11 in 2011!!! -- A Frannywanny's Year-ender Special

I woke up at exactly 8:45AM this morning and initially I wanted to sleep some more...only I realized that it's December 31, the last day of the year and I am definitely not wasting precious time in bed when I can jump start my action-packed day with this blog entry. My annual year-ender special where in the past I've listed off my 8 blessings in 2008, 5 amazing moments in 2009 and Top 10 Food Spots in 2010!

This year, I won't deviate from the usual practice as I present to you my 11 Memorable Moments in 2011!!! (p.s. in no particular order)

1) Hello USA!


It was like a dream come true. To be honest, I'd never thought I'd travel to the US...this soon and best of all, Paul was with me! :) Memorable food stops includes the mouthwatering ribs of Lucille's, the to-die-for bucket of seafood from Boiling Crab and the incredibly delicious Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory.

We had a great time reuniting with friends and family all throughout our two weeks stay! Oh boy, I can't wait to go back and to visit more states too -- hello Vegas and New York!

2) Fun Taiwan


A month after coming home from our US trip, Paul and I headed to Taiwan this time for an all-out food adventure! Our 4 days trip was a perfect mix of visiting historical sites, going up the 2nd tallest tower in the world and filling our tummies with the best food finds Taiwan can offer!

At a Glance: Taipei, Taiwan

3) Frannywanny and Twitter = ♥


Tweet! I finally got around to starting my own Twitter page where I get to update you on what I'm currently doing at the moment, my thoughts, my whereabouts (hehe kidding!) Seriously, follow me on Twitter as I'll be launching a BIG contest over there pretty SOON!


Clue: Involves an amazing Ca$h prize!! *kaching kaching!*

4) Private Dinner with Pepita's Lechon


This just got to be one of the most memorable dinners I've had this year. Sure I love lechon but to have four different lechons in one night...this got me day and night dreaming about it for WEEKS! I will always love Pepita's French and German Lechon not to mention her delicious Pinoy Pate and Balut Surprise. Definitely a must try! Oh, and don't forget to bring your Lipitor. :)

Lechon Degustacion Dinner at Pepita's Kitchen

Yakitori Kitchen at the Burgos Circle

I love Japanese food! It's my ultimate comfort cuisine and luckily, there seems to be a surge of Japanese restaurants opening here and there.


A week ago, The Food Club was invited to try Yakitori Kitchen, owned and managed by the same group as Ramen Bar. Upon receiving the invite, Paul and I immediately sent our confirmation. We were so excited that we were actually the first to arrive that evening.


While waiting for the group to be complete, we were served with a bowl of Chicken Broth Soup which I find very refreshing. It actually reminds me of the yummy Emperor's Soup of Sugi. I loved it so much that I had two bowls of this for dinner that evening.

I was able to meet the man behind Yakitori Kitchen and he explained that Yaki means Grill/Grilling while Tori means Chicken in Japanese. This was after I asked him how come they have mostly chicken parts listed in the menu. I didn't mind at all as I love chicken! For those who are not big fans of chicken though, don't fret as they also have other skewered items available too.

Yakitori items are always served in barbecue sticks. One order comes with two sticks already and while you may think that it looks pretty light, I could hardly move after feeling so full at the end of our meal.

Let me share with you the 14 different types of Yakitori that we were able to sample that evening:


Asubei (Php. 140) - Asparagus wrapped in Bacon
Though I'm not a big fan of bacon, I enjoyed a stick of this as it went perfectly well with the crunchy asparagus. I'm happy that the bacon had more lean meat too.

Irene's Queso de Bola Cheesecake

I am currently preparing again for my year-ender post which involves going through every single entry written this 2011 and building my list from there. Yes..all 248 of them and still counting. It's fun to reminisce about all those wonderful gastronomic memories spent most with our dear friends (hello, The Food Club!) and family. What I noticed though was that I've been talking a whole lot about my friend Irene's delicious Queso de Bola Cheesecake and never really got around to creating a blog post just for it. My apologies for tempting you guys all these months! :o


It all began when I first tried Irene's Queso de Bola Cheesecake during our Cheesepedida for fellow Food Club member Chris when he left shortly for Canada. Everyone brought cheese-loaded dishes for our cheese-loving friend. I remember nursing a bad cough then but that didn't stop me from having a slice (or was it two) of Irene's cheesecake. It was delicious! I love the chunky feel brought by the grated cheese which made a good contrast to the over-all silky smooth consistency.

A few months after that, Irene, knowing how much I like adore love her cheesecake offered to send me a slice to enjoy at home. Call it bad luck but I remember being sick again at the time. Still that didn't stop me from having her cheesecake for dessert that evening. Luckily, my cough didn't worsen thus no guilty feeling there.

Pinkberry is finally here in Manila!

My US trip last February was really memorable. For one thing, it was my first long-haul flight and I was so proud that I've survived! You see, I easily get airsick that a short flight to Hong Kong or Singapore would normally make me want to throw up. My Dad found a great solution by giving a pair of ear plugs as the high cabin pressure makes me dizzy. Still, I wasn't so sure if my ear plugs will work wonders all throughout our 12hr+ flight....well, it did and I had a great time enjoying the food and walking around the plane from time to time.

Another thing that made my trip memorable was that it started as a business trip and ended as a fun 1.5 week long personal trip for Paul and yours truly. We were able to reunite with our California-based relatives and to bond with them given the short vacation time we have. Nothing beats spending quality time and catching up with family.

Lastly, it was also the first time that I've experienced what 9 degrees Celsius feels like. It was so cold that despite my four-layer of clothing, I can feel the cold air down to my bones. "Never again", I always tell myself. I'm definitely shopping for more coats, gloves and bonnets to keep me warmer for my upcoming trip.

Still, despite the cold weather, our last stop during our last night in California was at a pretty Pinkberry store in this quiet neighborhood in Sta. Monica. It was a brisk walk from where we had dinner with my cousin Jeff. I was shivering like crazy that I sadly had to turn down the offer to try a cup of yogurt that evening. The server was really nice though to give me a sampler cup which I enjoyed very much.


Less than a month after our trip, I got word from former colleagues that Pinkberry is opening in Manila!! Hooray! Now, I don't have to feel so sad about not being able to try Pinkberry in the US as I can easily have as many cups as I want as soon as it opens here.

The wait is finally over!

Pinkberry finally opens its doors to all yogurt fans in Manila just this December! Of course, this was the only thing on my To-do list when Mom told me that we're heading to Greenbelt with my Grandparents on Christmas Day. We got there just in time for our afternoon snack and I invited everyone to have yogurt at Pinkberry!


I love the big glass facade and the pink-green color motif. It's located beside Chateau 1771 and Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5. We were warmly greeted by the local servers as they gladly gave us samples of their different flavors. After all, there are 6 different yogurt flavors to choose from -- Original, Green Tea, Watermelon, Mango, Pomegranate and Chocolate.

I was able to try the Original, Watermelon, Mango and Chocolate. The watermelon tasted very much like the Original only it's sweeter. The Mango and Chocolate were also very good that it's perfect for those who doesn't want the flavor of yogurt at all. However, Paul and I went for the Original as we still love the creamy, tarty flavor for a frozen yogurt.

Christmas 2011!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!! :)


May you all have a deliciously-filled Holiday spent with your dearest loved ones! :)

Cheers,
Frannywanny and Paul

Snack Time: Eat my GF!

It was during one of our panic Christmas shopping trips one weekend, that Paul and I decided to rest and to head to the Glorietta food court to grab a snack. You see, unlike probably most ladies my age, I no longer enjoy shopping...that much. I'm sure my shopping buddy and college best friend Len couldn't believe her eyes when she reads this as we used to declare that we are part of the "shopping" varsity team back then. Those were the days where most of our long breaks were spent at the mall and we always end up lugging back a couple of shopping bags as we head back to school for our next class. Yes, there was really a time that I, Frannywanny, used to be a shopaholic.

Perhaps I grew older and realized that I can no longer keep up with the crazy frantic atmosphere where I get squished and elbowed at as I join the sea of shoppers especially during the weekends or worst, the Holiday rush. The mere thought of it really sends shivers down my spine. This is also one reason why I loveeeee online shopping where I can choose, research, decide and buy at any given time I want.


When at the mall, I prefer to keep my eyes on a look out for new food finds. Such was the case that day were I found -- Eat my GF!

Before anything else, GF stands for Garlic Fries. I've been hearing about this food stall from bazaar-loving friends and what has been stopping me from trying this out was that their first branch was in Alabang, so far away from home! I'm so happy that they have finally opened their second branch in Makati making it more accessible to me.


The sales clerk was amazing! He first made me try their Virgin Chips (Php. 80/150) which are thinly sliced potato chips, deep-fried and served with fresh garlic bits and lots of parmesan chips. I love garlic and I love cheese. Needless to say, this was a sure hit the moment I tried a piece and while waiting for my small box of Virgin Chips to be ready, I asked to try few pieces more.

Tech Review: Samsung NX11 dSLR

During one of my seminars at work, I was asked this question:

If you were to be stranded in an island, what would be the three things that you'd bring?

Without thinking, I jotted these three items down in my paper: Laptop - Camera - Broadband Stick

Yes, I truly am a blogger at heart and no matter where I'll be, I want to be able to document every minute of it. It was only when I was given more time to think that my practical self kicked in and took over making me change my answers to: Lighter - Water - Food.

In reality though, I can't live without my camera. Imagine not being able to capture all those memorable moments or that mouthwatering dish that you want to keep as a remembrance forever? I'm lucky that I'm married to such a talented photographer who's works you see in most of my blog entries. Paul also knows his way around a camera thus I normally just rely on him to configure my camera to the right settings making it easy for me to just point and shoot away.


A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to tryout the new Samsung NX11 dSLR. I'm really no gadget geek so I won't bore you with all the technical specifications which you can easier browse through in their official website.

What I'll share with you all are the amazing things that I loved about this camera:

1) Light-weight


Unlike most dSLRs (or that particular one that Paul owns at the moment), this one is the lightest dSLR that I've ever carried in my life. Weighing a little more than 353g it actually is lighter than our smallest can of Allies Wonder Peanuts! I brought it with me during my recent Boracay trip and I just hanged it on my neck and off I went around the island. Even after a couple of minutes of walking, I didn't feel the weight of the camera. It was really light!

Mad Mark’s : Man Sandwich + Frozen D in Pasig

Welcome to Brgy. Kapitolyo in Pasig – the newest foodie haven in town.

Believe me, a trip down East Capitol Drive is like a gastronomical journey around the world. Start from the corner of Pioneer you’ll see Nav and Uncle Moe’s which will give you really delicious Thai and Mediterranean dishes respectively. Drive further down and you’ll hit Kainan Au Gusto and Café Juanita located just around the corner for our local Pinoy fare. As you continue with your drive, you’ll see The Three Sisters' restaurant, the place to get really yummy Pork BBQ and Pancit Bihon and my latest fave – Milky and Sunny, an all-day breakfast nook.

Go on another block and you’ll see another line of restaurants like Poco Deli for some cheese and sausages while Lia’s Cakes in Season makes a great dessert stop. Care for some burgers? Charlie’s Grill and Grind is located right across and is right beside Bacolod’s Café Bob’s Manila version – Cab Café. There’s still a couple of restaurant left for me to discover but as you can see, your choices are pretty much endless here.


A couple of weeks ago, I went out for lunch with some members of The Food Club to try Mad Mark’s, another food spot discovered by fellow blogger Richard and his wife Irene. This restaurant specializes in sandwiches, wings and homemade ice cream.


Paul and I ordered a Mariner Sandwich (Php. 220) to share. During our first visit, there were only two types of sandwich available – the Mariner and the Lumberjack. Since the Lumberjack consists of slices of Angus Beef, we opted to try the Mariner instead which has a huge piece of deep-fried fish fillet topped with their house mariner sauce. I love the tender cream dory and most especially the creamy, slightly spicy sauce. We had this with some Herb Parmesan Fries (Php. 50 additional) on the side which was equally delicious too!


To go with our sandwich, we also shared a basket of Wings N’ Fries (Php. 220) which are perfectly coated buffalo wings and Cajun fries. The spicy level was pretty manageable. While I initially requested for them to hold the sauce and to serve it separately, I ended up dipping my wings into the sauce before every bite. The fries was ok but between the two, I love the Herb Parmesan Fries more.


Our first visit was really good that I couldn’t help but rave about the yummy sandwich and wings days after. Of course, a good experience leads to a return and true enough, Paul and I went back to Mad Mark’s with two friends in tow a week after that.

Give Rub on Christmas Day : Rub Ribs & BBQ in Quezon City

Remember my search for the best Ribs in town? It's funny that I first found my favorite rib places in Angeles, Pampanga and as far as California, USA but none yet close to home. My search for the best rack of ribs never stopped though as I am determined to find THE ONE. That perfect ribs place that will allow me to go back to over and over again.

Wonder when will my luck strike?


Ever since Paul and I tied the knot a year and five months ago, we have been planning to have dinner with our every talented wedding coordinators and host. Since we all live extremely hectic lives, this has been pushed back a million times until last Wednesday when we finally found time and met up for dinner. Jerome, our host, is also a foodie. This is also one reason why we instantly clicked as he's a great fan of the magazine that I work for and our pre-wedding meetings would also end up with us talking about food, food and more food. He was the one who suggested that we try Rub Ribs & BBQ near Tomas Morato that evening.


I was so excited to dine at Rub after hearing raves from my fellow food bloggers. Paul and I were the first to arrive and were surprised at how tiny the restaurant was. At the ground floor was just one small table and the order counter. I love looking at the chalkboard menu which makes ordering so easy. On the second floor, there were only 4 tables that can probably seat 5-6 pax each. Luckily, we were still able to get a table for our group of 5.


While waiting for our companions to arrive, Paul and I ordered a basket of Nachos (Php. 170) to ease our growling tummies. As the basket was served, I was very happy with the crisp nacho chips and the delicious cheese sauce. Paul, on the other hand, had the bowl of salsa to himself. I was able to try the salsa and I liked it that that it wasn't spicy at all. It had the right level of sourness which Paul enjoyed very much. The cheese sauce was creamy and thick, one dip will surely make you crave for more. This is one of the best nachos that I've ever tasted and it's very reasonably-priced too.

Lia's Cakes in Season : Home of the famous Avocado Cake

What's your favorite dessert?

For Paul it would definitely be a bar of chocolate. For my Dad it would have to be a bowl of his favorite Ice Cream while for Mommy it would be a refreshing platter of fruits.

I, on the other hand, prefers to have baked goodies and cakes for dessert. Examples would be a ramekin of Creme Brulee, a slice of that perfect Red Velvet Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory or (once again) my friend Irene's to-die-for Queso de Bola Cheesecake! Having an amazing dessert is like getting a great massage. It brings you so much happiness and bliss that makes you go oohhhhh and ahhhhh while taking in bites after bites of that delicious piece of cake. It's a great way to indulge and to treat yourself especially after a stressful day at work.

However, I tend to be a very picky cake eater as I have very low tolerance for overly sweet products thus I tend to stick to the fruity or slightly salty ones. I always have to scrape off the icing on any cake as my stomach can't take any of those. Often times, I also have to stay away from those with extra creamy filling to. *sigh* The story of my life.

With that, only a few cakes have made it to the cut. Those that I can enjoy one entire slice of without hurting my poor tummy.


One afternoon, fellow food blogger Richard and I were invited to visit Lia's Cakes in Season in Kapitolyo. We went there after enjoying a very filling lunch at Mad Mark's located next door yet we tried very hard to save a little tiny space for dessert.


I've heard about Lia's Cakes in Season for almost three years already from colleagues who have brought slices of their delicious Avocado Cake to the office. Every time, I always make a mental note to pay them a visit but the only branch that I know of before was in Tomas Morato, not very near from my place. I'm so happy that their Kapitolyo branch is so close to my office making it very accessible should a craving for a slice of cake comes up.

Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss in Shaw Boulevard

With the holidays just around the corner, we are now starting to feel the cold air especially during the evening. Given the chilly weather, the thought of slurping a bowl of piping hot noodles just makes perfect sense.


Thus, an invite to try a newly opened Japanese noodle bar called Moshi Koshi that's located so close to work and home was immediately accepted. We were actually the third and fourth guests to arrive after fellow bloggers Dyanie and Chyng. This allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the cool features of the restaurant such as the noodle room where there's actually a stoplight installed at the top showing if a noodle is currently being created or not. Reminds me so much of the much-anticipated red light of Krispy Kreme.

The rest of the group arrived shortly after which signaled the start of our Moshi Koshi feast! As explained to us, Koshi is that "sweet state of a noodle that is tender and chewy, firm but not hard, with resistance to the bite". For the Italians, they'd call this Al Dente.


We agreed to share the orders amongst ourselves to be able to try as much food items possible. We began with a bowl of Shoyu Ramen (Php. 185) which was a bit too salty for my taste yet I find the noodles very delicious! Nothing beats freshly-made noodles compared to the store-bought ones. This bowl had a generous serving of veggies, bamboo shoots and fish cakes. I think I'll try the Miso version next time. :)

meet the Noodle Boss -- Chef Kenta Ishikawa

Po Suk Jung -- Korean BBQ Restaurant in Pasig

One rainy Sunday, Paul and I joined Richard, Irene and our favorite playmate Lauren for dinner. We decided to try Po Suk Jung, a Korean restaurant located in Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig. I've been noticing this restaurant that actually looks like a huge garage from outside ever since I started working in Mandaluyong three years ago.

We got there quite early for dinner and were surprised that the parking lot was almost full. Good thing, even without a reservation, we were able to get a good table near the huge TV set that kept Lauren pre-occupied all throughout dinner time.


Just with any Korean meal, ours started with a lot of appetizers (banchan). Unlike those served at other Korean restaurants where there's a mix of spicy and non-spicy fare; here, they have more spicy appetizers which for me was pretty manageable since I like eating kimchi a lot. My favorite though were the fish cakes. I also love the complimentary egg custard that's very similar to our Chinese home-cooked Tim Neng (Steamed Egg with Ground Pork) minus the minced pork.

Since both Irene and Richard were still very full from their delicious eat-all-you-can lunch, we decided to just order a few dishes to be shared by the four of us.


We had the Dweji Galbi (Php. 300) -- grilled Pork Spare Ribs marinated in their homemade sweet and chili sauce. Since we were seated inside, we're not allowed to cook on our table which was ok as I wasn't in the mood to smell like grilled meat at the end of our meal. The pork was tender yet I find the serving a bit too small given the price. I guess this is the problem when we're just so used to dining at a specific Korean restaurant that we tend to compare. To be fair though, I appreciated that we were all given sauces and dips that there was no reason for us to call our server to ask for more.

Christmas Shopping at Deal Grocer

I never thought I'd get THIS busy.

Don't get me wrong, I am truly thankful for all the blessings showered upon us and let it shower even more! We've been spending our weekends doing the rounds with our dear peanut distributors and Paul, especially, has been busy taking orders and allocating stocks for our customers. Our entrepreneurial dreams are slowly becoming a reality and we're truly grateful for that. ♥

As we've been spending most of our waking hours on our business, we really haven't had the time to head to the mall to do our Christmas shopping..and Christmas is just two weeks away!!

Once in a while, I'd inject a short shopping trip in between work and dinner but more often than not, I'd go home empty handed as it's really hard to choose and decide under great time constrains and set shopping budget. Can you relate with this?


It's a good thing though that my Christmas list is not totally empty. A month ago, I purchased a couple of coupons from my favorite group buying site -- Deal Grocer. One coupon allows me to get 4 Boxes of Sumptuous Boursin Cheese with Garlic Toast. I plan to give these out to our couple friends.


It's no secret that I love cheese and after trying a box of this delicious Boursin Cheese set from King and Maia's, I was even more excited to share this with my friends as I'm sure they'll love it too. It's also a big plus that it's encased in a pretty Tiffany-blue box that makes it look oh-so-premium! This is one reason why I love Deal Grocer, they partner with choice brands that makes really good Christmas gifts.

With two weeks left before Christmas Day, I'm starting to feel a slight wave of panic inside. I don't think I have the time to head out to the mall and if ever I get to do so, I am not that hopeful that I'd find something good right away.


I thought of browsing through the Deal Grocer site this evening and I was surprised that they have a wider array of choices compared to ordinary days. While they used to have categories such as "This Week Only" and "Getaways", this season they have also added in "Style", "Celebrations" and "Christmas". I spent a good hour going through each item and it didn't felt as stressful as it would probably have been had I've been walking around the mall today.

Ready for a secret?

Friday Craving: Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube

Last Friday, I suddenly had this weird craving for... Putong Ube. Oh how I daydreamed about those tiny, pillow-y, rice cakes cooked with our native ube (yam). Of course, no other store can make it better than Michelle's. I used to visit their store along Gilmore street or Papa would buy a box home for us to enjoy.

I searched online to look for a store closest to my office and I was surprised that their main branch was actually just a stone's throw away from where I work!! Thus, on my way home, I asked Paul if we can make a brief stop at Libertad street for me to buy a box of Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube to satisfy my craving. Luckily, he said yes! YAY!

The store wasn't hard to find, if you're familiar with California Square Garden and Galileo Enoteca then you'll be able to locate Michelle's Homemade Putong Ube in no time.It's located at the corner of Kanlaon and Domingo M Guevara (formerly known as Libertad) streets.


Arriving at the store 15 minutes before closing, I was lucky to be able to get the very last box of Putong Ube (Php. 130/box of 25). A girl who came a few minutes after me sadly left the store empty-handed. They actually have a lot of items available in the store but majority still loves their Putong Ube. After all, this wouldn't be part of the store's name if they're not extremely proud of it.

Aside from the Purple Yam (Ube) flavor, they also have rice cakes in Cheese, Pandan and Mascuvado (brown sugar).

Don Vito Ristorante Italiano in Boracay

What's a visit to Boracay without going on a food trip? In my opinion, Boracay is one of the best places in the Philippines where you are assured of really good food. As more and more tourists flock to Boracay on a yearly basis, the island has turned into a gastronomic destination where you won't only see seafood paluto stalls but a mix of International cuisines from Italian, Hawaiian, Mexican and a lot more! After all, nothing beats enjoying the cool breeze, listening to the waves splashing on the shore and enjoying plates after plates of delicious food.


Contrary to my past Boracay visits where I normally fill up the entire day with non-stop resto-hopping, this time I had all my meals at Don Vito Ristorante Italiano, the in-house restarant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, which gave me a very pleasant experience that I believe deserves an entire blog post on its own.

Let me share with you a short food journal of my recent Boracay trip:

Day 1 - Lunch


As soon as we got to the island of Boracay and proceeded to Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel to check-in, lunch was ready for us. We sat at the outside seating where we got a good view of the beach and the people passing by. Don't you just love people-watching on such a lazy, sunshine-y day? :)


Our meal began with the Papaya Shrimp Boat (Php. 350) which reminds me of our Chinese Shrimp Salad. The only difference is this one is not overly coated in cream making it a lighter alternative and the mix of papaya balls made this dish very refreshing. I love the plump juicy shrimps too!


Our appetizer was followed by two types of salads. The Caesar Salad (Php. 300) seems to be everyone's favorite as it had a generous serving of chicken strips and croutons on top of a bed of crisp lettuce with their homemade caesar dressing.


I, on the other hand, enjoyed the Chef Salad (Php. 275). A simple salad that consists of garden greens, swiss cheese, sweet ham, carrots, cucumbers, sliced boiled eggs and a saucer of Thousand Island at the side. It's a salad that can be easily made at home but why go through the hassle when you can enjoy it here at Don Vito?

Mandarin Spa in Boracay Island

During our weekend getaway in Boracay, part of our itinerary includes visiting the Mandarin Spa and availing of any of their signature treatments. After enjoying our lunch at the in-house restaurant of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel and spending more than an hour at the beach and later on taking a quick dip at the pool, Paul, Richard and I headed back to our rooms to shower and to get ready for an hour and a half of total relaxation.


We headed towards the entrance of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel where Mandarin Spa is located. We were greeted by the friendly receptionist who assisted us in choosing our treatment and the specific massage oil that will be used as well.


I chose the Chamomile Oil as it's said to give a very calming effect while Paul and Richard went for the Ylang-Ylang it had a very masculine scent, which I think is just perfect for them. :)

For my treatment, I got the Traditional Filipino Massage "Hilot" that promises to restore balance to my entire body as it will improve my circulation and will allow my energy to flow properly. Just exactly what I really needed at the moment.

Paul, on the other hand, wanted the Mandarin Aroma Hot Stone Therapy which makes use of volcanic basalt stones to release muscular tension, a treatment well-suited for him as well.

Weekend Getaway at Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel

Sometimes I just dream of the sea...and the feel of the powdery sand underneath my feet. At times I just want to go far far away from the crazy hustle and bustle of the city, turning my phones off as I just want time for myself and myself alone.

These moments I thank Him for blessing my country, the Philippines, with an abundance of beautiful scenic spots that doesn't have to cost us an arm and a leg to get close to. Moments like this I'm thankful that I had the luxury of time to take a weekend off and to fly to the paradise island called Boracay where I spent two wonderful days swimming, bonding with Paul and pampering myself to the fullest...all in one memorable weekend.



As soon as our private boat c/o Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel reached Cagban Port, I felt my heart skipped a beat as I was totally psyched to finally have a short vacation amidst our busy Christmas schedule. We were quickly whisked off towards Station 2 where our resort for the weekend is located. I've never stayed at this part of Boracay before as I always thought that only Station 1 has the best beachfront. Well...I was just about to be proven wrong.



We arrived at the lobby of Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel and were offered a glass of refreshing Mango Juice and a cold towel to which I happily placed on top of my forehead to cool myself down. What a nice welcome!



After going through the quick check-in SOPs, we were handed our room keys and up we went to the third floor towards our Premier Deluxe Sea View room, our little sanctuary for the next 24 hours or so. Our room is quite big...actually the biggest that we've been from all our stays in Boracay. It is adjacent to another Premier Deluxe Sea View Room which is perfect for big families who can't all fit in one room but would still want to stay close to each other.

Comfort meets Fashion with Yosi Samra Ballet Flats

I've always been a flip-flop loving girl.

My weekend get-up consists of my comfy denim shorts, cotton shirt and my favorite pair of flipflops. I love heading to the mall or my favorite weekend market in this attire. Rarely do I get to wear heels during the weekend as I try to make my feet and lower back rest as wearing heels from Mondays to Fridays can really put a strain on them.

In fact, I also keep a pair of flip-flops in my office cabinet just in case my feet are loudly calling out for help. Most of the time though, as comfy as my flipflops can be, I know I always have to keep a proper look and flipflops is totally a no-no when trying to look professional in the office. How I wish there are really nice flats that goes well with my dressy top or skinny cut jeans.



Then came a tiny black bag that was delivered to my doorstep. In front reads the name Yosi Samra and after much research, I found out that it's the name of a very talented shoe designer who has created these cool ballet fold up flats.



I excitedly opened the bag and tried on this pair of Navy Blue Yosi Samra flats. Just like how the glass slippers perfectly fit Cinderella's dainty feet, these soft and lightweight ballet flats perfectly suited mine. In fact, the dark blue color made my feet all the more whiter! Snow White, is that you?

Experience Ruined at Cafe by the Ruins, Baguio City

It wasn't my first time to dine at Cafe by the Ruins. In fact I've been there every single time I visit Baguio and my experience gets better in every return. My first was with my family a few years ago when we went up to Baguio for a quick business trip. Dad wasn't so happy with his all veggies and no meat platter but Mom, Pan and I quickly fell in love with the organic-feel of the restaurant, I think that was also the first time I had red rice.

A year after that, I returned with Paul and my former boss D for a work-related trip. My boss introduced me to their Kamote bread and cheese spread which was so good that I even bought a loaf home for my family to enjoy. Every year, Cafe by the Ruins has always been part of our travel itinerary.

It's then pretty much a given that I've included Cafe by the Ruins again when we returned to Baguio this time with The Food Club. Aside from Paul and I, our friend Grace was also raving about the restaurant. This definitely made the rest excited and tremendously increased everyone's expectations about the restaurant. I was pretty confident that they'd like it as much as we all enjoyed our other food stops such as Hill Station and O' Mai Khan. After all, there must be a reason why we always make it a point to return to Cafe by the Ruins every single year.

Just like with all other restaurant, I made reservations for dinner and initially set this at 8PM. However, the server who answered my call requested if we can go earlier to get the long table. We rounded up the group and off we went to Cafe by the Ruins at 630PM foregoing our plans to rest for a while. We got there an hour before our reservation time as requested by the server. Lo and behold, no table was ready for us. To make things worst, he just told us that from the time that we put down the phone to the moment we walked into the restaurant which was approximately 10 minutes, another big group got there before we did and he decided to give them the table. We were dumbfounded. So why make a reservation in the first place?

I wanted to take the group to another restaurant but they were all so patient and nice to wait for the staff to find seats for us. We later ended up sitting on 3 different tables! What a mess!

To make things worst, I specifically requested to be seated at a non-smoking area as we have kids with us that evening. Since the server just had to squeeze us all in any available area possible, our first two tables were actually part of the smoking area. I reminded the waiter about our request and without thinking, he went straight to the customer to ask them to stop smoking at the same time pointing to me. No wonder they were giving me nasty looks all evening.

After getting our orders, luckily one long table cleared up and were were able to transfer right away. Just when we thought things would get better from that point on...it sadly didn't.


To make up for the reservation boo-boo, they gave us baskets of complimentary Kamote Bread and Cheese Spread. First thing I noticed was the burnt top layer which didn't exist during my past visits. Obviously, the breads served to us were not of top quality.


I've been trying to have as much salads as I could in this trip and since it was our last night, I ordered the La Top Organic Farm Salad (Php. 140) which is a huge platter filled with La Top cherry tomatoes, french beans, carrots, romaine lettuce, arugula and....a tiny wiggly WORM! It's a good thing that I thought of turning my leaves upside down and there I saw something that looked like a little black bean but when I poked it with my fork, it uncurled and turned into a worm. Disgusting! I immediately called the attention of our server and he quickly took my plate and utensils away. I was so disgusted, disappointed and for this rare occasion, I actually lost my appetite.

Log Cabin Love: Forest House in Baguio

You can't have it all...

At first look, we all fell in love with Forest House's interior. The cozy log cabin feel, the pretty bed and breakfast rooms and the big fireplace that will greet you as you enter the main dining hall. It was a perfect hang out spot in a cold place like Baguio City. This is the reason why it is also highly recommended that you make a reservation as the place easily gets filled up despite arriving early at the restaurant.


It was our second time to dine at Forest House and this time Paul and I know better. It was after waiting to get a table for more than thirty minutes during our first visit that we realized that it's best to give the restaurant a call as early as possible.

This time, sure we got a table but they can't fit us in the main dining hall anymore and we were placed at the annex which was far from where most servers were. Thus, we had a really hard time looking for a server, ordering our food and worst, waiting for our bill.

Despite the long wait, we all kept optimistic and prayed hard that the food will do justice and will make the wait and hassle all worth it.

So did it?

During my first visit, I remembered enjoying my food at Forest House. As usual, I shared my meal with Paul. It's a habit that we can't seem to let go of while traveling. Somehow, we always end up sharing our food but still ordering a whole lot to try. :P


Our meal began with a big bread bowl of Pumpkin Soup. It was rich, creamy with tiny bits of pumpkin chunks in between bites. It was good, not overly milky however the bread was very hard and tasted quite stale. Wish it was freshly baked as I would love to dip a few pieces in my soup.


Together with our soup, we get given Forest House's complimentary crackers which was really good. I love how this thin and crisp crackers can be so addicting! We even asked for extra plates of this as even the kids enjoyed munching on it.