Staycation at The Bellevue Hotel in Alabang

I ♥ the weekend!

Oh how I value those two precious days where I get to stay in bed longer, go out for brunch or coffee with friends, watch a movie with Paul, run errands (pay our bills! ugh) and on certain weekends, go on a road trip. This is what makes the Philippines amazing. We have three big islands surrounded by various bodies of water (hello Pacific Ocean, South China Sea and a lot more) yet it is actually possible to go from north to south and back with just a car. Thanks to the RoRo, there has been a number of "cross-country" races that has been done to prove that this is indeed possible. Tiring and nerve-wracking but possible.

One weekend, Paul and I joined our favorite eating and travel buddies -- the Co Family for a weekend staycation at The Bellevue Hotel in Alabang. Living at the center of Metro Manila, the farthest that most of us would frequent in the South would be Makati. Thus, upon accepting an invite to visit The Bellevue Hotel, it surely feels like we're heading out of town already.

We were given a Corner Grand Deluxe room (Php. 6,000) at the new Tower Wing. The room was HUGE! After staying in hotels for 4 consecutive weeks, this comes 2nd to my Duplex Suite in Beijing, China and definitely 10 times bigger than our cozy little room in Seoul, Korea.

The Bellevue Hotel has a total of 459 rooms and a total of 13 room categories spread out between the Main and Tower Wings. The rooms at the Tower Wing is bigger compared to its counterparts at the Main Wing. I also love the minimalist and bright interiors of the Tower Wing lobby. They did away with the old-fashioned reception counters and instead have 3 smaller, stand-alone counters instead. Very modern!

Going back to our room, it truly felt like a real staycation as Paul and I enjoyed our big comfy bed. How I wish our beddings are just as fluffy back home. Will definitely shop for more linens and beddings soon.

Beside our bedroom is our spacious bathroom. I love the big bath tub and the rain shower head too! They have also installed a bidet for the toilet as well. Outside the bathroom is a walk-in closet! Can I something like this at home please???

We laughed when we saw the clear glass window that allows you to see the full view of the bathroom and vice versa. For those who are not so comfy that your room companions can see you in your full bathing glory, they have blinds installed to cover the window up. 

'Cue Modern Barbecue at the Bonifacio Highstreet Central

This continues my Bonifacio Highstreet Central food review. I really love hanging out at this new wing of the Bonifacio Highstreet complex. What's there not to love about this place? With at least 80% of its tenants being restaurants, I'm just halfway through and I love how a new restaurants pop out whenever I pay a visit.

Last week, at the height of my intense preparation for Yummy Eats 2012, I said yes to a dinner invitation after getting non-stop raves not only from my blogger friends but from a certain colleague as well. As I've mentioned before, my friend T really has great taste in food and after hearing her talk about this new restaurant called 'Cue and their delicious pork chop, I knew I have to put that on the list and schedule a visit ASAP.

Paul and I got there a few minutes before our agreed meeting time and we were quickly ushered to our reserved table. 'Cue stands for barbecue as this restaurant features a lot of really good meat dishes. Definitely a manly-man's paradise, in my opinion. They opened a few weeks ago and is currently on soft opening but even without any major promotions or marketing efforts done yet, the restaurant was packed with families and friends on a weeknight. Amazing!

While waiting for our companions to arrive, we were given a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. How did I know that it was freshly popped? Well they have a cute, bright red popcorn machine on the counter! That's how! I was able to try a piece before Paul caught me and gave me a stern look. I couldn't help it as the buttery aroma was just too tempting! I forgot all about my big no-no towards corn for a minute there. 

When you're in 'Cue, I highly recommend that you try one of their Fresh Fruit Shakes (Php. 135). I loved the Grapes n' Ginger which was poured into a cut, vintage-looking glass bottle. My drink was really refreshing and I was surprised that grapes and ginger make a good match!

Paul loved his Strawberries n' Banana n' Cream which was sweet, fruity and milky just the way he likes it. It reminds me of those fruit shakes that I always get from Jonah's Fruit Stand in Boracay.

Finally, we're complete and our meal began with some more starters. Our friend F (who happens to be T's brother) took care of ordering our meal as he has been to 'Cue a lot of times already. Just like T, I trust F's taste and the following dishes that I'll talk about will tell you exactly why.

First was one of Cue's specialties -- Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos (Php. 485).
Served with Russian corn salsa, sweet n' spicy Salsa Verde and soft flour tortillas, this is definitely not for the faint-hearted (or those with high cholesterol). This dish comes with a generous serving of bone marrow and one of the most tender steak cubes that I've ever had.

Choco Love : Villa Del Conte

Look what landed on my office desk one busy day.

A box of Chocolates! H-A-P-P-I-N-E-S-S!!!

It seems like someone knows that I need a little picker upper as I've been feeling a bit gloomy these days.

I love pretty boxes and what more, a pretty box filled with chocolates. It was so hard to choose which one to try first. Each colored foil is equivalent to a specific type of chocolate be it a Praline ball in Milk Chocolate with Caramel Cream (Gold foil) or Praline Sticks in Dark Chocolate with Orange Cream Filling (Orange Stick). I personally love the Praline Balls in Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Cream Filling and Cereals (Shiny Orange foil) and the Praline Ball in Dark Chocolate with Coffee Cream Filling (Black foil).

Price starts at Php. 480 for the sampler box and they have bigger boxes in 250g and 500g too.

Visit Villa del Conte at the 3rd Floor, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Edsa corner Shaw Blvd in Mandaluyong City. Call them at 893-2575 or 621-6101.

Sariwon Korean Barbecue at the Bonifacio Highstreet Central

"Sariwon has become synonymous with serving legendary Bulgogi since its beginnings in 1938. The restaurant was established by grandmother Mrs. Bun-Im Koo from the town of Sariwon in North Korea..."

Paul and I truly enjoyed our trip to Seoul, South Korea as we were able to enjoy having Korean barbecue and other delicious Korean dishes for 6 full days. We loved it so much that Paul wants to go back to Seoul soon. I couldn't agree with him more. How can we not fall in love with Korea? The cool weather, the pretty fashionable dresses, the reasonably-priced items and the endless choices of food. Six days truly wasn't enough and we can't wait to go back to explore Korea some more.

It then made sense that we took the family out for an intimate Korean lunch to celebrate my sister's birthday a few weeks ago. Located at the rapidly bustling Bonifacio Highstreet Central, we found Sariwon Korean Barbecue. The restaurant has a very modern feel which reminds me of the posh Korean restaurant called Arirang that my family used to frequent back in the 90s. It's owned by our high school friends Donna and Diana who are expert restauranteurs.

We were seated at a 4-seater booth with a built-in grill-top. Our meal began with some banchan (appetizer) which is very typical when dining at a Korean restaurant. The number of appetizers varies though. So far, my favorite is Jang Ga Nae's banchan offerings that changes every day. At Sariwon, we had some kimchi, cold beansprouts, mashed squash, spicy radish and salty anchovies. We all loved the kimchi. So much that we kept on requesting for more refills of this.

What's Korean food without grilled barbecue? Following our appetizers, we had two types of grilled beef. First the Galbi (Php. 545/280g) which came in a plate with two huge strips of marinated USDA Choice beef short ribs. All grilled meat are cooked using the ceramic charcoal griller, cut and served by our very efficient server.

Starbucks Coffee's Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccin

After weeks of consecutive weekend getaways, Paul and I found some downtime this weekend where we were able to wake up later than usual, have longer meals with the family and go out to watch a movie. Given our busy weekend schedules, believe it or not, going out on movie dates doesn't happen that often anymore. *sigh* Which is the reason why I totally get ecstatic whenever we get to really go out on a date...just the two of us spending more quality time together.

Yesterday, we headed to the Powerplant Mall to watch a movie. I totally love my husband for giving up watching Dark Shadows over the very girly romantic comedy movie What to Expect When You're Expecting as he knows that I've been wanting to watch this movie since I learned about it months ago (..and after hearing me say, "this movie got an all-star cast in it!" probably a dozen times). Yay! Thank you Paul for spoiling me. ♥

It was indeed a fun movie with a couple of my favorite Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kendrick and Glee's Mr. Schuester -- Matthew Morrison.

We love to munch on snacks while in the movie house and since I am totally off-limits towards popcorn (no matter how buttery good they are..), we headed to Starbucks Coffee to get some drinks instead. Paul, a chocoholic tried their newest Frappuccino Blended Beverage -- the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino (Php. 165 tall). He loves anything with chocolate which is why he has been ordering Starbucks' Signature Hot Chocolate for years! Since it was so hot outside, he wanted an icy cold drink to cool him down. Thus, the Frappuccino was the best choice this time of the year.

Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast: Things you can Do!

Here are 5 FUN things you can do during your weekend getaway at Pico de Loro Cove, Hamilo Coast!

First: Head over to the Beach Club to enjoy the sun, sand and water! We got there late in the afternoon to enjoy the cool wind while waiting for the sun to set. During weekends, expect to see a lot of families relaxing by the beach and around the pool area too.

I also checked out the Sun Coral Cafe which had a Mediterranean buffet that evening. Since Mom wasn't a big fan of burritos and tacos, we skipped this and headed to the Country Club instead.

As we enjoyed the sunset, my family and I had some drinks and snack while bonding. I ordered the homemade Prociutto and Arugula Pizza which has a very thin-crust and they were very generous with the arugula. However, I find the pizza to be a bit on the bland side so I added a few drops of hot sauce to perked up the taste.

While dad had his beer and mommy her Buko juice, Pan and I had our Mojitos! I loved this! It was very refreshing and definitely a great drink to enjoy at the beach. I highly recommend this.

Summer Getaway at Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast

It's summer and with the temperature hitting close to 35 degrees Celsius, the need to hit the beach to cool down really sounds like a great idea every single day. Couple this with a glass of ice-cold mango shake and a good book -- this is exactly how I love spending summer here in the Philippines.

Thus, the invite to have a relaxing weekend getaway with my family at Pico de Loro came just at the right time. As everyone's back from their respective trips, we post-celebrated my sister's birthday at this beautiful cove south of Metro Manila. It has been a while since my family has been out on a trip. How I miss those times when we would frequent Tagaytay whenever a 3-day weekend comes around. Papa just loves the cool weather as he would leisurely sit by our favorite hotel's balcony while reading his daily newspaper and sipping his cup of coffee. I'm glad we're all back on the road for another fun family trip!


Pico de Loro is part of Hamilo Coast which is located at Nasugbu, Batangas -- a good 3-hour drive away or 114km from Manila. There are actually two ways to get to Hamilo Coast. First is to take the route that we did -- we drove all the way to Tagaytay passing through Caleruega and passing through Tali Beach, Punta Fuego and finally hitting the entrance of Hamilo Coast/Pico de Loro. It's not hard finding the way as there are a lot of signages leading the way. There are a couple of ups, downs and slight zigzags so be sure to bring a good engine-powered automobile to make driving a breeze.

Another way is via ferry boat from the SM Mall of Asia which will take you to Pico de Loro in 90 minutes. This is definitely shorter (70km) but given that I might get seasick, we opted to take the longer route while having stopovers every now and then.

We headed to Pico Sands Hotel where we will be staying that evening. Since we're a group of 5, we opted to get two rooms. Paul and I got the Superior Room while my parents and Pan got the Premier Room. To make it easier for us to communicate, the front desk officer kindly gave us adjacent rooms! There are 5 room types in the hotel including a Standard room, a Corner Deluxe room and a Penthouse Suite.

I believe that walk-ins are not allowed at Pico Sands Hotel, one has either to be a member or be a guest of a member with proper endorsements. As you check-in, you will be given a folio card where all your expenses (food, activities, etc) will be charged. This was very convenient as I requested for 5 folio cards for us and it made it easy for any one of us to avail of the amenities or to order food anytime. All balances were settled upon check-out. 


As we entered our rooms, the first thing that I noticed was that both rooms were very spacious. I was teasing my sister that she can actually stay with me and Paul as I pointed at the empty floor space beside our bed. All rooms have a flat screen TV, a study table, a bathroom with a pretty rain shower head. I think this must be the trend nowadays as most of the hotels that I've stayed in has this type of shower head. My only complain was the non-existence of a bidet. Come on, hotel developers, this should be considered a hygiene necessity!


Here's the Premiere room where my parents and sister stayed in. The room has two queen size bed so my lucky sister got this huge bed all to herself! The amenities are all the same as well as the toiletries that were provided to us.

Dimsum Unlimited at Xin Tian Di, Crown Plaza Manila

When I first met Paul 9 years ago, all I remembered was that he's the guy in a blue shirt and who was wearing a gray cap. He barely spoke a word the entire evening and just sat quietly beside his friend N who invited him to our group's dinner that day. I was busy catching up with my girl friends and was obviously oblivious to the fact that there, at one corner of the room, the same quiet guy was staring at me...or so he claims he was. *blush*

Fast forward months after that, we began exchanging messages online and via SMS. Later on, as we found out that we live so close to each other, we began meeting up for afternoon merienda or after dinner coffee chats once in a while. One of the first things that I liked about Paul was the fact that he makes a great eating partner. Having met guys who have a million and one conditions when it comes to food (read: no veggies, no spicy food, no exotic dishes, etc etc etc), I was elated to find out that Paul was really game to try anything and everything. During one of our afternoon meet-ups, I found out that he loves eating dimsum as much as I do! Needless to say, the way to our hearts was through our stomachs and with that we clicked and fell deeply in love! ♥

Enough with the cheeziness already and better yet, let me tell you about our recent lunch date at Xin Tian Di in Crowne Plaza Manila. A few months ago, Paul and I spotted a great deal over at Deal Grocer where one can avail of the Dimsum Unlimited coupon at Xin Tian Di for almost half the price! The coupon was priced at Php. 780 while the regular rate was about Php. 1, 200. Since we're both dimsum fans, it didn't took too long for us to hit that "buy this coupon" button on the website.

Sadly, our weekends have been jam-packed for months that we finally found time on the last weekend before our coupon expires. Not wanting to let good food go to waste, we took time out one Sunday lunch for our much-awaited dimsum date.

Knowing how this restaurant can get busy with customers on a Sunday, I took extra measures by calling a day before to reserve a table. As we arrived, we were ushered to our corner and were handed sheets (yes plural) of menu checklist. The game plan is to put a check beside the name of all the dimsum items that you'd like to order and hand over the sheet to the server. Unlike the regular dimsum offering, you order the items by piece or two pieces at most. We were feeling hungry already thus we were glad that a waitstaff pushing a stainless steel dimsum cart came over to our table.

Paul and I love checking out the contents of all those bamboo steam baskets and pointing out the ones that we both want to try. Of course, we just had to have our regular favorites such as the:

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns
Paul enjoyed this and commented that they were very generous with the filling.

Steamed Beancurd Skin Roll with Vegetables
A disappointment, we love beancurd skin rolls but not this one :-/

Steamed Pork Ribs with XO Sauce
This we love!! We had 3 orders of this! :) Yum yum yum

Countdown : Yummy Eats 2012

Last year, Yummy Magazine launched Yummy Eats -- a fun eating and cooking fair that took place at the NBC Tent. More than a thousand readers and food-lovers flocked to the Bonifacio Global City to sample more than 30 food finds which were all specially chosen by the editors of our favorite food magazine -- Yummy Magazine! It was indeed a fun event despite me, running around the place all day checking up on concessionaires, making sure everything goes as planned. Indeed, I went home with a big smile on a face. The buzz about the event continued days weeks months after Yummy Eats with fellow bloggers and media friends talking about it. The clamor for a second Yummy Eats was loud enough to be heard and so...

..... we're back! On May 26, 2012 at the Rockwell Tent -- we are excited to reunite, once again, with our growing Yummy Magazine community. Expect to see more than 50 concessionaires who will entice you with their mouth-watering creations. Meet some of the country's renowned chefs as they conduct cooking demos and sample their products too. It will be a full day event of eating, learning and enjoying each others company.

Have you marked your calendars already? I highly recommend that you should! Believe me, this is one event you shouldn't miss!

Save the date! May 26, 2012 (Saturday) @ the Rockwell Tent, Powerplant Mall in Makati from 10AM to 9PM.

Bizu celebrates Mother's Day

"I'll always be your Mommy even if you're married and you'll someday be a Mommy yourself..."

That's my Mommy's constant line whenever she would nag me about certain things and I would tell her not to worry because I'm a grown woman. Up until this day, Mommy never fails to call me at exactly 7PM to ask for my whereabouts. I never really got off my curfew as Mommy would start looking for us (yes, Paul included) and wouldn't sleep until she knows we're on our way home. She would always ensure that our helper would prepare breakfast for us and that I have lunch to bring to work. Initially, I thought my Mom must be the most protective Mom in the world...that was until I saw how my Amah (grandmother) was when Mommy went to Japan for a vacation. Amah would call me every single day asking if I was able to talk to Mommy online. On days where her favorite radio announcer would announce that it's a rainy day in Japan, she would call and ask if Mommy was able to bring an umbrella. That's my Amah who's 70 being equally just as protective to my 50-something Mommy. Indeed, a mother's love starts from the moment you are in her womb and this goes on for a lifetime.

Yesterday, Mommy got her early Mother's Day gift from Bizu -- our favorite go-to places for yummy foccacia bread, Croque Monsieur sandwich and French macarons. Two years ago, Bizu was very thoughtful as they sent Papa a box of Chocolate Cigars for Father's Day and this year, it was Mommy's turn to receive a special gift from them.

Village Tavern at Bonifacio High Street Central, Taguig

After a month of flying in and out of the country, finally, Paul and I were able to double date again with our friends L and T before they leave for their much-awaited honeymoon ♥. We usually would meet up somewhere in Ortigas or most recently at Eton Centris where their Chatime store is located. However, with the growing number of restaurants opening at the Bonifacio Global City, most particularly in the newly built complex called Bonifacio High Street Central, L and I decided to visit one of the many restaurants there. Bonifacio High Street Central is also where Jamba Juice and Aria are located.

Coincidentally, I was invited by the Bistro Group to have dinner there with me and my friends as they just opened a new restaurant called the Village Tavern which was a franchise from North Carolina, USA. I checked with L how she feels about trying this new restaurant out with me and just as I've guessed it, she and T were game! Yay!

The place was filled with groups when we arrived. I was actually surprised that they've only been in operation for two weeks and even with very minimal promotional efforts done, people have been flocking in to try the restaurant themselves. The restaurant has a dark, wine cellar-like ambiance. Since the restaurant is new, some American operations crew were still there to train and assist the Manila team.

Our dinner began with some drinks. My really nice (and wholesome) companions all got shakes and Iced Tea while I was in the mood for some Mojito! Yes, I rarely drink but the evening, I felt the need to unwind and I figured that a cool glass of Tavern Mojito (Php. 150) was just the right choice.

Given my extremely low tolerance for alcohol (read: I get bright red like a lobster with just a few shots), I'm happy to report that the Tavern Mojito is perfect for people like me. The alcohol content is quite low and the lime juice was really the one that you can taste all throughout. However, I got to admit, I love drinking Mojitos because it's quite refreshing but this one somehow lacks that cooling factor. Instead, I was fanning myself like crazy after consuming half a glass. Whoo! I wonder why...

We began with a huge platter of Grilled Chicken Spinach and Mixed Greens Salad (Php. 595). My friend L who doesn't eat veggies tried the grilled chicken strips on top while the three of us shared this dish. I liked how light it was and any salad with boiled eggs makes it extra yummy. It's interesting also to note that they served a piece of muffin together with this salad too. This makes a good lunch option for those who wants to fill up their veggie quota for the day.

Around Beijing, China : Wangfujing and The Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

My recent trip to Beijing, China was business-related so I wasn't really expecting to be able to visit much of the touristy sites or have as much free time to roam around and to have food trips on my own. It was pretty good actually as it was my first time to travel alone thus I don't feel very comfortable go around such a HUGE province on my own. I happily tagged along with the group wherever our host takes us. That set-up worked perfectly fine for me. At least, the next time I get to go back with Paul, I'll have a better idea on where to go!

Out of the four days that we were there, our gracious host took the afternoon off on our 3rd day to take us to the Palace Museum, otherwise known as the Forbidden City. This is located right at the center of Beijing and as we were told, everything surrounds the Forbidden City.

We entered through the North Gate where the ticket counter was located. Believe me, the Forbidden City is HUGE! It actually reminds me of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Korea. It has a main palace at the entrance followed by slightly smaller ones behind and offices lining the sides. It's a good thing, I went prepared with my trusty rubber sneakers as we did a lot of walking that afternoon.

It's amazing how China has well-preserved this World Heritage Site. Despite the warm weather, the place was pack with tour groups peeking into every single palace and offices in the area.

And the Winners Are.....A Mother's Day treat from Mcdonald's

Hooray for Today! :)


I rarely get to watch TV but during one of those rare moments, I was able to catch the new McDonald's TVC with a catchy tune and a fun, rather nostalgic story of a guy who drove through McDonald's for breakfast and along his way he saw things that reminds him (and us) of our childhood. There was a unicorn, a teddy bear, a castle built with Lego and a lot more. The message is simple. A good breakfast is essential to give you a great start to your day!

This is the reason why I am so excited to spread the love this Mother's Day as 5 lucky Mothers will get a special treat courtesy of McDonald's!

Thank you so much for joining my quick weekend contest! Without further ado, here are the winners whom I will be contacting soon to arrange for that special breakfast treat for their Moms on Mother's Day this Sunday!

CONGRATULATIONS TO....

Rosemarie Samson

Stonibert Lim

Maria Anna Katrina A. Paz

Dianne Vernadeen Sia-Lucenara 

Melody Tan

Advance Happy Mother's Day to all Mommies out there!! ♥

In The Music Scene : NKOTBSB in Manila!!!

Look who's coming to Manila!!!

Two years ago, I heard about the news of this amazing musical collaboration called NKOTBSB (New Kids on the Block / Backstreet Boys). Two of the greatest boy bands of all time together in one concert. I mentioned in my previous entry that yes, this is definitely one contest that I will never miss. I love the Backstreet Boys and yes I am a HUGE fan! ♥

I squealed like a little girl when I saw their huge billboard announcing their upcoming concert  in California last year. Oh how I prayed to the high heavens that they'll come to Asia..more specifically, the Philippines SOON....

... and they will!!! On June 3, 2012 -- 2 days AFTER my 30th birthday! What a perfect birthday gift this would make, don't you think? *wink wink* 

Sadly, I might have to miss this :( My boy band concert buddy Pan is flying out for another business trip on that day and I highly doubt Paul would be game enough to endure at least two hours of fan girls screaming all around him. Even my best buddy T will be out of the country on this day and fellow BSB fan Didi is expecting her 2nd baby, I doubt she's allowed to go to concerts where pushing, shoving, dancing and jumping is involved!

Section	Type	Price
SVIP(1st 3 ROWS)	Reserved Seats	Php 13,200
VIP	Reserved Seats	Php 8,980
LOWERBOX VIP	Reserved Seats	Php 8,450
LOWER BOX	Reserved Seats	Php 7,920
UPPER BOX	Reserved Seats	Php 3,700
GENL ADMISSION	Free Seating	Php 1,060

Checking the rates, I gasp as I saw the prices. It's quite steep. Way too much for what I was expecting the ticket to cost. Well, on second thought, to see Nick, AJ, Brian and Howie again.. I might just re-consider... 

Well, for now I might just have to pass. Till next time Backstreet Boys! Even if I cried when I first saw you on stage...even if Nick, you're still such a cutie with your two hands on your armpits in that photo above (hehe). There will definitely be a next time!

Love, 
BSB Fan Girl Frannywanny

[CONTEST ALERT] A Mother's Day treat from Mcdonald's

In my family, there are certain dates that we give just as much regard and importance to like a regular holiday. In fact, we celebrate and look forward to it more than most legal holidays. This includes our birthdays and two special days wherein we treat our parents like royalty -- Mother's Day and Father's Day.

Mother's Day is a week away and despite our very hectic work schedule, my sister and I are busy planning on what we will do for our dear Mommy on her special day. It's one day where Mommy is required to sit back, relax and leave everything up to us. Our sweet Papa would always prepare a greeting card for Mommy where both my sister and I would include our short messages in. Either for lunch or dinner, we would go out not only with Mommy but with my Amah (grandmother) as well. After all their hard work and intense labor, one day is truly not enough for us to show our utmost gratitude and undying love for them.

Still planning on where and what to do on Mother's Day? Why not jump-start the day with a surprise breakfast treat for her? Our favorite go-to place is our favorite childhood place (and that of millions of kids out there too) -- McDonald's! A quick call to their delivery hotline allows us to enjoys more precious hours in bed as we wait for our favorite McDonald's breakfast treat to be delivered right at our doorstep.

For us, breakfast should always be a feast. I remember waking up early when I was younger as we would drive out for a hearty breakfast meal -- be it some dimsum and congee or a plate of Daing na Bangus complete with salted eggs, tomatoes and garlic rice! Dad would always read the papers as he drinks his cup of coffee while my sister and I would always have our own glass of Orange Juice.

For our birthdays, breakfast is made even more special! Mommy would wake up extra early to cook some Birthday Misua. Mind you, the preparation for this dish is really tedious as it consists of a lot of ingredients and she would always complain how hard it is to evenly mix the noodles and meat together.  Despite all the hassle that Mommy has to go through for this, not a single birthday has passed without her cooking a potful of Birthday Misua for us to enjoy. You can truly feel her love in every bite.

Here I am spreading the love again! In line with Mother's Day, I would like to give five (5) lucky readers the chance to surprise their Moms on her special day with a McDonald's breakfast treat!

Sushi Express at the Oriental Plaza in Beijing

My trip to Beijing was really short. 

Too short that all days were filled up with office visits, a grand launch party and a quick stop to the Forbidden City. Given that it was my first time in Beijing, China; I tried my best to soak in everything that I  saw, heard and tasted all throughout my four-day trip. As I was packing my luggage on my last evening, I realized that I haven't shopped for anything! *panic!* Not even my mandatory Starbucks city mug that I always make sure to buy for my growing collection.

Thus, on my last day, I invited my Japanese counterparts for a quick morning shopping trip at Wangfujing. This is one place that I took note of after asking my friends K and J for shopping and eating tips in Beijing. I totally can let go of not seeing the Great Wall or the Olympic Stadium for this trip but I'm not leaving Beijing without a short shopping spree at Wangfujing! No way, José!

It was raining on our last day making it very hard to walk around and explore Wangfujing. Sad because this is a huge pedestrian area filled with shops, malls and eateries which I'm sure looks very beautiful on a sunny day. We entered the first mall that we saw and this was the Oriental Plaza. Luck must have been with us as this mall is Beijing's largest shopping mall and it houses thousands of retail brands! As my Japanese companions headed to the fashion section of the mall, I headed down to the basement where the food establishments were located. First stop was a cart selling all kinds of dried Chinese fruits and candies for my mommy who loves these very much. After buying a couple of bags, off I went to Bee Cheng Hiang for some delicious beef and pork jerkies to bring home as well. I love Bee Cheng Hiang as I can consume half a bag of sweet pork jerkies (ma-pa) in one sitting! Yum!

I'll tell you more about Wangfujing on my next entry as I would like to focus on my last lunch in Beijing for now. After roaming the basement level and checking out all the restaurants available here. I initially wanted to have lunch at Kung Fu, China's popular food chain that has Bruce Lee as their endorser/mascot. I've tried Kung Fu in Guangzhou and I was hoping I'd be able to try it again. Sadly, the line was so long and I only have 30 minutes left to eat before I have to meet up with my companions again. Beside Kung Fu is a sushi place with...a rotating sushi conveyor! My sister and I love rotating sushi restaurants that we always make it a point to dine in one wherever we are in the world. From Hong Kong to Bangkok, we love love love rotating sushi!

I found Sushi Express and their very enticing banner. RMB 6 (approximately Php. 40) per plate! That's a great sushi deal! I sat down and prepared by little wasabi saucer, filled up my cup with hot tea and scanned the conveyor belt. Let me share with you what I had for lunch that day: