From this side

Discovering Museo Orlina - Tagaytay

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:15:00 +0000

I love museums. I enjoy discovering artifacts and learning its historical, cultural, artistic or scientific importance. Exploring museums is one of the activities that my brother and I share.

When he mentioned that we'll be visiting the Museo Orlina on the day of his birthday, I wasn't really that enthusiastic about the trip even though it is a museum. Maybe because I am not familiar with the works of Mr. Ramon Orlina. I know that he is into glass sculpture and I was thinking that his works are too abstract that I might not be able to understand what his art is trying to convey. Baka hindi ko ma gets:)

But I'm glad that we went to Museo Orlina. I got to appreciate his works and I am at awe with his artistry. He is really a genius. While we were looking through different galleries with our awesome and very accommodating guide, Miss Heidi, I couldn't help but be amazed at the talent of Mr. Orlina. How he was able to think of those concepts. I guess I don't have that artistic side in me.

"Virgen Maria" - This is my favorite piece because the eyes of Mama Mary follows your gaze if you look at her from different angles and if you look to the sculpture upward the lips of Mama Mary turns into a smile:)

After visiting his museum, one of my wishes is to own an Orlina.

The museum levels or floors were named after his children. The first floor is Naesa, his eldest daughter who was born during the Asean conference so her name is the backward spelling of that conference. The reception area is located at the first level as well as the Reflection gallery. The art pieces in this gallery changes every now and then and features works by different artists. The Reflection gallery spills into the lower level where more contemporary arts by other artists are on display and leads to the Sculpture Garden.

The reception area

His and Hers "butt chair"

Most of the works on display at the Reflections
Gallery are for sale

The outdoor garden contains sculptured works by Mr. Orlina and other Filipino sculptors. It also has an amphitheater for musical concert, poetry reading and other theatrical and artistic presentation. Below the amphitheater is the carport. Mr. Ramon Orlina is an avid car collector and he used his Volvo and Volkswagen as canvas.

This 1988 Volvo 780 was painted in the signature Piet Mondrian colors (Piet Mondrian is a Dutch painter who Mr. Orlina really likes). The Volkswagen was painted by National Artist Ben Cab.

Sabel sa Beetle - the painting was done by National Artist Ben Cab

Homage to Mondrian - painted in the signature basic colors in black grid that Dutch artist Piet Mondrian is known for

The second level of the museum is called Ningning (the second daughter). It features two galleries. The one on the left features his earliest works when he was starting out as a glass sculptor and to the right gallery displays his most recent works. Glass is not an easy medium to work on. The glass that he used was glass residues; it is admirable that he was able to come out with something beautiful out of waste materials. One of the reasons he liked to used glass is because light can pass through it so there is a wonderful play of light on his work.

These are his early works. The black sculpture was a piece he did for actor Richard Gomez and it was called Dawn

His most recent works

The third level is Anna that features maquettes and photographs of his monumental works here in the country and abroad. One of the things he was known for was the bronze sculpture that he was commissioned to work for the University of Santo Tomas. The Quattromondial Monument which celebrates the 400 year anniversary of the university. He is a graduate of BS Architecture from UST. The altar found in the Greenbelt Chapel or the Sto Nino de Paz chapel as well as the cross by the koi pond were also the work of Mr. Orlina.

A picture of the Quattromondial sculpture found at the UST. Notice the color of the hand rails of the stairs - the colors are influenced by Piet Mondrian

The award he was commissioned to do for the PBA

The last floor was named after his youngest child and only son, Michael. It is an open terrace with the spectacular view of the Taal Volcano. There was a café before called the Green Bean but it was already closed when we visited the Museum. It would have been lovely to sip hot coffee or hot chocolate on the spacious terrace while looking at the beautiful scenery and enjoying the cold Tagaytay weather.

Museo Orlina is a modern museum. It is interactive. Art enthusiasts and even individuals who are clueless about the arts like me will surely enjoy visiting this place.

Museo Orlina
Hollywood Subd, Brgy. Tolentino
East Hollywood Subd, Tagaytay City
Opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
General Admission P100.00
Senior Citizen and Students with ID P80.00

How to go to Museo Orlina
If you are commuting just like what we did
1. Ride a bus to Tagaytay City and asked the conductor to drop you off at the Rotunda. We rode the bus at the Coastal Mall Terminal and the fare was P78.00.
2. At the Rotunda, hail a tricycle and ask the driver to bring you to Museo Orlina. The driver charged as P10.00 for each passenger.

Exploring Intramuros, Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 00:19:00 +0000

I have been to Intramuros several times; I've been to San Agustin Church and Museum, Manila Cathedral, Casa de Manila, Fort Santiago and rode the Calesa at night around Intramuros. But there are so many areas in this historical place that I haven't seen. A day in Intramuros is not enough to discover the historical and cultural treasures of this place. Every part of Intramuros has a story to tell.

My brother, his wife and I went to Intramuros one day in June to re-visit it .

Going to Intramuros

From Quirino district in Quezon City we rode a jeep to Quiapo Church (Fare was P18.00) . We alighted infront of the church and rode a jeep with the Pier signboard (Fare was P8.00). We alighted at Plaza Roma on A. Soriano Avenue (formerly called Aduana).

Our tour of Intramuros started at Plaza Roma. At Plaza Roma, we saw the beautiful fountain and the statue of King Charles the IV. Around this area we also saw The Palacio de Gobernador and Ayuntamiento.

From Plaza Roma, we proceeded to the Manila Cathedral. The last time I was at Intramuros the Cathedral was under renovation. This time around the renovation was completed and I was at awe with the beauty and grandeur of this place of worship. This for me is one of the beautiful churches I've been to. My brother, my sister-in-law and I spend a lot of time inside the Manila Cathedral and took many pictures too. I'll make a separate post about the Manila Cathedral.

Instead of going on a walking tour of the Intramuros which was originally planned, we were enticed by a pedicab driver to take his service to tour us around Intramuros for P150.00 per hour. Since there were three of us to split the cost and it was slightly drizzling as well we took the pedicab tour:).

The pedicab driver/tour guide brought us to the Ruins of San Ignacio Church, and pointed along the way where Ateneo de Manila and Adamson University once stood in Intramuros. We then took a stop at Cuartel de Sta Lucia or the PC Artillery and at Victoria 1. We then took a walk at this part of the wall.

The headquarters of the Philippine Constabulary with its Officers'school which became the Philippine Military Academy when it transferred to Baguio.

1 Victoria serves as General Douglas McArthur's headquarters which is opposite the USAFFE

From here we went to Baluarte de San Diego. Baluarte de San Diego was a stone bulwark constructed by the Spaniards to protect Intramuros from invaders. Baluarte San Diego houses the Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia.

Before the construction of Baluarte de San Diego, Governor General Santiago De Vera had the Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia made as a tower to defend Intramuros from Chinese pirates. This three tiers circular walls was later on integrated into the Baluarte de San Diego.

Going up to the Fort of Nuestra Senora de Guia

What was left of the three tier tower of Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia

Fort Nuestra Senora de Guia is an archeological site

During the bombing of Manila in World War II the circular fort was damaged and completely forgotten until it was unearthed in 1992.

Baluarte de San Diego now has a beautiful garden and gazebo. It can be rented for special events. We spent a sizable amount of time here because we had the grand time climbing the fort and looking over the walls, checking the bonsai in the garden and having pictures.

From Baluarte de San Diego we proceeded to Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao. Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao was constructed as to keep the Chinese living outside the wall from entering Intramuros. This part of the wall is opposite the Bayleaf Hotel, Mapua Institute of Technology and the Lyceum of the Philippines. The cannons that can be found here were used against the Japanese invaders. If I was a student at Mapua or at Lyceum, this fort could be an ideal place for me to study. It was spacious and breezy. It would be a perfect place to go to if you and your classmates have to practice a presentation.

Because the weather was crazy that day - drizzling for a few minutes and then the sun would go up and then drizzle again and we spend a lot of our energy looking around the Manila Cathedral, Baluarte de San Diego and Baluarte de San Francisco Dilao, we just sat on the pedicab the rest of the Intramuros trip. If we weren't that drained we would have walked through Puerta del Parian with its Asean Gardens, Revellin del Parian and Baluarte de San Gabriel instead of just passing through it. Oh well there will always be a next time. I'm sure we'll be back in Intramuros.

We asked the pedicab driver to drop us off to Chowking to have our lunch.

After eating at Chowking, we went back to the Manila Cathedral because we couldn't get enough of its beauty.

Then we went to Casa Manila. Casa Manila is a museum that depicts the colonial lifestyle during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The house was copied from a house in Calle Jaboneros in San Nicolas which is a shopping district across the Pasig River.

The house ground floor was made from adobe while the uppermost floor were made from wood which was the typical for the houses of the well-off during that time.

This type of houses would have the ground floor rented to tenants as shops. Then they have what they call Entresuelo or the between floors where the owner of the house would meet with his workers or clients before they enter the Oficina. They also have Cuartos here or rooms where the extended family members like aunts or uncle stay or these are rooms where the owner sleeps during the day to have his siesta.

Not everyone is invited to the upper floor, only important visitors are allowed to enter the sala. Here at the upper floor you have the Oratorio or the place where they gather to pray, Cuarto Principal, Comedor or dining area, Cocina or the kitchen, Letrina or the Comfort room, Bano or the bathroom and the Azotea where water is collected for laundry, cleaning the house is collected.

No picture taking is allowed inside Casa Manila.

Authentic Lebanese Fare at Meshwe

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 12:45:00 +0000

My cousin Ate Essel has been craving for Lebanese food so she drove all the way from Pampanga with her three sons to satisfy this. Lucky for me, she invited me to try the Lebanese fare at Meshwe.

Meshwe is located at Z Compound 33 Malingap Street, Teacher’s Village Quezon City that serves authentic Lebanese dishes and other Middle Eastern fare. They are open from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Z Compound by the way is like an open food court. There are many food stalls that offer different cuisines so I’m sure there is something that would tickle your palate.

Here’s what we had:

Chicken Tenders with Rice - Chicken Tenders, Bukhari Rice, tomato slices served with yogurt mint sauce and chili garlic sauce

Meshwe Platter - Pita chips, Sambousak and Arabic Fries with three types of dipping sauce: garlic sauce, harissa and chili garlic

Chicken Shawarma Rice - Chicken Shawarma, Bukhari Rice, tomato slices served with yogurt mint sauce and spicy tomato salsa

Beef Shawarma Platter - Pita bread, Arabic fries, Beef Shawarma, tomato slices served with yogurt mint sauce and tahini

Everything tastes delicious. I especially liked the garlic sauce and the yogurt mint sauce. Now I don't know if the dishes served were really authentic because it was my first time to try Lebanese food. If this is how good Lebanese food are then I can't wait to try other Lebanese dishes.

Monasterio De Santa Clara

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 11:15:00 +0000

Monasterio De Santa Clara, Saint Clare Monastery or Monasteryo ni Santa Clara in Katipunan is one of my favorite places of worship. I have been attending Sunday mass here religiously for almost two years but I haven’t blog about this beautiful place yet.

I love hearing mass here because the place is peaceful and solemn, Father Andres Ranoa who regularly celebrates the mass give thought provoking homilies and because every week I get to hear the nuns in brown habit sing beautiful old Tagalog songs that are no longer sang in other churches during the mass.

A lot of people flock to Saint Clare Monastery to offer eggs and prayers. Many came to her to ask her intercession for good weather, to be able to conceive, to pass board exams and other various petitions.

But why are eggs offered to Saint Clare? Clare means "clear'' so it only fitting that we asked for her intercession for clear skies, clear mind and clear conscience.Others add that “clara” in Spanish refers to egg white while in Castillian it means having a short interval of a fair weather in a rainy day so an egg is offered for a good weather. Eggs are associated with fertility and the egg whites are clear hence it symbolizes a clear mind.

Saint Clare (also spelled as Clair or Claire) of Assisi is a good friend and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. They both came from noble and well-off families but both turn their backs from wealth and lead a life of prayer and sacrifice. She founded a religious order known as the Order of the Poor Ladies. Saint Clare’s mother, Ortolina, also entered this religious order as well as her sisters Beatrix and Agnes (who is also declared as saint). Her feast day is every August 11.

The Order of the Poor Ladies led by Sor Jerónima de la Asunción and other nuns

came to the Philippines in 1621 and established the Real Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Madre de Dios de las Monjas de Sta. Clara (Royal Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God of the Nuns of Sta. Clara) in Intramuros, Manila. The monastery in Intramuros was destroyed in World War II when American soldier heavily bombed Manila to liberate it from the Japanese invaders. Because no structure was left standing in Intramuros except for the San Agustin Church after 300 years in Intramuros, the monastery transferred to Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City. In the 1990s the monastery transferred again to the lot opposite the Aurora Boulevard site which is Katipunan Avenue because the monastery has to give way for the construction of C5.

Schedule of Masses

Masses are said at the Monastery everyday at 6:00 a.m. except for Sunday which is at 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Special blessings are said for birthday celebrants of that particular month every first Sunday of the month and special blessings of healings for the sick are prayed by the priest every second Sunday of the month before the mass ends. The intention for the successful board examination of a particular profession for that particular week is also prayed for during the Prayers of the Faithful part of the mass. During the feast day of Saint Clare masses are said every hour throughout the day.

The monastery is open every day from 5:30 am to 7:00 pm.

After the mass you can proceed to the area adjacent to the church to drop off your petitions and eggs, have your religious materials and board examination paraphernalia like pencils, calculators, etc. bless and kiss the relic of Saint Clare.

The area where people write down their petitions for Saint Clare

It is here where the eggs, prayer petitions are offered, where materials are blessed and where you can find the relic of Saint Clare

Picture taking of the relic is not allowed.

How to go to Monasterio de Santa Clara

1. Hop on LRT line 2 and alight on Katipunan Station South Wing. From there walk towards Katipunan Avenue and turn right once you see the C5 fly over then you can see the monastery from there.

2. Ride a jeep in Cubao and look for those with Katipunan or Parang, SSS signboard and tell the driver that you want to get off at Santa Clara.

3. If you have your own car, drive along Aurora boulevard towards Marikina when you reach the Katipunan intersection turn right. The convent is at the left so turn left towards the first U-turn slot.

Other facts about Monasterio de Santa Clara and Saint Clare

In Jose Rizal's novel "El Filibusterismo" it was the Monasterio de Santa Clara that Maria Clara entered to become a nun.

Saint Clare of Assisi is the same patroness of Obando, Bulacan that people go to to perform fertility rites.

Leona's Art Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 10:09:00 +0000

Leona’s Art Restaurant offers Mexican Italian dishes. It is located at # 45 Matimtiman Street Quezon City. This restaurant is not easy to find since it is not found along Maginhawa Street and their signage outside the restaurant is not that big and visible. We’re glad that the tricycle driver who brought us to Leona was familiar with the restaurant. We just told the driver that we wanted to eat at the restaurant that offers pizza all you can promo.

The place is small which is similar to most of the restaurants in the Maginhawa area. It can sit 20 to 30 people. There are also some tables and chairs outside the restaurant but we opted to dine it because it was a hot summer night. I like the homey and cozy feel of this restaurant.

My siblings wanted to try the pizza all you can promo of Leona’s; sadly it ended a few days before our visit. We wanted to really have the pizza all you can promo because we wanted to know how many pizza slices we can eat. Hehehe. Sobrang takaw. The food attendant then offered their other promo which was the 3 pizza promo for 499 – 14’’ three cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza and a choice of any of their other pizza.

So we had the 3 pizza promo. For our third pizza we ordered the ham and mushroom pizza. Aside from our pizza order we also had the roasted chicken promo for 499 – roasted chicken with its salsa and gravy sauce, Mexican rice and a pitcher of Coke.

Everything served to us was delicious. But I like the three cheese pizza the most because I love cheese. It was cheesy and crunchy. With the roasted chicken I hope they can cut down on the herbs they put into it because a few hours after our dinner I can still taste the herb.

The waitresses at Leona’s were attentive to us and they offered to take our group pictures when they saw us clicking the camera.

I would love to go back to Leona's and try the other dishes in their menu.

Saint Ursula Parish and Kalbaryo at Binangonan Rizal

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 30 May 2014 12:45:00 +0000

Last April 19, 2014, my brother, his wife and another brother’s girlfriend and I went to Binangonan, Rizal.

How to Travel to Binangonan?
From Aurora Boulevard, we took a jeepney ride to Sta. Lucia Mall and from Sta. Lucia Mall we hailed a jeep with a Binangonan signboard. Aurora to Sta. Lucia Mall fare was P10.00 and then from Sta. Lucia to Binangonan was P35.00. Judging from the fare we paid going to Binangonan we knew it was a long ride.

We passed by the towns of Taytay and Angono. I wonder why the main road, Manila East Road, that the jeepney took became narrower and narrower as we approached the town of Binangonan?

The image of Saint Ursula by the belfry tower, she is the Patron saint of orphans and students and her feast day is celebrated every October 21

Our first stop was the Saint Ursula Parish Church. This 200-year-old church is one of the oldest churches in Rizal. Construction of the church started in 1792 and was completed in 1800.

St. Ursula Parish is located at Paterno Extension, Barangay Libid, Binangonan, Rizal and the parish office number is 625-3413.

How to reach Saint Ursula Parish
The narrow streets of Barangay Libid can be confusing so asked the jeepney driver to drop you off at Paterno Street and the church is just a short walking distance.

It was sad that the church was closed during our time of visit. We were not able to see the church’s interior.

How to go to Kalbaryo
From Saint Ursula Parish we took a short tricycle ride to Kalbaryo or Calvary Hill. Kalbaryo is a popular religious place for locals to visit especially during Holy Week. There are Stations of the Cross along the hill where you can stop and recite a prayer. There is also a ruin of an old chapel half way through the top of the hill.

entrance to Kalbaryo

the chapel ruins

more steps to conquer

just a few more steps to take

On top of the hill are the 15 feet big white cross, the statue of the Virgin Mary and the breathtaking view of the town of Binangonan and of the Laguna Bay. There were about 275 steps to climb to reach the top.

light a candle and say a prayer by the image of Our Lady

the scenic view of Laguna de Bay and of the town of Binangonan

Revisiting Noah's Park in Rodriguez Rizal

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 21 May 2014 10:47:00 +0000

My siblings and I were planning to go to one of the popular resorts in Antipolo for our Labor Day outing, but my boyfriend told me that we should go instead to Noah's Park in Rodriguez, Rizal. He said that there have been a lot of improvements in the said resort since our visit to Noah's Park in 2010(Here's my previous post about Noah's Park).

Since we've been to the popular resort in Antipolo many times, my siblings, their respective partners and I agreed that will be going instead to Noah's Park.

Our second visit was a lot pleasurable and joyful than the first because of two reasons!

1. I was complaining before that there weren't enough swimming pools in Noah's Park; that the pool can get really crowded on a hot summer day. When we got back, the once fishing pond and the area for the lakeside view cottages were converted into two large swimming pools. These pools were finished only last April.

This was supposedly the wave pool (I wonder why they didn't turned on the waves when we were there) which was huge and inviting.

The next one was the kiddie pool which really looks cute with the blue paint and drawings of the dolphins. But what we really love about this pool was that we got splashed with the cold water collected from the pail on top of the pool. This was a refreshing way to cool ourselves that scorching hot day! It truly beats the summer heat.

There's another newly constructed pool which we were not able to go to because that was exclusive to those who are billeted to their hotel or mini condominium. By the way Noah's Park is now called Noah's Leisure Park and Hotel.

2. We loved the 300 meter long and 30 feet high hanging bridge that we got to cross in Noah's Park. It afforded as the chance to see the beautiful sights this place has to offer.

Aside from the hanging bridge and the new swimming pools, the other things that's new at Noah's Park are:

Trampoline and other obstacle course perfect for team building

And the newly constructed chapel

Entrance fee for day swimming at Noah's is now at P180.00 for adults, P130 for children below 4 feet. Their cottages ranges from P250 to P1900.

Burger Project at Maginhawa Quezon City

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 20 May 2014 11:35:00 +0000

While waiting for our orders to be served at Sancho Churreria my cousins and I went to Burger Project which was just adjacent to Sancho

At Burger Project you can customize your burger – what type of bun, patty and toppings for your burger. But they also offer different designer burgers if you don’t want to make your own burger. Their designer burgers are on their menu board.

I just hope that Burger Project is a little bigger. It can accommodate around 20 to 30 persons. I think it could get really crowded during weekends.

To create your own bigger, you are given a piece of paper which contains all the choices available for your burger and then just tick the ingredients of the burger that you fancy.

My burger is nothing fancy – I wanted it to be 100% beef patty on a sesame seed bun with bleu cheese, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce with Burger Project's special sauce. The total bill for my burger is P205.00

Since we were dining at Sanchos’ we opted to have our burgers for takeout.

Unwrapping my burger – it is bigger in size compared to fast food burgers, the patty is thick and flavorful. I love my burger but I would remove the sun dried tomatoes next time because it is a little sour for my taste.

I’ll definitely be back at Burger Project but this time I’ll try their designer burgers plus their shakes and onion rings.

Burger Project is located at 122 Maginhawa Street Teacher's Village, Quezon City. Open daily from 11 am to 12 mn.

Sancho Churreria at Maginhawa Quezon City

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 16 May 2014 12:46:00 +0000

My cousins treated me to a post birthday celebration a day after my natal day. They have been intrigued about the pictures I've uploaded to Facebook about my food trips along Maginhawa so they've decided that we dine in one of the restaurants in this area.

It was decided that we try the food at Sancho Churreria which specializes in Spanish Cuisine.

Sancho is a charming place. It maybe small but I like the interiors - the orange couch, the table top made from tiles, the large glass panels for the entrance and the display of cakes and other desserts at the front of the restaurant.

For dinner we had the following:

Calamares al Ajillo - P185.00

Paella Grande - P390. The servers informed us that we have to wait for 10 minutes for this order

Torilla de Patata (Spanish Omelette) - P185 - my least favorite since it's a little bland for my taste

Spanish Beefstew- P210.00 The meat is tender and its oozing with flavor. One of my favorites

Churros con Chocolate - P85.00 Their specialty

But my favorite is the Brazo Mercedes P40 per slice which I forgot to take a picture of. It has the right amount of sweetness and it is light and taste heavenly.

Their desserts are not that expensive

Eclair and Creampuffs at P30 per piece
Double Chocolate Cake at P70 per slice
Blueberry Cheesecake at 110 per slice
Strawberry Cheesecake at P110 per slice

Everything tasted yummy. Everything got almost wipe out before I got the chance to take pictures because we were really hungry:)

Sancho Churreria Manila is located at 122 Maginhawa Street Teacher's Village, Quezon City. Their number is 4365539.

Thank you to my lovely cousins who came all the way from Pampanga to celebrate my birthday with me. Sa uulitin:)

Pink Sisters' Convent - Tagaytay City

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 12:12:00 +0000

We (My brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I) left Quezon City last January 31, 2014 for Tagaytay at 4:45 am to make it on time to hear the 6:30 am mass at the Pink Sisters' Convent. This did not happen because of the traffic at EDSA that morning due to some road re-blocking. We reached Tagaytay a few minutes after seven.

From the Olivarez Bus Terminal, we took a tricycle and told the driver we were going to the Pink Sisters' Convent or The Convent of Divine Mercy which was located at Holy Spirit Drive, Tagaytay City. The ride cost us P40.00.

The Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration or the Pink Sisters because of the pink habit their wore lead a contemplative life. Here at the convent the nuns take turns praying every hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Arnold Janssen founded the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters

Being a place of worship visitors should wear proper clothes and refrain from making noises.

Visitors can pray inside the convent's chapel, write their petitions and place it inside the designated box so the sisters can pray for it. In the same box, you can drop your donations to support the congregation.

After saying our prayers and writing our petitions, we strolled around the garden of the convent and took pictures.

The place was very peaceful and solemn which was really conducive to praying and meditation . The garden was beautiful and well taken care of.

There's a gift shop inside the convent but it was still close when we visited the place.

Our next destination after the Pink Sisters' Convent was at the People's Park in the Sky.

Sky Ranch - Tagaytay's Newest Attraction

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:28:00 +0000

To continue with our day tour of Tagaytay, after having lunch in Chowking (at the Rotunda), we (my brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I) hailed a jeep going to Mendez, Cavite. We then asked the driver to drop us off at Sky Ranch. The jeepney fare was only P8.00.

Sky Ranch is the name of the complex while the amusement park is known as the Sky Fun. Inside Sky Ranch aside from the amusement park, are food stalls, gazebos and restaurants. Sky Ranch offers horseback riding at P250 for 30 minutes and there's a zipline as well.

Posing at the entrance

Sky Ranch's Map

Lining up for the tickets

Taking a rest at one of the gazebos

Entrance fee was P100.00 but since there was a promo we only paid P50.00 per person. Guests at Sky Ranch were not allowed to bring in food and beverages.

You have to pay for each of the ride in Sky Fun. They don't have a ride all you can ticket. Most of the rides were intended for the kids. Adults on the other hand will enjoy riding the Viking and the Sky Eye.

Price of the other rides:
Super Viking - P100
Nessie Coaster - P50
Mini Viking - P50
Wonder Flight - P50
Red Baron - P50
Express Train - P50

Sky Eye or the Tagaytay Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in the country at 63 feet with 32 gondolas. This was the park's main attraction. Each gondola can accommodate four persons. A ride cost P150.00/pax.

I am a scaredy cat and I hate heights! But since it was Chinese New Year, I decided to try something I've never done before which is to ride a Ferris wheel. So despite my apprehension I've decided to buy a ticket for the Sky Eye.

The view from the gondola

Taking pictures from inside the gondola

Me, all smiles and conquering my fear

Riding the Ferris wheel only took a few minutes. It was just one complete loop at the Ferris wheel and the ride ended. I savor the moment I was on it because I got to beat my fear and enjoy the Tagaytay scenery.

Sky Ranch I must say had the most breathtaking view of the Taal Ridge, Taal Lake and the Taal Volcano.

What a sight

Sky Ranch was our last destination for the day. Before riding the bus to take us to Manila, we got some pasalubong from Loumar's.

Our Yummy pasalubong - Buko Pie, Buko Tart, Pastillas, Yema Tart, Uraro cookies, Panocha

Tagaytay City's - People's Park In the Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:05:00 +0000

Because Chinese New Year was a holiday, my brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I decided to go to Tagaytay City and took advantage of this day off from work.

We were already at the Coastal Mall Bus Terminal at 5:30 am and were already in Tagaytay City by 7:00 a.m. Our bus fare cost us P74.00 each.

The aircon of the San Agustin bus that we rode was really cold and all I wanted was to step out of the bus to warm myself. I can't wait to get off at Tagaytay. Little did I know that Tagaytay was even colder than the bus' aircon.

Stepping out of the bus, we were greeted by the cold air of Tagaytay and the wind was blowing very hard as well. My long sleeves shirt and sweater is no match for Tagaytay's weather.

Our first stop was at the Pink Sisters' Convent which was at Holy Spirit Drive. I'll post a much lengthier post on this convent next time. We said our prayers and offered our petitions here.

From the Pink Sisters' Convent we went to the People's Park in the Sky. We rode a tricycle to People's Park in the Sky which is also known as Palace in the Sky. The tricycle driver charged as P100.00. It was a long drive from Olivarez. We even passed by the Picnic Groove and Tierra De Maria. It felt like we were going to the other end of Tagaytay.

There were a lot of tourists here at Palace in the Sky. We paid P30.00 each for entrance. At the entrance of the park you can take a jeepney ride for P5.00 to take you to the shrine and the mansion. We opted to take the hike to the top.

People's Park in the Sky was located at Mount Gonzales. Before it was known as Palace in the Sky during President Marcos' administration. In the 1980's, the government started building a mansion here for the Marcoses and the construction was hastened in the 1981 so that it will be completed in time for President Reagan's visit to the Philippines but this did not push through. When the Marcoses left the Philippines, the new government converted this incomplete mansion into a park and became known as the People's Park in the Sky.

This place had a breathtaking view of the Taal Volcano, Taal Lake and the Taal Ridge, and at its elevation, it was very windy and colder here.There's a shrine of the Our Lady of Fair Love and a Doppler Weather Station of the PAGASA inside the park.

There are picnic huts you can rent, food stalls and souvenir shops here.

It was just sad that the place has fallen into ruin. I wonder where P30.00 we paid go into.

The place was rusty. A fresh coat of paint was badly needed for the structures.

The signage had incomplete letters in it and was covered in moss.

I hope the city of Tagaytay can do something about the state of the People's Park in the Sky.

From People's Park in the Sky, we went to Tagaytay's newest attraction which is Sky Ranch. Watch out for my post on it!

Maginhawa Food Trip: Parrillada Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 08:44:00 +0000

Just barely a week after having a dinner date with my boyfriend at Via Antonella and Gayuma ni Maria, we were back at the Maginhawa food strip.

This time we had lunch at Parrillada Grill with my boyfriend's sister and nephew. We came from a medical check-up at Saint Luke's and Ate (my boyfriend's sister) wanted something to eat that is not from Jollibee, Mc Donald's and other fast food joint. Boyfriend and I suggested that we go to Maginhawa Street and look for a place that would be interesting to eat.

We were supposed to eat at Bowl and Brew but because there was no available parking space this did not push through. We were really hungry so when we saw the restaurants near Makadios Street we decided that will eat in one of those.

Parrillada Grill is one of the new restaurants along Maginhawa Street. The restaurant opened in September 15, 2013.

The restaurant has a very homey feel. I liked the couch by the wall and the colorful throw pillows on it.

Their menu consists of grilled dishes, Pinoy favorite viands and other well-loved comfort foods. The servers were very polite and attentive.

This is what we ordered:

Chicken Fingers

Seafood Pasta

Tinumis

Mediterranean Ribs

I was not able to get the individual price of each of the dish that we had but everything in the menu was affordable. Everything we had taste delicious.

So if ever you are in the Maginhawa area don't forget to give Parrillada Grill a try!

Food Trip for Our Anniversary Date

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 09:20:00 +0000

Last January 13 was my boyfriend and I's anniversary. If last year we celebrated it at Ocean Park, this year we thought of having a formal dinner date.

We have been a couple for several years but we haven't really dine out in any fancy restaurant. Usually, we would eat at Jollibee, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc., but not anything that was not fast food. So for this year, I asked if we could dine out anywhere that was not hamburger, fries or fried chicken. :) and he readily agreed.

Sobrang excited ako kasi hindi naman kami mahilig pumunta sa mamahaling lugar. Parehas kaming simple at jologs. Pero para sa gabing ito try naman namin maging sosyal. Kahit konti. Hehehe

He was asking me a week before our anniversary where I wanted to eat, and I suggested certain places we could go and then being the person that he is - he told me "Huwag na nating planuhin para matuloy." I don't know but usually things don't go as plan when we plan things. Things go better and more enjoyable for us if it's spontaneous.

Silently I was hoping that we could go to Marikina and try the restos there or in Maginhawa in Quezon City which is a popular area for dining.

If the place where we would go was not settled at least we had set a definite time - 5:00 pm.

My boyfriend is so sweet. He knew that my heart was set on a formal date so he wore pants and a branded shirt. He even wore a watch. (Eh itong boyfriend ko ayaw mag pants lagi lang ito naka shorts at comfortable siya sa kahit anong damit. Isa nga ito sa mga katangian na nagustuhan ko sa kanya - simple at totoo at super confident sa sarili niya.) He told me that he had this shirt last December but really waited for this occasion to wear it. He even borrowed his sister's Toyota Montero so we had a car for our date. If I had known that we would have a car and not commuting I might have worn a dress instead. Hahaha.

He was extra attentive to me during our date. He opened the car door for me, held my hand while driving and assist me when I alight just a few flight of stairs. Hindi ako sanay, feeling ko one of the boys kasi I grew up in a household of three boys.

When we were in the car, he said "Let's go to Maginhawa. Let's drive around and then you choose where you want us to eat." I was grinning from ear to ear when he said that.

We drove from one end of the street to the other end. It was a long road. We even passed by my High School. It was hard for me to choose because there were a lot of options. But I knew that he was not fond of Japanese food and he liked to eat meat. So Japanese themed restos were out and steak would be a good choice. I remembered that I read in a blog before that Via Antonella served steak and then I liked how the restaurant look when we passed by it so Via Antonella it was.

We had dinner at Via Antonella. And because he wanted me to be happy and he knew that I wanted to try the restaurants in Maginhawa for the longest time, he suggested that we had dessert at Gayuma ni Maria which we did.

The night turn out so well. The food and the places we went were great. We had a lot of fun while conversing and he gamely took pictures. Eh itong taong to ayaw din ng picture eh. But he knew I'll be happy if we had a lot of photos, selfies included so he indulged me and took a lot of pictures.

After so many years - nakakakilig pa rin kapag kasama ko ang boyfriend ko. We might have dinner in a fancy restaurant or eat hopia and share a bottle of Mountain Dew which we did during our second year together parehas pa ring nakakakilig kasi alam ko na mahal niya ako at mahal ko siya.

Fine Dining at Via Antonella

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 09:19:00 +0000

For our anniversary date, my boyfriend and I had dinner at Via Antonella.

Via Antonella is located at 189 Maginhawa Street corner Makadios Street Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. If you are coming from Anonas, take a right turn on V. Luna Road where SaveMore Supermarket is located and then straight ahead and turn left on the first corner; it is a few blocks to your right.

The restaurant look simple yet elegant. It has high ceiling that gives a very airy feel to the place. The place is really cozy.

The food servers were very attentive and the waiter that was assigned to get our order gave us suggestions on what to order. The service was very fast. We don't have to wait too long for our orders.

For starters, we had Cream of Shiitake and Leeks Soup which was served with Garlic Bread. It was pureed shiitake that was sauteed in butter and leeks and simmered in chicken stock and cream. The taste of the soup was bland but the garlic bread was good.

Cream of Shiitake and Leeks Soup P125.00

My boyfriend had Lamb Caldereta. This dish was really superb. The meat was tender and the sauce was really good. The serving was huge and a cup of rice that went with it was not enough. Sobrang malasa kaya bagay sa maraming kanin.

Lamb Caldereta P235.00

I had Wagyu Burger Steak. So this was grilled burger steak made from Wagyu beef and then it had mushroom gravy sauce. There was nothing really special about my order. The mushroom gravy sauce was okay.

Wagyu Burger Steak P235.00

We both ordered their House Blend Tea for our drinks. The tea was okay.

House Blend Tea P68.00

What I liked about the food is that the serving was huge and that it was price just right.

Would I be coming back to Via Antonella? Definitely, I'll be back to have their Lamb Caldereta and try their other best sellers.

Bewitched at Gayuma Ni Maria

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 09:19:00 +0000

My boyfriend and I were already full from our anniversary dinner at Via Antonella, but I couldn't miss the chance to see what Gayuma ni Maria was all about.

We went there on a Monday night and there were not so many patrons at that time. There were only three couples including us.

The restaurant had this shabby chic interior.

Since we ate dinner already, I asked for their desserts. There were only two desserts available at that time which was their Twisted Pavlova and Beat Sex Any Day cakes. And I ordered both plus their Darjeeling tea.

While waiting for our food, we went over to their naughty nook which sells sex toys. hehehe.

We opted to eat at their outdoor dining area. It had low tables and cushions to sit on.

The Twisted Pavlova was a meringue dessert. It has peaches and grapes as toppings. The cake is light and fluffy, and it has the right amount of sweetness. I really loved it.

Twisted Pavlova - P95.00

The Beat Sex Any Day Cake is too sweet for my liking. But I bet chocolate lovers will definitely like this chocolate cake with chocolate syrup.

Beat Sex Any Day - P95.00

Too bad we weren't able to order their dishes. I would love to try their naughty sounding dishes like - Threesome, Nilasing ni Eba si Adan, Tuliro, Secret Lovers, Lover's Delight, etc.

But we'll definitely be back to try out the said dishes.

Gayuma ni Maria is located at 124 V. Luna Extension Sikatuna Village Quezon City. If you are coming from Anonas, turn right to the first street adjacent to Savemore Supermarket. It is on the same side as Savemore and a few blocks away from Savemore.

My Andrew Samson Blog Review

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 00:55:00 +0000

My Andrew Samson blog review

I discovered mycsutomworkout.com while looking for some interesting health related blogs. Looks like Andrew know what he is talking about in term of weight loss ideas. Here is part of his wisdom:

About food

People need food in order to remain in good health. We all know that's true, but it can often be more importantly. Eating the proper foods, in the best combinations can prevent many of the most deadly diseases. Cancers and heart disease are the two main reasons for death in America. Both of these are preventable, along with a large part of prevention is diet. One factoid that is being cited a lot inside health care debate is the fact that America is somehow 42nd with regards to life expectancy, despite how much we pay on health care. What people aren't mentioning is the fact that it isn't because of our healthcare system or how corrupt it is, however its our diet. We are obese, we die of cancer and cardiovascular disease and the reason perform is easily quantifiable...it can be our food. A basic difference in one's food habits is utterly necessary before heading ahead using your colon cleansing fat loss program. You must stop taking in any more processed and processed foods. An unhealthy colon cannot absorb the primary nutrients within the body. This is a major reason as to why such people put on weight. With colon cleaning weight loss program you get rid of this accumulated toxins from your system making you loose the excess weight that you're carrying. More about dieting you can find in his Fat Loss Factor review. I want to take a minute to explain what it ways to eat what your system needs when you're using a non-diet procedure for weight loss. You will still be capable of meet with relatives and buddies for a meal. This method of weight loss does not limit the kinds of food that you can eat. Instead, you will see to become conscious of when one's body tells you to prevent eating. This may be hard to do to start with, nonetheless it will get easier with guidance and employ. You have the capacity to eat the foods you're keen on and still lose weight.

Diet supplements

One of the few items that can help you lose weight fast are Diet Supplements, such as Phen375 pills. These nutritional supplements are produced from the Brazilian Acai fruit whose secret may be long guarded. The Acai fruit can help you lose 20 pounds in the month because this fruit contains antioxidants that are capable of burning calories by increasing the body's fat burning capacity. Acai Berry supplements also help an individual feel full without eating giant sized potions along with the extra energy given by these supplements enable website visitors to feel energetic each day. According to Proactol reviews I found most of diet supplements are free from side effects.

Physical excersises

For most which might be on an exercise and diet plan will usually find it surprising on what quick the body tends to lose weight along with fat and liquids. But over time the metabolism simply starts to slow down or even stop from losing any more weight. This is when the word plateau is necessary; it is simply one's body getting used to exactly the same movement and motion from exercise and diet. Whenever you are ready you can start with p90x workout program or any other inhome set od excersises.

Via Dolorosa Antipolo

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:11:00 +0000

After visiting the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral of Antipolo last March 30, my siblings, their girlfriends and I went to Via Dolorosa.

From the Antipolo Cathedral, we rode a tricycle and just told the driver that we are going to Via Dolorosa.

The huge white cross of Via Dolorosa

Via Dolorosa is a place of prayer and meditation in Pinagmisahan Hills. This place is also known as the White Cross because of the large white cross found on top of one of the hills. Masses and "Alay Lakad" are usually held here especially during the Lenten Season.


The altar of the chapel where masses are held

At Via Dolorosa, you can pray the Stations of the Cross. There are life size sculpture of Jesus and the scene representing that particular station. Doing the stations of the cross here requires one not only to pray but also to sacrifice. It is not easy to go through the stations because the paths are rocky especially the one where Jesus was crucified, there are big boulders blocking the path and some of the stations are on top of the hills that you need to climb.

The 1st Station - the Last Supper

The Second Station - Jesus Agony in the Garden

the hill to climb to the next station


the big boulders blocking the way to the 13th Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross

The 14th Station - Jesus is Laid on the Tomb

Aside from the Stations of the Cross, there are also life-sized carved statues depicting the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

The Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

This place is very peaceful, you can hear the humming of the birds. The gardens and the surroundings are well-kept.


Coming down the hill from the last station, you can stop at this shaded area and meditate

the White Cross on top of the hill and the replica of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage of Antipolo

Entrance is free but you are encouraged to make a donation for the maintenance of the place.

Food and drinks are not allowed inside Via Dolorosa because it is meant to be a place for prayers and meditation and also to keep the place clean.

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage - Antipolo City

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:31:00 +0000

Image from Wikipedia

Last Black Saturday, my siblings and their girlfriends and I went on a pilgrimage to Antipolo City. It has been ages since I went to the Antipolo Cathedral. The last time I was there was when I was just 15 years old to participate at our parish's May pilgrimage. At that time, we did an Alay Lakad, we walked to Antipolo City from Aurora Boulevard where our parish, St. Joseph's Shrine was located.

My parents used to go to Antipolo City every May as a Thanksgiving to the Virgin of Antipolo. They asked for her special intercession to heal my youngest brother when he was still a baby because he had a congenital disease for which he had a colostomy and three operations. My brother received his complete healing before he turned one and he is now 28 years old and was with us during this pilgrimage to Antipolo.

The Nuestra Senora dela Pay y Buen Vieje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) or more popularly known as Our Lady of Antipolo is the patron saints of travelers and sailors. A lot of people go here to pray for her protection in their travels and to have their cars blessed.

Blessing of vehicles are done everyday and it is for free, but it will be better if you donate any amount.If you donate a hundred pesos, you will be given a miniature image of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage as a gift.

Image from Wikipedia

The Nuestra Senora dela Pay y Buen Vieje is a dark carved wooden statue made in Mexico just like the Black Nazarene in Quiapo. It was brought to the country via the Galleon ship, El Almirante from Acapulco, Mexico by the Governor of the Philippines, Don Juan Nino de Tabora in March 1626. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary was first brought to the Saint Ignatius Church in Intramuros, Manila and was transferred to Antipolo in 1632. It is interesting to note that this statue traveled seven times on board the Galleon ships via Manila - Acapulco - Manila route as patroness or protector of the Acapulco trade.

Every time I was here before, it was during the month of May which is the month where it receives a lot of pilgrims. The church was always teeming with people that I don't remember being able to see the side chapels of this cathedral which is by the way known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Antipolo.

After saying our prayers, we looked at the different chapels within the church as well as the different images of the Blessed Virgin and the saints.

We then went to the back of the cathedral to light candles and then went to the the museum inside the church.

The museum is air conditioned and it houses the different gowns, jewels, tiaras and perfumes used by the image of the Virgin of Antipolo as well as framed pictures depicting the history of the Antipolo Cathedral and that of the Nuestra Senora dela Paz y Buen Vieje.

The image has over 500 piece wardrobe and the church has been declining new dress gifts and instead encourage people to donate to the scholarship program the church has or to other church ministries.

Also, inside the museum you can touch the extended mantle of the Nuestra Senora dela Paz y Buen Vieje from the back of her statue. Some people would kiss her cloak which I did. We were blessed because usually there's a long queue of people wanting to touch her mantle but during this visit the line wasn't long and we were given enough time to touch and kiss the mantle and say our prayer before the image.

Picture taking is not allowed inside the museum and there's a security guard manning the place.

I feel really happy and blessed to go on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Antipolo to ask for her prayers and protection.

Right after visiting the cathedral we then proceeded to Via Dolorosa, another place of worship and prayer in Antipolo. I'll write a separate post about it.

Before leaving Antipolo City, we bought home suman and cashews which this city is known for as well as kalamay, piaya and sweetened peanuts.

Commuting to Antipolo Cathedral

From Cubao - ride an FX or jeep with the Antipolo Simbahan signboard. We rode the jeep which cost P30.00. Upon arriving at the jeepney terminal, you can already view the dome of the Church, it is just a few meters away.

Night Swimming at Cattleya Resort - Antipolo

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:13:00 +0000

Last March 24, 2013, I joined my bf and his family in their annual family outing. I was not able to go with them last year because I got sick. Just like last year, the family opted to have a night swimming at Cattleya Resort in Antipolo City.

Aynee, my bf's niece, is the one who organized this outing. The night swimming was only finalized the night before the outing. Good thing that there was still an available pool. I was only informed of this outing the morning of March 24. :)

Cattleya Resort in Antipolo City offers 7 private pools and villas for day or night rent. Their address is at Colaique, Sitio Ibabaw, San Roque, Antipolo City. The price range for their pool rentals are around P7000 - P12000 for day swimming and P9000 - P14000 for night swimming.

We rented the Catherine villa which had a large pool with jacuzzi, a children's playground, one aircon bedroom villa with three beds, 2 spacious bathrooms, a grilling station, a kitchen with gas stove and refrigerator, monobloc tables and chairs which can accommodate 50 people and a videoke. The villa has a big spacious area and the water of the pool is clean and inviting.

The kids had a great time swimming in the pool and the adults sing their hearts out in the videoke machine. Food was overflowing that night that they were many leftovers to take home:) I had a wonderful time bonding with my bf and his very loving and gracious family.

REGINA RICA IN TANAY

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 11:38:00 +0000

My brother, his girlfriend, my classmate and I went to Regina RICA in Sampaloc, Tanay, last Saturday, October 20, 2012, which is a very fitting day to visit Our Lady, Regina Rosarii because it is the month of the rosary.

Regina RICA or Regina Rosarii Institute for Contemplation in Asia is a place of prayer, pilgrimage and peace which is run by the Dominican Sisters of Regina Rosarii.

This place is very much like Caleruega in Batulao, Batangas (another place for spiritual retreat also run by the Dominicans) since both place is close to nature, on hilly lands, very pleasant weather, beautiful scenery and a place to pray and feel God's love.

ENTRANCE FEE: FREE but you can give a donation for the upkeep of the place. There's a donation box at the Pasilungan (Reception Area) area.

Upon entering the gate, we were greeted by a guard who gave a yellow slip of paper for us to fill-up and drop at the reception area.

After this, I saw to my right the 71 foot high image of the Our Lady, Regina Rosarii on top of the hill beckoning us to come to her.

To get to Our Lady, Regina Rosarii, you have to passed through the S-trail of the El Shaddai Hills. This place is teeming with symbols and acronyms that will surely enrich the life of those who visit it. El Shaddai or the breasts of God symbolizes God's abundance for Regina RICA like a mother's breast from which milk flows to nourish her child. It's no wonder their motto is "We breathe God's love."

The S-trail is made of 308 steps and has 13 candle stations where you can leave your candle offering. While ascending these steps, you are encourage not only to marvel at the beauty of nature but also to pray for abundance in your life and to thank God for His many blessings.

The Regina Rosarii is one of the most charming sculptured image of the Blessed Virgin Mary that I have seen probably because she seems to be smiling at me and is encouraging me to come to her.

Under the mantle of the Regina Rosarii, is a holding area where first time visitors are brief about the place, the SULOD and on contemplative prayer. Volunteers at the Regina RICA took turns explaining all of these and in accompanying the visitors inside the SULOD.

There are 17 angels below the feet of Our Lady; Sixteen smiling angels, all of which are outside of her mantle and the 17th is inside the mantle which is the crying angel. The crying angel perhaps symbolizes sorrow for the sins we commit.

SULOD stands for Sanctuary of Universal Love and Devotion and it is also the Ilonggo word for "enter."SULOD is the Adoration Chaptel inside the mantle of the Regina Rosarii. Picture taking is not allowed inside the Adoration Chapel, and pilgrims are asked to remove their shoes as they enter this sacred place.

Inside the SULOD is the Sacred Host and a big Absent Present Cross. There's a basket where you can leave your candle offering, throw pillows and chairs where you can sit down as you say your silent prayer. You exit the Adoration Chapel by passing through the balcony of the sculptured image of the Regina Rosarii overlooking the scenic place.

From the SULOD, we went to the Tilipunan or the Gazebo, where you will find the Pilgrim's Labyrinth. In the earlier century. people who were unable to go to the Holy Land would used the Pilgrim's Labyrinth, following its twists and turns until it reached the center, which symbolizes man's search for God who is at the center of our being.

We went down the El Shaddai hills through the concreted road passing through some of the Stations of the Cross and the RICA chapel on the hill which is still under construction.

On our way to the Pasilungan, we passed through the


The Chapel which is still under construction


It is here where the nun's live


the cages of the monkeys and birds being taken care of here

Famished from the walk, we found ourselves at the Pasilungan. Here, you can write and drop your petitions inside the box, give donation, buy RICA products and buy food. They only serve vegetarian meals.

We had pansit bihon, RICA bread and macaroni soup. We also had a complementary tarragon drink which is said to detoxify the body.

I bought a contemplation book as I promise myself that I am going to try contemplative prayer.

How to commute to Regina RICA

1. Ride an FX or a jeep bound for Cogeo. In our case, we rode an FX jeep at Katipunan and we were charged P35.00 each. Ask the driver to drop you at Cogeo Market. Length of travel: 30 minutes

2. The driver drop us off at Cogeo Market. Now there's two Cogeo Markets - The jeepney station to Sampaloc, Tanay is at the new Cogeo Market. The new market is actually not that far from the old market. It is near the Mercury Drug Store.

3. The jeep leaves the terminal every hour. In our case, we arrived at 8:15 a.m and the jeepney started its journey to Tanay at 9:00 a.m. Fare to Sampaloc, Tanay is P61.00. So judging from the fare, we knew that we are heading for a one long journey.

4. We passed by the towns of Antipolo and Baras, through the zig zag road of the Sierra Madre. Length of travel: 1 hour and 15 minutes.

5. We alighted at the Sampaloc, Market which is the last stop of the jeep and from there boarded a tricycle. The tricycle fare is P20.00 each. We just told the driver that we are going to Regina RICA which is in Sitio Aguho. Length of travel: 15 minutes

It was definitely a long travel for us, but it was worth it because we were rewarded by fresh air and scenic views. It was my first time in Tanay so I was not aware that this place as long as the other towns we passed by were still not that fully developed. There were no SM or Jollibee along the way. What they have are rice paddies, trees and mountains. No pollution.I would love to have a place in Tanay for my weekend retreat to escape the stress of city living.

Note:

Ask the tricycle driver to pick you up at a certain time or better yet ask for his cellphone number when you are ready to leave because Regina RICA is not along the highway. You have to walk through a steep hill and for several meters before you reached the highway.

If you have your own vehicle in going to Regina RICA, the better because your traveling time will be cut short. It is easy to go to Regina RICA because it's just a smooth,zig zag drive through the Marcos Highway. The only time you will leave Marcos Highway is when you have reached Sitio Aguho. There is a big signboard of the Regina RICA to the right of the highway and when you see that just turn right and Regina RICA is at at the end of that road.

Mass Schedule and activities at the Regina RICA

Mass

6:00 a.m. every 4th Saturday of the month
11:00 a.m. every Sunday
Contemplative prayer 15 minutes before the mass

Dawn Rosary

5:00 a.m. every 4th Saturday of the month

Rosary

4:00 to 6:00 p.m. daily

Contemplative Prayers of the Regina RICA contemplative group
10:40 a.m and 3:10 p.m. every Sundays
5:00 - 7:00 p.m on Fridays

Visiting Time
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily except on Tuesday

PAN DE AMERIKANA'S UPSIDE DOWN RESTAURANT IN KATIPUNAN, QC

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:11:00 +0000

Right after visiting St Pio of Pietrelcina Center, my classmates, my brother and I decided to have lunch at Pan de Amerikana's Upside Down Bakery and Restaurant in Katipunan, Quezon City.

It was our first time to visit the restaurant so we rode a taxi from Libis to Katipunan which was just a short ride. If you are coming from Ateneo de Manila University, it is a few meters from the intersection of Katipunan and Boni Serrano Avenue. It is situated in between the Caltex and Petron Gas Stations.

You will not miss it because it is the only structure there that is upside down. Hehehe. It looks like an upside down Swiss chalet complete with an upside down Land Rover. Actually, it is the only upside down restaurant in Southeast Asia. :)

What we really liked about the place was the ambiance. Although the place was not airconditioned, it was really airy inside because of the fans and the plants inside. Two sets of hanging tables and chairs complete with plates, forks. spoons and glasses were hanging from the ceiling. There was also a hanging piano on one side of the ceiling. And I don't want these things to fall on me.

You can also see that the owner was a chess enthusiast because the tables they had at the restaurant where chess tables and there were several chess pieces on display too. The Pan de Amerikana's branch in Matikina has a chess theme.

The food they offered at the restaurant were affordable and delicious.

The first Pan de Amerikana restaurant is in Marikina City. Some of the food they had on their menu were some dishes that originated from Marikina so we had to try the Waknatoy and the Everlasting.

They say that each household in Marikina City would have the said dishes present at all of their celebrations.

Waknatoy is a pork dish that is very similar to Menudo. It has pork, liver, potatoes, carrots, tomato sauce and pickles which is not present in Menudo. They say that this dish was very common in Marikina that people often complain seeing this dish on the table that they say "Ito na naman, wag na to." And that's how the named was coined. It tasted delicious and I won't say "wak na toy," unless this dish is serve to me everyday.

Aside from Waknatoy, we also ordered Everlasting. Perhaps it got its name not because the food don't get spoiled but because like Waknatoy,it is ever present in all family gathering. This dish is similar to Embutido. But unlike embutido that's rolled in aluminum foil, everlasting is place in a llanera to cook. This yummy treat is made from ground pork, raisins, onions, tomato sauce, eggs and garlic.

We also had Tinumis which is a dish with gabi leaves and coconut milk

liempo

We did not have a picture of the Sinigang na Isda because we had it as an additional order

We did not leave the place without bringing home their specialty ensaymada.

I was expecting that there are other breads available but they only sell wheat pandesal and wheat ensaymadas.

Their ensaymadas were really huge and made from wheat flour, magarine and sugar and baked in brick oven or pugon. The ensaymadas were like how it was made in the 1950s. No fillings and other toppings on their ensaymadas unlike the ensaymadas that most popular bakeries and bread stores sell nowadays. But even if its ingredients are that simple it is really soft, delicious and very filling. I can only eat one because it is really big. The ensaymadas were also very affordable at P12.00 each.

So if you are looking for a good place to eat along Katipunan that is delicious and affordable why don't you give Pan de Amerikana's Upside Down Bakery and Restaurant in Katipunan a try. :)

Is It Time For A New Laptop?

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:07:00 +0000

I am having problems with my laptop. It wouldn't boot and every time that happens I need to reformat it. Last week, I have to reformat it three times. And because of that my online work is hampered. I cannot complete the maximum 40 hours on my oDesk. Imagine the time lost to reformatting plus I need to download the oDesk team application and my dropbox folder. I am just grateful that my brother allows me to use his desktop. But I cannot work continuesly on his computer because he has to use it also. It doesn't help that our notebook is having problems as well.

I cannot buy a new laptop now because I am in a steep budget right now. There were a lot of expenses these past two months that my savings got drained a little bit. But I really badly need a laptop because I used it for work.

I wish I can avail of the loan being offered by TechSmart store. They offer Army & Navy Loans for active military personel, as well as Loans for Government Employees. You don't need to have a past credit rating to be approved for Military Furniture Financing, electronic gadgets like laptops, jewelry, etc. Applying for their loan is very easy too; you can apply for your loan online, once approved you can choose from their stores or online stores what you want and finally sign your contract digitally and then the item will be delivered to you. Paying for your loan is easy because of their low monthly payments.

I guess I'll have my laptop check first by a computer technician and see if it can still be repaired and from there I'll decide whether I'll buy a new one or not.

A Glimpse of Manila in Bourne Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:23:00 +0000

My boyfriend and I were supposed to watch "Bourne Legacy" last week but were not able to do so because he had to finish some assignments for school. So after waiting for another week, we finally got to see it yesterday.

I was excited about the movie not because I was able to follow the previous installments of Bourne films with Matt Damon in the lead but because I was looking forward to seeing my beloved city Manila in a Hollywood Movie. After watching this film, I was really intrigued by the story of the other films that I will really watched those when it will be shown again on cable.

Some people commented that the movie portrayed Manila as dirty, crowded and unpleasant. Well, I don't take offense in that because Manila is really like that in reality, plus in one scene they shoot in the poor section of the city so what could we expect. But for me, the movie also showed how colorful and alive the city is.

I know most tourists would skip Manila for the more beautiful places in the Philippines like Boracay, Bohol and for the other thousand islands this country has to offer because of the not so beautiful aspect of the city. I am blessed to have live in the more cleaner and pollution -free residential area of Quezon City but Manila to me is filled with so much history, and it has a unique culture that you can never find anywhere in the world. I wish that we could bring back Manila to its glory in the not so distant past.

I really liked the part of the movie where they showed Manila's skyline by night it was really beautiful and of course the final scene in Palawan. Palawan is really a paradise here on Earth. It's in my bucket list of places I want to visit in the very near future.

The movie was really action-packed and it had a spectacular motorcycle chase scene in the streets of Manila that was really wonderfully orchestrated. My boyfriend and I kept commenting what part of Metro Manila was being shown in that motorcycle scene. Hehehe.... if you knew your way around Manila, you'll know that it was one long chase scene that started in Manila passing through Jones Bridge than they were already in Marikina and from Marikina they were already in Malabon. I also liked that they feature the colorful jeepney in the chase scene. I wish that the police like in the movie would be as fast in responding to their call of duty.:)

My boyfriend lived in Marikina and he was stuck in the big, chaotic traffic cause by the shooting of the movie on the way to our house to visit me. It took him three hours to get to our place when it would normally just take him 30 minutes.

The movie had a great story build-up but I think it was quite short. And also you were so hyped by all the scenes and then after that you'll realized that it was the end already.

But overall, it's still a good movie to watch.

There's a talk that in Bourne 5 they'll put Matt Damon and Jeremy Renner in the movie together and that is something I would really like to see.

My Little Clouie

noreply@blogger.com (Joy) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:43:00 +0000

I have been meaning to blog about my pet dog, Clouie, but I was not able to do so until now. Clouie is a Japanese Spitz crossbreed Pomeranian. A very small dog but nonetheless very sweet and charming. She has been with us for four months already.

I am not really fond of dogs, actually of all types of animals. I have developed a phobia before for any four-legged animal because a stray cat scratch my leg when I was a young girl. Since then I don't want to touch or be touched by any animal.

Clouie was brought home by my brother one summer night despite my disapproval for any pets inside the house. But Clouie looked so helpless as a puppy and I don't have the heart to let her sleep outside our house. My brother was able to convince me that once she's old enough, he'll put her outside the house but for the mean time she'll sleep in my brother's room.

I've surprise myself with how my fear of dogs or of any other animals have disappear because of Clouie. It was a gradual change for me over the course of four months. It started with me patting Clouie in the head while she was being held by my brother. It was hard for me to do that at first. There's this feeling of fear that she might bite me whenever I hold her. I would play with her before in my pants and shoes because I don't want being licked. The shoes were my protection in case she bites or licks me.

But now I can't imagine a day without holding Clouie in my arms or having her kiss me in the cheeks or play with her. Today, we went for our evening walk and I plan to that again tomorrow and the next day after tomorrow. :)

She's such a sweet dog. Every time I go home after leaving her for an errand, she would be waiting for me at the top of the stairs and her tail would wag. It's hard to work at home because she would interrupt my work every now and then because she wanted to be held or to play. She wouldn't bark at me but she would stand by the door of my room and sits there with her eyes pleading for attention. I don't know but I know when she wants to play, or just to be cuddled or she's bored, or she wants water. Clouie knows when I am sad because one day when she saw me crying out of frustration, she sat at my side and looked me with her sad eyes.

I know people without dogs couldn't relate because that how I was when Clouie wasn't still with us. But those with dogs know where I am coming from. There's really that connection between humans and dogs.....indeed dogs are man's best friend.