what-CHA-ma-call-it!

4 Bedroom Baguio House For Daily Rent in Baguio

2014-08-15T16:56:00.000+08:00

4 Bedroom Baguio House For Daily Rent in Baguio

ONLY 5 MINUTES AWAY FROM BURNHAM PARK!

4 bedroom transient house for rent in Baguio City including attic, 3 bathrooms w/ hot & cold water, foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, verandas, fire places (for display only) and carport.
Very nice and clean Baguio transient house just 5 minutes from Burnham Park!!! Located in a safe & quiet residential neighborhood.
P6,000 per night good for up to 10 persons. House is big and can accommodate 20 persons but with an additional P300 per head per night in excess of 10 persons.
Rooms are very spacious! The living room can accommodate big families!!!
Complete with cable TV, refrigerator, stove, rice cooker, hot pot, and kitchen utensils.

No water problem. Great location!
Only 3 to 5 minutes drive to/from the famous Burnham Park in Baguio.
Only 5 to 7 minutes drive to Baguio's Session Road.
We also have 2 bedroom Baguio transient house for rent!
We also have a 1 bedroom Baguio transient house for rent!

We also have a 3 bedroom Subic house for rent and FOR SALE in Subic Bay!

3 Bedroom Subic House For Daily Rent in Subic Bay

2014-08-15T16:30:00.000+08:00

3 Bedroom Subic House For Daily Rent in Subic Bay

Newly renovated 3 bedroom Subic house for daily rent located in Binictican, Subic Bay, just beside Forest View houses.
We have 2 units of 3 bedroom house in just one address, ideal for big families up to 20 persons for only 14K per night! (6 bedrooms total)
3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (one in the master's bedroom) with hot and cold shower.
Living area, dining area, fully equipped kitchen with utensils where you can cook! (refrigerator, rice cooker, stove, microwave)
We have a grill that you can use for barbecue!
With veranda and parking
With a gazebo at the garden of the house
Complete with cable TV and hot and cold shower.
All bedrooms and living room with individual aircon.
Strong water supply. No brown-out. Very clean.

Helpful information:
15 minutes from tipo gate (Subic Bay / SBMA gate from manila)
10 minutes from Olongapo City Main Gate
With a convenience store nearby
7 minutes to Royal Duty Free and Puregold Duty Free

10 minutes to Ayala Harbor Point Mall
10 minutes to Boardwalk, Waterfront Road, SBMA central business district in Subic Bay
20 minutes to Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari in Subic Bay

We also have 3 bedroom house for rent MONTHLY in Subic Bay / SBMA plus a maid's room with own bathroom.
We also have another 4 bedroom house for rent MONTHLY in Subic Bay / SBMA.
All our Subic houses for rent are furnished and with parking.
We also have houses for sale (long term lease) in Subic great for investment (with current tenants with more than one year contract)!
We also have transient houses for rent in Baguio!!!
4 bedroom transient house in Baguio, only 5 min away from Burnham Park!
2 bedroom transient house in Baguio, only 5 min away from Burnham Park!
1 bedroom transient house in Baguio, only 5 min away from Burnham Park!
Thank you! :)

Yabu: The House of Tonkatsu with cheese! (That's what I'd like to call Yabu)

2013-03-01T09:56:00.000+08:00

A Yabu tradition! Grind the sesame seeds in this set before adding the tonkatsu sauce.

Left to right: Tonkatsu sauce, bottles of Sesame seeds sauce and Vinaigrette for the unlimited cabbage, two kinds of chili sauces, pepper, and salt in a cute jar

Yabu Menchi Katsu Set (served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing and a bowl of fruit)

I love the texture of the Katsu!!! Menchi katsu has a cheesy surprise inside! I love everything cheesy and this order is definitely a winner!

Salmon Set (served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage and sesame dressing and a bowl of fruit)

And I love their cabbage with the sesame seeds sauce! I had more servings of this than the equally good Japanese rice! Good thing I can have them both in unlimited servings!

Yabu: House of Katsu

2/F SM Megamall

Julia Vargas Ave Wack Wack, Mandaluyong

(02) 576-3900

*Thank you, baby :)

Thank you Avon Philippines for the surprise VIP 28-day trial kit!!!

2013-03-01T09:25:00.003+08:00

My AVON Anew Prio Line Corrector VIP 28 Day Trial Pack

An LBC package was sitting on the desk inside my room. I was wondering who it was from since I didn't order anything this week. Tadaa!!! A VIP 28 Day Trial Pack from AVON! Thank you Avon!!! It had a note that I was one of the 1st to try Avon's fastest wrinkle fighter ever, the Anew Clinical Pro Line Corrector Treatment.

I love that they sent it on the last day of February, and my first day would be the first day of March. This will help me keep track of my progress. Thanks again Avon!

Trying out Sampleroom.ph!

2013-02-09T00:16:00.002+08:00

Pevonia and Moringa O2 products from Sampleroom.ph!

Stay for 2 nights, pay only 1 night at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria!

2012-11-07T09:23:00.000+08:00

I love these kind of hotel promos! It's really value for money and won't make you feel guilty because you are saving money by half even if you are indulging in something lavish! Don't you just love it? I do!

And I looove Asiatravel.com for all these hotel promos! They make vacation super affordable! Aside from the fact that they are one of the few hotel booking sites that offers "Pay at Hotel" option and won't charge your card with your reservation! Together with Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, they are offering their One-bedroom Suite for 50% off when you stay 2 nights! You get your 2nd night free! This includes free buffet breakfast for two too! But, better hurry as this promo is only until Nov. 30, 2012.

I did a mock-booking again on the Holiday Inn Galleria page on asiatravel and one night in a One-Bedroom Suite with breakfast for two is priced at P6905. With taxes and service charge, it will total to P8,810 only! This price is for a One-Bedroom Suite already! For 2 nights! With breakfast for two for 2 days! Divide that to half and you'll be paying even less than their cheapest room category!

Do you know any other travel or hotel sites offering great promos like this? Do share!

Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore Review

2012-10-29T14:29:00.000+08:00

The facade of Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore (note the boat-like structure atop the 3 buildings)

The huge lobby of Towers 1, 2 and 3

This is the biggest hotel lobby I have ever been to!

I looove the lobby! It's so grand, just like the facade of this hotel! Remember which tower is your hotel room because its so easy to get lost in this lobby and it's a rather lengthy walk if you ended up on the wrong tower!

Deluxe Room

Welcome to our Deluxe Room on the 28th floor!

We have the best view of Singapore, facing Merlion Park!

The beds of a twin Deluxe Room are full size beds (bigger than a single bed). It can fit two regular-sized adults. I love the modern and clean interior.

The closet, pantry, refrigerator and hallway to the bathroom

(I am sure I have bathroom shots but it's missing for the moment, will update this post for those!)

Lovely, lovely view of our floor to ceiling room window

View of the city from our window in the morning and at night

More night shots (note the reflection of our beds)

View of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Pan Pacific Hotel, etc from the room

View of the lovely lobby at night

The Swimming Pool and the Sky Park

The iconic Sky Park and the stunning Infinity Pool! It's just breath-taking, day or night!

There are many day beds and a number of bathrooms and shower rooms to accommodate all the hotel guests. Swimming at the Infinity Pool is exclusive to hotel guests but the Observation Deck is open to the public with tickets.

Swimming here is like you're swimming on top of the world! I swear, there's nothing like it!

Another cool shot of the Sands SkyPark Infinity Pool (so tropical!)

Opposite the Infinity Pool are equally charming jacuzzis! There are more than 5 of these, I think.

The Observation Deck

Tickets to the Sands SkyPark Observation Deck is at SGD20 for adults, and you can hang there for as long as you want :) This is just one side of the deck. There's more of the deck on the other side, there's even a bar and restaurant! I suggest you visit the SkyPark from 4PM and stay until dark so you can have both the day view and night view. The view is lovelier at night when all the city lights are on.

Sands SkyPark Infinity Pool at night (stunning!)

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

They have the Sampan Rides, much like the Gondola Ride of their sister-company, The Venetian Macau.

This is a really huge mall that is directly connected to the hotel. They also have numerous convention venues right at this mall!

The ArtScience Museum

Sad to say when I went there last 2010, the ArtScience Museum is still under construction (as seen in photo). One more reason to visit Marina Bay Sands again!

I love this hotel not only because of the grandeur, but the service is equally charming. It's pricey, yes, but its worth every cent! It gets crowded in the lobby at times but as soon as I stepped on the elevator, I felt the exclusivity in an instant. Room is crisp and clean, breakfast is hearty as well (I regret not having to take pictures of the buffet spread) and they also offer free airport shuttle and also free city shuttle service to key points of Singapore! What's more, it's only minutes away from Sentosa Island where Universal Studios Singapore is located!

Some of my photos at the Universal Studios Singapore

I miss Singapore already! Next time, I want to explore more the city itself. Do share pointers and insider tips if you have! I'd really appreciate it! =)

Cebu Pacific's Piso Seat Sale (Oct. 29 to 31, 2012)

2012-10-29T07:32:00.000+08:00

Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare Seat Sale for All Soul's Day!

Philippine Destinations

Breakdown

All Philippine Flights

Base Fare	P1
Admin Fee	P100
12% VAT	P12.12
Terminal Fee	P200

One Way Fare	313.12*

*only for guests traveling from Manila. Exclusive of Fuel Surcharge ranging from Php 200 - Php 400.

International Destinations

Breakdown

All International Flights
NOTE: Manila to Osaka travel period: Jun. 1 - Oct. 19, 2013

Base Fare:	P1
Admin Fee:	P100

One Way Fare	P101*

*Exclusive of Php 550 terminal fee, fuel surcharge ranging from Php 410 - Php 2,100,
Php 1,620 PH Travel Tax and Country Specific Taxes ranging from Php 400 - Php 1,515.

Sale Period: Up to Oct. 31, 2012 or until seats last | Travel Period: Jun. 1 - Dec. 15, 2013

I did a mock booking of some routes and here are their roundtrip airfares:

Clark to Singapore roundtrip is around P2,800
Manila to Kalibo roundtrip is around P1,000
Manila to Siem Reap (Cambodia) is around P3,000

Travel is from June 1 to December 15, 2013!

Some notable holidays on the sale months of 2013:
June 12, 2013 (Wed)
August 21, 2013 (Wed-Ninoy Aquino Day)
August 27, 2013 (Tue-Natl Heroes Day)
November 1, 2013 (Fri- All Saints Day)

Whenever I book for holidays, I always have the list of holidays at hand because I usually use up all my vacation leaves. Holidays always save me :) I think I want to go to Singapore again, this time with my hubby :) I want to go back to these places again!

Thanks Cebu Pacific for another seat sale!

Asia Grand View Hotel in Coron, Palawan

2012-10-19T16:05:00.000+08:00

After my trip to Coron, Palawan last September 2012, I can say that Asia Grand View Hotel is the ONLY resort hotel located in Coron Town. Everything else are lodges, inns, hotels, etc. There are resorts in Coron (like our second resort for this trip, El Rio Y Mar Resort) but definitely NOT within Coron Town. When you are in a place like Palawan, you'd want a complete beach experience by also staying in a resort, rather than just a hotel, right? Or it could just be me :) Staying in Asia Grand View Hotel is the best decision I've made when I booked our Coron trip.
It is new (opened only February 2012), only 5 minutes away from Coron Town, and quite affordable and they also offer island hopping packages that are the same rates even if you go to operators around Coron Town.

Hotel exterior

Lobby area

Bay View Bar and Restaurant

This is where we ate our buffet breakfast. The restaurant is open until 10PM. Room service however operates 24/7 so you can order food even in the wee hours of the night. Bar is open until there are still guests at the bar.

The Deluxe Rooms

The Superior Rooms

The Superior Room

Our room on the first level

I love their paddle door knob!

Sweet of them to set-up the room for us newlyweds :)

The other side of the room

The bathroom, mini bar, cabinet with in-room safe

Personalized toiletries

Toiletries are provided on the sink, and there are more in the shower. I love the wooden tray that adds a more native, Asian feel to the hotel. What I love about the bathroom is there are more hooks where you can hang not just your towels, but also your wet swimsuits and dry clothes. The bathroom is squeaky clean. It helps that the bathroom is all white.

Don't you just love welcome drinks? It really marks the start of my vacation, every time!

Bay View Bar and Restaurant

We had buffet breakfast on the first day, and set breakfast on the second day. Their buffet breakfast is not something I would rave about. It has the ordinary fare of tapa, tocino, eggs, fried rice, cereals, juices, etc. I find the food salty, even the fried rice! All I enjoyed that morning was their everything-on-it omelet.

The buffet set-up

The eggs station (Try their Everything-on-it Omelet!)

The set breakfast is different though. My husband and I enjoyed it very much! For the set, a choice of breads or cereals, main course, fruits for dessert, choice of juice, AND coffee or tea. We had a filling breakfast the second day! So if the staff will inform you that you will be getting set breakfast than having buffet, consider yourself lucky!

The Swimming Pool

The pool is nearer the Superior Rooms

View of the restaurant from the pool

The kiddie pool

The shape of their swimming pool is so inviting, even at night! They allow night swimming until 10pm. The kiddie pool is more charming with the water cascading from the adult pool.

Best part of this hotel

The best part of this hotel is definitely the view of the sea from the restaurant! It is just lovely during sunset! Make sure to schedule your dinner early, around 5:30pm so you can catch the lovely sunset to start your evening right.

The view of the sea from the left side of the restaurant

The view of the sea from the right side of the restaurant

You can enjoy this view every night!

Zoom in :)

Alternatively, you can also order drinks at the bar while enjoying the lovely backdrop. They also have a happy hour everyday where you get drinks at 50% off! We made sure to avail of it on our second night to cap off our wonderful stay at this resort.

They are only operating Phase 1 of their facilities. Other amenities not included in the pictures are entertainment room with billiards, table tennis, board games and videoke rooms that guests can use for free. Construction of their conference room is also ongoing. I definitely want go back to Asia Grand View Hotel when I go back to Coron! I can't wait to see all the phases completed!

Notes:

* Very weak Globe signal inside our room but full signal at the restaurant.

* Superior Rooms are located at the lowest part of the resort, and you will go up a long, scenic pathway every time you want anything at the restaurant or the lobby. Pick a room that is nearest to the restaurant if you don't like walking and hiking.

* Ask for the happy hour at the bar! It's very refreshing to have drinks at the bar especially if it will only cost you half!

Asia Grand View Hotel

Jolo, Barangay 5, Coron, Palawan, Philippines

Everywhere is ON SALE this weekend Oct. 12 to 15, 2012!

2012-10-12T13:39:00.000+08:00

Ready to put some dent in your wallets this weekend? If you aren't, DON'T head on to these places or you might be tempted to shell out some (or a lot more) cash! Believe me, sale items are too hard to resist! ;)
As for me, I'm getting goose bumps already! Smart shoppers, let's get it on this weekend!

ROCKWELL'S Pre-Christmas Sale!
Oct. 11 to 14, 2012
Up to 70% off on selected items
Shops include Muji, Springfield, Kenneth Cole and more!
Power Plant Mall

GIORDANO Sale
Oct. 11 to 17, 2012
Polos from P550 (before P999)
Pants and Shirts from P750 (before P1299)
Tees now at P350 (from P599)
Glorietta, SM City Cebu, SM City North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Pampanga, and Trinoma

TRIUMPH Anniversary Sale!
October 12 ONLY!
40% off on ALL items including the bestsellers (minimum purchase 2 pieces).
All leading department stores nationwide

SM 3-Day Sale for Quezon City Foundation Day!
Oct. 12, 13, 14, 2012
Up to 50% off on selected items
SM City Fairview
SM City North Edsa
SM City Sta. Mesa

MARKS AND SPENCER
Mid-Season Spectacular Oct. 12 - 15, 2012
15% off ALL womenswear, menswear, lingerie, and toiletries
*food and wine items on sale and on promo not included
*Double points for for Reward and Premium card holders!
ALL Marks and Spencer branches!

THE LANDMARK Makati and Trinoma Sale
Oct. 12 to 17, 2012
Up to 50% off on great selections!
Makati and Trinoma

Dorothy Perkins, Topman, Topshop and Warehouse Mid Season SALE!
Oct. 12 to Nov. 4, 2012
Up to 50% off on selected lines
All branches

ABS-CBN Christmas Campaign 2012 on Oct. 17!

2012-10-12T09:11:00.003+08:00

Step-by-step shopping at HalloHalloMall.com

2012-10-11T11:33:00.005+08:00

I stumbled upon Hallohallomall.com when I was browsing through the BDO website (I like checking their promos page every now and then) and saw their Online Shopping Exclusives. I got curious about this online store because it says here that the promo offer for the merchant Hallohallo Mall (which I haven't heard of before) is free points worth Php300 and 5% discount. Anything that spells FREE is good, right? :)

1. Register
If you want instant free shopping points worth up to Php300 with no minium purchase required, then register now at HalloHalloMall.com! You get Php200 more points if you are a BDO credit card holder, lucky me! When you register, you automatically get 100 pts and if you like them on facebook upon registration, you get additional 200 pts!

Make sure to Allow HHM Like Checker app to get your 200 pts!

Upon registration, I instantly saw my 300 pts at the right top side of the website. You can also get free 5 points and more when you log-in daily! Isn't that neat?! You are assured a minimum 5 points free everyday, so make sure to log-in daily! After getting my 300 pts, its now time to shop!

2. Shop

Found this uber cute flats! Got the pink/yellow one!

There are 100,000 items from 3,000 shops to choose from! Shopping is easy because they arranged their items in categories found on the left side of the page. You can even search for items and it will be sorted either by the latest items, relevance, or price.

3. Checkout/Payment

After adding this item to the cart, I am asked if I'll still keep shopping or go on and checkout. Upon clicking checkout, they show a summary of the purchase, and total price with shipping costs. Note that not all items have free shipping, but they charge a minimal fee, depending on the shop where you are buying from or the item you are buying. Did you know that in HalloHalloMall.com, you can pay via Cash on Delivery? That's great, right?! But since I am using my free points (don't forget to use them upon checkout ok!) and I want to get my 200 pts free when using with BDO, I opted to pay with my credit card. (But as of this writing, I still have not received my 200 points from using my BDO credit card. #justsaying)

It's easy to redeem discount coupons, gift certificates, and points on hallohallomall.com. Upon checkout, there's a designated pane for those things and they even compute your free points versus your purchase amount for you! Make sure to fill everything out with complete details and redeem your points/discounts!

4. Wait for your order to arrive

So this is where the waiting game happens. I know the feeling when you are waiting for the item you just bought online and you want to have it already and the waiting is killing you! But don't fret! I received my order after 2 business days only! I placed the order on Oct. 4, the item was shipped Oct. 5, and I got it a business day after, Oct. 8!! Super quick! And what's also great is HalloHalloMall.com sent me emails almost everyday to update me on my order. I received the email about received order, item shipped and several more from the shop Gurl Talk from where I purchased the shoes. And if ever you are deleting messages from your email, no need to worry because all the emails sent are also archived in your HalloHalloMall account! Such a great feature!

5. Tick the box "Order has been completed"

This is the last part after getting your order. The online shop would really appreciate it if you go back to the site, log-in to your account, and tick the box beside your order that you have already received the item. Also, be mindful of the date when you purchased your item just in case you don't get it at the specified time because, as stated in HalloHalloMall's terms sent thru email:

"If you however, didn’t receive you’re ordered item within the said period of time, please report it to the shop owner through the given Shop’s number within 10 days from the date of your purchase because our system will automatically consider the transaction finished after the 10^th day of your transaction without hearing any complaints from you."

This might be a bit off for some of us, mostly for people who buy a lot of items online and doesn't really monitor when items are being delivered because of all the purchases made in the last several days, or even weeks! If an item is not received within the said period (in my case, they advised 2 to 7 days), report it to the online shop owner from the site right away and not more than 10 days from the date of purchase or your order might be considered completed, even if you haven't received the item yet.

So here's the package I purchased from HalloHalloMall.com:

Thanks to HalloHalloMall.com for the fast transaction!

Philippine Fashion Week: SPRING SUMMER 2013!

2012-10-11T08:45:00.002+08:00

Philippine Fashion Week is back again, for its Spring Summer 2013 collection! YAY!

I just LOVE summer fashion, maybe even more than winter! It's just very practical with our tropical weather. And I'm thankful that we've managed to do layering in style even with summer fashion. I love it! I'm excited!

Philippine Fashion Week: Spring Summer 2013 will happen on Oct. 23 to 29, 2012 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia and the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Excited much!

Check more about this event here!

Watching at the Mall of Asia Arena - Corporate / Premier Suites style!!!

2012-10-03T09:42:00.000+08:00

Watching at the Mall of Asia Arena - Corporate / Premier Suites style!!!

(photo from http://mallofasia-arena.com)

Definitely one of the many perks in working for my company, experiencing SM Mall of Asia Arena's Corporate Suites!!! Last night we watched Keane Live in Manila at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. I watched several UAAP basketball games in this venue the past months but this night is very special because I got to sit NOT in the lower box section, but in the Corporate Suite!

I love MOA Arena because it reminds me of Hong Kong's train system, the MTR! I love anything hi-tech! These are ticket scanners and they open automatically once tickets are scanned, just like using an octopus card in any Hong Kong MTR station :)

View of the court from the Lower Box Section

View of the court from the Premier Suite

Food stalls outside the lower box section

There are a lot of food stalls to choose from on the lower box section and even more cocktail tables to accommodate patrons who bought snacks. This area is very spacious and there are just enough toilets in huge sizes to accommodate bathroom breaks. In the Premier Suites however, there are no food stalls but there is a "butler" in every suite at all times with menus and drinks list at hand to attend to our orders. Premier Suites are catered exclusively.

Check out this drink list specially crafted for UAAP teams!

THE CORPORATE / PREMIER SUITE

The Premier Suites are just one level up from the Lower Box Section, & just below Upper Box A

The Premiere Suites

This is how it looks like inside the suite. Very spacious! This suite is even double than the suite pictured in Mall of Asia Arena's website. Four large couches with a large flat TV, 2 bathrooms & 2 mini bars with 30+ seats out the balcony.

Another side of the suite

One of the 2 mini bars (with a closer look on the image on the right)

View of the stage sitting at the Premier Suite balcony

other Premier Suites

Keane Live!!!

I'm glad a was able to take photos pre-show :)

I really enjoyed the experience! I am not a big fan of Keane but I'm really glad I was there last night. I really felt the exclusivity specially with the butler just standing by, ready to take our orders. It was already lights-out in our suite just before the concert started. And though watching from the Lower Box seem closer, I still enjoyed watching from the balcony :) Sorry for the low quality photos, I just used my iTouch.

SM Mall of Asia Arena

Sunset Avenue, Pasay City

All-you-can-eat Dim Sum for only P750 at Passion, Maxims Tower, RWM

2012-10-03T07:30:00.002+08:00

Passion Restaurant's All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum!

Here's another reason to revisit Resorts World Manila as Passion, located at the 2nd floor of the Maxims Tower is having a dim sum all you can feast for only P750!

You can bring your kids along with you for a lesser price too! P500 for children 6 to 11 years old, and kids below 6 years old eats FREE!

All-you-can-eat Dim Sum is available Monday-Saturday (except holidays) during lunch, 11am to 2:30pm only.

Maxims Tower is definitely in my list of local beautiful resorts I dream of staying as this is said to be rated 7-star because its an all-suite luxury hotel, where each room is assigned a butler, beat that!!! I hope they have a promo soon! *fingers crossed*!

Food Review: Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant, Pasig City

2012-10-02T16:08:00.000+08:00

Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant, Pasig City

I am a Japanese food lover, mainly because of Miso Soup and Ebi Tempura and the sweet taste of Japanese rice. Pardon me for the low quality shots. I only have my iTouch with me since I left the house not feeling so well and forgot to bring my camera but this restaurant really deserves a spot in my blog, actually, it deserves my first ever food review thru this blog :)

Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant just opened last month and it is currently on dry run, even their menu. But there are still a lot to choose from.

Haru really captured an authentic Japanese restaurant in terms of the interiors compared to other famous ones you see in the malls.

I particularly like this pond with coy fishes right in the middle of the restaurant!

Moriawase (Assorted sushi)

First, we had Moriawase (Assorted Sushi) for our appetizer. I love the variety although be warned if you don't eat Wasabi as they already put it inside some of the sushi.

We also ordered one order each of Pink Salmon and Tuna. There are times I don't eat Tuna even if I love Japanese food but I really like this one! It's so fresh and serving is ample, with 6 to 8 slices per serving.

Another thing I find neat at this resto are these adorable things hanging on every table. They serve as bells that will be used when you are ready to order. And so I rang for the attendant almost frantically because we are ready to order more..!

Ebi Tempura. Big in size, tasty and I love the batter! It's one of the things I notice in any Tempura. One serving has 5 pieces.

Bento Box: Katsudon (They also have this in Mixed Tempura and Chicken Teriyaki)

Their bento box comes with the usual fare: Japanese Rice, Tofu, Bean Sprouts, and Miso Soup. This one is very filling! Katsudon and Japanese Rice is average, but I liked the tofu and the sauce! You can also upgrade the rice into Japanese Fried Rice.

I ordered Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Donburi) under their Donburi/ Rice Toppings. This one is very filling too although nothing too spectacular but still good.

Their Ramen is served with the noodles separate from the soup. I liked the broth and the serving size as well. I just had to comment on the portions because serving size really matters to me.

And the finale: Samurai Crepe! Now this is just heaven! It's their version of Mango Crepe in whipped special creme served cold. You can see the same item in Cafe Juanita as they have the same owner. In Cafe Juanita, you have to order these in advance, even before you start dinner, as they run out so fast! I'm sure it will be the same in Haru in a few weeks time!

View of Haru from outside

I will definitely come back to Haru and try their upcoming items in the menu! The place is very well lit, you won't miss it! The ambiance is lovely, and the servings are hefty. It is located in Kapitolyo, a treasure trove of very good restaurants with great variety! Tune in for my upcoming posts on that!

Haru Sushi Bar & Restaurant

#21 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Hotel Review: Eaton Hotel, Hong Kong

2012-10-02T09:54:00.001+08:00

Eaton Hotel, Hong Kong

380 Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hotel exterior (photo from hotel's website)

I stayed at Eaton Hotel in Hong Kong back in October of 2009. I stayed in many hotels in Hong Kong, from budget accommodations (that I didn't bother staying in after seeing it) to 5-star hotels. But I am also always in search of hotels in Hong Kong that are clean, affordable, and with a good location.

Eaton Hotel merits three checks in all these criterias! It is right along Nathan Road, the main road in Hong Kong Kowloon side, just like EDSA here in Manila. It is only 3 to 5 minutes leisurely walk to Jordan MTR station (sorry I already forgot which exit of Jordan station but its along Nathan, so easy to spot). If I remember correctly, our standard room only cost us around p4,000/night, room only.

Lobby and the elevators

The lobby is quite nice for a 3-star property. I love their scenic elevators! Pardon my tight shots, the lobby is shaped a bit different from inside.

We were given free drinks upon check-in at the Planter's Bar!

Room shots. Quite small but normal for Hong Kong hotels. This room has two single beds.

Bathroom shots.

I love that their bathroom has a bath tub! Always lovely to have that as a bonus. Bathroom is clean and with complete toiletries that hotels usually offer.

All in all, I would stay at Eaton Hotel again in my future shopping trips to Hong Kong. It is only 2 stations away from Mongkok or if I want to go to Citygate Mall, I just have to hop in the MTR. But I don't recommend staying here if I have guests with me going to Hong Kong for a vacation trip, because I usually like staying in hotels with a breathtaking view of the Victoria Harbor to impress whoever is with me :)

AirAsia now flies to Singapore (from Clark)! All-in fare from p999!

2012-10-02T07:40:00.001+08:00

AirAsia now flies to Singapore (from Clark)! All-in fare from p999!

Book from 1 - 7 Oct 2012 Travel from 15 Dec 2012- 30 Sep 2013

View of the Majestic Marina Bay Sands Hotel at the Merlion park

AirAsia Philippines adds additional route as exciting as Hong Kong and Macau! Perfect in time for the Christmas season! AirAsia now flies to Singapore via Clark starting Dec. 15, 2012 with all-in fare starting at p999!

I did a mock-booking again to see the total round trip fare. From Clark to Singapore, fare is as low as p999, but from Singapore to Clark, fare is as low as p2009 (inclusive of Singapore tax). No more lowest fares in December but there are still several starting January 2013. Total roundtrip for this promo is P3008 (with no add-ons such as baggage and meals) if paying via direct debit (Dragonpay). Paying with your credit card incurs additional p240 as processing fee.

If you want to go to Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa Island, the new Legoland in Johor Baru, or cruise on board the grand SuperStar Virgo, then Singapore is your gateway to all these places!

Here are some pictures from my last trip to Singapore last 2010 (still via Kuala Lumpur back in 2010, read about it here) to encourage you to visit the country and book! :)

View from our floor to ceiling window at Marina Bay Sands Hotel

The view at the infinity pool at the top floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Another view of the infinity pool at the Sands Sky Park

Universal Studios Singapore shots

PATA Travel Mart 2012 at SMX today, Sept. 25 to 28, 2012!

2012-09-25T16:43:00.002+08:00

PATA Travel Mart 2012 at SMX today, Sept. 25 to 28, 2012!

If you have an upcoming trip for the coming months, why not pay SMX a visit today until Friday! You might be able to find the best hotel deals for your next vacation at the PATA Travel Mart 2012! It's happening at the SMX from 9AM to 7PM.
In my experience, its always good to visit these kinds of travel fairs if you are planning or have an upcoming trip because different companies from the travel industry offer the best deals here. I was able to score the best rate with my accommodations in my recent trip to Coron just last month, also during a travel fair. Plus, I am also introduced to new hotels and resorts whenever I visit travel fairs. Not to mention the eye-candy booths that airlines, hotels, tourism boards, etc. put up and the freebies they give away! So if you want to travel and save at the same time, or just have a good time, visit SMX this week! See you there!

The Great Brazilian Madness at Trinoma starts today (Sep. 24, 2012)!

2012-09-24T07:35:00.001+08:00

The Great Brazilian Madness Sale

There was a time in my life when I got so into collecting Brazilian slippers that are worth more than my more functional office shoes. It wasn't that practical of me to be collecting them considering the hefty price tag but I gave in to my happiness back then, and just stopped when I realized how its creating a dent on my savings :)

Anyway, with The Great Brazilian Madness Sale this week at Trinoma, I won't feel that guilty anymore if I own a couple more from these Brazilian brands! Anyway, its on SALE! Expect to see brands like Ipanema, Grendha, Rider Sandals, etc :)

Thanks to mallsale.ph for this!

The Great Brazilian Madness Sale
Trinoma Activity Center
September 24 - 26, 2012
10AM to 9PM

Want more of Vikings Luxury Buffet? They are opening soon at SM Marikina!

2012-09-23T08:50:00.002+08:00

Like their facebook page for opening promos!

I just loove Vikings in Mall of Asia! Every visit is just worth every penny. Drinks including overflowing beer and even my favorite sago gulaman is already inclusive of the buffet price! Plus the dessert buffet!!! It just gets better and better! The latest addition in my last visit last month was they already have bibingka at puto bumbong in the spread! Perfect for the upcoming holidays!

How I got my 3 days 2 nights MISIBIS BAY vacation for only p17,1++!

2012-09-21T17:06:00.002+08:00

How I got my 3 days 2 nights MISIBIS BAY vacation for only p17,1++!

I looooove to travel. And to afford my frequent thirst for traveling, I am always on the look out for promos not only of airlines but hotels and resorts as well. I actually LOVE going to travel expos. I was able to get a really good deal for my recent trip to Coron during last August's travel expo at SMX and even got to pay for the trip in 3 months with ZERO percent interest! Thanks to my Citibank credit card for that =)

(photo from Misibis Bay website)

Well, I got my Misibis Bay booking for a much better deal! My favorite hotel booking site Asiatravel has partnered with Citibank to give its card holders the best deals ever! Aside from the super discounted rate of the package, it also allows us to pay for our much deserved R&R for up to 12 months at 0% interest! Isn't that great?!

To give you a brief background, Misibis Bay is in Cagraray Island in Bacacay, Albay. A flight from Manila to Legazpi only takes 50 minutes and a scenic drive from Legazpi to the island takes only 45 minutes. The Misibis Bay package being offered by Asiatravel and Citibank costs only p15,000 for a 3 days 2 nights stay FOR TWO, inclusive of buffet breakfasts, airport transfers, and free use of non-motorized sports equipment (see list here), all for two persons! I was even able to avail this promo for a weekend stay! There are 4 options to pay the p15,000 and 3 of those are very advantageous to us card holders: straight payment, 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months installment with ZERO percent interest! I chose the 12 months so they will only charge me p1,250/month! That's just so great!!!

After seeing this promo at Asiatravel, I already searched for promo fares going to Legazpi and luckily, Zestair has an ongoing promo! We were able to avail a roundtrip airfare for less than P1,100/person! All in all, our trip only costs p17,1++, already inclusive of 3 days 2 nights in a luxurious resort, and airfare! And this is for a weekend stay! It has always been my dream to stay in all the beautiful resorts in the Philippines and I am thankful to these promos that I will be able to fulfill my dreams, one resort at a time, at a lesser cost :)

You too can avail this promo! Booking at Asiatravel is until November 30, 2012 so you have more than 2 months to apply for a Citibank credit card if you don't have one yet. There is a similar promo for stays December 2012 onwards but for a higher price. They also offer similar attractive offers to other credit cards, local or international destinations. You may check them all here.

Have fun browsing the offers and hope you will be able to book such great deals too!

Air Asia is giving away Free Seats again!!! (Sep. 18 - 23, 2012)

2012-09-17T07:28:00.000+08:00

My favorite international budget airline is giving away free seats again! And not just domestic flights but international flights as well! Air Asia free seat sale starts 12MN of Sep. 18, Tuesday (well that's technically monday late night) at www.airasia.com.

Click read more for more details!

Domestic flights (Clark to Kalibo for Boracay and Davao) start at p275 one-way all-in fare from Sep. 18 to 23, 2012 and international routes (Clark to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Hong Kong and Macau) is from Sep. 20 to 23, 2012. Travel period is perfect! April to Sep. 2013!!! I'll most probably be booking Kalibo for April!

I've been taking Air Asia flights since 2010. Our family and I find Clark airport more convenient since my parents live in Subic, and they LOOOVE traveling! I'm very lucky I know. In one of their free seats back then, we were able to get Clark-Kuala Lumpur-Singapore-Kuala Lumpur-Clark routes for only less than p3,000+!! Really cheap! That's 5 flights in all! When they say free seats, they really mean it. We ended up paying only for the airport taxes of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Less than p3,000/person already includes add-ons of baggages and meals. It was such a great experience that 2 months after, we went to Vietnam, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur again via Air Asia! I'm really excited about this sale and I am sharing this to all of you so you can also travel for free! [just pay the taxes :)] Puyatan na uli! ;)

Plus! For our kababayans in Hong Kong, they also have this heart-warming promo! You can win a trip for your family of 5 to Hong Kong! Details on their facebook page :)

Another Piso Seat Sale from Cebu Pacific! (Sep. 16 - 17, 2012)

2012-09-16T08:37:00.001+08:00

I love my Cebu Pacific Citibank Credit Card! True to its words, they really send me a message early on whenever Cebu Pacific will have a seat sale! I get to plan ahead our destinations and schedules!

Anyway, here's another Piso fare seat sale from Cebu Pacific! And the dates are great! Travel period January to March 2013! Book book book! :) It just went live last night about 12MN. I'm sure there are many seats left :) Book now at Cebu Pacific!

Airphil has a sale for you! p188 domestic, p688 international

2012-09-15T09:59:00.000+08:00

I love it whenever I see this kind of subject in my inbox: Airphil Express has a P188 Web Sale for you. Oh the power of newsletters! Whoever invented it, I love you a bunch! :)

The first thing I do whenever I receive airline promos is to make a mock-booking (making a booking as if I am going to purchase it just so I can check the total price of the promo). Roundtrip Clark to Kalibo's total with this promo is P1267. I think that's good enough! Considering the travel dates Janurary to March 2013, already approaching the summer months! But I had to stop myself for now because I already have 3 pending trips all happening for the next 4 months, starting this weekend, yay!!! I guess, maybe later? ;)