11 August 2018

Ash Hair Dreams Achieved at Retro Salon Fairview



I've always wanted to have legit ash hair, not exactly gray or silver hair but that light brown hair with an ash shade. I find it just so hard to achieve that, first, because black hair that's been bleached tends to have orange or yellow undertones that makes it look brassy and second, because you can only get ash hair when done professionally.

Loreal Majirel ash shades

When I was invited to Retro Salon in Fairview a few weeks back, I was only expecting to take a peek at the salon for a feature. Little did I know that I would get my dream hair color that exact day. 

I am no pro when it comes to deciding on what shade would perfectly suit me so I was thankful that their senior stylist, Ms. Rose, had something solid in mind. I would actually settle with ash brown hair but she thinks it would look better it I get highlights. My only request was that I hope the latter would be subtle.

Before

The first part of the entire process was foil highlighting. They manually (and tediously) separated small portions of hair and placed developer on it. They wrapped it in aluminum foil to make sure that it won't affect the rest of my hair because it would surely make the hair much lighter. It was set for 15 minutes before heading to the second step. 

Foil highlighting

While waiting for the highlights to become as light as the intended it to be, they applied ash hair dye to the rest of my hair. This makes the whole process a lot faster since it's like hitting two birds with one stone (highlights and hair color at the same time) . They didn't added hair color to my roots yet though because this part tends to lighten the fastest. They used Loreal Majirel for my hair color. I have super long hair so it was quite a work to apply the products on my hair. At this point, there were three of them that needs to work on my hair. They have quite a number of stylists and staff so when such situation happens, they have the ample number of people to work on their clients even on a busy day.

Hair coloring in between

After 20 minutes, they applied the rest of the hair color at my roots. I suggest you allot ample time if you want to have highlights and treatment made because it's gonna take a while. While waiting, you may make use of their magazines or just engage in a conversation with your stylist. They're super friendly! 

After finishing up the roots

When the alarm went off, I was taken to the shampoo area to have everything rinsed. I have to be honest but I was quite shocked when I saw the bleached strands of hair that was supposed to be my highlights. I thought that was the end of it. But after they rinsed my hair, they applied gray hair color to my hair to give the highlights that ash tone. 

Hair treatment

Although not really part of the hair coloring process, I had my hair treated. I know it's an additional expense but if you want to keep on coloring and dyeing your hair, this is a good investment. Coloring puts so much toll on the hair that it becomes brittle and dry. With treatments, you can repair your hair to keep it healthy and shiny.

Final result

After another batch of rinsing, I had my hair dried and curled. When I saw my newly colored hair (even before I had my temporary waves), I was so in love! I wasn't sure how ash would look on me or how highlights would look on me, but both turned out awesome. Ms. Rose definitely know what she's doing here. I've been getting lots of compliments on my hair.

After curling

When I got my curls thereafter, I wished they were permanent! The highlights stand out well with wavy hair. I like it also when I put my hair up and the highlights would peek on the sides. It's quite eye catching, but in a good way. By the way, my hair didn't dry up after the process. My hair remained straight and soft. I just use purple/non-sulfate shampoo and conditioner to maintain the ash shade.


Price at Retro Salon varies depending on hair length. Prices start at P1550 and up for permanent Loreal hair color and P1050 and up for foil highlighting. If you have extremely long hair (like me) or thick hair, expect the price to be a tad different from the above mentioned figures. You can have your hair assessed before undergoing any procedure. And the figures that they will state during assessment is the final price so you won't get surprised after.

You may visit Retro Salon Fairview at Angelenix House, Commonwealth Corner Camaro Street, Novaliches, Quezon City. You may call them at (02)9354436 or (0917)1460289 for more inquiries and to set an appointment. Don't forget to check out their Facebook page at https://facebook.com/MetroSalonFairview.

XO, Mish


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03 August 2018

There is More to Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq than Smoked Meats



Kapitolyo never fails to surprise everyone with unique food experiences that would surely make people satisfied. Every place I have visited there has given me nothing but a loaded belly and an awesome time. Anyway, the last place I've been to started out as a small barbecue place along East Capitol Drive. Now, it has turned into a legit barbecue place offering smoked meats, among others.

Spacious indoor dining area
Live music to entertain everyone

The Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq has been open to public since 2016. They're quite far from the rest of the restaurants in Kapitolyo but they're definitely a must visit. When it comes to their interiors, they have quite a spacious dining area. The tables and chairs didn't feel cramped or crowded at all. They also have outdoor seating area if you prefer such. At night, they usually have an artist entertaining the crowd. I feel like it's the perfect hangout place after work.

Oyster Sisig - P250

The first dish that came out of the kitchen was nothing short of spectacular. Crispy oysters are smothered in garlic, mayonnaise, and aromat for that explosive flavor and texture. I love how crunchy the oysters are and the creamy sauce was a perfect match to it. It was a shame that I have to share this dish because I want to finish it on my own. 

Chili Sausage - P250

One new addition to their menu is the Chili Sausage. Don't be fooled by the name because it wasn't that spicy at all. The sausages have that peppery flavor that I love and the sauce was mildly spicy. I am not really a fan of spicy food but I can easily tolerate this one. 

Pulled Pork & Bacon Sisig - P270

I had to order rice after this dish came out of the kitchen. There's no way you can have sisig without rice! The pulled pork had a good mix of pork meat and fat. It also has bacon so there's a sweet flavor you get to taste every now and then. It was sinfully good. I found it kind of drenched in oil but isn't that how we want our sisig?

Sizzling Burger Steak - P370

The Sizzling Burger Steak was a combination of sweet and savory flavors. The burger steak was of decent serving size. It was meaty good! The egg on top was cooked nicely although I'd love the yolk to be a little bit more runny. The sauce and bacon slices gave it a hint of sweet flavor. I also love how they added shiitake mushrooms to it cause it added a new taste to the dish.

Bacon and Mushroom Pizza - P370

One of the underrated dishes that night was the Bacon and Mushroom Pizza (simply because everyone went gaga over the meats.) Anyway, this homemade pizza likewise has a sweet flavor to it and I think it's mainly because of their homemade bacon. I think this is something that kids will love. If you prefer something different from smoked meats, they likewise have tons of other dishes such as pizzas, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Pit Platter - P1500
The highlight of the night was the Pit Platter. It is composed of the five smoked meats that Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq offers - the Pitmaster's Smoked Ribs, the Black Angus Brisket, the Smoked Bacon Strips, the Smoked Coriander Chicken, and the Pit Smoked Sausage. I personally love the beef brisket. This 15 hour smoked black angus beef brisket was extremely tender and tasty. It literally melts in your mouth. The seven hour smoked ribs were likewise fall-off-the-bone tender and very flavorful. The homemade seven day cured and smoked bacon strips were yummy but I think I was looking for that crisp. I wasn't a fan of the chicken also simply because it was kind of dry for my preference, but it has a really nice flavor.  

The Pit Platter also includes four regular sides of your choice and a carafe of iced tea. I personally prefer the corn cob (which you can have grated) and the garlic buttered french beans. They also have premium sides such as four cheese mac and cheese, truffle pasta, elote Mexican corn, among others, that would surely go well with your Pit Platter.  

Sauces available at Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq

Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq takes pride in their sauces. They currently have three variants which differs in sweetness and heat level. Apple is supposed to be the spiciest among the three. It wasn't as spicy as I expected and it has a runny texture. It actually has a sweet flavor. Hazelnut has a thicker texture and a tad sweeter than Apple. I think I prefer the East Capitol the most because it has a nice balance of heat and sweetness. 

Beer Paddle - P250

The Beer Paddle is a nice pair to Pitmaster's menu and good live music. We got a beer paddle which consists of four flavored beers - Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, and Banana. I was able to taste everything and I oddly found banana to be the best one. I thought I would like the Salted Caramel the best but it leaves a bitter aftertaste whereas the banana tastes smooth and sweet all throughout. 


If you opt to have awesome food with good music along with great company, better visit Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq. You may visit them at 64 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Don't forget to check out their social media sites here:

XO, Mish


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