Isdaan sa Calauan

Everytime we go home to Pangil, Laguna, we always see this big floating restaurant along the highway in Calauan, Laguna, just between the towns of Bay (pronounced Ba-ee) and Victoria. In fact, we witnessed how it slowly grew while the big concrete statues of the restaurant were being constructed. We wondered then if this will click among patrons. We realized later that their open parking lot seemed to be always full when we pass by it.

We asked ourselves when will be able to eat there. The opportunity came last Saturday, 22 December 2012, on our way to Pangil, Laguna. It was already past 1 pm and so we decided to try it out.

SG-Melaka-KL Trip Day 4 (Overnight in Melaka)

December 2, 2012 (Sunday)

Since Melaka was along the way to KL from SG  and it has been on my bucket list,  we decided to include it in our itinerary. I had earlier booked our seats online for the trip to Melaka.

We got up early and checked out of our hotel at past 6 AM to catch our bus going to Melaka which was scheduled to leave at 7:30 AM. The bus is located at the Golden Mile Complex (taxi fare: about S$ 11). It was good that we arrived early because we were not sure where the office of the bus was and we were supposed to get our tickets there. The bus was located in another area. Although it was just walking distance, if you are not familiar with the place and you happen to arrive at the last minute, you might not be able to board on time.

There were only about 10 passengers on the bus which included us and there are only 3 seats in a row with a super wide leg space that you can recline your seat that you are almost lying down since there are no passengers behind you.

Lunch at Home on a Lazy Sunday Afternoon

When not on travel, Sundays are usually spent at home to laze around since the following day is the start of a new work and school week.

Having done our grocery and attended an anticipated mass the day before, that's what we did. We slept late and woke up late. Aside from a cleaning lady who visits us twice a week to also cook for us, the food preparation is left to my wife for the rest of the week.

Since we had some left over food from the previous week, we decided to eat pangat (or pangatlong init or third time to reheat the food, ha ha ha). We are a green family after all. We reduce, reuse and reheat, he he he

Raiding our ref, we saw the pack of spicy bangus (milkfish) bought the previous week and which my wife wanted to eat ever since we bought it. However, since we always get home late, she was unable to have what she wanted. Now was the day where she had a lot of time. And that's what she did. It was not as spicy as we would have wanted. Also, we later found out that it was not boneless.

Ox Brain: Food for the Brain?

We got a chance to have lunch again at Behrouz near Shopwise Sucat last weekend. When we asked our daughter where she wanted to have lunch, she immediately said Mang Inasal. But when she found out that we're going to do our weekly grocery in Sucat, she immediately changed her mind and blurted out "Behrouz".

We parked our car at Shopwise and walked our way to the restaurant, which is about 5 minutes away. When we entered the place, it was half-filled and we picked up a booth, sat and started to order. We're not the adventurous type, so we asked for the same food when we usually dine there.

While waiting, I asked my wife is she wanted to try the ox brain, which had piqued our interest ever since we started eating there but never had the courage to try it. A plateful costs P80, so what the heck, we called the waiter once again and asked to have the ox brain also.

from left (clockwise) - ox brain, 2 small shawarma, beef kebab and shawarma rice without the rice

How a Family of Three Spends Less than P1000 for a Day at the Mall

How does a family of three spend one whole day in a mall with less than P1000 to spend? Use a lot of group buying vouchers, ha ha ha

Travel doesn't mean you have to go far away from where you live. It is the company you keep that makes travelling, whether near or far, more fun.

My daughter has been bugging us for a long time to take her skating again. It's been a while since she did this activity and we thought of taking advantage of a deal which costs one day unlimited skating at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) for only P220 instead of the regular P390. We plan to go there as soon as the mall opens so that she can maximize her time on the ice.

  

Army Navy: Burger + Burrito

After the wife and daughter had their hair done at a salon in Better Living, we decided to have lunch at the restaurant just beside it.

Savory Sunday Lunch

This Sunday, we had to bring Angel to the dermatologist at SM Bicutan to have her face checked because rashes started to appear on her skin since summer. When my wife and daughter finally saw the doctor and told the latter what the problem was, the dermatologist immediately said, "nagdadalaga na kasi siya." OMG, our daughter is turning into a woman? NO, not yet! Anyway, she was given an ointment, hypo soap and anstringent, which set back my wife more than P1,200. Good thing, I went to the toilet when paying time came, he he he.

Anyway, since it was already late, we decided to have lunch at the mall. My wife told me to foot the bill for our lunch since she had already spent a lot for our daughter's skin ointments. There was a long line in Mang Inasal although it was almost 2 PM. We chose to dine instead at Savory which is near the inasal restaurant.

Only a few tables were occupied as lunch time was already over. We chose a booth at the corner of the restaurant. We contemplated on what to order their combo meals good for 2 and for 1 or order ala carte and have the yang chow rice. We asked if we can upgrade our rice for the combo meals from steamed to yang chow and were informed that it is not possible. So, we ordered a ala carte even though it turned out more expensive.

Late Lunch at Earle's Deli

When my wife suggested that we go to the Ayala Center to do our grocery and attend the anticipated mass at the Greenbelt Chapel, I thought it was an opportunity to use our voucher at Earle's Delicatessen. We had three of this which we bought at P65 each.had

Since my wife leaves work in a hotel in Pasay at 12:30 PM, we had lunch about an hour after we picked her up since we had to travel and walk to Greenbelt 1 from where we parked at Park Square 1 across SM Makati.

The Deli is not inside the Greenbelt 1 mall but instead outside it near Zagu, Binalot and Mercury Drug along Legaspi Street.

 

Post-Summer Vacay in Boracay - Part 2

On our third day, we decided to start the day with a buffet breakfast at La Carmela. For P100, we upgraded our set breakfast to this. The spread consisted of pancit miki, chicken adobo, glazed pineapple and eggs (scrambled and sunny side up). There were also rice, toasts and butter with unlimited brewed coffee and what tasted like "Eight O'Clock" orange drink.

 

After breakfast, we went to the beach infront of the hotel again to take a quick dip.

We had visited the old talipapa during our first visit to Boracay and before it got burned. So we went to check out the place. It's now between Sands Hotel and another accommodation. It's not as busy as it was when we last saw it. Only souvenirs and clothes are now being sold.

Post-Summer Vacay in Boracay - Part 1

typical scene on white beach, boracay

On our third trip to Boracay, no plans were made except to just bum around. No adventurous activities. Just lie down on the beach, read a book, swim in the sea or pool, or just return to our room have a siesta or watch TV.

The trip to Boracay all started when I booked a flight from Kalibo going to Manila on the morning of 13 February 2012 with a 15 kilo baggage allowance for P1,500 for the three of us (P500 each).

I told myself that I will have to wait for another promo fare going to Kalibo since the trip is still on June 2012. That same night, I found an Airphil flight bound for Kalibo which costs us P770 each or a total of P2,310 for the three of us with a total baggage allowance of 30 kilos. The total round trip fare for the three of us then was P3,810 (or P1,270 each).

We will be staying Boracay for 5 days and 4 nights. Considering that it's a long weekend (Tuesday, June 12 is our last day), we only have to take 2 day leave from work, while our daughter will be going to school the following day after we returned.

Dumaguete's Sans Rival: Without Rival?

Even before we went to Dumaguete, I've been hearing a lot about the Sans Rival coffeeshop. The French term sans rival is literally translated into English as unrivalled or no rival. When I was small (really small), we used to buy a whole cake at Goldilock's and I just couldn't get enough of it.

So, when we visited Dumaguete last November 2011, we made sure that we check out this "famous" coffee shop there. It's easily accessible from where we stayed at the Bethel Guest House. In fact, its just a few blocks away from our accommodation and is near the corner of Rizal Avenue and San Jose Street. Rizal Avenue is similar to Roxas Boulevard in Manila as it is the road beside the sea and a favorite hang out especially during sunset.

If you are coming from Rizal Avenue, it is on the left side and just across a restobar named Zan Zibar. The Sans Rival closes early which I think is about 7 PM.

During our 4-day stay in Dumaguete/Siquijor, we visited the place at least 3 times. In fact, right after we checked in and had our lunch on our first day, Sans Rival was the first place we visited to have our afternoon snack.

Stopover in Sta. Cruz, Laguna: Asian Traveller's Inn Resto

Everytime we go to Pangil, Laguna for a short break and pass by Laguna's capital, Sta. Cruz at almost lunch or dinner time we usually buy some food to-go or we just dine-in at the Traveller's Inn restaurant. The Inn is located in Barangay Pagsawitan where the public buses usually drop off passengers bound for Sta. Cruz.

The place is a favorite among the locals since the prices are quite reasonable and the place can easily be reached. It serves basically Chinese and Filipino dishes.

The last time we went there was last Maundy Thursday and the place was almost full, aside from those waiting for take-outs. I guess one reason for it being full is people doing the Visita Iglesia drop by to have their lunch.

Gyros at Stavros

We finally had a chance to try out Stavros' Kebab and Mediterranean House at SM Bicutan. After the 10 AM mass in our village, we went to the mall to do our grocery as well as have our lunch.

After parking, we went to Mang Inasal, my daughter's favorite chicken place. However, restaurant was full that we decided to look for another place to eat.

Stavros and Cafe Zenses are two new restaurants found in the 2nd level of the mall. Both were opened less than a year but never had a chance to try any of them.

We first went inside Zenses to check their menu. I found the ambiance good and the food looks ok as well. However, the wife didn't seem to like the selection. So, off we went to the restaurant next door.

Dining at Dillingers 1903

We earlier bought a voucher for P1000 worth of food at 50% off at Dillingers, a restaurant you can easily miss if you don't ask around or know where it is actually located. Found at one  end of level 3 of Greenbelt 3 beside Red Box, the exterior is very nondescript that you would at first think it was an abandoned place.

Being a Sunday, the place is not really crowded. I guess its more of a watering hole during regular days than a family restaurant. In fact, tables are small and so are the plates, which may be appropriate for finger foods and some alcoholic beverages to down them.

As you enter, one can see on one side of the establishment a long bar where beers, wines or cocktails are prepared and served, while the other side has both the regular and high chairs and tables. There is also an inner room which I supposed are for smoking patrons.

Johnny Chow: We had returned

With our last voucher for Johnny Chow about to expire, we decided to use and have dinner there after our daughter's school's Family Day yesterday. We got there before 7 PM and found the place less crowded than the first time we went there. We were quickly taken to our table and handed the menu.

Zark's - Burger from Hell

We finally had a chance to try Zark's Burger which is just across the De La Salle University and near my daughter's school. Since yesterday was family day at their school, we decided to try it out instead of the usual food being sold in their school.

Zark's is about 2 blocks away but since it was a little bit cloudy it was not that hot to walk to the restaurant. It is located on the second floor, on top of the Army Navy Restaurant. Being a Sunday, I guess the clients would be a lot less than usual.

 Seated and with the menu on hand, we start to pick out what to order. I originally ordered the burger from hell while my wife wanted a buffalo wings. However, they didn't have them. Wanting something spicy, I asked for the El Loko Baka instead which the menu said was Zark's version of tex-mex burger with home-made salsa and cheese. My wife ordered the Stone Cold Stunner, a double cheeseburger with bacon, lettuce and tomato, plus onion and mushrooms. The latter came with fries and bottomless iced tea, while I had to add P60 for a serving of fries and iced tea.

Friday's on a Sunday Evening

My wife and her sister talked on the phone yesterday, Sunday, and asked if we would like to meet for an afternoon snack and where it would be convenient, if ever. As we haven't been to Eastwood City in Quezon City and since it was nearer their place, she suggested that we meet there.

As we were coming from Laguna and we had to visit my sister in the hospital, my wife said that we might be running late. We left the hospital at past 4 and my wife immediately txted her sister if she still want to meet that day. My daughter was a little disappointed that the meet-up might not push through as she was excited to see here cousin, who is less than 1 year younger than her.

It was finally confirmed, so off we drove to Magsaysay Boulevard, where a film crew was shooting a movie (i think it was still Bourne Legacy) so there was a bit of a traffic there. We got to Eastwood City at around 5 PM already.

My wife and her sister, and my daughter and her cousin were glad to have finally seen each other again after a long while. I took a seat in front of the fountain with my brother-in-law and just in time, there was a dancing fountain show.

Sunday Brunch at the Marriott

 

Sundays are usually spent at home with the family or else have lunch out somewhere inexpensive, but this Sunday, the sales staff of the Marriott Hotel Manila, where my wife works, was treated to a Sunday brunch at the Marriott Cafe. Being a family day, we tagged along with my wife to have our brunch there too.

The adult family members of the Marriott associates are entitled to a 50% discount, while children (not sure up to what age) get another 50% off. So, the price we had to pay for such a wide spread of dishes was reasonable enough.

The problem with buffet is I get easily overwhelmed that I don't know where to begin or what to eat. In fact, I skipped the bread and soup to get to the main dishes right away. There are a lot of sections that you can choose from.