A Mongolian Treat: O' Mai Khan in Baguio City

A week prior to our trip to Baguio, I offered to prepare our itinerary which, of course, consists of a number of restaurants that we have to try and a few touristy places specially included for all Baguio first-timers and long-time returning visitors in the group. Initially, I just listed down the restaurants in no particular order. The plan was to just choose from the list as we go along but my OC self just couldn't stop there. As the days get nearer, I ended up plotting down the restaurants into our travel itinerary to make sure we have a restaurant planned for every single meal.


I thought we had a good mix, from the newly opened Hill Station to old time favorites like Cafe by the Ruins and Forest House, I had every meal covered even for our afternoon merienda! What I didn't include and actually failed to give more attention to was this restaurant that has been famous for their Mongolian Buffet for years! It was only when friends started leaving comments over at my Facebook page urging me and the group to give O' Mai Khan a try. What convinced me was a message from fellow foodie Nowie who can't stop raving about the restaurant and the food. After reading his message, I was truly convinced!

So we decided to drop one restaurant from the list and headed directly to O' Mai Khan for lunch on our second day. Service at Hotel Elizabeth was amazing! To ensure that we can easily secure a table given that we're such a big group, the front desk officer offered to give the restaurant a call and made reservations for us!

We got there at exactly 12 and it has been raining non-stop that day. I silently prayed that they have really reserved a table for us since there seems to be a crowd growing already by the porch of the restaurant. O' Mai Khan used to be located near the Rizal Park and Cafe by the Ruins, they just recently moved to their current and way bigger location at the Upper Session Road where they can offer more parking slots and tables for their growing number of customers. This a waiting line is a common sight in the restaurant as told to me by the server.

I never thought the Baguio community would love Mongolian buffets so much but hey for only Php. 210 per head (adult) and to be able to enjoy bowls of piping hot veggies and meat to combat the chilly weather, I figured out that it made perfect sense!

As soon as we were led to our table and the kids were seated, the adults headed directly to the buffet table.

Look how excited Irene was as she piled her bowl high with Baguio's fresh greens! 

Basically the process here is that they control your rice and meat portions (you can choose from pork, chicken or beef) and you can get as many veggies as you want!

Hill Station in Upper Session Road, Baguio

When we finally got to Baguio a little past 12 noon, the first thing we did was to look for a place to eat. Our three little passengers were starting to verbally express their hunger already so we all kept our eyes on the road in search of any of the restaurants included in our list.


Thankfully, we immediately saw Hill Station which is located very close to SM Baguio. I've been reading a number of good reviews about this new restaurant and was quite excited to try it. After securing a good parking spot, we all made our way towards the basement of Casa Vallejo, an old hotel that closed down last 1999 and was revived recently and was made into a small bed and breakfast place.


The ambiance was very pretty giving a traditional Filipino feel. At the entrance is the bar area with an old wooden (yet working) piano where I ended up playing a few songs later on.

We walked further in towards the main dining area and I love the heavy wooden chairs, the comfy looking couches and the big wide windows where we took turns taking photos of the view outside.

It was the kids' first time in Baguio and despite their hunger, they seemed to like the ambiance too.

Hill Station is owned by Mitos Benitez Yñiguez who's the daughter of the owners of Mario's Restaurant. It's no wonder why you'll noticed that the logo has the same clean, simple look and they prepare their Caesar Salad quite similar to one another. However, the similarities end there and Hill Station has its own identity and will surely give you a different experience all together.


After giving our orders, we were served with a basket of their complimentary bread and dip. For the dip, we were given two saucers each, one filled with olive oil and another with dukkah. Dukkah is an Egyptian side dish which is a mixture of herbs, nuts and spices. What you have to do is to get a small piece of bread, dip one side on to the olive oil saucer and dip that same side on to the dukkah. This way the dukkah sticks to the bread. I love how it gives a very Indian/Mediterranean taste which was very nutty and aromatic. Little Keirra enjoyed the bread so much she quickly nodded when I asked her if she wanted more. 

And the WINNERS are: Frannywanny's Annual Starbucks Giveaway

I won a blog contest!! To be honest, I rarely join contests or promos but after seeing the announcement over at fellow blogger Patty's website that I could win a special photo shoot for Scottie and the entire family, I took some time out to follow the mechanics and to submit my contest entry while crossing my fingers that I will be chosen. It's Christmas after all and I would like to give my dear Scottie a fun photo shoot!

Lo and behold, I got an email from Pet Photographer Denise telling me that I won the contest! YAHOOOOO!!! Lucky lucky me!! :) Thank you Patty and Denise for making me day!

Now it's time to pay it forward...

After three whole weeks of running the contest with 148 valid entries I am so excited to finally announce the winners who will be receiving a couple of Starbucks items from me! :)


Without further ado... I present the Top 4 winners as chosen by Random.org!

Mark Spencer Tan will be receiving the limited edition Coffee on the Go Backpack!!

Amity Ong and Kristine Conception will get a Starbucks Christmas Tumbler EACH!

Lastly.... reader Joy Mesina-Bahia brings home the Starbucks 2012 Planner!!! :)

I will be notifying the winners via email within the day :)

CONGRATULATIONS winners! 

Merry Christmas to all!!

Baguio Accomodations : Hotel Elizabeth

When The Food Club went up to Baguio a couple of weeks ago, we stayed at Hotel Elizabeth which is located very near Mine's View Park. Since we were a big group, we were given four different rooms to fit all of us in.

The families of 4 each got an Executive Suite each while Paul and I had the Deluxe Room (Php. 4,256 published rate) which was just perfect for the two of us. In fact, I find the room to be quite specious as we get to have our own balcony and a medium-sized bathroom too. In lieu of an air-conditioning unit, they have a ceiling fan installed in every room too. The TV set have cable and the best part is, you get unlimited Wi-Fi access not only in the lobby but even at the comforts of your room.


Each room has a mini bar where we always get our daily complimentary stock of Bottled Water. On top of that, we were welcomed to help ourselves to coffee with a couple of packs available for us to consume for free.

Don't you just love the view from my room? :)

Paul and I have been visiting Baguio annually for the past 3 years and we've had our share of hotels with thin walls, creepy crawlers coming out from nowhere and worst..not functioning bathroom heater. Given the very cold weather of Baguio, to not have a heater while taking a bath can really be a painfully chilly ordeal. I'm glad we didn't experience any of those here at Hotel Elizabeth.

H Cuisine in Quezon City -- Home of the most awesome Angus Beef Belly

When I got an invite to visit H Cuisine by Chef Hannah Herrera, I suddenly remembered the time when I visited the Corinthian Hills Weekend Market 3 years ago where I first learned about H Cuisine and was able to try a couple of their dishes. Sadly, my memory is pretty terrible that I couldn't really remember exactly what dishes I was able to try but I figured that it must be good as I do not have any bad memories about it.


Together with Richard and Irene, Ro and Peter, Jane, Abet and Joan, Paul and I had an intimate dinner at H Cuisine hosted by none other but Chef Hannah herself. We were led up to the second floor where two round tables were prepared just for us. At one side is a buffet spread featuring several dishes that H Cuisine specializes in.


To start the evening, Chef Hannah conducted a simple cooking demo showing us how to cook her best-selling Angus Beef Belly and the many variations of it such as the Angus Fried Rice and the Angus Beef Panini. Sadly, all Paul and I could do was to enjoy the smell as we can't have beef at the moment *sniffle*.


Chef Hannah is really sweet to prepare a couple of non-beef dishes for Paul, Irene and myself. While I felt a bit sad that I wasn't able to try the very fragrant and obviously tender-looking beef, I was so happy with the Fish Trafalgar (Php. 228) which is normally served with penne pasta but that evening we had it with Red Rice! I love how fragrant this dish was which was brought about by the truffle cream sauce. The fish was very soft and it was definitely a delight to eat. I had two servings of this and continues to dream about it every single day. I will definitely go back to H Cuisine for this!

Yabu: The House of Katsu

My sister just got back from her business trip in Japan and she brought home a luggage full of yummy goodies! From delicious rice crackers to a bag of Takoyaki mix and a lot more! She really went wild shopping for food that it was only when she was unloading her pasalubongs that she realized that all her food purchases were enough to fill up our dining table! Nothing surprising though as this is a common sight whenever a family member comes home from a trip. It is no wonder why my sister and I get along so well.

While recounting her week-long stay in the land of Tempura and Sushi, she showed us photos of her having this amazing dinner where she had Tonkatsu and was enjoying the experience so much. I was actually surprised as my sister is not the type who would order Tonkatsu or even Katsudon here in Manila. She's a big fan of Unagi (eel) and Ebi Tempura (shrimp) and not much of the breaded pork cutlets that I, on the other hand, truly love. I guess having the authentic kind helps a lot.

Looking at her photos, I was immediately reminded of Yabu: The House of Katsu, a new restaurant at SM Megamall where I recently had dinner with Paul and a couple of our friends.

The place was jam-packed that we had to wait a while before we finally had our table. Luckily, despite the fact that we were a big group of 15, the wait wasn't that long. In about 15 minutes, it was finally our turn and were led towards the longest table in the house. The restaurant interiors gives a very modern Japanese feel. I like the wallpaper art where it shows a comic strip of a chef preparing..what else?!...Katsu!


On each table is a ceramic tray that contains all of the sauces and condiments that you'll possibly need for your meal. There's the sesame dressing and vinaigrette for the salad, the Tonkatsu sauce, the Japanese salt for the Edamame and a lot more. As my sister told me, in Japan, they work so efficiently that while dining at a restaurant there is no need for you to ask the waitstaff for an additional piece of napkin, some salt or pepper or even your utensils. Everything that they think you'll need will immediately be served to you. Amazing huh?

Browsing through the menu, I noticed that the prices were pretty reasonable where a 100g Pork Tenderloin Set is just Php. 295. Not so bad given that it will be served in a set.


Paul and I decided to get our own set meals but also agreed to share an appetizer. We chose the Wakame and the Potato Salad (Php. 175). I enjoyed the Wakame, which are shredded cold seaweed topped with ebiko (fish roe). The Potato Salad wasn't so bad either but since it's something you can easily make at home or purchase elsewhere, the Wakame made the whole appetizer duo extra special.


Paul chose the Hire (Pork Tenderloin) 100g set (Php. 295) which came with a bowl of piping hot Miso soup, Japanese rice, some sliced pickles, bottomless serving of finely chopped cabbage and a bowl of fruits. I find it worth the price as Japanese rice alone is expensive and the serving was pretty generous! Of course, the highlight of his meal was the Hire Tonkatsu and Paul enjoyed it very much. He commented that it was very tender despite not having any fat attached to it.

Christmas Reading : Home-Made for the Holidays

Here's one great gift idea for the holidays! My friends, Chefs Angelo Comsti and Aileen Anastacio, came up with this quick and easy cookbook called Home-Made for the Holidays that features 60 Christmas treats that you can enjoy in your own home or to be given out as gifts to your loved ones.


They have easy recipes on how to make caramel popcorns, gingerbread cookies and step-by-step guide on how to make potluck-perfect dishes like a caviar pie or even a White Chocolate Cheesecake!


I'm so proud of both Angelo and Aileen as they finally have their very own book! Both are contributors of Yummy Magazine while Angelo Comsti used to be Yummy's former food editor (and my very popular cooking demo chef) while Chef Aileen is the talented lady behind Goodies and Sweets.

Home-Made for the Holidays is available in all National Bookstore outlets for only Php. 895!! Buy your copy now! :)

Milky & Sunny : Kapitolyo's All Day Breakfast Nook

It really takes a good restaurant for me to go back to two days in a row.... even a better one to make me interrupt my Baguio series to share my fun dining experience with you. In other words, this is just something that can't wait and I really have to let you guys know for you to try it out yourselves...ASAP! :)


I first heard about Milky & Sunny while reading my Twitter feeds. A couple of friends, whose taste in food I trust, have been talking about this pretty breakfast place that just opened in Kapitolyo, Pasig. Afterwards, I heard about it again from one of my colleagues who got really amazing taste when it comes to aesthetic design..she's a licensed interior designer, after all. This prompted me to research about this restaurant and I realized that it's just a stone's throw away from my office!

Finally, last night I set a dinner date with two of my former colleagues Kat and Bianx. I actually gave them a couple of choices and while we initially was planning to have dinner at a particular deli which was full and couldn't accomodate us anymore, I then suggested that we try Milky & Sunny! I guess it really was meant to be.


As we entered the restaurant, I can't help but admire the interiors. It's white-washed walls, the pretty blue border lining the scripted logo, the cute paintings on the wall which I later realized was a cartoon-version of Jose Rizal, the Madhatter and Manny Pacquiao, and a lot more! It was truly a feast for the eyes!

But we were not there to just ooh and ahh...we were there to stuff ourselves crazy and we surely didn't waste any time! Since there were quite a lot to try, we decided to just share all dishes to be able to try more. Now, that's what I call a strategy! ;)


First off, we had the Bacon and Spam Pasta (Php. 180) which was a creamy pasta dish using tube noodles and a generous serving of bacon and spam. I find it a bit too bland. I guess it would help if they cooked it with olive oil, garlic, parsley and crispy bacon and spam instead! Not bad but not really one of our favorite that evening.

Milky & Sunny is a place where you can have breakfast all day long! This is good news for me as I love breakfast and it definitely is my favorite meal of the day. This is also the reason why I chose the BIG Plate (Php. 250) where we can customize what goes in our platter.


First of all, you get to choose the meats : Spam, Sausage, Hotdog, Bacon and Corned Beef. My friends being super supportive of my no-beef sacrifice went for the Bacon, Spam and Sausage. We also have to choose between the Bagel, Toast or Rice. Of course, being true-blue Filipinos, we chose the Garlic Rice. Lastly, we can choose whether we want our eggs scrambled or done sunny-side up. Scrambled eggs got the unanimous vote. It was a series of choices made and we were all pleased with our Big Breakfast Plate.

Personally, I liked the spam however I find the bacon not that crispy and the sausage a bit too dry. The egg wasn't as fluffy as I'd want it to be (think Scrambled Egg done in hotel buffets). The hash brown was yummy though.

Road Trip : Baguio 101

The Food Club went on a trip again and this time we went up up north to Baguio! It was actually a first for our kiddie companions namely Lauren, Kei and Ken and I truly had a great time playing tour guide not only to our three little travelers but to the rest of the group too.

Baguio is approximately 240km away from Manila. Thankfully, the road heading to Baguio is now better as we pass through the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union before the slow ascend up the zigzag road of Marcos Highway. While my mom and sister would always complain about the long drive up, I actually enjoy it every time we get the chance to visit Baguio...I guess it's just me and my love for geography.

We left Manila around 6AM and after a quick breakfast stop in Pampanga, we arrived at Baguio a little past 12 noon making it just in time for lunch. I will be sharing more stories about our food adventures in my succeeding entries but for now I'll give you a low-down on the places and things that you should NOT miss while in Baguio.

Baguio is a very small place. Our friend Richard couldn't believe that once upon a time, Paul and I would actually walk all day long to the various spots in Baguio. Of course, we'd take a cab from time to time but we actually do enjoy walking up and down Session Road for example.

1) Visit Mine's View Park


Every time we visit Baguio I promise myself never to include Mine's View Park again in my itinerary simply because I see and do exactly the same things over and over again. Still, I give in and continue to play tour guide to our new companions every single time. Mine's View Park is a really lively tourist spot for all Baguio visitors.


Here, you can have your picture taken with Douglas the St. Bernard or any of the fashionable-looking horses around.

Celebrating 40 years of Mario's Restaurant

Every single time I dine at Mario's Restaurant in Tomas Morato, I can't help but reminisce about my childhood years. The time when I would dine there with my parents and we would order their Grilled Tanigue with Dill Sauce for starters, have our own plates of Caesar Salad and this immediately will be followed by our respective choice of main dishes -- on most occasions I would switch back and forth between the Lamb Chops or the Chicken Parmigiana. Our meals will never be complete without looking at their dessert cart where my sister and I would always choose the gelatin with fruit cocktail inside. Oh how I always feel like a grown-up woman every time we dine at Mario's as I would carefully slice through my lamb chops or fork through my crisp salad.

Fast forward a little more than ten years after, I'm back at Mario's this time really as a grown married woman with my husband sitting beside me as we attended a special dinner hosted by Fil and Anton Benitez, the owners of Mario's Restaurant. It was during this dinner that we found out that their branch in Baguio was actually their pioneer store and it has been 40 years since they first opened their doors to the public. The Tomas Morato branch where we frequent, opened ten years after the Baguio branch making it 30 years in operation already.

As I browse through the menu, I realized that a lot of my favorites no longer exists such as the Tanigue with Dill Sauce and the Chicken Parmigiana to name a few. I felt a bit sad as no visit to Mario's would ever be the same without them. Still, I know there must be a really good reason for taking them out of the menu and this also means allowing myself to try new dishes and to find a new favorite this time around.


Dinner began with some Oyster Rockfeller (Php. 265) where I initially was hesitant to try. You see, I am allergic to oysters and mussels thus I am extra careful in having them in my meal. Paul, sensing my curiosity to try this dish, allowed me to just have one piece. I carefully plucked the oyster meat out of the shell and scooped up all of the cheese, herbs and garlic and took one sip of water for extra pre-cautionary measures before eating the whole thing. The meat was soft without any scaly textures, I love the perfectly baked cheese and the crunchy bite brought about by what I guess were breadcrumbs. It was good and definitely, that one piece was worth the risk.


We also had Gambas con Chorizo (Php. 345) which was really delicious. The shrimps were so juicy and plump and the addition of chorizo made the whole dish so flavorful. I even tried drizzling some leftover olive oil and garlic into my rice and enjoyed this experiment very much.


Up next was my ultimate Mario's favorite -- the Caesar Salad. Prepared the old fashioned way where they create the salad dressing in a giant wooden bowl and later on tossing the lettuce and anchovies in. It was creamy yet light, it tasted exactly just the way I remembered it to taste like years ago. Some things still remains the same and I'm glad the Caesar Salad continues to please our taste buds all these years.

Fun Field Trip with the Ford Fiesta

A couple of months ago, I had the privilege to borrow the Ford Fiesta for the weekend. This invite then led to an impromptu out of town food trip to Paul's hometown in Angeles, Pampanga.


Paul and I really had fun driving the Ford Fiesta as we would take turns taking this on a test drive around the city. It's small, compact yet very spacious that we were surprisingly able to fit quite a lot of Allies Wonder Peanuts!

Read more about my Ford Fiesta Food Trip over at their Official Facebook Page.

Click here to access the application.


See where I brought the Ford Fiesta and learn about the FOUR Fab reasons why I love it to bits!

Let's go on a ride!!! Zoooooooooooooooom!!!

A Special Potato Thanksgiving Dinner at Restaurant 9501

Who doesn't love potatoes?

Well, I know I do! I know my sister Pan and best friend T can't live without potatoes too!

This is mainly the reason why I braved the traffic and the strong rain as Paul and I drove all the way to Restaurant 9501 to be part of a special Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the US Potato Board. I was able to join their first Thanksgiving Dinner at M Cafe two years ago and till this day, I can't help by drool by the thought of those delicious Porcini & Truffle Gnocchi. It was simply delicious.

Restaurant 9501 is a private restaurant exclusive only to ABS-CBN employees and their registered guests.  While I don't work for the network, I had the privilege to dine there a few years ago for a South African festival wherein I enjoyed my meal very much.

Putting together two amazing experiences both with the US Potato Board and Restaurant 9501, it's no wonder why I immediately sent my confirmation upon receiving their invite and was actually counting down the days till this very special Thanksgiving Dinner.

We got there a bit late yet were ready to catch up with the crowd. It was a 4-course meal consisting of specially created dishes by Chef Myrna Segismundo and all makes use of...what else!?...POTATO!


Our meal started with a plate of Potato Bread accompanied by Chef's very own Adobo Pate and Tomato Jam. The bread was quite heavy and is more stuffed than the usual wheat bread. I chose the adobo pate and enjoyed the light meaty flavor of the spread. Paul, found the Tomato Jam very interesting as he was expecting it to taste like a Tomato Chutney but instead there was a hint of sweetness just like his favorite jam at home.


We moved on to the appetizer which was a plate of Seared Scallops, Straight Cut Potatoes and topped with Apple Waldorf Salad and Basil Oil. The scallops were very tender and fresh. I loved how well seasoned it was yet I enjoyed swirling it over the basil oil to even add more flavor to it. The Waldorf salad was ok but we think it had a tad too much apple slices in it. I also can't find the straight cut potatoes too, I think the kitchen staff forgot to put some on my plate.


Our soup was a creamy masterpiece of Truffled Mashed Potato with Porcini Mushroom Froth. I love potatoes and I love truffles so this soup definitely earned lots of stars in my book. It has a heavier consistency due to the mashed potato mixed into the soup while every slurp is so flavorful as it's mixed with truffle oil. I love that it was presented in a small teacup too.

Chubby's Rib Shack in Solaris One, Makati

Ribs, ribs, ribs! All I can think of are ribs! :) Lip-smacking, fork-tender meat that falls of the bone without a struggle. That's my type of ribs. I found one of the best rib places in Angeles, Pampanga and another one in California, USA yet I continue my search here in Manila.

A few months ago, I purchased a Deal Grocer coupon with fellow Food Club members Richard, Jane and Abet to try Chubby's Rib Shack which is located right at the heart of Makati and is also the sister-restaurant of Buffalo Wings n Things. With Christmas just around the corner, I normally try to avoid heading to this part of town especially on a Friday night where everyone normally goes out for dinner and drinks after work.

However, just the thought of having a plate of ribs for dinner was enough to convince both Paul and I to brave the traffic and head to Makati to try Chubby's Rib Shack out. The deal was pretty sweet, all I had to pay for was P300 and I get to order anything worth P500 on the menu.

We got there pretty early allowing us to have a lot of time to review the menu. It's a back-to-back laminated menu where you get the Chubby's line-up on one side and Buffalo Wings n Things on the other.


What's dinner at Chubby's Rib Shack without trying the ribs, right? Thus, Paul and I got a plate of Baby Back Ribs that came complete with two sidings -- Coleslaw and Honky Tonk Rice (Php. 349) to share. We requested that it be grilled with Honey BBQ sauce and I was really pleased by our choice. The rice was quite dry and nothing extra ordinary to rave about, the coleslaw was good though a bit too creamy but delicious nonetheless. The highlight of this platter was definitely the ribs. Thank goodness for that as Chubby's really do deserve to be called a Rib Shack with its tender, juicy ribs. It was quite small that I don't really recommend for it to be shared but given the price, we should have known better. I didn't even have to use my hands to eat it as it cooperated very well with my fork and knife. The meat was very soft and I loved the sweet barbecue flavor brought about by the sauce.


To go with this, we were torn between the Pulled Pork or a 1lb. basket of Honey BBQ Wings (Php. 264). We went for the latter as I was also craving for really good chicken wings and I was sure that Buffalo Wings n Things will not disappoint. We got the Honey BBQ while Richard and Irene ordered the Garlic Parmesan.

Fire up with KFC Zinger Double Down

One Friday evening, I was having dinner with my family when the doorbell rang and our househelp called me saying that someone was looking for me. I walked to the gate and saw a fire fighter running towards my direction and he seemed like he came from the other street. He stopped to open his bag and carefully pulled out a white paper bag telling me to be careful because the content is really hot. I laughed as I was handed the new KFC Zinger Double Down, true the sandwich seems to be pretty warm so I handled it with extra care.


"Tawag nalang po kayo sa Fire Department pag sobrang init po ma'am" (Please call the fire department if it's too hot, Ma'am) was his last line before he left. 


As he left, Paul and I quickly went to the dining table to try the sandwich out. At first, it tasted like the regular double down sandwich but wait till the spiciness starts kicking and yes, I was in the verge of calling the fire department as I can feel my taste buds on fire. It's double the spicy level given that it has two Zinger patties with cheese, bacon and mayonnaise sandwiched in between.

I could only take one-fourth of the sandwich and Paul happily consumed the rest.

For those who are up for the spicy challenge, head over to your nearest KFC branch and try the new Zinger Double Down for only P120.

Jamba Juice now opens in the Philippines!!!

Today is a special day, it's November 11, 2011 and when written in numbers it's 11.11.11. This is also the day when California brand Jamba Juice will finally open its doors to the public. Admittedly, we're all crazy about double/triple numbers. In fact, for a time, Paul and I even considered getting married on the 10th of October, 2010 (10.10.10). It was only when we realized that all of our choice suppliers were booked already despite preparing more than a year in advance. Thus, we then decided to go with our second choice, the 11th of July otherwise known as 7-11. ;)


I feel privileged to be invited to the special VIP party held at the newly constructed Bonifacio High Street Central which is an extension of the current Bonifacio High Street where Aldo, Tempur, Brother's Burger, Nike, ROX and a lot more are located. I arrived with fellow blogger Richard and we were surprised to see a really big crowd quite uncommon in most of the blogger events that we've been to. It truly was a party with media partners, the Jamba Juice local and international family and business contacts all present to witness the opening of the first Jamba Juice store not only in the Philippines but in Southeast Asia.


The atmosphere was lively, the air filled with loud and happy music and everywhere you look people were just so excited for the grand unveiling. The program began with a special AVP made about Jamba Juice and a brief introduction of the board members behind this dynamic, delicious brand. Watching the officers up on stage and the managing director talking about Jamba Juice's commitment not only to produce the best drinks for its customers but they also pledge to support the Guimaras mango production, I somehow remembered how it used to be when we open stores for the Green Siren. You can totally feel the excitement in the air and the passion coming from the top executives down to the very talented baristas. I'll never forget those moments in my career that has made me feel so proud of where I was and what I was doing.

Fruits in Bloom : Gourmet Arrangements

It's common practice to shower your loved one with a huge bouquet of flowers or at least a dozen long-stemmed roses. Believe me, we've had our share of garden-like bouquets here at home given by Paul and my sister's special someone. What normally happens is that our talented househelp would carefully remove them from the plastic wrapper and transfer each piece of flower into my mom's pretty vase, she'd even water them regularly until they wilt and give a really nasty odor that even my dog Scottie wouldn't even dare go near to.

Sadly, I have zero talent when it comes to flower preservation so for the past 8 years, I wasn't able to keep a single bud or even a leaf from all those bouquets that Paul has gifted me with. *sigh*

If only I can eat the bouquet then none of it would go waste! ;o)


Then we came across Fruits in Bloom -- a company that specializes in fruity arrangements. No thorny roses, no wilting flowers instead they make use of the freshest, juiciest fruits and turn them into a work of art!

If only I've met them before Paul and I tied the knot, I can totally imagine myself walking down the aisle in a strawberry covered bouquet! Why not?! I can even pick a fewest pieces out to snack on between our wedding ceremony and reception dinner.


I love it when people really give a lot of attention to details. Not only do they carefully choose the fruits to be used per bouquet, they also give you the option to choose your color motif, your base (pot/vase/cup) and is very willing to working within your budget!

After the introductions, we were led up to a mini showroom where we saw a number of their pretty works. Irene and I were instantly attracted towards the juicy-looking pineapple. If only I can pluck it out from the arrangement and bite into it right away.

Toccare Spa at Antel Spa Suites, Makati

I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkk!!


How was your long weekend? Mine was FUN!!! This was because I spent the long weekend with The Food Club as we went up north to enjoy the cool and laid back atmosphere of Baguio. In true Food Club fashion, we had a three-day long food trip complete with a late-night pizza party, Ube and Strawberry jam shopping and a lot more!

This is basically the reason why every night I thank God for blessing Paul and I with friends who not only share our love for eating and traveling but who are truly amazing in their own way. ♥

While I never seem to get tired of Baguio, I always find myself exhausted after the long drive to and from. Waking up this morning was really a challenge. I could hardly pull my tired body up and more than anything I just want a really good massage.


This made me reminisce about the time when I visited Toccare Spa at the Antel Spa Suites in Makati. It was upon an invitation by fellow Food Club member Abet who arranged a relaxing evening for all 8 of us. After a delicious dinner, we all drove to Antel Spa Suites which is located right beside the A. Venue Mall. Parking was pretty easy, either you park outside or at the hotel beside it for a minimal flat rate.

Arriving at the spa, we were asked to choose a specific treatment per couple. Since Paul is not fond of full body massages or scrubs, we had the Fruity Mint Hand and Foot Treatment (Php 700) which was the least complicated of the four treatments available. The others were a choice between the Hilot, the Classic Massage or the Toccare Healing Gemstone Massage.

Before having our treatment, we were led towards the wet area were we can try the jacuzzi, the steam bath or the sauna. Of course, it is highly recommended that you take a quick bath prior to your massage too.

Flavors of Spain 2011 : Cirkulo in Makati City

After spending the entire afternoon trick or treating with my 3 year old Supergirl niece Julia and 1 year old Peter Pan nephew Jairus, I hurried home to get ready as Paul and I were to double date with.... my parents!

It's funny that all throughout our 8 years of dating, I realized that Paul and I never really had the chance to go out with just my parents. Normally, my sister would join us or sometimes we'd even have the entire clan dining out with us.

More than anything, I just want Paul to feel more at ease with my parents especially with Papa who, at times, thinks I'm still his 5-year-old daughter and is still in the process of realizing and accepting that I am a 29 year old grown woman who has been married for more than a year. I guess my story is nothing out of the ordinary as I'm sure most daughters, especially those who are really close to their dads, can totally relate with me. *nods slowly*


Since this is a rare occasion, I made sure my choice of restaurant is something different, extra special and one that will totally make my parents enjoy the meal. Call it perfect timing that I also got an invite from the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) and Fuego Hotels to try one of the six participating restaurant for their annual Flavors of Spain campaign.

I love Spanish cuisine so it wasn't difficult to make me say yes. The challenge was to choose which of the six restaurants to dine in. It was when I saw Cirkulo on the list that I remembered how much my colleague T loves dining there. As mentioned in my previous entry, T has an amazing taste in food and after confirming with the organizers that I'd like to make a reservation at Cirkulo for Saturday night, I ran over to T's cube to get her recommendations on what to order.


I've been hearing nothing by raves about Cirkulo. In fact, just a few hours ago, I found out that the restaurant has made it to the 2011/2012 Miele Guide as on of the Top 5 restaurants in the country. Thus, I entered the restaurant with really high expectations and a hungry stomach ready for a feast. After all, Cirkulo is part of the Milky Way group that also operates Azuthai and Tsukiji. Let's see how Cirkulo will fare most especially for my dear parents.


So there we were at exactly 7 in the evening where Cirkulo's kind and helpful manager Girlie led us to our table for four. As soon as we gave her our orders, out came a small plate filled with four pieces of crostinis and topped with freshly made salsa and a piece of cheese. I love how sweet the salsa was and the cheese gave a really good salty contrast that made this tiny piece of starters very interesting. Wish I can ask for more however I know I have to save some space for our appetizers.