponsored post and to me, it isn't worth looking at. But then few months after (yep, few months!), I saw one of my blogger friend, a mom, posted about this and that she got money from it. Then I looked for reviews and write-ups. And since I had enough information, I downloaded it for free and joined those thousands using it. Snapcart Philippines was launched last August 2016.





What does Snapcart do? Snapcart is a mobile application that gives rewards and cashbacks to shoppers when they snap a photo of their grocery receipts. Shoppers can earn more when they participate in bonus features in the app including fill in surveys and watch videos. -source

So then I started keeping receipts and sometimes, I ask my boyfriend for his receipt when we go shopping. It was to test if this platform is worth considering and can be recommended. This experiment lasted for four months, slower than what I've expected.

Here are some pages of Snapcart that I find essential.

Dashboard

The dashboard. Upon opening the app, this is the first thing you'll see on your gadget. Your status, your balance and the snap button to capture your receipts. Obviously, this is my personal favorite. After taking pictures, I can see here immediately if my receipt was approved or not because the balance increases or stays the same.

Notification

When I notice that the amount of my balance increases, this is the next page I'm into, the notification page. It shows the amount you had from your recent receipt snaps. And if ever your receipt got rejected, you can also see here the reason why.

History

And in case your receipt got rejected, but you think it should NOT be rejected, you need to check your ID and send a message to their customer support. Rejection can be avoided. Just make sure that you snapped your receipt as clear as possible and as complete as possible (that means from top to bottom). There are some cases that my snaps are unreasonably rejected. That's no problem, I just report them with the ID number and they give me cashback after. Just be patient when talking to them. It takes them some time before they reply to an inquiry. The longest one I had was four days.

Help Center

Since I started using the app, I never had a week that I did not snap a receipt. This is part of the experiment, until when will I be able to finally cashout. But then when they added a new feature, like the redemption of load, I was able to use it twice. Minimum amount was Php50 but you need to have atleast Php55 in your balance. My other bank redemption was a success too! I linked my BPI account and they deposited it on my account after 15 business days. Yep. That's a long time. It says in the app that the maximum days of waiting is up to 7 days only. But no, don't be mislead. I needed to follow up mine everyday after that 7 days and then I finally had my cashout. Waiting game, they say.

Warning

This last picture is what I hate the most. I was banned and I won't be able to cashout unless they removed my account from being warned. The worse case is being blocked, meaning, I won't be able to snap again with the account I am using. But I did not panic. Few days after, the warning was removed and I received an email stating "The system mistakenly flagged users who are not supposed to be warned." Apologizing for the mistake that happened, they even send cashback compensation. Awesome!




Verdict:


The application is user-friendly. I personally like the color, hey it's blue! Don't blame me. :D There are also games and surveys that can add points which can add cash. The customer support was kind to answer all my questions but they took a lot of time. Cashout takes time too. Instead of 7 business days, it was 15 business days for me, and a month for others. This experiment went well for the past months. It was a good source of extra money if you have time and patience. You can try it for yourself if you may. Happy snapping!

Update as of March 14, 2018:

Snapcart App stopped their mobile load redemption. Bank cashout is the only option they have.

Additional Information:
Use a Google Account registered in the Philippines, otherwise it will not work.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Snapcart Philippines. This write up is solely based on my own experience.