SUSI: The Key to Sustainable Living in Manila, Philippines

Image courtesy of SUSI's FB page

Back when I lived in Manila in 2011-2012, one of my biggest challenges was finding somewhere to eat with my pescetarian (seafood & veggies only) diet. Filipinos are notorious for their carnivorous, pork-loving, fried-food cuisines, so I often had trouble figuring out what to eat at parties (when all else failed, I ate only from the dessert table- while it was yummy, it also felt like I was treating myself to early onset diabetes. =/)

Image courtesy of SUSI's FB page

Imagine my delight when I came home recently and was introduced to SUSI (which means 'key' in Tagalog), a vegan restaurant promoting sustainable living. SUSI is founded by Bianca Mabanta, who left her visual design job in Barcelona to start SUSI in Manila. 

Bianca Mabanta, center. Image from Pepper PH. 

I had the 'Oscar the Grouch' green smoothie lathered in kale, spinach, wheatgrass, and banana, and felt refreshed and cleansed at the same time. Their menu boasts vegan, gluten-free options heavy on my favorite leaf, kale (I know, such a Cali girl thing) and decadent desserts that are all dairy-free and egg-free. 

Image courtesy of Manila Bulletin

To top it all off, their interiors are designed beautifully with the cozy charm of nature-inspired decor. It is the perfect environment for brunch, afternoon meetings (I myself came with Rich Earth Jewelry founder Rica Banares Manuel), or a place to take yourself on a coffee/reading date. 

What I love most is that SUSI is a woman-owned business promoting sustainable, cruelty-free living, compatible with the Glamourbaby lifestyle.

Image courtesy of SUSI's FB Page

If you're headed to Manila with a limited diet and a penchant for green gastronomy, head on over to SUSI and unlock a whole new world of vegan/healthy cuisine still rare in the Philippines!  

Read more about SUSI on their FB page and via this post here. 

SUSI is at: Burgos Circle, Forbes Town Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila
 

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Rica was kind enough to treat me to a snack there, and was excited to find a place that reminded me of my health conscious State of California. :) 

Ethical Brand: Introducing Rich Earth Jewelry from Manila, Philippines

All images courtesy of Rich Earth Jewelry

During my recent visit to my home country of the Philippines, I finally got the chance to meet Rica Banares Manuel in person, the Manila-based boss babe and creator behind Rich Earth Jewelry. Rich Earth Jewelry is particularly special to me, not only because of their gorgeous, hand-crafted jewelry, but because of their mission to promote sustainable luxury and social good. 

Rich Earth Jewelry is made with 24K gold plated aluminum metal and devastation free, semi-precious stones sourced through socially responsible procedures. According to their website: 

Aluminum is Rich Earth Jewelry's metal of choice for its dedication in promoting a conscious effort on protecting the environment and passion for social responsibility. This type of metal is highly sustainable for it is 100 percent-recyclable, without compromising quality. It is currently the third most recycled material in the world. Aside from its lightweight feature, Aluminum is a non-toxic metal. It is lead and nickel free, so it won't tarnish nor cause skin discoloration.
 

In addition to their partnership with Save Philippine Seas, Rich Earth also seeks to give back to communities through partnerships with other individuals and organizations committed to bringing more good to societies across the globe. 

Intrigued? Check out Rich Earth Jewelry on their website, and prepare to be mesmerized. 

Monday Motivation : Know History, Know Self

Me at the Jose P. Rizal Museum inside Fort Santiago in Manila, Philippines. Rizal is our national hero. 

A message inspired by my recent trip to the homeland. Becoming more of who we are first begins by knowing where we came from. That's where unshakeable confidence comes from. Root yourself in something great today.

Love, Ruby

If this message inspired you, do click the share button below! :) 

Smart Shopping Habits I Learned from Parisian Women

Ah, the Parisienne—the most revered and idolized woman in the world. Her elegance, her nonchalance, and her famed je ne sais quoi attitude has hypnotized men and women alike forever. But those perfectly masculine-inspired outfits and chic frocks don't just fall out of the sky. Women in Paris shop for their clothes, too. They just do it differently. 

As an American living in France, I’ve noticed a distinction between the way a French woman shops versus the way Americans do. And I'm not alone. Iconic fashion legend Christian Dior noticed it. According to his personal memoir, the designer, upon his first visit to the United States, noted significant differences. Among them was the observation that the American woman was often more likely to choose quantity in her shopping, while the Frenchwoman would naturally value quality.

To explore her allure just a bit further, let's look at how the Parisiennes make even the practice of acquiring goods stylish, smarter, and more sustainable.

Read the rest of my new article on Verily Magazine, a magazine encouraging women to be 'less of who they should be, and more of who they truly are'. 

Join Me & Boomcast in Broadcasting Stories that Matter

Social media can be pretty overwhelming. There is so much more content that we are bombarded with on a daily basis, and a lot of it doesn't inspire or uplift us. It's no secret that social media has made our society much more narcissistic, more self-centered. But done the right way, social media can be a powerful force for change.

Boomcast is a new social networking app that is on a mission to do just that. By committing to telling stories that matter, Boomcast encourages users to "broadcast your story, not your selfie". They are creating a new platform that "highlights what's going on in the world, but also each user's value and place in it". 

I am excited to find a tribe of people who share my values. I am excited to be a new ambassador for Boomcast, and to be part of a passionate community of like-minded people inspiring positive change. 

Check out my story on Boomcast here, and be sure to download the Boomcast app today! 

Why Fair Trade Fashion is a Women's Issue

My primary cause as a changemaker is the cause for empowering women. This is precisely why I’ve also made a decision to champion ethical fashion and change the way I shop, because fashion largely affects women on both the production and the consumer end.

Women make up about 80% of garment workers worldwide, and are often some of the lowest paid workers in the world. In Bangladesh, women only make $68 per month (Source: International Labor Rights Forum).

According to this article by Mic, women are preferred at factories because of the following reasons: As Liana Foxvog, director of organizing and communications at the International Labor Rights Forum, explained to Mic, “Factory owners prefer to hire female workers because they believe that not only are they better suited for sewing with their smaller hands, but that they're also more docile and, therefore, willing to work longer hours for less pay, without organizing or trying to change their conditions.’”

On the flip end, women are also the largest consumers of fashion. This means that we women have the power to change the nature of the industry, buy casting our votes for fair trade fashion with our wallets. 

Next time you consider buying something, ask yourself, who made my clothes?

To get you going on the ethical path, check out my article on NBC featuring women-owned, ethical brands.

More brands coming on the blog soon, stay tuned! 

To shopping well, wise, and with women in mind,

Ruby

Curious about fair trade fashion and conscious consumerism? Let's work together to bring Glamourbaby Diaries to your school, organization, or venue this year! 

Monday Motivation: What are you most proud of?

As 2015 comes to an end, I encourage you to ask yourself one important question. Watch below and re-share if you think someone you know should hear this!