OUR AWESOME PLANET

Chef Tony's Popcorn-Fest

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I love popcorn! Specially the holy kettle corn ones. At some point I was addicted to it. I would usually buy a large pack (P60) from Petron Buendia cor Makati Avenue on my way home. More than usual, I would finish it off and afterwards feeling guilty about not sharing it with my wife.

I first tasted Chef Tony's popcorn when I passed by Pricesmart before it closed down. So when an invitation from Spanx on Penny's Popfest to try out Chef Tony's popcorn flavors, I immediately raised my hand.

We (me and Yuga) went to Penny's place in Kamuning and we were late. The event was supposed to start at 4pm but we arrived at 8pm coming from Antipolo. I underestimated the time it would take coming from Sassy's house-on-a-hill in Antipolo to Kamuning. Also, we had a very interesting conversation with Sassy at Vieux Chalet for the Awesome Blogger series. We'll tell you more about this in a separate post. So, we were not able to meet the other bloggers but I'm glad that there are still some popcorns left for us to taste.

There were 7 flavors to choose from: Original Caramel; (special flavors): Light, Pesto, Cinnamon; (premium flavors): White Chocolate Walnut, Parmesan, Mochachino with Almonds. It was popcorn heaven for us and thanks to Penny, Spanx and Chef Tony for this blogger's popfest. The Original sells for P45 for the small plastic tub and P100 for the big plastic tub. While the Special flavors sells for P60/P120, and Premium flavors for P95/ P180, respectively.

What's the verdict?

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

1. The popcorn is too sweet for me. The reason I'm addicted to Holy Kettle Corn is that the caramel is unevenly distributed. It is always a thrill every time you get a popcorn with lots of caramel in it. The Chef Tony's popcorns have flavors that are evenly distributed. It is very good at the start but it would only last for a few minutes and it does not have that addicting quality. It may work for you though.

2. The Parmesan is the best! Everybody agrees with this and it was the sure winner. The parmesan cheese is able to address the issue with #1 and differentiate the flavors from sweet to saltiness to sweet. Unfortunately, this goes under the premium flavor, so just to taste this you would have to pay almost P100-- for a popcorn?!

3. I like the way Chef Tony use good tasty ingredients like the almonds and walnuts. The nuts add texture and serve as the neutralizer for the sweetness of the popcorn to prevent "suya" (i just can't think of the english term for this, it is at the tip of my tongue!).

4. The Pesto flavored popcorn taste like Pesto pasta which is the idea. It just tasted weird for me. Of course, they need to sprinkle pine nuts to complete the Pesto Pasta experience.

5. I was disappointed that all flavors that were served for this popfest were old flavors already. Penny just mentioned that the peppermint flavor and macadamia choco swirl popcorns will be its Christmas limited edition but where was it that we are now trying out his variety of popcorn? I was expecting that they would introduce his new Christmas flavors but I don't know what happened. I felt like Chef Tony just wanted to get blog buzz and did not pay attention to this. I'll be more careful next time.

Lastly, I suggested for Chef Tony to come out with a special assorted tub where you can have 3-4 flavors in one big tub. This would be awesome! I'll be the first one to buy them :) Also, we can't wait for the Christmas popcorn edition, hope they make it on time!

The Blogging Gospel of Yuga

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In my quest to promote the Philippines, I came to realize that I need to push further the envelope of alternative media. Aside from photo-blogging, I'm attempting to learn to develop creative videos that would highlight the beauty of our country. It is a long journey, and it took me a one year and a half to really learn how to blog and how to take good photos. Did you know that I only started to take photos on January 2005? Yes, that is the time when I also started my blog. The catalyst for this was my son Aidan, when he was born on January. Well, you can look at the archives and see the difference in my writing style and photography from the time I started until now.

Finally, I'm starting my video-blogging quest this month. To kick it off, I'm starting an Our Awesome Planet show entitled: "A Blogging Life: Awesome Pinoy Bloggers". The intent is to inspire other Filipinos out there on the power of blogging and to give a glimpse on the blogging life of the blogging idols in the Philippines. I'm starting the series, with Abe Olandres known as "Yuga" in the blogging circle. He runs his personal blog at Yugatech.com. He also runs pinoytechblog.com, pinoytravelblog.com, pinoyblog.com, and pinoytopblog.com sites, among others. Yuga is one of the person I admire because of his rags to riches blogging story. For those of you who are not following his blog, just watch the video to get a glimpse of one of the pioneer pro-bloggers in the Philippines. He revealed some of his blogging secrets and keys to his success :)

Check this out: Clipcast Director's Gallery: The Blogging Gospel of Yuga

If you have a slow connection, just let the video download first before playing the entire 4mins+ show. Please please let me know what you think... Thanks to my brother, Rommel for teaching me the tricks of the trade on video editing! Thanks to clickthecity.com for hosting the video!

Technorati Tags: bloggers, Philippines

My Kaya Addiction

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I am officially a member of Kaya-holic anonymous. I'm totally addicted to Kaya!

Super thanks to Anton Lim for bringing me these two bottles of super addicting Kaya! There are two versions, the usual Authentic Ya Kun Kaya brand from the Ya Kun chain in Singapore. The other one is from Toast Box which gained a good following with allegedly long lines in their Wisma Atria outlet. I love them both!

The Ya Kun version comes in green color brought about by pandan. It also has the same consistency as the sweet filling in Brazo de Mercedes and it taste like it too. The this Kaya version boast of all natural ingredients of egg, sugar, coconut milk and pandan. Imagine a leche flan that you can spread in your pandesal and enjoy it for its sweetness. Put it with butter and toast it together, and you will have your own Kaya toast right in your own home! I can even put as many jam as I want unlike when I buy it at the Kopi Roti store. It is perfect if it goes with your own coffee with condensed milk.

The Toast Box version comes in golden brown color because of the honey. This is similar to our Coconut Jam with a honey twist and a smoother light consistency. I was wondering why our own coconut jam, is not elevated to this level of addicting status. If you love the honey taste, then this is perfect for you. I agree with Anton Lim that this is a special kind of Kaya that is worth lining up for. Thanks Thanks so much!

I do hope these Kaya bottles could last me until end-November. But I doubt it though :)

Technorati Tags: Restaurants, Singapore

Authentic Ya Kun Kaya's Ingredients:
Eggs, sugar, Coconut milk and pandan
with no preservatives added nor artificial colorings and flavorings.

Toast Box Hainanese Kaya with Honey Ingredients:
Fresh eggs, Fresh coconut extract, refined sugar,
modified starch and approved colours E102, E110, E133...

Sa In Yo

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Maong: "Where are we going to eat?"

Anton: "sa inyo..." (in your place)

Maong: "sa amin?" (in our place? )

Anton: "no, sa In-yo"

I always love discovering new places and make my wife or friends guess where the new place is. At the rate that I'm discovering new places, it is seldom hard to find a nice resto that we have never eaten before. So when the buzz about the new In-Yo cuisine kept on arriving in my inbox, we decided to check this place out. I have a good feeling going to In-yo, since it's a filipino house converted into a restaurant and a promising Nino Laus as head chef.

This is the official meaning of In-Yō : "In Filipino, inyo means yours. In Japanese, in and yo represent the two opposing forces in the world, much like the yin and yang; and when these elements work together, a fusion and a balance are achieved. In-Yō Restaurant is a casual fine dining restaurant that offers delectable creative cuisine complemented by a one of a kind ambience.   In-Yō was brought about by the love of the owners for good food and the fondness for tasteful interiors, scenic landscapes and gardens. "

It is French and Japanese fusion that I've never tasted before. Head chef Nino worked for Parallel 45 and Kai, then decided to create In-Yō along with his partner Cris the manager of the resto. They converted a part of his lola's house along E. Abada (in front of Ateneo), to a unique Filipino zen like ambiance.

There are two floors, and the 2nd floor can be reserve for special occasion for 10 people. This is where we stayed and disarrayed everything for our impromptu photo shoot. The Staff were very friendly and accomodating. Definitely a dating place that we want to keep hush hush for the moment. It is cash basis only as of now, but hopefully credit card services will be available in 2-3 weeks time. Expect to spend P600/head if you plan to eat a 3-course meal.

The verdict? In-Yō delivers on its promise of being a place of delicious food, relaxing ambience, and excellent service --- at a friendly price. This is one of those word-of-mouth secrets that I hate and love to share. Congratulations on In-Yō's first month anniversary last night!! Thanks to Thomas, Bing and Kitch for the tip on In-Yō! Lastly, another friendly tip, stay away from the ice tea and the desserts if you want to save on your bill :)

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

• The In-Yō Ambiance.

The following quotations below came from an In-Yō email invitation by Charisse Pau (sister of Nino Laus) to friends.

"In the midst of a busy and fast-paced society, we wanted to bring a piece of the province's relaxed and peaceful atmosphere thru the creation of a restaurant with a homely feel paired with a contemporary eclectic Asian design (most of the furnitures that you'll see in the resto are either re-used from the old house or given as gifts from friends and family who travels around asia). "

"The design concept of the restaurant was inspired by the existence of an old  house right in the heart of Katipunan. (Yes, it's the same house along e-abada where i spent more than 20 years of my life... that spells my age! my friends would call our house "gubat" or forest due to the abundance of fruit bearing trees). "

"Btw, you will also see on the inside walls of the restaurant original artworks from well known artists in different media such as paintings, photography and sculptures (for the art lovers out there, you may purchase anything you find fit for your home).  "

The place is not child-proof so we were afraid that Aidan might once again break something specially with the different works of Arts around the resto. What we love about the interiors is the different old musical instruments like a wooden xylophone, a guitar that resembles a ukelele, and drums. We were fortunate to stay in the second floor (pictured above) such that Aidan can freely wander and play around the room so we can take time with our photo shoot.

In-Yō Fusion Cuisine.

Menu (the menu items and prizes may change)
Appetizer, Salad, Soup, Fish and Poultry
Meat, Pasta and Beverage
Set Menu and Dessert

Roasted Fresh Tomato Soup (P120++) served with Cajun spiced shrimp and In Yo Special Iced Tea (P55++).

I don't agree with their special iced tea. My friend even boasted that she makes better iced tea than this one. Sipping the hot soup was such a delight to me, especially to Aidan. It reminded me of liquid pizza made of tomato and cheese.

Shitake Confit Salad (P149++) with honey ponzu dressing sprinkled with crispy julienned tofu.

After eating a bite of this salad, you would wonder what is this magic honey ponzu dressing that turns this ordinary salad into something special. We asked the chef, and he said that it is a Japanese sauce with kiko man and Japanese vinegar. You should try this :)

U.S Hanging Tender Steak (P347++) with red wine sauce served with buttered seasonal vegetables with pumpkin risoni.

I just loved the pumpkin risoni that came with it. The lean steak was cooked medium rare which was fine with us. Could we add more veggies on the side? We have no doubt that this is one of the best seller in the house for carnivores out there. (just a question how is a risoni related to a risotto?)

Smoked Local Halibut (P295++) with watercress relish and saffron mussel emulsion served with agli y olio pesta.

O man, the fish was cooked perfectly -- it is firm, tasty and does not crumble easily once you chew it. The pasta with garlic and saffron sauce was cooked al dente and salted to perfection too. This is maybe one of the reasons that you should not order the degustation set menu so that you can order this best seller. (btw, what is pesta vs. a pasta?)

Broiled Coconut Lime Chicken (P185++) served with ginger garlic rice and buttered seasonal vegetables.

This is by far the most "worth it" dish we had last night. You will definitely get your money's worth and more. The generous serving of meat was full of coconut flavor and tanglad / lemongrass. The presentation of this chicken drumsticks (literally) looks like a lamb serving and this is the kind of presentation that you would hate to eat.

In-Yō Dessert

Chocolate! Chocolate! Cake (P190++). A recommendation but it was too plain for us...I think we've tasted too many valhrona choco cake that would not match with this one.

Trio of Creme Brulee (P109). Didn't meet my expectations on their dessert. Not even a spoonful to let us get the full taste of the three flavors. I think they can do better than this and of course, add more to the serving. Go, go Chef Nino!

The panel of ordinary experts (from left to right): my friend, Maong; my son, Aidan; and my lovely wife, Rachelle.

Sous Chef Gary Reyes and the gang of chef looks on as they prepare our dessert.

Here is my collection of chefs: Head chef, Nino Laus with sous chef, Gary Reyes.

Let me leave you with this....

Aidan caught in the act of eating...

I love to play this poppa.

In-Yō Fusion Cuisine.
66 E. Abada St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City (behind Katipunan Avenue)
Tel# +632 426-0301, +63920 960-7202

Operating Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
11am - 2pm; 6 - 10pm

As you can see, I was excited to write this post. Please let me know your experience with In-Yō.

The FunnelCake Factory

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Lately, I'm getting education on different types of cakes that are available here in Manila. The lesson for today is all about funnel cakes. For me, it is the cousin of pancakes and waffle. It taste like Maruya (a local delicacy of fried banana in flour) and it has the same consistency. It is fried and crispy. Usually it can go with any sweet toppings like chocolate, cream and fruits. Some of the existing flavors include, caramel almond, cinnamon, nutty choco loco, peanut butter banana, mango graham and tuna cheese. Funnel cakes are associated with Pennyslvania Dutch region of the US and popular around ball parks, country fairs, and festivals.

The funnel cake factory used to have a stall in the Fort strip and they transfered to the third floor of Festival Mall. Finally, they setup a 45 sq meter dining resto along President's avenue in BF. We were surprised that they were opened on a Fri and Saturday night until 12 mn when most of the shops would already close by that time. For late night desserts, they have a funnel cake fondue composed of three-piece fun-size funnel cake topped with banana and powdered sugar. They use toblerone for their chocolate and this would costs around P150 net. Here is a copy of the menu since they also serve sandwiches and coffee --> Funnel Cakes Factory Menu.

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

Mango Graham Funnel Cake (P90).

No doubt that this is something different. But it reminds me too much of our local Maruya version. You will feel guilty eating this since its fried, creamy, and lots of chocolate. I would not drive all the way to BF Sucat for this.

Anything sweet is always a hit with this baby. These days Aidan wants to use the spoon and fork on his own. He is turning two soon.

The FunnelCake Factory
President's Ave, BF Paranaque before the Ruins Night Market if you are coming from Sucat Ave.

Operating Hours
Sunday-Thursday 11am - 10pm
Friday-Saturday till 12 midnight

Hula Hula @ Westgate

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I must admit if not for my readers, I would have miss visiting this place @ Westgate in Filinvest, Alabang. From the outside, you only have a glimpse of the white staircase and there are no visible signs of happy eaters. The name sounds cheesy and childish that you will make you think twice if you want to eat here. The place just opened in June so for the record, it was ahead of the hawaiian resto -- Polu Kai in Serendra.

It feels like Gerry's grill with Japanese, American, Portuguese and Asean cuisine fusion. Is this really how Hawaiian food should look and taste like? Polu Kai actually beats Hula Hula in terms of ambiance, warm welcome and space (*** it feels like it since Hula2 seems to be crowded). But this Hawaiian inspired resto in Westgate, is definitely much more affordable and you won't complain about the quality of the food. We were tempted to order the Luau feast which is good for 3-4 persons and the price ranges from P550+ for the Bora Bora to P695+ for the Japanese Hawaiian. The Luau feast is quite innovative since they put composition into the arrangement of ordinary food and it appears like food painting from the distance. Since it is only me and my wife, we decided to try the best sellers of the house which includes the Mess of Steaks and the Paella in Bamboo Sticks (this turned out to be more expensive though).

Overall, great affordable food that you would come back for more. I usually have a rule that once I've eaten in a resto, it is seldom that I go back since I would like to save our resto money for other new places out there. But for Hula Hula, we'll make an exception since by the looks of the Luau feast, not only is it a good photo opportunity but you can also see the happy faces of the people eating it :) Lastly (huling hirit na), this is a good place to treat your friends or family on your birthday or celebrating milestones like graduation.

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

The place is cramp with simple interiors. If Polu Kai have tikis as an overall unifying element to bring out that Hawaiian ambiance, Hula Hula have this huge paintings on the wall of life in Hawaii. There are a few tikis, hula hoops and flowery dress for the servers, but still it feels like a filipino resto trying to disguise as a Hawaiian restaurant.

Here is the Hula Hula Menu. (Check out the Luau Feast-- looks yummy isn't it?)
Island Bbq Feasts, Crabs & Lobsters
Luau Feasts, Island Grill, Island Curry Plates and Island Seafood Rice
Hula Hula Starters, Happy Island Rolls, Soups&Salads, Shells Pacific and Pastas

Unagi on Fried Calamari (P195). I should've listened to my wife. This was a failure! A piece of unagi on top of a calamari. Pass!

Mess of Steaks (P275 small). a combination feast of US beef cuts: yakiniku steak, rib fingers, and short plate barbequed to your liking.

We chose the manila smoke basting which is also the favorite among them. For side dishes, we picked summer veggie mix and potato salad. I was glad that we chose the manila smoke sauce and the veggie mix. The steak was well done but tender. The presentation was indeed a mess but it is appealing since it gives justice to its name. The veggie mix was excellent I think since it is sweet, crunchy and cooked just right with the perfect seasoning combination.

Island Paella in Bamboo - Smoked Salmon and Calamari Negra (P255). squid ink paella topped with calamari and smoked salmon.

Kudos for a nice bamboo serving presentation for the Paella! This would have been tastier if the thinly sliced smoked salmon was adequate enough to be distributed amongst the rice. The rice was plenty enough but the ingredients such as calamari and salmon was not. The paella was too much for us and we have to take some home. I must warn you that there are consequences of eating a squid ink paella. You'll know a day or two after eating this.

Hula Hula, The Seafood and Barbecue House
Lot C-403 Central Precint Commerce Avenue
Filinvest corporate city, Westgate, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Mobile: +63 915-969 3240, +63 922 8875064
Tel: +632 711-2291, +632 771-2289

TheFrench Corner

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October 18, 2006 Update: Formerly Voulez Vous which means "Do you want? ", I just recently went back to Westgate and realized that this place has a new permanent name "The French Corner". Here is my original post on Voulez Vous and I was wondering if only the name was changed or is there also something different with the menu and the chef?

***********************
Original Post Title: Voulez Vous? Do you Want? (January 17, 2006)

Formerly C'est si Bon (which was registered already to a pastry store) , Voulez Vous offers Mediterranean cuisine -- I crave for this type of food :) This is manned by Billy King's proteges Larry Cruz and Chef Mauro Arjona. Billy King's claim to fame is having worked as the executive chef of Le Souffle which is one of Manila's Best Fine Dining restaurants. This is located in Westgate Filinvest, Alabang and if you look at the building structure, you won't be immediately attracted with its weird shape building facade.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

The bar (located at the center) looks serene with its minimalist filipino look with a touch of mediterranean art. It looks elegant -- not too imposing, but just perfect for that evening dinner date.

I had to take this picture because I want to let my readers know that If you are planning to reserve in this place, reserve this side of the restaurant (beside the road entering westgate) which have a nice window living room setting. This would be perfect for that Sunday brunch setting. There is a corner dining area (top left most side of the photo), with the arc entrance which should be perfect for dining with a small group and get the privacy that you need.

Fettuccine with Scallops and Prawns in Oriental Sauce (P395) - deliciouso! Although be careful not to eat too much of the parmesan or else your lips would be itchy because of its high salt content.

Fresh organic Pasta al Fungi (P295) -- not the usual pasta you can find in an italian resto. If you are looking for that different mushroom taste, then you should try this.

Seared Sole Fillet with tomato - onion - potato compote (P395) - boasting to be one of the killer food and it gives the fish a slightly fruity twist.

Coffee Crunch Souffle (P150) -- deliciously sinful.

MORE INFORMATION:
Voules Vouz (formerly Cest si Bon)
Commerce Avenue corner Filinvest Avenue
Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang Muntinlupa City
+632 7712345

Kainan sa Dalampasigan!

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A Warm Welcome to Kainan sa Dalampasigan!

Doesn't this remind you of a scene in The Lord of The Rings?... These hanging vines are enough to set the tone for a lunch/dinner in a middle of a rustic garden. The nearest beach places in Manila are the ones in Nasugbu or Calatagan Batangas. I like going to these parts of Batangas, because it passes by Tagaytay. So almost, always, Tagaytay is the setting for Breakfast on the way to Batangas and for Dinner on the way back home. I've always been on a look out for a good lunch place within the Nasugbu area. The ones that gives you a give provincial feel/ welcome, with a nice ambiance, good food with a good value for money. I'm glad we found Kainan sa Dalampasigan right in the heart of Nasugbu Town.

I would recommend this place as a good stop on your way to Punta Fuego or the Calatagan Beaches. The places serves home cooked food with Tangingue steak as the main attraction. The ambiance is quite nice and they took time to invest on the ambiance to compete with the beach resorts to attract the beach goers for a lunch or even merienda affair. I must admit this place has been in existence for a long time now, but they just renovated recently so during my first visit -- I was happy to find this garden place. Of course, this wouldn't compare with Sonja's garden or Antonio's but you can say that this is more of a provincial version of a garden leaning towards a rustic feel to its ambiance.

I was just excited to see the hanging vines and I took a picture above to remind me of the opening welcome scene when you arrive at this place.

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

Plates are set just for you, provincial setting style.

Steaming Hot Dalampasigan Soup (P170).

The lady who took our order said it was a clear soup. Is this a clear soup to you? Oh well, it doesn't matter because we immediately sip into the soup that made us want to have another serving. Filled with vegetables, 3-4 shrimps, squid and beaten egg.

Start it healthy with Sariwang Lumpia (P65).

Before hitting on the cholesterol!

One of their bestseller, Baked Tahong (P200).

Can't stop popping one mussels to another! Melted cheese with cream then top it with the butter sauce, just no other way for me to eat this one!

Another bestseller of the house, Tangingue Steak (P240).

The seafood's version of Pork Steak. Tangingue was not tender but the sauce compensated and made it special. Its tanginess and sweetness combined was too tempting for us. Not to mention that it was cooked with butter, another reason why it was deliciously tempting. Can you see the residue marked on the plate? Yikes!

To add some excitement to our entourage, we ordered Sizzling Squid (P220).

The last to be devoured and still with leftovers because we were busy finishing off the baked tahong. The rice was wrapped in leaves to give aroma and drama but neither was achieved. Rice was plenty per serving (P25).

Nothing beats this dessert, Leche Flan (P140).

One of the most favorable dessert of of all times. I like mine to be creamy melt-in-your-mouth leche flan...(What is it with those melt-in-your-mouth food?!). Even this was not my kind of M.I.Y.M leche flan, I still like it because of its richness. Anything too tempting is just not so good!

Related Posts:
[Dear Awesome Planet #4] Out-of-town Recommendations and "Not to Miss" Restaurants
Tacsiyapo Wall @ Isdaan, Gerona Tarlac
Pampanga Food Trip- A Culinary Tour of Pampanga 1.0
What a Spankadventure: The Very Best of Pampanga Cuisine!

My First Blook (Blogs-turned-Book)! Thanks to Blurb!

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Wow! I finally got my invite for the new innovative beta Blurb service that converts a blog into a bookstore-quality book!! They are currently running the beta blog-to-book service for 600+ typepad blog users and I got one of the invites :) I've been dreaming already of converting my blog (just the Awesome Pilipinas category) to a book in its raw blog form. I intend to use it as an ultimate back-up for our 20 months family adventures with my son Aidan. This serves as an autobiography for my son, so that he can read it someday. This is the main reason I started my blog and if you look at my first month's posts, it is about the birth of my son, Aidan :) Secondly, I'm thinking of selling it to people who would want to travel to the Philippines and who would need an offline version of my blog. This would be good for that long trip from the US to the Philippines :) Also, this would discipline me to be careful with my grammar and for dotting my "i" and crossing my "t".

Also, I'm hoping that this would be one of the first Blooks (blog turned into a book) in the Philippines!! We'll share with you the picture once I get the Our Awesome Planet Blook! Also, all your comments on the restaurant posts will be included! You guys will be part of this blook, so keep the comments coming!! The only catch right now is that each book could cost from $30 to $80 (ouch!). BTW, I can share another invite to another pinoy typepad user who would have the passion and energy to convert their blogs into a book. The only one I know that also uses typepad is Bryan Boy. Check out the Blurb Invite email below.

Related Posts:
From Blogger to Published Author, for $30 and Up
Blurb.com Gets Book Smart

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

From: Blurb Community <community@blurb.com>
Date: Oct 12, 2006 10:15 AM
Subject: Convert your blog into a bookstore-quality book, compliments of Blurb
To: anton@diaz.ph

Dear Anton,

Thanks for your interest in Blurb, the creative publishing service. We're hand-picking TypePad bloggers to beta-test Blurb's new service that lets you turn your blog into a bookstore-quality, hardcover book.

Are you game?

If yes, we'll send you a complimentary copy of your finished book as a "thank you" for your feedback in this invitation-only program. All we ask is that you make a blog book between now and October 31st, and send us your thoughts and suggestions before we officially launch into the blogosphere.

Turning your blog into a book won't take long - the process takes just one evening with Blurb's BookSmart software. Our Blog Slurper automatically imports your blog into a professionally designed book template. Once the content is there, you can call it a day or add finishing touches to the cover, page backgrounds, fonts - the works. It's up to you.

Want to share the fun?

You can extend this same offer to one TypePad blogging friend - just send an email request to blog2bookbeta@blurb.com with your friend's name, blog URL and email. But choose carefully - this offer is only good for one friend (no fighting). Once you receive your complimentary book, you may want additional copies. No problem. Just place an order and we'll print more books -- but remember, only the first is gratis.

If this sounds good, click here to participate.

Then download BookSmart software, create your book, and order your complimentary copy. We have generated this coupon code specifically for your blog: OAP1012 (not transferable). Please enter this code on the order form and your bookstore-quality book will be delivered in about 7 business days. Afterwards, we'll ask you what you think of this new service.

We think you'll be pleased. Ecstatic even. You may even feel compelled to blog about the experience. But don't take our word for it - here's what a couple bloggers had to say about Blurb recently:

A-G Spot: Hard Memories
Eoin Purcell's Blog: Blurb.com upgrades, gets commented on in Wired.com and generally attracts attention

If you need any help along the way, just email us at blog2bookbeta@blurb.com and we'll get back to you pronto. Keep up the great blogging, and we hope to see you soon in print.

The Blurberati

Please note:
Replies to this message will bounce back. It's nothing personal: this email message was sent from a notification-only address that can't accept incoming email. (Thanks for understanding.)

GREENs With Envy

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Strolling along Greens' small homey garden into its alcove, one's senses is pleasantly enveloped by the colorful atmosphere. We immediately felt at home! Greens has been operational for more than 5 years now but they just moved the restaurant to the Duran's residence about a year or so (not sure about this). Some carnivores won't even put this vegetarian resto into their dining consideration set. But not for this struggling vegetarian, who have been recently seduced again to the dark side of meat+carbo diet (the worse combination), Greens was a taste of heaven and a taste of live food.

We decided to eat here for a family birthday celebration of my wife's birthday and brother-in-law. At first, we were not sure if the other members of my wife's family would like it here but images of Latasia fusion vegetarian food or 85/15 cuisine at The Farm @ San Benito, convinced me that we should take the risk and eat healthy food for a change even for just one Sunday afternoon. Also, some of my readers have constantly suggested this vegetarian place after my feature on Latasia Fusion.

It was a hit! Greens vegetarian food cleverly imitates its dead/ unhealthy meat versions, which makes it palatable to ordinary filipinos even those who are not used to 100% vegetarian meal. The homey ambiance is conducive for family lunch and dinners and we were able to get our privacy for a group as big as 12+. I like it for its vegetarian innovations. They were able to cook glutten (substitute for meat) to have a texture and appearance of meat. It is usually accompanied by an overpowering sweet sauce which I think is too sweet for my taste. We were able to order a wide variety of vegetarian food items and the entire family was satisfied with the experience.

Technorati Tags: Binondo, Philippines, Restaurants

Welcome to GREENS!

This simple counter setup will greet you as you enter the main door. It has a sari-sari store type of display for selling vegetarian products both finished products as well as raw ingredients.

We were able to reserve this small section for a Sunday family lunch.

There are quite a few followers already for Greens and we need to support these kinds of vegetarian restaurants. After all, our health is the concern here.

The GREENS Menu -- Here is the menu if you decide to check out Greens.
Soups, Salads and Pasta
Appetizers
Sandwiches and Wraps
Main Entrees
Greens Combo Platters
Drinks and Desserts

The Vegetarian Food @ GREENS

Chicharon (P85). I love this vegie chicharon version made up of Tofu cooked in corn oil.

Veggie Sticks (P80) Assorted veggies wrapped in nori. Plates of these sticks just kept on coming. Need i say more? Munching away without its red sauce was the way we liked it. If you like seaweed, then you would love these vegie sticks.


Pumpkin Soup (P50) Would you like it with cream or just as plain jane? If you're as healthy as you would like to think, then have it without the cream but if you are like one of us, loving cream based soups, then have it with a dollop of cream... Just a caution, when you order pumpkin soup here, literally, it would really taste like a pumpkin in a liquified version (with a hint of ginger) which is in fact good for your health. I would think that almost all of their soup with be prepared in a similar way so good luck!


Eggplant Parmagiana. This taste like your usual home-made eggplant with cheese. As usual, the cheese was the one who carried this dish.

Grilled Mushroom and Tofu Kebabs (P105) Marinated fresh button mushrooms and tofu, red and green bell peppers, zucchini and shallots.

We were not able to taste this but just by the looks of it, are you sure it is 100% vegetarian?

Olive Oil with Garlic and Mushroom, Large (P135). Just a dash of fresh pepper and I think this would do. Next dish please! As you can see, I'm not to excited about their pastas.

Roasted Veggie Wrap (P80) Refreshingly fresh with doused with a sweet tasting sauce. One healthy dish to add to your set of meal.

Veggie Beef Broccoli (P185). The sauce is just too sweet for me. It seems that they are trying to mask the taste of the glutten with an over-powering sauce.

Primavera, Large (P135) spaghetti in tomato sauce with mushrooms, olives, capers, leeks, celery, bell peppers, and spices.

i like its mixture of sweetness and tomato taste. I could just imagine the serving of the small one because this large order is only good for one person.


Greens Vegetarian Barbeque Combo Platters (P80) . sliced gluten in a marinade of crushed garlic, freshly ground pepper, pineapple, and soy sauce served with a tangy sweet pickled salad.

These barbeque are worth the P80! I can remember that this costs the same as the Jun-Jun's Barbeque of Pampanga which is P40/ stick. Since it looks like the real barbeque, it somehow fools your brain that you are eating barbeque so this is also a hit for us. My son Aidan took a bite and took a liking of it but again, it's too sweet for my tastebuds.


Sisig (P140) mashed tofu, gluten and a rich blend of garlic, ginger, onions freshly ground pepper makes this high protein entree always an irresistable favorite.

The bestseller in the house. Now, they got this right to the "T". Tastes fabulously like the real thing!!! We ordered a lot of these Tofu based sisig which is crunchy and spicy hot.

Mooncake Dice Game In keeping with the traditions of my wife's Chinese culture, we played the Mooncake dice game. It was my first time to play it with the family ever since we got married. Aidan loved rolling the dice by himself, throwing the dice into the bowl with glee! And guess who amongst the 3 of us got the better prize? Of course, it is my lucky son Aidan. On his first try, he got 1-2-3-4-5-6!!

SAVING TIP: A word of advice to those credit card lovers out there who are planning to eat here, bring C-A-S-H! Although they honor your credit cards, an additional 6% will be added to your bill. 6% is still something so if you still want to lower your cost, bring cash!

Greens Vegetarian Restaurant and Cafe
Tel# +632 415-4796, +632 376-2781
#92 Scout Castor Street, Quezon City

Operating Hours
Monday-Saturday 11am - 10pm
Sunday 12nn - 9pm

October 12, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Skin Discovery Weekend :)

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Read this first: Olay Beauty Imaging System  - Finally in the Philippines!!

Some of you have emailed me where you can have your skin check using the patented Beauty Imaging System. Finally, the beauty imaging system is now available to the public. Our brand guys in cooperation with SM are running a Skin Discovery Weekend in SM Makati Department Store. You might want to check it out. Alternatively, the Olay flagship store which would have the Beauty Imaging System is  permanently located in Watsons, SM Makati. So if you have free time or you happen to be in the Makati area, you can drop by and have your skin check. It is for FREE but of course, you need to listen to a sell-in on Olay :)

Here are the detailed mechanics:

Here is the Olay Flagship Counter in Watsons SM Makati.

The Olay beauty counselors would be more than happy to assist you with testing your skin.

Please let me know your entire experience with the Beauty Imaging System.

October 11, 2006 in Life in Manila | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Dulcelin's Mango Torte

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Finally, we were able to taste the best Mango Torte in Manila. I got oriented on what a Torte should look and taste like. Frankly, I don't know what a Torte is and how is it different from a cake. Apparently, when you say Torte it would have the following characteristics: it is used to describe a round cake, it has large amounts of nuts to replace flour, and it has several layers of cream and fruit.

Everybody would agree that the best part of Dulcelin's cakes are the cashew-based nougatine that is crunchy despite its thin weave composition. The generous scoops of Mango balls are frozen. I would prefer to eat mango not in its frozen state so we got mixed reactions on this depends on your preference. We should try the strawberry shortcake next time which also have the same addicting cashew-based nougatine. I heard that their Strawberry shortcake was the best seller instead of the Mango Torte.

BTW, when we visited Dulcelin in Times. St. in West Triangle, we were looking for a dessert cafe but we were surprised that it was just a house.

The box is simply chinese red which reminds me of a red ribbon box for some reason. You can feel that the entire box was put in the freezer because of its coolness and perspiring cardboard sides.

Check out the several layers of Cream, frozen Mango, Cream and then the Nougatine Layer. This was a refreshing dessert for me since I this is my first education on Torte. I'm glad that they did not increase their prices ever since last year. Here are the prices:

Dulcelin’s mango torte (P700/12” · P480/9”)
Strawberry Cake (P900/9”)

We were looking for a cafe but this was the only Dulcelin sign that greeted us. I was laughing with my wife when we arrived at Dulcelin :) BTW, usually you can drop by and buy the Mango Torte any time of the day (except during after a typhoon milenyo -- which we did the first time). For the other cakes, you need to order in advance.

Dulcelin Gourmet Mango Torte
Tel# +632 374-2165, + 632 374-21 67
#36 Times St. West Triangle, Quezon City

Related Posts:
The BEST Mango Torte in Manila by Lori

October 10, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBack

Monday, October 09, 2006

Newsbreak: Pinoy Blogs in Dining and Living

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Pinoy Blogs in Dining and Living (Newsbreak, October. 9, 2006) by Jet Damazo
"Slice of Manila’s Hidden Places. Travel Secrets through Word-of-Mouth. Shared through our Awesome Family Adventures. The best kept secret sale in town, the first indoor kart racing in the Philippines, the most interesting restaurants to dine in, and places to visit in and out of Manila. IT manager by day and blogger by night, Anton Diaz, has been sharing all these to thousands of readers for a year-and-a half now to, he says, “showcase the Philippines as a tropical paradise and hopefully inspire people to appreciate our country a little bit more.”

Thanks to Jet Damazo of Newsbreak for the feature!! I'm also amazed myself on our different takes on the same restaurant. If you missed the Myron's controversy, check these posts out.
- Want steak? Go to Myron’s by lori (May 31, 2006)
- Myron’s at Rockwell by Marketman (June 16, 2006)
- Myron's Blogging Buzz by anton (June 19, 2006)

Other Features Index:
ClickTheCity.com: Bah Bah Blog Feature, October 6, 2006
Pinoy Big Blogger: Online Food Critics, July 21, 2006
Anton's Awesome Planet -- BLOG-O-RAMAed :), October 17, 2005

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

October 9, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Mall of Asia Index

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Here is the Mall of Asia Mini-Index, specially for those just tuning in to Our Awesome Planet:

Recommended Places
Highland's Steakhouse finally in Mall of Asia!
Taste Asia @ MOA- Best Kept Secret in Mall of Asia
Chocolat Cakes -- Best Chocolate Dessert Place in Mall of Asia!
Best Halo Halo in Town -- Razon's of Guagua, Pampanga!
Sebastian's Ice Cream @ Shepherd's Staff, Mall of Asia

Other Restos I've tried in MOA
KKK -- OK!
Gumbo's Seafood Jambalaya -- From Ahh to Ayy
My Rice Table @ Mall of Asia
Tokyo Cafe in Manila?
Ted's Old Timer La Paz Batchoy since 1945
Tandoor King - Indian-inspired Fast Food in Mall of Asia

Mall of Asia Posts
The Rising of the Mall of Asia!
A Virtual Tour of the Grand Opening of the Mall of Asia -- circulated in email.
The First IMAX in the Philippines!!
Superman IMAX Experience!
Everest -- The IMAX Film!

I'll try to scan the map of Mall of Asia and highlight where these restos are. Thanks wysgal for the suggestion!

Technorati Tags: Philippines, Restaurants

October 9, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tokyo Cafe in Manila?

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We love Mall of Asia. You need to get use to it before really appreciating the genius of its design. We live near the area so we like to hang out here during the weekdays. Usually, Weekends are a no-no for us, but the Typhoon Milenyo weekend was an exception. With most establishments in the Makati area still having no power, Mall of Asia is back to business as usual. This is the kind of reliability that you need from a mall specially during times of crisis :) Aside from this, we love MOA because of its family oriented design where you can find play/ game houses for the kids in every corner and very good shopping places for my wife. This is the first time when we fell in love with a mall.

However, I felt I had exhausted all the new cool resto places in MOA when we suddenly can't figure out where to eat. We haven't tried Bed Scenes, but the food i hear is not that good (please let me know if you hear otherwise). There are the celebrity-owned restos facing the bay like the Yaku Japanese resto owned by jason webb and family and Lamesa Grill with Sen. Kiko Pangilinan as one of the owners I heard. But I cannot seem to drag my feet into those restos-- can't seem to find a reason to do so. Pink Peppers-- we are not sure too. We don't usually repeat any restaurants when it is just me, my wife and Aidan.

Out of nowhere, we came across Tokyo Cafe with its cool white interiors and seductive menu line up. It reminded me of Teriyaki Boy kind of food but without the Chicken grill in the menu. We saw the actor, Michael de mesa and family eating there so we decided to check it out too. I'm sure there is no Tokyo cafe in Tokyo and this would be a Manila version of what a Tokyo cafe would look and taste like. I'm not sure who the owner is and I was not able to get more info about its existence and ownership. Let us know if you know the story of tokyo cafe.

The Verdict? It is very good as expected for a fast food type of resto. We don't mind going back here to check out the Pizza and Pasta items.

Technorati Tags: Mall of Asia, Restaurants

It's a small cozy place and Here is the --> Tokyo Cafe Menu. The prices are a bit expensive at P200+ and it is exclusive of VAT but with no service charge.

Kani Crab Sandwich (P139). Japanese kani sticks in zesty dressing. We love this the moment we took a bite of the crispy bread where our teeth sunked into the shredded crabsticks. This also reminds me of the Oliver's sandwich version but the difference here is that the bread is thick and crispy all the way through. This one of those food items, that has a photo in the menu and it deserves to be there. You won't go wrong with this.

Chicken Cheese Balls (P213).Fillets of chicken legs stuffed with melted cheddar with caramelized soy. A bomb cheese! I took an immediate liking to this crunchy chicken balls with the cheesy creamy filling. The terriyaki sauce added flavor to it. It was like eating a tonkatsu except for the cheesy filling. Best eaten when hot! We love the cheese squirting out of the chicken balls every time you bite it or slice it in half.

Shrimp Bisque (P73). Full flavored shellfish soup. No special taste that came with this cream soup, just itsie bitsie shrimps. True it is tasty but I could not describe its taste. I wouldn't recommend this not unless you are really into Shrimp bisque.

Tokyo Cafe is directly across the Kopi Roti in the Mall of Asia in the South wing. Enjoy!!

October 9, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBack

Friday, October 06, 2006

A Balesin Escape

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I want to share with you my excitement. I wrote an article on Balesin and hopefully it will be published soon in a new Travel/ Lifestyle Magazine. It will be a Nov/Dec issue and will be released by the end of October. I can't wait to see the final printed article. Thanks to the managing editor for fulfilling one of my dreams of being published :) Can you guess what's the name of this new magazine?

Technorati Tags: Beach

October 6, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Kopi Roti Love!

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Set D: 4 pcs. Home Made "Roti" Kaya Toast with Kopi or Tea (P85)

I love Kaya Toast! It was on my top 10 favorite Singapore food (see Makan Food Trip - My Top 10 Favorites! ). That's why I was pleasantly surprised that it is now available in Manila via the mushrooming Kopi Roti Stores all over Metro Manila. It is not exactly the same, but it is close enough that you don't need to fly to Singapore to try it out. I'm sure the novelty will wear out, but at least if you haven't tried Kopi Roti, you've been missing on one of the best foreign coffee shop that arrived in Manila since Starbucks. In Lori's recent post Singapore So Good, Lah! , she raves above Kaya Toast:

"I’ve made it my mission while in Singapore to try kaya toast. I came across it in some food blog a few weeks before, and I’m hooked. In itself, kaya is a jam made from coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and flavored with pandan. It’s thick and a gentle green, reminding me of a milder version of our local coco jam. Spread on bread that’s toasted over a charcoal grill and then topped with a thick lashing of cold butter, it’s a traditional Singaporean breakfast eaten with soft-boiled eggs washed down with hot, strong kopi (coffee) that’s been roasted with corn and lashed with condensed milk. A perfect perk-me-up." by Lori of dessertscomefirst,

The only thing is that I miss buying the bottle of Kaya so that you can enjoy your own Kaya toast at home. I asked Kopi Roti if they sell Kaya, unfortunately they don't. Hmmn, maybe Lori can bring some bottles of Kaya from Ya Kun back in the Philippines as a pasalubong.... hint, hint :)

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

Set E: Kopi Bun with Kopi or Tea (P75)

I'm not sure why they are promoting Kopi Bun instead of the Kaya Toast. Actually, this is equally good. I like the crispy coffee crust on the outside and the inside is filled with a hollow opening filled with Kaya (it taste like it). The best part is, you can dip the big chunk of the kopi bun in the hot kopi with the condensed milk. The bun will absorb a good amount of the Kopi like a sponge so that you have enough time to put the kopi bun to your mouth before it drips. This is a lot lot better than the starbucks coffee experience if you ask me.

The Kopi/ Tea are very good! I'm not a coffee addict so I cannot describe how good it is. I can just describe that after drinking the coffee with the condensed milk, you would say "Damn, this coffee is really good. " You have three versions: the Kopi (or tea) with Milk, Kopi with "C" and Kopi with "O" . Here is a translation table:

Kopi/ Tea with Milk (P45) = Kopi/Tea with Condensed Milk (Must Try!!)
Kopi/Tea with "C" (P45) = Kopi/Tea with Evaporated milk (so why not call it with "E"?)
Kopi/Tea with "O" (P40) = Kopi/Tea with no milk, just black.

Kopi Roti, Mall of Asia (South Wing) -- Opens 7am daily.

Their biggest store is in Katipunan (if I'm not mistaken). There is also one along timog Avenue near Finio. Also, I recently seen them in the Airport terminals. We need to prepare ourselves for the invasion of this Singapore Breakfast favorite. Frankly, I don't mind. I do hope they open in Makati very soon!

Related Posts:
Wysgal's Kopi Roti, Katipunan Avenue Quezon City

October 6, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (30) | TrackBack

ClickTheCity.com: Bah Bah Blog Feature

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"Finally, Our Awesome Planet, a blog maintained by Anton Diaz (who, like his peers, balances blogging with a day job) offers a little more diversity in its entries. Not only does he preview the newest restaurants in the country, but he also provides personal insights on concerts, spas and local tourist destinations. Plus you get to see pictures of his cute kid, which is part of Anton's plan to 'redesign' his blog to include families as his main target audience." - Paolo Sia, Bah Bah Blog, (Oct. 5, 2006), Click the City.com.

Thanks to clickthecity.com for featuring us (OAP with dessertcomesfirst and Market Manila) ! I consider this an honor since we know that clickthecity.com is the undisputed online magazine in the Metro. This is what I love about blogs or online magazines. We love each other (even if we haven't seen one another) and you wouldn't find us competing negatively with each other. There is no feeling of I need to be no. 1 or I can beat this other blog. I'm happy to see that there is no crab mentality in the online space. In fact, I would argue we need to have wysgal's rantsandraves to be part of that list!

I think the formula to become a successful blog is: Personal Advocacy + Unique Personality + Writing in your own voice = Your own Blog Niche. You cannot compare the blogs since each of us has different passions, hobbies and interest. Although, I need to work on the equity of my blog. I want my blog to stand for "The Best of the Island Paradise of the Philippines" or "Capturing the pinoy word of mouth raves." When I get featured this is one of the things I check if I get my message or equity across. Apparently, I still need to do some more work on that aspect. Maybe, I should put up a Philippine Flag in my blog. Any suggestions?

Other Features Index:
Pinoy Big Blogger: Online Food Critics, July 21, 2006
Anton's Awesome Planet -- BLOG-O-RAMAed :), October 17, 2005

Technorati Tags: Philippines

October 6, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Top10 Fine Dining Dating Restaurants

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I'm still continuing to build the indexes for Our Awesome Planet. For those people just tuning into OAP, here are my Top 10 Fine Dining Date Places in Metro Manila. I'm not really fond of restaurants inside the malls or hotels so you won't find any of those in my lists.

1. A memorable dinner @ La Cocina de Tita Moning -- My Favorite!
2. Nothing beats an Antonio's Dinner @ Tagaytay!
3. Bistro Filipino by Chef Laudico -- Best Filipino Fusion Food!
4. Je Suis Gourmand: Revisited
5. Lemuria's Mystic - a Romantic Restaurant in the Metro
6. Le Souffle
7. Lolo Dads
8. French Fine Dining @ Parallel 45
9. Mezzaluna-First Night High!
10. Are you a Vieux Chalet virgin?

I'm sure I'm still missing some fine dining dating restaurants out there. Would you know of any other fine dining places in Metro Manila?

Technorati Tags: Manila, Restaurants

October 5, 2006 in Awesome Pilipinas! | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Playa Calatagan- First Signs of Life's a Beach

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Playa Calatagan Mornings @ Calatagan, Batangas

My son is almost 21 months old now, and he enjoys going to the beach or simply swimming in a pool. You can see the joy of discovery painted on his face every time he sees a pool or any body of water. So we would usually grab the opportunity of taking a day trip to Calatagan, Batangas just to enjoy nature, the beach, the beautiful clouds. Recently, we were so happy that the river pool in Playa Calatagan was opened last September -- finally! As a bonus, there is a kids pool where my son can enjoy playing with his balls in the pool without the risk of drowning.

The river pool is awesome! It has Jacuzzi bubble stations, and a long stretch of water that ends with an infinity pool. There is no monthly dues in Playa Calatagan. The pool and facilities are exclusive to members and their guests. The model is pay as you use the facilities which a lot better than paying a flat fee rate per month. My only disappointment with Playa, is that the beach is not that nice during the rainy seasons and it would just get a lot worse with typhoons like Milenyo. Finally, I was able to update my original Playa Calatagan posts after 6 months.

Read my earlier posts on Playa Calatagan (March 2006)
a Beach Discovery in Calatagan, Batangas
Stay a week or stay a lifetime @ Playa Calatagan!
Beautiful Golden Sunset!!

Technorati Tags: Beach

Playa Calatagan has a long shoreline and the flags of Playa Calatagan are very prominent.

The Beach sand quality is not exactly white-- more of brownish in color. It is fine but it would be similar to Boracay Station 3 quality of sand.

During low tide, you can see the sand really brown in color and there are a lot of dead sea weeds lying around. Frankly, it is annoying to see these sea weeds but you'll be happy to see that Playa Calatagan would always have people cleaning these weeds.

Here is the vision for the river pool. Only the pool portion is complete while the clubhouse is still being constructed. I can't wait for the day that Via Mare will start serving food here.

Here is the mouth of the river fool facing the main pavilion. The coconut trees are very young still so we have to wait for a few years to really see their beauty.


We would usually rent these cottages that are near to the Jacuzzi stations along the river pool. You just can see the face of my son, Aidan when he plays with this Jacuzzi bubbles. It would costs us P500 for a 3-5 people capacity hut for half a day. we would usually arrive before lunch time and stay until the sun sets.

There are also Cabanas that you can rent if you want to relax since usually it would have cushion sheets that would seduce you to sleep.

We love the kids pool so that Aidan can play on his own.

There are still a lot of open spaces for development. Via Mare will be opening soon and they will build a sort of hotel so that people can stay overnight.

I enjoyed walking with Aidan in the beach and I know that he also enjoys it. I hate to put this picture of the afternoon low tide in Playa. Maybe, the beach is really not that nice during the rainy season. I can't wait for summer to come in...

It was always lovely to see the sun sets in Playa. However, during these rainy season, it would be usually cloudy that you won't be able to get a clear view of the awesome Calatagan sunset.

October 5, 2