Seefulun (Sifulun-Sephora) Bags

          I've heard of luxury Chinese brands like Songmont, but I can't justify spending that much. As a working mom with a young child, I try to spend my money wisely.

About two or three months ago, I bought a bag from Bagsmart, a brand designed in the U.S. and manufactured in China. Nowadays, there are many well-made and affordable Chinese brands available, such as Bostanten. This time, I decided to try another brand that isn't as well known but has an official store on Lazada.

My husband keeps asking why I bought another bag, but this one is genuinely well made. It is crafted from first-layer cowhide leather and is very practical for everyday use. I purchased both a handbag and an RFID wallet, which helps protect IDs and cards from unauthorized scanning.

The brown bag is surprisingly spacious. It can fit a bottle of body spray, several wallets, IDs, and other daily essentials. It also has multiple zippered compartments inside for better organization. The wallet is equally roomy, featuring a zippered section for coins or bills, along with numerous card and ID slots.

Who says you can't find a good-quality bag at an affordable price? You might want to check out Seefulun (which Google Translate amusingly renders as "Sephora"). So far, I'm quite happy with my purchase.

Back at Confucius Institute

I really was not planning to enroll again and study at the Confucius Institute. I only sent an email to the director of the Confucius Institute, Dr. Shi, to tell her about my long-time love for Chinese culture almost half of my life already. I was not aware that she was the former director of the Confucius Institute at U.P. Diliman. So she suggested that I get in touch with Dr. Zhi, who is the new director.

When I was still single, I was able to take face-to-face Chinese classes at the Confucius Institute in Ateneo. But now that I am married and have a child, I am glad that U.P. Diliman offers online classes. I am now enrolled in the beginner online class, HSK 1, under Mr. Wu. I have known about the Confucius Institute in U.P. before because I was invited to their inauguration. 

 My husband is somewhat disappointed again because he is not in favor of me returning to my so-called “hobby” or interest, which is Chinese culture and language. Because of his encouragement before, I gave away my collection of Chinese books to our barangay because he told me my books were just clutter. Anyway, I was able to meet the kind director, Dr. Zhi, and she gave me a brochure from Xiamen University, where she works. We also chatted about my long-time interest in China. She said she would be glad to help me and support my learning. I even opened up to her about a deep wound from my past regarding my interest in Chinese culture and language. She told me to believe in myself and not care too much about what others say. So I say 加油！

The Heir (Chinese Drama)

           This month, I discovered an intriguing Chinese drama titled The Heir. It is about the Li family and other families whose businesses revolve around ink making, competing for the prestigious title of producing the finest ink and for the honor of presenting an ink tribute to the emperor.

Ink is very important in Chinese culture because it is used in Chinese calligraphy. Chinese characters are beautiful to look at, yet difficult to comprehend for a non-native Chinese learner like me.

What I like about this drama is how it highlights family ties, strong relationships, and filial piety. This is definitely another C-drama worth watching.

Reset (Chinese Movie)

 I was not able to post about this Chinese movie, Reset (2022) starring, Zhao Jinmai and Bai JingTing. It tells the story of a college student trapped in a time loop where she keeps waking up inside a bus as time repeatedly resets. I will not go into details so I will not spoil the movie. 

The storyline is very good, and I did not find the movie boring from the start. Kudos to the director, scriptwriter, and everyone involved in making this movie. This deserves to be known worldwide. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend it, especially if you like the suspense, mystery, and thriller genre.

Xiaomi S4 (41mm) Smartwatch

 After a long hiatus, here I am again. Its the year 2026 and I'm back again for another post. Its been 2 years since I last bought a smartwatch and that one is priced at Php 4,000+. Its Xiaomi 4 smartwatch. Now I bought another Xiaomi watch and its really very nice. Premium watch. Its priced at $115 around Php 6,668 its on sale at that time but now its regular price is around Php 7,000 plus.

I put a screen protector and also the whole face watch protector. Its a gold one but I ordered one that is not gold to match the silver. Its really nice and lightweight. I also like the rubber strap. I have the black color. There are lots of custom watch faces, with cute animals. This one has also a fall detection. Plus, all the health feature of this watch like heart rate, oxygen etc. are reliable compared to my Huawei smartband. So that is why I chose Xiaomi brand.

The Best Thing (Chinese Drama)

           The Best Thing Chinese drama is my favorite drama this year (2025). It is about the severely insomniac hotel manager Shen Shi Fan and the good-looking neighborhood Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor He Su Ye.

From the setting alone, the scenery, I became hooked with this drama. You should watch it if you are interested in Chinese Traditional medicine. The actor Zhang Ling He who plays the TCM doctor is right for the role. 

The female lead looks like a younger version of Shu Qi. This drama is lighthearted and no serious problematic plot. Real life is stressful and by watching this series it was a beautiful escape for me from the real world for awhile.

I really like the OST of this drama, I like the song of Silence Wang, You Are In the World I Like and Thoughts of Loving You by Yan Ren Zhong. 

I have two items, memorabilia from this drama photocards and the Chinese novel by Sheng Li, which is so cute because it has a hand written note and a beautiful quote that says, "The happiest thing in the world is that the person you love just happens to love you deeply too." 

Osmanthus Bean Cake

 I finally found the cake I’ve always admired in the Chinese dramas I watch—the soft, fragrant osmanthus mung bean cake. This is exactly the kind I’ve been longing to try, not like the powdery biscuit version I once posted about. What makes it even more special is that these cakes are made by 知味观 (Zhī Wèi Guān), one of Hangzhou’s most popular and historic food brands founded in 1913, celebrated for their authentic flavors and cultural presentation.

I also love the covers of the boxes—they tell the stories of beautiful West Lake scenes, and here are some interesting facts I discovered about them:

Left box: Osmanthus Mung Bean Cake (桂花绿豆糕 Guìhuā lǜ dòu gāo). The cover illustrates 花港观鱼 (Huā gǎng guān yú), “Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor,” one of West Lake’s Ten Scenes. This place is famous for its red carp gliding gracefully beneath pavilions, surrounded by flowers in bloom—a lively yet poetic reflection of the osmanthus flavor within.

Right box: Original Mung Bean Cake (原味绿豆糕 Yuánwèi lǜ dòu gāo). This box shows 曲院风荷 (Qūyuàn fēng hé),  “Lotus in the Breeze at the Crooked Courtyard.” In summertime, lotus blossoms fill the lake, swaying in the warm breeze. The pure, original flavor of this cake mirrors that same calm beauty.

Bottom of the Green Box (both cakes). Printed here are the phrases 晓食时令 (Xiǎo shí shí lìng)  “Seasonal Delicacies at Dawn” and 湖山十景 (Húshān shí jǐng), “Ten Scenic Views of Lake and Mountain,” tying these sweets to the cultural legacy of Hangzhou. The motto—知景 (Zhī jǐng) / 知味 (Zhī wèi) / 知西湖 (Zhī Xīhú), “Know the Scenery, Know the Taste, Know West Lake”—reminds us that enjoying these cakes is also savoring a piece of history and culture.

The numbers printed on the boxes 20250813 and 20250814 are the production dates. In China, it’s common to print the date of manufacture, while in the Philippines we are more familiar with seeing the expiration date on food packaging. ✍️