Hungry for the World

Seda, Cagayan de Oro

2013-05-03T01:28:00.001+08:00

Did a bit of hotel hopping a few days back. Went to CDO to swing by father's birthday and in the process, spent a night at the latest hotel to open in Cagayan de Oro, Seda, the hotel chain from Ayala. AFAIK, there is a Seda in Davao, one in BGC, and the latest, in CDO. Even the keycard used in CDO has the J.P. Laurel, Davao address. I thought it was time to try something different for a change. For a while back, my hotel of choice when in CDO was Marco Hotel in Alwana, Cugman.

Seda Hotel facade. The hotel has direct access to the Ayala Mall, Centrio.

Our flight was very delayed. Thanks, apparently, to the air traffic in NAIA. Good thing I requested for pickup from the Lumbia airport by the hotel's airport transfer service. A man dressed in short sleeved polo, dark slacks, holding an iPad with the Seda logo on the screen was waiting for us. Of all the guys standing there, he was the only one inside the gates aside from outgoing passengers which really goes to show they have some pull within the airport grounds. We were led to a black sedan and I asked the driver where the logo was and I was informed it was on the door by the front passenger seat. I checked when I got off and it was indeed there, quite a discrete way of putting it and can easily be missed at night.

By the time my preschooler and I arrived at Seda, it was already a couple of minutes past midnight and we got in via an inconspicuous side entrance. Being that this hotel is connected to the Centrio Mall, the lobby is at the 4th floor.

Lobby, restaurant to the right, and the function room and meeting rooms at the far back of the building.

Above pic was taken with me standing by the reception desk. It's very minimalist and area is definitely limited. The hotel very much reminded me of our condo. I can finally see where the interior designer was heading with her choice of colors in our place.

Click more for the tour!

I booked the most basic room via Agoda. I actually called Seda in advance to ask if they could offer better rates but since they could not (and I was advised to book with Agoda), then Agoda it was (I do not understand why hotels would prefer to give Agoda a percentage of their sales).

Upon entry to the room. Closet to the right side not in the picture. Saw the wirings jutting out though inside the closet. Not a good finish for the hotel. Lack of attention to detail for a hotel of this class.

Requested for a huge bed as we were also joined by my sister who checked in ahead of us.

Entertainment and desk with hairdryer inside. I love that there's a provision for different ports perfect for the traveler with several gadgets.

Preschooler dressing up in bathrobe.

Coffee and tea making facility. My sister mentioned something about the coffee being good (according to the person who helped her with the baggage). Cannot attest to that as I do not drink coffee. This was left untouched.

Available refreshments.

Standard bathroom with hot and cold shower and toiletries. No dental kit provided though.

Our room was at the 8th floor if I'm not mistaken. Pool view from the room.

Room service was only until 10 pm , I think. Requested for a menu for breakfast the following day but it took them so long, I decided to go down with my preschooler instead. We had free breakfast with the booking but my preschooler and I were unable to wake up early in time for final call at 10 am. My sister, who did avail of it, told me there was limited choices.

Breakfast came in the form of mixed seafood. This is because my daughter loves shrimp tempura. There's also fish, squid, and, if not mistaken, kangkong tempura.

A bland mushroom risotto with really tiny scallops on top. Not at all what I expected.

By late afternoon, it was time to check out the pool.

Preschooler was looking forward to it.

Until she started itching. Good thing no redness stayed afterwards. The pool could have definitely benefited from cleaning. Slime/grime appears to have formed on the edges of the pool floor.

Overall, the hotel is definitely a notch higher than the limited hotels that I've seen in CDO. It can definitely do better. For the price being charged, it's not quite value for money, for me. There's an expectation, from my end, of being "more". It was ok but I was not necessarily blown away. Food was ok. Service okay. Maybe there's no extra mile from the staff? Or the lack of attention to detail in the room? Or that, it looks like the hotel is still on soft opening (if that were the case, then those rates should be lower). Those are my 2 cents anyway.

Separation Anxiety

2013-05-02T02:53:00.001+08:00

This is the 2nd time I've left my preschooler with my in-laws for a significant amount of time. The first time, we forcibly tried to wean her from breastfeeding (which did not work) and which was how my husband and I found ourselves in Vietnam. This time, it's really just a matter of doing what's best for her. I'm busy with deliverables, my husband in Singapore, and with me as sole caretaker is just not best for her. Added to that is she's looking forward to spending time with her cousins and grandparents. Who am I to stand in the way of that?

Hamming inside the restroom aboard Singapore Airlines.

So interested to see the result! She's getting better at taking pictures too!

What joy!

Sigh... I miss her so...

Stubborn/Strong-willed Child?

2013-04-18T13:14:00.000+08:00

Ever since we've been here in Singapore, my ~~toddler~~ preschooler has become more stubborn than ever. It's very hard now to get her to do something. It requires coaxing, negotiation, and a loooot of patience which I must admit I don't have a lot of especially on days when I have back-to-back calls at work. To my credit, my husband tells me I've come a long way since giving birth to her.

Enjoying inflight entertainment onboard Singapore Airlines.

So I googled how one parent can actually deal with a stubborn child and found tips from Aha! Parenting.
Apparently, stubborn children are strong-willed children and that I should be grateful that I have such a child, who if parented sensitively, will grow up to become great teenagers who are (almost?) impervious to peer pressure, driven, has integrity and is self-motivated. Wow! Yes, I'd want to have a teenager like that in the future. Key phrase there is "parented sensitively".

Enjoying pool time at Hougang Village Residences. Who would have thought she used to be scared of water?

Ok, wait there... that sounds a lot like me. Except for the parented sensitively bit which would attribute to my awkward teenage years where I could not make sense why my father won't allow me to actually have a choice or say in anything. I could not argue with him on the dinner table regarding viewpoints we disagreed on without fear of an explosion and my sister kicking my legs under the dinner table to shut me up. I could not join any club in high-school, cannot finish projects overnight in anyone's house in college, and the only thing at least was that I was allowed to attend both proms in junior and senior year. My mother was so glad when I finally graduated and moved out of the house only a month after graduation. At least no more clashes between 2 stubborn (strong-willed?) people.

But she can be the sweetest.

So I should really take my experience in how I wanted to be treated growing up and apply it to my preschooler's upbringing. It means I have to be more patient with her, treat her with respect and empathy, provide her with choices, and not have to win all battles with her. Let's see where this approach will lead me. You can find the article here.

No Longer An Ikea Virgin

2013-04-15T03:38:00.000+08:00

While I've been in Singapore and Hongkong before, I've never been to any Ikea shop. So you can just imagine my giddiness when my sister and I, with Euna, finally made our way to the Ikea warehouse in Tampines. We took bus #72 from Hougang and 20 minutes later, getting off across The Pagoda bus stop, we walked maybe 500 meters when we finally saw our destination:

Truth be told, I actually rode bus 109 the day before with my toddler with the full intent of making my way there by ourselves but upon seeing that it was across the wide freeway (and Euna conveniently sleeping in my arms), chickened out. :D That turned out to be one of the longest bus rides ever as we made a round trip until Changi and again took the same bus number back to Hougang. Haha!

It's not a shop! It's a HUGE warehouse! Four stories with the first 2 allotted for parking and the other 2 for showrooms and shopping!

Okay. A bit of background. I've heard of Ikea before but only truly appreciated the brand when we bought a tiny condo and had it renovated. All of my research pointed out that if I wanted affordable furniture/furnishings for a tiny condo, Ikea was the answer. Unfortunately, we did not have Ikea in the Philippines. So I contented myself with looking at their website and getting inspired by the ingenious Ikea designers and Ikea hackers.

Ikea food! Prior to this, I was totally unaware that they have a food line. Omg! I had to try!

They have an Ikea restaurant on the 4th floor. Let me just tell you, to save yourself the going back and forth, grab yourself one of those tray trolley you see in the right side of the pic below, especially if you're ordering for the group before queueing up.

I ordered this dish of salmon with potatoes and greens. This was so-so. I suppose the peeve was that the salmon was dry.

My toddler having a kid's plate of chicken nuggets and fries. Poster child for appetite inducing vitamins.

My sister ordered this organic pasta dish with Swedish meatballs. When mixed with parmesan, it's actually good. You can also buy the meatballs to go so that you can enjoy this at home.

This plate of desserts was a really great way to end the meal: Triple chocolate and Daim torte. I don't know if I'm just starved for good desserts upon moving here (I don't know where to get the cakes I'm used to getting back in Manila so let me know if you have suggestions!) but I bought the to-go version as well.

Ok. I realize I bough the right triple chocolate cake right and I got the wrong torte. The Daim cake and the Mork Choklad did not taste the same.

And upon closer inspection, do not look the same.

Triple chocolate from the box also does not look the same, nor does it taste the same. What am I missing here? Is there some sort of prep steps done at the Ikea restaurant before these are served?

The only good thing with the Salmon combo I bought was that it came with the above drink: a bottle of Classic Juice of apple & peach. Ever since I've been here in Singapore, I've refrained (yes, refrained!) from ordering drinks because all of a sudden, I find it expensive! Haha! This had fruits in it and I thoroughly enjoyed this. If, on the other hand, you prefer the bottomless drinks (reminds me of S&R), then you can definitely have cups of any soda you want for only 1 SGD.

On our 2nd return (yes, we went back within the same week this time with my husband), I ordered from the Halal line because all of the other queues were such a stretch!

Halal meatball and pasta (meatball was without pork).

And 4 pieces of chicken wings. Affordable, yes but nothing to rave about. Good thing my daughter was hungry so she wasn't her usual fussy self and it was actually remarkably easy to feed her that time.

Word of caution though, don't go there on weekends if you can help it! The crowds!

Ok, I just realized I've been yakking on about food. Did not mean this to be just a food post but it seems it is destined to be. Watch out for my other Ikea posts!

P.S. Apparently, there are *free* Ikea shuttles from all over Singapore. I haven't been personally on one and have not verified this but you can check out the details here.

New Digs!

2013-04-14T01:10:00.000+08:00

Last time, I talked about us moving into new digs. Well, here it is:

Reception area. There's really nothing there except for this ottoman/bench I'm sitting on, shoe cabinet, and the cannot-be-missed huge rabbit on the wall. It's quirky.

The best thing about it is....

Drum roll please....

My own work station!

My back, neck, and wrist will finally have a rest after weeks of improvised seat and desk.

I was supposed to be on sabbatical for a couple of weeks while we are here in Singapore but ended up working 97% of the time.

Accommodation in Singapore's one of the most expensive that I know so I'm just happy and grateful that H has found this place which fits our budget. It has a very good energy too. While I'm not superstitious, I do believe in energy. The owners looked to be in their mid 20s and it's very evident from the place that they took lengths to make a home out of it. It's a corner unit so we get sunshine in every room. Positive vibes. Hoping to get more work done now!

In another news, I've finally been to Ikea! Haha! I'm no longer an Ikea virgin. While my impression of the brand before was quality for the price (and therefore on the affordable end), quite surprised to find a host of options. You could get a duvet/quilt for SGD 7 and get another one 10x that amount. Same goes for pots and pans. So really, good to find options depending on the budget. Next post will be on that and my orientation to the Ikea world. ;)

Moving?

2013-04-08T00:07:00.001+08:00

We're in Singapore right now. My husband moved about 2 weeks ago. I am not yet decided whether my daughter and I will move as well. Uprooting her from school is the least of my priorities now. But at least we've now found a place for my husband. So in a few days, we'll be moving into new digs. In the meantime, we've gone out last weekend to the Singapore Zoo. Sharing some pics here.

The last time we were here, Euna was just 4 months old.

Euna was patiently waiting for her turn to ride this tortoise statue when another child cut in front of her (unaware that someone else was waiting) and she boldly exclaimed, "Hey! Wait for your turn!". Poor child was so embarrassed, she went back to her mother.

Here I am testing out the OMD's macro shot. At best, I'm just a hobbyist. The camera makes me look better than I actually am.

I think she has inherited her father's fascination with nature.

Those were her cousin's penguins, she said. Her cousin is a fan of Happy Feet. :)

She was looking at the white tiger here and she said, the tiger's color should be yellow. "The color's not right, Mama!".

I don't know where she gets her poses.

The best thing we can give to her now, aside from our attention, is a variety of experiences.

Feeding time for the baboons. All on attention.

Then we got to the Wet Play area and had to buy her new swimwear. Look at that happy face!

Wacky shot by the Australian outback jeep. Father and daughter are so alike.

At the end of the day, we have a big decision to make.

Dare I put these two apart? My heart is already breaking at the thought of it.

In the End

2013-01-02T23:28:00.000+08:00

I should not have left my last post for 2012 on such a low note, so I'm going to consider this as my last post for 2012.

This year had been really hectic and stressful. I did not lead a charmed life so when I say stressed, I really mean stressed. So I'm looking forward to just slowing down this 2013, stop being so driven. I don't know why I have this drive when I don't even know in which direction I'm heading. I am hoping the world will conspire with me on this (please help pray that H finds an opportunity good enough that I no longer need to work).

Just some photos since H's operation. Only positive vibes.

My little girl's dress rehearsal at school. First dress rehearsal.

First performance. Was surprised to find tears rolling down my cheeks when I realized she was on stage. To feel pride at that moment (totally unexpected) and the realization that she's growing up. Fast. You read about it and you think about it but to actually experience that she's growing are two different things.

She's liking the sand. And the beach.

And she enjoys being buried in the sand as much I used to.

The 2 loves of my life.

Here's to hoping to spending more time with you this 2013 little girl.

Happy new year to you! May we all find that which we are searching for this year.

By Far...

2012-10-08T03:22:00.002+08:00

Only three-fourths of the year has gone and I can confidently say that this has been the most stressful year.

A couple of weeks ago, we found our family of 3 at Makati Med's ER. H was complaining of a pain in his lower right abdomen since morning and we decided to get him to ER that evening.

Which was how H and Euna wound up in the above pic taken at past midnight. My little girl was still smiling.

After a series of tests, the doctors were able to determine at past 3 in the morning that he had an inflamed appendix and had to undergo operation that morning. My 3 year old was able to sleep at nearly 5 am. I had to go home to get personal stuff. Going back to the hospital at past 7 that morning, H was calling me as he needed to be on his way to the operating room. Needless to say, I broke down in the taxi!

Fortunately, operation went smoothly. The surgeon said it was the first time he saw a half inflamed and half normal appendix. Thank you, kind sir, for being considerate. Sorry to have kept you waiting.

That evening, my poor girl must have been so tired, she just fell asleep beside her papa in the midst of watching movies from the iPad.

And I had to squeeze work in between all these (see my laptop in the background).

Hospital food. Parsley was wilting.

What I took from this experience:

We need help, esp in times like these. With just the 3 of us, it was a very stressful situation. Grateful that my in-laws arrived the day after the operation.
I need to go back to having driving lessons so that I can drive in Metro Manila. We had to wait for my FIL to get the car out from Makati Med parking (imagine the parking fee if they were not scheduled to come!).
I need to get health insurance for my parents and siblings! Good thing H was covered by me so I only ended up paying 0.067% of the actual hospitalization and operation costs.
I need to get some sort of life insurance. With me as the primary breadwinner of the family these days, there's no other alternative but to find myself a more comprehensive coverage. Recommendations?

Sorry dear readers, now you know why I haven't been blogging much.

Dear 2012, please be kinder to me even for just the last quarter. I really do think I deserve a fabulous year-end!

Most Expensive Cheese Quesadilla

2012-09-17T01:58:00.000+08:00

Do you know where you can get a cheese quesadilla for PHP 290? It's just cheese in between the soft taco and nothing else. I really did not understand the price considering I can get the same thing for PhP 105 at Army Navy. I could have almost 3 servings of cheese quesadilla at Army Navy for the price of one at...

Granted it's bigger than Army Navy's single serving but not significantly so.

Especially that the sides don't have cheese filling anymore!

Find out after the jump!

It's the mexican place at the ground floor of Fairways Tower in BGC none other than Ristra's! I tried their ribs as well. Quite good and enough share so post on that to follow. Otherwise, this cheese quesadilla is a rip-off. I don't know with you but now that I've tried it, I'm getting my cheese quesadilla fix somewhere else!

I've Registered!

2012-09-17T01:40:00.002+08:00

Tweeted sometime last week that there's a special voter's registration happening over the weekend. It happened last Saturday at Mind Museum, BGC, Taguig. I made it a point to drop by, allotting 30 minutes of my time for the said activity.

Notice inside the elevator of our condo.

We arrived around 4 pm in the afternoon armed with our passports (valid government ID) and proof of billing (to show we are Taguig residents).

Steps were numbered and the process was computerized. First step was to provide our passports and proof of billing and 2 women behind the table set about looking for our records. I was given a green form while my husband was given white. Green form meant I'm updating my record and white meant my husband is a virgin voter. Next year, 2013 will be the first year he'll ever vote (and to think he's older than me)!

A number of people inside registering.

I've been an absentee voter for the past decade so why vote now? Because my husband kept telling me, whenever I'd whine about this and that regarding the government, that I had no right to complain. So, to make my case and therefore have that right to complain, I am voting in next year's midterm legislative and local elections! With a growing daughter and a vested interest in the country (I have no plans of moving abroad as of the moment), this is my way of making a difference. I am filling out my list of senators to vote for while I definitely know who to avoid!

Funny thing was, as we were going outside at almost half past 4, a man was trying to come in to register. He was informed that the activity has closed already and they were just accommodating those who were inside. His point was, the notice was for 9 am til 5 pm. If they were going to close at 4:30, the notice should have said just that. Couldn't fault him really as even the notice I saw said 5:00 pm. Clearly, these were volunteers/workers who wanted to cut 30 minutes from that 8 hour budgeted time.

Didn't make the special voter's registration but still would like to register? You can still register at the Taguig City Hall, 57 General Luna Street, Tuktukan, Taguig City.

Have you registered already?

Best Salmon Sashimi in Manila

2012-09-10T00:11:00.002+08:00

I can't believe I've stayed away from blogging for more than a month. I'm trying my hand at being a good organized mother which meant cutting back on my web surfing time. It has been working so far but I doubt if I have the discipline to carry this on for long. I want to keep informed!

Anyway, thought I'd drop by and share the good news: I've found one of the best Salmon Sashimi in Manila!

Just look at that beautiful meat. Its orange flesh is firm and bright. Can you guess where this is?

One of the best because I'm sure there are a lot out there which I don't know about (but need to know so your favorites are most welcome!)

Find out after the jump!

My husband and I are salmon sashimi lovers. We'd go to Saisaki at Glorietta, Makati just to binge on it. But nothing prepared me for the salmon in Hong Kong. When I got back, the salmon in Manila (Saisaki and SumoSam) was just not up to par anymore. Saisaki's great for quantity but if you're looking for quality, get it somewhere else.

Drumroll please...

Thankfully, Metrobank came out with a 50% discount on meals at Kimpura, Greenbelt 5 when dining on weekdays and lunch only on Saturdays using certain Metrobank credit cards (I'm quite happy with them as of the moment with all the promotions they're running). Yes, Kimpura has one of the best Salmon Sashimi in Manila! Not only that, they also have a lot of excellent dishes on their menu. I should sit down one day and enumerate them. Haha!

Btw, my toddler turned 3 years old almost a month ago.

Euna and her play-doh cake painstakingly put together by me.

I might not be able to update as often as I'd want to but if you'd like to keep updated of my food adventures, follow me on foodspotting! :)

On My Third Try...

2012-08-06T00:49:00.000+08:00

I know I tweeted I will never have Gong Cha again after my makunat tapioca experience and when they forgot to add pearl topping to my order of milk tea the 2nd time but I was at Glorietta earlier and was passing by the foodcourt after checking out the blue cross sale at Debenhams when I saw the Gong Cha stall. I thought I should be fair and at least give them one more try since all my past experiences with them were limited to having the milk teas delivered to my office.

Hence, I tried one of Gong Cha's house specials, the milk milk tea.

Find out what I thought after the jump!

I ordered the milk milk tea with less (70%) sugar and less ice. I had to add pearl as topping since that was not included in the standard order of milk milk tea. It came with that cream that is similar to rock salt and cheese from Happy Lemon, the JCC milk tea drink from Tokyo Bubble tea, and mousse from Chatime. It's milky (understandable with the milk milk tea name), the tea flavor did not overwhelm the drink, and I had it 70% sugar which was alright but next time, I'm going to have it at 50%. My husband, who prefers Starbucks to milk tea, actually happily competed in finishing this milk tea with me. I am surprised that I actually like this milk tea (Oh no! Not another one!).

Only downside for me would be the price. This is a large milk milk tea which costs PhP 125. With the additional pearl topping, total cost was PhP 140! Quite expensive for milk tea which would beat Tokyo Bubble Tea's if it weren't for the fact that the large serving at TBT is actually small compared to most milk tea shops!

No, this is not a sponsored post. Not happy to take back what I've said but I'm happy to have found this drink. Now, if only I can get past that price...

Sharing My Newfound Cup Of Tea

2012-07-25T04:23:00.000+08:00

Recently tried this milk tea place in Mandaluyong. Do you know which milk tea place this is?

Still no clue? Find out after the jump!

Was so excited when I stumbled upon this on my way to Our Kitchen (same row in D'Ace Plaza).

Sharetea, which looks like a franchise direct from Taiwan. I asked if they delivered, they answered yes which made me very excited only to find out they're limited to the surrounding area. McKinley Hill is considered too far already. The guy at the counter said they were safeguarding the quality of the milk tea. Delayed deliveries usually mean watered down milk teas and hardened tapioca/pearls (sounds familiar). Made perfect sense, unfortunately.

I ordered a large Taiwan Classic less ice and sugar which already came with pearls. Set me back PhP 100 (about USD 2.50) if I recall correctly. Size would be same as Chatime and Serenitea.

Another shot. Lucky peeps in Pioneer, Pasig, and Greenhills, Sharetea delivers!

Verdict: It's more milk than tea which I would compare to Tokyo Bubble Tea's Royal Milk Tea. This is better value considering volume, another alternative to Agantea. Pearl was chewy as I'm expecting it to. Not hard or makunat. I ordered it less sugar so that just fits my preferred sugar level. As a rule, I prefer my milk teas with less sugar.

So interested to try their Crispy Chicken. Definitely next time when we're in the area.

I so want to visit Taiwan just for a food trip. Between our trip to Vietnam and HK in the first quarter of this year and H's birthday in Davao, I'm afraid we've already eaten up all of our travel budget this year. :( I'm itching to open a milk tea franchise (from Taiwan) so that I get an excuse to fly there!

Share your favorites at Sharetea!

Ready-To-Eat Meals From Our Kitchen

2012-07-23T04:36:00.001+08:00

It has been more than 5 months since our househelp suddenly left us. We have been househelp-less since. It is not easy juggling household, workload, and a toddler. Month ends are just way stressful since that's the time of the month when I am required to put in extra hours at work, not to mention the pressure. We have dealt with it by having H quit his regular gig and I suppose, eating out or having food delivered whenever we're both too tired to cook (mostly him being too tired as most days, I can't be bothered to lift a hand in our tiny kitchen).

When I discovered one place last week which delivered ready-to-eat meals to the comfort of one's home. This place is heaven-sent to stressed-out moms like me.

Discount coupons were offered in Ensogo a couple of months ago which was how I came by this Our Kitchen at the ground floor of D'Ace Plaza along United Street on Brgy. Kapitolyo, Pasig.

They offer microwaveable meals at relatively affordable prices (comparing to average spend when eating out).

They have pasta, lasagna, meat-filled buns, and options for ulam such as Bicol Express, Pork Binagoongan, Chicken Lollipops...

We went home with the Seafood Karekare, Beef with mushroom, and I forgot the other one which I wasn't able to try out (H ~~prepared~~ microwaved it for lunch while I was in the office). I preferred the Beef with mushroom and can imagine having it for dinners for days to come. I am excited to go back and try out the other offerings on their menu.

They also had this row of breads, pasta sauces, and pastries. Need to check this out more next time.

Refrigerated goodies. Tried the cupcakes and they were good for the price.

Our Kitchen signage by the front.

I considered relocating to D'Ace plaza after this for the convenience of having food just below the building. Haha! It did not hurt that Ace Water Spa was also in the building. ;)

Seriously though, Our Kitchen delivers food wherever you may be for free/fee depending where you might be in Metro Manila. I suppose if you do bulk orders that would come down to a reasonable delivery fee. H is considering minimizing our groceries and just order bulk from them. I wonder if they have some loyalty scheme?

You can check out Our Kitchen's website here.

J.CO Donuts Now In Makati!

2012-07-19T00:23:00.000+08:00

Around first week of July, J.CO Donuts at Greenbelt 3 finally opened. We went there about 3/4 days after first day of opening and there was this line. I stood there for more than 15 minutes waiting for my turn. Unfortunately, donuts were flying off the rack faster than they were being refilled so there wasn't a lot of choices left for me.

Oreo and Alcapone (topped with almonds) donuts. These varieties were available after I've placed my order for a dozen and I was loathed to change them (though changes are accommodated) so had these for dine in instead.

More photos after the jump!

One dozen J.CO donuts for the road. I forgot the names of each but my 2 favorites are all on the top most row. That would be the Chocolate Caviar Donut (sprinkled with those tiny circles that look like balls in a ball bearing) and Blackforest. Yes, all chocolate considering I'm not a "chocolate person".

Verdict: H describes eating one like eating air. It's that light! He eats about 2-4 in one sitting since (and I concur) it really doesn't leave a lasting footprint in one's tummy.

We went back again earlier to order another dozen. This time, there was no line but I suppose it was late already (around 10 pm). But the donut below I just had to order separately (doesn't go with the box of a dozen). This is J.CO's Cheesy Rich donut. True to its name, it's smothered with cheese!

Cheese and whipped cream! Nakaka-umay though with all that cheese.

H's JCOccino.

Definitely, the presence of J.CO in the Philippines provides options and variety to donut eating folks like me.

Wala lang! :)

J.CO Donut is available at the 3rd floor of Greenbelt 3, Makati (just beside Nanbantei of Tokyo).

Late Lunch at Cyma

2012-07-15T02:29:00.001+08:00

First and last time I ate at Cyma was more than 4 years ago as some sort of team lunch paid for by our project manager. I remember it was good but expensive so never tried it again until earlier.

The mediterranean blue ceilings and accents at Cyma, Edsa Shangrila.

H hasn't tried Cyma yet. So we thought it was a good time as any being it was on the 6th floor just along the rows of other restaurants like Sumosam, Tender Bob's, and Sentosa.

Euna snacking on the Red & purple bread from The Blue Kitchen, a family favorite, while waiting.

I ordered this Grilled Pikilia for appetizer. It came with this 4 choices of salads(?) and 12 pieces of excellent and interesting pita.

We just mixed as preferred. The blackish salad on the lower pic is made of mushrooms and sweet. The other one with the shrimp heads and pieces of shrimp mixed with tomato is sour. The one on the left had grilled squid on top mixed with pipino had this sour-y/creamy taste. I forgot the one at the back but it also had squid. Middle one essentially bland with coriander, tomato, and green onions thrown in. Still, I cannot rationalize having paid PhP 700 for this dish. It was great and interesting, provided a variety of flavors but trying it once was enough considering cost.

Grilled salmon in butter lemon sauce. Grilled just right still moist with right tang of lemon and rubbed with salt and pepper. Couldn't get any better, really.

But the show-stopper would be this chicken & seafood yiouvetsi. That's pasta Filipino folks and not rice even though it looks very similar to paella. For PhP 450 and serving about 3-4, this one is definitely a keeper! I might just go back and order this alone. It's both rice and viand in one dish already!

What's your favorite at Cyma?

What's For Dinner

2012-07-13T01:07:00.000+08:00

Went home with this Beef Shawarma Rice bought from the Shawarma Station at the night market in Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig.

Surprisingly good (and healthy)! It has lettuce, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, and special sauce thrown in. Rice was colored orange and reminded me of couscous. Yummm!

What I did not know when I went home is that H prepared this:

US Angus Rib Eye Steak cooked medium. The carnivore in me is going "Rawrrr!".

And the 2 go very well together!

The Angues rib eye steak cost about 12 USD a kilo at Market! Market!. Not bad. It's not the softest meat but rubbed with kosher salt and pepper, I'm a happy camper. :)

I am going back to the night market at the Piazza tomorrow. I live in the area but only knew of this earlier. Apparently, they have been setting up shop together with other stalls since May. Open at 10pm every Thursday and Friday. That's actually the time the shops at the Piazza close so I suppose this caters to the graveyard shift of those working in the BPO companies around the area.

P.S. Just noticed, it's Friday the 13th!

Wagyu Burger at Malcolm's

2012-07-12T00:02:00.001+08:00

Back in 2008, H and I had the Wagyu Burger at Malcolm's along Dela Rosa Streeet in Makati. It looked like this then:

I think it was cooked medium well. It was good but for the price, H didn't deem it quite right to fork over that amount for a burger, whether wagyu or not.

Fast forward to 2012 and Beeconomic came out with about 50% off deal on a meal at Malcolm's. And true to my husband's carnivorous nature, he ordered what he already had:

Wagyu Burger now cooked medium. Gone are the potato wedges but the salad siding is still there. Aaaah, look at that juice pooled at the bottom of the burger bun...

A closer look to make you drool. :P

While I am not a burger expert, this is definitely one my favorites.

Fish & chips ordered specially for Euna. Too bland for my taste. I suppose because it had the tartar sauce but since I did not like it, I made do without (hence, finding it bland).

Complimentary chips. "Sheps" according to my daughter.

Interior at the BGC, Taguig branch. Quite laidback and not a lot of people around. Limited parking space as well.

Us back then, 4 years ago, at Malcolm's Dela Rosa branch. Just the 2 of us.

Fast forward 2012 with our +1. :)

What's your favorite at Malcolm's?

Overnight at Disneyland Hotel, Hongkong

2012-07-07T23:59:00.000+08:00

Sorry for the late update. It has been a hectic month end. Just crazy how the end of June is end of 2nd quarter and half one of the year at the same time. I'm still recovering from all the toxins my body must have produced during the past 2 weeks. But back to regular programming.

I promised here a post on the Disneyland Hotel in Hongkong. So here it is.

Euna at the hotel's lobby.

I really love the high ceilings and floor to ceiling arched windows providing the hotel lobby with lots of natural light. And that's a lovely chandelier with intricate patterns.

Minnie Mouse statue at the lobby. Euna didn't know where to settle her eyes on.

I love the detail on the carpeting.

More of the Disneyland Hotel after the jump!

We went to the nearest restroom in the lobby for Euna to change to her Snow White costume before heading to the Disneyland Park.

Diaper changing station for kids.

Mirror, mirror on the wall! It felt like being in a storybook.

Euna at the hotel lobby already in her Snow White costume. There usually is a Disney character at the lobby specially around check out time. Provides a great opportunity for photoshoots!

Kids have their waiting area while mum and dad checks in (our out).

Hallway leading to the rooms.

We got the cheapest room in the hotel.

Euna's excited to see what's inside!

Two double beds! Can easily fit a family of four! We ended up piling our stuff on the other bed.

That's one excited girl who asked for the tv to be turned on who had the option of several Disney channels.

Bedside stationery. No more spa treatments for us. Too tired (and expensive!).

View from the room.

Room service for the little girl. You can read about it here.

Love how each one in the family is accounted for. There are 3 robes here. One for mum, another for dad, and another for the little one, all sized accordingly. Even the slippers!

Love this old world ice bucket stand with tongs.

Safe, small fridge, biscuits and chocolates.

Lovely bathroom. Amenities boxed with the Snow White dwarves on the front. How fitting for our Snow White princess (though this was lost on her)!

Another shot with the loo on the side. The bath rub is to the right.

I guess that's it. Time to call it a night. There's still breakfast the next day at the Enchanted Garden where one can meet and greet the Disney characters!

Watch out for that!

A Day In Disneyland, HK - Part 2

2012-06-27T03:25:00.001+08:00

Still fuming mad at H for missing that opportunity for our little girl. After the Flights of Fantasy Parade, we went over to Adventureland not really knowing what to do next.

We went on for a boat ride.

Guide is in English. There are several languages. You fall in line on your preferred one.

More aptly referred to as the Jungle River Cruise.

All man-made.

This fire looks tame in the pic as I wasn't able to snap when it was blazing hot.

Scared the hell out of our 2.5 year old!

More photos after the jump.
After getting off that boat ride, Euna's attentioned was drawn to this Winnie the Pooh bubble machine.

For a good 30 minutes or so, she went around trying to catch the bubbles.

Until we got tired of seeing her run after them.

Crossing over to the other side of the park, the sun was already setting.

Arrived at Tomorrowland.

Got on the Orbitron - a tame revolving ride with Euna.

Nothing exciting. Just a little bit sick being a few feet of the ground.

H and Euna wanted to get on a car in Autopia.

While they waited for their turn (they nearly waited an hour minutes for a less than 10 minute drive), I had these:

Again, food at Disneyland is a robbery. But then, everything is (for 3rd world folks like me)!

By the time they were done, the sun had fully set and it was nearly time for the fireworks display at 8 pm!

We hurried and look for open rides, quiet not ready to throw in the towel and call it a day, we went over to Fantasyland and were still able to get on "It's a Small world" (it's right behind the Mad Hatter Tea Cups on the map).

The display really grabbed Euna's attention!

I grew up listening to the It's a Small World song.

Hello Aladdin and the flying carpet!

Filipino display in It's a Small World with the tarsier, bahay-kubo, and the girls in Maria Clara outfit.

Thankfully, the Mad Hatter Tea Cups ride was still open as well.

Then it was time for the fireworks display.

Everyone congregating in front of the castle. Sorry for the blurry pics. They're excited!

Just right to be excited with the fireworks display. It was awe-inspiring and it really brought out the inner child in me (the Flights of Fantasy parade not so much).

Souvenir pic along Main Street, USA.

Checked out whether there was any decent dessert left. We went out empty-handed.

Waiting for the bus to take us to Disneyland Hotel.

Here we are!

Disneyland Hotel next!

A Day In Disneyland, HK - Part 1

2012-06-22T02:54:00.002+08:00

I thought I'd share some photos of when we were there last March. There's a lot so breaking it into 2 parts.

After leaving our luggage at Disneyland Hotel. Euna in her Snow White costume. So excited!

Disneyland, HK entrance. We bought our tickets from the hotel.

More photos after the jump!

We had no itinerary arriving at past 1. My little girl ended up running after bubbles.

Due to proximity, we decided to just get on the train and get an idea how big Disneyland HK is as it goes around the perimeter. The ride took about 20 mins if I'm not mistaken with one stop. I forgot which area that was.

To give you an idea, here's the full map of Disneyland, HK.

Decided to get some Mickey shaped waffles after the train ride for Euna.

But since that wasn't enough, lunch for adults at Plaza Inn while Euna had her midday nap.

And then it was time for the Flights of Fantasy parade at 3pm. This was on Main Street, USA.

Those balloons are wickedly expensive (and we couldn't bring it home. So much for a souvenir)!

So H thought they should go to the shop across the street to get Euna a hat...

And that's how they ended up on the other side opposite me. They took too long choosing for a hat that the street has been cordonned of and they can no longer cross since the parade has started!

Jumbo the Elephant led the parade.

Lovely, bright colors!

And Goofy and Minnie showed up. I can really just kill my husband for being on the other side of the street! I'm sure no one can paint the happiness on our daughter's face that time! And I missed it :( Miss #1!

And they're gone too soon!

I wonder how hard it'd be to strap these on and jump around?

And then it was fairytale time.

I was sure something was up when the dancers started approaching the crowd.

I motioned to H to give Euna to her!

But he was so busy with being starstruck, he totally missed it and missed the opportunity! The toddlers and kids danced in the middle together with the dancers! Those who were lucky enough anyway! Miss #2! I was so pissed with H that time. I so wanted to get a picture of my little girl in her Snow White costume dance with together with the dancers! That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! What are the chances Euna will get picked next time (that is assuming we'll have the resources to go back to HK within the next 2 years or so)?

Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora (and Belle behind Cinderella). I grew up watching these Disney movies secretly hoping they were true but knowing it's not.

Bumblebees from Pooh's hunny!

Again, lovely vibrant colors!

I really love the colors, costumes, makeup, everything! Clearly, a lot of thought went into it from the choreography, music, ensemble...

Tinkerbell's fellow fairies.

Hello Tink!

And then it was back in the shop for us to buy Euna that souvenir!

That sums up Disneyland HK - Part I. Look out for Part II!

Toddler and Breastfeeding Room Within a Philippine Airport!

2012-06-13T22:32:00.001+08:00

I am not sure with the rest of the Philippines but this is the first airport I saw within the country with a toddler room plus breastfeeding room within the boarding area!

Thank you CAAP Gender & Development!

What joy to see this!

Finally a toddler room where my daughter can play while waiting for boarding. Yes, it does make a world of difference to make time just pass by when flying with a toddler. Traveling indeed is easier!

If you're wondering where this is, it's the Davao International Airport. It's the only airport I've been in within the country with a breastfeeding room + toddler play area to boot! This beats NAIA 1, 2, and 3. I have been to all 3 and never once have I seen one, even just a breastfeeding room (correct me if I'm mistaken)!

They used to have a breastfeeding area outside the boarding area. I was happy with it but it was a hassle passing through the xray machine and security checks back and forth.

Now, even better, they have it within the boarding area! I haven't checked if the one outside just near the elevator is stil operational.

I'm sure breastfeeding moms are happy to have this!

And that's one happy toddler! And I'm a happy mama!

I was informed by the attendant that this project became operational March 7th, 2012 ( I wondered because they weren't there yet December 2011). The rooms are open for use until 9pm.

Kudos and thank you Davao and the persons behind the CAAP Gender & Development. Hope you influence the other airports to follow suit in the future!

Monday Bites: Iconic Jeepney For Breakfast

2012-06-11T23:33:00.002+08:00

Ok. I was stunned just as the rest of the world with the decision on that Bradley/Pacquiao fight yesterday. But life never was fair so I'm moving on. It's Independence Day tomorrow so might as well feature for Monday Bites a place with distinctly Filipino interior (and exterior).

Yesterday, I had breakfast at this place:

Is that a jeepney with a traffic light?

One of the interesting exterior/interior for a small place offering all-day (they claim to be open 24 hours a day. Don't know if 7 days a week and 365 days a year) breakfast fare along Torres Street, Davao.

The interiors after the jump!

How cool is that?! There's a jeepney within that small space!

The jeepney and walls are painted blue. Plate numbers and signs complete the decor.

But how's the food?

Surprisingly good bacon, cooked just right crispy, salty, and a bit sweet at the same time. I didn't try the atsara (pickled papaya).

But the service really needs improvement. Lots of it. Clearly, there was no process. Orders were confused. I had to correct the total as I was charged an extra rice that went to another table. It didn't help that they have a really small space and the kitchen from what I can see from the outside was nowhere near operational. It only has standing space left! The sunny side up eggs I ordered were cooked from outside the restaurant (that's why it's not included in the pic above as it was delivered late). I was informed they just opened the first of June so technically on soft opening, I suppose. I can only hope service gets better in the coming months.

Sinangag Express is situated in the same block as Krua Thai and Bo's Coffee.

Ok, I did some googling, since I'm not a local of Davao, says here it's on Metro Lifestyle Compound, F. Torres St., Davao City.

P.S. Just realized I've been featuring "Filipino" food 3x in a row. Must be the Scarborough Shoal issue bringing out the patriotic side of me. Or is it because of Independence Day is happening tomorrow?

A Little R&R

2012-06-08T22:54:00.002+08:00

Sorry to have left you with nary a post for Monday Bites. I was busy with month-end reports even when I was supposed to be on vacation. I was whisked away to some R&R right after finishing them.

Where guests of Pearl Farm, Samal, Davao are usually welcomed. Parola Bar at the 2nd floor.

But we didn't arrive this way. We took our own vehicle, rode the barge, and entered via the resort's backdoor.

Trivia: My in-laws told me that Pearl Farm used to be a pearl farm during the time of the Japanese occupation. So that would be between 1942 - 1945. And that's how it came to be called Pearl Farm.

The trip was part R&R for the whole family and part milestone celebration for H.

H making sandcastles with Euna.

Flying a kite.

My 2 year-old (nearly 3 this August) flying her own kite for the first time.

She was so excited when H bought her the kite a day before. She has been imagining flying a kite within the confines of our tiny condo. Finally!

Touching her first starfish. She usually is scared but thanks to the influence of her younger cousin, she found the courage.

And then we had dinner set up by the beach.

And the resort staff surprised him with a complimentary cake (I hate flash! But my camera is not strong enough for candid night shots and this is what I'm left with!)

By the manmade pond and falls.

Hope you enjoyed your milestone birthday Huneesh!

I'll be writing a separate post on Pearl Farm. Watch out for that!

What To Give?

2012-05-30T00:30:00.000+08:00

H is turning another decade in a week. I am at a loss what to give him. It's a milestone birthday. He wants a car (what we have right now is generously lent to us by my in-laws) but he knows we can't afford it for now. He'd have to wait another 5 years maybe before we can realistically start looking at that. In the meantime, I am at a loss.

His birthday cake last year thanks to Isla Hayahay. They have run out of age appropriate candles. He spent the time there fishing, his favorite outdoor activity.

Our small family of 4 in Bohol.

His 2009 birthday with caramel cake from Estrel's. I went all the way to QC to get this.

And 2008 was a Tablea Chocolate cake from Chocolat all the way from SM Mall of Asia. I went around the mall with my big belly (7 months pregnant with Euna then) looking for balloons. I hid the balloons under the kitchen sink and the cake in the vegetable bin and surprised him come midnight.

Surprisingly, I don't know why I don't have pics from 2007. In 2006, haven't met him yet.

I'm taking the week off on his birthday week. We are also spending some time at Pearl Farm, Davao with his family. I am pledging not to use any sick leaves this year so that he can use the incentive as part of his downpayment for that new car. I still think I need to do more. Suggestions?