OUR AWESOME PLANET

The Big Garment Sale (Nov 29-Dec 1)

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The Great Bulacan Sale. November 29, Thursday to December 2, Sunday.  We usually would go on Thursday/ Friday so that the crowd is still manageable. We do most of the Christmas Shopping here for the ina-anaks.  But I think we will have to pass this time because Rache is still recuperating.

During the last sale, they issued membership cards already which serves as the gate pass. No need for invites. If you are not registered yet, just bring one valid ID. For inquiries, pls call 2996061.

All the clothes that are not sold here are sent to their Off Price Stores in Ortigas/ Makati/ Malate.

Light Symphonies and ROX @ Boni High Street

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Here is another Christmas gimmick you can do with your kids. Bonifacio High Street has this  light and sounds show every 30 minutes from 7pm to 10pm. The Christmas lights around High Street and the different lanterns light up and dances to the tune of Christmas songs. There are two areas: the first area is near ROX side and it lights up at 7pm. While the second area , which is in the activity area around the spider rock, lights up 30 minutes after. It switches back and forth between those two areas every 30 minutes until 12 midnight.

Here is one suggestion on how to execute this gimmick with your kids...

Start with the Kids section in the 2/F of Fully Booked. Kids love books so make sure you read a few books to them.  And maybe buy some books that are irresistable.

Start walking and you'll see these giant cylindrical bells you can play around with.

Take a picture by the spider rock.

Remember that the activity area near the spider rock lights up every 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm, 10.30pm, and 11.30pm. So make sure that you get out of Fully Booked in time to see the first light symphony show.

Marvel at this big Mickey Mouse near Krispy Kreme.

Jump and hang around on this simple platform in front of Bo Coffeeshop.

This is my favorite. Talking to your kids on the other end and seeing their faces light up with excitement when they hear your voice.

The activity area near ROX lights up every 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm and 12mn.

Then walk all the way to the end of Bonifacio High Street until you see these Kayaking advertisement of Rox.

ROX, which stands for Recreation Outdoor eXchange, is a 3-level all outdoor gear store, the biggest in South East Asia!!

This gave me an idea for my next surprise for Aidan --- camping!

Hallelujah!! Finally, a store dedicated to provide outdoor/ sports/ camping equipment.

At the second floor, Aidan saw these cute travel bags from Samsonite and the huge model plane.  This made him drool.

I'm definitely planning a camping soon for Aidan. Any suggestions where it can be?

Pia Y Damaso's Philippine Colonial Cuisine?

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Starters, Salads and Sandwiches | Main Courses, Pasta, Noodles & Rice | Dessert & Pastries, Beverages | Coffee, Tea and Chocolate

Bambi Sy-Gobio of Kookie & Luscious expanded her business into restaurant/ cafe with the soft opening of Restaurante Pia y Damaso @ Greenbelt 5.  Pia y Damaso specializes on colonial Philippine cuisine inspired by Noli Me Tangere. According to Bambi, the cuisine is called "comido antigo" and it is probably what Damaso ate, Maria Clara was accustomed to, and what Ibarra and the other young accused subversives found comfort in." (I'm really not sure what this means)

Just a brief review of Noli: Kapitan Tiyago married Pia Alba but for 6 years they were not blessed with a baby. They approached Padre Damaso who suggested that they dance in Obando in front of their three patron saints: St. Pascal Baylon, St. Claire and Our Lady of Salambao. Miraculously, Pia concieved a baby. She died while giving birth to Maria Clara who was named after the Obando patron saints. Rumor has it that Padre Damaso was the father of Maria Clara.

After eating in John and Yoko, or Fish Out of Water or Chateau 1771 in Greenbelt 5, go to Pia Y Damaso for desserts! It has a veranda that overlooks the Greenbelt Church. This would be perfect during the Christmas season.  BTW, La Maison Brasserie is also open in Greenbelt 5 but we already had a trauma with how lousy the food was when we celebrated my birthday in Trinoma @ La Maison.

Sisa's Dementia (P160).Truffle cake with white chocolate almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse & ganache. It was not too sweet and seemed that the combination was perfect. Recommended but I won't go crazy over this.

Maria Clara's Velvety White Cheesecake (P220) with dayap & calamansi marmalade.  Interesting Lemon Cheesecake. I liked the lemon marmalade taste which makes this cheesecake bearable until the last bite.

Lemon Tuyo Pasta (P275). We should call this Damaso's Disaster. There was no taste of Lemon or even the saltiness of Tuyo. It was bland as it can ever be. It was their first day of soft opening so I understand that things like these could happen. My mom suddenly missed the tuyo pasta she had at Lime 88.  Can you share your experience with the food @ Pia Y Damaso?

Aidan's Dementia look over the Chocolate cake.

The place was cozy and small. So if you want to eat inside, better have a reservation.

Restaurante Pia Y Damaso
2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati
Telefax +632 729-5511

 

GREENBELT 5 RELATED POSTS:
Fish Out of Water, First @ Greenbelt 5
John and Yoko - a SumoSam Upscale Resto
The Rebirth of Chateau 1771 @ Greenbelt 5

The Rebirth of Chateau 1771 @ Greenbelt 5

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Congratulations to Chateau 1771 for a successful dry run over the weekend! They invited friends and family of the owners last weekend to try out Chateau 1771 for FREE while they fine tune the operation of their kitchen. We got a slot for last Sunday's brunch @ Chateau 1771 and we fell in love with the interiors, the food, and warm service. I personally love the high ceiling which gives it a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

Loyal followers of Chateau 1771 in El Pueblo, Ortigas will be happy to know that their favorite resto has a new home at the ground floor of Greenbelt 5. They have the best location and is very close to the sacred grounds of the Greenbelt Church. You can hear mass in the morning and have Sunday Brunch with family or friends after. Chateau 1771's grand opening is today, November 28.

I'm personally happy that syoti Joshua was able to join us in trying out Chateau 1771. My brother Rommel also joined us for the Sunday Brunch @ Chateau.  The breakfast menu reminded us of our Portico Breakfast in Serendra.

Check out their menu:
Filipino and American Breakfast | French Toast, Pan de sal Sandwiches, Healthy Breakfast, French Omelette |Specialty of the House, Appetizers, Soups and Salads | Poultry, Meat, Seafood and Pasta | Coffee and Tea | Desserts

Kesong Puti, Crumbled Chorizo Pandesal and hot chocolate (3pcs) (P250 +sc) and,
Native Beef Tapa (P280 +sc) served with fried/ scrambled egg, salted egg & garlic rice with a choice of drink with 1 refill (coffee, tea or chocolate)

The pandesal was not worth it while the beef tapa was decent. I still miss Country Waffle's Angus Beef Tapa which is reasonably priced at P250++. I've craved for it but I cannot have it anymore.

Tinapang Boneless Bonuan Bangus (P340 +sc). Smoked fish for breakfast, definitely low fat.  My kind of breakfast. It was not too salty and perfect with the salted egg.

Baguio Longganisang Durog (P260++). Reddish, crumbled & crisp.  We like our longganisa that are sweet and crunchy.

This is the facade of Greenbelt 5. Chateau 1771 is located on the left side, ground floor.

In front of Chateau 1771 is a spacious plaza and a view of Greenbelt 3.

Welcome Joshua to Our Awesome Planet!!

Contact Information:

729.9760; 729.9761; 0917.862.6467; 0920.951.9565 (Ms TJ)

G/F GB5 Ayala, Makati

GREENBELT 5 RELATED POSTS:
Fish Out of Water, First @ Greenbelt 5
John and Yoko - a SumoSam Upscale Resto
Pia Y Damaso's Philippine Colonial Cuisine?

We love our Sanuk Sandals!!

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We LOVE our Sanuk Sandals! Sanuk is a thai name for Pursuit of Happiness. It is definitely better than Crocs in terms of comfortability. It is a perfect Christmas gift for surfer dudes if you can find a nice design in Glorietta. Otherwise, visit their website and ask somebody from the US to buy Sanuk Sandals. Their website is soooo cool and if you read the philosophy of the company, they are soooo cool as well!

This is our pasalubong from my brother Lorenz from the US. Thank you cool bro!!

'Nuf Said

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Photo courtesy of Vic Icasas. This is the banner that started it...

The Ateneans are starting to celebrate the 2007 THES Top 500 Universities Rankings where Ateneo is the only University that  improved its ranking from 488 to 451 while University of the Philippines is ranked 398 this year (from 299). De La Salle is ranked 519 and UST is ranked 535 out of 566 Universities.  Spanx started to provoke Gang Green and Lasallians in his post Hail! Hail! Hail!  Just remember, the last time La Salle was out of anything, we came back and became champions. Animo La Salle!!
 

John and Yoko - a SumoSam Upscale Resto

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John and Yoko is now celebrating its first month of operation at Greenbelt 5. I'm excited to try it out ever since Greenbelt 5 opened. My excitement led to high expectations which were not met when I found out that it was just an upscale version of SumoSam (by Marvin Agustin and business partners).  Essentially, it is SumoSam in Greenbelt 5 with additional menu choices (pizzas,etc..), brilliant branding, snazzy interiors and sexy servers. I liked the Japanese movie projected on the wall which adds "authenticity" to its Japanese inspired Filipino Food.

The John and Yoko concept is very good. In reality, John and Yoko is a Filipino Restaurant pretending to be a Cosmopolitan Japanese place. The head chef is Filipino. If I were to describe John and Yoko, it would be: SumoSam + Omakase + Teriyaki Boy + Snazzy Interiors + Sexy Servers = John and Yoko.

I liked the food because it was suited for the Filipino sweet taste buds. But we hate paying for over-priced food. It would be a good place to have a birthday treat or barkada blowout. I would recommend that you go with family and friends because it would be expensive if you eat only with 2-3 people. Expect to pay P500/ head.

The John and Yoko menu is a photo album of its food selections. There are no descriptions just photos and captions. The photos are enticing but some of them can be deceiving.

John and Yoko | Japanese Salads on the Sunset Strip | Ginza Tapas and Big City Teasers 1 | Ginza Tapas and Big City Teasers 2 | Soho Sushi and Broadway Rolls 1 | Soho Sushi and Broadway Rolls 2 | Rockin Ramen and Noodles of Immortality 1 | Rockin Ramen and Noodles of Immortality 2 | Soups in the City | Wagyu Packing District | Our Theory on Tempura and Teppanyaki 1| Our Theory on Tempura and Teppanyaki 2 | Steak of the Nation and Yakitori Republic | From the Deep Blue Sea |A Nation of Blowouts | Big City Bowls | The Sun Rises in the East | Too Hot to Handle and Too Cold to Hold | Brain Freeze Time

Sunset Prawn Salad (P 269 +SC)  This is a 300 peso salad with only two shrimps, chopped to look like it was more than 2 pieces with a few vegetables on big plates. Learning: Don't order that salad.

Tofu Cheese Melt (P158 +SC).  This should be described as Fried Tofu with melted Chiz Wiz and bacon. 

Crunchy Squid Teriyaki (P138 +SC).  We enjoyed the crunchiness of this squid appetizer. I would order this the next time around.

Beef Teppan (P289 +SC). We resisted ordering the Wagyu because it would only taste like Beef Teppan.

Wagyu Rice (P289 +SC). We fell for this wagyu trap. For a small bowl of rice and a little bit of Wagyu (which you cannot tell the difference between ordinary beef), you pay an overpriced fee of P300.  Good for one person.  Learning: If you plan to eat Wagyu, don't eat in places like these...


The kitchen has poor ventilation. Expect to smell when you get out of the restaurant.

John and Yoko Cosmopolitan Japanese
2nd Floor Greenbelt 5, Legaspi St., Legaspi Village Makati, Metro Manila
Telephone: +632 729-8698

GREENBELT 5 RELATED POSTS:

Fish Out Of Water, First @ Greenbelt 5

The Rebirth of Chateau 1771 @ Greenbelt 5

Pia Y Damaso's Philippine Colonial Cuisine?

10 Reasons why Star City is the place to be...

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Our company is having our Family Christmas event at the Star City. This is a preview of the excitement that awaits us this coming December. The official Star City website is not updated (www.starparks.com.ph) but I will refer to some of the basic information from that site. If you haven't been to Star City for some time, this is a preview of what is in store for you in one of Manila's matured Carnival.

10 Reasons why Star City is the place to be...

Star City is pioneer in introducing the concept of mixing retail with amusement, a trend being followed by most malls today where they integrate rides with shopping. Star City combines maximum shopping with maximum enjoyment attractions all focus on serving our target market, the Filipino family, schools, and companies. Here, our visitors will escape to a friendly stimulating sequence of worlds field with a mixture of maximum value shops and spectacular world-class attractions. (according to Star City :)

1. Indoor Carnival. 100% of the kiddie rides are indoors so you can enjoy the Carnival even when it rains. For events, it is easy to plan since you remove the rain factor from ruining your awesome time. However, the adult thrill rides Surf Dance, Star Flyer, Zyklon Loop and Wild River are located outside.

2. Unique Adult Scary Rides. I didn't know that Star City had these awesome adult thrill rides.

The Surf Dance, the first and only of its kind in the Philippines, is a family gondola ride that is about the height of a five-storey building. The 44-seat ride swings upwards, downwards, and sideways.

Star Flyer is the newest addition to the Star City family. It is the first inverted roller coaster ride in the country! It was imported from California and it is now operational at SC in time for Christmas season.

3. Awesome Snow World in the tropical paradise of the Philippines. If you are already inside Star City, you only have to pay P100 entrance fee to experience Snow World.

See the Ice carvings of World Ice Sculpture Arts Champion Frankie Lee.  World Ice Art Championships is an ice sculpting contest in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Slide in the longest Ice Slide in Asia (about 68m).

Experience real snow in this -15 degrees centigrade environment.

4. Peter Pan and Land of the Giants Attractions.  I enjoyed these attractions more than Aidan who got scared because of the loud noises/ sounds inside.  There's still a child inside of me after all!

Land of the Giants. See the physical world literally in a bigger picture when you visit the Land of the Giants. Be amazed by the experience of seeing smaller animals in a shape bigger than you are.

Peter Pan. Visit Neverland and experience the story and relive the adventure of the boy who never grows old, Peter Pan.This is a walk-though spell binding fantasy attraction bringing to life the tale and adventures of Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and the rest of the kids.

5. More Attractions!  I do feel that you get your money's worth for the ride-all-you-can because there are more attractions and horror rides for the family! It would probably take the whole day to enjoy all the rides and attractions. Even Enchanted Kingdom, does not have these kinds of attractions.

(Clockwise from Top) 1. Dungeon, 2. Kilabot ng Mummy, 3. Time Tunnel, and 4. Gabi ng Lagim

6. Mini-Enchanted Kingdom experience in Manila. Remember all these rides that are similar to Enchanted Kindom?

(Clockwise from Top)
Wild River (aka Log Jam). This ride consists over a dozen log boats (each with seating capacity of six adults) that travels down a channel propelled by a strong current of water. The boats are lifted to the top by two hydraulic belts and are allowed to drop freely from the height of up to 15 meters into a splash.
Super Viking (aka Anchor's Away). This pirate ship-inspired family ride has a seating capacity of 50 adults. It swings forward and backward horizontally.
Zyklon Loop (aka Space Shuttle). A roller coaster that travels at the speed of 60 kph and features a 60 degree drop, banking turns of over 720 degrees. This is the country’s first imported 360-degree loop coaster.
Adult Bumper Boat. This classic ride, which is composed of 20 independent gas powered boats, is composed of is a favorite among family because of its passenger interaction.

7. Roller Coaster Rides for all Ages! I counted 6 roller coaster rides with increasing level of excitement.

Rodeo First driving lesson. From fire trucks to medic emergency vehicle, choose and enjoy from the ten cars in a convoy that travel along and over and under loop track.
Wacky Worm. This kiddie / all-family roller coaster ride is themed as giant caterpillar. It can carry 36 people along the double level track.

Wacky Dragon. Too small for Blizzard but too big for Wacky Worm? Then try Wacky Dragon, one of the roller coasters for the whole family.
Blizzard Blizzard is an all-family roller coaster ride that will take you to an exciting experience.

Zyklon Loop. A roller coaster that travels at the speed of 60 kph and features a 60 degree drop, banking turns of over 720 degrees. This is the country’s first imported 360-degree loop coaster.
Star Flyer is the newest addition to the Star City family. It is the first inverted roller coaster ride in the country!

8. Kiddie Rides/Games One to Sawa. There is simply no reason why your kids won't enjoy all the kiddie rides at Star City.

Grand Carousel.The first double decked carousel in the country (but I do remember that Global Carnival also had this), and is a showcase of excellent European craftsmanship. It has a capacity of 72 people, and is regarded as the most popular all-family ride in the park.
Kiddie Wheel. Star City’s ferris wheel for kids wherein your little angels can enjoy the feel of a ferris wheel ride minus the fear of heights.

Little Mermaid Boat Ride. Captivate yourself with the fascinating set design artfully made for your touring experience inside this lagoon-like pathway.
Snow White Antique Cars. Offer yourself a relaxing break from the tiring and exciting tour inside the park by visiting Snow White Antique Cars, which depicts the first models of cars ever made.

Little Tykes Playground. Your kids will never ran out of slides and cars to enjoy.

Magic Tea Cup. Time to relax. Kids, with their playmates, can relax on this kiddie ride after hours of playing inside kiddie ball pools, playpen among other Star City attractions.
Quack Quack. A seven-meter revolving kiddie ride that has six tubs / coaches designed as ducks, each with four seating capacity.

Red Baron. Ace flyer anyone? Make your child imagine himself / herself as the World War I ace flyer in this kiddie ride, the Red Baron.
Telecombat. An all-family ride, is composed of 16 independently controlled units that can be turned, lifted, and dropped, simulating a mini space vehicle.

Fire Slide and Snow White Soft Play. Old rubber slides but functional.

Kiddie Bump Car. Enjoying the ride behind the wheels. Let your kids experience the fun and excitement of driving without the hassle of the city’s heavy traffic.
Adult Bumper. Car safety meets fun and laughter. Drive away to your heart’s content with the all-time favorite, the bumper cars even with numerous collisions and banging with your friends’ bumper cars , driving has never been this safe, hassle and scratch-free.

Ball Pool and Free Slides.

Kiddie Ride Games.  (1-2 tokens per ride. 1 token= P5)

Basketball and Throwing Games.  (1-3 tokes per game. 1 token = P12)

9. A chance to have a photo taken with a Snow Man. For some reason, Aidan keeps raving about this snow man.  I think he remembered the Snow Man in the StarFall website where he can design his own Snow Man from the hat to the face to his arms.

10. Star City is entertaining despite its weaknesses. Maybe you can just do away with its weaknesses so you can start to enjoy this place.

1. Star City is old and has been operating since 1991. Most of the kiddie rides are old but functional. The rides are not photogenic at all but they get the job done in entertaining the kids.
2. It is noisy inside. The noise and screams in the roller coaster are magnified because they are indoors. In fact, Aidan got scared the first time we were walking around Star City.
3. I don't understand the Carnival Layout. In the effort to bring everything indoors, they sacrificed the zonings and location of the rides.
4. Marketing is poor. The website is outdated with ugly photos. Their brochure is only a map with outdated attractions.
5. You go to Star City for the kids. I would not invite my friends here just to hang around or meet.

MORE INFORMATION ON STAR CITY

Entrance Only (P60) | Ride All You Can (P250) | RAYC with Snow World (P325)
PARK LOCATION: Star City is located at Star City, Sotto St., CCP Complex Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.
PARK SCHEDULE:  Monday – Friday  4:00 PM – onwards | Saturday – Sunday / Holiday
1:00 PM – onwards
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Marketing: +632 6899 3496 | Operations: +632 833-4483

RELATED POSTS FOR KIDS' PLACE:

Global Fun Carnival formerly known as Eurostar Carnival is Back!!

Snow World @ Star City

Surprising your Kids Who Loves Planes and Helicopters

 

Happy Thanksgiving and the Birth of the The ULTIMATE Kapampangan Show-off!

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Happy Thanksgiving!  To celebrate Thanksgiving, we ate turkey at Hizon's, Malate where they have institutionalized the Turkey meal in their menu every Thursday. You have an option of having potatoes or kamote as your side dish. They have perfected this for the Filipino taste.

Hizon's Cakes & Pastries is an institution in Malate and has been there since 1946! I loved their raisin bread :) Some people like their ensaymada and other treats.

Hizon's Cakes & Pastries Manila
1197 Jorge Bocobo corner Arquiza Sts, Ermita, Manila
Telephone: +632 524-8790, +632 536-3993

This is where we gave birth to The ULTIMATE Kapampangan Show-off! It is all set for Dec. 15, Saturday 7.30am to 12 midnight. Tour cost is P4,500. I will do a detailed post on this. This will be the best Pampanga tour ever by people who love Pampanga!

Special Cultural Tour!
The ULTIMATE Kapampangan Show-off!

"Journey to the Northern heartland as we immerse ourselves in things Kapampangan! From Baroque to Betute, its fun-filled day as we poke around and get intimate with the very best of Pampanga's cultural offerings. Gawk at the jewel-box of church in Betis while wading through the lahar-buried town of Bacolor. We'll stuff ourselves silly with the best Kapampangan fare by one of the country's best known Pampango chefs! To it cap-off, we'll have front-row view of the most dazzling display of Kapampangan artistry- the Ligligan Parul Festival of San Fernando! A tour with nothing but Kapampangan cool!"

The Tour Experience
* Betis Church* Town of Bacolor*Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung Restaurant* Pampanga Specilaty Shops* Ligligan Parul  Festival in San Fernando
    
This tour is brought to you by  Our Awesome Planet, Ivan About Town, Manila Boy and Old Manila Walks .

Snow World @ Star City

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How much would you pay to see the World Ice Art Championships Ice Sculpture in Manila?
How much would you pay to enjoy the longest ice slide in Asia?
How much would you pay to experience real snow @ -15 degrees in the tropical paradise of Manila?

For P160/ person, you can experience the Snow World at Star City, CCP Complex.  I had my doubts about entering the Snow World but it was the real thing -- real snow, real ice sculpture and real ice slide!

Snow World Manila features the Ice carvings of World Ice Sculpture Arts Champion Frankie Lee together with Jeffrey Ng at Theo Ghee of Singapore.  (This was in the press release but I can't seem to find their names in the World Ice Art Championships' winners) "The World Ice Art Championships is an ice sculpting contest in Fairbanks, Alaska put on by Ice Alaska every May. The contest is the largest of its kind in the world and attended by more than 100 sculptors from 30 different countries every year." (wikipedia).

Winter Wonderland Entertainment partnered with Star City to bring the Snow World from Indonesia to Manila. They made it bigger and created a longer ice slide of about 68 meters long. The slide is not recommended for kids because they might be off balance and hit their head on the ice. 

The entire place was -15 degrees celcius and water turns into snow with this temperature. In fact, I only lasted for 10 minutes inside Snow World and I was already freezing even my camera and tripod. I don't know if my SLR can withstand the negative cold temperature.  After I exiting, the ice formed on the camera started to melt and I was constantly wiping the water off the SLR.

Related Posts:
Photographing Ice with Digital Camera
10 Reasons why Star City is the Place to be

Despite the 5 layers of jacket for Aidan, he still felt very cold and wanted to leave immediately. That is why I don't have pictures of Aidan inside Snow World. The photo above is Aidan's penguin look before entering Snow World.

Santa Claus and his reindeers.

Sumo Wrestling.

Statue of Liberty, US (who is the other lady on the right?)

Christ Redeemer, Brazil and Eiffel Tower, Paris.

After the ice sculpture, you would enter a tunnel going to the main attraction of the Snow World.

This is the best place to take a picture of your kid, beside the Christmas Tree.  If you decide to bring your kid, skip the ice sculptures and go to the Christmas Tree immediately for picture taking.

Touch the real snow...

This is a picture of the Christmas Tree from the slide area.

Might as well slide on the ice...

Weeee!

 

RELATED POSTS:

Surprising your Kids Who Loves Planes and Helicopters

Manila Ocean Park?

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Since we are on the topic of M/V Doulos, and Manila Bay Cruise, I am super excited to see Manila Ocean Park. The Manila Ocean Park is the "Philippines’ first state-of-the-art Oceanarium, open water marine habitat, boutique mall, restaurant row and function facilities all located in one complex at the back of the Quirino Grandstand" (Official Website: Manila Ocean Park).

I can't wait to see if it lives up to its promise or would it be just another marketing hype. I just visited the location and it is nowhere near completion by Dec. 15 of this year. I do hope they open a part of it before Christmas.

Related Posts: Manila Ocean Park to open in December

MV Doulos is back!

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Read: Doulos Bookstore: The Floating Bookstore in Manila Official Website: Doulos. Bringing knowledge, help and hope.

It is now currently docked in Batangas and will go back to Manila on Nov 29th until Christmas (Dec. 26, 2007).  During the visit to Batangas, the vessel is undergoing a routine period of maintenance that takes place annually. (see: Where's The Water Gone?) The best time to go is on the first day it is opened to the public. All of the best books would be gone by that time.

Can anyone give our family a tour of M/V Doulos? Aidan would love to go around a big ship. It will be a surprise for him and syoti this coming December :)

Manila Bay Cruise by Metrostar Ferry @ Mall of Asia

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Mall of Asia complex is already an integral part of Aidan's childhood memories. Every time we would go out, Aidan would say "go to SM" or "go to Mall of Asia". I don't want to sound like an endorser of SM but it is now part of our daily conversation with Aidan.

Another awesome addition in the MOA complex is the Metrostar Ferry Manila Bay Cruise. For P120, you can enjoy a one-hour round trip around Manila Bay. Aidan love boats too so having a one-hour ferry ride was awesome! Most of the Manila Bay cruises have disappeared already when the Manila Baywalk was cleaned up by Mayor Lim.

The Metro Ferry dock is located beside The Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth and the Life (Church across Mall of Asia). I would recommend to take the sunset cruise (5.00pm) or the evening cruise (6.30pm) on Fri/Sat/Sun in time for the MOA fireworks. (I need to check the exact time again because the soft opening departure hours are different from the regular schedule. Please comment if you know the actual schedule.)

This small Metrostar Ferry dock was originally meant to connect SM Mall of Asia to Cavite City.

Here is the MOA to Cavite City schedule, in case you are interested.

During the soft opening, we rode on a small Metro Star Ferry boat. They would use a double decker boat during the regular tours.

We got Aidan in for FREE (for now).

The cruise is recommended for a gimik with a special someone or for surprising your kid.

The first thing you would see is the SM Mall of Asia facade. There is a recorded narrator during the tour.

EXPENSIVE snacks are available on board. But you can bring your own food and drinks. Some even brought their own wines during the one-hour ferry trip.

SM Mall of Asia view from Manila Bay. The fireworks are usually done in front of SM Mall of Asia.

Global Fun Carnival Manila Bay View.

The only thing I don't like about the tour is the foul smell of Manila Bay in certain areas we passed by.

Contact Information:

Manila Bay Daily Cruise (P120, Free for kids below 3ft.)

Soft Opening Schedule: 11.15am | 3.30pm | 5pm | 7pm

Metrostar Ferry, Inc.

Mall of Asia Termina, SM Mall of Asia

Tel No. +632 407-8826 to 27,

Cel No. +63 928 677 4221

Mall of Asia to Cavite (P75/ P60)

Departure: 7:45am | 11am | 3pm | 6.30pm

Arrival: 8.30am | 11.45am | 3.45am | 7.10pm

Cavite to Mall of Asia (P75/ P60)

Departure: 6.30am | 9.30am | 1.30pm | 4.30pm

Arrival: 7.15am | 10.15am | 2.15pm | 5.15pm

Food From The Heart - a Gourmet Charity Dinner by Executive Chef, Mike Figdor

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Food From The Heart will benefit 250 residents at Golden Acres. This institution is open for males and females over the age of 60 who were abandoned, neglected and needy. The event hopes to raise enough money to provide residents with the following items:

• Healthy snacks
• Daily Vitamins 
• Soap
• Shampoo
• Towels
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Clothing

Requested Items for the whole institution:

• Laundry Soap
• Janitorial Supplies 
• Medical Dressing Set 
• Minor Surgery Kits

A Christmas gathering on the 15th of December is also in line with these donations. Hearty food prepared by our chefs, a small program, games, gifts, possibly even ballroom dancing and karaoke for their enjoyment.

We have just visited the institution and have been deeply touched by our now extended lolo's and lola's. Their warm welcome to us despite being strangers was truly a heartwarming experience.

The team behind Essentiel Events is counting on your support. Thank you!

For more information: Food From the Heart by Essential Events

Ahiya Aidan meets Syoti Josh for the first time...

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Rache recalls the first encounter of Aidan with syoti, Josh:

" The first time Aidan saw his brother, ang tanong sa akin, "Ma, sino
yan?" (i know, nakakatawa no?) then i told him, si syoti...naku,
ngumiti na at natuwa! hi syoti, ang sabi! Aidan kept on touching
syoti...marunong siya kasi dahan dahan nya hinimas si syoti.  Game na
game makipagpicture with his syoti.  Now that we're home, everytime he
hears Joshua cries, he would run and shout that Syoti is crying...and
sometimes would ask, why is syoti crying...he likes to touch
syoti...at halik halikan! Kaya kitang kita namin na mahal niya si
syoti.  So far, di naman sya masyado nagpapakita ng selos.  Today,
when he saw syoti nagmeme, he asked for it...it is one sign na siguro,
nagseselos...hopefully, di naman sya gaanong magselos kasi we still
spend time with him since tulog lang naman si syoti ng tulog. "

(Note: In Chinese, the oldest kuya is called Ahiya and
the younger brother is called Syoti and younger sister is called Siobe)

After Krispy Kreme, HOOTERS is opening in Manila!

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Hooters in Manila? Yes/No.  The Hooters Sports Bar & Restaurant that opened in Pasay City along Diosdado Macapagal was just trying to be funny. It tries to capitalize on the Hooters name until the real Hooters opens in the Fort by year 2008.

" HOOTERS, the American restaurant made famous by its buxomy beautiful babes, will be opening its first outlet in the Philippines at The Fort entertainment strip in Taguig City. This was confirmed by Kaz Endo, managing director and partner of Paradise Wings Llp., a Guam-based company which owns the Hooters franchise for Guam and Asia, including the Philippines...construction is ongoing at the restaurant, which will open its doors to the public by February 2008. " (Coming soon at The Fort: the Hooters By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo BusinessMirror)

Spanx, Manila Boy is very excited in his blog post: HOOTERS!!! which represent the sentiments of most Filipino men:

"The CHICKEN WINGS will make me very happy. I mean, really... just the wings!!! "

I'm not sure if Market Manila is equally excited to hear that the Hooter's Buffalo Chicken Wings will now be available in Manila! Manila's restaurant scene is getting hotter. I will bet that Hooters Manila will be a lot better than the Hooters Singapore version.

I am excited, are you?

Surprising your Kids Who Loves Planes and Helicopters

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We love to surprise Aidan these days. I would bring home surprise pasalubongs (cupcakes...) , or treat him to surprise restaurants (Haagen Dazs, Kozui...) or (our favorite) bring him to surprise places he would enjoy (Global Fun Carnival, etc.). He loves airplanes and helicopters, and we bought him helicopter / airplane toys to play with. Occasionally, we would go sunset airplane watching at the Heritage Park: Sunset Air Plane Watching | Heritage Park Sunset Airplane Watching.

The ultimate surprise for any kid who loves Airplanes / Helicopters is to bring him in close encounter with the real thing!  Of course, you need to set it up as a surprise and bring him to the Aerospace Museum of the Philippine Air Force in Villamor Air Base!

The world class Aerospace Museum opened its doors on the 60th founding anniversary of the Philippine Air Force  last June 29, 2007. It was a long awaited opening after 10 years of planning, design and construction. The first floor has interactive displays of modern aerospace science. The second floor houses the Air Force heritage and the history of Aviation in the Philippines. The third floor has a view deck to see excellent views of the air base and its surroundings. Our favorite part of the museum is the display of the 18 kinds of military aircraft permanently towed in the museum for public viewing!  The museum is located in the intersection of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 and Villamor air base complex. For P20 per person, you can enjoy this museum with your kids! They are open on weekdays and halfday on Saturdays. 

b Ways to enjoy the Aerospace Museum by the Philippine Air Force

1. Touch one of the modern planes on display in the first floor of the museum. Aidan got scared at first because the plane lit up when you go near it.

2. Ride and see what's inside an actual helicopter. I can see the surprised happiness in Aidan's face when he climbed into the helicopter.

3. Sit in the cockpit of one of the jet fighter planes.

4. Be amazed with the different airplane models on display like the airport model above.


5. Get inside one of the big commercial airplanes donated by the Philippine Airlines.  This is air-conditioned plane.

6. See what it feels like to peak into a night vision goggle.

7. Further explore a total of 18 military aircrafts on display in the aerospace museum.

8. Introduce your kid to different kinds of military guns. (maybe this is not a good idea)

9. See this vintage 8mm movie camera and an old military phone.

10. Enjoy dirty ice cream with your kid!

Aerospace Museum of the Philippine Air Force
Intersection of Villamor Airbase Complex and NAIA Terminal 3
P20 Entrance Fee | Mon-Friday 8am to 5pm and 8am-12nn on Saturday

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8 Reasons Why You Should Watch Into the Woods!

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Read: Bios of the Into The Woods Cast | For More info: Into the Woods Manila Philippines FAQs

I came to watch it because Mila was raving about it and it was one of her favorite musical show. I intentionally watched without any background information on it.  Into the Woods brilliantly combines the well-known fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood with the original story of the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child. I honestly thought that the show ended with a cliche ending in Act 1 (which is almost 2 hours already) and the characters lived happily ever after. Act 1 is for the kids and Act 2 is for the big boys and girls. I love the non-cliche, adult-themed, and crazy ending of Into the Woods! Spanx describe it as "thought-provoking, foot-tapping,"WTF was that?!?!?!"- chuckle inducing, night at the theater."

Wouldn't it be nice if we also have our own home grown musical which combines the story of Captain Barbell, Darna, Mulawin and ang Panday combined with the original story of Inday. First Act will revolve around how they met and fall in love with their special someone and how they conquer their own challenges or situation. The fun begins with Act 2 when Panday falls in love with Inday and there is a love triangle with Captain Barbell. Act 2 would focus on intrigas, kaliwaan, and scandals made for showbiz's exposes and lessons learned from them. 

Into the Woods is a theater star-studded production that is highly recommended to watch! It is too bad that the shows are not sold out because not a lot of people know what Into the Woods is all about.

SYNOPSIS
by June Abernathy (from sondheim.com: Putting it together since 1994)

Into The Woods blends various familiar fairy tales with an original story of a childless Baker and his Wife, who catalyze the action of the story by attempting to reverse a spell on their family in order to have a child.

In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living “Happily Ever After” through familiar routes – Cinderella goes to the Ball and captures the heart of Prince Charming, Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds a land of Giants and Gold, Little Red Riding Hood survives her clash with the wolf at Grandma’s house, and Rapunzel manages to escape her tower with the aid of a handsome prince who climbs her long hair. The Baker and his Wife move through their stories while pursuing their own goal – the Witch who keeps Rapunzel (revealed to be the Baker’s sister) has put the curse on his house, and agrees to lift it if the Baker and his Wife can find the ingredients to help her reverse a spell which her mother has laid on her, keeping her old and ugly. Those ingredients are: A Slipper As Pure As Gold, which the Baker’s Wife gets from Cinderella, A Cow As White As Milk, which the Baker buys from Jack in exchange for magic beans, A Cape As Red As Blood, which the Baker gets from Little Red Riding Hood in exchange for freeing her and Granny from the Wolf, and Hair As Yellow As Corn, which they get from Rapunzel. The ingredients are gathered, and the spell works, stripping the Witch of her power, but restoring her beauty. At the end of Act I, all the characters seem poised to live “Happily Ever After”. Act Two, however, deals with the consequences that traditional fairy tales conveniently ignore. What does one do with a dead Giant in the back yard? Does marrying a Prince really lead to a happy and fulfilling life? Is carving up the wolf the solution? Is the Giant always wrong? In Act two, all the characters must deal with what happens AFTER “Happily Ever After”. As they face a genuine threat to their community, they realize that all actions have consequences, and their lives are inescapably interdependent, but also that that interdependence is their greatest strength.

(Left to Right) 1. Menchu Lauchengco Yulo as the Bakers Wife & Cathy Azanza as Cinderella, 2. Angela Padilla as Rapunzel, 3. Joaqui Valdes as Jack, 4. Julia Abueva as Little Red Riding Hood & Menchu Lauchengco Yulo & Michael Williams

8 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH Into the Woods (a musical)
1. To know why people are raving about Into the Woods because of Act 2 where the fairy tale characters have to live with the consequences of their actions.
2. To see why Into the Woods was a winner of three Tony Awards - including Best Book and Best Score and has produced a Grammy award-winning album.
3. To bond with your kids and discussing themes like growing up, parents and children relationship, accepting responsibility, morality and wish fulfilment and its consequences.
4. To count the number of people who died in Act 2 which includes the Narrator (for some reason).
5. To rave about Julia Abueva's performance (who is only 11 years old) as the Little Red Riding Hood. In fact, I think she deserves the best performance award for that show. I regret not watching her in Children’s Letters To God, a musical.
6. To impress your date with a highly entertaining night of a crazy fairy tale story :)
7. To simply watch why Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo is one of the country's leading musical theatre stars!
8. To be mesmerized by how Into the Woods brilliantly combines the well-known fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood with the original story of the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child.

More Information and Reviews:
Into the Woods Manila Philippines FAQs by Bachelor girl
Into the Woods by New Voice Company by Watergirl
THE WOODS are Lovely, Dark, and Deep...by Spanx

Animo Kozui!

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Kozui - The legend of an ever flowing aromatic Water
"There is a legend in Japan which tells of a sacred ever flowing fragrant water in a well that comes all the way from Wakasa Obama City, Fukui Perfecture. The legned goes, Jitchu Kasho asked the gods from all parts of Japan to atten the shunie at Todaiji's Nigatsudo. Onyu Myojin of Wakasa arrived late for the gathering, however, because he had been busy fishing. Mayojin deeply regretted his lateness and by way of apology promised to offer kozui (aromatic water) from Wakasa to Nigatsudo's principal image. With those words, a black and white cormorant flew out of a rock in Nigatsudo and kozui fragrant water began to pour forth from the rock."

"To commemorate this legend, Omizutori rite is performed every year. Kosui (aromatic water) is drawn from the Wakasa well in the akaiya, a place within Nigatsudo that contains the temple's sacred wells. The rite is led by 11 torchbearers and when the water is drawn, a blare of conch shells resound to announces the services climax."

Kozui Menu
Healthy Sandwiches and Soup | Soup and Fresh Fita Wraps |  Fresh Japanese Salad | Japanese Eats | Chilled Asian Noodle Salads | Donburi Rice Bowls | Hummus and Soba

Beverages and Dessert Menu
Kozui's Eight Premium Green Tea |