i gotta go! throwback: arriving in bath

taken four years ago at a pretty little cafe across the bath spa train station. a welcome respite after the morning we just had: faulty trains breaking down, hurriedly trying to figure out how to get to bath using a different route, kate finding out her things were soaking wet because of a bottle of water in her bag.

all those issues magically disappeared when we stepped inside this cheerful little place serving warm soup. shame i can no longer remember what its name is. it set the mood for our wonderful day in bath.

staying at the discovery country suites

i'm very happy with how my 2015 is turning out in terms of travel. this month, i got to stay in discovery country suites in tagaytay. 

susie and i have always loved restaurant verbena in discovery country suites, and we've always been curious about the rooms in the property. last october, the discovery group was offering rooms at their various properties at huge discounts. so i checked out their website and found that their suites were at half off (if you check in on sunday-thursday). i hurriedly booked a random date in february, booking the nantucket suite for just Php 6,388 net, with complimentary country breakfast for two, milk and cookies at bedtime, complimentary wi-fi access and parking.

for those who will be booking their rooms for this property online, discovery country suites will send you a confirmation of your reservation by email. you have to send a signed copy of this back to them by a certain date, otherwise "the Hotel Management will have the discretion to release your room blockings as deemed necessary." i just thought i'd mention that, because most of our reservations these days are deemed confirmed, and don't usually require a response.

fast forward to that random date in february. since i had reserved in a hurry, i wasn't able to think things through and booked us on a wednesday, the day susie's car is under the number coding scheme. so that morning, i gave our little blueberry baby a hurried kiss goodbye at 630am so we could make it out of makati before seven.

on the road again.

we cruised along the skyway and were out of manila pretty quickly. we stopped for breakfast at petron along SLEX. we lingered and talked for a bit while the rain poured. i took my time finishing my oatmeal and hot chocolate, susie did the same with his coffee. i'm actually not used to not being in a hurry, and this was such a welcome pace.

at around 8am, we got to tagaytay. check-in at discovery was still at 2pm, so we had a lot of time to kill. susie drove up to palace in the sky, and we were hoping to check it out, since i had never been there, but it was too foggy to see anything. on our way back, we saw a coffee bean and tea leaf with a windmill on top, and thought it was a good place to stop and kill some time. 

cafe voila at crosswinds, tagaytay

as it turned out, the coffee bean and tea leaf is still being constructed and won't be open for a few more days. luckily, beside it was cafe voila, a restaurant with a rustic asian feel. it was so inviting, we couldn't help but take a seat and order drinks.

lovely, right?

such a shame we were still full from breakfast, because they had a pretty extensive menu.

after taking a few more photos, we went back to the car and drove around tagaytay some more. it was great to be in the city on a weekday--traffic was so light, so we were zipping back and forth between random places we wanted to see. we checked out the area where marcia adams tuscany was; sadly we didn't think to reserve a table.

we drove back and had brunch at breakfast at antonio's. susie was happy with his steak; i wasn't so impressed with my morcilla roesti (which, in hindsight, was probably the chorizo roesti, they may have served me the wrong dish). i was very happy with their banana macadamia nut spread, though! i took a jar home (P250) for the office folks, and they loved it.

we took our time with brunch, and drove back to verbena to finally check in. gela, who was at the concierge desk, received us warmly. we were checked in in a matter of minutes. it took them a while to open the door to our suite, though, there was a bit of a problem as the wooden door had expanded due to the humidity from the cold weather. this is what we saw when we entered: 

the nantucket suite

since we had booked months ago, i had completely forgotten about the room i chose. i remember favoring this particular suite in case we wanted to take the blueberry baby with us. it was even more spacious than i had expected, and tastefully decorated. even with the space, it still exuded a cozy feel; i just wanted to burrow under the covers and read a book then.

the room also had a large desk--in case you'd be foolish enough to do any work in this beautiful getaway. our suite also boasted a balcony, and an enormous bathroom. this is the room to book if you want quick access to the concierge or the restaurant, as it is on street level. it's also perfect for those who need PWD access, as you won't need to use the stairs to get to this room.

i also valued the sweet, little touches that they offer all guests. at sundown, they served us two glasses of wine and a platter of cheeses. when we got back to our room after dinner, there was a plate of yummy cookies and a pot of warm milk waiting for us. 

happy campers.

it was such a treat to wake up in such a comfy and cozy bed. we got even more excited when we realized we had complimentary breakfast at verbena! we got our pick of the restaurant's breakfast menu. the choices are pretty interesting; there were omelettes, different takes on eggs benedict, a selection of filipino breakfasts, among others. this was on top of the bread and butter that you can take from the buffet area, where you can also find cereals, milk, and juices. it was a very satisfying meal.

for the rest of our stay, we just hung out in the room and enjoyed it to the hilt. at around 12, we reluctantly checked out and bid the place goodbye. we vowed to go back. it was wonderful to find that the outstanding service we get in verbena matches that of discovery country suites. all the staff members we encountered treated us warmly, and were very professional and accommodating. 

so don't find it surprising if i post about staying in this place again. i was able to purchase accommodation vouchers for an overnight stay for P6,628.50 net. i'm very excited at the thought that i can book a stay anytime (until november 30, 2015, that is). 

check out more photos of our brief tagaytay fling. 

accommodation details
discovery country suites
address: 300 calamba road, san jose, tagaytay
email: dcrsvn@discovery.com.ph
phone number: +63 2 529.8172 / +63 46 413.4567

baguio eats

late last year, i had this crazy idea of celebrating my last weekend as twenty-something up in chilly baguio. i think i made the right call on this one, because taking friends up to the city of pines was pretty cool. literally. heh.

aside from the company, what made the weekend stand out for me was the food. and since i can't share the laughs and moments that happened up in tower condominium (you had to be there), then i'm just going to share with you the things that we devoured that trip:

Pumpkin Soup, Bliss Cafe
All of us ordered a bowl of this, and it was the perfect start to a wonderful meal.
It was light and tasty. :)

Pansit Bliss
Bliss Cafe's version of the well-known merienda.
It didn't taste different from any of the pansits I've had before.

Bliss Crepe
We all shared one for dessert, and it was SO good.
We lucked out that it was strawberry season. :)
The chocnut was a great complement to the fruits.

Surf and Turf Lunch
For my birthday lunch, Adrian grilled the enormous prawns from their farm in Bicol.
Kage cooked onions with young corn (over there on the upper left of the photo).
Susie grilled pork ribs, not in photo, sorry. But they were good!

Beef and Truffle
Before we left, we stopped by Cantinetta in Camp John Hay.
I ordered their Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Truffle Sauce.
Cooked medium rare. Very good.

i find it outrageous that i wasn't able to take a photo of our midnight "snack" friday night: Adrian's special lamb sukiyaki. it has ruined sukiyaki for us. having sukiyaki at midnight in chilly Baguio was one of the highlights of the trip.

in between these meals, we would drink hot chocolate, eat strawberries, or have some instant knorr soup. steady, good vibes, cool weather, great friends, and wonderful meals--it was a great way to spend that last weekend before i turned 30. :)

sunday in shang mactan

as i write, my tummy is taking a nap after a buffet beating at tides. i'm hoping it'll wake up just in time for rounds 3 and 4. maybe 5? photo on the left is of my third plate.

we landed at 9 this morning, and got on the free shangri-la mactan shuttle from the airport straight to the hotel. we got our day passes at senses, and hit the beach.

day passes have gotten more expensive since the last time i went here. they're now PHP 2,500 net per person each (up from PHP 2,000), and includes access to the pools and beaches, and buffet lunch at tides. they provide towels for you as well.

sadly, there are a lot of people here right now, so we couldn't find a prime spot on the beach with enough shade. which is fine by me, i need a tan anyway.

after this, we'll be enjoying more time at the beach, then we.go to the city for some zubuchon. :)

*sigh* it's gonna be a bitch going to work tomorrow. :p

okay, what just happened?!

i blink, and suddenly, it's february. work has taken centerstage when the curtains went up in 2011, that i hardly noticed it was time for our cebu daytrip and my hk 'me-time' pre-birthday trip.

in a few hours, i'm off to hopefully sunny sugbo. the plan is to laze around shangri-la mactan, pig out there for lunch, laze around some more, then feast on some delectable zubuchon. all in one day. gotta love promo fares for making crazy trips like that possible.

i'm hoping this quick getaway will pick me up a bit. my nerves have been all wrung out the wrong way, and a beach trip might just straighten them all out.

i'll be reporting on the trip when i get back tomorrow night, or when i gets me some wifi.

getting my pho fix at pho 24

pho 24 is a new vietnamese restaurant in swanky ayala triangle gardens. as someone who can eat pho every single day, i knew i had to try it.

i ordered a "well-done brisket noodle soup," or pho chin. my order arrived in less than five minutes, steaming hot. at this point, i was liking pho 24 A LOT.

their regular bowl is a tad smaller than pho hoa's (where i usually go for a pho run), which isn't actually a bad thing, because i almost always end up being ridiculously full after a meal at pho hoa. the bowl at pho 24 was just right, and the taste hit the spot as well. condiments, such as sriracha and soy paste, were placed on all tables. no more competing with other tables for seasoning.

the staff were quite friendly and attentive. didn't take long for my bill to arrive, and there was no need to call their attention after i've placed my moolah in the bill folder.

i just have a couple of beefs: while my bowl of pho was served steaming hot, it didn't take long for it to get cold, because the aircon was on full blast! and also, prices on their menu don't include VAT, so what was supposed to be a Php 138 bowl of brisket pho turned out to be Php 151.80. still a good price, but i really want to be able to know how much i'm really paying for something when i'm looking at the menu. besides, aren't they supposed to put the VAT-inclusive price?

still, though, you will definitely see me there again. i want to try their spring rolls and the vietnamese coffee. and more pho, of course. :)

view photos of pho 24 and ayala triangle here.

restaurant information
pho 24
ayala triangle gardens, makati,
and another branch at power plant mall
check out the menu here, thanks to munch punch!
phone number (power plant): (+632) 897-8088

our best meal so far

susie and i are now in santander, in northern spain. we arrived by train this afternoon and spent a good part of the day walking by the sardinero, one of the popular beaches here.

lunchtime had passed us by, and we were desperate to sit down and have a bite. most establishments in santander close after lunch and don't open until 5 or 6, so it was tough finding a place to eat in.

we chanced upon dias desur, and soon found that it was a blessing. the waiter was cheerful and pleasant, and the food fantastic.

sus and i each had a plate of this, their fish of the day. it's lubina cooked on a grill, served with vegetables and fried potatoes. maravilloso.

it was not a cheap meal at 12,50 euros, but it came with a primer plato, a drink, and dessert. you'd be hard-pressed to find such a deal in other european cities (save for cities in spain).

lunch at colette

so there we were, exhausted and dying of starvation after the louvre experience. luckily, i had looked up colette, and found that it was close by, on rue saint honore.

colette is a shop that sells beautiful things. :) it also has a cafe, so when we arrived, all we could think about was food, so we made a beeline for the cafe downstairs and had this:

fancy heineken.
could have given us a plain ol' bottle, but that wouldn't be very colette.

oh, and of course, this:

risotto in paris.
a delicious, creamy risotto with an equally delicious salad

and that's why we left colette with big smiles on our faces.

ba noi's: the second time just sucked

ba noi's is a new vietnamese restaurant along perea street in legazpi village. since i love pho and will never say no to a bowl of beef pho noodles, susie and i decided to have dinner there a couple of weeks back.

the place was simple and pleasant. the crew friendly enough. i enjoyed their fried spring rolls, and the pho bo was yummy, despite the reviews that said it was bland. i had forgotten what susie ordered, but he enjoyed it, too. we went out of ba noi's then with satisfied smiles on our mugs.

banking on that first experience, we decided to have lunch there last saturday.

it started out well enough: the place wasn't too packed, and the waitress gave us our menus; she was still attentive enough. we ordered the shrimp pomelo salad as our starter, and i got a pho bo again (because i loved it the first time), and susie finally got to try the lemongrass chicken (which wasn't available last time).

our salad arrived on time, but it wasn't anything special. it wasn't bad, but i wouldn't sing praises about it, either. i didn't mind much, because i knew the pho bo would make up for it.

this time, ba noi's decided not to prove the reviews wrong. the broth came warm, not hot, and was bland. the basil and lime they provided didn't give it enough flavor, so i asked for more. it took the waitress about 15 minutes to give me my additional spices, and by then, the broth had turned lukewarm.

a really good bowl of pho can turn my mood around, but at the same time, a really bland (bad) one can turn me into a monster. this was not helped by the fact that susie's order had not come, even when i was halfway through my bowl (and i was eating it very slowly since i didn't really like how it tasted). all around us, people who had just come in were already feasting on their dishes, while poor susie had to wait with a grumbling stomach.

we followed it up with the staff, who just nodded and went back to the counter. the dish came after about 10 minutes or so. by this time, i had given up on my bowl, and i decided to order the fried spring rolls so we can at least have something nice to eat. unfortunately, the dish never came even after susie had finished his food.

so we just paid for the bill (we didn't have to wait long for that, how nice) and left a note about how disappointed we were, complete with name and number. no response from them yet. doesn't matter, though. we're never going back there again.

burp: create your own burgers at BRGR: the burger project

since we had been spending a lot of time at the farm (my friend adrian's garden, which we have turned into a mini farm), we thought we'd mix things up and go someplace else for dinner.

so last saturday, we went with adrian's suggestion to bring our monstrous appetites over to BRGR: the burger project in quezon city. i had no idea what was in store for us; the mere mention of the word burger compelled me to say yes.

BRGR is a small and bright burger joint along maginhawa street in teacher's village. the decor was playful, and the interiors kept simple. we walked up to the counter and were each given our own clipboards and marker. attached to the clipboard was an order form, where you can check the ingredients that you want on your burger.
the idea of making my own burger filled me with both thrill and dread--i mean, sure, it's exciting that i could put whatever i want on my burger, but when faced with the choices that BRGR has, it was actually a difficult thing to do, especially when you're hungry.

my order form ended up being the messiest, with a lot of corrections and crossed-out ingredients. i was so befuddled that i actually submitted my form without a choice of patty (you can have up to three 100% beef patties, or a tofu patty). i was initially lured by the idea of a delicious blue cheese burger, but that flew out the window the minute i saw "egg" as one of the choices.

my burger project at BRGR.

in the end, i opted for a single 100% beef patty with a fried egg, sauteed mushrooms, bacon, onions, lettuce, and tomato on a potato bun. i ordered a side of potato fries and a glass of their vanilla milkshake. these extras caused my bill to reach Php400. pricey, yes, but if you loved your meal, price is nothing.

a word of caution: it's very easy to get carried away with your BRGR creations. choosing a lot of ingredients can drive your bill up, so keep a drop of practicality if you don't want to part with your cash (but where's the fun in that?). the average cost of a BRGR is about Php 280, if you skip the milkshake (Php145) and keep your ingredients to a minimum.

taste-wise, though, i only have one thing to complain about: the sauteed mushrooms came out tough when i bit on them, but they were still very tasty. other than that, though, my burger rocked. it took me a long time to finish it (it was very, very heavy), but the price and time were all worth it. the milkshake did NOT help matters any, but i wouldn't have missed that drink for the world.

we left BRGR with all of us clutching our tummies and breathing heavily after the battle that we just subjected our bodies to, but we all had big smiles on our faces.

so next time you're feeling hungry AND creative, head on over to BRGR: the burger project, and whip yourself up a burger that you can be proud of.

view more photos of our food trip at BRGR: the burger project.

restaurant information
BRGR: the burger project
122 maginhawa street
teacher's village, quezon city
mobile number: (0915) 520-2266
business hours: 11am - 11pm daily

bacolod food trip for a day

we've done cebu before, so this time, we went for bacolod!

this plan was hatched years ago, when our friend adrian shared a dream he had of going to bacolod for the day just to have authentic chicken inasal. susie and i just laughed at him then, not realizing he was serious.

this year, we thought we'd make his dream come true. so, a couple of months back, we booked tickets to bacolod, taking the 6am flight, then going back on the last flight. on the day of the trip, adrian was obviously excited. he prepared by not eating any chicken dish a week or so before the trip.

upon landing, we went to chowking in front of the former city hall. we landed in bacolod too early, that chowking was one of the few places that was open on a sunday morning. it was our way of lining our stomachs for the chowfest that was to come.

come lunchtime, susie's brother took us to manukan country, where a row of inasal stalls can be found. aida's was the favored stall, and so we sat down and finally ordered the very thing that we came there for. of course, it didn't help that aida's had a poster inside the store saying "aida's chicken is now at makati square."

they have it in makati square?!

still, though, that didn't keep us down. bacolod will always have better-tasting chicken inasal than manila. i couldn't wait to have that tasty pecho, the "motor oil" mixed in with every spoonful of garlic rice i shovel into my mouth. lookit at our chicken inasal orders:

delicious chicken inasal at aida's in bacolod

there's really nothing like the taste of freshly cooked chicken inasal from bacolod's manukan country. to make up for the long trip he made, adrian devoured four sticks of inasal: pecho, native chicken, isol, and another pecho, or i think a leg. he found the native chicken very tasty, and still speaks of it to this day. he was so happy about his meal, and by the price of the chicken, that he paid for all of our orders. we really should exploit this generous gene of his more. :p

so, with that crossed off our list, we all felt like there wasn't really anything else we should do. until we got to calea, dessert-maker extraordinaire. unfortunately, we were all bushed from all the eating, so there are no pictures of calea goodness to be shared. i wouldn't have been able to do them justice, anyway. i think, though, that anything you order from calea is sure to hit the spot. and that's coming from someone who doesn't have a sweet tooth.

susie's brother and his wife took very good care of us--picking us up at the airport, taking us to places other than manukan country, and letting us snooze off when we were all wiped out after the heavy inasal lunch. before sending us off, they even fed us leftover lechon, which was absolutely delicious.

seriously, eating in bacolod is such a pleasure. you'll go back to manila a few pounds heavier, but you'll be a very happy fatty. for this very reason, i vow to come back, but for a longer period this time, to make sure that i sample every tiny bit of yumminess this city has to offer.

catching the world cup finals at 121 grille and restaurant

i've become a regular at 121 grille and restaurant in allegro center, pasong tamo extension since we joined the old farts for quiz nights on tuesdays. i used to go to quiz nights at murphy's, but found the questions to damned difficult, so my team (mannschaft united) stopped going.

quiz nights at 121 are fun and hilarious (if you're on our team, that is), not to mention actually informative. it doesn't hurt that they serve pretty good salpicao and beer below zero at cheap prices. the alcohol definitely adds to the fun. :p

while enjoying quiz nights, i found myself getting hooked on the world cup matches as well, as 121 is among the bars in manila that show the games even at ungodly hours. and since i've gotten myself terribly inebriated while supporting la furia roja, i thought i might as well cheer them on all the way to the finals.

so early this morning, i found myself waking up at 130am, and made my way to 121 for the most exciting game of the season (naks, feeling). i was biting my fingers (not my nails, take note) the entire time, the game was so darned exciting. watching these games have sent me into incredible emotional swings--this morning, i've slammed my palm down the table, causing the water droplets on the tabletop to jump, i've screamed for missed goals, cheered ecstatically for iker's incredible saves, and reprimanded the team for being "lax." i was trembling by the time iniesta kicked that ball in.

the crowd at 121 definitely made the experience more sensational; we all sang ole, ole, ole when the match finally ended. it's the kind of shared experience you don't get to have everyday. i love it when strangers come together for a common interest. i think i'm going to be watching more futbol matches at 121 in the future. here's to more sleepless nights!

restaurant information
121 grille and restaurant
2nd level allegro center, pasong tamo extension, makati
quiz nights on tuesdays, drinkeoke nights on thursdays

plane rides galore

independence day weekend had me shuttling from airport to airport, catching one flight after another. very jetsetter, as other people had remarked. i could only wish.

we had inadvertently scheduled the long-overdue day trip to bacolod a day before our spontaneous hong kong trip with susie's family. it made for one busy but fun-filled week(end).

about a month ago, susie and i decided to finally grant our friend a's wish to fly to bacolod for a day just to taste their succulent chicken inasal. a had originally wanted to do a spur-of-the-moment thing, but exorbitant plane fares didn't give us the luxury of spontaneity, so we made do with a scheduled, but still bahala na-ish trip.

somewhere along the way, susie's family, on a whim, booked a trip to hong kong, and invited us to join them. i, being beaten by the daily grind, did not have the strength to say no. so what if i only had a few vacation days left? i'll worry about that later. and the trip just happened to coincide with mika's concert in hong kong, which i had been wanting to see. so saying no was definitely not an option.

the result of this weekend? bloated stomachs, satisfied, giddy grins, tired, aching feet, a spankin' new phone, and one broken maleta. the maleta part still hasn't sunk in, but i think it's a small price to pay for such a great week(end). i keep enclosing "end" in parentheses because the getaway stretched until thursday.

photos and stories to come VERY soon.

snore: the manila hotel (part 1of my manila weekend)

Part of the reason I signed up for Carlos Celdran’s My Manila Tour was so that I could finally have a chance to stay in The Manila Hotel. I know that it hasn’t had a good reputation for the past few years, but I’ve always fancied staying in a hotel that has so much history, and holds memories of how my country was like before the war.

The experience was enjoyable, though definitely not perfect. I’ve broken down The Manila Hotel experience in various segments, so read on:

Booking
To book for the My Manila Tour, I sent an email to Carlos’s assistant, Lesley, who then referred me to The Manila Hotel’s representatives, Nian and Gyranne. They told me that I can reserve a room through them (by email), or through The Manila Hotel website, which is what I did.

Since I would have to provide my credit card details, I decided to reserve through the website, which was more secure than my GMail account. At first, I was a bit confused about booking online, because the only price shown was for single occupancy. But once I clicked on “book,” I found out that you had to key in the number of guests per room, and the system will automatically add an additional person charge.

It was also nice that they put the inclusions and itinerary on the site, so you know what you’re going to get out of the tour.

Check-in
We drove to Manila Hotel and were greeted warmly by the valet. Did you know that valet parking comes free of charge, whether or not you’re staying the night? Pretty cool, methinks.

To check-in, we showed a printout of our reservation, and check-in went off without a hitch. We were escorted to our room on the eighth floor, where we had some down time before the Intramuros tour.

Room and Amenities
The room we got was in the new wing of The Manila Hotel, and was one of the redesigned/updated rooms. While it retained the wooden closet doors, the entertainment console, and antique-style bed, it also had modern accents, such as the mother of pearl frames on the mirrors, a Samsung flat-screen TV, an iLuv mp3 dock, and a waterproof LCD TV by the bathtub. The look was also updated by installing new wallpapers.

It was a pretty good-sized room, and provided us a view of the bay. Being a budget hostel regular, it was one of the more luxurious rooms I’ve been in. It was also newly carpeted, and the king-sized bed had a Senso Memory Foam mattress, which, for someone who has scoliosis like me, was very, very comfortable.

I discovered through the website that the bathroom was newly redesigned as well, and is decked in Italian marble. Aside from a tub, it also has a separate rain shower area, and comes with L’Occitane toiletries. I was stoked when I saw that they also provided a loofah, aside from the usual shower cap, toothbrush, and shaving kit. The bathroom also came with three sets of towels for each guest, and a bathrobe.

Other room furnishings included a safe, a set of office supplies placed in a leather case, complimentary water, a mini bar/ref, coffee-making facilities, and comfy hotel slippers. I was also surprised to find that they offer free wi-fi in the room—I’m so used to being charged for that in other hotels.

Facilities
During our stay, we also got to enjoy the different facilities in The Manila Hotel. On our first night, we used our coupons for complimentary 2-for-1 cocktails at the Tap Room, which featured very classic bar design (I loved the wooden walls and wooden bar).

For my first drink, I decided to try an alcoholic one, which reminded me of a tequila sunrise, but was called something else. It was too strong for me, so I opted for a non-alcoholic one for my second, which I ended up enjoying a lot! They called it a Fruit Crush, which reminded me of a Piña Colada sans the alcohol. Malou, one of the writers, was able to obtain the recipe from the waiter, and we found out it had coconut, cream, and pineapples. It was very, very yummy.

We were then given a private tour of the MacArthur Suite—a two-bedroom extravaganza with a kitchen, dining room, living room, and an office at the top floor of the old wing of The Manila Hotel. It was decorated with MacArthur memorabilia, but upsized with modern comforts: the kitchen had a washing machine and refrigerator, while the living room and master’s bedroom were both equipped with their Samsung flatscreens.

Afterwards, we were treated to a lovely dinner by Chef Christine Zarandin at the Champagne Room. I loved the charming, Frenchy interiors of the place, which seemed to come alive when it’s filled with happy, chatty people. The food was superb (especially the lobster), but service could use more courtesy and speed. The experience was made more enjoyable by the company we had—Susie and I were exiled to a table separate from the larger group, but we were lucky enough to be joined by Tessa, Carlos’s wife, and their friend Ria.

On the second day, we woke up to a breakfast buffet at Roma, since Café Ilang-Ilang was being renovated. There was a wide selection of breakfast offerings—cereal, various kinds of bread, yogurt, typical Filipino breakfasts like tocino and lugaw, plus a few others that made it quite a good spread.

Carlos was also able to snag us private access to The Manila Hotel Archives, which was tiny room near Mabuhay Palace. As tiny as it was, it included a deluge of memories, among them old brochures, menus of the hotel’s many restaurants, clippings that featured the hotel. The walls were decorated with black and white photos of famous personalities who’ve stayed in The Manila Hotel, among them the King and Queen of Spain and Prince Charles. We also found a signed Philippine jacket by Manny Pacquiao, which sent one of our companions, Colin, quite giddy, as his son happens to love the Pinoy Boxer.

And finally, before we took off for the Imelda Tour at CCP, Susie and I decided to check out the pool area. He decided to just hang out by the lounge chairs while I took a dip in the pool. The water wasn’t as refreshing, because the pool water was warm. Being newly renovated, the pool area looked pretty inviting—it was huge, had its own kiddie pool, and it had a pool bar where you can enjoy a drink or two. The lounge chairs surrounding the pool were comfortable enough, and provided some shade if you’ve had enough of the sun.

Service
In terms of rooms and facilities, I can say that The Manila Hotel is already on its way back to awesome. However, they really need to keep up in the service department.

The staff, while friendly and accommodating, still lack professionalism. I saw this at the reception desk while we were checking out. Our check out process went smoothly, but there was a man who was requesting for something, and he was made to wait for a long time.

He approached the reception desk while we were checking out, and the staff was clearly frazzled. When asked what was taking them so long, one of the receptionists didn’t reply, but decided to dial a number, and grumble “Please pick up the phone, pick up the phone, PICK UP THE PHONE!” That didn’t make the guest feel any better, and it even showed that they lack organization. In situations like that, I believe people should keep calm, and try to pacify the obviously irritated client instead.

There were other instances when I saw that there really is a need to train the staff. I guess, after the physical upgrades, they can concentrate on the people next.


Value
Oh, it definitely was not cheap, but not shockingly expensive either. We paid Php 13,980.00, which already included a superior deluxe room for two, cocktails at the Tap Room, dinner at the Champagne Room, and two Carlos Celdran tours. That comes out to about Php 7,000 per person, for a weekend where you can get to know your country a little better in style. I’d say it’s worth dishing out that much moolah to pamper yourself and soak up some culture every now and then.

Conclusion
Even with a few chinks in the armor, though, I will still come back. It will take a lot of work, but The Manila Hotel can and will get its former glory back, and I will be there to applaud when it happens.

Hotel Information
The Manila Hotel
Address: One Rizal Park, Manila
Phone number: (632) 5270011

pasig ferry and binondo

because i haven't had the drive to go out of town recently, i thought i'd stay close to home and rediscover places here that give manila its charm.

so one march weekend, i, together with a bunch of friends, trooped to the guadalupe ferry station, and hopped on the ferry to escolta, hoping to fill our tummies with nummy chinese chow in binondo.

the ferry ride
the first time i rode the pasig ferry, the fare was just P25.00--flat rate, one-way. that was three years ago, and the price has now gone up to P45.00 one way. quite pricey, i have to say, but it's still one of the most comfortable ways to get to manila from our neck of the woods.

we got to the station 15 minutes before the next trip arrived. the ferry station is pretty decent--seats for waiting passengers, turnstiles by the ticket counter, and restrooms for the passengers' use. the staff were also helpful enough.

the ferry got to the station at 3pm on the dot. embarking and getting off was a breeze, and the ferry didn't waste any time at the dock. before we knew it, we were floating on the pasig on our way to escolta.

i found the ride much more relaxing this time, maybe because the air conditioning was fully functional, and our ferry didn't have a flatscreen with air supply karaoke videos playing. passengers are free to roam the ferry throughout the ride. there are also restrooms on board. we're all hoping that they put an area or a small bar where people can buy snacks and drinks.

an hour later, we got off the ferry and on to escolta. the binondo arch was just a few meters away.

in binondo
we didn't count on being in binondo so late, and some of us hadn't had breakfast or lunch to save tummy space for this trip. this, it seems, was a mistake. the moment we got to ongpin, we went to cafe mezzanine for our "first" meal.

because we were all famished already, we ordered a feast: kiampeng, different kinds of siomai, adobong tofu, pata tim, radish cake, lechon macau, and other things that i can't remember at the moment. we decimated the dishes in less than 10 minutes, and by then, we all felt stuffed and had no space for anything else.

so after cafe mezzanine, we decided to just explore and let our feet take us wherever. we saw shops selling jade, gold, and other trinkets, a lot of fruit stalls along the street, a chinese grocery that sells large and thick haw flakes, hardware stores, and a security equipment store.

we eventually ended up in soler, and found this quaint little cafe called cukeng coffee shop. we all needed a break, and decided to go in for a cup of tea or coffee. the place was homey and comfortable, and had knick-knacks all around, including an old-school coffee maker made of glass.

some of us ordered milk teas, and to our surprise, our orders came in lovely pots and cups. their coffee drinks looked great, too. it was funny to see sisig and lechon kawali in the menu of a coffee shop, though.

after a half hour of talking and goofing around in cukeng, we decided to head back to the ferry station. unfortunately for us, the schedule that they gave away at the guadalupe station wasn't followed. according to the schedule, the last trip on saturdays from escolta was at 8pm, but we arrived at the station at around 715pm, and we were told that the station was already closed. how's that for efficiency.

by this time, we were all exhausted already, so we tried looking for a cab. unfortunately, cabs are hard to come by in binondo, so we eventually ended up walking to intramuros, burning all the calories we've consumed in the process. everybody seemed happy about that little tidbit (that's why i had to write it here, too).

when we got to san agustin church, we hailed an avanza taxi, who offered to take all six of us back to makati for P200. we were in no mood to argue, and the price actually wasn't so bad, so we all hopped in and ended the day's adventure. :)

more photos of the pasig ferry ride and our day in binondo.

helpful hong kong sites

my brain is already on vacation mode, and all i can think about is hong kong, hong kong, hong kong!

even though we already have a rough itinerary, i'm still trying to scour the net for some last-minute recommendations on places to check out, and so far, these sites have been particularly helpful:

smart travel asia - hong kong shopping till you drop
i believe this is the first time that i felt excited about shopping in hong kong. i've always just enjoyed walking around and seeing the sights, but this time, i think i'm going to splurge. but i'm not going to spend money just anywhere; i may be splurging, but it should be worth it.

so i googled for shopping areas in hong kong, and found smart travel asia's extensive guide on shopping in hong kong. the article tackles every shopping district in hong kong, tells you what to expect, gives you the names of shops to check out, and even cites the URLs of the said shops so you can check out the products.

i spent a long time on this article because there was just so much information, and it also gives you an idea of where to go based on your preferences. through this page, i found out about homeless, a home accessories store that sells cute and functional home accents. i also got to really see just how many shopping malls there are in hong kong. the place is just overwhelming, but thanks to smart travel asia, i now know where to go.

eat drink hongkong
as the site says, this blog gives you the low down on where to eat and drink in vibrant hong kong. the blog gives reviews of several restaurants, complete with pictures and the address of the restaurant. entries are categorized according to area, cuisine, and name of restaurant.

i'm already thinking of going to adagio on wing lok street just to sample the mixed mushrooms with butter and cream and broccoli with bacon and cheese. OM NOM NOM.

discover hong kong
this is the first site i check out whenever i plan on going to hong kong. unlike other government tourism websites i've checked out, discover hong kong is pretty informative and organized. you can really see from the site that there's a desire to help, and not just to get you to go to tourism-approved restaurants and shops.

of course, this site works best when you're a first-timer who wants to see the most popular sights of hong kong, but i've found quite a few gems here for my previous hong kong trips. ayeen and i got to take a jewelry appreciation class here for free, as well as ride a duk ling, or a chinese junk, for free.

one of the best pages of this tourism website is the cultural kaleidoscope, where tourists and visitors can choose from a few activities that they'd like to try out, such as a tai chi class, an architecture walk (pretty tiring!), a feng shui class, or guided tours at a few select museums. just don't forget to read the guidelines, because, while some activities are free of charge, others, like the duk ling ride, are now paid activities.

as helpful as these sites, are, though, don't tie yourself down to the things that you see online. one of the things i like about hong kong is that there's something new to discover every single time. so make sure to keep your eyes open when you're walking around in this vibrant city--a unique and quaint little store might just be around the corner.

chocolatissimo at the peninsula manila

i'm not a big fan of chocolates, but i'm sure a lot of you are. :) if you've got some moolah to spare (like, if you haven't spent all of it on your valentine's date), chocolatissimo! at the peninsula manila is one of the most indulgent chocolate experiences you can have.


it's a chocolate-themed, six-course dinner by executive chef adam mathis and pastry chef anil rohira. quite steep at Php 3,000 + service charge and taxes, but hey, it's chocolate. :) dinner will also be paired with wine depot's special wines.

chocolate+wine is a combination i've always wanted to try. too bad i'm going to be in hong kong while this is going on.

event details
chocolatissimo! -- the ultimate chocolate experience
where: old manila, the peninsula manila
when: 19 february, friday, 7pm
how much: Php 3,000 + 10% service charge and government taxes

wine depot presents "a tuscan toast"

wine depot presents "a tuscan toast: banfi wines at chelsea," yet another event for us this week!

on february 6, wednesday, at 7pm, head over to chelsea in serendra and join wine depot in celebrating castello banfi's 11th consecutive year as italy's premier vineyard estate (VinItaly). to tempt you further, take a look at the menu they've prepared:

ticket price for this event is P950 per person, inclusive of dinner and wine, which is quite a steal, since you'll be paying for about P2,200 worth of food and drinks. to get your tickets, you may email toastclub@winedepot.com.ph, or purchase them at any wine depot store. you can also get tickets at chelsea, located at the serendra piazza, fort bonifacio.

event information

a tuscan toast: banfi wines at chelsea

when: 6 february, wednesday, 7pm

where: chelsea, ground floor, serendra piazza, fort bonifacio, taguig

how much: P950 per person, available at any wine depot store or at chelsea.

boracay photos

i'm still drawing up the blog post for the boracay trip and my review of true home hotel in boracay. in the meantime, you guys can feast your eyes on the photos, although, i have to admit, they're not very good. :p

just click on the link:
no-booze boracay
true home hotel boracay

wine depot celebrates australia day!

wine depot is having a whole day fair filled with awesome events on friday, january 29, at wine depot reposo, from 10am to 10pm.

dubbed "true blue aussie sale," this exciting australia day celebration features a three-course lunch for P650, two free workshops, free wine and cheese tasting, and an outback barbecue dinner for P1,300.

for a detailed description of wine depot's australia day events, just click on the photo on the right.

before having fun at the aussie sale, please register at wine depot through joy at toastclub@winedepot.com.ph, or call +632 8894889.

establishment information
wine depot
makati-reposo: 217 nicanor garcia street, bel-air village
tel: 8973220
business hours: mondays to sundays, 10am to 10pm
email address: winedirect@pacific.net.ph