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A Popit De Leon Experience

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I am Popit!

Popit personifies the term Character Chef. He gives life to an exclusive dinner with friends, family or special love ones through his generous tasty dishes and personalized service. How can a theater actor in school plays and self-confessed La Salle bum transforms into a down-to-earth Les Roche-trained Character Chef ? How can a chef be lactose intolerant and still provides a menu full of cheese, milk and cream as ingredients that comes with an offer of free lactaid pill for lactose intolerant guests?

On weekends, Popit cooks for excited guest at his cousin Charley's place in Lipa. Charley's is the latest out-of-town restaurant set in Charley Leviste Antonio's Equestrian farm in Lipa. For 793/head net for a minimum of 10 guests, he will cook you a sumptuous meal with the freshest herbs grown organically from Charley's garden.

On weeknights, he provides an exclusive pool side dinner to friends and customers at his Crown Tower condo in Makati. It is an exclusive one man show, where Popit plays the master Chef, the waiter, the cashier, and the entertainer. At the end of your dinner, I'm sure your stomach would applause and your wallet would wonder why only pay P750/head (minimum of 10)?

Thanks to Popit for making Makati's chef-for-hire scene alive. I've never seen such passion in a chef who is not concerned about money but concerned about serving other people through memorable dining experiences. He names his catering business World Domination Through Food, and now I understand why.

My P&G Friends (L-R): Romi Garduce, Patrick and Quennie Cua, and Aileen and Paul Albano.

It was definitely a memorable Christmas dinner event for us last Dec. 26. Nothing beats good conversation with friends and a good meal in an exclusive and personalized setting. Overall, the dinner was a building momentum in food approval ratings and culminated with the killer Mahi Mahi dish and to-die-for Tiramisu. The pool side setting was risky due to the possibility that it might rains. Our night was hot and humid on a December evening (what more in summer).

An exclusive dinner in Popit's Crown Tower condo offers a wider menu choices because he is not limited to cook his dishes with the fresh herbs in Charley's garden. On the other hand, a meal with fresh rosemary ingredients and other herbs is something worth driving to Charley's Equestrian farm in Lipa. Dinner can be held in his Condo or your own designated place within Makati for P800/head. If you want it exclusively for two, he prepares a 8-course tasting menu for 1,250/head.

Let me share with you, our unique Popit de Leon experience...

Related Posts:
The Anniversary Dinner... by Jag Garcia
LUNCH AT CHARLEY’S by Mang Mike of Lafang
The Artist Chef Experience, Joan Manalang
Pat Choa, Special Birthday Brunch from a Special Chef :)

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

World Domination Through Food Menu Choices
(750/head minimum of 10)

Appetizer
Bruschetta
Pita with hummus
Tomate farcie

Soups
Cream-free pumpkin
Garbanzo
Tomato-potato
Soupe de poisson

Salad
Mixed greens with choice of dressings
(Dill mayonnaise or mixed herb vinaigrette)
Eggplant-zucchini tower

Entree
Pan seared mahi-mahi with caper cream sauce
Batangas beef stewed in rosemary & wine
Baked pork steak with thyme
Chicken Florentines with pommodorro sauce

Starch
Rice pilaf
Garlic mashed potatoes
Buttered noodles

Vegetable
Buttered mixed vegetables

Dessert
Crème Brulee
Crepe Suzette (On Display)
Tiramisu

A Popit de Leon experience starts with booking the date and time of the dinner or lunch event and selecting your 5-course meal from the menu above. You can bring wine on your own with no corkage fee and he will be glad to offer his recommendation. I was amazed at his wine recommendations which were helpful:

"If you will be providing wine, my recommendations will be as follows: For reds, I would recommend getting a cabernet sauvignon. I doubt if a Shiraz or merlot would compliment the savoury sausage or ham, especially with Merlot--I have to agree with Paul Giamatti from "Sideways". For a white, Pinot Grigio has the right balance of dry and sweet to match the dishes. A Paul Masson Chablis (available at SM Makati) may compliment the Mahi-mahi with caper sauce. " - Popit

Popit’s special sliced sausage and ham.

Popit's Sausage was tasty and good; I was hoping to say the same thing for the ham, but it did not meet my expectations. The sausage comes with a Popit story and a good laugh :)

Don't expect too much from the pool setting in Crown Tower. It was a simple pool and we appreciated the effort of putting flower bouquets as the center piece which we took home to be placed at the altar. Popit welcomes you as his guests so you are free to use the pool if you like.

Bruschetta and Garbanzo Soup (not shown). This bruschetta was relatively good but nothing to rave about. The Garbanzo soup was bearable but lacks texture and bits of ingredients.

Eggplant-zucchini tower. I was pleasantly surprised by this and I loved these grilled vegetables and pesto herbs. Unfortunately, no one asked for seconds (serving) despite repeated offers from Popit because of generous supply of these towers.

This was a funny shot for me because our dinner was set with our Petron Megaplaza office as backdrop.

Pan seared mahi-mahi with caper cream sauce served with garlic mashed potatoes & buttered mixed vegetables!

Everybody agreed that this Mahi Mahi was a winner. The thick Fish Meat with a texture of a steak is definitely worth more than the P750/head. The fish was creamy, tasty and "di malansa" (what's the english for this?). You can immediately see that this one was wiped out in a few minutes, except for our lactose intolerant friend. I finally thought: this is what Les Roche cooking is all about.

Tiramisu with Barako Coffee.

Each of us has this generous serving of tiramisu; it was also devoured in a few seconds. My friend Aileen commented that desserts like Tiramisu are not supposed to be served this big but I'm not complaining neither did her husband, Paul. I can still remember the tiramisu with generous layer of cream and bits of cream cheese on top of butter cookies crust. Simply a yummy treat to end the Popit de Leon Experience.

Thanks Popit for the lovely evening and interesting discussion. Glad to know that we come from the same school and best of luck! Animo La Salle!!

Popit de Leon
Personal chef * caterer * culinary instructor
+63 917 893 1938
iampopit@yahoo.com

Crown Tower
107 HV dela Costa Street
Salcedo Village, Makati City
(between Trafalgar and Sagitarius Building)

Beard Papa vs. Happy Cream Puff

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And the winner is still... Happy Cream Puff! At least for us....

First time for me to eat Beard Papa and I was surprised by its size which is a little bigger and its price at P50 just for one vanilla cream puff. The Beard Papa eclairs goes for P55 and what is nice is that they have other cream puff versions with different toppings of chocolate (White choco chips, Black choco chips, Choco fudge and Choco glazed). This reminds me of the doughnuts flavors we have. The Happy Cream Puff sells for P20 and P25 for the eclair. So technically, you can get two for each beard papa.

The cream filling taste almost the same and the difference would be: the Happy Cream Puff has a more egg milky taste versus Beard Papa that has a Vanilla after taste. I was not able to taste the vanilla bean from Happy Cream Puff.

As for the puff, the Beard Papa has a crispy/ fried base and it feels like eating croissant with cream inside. The Happy Cream Puff has a soft pillow type consistency throughout which feels like it was expertly baked. Although, I liked the crispy base of Beard Papa which gives a more crunchier texture into the cream puff experience. My wife did not prefer her cream puff to be crispy.

The chocolate layer on Beard Papa has more interesting taste but it is gone after the first bite while the Happy Cream Puff lingers more in your mouth. It would be interesting to see if there are different chocolate topping variations for Happy Cream Puff in the future and of course, the value for money when you buy more.

Overall, we still personally love our Happy Cream Puff Eclairs! Interestingly, we discovered that it can be served cold and the eclair continues to be soft but firmer and not chewy. I ate a lot of cream puff this Christmas that I should stay away from these goodies for the rest of the year ...

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

Beard Papa Vanilla Cream Puff (P50) vs. Happy Cream Puff (P20)

Beard Papa Choco Fudge Eclair (P55) vs. Happy Cream's Eclair (P25)

For Beard Papa's fans, they offer discounts when you buy at least 6 pcs of their cream puffs or eclair. Save at least P25 for the vanilla flavor while P35 for the eclairs ones. The more you buy, the more discounts you get as much as P95. While Happy cream puffs are fixed at P20 and P25. You can also get cream puff variants in one box.

Related Posts:

Happy Cream Puff! We love the Eclairs!

Pagudpud,Ilocos Norte - The Definitive Guide to Pagudpud and Ilocos Norte

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Didn't you wish that there is a one-stop online travel guide that can help you plan your awesome vacation or travel in the Philippines?

Sometimes, I myself, is frustrated with the low quality of online information we have for most of our awesome Philippines destinations. By far, the most comprehensive travel guide of the Philippines is the Lonely Planet and they are written by foreigners.

Lastly, most people ask me about tips on places in the Philippines and I thought wouldn't it be nice if I can share these tips with more Filipinos.

As a Christmas Gift to everyone, I was inspired to create online travel guides that can help you plan your next awesome vacation in the Philippines! One of the most frequently asked question from me, recently, is how to plan the Northern Trip to Pagudpud or Ilocos Norte. I've written an extensive and comprehensive travel guide that is short, complete, and full of pictures.

Introducing... Awesome Philippines Travel Guide on Pagudpud

Pagudpud.AWE.PH - The Definitive Online Travel Guide to Pagudpud

Favor. Can you check it out? Please place some comments in the articles and additional suggestions if you have been to Pagudpud and Ilocos Norte.

Spread the word... Traveling in the Philippines should be easy and awesome!

P.S. This might be late already for people traveling this Christmas Season 2006. Sorry for that...

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

Merry Christmas to You and Your Family!!

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Our Sincerest Merry Christmas to You and Your Family ! From Anton, Rache, and Aidan

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

World Pyro Olympics 2007 - I Can't Wait!!

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It is official that the 2nd World Pyro Olympics in 2007 (instead of 2006) will be held on the weekends of Jan 5-7 and with the finale on the weekend of Jan 12-13, 2007. This was push back from the original schedule of last week of December 2006. It will again be held in the Esplanade near Mall of Asia and the traffic will be so huge (I bet) that you might want to avoid the area. As for me, my strategy is to walk from the Seaside Area because it would be difficult to go out the esplanade and MOA area after the show. The walk would be pleasant because of the cool weather still and I do hope it won't rain.

"Ten of the most prestigious pyrotechnic companies in the world will showcase the best of classical fireworks displays. Nine (9) countries will be vying for the title of the Champion of the 2nd World Pyro Olympics. Two (2) countries will fire during each of the first four days while the ninth participant is set to fire on the final evening of the event. As the host of the event, the Philippines shall perform a fireworks display on the last night to complete the 10-country performance and to close the competition. Awards, such as the People’s Choice are to be given out after the exhibition, with the crowning of the World Pyro Olympics Champion ending the event." (from official website: www.worldpyroolympics.com)

I'm soo excited again and can't wait! If you missed last year's awesome fireworks show, below is the index of my World Pyro 2005 blog series.

World Pyro 2005 Our Awesome Planet Index
[World Pyro Series.1] Awesome World Class Fireworks!
[World Pyro Series.2] China Glorious Group
Rain Disaster in Day 2 of World Pyro
[World Pyro Series.3] Show FX Australia Pty. Ltd.
[World Pyro Series.4] Seaside -- Best View of World Pyro for FREE!
[World Pyro Series.5] Day 4 of the Greatest Show in Manila
[World Pyro Series.6] UAE Flash Arts Group
[World Pyro Series.7] Congratulations Australia - First Pyro Olympic Champion!
[World Pyro Series.8] La Mancha's Fellowship of Fire -- Finale!

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

Happy Cream Puff! We love the Eclairs!

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Aidan's sneaking for a Happy Cream Puff (Check out www.happycreampuff.com)

It was the first time we heard our son Aidan said the word "W-O-W" (with feelings!) and at the same time, pointing to the Happy Cream Puffs. Even until now, when we finished all the cream puffs and eclairs, my son would say "W-O-W" when he sees the picture of the Happy Cream Puffs. My wife, on the other hand, just convinced me that we should buy 10 boxes of the Happy Cream Puff and Eclairs for Christmas.

When Jennifer gave us the tip about the happy cream puff, I was both excited and sad. I was excited to taste a fresh kind of cream puffs and eclairs that she was raving about. But I was sad that this was only available in Metropolis Star in Alabang. We have never been to Metropolis Star because first it is far, it is soo traffic to go there, and it is totally out of the way. So we were glad to hear that they accepted our request to deliver the cream puff.

Also, I'll be transparent that Mr. Haruo (Japanese) and Maria Cecilia (Filipina) Yamigishi who owned Happy Cream Puff gave us 2 boxes each of the eclairs and the cream puffs. We wanted to order them but they gave them for free and we accepted gladly. I was skeptical at first if we would like it but when my wife received and ate the goodies without waiting for me, she keeps on raving about the eclairs via text.

Aidan is in Happy Cream Puff Eclair Heaven!

I'm not sure if my son, Aidan was just acting here but I think he really loves the eclair. We actually gave one box to my parents. In turn, they gave them to Benjie, 3 year old kid, and he loves them too. The Happy Cream Puff Eclairs were the best eclairs we have tasted so far.

As for me, I'm not a fan of cream puffs and eclairs. What strikes me about the cream puff its soft and its just right toast crunch. The custard filling was perfectly made of egg yolk, fresh milk and vanilla beans that are not too sweet. It is the kind of sweetness that does not turns you off and you'll want to ask for (which we are in that craving state already). Also, the cream puffs are just P20/ each! So just imagine if Beard Papa is selling their cream puffs for P55, easily half of that goes to their profit or maybe other overheads. To be fair, I have not tasted nor seen any Papa Beard cream puff and now, I'm determined to do a taste test soon once our new order arrives. My wife said, it was kinda bigger than this one but she too, has not yet tasted it.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

It was great to see these happy cream puffs and the owner said it looks exactly like Beard Papa (but at half the price -- imagine that). The dough is baked in a special oven to bring the toast flavor (not caramelized). The custard cream does not ooze out when you bite into it while keeping its firm consistency.

It is made up of fresh and safe ingredients which includes: Fresh Egg, Fresh Milk, Flour, Pure Butter, Fresh Whip Cream, Sugar, Salt, Mineral Water, Vanilla Beans, Chocolate (for the eclairs only).

The cream puffs are made fresh on the spot in their shop in Alabang similar to the fresh donut concept of Krispy Kreme. They do not use food additive so that it would be safe even for babies and elderly people. Since it is fresh, you have to eat it within two days I believe and they put a best eaten before date on the box.

They gave me their press kit and other materials. I was happy that you can see that they just made it on their own. They should not spend too much in marketing it because they already have a winning product and this is already spreading through word-of-mouth. Just compare it to Beard Papa where they have all the branding and marketing materials, including this cool cartoon story on the Beard Papa Story. (you need to watch this cool story in Osaka Japan where Papa Beard started)

The vision of the owner is to create the cream puff craze similar to Japan where cream puff is the leading sweets in terms of market share. I'm not sure if this will create a craze because I don't think Filipinos in general like cream puff or eclairs. They have a pending application in Filinvest and some other malls but they are having a hard time looking for a larger space for their kitchen. I'm pretty sure if she finds a better venue for her bakery and maintain good value of money, people will begin to discover this yummy pastries.

I kinda like the packaging because of its simplicity but my wife said it was cheesy.

You can buy the Happy Cream Puffs in paper bag of 2, small box of 3, and a large box of 5 which can be mixed eclairs and cream puff. The pricing is consistent throughout the different configurations at P20/ cream puff and P25/ eclairs.

My wife and son can't wait to get their hands on the eclair. For me, I can't wait to do the taste test of Happy Cream Puff against Beard Papa Cream Puff. Also, I forgot to take a picture of the cream puff with a non-oozing custard cream.

Happy Cream Puff
Website: www.happycreampuff.com
Ground Level, South Area, Metropolis Star - Alabang
South Superhiway, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Shop Mobile: +63 928 738 9947

Owner: Maria Cecilia E. Yamagishi
Mobile +63921-818 7626

Thousand Bears for Bicol Project Successful

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Thousand Bears for Bicol Project (Bonakid Aidan not included)

I'm sure most of you were skeptical (like me) when I posted Cathy's Thousand Bears Project for Bicol. But there is something in me that made me post that article on Thousand Bears Project. This is a great psychological help for the trauma that the kids experienced during typhoon Reming. I was following the development via her blog Midlife Mysteries, and I was amazed that she reached 1,000 bears last Dec. 17, Sunday. I was touched also when Cathy wrote in his blog post, A Thousand Bears and More!!:

"In a text message from Col. Mike Asperin, who had just returned from Albay I found my affirmation. Last Wednesday, Col. Asperin brought with him the 500 bear pillows that were donated by KFC earlier this week. " I'm now in Manila. Got you tons of pictures for the teddy bear giveaways. I gave one to a child who embraced it and uttered words I could not understand. The lola who was accompanying the child was so overjoyed because it was the first time her apo spoke since they lost their family. It was a heart-rending scene and I cried so hard... the bears are helping the kids cope. None of them would let go of the teddy bears!" The tears just flowed after I read his message. It was then that I realized then how a little gesture could make such a huge impact on the life of a child. I thank the Lord for the inspiration of TBB. Truly, when HE plants a dream in your heart, He will see it through, all the way."

I was soo busy these past few days and still been battling with my cough sickness until today. But I'm glad I was able to finally send our family of bears to Cathy yesterday after my visit to the doctor. The first batch of the bears have been shipped out already (see Bears, bears! By land, sea and air!) and I'm not sure if my bears made it to the batch last night or this morning. Anyway, the Bears project will continue with a second mission: Bearhugs for Bicol that has been set for February. So keep the bears coming and send them to Cathy.

HE indeed works in mysterious ways :)

Related Posts:
A Thousand Bears for Bicol and Red Cross

The Secrets of Tagaytay

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I'm getting a lot of questions from family, friends and readers on tips on how to enjoy their vacation either in Tagaytay, Pagudpud or Boracay after Christmas. I decided to create squidoo lens and articles based on this so that we can help them have an awesome vacation. A Lens is a set of handpicked, organized content about a single topic; a collection of modules pointing to content on a single topic; a page, a single page, that highlights one person’s personal view of the web -- not the whole web, just one tiny part of it. Btw, I'm also still sick and resting at home to recover from fatigue so I have a time to write these articles in between my sleeping time.

The Secrets of Tagaytay (http://www.squidoo.com/tagaytay/)

Since this is the first time I'm doing this, I need a favor from you.
1. Can you please RATE the lens if you love it and if it is very relevant and helpful for you?
2. In Secret #6, I need your help to VOTE for the Top 10 Awesome Restaurants in Tagaytay. Please click on the Up Arrow to cast your VOTE. Only one vote per IP address.
3. Please ADD your own secrets and comments on the lens.

Thanks a lot!!

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants, tagaytay

HotelReservations.Com [Review Me]

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I registered for ReviewMe.com to do some paid reviews for different sites on the net relating to the overall theme of my site. I got my first review me request about HotelReservations.com.

"We would like you to review this site and talk about diifrent offerings we have like hotels, motels, resorts, vacations rentals etc. Also review our pricing and talk about how compitative our rates are with great discounts we offer on world wide destinations. we really need extended review and want to creat the BUZZ about this great web site. We would like u to call our hotel booking agent and try to book a hotel reservations and review how he handles your call. Try your best to write about it and do not forget to book it with us when u travel next time. Minimum 300 Words."

First of all, I was turned off by the request given the number of grammatical errors and the use of short cut. This so-called great website is looking more like an unprofessional site just based on the request. But still, I gave it a chance and looked specifically on the booking options for the Philippines.

Hotel Reservations for the Philippines
The site offers very good selection of Hotels from 3 star to a 5 star hotels. I tried to searched for hotel bookings for Dec. 24-26 and got a very good list of hotels for this peak period. The rates are also quite reasonable specially getting a $100 room rate for the Christmas season.

Best Western Hotel La Coron: Average Nightly Rate $60.00
Pan Pacific Hotel Manila: Average Nightly Rate $100.00
Heritage Hotel - Manila: Average Nightly Rate $107.00
Traders Hotel - Manila: Average Nightly Rate $119.00
Renaissance Makati Hotel: Average Nightly Rate $120.00
The Garden Plaza Hotel & Suite: Average Nightly Rate $37.54
The Linden Suites Manila: Average Nightly Rate $80.00
Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Manila: Average Nightly Rate $186.00
Hyatt Hotel And Casino Manila: Average Nightly Rate $100.00
Mandarin Oriental Manila: Average Nightly Rate $120.00
Edsa Shangri-la, Manila: Average Nightly Rate $155.00

Once you click on book it, they have a fairly extensive information on the hotel which includes photos, amenities, location, driving directions, and other property information. For such a global site on hotel reservations, I'm quite impressed that they have extensive information for the Hotels in the Philippines. They have a fairly secured site but I was again concerned that the URL was changed to travelnow.com instead of Hotel Reservations.com. I'm very cautious specially for sites that redirects to a different page when you are about to enter your most confidential information.

Destination Guide about the Philippines
I was disappointed with their info about the Philippines and this was another turn-off.

"The Philippines has suffered in the tourism stakes because of its position on the map. Imelda Marcos once said it was "hamburgered" geographically. What she meant was that the Philippines receives fewer visitors than other Southeast Asian countries - about two million a year compared to Thailand's six million - because it is not part of the Southeast Asian mainland. Travellers on the traditional Asian trails tend to get as far as Thailand or Hong Kong, but ignore the Philippines because it involves an extra flight, albeit it a short one, across the South China Sea."
.....
"Most flights from outside the country land in the capital, Manila , which is choked with traffic and dilapidated, but also has some of the ritziest shopping malls and most spectacular nightlife in Asia. JM Nakpil Street in Malate on a Friday night is a sight to behold. Beatnik poets mingle with film stars, models, swaggering transvestites and a smattering of expats to create a good-natured outdoor rave that makes all other raves look tame by comparison."
.....
"For connoisseurs of beaches, the central Visayan region is an island-hoppers' paradise, with white sand everywhere and unspoiled fishing barrios where there's nothing to do at night except watch the fireflies, listen to the geckos, and perhaps share a bottle of local Tanduay rum. Palawan , one hour to the southwest of Manila by plane or an overnight journey by ferry, is an unforgettable wilderness of diamond-blue lagoons, volcanic lakes and first-rate scuba diving. In the Cordillera Mountains of the far north live tribes who make propitiatory offerings to rice gods and whose way of life has barely changed since they first settled there around 500BC. One of the few concessions they have made to modernity is to give up headhunting."

Whoever wrote this has never been to Manila and the description seems to come from old information about the Philippines. There was no mention of Boracay or even the other fantastic beaches. Also, it did not even mention Makati or the Fort. I could write a better article than this one.

About Us Information
There is really no About us information. I was hoping to get confidence on the identity of the site but I'm not sure if this is a legitimate website after all, based on the About Us information. They did not even disclose where they are based from.

"Welcome to HotelReservations.com !
For more than 06 years HotelReservations.com has been providing travelers great prices on the places you want to stay for both leisure and business travel. We make planning and booking your trip easy through the HotelReservations.com expert lodging website and through our certified hotel experts available 24/7 at 1-800-447-4136."

"At HotelReservations.com we know the hotel experience is an important part of your trip. And that's why we want you to know before you go with our easy to use booking tools."

"HotelReservations.com offers more than 70,000 properties worldwide - from hotels to B&B's to condos to all inclusive resorts. HotelReservations.com offers the information travelers need to book the perfect trip all backed by the HotelReservations.com Price Guarantee, see details on website."

Overall, it looks like just a Search Engine Optimization effort to rank highly in the keyword Hotel Reservations. There are a lot of keywords about the different hotels but most of the information is not relevant.

Delize Sansrival... but still in Search for the Ultimate Sansrival

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My wife loves Sansrival alot! Ever since I was courting her, I already knew that Sansrival is the way to her heart. We haven't tried Delize's Sansrival and finally we had a chance to taste the Pistachio sansrival version of Jill Sandique known as the Sansrival Queen.

According to Lori's definition:

"sansrival (sans-ree-VAL) or sans rival – with or without the space in between. Obviously meaning “without rival,” a sans rival is layers of crisp meringue filled and covered with buttercream. Cashews are the traditional choice, but I’ve seen macadamia sans rivals, and this one here is the pistachio version."

The meringue was very good and crisp to the bite which is the secret to this sansrival. Although, I still do not like the rich butter cream that is screaming calories as you take a bite. I ended up eating the sansrival by removing the butter scream (as always) and my wife was scolding me because I was wasting the pistachio bits. The box says Delize proudly uses Magnolia full and rich cream which translates to fattening and full of calories.

It is very expensive at P800 and you need to know somebody who can get you a 10% discount to make this more bearable. Also, I need to warn you that the Sunrise Drive near Santolan is SUPER DUPER traffic at this time of the year (or is it all year round?) so good luck if you want to order from Delize. Overall, it was OK and it tasted like most Sansrival out there but with an excellent merinque layers.

I was uninspired in taking a shot of Jill Sandique Delize's Sansrival. My wife was not impressed at all and I'm still in the look out for the Best Sansrival in Manila. I heard that the Sta. Rita Sansrival is the best and I can't wait until I taste that.

So for now, I guess Delize Sansrival continues to be the Queen of Sansrival. At least. I got to try it. I do hope that I can find the King of Sansrival soon. I'm sure that you have tried this already since this has been around for so long so let me know what you think. Or maybe, you would know of someone who would be the King of Sansrival in Manila ?

Jill Sandique of Dèlize
33 Sunrise Drive, Cubao, Quezon City
721-7022 (ask for Lea, Mimi, or Vangie)
Allow a minimum of 2-3 days for your order(s).

Related Post:
For your Valentine: The best sans rival in the world by Lori

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

Krispy Kreme MegaMall Opening

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I'm over the Krispy Kreme hype and in fact, so far I haven't been to the Krispy Kreme branch in the Fort. I just wanted to post this for those people who still want to line up in the Megamall opening. Remember the Philippine record is 24 hours for lining up to get a FREE one year supply. Megamall will be tricky since it opens at 10am. Also, you should avoid megamall this coming Friday! Here is the press release:

----------------------------------------

Here's another chance to grab the prize!

Krispy Kreme, America’s most loved doughnut, opens in Megamall!

On Thursday, December 21, the second Krispy Kreme store opens, at SM Megamall Building B Upper Ground Floor .

Opening day at a Krispy Kreme store is a fun event and we'd love to have you come by, join in the festivities and experience a Hot Original Glazed fresh off the line

Here are reasons why you families, friends, barkadas, school and church organizations, and everybody should line up before the doors open on December 21 at 10 a.m.

You will be among the first to experience the hot doughnut phenomenon and sample Hot Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut.

The first customer to ring the cash register will win a FREE ONE YEAR SUPPLY of Original Glazed doughnut, one dozen per week!

Free limited edition Krispy Kreme original t-shirt for the first 300 customers!

Lots of raffle prizes – SIX MONTHS free doughnuts, THREE MONTHS free doughnuts, and ONE MONTH free doughnuts, for the 2nd up to the 300th customers!

The HOT Light is ON at Megamall on December 21.
See you there!

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

Frozen Brazo by Ange

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Of course, all good things like Camara's Frozen Brazo need to have competition. We need competition so that we get the best value for our money. I discovered Ange's Frozen Brazo which is exactly the same as the Camara's version except for its size 7x11 versus the 9x9 size of Camara. It costs P500 too but it has more ice cream. BTW, the ice cream in the frozen brazo is not Cheese but French Vanilla or Mantecado to be exact. The graham crust is just a little bit sweeter while the egg white topping is a little bit firmer vs. a softer egg white of the Camara version. In terms of packaging, Ange's version comes in a plastic tray while the Camara one has a plastic tray put inside a christmas box.

Overall, it taste exactly the same. I have the pleasure of testing it side by side and I can't really tell the difference. Given the competition, I'm sure that these Frozen Brazo will improve over time. Btw, I'm sure Camara would have tons of order by now, so at least you have another option where to get this Frozen Brazo delight.

Frozen Brazo -- Sweet Life by Ange

75 Amorsolo Street San Lorenzo Village Makati.
+63917 8238198

Driving Directions
BTW, both of them are based in San Lorenzo but Ange is a lot easier to find. Just enter the Amorsolo gate of San Lorenzo Village which is near the Don Bosco Church. Upon entering, just go straight along Amorsolo and find house number 75.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

Giant Lantern Festival - Awesome Lantern Competition, Only in the Philippines!

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First of all, Merry Christmas and advanced Happy New Year to all of you!

One of the reasons I love the Philippines is because of its awesome Festivals like the 76th Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando Pampanga last night. I'm a newbie to this festival which is locally known as Ligligan Parul. We were glad that Ivan Henares hosted us and even gave us free guest passes in the reserved seating section. "Ivan is a travel freak, frustrated historian and heritage activist. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Conservation Society, he is a feisty advocate for the preservation of Philippine architectural heritage" (-quote from his Ivan about Town blog). Aside from this, Ivan has a very popular post about Pampanga's pride. Three years ago, he was the chairman of this Giant Lantern Festival in 2003 so he was able to gave us all the juicy details about this festival. If you haven't seen this, this is one of those moments where you will be proud of the Filipino's creativity and hard work.

There were 12 giant lanterns during this year's festival which makes this the biggest festival so far in terms of participation. It was held at the back parking lot of SM Pampanga. All the giant lanterns were lined up in front of two tents where the different celebrity and prominent judges were seated. There is no entrance fee to watch these giant lanterns but the place is too small for 100,000 people that it is literally a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. The giant lantern competition usually starts at 8pm+ until 11pm to complete all the three rounds of competition. The different barangays are competing for barangay pride and there is no cash prize.

It is advisable to already be in SM Pampanga at around 3-4pm so that you can find a parking space in the parking lot nearest the exit. This is an important strategy that Ivan shared with us, make sure to park in the parking space in front of Watsons, also near the Toll gate and near the exit of SM Pampanga. Otherwise, due to the large crowd, you can wait for an hour just to get out of SM Pampanga after the competition is finished at around 12mn. Once parked, you can go around SM Pampanga and you should definitely try the P109 Eat-all-you-can Pampanga Merienda Buffet from Party Land in the Entertainment area. After eating your heart out, you should start finding your way to the venue at around 6pm to reserve your seat or spot.

These lanterns are 18 feet in diameter and it just gets bigger and bigger each year, last year was 16 feet. Each segment in the lantern usually have white japanese or paper cover having 3-4 bulbs behind it with different colors. It is like the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) configuration in our computer monitors. Of course, each lantern has its own unique design and creative purpose. Just imagine how complicated it is to create these giant lanterns and coordinating the switching of the colors. During the competition, the lanterns need to dance and showcase its lights to the tune of the Christmas songs.

Related Posts:
Ligligan Parul and more from Pampanga from Ivan. He even has the 5 minute video of the third round of the competition where all the lanterns are dancing posted in youtube! You should watch that show to give you a first hand experience of the Giant Lantern Show.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Pampanga, Philippines

And the winners were:

1st Place: Barangay San Felipe.
Congratulations to Barangay San Felipe for dazzling everyone with this dancing angel and PEACE, HOPE, and LOVE signs. Admittedly, they were the only lantern that was able to execute this while everyone has their own usual routines and dancing colors.

2nd Place: Barangay San Pedro.
Congratulations to the second place winner for this magnificent golden sun lantern that is simply amazing.

3rd Place: Barangay Del Pilar
Thanks to Barangay Del Pillar for the great lantern show that was full of oohs and aahs with this stunning bright white lantern as the highlight.

Special Giant Lantern Trophy

These trophies were created by artist, Toym Imao, son of National Artist Abdulmari Imao. We were seated beside them (amazing :). Aside from symbolizing the lanterns, the trophy also signifies a sail boat and pays tribute to the usual shapes used in the lanterns.

Giant Lanterns Up Close

Looking at the lanterns, you would only see a white facade. Once the lights are turned on, the magic starts and you'll be in awe of the Kapampangan creativity.

Here is a perspective on how big the lanterns are. It is attached in the front of a truck and it is almost 3 persons wide in diameter! Ang galing talaga...

There are three rounds in the competition and I'll try to explain each of them for those of you who would want to go here next year. There are no commercials or intermission in between the competition so it is actually 2 full hours of magical giant lantern show that you will only see here in the Philippines!

Competition Format Round 1: (7 minutes x 12 lanterns = 84 minutes total)
One by one, each lantern is given 7 minutes to dance to a christmas melody of their choice. So this is a choreographed 7 minutes and usually it showcase the best of the lantern.

Sometimes it usually start with a slow music like silent night and culminating until all the lights are dazzling it all its glory.

I like the San Jose show with these rotating legs which reminds me of a Ninja weapon (shuricane ba yon?)

Competition Format Round 2: (5 minutes x 6 pairs = 30 minutes total)
The second round is done in pairs and the music is a surprise for 5 minutes. So each lantern needs to anticipate and accurately dance to the songs picked by the committee randomly.

One of the reasons that San Felipe won was that it started with this angel right at the start of its round 2 competition. It was a perfect timing to the slow Christmas Song and everyone was amazed and clapping with this.

The round 2 showdown was fun to watch and you'll be amazed at how the lanterns are able to dance in sync with the Christmas songs.

Competition Format Round 3: (5 minutes)

All the giant lanterns will be turned on at the same time and dance for 5 minutes continuously to a surprise christmas medley.

It was a mad scene watching all the 12 lanterns dance all the same time!

How I wish that I have a long lens so that I can capture each one clearly in all its lighted beauty.

SM Tents and Reserved Seating area.

Oh, this was the tent that I was referring to and most of my shots originated from there. This photo was taken with the giant lanterns at my back . This was around 6pm when the people are just starting to trickle in. If I were to do it again, I would want to seat here in the tent area otherwise, you would have to bear the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd which could be unsafe if there is stampede or if there would be an emergency. I do hope that SM would be able to find a lot bigger space to host this festival in the future.

By the way, it is easy to go here. Just go North Luzon Expressway and exit San Fernando, Pampanga. You should already see SM Pampanga to your left in front of Robinsons Star Mills.

Thanks again to Ivan Henares for hosting us in this Awesome Giant Lantern Show!!

P.S. You can still see these lanterns in San Fernando Pampanga for an exhibition show. From Dec. 17-20, you can see them in Paskuhan village. On Dec. 21 and 24, The Giant Lantern Exhibition will be in Sindalan and City Proper.

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes

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During Marketmanila's EB where everyone brought desserts, the Best Dessert during that night was this Frozen Brazo de Mercedes by the Camara Family. I'm loving them now and this is definitely a winning dessert if you bring this in any potluck Christmas party. This frozen brazo is one of the best desserts I have tasted in 2006!

It is a frozen cake with 4 layers composed of Egg White on Top, Yummy Yema Filling, thick layer of Cheese Ice Cream and Sugary Graham Crackers as the base. I'm addicted to it and when I brought this cake during the Flickr Philippines Christmas Party, it was wiped out in a few minutes. But I made sure that we have one frozen brazo all to ourselves at home. My wife is loving it at the moment.

It is a little bit messy when it melts so you should pick it up just right before any Christmas Party that you would attend to. Another messy but sure win dessert like the

Penny Brown Smackers I previously get to taste and take home. I'm sure this frozen brazo is still a secret for most people so this is the right time to try this one!

It is only P500 for a 9 by 9 inch box!
To place your orders call the Camara Residence at (632) 813-3477.
Her new address is 1243 Acacia St., Dasmarinas St., Makati, MM and the new number is (02)843-8086

Driving Directions:
They are located in San Lorenzo Village. You should enter the Makati Avenue gate and turn on the first left at Juan Luna Street. Then turn on the first right at Estella street. Finally, turn on the first left which would be Zipper street. Camara's residence is located at 5 Zipper St.

They are getting a lot of orders recently so make sure to order 2 days or more in advance. Better call now or be sorry =)

Related Posts:
Icebox Brazo de Mercedes by Wysgal
Frozen Brazo by Ange

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

The Artist Chef Experience

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So how was the artist chef experience? I can describe it as romantic, delicious and heavy.

For those people who are adventurous and likes different kind of dining experience, you should try Joan Manalang who brands herself as the Artist Chef. She is an art director for a local advertising company and she still finds time to paint. She loves to cook and concoct different dishes which became the menu line up for her Artist Chef business. She has been cooking since her childhood days. She will only get better over time after going into formal culinary studies in the future.

The Artist Chef is located in a studio condo unit in Makati. It is quite small, but cozy place. If you are the claustrophobic type, I don't suggest that you try this because you might be uneasy throughout the entire experience. That is one of the reason why you won't be finding Aidan in any of the pictures. This set-up is romantic one in a sense that this is an exclusive date with your own personal chef for the night. The motif is all white so you would have white roses (by the way, the I heart you was shaped by my wife), white table, white cutlery, and white plates. You can talk to Joan beforehand if you would want a different setup or you have a personal vision on how the place should look like.

Beforehand, Joan will provide you a list of meals she offers and from there you would choose the dishes you would like to have. Or maybe you can request a dish you would like to be served. I'm sure Joan would be able to do something about it. The meals we had were generous and deliciously home cooked. She made sure that the food is cooked once you finish the dish so expect a slight delay but the idea here is to just enjoy each other's company while you wait for the food to be served. The kitchen is separated only by a roman shade so you can peek how the food is being prepared. Don't worry about Joan eavesdropping on your conversation because she will be busy cooking your food. Also, you will here a romantic jazz music playing to add to the clutter sounds of the dishes and sizzling sound of the food being cooked.

At some point, it would be inevitable that you'll find yourself asking Joan a lot of questions about her art, her passions, and of course, about her food discoveries. You will be able to get to know her better through this experience and she definitely loves meeting people. She is just starting out with this business and we are the third couple that she hosted. She has a lovely, warm and down-to-earth personality.

Just to be transparent and objective about the entire experience, I felt that the place is cramped. Don't be surprise to find a computer, a TV, and a sofa bed as part of the ambiance. It would be a lot better if there was a better condo venue or maybe a roof top setting with live violin serenading the couple. Since it is a condo setting and living in a condo myself, there were friendly creatures walking around so say hi when you see them. Lastly, most of the food although delicious, were heavy. She cooks most of them with butter which as you all know makes the food flavorful BUT you would feel 2 lbs heavier after finishing the entire meal.

Overall, it was a quite unique experience for P1,500 for two persons (only). My wife felt that it was on the high side, but I think it is worth it for all her effort. It could be better justified if there are more healthy food options in the menu :) No butter cooking please.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines, Restaurants

Joan warmly greets you as she welcomes you in Artist Chef located at Star Centrum condo in Makati. If you notice, she still needs to complete embroidering her apron :)

This is the setting -- Candlelight dinner with white as the motif for the dinner setting.

The Art of Joan Manalang. She loves to paint these women of fantasy like this mermaid.

Check out her online sites:
www.pinkpeanut.deviantart.com
www.geocities.com/joanmanalang

This is the Jazz Cappuccino CD that serves as the background music for your experience. I guess you can bring your own CD if you have a different preference.

The Artist Chef Menu

Here are the menu choices if you decide to have an exclusive dinner in the Artist chef:

>> Artist Chef Menu

Veggie Clam Chowder with Ciabatta Bread. Delicious which reminds us of the Clam Chowder in Soup Kitchen.

Mango and Shrimp Medley (salad). There is something in the sauce that makes this very good. What we like about Joan is that when we asked her about her recipe she gladly shared it with us. I also noticed that the presentation can be improved.

Hot and Spicy Wansoy Squid. I loved this dish. The squid was perfectly cooked and the chili peppers tasted well with the wansoy. My wife didn't like wansoy at all, so I should have chosen a different menu item.

Chicken Satay with Bernaise Peanut Sauce and Ham and Mild Jabanero Fried Rice. I like the fried rice while the chicken satay is decent. My wife says that is just OK because she is not fond of "dry" dishes. The herbed chicken satay was cooked well retaining the right flavor because of the overnight marination done.

Btw, at this point, after serving the Malt and Green Tea Float, we were starting to get full. The float was definitely heavy with ice cream and cream in it. We liked the float but it was too much for us. It would have been better if there are healthier and lighter drinks that accompany the meal instead.

Fresh Strawberries on Vanilla Almond Ice Cream and Choco-Batirol Fondue.
This actually looks very good and I would give it a high score on presentation. Too bad the strawberries don't taste as sweet as it looked. The barbecue strawberries were served with a chocolate dip and ice cream for an ultimate heavy dessert experience. Fondue set would be more lovelier =)

Overall, we liked it and thanks to Joan Manalang for the lovely evening!! We definitely had a nice time chatting with you.

The Artish Chef
Unit 331 Star Centrum Condo, Sen. Gil Puyat St. cor
Malugay Ext. St. Brgy. Bel-Air, Makati City
Tel# +63917 5373078
Email: petite_joan@yahoo.com

The Holy Bread of Padre Pio?

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It is interesting that this was a fake Holy Bread of Padre Pio after further investigation but it was quite interesting to check out how good the bread is :) I decided to keep this post to serve as a public service to all those families who might get this Hemin bread circulating in Manila. Here is the excerpt on the Padre Pio Bread instructions:

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This is called the Hemin Bread. It is the bread of Padre Pio and it comes from the Vatican. It brings blessings to every family who eats it. According to the instructions, on the 10th day, you must give it to other good people. Here is the entire recipe and complete instructions for making this Hemin Bread.   I'm sure one of these days, this blessed bread will come your way.

REMEMBER: YOU CANNOT REFUSE THE BREAD ONCE IT IS GIVEN TO YOU AND YOU CAN ONLY USE A WOODEN SPOON.

WHAT TO DO?
Once you receive the dough, put it in a large glass bowl. It must be covered with either wax paper or plastic wrap and put it on the table/ counter at room temperature. Do not put in the fridge.

On the FIRST and SECOND DAY: DO NOT TOUCH THE DOUGH. It must adapt and absorb to its surroundings and take in the atmosphere. This is what makes each batch so unique from family to family.

 
On the THIRD and FOURTH DAY: MIX THE DOUGH WITH A WOODEN SPOON ONCE PER DAY.

On the FIFTH DAY: ADD TO THE DOUGH 1 CUP OF MILK. 2 CUPS OF FLOUR AND 1 CUP OF SUGAR. MIX WELL WITH A WOODEN SPOON.

On the SIXTH TO THE NINTH DAY: MIX DOUGH WITH A WOODEN SPOON ONCE PER DAY.

On the TENTH DAY: ADD TO THE DOUGH 1 CUP OF MILK, 2 CUPS OF FLOUR AND 1 CUP OF SUGAR. MIX WELL WITH WOODEN SPOON. When mixed well, separate the dough in four (4) equal portions. You give away three (3) of these portions to three (3) different people.

You keep the fourth portion of the dough. YOU MUST ADD 1/4 CUP SUGAR, 3 EGGS, 1/2 CUP OIL and 2 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Grease a loaf pan. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remember:
YOU ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO MAKE THIS HEMIN BREAD ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME.

We are on our 9th day and we plan to bake our bread soon. We'll let you know how our Hemin bread tastes like. Let me know if you have also tried this hemin bread already even though it is fake :) It is interesting to know where this Hemin Bread chain originated.

Technorati Tags: Manila, Philippines

The Artist Chef

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I've always wanted to do a series on exclusive dating places. Places or restaurants that will be exclusive for you and your date. When I learned about the Artist Chef, I got excited to try it out. From the looks of the menu and the presentation, I think this would be one of the exclusive dating places that will be special in time for the Christmas season. I'll share with you some more information after our experience.

P.S. If you know of any exclusive dating places, please let me know.

[Kawayan Cove #2] Kawayan Cove Mystery Revealed

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"Kawayan Cove is the exclusive residential enclave on the verdant slopes that surround the fabled beach. It is designed as an exquisite, understated blend of nature and man-made wonders.... The name Bamboo Beach has an almost mythic ring to it. Many people have heard stories about it, but only a few have ever set foot on its natural white sands. " -- Head Home to Kawayan Cove Brochure.

Rache @ the Meditation Point.

Have you ever wondered if all the things they say in the marketing brochures are true? This was my motivation for really checking out what is the mystery behind Kawayan Cove.

There is no doubt that Bamboo beach is the best beach in the Nasugbu area and for generations it was owned by the original family. I'm glad they decided to share the beach via the Kawayan Cove residential resort. The 650 meter wide Bamboo beach is 80% private and 20% public area that can only be accessed via boat and through this resort. It is a fabled beach because for years, this was the secret white beach in Nasugbu and kudos to the family for maintaining the beach so well.

The other beautiful asset of Kawayan Cove, is the Meditation Point. This is more than 4,000 square meters of serene garden sanctuary with a breathtaking view of the sea. It is ideal for reflection and prayer. There is a literally giant rosary in the middle of the garden. Meditation point is becoming popular as a wedding destination for some couples who would have sponsored access to Kawayan Cove.

Ironically, the main clubhouse is not yet completed which is suppose to be the first facility to be completed. There are only 10 houses to date so it is quite peaceful and ideal for escaping the Manila jungle. Allegedly, they are very picky on buyers since they want to keep the place serene and peaceful by avoiding controversial personalities. A typical lot would costs P5 million pesos up with a starting lot size of 500 sq meters per lot.

So what's the catch? Nothing. Kawayan Cove delivers up to its promise as stated in its marketing brochures. It is definitely a serene, secluded and secured beach escape which could be interpreted as boring if you like the night life or looking for some cool happenings in this resort.

Aidan will give you a glimpse of Kawayan Cove. Tara na!

Related Posts:
[Kawayan Cove #1] Bamboo Beach @ Kawayan Cove
[ Playa Calatagan #1] a Beach Discovery in Calatagan, Batangas
[ Playa Calatagan #3] Stay a week or stay a lifetime @ Playa Calatagan!
Playa Calatagan- First Signs of Life's a Beach

Technorati Tags: Beach, Manila, Philippines

Here is a glimpse of the Children's playground area. The place is complete with basketball court, tennis court, a picnic grove, a kiddie pool and hiking/ trekking trails.

The place is beautiful and was designed very well but there was nobody was there to enjoy the place.

This is the view from the main club house if and when it is constructed.

There are a lot of these animal shaped cemented signs. This crab welcomes you to Bamboo beach.

Here is another view of the giant cross in Meditation Point.

A wide view of the Bamboo beach from the right side end of the beach.

This is the demarkation line. 80% of Bamboo beach is on the left side of this line and privately owned by Kawayan Cove. The other 20% is public that can only be accessed via a boat from other nearby resorts.

The filipino food dishes cooked by the Bamboo Beach staff are very good because of the fresh seafood and ingredients.

This is a view from one of the lot area from The Grove and this is the highest point with a view of the sea.

I found this heart shape stones in one of the mini-caves in Bamboo beach.

Ah, this sunset scene is priceless. I can only dream of owning a lot here in Kawayan Cove to experience Bamboo beach every time I escape from Manila.

Thanks to Cai for the Kawayan Cove tripping! You can also arrange a tripping with the beautiful Ms. Cai Lacdan if you are interested with Bamboo Beach or Kawayan Cove.

Cai Lacdan
Email: cai.lacdan@gmail.com
Mobile: +63917-500-7856

The Need for Speed in City Kart

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We just hosted our regional teammates two weeks ago for a teambuilding experience that they will never forget. Last September, I already treated my team to a City Kart racing session and that is why we know that it would be a memorable event. We decided to do it again for 42 people coming from ASEAN, Australasia and India. I personally had fun because the racing format was 90 minutes of non-stop endurance race.

We divided the team into 8 groups of 5 and we let them decide their strategy on how to change racers to complete the entire 90mins race. The only requirement is that each team member should race for 6 minutes at a minimum. The team who completed the most laps wins the race! Before the actual endurance race, we conducted a race leveling where we let every one have their test run for 6 minutes. Their lap times will be the basis for creating the group and we want to make sure that each group has a mix of fast and slow racers. After the leveling, the teams chose the main racer who would run the qualifying round to decide the pole positions at the start of the endurance race.

It was really fun. I actually got sick after this race because I was drenched with sweat in my suit and I did not change my shirt.. We started at 6pm and ended the race at 11pm. Overall, we spend about P150k for the entire teambuilding session for 42 members of our regional team. After this, it would be difficult to think about the team building for next year since the expectation was to top this one. If you have any bright ideas, let me know. Thanks to Jeff and the City Kart Team!!

Here is a glimpse of the endurance race team building we had two weeks ago.

Related Posts:
City Kart Racing, First Indoor Go Kart in the Philippines!

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After putting on the jump suits and getting the baclava, the entire group were already pumped up. I chose the Green color of course but we are out numbered by the blue ones.

Jeff, the french guy who owns City Kart, oriented the team on safety tips and regulations on the track. So far, we have zero casualties and no one was seriously hurt.

Each team was seriously planning their strategy. Would they go for their fastest driver first or the slow one? What would be the changing drivers strategy and so on... Every one was serious and very competitive.

This team is so pumped up as they give their final high fives before the start of the qualifying race.

Go La Salle Signs are up! I'm ready to go and I started to visualize Shumacher in my head. I ran the qualifying race and I finished on the third pole position.

The good thing about this endurance race was that you can actually feel like a F1 racer because of the complete costumes, the fast + safe racing karts, and even pole positioning to start the race.

This picture captured what it actually look like from the drivers point of view. Everything was a blur because of the speed at which you are traveling.

At some point, there is also a pit stop to change racers so this should also be part of your strategy.

After 90 minutes, the checkered flag was up and ended the best teambuilding we ever had.

Everybody can't stop giving high fives and thinking that they won the race.

This was the top view of the pit stop. Initially, the monitor screens provided perspective on who was winning the race. A couple of minutes before the race, the monitors were shut off to give a surprise ending to the race.

If you don't have gloves, you'll get blisters on your hand so be careful if you decide to try this City Karts for the first time.

The fastest man and woman on the racing circuit.

Congratulations to the winners! The team who won the race was the team who have the most balanced drivers during the leveling race. The team started from the middle of the pack and race their way to the top.

As an added treat, we bought some Baluts for our visitors and make sure that they experience this famous Filipino delicacy.

These guys are at it and they ate the entire balut with the help of San Miguel Beer. Go fear factor!

Congratulations Nick for being the best Balut eater for the night!

Everyone was indeed happy going home. I hope you guys truly have fun :)

Thanks so much for the men and women of City Kart Racing!! Thanks soo much!!